* 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. COUNCILWOMAN [00:00:01] ZENDEJAS. PRESENT VICE MAYOR ALLEN. COUNCIL MEMBER DUGGAN. HERE. COUNCILMAN SUBINA. HERE. COUNCILWOMAN KERR. PRESENT COUNCILWOMAN SORROW. PRESENT. COUNCIL MEMBER URANGA. PRESENT. COUNCILMAN AUSTIN. HERE. COUNCIL MEMBER RICK. HERE. MAYOR RICHARDSON . AND THE MAYOR IS, UH, TEMPORARILY AWAY, AND SO I WILL BE CHAIRING THIS PORTION OF THE MEETING. UM, CAN YOU PLEASE READ ITEM ONE? ITEM ONE IS THE RECOMMENDATION TO [ROLL CALL] CONDUCT THE SECOND HEARING OF THE CHARTER AMENDMENT COMMITTEE TO RECEIVE AND FILE COMMENTS FROM THE COMMUNITY AND RECEIVE AND [1. 24-54165 Recommendation to conduct the second hearing of the Charter Amendment Committee, to receive and file comments from the community and receive and file supporting documentation into the record regarding the proposed amendment of City Charter Article XI (Civil Service Department) to combine the Civil Service and Human Resources Departments into one unified hiring department to manage all employee recruitment, hiring, and classified employee certifications; establish an independent Civil Service Employee Rights and Appeals Commission to resolve complaints regarding Civil Service rules, to adjudicate classified employee disciplinary appeal; and to implement classified hiring preferences for Long Beach residents, students from local colleges and universities, current employees, and certain internships/apprenticeships; and refer to the City Council to consider adoption of all required resolutions to place the Charter amendment on the November 5, 2024, General Election Ballot. (Citywide)       Office or Department: City Manager         Suggested Action: Approve recommendation. ] FILE SUPPORTING DOCUMENTATION INTO THE RECORD REGARDING THE PROPOSED AMENDMENT OF CITY CHARTER ARTICLE 11. TO COMBINE THE CIVIL SERVICE AND HUMAN RESOURCES DEPARTMENTS, ESTABLISH AN INDEPENDENT CIVIL SERVICE EMPLOYEE RIGHTS AND APPEALS COMMISSION, AND TO IMPLEMENT CLASSIFIED HIRING PREFERENCES FOR LONG BEACH RESIDENTS, STUDENTS FROM LOCAL COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES, CURRENT EMPLOYEES AND CERTAIN INTERNSHIPS, APPRENTICESHIPS, AND REFER TO CITY COUNCIL TO CONSIDER ADOPTION OF RESOLUTIONS TO PLACE THE AMENDMENT ON THE NOVEMBER GENERAL ELECTION BALLOT CITYWIDE. OKAY. AND SO I JUST WILL REMIND EVERYBODY, THIS IS THE SECOND OF A THREE-PART SERIES OF HEARINGS TO DISCUSS A PROPOSED CIVIL SERVICE MODERNIZATION RECOMMENDATIONS. THE FOCUS OF TODAY'S HEARING WILL BE TO REVIEW THE MAIN FOUNDATIONS OF THE PROPOSAL, INCLUDING THE NEW PREFERENCES AND EXAMPLES OF HOW THEY WILL BE IMPLEMENTED TO REVIEW, MEET AND CONFER PROCESS, AND TO PROVIDE A BRIEF COMPARISON OF HOW THESE PROPOSALS DIFFER FROM THE PRIOR MEASURES CONSIDERED IN 2010. UH, THIS HEARING WILL BE CONDUCTED USING THE STANDARD COUNCIL RULES, INCLUDING FIVE MINUTE LIMITATIONS ON COUNCIL MEMBER SPEAKING TIME AND STANDARD PUBLIC COMMENT PROCEDURES. UM, THERE'S NO OATH REQUIRED. THANK YOU, MR. AUSTIN. WELL DONE. TAKE IT AWAY. SO THIS IS, UH, THE SECOND CHARTER AMENDMENT MEETING. THAT'S ACTUALLY THE THIRD TIME THAT WE'VE REALLY GONE DEEP INTO THIS ISSUE IN FRONT OF THE COUNCIL. THE FIRST WAS WHEN WE REFERRED IT TO THE COMMITTEE, AND THEN WE, UM, UH, HAVE, UH, WENT IN DEPTH AND WITH QUESTIONS THAT THE COUNCIL HAD AT THE LAST MEETING. WE DIDN'T HAVE AS MANY QUESTIONS. WE ACTUALLY DID NOT HAVE QUESTIONS FROM THE COUNCIL. SO WE ARE, UH, GONNA DO A LITTLE BIT OF REVIEW TODAY, BUT GIVEN THE TIME, UM, WE'RE, WE'LL KIND OF, UH, SUMMARIZE THOSE REVIEW AND THEN WE'LL FOCUS ON THE ISSUE AREAS THAT YOU TALKED ABOUT. AND OF COURSE, WE'RE AVAILABLE AS AS MUCH TIME AS NEEDED TO ANSWER QUESTIONS, UH, AND, UH, AND GET INTO THE DETAILS IF THE COUNCIL WOULD LIKE TO. SO I WILL TURN IT OVER TO OUR TEAM NOW, UH, TO GIVE THE UPDATE. THANK YOU, TOM, AND GOOD EVENING. UM, MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL. UM, I THINK YOU DID AN EXCELLENT JOB CHAIR AUSTIN, UM, DISCUSSING THE OVERVIEW FOR TONIGHT'S AGENDA. SO I'LL GO AHEAD AND JUMP RIGHT INTO IT. UM, AS TOM SAID, A LOT OF THIS WILL BE REVIEW FOR ITEMS WE'VE COVERED IN UNDER MULTIPLE DIFFERENT MEETINGS AND IN NUMEROUS, UH, MEMOS TO THE COUNCIL AND PRESENTATIONS. UM, SO, UH, WE'LL GO AHEAD AND JUMP RIGHT INTO IT. UM, THE, UH, MAIN CORNERSTONES OF THE PROPOSED CHARTER AMENDMENT COVER FOUR KEY AREAS, ONE, MERIT SYSTEM. UM, THE MERIT SYSTEM AND EMPLOYEE PROTECTIONS REMAIN IN PLACE, AND IT'S VERY IMPORTANT TO ENSURE THAT THERE'S AN APPROPRIATE PROCESS FOR EMPLOYEES AND CANDIDATES TO APPEAL ACTIONS INDEPENDENTLY FROM THE CITY MANAGER. UM, UH, NUMBER TWO IS TO UNIFY ALL CITYWIDE HIRING TO ONE CENTRAL DEPARTMENT. RIGHT NOW, THERE'S A BIFURCATED PROCESS WITH HUMAN RESOURCES AND THE CIVIL SERVICE DEPARTMENT HANDLING D HANDLING DIFFERENT FUNCTIONS OF THE RECRUITMENT AND SELECTION PROCESS. NUMBER THREE IS TO IMPLEMENT, UH, NEW AND EXCITING, UM, HIRING PREFERENCES THAT FOCUS ON LOCAL LONG BEACH RESIDENTS. UM, OUR CURRENT PART-TIME, UH, AND NON-CAREER EMPLOYEES AND EMPOWERING, UM, INTERNSHIPS AND APPRENTICESHIPS PROGRAMS. AND, AND NUMBER FOUR, MODERNIZING AND STREAMLINING THE HIRING STRUCTURE, UM, THAT REDUCES BUREAUCRACY AND, UM, REDUNDANCY THROUGHOUT THE TWO PROCESSES. SO WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE? UM, MODERNIZING OUR HIRING STRUCTURE. SO LONG BEACH IS AN OUTLIER, AS WE'VE DISCUSSED ONLY TWO CITIES IN CALIFORNIA, UM, THAT HAVE A SEPARATE CIVIL SERVICE DEPARTMENT AND A SEPARATE HUMAN RESOURCES DEPARTMENT THAT HANDLE DIFFERENT, UH, UH, RECRUITMENT PROCESSES, WHETHER THEY'RE CLASSIFIED AND UNCLASSIFIED. AND WE BELIEVE THAT PROCESS, UM, RESULTS IN A NUMBER OF DELAYS, DUPLICATIONS, AND BUREAUCRACY IN THE PROCESS, UM, THAT, UM, CONTRIBUTES TO OUR HIRING TIMELINE, UM, AND ULTIMATELY CONTRIBUTING TO THE HIGH CITY VI CITYWIDE VACANCY RATE THAT WE HAVE. SO, UNDER THE PROPOSAL, UM, WE'D HAVE, UH, AN INDEPENDENT CIVIL SERVICE EMPLOYEE RIGHTS AND APPEALS COMMISSION, UM, THAT WOULD CONTINUE TO OPERATE INDEPENDENT OF THE CITY MANAGER, WOULD BE SUPPORTED BY A STAFF MEMBER, UM, IN THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE TO MAINTAIN THAT INDEPENDENCE. THE COMMISSION DUTIES WOULD BE ALIGNED TO, UH, UH, UH, UH, GO WITH MOST, UM, CIVIL SERVICE COMMISSIONS THAT FUNCTION THROUGHOUT THE STATE IN TERMS OF PRIMARILY HANDLING APPEALS, APPEALS OF DISCIPLINARY ACTIONS, AND APPEALS OF, UH, ACTIONS IN THE HIRING PROCESS THAT CANDIDATES MAY APPEAL. AND THEN, UM, WE BELIEVE THAT, UM, [00:05:01] THE STRUCTURE WILL ALIGN WITH OTHER AGENCIES PLACING LONG BEACH ON EQUAL FOOTING, UM, AND HOW THE STRUCTURE OF THE RECRUITMENT PROCESS IS HANDLED. SORRY. SO WE, UH, WE BELIEVE SIMPLY CHANGING THE CHARTER, UH, FOR THIS PROPOSAL WON'T RESOLVE ALL HIRING ISSUES, BUT IS AN IMPORTANT, UH, STEP IN THAT PROCESS. IT REALLY NEEDS TO BE PART OF AN OVERALL SOLUTION, PART OF A HOLISTIC APPROACH, UM, TO LOOKING AT CONTINUOUSLY, UH, REDUCING THE BUREAUCRACY AND FINDING BEST WAYS TO MEET THE NEEDS OF EMPLOYEES AND CANDIDATES IN THEIR, IN THEIR PROCESSES, ALONG WITH ENSURING COMPETITIVE WAGES AND SALARIES THAT WILL HELP RETAIN AND ATTRACT EMPLOYEES TO THE CITY OF LONG BEACH. SO, UH, THIS CHARTER AMENDMENT WILL FUNDAMENTALLY CHANGE HOW HIRING HAS BEEN CONDUCTED, UM, FOR QUITE SOME TIME HERE IN THE CITY. AND WE RECOGNIZE THAT SOME OF THOSE CHANGES, UM, CAN CREATE, UH, ANXIETY ON THE NEW PROCESS. BUT WE DO BELIEVE THAT, UM, THE BENEFITS FROM THIS PROPOSAL, UM, REALLY, UM, HELP JUSTIFY THE ACTIONS TAKING. SO, FOR EXAMPLE, MANY OF THE ACTIONS THAT THE COMMISSION CURRENTLY PERFORMS RIGHT NOW ARE ROUTINE IN NATURE OR ADMINISTRATIVE, AND THOSE ARE TYPICALLY HANDLED BY HUMAN RESOURCES DEPARTMENTS AT OTHER AGENCIES. RIGHT NOW, THE COMMISSION PLAYS A ROLE IN HELP TRACKING AND TRENDING ISSUES THAT ARE BROUGHT BEFORE 'EM. BUT AGAIN, THOSE TRACKING AND TRENDING MECHANISMS ARE IN PLACE AT MANY OTHER HUMAN RESOURCES DEPARTMENTS UP AND DOWN THE STATE. AND WHILE WE RECOGNIZE THAT THE, UNDER THIS PROPOSAL, AN ADDITIONAL LAYER OF OVERSIGHT WOULD GO AWAY WITH THE RECONSTITUTED DUTIES OF THE COMMISSION, THAT WOULD ALLOW FOR A FASTER RESPONSE TIME, UM, THAT WOULD HELP US BE ABLE TO MEET THE NEEDS OF THE ORGANIZATION. AND LASTLY, I'D SAY THE POWER OF THE APPEAL IS VERY IMPORTANT. UM, EMPLOYEES WILL STILL BE ABLE TO APPEAL, UM, DECISIONS MADE REGARDING THEIR APPLICATION PROCESS OR THEIR DISCIPLINE. AND THAT IS, UH, OF UTMOST IMPORTANT TO ENSURE FAIRNESS AND ACCOUNTABILITY IN THE SYSTEM. UM, CENTRALIZING HIRING TO ONE DEPARTMENT WILL ALLOW THE OPPORTUNITY TO INFUSE MORE EQUITABLE AND INCLUSIVE HIRING PRACTICES INTO THE PROCESS. SO WE WOULD BE LOOKING TO BUILD UPON CURRENT PRACTICES IN CLASSIFIED AND UNCLASSIFIED RECRUITMENT PROCESS TO REMOVE BARRIERS. LOOK AT THINGS LIKE DIVERSIFYING HIRING PANELS, UM, INTEGRATED PRACTICES THAT EXIST BETWEEN THE TWO DEPARTMENTS SEPARATELY, BUT BRINGING THEM TOGETHER, IMPROVED TESTING ACCESS, AND TAKING A LOOK AT OUR EMPLOYEE DEMOGRAPHICS AND HOW WE COULD, UM, UM, BUILD A COM BUILD A WORKFORCE THAT REPRESENTS THE COMMUNITY. SAFEGUARDS WILL REMAIN TO ENSURE A MERIT-BASED SYSTEM. UM, IN ADDITION TO THE APPEAL RIGHTS THAT WE TALKED ABOUT, THE CITY COUNCIL WILL HAVE OVERSIGHT TO ENSURING THAT THE CIVIL SERVICE RULES AND REGULATIONS IN PLACE ARE BEING ADHERED TO AND FOLLOWED. ANY CHANGES TO THOSE RULES WOULD HAVE TO BE APPROVED BY COUNCIL FOLLOWING A PRETTY LENGTHY AND DETAILED MEET AND CONFER PROCESS WITH LABOR GROUPS INDEPENDENT INVESTIGATIONS TO ENSURE THAT THE, UH, UH, CHARTER PROVISIONS ARE BEING FOLLOWED, UM, AS WELL AS CURRENT EXISTING FEDERAL STATE LAWS. CITY OF LONG BEACH POLICIES, ADMINISTRATIVE REGULATIONS THAT PROHIBIT ANTI, UH, THAT PROHIBIT DISCRIMINATION, THAT PROVIDE EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY, UM, POLICIES AGAINST NEPOTISM, UM, ALL TO ENSURE SAFEGUARDS IN THE PROCESS. WE'VE ALSO COMMITTED TO ROUTINE COMPLIANCE AUDITS BY THIRD PARTY CONSULTANTS TO TAKE A LOOK AND MAKING SURE THAT THE MERIT SYSTEM PROVISIONS ARE BEING FOLLOWED. AND THEN LASTLY, A NUMBER OF ITEMS WILL REMAIN UNDER THE CIVIL SERVICE EMPLOYEE RIGHTS AND APPEALS COMMISSION, UM, TO ALLOW OPPORTUNITIES FOR EMPLOYEES TO APPEAL TO THAT BODY. NEXT, I'LL DISCUSS A LITTLE BIT ON THE NEW LOCAL HIRING PREFERENCES, UM, WHICH ARE PART OF THIS PROPOSAL. AND REALLY THEY ENCOMPASS FOUR AREAS, ONE, PREFERENCES FOR LOCAL LONG BEACH RESIDENTS. UH, PREFERENCES FOR, UH, UM, FOLKS THAT HAVE GRADUATED FROM LOCAL EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS WITHIN THE LONG BEACH AREA. NUMBER THREE, CURRENT, UM, CITY NON-CAREER AND PART-TIME EMPLOYEES. AND LASTLY, UH, EMPLOYEES THAT COMPLETE APPROVED INTERNSHIPS OR APPRENTICESHIPS, PRO INTERNSHIP OR APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAMS. SO, HOW WILL THE PREFERENCES BE IMPLEMENTED? UM, SO THE MAIN THING TO, UH, GET FROM THIS SLIDE IS THAT ALL APPLICANTS MUST CONTINUE TO MEET THE MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS. SO PREFERENCES AND PREFERENCE POINTS CANNOT QUALIFY SOMEBODY FOR THE JOB. THEY MUST STILL MEET THE MINIMUM JOB STANDARDS. PREFERENCE POINTS ARE ADDED ON TOP OF THAT, UM, TO HELP BOOST A CANDIDATE'S SCORE AND WHERE THEY WOULD PLACE IN THE RECRUITMENT PROCESS. SO, UM, WE HAVE EXPERIENCE DOING THIS RIGHT NOW WITH VETERANS PREFERENCES, AND THAT WOULD BE THE MA MANNER IN WHICH THEY'RE IMPLEMENTED UNDER THE NEW PREFERENCES. SO SPEAKING OF PRE VETERANS PREFERENCES, THOSE WILL REMAIN IN PLACE. CURRENTLY RIGHT NOW, VETERANS, VETERANS RECEIVE 10 PREFERENCE POINTS, AND DISABLED VETERANS RECEIVE 15 PREFERENCE POINTS. THERE'S REALLY A GREAT OPPORTUNITY HERE TO PROTECT AND STRENGTHEN THE VETERANS' PREFERENCES BY ADDING NEW, UH, LOCAL PREFERENCES ON TOP OF THE EXISTING ONES. SO, FOR EXAMPLE, UM, IF YOU'RE A VETERAN, YOU'RE GONNA GET 10 PREFERENCE POINTS AND YOU COULD GET UP TO TWO, UH, OF THE NEW PREFERENCES, AND THAT WOULD BE FOR A TOTAL OF 20 POINTS. DISABLED VETERANS COULD RECEIVE UP TO A TOTAL OF 25 PREFERENCE POINTS. IT'S HIGHLY LIKELY THAT, UM, VETERANS WITH THOSE LEVEL OF [00:10:01] POINTS IN THE PROCESS ARE REALLY ASSURED TO BE AT THE TOP OF THE LIST AND ELIGIBLE FOR IMMEDIATE HIRE FOR THE CITY. LEADING UP TO THIS POINT, WE HAD A DETAILED MEET AND CONFER PROCESS WITH ALL OUR LABOR GROUPS. WE RECEIVED GREAT FEEDBACK FROM LABOR. IN FACT, THE INITIAL PROPOSAL CHANGED QUITE A BIT, UM, WITH THE, UH, GREAT INPUT THAT WE RECEIVED FROM OUR LABOR PARTNERS. IT WAS A COLLABORATIVE PROCESS. WE, WE HAD VERY TIGHT TIMELINES DUE TO THE STATE, UH, MANDATED REQUIREMENTS WITH, FOR THE CHARTER DEADLINE. UM, BUT WE WERE ABLE TO SUCCESSFULLY NAVIGATE THAT PROCESS IN A COLLABORATIVE MANNER. THIS PROPOSAL DOES DIFFER QUITE A BIT FROM THE PROPOSAL IN 2010. UM, MEASURE GG, WHICH WAS ALSO A, A MEASURE TO REFORM THE CIVIL SERVICE PROCESS. UM, NUMBER ONE, THE, OUR PROPO THE PROPOSAL HERE BEFORE YOU TODAY, UM, HAS A STRONG EMPHASIS ON EMPLOYEE RIGHTS AND PROTECTIONS. IT'S GUARANTEEING THAT MERIT-BASED HIRING WILL REMAIN, UM, AND THE PREFERENCES AND NEW LOCAL PREFERENCES WE HAVE, THAT'S REALLY A CORNERSTONE OF THE PROPOSAL WERE NON-EXISTENT IN MEASURE G. UM, THIS, UH, PROPOSAL, UH, IS A RESULT OF STRONG COLLABORATION WITH LABOR GROUPS, UM, AND HAS RECEIVED A LOT OF SUPPORT FROM OUTSIDE ORGANIZATIONS IN THE COMMUNITY AND OUTSIDE LABOR GROUPS AND CERTAIN LABOR GROUPS WITHIN THE CITY OF LONG BEACH AS WELL. IN THIS PROPOSAL, OUR OVERALL GOAL IS TO LOWER THE VACANCY RATE. UM, MEASURE GG WAS PRIMARILY FOCUSED ON A COST SAVINGS MEASURE. SO AS I I SAID, AS I SAID, WE DID RECEIVE STRONG SUPPORT FROM COMMUNITY PARTNERS AND, AND CERTAIN LABOR GROUPS. UM, A NUMBER OF THEM HAVE WRITTEN LETTERS OF SUPPORT OR HAVE COME TO THE LAST COUPLE COUNCIL MEETINGS OR CHARTER AMENDMENT MEETINGS, AND SPOKEN IN SUPPORT OF THE MEASURE. UH, SOME OF THOSE GROUPS ARE LISTED HERE ON THE SLIDE AND REALLY DEMONSTRATING AND, AND, AND REINFORCING THE NEED FOR CHANGE AND HAVE A GOVERNMENT THAT SERVES, UM, THE RESIDENTS BETTER IN ANTICIPATION OF, OF THIS PROPOSAL. UM, RESEARCH WAS CONDUCTED LAST YEAR, UM, ON, UH, POLLING OVER 900 LIKELY LONG BEACH, UH, RESIDENTS WERE INTERVIEWED, UH, LOOKING AT THEIR SUPPORT FOR THE PROPOSED MEASURE. INITIAL POLLING RESULTS SHOWED VERY STRONG SUPPORT, PARTICULAR IN THE AREAS OF IMPROVING AND SPEEDING UP HIRING PRACTICES, EXPEDITING DISCIPLINE, THE DISCIPLINARY APPEAL PROCESS, UH, INSTITUTING PREFERENCES FOR PART-TIME OR TEMPORARY CITY WORKERS. AND THEN JUST AN OVERALL, UH, FAVORABILITY IN TERMS OF, UH, UNDERSTANDING THE CURRENT HIRING PROCESS CHALLENGES. UH, SO FOLLOWING THOSE INITIAL RESULTS, MORE INFORMATION WAS SUPPLIED TO THE, UM, TO THE, TO THE PERSONS THAT WERE BEING PULLED AND SUPPORT ACTUALLY WENT UP. AND SO AFTER RECEIVING THAT ADDITIONAL INFORMATION, MORE THAN SEVEN OUTTA 10 LONG BEACH VOTERS CONTINUE TO TO SU UH, VOICE FAVOR FOR THE PROPOSED CHARTER AMENDMENT. UH, CLEARLY SHOWING A STRONG SUPPORT FOR THE CURRENT MEASURE. IN TERMS OF NEXT STEPS, AS TOM SAID, UM, THIS IS THE SECOND CHARTER AMENDMENT COMMITTEE MEETING. UM, WE WILL HEAR, UH, FEEDBACK FROM THE COUNCIL TONIGHT. AND ON AUGUST 6TH WILL BE A COUNCIL DECISION WHETHER TO PLACE THIS ITEM ON THE BALLOT, IF IT'S PLACED ON THE BALLOT, AND ULTIMATELY APPROVED BY THE VOTERS. UM, STAFF WILL WORK WITH, UM, OUR LABOR PARTNERS TO CONDUCT A SECOND MEET AND CONFER PRIOR TO ANY CHANGES BEING MADE. OH, SORRY. RIGHT THERE. AND THAT CONCLUDES THE PRESENTATION. HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS. WELL, THANK YOU. UH, VERY, VERY INFORMATIVE. SO I THINK WE'LL GO TO PUBLIC COMMENT ON THIS AT THIS POINT. UH, IS THERE ANYONE SIGNED UP TO SPEAK ON THIS MATTER? YES, WE HAVE FIVE SPEAKERS. HOW MANY? FIVE. FIVE. OKAY. FIVE. THE FIRST SPEAKER. THE FIRST SPEAKER IS B CAPRICE HICKSON MCDONALD. UH, SECOND SPEAKER WILL BE PHYLLIS ARIA, THEN DANTE WOODS, ROBERT LEE, HICKSON IV, AND CHRISTINA HALL. GOT IT. GOOD EVENING. UM, IF THE MAYOR WAS HERE, I SAY GOOD EVENING TO HIM AND THE CITY COUNCIL. THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE. UH, THE WORK YOU DO MATTERS, AND THANK YOU FOR THE COMMUNITY FOR SHOWING UP, BECAUSE THAT MEANS YOU CARE. I AM HERE TODAY TO SHARE CONCERN ABOUT THE CHARTER REFORM MOVING FORWARD ON A BALLOT. SO MY BIGGEST CONCERN IS NOT THAT IT'S ACTUALLY GOING ON A BALLOT. MY BIGGEST CONCERN IS THAT THE FACT THAT, THAT THERE ARE FACTS BEING PRESENTED TO THE PUBLIC WITH THE LACK OF INTEGRITY AND THE LACK OF TRUTH. UM, THERE HAVE BEEN MANY FACTS OVER THE COURSE OF MONTHS THAT HAVE BEEN SPEWED OUT WITHOUT FACTUAL DATA PRESENTED TO THE PUBLIC WITHOUT RECEIPTS, BUT ONLY BY HEARSAY. AS A LONG BEACH RESIDENT BEING RAISED, BORN IN LONG BEACH, WENT TO SCHOOL FROM KINDERGARTEN ALL THE WAY UP TO, UH, CAL STATE LONG BEACH AND CURRENT RESIDENT AND RAISING MY CHILDREN. THE DECISION YOU MAKE TODAY AS LEADERS, UM, AND THE DECISION OF THE VOTERS IS GONNA HAVE A MAJOR LIFE CHANGING EFFECT ON THE COMMUNITY. AND I ASK THAT YOU REQUEST HARD [00:15:01] DATA INFORMATION AND NOT JUST BECAUSE THE CITY MANAGER, THE LEADERSHIP SAYS SO. AND JUST TO GIVE YOU AN EXAMPLE OF INFORMATION THAT IS LACKING IN THE STORIES BEING TOLD, FOR EXAMPLE, AMBULANCE OPERATOR, WE WERE ALL AFFECTED WHEN THERE WAS AN ACCIDENT. AND BECAUSE THE AMBULANCE OPERATORS ARE SHORT STAFFED, WELL, IT'S WAS DISHEARTENING TO KNOW THAT THE FIRE DEPARTMENT HAD AN ELIGIBLE LIST THAT THEY COULD HAVE HIRED AMBULANCE OPERATORS FROM. IT'S DISHEARTENING TO FIND OUT THAT THE LIBRARIES CLOSED WHEN THE LIBRARY HAD ELIGIBLE LIST THAT THEY COULD HIRE FROM. AND MOST RECENTLY THERE WE, WE LIKE OUR TRASH BEING PICKED UP. SO WE, IT TOOK A ONE DAY HIRING EVENT JUST TO GET THE DEPARTMENTS TO HIRE FROM THE ELIGIBLE LIST FOR REFUSE OPERATORS. SO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT, UM, CIVIL SERVICE IS IN PLACE AS OVERSIGHT, AND YOU MENTIONED OVERSIGHT. UH, THEY CALL IT BUREAUCRACY. IT'S IT'S OVERSIGHT. SO, UM, OVERSIGHT IS VERY IMPORTANT. WHY? BECAUSE DISCRIMINATION, UH, FAVORITISM, UM, BIAS, ALL THAT STILL EXISTS. AND WHY DOES IT TAKE SO LONG FOR HIRING TO HAPPEN? SO LET ME GIVE YOU SOME TRUE FACTS HERE, OKAY? YES, IT TAKES THE CITY PROBABLY SEVEN MONTHS TO ALMOST YEARS TO HIRE. WHY IS IT TAKING THEM SO LONG? WELL, THE CORRECT FACT IS IT TAKES CIVIL SERVICE TWO TO FOUR MONTHS TO RUN A CIVIL SERVICE PROCESS TO PROVIDE A ELIGIBLE LIST TO THE DEPARTMENT SO THEY CAN HIRE. SO WHY IS IT TAKING THEM SO LONG TO HIRE? WELL, IF THEY GET A BANDED LIST, YES, VETERANS WITH PREFERENCE OR GO TO BAND, IF THEY GET ABANDONED LIST AND A PERSON THEY WANNA HIRE IS NOT THERE ON THAT BAND, A, THEY'RE GONNA WAIT IT OUT AND THEY'RE GONNA WAIT IT OUT. AND MAYBE THE PERSON THEY WANT IT IS NOT EVEN ON THE LIST. THEY'RE GONNA WAIT EVEN LONGER AND IT MAY TAKE YEARS. UM, OR THEY JUST CAN'T GET THEIR SH TOGETHER. OKAY? SO, UM, LOOK AT, THANK YOU. THANK YOU. OKAY, THANK YOU. SO, SO THE NEXT PERSON UP IS PHYLLIS ARIAS, AND THEN DANTE WOODS AFTER PHYLLIS. GOOD AFTERNOON. IT'S NICE TO SEE YOU ALL THIS AFTERNOON. LET ME PREFACE MY COMMENTS WITH THE FACT THAT I KNOW AND LOVE, UH, AM AM VERY SUPPORTIVE OF MANY OF YOU. SO PLEASE KEEP THAT IN MIND. AS YOU KNOW, I SERVED AS A COMMISSIONER ON THE CIVIL SERVICE COMMISSION FOR ALMOST EIGHT YEARS. IN THAT TIME, I SAW THE COMMISSION AND THE DEPARTMENT, UH, THROUGH A SIGNIFICANT TRANSFORMATION, TWO COMPLEX, TOO COMPLEX DETAIL HERE, BUT SIGNIFICANT. NEVERTHELESS, I'LL START BY SAYING HOW DISAPPOINTED I AM THAT YOU SEEM TO HAVE CHOSEN TO PROCEED WITH A CHARTER AMENDMENT THAT WOULD DISMANTLE THE CIVIL SERVICE COMMISSION AND THE CIVIL SERVICE PROCESS AS WE KNOW IT, WE'VE ALL HEARD THE SAME CHORUS OF PHRASES THAT CIVIL SERVICE IS ANTIQUATED AND OUTDATED. I CAN ASSURE YOU, FROM MY PERSPECTIVE, THE PROCESSES AND SYSTEMS OF CIVIL SERVICE ARE ANYTHING BUT OLD FASHIONED. AND LET'S NOT FORGET WHO CIVIL SERVICE WAS DESIGNED TO PROTECT PEOPLE LIKE ME AND SOME OF YOU SO THAT YOU DON'T HAVE TO BE THE SON OR NEPHEW OF THE FIRE CHIEF TO GET A FAIR SHAKE AT BEING A FIREFIGHTER. AND DO WE HONESTLY BELIEVE THESE PROTECTIONS ARE NO LONGER NECESSARY? WE'VE ALL HEARD THE ONGOING CHORUS THAT IT TAKES TOO LONG TO HIRE. YOU ALL KNOW, YOU ALL KNOW THAT THE CIVIL SERVICE PROCESS IS JUST ONE PIECE OF THE, OF THE CITY'S HIRING PROCESS. YOU KNOW THIS. YET, FOR YEARS, THE CITY HAS BEEN TRYING TO PLACE THE ENTIRE BLAME ON CIVIL SERVICE. THE TIME TO HIRE DILEMMA IS ALSO A REGIONAL PROBLEM AND A NATIONAL PROBLEM. YOU KNOW THIS TOO. THIS IS PRECISELY WHY THE CITY OF MANHATTAN BEACH HAS A POLICE RECRUIT BILLBOARD ON THE CORNER OF LAKEWOOD BOULEVARD AND CARSON STREET. I WAS RECENTLY TRAINED IN THE CITY OF LONG BEACH, STRATEGIC VISION 2030 IN CHAPTER TWO, YOUR VISION STATEMENT STATES THAT A HEALTHY AND EFFECTIVE GOVERNMENT MUST BE FISCALLY RESILIENT, ADEQUATELY STAFFED, TECHNOLOGICALLY, UP TO DATE, TRANSPARENT, AND FULLY ENGAGED WITH THE WHOLE COMMUNITY. GOAL 9.1 STATES THAT CITY GOVERNMENT IS FISCALLY RESILIENT, EQUITABLE, TRANSPARENT, AND PERFORMANCE-BASED. THIS PROPOSED CHARTER AMENDMENT WOULD REMOVE THE HIRING PROCESS FROM AN OPEN MEETING WHERE THE HIRING PROCESS IS MADE. PUBLIC CAN BE CHALLENGED AND DEBATED TO AN INTERNAL PROCESS MADE BY MANAGEMENT HIDDEN FROM BOTH THE PUBLIC AND EMPLOYEE GROUPS. IT SEEMS THAT WE ARE MOVING AWAY FROM TRANSPARENCY RATHER THAN TOWARD TRANSPARENCY, AWAY FROM TRANSPARENCY AND TOWARDS CENTRALIZED CONTROL. I BELIEVE THAT THIS CHARTER AMENDMENT IS A WASTE OF CITY TIME AND RESOURCES. ALL THAT IS NEEDED TO ACCOMPLISH EVERYTHING ON THIS POWERPOINT. ABSOLUTELY EVERYTHING THAT I SAW ON THIS POWERPOINT CAN BE ACCOMPLISHED WITH SOME HONEST COOPERATION AND DIALOGUE. YOU DON'T NEED A CHARTER AMENDMENT [00:20:01] TO ACCOMPLISH THOSE THINGS. THEY ARE POLICIES, THEY ARE PROCEDURES. THEY ARE NOT WORTHY OF A CHARTER AMENDMENT. OUR CITY'S LONG HISTORY OF TRANSPARENCY AND EQUITY MUST BE PROTECTED. I HOPE THAT THOSE OF YOU WHO HAVE SOME DOUBTS ABOUT THIS CHARTER AMENDMENT WILL LOOK YOUR TIME. REAL LONG TERM IMPLICATIONS FOR YOUR EMPLOYEES AND YOUR CONSTITUENTS. THANK YOU SO MUCH. NEXT WE HAVE DANTE WOODS, AND THEN AFTER HIM, ROBERT LEE HICKSON IV. THANK YOU. GOOD AFTERNOON, EVERYONE. MY NAME IS DANTE WOODS FROM THE LOS ANGELES BLACK WORKER CENTER, ALSO A RESIDENT OF LONG BEACH. WE KNOW THAT THE COUNTRY HAS A BLACK JOBS CRISIS WHERE 50% OF BLACK PEOPLE ARE EITHER UNDEREMPLOYED OR UNEMPLOYED. THE BLACK WORKER CENTER SEEKS TO END THIS THROUGH UNIONIZED EMPLOYMENT AND PUBLIC SECTOR JOBS. WE ARE ENGAGED CURRENTLY IN A THOUSAND STRONG CAMPAIGN WHERE WE WANT TO SEE A THOUSAND WORK BLACK WORKERS IN PUBLIC SECTOR JOBS IN THE COUNTY OF LOS ANGELES. WE UNDERSTAND THE LIFE-CHANGING IMPACT OF PUBLIC SECTOR JOBS HAVE ON OUR COMMUNITY AND GENERATIONS THAT COME AFTER THE LOS ANGELES BLACK WORKERS CENTER STRONGLY SUPPORTS THIS CHARTER AMENDMENT AS IT PROVIDES A STREAMLINE PATHWAY FOR THE COMMUNITY MEMBERS TO GAIN EMPLOYMENT WITH THE CITY AND COUNTY. AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO THIS ORDINANCE WORK, UH, MOVING FORWARD. AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH THE CITY OF LONG BEACH TO GIVE OUR MEMBERS ACCESS TO THESE LIFE SAVING, LIFE CHANGING, UH, OPPORTUNITIES. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MR. SSON. AND THEN AFTER MR. HICKSON, WE, WE WILL HAVE CHRISTINA HALL. WHAT'S UP AL? I'M GONNA TURN MY TIME OVER TO MY LITTLE SISTER. THANK YOU, ROBERT. SO WHAT I, I THINK THAT'S OUTTA ORDER, UNFORTUNATELY, MR. HICKSON, BECAUSE SHE OH, SHE SPOKE ALREADY. WELL, I WAS, OH, I WAS TOLD, WELL, JENNIFER, COME AND READ WHAT I WAS GOING TO SAY. MM-HMM. . THEY TOLD ME IT WASN'T AGAINST THE LAW. IT IT WASN'T, IT WASN'T. BUT, YOU KNOW, THINGS CHANGED. SO, SO CURRENTLY COMMUNITY GO, GO AHEAD. CAN SHE READ IT FOR ME? YES. JUST STAND THERE WITH THERE, PLEASE. YEAH. COMMUNITY RE THE, THE COMMUNITY NEEDS TO KNOW WHAT THEY'RE, UH, AND UNDERSTAND WHAT THEY'RE ASKING FOR. UM, SO RIGHT NOW, THE, RIGHT NOW, WE ARE STILL EXPERIENCING DISCRIMINATION IN THE CITY OF LONG BEACH. CURRENTLY, THERE IS, UM, AN ONGOING CLASS ACTION SUIT FOR THE BLACK EMPLOYEES FOR THE CITY OF LONG BEACH. UM, AND THAT IS IMPORTANT. AND JUST RECENTLY, THE CITY HAD TO SETTLE A LAWSUIT FOR A BLACK POLICE OFFICER BECAUSE DISCRIMINATION IS STILL ALIVE AND WELL IN THE CITY OF LONG BEACH. UM, AND LET THAT HAVE AN IMPACT ON IT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS. AND LAST UP WE HAVE, UH, CHRISTINA HALL. GOOD EVENING. UH, MY NAME'S CHRISTINA HALL. I'M WITH THE NONPROFIT PARTNERSHIP AND WE ARE HERE TO EXPRESS OUR SUPPORT FOR THE CHARTER AMENDMENT. UH, WE FEEL THAT THE CREATION OF THESE PIPELINES, UM, WILL, YOU KNOW, CREATE AN OPPORTUNITY TO DIVERSIFY WORKERS, UM, AND THAT THEY'LL COME FROM OUR LOCAL SCHOOLS, OUR UNIVERSITIES, UM, AND APPRENTICESHIP SYSTEMS, UH, AND PROGRAMS HERE IN LONG BEACH. WE THINK THIS IS VITAL TO EXPAND THOSE PATHWAYS INTO GOOD PAYING PUBLIC SECTOR UNION JOBS THAT PROVIDE MEANINGFUL HEALTHCARE BENEFITS, A SECURE RETIREMENT AND LONG-TERM ECONOMIC STABILITY FOR OUR RESIDENTS. AND THIS WILL HELP LONG BEACH CONTINUE TO THRIVE. UH, WE ALSO BELIEVE THAT THERE IS A THOUGHTFUL APPROACH THAT WILL ELIMINATE SYSTEMIC BARRIERS TO OPPORTUNITY, UH, REINFORCE WORKER PROTECTIONS ACROSS ALL HIRING DECISIONS AND REDUCE THE TIME IT TAKES TO FILL VACANT POSITIONS IN OUR CITY GOVERNMENT. AND WE DO ALSO BELIEVE THAT, UH, WHEN THIS KIND OF CHANGE CAN HAPPEN, THESE MEASURES ENSURE THAT LONG BEACH'S STUDENTS, FAMILIES, LOCAL RESIDENTS, HAVE ACCESS TO THOSE PUBLIC SECTOR JOBS, THE BENEFITS AND THE PRIVILEGES THAT, THAT BECOMES A LIFESAVING, A LIFE CHANGING OPPORTUNITY PROVIDED TO OUR RESIDENTS. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THAT CONCLUDES OUR PUBLIC COMMENT ON THIS AGENDA ITEM. UM, I'D LIKE TO TAKE IT [00:25:01] BACK BEHIND THE RAIL AND TURN IT OVER TO THE MAYOR. NO. SURE. AND, AND I SEE NO, NO, UH, NO MEMBERS SIGNED UP TO, TO, TO, UH, SPEAK, SO PLEASE CAST YOUR VOTES. COUNCILMAN SUBINA. MOTION CARRIES. ALL RIGHT. NEXT ITEM PLEASE. ITEM TWO IS THE RECOMMENDATION TO RECEIVE AND FILE COMMENTS FROM THE COMMUNITY. RECEIVE AND FILE SUPPORTING DOCUMENTATION TO THE RECORD REGARDING THE PROPOSED AMENDMENT TO CITY CHARTER ARTICLE FIVE, TO MODIFY THE LENGTH OF TERMS FOR HARBOR AND PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSIONERS AND ARTICLE 12 TO MODIFY THE POWERS AND DUTIES OF THE HARBOR COMMISSION AND ANNUAL BUDGET TIMELINE AND REFER TO CITY COUNCIL TO CONSIDER ADOPTION OF RESOLUTIONS TO PLACE THE CHARTER AMENDMENT ON THE NOVEMBER GENERAL ELECTION BALLOT CITYWIDE. ALRIGHT, WE HAVE A BRIEF STAFF REPORT HERE. YOU WANT ME TO DOCUMENT? YEAH, SO THIS IS THE SECOND, UH, UM, UH, LIKE HEARING FOR HARBOR THEY PRESENTED LAST [2. 24-54166 Recommendation to receive and file comments from the community, receive and file supporting documentation into the record regarding the proposed amendment to Long Beach City Charter Article V (Officers and Employees) to modify the length of terms for Harbor and Public Utilities Commissioners to four (4) years; and Article XII (Harbor Department) to modify the powers and duties of the Harbor Commission and annual budget timeline, and refer to the City Council to consider adoption of all required resolutions to place the Charter amendment on the November 5, 2024, General Election Ballot.       Office or Department: Harbor         Suggested Action: Approve recommendation. ] TIME. WE DIDN'T HAVE ANY COUNCILS FROM QUESTION OR COUNCIL QUESTIONS. SO, UH, WE'RE AVAILABLE TO ANSWER QUESTIONS OR TAKE PUBLIC COMMENT ON THIS ONE. THEY DID NOT PROVIDE A PRESENTATION TODAY. ALRIGHT. IS THERE ANY PUBLIC COMMENT HERE? NO MEMBERS OF PUBLIC SENATE FOR THIS ITEM. OKAY. I, I SEE HE'S BEEN SET FOR SOME REASON IT DOESN'T HAVE A MOTION. JUST AS A SECOND. THAT'S WEIRD. I THINK THAT'S CHRISTINA IS CHRIS, I THINK COUNCIL MEMBER DUGIN THE MOTION. AND WE HAVE A SECOND. MEMBERS PLEASE CAST YOUR VOTE. MOTION CARRIES. ALL RIGHT. IS THERE ANY ADDITIONAL PUBLIC WHEN I MOVE ON TO PUBLIC COMMENT? ANY FINAL PUBLIC COMMENT ON THE CHARTER AMENDMENT COMMITTEE? UH, IS THERE ANY PUBLIC COMMENT SIGNED UP? NO. OKAY. THE CHARTER AMENDMENT COMMITTEE IS NOW ADJOURNED. UH, MR. MOCA DO WE, WAS THIS THE SECOND OR THE THIRD? TECHNICALLY THE SECOND, BUT IT WAS THE THIRD DISCUSSION. WE HAD THE REFERRAL, THEN TWO OF THESE. SO WE'RE DONE WITH CHARTER AMENDMENT COMMITTEE AND THEN WE WILL COME TO YOU ON AUGUST 6TH. UM, AND THAT'LL BE A DECISION POINT, RIGHT? FINAL STEP. OKAY. GREAT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. OKAY. SO WE'LL NOW ADJOURN THE CHARTER AMENDMENT COMMITTEE AND RESET FOR THE CITY COUNCIL MEETING. AND IT'S GONNA LOOK A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT. THIS TIME OUR COUNCIL MEMBER'S GONNA BE DOWN FRONT. WE'RE COMING DOWN FRONT TO UH, UH, BEGIN THE KEY TO THE CITY PRESENTATION. SO WE'RE GONNA TAKE A BRIEF RECESS WHILE WE SPEAK. * 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.