Aug 07, 2024 Equity and Human Relations Commission

GOOD AFTERNOON.

GOOD

[00:00:01]

UH, THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.

I WOULD LIKE, UM, TO CALL THE MEETING TO ORDER.

UM, BEFORE WE DO

[ROLL CALL]

UM, SO THE RECORD COULD SHOW THAT.

UM, AND MADAM CLERK, MAY WE HAVE ROLL CALL, PLEASE.

COMMISSIONER BUTLER.

COMMISSIONER GILLETTE.

HERE.

COMMISSIONER KAHN.

HERE.

COMMISSIONER COLE.

COMMISSIONER LARA HERE.

COMMISSIONER MONTGOMERY.

HERE.

COMMISSIONER LIZETTE FLORES.

HERE.

COMMISSIONER SCHULTZ, PRESENT VICE CHAIR BATS HERE.

CHAIR COVINGTON HERE.

WE HAVE A QUORUM.

THANK YOU MADAM CLERK.

UM, SO

[CHAIR REMARKS]

UM, I'M EXCITED TO BE IN MY OFFICIAL FIRST OFFICIAL MEETING AS YOUR CHAIR.

UM, IT'S ALSO KIND OF, I, AS I WAS COMING HERE TODAY, I WAS REFLECTING AND I WAS LIKE, THINK ABOUT REPRESENTATION AND WHAT THE COMMISSION MEANS.

AND, UH, I SOUGHT BACK AND I WAS LIKE, YOU KNOW WHAT? I THINK I'M THE FIRST GENDER QUEER CHAIR, CHAIR, UM, IN A CITY'S HISTORY.

SO I THINK THAT'S LIKE A MOMENTOUS, UH, MOMENT.

AND IT GIVES TRUTH AND HONOR TOWARDS ALL THE FIGHTS THAT OUR ELDERS HAVE HAD, UM, TO HAVE QUEER REPRESENTATION IN LEADERSHIP IN THE CITY.

SO I'M HONORED TO STEP INTO THAT ROLE.

UM, AS I AM YOUR NEW CHAIR, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO JUST LET FOLKS KNOW THAT I AM, UH, OPEN, UH, AND I'M ALSO A COLLABORATOR WHEN IT COMES TO LEADERSHIP.

SO IF Y'ALL HAVE ANY IDEAS OF HOW WE CAN STRENGTHEN THE COMMISSION IN OUR WORK, UM, PLEASE DON'T HESITATE TO REACH OUT.

UH, I'VE, I'VE MADE THIS OFFER TO MY STUDENTS AND MY, UH, COLLEAGUES AT WORK AND THEY NEVER CALL ME.

UM, SO IF YOU HAVE ANY HESITATIONS OF CALLING ME, UM, PLEASE, UM, DON'T HESITATE.

JUST MAKE THE CALL AND I WILL, UM, PICK UP THE PHONE.

UH, IN ADDITION TO THAT, UM, I'M EXCITED TO LEAD THIS COMMISSION WITH VICE CHAIR DR.

BATS.

UH, SO IF YOU NEED TO REACH OUT TO, UH, DR.

BATS OR I, UH, FEEL FREE TO DO SO, OR WE HAVE OUR CITY STAFF AVAILABLE.

UM, SO BEFORE I, UM, CONTINUE IN MY CHAIR REMARKS, I WOULD ACTUALLY LIKE TO PASS IT OVER TO OUR VICE CHAIR TO GIVE THE LAND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT.

THANK YOU.

THE LAND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT.

TONIGHT, I ACKNOWLEDGE I AM SPEAKING TO YOU FROM THE TRADITIONAL ANCESTRAL AND UNSEATED TERRITORY OF THE GABRIELINO TONGA PEOPLES, THE TRADITIONAL CARETAKERS OF THIS LAND WHO WERE DISPOSED OF THEIR LAND, AND YET CONTINUE TO STEWARD THIS LAND TODAY.

SO JUST WANT TO INVITE FOLKS IN TO PAUSE AND HONOR THEIR CULTURE, HISTORY, AND IDENTITY AND THEIR ANCESTORS, AS WELL AS THE LIVING ELDERS IN THE COMMUNITY MEMBERS.

INDEED, THEY ARE STILL HERE TONIGHT.

I ACKNOWLEDGE I AM SPEAKING TO YOU TODAY FROM THE TRADITIONAL, SORRY, AND WHEREVER YOU ARE TODAY, I INVITE YOU TO PAUSE.

SO WE ALSO PAUSE TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT OUR COUNTRY WAS BUILT ON THE FREE LABOR OF ENSLAVED AFRICANS AND CONTINUES TO FUNCTION FROM THE LABOR OF OUR BLACK AND BROWN BROTHERS AND SISTERS EVERY DAY, ESPECIALLY IN ESSENTIAL AND FRONTLINE JOBS DURING THIS TIME.

SO, IF WE CAN TAKE A FEW MOMENTS TO PAUSE AND ACKNOWLEDGE OUR PAST AND GIVE HONOR TO THOSE WHOSE LANDS AND SHOULDERS WE STAND ON TODAY.

THANK YOU, VICE CHAIR.

SO, AS I CONTINUE IN MY, UM, CHAIR REMARKS, I WOULD ACTUALLY LIKE TO, UH, TO PIVOT AND USE MY TIME FOR CHAIR REMARKS TO HONOR A SPECIAL SOMEONE.

UM, AND THAT SPECIAL, SOMEONE IS ACTUALLY HERE IN THE AUDIENCE.

UM, AS MANY OF YOU KNOW, THIS SPECIAL SOMEONE IS ELISA GUTIERREZ, UH, FORMER COMMISSIONER.

UH, THIS PAST JULY, UM, ALYSSA WAS TERMED OUT.

UH, ALTHOUGH I RESPECT THE PROCESS, I AM DEEPLY SADDENED BY THE WAY THE PROCESS, UM, PLAYED OUT.

[00:05:01]

UH, SO I WANT TO READ OFF SOME OF THOSE.

UM, THE FIRST ONE AND MOST RECENT IS DEVELOPING OUT A STRONG RECIDIVISM, UH, REC LIST OF RECOMMENDATIONS FOR THIS CITY TO CONSIDER.

AND I APPRECIATE YOUR LEADERSHIP WITH THE AD HOC COMMITTEE IN THAT AND AT WORK.

UH, YOU ALSO LED OUR COMMISSION, UH, IN HAVING A TWO YEAR ROADMAP, UM, AND GOALS AND MISSION FOR OUR WORK MOVING FORWARD.

AND IN ADDITIONALLY, THE HARDEST PART WHEN I JOINED THE COMMISSION, UM, THAT I LEARNED ABOUT WAS RESTRUCTURING THE COMMISSION ORDINANCE, UM, BEING ABLE TO BE A COMMISSION THAT WILL BE HAVING 15 MEMBERS, UH, HAVE OUR, UM, OBJECTIVES AND GOALS BE CENTERED IN SOCIAL JUSTICE.

UM, SO I JUST WANNA APPRECIATE YOU FOR ALL OF THE WORK THAT YOU PUT INTO THIS COMMISSION.

UH, THEY ALWAYS TALK ABOUT LIKE, LEGACY AND FOOTPRINTS AND YOUR LEGACY AND FOOTPRINTS IS GOING TO LAST FOR MANY, MANY YEARS TO COME.

UM, SO WITH THAT, UH, OUR COMMISSION HAS DEVELOPED, CREATED A REC, UH, CERTIFICATE OF RECOGNITION FOR YOU.

UH, SO I WOULD LIKE FOR YOU TO COME DOWN AND IF FOLKS WANNA COME DOWN FROM THE SEATS, WE'LL TAKE A GROUP PHOTO.

UM, AND THANK YOU SO MUCH.

THANK PHOTOS ARE HAPPENING THAT I WASN'T I, ALL RIGHT.

UM, WITH THAT, THAT CONCLUDES MY CHAIR REMARKS.

UM, I WOULD LIKE TO MOVE US INTO PUBLIC

[PUBLIC COMMENT Opportunity to address the Equity and Human Relations Commission on non-agenda items. Each speaker is limited to three minutes to make their comments unless extended by the Chair.]

UM, MADAM CLERK.

OKAY.

YES.

UM, IF ANYONE WOULD LIKE TO PROVIDE NON-AGENDA, PUBLIC COMMENT IN PERSON, PLEASE LINE UP AT THE PODIUM AT THIS TIME.

AND IF THERE ARE ANY MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC IN THE ZOOM THAT WOULD LIKE TO PROVIDE NON-AGENDA, PUBLIC COMMENT, PLEASE USE THE RAISE HAND FEATURE NOW, OR DIAL STAR NINE.

IF CALLING IN, WE HAVE BOTH IN PERSON AND IN THE ZOOM, UM, WE CAN START WITH IN PERSON.

GREAT.

THANK YOU.

GOOD EVENING COMMISSIONERS, AND THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THAT HEARTFELT, UM, APPRECIATION AND RECOGNITION.

UM, YOU KNOW, I FOUND OUT A FEW WEEKS AGO THAT I WOULD NOT BE REAPPOINTED TO THE HRC AND, UM, I DID NOT ACTUALLY LIKE TERM OUT.

UM, I, I STILL HAD TIME THAT I COULD HAVE SERVED.

UM, AND SO WHEN I LEARNED THIS, I WAS ABSOLUTELY HEARTBROKEN.

UM, YOU KNOW, THIS COMMISSION AND THE WORK THAT WE DO MEANS SO MUCH TO ME.

AND I JUST WANNA SAY, UM, JUST, YOU KNOW, I WAS SO PRIVILEGED TO BE ABLE TO, UM, SERVE WITH YOU ALL FOR THE LAST FOUR YEARS, AND IT WAS AN ABSOLUTE HONOR TO BE YOUR CHAIR FOR THREE OF THOSE.

UM, I'M INCREDIBLY PROUD OF THE WORK WE DID, AND WE USE THIS PLATFORM EXACTLY AS WE WERE SUPPOSED TO.

UM, WE'RE THE ONLY COMMISSION IN THIS ENTIRE CITY THAT'S TASKED WITH CENTERING AND UPLIFTING OUR COMMUNITIES FOR THIS FROM POWER.

AND, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN PUSHED TO THE MARGINS JUST FOR DOING NOTHING OTHER THAN EXISTING.

AND TOGETHER, THIS COMMISSION HAS BEEN BOLD.

WE CALLED ATTENTION TO DISCRIMINATORY POLICE PRACTICES.

WE CALLED OUT THE CITY INSTITUTION FOR TRYING TO INTERFERE AND SILENCE OUR RECOMMENDATIONS.

UM, WE'VE ELEVATED THE VOICES OF OUR UNDOCUMENTED COMMUNITIES, OUR PREVIOUSLY INCARCERATED SIBLINGS, AND, YOU KNOW, OUR L-G-B-T-Q ELDERS.

AND WE CALLED OUT GENOCIDE AND WE ASKED THE CITY TO FIGHT FOR HUMANITY, A DECISION THAT ULTIMATELY COST ME MY COMMISSION SEAT.

SO, MAKE MO, NO MISTAKE, I WAS REMOVED FROM THIS COMMISSION BECAUSE OF MY ADVOCACY FOR A FREE PALESTINE.

I WAS REMOVED FROM THIS COMMISSION BECAUSE I AM AN ANTI-ZIONIST JEW WHO BELIEVED THAT NEVER AGAIN, MEANT NEVER AGAIN FOR ANYONE.

[00:10:01]

BUT MOST IMPORTANTLY, I WAS REMOVED FOR USING THIS SPACE TO CATALYZE A LOCAL MOVEMENT FOR A CEASEFIRE, A MOVEMENT THAT DEMONSTRATED STRENGTH AND POWER AT A TIME WHEN ONLY MAYBE THREE CITIES HAD DONE SO.

I THINK THAT WE SHOULD ALL BE CONCERNED ABOUT THE REPRESSION, THE SILENCING, AND THAT A PRO-ISRAEL GROUP EXERTED INFLUENCE ON OUR LOCAL COMMISSION SELECTION PROCESS.

BUT THESE TACTICS AREN'T NEW INTIMIDATION, RETRIBUTION, AND MUCH WORSE HAVE LONG BEEN USED TO SQUASH LIBERATION MOVEMENTS.

BUT GUESS WHAT? WE DON'T DERIVE OUR POWER FROM A SEAT OR A TITLE.

WE DERIVE OUR POWER FROM BEING IN COMMUNITY AND RAISING OUR COLLECTIVE VOICE TO SPEAK TRUTH TO INJUSTICE.

WE DERIVE OUR POWER FROM OUR ABILITY TO IMAGINE SOMETHING NEW AND HAVING THE COURAGE TO FIGHT FOR IT.

SO, THE MESSAGE I WANNA LEAVE YOU ALL WITH IS I DON'T WANT YOU ALL TO LET WHAT HAPPENED TO ME DETER YOU FROM CONTINUING TO FIGHT FOR JUSTICE, FOR CONTINUING TO UNAPOLOGETICALLY CENTER RACE.

THANK YOU.

YOU'RE TELLING WHILE ADVOCATING FOR A BETTER WORLD, FOR ALL OF US.

AND I JUST WANT YOU ALL TO KNOW THAT YOU'RE ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF HISTORY.

WE NEED TO KEEP USING THIS SPACE TO UPLIFT VOICES OF THOSE MOST IMPACTED BY INJUSTICE.

AND JUST WRAP UP YOUR I YOUR TURN.

OKAY.

ALRIGHT.

THANK YOU.

DO YOU WANNA FINISH YOUR SENTENCE? JUST LA THE LAST THING WAS JUST A RECOGNITION, RECOGNITION TO CHAIR COVINGTON.

UM, AS YOUR FIRST MEETING, I JUST WANNA SAY HOW PROUD I AM, UM, OF YOU, AND I'VE JUST SEEN YOUR LEADERSHIP, UM, GROW AND STRENGTHEN, AND YOU ARE EXACTLY WHO WE NEED, UM, GUIDING THIS COMMISSION IN THIS IMPORTANT WORK AND IN THIS TIME.

AND LOOK FORWARD TO YOUR VICE CHAIR, UM, BAT'S LEADERSHIP MOVING FORWARD.

THANK YOU.

THANK YOU SO MUCH.

WE HAVE ONE PERSON IN THE ZOOM.

DAVE SHUKLA, PLEASE UNMUTE YOURSELF.

YOUR TIME STARTS NOW.

UH, HELLO.

CAN YOU HEAR ME? YES.

YES.

THANK YOU.

UM, MY NAME IS DAVE SHUKLA.

I AM A STUDENT, YOU'RE CUTTING OUT COMMISSIONER FOR THE COURAGE AND, UH, I, FORMER SPEAKER FOR THEIR COURAGE.

I THINK ONE OF THE TOUGHEST THINGS TO DO, UH, AS A HUMAN BEING IS TO CHALLENGE ONE'S OWN.

DAVE, YOU'RE CUTTING OUT .

CAN YOU HEAR ME? DAVE, CAN YOU PLEASE? CAN YOU HEAR US FORMALLY? UH, I'VE TALKED A LOT ABOUT CLIMATE CHANGE.

DAVE, WE ARE UNABLE TO HEAR YOU.

DIFFERENT EMERGENT DEVELOPMENT, AND THAT IS THE, IS A, EXCUSE ME, DAVE, MADAM CLERK AND I TALK AT HELLO.

SO IS THERE A WAY TO SEND HIM A MESSAGE VIA, VIA TYPING? AND THEN, OKAY.

UM, WITH THAT WE WILL GET THIS LIKE TWO MINUTES IF FOLKS ARE OKAY WITH JUST PAUSING FOR A LITTLE BIT, UM, AS WE WORK THROUGH THIS TECHNICAL ISSUE.

AND THEN, UM, HOPEFULLY WE CAN HAVE HIM RESTART IF HIS CONNECTION GETS BETTER.

[00:15:04]

OKAY.

GREAT.

UH, THANK YOU FOR THAT MADAM CLERK.

UH, SO WE'LL MOVE FORWARD WITH, UH, UM, THE REGULAR AGENDA AND, UM, WE'LL START WITH AGENDA ITEM ONE.

ITEM

[1. 24-54426 Recommendation to approve the minutes for the Equity and Human Relations Commission meeting of Wednesday, June 17, 2024.       Suggested Action: Approve recommendation. ]

MAY I HAVE A MOTION TO AND A SECOND PLEASE? AND, UM, LET ME KNOW IF THE SYSTEM'S WORKING.

IF NOT, WE'LL DO THE HAND RAISE.

DID ANY OF YOU GET THE POPUP? NO, I'LL, UH, I'LL MAKE THE MOTION.

COMMISSIONER SCHULTZ.

OKAY.

ALL RIGHT.

THANK YOU.

UH, MAY I HAVE A SECOND? I'LL SECOND.

OKAY.

I SAW COMMISSIONER BATZ.

YES.

VICE CHAIR BATS WILL BE SECOND.

OKAY.

OKAY.

SO I HAVE COMMISSIONER BATZ AS, I'M SORRY, COMMISSIONER SCHULTZ AS YOUR FIRST AND COMM, UH, VICE CHAIR BATZ AS YOUR SECOND.

THANK YOU.

UM, IS THERE ANY, CAN WE CALL FOR PUBLIC COMMENT ON THE MINUTES? YES.

SO IF THERE'S ANY OF THE MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC THAT WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK ON ITEM NUMBER ONE, PLEASE UH, LINE UP AT THE PODIUM IN PERSON OR USE THE RAISE HAND FEATURE IN THE ZOOM IF CALLING IN, SEEING NO PUBLIC COMMENT FOR ITEM NUMBER ONE.

UM, THAT CONCLUDES PUBLIC COMMENT FOR ITEM ONE, ARE THERE ANY DISCUSSIONS FROM THE COMMISSION ON OUR MINUTES? UH, DOES ANYONE NEED TO ABSTAIN? OH, NO.

WE'LL DO THAT DURING THE VOTE.

ALRIGHT.

CAN WE CALL, UH, A ROLL CALL VOTE? DID YOU GUYS GET THE POPUP OR JUST CAME? OKAY.

PERFECT.

MOTION CARRIES.

THANK YOU ALL.

UH, WE'LL MOVE OVER TO ITEM NUMBER TWO.

UM, CAN WE MOVE BACK TO PUBLIC COMMENT BEFORE MOVING FORWARD WITH ITEM TWO? YES.

I BELIEVE DAVE WAS ABLE TO JOIN THE ZOOM AGAIN.

DAVE, CAN YOU HEAR US? CAN YOU HEAR ME? YES.

IT'S CUTTING OUT AGAIN.

IS THERE ANY CHANCE YOU CAN CALL IN INSTEAD OF JOINING THE LINK? ALRIGHT, UM, CAN WE MOVE TO ITEM NUMBER TWO AND THEN WE'LL, WE'LL BRING BACK PUBLIC COMMENT? YES.

THANK YOU.

ITEM NUMBER TWO

[2. 24-54427 Recommendation to receive and file a presentation from the Office of Equity regarding updates to Long Beach Municipal Code Section 2.18.         Suggested Action: Approve recommendation. ]

MAY I HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND? THERE'S NO POPUPS FOR YOU.

OKAY.

IT'S JUST WAITING.

OKAY, THANK YOU.

UM, I'LL TAKE A VERBAL FOR THE MOTIONS.

MAKE A VERBAL, I'LL MOVE, I CAN SECOND MOVE THINGS ALONG.

COMMISSIONER LARA SECONDS.

THANK YOU ALL.

ALRIGHT, AND WITH THE MOTION AND A SECOND, I'M GONNA PASS IT OVER TO TONY, UH, FOR A PRESENTATION.

ALL RIGHT.

THANK YOU SO MUCH.

UM, HELLO COMMISSIONERS.

SO, UH, THERE HAVE BEEN UPDATES TO THE MUNICIPAL CODE THIS YEAR.

SO, UM, THERE WAS A REQUEST FROM THE CHAIRMAN VICE CHAIR TO PROVIDE A PRESENTATION, UM, THAT OUTLINES THE UPDATES TO THE MUNICIPAL COACHES.

SO YOU'RE ALL AWARE OF THAT.

SO, UM, WITH THAT,

[00:20:03]

SO AGAIN, THIS IS THE AGENDA ITEM RECOMMENDATION TO RECEIVE AND FOLLOW A PRESENTATION FROM THE OFFICE OF EQUITY REGARDING UPDATES TO LONG BEACH MUNICIPAL CODE SECTION 2.18, WHICH IS ON ADVISORY BOARDS, COMMISSIONS AND COMMITTEES.

SO, QUICK OVERVIEW OF THE LONG BEACH MUNICIPAL CODE 2.18.

THIS PROVIDES UNIFORM REGULATIONS FOR COUNCIL ESTABLISHED ADVISORY BOARDS, COMMISSIONS AND COMMITTEES.

IT DOES NOT APPLY TO CHARTER COMMISSIONS.

AND THE CITY COUNCIL ADOPTED AMENDMENTS TO, UH, THE MUNICIPAL CODE ON, UH, 3 21 23, AND THEN AGAIN ON FEBRUARY, FEBRUARY 13TH, 2024.

SO JUST EARLIER THIS YEAR.

ALL RIGHT, SO FIRST UPDATE IS TO VOL.

SO WE HAVE SOME VOLUNTEER AND COMPENSATION UPDATES.

THIS JUST, UH, IS, THIS REQUIRES US TO COMPLY WITH SB 2 25.

UM, THIS ALLOWS MOST COMMISSIONERS TO RE, UH, SERVE AS VOLUNTEERS.

UM, CIVIL SERVICE HARBOR UTILITIES AND PLANNING COMMISSIONERS CANNOT SERVE AS VOLUNTEERS, AND IT PROVIDES THREE OPTIONS FOR COMPENSATION.

UH, OPTION ONE IS COMPENSATION PERMITTED, UH, PER MEETING, UM, OF A FULL COMMISSION THAT HAS FULL QUORUM.

UH, OPTION TWO IS VOLUNTEER NO COMPENSATION.

AND OPTION THREE IS VOLUNTEER FOR EXPENSE REIMBURSEMENT WITH ONE PAYMENT OF $500 A YEAR.

WHOA.

THERE WE GO.

OKAY.

UM, UH, ETHICS UPDATES.

THIS REQUIRES THAT ALL COMMISSIONERS SIGN THE CODE OF CONDUCT AND ETHICS, AND IT ALSO REQUIRES THE FOLLOWING TRAININGS BE COMPLETED.

UM, THE CITY ETHICS TRAINING, WHICH IS AN ANNUAL, UH, TRAINING, UM, AB 1234, WHICH IS A TRAINING THAT MUST BE COMPLETED EVERY TWO YEARS.

AND, UH, ANY TRAINING IS REQUIRED BY THE CLERK, UM, WITHIN 120 DAYS FROM A ASSUMING OFFICE.

SO COMMISSIONER TERMS AND REMOVAL UPDATES.

UM, THE TERM OF OFFICE FOR ALL THE ADVISORY BODIES WILL TERMINATE ON JUNE 30TH AND START ON JUNE 31ST OF EVERY YEAR.

UM, AND THE MAYOR CAN NOW REMOVE COMMISSIONERS FOR ANY REASON.

WITH A TWO THIRD CONCURRENCE OF THE CITY COUNCIL, UM, UPDATES TO RECENTS COMMISSIONERS AUTOMATICALLY REMOVED.

SO ABSENCES FROM THREE CONSECUTIVE MEETINGS WITHOUT OFFICIAL PERMISSION EXPRESSED IN THE MINUTES, FAILING TO FILE FORM 700 AFTER RECEIVED OF A THREE DAY NOTICE FROM THE CLERK.

UM, UH, AND FAILURE TO FILE, UH, WHERE THERE'S NO WAIVER GRANTED AND FAILING TO COMPLETE THE REQUIRED TRAININGS.

AGAIN, THOSE TRAININGS BEING AB 1234.

UM, THE CITY ANNUAL ETHICS TRAINING AND THE CLERK REQUIRED TRAININGS, WHICH ARE, FOR EXAMPLE, A STRATEGIC PLAN, THE EQUITY OR PA PARLIAMENTARY PROCEDURE AND PUBLIC MEETINGS, SOME ADMINISTRATIVE UPDATES, UM, FOR NEW COMMISSIONS CREATED BY COUNCIL.

25 TO 50% OF THE FIRST MEMBERS APPOINTED TO THE BODY MUST SERVE A TWO YEAR INAUGURAL TERM.

QUORUM IS MEASURED BY THE NUMBER OF SEATS REQUIRED FOR THE BODY BY THE ORDINANCE OR RESOLUTION.

UM, NOT BY THE NUMBER OF SEATS FILLED.

MEMBERS APPOINTED TO A SPECIFIC COUNCIL DISTRICT SEAT CAN REPRESENT THEIR ORIGINAL ASSIGNED DISTRICT AT LARGE UNTIL THE END OF THEIR TERM.

IF THEY MOVE OR ARE REDISTRICTED OUT, UM, COMMISSIONS ARE REQUIRED TO PROVIDE AN EMAIL ADDRESS ON AGENDAS FOR PUBLIC, FOR THE PUBLIC TO PROVIDE WRITTEN PUBLIC COMMENT.

AND ANNUAL REPORTS ARE NOW DUE TO THE CLERK ON JUNE 30TH.

AND, UH, THANK YOU SO MUCH.

THANK YOU, TONY.

I'M NOW GONNA, UM, MOVE FOR PUBLIC COMMENT ON THIS ITEM.

IF THERE ARE ANY MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC THAT WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK ON ITEM NUMBER TWO IN PERSON, PLEASE LINE UP AT THE PODIUM AT THIS TIME, AND IF THERE ARE ANY IN THE ZOOM THAT WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK ON ITEM NUMBER TWO, PLEASE USE THE RAISE HAND FEATURE NOW, OR DIAL STAR NINE IF CALLING IN, SEEING NO PUBLIC COMMENT.

THAT CONCLUDES PUBLIC COMMENT FOR ITEM NUMBER TWO.

THANK YOU.

UM, I'M NOW GONNA PASS IT OVER TO COMMISSION DISCUSSION.

UM, SO NOW'S THE TIME TO ASK ANY QUESTIONS IN REGARDS TO THE PRESENTATION THAT YOU RECEIVED.

UM, WE ALSO HAVE OUR CITY ATTORNEY, A TOY HERE AVAILABLE TO, UH, RESPOND TO ANY QUESTIONS THAT WE DO HAVE.

IS

[00:25:01]

OKAY.

IF YOU'D LIKE, YOU CAN JUST CALL ON, UM, COMMISSIONERS AT THIS TIME.

GREAT, THANK YOU.

SO IF ANYONE, UM, WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK, FEEL FREE TO RAISE YOUR HAND AND WE'LL GO IN ORDER, WE'LL CREATE A STACK.

COMMISSIONER LA THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THIS AGENDA ITEM FORWARD.

SO WE'RE MORE FAMILIAR WITH THESE CHANGES.

UM, AND NOW THAT IT'S ON OUR RADAR, CURIOUS, AND I THINK IT'S RELATIVELY NEW FOR, FOR ALL OF US.

SO IF ANYONE CAN SPEAK, WHETHER IT'S TONY OR US CHAIR OR OUR CITY ATTORNEY, REGARDING HOW DOES THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THIS NEW CHANGE IN THE ORDINANCE INFLUENCE THE DYNAMICS BETWEEN THE BODY AND INDIVIDUAL COMMISSIONERS, AND I GUESS CITY COUNCIL AND THE MAYOR, JUST SO WE ARE WELL AWARE OF, OF THE IMPLICATIONS OF THIS COMMISSIONER.

JUST, JUST WHY I CAN UNDERSTAND YOUR QUESTION.

COULD YOU JUST REPEAT THAT ONE MORE TIME? YEAH.

SO I'M NOTICING, I GUESS I'M STILL PROCESSING THIS, SO IF I GO BACK TO THE PRESENTATION, LEMME UP THE MEANS.

IS IT STILL UP THERE? TONY, DO YOU MIND PUTTING THAT PRESENTATION BACK UP? LET ME ASK IT TO BRING IT BACK UP.

OH, THERE, AND I'M TRYING TO REMEMBER PRIOR PRESENTATIONS OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD, BUT I THINK IN PRIOR ITERATIONS OF COMMISSIONS, THIS COMMISSION IN PARTICULAR, WE ENDED A LITTLE BIT LATER RIGHT.

AS OPPOSED TO WHAT WE DID THIS TIME AROUND, WHICH WAS WE ENDED IN JUNE AND BEGAN IN JULY.

AND NOW, UM, THERE WAS LANGUAGE ON HERE IN, UH, BASED ON THE FEBRUARY MEETING OF THIS PAST YEAR THAT CHANGED, RIGHT.

THE REMOVAL PROCESS.

AM I CORRECT? THAT'S MY UNDERSTANDING BASED ON THE, ON THE SLIDES.

UM, SO YES, THE PRESENTATION THAT WE, THAT I JUST DID RIGHT NOW, MM-HMM.

PROVIDES UPDATES TO THE MUNICIPAL CODE THAT WERE MADE BOTH IN MARCH OF LAST YEAR, 2023.

AND THEN THE MOST RECENT UPDATES WERE IN FEBRUARY OF 2024.

OKAY.

SO I BELIEVE, UM, WHAT I HEARD IN COMMISSIONER LARS QUESTIONING, UM, WAS HOW DOES THESE UPSTATE UPDATES TO THE MUNICIPAL MUNICIPAL CODE, UM, IMPACT THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN COMMISSIONERS AND ALSO THE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL? WHAT, WHAT, WHAT IMPLICATIONS OR WHAT DIFFERENCES, UM, ARE THERE WITHIN THE UPDATES? SO COMMISSIONER, IF I, IF I UNDERSTAND CORRECTLY, I THINK THE, THE UPDATES JUST ARE, ARE, UH, INTENDED TO MAKE ALL COMMISSIONERS AND, UH, ADVISORY BOARDS THROUGHOUT THE CITY, SORT OF, UH, PLAYING FROM THE SAME, THE SAME, UH, UH, PLAYBOOK.

MM-HMM.

.

SO EVERY, THE, THE RULES AND REGULATIONS WILL APPLY, YOU KNOW, EQUALLY ACROSS THE BOARD.

THE ONE DIFFERENCE WAS THE CHARTER, THE CHARTER COMMISSIONS.

BUT, UH, SINCE THIS IS A NON-CHARTER COMMISSION, ALL NON-CHARTER COMMISSIONS WOULD BE, UM, THEY WOULD HAVE TO ABIDE BY THESE NEW RULES AND REGULATIONS.

AND SO, UH, I DON'T THINK THERE'S REALLY A DISTINCTION IN TERMS OF, UH, DEFINING, YOU KNOW, WHAT THE COMMISSIONER'S ROLE IS INDIVIDUALLY, AND THEN AS WHAT THE COMMISSIONER CAN DO, UM, AS PART OF THE COMMISSION AS A WHOLE.

OKAY.

PROVIDE JUST A LITTLE BIT MORE CONTEXT INTO MY THINKING THAT MIGHT HELP THIS DISCUSSION ALONG.

AND I'M ALSO PULLING FROM MY EXPERIENCE AS HIS CHAIR OR PRIOR, PRIOR, UH, I GUESS THE PRIOR CHAIR IS LEARNING HOW TO MOVE TO, HOW TO EXECUTE THE ROLE OF A COMMISSIONER, RIGHT? WITH ALL OF, UH, ALL, ALL THE TRAININGS.

'CAUSE IT'S A LOT OF TRAININGS THAT WE GO THROUGH AND THEN SOME, AND THEN, UH, WORKING IN CONCERT, NOT ONLY WITH OUR COMMUNITY, BUT ALSO WORKING IN CONCERT WITH CITY COUNCIL, THE MAYOR IN THE MOST EFFECTIVE WAY THAT WE CAN TO ENSURE THAT WE MOVE EQUITY AND HUMAN RELATIONS FORCE.

THAT'S, THAT'S KIND OF THE BACKGROUND AS TO MY FRAMING OF THE QUESTION.

SO WE CAN ALL DO THE BEST JOB POSSIBLE IN OUR PARTICULAR ROLES.

COMMISSIONER, I ACTUALLY APPRECIATE THAT, THAT THAT HINDSIGHT, IT, IT LET, IT LETS ME, UH, SEE A LITTLE BIT MORE OF YOUR, UH, POINT OF YOUR QUESTION.

SO I THINK INDIVIDUALLY, UM, YOU KNOW, IN YOUR OWN, IN INDIVIDUAL CAPACITY, YOU, YOU'RE ENTITLED TO, TO MAKE, UH, COMMENTS TO, TO, YOU KNOW, THE MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC TO ENGAGE IN ANY TYPE OF COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, WHICH I KNOW IS, IS ANOTHER ITEM ON TONIGHT'S AGENDA.

BUT, UM, THE NEW CHANGES TO THE MUNICIPAL CODE JUST HELPS, UM, DELINEATE THE TWO, THE, THE DIFFERENCES.

SO AS A, AS A, IN YOUR INDIVIDUAL CAPACITY, YOU'RE ABLE TO MAKE

[00:30:01]

NOW, IF YOU'RE OUT THERE MAKING STATEMENTS OR, OR ENGAGING IN THE COMMUNITY UNDER YOUR CAPACITY AS A COMMISSIONER, THEN IT'S A LITTLE BIT MORE LIMITED WHERE THINGS NEED TO BE IN LINE WITH WHAT THE COMMISSION HAS VOTED ON OR THE DIRECTION OF THE COMMISSION.

SO IF IT'S, IF YOU WANTED TO, FOR AN EXAMPLE, IF YOU WANTED TO MAKE A, A, A PUBLIC STATEMENT AS THE INDIVIDUAL, YOU'RE OBVIOUSLY ENTITLED TO, YOU KNOW, THE FIRST AMENDMENT, UH, FREEDOM OF SPEECH, THEN THOSE PROTECTIONS, THAT, THAT DOES NOT APPLY WHEN YOUR ROLE, UH, UNDER THE, AS A COMMISSION, AS A COMMISSIONER UNDER THE COMMISSION.

SO IT JUST, IT, IT HELPS, UM, KIND OF AVOID ANY TYPE OF CO-MINGLING BETWEEN YOUR TWO ROLES AS AN INDIVIDUAL.

AND THEN AS, AS YOUR ROLE AS A COMMISSION, IS THIS, DOES THAT, UH, IS THAT, IS THAT ANSWERING YOUR QUESTION, COMMISSIONER? NO, YEAH, NO, IT, IT DOES INDEED.

AND, AND THANK YOU.

AND I THINK THE WAY THAT YOU ADDRESSED THE QUESTION BY ALSO A FUTURE AGENDA ITEM THAT WOULD COME UP, I THINK THAT WILL ALSO HELP WITH THE, THE CONVERSATION.

I KNOW THESE AGENDA ITEMS HAVE TO BE SEPARATE, BUT SOMETIMES THERE ARE RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN THEM.

AND I THINK IT'S HELPFUL THAT YOU MADE THE CONNECTION WITH OTHER AGENDA ITEMS. SO THANK YOU.

THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER LARA.

UM, ARE THERE ANY FOLKS ELSE WHO HAVE QUESTIONS ABOUT THE PRESENTATION? SEEING NONE, UM, I HAVE, UM, TWO QUESTIONS.

UM, TONY, CAN YOU GO TO THE SLIDE WHERE IT STATES WHERE, UM, COMMISSIONERS CAN BE REMOVED? TERM REMOVALS? OKAY.

SO IT STATES THAT TERMS OF OFFICE FOR ALL ADVISORY WILL TERMINATE ON JUNE 30TH AND START JULY 1ST OF EVERY YEAR.

AND THE SECOND BULLET STATES THAT THE MAYOR CAN NOW, UH, REMOVE COMMISSIONERS FOR ANY REASON WITH A TWO THIRDS CONCURRENCE OF THE CITY COUNCIL.

UM, SO MY QUESTION IS, UM, THE MAYOR CAN NOW REMOVE COMMISSIONERS.

UH, WHEN DID THAT TAKE PLACE AND WHERE DOES THAT LIVE WITHIN THE ORDINANCE OR THE, UM, THE CHARTER ITSELF, IF I'M NOT MISTAKEN, I BELIEVE THAT WAS DONE IN THE LAST AMENDMENT AND IN THE ACTUAL ORDINANCE ITSELF ON CHAPTER 2.18.

UH, IF YOU GIMME JUST ONE SECOND.

SO IF YOU LOOK AT, UM, FOR THOSE, IF, IF YOU ARE ABLE TO HAVE A COPY OF THE MUNICIPAL CODE IN FRONT OF YOU, IT IS UNDER, UM, CHAPTER 2.1 8.050.

THAT'S THE GENERAL REGULATIONS.

AND IT IS UNDER, UM, SECTION F THAT'S WHERE, THAT'S WHERE IT, UH, INDICATES THAT THE MAYOR MAY REMOVE ANY MEMBER OF A CITY COUNCIL'S ESTABLISH ADVISORY BODY AT ANY TIME WITH A CONCURRENCE OF TWO THIRDS OF THE MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL.

THANK YOU FOR THAT.

A TOY.

AND SO MY SECOND QUESTION, UM, I HAVE BEEN HEARING WITHIN THE COMMUNITY, UM, AND, UM, IN REGARDS TO, UM, CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS, UM, CHOOSING TO NOT REINSTATE COMMISSIONERS.

SO FOR MY UNDERSTANDING, OUR UNDERSTANDING IN ALL COMMISSIONS, UM, THROUGHOUT THE CITY, UM, WHERE CAN WE FIND INFORMATION ABOUT WHEN, UH, COUNCIL MEMBERS CANNOT REINSTATE, UM, TERMS? UH, CHAIR, ARE YOU ASKING IS, IS THERE LIKE A SPECIFIC, UH, LIKE, LIKE AUTHORITY PLACE THAT, THAT, THAT PROVIDES FOR THAT? CORRECT.

UH, 'CAUSE UNDER, UM, SECTION 2 1 8 IS CLEARLY STATES.

THE MAYOR HAS THIS POWER.

SO I WOULD LIKE TO LEARN WHERE IN THE MUNICIPAL CODE, UH, UNDER THESE NEW AMENDMENTS WHERE IT STATES THAT COUNCIL MEMBERS CAN, UM, CHOOSE NOT TO REINSTATE COMMISSIONERS.

BECAUSE WHEN WE GET ONBOARDED, WE'RE TOLD THAT YOU HAVE FOUR TERMS AND, UM, YOUR TERM, YOU'RE ELIGIBLE FOR FOUR TERMS. AND THEN, UM, EACH OF YOUR TERM ENDS AFTER EVERY TWO YEARS.

SO IS THERE SPECIFIC LANGUAGE IN OUR MUNICIPAL THAT STATES THAT COUNCIL MEMBERS DON'T HAVE TO LET A COMMISSIONER, UH, COMPLETE THEIR FULL FOUR TERMS? YOU KNOW, CHAIR, I BELIEVE, UH, NOTHING COMES INTO MIND AS, AS THAT EXACT STATEMENT IN THE MUNI CODE OTHER THAN JUST THAT SECTION F, WHICH SAYS THAT IT JUST REQUIRES CONCURRENCE OF TWO THIRDS OF THE, OF THE MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL.

BUT I, UH, CHAIR, BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, YOUR QUESTION IS, IS VALID, LET ME, AND I

[00:35:01]

I WOULD APPRECIATE THAT.

THANK YOU.

SO WITH THAT BEING MY, OUR LAST QUESTION, MY LAST QUESTION, UM, ARE THERE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS THAT POPS UP? IF NOT, WE'LL MOVE ON TO THE NEXT ITEM.

UM, I'M SEEING SCHULTZ.

YEAH, I AND GUTTI QUEUEING UP AS WELL.

UH, JUST, UH, BRIEFLY, UH, UH, SIR, CAN YOU BRING UP THAT SCREEN THAT WAS JUST UP, I CAN SEE IT DOWN THERE.

IT SAYS THE TERMS OF OFFICE FOR ALL ADVISORY BODIES WILL TERMINATE ON JUNE 30TH AND START ON JULY 30, JULY 1ST OF EVERY YEAR.

I'D ALSO LIKE TO KNOW, SO A TWO YEAR TERM TERMINATES EVERY YEAR THAT COULD BE READ INTO THIS VERY VAGUE, UM, SENTENCE.

NO, THE, THE INTENT IS FOR, UH, THE INAUGURAL MEMBERS TO HAVE THAT FULL TWO YEAR TERM.

SO, SO THIS, THIS, UH, THIS TERMINATE THE START AND TERMINATION DATE OF THE JUNE 30TH, UH, TO JULY 1ST, THAT, THAT IS IN EFFECT, BUT THAT DOES NOT, UH, THAT DOES NOT SHORTEN A COMMISSIONER'S ABILITY TO BE ON THAT TWO, THE TWO YEAR TERM, UH, TERM PERIOD THAT THEY'RE GIVEN INITIALLY, OTHER THAN IF THEY'RE ASKED IF THE REMOVAL, IF PROCESS IS AFFECTED THROUGH CITY COUNCIL.

AND, AND THAT WOULD REQUIRE THAT STILL THAT TWO THIRDS MAJORITY.

OKAY.

THANK YOU.

COMMISSIONER SCHULTZ.

UH, COMMISSIONER GUTIERREZ.

SORRY, GILLETTE.

THAT'S FINE.

THANK YOU, CHAIR.

UM, SINCE WE DO NOT HAVE THE BENEFIT OF REVIEWING THE UPDATED, UM, MUNICIPAL CODE SECTION 2.18, UH, WITH THE RED LINE VERSION OF IT, I'M JUST CURIOUS AS TO WHAT OTHER CHANGES WERE MADE TO THIS CODE, UH, OTHER THAN WHAT WE'RE FOCUSING ON CURRENTLY, WHICH IS THE WORD NOW BEING ADDED TO, UM, THE REMOVAL OF COMMISSIONERS.

ARE THERE ANY OTHER UPDATES TO THIS MUNICIPAL CODE? UM, COMMISSIONER, UH, GILLETTE, YOU ALL RECEIVED A MEMO FROM TONY AND OUR FORMER DEPUTY CITY ATTORNEY ON MARCH 24TH THAT, UH, OUTLINED ALL OF THE CHANGES TO MUNICIPAL CODE 2.18.

THANK YOU.

COMMISSIONER GILLETTE, DOES THAT CONCLUDE YOUR QUESTIONS? YES, I SEE THE APRIL 3RD EMAIL.

THANK YOU.

THANK YOU SO MUCH.

UH, AND IF WE HAVE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS IN REGARDS TO THIS, UM, WE CAN, UH, FORWARD OUR QUESTIONS OVER TO TONY, OR YOU CAN FORWARD TO ME, AND THEN, UH, I CAN BRING THIS UP IN OUR, UH, ONE-TO-ONES, AND WE WILL FORWARD THOSE OVER TO, UH, AS APPROPRIATE TO A TOY.

UM, UM, IF THEY COME UP A ABSOLUTELY.

COMMISSIONERS, IF THERE ARE ANY QUESTIONS, DEFINITELY FEEL FREE TO FORWARD THEM.

AND, UH, IF THERE'S ANYTHING THAT'S NOT AVAILABLE RIGHT NOW, I COULD DEFINITELY, UH, PROVIDE THE ANSWER FOR YOU.

PERFECT.

THANK YOU.

UM, SO I REALLY APPRECIATE THIS, THIS PRESENTATION, TONY, AND I APPRECIATE YOU A TOY FOR PROVIDING US, UM, RESPONSES TO OUR, OUR WELL INTENDED QUESTIONS.

UM, I ALSO, PERSON ON A PERSONAL NOTE, I SEE, SEE THIS AS AN OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE, UM, STRONGER RELATIONS WITH OUR COUNCIL MEMBERS.

UM, SO IF YOU ARE A COUNCIL MEMBER APPOINTED, UH, COMMISSIONER, UM, THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO CHECK IN WITH YOUR COUNCIL MEMBER, MAYBE SCHEDULE QUARTERLY MEETINGS TO SAY, HEY, THIS IS WHAT THE COMMISSION'S UP TO, UM, WHAT ARE YOU UP TO? HOW CAN WE WORK TOGETHER? OR HOW CAN, UH, OUR COUNCIL MEMBERS, UM, CHAMPION SOME OF THE EFFORTS THAT WE'RE WORKING ON.

UM, AND FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO ARE, UM, MAYOR APPOINTED, THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO DEVELOP THAT RELATIONSHIP WITH THE MAYOR AS WELL.

UM, SO, UH, WITH THAT, UM, WE WILL CALL FOR A VOTE, UM, TO RECEIVE A FILE.

THANK YOU.

COME GILLETTE? YES.

AND COMMISSIONER SCHULTZ? YES.

OKAY.

MOTION CARRIES.

THANK YOU.

UM, WITH THAT, WE'RE GONNA MOVE TO

[00:40:01]

UM, BEFORE WE MOVE FORWARD, WOULD YOU LIKE TO GO BACK TO PUBLIC COMMENT? I BELIEVE WE HAVE DAVE SHUKLA ON THE LINE.

YES, LET'S DO THAT.

OKAY.

THANK YOU FOR THE REMINDER.

LET, LET'S GO AHEAD AND OPEN BACK PUBLIC COMMENT.

DAVE, PLEASE UNMUTE YOURSELF.

YOUR TIME STARTS NOW.

IF YOU SELECT STAR SIX, I BELIEVE THAT'S TO UNMUTE.

HELLO? CAN YOU HEAR ME? YES.

UH, HELLO.

CAN YOU HEAR ME? YES.

CAN YOU HEAR ME CLEARLY? YES.

WONDERFUL.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR MAKING THE EFFORT, UM, TO LET ME, UH, MAKE A PUBLIC COMMENT.

I, I VERY MUCH APPRECIATE THAT.

UM, UH, SHALL I CONTINUE? CAN YOU HEAR ME CLEARLY? YES, YOU CAN.

YOU ARE HEARD CLEARLY.

YOU CAN GO AHEAD AND START YOUR COMMENT BACK FROM THE BEGINNING.

OKAY.

THANK YOU SO MUCH.

UM, ONCE AGAIN, UH, MY NAME IS DAVE SHUKLA AND I'M A SON OF LONG BEACH.

I, UH, BEFORE I GIVE MY COMMENTS, UH, I'D JUST LIKE TO COMMEND THE FIRST PUBLIC COMMENTER, UM, PERSON WHO'S SPOKEN PERSON, THE FORMER COMMISSIONER WITH THEIR COURAGE.

I THINK ONE OF THE TOUGHEST THINGS TO DO AS A PERSON, AS A HUMAN BEING IS TO CHALLENGE ONE'S OWN AND TO DEMAND BETTER, BUT SOMETIMES IT IS NECESSARY.

AND IN THAT SPIRIT, HERE I AM.

UH, MY NAME IS STEVE SHUKLA.

I, UH, GREW UP AT 63 33 EAST ELLIOTT STREET IN LONG BEACH, UH, DIRECTLY ACROSS THE STREET FROM THE A ES PLANT.

UH, AS YOU WERE WELL AWARE FROM MANY PUBLIC COMMENTS HAVE MADE IN THE PAST, UH, MY ISSUE WITH CLIMATE, I, I REALLY HAD NO CHOICE.

UH, MY PARENTS MOVED INTO THE NEIGHBORHOOD IN 1997 AND, UH, WHEN I WAS 17, AND I HAD TO, HAD TO DEAL WITH IT.

BUT MY COMMENTS TODAY ARE ACTUALLY NOT ON CLIMATE.

IT'S ON A DIFFERENT EMERGING ISSUE, AND THAT'S ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE.

UM, I BELIEVE THIS COMMISSION, AND I'D LIKE TO CONGRATULATE CHRIS ON, ON HIS LEADERSHIP.

I BELIEVE THIS COMMISSION IS UNIQUELY, UM, PLACED WITHIN THE CURRENT CITY OF LONG BEACH GOVERNANCE STRUCTURE TO ADVOCATE FOR STRONG PROTECTIONS, NOT ONLY FOR THE PUBLIC, BUT FOR CITY INSTITUTIONS AS WELL, FROM SOME OF THE ABUSE AND KIND OF HARMFUL USES OF ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE AND MACHINE LEARNING THAT WE ALREADY HAVE.

UM, PEOPLE ARE NOW FAMILIAR WITH DEEPFAKE AND WITH WAYS THAT ENTIRE WORK PRODUCT CAN BE NOT ONLY TAKEN MANY TIMES WITHOUT RIGHT OF COPY, BUT ALSO THEN MANIPULATED TO CREATE THINGS THAT HUMAN BEINGS HAVEN'T YET.

UH, AND THAT INCLUDES NEW WAYS OF ORGANIZING ATOMS, NEW WAYS OF ORGANIZING INFORMATION, NEW WAYS OF ORGANIZING, UM, A LOT OF THE ENERGY NEEDS, FRANKLY, THAT ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE AS IT KEEPS GROWING IN, UH, POWER AND COMPLEXITY REQUIRES.

AND THE CITY LONG BEACH ALSO HAS A UNIQUE ROLE IN THE POLITICAL ECONOMY OF THOSE USES OF ENERGY OF ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE.

I URGE YOU COMMISSIONERS TO USE WHATEVER POWERS YOU HAVE.

AD HOC COMMITTEE, EXISTING RELATIONS WITH TECHNOLOGY AND INNOVATION COMMISSION EXISTING CONNECTIONS WITH OFFICE OF THE CITY MANAGER TO GET AHEAD, UH, IN THE OFFICE OF THE, THE, THE, UH, CITY ATTORNEY TO GET AHEAD AS MUCH AS YOU CAN OF THE DEVELOPMENTS IN ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE.

UH, I HAVE SPENT THE PAST YEAR AS A CLIMATE FELLOW IN THE CITY OF OAKLAND, THOUGH I'M NOT HERE, UH, SPEAKING TODAY IN THAT CAPACITY, BEING IN THE BAY AREA AND SEEING HOW QUICKLY THESE TECHNOLOGIES ARE MATURING IS FRIGHTENING TO ME, AS FRIGHTENING AS NUKES OR CLIMATE CHANGE.

PLEASE WRITE UP YOUR COMMENT.

THEY ARE LIKE, NUKES AND CLIMATE CHANGE, AN EXISTENTIAL THREAT.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.

THANK YOU.

IF THERE'S ANY FURTHER PUBLIC COMMENT IN PERSON, PLEASE LAND UP AT THE PODIUM AT THIS TIME.

SEEING NONE.

THAT CONCLUDES NON AGENDA, PUBLIC COMMENT IN PERSON AND IN THE ZOOM.

THANK YOU, MADAM CLERK.

MAY WE MOVE TO ITEM FOUR, PLEASE? YES.

ITEM NUMBER

[4. 24-54429 Recommendation to receive and file a presentation from the EHRC Budget Ad Hoc Committee regarding recommendations for the 2024 EHRC Budget.       Suggested Action: Approve recommendation. ]

ALL RIGHT, MAY I HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND? YOU MAY NEED TO RAISE YOUR HANDS.

OH, WE'RE

[00:45:01]

YEAH, .

SO IF YOU DON'T SEE THE POPUP, I'LL GO AHEAD AND TAKE OVER BOTH FOR THE MOTIONS.

AGAIN.

COMMISSIONER GILLETTE, I MOVE.

THANK YOU.

I WILL.

SECOND COMMISSIONER MONTGOMERY.

THANK YOU.

ALRIGHT, MAY I HAVE THE, UM, SO I'M GONNA BE LEADING THIS PRESENTATION, SO I'LL PASS IT TO MYSELF.

UM, HOW DO WE START IT? OH, IT WILL DO IT.

THANK YOU.

IT, OH, WAIT.

OH, UM, I MOVE, UM, FOR A, UH, RECESS.

CAN I GET A MOTION AND A SECOND? SECOND.

UM, THAT'S FINE.

WE DON'T NEED A FIRST AND A SECOND FOR RECESS.

WE'LL JUST TAKE A PAUSE RIGHT NOW.

ALL GOOD.

THANK YOU.

THANK YOU.

ALL RIGHT.

UM, MADAM CLERK, CAN WE HAVE ROLL CALL PLEASE? COMMISSIONER GILLETTE.

WE'RE TAKING ROLL CALL.

JUST TO CONFIRM, WE HAVE QUORUM HERE.

COMMISSIONER KHAN? HERE.

COMMISSIONER LARA? HERE.

COMMISSIONER LIZETTE FLORES.

HERE.

COMMISSIONER MONTGOMERY? HERE.

COMMISSIONER SCHULTZ.

YES.

VICE CHAIR BATS HERE.

CHAIR COVINGTON HERE.

WE HAVE QUORUM.

THANK YOU.

UM, SO WE'RE GONNA MOVE INTO ITEM NUMBER FOUR.

UM, DO WE HAVE TO REINTRODUCE IT IN MOTION OR CAN WE JUST JUMP INTO THE PRESENTATION? NO, YOU CAN CONTINUE SINCE WE ALREADY INTRODUCED IT.

AND WE HAVE A FIRST AND A SECOND.

AWESOME.

SO WE'LL WAIT UNTIL THIS COMES UP ON THE SCREEN.

UM, SO I'LL INTRODUCE THIS, UM, AS A COMMISSION.

UH, WE ESTABLISHED AN

[00:50:01]

UM, THE FUNDS THAT WERE ALLOCATED TO OUR COMMISSION, UM, WERE PROVIDED TO US, UH, ALL THE WAY BACK IN OCTOBER OF 2023.

UM, SINCE THEN, WE'VE HAD A PRESENTATION ABOUT IT IN FEBRUARY, UM, LETTING US KNOW HOW HOW MUCH WE WOULD ACTUALLY BE RECEIVING.

UH, IN APRIL, WE ESTABLISHED THE AD HOC, WHICH COMMISSIONER MONTGOMERY AND MYSELF SIT ON.

UM, AND, UH, WE HAVE COME UP WITH A COUPLE OF IDEAS FOR, UM, FOR US TO HAVE A DISCUSSION AROUND.

UM, AND SO WITH THAT, UH, OUR AD HOC COMMITTEE WAS ABLE TO MEET IN APRIL, AND THEN WE, UM, TOOK A BREAK AND THEN WE RE UM, CAME BACK FOR A MEETING IN JULY.

UM, SO THROUGHOUT THIS TIME, UM, WE HAVE BEEN THINKING ABOUT HOW TO BEST PRESENT THIS TO YOU ALL.

UM, SO THE SPECIFIC OUTCOME OF OUR AD HOC IS TO DISTRIBUTE, UM, $12,500, UM, ALLOCATED FOR THE COMMISSION.

UM, AND OUR AS A COMMISSION, WE LAST, UM, SPOKE, UH, WE DETERMINED THAT WE WANTED TO ALLOCATE $5,000, UH, FOR BRANDING, $5,000 FOR COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AND 2,500 TO COM, UH, CAPACITY BUILDING AND TRAININGS.

UM, SO WHAT IS UP FOR DISCUSSION TODAY? AND I APOLOGIZE, UM, FOR THE SIZE OF IT.

UM, BUT WE, UM, I'LL GO AHEAD AND BREAK THAT DOWN AND READ 'EM OFF FOR YOU.

UH, LET ME GET MY SCREEN TO FOCUS.

UM, SO AFTER MUCH DISCUSSION, UM, AND ALSO A LOT OF BACK AND FORTH TO DETERMINE WHAT WE CAN AND CANNOT DO AS A COMMISSION.

AND WE, UH, WE WANNA APPRECIATE TONY AND THE CITY STAFF, UH, FOR HELPING US GUIDE US IN THESE DISCUSSIONS.

UM, WE ARE PROPOSING, UM, THAT 4,800 GO TOWARDS BRANDING.

UH, THIS WILL INCLUDE POLO SHIRTS, UH, JACKETS, UH, TABLE COVERS, UH, EASY UPS, STAND UP BANNERS, AND THEN REGULAR BANNERS AS WELL.

UM, YOU'LL ALSO SEE IN THE MIDDLE THERE, UM, WE HAVE SPACE FOR AWARDS.

UH, DURING OUR LAST CONVERSATION, WE SAID THAT WE WANTED TO, UM, ACKNOWLEDGE THE WORK OF EQUITY CHAMPIONS WITHIN THE CITY.

UM, SO WE HAVE IDENTIFIED FUNDS, UM, FOR THAT AS WELL.

UM, IN REGARDS TO COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, UM, THE LIST IS SHORT BECAUSE AS A COMMISSION, UH, DUE TO THE BROWN ACT RULES, THERE'S NOT MUCH THAT WE CAN DO AS A FULL COMMISSION.

UH, HOWEVER, UH, WE WERE ABLE TO IDENTIFY TWO SPECIFIC ONES THAT WE WANT TO PRESENT TO YOU TODAY.

UM, THE FIRST ONE IS TABLING FEES.

UM, WE WOULD LIKE TO, AS A COMMISSION TO IDENTIFY SOME EVENTS AND WE'LL, UH, UH, UM, PLEASE THINK ABOUT, UM, SOME EVENTS BETWEEN NOW, UH, AND THE END OF THE YEAR, UH, THAT WE COULD POTENTIALLY TABLE AT, UH, AS WELL AS PARADE ENTRY FEES, UM, TO HAVE REPRESENTATION AND INVITE OUR COMMUNITIES TO COME OUT AND WALK WITH US.

UM, AND SO FOR THAT, UM, WE'RE, WE'VE IDENTIFIED $2,000, UM, FOR THAT SECTION.

AND THEN THE LAST SECTION, WHICH IS REALLY IMPORTANT, UM, IS CAPACITY, CAPACITY BUILDING AND TRAINING.

UH, THIS IS A SPECIFIC GOAL OF BRINGING IN, UH, FACILITATORS AND TRAINERS AND COMMUNITY RESIDENTS, UH, OR ORGANIZATIONS TO TRAIN US UP AS A COMMISSION.

UM, AND AT THE SAME TIME, TRAIN UP THE COMMUNITY FOR THOSE THOSE WHO WATCH OUR MEETINGS, UH, OR THAT, UM, CAN CATCH UP IN OUR MEETINGS AT FUTURE TIMES.

UM, SO WITH THAT, UH, WE'VE ALLOCATED, UH, $3,000 TO GO TO SPECIFICALLY TRAINING.

UH, WE WILL HAVE ONE NEXT MONTH, UM, UM, THAT WE'VE ALLOCATED SOME OF THESE FUNDS TOWARDS.

SO WE'RE EXCITED TO GET THE BALL ROLLING IN THAT ASPECT.

UH, AND THEN AS WELL AS RETREAT, UM, AND GOAL SETTING, UH, AS MANY OF YOU KNOW, WE'RE COMING UP ON THE, THE CLOSE, UM, OF OUR TWO YEAR ROADMAP.

WE'VE COMPLETED ONE YEAR, AND SO WE HAVE A YEAR, UM, TO COMPLETE AND SEE WHERE WE'RE AT.

SO WE WOULD LIKE TO USE THESE FUNDS TO IDENTIFY TIME FOR US TO DO REFLECTION AND SET OUR NEXT, UM, NORTH STAR GOALS FOR US AS A COMMISSION.

AND WE'RE EXCITED TO DO THAT WITH THE MANY NEW COMMISSIONERS THAT WE'RE GOING TO RECEIVE AND ACTUALLY SEE ONE OF OUR NEW COMMISSIONERS, JOSHUA, REPRESENTING THE FIRST DISTRICT HERE TODAY.

UM, SO THANK YOU FOR PUTTING IN THE HOMEWORK AND LEARNING ABOUT YOUR NEW ROLE.

UM, SO AS A WHOLE, UM, WE ARE RECOMMENDING TO ALLOCATE 5,500 TOWARDS CAPACITY BUILDING AND TRAINING.

UM, SO, UH, TO

[00:55:01]

THIS, THIS MONTH, UM, SEPTEMBER COMING UP, UM, IS TWO $12,300.

UM, WE'RE A LITTLE SHORT UNDER WHAT WAS ALLOWED, BUT BASED OFF OF, UM, WHAT WE'RE ABLE TO DO AT THIS TIME.

UM, THIS IS WHAT WE'RE PROPOSING FOR YOU ALL TO DISCUSS, UH, FOR US ALL TO DISCUSS.

UM, I DO WANNA MENTION THAT IN OUR NEXT AGENDA ITEM.

UM, WE'RE GONNA HAVE A CONVERSATION ABOUT COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT.

SO, UM, IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS ABOUT, OH, CAN WE DO THIS OR CAN WE DO THAT? UM, IS IT APPROPRIATE FOR US TO HAVE THIS EVENT OR CAN WE SPONSOR A SET EVENT? UM, PLEASE BRING UP THOSE QUESTIONS DURING THAT AGENDA ITEM.

WE DO HAVE OUR CITY ATTORNEY HERE TO RESPOND.

UM, SO WITH THAT, I'M GONNA PASS IT OVER, UM, FOR PUBLIC COMMENT ON THIS ITEM, IF THERE ARE ANY MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC THAT WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK ON ITEM NUMBER FOUR IN PERSON, PLEASE LINE UP AT THE PODIUM AT THIS TIME.

AND IF THERE ARE ANY MEMBERS IN THE ZOOM, PLEASE USE THE RAISE HAND FEATURE.

NOW WE HAVE ONLY IN PERSON.

YOUR TIME STARTS NOW.

HI, COMMISSIONERS.

UM, JUST REALLY QUICKLY, I WANNA COMMENT ON THE, UM, PUB, UH, COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT LINE ITEM.

I, UM, I UNDERSTAND THAT THERE'S SOME, UM, PERCEIVED RESTRICTIONS AND LIMITATIONS AROUND WHAT YOU ALL CAN DO BECAUSE OF THE BROWN ACT, BUT I WOULD ENCOURAGE YOU ALL TO MAYBE RETHINK, UM, THAT AND, AND PUSH A LITTLE BIT BECAUSE OF MY EXPERIENCE.

UM, AS CHAIR, WE ACTUALLY WERE ABLE TO, UM, AS A COMMISSION PARTNER WITH THE OFFICE OF EQUITY TO HIRE A FACILITATOR TO CONDUCT VISIONING SESSIONS FOR OUR COMMISSION.

THAT'S HOW WE WERE ABLE TO, UM, CREATE A, OUR ORDINANCE AND, UM, CREATE OUR NEW NAME.

AND WE WENT THROUGH A WHOLE COMMUNITY VISIONING PROCESS TO DO THAT.

AND IT WAS VERY MUCH, UM, LED BY THE, THE, AT THE TIME, THE, UM, HRC, UM, AND, UM, BUT IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE OFFICE OF EQUITY TO, YOU KNOW, KIND OF GET AROUND SOME OF THOSE BROWN ACT ISSUES.