Aug 07, 2024 Economic Development Commission

ITEM NUMBER ONE IS RECOMMENDATION TO APPROVE THE MINUTES FOR THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION MEETING OF WEDNESDAY, JUNE 5TH, 2024.

MAY I HAVE A MOTION TO HEAR THIS ITEM? SO MOVED.

SECOND.

I SECOND.

ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS, UH, ON THE MINUTES? ANY PUBLIC COMMENT? OKAY.

WOULD ANYONE LIKE TO, UH, SPEAK TO THE MINUTES AT ALL? IF YOU GUYS DO WANT, YOU CAN COME IT THROUGH.

MICROPHONE.

NO.

SO, UM, CALL FOR THE VOTE CHAIR.

LARKINS, IF YOU'D LIKE TO GIVE A VOICE VOTE, I CAN TAKE THAT.

TAKE A VOICE, VOICE VOID FOR YOURSELF.

PARDON ME? FOR YOURSELF? FOR MYSELF.

MM-HMM.

YAY.

OH, I DIDN'T, THANK YOU.

NUMBER TWO IS RECOMMENDATION TO RECEIVE AND FILE AN UPDATE ON THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT BLUEPRINT, THE GROW LONG BEACH INITIATIVE, AND THE ALIGNMENT OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT PROGRAMS AND INITIATIVES TO THESE PLANS.

ITEM

[2. 24-54405 Recommendation to receive and file an update on the Economic Development Blueprint, the Grow Long Beach Initiative, and the alignment of Economic Development Department programs and initiatives to these plans. Suggested Action: Approve recommendation. ]

MOTION TO APPROVE.

MORNING COMMISSIONERS.

HERE IT IS.

WE HAVE A MOTION FROM COMMISSIONER SANDOVAL AND A SECOND FROM COMMISSIONER NOVIN.

JILLIAN, I'M ASSUMING YOU'RE MAKING A PRESENTATION? THAT IS CORRECT.

GOOD AFTERNOON, COMMISSIONER.

SO, UM, I'LL CALL YOUR ATTENTION TO ONE OF THE ATTACHMENTS OF THE, OF THE DOCUMENT, THE ONE TITLED THE BLUEPRINT FOCUS AREAS AND GROW LONG BEACH DELIVERABLES.

I'M ALSO AVAILABLE FOR YOU TO SEE ON THE SCREENS AND YOUR SCREEN.

UM, SO THIS IS WHAT'S GOING TO BE, YOU KNOW, A CONTINUATION OF AN ONGOING CONVERSATION AS WE'VE TALKED ABOUT, YOU KNOW, FOR THE BLUEPRINT AND JUST THE, THE BUILDING UP OF THE AREAS THAT WE NEED TO, UM, SINCE WE LAST MET BACK IN JULY, UH, SORRY, JUNE 8TH OF JULY OFF, SO BACK IN JUNE.

SO AS YOU SEE HERE, UM, THE PARTS THAT HAVE NOT CHANGED ARE THE BLUEPRINT FOCUSED AREA.

OF COURSE, THOSE HAVE ALWAYS REMAINED THE SAME FOR THE 2.0.

THE PRIORITY OBJECTIVES, UH, THAT WILL REFLECTS THE, UM, THE RETREAT EXERCISE THAT YOU GUYS DID LAST YEAR, AND THEN ALSO,

[00:05:01]

UH, FINISHING UP THAT EXERCISE A FEW MONTHS AGO AS WELL.

AND THEN YOU HAVE YOUR GROW LONG BEACH DELIVERABLES THAT WE NESTED UNDER EACH OF THE FOCUS AREAS.

AND THEN THE NEW COLUMN THAT YOU'LL SEE IS TITLED E ECONOMIC DEPARTMENT, UM, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT ACTIVITIES, THE EDD ACTIVITIES.

SO THAT'S THE NEW COLUMN.

UM, AS A REMINDER, KIND OF WHAT WE WERE, HAVE BEEN WORKING ON AS STAFF IS TO BUILD UP THIS NEW COLUMN, JUST TO START THE ALIGNING WHAT, UM, ACTIVITIES, JUST TO PUT IT LOOSELY.

SO PROGRAMS, INITIATIVES AND OTHER EFFORTS THAT OUR DEPARTMENT DOES, ALIGNING THEM TO THE FOCUS AREA.

SO YOU WILL FIND, UM, WHAT WE DID AS STAFF IS THAT WE ALIGNED THE PROGRAMS TO ONE OF THE FOCUS AREAS.

YOU WILL SEE THAT WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE PRIORITY OBJECTIVE AND THE GROW LONG BEACH DELIVERABLES.

UM, YOU KNOW, UNSURPRISINGLY, THERE'S NOT, YOU KNOW, EXACT PERFECT, UH, LIKE, UM, OVERLAY AND, AND WITH SOMETHING THAT WE'VE TALKED ABOUT, EVEN JUST WORKING WITH THE BLUEPRINT SINCE I, YOU KNOW, UH, STARTED ASSISTING WITH THE COMMISSION.

AND I THINK THAT'S OKAY.

UM, BECAUSE AT THE END OF THE DAY, I THINK WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE FOCUS ON THE BLUEPRINT FOCUS AREA ITSELF, AND THEN, YOU KNOW, TAKE A LOOK AT THE GROW THE GROW LONG BEACH DELIVERABLES, UM, TOO.

SO SOMETHING THAT I'M LEARNING, AND, YOU KNOW, AS I CONTINUE TO WORK THE BLUEPRINT, THE GROW LONG BEACH, UM, LONG BEACH DELIVERABLES IS THAT THE GROW LONG BEACH DELIVERABLES ARE REALLY, THEY'RE MORE, UM, FOCUSED ON, ON ACCOMPLISHMENTS.

AND OBVIOUSLY THE FOCUS AREAS ARE, ARE MORE OPEN.

THAT'S WHY THEY'RE NET THE THE DELIVERABLES ARE NESTED WITHIN THE, THE FOCUS AREA.

UM, SO I THINK THAT MAYBE WE CAN LOOK AT HAVING A CONVERSATION ABOUT, YOU KNOW, IS THIS AN ISSUE OR IS THIS DESIGN ISSUE? BUT I THINK FOR THE PURPOSES OF, OF THE EXERCISE TODAY THAT WE HAVE IN FRONT OF US, THE, THE SHEET, I, I THINK IT WORKS REALLY WELL.

UM, I'LL JUST CALL THE, YOU KNOW, JUST YOUR ATTENTION TO, AGAIN, JUST THE FOCUS AREA.

SO ONE THROUGH EIGHT ON THE BLUEPRINT, AND THEN LOOKING AT THE OBJECTIVES WHILE TAKING INTO ACCOUNT THE GROW LONG BEACH DELIVERABLES.

AND THEN LOOKING AT THE ACTIVITIES THAT WE'VE LINED UP THERE RIGHT NOW.

SO THIS IS A PRETTY EXHAUSTIVE LIST.

UH, I'M WILLING TO HEAR BACK, UM, ON A COUPLE MORE OF OUR TEAM MEMBERS TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY TAKE A LOOK AT IT, AND THEN ADD ANY ACTIVITIES THAT ARE MISSING.

UM, SO I FULLY EXPECT THIS TO BE, YOU KNOW, JUST A GROWING LIST OF THINGS THAT WE ARE DOING AS A DEPARTMENT.

AND THEN THE OTHER PIECE ON THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, UM, DEPARTMENT ACTIVITIES COLUMN IS, YOU'LL SEE, UH, SOME OF THE BULLETS WILL HAVE INTERNAL PARTNERS LABELED ON THERE.

AND THIS JUST, UH, ME STARTING TO IDENTIFY DEPARTMENTS THAT WE'LL HAVE TO LEAN TO AS LIAISONS THAT WILL BE ABLE TO PROVIDE US UPDATES ON THE VARIOUS FOCUS AREAS OF THE BLUEPRINT.

SO, UM, THAT WAS KIND OF MY, MY FIRST PASS IS IDENTIFYING DEPARTMENTS AND THEN ALSO LOOKING AT, UH, UH, AN ACTUAL STAFF LIAISON ONCE WE, UH, START HAVING THOSE CONVERSATIONS WITH THE INTERNAL DEPARTMENTS.

SOMETHING THAT WE COULD HAVE A CONVERSATION ON, UH, TODAY OR AT SOME OTHER POINT, DEPENDING ON, UH, YOU KNOW, WHAT THE, THE CHAIR, UH, DECIDES TO DO IS, UM, LOOKING AT THE EXTERNAL PARTNERS, UH, TOO, YOU KNOW, THAT CAN BE AN EXERCISE THAT WE CAN START TODAY OR LOOK TO BEGIN, UH, LATER ON, UH, IN THE YEAR AS WELL.

OR FORM, FORM A, YOU KNOW, A SUBCOMMITTEE AS WELL WOULD BE, I THINK, AN APPROPRIATE, UM, ACTION TOO.

SO, JUST WANTED TO PRESENT YOU WITH THIS.

UM, HOPEFULLY YOU'VE HAD SOME TIME TO LOOK AT THAT.

THE EDD ACTIVITIES.

I'M HAPPY TO PROVIDE INFORMATION ON ANY OF THE PROGRAMS OR INITIATIVES THAT YOU MAY NOT BE FAMILIAR WITH.

UM, AND ALSO, JUST SO YOU KNOW, SO THE OTHER THING I WANT TO ADD, JUST FOR THE PUBLIC AND THEN, UH, ANYONE THAT'S EVERYONE'S AWARENESS IS JUST ADDING A DESCRIPTION OF EACH OF THE PROGRAMS, UH, DOWN THE ROAD AS WELL.

'CAUSE I KNOW NOT EVERYONE MAY BE FAMILIAR WITH, WITH, UH, CITY TALK, YOU KNOW, BUT SOME OF US ARE VERY PROFICIENT IN IT.

ANYWAYS.

UM, THAT'S, UH, THE FIRST DOCUMENT AND THE SECOND DOCUMENT, UH, WE WANTED TO CREATE FOR YOU, JUST AS A REMINDER, THERE WAS A CONVERSATION ABOUT BECOMING, UH, YOU KNOW, EACH COMMISSIONER HAVING, BEING A CHAMPION FOR A SPECIFIC FOCUS AREA.

SO THIS SECOND, UM, DOCUMENT THAT COMBAT DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION, UH, COMMISSIONER CHAMPIONS, YOU'LL SEE, UH, THAT IS JUST CAPTURING THE CONVERSATION THAT WE HAD, UH, IN JUNE, UH, AT THE END, UH, DURING THE, DURING THE MEETING, BASICALLY SAYING, YOU KNOW, WHICH OF THE COMMISSIONERS, UM, VOLUNTEERED TO BE A CHAMPION FOR EACH OF THE FOCUS AREAS.

I KNOW WE HAD A, A FEW COMMISSIONERS MISSING ON JUNE.

SO SOMETHING CHAIR I THINK WOULD BE GOOD TO DO IS TO, UH, THE COMMISSIONERS THAT ARE HERE, KIND OF HAVE THEM LOOK AT THE, THE FOCUS AREA AND SEE IF THEY'D LIKE TO CHAMPION ONE OF THOSE.

UH, AND JUST AS A REMINDER, ONE OF THE, UM, THINGS THAT WE TALKED ABOUT ON JUNE WERE THAT WE WANTED, IDEALLY TWO, TWO CHAMPIONS PER FOCUS AREA, I THINK WHAT WAS PREFERRED.

UM, BUT AGAIN, I'LL LET YOU GUYS, UH, HAVE THAT CONVERSATION ON WHERE THAT END.

SO THAT KIND OF PROVIDES, UM, ENDS MY OVERVIEW HERE AND I'M HAPPY TO EITHER ELABORATE MORE ON THE ACTIVITIES PIECE OR COLUMN, OR WE CAN HAVE A CONVERSATION ON, UH, THE CHAMPIONS, UH, PIECE TOO.

[00:10:02]

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

SO, UM, GREAT PRESENTATION.

LOVELY WAY OF, UM, BREAKING IT DOWN SO WE CAN SEE SORT OF HOW THIS PUZZLE FITS TOGETHER.

I LIKE THE FACT THAT YOU, UH, PUT THE EDD, YOU KNOW, ACTIVITIES, UH, THAT ARE CURRENTLY ONGOING THAT FIT IN THOSE SLOTS.

I THINK THAT'S VERY HELPFUL.

UM, FIRST OF ALL, I'D LIKE TO ASK COMMISSIONERS ON HOW THIS IS PRESENTED AND ONE OF THE TOPICS WE DO NEED TO HAVE.

UH, WE HAVE, AS YOU KNOW, THE, THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT HAS CHANGED QUITE SUBSTANTIALLY OVER THE LAST YEAR, TWO YEARS.

UH, THERE AREN'T VERY MANY PEOPLE LEFT THAT WERE INVOLVED IN THE BLUEPRINT 1.0.

AND WITH THE GROW LONG BEACH BLUEPRINT, UH, ONE OF THE BENEFITS OF THE WHOLE BLUE BLUEPRINT PROCESS WAS TO HAVE EXPERTS IN THESE VARIOUS AREAS, UH, PRESENT IN FRONT OF US SO THAT WE BECOME MORE INFORMED ABOUT HOW THESE ORIGINAL DECISIONS WERE MADE THAT CONSTRUCTED THE BLUEPRINT IN THE FIRST PLACE.

IN OTHER WORDS, COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT.

SO, UH, ONE SUGGESTION WE HAD DURING THE LAST MEETING, AND I THINK JILLIAN, YOU AND YOUR TEAM, ALONG WITH B'S, UH, HELP, UH, IF WE COULD RETRIEVE THE INDIVIDUALS THAT MADE PRESENTATIONS ON SOME OF THESE, UH, AREAS, I THINK IT WOULD GIVE THE COMMISSIONER A CHANCE TO REFRESH, UH, REAL DATA SETS THAT WE LOOKED AT WHEN WE CONSTRUCTED THE, UH, ORIGINAL, UH, BLUEPRINT TO START WITH.

AND EACH ONE HAD SPECIFIC PRESENTERS, AND MAYBE WE GO BACK AND HAVE A FEW OF THEM PRESENT IN THE MEETINGS WE HAVE GOING FORWARD WHILE WE'RE PUTTING, YOU KNOW, MEAT ON THE BONES OF THE, OF THE BLUEPRINT.

SO THAT'D BE SOMETHING THAT I WOULD SUGGEST THAT WE MAY CONSIDER DOING IN PREPARATION.

MAYBE START WITH ONE AT A TIME, BUT, UM, YOU KNOW, I'M NOT GONNA BE ON THE COMMISSION MUCH LONGER , SO THAT'LL BE SOMEONE ELSE'S PROJECT.

BUT THE SUGGESTION WOULD BE TO, UM, HAVE A MEETING SCHEDULED FOR EACH OF THESE FOCUS AREAS AND BRING THOSE SPEAKERS BACK.

AND, UH, SECOND POINT IS, UM, THERE ARE SOME COMMISSIONERS THAT HAVE NOT MADE DECISION YET.

UM, IF THERE'S ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION ABOUT THIS AND ANY INPUT THAT COMMISSIONERS WANNA MAKE ON THE LAYOUT AND ANY OF THEIR IDEAS WE MAY HAVE ABOUT HOW TO GET TO THE NEXT PHASE.

AND THE NEXT PHASE IS REALLY DESIGNING THE EXECUTION PART.

THAT'S WHY THE CHAMPIONS ARE SO IMPORTANT.

THEY'RE REALLY CRITICAL IN DESIGNING THE LAST, UH, BLUEPRINT AND CREATING ALL THE THINGS THAT WE'VE SEEN COME OUT OF THE, THE FIRST BLUEPRINT IS THE MEAT ON THE BONES, THE ACTIVITIES THAT ARE GONNA MAKE IT HAPPEN.

STAFF IS RESPONSIBLE FOR EXECUTION.

AND THE COMMISSION'S ROLE IS PROVIDE EXPERTISE AND GUIDANCE AND CONTEXT.

AND IF YOU HAVE SPEAKERS OR OTHER INDIVIDUALS THAT YOU KNOW THAT YOU WANNA PRESENT TO THE COMMISSION, THEN UH, THAT WOULD BE VERY HELPFUL AS WELL, BECAUSE SOME OF YOU BECOME EXPERTS IN SOME OF THESE AREAS BECAUSE OF YOUR PREVIOUS WORK HISTORY OR PREVIOUS WORK WITH THE, WITH THE COMMISSION.

SO WITH THAT, I'LL HAND IT OVER TO THE COMMISSIONERS TO, UH, CHIME IN WITH ANY COMMENTS THAT YOU MIGHT WANNA MAKE.

THANKS.

CHAIR LARKIN.

UM, I WANTED TO KIND OF JUST FOLLOW UP ON WHAT YOU'RE SAYING IS, IS, YOU KNOW, THERE WERE SO MANY COMMUNITY MEMBERS, THERE WERE SO MANY EXPERTS THAT PARTICIPATED IN THE PROCESS.

AND IT WOULD BE GREAT WHEN WE ROLL THIS OUT IS IF WE HAVE A PUBLIC CONVENING MEETING TO BE ABLE TO ROLL IT OUT AND ALSO, YOU KNOW, CONNECT PEOPLE WITH THE COMMISSIONERS.

I'VE HEARD FROM SEVERAL COMMISSIONERS ABOUT HOW THEY GET QUESTIONS IN OUR COMMUNITY ABOUT, YOU KNOW, HOW'S THAT BLUEPRINT GOING? I PARTICIPATED IN IT.

AND SO IT'D BE GOOD FOR US TO HAVE AT LEAST SOME KIND OF LAUNCH OR SOMETHING THAT'S PUBLIC, OR WE GIVE PEOPLE AN OVERVIEW, SHOW THEM HOW TO GET TO THIS PLAN AND ALSO FIND OUT HOW THEY'D LIKE TO BE ENGAGED.

GO AHEAD, TOM.

ALONG THE SAME LINES, UM, THANK YOU AGAIN FOR THIS MATRIX.

IT'S, IT'S HELPFUL.

I THINK WE SHOULD ALSO START KEEPING IN MIND OTHER CITY DEPARTMENTS THAT MAY PLAY A ROLE.

FOR EXAMPLE, IN REAL ESTATE DEVELOPMENT, ONE OF THE PRIORITIES IS COSTS AND TIME ASSOCIATED WITH ENTITLEMENT AND PERMITTING DEVELOPMENT SERVICES DEPARTMENT WOULD BE A KEY, UH, PARTNER THERE TO DISCUSS THIS IN TERMS OF, OF HONESTY AND TRANSPARENCY, WHAT CAN BE DONE, WHAT SIMPLE PROCESSES ARE AVAILABLE.

SO, EXCUSE ME.

SO WHY WE'RE ALL THINKING THROUGH OUR, UH, FOCUS AREAS, WHICH WE'LL PROBABLY BE THINKING ABOUT, UM, LOCAL GOVERNMENT PARTNERS AS WELL.

ANY OTHER COMMISSIONERS WANNA MAKE SOME COMMENTS? OKAY.

UM, WHAT I'D LIKE TO DO NOW IS JUST GIVE, UH, THE TWO COMMISSIONERS THAT ARE HERE, BRENDA AND MILTON, TIME TO REVIEW, AND FOR THE OTHER COMMISSIONERS TO REVIEW AS WELL, THE, UM, AND SEE IF YOU WANT TO ADD ANYTHING ELSE TO THESE, UH, DELIVERABLES

[00:15:01]

THAT YOU, UH, SEE HERE, OR HAVE ADDITIONAL COMMENTS.

I'D LIKE YOUR COMMENT WHERE YOU SAID BRING THE CITY DEPARTMENTS IN, UH, TO TALK ABOUT.

'CAUSE THERE'S A LOT OF COORDINATION.

YOUR DEPARTMENT'S GONNA BE CROSSWALKED WITH A LOT OF DIFFERENT, UH, DEPARTMENTS THAT ARE BLUEPRINT IMPACTS.

WE DON'T HAVE DIRECT RESPONSIBILITY FOR THOSE AREAS, BUT WE CERTAINLY WOULD HAVE RESPONSIBILITY TO ENSURE THAT THE PROCESS GETS EMBEDDED IN WHAT THE CITY'S TRYING TO ACCOMPLISH.

SO, UH, BRENDA, IF YOU DON'T MIND, AND YEAH, AUSTIN, I MEAN, IT'S, SO WERE YOU SUPPOSED TO PICK? UM, I'D LIKE TO DO ONE AND TWO.

BUSINESS EXPANSION, DIGITAL INCLUSION.

APPRECIATE IT.

AUSTIN.

YEAH, I WOULD BE INTERESTED IN, UM, FOUR REAL ESTATE DEVELOPMENT AND ONE, BUT IF THERE ARE TOO MANY PEOPLE ON ONE, THEN I CAN GO SOMEWHERE ELSE.

NOW WE DO HAVE FOUR COMMISSIONERS.

ON ITEM NUMBER SEVEN.

UH, DOES ANYONE WANT TO TAKE A LOOK AT EQUITY AND ECONOMIC INCLUSION OR QUALITY OF LIFE AS A PERHAPS A SECOND? UM, AREA OF INTEREST? YOU CAN PUT ME ON SIX.

EQUITY AND ECONOMIC INCLUSION.

ANYONE INTERESTED IN, UH, QUALITY OF LIFE AS A SECOND AREA? OKAY, VIVIAN.

OKAY, GREAT.

I THINK THAT, UH, ONE QUESTION FOR MY CHAIR.

UH, REST, YOU'RE CURRENTLY ON SEVEN AND EIGHT.

DO YOU WANT TO ALSO, UH, ADD ON TO NUMBER FIVE? OR DO YOU WANT TO REMOVE YOURSELF FROM ONE OF THE FOCUS AREAS OR BE ON THE, ON THE THREE? WHAT? OH, WELL, YOU'RE IN THREE AREAS NOW.

THAT'S THE, THAT'S THE COMMENT.

OH.

AND THAT'S OKAY.

I JUST WANTED TO COME CONFIRM TO TAKE MYSELF OFF ONE OF THE AREAS.

YOU DON'T HAVE TO, BUT I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE.

NO, I, I'M FINE WITH THAT.

I, I CAN, I CAN LET YOU KNOW IF I'M GONNA TAKE MYSELF OFF ONE.

I JUST WANT ONE OF THE COMMISSIONERS TO BE WORKING ON, JUST ON THEIR OWN.

ANY OTHER COMMISSIONER WANT TO, UM, HELP ON THE QUALITY OF LIFE AND EQUITY INCLUSION TOPIC? VIVIAN, YOU PUT YOUR ARE ON THAT NOW? I'M, SO THERE'S 2, 2, 2 ON THOSE.

THERE'S TWO COMMISSIONERS, BUT SHE'S ALSO ON THREE, FOUR, UH, THREE AREAS.

I WANT, THE ISSUE IS NOT WANTING TO OVER COMMIT AND THEN CORRECT THE COMMISSION.

THAT'S CORRECT.

I, YOU KNOW, I WAS WONDERING IF I SHOULD PULL OUT OF ONE AND JUST FOCUS ON ONE BECAUSE OF THAT, IF WE'RE GONNA BE OFF.

YOU'RE ALSO, YOU'RE ALSO, BECAUSE OF YOUR ROLE IN THE CITY, YOU ARE ALSO A MEMBER OF THE PUBLIC REPRESENTING THE BIDS.

SO YOU'LL BE HAVING INPUT I'M SURE AT THAT LEVEL, IF NOTHING ELSE.

MM-HMM.

SO DO YOU WANNA PULL OFF ON ONE? WELL, UH, NO.

I, I, I'LL PULL OFF A SEVEN.

YOU CAN'T CREATE BUSINESSES, YOU CAN'T PROVIDE SERVICES AND ENVIRONMENT WHERE IF YOU AREN'T CONNECTED, YOU ARE DISCONNECTED FROM OPPORTUNITY.

AND THAT'S A GOOD POINT FOR ME AS WELL.

ANYONE WANT TO, UM, BE AN ADDITIONAL PARTICIPANT ON THE, UH, DIGITAL EQUITY INCLUSION SUBJECT AREA? I'LL TELL YOU WHY IT'S IMPORTANT.

YEAH, BECAUSE, UH, JULIAN ACTUALLY TOLD ME A STORY THAT WAS, I THINK, VERY IMPACTFUL.

UM, AND I'VE HEARD THE STORY FROM OTHER COMPANY AS WELL, WHERE THERE ARE PLACES AND PARTS OF THE CITY THAT OBVIOUSLY THERE ARE CITIZENS IN PARTS OF THE CITY THAT DON'T HAVE INTERNET ACCESS, PARENTS AND THEIR KIDS.

HOWEVER, THERE ARE BUSINESSES THAT WE'RE TRYING TO LOCATE IN THOSE AREAS.

AND THERE ARE MANY BUILDINGS IN PARTS OF LONG BEACH THAT HAVE ABSOLUTELY NO INTERNET CONNECTIVITY AT ALL.

AND IT'S GONNA BE HARD TO DEVELOP AN ECONOMIC, UH, DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY, UH, IF YOU DON'T HAVE INTERNET CONNECTIVITY IN ALL AREAS OF THE CITY.

UH, SANTA MONICA ADDRESSED IT WITH, UH, SOMETHING CALLED MUNICIPAL BROADBAND, WHICH WE DID HAVE A SPEAKER SPEAK TO THAT SUBJECT AND IMPLEMENTED THAT MISSILE BROADBAND STRATEGY IN MANY CITIES ACROSS THE COUNTRY.

SANTA MONICA WAS ONE OF THOSE CITIES THAT IMPLEMENTED MISSILE BROADBAND, AND, UH, THAT'S THE REASON GOOGLE MOVED TO THEIR CITY AND BECAUSE THEY HAD A BIG ENOUGH PIPE FOR THEM TO PUT THEIR TECHNOLOGY, UH, IN THAT PART OF, UH, OF LOS ANGELES.

SO IT'S GONNA BE A, A REAL COMMITMENT TO MAKE THAT HAPPEN IN THE CITY.

SO ALL AREAS ARE IMPACTED.

SO IT KIND OF BLEEDS OVER IN SOME OF THESE OTHER AREAS, WHICH IS, UM, THE WHOLE CONCEPT OF EQUITY AND ECONOMIC INCLUSION.

[00:20:01]

SO, UH, I'M GONNA BE OFF THIS COMMISSION.

YEAH, I WAS SURPRISED.

TODAY.

I WAS AT A BUSINESS TODAY AND THEY, IT SHOCKED ME THEY DON'T HAVE CONNECTIVITY AND, UM, YOU KNOW, AND IT'S A, IT'S, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE PAYING A GOOD AMOUNT OF RENT.

SO I WAS ACTUALLY VERY SURPRISED.

SO I THINK IT IS SOMETHING THAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT FOR US RIGHT NOW.

UH, I AM HAPPY TO JUMP ON WITH BRENDA AND COVER, UH, DIGITAL EQUITY INCLUSION, UM, AND ENCOURAGE OTHER COMMISSIONERS IF THEY ONLY HAVE ONE AREA, UH, TO LOOK INTO A SECOND ONE, UM, OR SUPPORT ELSEWHERE AS WELL.

I KNOW WE'RE SHORT ON, UM, ONE OF OUR COMMISSIONERS, UM, MILTON AS WELL, BUT HAPPY TO SUPPORT ON THAT AREA.

APPRECIATE IT.

CHAIR.

YES, I'D BE, UM, HAPPY TO JOIN NUMBER ONE.

OKAY, PERFECT.

ALRIGHT, ANYTHING ELSE? ANY OTHER COMMISSIONERS? UH, AND THE WAY THAT USUALLY WORKS IS A MEMBER OF STAFF, SO YOU DON'T GET AN IDEA WHAT THE TIME COMMITMENT MIGHT BE.

UH, AS THEY START DEVELOPING THESE DIFFERENT AREAS AND LOOKING AT THE PRIMARY OBJECTIVES, UH, AND THE DELIVERABLES THAT WE NEED TO HAVE, THEY WILL CALL YOU AND IT'LL BE SOMETHING THEY'LL SCHEDULE, UH, SOME TIME TO HAVE A DISCUSSION ABOUT THESE AREAS.

SO IT ISN'T TAKE AN INCREDIBLE AMOUNT OF TIME, BUT YOUR EXPERTISE AND, AND THE FACT THAT YOU HAVE RELATIONSHIPS IN THE CITY AND OTHER PLACES MAY HELP DRIVE, UH, YOU KNOW, THE PROCESS AND MAKE IT REALLY, UH, YOU KNOW, WORK SEAMLESSLY.

THAT'S THE WAY IT HAPPENED LAST TIME, AND IT IS FUN, REALLY, UH, HAVING A CHANCE TO HAVE DISCUSSIONS WITH STAFF, UH, WITH THEM HAVING YOU ASK ME QUESTIONS THAT YOU MIGHT HAVE SOME EXPERTISE IN.

WITH, UH, IF THERE ARE NO OTHER COMMENTS FROM COMMISSIONERS, OKAY.

THEN THE NEXT PART OF THIS IS PUBLIC COMMENT, SEEING NONE, NO PUBLIC COMMENT.

SO AT THIS POINT, UH, MADAM CLERK CALL FOR THE VOTE.

TO DISCUSS POTENTIAL FUTURE ISSUE AREAS OR ITEMS TO COME BEFORE THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION.

SO ITEM NUMBER THREE.

ITEM THREE IS RECOMMENDATION

[3. 24-54406 Recommendation to discuss potential future issue areas or items to come before the Economic Development Commission. Suggested Action: Approve recommendation. ]

NOW THIS TOPIC, UH, UM, YEAH, THEN WE NEED, WE NEED A, UM, MOTION TO PROVE IN A SECOND.

WE HAVE A MOTION FROM COMMISSIONER SMITH AND A SECOND FROM COMMISSIONER SUAREZ.

OKAY, GREAT.

NOW, IN THE PAST, THIS ITEM WAS REALLY WHERE COMMISSIONERS WOULD HAVE SOMETHING THAT IS NOT REALLY PART OF THE BLUEPRINT, BUT SOMETHING THAT THEY FEEL NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED IN SOME OTHER FASHION.

UM, AND YOU CAN BRING THAT TOPIC UP AND THEN IT CAN BECOME PART OF A PROCESS OF BRINGING THOSE TOPICS UP TO THE COMMISSION AS SPEAKERS AND OTHERS, UH, COME AND PRESENT ON THOSE TOPICS.

SO IT'S SORT OF A CATCHALL FOR ANYTHING THAT MIGHT BE NOT SPECIFICALLY BLUEPRINT RELATED.

SO DOES ANY COMMISSIONER HAVE YES.

NOW, WALTER, JUST SOMETHING THAT, UH, I THINK WE BROUGHT UP, IT'S BEEN A, MAYBE A LITTLE WHILE, BUT THAT THE PLANNING COMMISSION HAS WEIGHT IN, UM, IN ITS DECISIONS ON DEVELOPMENT AND, AND USES OF, UH, PARCELS OR WHATNOT, BUT SOMETIMES IT BECOMES AN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT QUESTION RATHER THAN, UH, PLANNING, COMMISSION PLANNING.

SO CAN THERE BE AT A TIME WHEN, WHEN THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION GETS A REVIEW OR HAS A SAY IN THE SIMILAR TYPE OF, UH, UH, ISSUE, WHETHER IT'S SOMEONE WHO NEEDS, UM, COP OR, OR WANTS TO HAVE A, A LAND USE OR A CHANGE OF USE OR SOME TYPE, UH, BECAUSE I, I CALL IT THE LEFT HAND, RIGHT HAND, WHICH IS, YOU KNOW, WE WE'RE SELLING THE CITY, WE'RE, WE'RE BUSINESS FRIENDLY, UH, WE'RE DOING ALL THIS ATTRACTION, BUT YET SOMETIMES WHEN WE GET TO THE COUNTER, THEN IT'S VERY DIFFICULT AND YOU'RE STOPPED AND IT TAKES A LONG TIME.

UH, BUT NOBODY SAID THAT WAS GONNA HAPPEN OR FIGURE, BUT WE BROUGHT THEM HERE.

BUT THAT'S WHEN THE CHEERLEADERS SHOULD COME IN AND SAY, HEY, WELL, LET'S LOOK AT IT DIFFERENTLY THAN MAYBE JUST FROM THE PLANNING COMMISSION.

SO WHAT I'M SAYING IS THAT I'D LIKE TO SEE SOME WEIGHT IN SOME OF THE DISCUSSIONS OR THE THINGS WE TALK ABOUT, UH, AND THE OUTCOMES MAYBE THAT, UM, IT'S NOT OPPOSING

[00:25:02]

PLANNING COMMISSION.

THAT'S WHAT I'M SAYING.

I'M SAYING THAT IT'S, UM, LOOKING AT BOTH SIDES TO SEE WHAT'S ULTIMATELY IS THE BEST USE FOR, UM, FOR THE CITY AND A PARTICULAR NEIGHBORHOOD.

YEAH, WE, THAT'S A GREAT IDEA.

UH, I'VE WILL MENTIONED THAT WE HAD A JOINT MEETING BETWEEN THE PLANNING COMMISSION AND THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION.

AND IT WAS GREAT BECAUSE, UH, WE ARE POLICY, WE AREN'T INVOLVED IN DECISION MAKING, UH, ASPECTS TO IT, BUT THERE WERE THINGS THAT THE PLANNING COMMISSION BROUGHT UP THAT WERE A POLICY DISCUSSION THAT WE ARE ABLE TO HAVE JOINTLY.

AND IT IS SORT OF A BRAINSTORMING SESSION TO A CERTAIN DEGREE.

SO IF WE CAN, UH, WE'VE DONE IT BEFORE AND WE DID IT, I THINK AT THE, THE WATER AND POWER BUILDING, IF I REMEMBER CORRECTLY.

UH, BUT, UH, THAT WOULD BE SOMETHING THAT YOU, IF YOU, THE COMMISSIONERS WANTED TO HAVE A JOINT MEETING BETWEEN THE PLANNING, COMMISSIONING AND OUR COMMISSION, UH, IT COULD BE HELPFUL TO ADDRESS SOME OF THOSE ISSUES YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT.

I JUST, CAN I GIVE ONE MINOR EXAMPLE? AND I THINK IT WAS PASSED, BUT THERE WAS A, UH, RECENTLY, UH, UH, STARBUCKS WANTED TO GO IN AT, UM, BY THE CITY COLLEGE AND, UH, WAS IT, WHAT THE STREET, IS IT ANAHEIM? ANAHEIM AND WALNUT.

ANAHEIM AND WALNUT, I GUESS.

UH, IT WAS A, UH, AUTO GARAGE FOR A LONG, LONG TIME.

SO, UH, THE THOUGHT WAS, OKAY, WELL HERE'S THIS COLLEGE, HERE'S THE STUDENTS, UH, STARBUCKS WANTS TO COME IN, UH, AND ACTIVATE A PARCEL THAT HAD BEEN REALLY SITTING, UM, WHAT'S THE BEST WORD, LIKE DIRTY.

AND IT WOULD NOT, NOT A GREATER USE FOR THE ENTIRE NEIGHBORHOOD.

UH, THERE WAS A LITTLE BACK AND FORTH ISSUE ABOUT IT.

SO, UH, IF WE COULD COME IN AND SPEAK TO WHAT THE BENEFIT OF, OF NEW BUSINESSES AND ACTIVATING NEIGHBORHOODS THAT COULD USE IT, THAT'S WHERE THE STRENGTH COMES IN.

YOU KNOW, RATHER THAN JUST SOME RECEIVING FILES, BUT REALLY GETTING OUR TEETH INTO SOME OF THESE ISSUES.

WELL, THE WAY IT WOULD, THE WAY IT COULD BE PACKAGED, BECAUSE REMEMBER THE CITY COUNCIL'S GONNA BE, IF WE MAKE A RECOMMENDATION, IT'S A POLICY RECOMMENDATION, THEN THE CITY COUNCIL WILL HAVE TO VOTE ON THE POLICY RECOMMENDATION.

SO WE WANNA FOCUS ON IS THERE A POLICY GOING ON IN THE CITY THAT IS PREVENTING THE KIND OF, OR ENCOURAGING OR PREVENTING WHATEVER THIS CASE MAY BE A, UH, THOSE KINDS OF SITUATIONS FROM OCCURRING.

SO THAT'S THE WAY THIS COMMISSION CAN REALLY HELP THE PLANNING COMMISSION.

THERE MAY BE SOME POLICIES IN PLACE THAT AREN'T CONDUCIVE TO USING SPACE IN A MORE CREATIVE WAY THAT'S, WE CAN'T GET INVOLVED IN THAT DECISION, BUT WE CAN ALTER OR SUGGEST THE POLICY DECISION CHANGE MAKES THAT HAPPENS AND THE CITY COUNCIL WILL CONSTRUCT IT AS A POLICY CHANGE, AND THEN IT'LL BE, BECOME PART OF THE CITY'S REGULATION.

BUT THE COMMISSION FOR PLANNING KNOWS ALL THE POLICY, POTENTIAL POLICY THINGS THAT WE COULD PERHAPS, UH, HAVE SOME IMPACT ON.

BUT JUST REMEMBER, THEY ARE THE ONES WHO ACTUALLY MAKE DECISIONS AND WE'RE THE ONES WHO ADDRESS THE POLICY.

I JUST THINK GIVING INPUT AND LOOKING AT IT DIFFERENTLY, UH, LEFT AGAIN, UH, POLICY VERSUS BIGGER PICTURE THAT COULD BENEFIT RATHER THAN SAY, WELL, THE CODE BOOK SAYS THIS, BUT WE'RE SAYING YES, BUT A NEIGHBORHOOD IS NEEDING THIS, AND HOW DO WE GET THERE? RIGHT.

THAT'S SOMETHING I THINK, UH, WE'LL PROBABLY HAVE TO HAVE A MORE DETAILED DISCUSSION WITH STAFF BECAUSE THERE, WE DON'T WANT TO BLURT A LINE BETWEEN WHAT WE DO AND WHAT THE PLANNING COMMISSION DO.

SO WHETHER THEY'RE TRYING TO MAKE DECISIONS SPECIFICALLY ABOUT A STARBUCKS AT A SPECIFIC LOCATION THAT IS MOVING INTO THEIR PURVIEW, IF WE WANNA MAKE A DECISION ABOUT A POLICY THAT ARE, THAT IS PREVENTING THOSE KINDS OF SITUATIONS FROM OCCURRING, THAT'S WHAT WE WANT TO TRY TO ADDRESS.

SO WE GE WE CAN HAVE THE CITY COUNCIL LOOK AT POLICY THAT IS CREATING THESE KINDS OF ROADBLOCKS, AND THAT'S HOW WE SHOULD BE THINKING AS A, AS A COMMISSION POLICY DRIVES EVERYTHING.

RIGHT.

UM, AND THE, AND THE CITY COUNCIL IS IN CONTROL OF SETTING THESE POLICIES AND PROCEDURES IN PLACE, AND THE PLANNING COMMISSIONS IN CHARGE OF ENFORCING THOSE THINGS.

IF THERE'S NO SOLUTION, THEN THEY'RE GONNA FALL BACK ON THEIR OPINION.

RIGHT.

YES.

I WAS JUST GONNA, UH, ECHO FROM THE BEGINNING WHEN YOU TALKED ABOUT THE PLANNING COMMISSION GETTING TOGETHER WITH THE ECONOMIC DE DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION.

I THINK THAT'S, YOU KNOW, WE CAN DEFINITELY DO THAT.

THAT'S A GREAT IDEA.

UM, AND THEN THERE IS THIS, THERE ARE CHAMPIONS FOR THE BUSINESS ATTRACTION SIDE.

SO IT'D BE INTERESTING TO SEE SOME OF THE SUGGESTIONS THAT YOU HAVE.

IF THERE, THERE'S A WAY FOR THEM TO PUT MORE PROCESS IN PLACE ON THE BUSINESS ATTRACTION SIDE WHERE WE CAN BE INVOLVED.

THIS IS MR. AND MRS. X, WHOEVER.

IT'S THAT, IT'S, UH, IT'S ONE STEP FARTHER THAN THAT.

LIKE, SO YEAH, YOU'RE ATTRACTING THEM, BUT, UH, AND THEY FIND A LOCATION, AND THIS IS NOT STARBUCKS, I'M TALKING ABOUT THIS IS,

[00:30:01]

UH, AND, UH, IT COULD BE, WELL, WE'VE NEVER DONE THAT.

WE DON'T KNOW.

IT'S, IT'S NOT, IT'S NOT ZONE FOR THAT.

WELL, CAN WE DIG INTO IT? LOOK, BECAUSE WHAT, CAN WE TALK ABOUT WHAT THE GREATER GOOD IS, OR THE IMPACT AT THE END GAME IF SOMEBODY WERE TO COME AND ACTIVATE THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND PROVIDE SERVICES THAT IS NECESSARY.

THAT'S WHAT I'M SAYING, LIKE, TAKE IT A LITTLE DEEPER.

THE, THE NEXT STEP FOLLOW THROUGH ON ACTUALLY MAKING IT HAPPEN.

UM, SO THERE'S PROBABLY, DON'T WE THINK THAT THERE ARE OTHER EXAMPLES NOT IN, YOU KNOW, IN MANY NEIGHBORHOODS WHERE THEY RUN INTO THOSE BARRIERS.

AND SO, YOU KNOW, IS THERE A WAY FOR US TO BE ABLE TO TAKE A LOOK AT WHAT THOSE BARRIERS ARE AND HOW WE COULD WORK WITH THE PLANNING COMMISSION IN THE CITY? YEAH.

JOHN.

WITH CERTAIN REQUIREMENTS, RIGHT? MM-HMM.

UM, COMMISSIONER, I THINK I AGREE WITH YOU AND, AND WHAT WE HAD TALKED ABOUT IN BOTH RETENTION, ATTRACTION, UM, AND EXPANSION AND READ AND DEVELOPMENT, WHILE BEING A LITTLE BIT MORE PROACTIVE WITH DIGITAL MAPS, THAT PEOPLE COULD GO ONLINE AND INTERACT WITH A PLOT BY A PN NUMBER AND THE, AND THE, THE ZONING THAT'S PERMITTED.

AND THEN WORKING WITHIN THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT, THE METHODS IN WHICH SOMEONE CAN GO FOR A ZONE CHANGE, A LAND USE CHANGE.

MOST OF THE CITY NOW HAS A COMBINATION OF COMMERCIAL ZONES, AS YOU KNOW, AND NEIGHBORHOOD ZONES.

AND THE, I I HAVE TO APPLAUD THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT OVER THE LAST FIVE YEARS.

THEY'VE DONE A REALLY GOOD JOB AT KINDA STREAMLINING THE PROCESS TO YOUR POINT OF SAYING, NO, BUT YOU HAVE TO FILE FOR, UM, LAND USE CHANGE OR YES.

, UM, I, THAT'S THE PROCESS AND THAT'S WHY I MENTIONED DEVELOPMENT SERVICES EARLIER ON.

THAT'S RIGHT.

THAT'S REALLY WHAT WE NEED TO DO, IS WE NEED TO GIVE TOOLS TO PEOPLE THAT AT 10 O'CLOCK AT NIGHT, A BROKER, A REALTOR, A MOM AND POP CAN GO ONLINE AND SEE IF THEIR, THEIR POTENTIAL USE IS IN LINE WITH THE EXISTING ZONING.

IF NOT, THEN CLICK HERE TO FIND OUT HOW ZONE CHANGES CAN OCCUR.

AND NOT WAIT FOR IT TO GET TO THE PLANNING COMMISSION, OR NOT EVEN TO A BROKER WHO'S TRYING TO MARKET THE PROPERTY.

IT SHOULD BE VERY SIMPLY DONE ONLINE.

RIGHT? YEAH.

AND, UH, BY A PN.

SO THOSE ARE THE TOOLS TO, UH, VIVIAN'S POINT, THOSE ARE SOME OF THE TOOLS THAT THOSE TWO AREAS OF FOCUS THAT I'M PARTICULARLY INTERESTED IN NEEDS TO MODERNIZE ITSELF.

AND THEN THERE'S THE HUMAN TOUCH, I THINK THAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT YES.

AS WELL.

AND I THINK THAT'S A WHOLE CONVERSATION WITHIN THE DEVELOPMENT SERVICES DEPARTMENT AS WELL ABOUT HOW, HOW YOU HANDLE A CUSTOMER LIKE THAT AND THAT KIND OF CONFLICT.

YES.

IT'S VERY GOOD.

I THINK, UH, THOSE ARE REALLY GOOD IDEAS.

AND THOSE IDEAS ARE THINGS THE COMMISSION CAN, UM, CHAMPION OTHER COMMENTS FROM COMMISSIONERS.

AUSTIN.

NOT TO DO ANYTHING WITH IT.

THIS IS ANOTHER SUGGESTED ITEM TO COME BACK TO THE COMMISSION.

SO THIS IS BASED OFF OF OUR EARLIER CONVERSATION, UH, AT THE REVOLVING LOAN COMMITTEE REGARDING VACANT STOREFRONTS THROUGHOUT THE CITY.

SO I THINK IT WOULD BE GOOD FOR THE, THE COMMISSION TO EXAMINE WHAT OTHER CITIES ARE DOING TO HELP FILL THOSE.

UM, YOU KNOW, ONE IDEA, WHEN WE THINK ABOUT WHAT'S THE BARRIER FOR FORGETTING MICRO ENTERPRISES INTO A SPACE? WE'VE TALKED ABOUT DOING POPUP PROGRAMS BEFORE, BUT THEY HAVEN'T BEEN SUCCESSFUL.

WHY IS THAT? OFTENTIMES IT'S THE COST FOR THAT DAY SET UP, RIGHT? IF YOU THINK ABOUT, UM, A SELLER'S PERMIT, MOST OF THE TIME THEY PAY FOR THAT.

THEY'RE ACTUALLY NOT GONNA MAKE THAT MONEY BACK.

IT TENDS TO BE A LOSS FOR THEM.

UM, IS THERE A WAY TO INCENTIVIZE THE PROPERTY OWNER TO ALLOW FOR THE POPUP TO HAPPEN? IS THERE A GRAND OPPORTUNITY FOR THE ARTS TO BE PLACED IN THE SPACE WHILE IT'S VACANT? UM, AND THEN WHAT'S THE LONG TERM, UM, KIND OF STRATEGY FOR FILLING THE VACANCIES? HOW ARE WE WORKING WITH THE BROKERAGE COMMUNITY TO GET FOLKS IN? I KNOW BEFORE WE'VE TRIED TO AVOID ANY TYPE OF TAX, UM, BUT IT SEEMS LIKE THERE WOULD BE OTHER OPPORTUNITIES TO, TO ASSESS THAT AND COME UP WITH KIND OF A PACKAGE THAT COULD BE PRESENTED TO CITY COUNCIL TO HELP ENCOURAGE IT.

UM, I KNOW IT'S AN ISSUE FOR DOWNTOWN.

I KNOW I'VE SEEN VACANCIES THROUGHOUT THE CITY.

I'M SURE IT MAY NOT BE AS BIG AS IT IS IN DOWNTOWN, BUT IT IS SOMETHING I THINK WE SHOULD THINK ABOUT, UH, HOW WE ENCOURAGE THAT.

THAT'S VERY GOOD.

YEAH, THERE, THERE, THERE IS A DEPARTMENT IN THE CITY, I CAN'T RECALL WHAT IT IS, THAT WAS SUPPOSED TO HAVE PUT TOGETHER A LIST OF ALL THE PROPERTIES.

THIS IS PRIOR TO COVID.

I THINK YOU REMEMBER THAT, UH, WHERE THEY WERE GONNA IDENTIFY WHO THOSE OWNERS WERE AND THEN GO ABOUT THE BUSINESS, UH, PERSUADING THEM TO ACTIVATE THOSE AREAS IN SOME FASHION.

SO, UM, I DON'T THINK THAT WAS EVER FINISHED.

COVID HAPPENED AND EVERYTHING SORT OF WENT ON, BREAKS UP.

I THINK IT WAS A GREAT IDEA.

UH, WALTER, ARE THOSE CITY OWNED ASSETS OR JUST, UH, COMMERCIAL SPACES? THEY'RE OWNED BY, UH, PROPERTY OWNERS THAT HAVE CHOSEN, FOR WHATEVER REASON, JUST

[00:35:01]

AND THERE'S A NUMBER OF THOSE NOW.

THEY'RE PROBABLY EVEN MORE IN THE CITY IN THAT CLASSIFICATION.

UM, SO I JUST WANTED TO ASK COMMISSIONER RETO A QUESTION ABOUT IT.

I LIKE THE STOREFRONTS IDEA TOO, BUT IS THERE SOME WAY THAT WE COULD GET A REPORT OR ON, UM, DOWNTOWN AREAS? AND I KNOW YOU CHAIR, YOU KNOW, YOU CHAIR THAT, UM, ORGANIZATION FOR OUR, IS IT OUR AREA, BUT, UM, SOME OF THE INNOVATIVE WAYS THAT CITIES ARE LOOKING AT DOWNTOWN AREAS AND USE, YOU KNOW, IT'D BE GREAT FOR US TO REALLY KNOW MORE ABOUT THAT AND ALSO TO BE ABLE TO KIND OF SEED SOME IDEAS OF HOW WE MIGHT BE MORE PROACTIVE OR ACTIVE IN THAT CHANGE.

UH, WE CAN CERTAINLY DO THAT.

I DON'T KNOW IF IT WOULD BE ME, UH, PRESENTING THAT OR IF I WOULD HAVE ANOTHER COLLEAGUE, BUT IF, UM, WE WANT, WE CAN CERTAINLY REACH OUT TO THE INTERNATIONAL DOWNTOWN ASSOCIATION TO ASK THEM TO COME IN AND KIND OF SPEAK ABOUT WHAT THEY'RE SEEING ACROSS THE COUNTRY.

UM, AND THEN, UH, WE COULD ALSO REACH OUT TO OTHER STATE, UM, DOWNTOWN ASSOCIATIONS TO TALK ABOUT WHAT THEY'RE DOING.

UM, I WAS TALKING TO, UM, CHAIR WALTER EARLIER, UM, ABOUT SAN FRANCISCO AND THE PACKAGE THEY'VE DEVELOPED FOR THEIR VACANT STOREFRONTS.

SO THAT WOULD BE ANOTHER GREAT EXAMPLE OF HOW THEY'RE TRYING TO APPROACH THAT ISSUE.

UM, AND THEN JUST THE ONLY OTHER THING, EVEN WITH THE CITY'S NEW KIND OF SIDEWALK VENDING, UM, ORDINANCES, RIGHT? UM, WE RUN INTO ISSUES WHERE THEY'RE PLACED IN FRONT OF A BRICK AND MORTAR, EXISTING BRICK AND MORTAR.

BUT IF WE HAVE A VACANT STOREFRONT OR A VACANT LOT, HOW DO WE ENCOURAGE THOSE VENDORS TO SET UP THERE? AND THEN HOW DO WE, UM, THEN CREATE KIND OF AN OPPORTUNITY TO ATTRACT FOOT TRAFFIC THERE? SO IN THAT, LIKE VACANT STOREFRONT BEING, I WANT TO SEE A DISCUSSION AROUND LIKE, HOW DO WE INTEGRATE AN EXISTING POLICY THAT'S ALREADY OUT THERE TO ENCOURAGE THOSE FOLKS INTO SPACES THAT IS GONNA CAUSE CONFLICT WITH, UH, A BRICK AND MORTAR? GOOD POINT.

FUNDING THAT WILL BE COMING TO OUR STATE.

ANY OTHER COMMENTS FROM COMMISSIONERS ON THIS ITEM? YES.

UH, TWO COMMENTS.

UM, ONE FOR CITY STAFF MAINLY, UM, AS WE GO THROUGH THE BLUEPRINT, UM, JUST BEING COGNIZANT OF WHAT CURRENT DATA WE HAVE FROM LIKE A SNAPSHOT TO MEASURE WHAT OUR PROGRESS IS.

SO I KNOW A LOT OF THE STUFF WE'LL BE BUILDING AS WE GO.

UM, BUT WHAT MECHANISM MECHANISMS ARE WE GONNA HAVE TO FIGURE OUT, YOU KNOW, HOW MUCH IMPROVEMENT'S BEEN MADE? UM, SO THAT'S KIND OF A GO BACK TO THE LAST ITEM, BUT IT COULD BE A PART OF OUR FUTURE PRESENTATIONS.

AND ON THAT NOTE, UM, WE HAD DISCUSSED OVER THE LAST FEW MONTHS, UM, POSSIBLY BRINGING IN THE CITY AUDITOR'S OFFICE, UM, TO TALK ABOUT THEIR MAYBE ROADMAP OF AUDITS, PERFORMANCE IMPROVEMENT ACTIVITY THAT THEY HAVE SCHEDULED FOR THE NEXT, YOU KNOW, 12 TO 24 MONTHS.

'CAUSE I THINK THEY'LL BE A STRONG TOOL IN A LOT OF THE WORK WE DO IN THE BLUEPRINT, UM, TO FIGURE OUT, AGAIN, ARE WE IMPROVING BY HOW MUCH, WHERE THE IMPACT IS.

I KNOW A LOT OF THEIR WORK IS FOCUSED ON, YOU KNOW, IMPROVING THE QUALITY OF SERVICES FOR THE CITY.

UM, SO IF WE CAN POSSIBLY GET THEM EARLIER IN THE SCHEDULE TO JUST TALK ABOUT HOW TO GET ON THEIR AGENDA, IT'LL HELP US WHEN WE'RE STARTING TO DO SOME OF THIS WORK LATER ON TO FIGURE OUT, YOU KNOW, HOW TO QUICKLY GET ONTO THEIR RADAR.

UM, SO THAT, THAT'S ONE FOR THE FUTURE AGENDAS.

ONE FROM A POLICY STANDPOINT, UM, THAT I MENTIONED LAST MEETING THAT I JUST WANNA TRY TO CODIFY HERE IS, UM, POTENTIAL SALES TAX INCREASES FOR THE NOVEMBER ELECTION.

I KNOW IT'S NOT NECESSARILY A CITY, UM, ITEM, BUT UNDERSTANDING HOW, UM, THOSE COUNTY INITIATIVES WILL IMPACT OUR BUSINESS COMMUNITY IN LONG BEACH.

UH, MY UNDERSTANDING IS WE'RE CURRENTLY CAPPED AT THE SALES TAX LEVEL, BUT THIS ONE WOULD ACTUALLY BE EXEMPT FROM THAT.

SO UNDERSTANDING HOW THAT WOULD IMPACT THE CITY OF LONG BEACH, ESPECIALLY BUSINESSES THAT ARE RIGHT ON THE BORDER OF CITIES, WHICH ARE WITH A MUCH LOWER SALES TAX.

SO JUST UNDERSTANDING HOW THAT CHANGE WOULD, UM, IMPACT LONG BEACH OVERALL.

WOULD IT BREAK THE CAP? WOULD IT GO UP ALLOWING OUR BUSINESS COMMUNITY AND OUR COMMISSION TO HAVE A SAY ON THAT MIGHT BE USEFUL AS WE'LL PROBABLY BE LOOKED AT TO MAKE A RECOMMENDATION OR, UM, JUST GENERAL COMMENTS ON THAT.

SO UNDERSTANDING MAYBE FROM THE CITY ATTORNEY, UM, HOW THAT WOULD IMPACT, SHOULD IT PASS OR SHOULD IT FAIL, JUST TO KNOW THOSE DIFFERENT OPTIONS.

SO THAT'S MORE OF THE MEASURE, MEASURE H QUESTION IF THAT GETS SUNSETTED AND REPLACED WITH SOMETHING ELSE IN NOVEMBER.

GREAT IDEA.

UM, I HAVE TWO OTHER ONES IS I DID SEE AT THE CITY COUNCIL A, UH, IT WAS A REPORT OR A, UM, OVERVIEW OF THE OLYMPICS 2028, THE WORK THAT'S GOING ON FOR THE REGION.

IT WASN'T JUST SPECIFICALLY FOR LONG BEACH.

I THINK THAT'D BE INTERESTING, ESPECIALLY FROM THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STANDPOINT, IF THEY COULD PRESENT SOME OF THAT TO THE COMMISSION.

UM, AND THEN THE OTHER ONE IS, IS THERE'S, AFTER NOVEMBER, UH, YOU KNOW, FOR WHATEVER ADMINISTRATION GETS IN, THERE WILL BE

[00:40:01]

UM, AND ON THE AREA OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, LIKE ECONOMIC RESILIENCY, YOU KNOW, VARIOUS AREAS THAT I THINK IT WOULD BE GOOD FOR US TO BE ABLE TO, WHETHER IT'S A PRESENTATION FROM THE PORT OR IT'S A PRESENTATION FROM THE CITY ON WHAT KIND OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT FUNDING IS COMING IN FROM THE FEDERAL LEVEL TO THE, TO, TO THE STATE, AND THEN TO OUR CITIES.

ANY OTHER COMMENTS FROM COMMISSIONERS? ANY PUBLIC COMMENT? SEEING NONE.

[4. 24-54407 Recommendation to hold an election for the position of Chair and Vice Chair of the Economic Development Commission. Suggested Action: Approve recommendation. ]

RECOMMENDATION TO HOLD AN ELECTION FOR THE POSITION OF CHAIR AND VICE CHAIR OF THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION.

MY FAVORITE ITEM.

I THINK WE HAVE TWO SHOES UNDERNEATH, UH, EACH OF YOU GUYS' CHAIRS.

SO AS MANY OF YOU KNOW, UH, THERE WERE TWO COMMISSIONERS, UH, THAT HAVE BEEN ON THE COMMISSION FOR OVER EIGHT YEARS.

AND OUR TIME IS COMING TO A GLORIOUS AND HAD VERY SATISFYING.

AND SO, UM, I ALSO SPEAK FOR MYSELF AND I MIGHT NOT HAVE A CHANCE TO SAY ANYTHING ABOUT IT, BUT I WILL SAY, FIRST OF ALL, I'VE ENJOYED BEING ON THE COMMISSION.

I THINK THAT WE'VE MADE A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF DIFFERENCE IN THE CITY, ESPECIALLY AS WE'VE GONE THROUGH MINIMUM WAGE CHALLENGES, COVID, YOU KNOW, YOU NAME IT, YOU KNOW, WE'VE HAD TO, WE'VE HAD TO DEAL WITH.

IT'S VERY EXCITING.

SO, UM, AND WHAT I'VE ENJOYED ABOUT THIS, UH, COMMISSION IS WE ALL CARE IN OUR OWN WAY TO MAKE THE CITY A BETTER PLACE.

UH, NOT ONLY FOR THE BUSINESSES HERE, BUT ALSO FOR THE PEOPLE THAT LIVE HERE.

AND THE THINGS THAT THAT LONG BEACH HAS DONE OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS IS REALLY ASTOUNDING.

IT REALLY IS.

THE, THE BLUEPRINT 1.0 IS A START.

AND THE WORK THAT WE HAVE ALL DONE TO HAVE THE GROW LONG BEACH, UH, BLUEPRINT, IT'S, UH, INSPIRING, UH, EXCITING AND WORKING WITH ALL OF YOU, UM, HAS BEEN, UH, IT REALLY HAS BEEN AN HONOR.

YOU GUYS ARE KNOWLEDGEABLE, COMMITTED, MOTIVATED, AND THAT'S WHAT IT'S GONNA TAKE BECAUSE WE GOT A LOT OF FUN STUFF THAT'S GONNA BE AHEAD OF US THAT WE'RE ALL GONNA BE DEALING WITH EXPECTED AND, AND UNEXPECTED.

SO I LOOK FORWARD TO, UH, SITTING IN THE AUDIENCE ON OCCASION, YOU KNOW, ME VOICING MY OPINION FOR WHATEVER OPINION IS WORTH.

BUT, UH, YOU WILL SEE ME AROUND AND, AND I AM VERY HAPPY THAT I'VE HAD THE HONOR BEING ON THIS COMMISSION WORKING WITH ALL OF YOU.

SO, UM, WITH THAT COMMENT, THERE IS A VOTE THAT THERE'S PEOPLE THAT WANT TO TAKE THIS, THIS, UH, THIS RULE.

AND I HOPE THAT THE, THERE'S SOME VOLUNTEERS FOR IT.

SO, UH, LET ME LOOK AT THE PROCESS AND MAKE SURE I DO THIS CORRECTLY.

MADAM CLERK MADE SURE HE HAS TO SAY THIS PERFECTLY, AND I'M GONNA DO THAT BY SAYING EXACTLY AS WHAT SHE TOLD ME TO SAY, WHICH IS, OH, CAN WE, CAN WE GET A MOTION IN A SECOND? OH, THANK YOU.

SORRY.

MISSED UP ALREADY.

NO NEED FOR A MOTION.

SECOND.

SO MOTION TO APPROVE THE ACCEPTANCE.

THEY'LL MAKE THE NOMINATION AND THEN WE'LL VOTE ON THE NOMINATION.

SO I DECLARE THE NOMINATIONS OPEN FOR THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION CHAIR.

EACH MEMBER, WE NOMINATE ONE PERSON FOR CHAIR, INCLUDING YOURSELF.

THESE ARE NOMINATIONS.

DO NOT REQUIRE A SECOND.

SO I'M GONNA START OUT, SINCE I'M DOING THE TALKING RIGHT NOW, AND I WILL, UM, ASK THAT VIVIAN, UH, BE, UH, CHAIR OF THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, UH, COMMISSION.

ANYONE ELSE, UH, THAT ANYONE ELSE CAN, CAN, UH, CAN ALSO PUT THEIR NAME IN IF THEY WOULD WISHES.

NO NEED TO SECOND, JUST IF YOU WANTED TO MAKE A NOMINATION, WE CAN MAKE THE NOMINATION AND THEN WE'LL VOTE ON EACH ONE AS WE GO THROUGH.

WAS THAT, THAT'S A NOM, THAT'S A MOTION.

CORRECT.

SOMEONE HAS TO DO A SECOND.

NO NEED FOR A SECOND.

DO WE HAVE ANOTHER NOMINATION FOR EITHER NOMINATIONS? FOR CHAIR, CHAIR? OKAY.

YOU, NO, I'M SORRY.

SHE'S ASKING, SHE ASKED YOU.

ASK ME.

YES.

DO WE HAVE ANY OTHERS? NO NOMINATION FOR, FOR THE CHAIR? NO.

SHE'S LOOKING AT ME.

I WAS .

SO NOW WE NEED A SECOND.

NOW YOU NEED A SECOND? NO NEED TO SECOND? NO, NO.

SO WOULD YOU LIKE US TO EACH GO DOWN THE ROAD AND STATE OUR NOMINATION FOR CHAIR? WHAT WE'LL DO NOW IS WE'LL MAKE SURE THAT THERE'S NO PUBLIC COMMENT

[00:45:01]

THAT WE NEED TO TAKE.

UM, AND THEN IF THE NOMINEE WOULD LIKE TO MAKE ANY COMMENTS, THEY CAN GO AHEAD AND MAKE THOSE COMMENTS, UM, TO ENCOURAGE YOU TO VOTE FOR THEM.

AND THEN AFTER THAT, WE'LL GO AHEAD AND OKAY.

CLOSE THE NOMINATION AND THEN GO AHEAD.

AND WE ONLY DO THIS EVERY ONCE, EVERY, YOU KNOW, WHATEVER NUMBER OF YEARS .

SO, UH, ALRIGHT, SO FIRST OF ALL, ARE THERE ANY ADDITIONAL NOMINATIONS FROM OTHER PEOPLE OTHER THAN MYSELF FOR CHAIR? OKAY, SO HEARING NONE, THEN BEING NO FURTHER NOMINATIONS, I AND VIVIAN, DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING TO SAY? WELL, I WANNA THANK YOU FOR THAT NOMINATION.

UM, AND, UM, AS, AS ALWAYS, I HAVE A GREAT APPRECIATION FOR ALL THE WORK THAT THE COMMISSIONERS DO TOGETHER.

AND SO, UM, I WOULD LOOK FORWARD TO DOING THAT WORK WITH YOU.

SHOULD I GET ELECTED TO BEING THE CHAIR? OKAY.

OKAY, SO, UH, PUBLIC COMMENT.

SEEING NONE.

THERE BEING NO FURTHER NOMINATIONS.

I DECLARE THE NOMINATIONS CLOSED FOR CHAIR.

AND NOW WE'LL GO AHEAD AND WE'LL TAKE A VOTE.

CONGRATULATIONS, .

SO NOW CAN I MAKE A, A COMMENT? IS THAT, IS THAT OKAY? IN THE PROTOCOL? OKAY.

SO FIRST OF ALL, THANK YOU SO MUCH, WALTER CHAIR.

WALTER CHAIR.

UM, BECAUSE YOU HAVE TAKEN OUR COMMISSION FROM THE START OF A COMMISSION, AN ECONOMIC DEVELOP DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION, TO TAKING IT THROUGH TWO PRO TWO PROCESSES OF THE BLUEPRINT, 1.0, 2.0, AND THEN ALSO REALLY JUGGLING SO MANY, UM, TIMES WHEN WE ALSO HAD TO WORK WITH THE MAYOR'S OFFICE, THE CITY COUNCIL, ON THINGS THAT REALLY WERE IMPORTANT THAT IMPACTED OUR COMMUNITY AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.

UM, AND SOME OF THE THINGS WERE SOMEWHAT CONTROVERSIAL, BUT ALL OF, ALL THE TIME, YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE PULLED PEOPLE TOGETHER, YOU UNDERSTAND THE SYSTEMS AND ALSO YOU UNDERSTAND HOW TO ENGAGE THE PUBLIC.

AND I THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, UM, FROM, YOU KNOW, FROM MY STANDPOINT, I'LL BE ON THE COMMISSION AS WELL AS SEEING ALL THE WORK THAT WE DO TOGETHER.

SO MUCH HAS BEEN DONE OVER THE YEARS.

SO THANK YOU SO MUCH.

AND YOU'RE NOT GOING AWAY.

YOU KNOW THIS, BUT THE OLD SOLDIERS, I'M NOT GONNA DO OLD SOLDIER SPEECH.

, GET YOU RID OF THAT ONE.

HE'S GONNA CONTINUE TO BE INVOLVED.

HE SAID HE WOULD.

UM, AND ALSO, YOU KNOW, JUST WANNA LET YOU KNOW, GREAT APPRECIATION.

AND THIS, UM, AS JULIAN WILL SHARE, IS, IS THAT UNTIL ANOTHER APPOINTMENT'S MADE, YOU'LL CONTINUE TO BE WITH US.

SO, BUT I JUST WANTED TO SAY THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR SERVICE AND YOUR WORK THAT YOU'VE DONE FOR THE CITY, BUT ALSO WITH US.

APPRECIATE THAT.

SO CAN SHE TAKE OVER NOW WITH THE NEXT, UH, VICE CHAIR THING? YOU CAN CONTINUE TO CHAIR THE MEETING UNTIL WE'RE DONE.

YEAH, WE KEEP GOING.

YOU CAN YOUR CHOICE THOUGH.

ALRIGHT, FINE.

I WAS LOOKING FOR THAT.

ALRIGHT, SO OBVIOUSLY THE NEXT ITEM IS THE VICE CHAIR.

SO, UH, DO WE HAVE ANY NOMINATIONS FOR VICE CHAIR? I, I'D LIKE TO MAKE MY, YOUR YEAH, GO AHEAD.

UM, I WOULD LIKE TO NOMINATE JOHN THOMAS.

UM, AS YOU KNOW, MANY OF YOU MAY KNOW, CAN I MAKE COMMENTS? ALSO, NOW IS JOHN THOMAS HAS SERVED ON THIS COMMISSION AS WELL AS OTHER COMMISSIONS.

HE HAS, UM, WORKED TIRELESSLY, UH, FOR MANY OF OUR COMMUNITIES FOR OVER 30 YEARS.

UM, HE'S BEEN WITH THE PUBLIC SECTOR, WORKING WITH THE CITY, HE'S BEEN WITH THE PRIVATE SECTOR.

UM, I INITIALLY MET JOHN WHEN WE WERE WORKING ON THE WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT BOARD AND, YOU KNOW, JUST ALWAYS FOUND THAT ONE OF THE KEY AREAS THAT HE WAS CONTRIBUTING IN WAS ENGAGING THE COMMUNITY, LISTENING TO THE COMMUNITY, ENGAGING THE COMMUNITY, AND ALSO HAVING, YOU KNOW, UM, NOT ONLY RECOMMEND RECOMMENDATIONS BUT OVERVIEWS OF SOLUTIONS BECAUSE HE UNDERSTOOD THE VARIOUS AGENCIES AND DEPARTMENTS THAT THE CITY WORKS IN.

UM, YOU KNOW, WE'RE GONNA MOVE INTO A PERIOD NOW WHERE WE'RE GONNA BE IMPLEMENTING A BLUEPRINT.

WE, THE STAFF, YOU KNOW, WE'RE NOT ON THE TACTICAL SIDE, BUT WE ARE ON THE STRATEGIC SIDE AND WE'RE ON THE SIDE OF ENGAGING PEOPLE IN OUR COMMUNITY TO WANT TO SEE OUR WORK MOVE FORWARD.

AND I, YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT'S ONE OF THE STRENGTHS THAT JOHN HAS.

SO I'D LIKE TO NOMINATE HIM FOR THE VICE CHAIR.

THANK YOU BILLY.

ARE THERE ANY OTHER NOMINATIONS?

[00:50:01]

NO.

UM, ANY COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC? SEEING NONE.

OKAY, THEN I THINK WE, ALL WE NEED TO DO IS CALL FOR A VOTE.

CORRECT? I MOTION CARRIES.

CONGRATULATIONS.

ALRIGHT, NOW, WOW, LOOK AT THAT.

ITEM NUMBER.

SO, UM, WE'RE NOW ON, I THINK WE'RE DONE.

COMMISSIONER THOMAS, DID YOU WANNA MAKE ANY REMARKS BEFORE WE MOVE FORWARD? COMMENTS? OH, SORRY JOHN, WOULD YOU LIKE TO MAKE ANY REMARKS BEFORE WE MOVE FORWARD? UH, I THINK THERE'S ENOUGH BEEN SAID ALREADY.

UM, I APPRECIATE THE CONFIDENCE AND, UM, PUBLIC SERVICE HAS BEEN A, UH, SOMETHING I'VE DONE FOR 45 YEARS, NOT JUST ON THE PILOT SECTOR AND PUBLIC SECTOR, BUT, UH, ELSEWHERE.

AND I'M REALLY APPRECIATIVE OF THE OPPORTUNITY.

I WENT FROM, UM, COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT ADVISORY COMMISSION WHERE I THINK WE FIRST MET TO, UH, REDEVELOPMENT CHAIRING THE RE REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY TO THE COMMUNITY INVESTMENT COMPANY.

AND NOW HERE AND I'M, EVERY ONCE IN A WHILE I THINK I'M GONNA TAKE A BREAK AND THEN I GET AN OFFER I LITERALLY CAN'T REFUSE.

AND COMING HERE WITH A PASSION OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, UM, HAS REALLY BEEN A GREAT SPOT AND I'VE LEARNED A LOT FROM MY FELLOW COMMISSIONERS IN THE OTHER SENSITIVE AREAS THAT'S COMMUNITY BUILDING AND, AND, UH, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DRIVEN, UM, CONCEPTS.

I APPRECIATE EVERYBODY'S THOUGHTFULNESS AND TEACHING ME A LOT THROUGH THE LAST, UH, FIVE OR SIX YEARS.

CALL IT A VOTE.

DO WE NEED A VOTE? WE'VE ALREADY DONE OUR VOTE.

OKAY, GOOD.

I THINK , I TRY TO GIVE HER A CHANCE.

I MEAN, REALLY .

IS RECOMMENDATION TO RECEIVE AND FILE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR'S REPORT.

SO ARE WE ON, UH, ITEM NUMBER FIVE? YES.

ITEM NUMBER FIVE

[5. 24-54408 Recommendation to receive and file Executive Director’s Report. Suggested Action: Approve recommendation. ]

I NEED A, UM, SECOND.

UH, CHAIRMAN LARKINS AND, UH, COMMISSIONERS BO MARTINEZ, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR.

AND FIRST AND FOREMOST, I JUST WANT TO GIVE A BIG SHOUT OUT AND A BIG THANK YOU TO CHAIR LARKINS FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP, YOUR COMMITMENT, YOUR PASSION, AND FOR BEING A CHAMPION FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.

AND WE DEFINITELY LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU IN A NEW CAPACITY.

AND I KNOW THAT YOU'LL STILL BE LONG BEACH STRONG AS WE CONTINUE TO BUILD AMERICA'S NEXT GREAT INTERNATIONAL CITY.

SO YOU ARE FOREVER A PART OF THE DREAM TEAM , AND WE'RE GONNA CONTINUE TO DO GREAT WORK WITH YOU AND WITH THIS COMMISSION.

SO AGAIN, I JUST WANNA SAY A BIG THANK YOU FOR, FOR ALL THE, ALL THE TIME AND ENERGY THAT YOU, YOU'VE COMMITTED TO THE CITY.

APPRECIATE IT.

UH, THIS PAST YEAR, WELL THIS YEAR.

PETE'S A OKAY.

AND SO, UH, SECOND, UH, JUST WANNA ALSO JUST TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT, SO IT'S NOW BUDGET SEASON.

SO WE ARE IN THE MIDST OF OUR 2025 PROPOSED BUDGET.

AND RIGHT NOW WE ARE GETTING THE NEXT STEP FOR US TO IS TO HOLD A SERIES OF COMMUNITIES, WHICH ACTUALLY COMMUNITY MEETINGS, WHICH ACTUALLY START TONIGHT.

AND THERE'LL BE FOUR COMMUNITY, UH, COMMUNITY MEETINGS AS WELL AS A VIRTUAL COMMUNITY MEETING TO CONTINUE TO GATHER INPUT, PROVIDE INFORMATION ON THE PROPOSED BUDGET, UM, WITH OUR RESIDENTS AS WELL AS OUR BUSINESS BUSINESSES AND OTHER COMMUNITY STAKEHOLDERS.

AND SO FROM AN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PERSPECTIVE, UM, WE'RE LOOKING AT IT FROM THREE DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVES.

WE'RE LOOKING AT STAFFING, UH, THAT INCLUDES BIZ CARE, CANNABIS, AND THEN A, A NEW, UH, I DON'T WANNA SAY NEW DIVISION, BUT A NEW OPPORTUNITY WHICH WILL BE FOCUSING ON WHAT WE'RE CALLING RISE.

IT'S, UH, REVENUE INNOVATION STRATEGY AND ENHANCEMENT AND RISE IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO REALLY LOOK AT HOW WE CONTINUE TO DI DIVERSIFY OUR REVENUE STREAMS, UH, CONTINUE TO BUILD UP ON THE, UH, FIVE TARGETED INDUSTRY SECTORS AND REALLY MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE MAXIMIZING OUR, UH, CITY ASSETS SUCH AS THE QUEEN MARY.

AND SO THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE'LL BE WORKING VERY CLOSELY ON, UH, GOING FORWARD.

THE SECOND AREA IS LOOKING AT PROGRAMS, UH, FUNDING FOR THAT.

AND ONE OF THEM IS THE VIP PROGRAM VISUAL IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM.

AS YOU ALL ARE VERY AWARE OF, THAT PROGRAM PROVIDES UP TO $1,500 IN GRANT FUNDING FOR BUSINESSES THAT HAVE BEEN IMPACTED BY PROPERTY DAMAGE AND VANDALISM.

IT'S BEEN A VERY SUCCESSFUL PROGRAM.

WE WISH IT WASN'T SO SUCCESSFUL BECAUSE IF PEOPLE AREN'T BEING VANDALIZED AND THE PROGRAM'S NOT BEING USED, AND THAT'S A GOOD THING FOR THIS CITY.

THE SECOND AREA IS THE LEVEL UP ALB, A SMALL BUSINESS EXTREME MAKEOVER PROGRAM THAT WAS LAUNCHED,

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AND IT'S BEEN A VERY SUCCESSFUL PROGRAM.

AND WE INTRODUCED 25 BUSINESSES TO BE PART OF THIS BOOTCAMP AND IT'S UNDERWAY RIGHT NOW.

AND I THINK THEY JUST FINISHED THEIR THIRD COHORT AND FIT GOING TO A FOURTH COHORT, JULIAN.

AND THAT'S WITH A CHAMBER.

AND THEN WE'LL THEN FOLLOW UP WITH A GRADUATION, WHICH YOU ALL WILL BE INVITED TO.

AND THEN, UH, THAT'S, WE'RE ASKING FOR FUTURE FUNDING TO, UH, CONTINUE THE PROGRAM GOING FORWARD.

AND THEN WE'RE ALSO LOOKING AT, UH, PARTNERSHIPS, YOU KNOW, HOW DO WE CONTINUE TO PARTNER AND PROVIDE FUNDING TO OUR BUSINESS IMPROVEMENT DISTRICTS.

EXPLORE NEW BUSINESS IMPROVEMENT DISTRICTS THROUGHOUT THE CITY, LOOKING AT LONG BEACH ECONOMIC PARTNERSHIP AND THEIR WORK AROUND, UH, PROACTIVE BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT AND THE SITE SELECTION CONFERENCE.

UM, L-B-C-E-I, YOU KNOW, FOCUSING ON, UH, WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT INITIATIVES NOW GOING FORWARD IS 'CAUSE I THINK TALENT'S GONNA BE VERY IMPORTANT FOR US, UH, AS WE CONTINUE TO BUILD AMERICA'S NEXT GREAT INTERNATIONAL CITY AND BECOME A 21ST MAGNET, UH, CENTURY MAGNET FOR, FOR TALENT.

AND THEN THE OTHER ONE, UM, OTHER I WANTED TO SHARE WITH YOU TOO IS WE ALSO RECENTLY HIRED A NEW PUBLIC AFFAIRS OFFICER.

SHE'S NOT WITH US HERE TODAY, BUT IT'S CHELSEA MCALLEN.

AND WE'RE VERY EXCITED BECAUSE THIS IS OUR FIRST COMMUNICATIONS PERSON.

UM, I CAN TELL YOU THAT WE'VE BEEN DOING IT BY COMMITTEE FOR MANY YEARS, BUT WE'RE EXCITED TO HAVE A PROFESSIONAL LEADING THIS EFFORT.

HER FOCUS WILL BE ON, UH, MARKETING, BRANDING, COMMUNICATION, AND REALLY TELLING OUR STORY FROM EVERY SINGLE ROOFTOP ACROSS THE CITY OF LONG BEACH AND LETTING, NOT ONLY TELLING OUR STORY BUT LOCALLY, BUT NATIONALLY AS WELL AS INTERNATIONALLY.

AND SO I'M DEFINITELY, WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO WORKING WITH HER ON THIS, ON, ON ALL THINGS COMMUNICATION AS LONG AS, YOU KNOW, CONTINUE TO SHARE ALL THE GREAT WORK THAT'S HAPPENING NOT ONLY WITHIN THE DEPARTMENT, BUT ALSO THE GREAT PARTNERS THAT WE WORK WITH OUT IN THE COMMUNITY.

INCLUDES OUR BUSINESS IMPROVEMENT DISTRICTS, OUR BUSINESS NAVIGATORS, ALL THE DIFFERENT PROGRAMS AND SERVICES THAT WE PROVIDE TO OUR BUSINESS COMMUNITY.

AND THE OTHER THING I WANTED TO MENTION TOO IS PART OF THE UPDATE IS THAT WE JUST ISSUED AN RFP FOR, UH, OUTDOOR AMPHITHEATER.

I THINK YOU GUYS HAVE PROBABLY HEARD ABOUT THAT OUTDOOR AMPHITHEATER THAT'S PROPOSING TO BUILD A, A THEATER THAT WILL, UM, AMPHITHEATER THAT'LL, UH, HAVE 10 TO 12,000 SEATS, UH, ADJACENT TO THE QUA MARY OVERLOOKING OUR WATERFRONT AND DOWNTOWN.

AND THAT WILL ACTUALLY, THE RFP WILL BE OPEN THROUGH, UH, FOR 45 DAYS, AND I DON'T HAVE THE CLOSING DATE HERE, SEPTEMBER 24TH IS THE, UH, CLOSING OF THE RFP.

SO I EXPECT THAT WE'LL GET SEVERAL, UH, MANY PROPOSALS FROM DIFFERENT OPERATORS AND, UH, ENTERTAINMENT, UH, OPERATORS.

SO THAT'S A GOOD THING THAT'S HAPPENING.

AND SO WHEN I THINK ABOUT OUR 20, UH, PROPOSED 2025 BUDGET, IT'S REALLY FOCUSED ON HOW DO WE CONTINUE TO GROW, UH, GROW THE LONG BEACH INITIATIVE, AS WELL AS IMPLEMENT THE BLUEPRINT 2.0 AS WELL AS LOOKING AT HOW WE CONTINUE TO DIVERSIFY OUR, UM, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT TARGETED INDUSTRY SECTORS, AND THEN ALSO DIVERSIFY OUR REVENUE STREAM SO THAT WE CAN CONTINUE TO PROVIDE OUTSTANDING, UH, COMMUNITY SERVICES AND AMENITIES THAT ARE NOT ONLY A RESIDENTS, BUT ALSO BUSINESSES AND VISITORS ENJOY.

SO WITH THAT, THAT CONCLUDES MY UPDATE AND HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.

THANKS BO.

APPRECIATE THAT.

DOES, UH, ANY THERE'S A GREAT REPORT.

I'LL TELL YOU WHAT, SO MANY EXCITING THINGS HAPPENING.

IT REALLY IS.

UM, SO ANY COMMENTS FROM ANY COMMISSIONERS? NO.

I'M A LOSS FOR WORDS THOUGH.

AUSTIN, HELP ME OUT.

GOOD JOB BO GET YOU WATER.

YEAH, YOU KNOW WHAT, WHAT WOULD HELP THE MARKETING PEOPLE, IF YOU GUYS HAVE A LINKEDIN OR FACEBOOK PRESENCE, IF YOU CAN BLAST UH, OUT SOME OF THE STUFF THAT THEY PUT ON THE, UH, LINKEDIN AND FACEBOOK, THE THINGS THEY'RE DOING, THAT'S A LOW COST WAY OF SPREAD THE WORD TOO.

COMMENT.

JUST WANNA COMMENT.

UH, YOUR NEW TEAM RISE, RIGHT? IS THAT WHAT IT'S CALLED? SOUNDS LIKE A GREAT OPPORTUNITY.

UM, WHEN DO YOU THINK THAT TEAM WILL, WILL BE DEPLOYED AND, AND WILL ACTIVELY DO SOME OF THE WORK THAT THEY INTEND TO DO? UH, GREAT QUESTION.

UH, UM, COMMISSIONER, SO RIGHT NOW IT'S UH, IT'S IN THE 20 20, 25 PROPOSED BUDGET.

AND SO ONCE, UH, CITY COUNCIL REVIEWS AND LOOKS AT EACH OF THE, UH, BUDGET PROPOSAL ITEMS AND IT GETS PASSED, AND THEN WE CAN START LOOKING AT HOW WE WILL IMPLEMENT, UH, THAT TEAM INCLUDING, UH, A NEW STAFF THAT WOULD BE COMING OUT TO SUPPORT ALL THE DIFFERENT PROGRAMS AND THAT'LL BE HAPPENING.

GREAT.

NO OTHER COMMENTS FROM COMMISSIONERS CHAIR? I HAVE ONE UPDATE HERE.

UM, OR NEXT CHAIR.

I'M NOT SURE CITY CLERK WHAT THE TECHNICAL TITLE MIGHT BE, BUT SAY IT AGAIN.

JUST ONE, UH, QUICK UPDATE HERE.

OH, SO LAST, UH, MONTH, THE COUNCIL DID APPROVE A ROUND OF APPOINTMENTS FOR COMMISSIONS BOARD.

OH, OKAY.

SO I JUST WANTED TO GIVE YOU GUYS AN UPDATE ON THAT.

AND SO, UH, THE COUNCIL DID APPROVE, UH, DR.

ERICA HAAS, I BELIEVE IS, UH, HER, HER LAST NAME, UH, TO BE A COMMISSIONER, UH, FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION.

SO, UH, WE'RE CURRENTLY MOVING HER THROUGH THE ONBOARDING

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PROCESS.

UM, AND I WILL PROVIDE AN UPDATE WHEN SHE MOVES PAST THAT AND AN EXPECTED DATE SO SHE CAN START TO SERVE, UH, ALONGSIDE YOU ALL.

SO MME. CLARK, SEEING NO PUBLIC COMMENT, WE'LL GO AHEAD AND TAKE THE VOTE.