* 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. [00:00:29] OKAY, WE'RE GONNA CALL THE ORDER THE MEETING OF THE CHARTER AMENDMENT COMMITTEE OF THE LONG BEACH CITY COUNCIL ROLL CALL, PLEASE. COUNCILMAN ZENDEJAS. PRESENT COUNCIL OR VICE MAYOR ALLEN. THAT'S ELITE COUNCIL MEMBER DUGGAN. COUNCILMAN, WE'RE DOING ROLL CALL GUYS. COUNCILMAN KERR? HERE. COUNCILMAN ZARO. COUNCIL MEMBER URANGA. COUNCILMAN AUSTIN. HERE. COUNCIL MEMBER RICK SODI. HERE. MAYOR RICHARDSON. WE HAVE QUORUM. I'M HERE APPOINTED OF ORDER. MAYOR, UH, WE CAN'T HEAR VERY WELL UP HERE, SO IF YOU CAN REPEAT THINGS THAT WOULD BE HELPFUL. YEAH, SPEAKING TO THE MIC. ALRIGHT, I THINK WE'RE, WE'RE GOOD. WE HAVE A QUORUM. UM, UH, LET'S CALL UP ITEM NUMBER ONE, PLEASE. ITEM ONE IS THE RECOMMENDATION TO REQUEST THE MAYOR TO CONVENE THE CHARTER COMMITTEE COMMITTEE, CHARTER AMENDMENT COMMITTEE TO CONDUCT THE FIRST HEARING, RECEIVING FILE COMMENTS FROM THE COMMITTEE IN SUPPORTING DOCUMENTATION AND MOVE TO A SECOND HEARING THE PROPOSED AMENDMENT OF CITY CHARTER ARTICLE 11. TO COMBINE THE CIVIL SERVICE AND HUMAN RESOURCES DEPARTMENTS INTO ONE UNIFIED HIRING DEPARTMENT CITYWIDE. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. UH, OKAY. SO THIS IS, YOU KNOW, PER OUR CHARTER RULES, WE TAKE THREE STEPS TO AMEND OUR CHARTER. THE, UH, IT HAS TO BE HEARD IN THIS COMMITTEE THREE TIMES. THIS IS THE FIRST TIME, UH, AND THE RULES, UH, THAT WE'RE USING ARE STANDARD COUNCIL RULES, WHICH MEANS FIVE YEAR, FIVE MINUTE LIMITS ON COUNCIL MEMBER SPEAKING TIME, STANDARD PUBLIC COMMENT PROCEDURES. SO ALL OF THAT IS THE SAME LIKE WE DO EVERY OTHER, UH, HEARING. SO THAT SAID, WE'LL NOW GO TO, UH, STAFF FOR A PRESENTATION. THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR. SO, IF YOU RECALL, UM, ABOUT A MONTH AGO, WE WERE AT THE CITY COUNCIL MEETING TO REFER THIS ITEM OFFICIALLY TO COMMITTEE. SO THAT'S WHERE WE HAD A PRETTY IN-DEPTH PRESENTATION OF THE DETAILS OF THE PROPOSAL AND THE HISTORY AND THE THINGS THAT HAVE CHANGED. SO, UH, WE WENT THROUGH THAT. AS A PART OF THAT. WE THEN HAD A, UM, REQUEST, UH, TO GO FURTHER INTO SOME QUESTIONS. AND SO WE PROVIDED THAT AND THAT'S WHERE SOME OF OUR FOCUS WILL BE. UH, BUT JUST TO, UH, SUMMARIZE, THIS HAS BEEN, UH, A LONG ROAD. THERE'S BEEN LOTS OF DISCUSSION ABOUT THIS. UH, THIS ALL STARTED, UH, BACK WHEN THE MAYOR, UH, REALLY, UH, UH, LAUNCHED THIS EFFORT AS PART OF THE STATE OF THE CITY AND, AND TALKED ABOUT HOW DO WE LOOK AT HOW DO WE IMPROVE OUR HIRING SYSTEM. UH, THERE'S MANY THINGS WE'RE WORKING ON. THIS IS ONE OF 'EM, UH, TO BE ABLE TO, UH, HIRE FASTER, HIRE STREAMLINED, UH, ATTRACT TOP QUALITY TALENT, UH, AND ALSO REDUCE, UH, UM, BUREAUCRACY AND, AND STREAMLINE OUR HIRING PROCESSES AS MUCH AS WE POSSIBLY CAN. SO I'M GONNA TURN THIS OVER TO JOE AMBROSINI, OUR, UH, DIRECTOR OF HUMAN RESOURCES. HE'S GONNA GO THROUGH, UH, SOME OF THE QUESTIONS THAT WE, UH, BROUGHT, WERE BROUGHT UP LAST TIME. HE'S REALLY GONNA FOCUS ON SOME OF THE, THE MERIT BASED SYSTEMS AND HOW THOSE WORK. 'CAUSE THAT WAS A FOCUS, UH, OF THE COUNCIL. WE'LL TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT SOME OF THE RESEARCH WE'VE DONE ON THE POLLING AS WELL, UH, AND, UH, ALSO TALK ABOUT SOME OF THE PREFERENCES AND HOW THOSE WILL ACTUALLY WORK AND GET IMPLEMENTED. UH, SO I WILL TURN TO, UH, JOE ABRINI. GOOD EVENING MAYOR. MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL. UM, AS AND THANK YOU TOM. AS TOM JUST, UM, INDICATED, UM, AN IN-DEPTH, UH, OVERVIEW OF THE PROPOSED CHARTER AMENDMENT WAS PROVIDED AT THE MAY SEVEN CITY COUNCIL MEETING. UM, SO TONIGHT, UM, I WILL WORK ON, I WILL FOCUS ON RECAPPING THE PROPOSALS FOUNDATION AND DISCUSS, UM, HOW WE BELIEVE THAT THIS PROPOSED CHARTER AMENDMENT IS A STEP FORWARD TO HELPING MODERNIZE THE CITY'S HIRING STRUCTURE. UM, ADDITIONALLY WE'LL GO AHEAD AND WALK THROUGH, UM, SOME OF THE CITY'S RESPONSES TO, UH, COUNCIL FEEDBACK FROM THAT MAY 7TH MEETING. UM, AND THAT WAS ALSO DETAILED IN A MEMO, UM, THAT WAS RELEASED PUBLICLY LAST WEEK TO THE COUNCIL. BUT WE'LL HIGHLIGHT SOME OF THOSE IMPORTANT FEATURES HERE. UM, WE'LL TALK THROUGH A LITTLE BIT ON ADDRESSING SOME POTENTIAL CONCERNS WITH THE NEW SYSTEM. UM, AND THEN REALLY SPEND SOME TIME FOCUSING ON THE NEW LOCAL HIRING PREFERENCES. UM, THESE ARE PRETTY GROUNDBREAKING PREFERENCES, UM, ACCORDING TO OUR RESEARCH, UM, FIRST IN THE NATION ON A LOT OF THESE, UM, DIFFERENT PREFERENCES, UM, THAT WE'RE PROPOSING. AND THEN, UM, DISCUSS A LITTLE ON THE VOTER SURVEY AND SOME NEXT STEPS. UM, SO, UH, AGAIN, THIS WA THE, THE CONCEPT IN THE, IN THE PROPOSED STRUCTURE, UM, WENT, WAS, WENT INTO IN GREAT DETAIL AT THE LAST MEETING. SO I'LL JUST SORT OF RECAP SOME OF THE MAIN PRINCIPLES THAT WE BELIEVE MAKE UP THIS PROPOSED CHARTER AMENDMENT. UH, NUMBER ONE WOULD BE, UM, MERIT SYSTEM HIRING AND EMPLOYEE PROTECTIONS, AND ENSURING THAT THOSE REMAIN IN PLACE AND THAT THOSE ARE EVEN STRENGTHENED, UM, DURING THIS PROCESS. UM, SO, UH, MERIT BASED HIRING, UM, IS NOT, UH, GOING TO CHANGE AS A PART OF THIS PROPOSAL. AND EMPLOYEE PROTECTIONS IN TERMS OF BEING ABLE TO APPEAL DISCIPLINARY ACTION OR, UM, UM, COMPLAINTS AND ISSUES RELATED TO THE HIRING PROCESS AND THE RECRUITMENT PROCESS, UM, [00:05:01] WILL REMAIN IN PLACE. AND WE'LL, WE'LL TOUCH A LITTLE BIT ON THOSE. UH, THE NUMBER TWO FOUNDATION IS UN IS, IS UNIFYING, UM, ALL CITYWIDE HIRING TO ONE CENTRAL DEPARTMENT. SO RIGHT NOW, WE KNOW THAT THOSE FUNCTIONS ARE BIFURCATED TO THE HUMAN RESOURCES DEPARTMENT AND THE CIVIL SERVICE DEPARTMENT IS TWO SEPARATE INDEPENDENT DEPARTMENTS. AND THIS PROPOSAL AIMS TO UNIFY HIRING TO ONE CENTRAL DEPARTMENT FOR EFFICIENCY. AND NUMBER THREE, IMPLEMENTING NEW HIRING PREFERENCES THAT WILL FOCUS ON CULTIVATING LOCAL TALENT, SUPPORTING OUR CURRENT PART-TIME AND TEMPORARY EMPLOYEES AND EMPOWERING INTERNSHIPS AND APPRENTICESHIPS. SO WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE, UM, A LITTLE BIT MORE ON WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE. NUMBER ONE, ENSURING, UM, AN INDEPENDENCE AND AN INDEPENDENT ROLE APART FROM THE CITY MANAGER OR THE HUMAN RESOURCES DEPARTMENT. SO, UM, THAT PROPOSAL IS FOR THE COMMISSION TO BE RENAMED THE CIVIL SERVICE EMPLOYEE RIGHTS AND APPEALS COMMISSION AND THAT COMMISSION TO CONTINUE OPERATING INDEPENDENTLY OF THE CITY MANAGER OR THE HUMAN RESOURCES DEPARTMENT, UM, THAT, THAT, UH, COMMISSION WOULD BE SUPPORTED BY A STAFF MEMBER, UM, IN THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE IN THE INDEPENDENTLY ELECTED CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE. AND, UH, NUMBER TWO, REALLY ALIGNING COMMISSION DUTIES SIMILAR TO WHAT CIVIL SERVICE COMMISSIONS OUR PERSONNEL BOARDS FOCUS ON AT OTHER PUBLIC AGENCIES ACROSS THE STATE AND ACROSS THE COUNTRY. SO THAT COMMISSION WOULD CONTINUE TO HANDLE COMPLAINTS RELATED TO THE HIRING PROCESS FOR CLASSIFIED EMPLOYEES. UM, THEY WOULD HEAR AND REVIEW DISCIPLINARY APPEALS. AND THEN, UM, ONE CAVEAT TO THAT, AND WE'LL TALK A LITTLE BIT MORE IN A MOMENT ON THAT, BUT PUBLIC SAFETY EMPLOYEES, UM, WOULD NOW HAVE THE OPTION FOR THEIR DISCIPLINARY APPEAL CASES TO BE HEARD BY A HEARING OFFICER OR THE CIVIL SERVICE EMPLOYEE RIGHTS AND APPEALS COMMISSION. UM, CURRENTLY THAT IS, UM, THE LAW, THE STATE LAW FOR THE FIREFIGHTERS UNDER THE FIREFIGHTER BILL OF RIGHTS. AND SO AS PART OF THE MEET AND CONFER PROCESS, WHICH WE'LL GET INTO IN A SECOND, WE ARE PROPOSING TO STANDARDIZE ALL PUBLIC SAFETY, UH, GROUPS TO HAVE THE SAME DISCIPLINARY APPEAL PROCESS AND HAVE THAT CHOICE. AND THEN NUMBER THREE, ALIGNING THE STRUCTURE OF HIRING, UH, AND COMMISSION ROLE WITH OTHER PUBLIC AGENCIES AS WELL. SO, CURRENTLY RIGHT NOW, THE, UH, CIVIL SERVICE COMMISSION, UM, MEETS REGULARLY. THEY HAVE REGULAR BUSINESS MEETINGS, AND MANY OF THEIR ITEMS ARE TY ARE, ARE ADMINISTRATIVE DUTIES IN NATURE, UM, RE REVIEWING AND APPROVING ROUTINE, UM, ITEMS AS PART OF THE HIRING PROCESS AND THE RECRUITMENT PROCESS. AND SO THIS PROPOSAL WOULD PROPOSE THAT THOSE, UH, DUTIES BE STREAMLINED TO THE HUMAN TO PROFESSIONAL STAFF AND THE HUMAN RESOURCES DEPARTMENT, AND HAVING THE COMMISSION FOCUS PRIMARILY ON APPEALS AND DISCIPLINARY APPEALS AND APPEALS OF THE HIRING PROCESS. SO, UM, WE RECEIVED GREAT FEEDBACK, UH, FROM THE COUNCIL AT THE MAY 7TH MEETING. AND, UM, GREAT QUESTIONS WERE ASKED AS WELL. AND SO THE MEMO WE, UH, RELEASED LAST WEEK DETAILS, ANSWERS TO THOSE, SOME TO, TO THOSE QUESTIONS. BUT WE DID WANNA HIGHLIGHT SOME OF THE MAIN COMPONENTS. UH, A MAIN TOPIC THAT WAS BROUGHT UP WAS TO, UH, TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE MEET AND CONFER PROCESS. UM, WE STARTED THAT PROCESS SEVERAL MONTHS AGO WITH OUR LABOR GROUPS, UM, WHEN THE, UH, PROPOSED AMENDMENT, UH, WAS RELEASED BY THE, UM, AND WE ENGAGED PROMPTLY IN A PRETTY DETAILED MEET AND CONFER PROCESS. AND SO, UM, I CATEGORIZED THOSE CHANGES IN A FEW DIFFERENT AREAS. UM, ONE, UM, WE DID HAVE SOME INITIAL CHANGES IN TERMS OF THE ACTUAL CHARTER LANGUAGE. UH, THE ORIGINAL CHARTER LANGUAGE WE PROPOSED DID UNDERGO A FEW CHANGES, ONE OF WHICH WAS A CLERICAL ADMINISTRATIVE CHANGE TO NOTE THAT THE CITY CLERK AND THE POLICE OVERSIGHT DEPARTMENTS, UM, SHOULD BE ADDED AS DEPARTMENTS THAT DO NOT FALL UNDER THE CITY MANAGER'S PURVIEW, AS THOSE ARE INDEPENDENT, UM, UH, CITY DEPARTMENTS. NUMBER TWO, WE DID ADD THE CHANGE I JUST TALKED ABOUT, ABOUT PUBLIC SAFETY EMPLOYEES HAVING THE OPTION TO HAVE THEIR DISCIPLINARY APPEAL CASES HEARD BY EITHER A HEARING OFFICER OR THE CIVIL SERVICE EMPLOYEE RIGHTS AND APPEALS COMMISSION. IT'S THEIR CHOICE. AND THEN NUMBER THREE, WE DID HAVE TO MAKE A CHANGE TO ADD THAT THE NEW LOCAL HIRING PREFERENCES CANNOT BE APPLIED UNDER STATE LAW TO TITLE FUNDED POSITIONS, EVEN IF THEY ARE PARTIALLY FUNDED. UM, THE RESULT OF THE MEET AND CONFER DID RESULT INTO, UH, A LETTERS OF AGREEMENTS WITH THREE UNIONS WITH THE IEM, THE CONFIDENTIAL UNIT AND THE ENGINEERS UNIT. EVEN THOUGH WE HAVE LETTERS OF AGREEMENT WITH JUST THOSE THREE UNITS, UM, THE CH THE ITEMS WE AGREE TO WILL APPLY TO ALL EMPLOYEES ACROSS THE CITY. UM, SOME OF THOSE HIGHLIGHTS INCLUDE THE, UH, AGREEMENT THAT WE WILL ENGAGE IN A SECONDARY MEET AND CONFER SHOULD THE CHARTER AMENDMENT PASS PRIOR TO ANY CHANGES BEING, UH, CHANGES OCCURRING. AND THAT, THAT MEET AND CONFER WOULD REALLY TALK ABOUT THE SPECIFIC IMPACTS TO EMPLOYEES, UM, THE OPTION FOR CIVIL SERVICE DEPARTMENT STAFF, UH, NON-MANAGEMENT STAFF TO TRANSFER TO ANOTHER CITY DEPARTMENT WITHOUT LOSS OF PAY, SENIORITY OR BENEFITS IF THEY CHOSE NOT TO WANNA WORK IN THE HUMAN RESOURCES DEPARTMENT. UM, AND A FEW OTHER AGREEMENTS TO ENSURE EMPLOYEE PROTECTIONS LIKE THE COMMISSION, CONTINUING TO HAVE JURISDICTION TO ADHERE APPEALS, UM, AGREEING TO A PROCESS, SHOULD THERE BE A NEED TO TRANSFER CERTAIN CLASSIFICATIONS THAT ARE CURRENTLY CLASSIFIED TO UNCLASSIFIED SERVICE AND OUTLINING [00:10:01] THAT PROCESS. AND THEN ANY RULES IN GENERAL, UH, CIVIL SERVICE RULES THAT ARE CURRENTLY IN PLACE PRIOR TO ANY POTENTIAL CHANGES. UM, GOING TO THE CITY COUNCIL FOR REVIEW AND APPROVAL, THERE WOULD BE A PRETTY SUBSTANTIAL MEET AND CONFER THAT WOULD OCCUR PRIOR TO THAT. OTHER ADDITIONAL AGREEMENTS INCLUDE INDEPENDENT INVESTIGATIONS IN TERMS OF ENFOR, ENSURING ENFORCEMENT OF RULES. UM, AND THEN AGAIN, WE TALKED ABOUT THAT DESIGNATED STAFF MEMBER BEING IN THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE TO ASSIST IN THAT ADMINISTRATIVE ROLE WITH THE NEW COMMISSION. AND THEN, UH, LASTLY WOULD BE ROUTINE COMPLIANCE AUDITS, UM, TO ENSURE THAT MERIT SYSTEM PRINCIPLES ARE BEING UPHELD IN THE RECRUITMENT PROCESS. SO FROM OUR PERSPECTIVE, THE MEET AND CONFER PROCESS REALLY STRENGTH STRENGTHEN THE PROPOSAL AND BROUGHT IT TO A BETTER PLACE. UH, OTHER COMMENTS WERE MADE ABOUT ENSURING THE CHARTER AMENDMENT WOULD KEEP INTA KEEP INTACT, EQUITABLE AND INCLUSIVE HIRING PRACTICES. AND SO, UH, WE BELIEVE THAT, UM, THE AMENDMENT TO MERGE CITY HIRING INTO ONE UNIFIED HIRING DEPARTMENT CREATES AN OPPORTUNITY TO ENHANCE AND BUILD ON EXISTING, UH, PRACTICES THAT ARE, ARE ALREADY OCCURRING. UM, SO WE BELIEVE THE OPTIONS ARE REALLY ENDLESS ON THIS FRONT. UM, SOME EXAMPLES WE BELIEVE WE DO IS, UH, JUST STREAMLINING HIRING IN GENERAL TO REDUCE DELAYS AND IMPROVE ACCESS FOR QUALIFIED APPLICANTS. UM, UH, LOOK, TAKING A LOOK AT HIRING PANELS AND THE DIVERSITY OF HIRING PANELS, MAYBE PUTTING IN SOME REQUIREMENTS TO ENSURE THOSE, UM, UH, PANELS ARE, UM, UH, DIVERSE, UM, EXPEDITING APPEALS, ENSURING THAT NOT ONLY FOR DISCIPLINARY APPEALS, BUT APPEALS OF COMPLAINTS IN THE HIRING PROCESS MOVE FORWARD IN AN EXPEDITED, TIMELY MANNER, UM, INTEGRATING, UH, PRACTICES. SO IT'S REALLY AN OPPORTUNITY TO LOOK AT A COMPREHENSIVE APPROACH TO HIRING AS OPPOSED TO NOW WITH TWO SEPARATE DEPARTMENTS WORKING ON DIFFERENT HIRING COMPONENTS, UM, APPROVED TESTING ACCESS, MORE FREQUENT AND FLEXIBLE EXAM SCHEDULING. THAT'S WHAT WE'VE HEARD FROM THE COMMUNITY IS THAT, UH, AS THE CITY MANAGER INDICATED AT THE LAST MEETING, IS THAT, UM, IF YOU'RE INTERESTED IN A JOB AT THE CITY, YOU MIGHT HAVE TO WAIT SIX MONTHS, EIGHT MONTHS, A YEAR, OR SOMETIMES EVEN MORE FOR, UH, A RECRUITMENT TO BE OPEN TO TAKE A TEST FOR A POSITION. SO LOOKING AT, UH, FREQUENCY AND BEING ABLE TO, UH, PROVIDE MORE TESTING OPPORTUNITIES. AND THEN OF COURSE, WE COULD KEEP AN EYE ON THIS, UM, REGULARLY THROUGH OUR EMPLOYEE DEMOGRAPHICS, UH, DATA PORTAL THAT WE HAVE ON THE CITY'S EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY WEBPAGE. THIS IS, UH, LIVE AND IN PLAY AND IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO CONSTANTLY TAKE A LOOK AT OUR DEMOGRAPHICS AND SEE IF WHAT WE'RE PUTTING IN PLACE IS WORKING AND HOW WE COULD MAKE IMPROVEMENTS IN TERMS OF SAFEGUARDING THE MERIT SYSTEM. UM, WE BELIEVE THAT THERE'S A NUMBER OF SAFEGUARDS IN PLACE TO ENSURE MERIT BASED SYSTEM. UM, AS MENTIONED, EMPLOYEES WILL CONTINUE TO HAVE APPEAL RIGHTS, UM, THAT IS SOMETHING WE, UH, STRONGLY BELIEVE IN AND WANT TO KEEP INTACT AND EVEN STRENGTHEN. SO EMPLOYEES AND APPLICANTS CAN APPEAL EACH AND EVERY STEP OF THE HIRING PROCESS TO THE CIVIL SERVICE EMPLOYEE RIGHTS AND APPEALS COMMISSION, WHO WILL MAKE FINAL DETERMINATIONS ON ACTIONS. UM, COUNSEL OVERSIGHT, UM, THE COUNCIL, UH, THE COUNCIL WILL HAVE THE AUTHORITY FOR, UH, CIVIL SERVICE RULES AND REGULATIONS. THOSE COULD ONLY BE AMENDED AGAIN, FOLLOWING A LENGTHY MEET AND CONFER PROCESS. UH, INDEPENDENT INVESTIGATIONS. THE COUNCIL WILL HAVE THE AUTHORITY TO DIRECT THE CITY MANAGER TO CONDUCT AN INDEPENDENT INVESTIGATION TO ENSURE THE CHARTER AMENDMENT PROVISIONS ARE, ARE BEING FOLLOWED. AND THAT REPORT BACK WOULD GO BACK TO THE CITY COUNCIL, UH, EMPLOYEE RIGHTS AND PROTECTIONS THROUGHOUT THE YEARS. UM, SINCE THE SYSTEM WAS SET UP, UM, THERE'S BEEN A NUMBER OF, OF NEW FEDERAL AND STATE LAWS THAT HAVE BEEN PASSED TO REALLY HELP STRENGTHEN EMPLOYEE RIGHTS WITH ANTI-DISCRIMINATION LAWS. ANTI-RETALIATION LAWS ON THE CITY ITSELF HAS A JUST ANTI-DISCRIMINATION POLICY. WE HAVE AN EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY PROCESS TO REVIEW AND RESOLVE COMPLAINTS. THERE'S A NEPOTISM POLICY, UM, ABOUT HIRING OF RELATIVES. AND THEN OF COURSE, THE VERY IMPORTANT ROLE OUR, OUR LABOR PARTNERS PLAY IN UNION REPRESENTATION. UM, THE ABILITY FOR US TO, UH, ENGAGE IN REGULAR, UH, COMPLIANCE AUDITS FROM INDEPENDENT CONSULTING FIRMS TO ENSURE WE ARE FOLLOWING MERIT SYSTEM PROCESSES, AND THEN OF COURSE, THE COMMISSION AUTHORITY. WE, AS PART OF THAT MEET AND CONFER PROCESS, WE DID AGREE THAT CERTAIN, UH, RULES WOULD REMAIN UNDER THE JURISDICTION OF THE CIVIL SERVICE EMPLOYEE RIGHTS AND APPEALS COMMISSION. AND THEN THOSE APPEAL, UH, UH, APPEAL RIGHTS GRANTED TO THE COUNCIL FOR A FINAL DETERMINATION. AND SO THESE OUTLINE VERY IMPORTANT RULES LIKE LAYOFFS, THE LAYOFF PROCESS, SENIORITY, AND THOSE TYPES OF ITEMS. AND SO WE ARE WELL AWARE THAT HIRING IS A MAJOR ISSUE AT NEARLY ALL OTHER PUBLIC AGENCIES ACROSS THE STATE AND EVEN THE COUNTRY. UM, BUT LONG BEACH REALLY IS AT A GREATER DISADVANTAGE DUE TO THE OUTDATED STRUCTURE WE HAVE IN PLACE. UM, SO LONG BEACH AND SAN DIEGO ARE THE ONLY TWO LARGE CITIES IN CALIFORNIA WHERE THERE'S AN HR DEPARTMENT AND A CIVIL SERVICE DEPARTMENT OPERATING INDEPENDENTLY, BOTH IN CHARGE OF DIFFERENT ARMS OF HIRING. AND SO WE'VE, IN OUR RESEARCH, WE FOUND THAT LONG BEACH SUFFERS FROM THE SAME CHALLENGES, MANY OF THE SAME CHALLENGES THAT SAN DIEGO DOES. AND JUST AS NOTE, UM, SAN DIEGO HAS CONSIDERED, UM, THIS SIMILAR CHARTER AMENDMENT TO CONSOLIDATE HIRING INTO ONE DEPARTMENT. THEY LOOKED AT THAT TWO YEARS AGO. THE, THEY ULTIMATELY DECIDED AGAINST IT BECAUSE THEY COULDN'T, UM, NAVIGATE THROUGH AND GET THE SUPPORT OF THEIR LABOR UNION. SO WE ARE VERY FORTUNATE THAT WE'VE WORKED VERY COLLABORATIVELY AND POSITIVELY WITH OUR GROUPS, UM, ON THESE [00:15:01] OUTCOMES. UM, BUT SAN DIEGO IS LOOKING AT THAT AGAIN, AND THEY HAVE REVIVED DISCUSSIONS ABOUT TAKING A LOOK AT THEIR STRUCTURE. SO WE DO BELIEVE THAT, UM, THIS CHARTER AMENDMENT ALONE, UH, WILL NOT SOLVE THE HIRING CHALLENGES. THESE ARE HUGE CHALLENGES. AND THERE BEING OTHER AGENCIES THAT HAVE THE STRUCTURE WE ARE ALREADY GOING FOR ARE STILL FACING HIRING CHALLENGES. UM, SO WE BELIEVE THAT THIS IS PART OF A HOLISTIC APPROACH TO REALLY LOOK AT THE WHOLE SYSTEM, UM, INCLUDING LOOKING AT, UM, UH, PR PRACTICES AND PROCESSES THAT NEED TO BE UPDATED AND REFLECT A MODERN STRUCTURE, PERHAPS TAKING A LOOK AT CIVIL SERVICE RULES THAT MAY NOT BE SERVING THE, THE CITY OR THE COMMU OR THE COMMUNITY OR THE APPLICANTS INFUSING TECHNOLOGY IN EACH AND EVERY STEP OF THE PROCESS. AND THEN, OF COURSE, HOLISTICALLY LOOKING AT PAY AND BENEFITS BECAUSE YOU COULD ATTRACT AND RE IF, IF, IF YOU, UM, HAVE A MORE EFFICIENT SYSTEM AND YOU'RE ABLE TO GET PEOPLE THROUGH THE PROCESS QUICKER, UM, YOU STILL NEED TO HAVE A, A A A DECENT PAY AND BENEFITS TO MAKE FOLKS ATTRACTED TO CITY EMPLOYMENT AND TO STAY HERE. AND SO WE BELIEVE, UH, EVEN WITH THE RIGHT STRUCTURE, UM, WE KNOW OTHER AGENCIES ARE, ARE STRUGGLING, BUT WE BELIEVE THIS IS A VERY BIG AND POSITIVE STEP IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION TO IMPROVING THE CI CITY'S HIRING CHALLENGES. SOME CONCERNS WITH THE NEW SYSTEM. WE KNOW THIS SYSTEM HAS BEEN IN PLACE, UH, MOSTLY AS THE CITY MANAGER POINTED OUT AT THE LAST MEETING FOR OVER A HUNDRED YEARS. UM, THE SYSTEM HAS OBVIOUSLY CHANGED DURING THAT TIME, BUT IT LARGELY REMAINS INTACT. AND SO, UH, WE DO KNOW THAT ANYTIME YOU MAKE SOME CHANGES TO THAT, THERE COULD BE SOME CONCERNS WITH THE NEW SYSTEM. UM, WE BELIEVE THAT THOSE CONCERNS, UM, ARE, ARE ADDRESSED. UH, MANY OF THE ITEMS THAT THE CIVIL SERVICE COMMISSION CURRENTLY PERFORM THAT THE PROPOSAL IS RECOMMENDING, UM, BE REMOVED FROM A COMMISSION AND GO TO A HUMAN RESOURCES DEPARTMENT BECAUSE THEIR ROUTINE IN ADMINISTRATIVE IN NATURE, THAT'S WHAT'S DONE AT ANY OTHER PUBLIC AGENCY ACROSS THE STATE AND MOSTLY ACROSS THE COUNTRY. SO WE BELIEVE THESE ARE ROUTINE ADMINISTRATIVE ITEMS THAT PROFESSIONAL TECHNICAL STAFF AND A HUMAN RESOURCES DEPARTMENT ARE MORE THAN EQUIPPED TO BE ABLE TO HANDLE, UM, THAT SAME HR DEPARTMENT. IT'S PRETTY STANDARD FOR THAT, FOR THOSE HR EMPLOYEES TO BE ABLE TO TRACK AND TREND CONCERNS, MONITOR ANY UNUSUAL ACTIVITY, AND, UH, ALLOW US TO ADDRESS THOSE CONCERNS IN A PROMPT, TIMELY MANNER. UM, WE BELIEVE THAT THIS IS AN, AN EFFICIENT, UH, UH, AN APPROPRIATE TRADE OFF FOR EFFICIENCY. IT'S REMOVING AN ADDITIONAL LAYER OF OVERSIGHT IN SOME AREAS, BUT WE BELIEVE THAT FOREGOING THIS STEP CAN EXPEDITE THE DECISION MAKING PROCESS, ALLOWING FOR A FASTER RESPONSE TIME TO THE MEET THE NEEDS OF THE EMPLOYEE AND THE EMPLOYEES CANDIDATES IN THE ORGANIZATION. AND THEN WE DO BELIEVE IN THE POWER OF APPEAL. THE APPEAL PROCESS IS SUPER IMPORTANT, AND THE MAINTAINING THAT RIGHT FOR EMPLOYEES TO APPEAL DECISIONS IS A CRUCIAL SAFEGUARD, UM, TO, TO THEIR RIGHTS. SO ARGUABLY THE MOST EXCITING CHANGE IN THIS PROPOSED AMENDMENT IS THE INTRODUCTION OF NEW AND GROUNDBREAKING HIRING PREFERENCES. UM, UM, WE BELIEVE THAT THESE, UM, HIRING PREFERENCES ARE, ARE, ARE PRETTY GROUNDBREAKING. AND, UH, WE HAVE NOT SEEN THIS LEVEL OF HIRING PREFERENCES IN OUR RESEARCH ACROSS THE, ACROSS THE COUNTRY, QUITE FRANKLY, IN PUBLIC AGENCIES. AND SO, UH, THIS PROPOSAL INTRODUCES, UM, FOUR NEW PREFERENCES THAT WOULD BE IN ADDITION TO THE EXISTING VETERANS PREFERENCES. ONE IS THAT LOCAL LONG BEACH RESIDENTS RESIDING IN THE LONG BEACH JURISDICTIONAL BOUNDARIES, UM, WOULD RECEIVE A PREFERENCE IN THE PROCESS. THOSE THAT GRADUATED FROM, UH, HIGHER LOCAL EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS WITHIN A, WITHIN A 10 MILE RADIUS OF LONG BEACH WOULD RECEIVE A PREFERENCE. CURRENT CITY EMPLOYEES, WE CALL THESE NON CAREERS OR TEMPORARY EMPLOYEES, WOULD GET A PREFERENCE IF THEY MEET A CERTAIN HOUR REQUIREMENT. AND THEN THOSE THAT HAVE APPROVED INTERNSHIPS AND APPRENTICESHIPS WOULD ALSO BE ELIGIBLE FOR, UH, A PREFERENCE AS WELL. SO HOW WOULD THESE PREFERENCES BE IMPLEMENTED? UM, IN RE THIS, THESE WOULD BE IMPLEMENTED REALLY IN THE, IN THE SAME WAY, IN THE SAME MANNER AS VETERAN PREFERENCES ARE, ARE, UM, IMPLEMENTED RIGHT NOW. SO, UM, APP, UH, THESE PREFERENCES, PREFERENCES ARE POINTS. UM, THEY ARE, EACH FIVE POINTS UP TO A MAX OF 10 POINTS. SO A CANDIDATE COULD GET TWO NEW PREFERENCES, BUT ON TOP OF THAT, THEY COULD ALSO GET THE VETERANS PREFERENCES THAT EXIST. UM, SO THESE PREFERENCES ARE APPLIED AFTER AN APPLICANT HAS COMPLETED THE SCREENING AND SUCCESSFULLY PASSED THE EMPLOYMENT EXAMINATION PROCESS. SO IT'S IMPORTANT, IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT CANDIDATES MUST MEET THE MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS TO THEN GET A PREFERENCE ADDED. ON TOP OF THAT, THEY CAN'T, UH, QUALIFY FOR THE JOB OR MEET THE MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS AS A RESULT OF PREFERENCES ALONE. AND SO ONCE THEY'VE, UH, APPLIED FOR THE JOB, THEY'VE BEEN DEEMED QUALIFIED AND THEY REC AND THEY, UH, RECEIVED THEIR EXAMINATION OR ASSESSMENT SCORE, THE ADDITIONAL POINTS ARE ADDED ON TOP OF THAT. GOING A LITTLE BIT FURTHER INTO THE WEEDS ON HOW THIS WORKS, UM, WOULD REALLY BE, UH, APPLIED THROUGH A BANDING PROCESS. SO THIS IS THE CURRENT PROCESS THAT IS USED IN, IN A GREAT NUMBER OF CIVIL SERVICE RECRUITMENTS RIGHT NOW. AND IT'S, IT'S PRETTY COMMONLY COMMON METHOD USED AT AGENCIES ACROSS THE COUNTRY. IT'S A METHOD USED TO GROUP CANDIDATES IN A DIFFERENT CATEGORIES OR BANDS. AND SO, UM, UM, FOR EXAMPLE, YOU MAY HAVE A RECRUITMENT THAT HAS A HUNDRED QUALIFIED CANDIDATES AND IT MAY BREAK DOWN IN A FOUR BANDS, BAND A, BAND B, BAND C, AND BAND D. AND SO, UH, [00:20:01] ONCE THE, ONCE THE CANDIDATES ARE BROKEN INTO THE APPROPRIATE BAND, UM, THEN THAT'S WHEN THE HIRING PREFERENCES, UH, NEW PREFERENCES COULD BE ADDED ONTO THEIR SCORE, WHICH WOULD POTENTIALLY BUMP THEM UP INTO A NEW BAND AND MAKE THEM MORE LIKELY, UM, TO RECEIVE CITY EMPLOYMENT. THEY WOULD HAVE PRIORITY FOR INTERVIEWS AND COULD BE, IN THEORY, BE SELECTED, UM, FOR POSITIONS MUCH QUICKER THAN OTHERS. SO, UM, WE, UH, BANDING ISN'T USED IN ALL RECRUITMENTS ACROSS THE CITY. IT'S USED IN THE MAJORITY OF THEM, BUT, UH, BANDING MAY NOT BE AN APPROPRIATE TOOL TO BE USED IN CERTAIN RECRUITMENTS WHERE, FOR EXAMPLE, THERE'S A LIMITED APPLICANT POOL. SMALL NUMBER OF CANDIDATES MAY BE, UH, BANDING DOESN'T MAKE SENSE, UM, WHERE THERE'S LICENSURE, LICENSURE OR CERTIFICATION REQUIRED. SO, FOR EXAMPLE, AN ENGINEER, UM, CERTAIN PUBLIC SAFETY ROLES IN CERTAIN POSITIONS THAT REQUIRE SPECIAL SKILLS AND PROPOSED QUALIFICATIONS. SO, UM, STAFF HAVE COMMITTED THAT EVEN UNDER THE PROPOSED AMENDMENT, IF BANDING DOESN'T OCCUR, WE WOULD, UM, WE DO WANT TO EXPLORE THE POTENTIAL ABILITY TO INCORPORATE PREFERENCES EVEN WHEN THERE IS A, A, A RECRUITMENT WHERE BANDING IS NOT, IS NOT IN PLACE. PART OF THE RESEARCH FOR THIS PROPOSAL INVOLVED, UM, A SURVEY AS THE CITY MANAGER POINTED OUT A VOTER SURVEY. THIS WAS CONDUCTED LAST FALL. UM, PRETTY, UH, THE CITY REACHED OUT, OR THE CONSULTING FIRM THE CITY USED, REACHED OUT TO OVER 900, UM, LIKELY LONG BEACH, UH, VOTERS, UM, THROUGH TELEPHONE, UM, ONLINE INTERVIEWS, UM, EMAIL AND TEXT NOTIFICATIONS TO TRY TO, UH, GAUGE WHETHER OR NOT THERE WOULD BE SUPPORT, UH, FOR THIS PROPOSAL. INITIAL POLLING RESULTS WERE VERY FAVORABLE. UM, FAVORABILITY WAS OVER 70%. UM, IF YOU LOOK AT SOME OF THESE NUMBERS HERE, UM, IN TERMS OF IMPROVING AND SPEEDING UP THE HIRING PROCESS, EXPEDITING THE APPEAL PROCESS, UM, PREFERENCES FOR HIRING PART-TIME OR TEMPORARY WORKERS, AND, UM, JUST AN OVERALL FAVORABILITY ABOUT, UM, IM, UH, IMPROVING THE HIRING PROCESS. UM, WERE VERY HIGH. UM, SOME OF THESE OVER 80%, AND SO SPEEDING UP THE HIRING AND EXPEDITED APPEALS, UM, WERE HIGH, WERE HIGHLY FAVORABLE. EVEN ON THE SECONDARY POLLING RESULTS, WHEN MORE INFORMATION WAS PROVIDED, UM, TO THE PARTICIPANT, UM, THE, THE NUMBERS DID IMPROVE SLIGHTLY, BUT THEY DID IMPROVE. SO THE DA DATA REALLY SHOWS THAT, UH, MORE THAN SEVEN, OUTTA 10, UH, LIKELY LONG BEACH VOTERS CONTINUE TO FAVOR THIS CHARTER AMENDMENT TO IMPROVE THE CITY'S PROCESS. SO THE DATA, UM, CLEARLY SHOWED TO US THAT THERE IS, UH, AN INDICATION OF A STRONG PUBLIC DESIRE TO IMPROVE THE HIRING SYSTEM. IN TERMS OF NEXT STEPS, UM, AS THE MAYOR POINTED OUT, UM, WE'LL HAVE TWO ADDITIONAL, UM, PUBLIC HEARINGS ON THIS MATTER, AT WHICH, UM, COUNCIL MAY TAKE PUBLIC COMMENT. AND WE'RE HERE TO RECEIVE COUNCIL FEEDBACK, UM, TO ENSURE THAT THE PROPOSAL MEETS ALL THE PERSPECTIVES AND ALL PERSPECTIVES ARE CONSIDERED. AGAIN, IF PLACED ON THE BALLOT AND ULTIMATELY APPROVED BY THE VOTER CITY STAFF WILL CONDUCT A SECOND MEET AND CONFER BEFORE IMPLEMENTING ANY CHANGES WITH OUR LABOR GROUPS. THAT CONCLUDES THE PRESENTATION. I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS. ALRIGHT, WELL, THANK YOU. UH, AS THIS IS A HEARING, WE GO TO PUBLIC COMMENT BEFORE WE GO TO COUNCIL COMMENT. SO WE'RE GONNA QUEUE UP PUBLIC COMMENT HERE. JUST A MOMENT. MY SYSTEM IS, UH, SETTING UP HERE. ALRIGHT, SO I HAVE SEVEN MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC SIGNED UP TO SPEAK. UH, HENRY CORZO, ERIC FROST, HOLLINS, DANTE WOODS, RICH CHAMBERS, GABRIEL PEREZ, MELISSA ANDINO, AND SNIA MFE. PLEASE COME FORWARD. ALL RIGHT, HENRY? YES. ALL RIGHT, YOU'RE RECOGNIZED. UM, MY NAME IS, UH, HENRY CORSO. I'M PRESIDENT OF, UH, L-B-A-E-E, THE LONG BEACH ASSOCIATION OF ENGINEERING EMPLOYEES. LBAE REPRESENTS HUNDREDS OF EMPLOYEES IN THE CITY OF LONG BEACH. OUR GROUP'S UNIQUE SKILLS FROM DIVERSE ENGINEERING FIELDS ARE A KEY CONTRIBUTOR TO THE CITY'S DEVELOPMENT AND SUCCESS. WE SYMPATHIZE WITH THE INTENT, UM, OF THE CHARTER AMENDMENT TO STREAMLINE THE HIRING SYSTEM AS WE CATCH CAUTIOUSLY WATCH THAT THE RIGHTS AND INTERESTS OF EMPLOYEES AND APPLICANTS ARE MAINTAINED. WE, HOWEVER, CONSIDER THAT, THAT THE AMENDMENT BY ITSELF, IF ANYTHING, WILL HAVE JUST A MINOR INFLUENCE IN ADDRESSING THE STAFFING CHALLENGES THAT THE CITY IS ENDURING. WE ARE SEEING THAT IT'S BECOMING COMMON, THAT AFTER THE LONG HIRING PROCESS, ONCE AN OFFER IS MADE, MANY APPLICANTS ARE NOT ACCEPTING THOSE OFFERS FROM, UH, INFORMATION PROVIDED BY THE CITY. UH, FOR FISCAL YEAR 23 FOR THE UTILITIES DEPARTMENT, THERE WERE THREE OFFERS MADE TO, UH, THE ENGINEERING ASSOCIATION MEMBERS AND ALL OF THEM WERE DECLINED FOR THE DEVELOPMENT SERVICE DEPARTMENT. THERE WERE NINE OFFERS MADE AND ALL OF THEM DECLINED [00:25:01] FOR HARBOR DEPARTMENT. THERE WERE SIX OFFERS MADE AND FIVE PEOPLE DECLINED FOR PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT. THERE WERE THREE OFFERS MADE AND THEY ALL DECLINED. THIS IS INDICATIVE THAT THE WAGES, EMPLOYMENT CONDITIONS, AND BENEFITS, EVEN THOUGH HAVE IMPROVED, ARE STILL NOT COMPETITIVE ENOUGH. AS MAJOR REX RICHARDSON HAS MENTIONED IN THE PAST. WE NEED A BROADER COMMITMENT THAN USE THE CHARTER AMENDMENT TO MAKE CITY PUBLIC SERVICE ATTRACTIVE. L-B-A-E-E THEREFORE RECOMMENDS THAT THE STREAMLINING OF THE HIRING PROCESS THAT THE CHARTER AMENDMENT IS PURSUING BE COMBINED WITH A COMPREHENSIVE PLAN TO MAKE WAGES, EMPLOYMENT CONDITIONS, AND BENEFITS MORE ATTRACTIVE AND COMPETITIVE IN OUR CURRENT ECONOMY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. NEXT IS ERIC. HELLO FRIENDS. HOW MANY OF OUR MANAGERS DISLIKE BANDING? DIDN'T YOU ASK THAT IN THE MANAGEMENT RETREAT YOU HAD YOUR ENTIRE MANAGEMENT TEAM PUT UP THEIR HANDS AND CHERYL, THAT YOU DISLIKED BANDING ERIC, HERE, WE, YOU DIRECT COMMENTS TO THE CHAIR. I'LL, I'LL DIRECT IT TO THE CHAIR. THANKS. SO THE PERSON WHO IS SAYING THAT THEY'RE GOING TO PROTECT THESE PREFERENCES THROUGH BANDING HAS MADE CLEAR HIS DISDAIN FOR BANDING AND HIS ENTIRE MANAGEMENT TEAM DISDAIN FOR BANDING. NOW, I AM A MEMBER OF A GOLD STAR FAMILY. IF YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT THAT IS, YOU SHOULD. IT'S A FAMILY WHO HAS LOST A MEMBER TO COMBAT THE FACT THAT NOT ONLY THESE NEW PREFERENCES, BUT OUR EXISTING VETERANS PREFERENCES COULD BE PUT AT RISK BY TRUSTING ONE MAN WHO HAS SHOWN THAT HE HAS NO CARE FOR BANDING IN CHARGE OF THOSE. THAT'S DISTURBING TO ME. IT'S ALSO DISTURBING TO ME THAT I AM YOUR FRIEND. YOU ALL KNOW ME. ONLY ONE POLITICAL OFFICE HAS REACHED OUT TO ME. THANK YOU, MARY. UM, ONLY ONE POLITICAL OFFICE HAS ASKED THE PRESIDENT OF THE CIVIL SERVICE COMMISSION FOR THE LAST YEAR, HAVE YOU BEEN CONSULTED. AND WE WEREN'T. NOT REALLY. WE WERE GIVEN A NOTICE. WE WERE TOLD IN FEBRUARY, THIS IS WHAT THE PLAN WILL BE. AND WE SAID, COULD WE CHANGE IT? AND WE SAID THAT WOULD HURT OUR, OUR MEET AND CONFER PROCESS. AND IN FACT, WHEN WE FINALLY PUSH, WE WERE TOLD, WELL, WE MIGHT TAKE SOME GRAMMATICAL OR CLARIFYING CHANGES. THIS IS YOUR CITIZEN OVERSIGHT GROUP. WE HAVE PUT EIGHT HOURS A WEEK INTO THE HR PROCESS FOR ME FOR THREE YEARS, FOR ONE OF MY MEMBERS FOR EIGHT YEARS. AND THIS IS THE RESPECT WE WERE SHOWN. THIS IS THE CONSIDERATION WE WERE GIVEN. SAN DIEGO ACTUALLY DID A LOT MORE WORK THAN WE'RE DOING. WHEN THE MAYOR APPROACHED ME ABOUT HIRING, I SAID, YEAH, LET'S DO THE HARD WORK OF CHANGE. THIS ISN'T THE HARD WORK. SAN DIEGO PUT TOGETHER TASK FORCE. THEY HAD DISCUSSIONS, THEY HAD PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT, THEY ACTUALLY ENGAGED THEIR COMMISSION. THAT DIDN'T HAPPEN HERE. THERE WAS A PROPOSAL THAT WAS RECYCLED FROM 20 11 20 10, AND IT WAS MINOR. COUPLE OF TWEAKS TO IT, THROWN BACK OUT. AND WE SAID, HERE'S THE PROPOSAL. IT WAS SHARED WITH THE CITY EMPLOYEES BEFORE IT WAS SHARED WITH THE CIVIL SERVICE COMMISSION. AND I WANNA SAY, ARE YOU GIVING, ARE YOU BEING GIVEN ANY MORE OPPORTUNITY FOR FEEDBACK FOR CHANGE? I AM. THANK GOD FOR I AM. I AM PUSHED, BUT NONE OF THE CHANGES I AM GOT ARE ACTUALLY IN THE CHARTER LANGUAGE. THEY WERE TOLD THEY CAN'T CHANGE THE CHARTER LANGUAGE 'CAUSE THAT WOULD AFFECT MEET AND CONFER, WHICH IS CRAZY 'CAUSE THEY WERE IN MEET AND CONFER. BUT WE ALL KNOW THAT A LETTER OF AGREEMENT AND MEET AND CONFER CAN BE UNDONE BY MEET AND CONFER. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TESTIMONY. ALL RIGHT, OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS DANTE WOODS. GOOD EVENING. GOOD EVENING EVERYONE. MY NAME IS DANTE WOODS FROM THE LOS ANGELES BLACK WORKER CENTER, ALSO A RESIDENT OF LONG BEACH. I LIVE IN THE AREA, ALSO KNOWN AS THE GRADE EIGHT. LOVE THAT. WE KNOW THAT THE COUNTY IS IN A BLACK JOBS CRISIS WHERE MORE THAN 50% OF BLACK PEOPLE ARE UNDEREMPLOYED OR UNEMPLOYED. THE BLACK WORKER CENTER SEEKS TO END THIS THROUGH UNIONIZED EMPLOYMENT AND PUBLIC SECTOR JOBS. WE ARE ENGAGED IN A THOUSAND STRONG CAMPAIGN WHERE WE WANT TO SEE A THOUSAND BLACK WORKERS HAVE ACTION TO PUBLIC SECTOR [00:30:01] JOBS IN THE COUNTY OF LOS ANGELES. WE UNDERSTAND THE LIFE-CHANGING IMPACT OF PUBLIC SECTOR JOBS HAVE ON OUR COMMUNITY AND GENERATIONS THAT PROCEED. THE LONG BEACH, I'M SORRY, THE LOS ANGELES BLACK WORKERS CENTER STRONGLY SUPPORTS THIS CHARTER AMENDMENT AS IT PROVIDES A EXTREMELY STREAMLINED PATHWAY FOR THE COMMUNITY MEMBERS TO GAIN EMPLOYMENT, UH, WITH THE CITY AND COUNTY. WE LOOK FORWARD TO THIS ORDINANCE MOVING FORWARD AND LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH THE CITY OF LONG BEACH TO GIVE OUR MEMBERS ACCESS TO THESE LIFE-CHANGING OPPORTUNITIES. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. NEXT IS RICH CHAMBERS, THEN GABRIEL PEREZ. GOOD EVENING, MAYOR RICHARDSON, MEMBERS OF COUNCIL. I'M RICH CHAMBERS. I'M THE PRESIDENT OF THE LONG BEACH POLICE OFFICERS ASSOCIATION. SO I'M HERE TONIGHT SPEAKING IN SUPPORT OF THIS PROPOSED CHARTER AMENDMENT CHANGE FOR CIVIL SERVICE REFORM. AND I, I HOPE MY WORDS HERE TONIGHT DO NOT COME ACROSS LIKE I'M SPEAKING AGAINST THE PEOPLE IN THE CIVIL SERVICE DEPARTMENT WHO I KNOW TO BE HARDWORKING AND DEDICATED EMPLOYEES. NOR AM I SPEAKING AGAINST THE COMMISSIONERS WHO GIVE THEIR TIME GENEROUSLY TO BE PART OF THAT BODY. BUT I AM, HOWEVER, SPEAKING AGAINST THE SYSTEM THAT WE MUST RELY UPON TO HIRE NEW POLICE OFFICERS AND THE SYSTEM THAT WE'RE REQUIRED TO USE TO PROMOTE NEW LEADERS AND HOW THAT SYSTEM IS NOT WORKING FOR US. THE POLICE OFFICERS I REPRESENT ARE SUFFERING RIGHT NOW. THE VACANCIES IN OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT ARE CRITICALLY HIGH, AND THAT'S BECAUSE YEAR AFTER YEAR THIS CITY CANNOT HIRE ENOUGH NEW OFFICERS TO KEEP UP WITH ATTRITION. WITH THESE HISTORIC VACANCIES, POLICE OFFICERS ARE FORCED TO WORK OVERTIME, OFTEN BEING HELD OVER AT THE END OF THEIR SHIFTS JUST TO MAKE SURE WE HAVE ENOUGH POLICE OFFICERS ON THE STREETS TO KEEP OUR COMMUNITY SAFE. THIS COUNCIL HAS TAKEN INCREDIBLY HUGE STEPS TO HELP WITH THE HISTORIC SHORTAGE OF POLICE OFFICERS. AND THANKS TO YOU, WE HAVE AN UNPRECEDENTED PACKAGE OF HIRING INCENTIVES MEANT TO ATTRACT THE BEST NEW POLICE OFFICERS. THAT PACKAGE INCLUDES VERY COMPETITIVE HIRING BONUSES FOR LATERAL POLICE OFFICERS WHO CAN BE TRAINED AND PUT TO WORK IN A FRACTION OF THE TIME THAT IT TAKES TO TRAIN A BRAND NEW POLICE OFFICER. AND I HOPE WITH TIME THOSE INCENTIVES THAT YOU BROUGHT WILL HELP TO REBUILD OUR DEPARTMENT. BUT RIGHT NOW, WHAT I'M SEEING IS A GROWING AMOUNT OF VACANCIES. THERE IS NO DOUBT IN MY MIND THAT THE HIRING SYSTEM OUR CITY IS FORCED TO USE UNDER OUR CHARTER IS AN OBSTACLE TO QUICKLY FILLING OUR RANKS. LAW ENFORCEMENT IS A VERY COMPETITIVE HIRING MARKET, AND WE SHOULD BE DOING EVERYTHING WE CAN TO HIRE EVERY GOOD AND QUALIFIED APPLICANT AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. INSTEAD, I'M HEARING DISTURBING REPORTS OF LATERAL POLICE OFFICER APPLICANTS WHO APPLIED THEN WAITED MONTHS WITH NO CONTACT WHATSOEVER. MEANWHILE, OUR PD RECRUITING TEAM DOES NOT EVEN KNOW THAT THESE CANDIDATES EXIST. WE DON'T KNOW ABOUT THEM BECAUSE APPLICANT LISTS ARE NOT SUBMITTED TO THE PD TO START THE LENGTHY HIRING PROCESS UNTIL THEY'RE APPROVED BY THE CIVIL SERVICE COMMISSION. AND THAT IS OFTEN NOT DONE WHILE THE RECRUITING PROCESS IS STILL OPEN. SO THESE APPLICANTS GET TIRED OF WAITING AND THEY GET TIRED OF NOT HEARING FROM ANYBODY, AND THEY MOVE ON TO THE MANY OTHER AGENCIES WHO WOULD LIKE TO SCOOP THEM UP. I DO NOT KNOW HOW MANY PEOPLE WE'VE LOST TO THESE DELAYS, BUT EVEN ONE IS TOO MANY. WE'RE ALSO DEEPLY IMPACTED BY THE DELAYS WITH THE PROMOTIONAL EXAMS, WHICH ARE ALSO RUN BY CIVIL SERVICE. THESE PROMOTIONAL EXAMS ARE THE ONLY WAY THAT WE CAN FILL OUR SUPERVISORY RANKS. AND OUR DEPARTMENT HAS NO CONTROL OVER THE TIMING OF THESE TESTS. THE REALITY WE FACE RIGHT NOW IS THAT WE'RE IN A CRISIS AND THE CURRENT SYSTEM IS NOT WORKING. THE DELAYS IN HIRING AND THE DELAYS IN RUNNING PROMOTIONAL EXAMS ARE SIGNIFICANTLY IMPACTING THE WELLBEING OF OUR OFFICERS. THESE ARE INDIVIDUALS WHO HAVE DEDICATED THEIR LIVES TO ENSURING THE SAFETY AND SECURITY OF OUR COMMUNITY. AND THEY DESERVE TO KNOW THAT ADDRESSING THESE ISSUES IS THE HIGHEST PRIORITY. SO I THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND HEARING MY WORDS, AND I HOPE FOR YOUR SUPPORT IN SENDING THIS TO CHARTER AMENDMENT TO THE VOTERS IN NOVEMBER. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT, OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS GABRIEL PEREZ. THEN, THEN MELISSA ANDINO. GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS GABRIEL PEREZ. I'M AN ORGANIZER WITH LANE ON THE LONG BEACH FOR ADJUST ECONOMY CAMPAIGN AND A RESIDENT OF DISTRICT ONE. UH, WE'RE HERE IN SUPPORT OF THE PROPOSED CHARTER AMENDMENT. WE RECOGNIZE THE CITY IS FACING A VACANCY CRISIS COMPOUNDED BY OUTDATED AND DRAWN OUT HIRING PRACTICES. WE RECOGNIZE TOO, THAT WORKING FAMILIES ARE ALSO FACING A CRISIS, STAGNANT WAGES THAT HAVE NOT KEPT UP WITH A CRIPPLING COST OF LIVING THAT CONTINUES TO SKYROCKET. WE UNDERSTAND, UH, WE'VE UNDERSCORED THIS CRISIS MORE TIMES THAN I CARE TO ADMIT IN RECENT YEARS, BUT IT INFORMS OUR APPROACH TO ADVOCACY AS A LABOR POLICY ORGANIZATION COMMITTED TO RACIAL AND ECONOMIC JUSTICE. THAT'S WHY WE'RE BEHIND THIS INITIATIVE ALONGSIDE OUR UNION SIBLINGS TO OPEN UP PATHWAYS TO STRONG UNION JOBS FOR WORKING CLASS COMMUNITIES OF COLOR. EFFICIENCY IS IMPORTANT, BUT THE PROPOSED HIRING PREFERENCES ALSO WORK TO ENSURE EQUITABLE OPPORTUNITY, LOCAL RESIDENTS AND STUDENTS, ESPECIALLY [00:35:01] THOSE IN CENTRAL WEST AND NORTH LONG BEACH, THAT FACE SYSTEMIC BARRIERS TO ECONOMIC STABILITY, DESERVE TO BE PRIORITIZED AND DESERVE THE CHANCE TO UTILIZE THEIR SKILLS IN THE CITY THAT RAISED THEM. LONG BEACH BY EXTENSION DESERVE THE CHANCE TO KEEP LOCAL TALENT LOCAL BY INCENTIVIZING YOUNG FOLKS TO BRING THEIR PASSION AND ENERGY HOME AND JOIN A VALUED, PROTECTED WORKFORCE. WE'VE BEEN VOCAL ABOUT A VISION FOR OUR CITY IN WHICH WORKERS, RENTERS, AND IMMIGRANTS THRIVE WITH REAL AGENCY AND DIGNITY. THIS IS WHAT AGENCY LOOKS LIKE, ACCESS TO GOOD PAYING PUBLIC SECTOR UNION JOBS. WE URGE YOU TO PLACE THIS ON THE BALLOT AND ALLOW ORDER TO INVEST IN THEIR FUTURE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS MELISSA SINO, AND OUR FINAL SPEAKER WILL BE SAIFE. GOOD EVENING, HONORABLE MAYOR, COUNCIL MEMBERS, CITY LEADERSHIP. UM, MELISSA SINO WITH LONG BEACH CITY COLLEGE, AND I'M HERE TO SPEAK IN FAVOR OF THIS ITEM AS WELL. UM, WE PARTNER WITH THE CITY IN A NUMBER OF WAYS TO SUPPORT BOTH THE CITY'S HIRING NEEDS AND TO HELP OUR STUDENTS TO CONNECT TO WELL-PAYING LOCAL JOBS. THE PROPOSED CHANGES WILL HELP THE CITY TO PROVIDE OPPORTUNITIES TO KEEP OUR TALENT LOCAL AND TO FULFILL THE PROMISE, THE THE BENEFITS OF THE COLLEGE PROMISE. I ALSO WANNA SHARE, I JUST CAME FROM THE COLLEGE IN WHICH WE WERE CELEBRATING THE GRADUATING CLASS OF BROWNING HIGH SCHOOL, WHICH IS OUR FIRST MIDDLE COLLEGE. AND OVER HALF OF THAT GRADUATING CLASS ACTUALLY RECEIVED AN ASSOCIATE'S DEGREE ALONG WITH THEIR HIGH SCHOOL DEGREE. IT'S THE FIRST TIME EVER. UM, AND I HOPE THAT THOSE STUDENTS HAVE ACCESS TO WELL PAYING JOBS AT THE CITY IF WE'RE ABLE TO REFORM THE BUREAUCRACY THAT STANDS IN THEIR WAY. THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU. FINAL SPEAKER, SONAI KIFE, HONORABLE MAYOR, UH, CITY COUNCIL, UH, SONAI KIFE SIX DISTRICT RESIDENT. UM, SPEAKING IN CAPACITY. UH, YES, I AM EMPLOYED, BELIEVE IT OR NOT, UM, BY THE LOVELY, UH, APRIL PARKER FOUNDATION. UM, WE WROTE A LETTER OF SUPPORT. UM, WE'RE IN SUPPORT OF THIS, UH, OPPORTUNITY CHANGE TO CITY CHARTER. I THINK THAT, UM, IN MY INTERACTIONS WITH THE MAYOR AND HIS TEAM, I RECOGNIZE THAT THE, UH, VACANCIES THAT ARE IMPACTING THE PROCESS OF HOW THE GOVERNMENT WORKS IN THE CITY IS, UH, SOMETHING THAT WE AS A COMMUNITY ARE COMING TOGETHER TO, UM, ELIMINATE. I THINK WHEN YOU'RE, UM, HAVE A A A RATE OF SEVEN TO NINE MONTHS, I HEARD SOME SIMILAR STORIES. I CAN SPEAK TO MY OWN EXPERIENCE IN 2009. UM, YOU KNOW, I DIDN'T ALWAYS WANT TO BE A RABBLE-ROUSER. I DID WANT TO GET EMPLOYED BY A CITY. I COME FROM A A, UM, ALL OF MY MOTHER'S FAMILY, MY MOTHER INCLUDED MY, MY MOTHER WORKS FOR LA COUNTY, UH, 30 PLUS YEARS WITH THE COUNTY. AND I THOUGHT IT WAS A GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO GET EMPLOYED, UH, WITH THE CITY OF LONG BEACH AT THE TIME. AND, UH, IT WAS OVER A YEAR LATER THAT I GOT A RESPONSE. AND I'VE NEVER, UH, WAITED MORE THAN A MONTH TO EVER BE, UH, EMPLOYED ANYWHERE IN THIS WORLD. SO I THINK A YEAR WAS MUCH TOO LONG. AND I THINK WITH RESPECT TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD THAT I LIVE IN WITHIN THE SIXTH DISTRICT, YOU KNOW, THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO KIND OF CHANGE THE RELATIONSHIP COMMUNITY MEMBERS HAVE WITH THE CITY BECAUSE, UH, A CITY THAT EMPLOYS COMMUNITY MEMBERS, UH, HAS AN OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK MORE DIRECTLY TO THE ISSUES AND DEMANDS IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD. SO WE'RE IN FULL SUPPORT, UM, AND I HOPE TO, UH, LEAD OTHER COMMUNITY-BASED ORGANIZATIONS AND COME TOGETHER. I THINK THE MAYOR REALLY, YOU KNOW, WE'VE HAD SOME CONFLICT IN THE PAST WITH LOCAL PREFERENCES, BUT I THINK THAT THIS IS A, A FAIR COMPROMISE, SO THANK YOU. I JUST WANNA SAY TOO, YOU GAVE AN EXAMPLE, JOSH SHAPIRO, UH, THE GOVERNOR OF PENNSYLVANIA, THEY DID SOMETHING SIMILAR IN THE STATE OF PENNSYLVANIA. AND WITHIN THE NEXT YEAR, UH, 62% OF ALL NEW APPLICANTS CAME FROM LOW INCOME AREAS AND THEY GOT, UH, THEY GOT HIRED. SO, INTERESTING. GOOD. WELL, THANK YOU FOR PUBLIC COMMENT. UH, AGAIN, THIS IS A HEARING, SO PUBLIC COMMENT GOES FIRST. NOW WE'LL CLOSE THAT, TAKE IT BACK BEHIND THE RAIL. UH, I'LL JUST, I ADD SOME COMMENTS HERE. FIRST OF ALL, UH, THANK YOU JOE FOR THAT PRESENTATION. UH, ANSWERING SOME OF THE QUESTIONS I WANNA REMIND FOLKS, UH, IF, IF YOU'RE MISSING SOME OF THE CONTEXT, THAT'S BECAUSE THIS IS THE SECOND TIME THE CITY COUNCIL'S HEARING THIS. THIS CONVERSATION'S BEEN ONGOING, UH, FOR MORE THAN A YEAR. AND, UM, AND YOU, WE WILL HAVE TWO MORE OPPORTUNITIES TO HEAR, UH, PRESENTATION. SO THAT MAYBE NEW INFORMATION BASED ON WHATEVER QUESTIONS WE GET, UH, NEXT TIME. I ALSO WANNA THANK, UM, THE, UH, UH, IT WAS ACKNOWLEDGED, UH, THE MEET AND CONFER. I WANNA THANK ALL THE EMPLOYEE GROUPS, THE ONES THAT SIGNED LETTERS OF AGREEMENT, BUT ALSO LETTERS OF SUPPORT, UM, BECAUSE THEY MADE THE PROPOSAL BETTER, UH, THE MEET AND CONFER PROCESS WORKED, AND [00:40:01] IT WAS A FORUM TO ALLOW PEOPLE TO PROVIDE FEEDBACK AND ULTIMATELY HAVE A STRONGER, UH, PROPOSAL. UH, SO I WANNA RECOGNIZE THE THREE GROUPS NAMED EARLIER WITH THE LETTERS OF AGREEMENT, BUT ALSO LONG BEACH FIREFIGHTERS POLICE OFFICERS ASSOCIATION AND, UM, AND IDW AND SEIU 7 21. THE REFUSE WORKERS WHO ALSO, UH, WERE A PART OF THAT. THERE WERE A NUMBER OF LETTERS THAT THE COUNCIL WAS DISTRIBUTED. YOU HAVE A NONPROFIT PARTNERSHIP. WE WANNA THANK THEM. LONG BEACH CITY COLLEGE, KAMA GIRLS IN ACTION, CALIFORNIA FACULTY ASSOCIATION, CAL STATE UNIVERSITY, DOMINGUEZ HILLS, GO TOROS, UH, LOS ANGELES ALLIANCE FOR NEW ECONOMY. CAL STATE LONG BEACH, OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT, LOS ANGELES BACK WORKER CENTER, WHO'S HERE WITH US AND AND APRIL PARKER FOUNDATION. SO EVERYONE WHO SUBMITTED LETTERS AT THE LAST MEETING AND THIS FIRST HEARING, THANK YOU FOR YOUR PUBLIC, UH, INPUT. JUST WANT TO JUST TAKE A MOMENT, REMIND PEOPLE WHAT THIS IS ABOUT AND HOW WE GOT HERE. UM, WE'RE, WE'RE IN A REAL CRISIS OF CONFIDENCE IN PUBLIC SECTOR EMPLOYMENT. UH, MORE AND MORE WE'RE SEEING GENERATIONS OPT OUT OF PUBLIC SECTOR EMPLOYMENT, AND, UH, AND THEY MAY BE MISSING OUT ON, ON REALLY TRANSFORMATIVE OPPORTUNITY TO BE ABLE TO HAVE A JOB WITH A SECURE RETIREMENT, WHICH IS, YOU KNOW, IT'S HARD TO FIND THESE DAYS. HAVE ACCESS TO HEALTHCARE BENEFITS, A LIVING WAGE ACCESS TO A UNION. HAVING A PUBLIC SECTOR JOB CAN TRANSFORM YOUR LIFE. I CAN TELL YOU FIRSTHAND, I STARTED WITH THE CITY WHEN I WAS 26 YEARS OLD. UH, BUT WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO CHANGE THAT CRISIS INTO A REAL OPPORTUNITY TO TRANS HAVE TRANSFORMATIVE SYSTEMS CHANGE, AND REALLY LOOK AT CREATING A NEW SYSTEM, A BETTER COVENANT THAT REALLY PRICES A PRIORITY ON OUR LOCAL RESIDENTS. WHO BETTER TO SERVE OUR CITY THAN THE PEOPLE WHO WENT TO SCHOOL HERE? THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE HERE, THE PEOPLE WHO KNOW OUR COMMUNITIES. WE SHOULD BE GIVING A LIFELINE TO OUR EXISTENCE CITY EMPLOYEES BY MAKING PUBLIC SERVICE, UH, SEXY AGAIN. WE HAVE TO LOOK AT EVERYTHING FROM, UH, THE PROCESS OF HOW THEY'RE HIRED AND ONBOARDED INTO OUR CITY. HOW WE RECOGNIZE THEM THROUGH THEIR WAGES. UH, HOW WE MAKE SURE THAT, UH, THEY, THEY HAVE THINGS THAT ALLOW THEM TO DO THINGS LIKE FIRST TIME HOME BUYER OPPORTUNITIES, LIKE THE INCENTIVE PACKAGE. WE'RE DOING THE POLICE DEPARTMENT. WE WANT EMPLOYEES TO BE ABLE TO BUY HOMES IN OUR CITY AND HAVE THAT INTRINSIC VALUE OF LIVING IN THE COMMUNITY THAT YOU SERVE. UH, IT WAS NOT THE CITY MANAGER MENTIONED THIS STATE OF THE CITY, BUT IT WAS ACTUALLY MY FIRST STATE OF THE CITY WHEN WE STARTED TALKING ABOUT THIS. WHAT I SAID WAS, UH, AT THE STATE OF THE CITY WE TALKED ABOUT LIKE MY PUBLIC SERVICE STORY AND HOW WE NEED TO OPEN UP THE DOORS OF PUBLIC SERVICE AND, UH, CREATE PIPELINES FOR, FOR PEOPLE TO COME IN, UH, FROM OUR LOCAL COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES AND OUR LOCAL COMMUNITIES AND WORK FOR THE CITY. AND WE TESTED OUT A LOT OF THINGS IN THAT FIRST YEAR. WE STARTED THE, UH, PUBLIC SERVICE CORPS FELLOWSHIP, UH, FOR STUDENTS AT CAL STATE, DOMINGUEZ HILLS, LONG BEACH CITY COLLEGE, LONG BEACH STATE. UH, WE WERE ABLE TO, UH, PILOT AND TEST OUT STRATEGIES IN NON-CIVIL SERVICE DEPARTMENTS TO SEE IF WE COULD SPEED UP HIRING. WE SAW STAFFING WAS IMPACTING PUBLIC WORKS, POLICE DEPARTMENT, FIRE DEPARTMENT. AND WE WORKED REALLY HARD, UH, WITH OUR, OUR HR DEPARTMENT, OUR CIVIL SERVICE DEPARTMENT DEPARTMENT TO MAKE AN IMPACT. AND WE SAW, WE WERE ABLE TO FINALLY STAFF UP IN OUR REFUSE DEPARTMENT, GET THE TRASH COLLECTED ON TIME, GET AMBULANCE OPERATORS HIRED, FINALLY HIRE MORE PEOPLE IN, IN, IN DISPATCH. WE PLACE THE ROAD FOCUS THERE, BUT THERE IS STILL A CHALLENGE. WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE TAKE SOME OF THOSE INNOVATIONS, SOME OF THOSE GOALS TO GET HIRING DOWN FROM SIX MONTHS TO OPEN UP A POSITION AND SEVEN MONTHS TO ACTUALLY FILL THE POSITION. THAT'S TOO LONG FOR ANYBODY TO WAIT. WE NEED TO GET THAT DOWN. WE PILOTED, UH, LAST YEAR, WE PILOTED IT. COULD WE GET HIRING IN UNDER 90 BUSINESS DAYS AND WE BEAT IT THROUGH THE PILOT. WE, WE HIT 70 BUSINESS DAYS. IT'S TIME FOR US TO TAKE THAT AND SCALE THAT CITYWIDE. I THINK OUR RESIDENTS WANT US TO HAVE, UH, A SINGLE HIRING AGENCY THAT'S CUTS RED TAPE AND GETS RID OF REDUNDANCY, UH, AND REALLY EXPANDS OUR EFFORTS TO DO RECRUITMENT, UH, EXPAND OUR ABILITY TO BUILD LOCAL TALENT PIPELINES FROM OUR COMMUNITY AND OUR LOCAL EDUCATION INSTITUTIONS RIGHT INTO LOCAL GOVERNMENT. UH, AND WE NEED TO, UH, MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE, UH, FULFILLING THE COMMITMENT TO HIRE OUR LOCAL, HIRE OUR LOCAL RESIDENTS, GIVE THEM THE OPPORTUNITY TO SERVE IN OUR CITY. AND SO THAT'S WHAT THIS IS ABOUT. THIS IS ABOUT MODERNIZING. WE HAVE RESPONSIBILITY TO MODERNIZE, IMPROVE OUR GOVERNMENT, UH, TO BE ABLE TO DELIVER MORE VALUE FOR OUR LOCAL RESIDENTS AS EMPLOYEES, BUT ALSO AS CUSTOMERS, SO WE CAN DELIVER BETTER QUALITY PUBLIC SERVICES. AND THAT'S OUR RESPONSIBILITY HERE. SO THOSE ARE MY COMMENTS. I WANNA THANK ALL THE SPEAKERS AND WE'LL GO TO BEHIND THE RAIL. WE HAVE A, A MOTION AND SECOND COUNCIL MEMBER KERR. SURE. THANK YOU. I'LL BE BRIEF. I WANNA THANK THE STAFF FOR THEIR CONTINUED HARD WORK AND PRESENTATION. I WANNA THANK OUR LABOR PARTNERS AND ALL OF THOSE WHO, WHO HAVE BEEN IN CONVERSATION ON THIS ITEM WHO HAVE MADE THIS ITEM BETTER. UM, PERSONALLY, AS A FORMER CIVIL SERVICE COMMISSIONER, I DON'T TAKE THIS LIGHTLY AT ALL. IT IS SERIOUS AND IMPORTANT WORK, AND I ACKNOWLEDGE THE HARD WORK BY THE COMMISSION AND BY THE DEPARTMENT AND [00:45:01] KNOW, UM, THAT THERE ARE, THERE ARE OFTENTIMES OUTSIDE OF THEIR CONTROL THAT IMPACTS THE WORK. UM, SO, UM, DON'T WANT ANYONE TO THINK THAT I TAKE THIS CONVERSATION LIGHTLY AND APPRECIATE ALL THE FOLKS WHO HAVE TAKEN IT REALLY SERIOUSLY. I WANT TO THANK THE TEAM. I KNOW LAST TIME WE HAD THIS CONVERSATION, UM, THE, I THE AREAS OF CONCERN FOR ME THAT I BROUGHT UP WERE THE AREAS OF INDEPENDENCE, UM, APPEAL RIGHTS, AND ESPECIALLY EMPLOYEE PROTECTIONS. AND IT FEELS LIKE YOU HEARD THOSE. AND I WANNA THANK YOU, UM, FOR THAT WORK. AND I LOOK FORWARD TO CONTINUING THE CONVERSATION. THANK YOU VICE MAYOR ALLEN. YEAH, I THANK YOU. AND, AND I ALSO, UH, APPRECIATE ALL THE SPEAKERS THAT CAME OUT TODAY. YOU KNOW, UM, NOT SPEAKING AGAINST, YOU KNOW, ANY OF THE CIVIL SERVICE, UH, EMPLOYEES OR THE COMMISSION, BUT, YOU KNOW, I STARTED, UH, IN THE CITY AS A POLICE OFFICER IN 19 89, 35 YEARS AGO. AND, AND IT'S, THIS IS, THE SYSTEM HAS ALWAYS BEEN PROBLEMATIC. I, I FELT EVEN WAY BACK THEN WHEN I WAS WORKING, UH, IN, UH, RECRUITMENT. SO, YOU KNOW, I'LL, I'LL MAKE THIS SHORT, BUT I JUST AGREE WITH EVERYTHING THAT YOU SAID, MAYOR. I MEAN, THE TIME IS NOW TO, UH, AS YOU SAID, MODERNIZE AND IMPROVE. UM, AND SO, I MEAN, WE'RE STILL GONNA HAVE SOME CHALLENGES, UM, BUT THIS IS DEFINITELY, UH, MOVE IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. THAT CONCLUDES COUNCIL COMMENT. MEMBERS, PLEASE CAST YOUR VOTE. YES. MOTION CARRIES. THANK YOU. ITEM TWO, PLEASE. ITEM TWO IS THE RECOMMENDATION TO RECEIVE FILE COMMENTS FOR THE COMMUNITY AND SUPPORTING DOCUMENTATION. MOVE TO SECOND PUBLIC HEARING OF THE PROPOSED AMENDMENT TO CITY CHARTER ARTICLE FIVE, TO MODIFY THE LENGTH OF TERMS FOR HARBOR AND PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSIONERS TO FOUR YEARS AND ARTICLE SEVEN TO MODIFY THE POWERS AND DUTIES OF THE HARBOR COMMISSION AND ANNUAL BUDGET TIMELINE. ALRIGHT, THANK YOU. UH, WE'LL GO TO STAFF FOR THE PRESENTATION. SO, UH, THIS IS OUR SECOND, UH, CHARTER AMENDMENT CON, UH, UH, PROPOSAL HERE. SO THERE'S TWO, UH, THAT WE HAVE TO HEAR THREE TIMES. SO WE'LL GO TO, TO, WE'LL GO, WE'LL ALLOW THE PORT TO QUEUE UP. THIS ONE'S PROPOSED BY THE PORT OF LONG BEACH. SO COME ON. COME ON IN. ARE THEY COMING OVER THERE OR THEY STANDING OVER HERE? YOU GUYS CAN COME OVER ON THIS SIDE. YEAH, THEY CAN BE HERE. THEY CAN BE THERE. I'LL GIVE MY SEAT HOWEVER THEY WANNA DO IT. YOUR CITY DEPARTMENT, LIKE EVERY OTHER DEPARTMENT. YOU GUYS FORGET THAT SOMETIMES. YEAH, THIS IS THEIR HOUSE TOO. I'M JOKING. COME ON, MARIO. YOU CAN COME OVER HERE. . THIS IS A FIRST, RIGHT? THIS IS THE FIRST, THAT'S RIGHT. THAT'S WHERE DEPARTMENT HEADS SIT. MARIO RIGHT THERE. . ALL RIGHT, TOM. ALL RIGHT. UM, SO, UH, MR. MAYOR, UH, MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL, SO THIS IS THE SECOND PRESENTATION. UH, THIS IS ONE THAT THE HARBOR'S REALLY BEEN TAKING ON, BUT WE'VE BEEN, UH, COORDINATING WITH THEM AS WELL. THEY'VE GONE THROUGH ALL THEIR MEET AND CONFER. UH, YOU DIDN'T GET TO HEAR THIS ONE THE FIRST NIGHT. SO, UH, THIS IS YOUR FIRST CHANCE, UH, HEARING THIS PRESENTATION. AND I'LL TURN IT TO, UH, MARIO AND THE PRESIDENT OF THE HARBOR COMMISSION. HELLO. HELLO, MAYOR. HONORABLE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL. UH, WE ARE HAPPY TO BE HERE THIS EVENING TO PRESENT PROPOSED CHANGES TO THE CHARTER REGARDING THE HARBOR DEPARTMENT. UH, I SUGGESTED THESE CHANGES SO THAT WE COULD ALIGN SOME OF OUR OPERATIONS AT THE HARBOR DEPARTMENT WITH THE REST OF THE CITY AND MAKE HIRING MORE EFFICIENT. UM, AND NOW I WOULD LIKE TO TURN IT OVER TO OUR CEO, MARIO CORDERO, WHO WILL PRESENT THE DETAILS TO YOU. THANK YOU. WELL, THANK YOU MR. MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL. AND IN THE SPIRIT OF CONTINUING WITH THE MOMENTUM OF HIRING AND EFFICIENCY IN THE CITY OF LONG BEACH, THE HARVARD DEPARTMENT WANTS TO DO ITS PART TO MOVE TOWARDS THAT, UH, GO. SO IN THAT, I'LL HAVE 10 QUICK SLIDES REAL QUICK HERE. UH, SO SLIDE NUMBER ONE. BASICALLY WHAT THIS IS ABOUT IS, UH, THREE THINGS, THREE TERMS OF COMM, UH, COMMISSION MEMBERS, POWERS AND DUTIES OF THE HARVARD COMMISSION AND THE HARVARD DEPARTMENT'S ANNUAL BUDGET. THOSE ARE THE THREE MAIN ITEMS WITH REGARD TO ARTICLE FIVE AND ARTICLE 12 THAT WE HOPE THE VOTERS WILL SUPPORT THE CHARTER AMENDMENT. GOING TO SLIDE TWO, THIS GIVES YOU MORE SPECIFICITY WITH REGARD TO THE OFFICERS AND EMPLOYEES, UH, AT THE PORT AND AGAIN, THE COMMISSION. UH, BASICALLY THE TERM QUESTION HERE IS TO MOVE MORE IN ALIGNMENT, UH, HARBOR COMMISSION AND OF COURSE, UTILITIES COMMISSIONERS WITH REGARD TO THREE, FOUR YEAR TERMS AS OPPOSED TO THE TWO SIX YEAR TERMS CURRENTLY THAT WE HAVE. [00:50:01] SO AGAIN, THIS IS IN THE INTEREST OF COMING MORE IN ALIGNMENT WITH THE CITY, UH, STRUCTURE. UH, NUMBER TWO HERE IS THE POWERS AND DUTIES OF THE HARVARD COMMISSION. AND AGAIN, AS I, UH, REFERENCING MY OPENING COMMENTS, WE ARE MOVING FORWARD TO CREATE MORE EFFICIENCIES AT THE HARBOR DEPARTMENT AND STREAMLINE THE HIRING PROCESS. SO IN THIS REGARD, UH, YOU'LL SEE ARTICLE 12. NOW IT'S BEING AMENDED OR SUGGESTED TO THE VOTERS, UH, TO, UH, UH, MOVE FORWARD WITH THE DELEGATING OF, OF THE, UH, HIRING DECISIONS AND STAFF WITH REGARD TO THE CEO, UH, AS OPPOSED TO SOME LIMITATIONS THAT WE HAVE THERE, OF COURSE. UH, AND AGAIN, ALL THIS IN THE INTEREST OF MOVING FORWARD TO ADDRESS THE SERIOUS VACANCY RATE THAT WE HAVE. AND OF COURSE, THE STREAMLINING OF HIRING. UH, NOW WITH REGARD TO THE, UH, THIRD UH, ASPECT OF THIS, THIS, AGAIN, IS MORE TO GET INTO COMPLIANCE IN ALIGNMENT WITH THE CITY BUDGET PROCESS FOR THE CITY'S FISCAL YEAR OF OCTOBER, FIRST THROUGH SEPTEMBER 30TH. SO THIS ONE, BASICALLY, AGAIN, IS A REPETITION OF BASIC WHAT THE, UH, AMENDMENT INDICATES. AGAIN, SIX YEARS, TWO YEAR, UH, EXCUSE ME, TWO APPOINTMENTS AT SIX YEARS. UH, WE'RE NOW GONNA MOVE FORWARD TO, UH, UH, UH, THREE, FOUR YEAR APPOINTMENT, UH, UH, FOUR YEAR TERM. SO AGAIN, COMING INTO ALIGNMENT WITH THE, UH, OTHER COMMISSIONS IN THE CITY, PARTICULARLY THE ENTERPRISE, UH, COMMISSIONS OR DEPARTMENTS. UH, THIS IS ANOTHER CHANGE. UH, FOR MANY YEARS, THE FINES AS IT RELATES TO ORDINANCE VIOLATIONS HAVE BEEN AT $500. THIS HAS BEEN LIKE DECADES AND DECADES INTO THE CHARTER. NOW WE'RE KIND, MODERNIZE A LITTLE BIT TO BRING IT UP TO A THOUSAND. SO IT CERTAIN CERTAINLY SHOULD NOT BE ANY SEVERE IMPACT WITH REGARD TO THAT. AND OF COURSE, THIS IS AGAIN, UH, THE PROCESS THAT WE'RE GONNA, UH, MOVE FORWARD WITH, UH, IN CONSULTATION WITH THE CITY ATTORNEY. AND WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THE MEET AND CONFER PROCESS THAT'S SO IMPORTANT HERE FOR DEPARTMENTS IN THE CITY. WE'RE GONNA COMPLY WITH THAT. UM, NEXT, AGAIN, GIVES YOU A TIMELINE OF THE ACTIONS THAT WE'RE GONNA MOVE FORWARD WITH. AND TONIGHT, OF COURSE, BEGINS WITH ONE, THE JUNE 11TH HEARING. AND WE'RE GONNA HAVE TWO MORE PUBLIC HEARINGS THAT WE'RE GONNA BE PART OF JULY 16TH AND AUGUST 6TH. AND THAT'S IT. SO THANK YOU SO MUCH. WE ARE ABLE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE, MR. MAYOR AND COUNCIL. BUT AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR YOUR ANTICIPATED SUPPORT OF THIS QUEST FOR US TO MOVE WITH ALIGNMENT WITH THE CITY AND STREAMLINING THE HIRING PROCESS. ALRIGHT, THANK YOU. IS THERE ANY PUBLIC COMMENT? ALL RIGHT. WELL, THANK YOU SO MUCH, UH, TO THE BOTH OF YOU FOR COMING DOWN AND MAKING YOUR PRESENTATION. I FULLY SUPPORT THESE, UH, RECOMMENDATIONS. WE'VE TALKED THROUGH THESE. WE'VE WORKED WITH OUR CITY ATTORNEYS. I THINK EACH OF THEM MAKES SENSE. THE ALIGNMENT OF THE TERM LIMITS MAKES SENSE. THE, UH, FISCAL CHANGES TO ALIGN WITH THE CITY, UH, IS IN ALIGNMENT WITH THE HARBOR HARBOR DEPARTMENT, RIGHT? IT'S A DEPARTMENT OF THE CITY AND WE WORK REALLY WELL TOGETHER. UH, AND I THINK, UM, MAKING SURE, MAKING SURE YOU HAVE VERY CLEAR LINES, UH, DEFINING WHOSE JOB IT IS TO HIRE MANAGED STAFF, I THINK IS INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT AND HELPS OUR HARBOR COMMISSION TO REMAIN FOCUSED ON POLICY AND LEADERSHIP BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, WE WE'RE GROWING AS A PORT AND WE'RE GONNA BE THE BIGGEST PORT IN AMERICA. WE WANNA STAY FOCUSED ON THAT AND LET OUR MANAGERS MANAGE. SO, ABSOLUTELY, I CERTAINLY SUPPORT THOSE, UH, CHANGES. IF I MAY, ONE LAST THING. I WANNA ACKNOWLEDGE OUR DIRECTOR OF HUMAN RESOURCES AT THE PORT. SHE'S WORKED VERY HARD ON, ON THESE MATTERS. CHRISTINA, JASON, IF YOU COULD STAND UP. CHRISTINA, THANK YOU. AND OF COURSE, OUR CITY ATTORNEY, DAWN MCINTOSH AND HER STAFF WHO HAS WORKED WITH US IN MOVING THIS MATTER FORWARD. ABSOLUTELY. AND I'M HEARING NOTHING BUT POSITIVITY ON THIS CHARTER COMMIT IN THE COMMUNITY. SO THANK YOU SO MUCH. UM, LET'S SEE. COUNCIL MEMBER RICK ODI, UH, NO ADDITIONAL COMMENTS ABOVE WHAT YOU SHARED. UM, I THINK THE MAYOR ENCAPSULATED IT, UH, PRETTY WELL. THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU. COUNCILMAN ZENDEJAS. VERY SUPPORTIVE. GREAT. UH, ALRIGHT, UH, MEMBERS PLEASE CAST YOUR VOTE. MOTION CARRIES. ALRIGHT, WE HAVE TO DO ONE MORE PUBLIC COMMENT ON THE COMMITTEE MEETING. BEFORE WE ADJOURN THE COMMITTEE, IS THERE ANY PUBLIC COMMENT? NO. ALRIGHT. THIS COMMITTEE MEETING IS ADJOURNED. WE WILL PAUSE AND RESET BACK UP, UH, THE, UH, COUNCIL MEETING. AND THE FIRST ITEM WE'LL TAKE IS THE HATE CRIMES. ITEM 27 WILL BE WHAT? WHERE WE'LL GO. SO I WANNA TAKE A BRIEF RECESS AND RESET. [00:57:50] YEAH. OKAY. OKAY. LET'S RECONVENE THE MEETING. MEETING OF THE CITY COUNCIL. ROLL CALL PLEASE. COUNCIL MEMBER ZENDEJAS PRESENT. VICE MAYOR ALLEN. PRESENT. COUNCIL MEMBER DUGGAN. HERE. COUNCIL MEMBER SUPER NA. HERE. COUNCILWOMAN KERR. PRESENT. COUNCILMAN AUSTIN? STILL HERE. COUNCIL MEMBER RICK OTI. HERE. MAYOR RICHARDSON. I AM HERE. WE HAVE A QUORUM. ALL RIGHT, THANK YOU. LET'S GO TO ITEM 27, PLEASE. COMMUNICATION FROM MAYOR RICHARDSON, VICE MAYOR ALLEN, COUNCIL MEMBER RICKS OTI. RECOMMENDATION TO REQUEST CITY ATTORNEY TO DRAFT A RESOLUTION CONDEMNING ALL FORMS OF RACISM, RELIGIOUS OR ETHNIC BIAS, DISCRIMINATION, INCITEMENT OF VIOLENCE AND HATE CRIMES, AND AFFIRMING THE CITY'S VALUES OF INCLUSIVITY, DIVERSITY, EQUITY AND ACCEPTANCE IN RELATION TO PUBLIC MEETINGS. ALRIGHT, THANK YOU. I WANNA THANK PAUL AND THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE FOR WORKING TOGETHER. IT'S BEEN IN THE WORKS FOR SOME TIME. UM, AND WHAT THIS IS, IS, AS WE ALL KNOW, THE CITY OF LONG BEACH, WE BELIEVE IN PEACE AND JUSTICE AND EQUITY AND SAFETY AND UNDERSTANDING, MUTUAL UNDERSTANDING AND, AND BELONGING FOR ALL RESIDENTS OF LONG BEACH AND OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS. UH, LAST WEEK WE, WE CAME TOGETHER AND TALKED ABOUT THE SUMMER STRONG BEACH, HOW WE'RE ALL STANDING TOGETHER TO REACH OUR NEXT GENERATION, EXPANDING YOUTH OPPORTUNITIES, UH, AND PREVENT [01:00:01] VIOLENCE AT ITS SOURCE, ENGAGING IN OUR COMMUNITIES TO KEEP OUR COMMUNITIES SAFE ALL SUMMER LONG. UH, BUT WE ALSO KNOW THAT ENSURING SAFETY AND DIGNITY OF OUR RESIDENTS ALSO REQUIRES A FOCUS ON ADDRESSING THE GROWING PREVALENCE OF HATE, HATE INCIDENTS, HATE CRIME, HATE SPEECH, OR HATE INCIDENTS ACROSS OUR COMMUNITY. UH, THE LA COUNTY COMMISSION ON HUMAN RELATIONS, MOST RECENT HATE CRIME RE REPORT REVEALED THAT HATE CRIMES ROSE ACROSS LA COUNTY BY 18%, WITH AN ALARMING INCREASE IN THE NUMBER OF ANTI-BLACK ANTI-LATINO ANTI-SEMITIC AND ANTI L-G-B-T-Q, HATE CRIMES COUNTYWIDE SUCH AS ASSAULTS, VANDALISMS, AND VANDALISM, AND ACTS OF INTIMIDATION. UNFORTUNATELY, UH, HERE IN LONG BEACH WE, WE BELIEVE IN PEACE, BUT OUR, OUR FORUMS ARE OPEN TO THE PUBLIC AND, WELL, THAT'S NOT UNFORTUNATE. WELL, OUR FORUMS ARE OPEN TO THE PUBLIC, WHICH IS A GOOD THING, LIKE CITY COUNCIL MEETINGS AND COMMISSION MEETINGS. UH, BUT UNFORTUNATELY WE ARE NOT IMMUNE TO HATE MOTIVATED SPEECH AND HATE INCIDENTS. UH, PUBLIC COMMENTS MADE BY PRIVATE CITIZENS SPEAKING IN THEIR INDIVIDUAL CAPACITY MAY SOMETIMES RESULT IN PERPETUATING PREJUDICES AND UNDERMINING THE SAFETY OF COMMUNITY MEMBERS FROM DIVERSE BACKGROUNDS AND EXPERIENCES AS, UH, ELECTED OFFICIALS WHO REPRESENT A VERY DEMOGRAPHICALLY DIVERSE AND VIBRANT CITY, WE HAVE AN OBLIGATION TO ADDRESS HATE CRIME IN ITS MANY FORMS TO ENSURE THAT ALL RESIDENTS FEEL SECURE IN PUBLIC MEETING SPACES, UH, WHERE IMPORTANT PUBLIC POLICIES, DECISIONS THAT IMPACT THEIR LIVES ARE BEING MADE. SO THROUGH THIS RESOLUTION, WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE CLEAR OUR CITY'S POSITION, CONDEMNING ALL FORMS OF RACISM, UH, RE RELIGIOUS OR ETHNIC BIAS, DISCRIMINATION, INCITEMENT OF VIOLENCE EXPRESSED IN PUBLIC MEETINGS BY CONSISTENTLY AFFIRMING THE CITY'S VALUES OF INCLUSION, INCLUSIVITY, DIVERSITY, EQUITY, AND ACCEPTANCE. AND WHILE WE CAN'T REGULATE THE SPEECH OF PRIVATE CITIZENS, WHAT WE CAN DO IS MODEL PUBLIC CIVIC DISCOURSE. UH, WE CAN AFFIRM OUR CITY'S SHARED VALUES AT PUBLIC MEETINGS SO THAT EVERY RESIDENT, EVERY BUSINESS OWNER, AND EVERY VISITOR KNOWS WHERE OUR CITY STANDS AND FEELS, UH, SO THAT EVERYONE FEELS SAFE AND WELCOME, UH, IN THESE CHAMBERS AND IN OUR PUBLIC, UH, PUBLIC FORUMS AND OUR PUBLIC, UH, COMMISSION MEETINGS. AND THAT'S WHAT THIS IS ABOUT. THIS IS ABOUT MAKING SURE THAT, UH, AS CHAIR OF THE CITY COUNCIL OR CHAIR OF ANY OF OUR CITY COMMITTEES, IF, OR OUR CITY COMMISSIONS, IF YOU WERE TO, WERE TO EXPERIENCE, UM, INCIDENTS OF HATE CRIME, THAT YOU HAVE SOMETHING TO FALL BACK ON. YOU HAVE THE CITY'S, UH, PROCLAMATION OF WHERE YOU STAND, AND YOU HAVE TRAINING OR, OR, OR PRACTICE ON HOW WE ADDRESS THAT, UH, AS WE SEE THESE INCIDENTS BECOME MORE, UH, MORE PREVALENT IN OUR COMMUNITIES. SO THAT IS, UM, WHAT THIS IS ABOUT. I'M GOING TO GO TO, UH, PUBLIC COMMENT. SO WE HAVE, UH, TWO MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC, THREE MEMBERS OF PUBLIC SIGNED UP TO SPEAK, KEN SCHLESINGER, UM, DEBORAH GOLDFARB AND CLAYTON HURT. HELLO, COUNSEL AND MAYOR. I CAN'T BELIEVE I'M IN THE SAME PLACE THAT I WAS ON DECEMBER 19TH. I'M PROUD TO BE HERE. MY NAME IS KEN SCHLESINGER. I'M A RESIDENT OF DISTRICT FOUR, AND ALSO SIT ON THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS AND CHAIR THE ADVOCACY AND EDUCATION COMMITTEE FOR JEWISH LONG BEACH. MY OPTIONS AS AN OPENLY GAY MAN AND JEW IN THE CITY CROSS MULTIPLE BOUNDARIES AND TO, UH, BUILD ON WHAT MAYOR SAID EARLIER. IF YOU TALK TO THE A DL, THE TOP TWO, UM, MINORITIES THAT ARE BEING HIT WITH HATE CRIMES NOW ARE THE JEWISH COMMUNITY L-G-B-T-Q. IT'S ONLY UNTIL RECENTLY THAT I, ALONG WITH OTHERS IN MY COMMUNITY DID NOT FEEL SAFE SPEAKING IN PUBLIC FORUMS. I'M A SURVIVOR OF THE DECEMBER 19TH CITY COUNCIL MEETING. WHILE IT WAS A HATE FEST BEYOND MY WILDEST IMAGINATION, NOTHING WAS MORE DESPICABLE TO ME THAN TO SEE YET A CANE. A PERSONAL FRIEND OF MINE FOR OVER 50 YEARS AND A HOLOCAUST SURVIVOR BEING VERBALLY ABUSED, CAJOLED, AND HARASSED WHILE TRYING TO ADDRESS THE ESTEEMED GROUP. NOBODY SHOULD HAVE TO SUFFER LIKE THAT. IN MY OPINION, THERE'S A VERY THICK LINE BETWEEN HATE SPEECH AND FREE SPEECH. JUST YESTERDAY, A CELL POST ON FACEBOOK THAT READ NAME SOMETHING FROM THE SIXTIES THAT HAS COMPLETELY DISAPPEARED. THE REPLIES WERE FLOODED WITH TANGIBLE ITEMS, BUT I QUICKLY REPLIED COMMON COURTESY, DIGNITY, AND RESPECT. THANK YOU, MAYOR RICHARDSON, CITY COUNCIL, AND PAUL, FOR ALL OF YOUR HARD WORK. WHEN THIS RESOLUTION IS COMPLETE AND PASSED, LONG BEACH WILL LEAD THE NATION IN WHAT THE MODEL IS OF PROPER DECORUM IN MEETINGS AND PUBLIC FORUMS. I FULLY SUPPORT THE RECOMMENDATION FOR THE CITY ATTORNEY TO BEGIN DRAFTING [01:05:01] THE PROPOSED RESOLUTION, AND I URGE THE COUNCIL TO PASS THIS AGENDA ITEM. SO THE NECESSARY AND IMPORTANT WORK THAT NEEDS TO BE DONE CAN START. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. NEXT IS DEB GOHAR. GOOD EVENING, MAYOR RICHARDSON, CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS, PARTNER ORGANIZATIONS, AND CITY OF LONG BEACH RESIDENTS. THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO ADDRESS YOU THIS EVENING. I'M DEBORAH GOLDBAR, CEO OF JEWISH LONG BEACH AND THE ALPER JEWISH COMMUNITY CENTER. LAST SUMMER AS AN UMBRELLA GROUP REPRESENTING SYNAGOGUES AND JEWISH ORGANIZATIONS IN THE GREATER LONG BEACH AREA. WE BEGAN A DIALOGUE WITH MAYOR RICHARDSON AND HIS STAFF REGARDING OUR COMMUNITY'S CONCERN AROUND AN ONGOING RISE IN ANTI-JEWISH HATE, AND OTHER FORMS OF HATE TIED TO RACISM AND RELIGIOUS AND ETHNIC BIAS THROUGHOUT THE UNITED STATES. AT THAT TIME, WE AGREED THAT OUR GOAL TOGETHER WITH THE CITY WAS TO CREATE A SAFE ENVIRONMENT FOR ALL RESIDENTS, FREE FROM HARASSMENT, INTIMIDATION, AND BIAS. UNFORTUNATELY, AS YOU'VE MENTIONED MAYOR, OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS, MANY OF OUR COMMUNITY AFFINITY GROUPS HAVE FACED THIS RACISM, BIAS AND HATE SPEECH, AS WELL AS SPECIFIC ACTS OF HATE CRIMES, AS YOU SAID. UM, SO, UH, STUDIES DO SHOW THAT THAT TYPE OF ATTITUDE LEADS TO SPECIFIC, UH, HATE INCIDENTS AND CAN LEAD TO SPECIFIC VIOLENCE AGAINST ALL OF OUR DIVERSITY OF GROUPS. TONIGHT, WE WANT TO THANK YOU MAYOR RICHARDSON FOR YOUR EFFORTS IN BRINGING THIS ISSUE FORWARD TO THE CITY COUNCIL TO AFFIRM THE CITY'S VALUES OF I INCLUSIVITY, DIVERSITY, EQUITY, AND ACCEPTANCE. WE AT JEWISH LONG BEACH AND OUR PARTNER ORGANIZATIONS WHO WERE LISTED IN OUR LETTER OF SUPPORT, STRONGLY SUPPORT THIS PROPOSED MEASURE TO FOSTER A SAFER AND MORE HARMONIOUS ENVIRONMENT IN LONG BEACH. WE'RE PLEASED TO WORK WITH THE CITY TO ENSURE THAT OUR BELOVED COMMUNITY CONTINUES TO CREATE THE STANDARDS TO BECOME AN EVEN GREATER MODEL OF TOLERANCE AND EQUITY, SO THAT NO ETHNIC RELIGIOUS COMMUNITY OR MINORITY GROUP SHOULD EVER HAVE TO FACE UNFAIR LIES AND RHETORIC IN PUBLIC SPACES. RECENT MONTHS HAVE SHOWN HOW QUICKLY OUR LONG BEACH COMMUNITY CAN BE OVERRUN BY ANGER AND HATE WITH A MINORITY CHANGING THE TENOR OF CONVERSATION AND ACCEPTANCE FOR THE MAJORITY. WHILE WE ARE ALL FREE TO EXPRESS OUR VIEWS, EVEN WHEN VILE, WE ARE THANKFUL THAT THE CITY IS MOVING TO SAFEGUARD CIVILITY IN THE NAME OF INCLUSION OF ALL PEOPLE AND OUR DIVERSE CITY, THIS IS A CRITICAL FIRST STEP, AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO THE NEXT STEPS AS THEY EMERGE. THANK YOU TO THE ENTIRE CITY COUNCIL FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION AND MOVING THIS IMPORTANT INITIATIVE FORWARD. THE JEWISH COMMUNITY MOVES INTO THE HOLIDAY OF SHAVUOT THIS EVENING, COMMEMORATING THE GIVING OF THE TORAH, OUR HOLY SCRIPTURES ON MOUNT SINAI OVER 3000 YEARS AGO. OUR TRADITION TELLS US THAT NOT ONLY WERE THE ISRAELITES THERE FOR THIS MOMENTOUS OCCASION THAT SHAPED HISTORY, BUT THAT EACH OF US WAS THERE AS WELL, COMPLETING A CHAIN OF MEMORY AND INCLUSIVITY. THIS EVENING, WE INVITE ALL OF YOU TO JOIN US IN CELEBRATING THE JOY OF COMMUNITY THAT SHIVU BRINGS TO OUR WORLDWIDE COMMUNITY. THANK YOU ALL. THANK YOU. ALRIGHT, AND OUR FINAL SPEAKER, CLAYTON HURD. GOOD EVENING MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL NAME'S CLAYTON HURD. AND I'M HERE ON BEHALF OF MY BOSS, ASSEMBLY MEMBER JOSH LOWENTHAL. THANK YOU, MAYOR RICHARDSON, VICE MAYOR ALLEN AND COUNCIL MEMBER DR. RICK ODI FOR BRINGING THIS ITEM FORWARD TONIGHT. I'M PROUD TO SUPPORT THIS ITEM AS A COMMITMENT TO OUR COMMUNITY AND TO THE DEMOCRATIC PROCESS. IT IS CRITICAL THAT PEOPLE MAKE THEIR VOICES HEARD AND HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SHARE THEIR FRUSTRATIONS AND CONCERNS WITH DECISION MAKERS. THIS COLLABORATION AND CONSULTATION WITH THE PUBLIC PRODUCES BETTER POLICY AND CREATES A SHARED RESPONSIBILITY FOR LEGISLATIVE OUTCOMES. HOWEVER, NO ONE SHOULD BE SUBJECT TO HATE SPEECH OR HARASSMENT THROUGHOUT THIS PROCESS. WE MUST CONTINUE TO REJECT ANY FORUM OF DISCRIMINATION AND CENTER OUR VALUES OF INCLUSIVITY, DIVERSITY, EQUITY, AND EMBRACE OF THE WHOLE HUMAN. IN THIS NEXT LEGISLATIVE SESSION, SEVERAL COLLEAGUES AND I WILL BE INTRODUCING LEGISLATION THAT WILL CONTINUE TO ENCOURAGE LOCAL GOVERNMENTS [01:10:01] TO ENSURE MEETINGS SUCH AS THIS ARE CONDUCTED WITH DECORUM AND RESPECT FOR ALL IN MIND. SOMETIMES THESE CONVERSATIONS AREN'T EASY TO HEAR, BUT AT, UH, BUT AT NO TIME SHOULD ANYONE FEEL THREATENED OR LIKE THEIR VOICE SHOULDN'T BE HEARD. THIS INCLUDES FAITH GROUPS LIKE WHAT WAS EXPERIENCED BY THE JEWISH COMMUNITY AND IS FURTHER DETAILED IN THE MOST RECENT LA COUNTY COMMISSION ON HUMAN RELATIONS HATE, UH, HATE CRIME REPORT. I'M PROUD OF AND THANKFUL FOR THE COUNTLESS RESIDENTS WHO COME TO SPEAK IN THIS VERY CHAMBER NEARLY EVERY WEEK, IN ADDITION TO THOSE WHO COME UP TO SACRAMENTO TRAVELING HUNDREDS OF MILES JUST TO MAKE THEIR VOICE HEARD. THANK YOU FOR REAFFIRMING YOUR COMMITMENT TO THESE VALUES AND ENSURING EVERYONE FEELS SAFE AND SUPPORTED WHILE PARTICIPATING IN THE DEMOCRATIC PROCESS. I HOPE WE CONTINUE CREATING SPACES FOR THE EXCHANGING OF IDEAS THAT LEAD TO PRODUCTIVE SOLUTIONS AND HEALED HEARTS EVEN IN THESE TROUBLING TIMES. I LOOK FORWARD TO YOUR CONTINUED ATTENTION TO THIS TOPIC AND LEARNING FROM YOUR VALUABLE EXPERIENCE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. ALRIGHT. I ALSO WANNA ACKNOWLEDGE THE, THE, UH, DIVERSE SET OF LETTERS THAT WE HAVE OF SUPPORT OF ITEM 27. ONE FROM, UH, , A LETTER OF SUPPORT FROM LONG BEACH PRIDE LETTER OF SUPPORT FROM JEWISH LONG BEACH. LETTER OF SUPPORT FROM THE L-G-B-T-Q CENTER OF LONG BEACH, AND A LETTER OF SUPPORT FROM THE LONG BEACH MINISTER'S ALLIANCE. THANK YOU SO MUCH. WE'LL TAKE IT BACK BEHIND THE RAIL COUNCIL MEMBER OTTI. UH, THANK YOU MAYOR. UH, SO, UH, VALENTINE COUNTRY'S STRONG FIRST AMENDMENT RIGHTS, WHILE ALSO ENSURING THE MEMBERS OF OUR COMMUNITY FEEL SAFE IN OUR PUBLIC MEETINGS. SOMETHING THAT REALLY RESONATES WITH ME, UM, AND THIS ITEM HITS HONED FOR ME PERSONALLY FOR A FEW REASONS. UH, SO ONE IS, UM, I'VE SEEN EXAMPLES OF PUBLIC MEETINGS WHERE THOSE ATTENDING OR SPEAKING DID NOT FEEL SAFE. UM, I SHARED AN EXAMPLE WITH STAFF, UH, SOME TIME AGO OF A MEETING IN ANOTHER JURISDICTION THAT WAS A HYBRID MEETING. THE INITIAL SPEAKER SPOKE VIA ZOOM AND FAILED TO MUTE THEIR MICROPHONE. THE NEXT SPEAKER HAPPENED TO BE A BLACK WOMAN SPEAKING IN PERSON. AND ONCE SHE APPROACHED THE PODIUM AND BEGAN SPEAKING, SHE'S MET WITH A BARRAGE OF RACIAL AND XENOPHOBIC EPITHETS SPEWED OVER ZOOM BY THE INITIAL SPEAKER. YOU COULD NOT HEAR THIS WOMAN SPEAKING AND WHAT'S WORSE, THERE WAS NO ACKNOWLEDGEMENT FROM ANY ENTITY PRESIDING OVER THE MEETING TO ACKNOWLEDGE WHAT HAD JUST HAPPENED. WHILE I UNDERSTAND THAT HATE SPEECH IS A PROTECTED FORM OF SPEECH, I ALSO UNDERSTAND THAT WHAT HAPPENED IN THAT SCENARIO WAS NOT OKAY. UM, AND THAT THAT SCENARIO WAS NOT OKAY. AS A SECOND SPEAKER'S, FREE SPEECH RIGHTS WERE INFRINGED UPON, AND THAT INTERACTION CREATED AN UNSAFE MEETING ENVIRONMENT FOR THAT BLACK RESIDENT, AND I'M SURE FOR OTHERS WATCHING. SECOND. THE OTHER REASON THIS ITEM RESONATES WITH ME IS THAT I'M CURRENTLY AUDITING A CLASS AT UC, IRVINE ON FREE SPEECH. CLEARLY, I WOULD BE, DOC WOULD NOT BE DR. JOANIE IF I WAS NOT APPROACHING THE ISSUE FROM A FORMAL ACADEMIC LESSON. LE UH, LENS BEING A COUNCIL MEMBER HAS REALLY ELEVATED FOR ME THE NEED TO HAVE A MUCH BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF THE LEGAL LANDSCAPE AROUND FREE SPEECH, ITS LIMITATIONS, AND THE FACT THAT BEING A CITIZEN AND A DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC ASKED A LOT OF ITS CITIZENS, INCLUDING BEING PARTY TO SPEECH IN GENERAL, SETTINGS THAT WE MAY FIND DIFFICULT, OFFENSIVE, OR EVEN HARMFUL. AS PART OF THE DISCUSSION AROUND THIS RESOLUTION. I ALSO THINK IT'S IMPERATIVE TO SEE OUR CITY EXPLORE SPECIFIC TRAININGS ON THE FIRST AMENDMENT IN FREE SPEECH, PARTICULARLY OUR COUNCIL OFFICES, COMMISSIONERS AND BOARD MEMBERS TO EDUCATE US ON WHAT TYPES OF SPEECH ARE AND ARE NOT COVERED BY THE FIRST AMENDMENT. THE WAYS A GOVERNMENT ENTITY LIKE OUR CITY CAN REGULATE SPEECH EVEN WHEN IT'S NOT PERMITTED TO PROHIBIT OR CENSOR THAT SPEECH AND HOW WE RESPOND TO SPEECH THAT WE FIND OFFENSIVE. I THINK THESE MAKE US, UM, A BETTER CITY, UM, AND MAKE SURE THAT EVERYONE UNDERSTANDS THE THE LEVEL PLAYING FIELD THAT WE'RE IN. THANK YOU. THANK YOU VICE MAYOR ALLEN. YES. UH, THANK YOU, UH, MAYOR, UH, AND PAUL AND, UH, AND DR. UH, JONI, RICK SODI FOR SIGNING ONTO THIS. YOU KNOW, I WAS, UH, I WAS, I WAS REALLY EXCITED TO, TO, UH, SIGN ON AND, UH, AND BE A CHAMPION THIS EFFORT FOR OUR CITY, AND I KNOW THIS IS A REALLY IMPORTANT ITEM TO SO MANY PEOPLE. YOU KNOW, WE ARE LIVING IN A TIME, UM, THAT'S ALARMING. WE HAVE SEEN THE HATE CRIMES, YOU KNOW, WE GET ALERTS ON OUR ALL COUNCIL, PEOPLE GET ALERTS ON OUR PHONE. AND, UH, THE RISE IN THINGS THAT WE SEE AGAINST THE JEWISH COMMUNITY AND AGAINST, UM, OUR BELOVED LGBTQ PLUS COMMUNITY IS, IS ALARMING. UM, COUNTYWIDE, UH, WE SEE HATE CRIMES THAT HAVE INCREASED BY OVER, UM, 18%. UM, AND I THINK WE'VE SEEN, UM, PUBLIC MEETINGS AS YOU HAVE RABBI, THAT THAT WERE, WERE JUST, UM, JUST THE HATE SPEECH WAS, WAS INCREDIBLE. AND SO HERE IN LONG BEACH, WE'RE NOT IMMUNE FROM SOME OF THOSE THINGS. UM, YOU KNOW, AND WHILE FREEDOM OF SPEECH, FREEDOM OF SPEECH IS CONSTITUTIONALLY PROTECTED, UM, [01:15:01] AND I KNOW THAT'S SACRED, UH, WE ALSO KNOW THAT SOME COMMENTS AND, AND VERBIAGE USED BY THE PUBLIC CAN BE VERY CHARGED. UM, IT CAN BE PREJUDICED. AND, UM, AS DR. JONI ART, UH, RICK SODI JUST SAID, YOU KNOW, IT MAKES PEOPLE FEEL VERY UNCOMFORTABLE, UH, AND UNSAFE. SO I THINK SOMETHING THAT WE HAVE TO DO IS AFFIRM OUR CITY VALUES IN STATEMENTS, UM, AT THE, UH, BEGINNING OF, I THINK SOME OF THE THINGS THAT ARE GONNA NEED TO HAPPEN IS ON AGENDAS. WE'RE AFFIRMING OUR, OUR CITY VALUES, WHETHER IT'S OUR, UH, ON, UM, COUNCIL ITEMS ON WEBSITES. I THINK WE JUST NEED TO, UM, REMIND FOLKS CONSTANTLY THAT HERE IN THE CITY OF LONG BEACH, WE CONDEMN HATE SPEECH. UM, AND AS CITY LEADERS, I THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT THAT WE TACKLE THESE PROBLEMS, YOU KNOW, HEAD ON. AND I COMMEND YOU MAYOR, UM, FOR JUST DOING THAT. AND WE HAVE TO, UH, WORK TOGETHER WITH EVERY RESIDENT, WITH EVERY BUSINESS OWNER. UM, AND I DON'T EVEN CARE IF YOU'RE A VISITOR, UM, THAT YOU FEEL SAFE AT CITY COUNCIL MEETINGS OR COMMISSION MEETINGS OR ANYTHING THAT'S SANCTIONED, UM, BY THE CITY. SO IT'S, IT IS MY HOPE THAT, UM, OUR BELOVED CITY THAT WE'LL HAVE CIVILITY, UM, IN ALL PUBLIC FORUMS. UM, I KNOW THAT'S, THAT'S A, IT'S A HIGH STANDARD AND THAT'S TOUGH, BUT IT IS MY HOPE. SO THANK YOU AGAIN, MAYOR FOR THIS. AND MANY OF OUR COMMUNITIES HAVE BEEN VICTIMS OF HISTORIC PREJUDICE AND DISENFRANCHISEMENT. AND SO TODAY WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO CLARIFY AND CONDEMN RACISM AND RELIGIOUS, RELIGIOUS AND ETHNIC BIAS, AND REAFFIRM OUR COMMITMENT TO OUR CORE VALUES, WHICH ARE INCLUSION AND ACCEPTANCE IN THE CITY OF LONG BEACH. THANK YOU, VICE MAYOR, COUNCILMAN SUPER. UH, THANK YOU TO, UH, MY COUNCIL COLLEAGUES FOR BRINGING THIS IMPORTANT ITEM FORWARD. UM, I'D ALSO LIKE TO SPEAK, UH, THANK THE SPEAKERS TONIGHT, UH, CLAYTON HURD, THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THAT MESSAGE. AND THANKS TO, UH, ASSEMBLY MEMBER LOWENTHAL, UH, FOR SHARING THAT, UM, TO CD FORESTS, PAUL MUNGE, THANKS FOR YOUR WORK ON THIS ITEM. AND TO, UH, OUR SPEAKERS REPRESENTING THE ALBERT JCC AND JEWISH LONG BEACH, BOTH LOCATED IN THE FOURTH COUNCIL DISTRICT. I'D LIKE TO THANK, UM, DEBORAH AND KEN FOR BEING HERE TONIGHT AND ALSO FOR BEING HERE ON DECEMBER 19TH. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER CARR? YES. UH, THANK YOU. I WANNA THANK THE SPEAKERS, UH, FOR COMING OUT TONIGHT. AND I FIRMLY BELIEVE IT'S IMPORTANT FOR US TO CLARIFY OUR VALUES. WE KNOW THAT WHAT HAPPENS HERE AND WHAT IS SAID HERE, BOTH BEHIND THE DAIS AND FROM THE PUBLIC WHO COMES TO SPEAK TO US, CAN OFTEN FILTER OUT AS RECORDINGS ARE SHARED, UM, AS PEOPLE COME TO PUBLIC MEETING. AND WHAT SAID HAS A DIRECT IMPACT ON WHAT HAPPENS IN OUR COMMUNITY. WE KNOW THAT, UM, IN THE LAST SEVERAL MONTHS, WE HAVE SEEN AN INCREASE LIKE THE COUNTY IN, UM, IN ANTI-JEWISH HATE, ANTI-ISLAMIC HATE, ANTI-BLACK HATE, AND ESPECIALLY, UM, AS SOME HAVE SAID IN OUR L-G-B-T-Q COMMUNITY, WE KNOW THAT IN PRIDE MONTH, UM, I AM COGNIZANT THAT ONLINE POSTS FROM A CITY, FROM FIRE DEPARTMENTS, FROM, FROM PEOPLE CELEBRATING PRIDE CELEBRATIONS HAVE HAD SEEN A VITRIOL AND AN INCREASE, UM, THAT I HAVE NOT SEEN IN YEARS. UM, BUT WE ALSO KNOW THAT IT HAS INCREASED INCIDENCES ON OUR COLLEGE CAMPUSES, ON OUR MIDDLE SCHOOL CAMPUSES, IN OUR NEIGHBORHOODS. UM, SO AGAIN, UH, GRATEFUL FOR THIS ITEM TO REINFORCE, UH, AND CLARIFY OUR VALUES. AND MY QUESTION TO THE CITY ATTORNEY IS JUST WHAT IS THE NEXT STEP HERE? WHAT DOES IT LOOK LIKE? SO AS DRAFTED, THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE WILL PREPARE AND BRING BACK A RESOLUTION. WE'VE HAD SOME OPPORTUNITY TO DISCUSS WITH PAUL, AND I BELIEVE THE AGENDA ITEM IS DRAFTED SO THAT THERE CAN BE DISCUSSION AROUND THE USE OF A STATEMENT AFFIRMING THE VALUES OF THE CITY AND CONDEMNING, UM, ALL FORMS OF RACISM, RELIGIOUS OR ETHNIC BIAS, DISCRIMINATION, INCITEMENT OF VIOLENCE AND HATE CRIMES. UM, WE CAN HAVE THAT DIS THAT CONVERSATION WITH YOU THIS EVENING ABOUT HOW THAT COULD BE USED AND IN A WAY THAT IS COGNIZANT OF AND ALLOWS FOR THE FREEDOM OF SPEECH THAT'S ANTICIPATED AND REQUIRED IN THIS SPACE. SO WE'RE HERE TO KIND OF HAVE THAT DIALOGUE WITH YOU THIS EVENING. UM, AND THEN WE ALSO ARE HERE TO REMIND YOU THAT THIS RESOLUTION OVERLAYS WITH THE OVERHAUL THAT [01:20:01] WAS DONE ABOUT TWO YEARS AGO ON THE PROTOCOLS FOR RESPONDING TO DISRUPTIONS IN MEETINGS, AND THAT YOU HAVE UNFORTUNATELY HAD TO RELY ON, UM, RECENTLY. SO WE'RE HERE TO KIND OF DISCUSS HOW THOSE THINGS ARE INTERTWINED AND TO HELP YOU UNDERSTAND WHERE YOU WANNA GO WITH THIS RESOLUTION, WHAT THE CONSIDERATIONS AROUND THE FIRST AMENDMENT MIGHT BE. OKAY. I APPRECIATE THAT. I THINK FOR ME IT'S, IS THERE AN OPPORTUNITY WHEN THIS RESOLUTION COMES BACK TO HAVE THAT DEEPER CONVERSATION ABOUT POTENTIAL USES, EITHER ON AN AGENDA OR WHERE IT'S POSTED OR WHERE IT'S SAID AS OPPOSED TO TONIGHT? BECAUSE I THINK WE'RE TALKING A LOT OF WHAT IT COULD SAY AND UNTIL WE, UNTIL, FOR ME, UNTIL I SEE SOMETHING, UM, I THINK IT WOULD BE HELPFUL TO BE ABLE TO HAVE THAT CONVERSATION LATER. SO JUST WONDERING IF WE CAN HAVE THAT CONVERSATION AGAIN. UH, ABSOLUTELY. COUNCIL MEMBER, THAT WOULD PROBABLY BE A, A BETTER CHOICE THAN TONIGHT BECAUSE WE'LL BRING THE RESOLUTION TO YOU AND THEN WE CAN BE TALKING WITH THE ACTUAL LANGUAGE, SO WE CAN ABSOLUTELY HAVE THAT CONVERSATION THEN. GREAT. THANK YOU SO MUCH. ALL RIGHT. COUNCILWOMAN DEJAS. THANK YOU MAYOR. AND THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THIS VERY IMPORTANT ITEM FORWARD. UM, A LITTLE BIT OVER 15 YEARS AGO, I WENT THROUGH A TRAINING WITH CCEJ. UM, AND IT WAS TO TRAIN US ON HOW TO ASSIST THOSE, UM, FROM THE L-G-B-T-Q COMMUNITY WHO WERE BEING, UM, WHO WERE BEING VICTIMS OF PHYSICAL HATE CRIME. AND, UM, DURING THAT, THAT, UM, THREE MONTH TRAINING THAT I HAD, I WAS REALLY IMPACTED BY THE LEVEL OF HATE THAT WAS ACTUALLY OUT THERE. AND, UM, IT REALLY SCARRED ME TO SEE THAT AND I BECAME MORE PASSIONATE TO BE ABLE TO HELP THOSE, UM, THAT ARE, UM, THAT WERE IN THOSE SITUATIONS. UM, FAST FORWARD TO NOW, I CAN'T BELIEVE THAT WE'RE STILL DEALING WITH SOMETHING LIKE THAT. AND SO IT ABSOLUTELY BREAKS MY HEART, BUT AT THE SAME TIME, I AM SO EXCITED TO, UM, TO SEE THIS ITEM COME FORWARD. SO THANK YOU, UM, TO THOSE THAT BROUGHT IT FORWARD AND ALSO TO MY COLLEAGUES. UM, ALSO I FEEL THAT THIS ITEM ELEVATES THE IMPORTANCE OF EVERYONE HAVING AN OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE THEIR VOICE HEARD, ESPECIALLY HERE IN THE CHAMBERS. WE ALL KNOW THAT, UM, THERE COULD BE A LOT OF PASSION WHEN SOMEBODY'S ADVOCATING FOR ONE THING OR ANOTHER. AND SO, UM, WE CAN BE STRONG ADVOCATES WHILE RESPECTING EVERYBODY ELSE. AND SO I THINK THAT THIS IS GOING TO BE ONE OF THOSE TOOLS THAT WE CAN USE TO, LIKE IT'S BEEN SAID HERE BEFORE, TO ALSO AMPLIFY THE VALUES THAT ARE IMPORTANT TO US AS A CITY. THANK, THANK YOU VICE MAYOR ALLEN. UH, YES. UM, I ALSO WANNA SAY THANK YOU FOR THOSE THAT SPOKE. UM, AND I ALSO, UM, FOR, UH, ASSEMBLYMAN JOSH AL. UM, I KNOW HE JUST FOUND OUT AND TO SEND YOU TODAY AND IT MEANS A LOT TO US FOR YOU TO COME OUT AND ALL THE SPEAKERS. UM, I DO HAVE A QUESTION FOR, UM, THE, UH, CITY ATTORNEY. SO WILL YOU ALSO BE LOOKING, UM, ARE WE THE FIRST CITY TO DO THIS? WILL YOU BE LOOKING AT OTHER CITIES THAT HAVE DONE THIS? UM, IF THERE'S BEEN ANY CASE LAW ON, UM, WHAT WE CAN AND CAN'T DO WITH REGARDS TO FREEDOM OF SPEECH? 'CAUSE IT SEEMS LIKE, UM, BECAUSE I DID ADDRESS THIS, UH, A YEAR AGO AND IT SEEMED LIKE EVERYONE THAT TRIED TO ADDRESS, UH, ANYONE FROM THE DAIS WHEN IT COMES TO SPEAK OR WEARING, YOU KNOW, KKK OUTFITS AND ALL THAT STUFF, THE CITY THAT ALL THE CITIES WERE LOSING IN COURT. SO WILL YOU ALSO BE ABLE TO ADVISE US ON, ON, ON WHAT'S HAPPENED OUT THERE WITH, WITH REGARDS TO OTHER CITIES AND, UM, WHAT ARE THE DO'S AND THE DON'TS AND THEN, UM, WHAT, WHAT HAS BEEN SUCCESSFUL? ABSOLUTELY. COUNCIL MEMBER, WE HAVE ALREADY DONE A LOT OF THAT RESEARCH. UM, UM, I ACTUALLY REPRESENTED THE CITY OF LOS ANGELES IN SOME OF THESE EXACT CASES IN DEALING WITH THE FOLKS, LIKE THE GENTLEMAN WEARING THE KKK, UH, DU CAME TO THE COUNCIL MEETING. SO, UM, WE HAVE DEEP DIVED INTO THOSE CASES AND, AND THE LAW IN THIS AREA, UM, I WILL TELL. * 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.