[00:00:01]
[00:07:43]
ALL RIGHT, MADAM CLERK WAS CALLED TO ORDER THE MEETING OF THE LONG BEACH CITY COUNCIL.[ROLL CALL]
WE HAVE A QUORUM.WE WILL BEGIN WITH THE, THE MOMENT OF SILENCE AND THE PLEDGE LED BY COUNCIL MEMBERS IN DEJAS.
[PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE]
THANK YOU, MAYOR.AT THIS MOMENT, I AM INVITE YOU ALL TO JOIN ME IN A MOMENT OF SILENCE, UM, THINKING ABOUT THOSE THAT, UM, WE HAVE LOST IN THE LAST COUPLE OF MONTHS, AND, UM, AND THEIR FAMILIES.
AND AT THIS TIME, I INVITE YOU, IF YOU CAN, TO STAND AND SAY THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE WITH US.
PUT YOUR HAND OVER YOUR HEART.
I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS, ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.
COUNCIL MEMBER ZENDEJAS AND, UH, WELCOME EVERYONE TO THE MEETING OF THE LONG BEACH CITY COUNCIL'S OCTOBER 22ND.
UH, WE HAVE THREE PRESENTATIONS TODAY, AND THEN WE'LL GO THROUGH OUR CITY COUNCIL AGENDA.
UH, ITEM 17 HAS BEEN, HAS BEEN WITHDRAWN.
IF YOU'RE HERE FOR ITEM 17, THAT WILL NOT TAKE PLACE TODAY.
WE ALSO HAVE A NUMBER OF NEW COMMISSIONERS.
UH, WE'LL, WE WILL GET TO THE COMMISSIONER APPOINTMENTS VERY SOON, ALMOST IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE PRESENTATIONS.
LET'S START WITH THE LONG BEACH PRIDE, L-G-B-T-Q MONTH HISTORY MONTH.
UH, AND I'M GONNA INTRODUCE VICE MAYOR ALLEN TO RECOGNIZE PRIDE.
[ LONG BEACH PRIDE LGBTQ+ HISTORY MONTH]
ALRIGHT.[00:10:01]
YOU.UM, SO I JUST WANNA, UH, SAY, UH, THANK YOU.
UM, I, UH, I KNOW THAT YOU GUYS HAVE DONE, UH, SO MUCH WHEN IT COMES, UH, TO PRIDE AND I KNOW YOU'RE HELPING A LOT WITH, UH, THE CORRIDOR.
SO DEFINITELY WANT TO RECOGNIZE THE WORK THAT YOU'VE DONE AND, UM, AND ALSO LGBTQ PLUS HISTORY MONTH.
SO I KNOW THERE'S A PRESENTATION, SO PLEASE TAKE IT OVER.
UM, MY NAME IS ALISON MARTINEZ AND I'M THE VP OF ADMINISTRATION OF LONG BEACH PRIDE.
UM, THIS IS A, AND, AND THIS WOULD BE SILENT, RIGHT? UM, THIS IS A, UM, A SHADOW BOX THAT WE MAKE THEM FOR OUR ROOM.
AND, UM, WE THOUGHT MAYBE YOU COULD USE A LITTLE COLOR.
UH, IT'S REPRESENTS OUR 2024, UH, FESTIVAL, AND WE WANTED TO PRESENT IT TO THE BOARD.
UM, I DO HAVE A MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT OF PRIDE, UH, TONYA MARTIN, WHO, UH, IS VERY SORRY.
SHE, UH, SHE IS, WAS NOT ABLE TO COME TODAY, UH, UH, DUE TO UNFORESEEN CIRCUMSTANCES, HONORABLE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL, UH, MEMBERS, AS WELL AS OUR, OUR WONDERFUL CITY MANAGER.
IT IS WITH GREAT PLEASURE THAT WE ARE HERE TONIGHT.
TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT AND MANAGEMENT OF THE 2024 LONG BEACH PRIDE PARADE.
WITHOUT YOUR ASSISTANCE, THINGS WOULD'VE BEEN A LOT DIFFERENT THIS YEAR.
AS YOU KNOW, COVID HIT OUR VOLUNTEERING ORGANIZATION VERY HARD, AND AFTER 41 YEARS, WE HAD DOWN TO THE PRODUCTION OF THE EVENT.
BUT YOU CAME TOGETHER TO SUPPORT US, AND WE TRULY ARE GRATEFUL.
SO MUCH SO THAT THE 2025 THEME FOR LONG BEACH PRIDE IS, UH, THE POWER OF COMMUNITY.
IT WAS THIS POWER THAT PLAYS LONG BEACH PRIDE IN A BETTER POSITION, AS WELL AS THE MANY VOLUNTEERS THAT STEPPED UP TO ASSIST US AND THE CARING SPONSORS LIKE THE PORT OF LONG BEACH.
AS YOU MAY KNOW, OCTOBER STARTS AS LGBTQ PLUS HISTORY MONTH.
IT WAS YOUR GIVING THAT INSPIRED OUR ORGANIZATION TO CREATE THE LONG BEACH PRIDE LGBTQ PLUS HISTORY MONTH AWARD FOR THE FIRST TIME AND THE HISTORY OF OUR CITY IN THE HISTORY OF OUR CITY AND MANY CITIES THROUGHOUT CALIFORNIA AND THE COUNTRY.
YOU HAVE STEPPED UP TO PROVE YOUR HEARTFELT DIVERSITY AND PROVED YOUR INCLUSION WITH THIS.
UM, I WOULD LIKE TO PRESENT TO YOU THE LONG BEACH PRIDE, LB LGBTQ PLUS HISTORY MONTH AWARD TO THE MAYOR OF THE CITY OF LONG BEACH AND THE CITY COUNCIL.
CONGRATULATIONS, AND THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ALL THE HELP THIS YEAR.
WELL, WHAT, WHAT AN INCREDIBLE, UH, AWARD THAT IS.
YOU SAID YOU HAVE ONE OF THOSE IN YOUR OFFICE.
WELL, CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL OF YOU.
IT WAS A PARTNERSHIP THIS YEAR.
UH, THIS IS A TRADITION THAT REALLY JUST SHOWS THAT LONG BEACH REPRESENTS A COMMUNITY WHERE EVERYONE BELONGS.
UH, YOU KNOW, NO MATTER WHERE YOU COME FROM, HOW YOU PRAY, WHO YOU LOVE, THAT'S WHO LONG BEACH IS AND WILL CONTINUE TO SUPPORT, UH, LONG BEACH PRIDE.
WE'RE GONNA COME DOWN AND INVITE THE CITY COUNCIL DOWN FOR A PHOTO, AND CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL OF YOU.
[00:15:03]
I JUST WANNA SAY THANK YOU VERY MUCH, UH, LONG BEACH PRIDE FOR COMING OUT.YOU KNOW, AS A COUNCILWOMAN WHO REPRESENTS, UM, THE BROADWAY CORRIDOR, I UNDERSTAND AND RECOGNIZE HOW ESSENTIAL IT IS TO PRESERVE AND HONOR THE RICH HISTORY OF OUR LG LGBTQ PLUS COMMUNITY.
SO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING OUT.
CAN WE GET THAT QUEUED UP? PLEASE PUT YOUR, WELL, THANK YOU SO MUCH.
AND I JUST WANNA SAY WE WISH, UH, THE PRESIDENT, TONYA MARTIN OF SPEEDY RECOVERY, THANK YOU FOR COMING OUT.
WE'LL MOVE ON TO THE NEXT PRESENTATION, RECOGNIZING BRUCE DOUBLE D MCCRAY ON HIS RETIREMENT, AND WE'RE GONNA PASS IT ON TO COUNCIL MEMBER DARRYL AU TO PROVIDE INTRODUCTORY REMARKS.
AND, UH, THIS IS A VERY, VERY SPECIAL
[ RECOGNIZING BRUCE MAC RAE]
MOMENT FOR ME AND FOR OUR FOURTH DISTRICT.AND, UM, I ACTUALLY THOUGHT IT MIGHT BE TOO BIG A MOMENT FOR ONE FOURTH DISTRICT COUNCIL MEMBER.
SO I CALLED IN REINFORCEMENTS, AND TONIGHT WE HAVE FORMER CD FOUR, COUNCILMAN DEL ROOSEVELT.
DEL THANKS FOR BEING HERE TONIGHT.
UM, SO BRUCE, UM, IS ACTUALLY LARGER THAN THE FOURTH DISTRICT.
I THINK HE'S BEEN KNOWN AS MR. LONG BEACH FOR A LONG TIME, BUT HE HAS SO MUCH RESPECT AND HE EXUDES JUST WHAT WE, UH, STAND FOR IN THE FOURTH DISTRICT.
AND HE IS THE ORIGINAL GO FORTH GUY.
UM, IN FACT, I ALWAYS WONDERED ABOUT REDISTRICTING BECAUSE BRUCE HAS LIVED IN THE FOURTH DISTRICT FOR 40 YEARS, BUT THROUGH REDISTRICTING, I'M SURE HE DIDN'T HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH THAT.
BUT WE ANNEXED HIS, UH, UPS CARGO JETS AT, UH, UH, AT LAKEWOOD AND SPRING INTO THE FOURTH.
AND THEN HE GOT ALL OF CAL STATE LONG BEACH.
AND IF YOU DON'T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT BRUCE, HE'S, HE'S A NUMBER ONE BOOSTER AND DONOR AT THE UNIVERSITY.
SO, UM, I DON'T KNOW HOW YOU DID IT, BRUCE.
BRUCE, BUT WE, WE THANK YOU FOR THAT.
UM, ALSO, WE HAVE, UM, A NUMBER OF FOLKS HERE WHO, UM, ARE IN ATTENDANCE, UH, OUTTA RESPECT FOR BRUCE.
I SEE ALL OF POLICE AND FIRE HERE IN THE COMMAND STAFF.
AND, UM, WE HAVE, UH, CHIEF ISH, WE WOULD LIKE TO SAY A FEW WORDS, UH OH.
AND, AND IF, AND ALSO IF YOU KNOW BRUCE, WE'RE GONNA LEAVE PLENTY OF TIME FOR BRUCE TO SPEAK.
UH, I'LL, I'LL BE BRIEF, BUT I DO WANT TO SHARE THAT, AS YOU ALL KNOW, UH, BRUCE MRAY IS AN ICON OF LONG BEACH.
UM, HE IS ALSO A GOOD FRIEND AND A GOOD PERSON.
AND, UH, ON BEHALF OF THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, I KNOW THAT I CAN TELL YOU HOW MUCH WE APPRECIATE YOU.
UH, HE'S A PHONE CALL AWAY IF WE NEED HIM FOR AN EVENT, IF WE NEED HIS SUPPORT, WHETHER IT'S THROUGH UPS OR JUST AS A, AS A RESIDENT OF OUR CITY.
UH, HE HAS BEEN, UH, INVOLVED WITH THE LONG BEACH POLICE DEPARTMENT, OUR POLICE OFFICERS ASSOCIATION IN THE CITY OF LONG BEACH FOR AS LONG AS I'VE BEEN HERE, WHICH IS OVER 30 YEARS, UM, COMMITTED TO THE BETTERMENT AND THE IMPROVEMENT OF THE CITY FOR EVERYONE.
SO, UH, BRUCE, UH, I, I IS SOMEONE WHO UNDERSTANDS THE DIFFERENCES AND THE VARIATIONS IN OUR FAITHS, IN OUR, IN OUR, THE DIVERSITY THAT MAKES UP OUR CITY.
AND I'M EXTREMELY PROUD TO HAVE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO THANK HIM AND CONGRATULATE HIM ON BEHALF OF THE POLICE DEPARTMENT ON HIS WELL-EARNED RETIREMENT.
UM, WELL, BRUCE, UH, THE PODIUM IS YOURS.
WE HAVE A, A PLAQUE HERE SIGNED BY EVERY MEMBER OF COUNCIL.
UH, BUT, UH, I WANT TO GIVE YOU THE MIC.
THAT'S WHAT YOU DO BEST, MR. MAYOR, VICE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL.
JUST, UH, IT'S AN HONOR AND I TURN AROUND.
THERE'S NO OTHER CITY LIKE LONG BEACH.
[00:20:02]
FROM MY POLICE AND FIRE.I ALWAYS TELL 'EM THE REASON I LIVE HERE IS 'CAUSE I FEEL THE SAFEST POLICE HAS HELPED ME OUT THE FIRE.
THEY'VE SAVED MY LIFE, MY MOM'S LIFE, MY DAD'S LIFE, NUMEROUS TIMES.
AND WHEN YOU LOOK AROUND THE D HERE, WE'RE BLESSED.
WE, WE MAY BE DYSFUNCTIONAL SOMETIMES, BUT YOU KNOW SOMETHING, WE ALL COME TOGETHER.
I SPENT A LITTLE BIT WITH, UH, LA UH, THEIR OFFICE OF EMERGENCY SERVICES AND THEIR OLYMPIC GROUP TODAY.
I MEAN, I I'LL SAY IT, I KNOW IT'S BEING TAPED.
BUT YOU KNOW, SOMETHING UNDER THE LEADERSHIP WE HAVE HERE, UH, WE'VE GOT GREAT THINGS COMING.
MERLE HAGGARD ALWAYS SAID, THE GOOD TIMES AIN'T OVER FOR GOOD.
AND WE'VE GOT GOOD THINGS COMING TO LONG BEACH.
SO I'M HONORED, UH, THAT MY COUNCILMAN WOULD DO THIS.
AND AGAIN, DALE ROOSEVELT, WHO'S MY NEIGHBOR, UM, AND I REMEMBER HIM WALKING AROUND WITH A, A POLICE SCANNER.
AND EVERY TIME A POLICE SCANNER WOULD GO OUT, HE'D GET IN HIS CAR AND GO DRIVE AWAY.
AND I'M LIKE GOING, WOW, THAT'S, THAT'S LOYALTY TO WHAT YOU'RE DOING.
BUT, UH, UM, 45 YEARS AT UPS, UM, I STARTED AS AN UNLOADER.
UH, I TITHE HALF OF WHAT I MAKE TO LONG BEACH STATE.
WHY I BELIEVE IN LONG BEACH STATE.
AND WHEN THE, UH, PRESIDENT GOT UP AND GAVE ME KUDOS AND AWARD, UH,
AND SHE DIDN'T REALIZE THAT I GRADUATED FROM MILLIKEN HIGH SCHOOL IN 77.
MY TWIN BROTHER WENT ON TO COLLEGE AND GOT HIS DOUBLE MASTER'S AT LONG BEACH STATE.
AND THAT'S WHAT I TOLD HER, HEY, I WORK AT UPS, THAT'S WHERE YOU'RE GETTING MY MONEY.
GOD BLESS YOU ALL FOR WHAT YOU DO FOR OUR GREAT CITY.
AND GOD BLESS EVERYBODY IN THIS ROOM FOR WHAT YOU DO FOR OUR GREAT CITY, BECAUSE IT'S REALLY ABOUT US.
DON'T EVER GIVE UP HOPE BECAUSE WE ARE LONG BEACH.
WELL, BRUCE'S, UH, SOME COUNCIL MEMBERS WANNA OFFER SOME COMMENTS, UH, BEFORE WE DO JUST WANT TO CONGRATULATE YOU ON YOUR RETIREMENT.
AND WHEN I THINK OF YOU AND WHAT YOU'VE DONE, NEVER BEEN AN ELECTED OFFICIAL.
YOU, YOU COULDN'T TELL BECAUSE YOU'VE DONE MORE FOR THE COMMUNITY, FOR OUR YOUTH SPORTS, FOR OUR STUDENTS AT LONG BEACH STATE, UH, FOR OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT THAN THAN ANY RESIDENT OF OUR CITY.
AND I THINK THAT THAT, YOU KNOW, REMINDS ME OF, UH, YOU KNOW, THE KING QUOTE AND DRUM MA DRUM MAJOR FOR JUSTICE.
THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, ANYBODY CAN BE GREAT BECAUSE ANYBODY CAN SERVE.
AND YOU DEMONSTRATE THAT, THAT, UH, YOU SPEND YOUR TIME AND YOUR EFFORT LIFTING UP OTHER PEOPLE AND LIFTING UP OUR COMMUNITY.
AND FOR THAT, UH, CONGRATULATIONS.
WE HAVE A NUMBER OF COUNCIL MEMBERS WHO WANNA OFFER, UH, THEIR CONGRATS.
UH, BRUCE DOUBLE DI JUST LOVE YOU.
YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE BEEN A MENTOR OF MINE FROM EARLY ON.
UM, YOU KNOW, IN MY BUSINESS HERE IN LONG BEACH, YOU'VE BEEN INSTRUMENTAL WITH A LOT OF MY PERSONAL ENDEAVORS AND SUCCESS.
UM, YOU'RE A AMAZING TEAMSTER.
YOU ARE A WONDERFUL HUSBAND TO BARBIE.
AND, UH, YOU JUST JUST HAVE SUCH A GREAT SPIRIT AND WE'RE SO BLESSED TO HAVE YOU HERE IN LONG BEACH.
THANK YOU ON YOUR RETIREMENT AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO DOING A LOT MORE CELEBRATING WITH YOU.
ALRIGHT, THANK YOU COUNCIL MEMBER URANGA, BEFORE YOU SIT OUT,
WELL, BRUCE IS WELL KNOWN FOR HIS SOCKS.
VERY COLORFUL, VERY DIFFERENT.
AND IT'S WHAT I MISS HIM TODAY.
BUT CONGRATULATIONS ON YOUR RETIREMENT.
THREE NOT MINE, BUT YOU KNOW, WE'RE NOT CALLING THAT.
NEXT WE HAVE COUNCIL MEMBERS IN DEJAS.
I LOVE, I LOVE BEING IN THE SAME SPACE AS YOU.
UM, YOU'RE ALWAYS YOUR JOY AND YOUR LOVE FOR THE CITY OF LONG BEACH IS ALWAYS SO INFECTIOUS.
BUT REALLY WHAT I WANNA SAY IS WHAT A GREAT IMPACT YOU HAVE HAD, NOT ONLY ON THE RESIDENTS OF LONG BEACH, UM, BUT ON OUR YOUTH.
THAT'S WHERE I LOVE SEEING YOU THE MOST.
HOW YOU SPEAK TO OUR YOUTH, HOW YOU MOTIVATE THEM, HOW YOU SHOW THEM BY EXAMPLE.
THAT THEY CAN BE WHATEVER THEY WANT TO BE, AND THAT THEY CAN HAVE A GIVING GENEROUS HEART AND THAT THEY COULD BE PROUD OF THE CITY THAT THEY LIVE IN BY CONTRIBUTING TO THE BETTERMENT OF THE CITY.
AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT YOU EMBODY.
AND I AM JUST SO EXCITED FOR YOU AND YOUR RETIREMENT SO THAT YOU COULD DEVOTE MORE TIME TO THE CITY MORE.
[00:25:01]
FREE.WE'LL BE CALLING ON YOU, BRUCE.
BUT NO, I JUST WANNA SAY CONGRATULATIONS TO YOU, TO YOUR FAMILY THAT WILL GET TO ENJOY YOU A LITTLE BIT MORE.
UM, AND JUST THANK YOU FOR ALL THAT YOU DO FOR A WONDERFUL CITY.
AND THANK YOU FOR BEING THE AMAZING ICON THAT YOU ARE IN THE CITY OF LONG BEACH.
UM, YOU AND I GO WAY, WAY, WAY BACK, WAY BACK, BACK WHEN YOU WERE DRIVING A TRUCK IN A BROWN UNIFORM.
UM, AT A REALLY PIVOTAL TIME IN MY LIFE AND MY FAMILY'S LIFE.
SO, UM, DIVINE INTERVENTION, I ALWAYS SAY.
SO I AM GRATEFUL FOR YOUR FRIENDSHIP.
I APPRECIATE THE WAY YOU HAVE FAITH IN US AMONGST THE DYSFUNCTION, AMONGST THE CHALLENGES THAT WE HAVE.
UM, THANK YOU FOR BEING A MODEL OF HOW TO BUILD RELATIONSHIP, UM, WHEN IT'S HARD, WHEN YOU DON'T AGREE, UM, WHEN YOU LOVE THEM, BUT YOU'RE SUPER FRUSTRATED WITH THEM.
THANK YOU FOR MODELING THAT FOR ALL OF US AND FOR ME.
AND I LOOK FORWARD TO THE CONTINUED IMPACT THAT YOU WILL HAVE ON THIS CITY IN NEW AND WONDERFUL WAYS.
ALRIGHT, WELL, CONGRATULATIONS.
IF YOU'LL JOIN US, WE'LL COME DOWN AND TAKE A PHOTO WITH YOUR PLAQUE.
I'M GONNA GET A SELFIE WITH YOU GUYS RIGHT THERE.
REALLY? NO ONE WILL BELIEVE THIS.
UM, THE LOVE OF MY LIFE, BARBIE, UH, SHE HAS BEEN A ROCKSTAR.
WE DON'T AGREE ON EVERYTHING, TRUST ME.
BUT, UH, UH, THANK YOU FOR BEING MY, UH, MY STONE, UM, OF KEEPING ME AFLOAT, BELIEVE IT OR NOT.
SO, UH, IT'S KIND OF AN ODD ANALOGY, HUH? MIKE STONE KEEPING ME AFLOAT.
ALL RIGHT, SO NEXT WE HAVE BREAST CANCER AWARENESS MONTH, VICE MAYOR ALLEN.
UM, YOU KNOW, AS A BREAST CANCER SURVIVOR MYSELF, THIS IS A VERY IMPORTANT
[ BREAST CANCER AWARENESS MONTH]
TOPIC TO ME, AND I APPRECIATE MEMORIAL CARE FOR THEIR SUPPORT AND WORK ON THIS ISSUE.C, UM, AND SHE'LL BE JOINING US FOR A VERY SPECIAL PRESENTATION.
BUT LET ME FIRST INTRODUCE HER.
C IS A BOARD CERTIFIED RADIOLOGIST AND MEDICAL DIRECTOR OF BREAST IMAGING AT THE MEMORIAL CARE BREAST CENTER AND LONG BEACH MEDICAL CENTER.
C RECEIVED HER MEDICAL DEGREE FROM KECK SCHOOL OF MEDICINE, UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA, AND HER RESIDENCY IN RADIOLOGY AT THE DAVID GEFFEN SCHOOL OF MEDICINE, UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA LOS ANGELES.
C CHOSE TO PURSUE HER, PURSUE HER FELLOWSHIP IN WOMEN'S IMAGING AT UCLA, TRAINING ON BOTH BREAST IMAGING AND ULTRASOUND, INCLUDING THE 2D AND 3D TOMOSYNTHESIS, MAMMOGRAPHY, BREAST, SONOGRAPHY BREAST, MRI AND ALL IMAGE BREAST PROCEDURES.
C PRESENTED AN ABSTRACT ON DUCTAL, UH, CARCINOMA AT THE RADIO LOGIC SOCIETY OF NORTH AMERICA ANNUAL MEETING.
C WAS RECOGNIZED AS A TOP LOS ANGELES DOCTOR BY THE LOS ANGELES BUSINESS JOURNAL IN 2022.
FIRST OF ALL, I WANNA SAY THANK YOU TO MAYOR RICHARDSON AND THE COUNCIL FOR HAVING ME.
UM, AND THANK YOU SPECIFICALLY TO VICE MAYORS, UM, ALLEN FOR SPEARHEADING THIS RECOGNITION OF, UH, BREAST CANCER AWARENESS MONTH.
I'M SO HAPPY TO SEE ALL OF THE PINK IN THE, IN ON A DAY AND IN THE CROWD.
UM, THIS IS MY FAVORITE MONTH, BREAST CANCER AWARENESS MONTH BECAUSE WE GET TO OFFICIALLY,
[00:30:01]
UM, HIGHLIGHT HOW IMPORTANT SCREENING MAMMOGRAPHY IS.UM, BREAST CANCER AFFECTS ALL OF US.
WE, WE HAVE A LOVED ONE OR KNOW SOMEONE WHO'S HAD BREAST CANCER OR WHO IS AFFECTED BY BREAST CANCER.
IT IS THE, UM, IT ACCOUNTS FOR 11.6% OF ALL NEW CANCER CASES ANNUALLY, AND IT IS THE MOST COMMON CANCER IN THE WORLD.
ABOUT 30% OF ALL NEWLY DIAGNOSED CANCERS IN WOMEN EACH YEAR ARE BREAST CANCER.
AND IT IS THE MOST, IT IS THE LEADING CAUSE OF DEATH.
BREAST OF CANCER DEATHS IN WOMEN.
ONE IN EIGHT OF US WILL GET AN INVASIVE TYPE OF BREAST CANCER THROUGH THE COURSE OF OUR LIVES.
AND CURRENTLY, THERE ARE MORE THAN 4 MILLION WOMEN WITH A HISTORY OF BREAST CANCER IN THE US.
SO IT'S A HUGE ISSUE IN, IN OUR COUNTRY WORLD AND WORLDWIDE.
AND IT'S SOMETHING THAT, UM, LIKE I SAID, IT AFFECTS ALL OF US.
SOME OTHER FACTS ARE, UH, WOMEN'S RISK NEARLY DOUBLES IF SHE HAS A FIRST DEGREE RELATIVE WHO'S BEEN DIAGNOSED WITH BREAST CANCER.
THIS IS, UM, THIS IS IN CONTRAST TO THE FACT THAT MOST WOMEN WHO ARE DIAGNOSED WITH BREAST CANCER HAVE NO FAMILY HISTORY OF BREAST CANCER.
SO THE WAY THAT WORKS IS THE BREAST CANCER GENES, BRCA ONE AND TWO, THEIR MUTATIONS ARE RELATIVELY RARE IN OUR SOCIETY.
SO IF YOU HAVE THAT GENE, YOU ARE AT SIGNIFICANTLY INCREASED RISK OF HAVING BREAST CANCER.
BUT THE GREAT MAJORITY, 90% OF BREAST CANCERS THAT ARE DIAGNOSED IN THE COUNTRY ARE IN WOMEN WHO HAVE ZERO FAMILY HISTORY, ZERO RISK FACTORS.
SO THE IDEA THAT ONLY HIGH RISK WOMEN SHOULD GET SCREENING IS A FALLACY.
ONLY FIVE TO 10% OF BREAST CANCERS ARE LINKED TO THAT GENE MUTATION.
ALL OF US HAVE THE BREAST CANCER ONE AND TWO GENE IN US.
IT'S THE MUTATION THAT MAKES US AT INCREASED INCIDENCE FOR BREAST CANCER MEN AND WOMEN.
UM, IT IS, THE BREAST CANCER IS THE LEADING CAUSE OF CANCER RELATED DEATHS IN THE US.
UM, FOR BLACK AND HISPANIC WOMEN.
UNFORTUNATELY, WOMEN OF COLOR TEND NOT TO GET THEIR SCREENING MAMMOGRAPHY AS THEY SHOULD.
AND WHEN THEY DO GET BREAST CANCER, IT TENDS TO BE MORE AGGRESSIVE.
SO IT'S, IT'S SOMETHING THAT, THAT OUR COUNTRY STRUGGLES WITH.
I THINK ASHKENAZI JEWISH WOMEN HAVE A HIGHER, HIGHER RISK OF BREAST CANCER DUE TO THEIR HIGHER RATE OF HAVING THE GENE MUTATION.
SO THERE ARE RISK FACTORS THAT YOU CAN CHANGE AND THAT YOU CAN'T CHANGE.
SOME OF THE RISK FACTORS OF GETTING BREAST CANCER THAT YOU CAN'T CHANGE ARE GETTING OLDER.
HAVING A GENETIC MUTATION, HAVING DENSE BREAST TISSUE, HAVING DENSE BREAST TISSUE IS A TWOFOLD PROBLEM.
IT'S THOUGHT THAT THE FACT THAT YOU HAVE MORE TISSUE INCREASES YOUR LIKELIHOOD OF GETTING BREAST CANCER DOUBLED WITH THE FACT THAT IT MAKES IT HARDER TO READ THE MAMMOGRAM.
SO WOMEN WITH DENSE BREAST TISSUE, IT MIGHT BE HARDER TO DETECT THE CANCER ON THEIR MAMMOGRAM.
SO THERE ARE TWO REASONS WHY WOMEN WITH DENSE BREAST TISSUE ARE AT INCREASED RISK.
THE REPRODUCTIVE HISTORY, YOU CAN'T REALLY CHANGE STARTING, UM, YOUR PERIOD BEFORE AGE 12 AND MENOPAUSE AFTER AGE 55 INCREASES YOUR RISK.
PERSONAL HISTORY OF BREAST CANCER, OF COURSE, INCREASES YOUR RISK.
THE THE BIGGEST RISK FACTOR ACTUALLY OF GETTING BREAST CANCER IS HAVING HAD BREAST CANCER, YOUR FAMILY HISTORY OF BREAST OR OVARIAN CANCER INCREASES YOUR RISK.
AND PREVIOUS RADIATION THERAPY, UM, MANTLE RADIATION FOR YOUNG WOMEN, UM, WHO HAVE LYMPHOMA IN THEIR, UM, ADOLESCENTS ARE SIGNIFICANTLY INCREASED RISK FOR BREAST CANCER AND EXPOSURE TO CERTAIN DRUGS LIKE DES.
THERE ARE SOME RISK FACTORS THAT YOU CAN CHANGE, THOUGH NOT BEING PHYSICALLY ACTIVE INCREASES YOUR RISK.
OBESITY AFTER MENOPAUSE, TAKING HORMONES AND DRINKING ALCOHOL, THOSE ARE THINGS THAT YOU CAN CONTROL.
UM, HOW DO WE KNOW THAT THAT SCREENING MAMMOGRAPHY WORKS? THE, THE MOST IMPORTANT THING FOR A SCREENING EXAM TO, TO SEE IF IT WORKS, IS TO DECREASE, IS THAT IT DECREASES MORTALITY.
THAT IS, THAT IS THE TEST OF A SCREENING EXAM.
DOES IT ACTUALLY DECREASE MORTALITY DEATH FROM THE DISEASE? AND SCREENING MAMMOGRAPHY GETS ALL A'S.
THERE HAVE BEEN MANY, UM, PROSPECTIVE RANDOMIZED TRIALS SHOWING A DECREASE IN MORTALITY FROM IN SCREENING MAMMOGRAPHY UP TO 30%, 30 TO 63%.
THE LARGEST STUDY IS A, IS THE SWEDISH TWO COUNTY TRIAL BY LASLOW TOBAR, WHO ACTUALLY SPENT A FAIR AMOUNT OF TIME AT OUR BREAST CENTER MANY YEARS
[00:35:01]
AGO.UM, HE SHOWED RECENTLY, RELATIVELY RECENTLY, AFTER 29 YEAR UPDATE OF A SCREENING POPULATION WHO HAD MAMMOGRAPHY AND A POPULATION WHO DID, WAS NOT INVITED FOR SCREENING MAMMOGRAPHY, THAT THERE'S ACTUALLY A 63% DECREASE IN MORTALITY IN THE ARM THAT OBTAINS SCREENING MAMMOGRAPHY.
SO OUR GUIDELINES ARE THAT YOU GET A BASELINE MAMMOGRAM BETWEEN THE AGES OF 35 AND 40, AND THAT YOU GET ANNUAL SCREENING MAMMOGRAPHY AFTER AGE 40 EARLIER, POSSIBLY IF YOU'RE AT HIGH RISK.
WE ALSO RECOMMEND THAT YOU GET A REGULAR SELF-BREAST EXAM, UM, LOOKING FOR THINGS MORE THAN LUMPS, LOOKING FOR CHANGE, SIZE, OR APPEARANCE OF YOUR BREAST, DIMPLING, REDNESS, PITTING, OR OTHER, ANY CHANGES, FOCAL PAIN, UM, CHANGE IN YOUR NIPPLE OR AREOLA OR SPONTANEOUS NIPPLE DISCHARGE.
WE ALSO RECOMMEND THAT YOU GET A YEARLY CLINICAL BREAST EXAM BY YOUR HEALTHCARE PROVIDER.
SO WE HAVE TWO CONVENIENT SCREENING LOCATIONS, AS YOU MIGHT KNOW, AT ONE AT LONG BEACH MEMORIAL, AT THE TODD CANCER PAVILION, AND ONE AT LOS ALAMITOS.
UM, WE HAVE ALL 3D MAMMOGRAPHY MACHINES.
THE HIGHEST, UM, THE STATE-OF-THE-ART MACHINES, INCLUDING STATE-OF-THE-ART ULTRASOUND MACHINES.
WE'RE VERY, VERY BUSY ACTUALLY.
UM, WE PERFORMED OVER 24,000 SCREENING MAMMOGRAMS LAST YEAR.
AND, UM, WE HAVE A TOTAL OF EIGHT MACHINES, SIX AND TODD CANCER PAVILION, AND TWO AT OUR SATELLITE CENTER IN LOS ALAMITOS.
SO WHAT HAVE, WHAT HAVE WE DONE? WHAT, WHAT CAN WE SHOW FOR OURSELVES? WE DIAGNOSED 163 CANCERS LAST YEAR JUST FROM SCREENING.
AND OVERALL, WE SAW 285 BREAST CANCERS IN 2023.
WE HAVE A TEAM OF FELLOWSHIP TRAINED SUB-SPECIALIZED RADIOLOGISTS.
MY PARTNERS AND I WE'RE ALL FEMALE, UM, SPECIALIZED RADIOLOGISTS WITH OVER 60 YEARS COLLECTIVELY OF EXPERIENCE.
WE HAVE A WONDERFUL TEAM OF BREAST SURGEONS, ONCOLOGISTS, RADIATION ONCOLOGISTS, AND NURSE NAVIGATORS.
WE HAVE PEER MENTOR PROGRAMS AND A LOT OF PSYCHOSOCIAL SUPPORT AT OUR BREAST CENTER.
WE'VE RECEIVED A LOT OF A AWARDS, WE'RE DESIGNATED AS A COMPREHENSIVE BREAST IMAGING CENTER OF EXCELLENCE BY THE AMERICAN COLLEGE OF RADIOLOGY.
AND WE ALSO, UM, ARE RECOGNIZED BY THE AMERICAN COLLEGE OF SURGEONS AS A BREAST IMAGING CENTER OF EXCELLENCE.
WE ALSO HAVE ACCREDITATION OF, FROM THE NATIONAL ACCREDITATION PROGRAM FOR BREAST CENTERS, WHICH IS AN EXTREMELY RIGOROUS PROGRAM THAT YOU HAVE TO, UM, FULFILL A LOT OF, UH, CRITERIA TO GET THAT RECOGNITION.
SO IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE'RE VERY PROUD OF.
IT REALLY KEEPS US SORT OF HONEST BECAUSE THERE ARE A LOT OF REGULATIONS AND, UM, POLICIES THAT WE HAVE TO HAVE TO GET THAT RECOGNITION.
UM, WE WERE ALSO RECOGNIZED BY NEWSWEEK AS, UM, A WORLD'S BEST HOSPITAL.
SO THIS YEAR WE CELEBRATED 10 YEARS OF HOPE LIVES HERE.
UH, BREAST CANCER AWARENESS EVENT.
UH, WE MAKE A HUMAN RIBBON, UH, PINK RIBBON AT, UH, THE TODD CANCER PAVILION.
AND, UM, VICE, UH, MAYOR ALLEN WAS THERE.
AND SO IT WAS A VERY NICE, UM, VERY NICE EVENT.
THIS SATURDAY IS OUR 25TH ANNUAL TEAM SPIRIT, 5K WALK SLASH RUN, UH, RIGHT HERE, UH, AT THE WATERFRONT.
AND WE HAVE A LOT OF, UM, THE, THE 5K SUPPORTS A LOT OF OUR PSYCHOSOCIAL PROGRAMS, WHICH ARE EXTREMELY IMPORTANT.
WE HAVE PROGRAMS SUCH AS MENTOR PROGRAMS WHERE WE MATCH SIMILAR, UM, PATIENTS TOGETHER.
ONE WHO'S BEEN THROUGH THE, THEIR JOURNEY OF BREAST CANCER AND ONE WHO'S JUST STARTING IT.
UM, WE HAVE BEAT THE ODDS PROGRAM AND WE HAVE A LOT OF SUPPORT GROUPS THAT MEET.
WE EVEN HAVE A YOGA SUPPORT GROUP.
MAURICE VIRGA IS THE HEAD OF OUR PSYCHOSOCIAL SERVICES, AND HE PRESENTED THE BENEFITS TO A SOLD OUT, UM, NETWORKING EVENT, UM, SUPPORTED BY THE LONG BEACH CHAMBER OF COMMERCE RECENTLY.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY.
THANK YOU SO MUCH, VICE MAYOR.
UH, I JUST HAVE JUST, JUST A COUPLE SHORT, I JUST WANNA SAY, UH, THANK YOU SO MUCH DR.
SEA FOR, UH, FOR BEING HERE TODAY.
YOU KNOW, THIS IS A TOPIC, UM, THAT IS IMPORTANT FOR ALL WOMEN.
AND NOT VERY OFTEN WE HAVE PRESENTATIONS TO COUNSEL THAT ACTUALLY COULD SAVE PEOPLE'S LIFE.
AND I GUARANTEE THERE'S SOMEONE HERE THAT'S GONNA BE REMINDED, UM, THAT, UM,
[00:40:01]
THEY CAN TAKE PRACTICAL STEPS.AND MYSELF AS A BREAST CANCER SURVIVOR, I'M VERY VOCAL ABOUT, UM, MY JOURNEY.
YOU KNOW, I HAD A FRIEND OF MINE, DONNA LUMEN, WHO CALLED ME IN MY FORTIES.
AND, AND, UH, I WAS ONE OF THOSE PEOPLE THAT THOUGHT I HAD NO RISK.
I, I DON'T NEED TO GET TESTED.
AND SHE KEPT ON BUGGING ME AND SHE SAID, THE LORD, SHE, SHE HAD THE LORD WAS SPEAKING TO HER AND SHE WANTED ME TO GO GET A MAMMOGRAM.
AND SURE ENOUGH, UM, I HAD, UH, I HAD, UH, BREAST CANCER.
SO, YOU KNOW, THIS YEAR I JUST FINISHED MY LUNG JOURNEY WITH BREAST CANCER, AND IN JULY WE HAD SOME TIME OFF, SO I WAS ABLE TO FINISH ALL MY SKIN GRAFTING.
SO I CAN SAY AFTER MY LONG JOURNEY, UM, I SEE, UH, THIS, THIS, UH, DIAGNOSIS BEHIND ME AND I'M SO, UM, I'M SO, UH, PROUD OF THAT.
AND, YOU KNOW, JUST REMEMBER, EVERYONE, BREAST CANCER IS PREVENTABLE.
SO I HOPE ALL OF YOU HAVE A FRIEND LIKE I HAVE.
AND DONNA, I HOPE THAT SOMEONE HERE IS GOING HOME AND REMINDING THEIR FRIENDS TO MAKE SURE THEY GET, UM, TESTED.
AND, UM, AND I HOPE THAT OUR RESIDENTS STAY INFORMED.
C, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR WHAT YOU DO.
THANK YOU FOR ALL THE TEAM FROM, UM, FROM A MEMORIAL CARE THAT IS HERE.
AND WHAT WE LIKE TO DO, WE HAVE A, A SMALL GIFT TO PRESENT ON BEHALF OF THE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL TO SAY THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE.
SO IF YOU JUST COME UP, IF EVERYONE COMES UP, WE'LL TAKE A QUICK PICTURE.
AND I WAS JUST, OH, I WAS JUST GONNA ADD, UH, THANK YOU SO MUCH, UH, COUNCIL, UH, VICE MAYOR ALLEN FOR, UM, INVITING THE LONG BEACH MEMORIAL TEAM TO COME AND PRESENT.
UM, I HAVE NOT HAD BREAST CANCER, BUT MY MOTHER IS A SURVIVOR OF BREAST CANCER.
AND AT MY PHYSICAL THIS YEAR, MY, UM, MY DOCTOR REMINDED ME, MY PRIMARY CARE PHYSICIAN REMINDED ME THAT IT IS TIME FOR ME TO GET MY, UH, MY MAMMOGRAM.
SO I GOT MY FIRST MAMMOGRAM, UH, THIS YEAR.
UM, BUT ALL THIS INFORMATION, RIGHT, IS VI IS ABSOLUTELY VITAL FOR OUR COMMUNITY AND FOR WOMEN.
I JUST WANTED TO SAY THANK YOU AGAIN, DOCTOR, FOR BEING HERE AND FOR BRINGING THIS UP.
UM, AND WE ARE SO HAPPY TO HAVE YOU WITH US TODAY.
I KNOW THAT, UM, EVERY, LIKE YOU SAID, EVERYBODY HAS BEEN TOUCHED BY SOMEONE.
MY SISTER'S A SURVIVOR OF BREAST CANCER AND ONE OF MY BEST FRIENDS.
UM, IT'S NOT SO, UM, YOU KNOW, WE KNOW THE RISK THAT COMES WITH IT, BUT I JUST WANNA TELL YOU THAT I'VE BEEN TO THE TODD, UM, CENTER AND, UM, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I'M VERY PROUD OF IS THAT IT IS VERY WHEELCHAIR FRIENDLY AND I WANTED TO SAY THANK YOU TO YOU AND ALL THAT MAKE THAT POSSIBLE BECAUSE A LOT OF WOMEN NOW ARE ABLE TO GET THEIR EXAMS RIGHT, STRAIGHT FROM THEIR WHEELCHAIRS.
SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THAT.
YOU KNOW, IT'S, IT'S IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTAND THAT EVERYBODY HAS ANXIETY ABOUT CANCER AND WOMEN HAVE ANXIETY ABOUT BREAST CANCER, BUT I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTAND THAT BREAST CANCER IS TREATABLE IF IT'S FOUND EARLY.
AND THAT'S WHERE SCREENING COMES IN.
LOOK AT YOU GUYS, GET IN THERE, COME ON.
BUT I APPRECIATE YOU, BUT EVERYONE HAS THEIR PLACE.
I'M, YEAH, WE GOOD? ALRIGHT, ONE MORE.
ALL RIGHT, WELL THAT CONCLUDES THE PRESENTATIONS.
UH, LET'S START THE COUNCIL MEETING NOW.
UM, WE WILL HAVE OUR REPORT OUT FROM CLOSED SESSION, PLEASE.
WE HAVE NO REPORT TONIGHT FROM CLOSED SESSION.
LET'S PULL UP THE CONSENT CALENDAR ITEMS ONE THROUGH 16.
[CONSENT CALENDAR (1. – 16.)]
OKAY, IT'S BEEN MOVED.AND SECOND, IS THERE ANY PUBLIC COMMENT ON CONSENT MEMBERS? PLEASE CAST YOUR VOTE.
[00:45:05]
MOTIONS CARRIED.NEXT WE'RE GONNA TAKE CARE OF COMMISSION APPOINTMENTS.
ITEM 18 IS COMMUNICATIONS FROM MAYOR RICHARDSON.
RECOMMENDATION TO RECEIVE AND APPROVE COMMISSION APPOINTMENTS FOR NON-CHARTER COMMISSIONS.
[18. 24-55297 Recommendation to receive and approve Commission appointments for Non-Charter Commissions. Office or Department: Rex Richardson, Mayor Suggested Action: Approve recommendation. ]
THANK YOU.THERE ARE A NUMBER OF PEOPLE HERE, UH, WHO ARE HERE FOR COMMISSION APPOINTMENTS.
UM, AT THE END, UH, WE'RE GONNA INVITE ALL OF YOU UP TO TAKE A PHOTO.
UH, AND I KNOW SOME FOLKS HAVE THEIR FAMILIES HERE, SO GET YOUR CAMERAS READY.
UH, WE, UH, THIS COHORT WE'VE BROUGHT TOGETHER A DIVERSE GROUP OF VERY EXCITED RESIDENTS, VERY QUALIFIED RESIDENTS, DIFFERENT BACKGROUNDS REPRESENTING EVERY PART OF OUR CITY.
UH, THESE INDIVIDUALS REFLECT SOME OF THE MOST QUALIFIED AND, UH, UH, COMMITTED PUBLIC SERVANTS THAT OUR CITY HAS TO OFFER.
SO TONIGHT WE'RE GONNA BE APPOINTING 15 NEW AND RETURNING COMMISSIONERS, UH, THAT ARE BEING RECOMMENDED, UH, TO ENSURE THAT OUR COMMISSIONS CONTINUE TO REFLECT THE DIVERSITY OF OUR CITY AND WE'LL CONTINUE TO WORK TO EXPAND OPPORTUNITY FOR ALL OF OUR RESIDENTS AND FAMILIES TO SERVE ON COMMISSIONS.
NOW, TO STREAMLINE THE PROCESS, WE'RE GONNA BE COMBINING ITEMS 18, 21 AND 32, 3 CATEGORIES OF COMMISSIONERS, UH, INTO ONE PRESENTATION.
SO, SO WE THAT THE TOTAL IS FOUR NEW CHARTER COMMISSIONS, WHICH I'LL READ COMMISSIONERS, WHICH I'LL READ FIRST.
THEN SEVEN NON-CHARTER COMMISSIONERS, AND THEN FOUR CHARTER COMMISSION REAPPOINTMENTS.
AND THEN WE HAVE THREE SEPARATE.
AFTER THE FIRST VOTE, WE'LL GO TO THE SECOND VOTE.
THEN EVERYONE COME DOWN TO TAKE A, TAKE A PHOTO.
HOW'S THAT SOUND? SOUNDS GOOD.
SO FIRST, OUR FIRST CHARTER COMMISSION, UH, APPOINTMENT IS TO THE PLANNING COMMISSION, GRISELDA SUAREZ.
SO, UH, GRISELDA IS EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE ARTS COUNCIL FOR LONG BEACH.
SHE CURRENTLY SERVES AS AN ADVISOR TO THE LA COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS CULTURAL EQUITY AND INCLUSION INITIATIVE COUNCIL REPRESENTING THE FOURTH SUPERVISORIAL DISTRICT.
SHE'S TAUGHT AT CAL STATE LONG BEACH FOR THE CHICANO AND LATIN LATINO STUDIES DEPARTMENT SINCE 2006.
SHE HAS PREVIOUSLY SERVED ON THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION SINCE 2021.
HER POETRY AND SHORT STORIES HAVE APPEARED IN MANY JOURNALS AND LITERARY REVIEWS THROUGHOUT HER CAREER.
SHE'S CREATED PROGRAMMING AND TRAINING DEDICATED TO FACILITATING TRANSFORMATION AND CREATING AGENCY FOR HER COMMUNITIES.
UH, CONGRATULATIONS GRISELDA FOR YOUR ELEVATION.
FROM ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT TO PLANNING.
NEXT AT LARGE APPOINTMENT TO THE PLANNING COMMISSION IS ERIC ROMERO ACCREDITED CALIFORNIA ECONOMIC DEVELOPER WITH A DECADE OF EXPERIENCE DESIGNING AND MANAGING PROGRAMS THAT SUPPORT BUSINESS REVITALIZE COMMERCIAL CORRIDORS AND ADVANCED COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT.
HE CURRENTLY SERVES AS THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT MANAGER FOR THE CITY OF CARSON, WHERE HE OVERSEES THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE CITY'S NEW ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STRATEGIC PLAN.
SHE PRE, HE PREVIOUSLY SERVED AS THE DIRECTOR OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AT SUNSTONE MANAGEMENT AND AS THE BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT OFFICER AT THE CITY OF LONG BEACH.
HE'S RECEIVED HIS MASTER'S IN URBAN AND REGIONAL PLANNING FROM UCLA AND A BACHELOR'S IN SOCIOLOGY FROM CAL STATE LONG BEACH.
HE RESIDES IN LONG BEACH WITH HIS WIFE, ELSA AND THEIR SONS, SOLIMAR AND CAMILLE NEXT TO THE AT LARGE COMMISSION ON POSITION ON THE PLANNING COMMISSION.
NICK SANTO SANTOS, BUSINESS MANAGER SECRETARY TREASURER FOR UNA LOCAL 1309, REPRESENTING 4,500 CONSTRUCTION WORKERS ACROSS THE SOUTHERN LOS ANGELES COUNTY.
FORMER COMPLIANCE REPRESENTATIVE INVESTIGATING WAGE STAFF CASES THROUGHOUT CALIFORNIA, UH, AND THIRD GENERATION UNION MEMBER WITH A STRONG COMMITMENT TO COMMUNITY SERVICE FROM A YOUNG AGE, A GRADUATE OF LONG BEACH STATE WITH A DEGREE IN FINANCE AND ENJOYS SPENDING TIME WITH HIS WIFE AND FAMILY ON THE LONG BEACH WATERFRONT.
NEXT IS THE POLICE OVERSIGHT COMMISSION AND AT LARGE, COMMISSIONER CHARLIN BENDER, FORMER DEPUTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY FOR ORANGE COUNTY, SKILLED AT NAVIGATING CRIMINAL JUSTICE WITH COMPASSION ACTIVE MEMBER OF THE EXECUTIVE BOARD OF THE LONG BEACH PUBLIC LIBRARY FOUNDATION.
ADVOCATING FOR LITERACY AND ACCESSIBLE INFORMATION SERVES ON LO LOYOLA LAW SCHOOL BOARD OF GOVERNORS INFLUENCING EDUCATION OF FUTURE LEGAL PROFESSIONALS, ENTREPRENEURIAL SPIRIT DEMONSTRATED THROUGH INVOLVEMENT AND STARTUPS BRINGING INNOVATIVE PERSPECTIVES TO POLICE OVERSIGHT.
CONGRATULATIONS TO THESE, UH, FOUR NEW, UH, CHARTER COMMISSIONERS.
ALRIGHT, WE HAVE, UH, I'LL JUST LIST THE CHARTER COMMISSION REAPPOINTMENTS, THAT'S, UH, PARKS AND RECREATION COMMISSION.
SO AT LARGE IS ROBERT LIVINGSTON, REAPPOINTED TO A SECOND TERM AT LARGE.
SUSAN REDFIELD REAPPOINTED TO A SECOND TERM.
AND AT LARGE, CASEY SCHOEN, UH, REAPPOINTED TO A SECOND TERM.
THE UTILITIES COMMISSIONER AT LARGE SEAT GLORIA CORDERO IS REAPPOINTED TO A SECOND TERM.
LET'S HEAR IT FOR ALL THE REAPPOINTED COMMISSIONERS.
YOU MADE IT TO THE SECOND TERM.
[00:50:01]
COMMISSIONS.UH, THE ADVISORY COMMISSION ON AGING, JUDY CLARK BEGAN HER CAREER IN 1988 AS A CLERK TYPIST WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF WATER AND POWER ADVANCING A SENIOR CLERK TYPIST WITH THIS LOS ANGELES CITY CLERK.
FORMER ADMIN ANALYST TO BOTH THE LA MAYOR'S LEGISLATIVE DEPUTY AND LA WORLD AIRPORT'S LEGISLATIVE DEPUTY, UH, SERVED AS COMMISSION COMMISSION EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT BEFORE JOINING TEAM HANH.
UH, JUDY IS A LONG BEACH RESIDENT MOTHER OF TWO AND SHARES HER HOME WITH A FIVE-YEAR-OLD RESCUE DOG NAMED ARTHUR.
IN HER FREE TIME, SHE ENJOYS HORSEBACK RIDING, SWIMMING, AND CHEERING FOR LOS ANGELES DODGERS.
IS JUDY HERE? THERE, THERE SHE IS.
JUDY, YOU REMEMBER WE HAD THIS CONVERSATION ABOUT YOU STEPPING UP IN LONG BEACH.
I LOVE WHEN WE FIND THESE PEOPLE WHO ARE IN OUR COMMUNITIES, INVOLVED IN OTHER CITIES, AND WE SAY NO, WE'RE GONNA BRING THAT TALENT HERE TO LONG BEACH.
NEXT ON THE AIRPORT ADVISORY COMMISSION.
WHERE'S RYAN? I THINK, I THINK I THOUGHT I SAW RYAN LEADER IN CONSTRUCTION MANAGEMENT AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT COMMITTED TO ENHANCING URBAN ENVIRONMENTS.
BERNARD'S IN 1996 AND CIVIL ENGINEERING DEGREE FROM UCLA IN 2001.
SERVED AS A PROJECT MANAGER UNDER LOS ANGELES, MAYOR HAN, FOCUSING ON COMMUN NEEDS AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT.
UH, JOINED JG JGM BECOMING CEO IN 2016 AND OVERSEEING 70 EMPLOYEES IN HIGH PROFILE PROJECTS.
RYAN HAS MENTORED YOUTH AT THE YMCA AND SERVED AS HONORARY MAYOR AND BOARD CHAIR FOR LAX COASTAL CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.
AND HE IS NOW IN THE CITY OF LONG BEACH, UH, ON THE AIRPORT ADVISORY COMMISSION.
NEXT IS THE BELMONT SHORT PARKING AND BUSINESS IMPROVEMENT AREA ADVISORY COMMISSION AT LARGE.
JEFFREY KZA BEGINNING HIS CAREER AT THE BELMONT ATHLETIC CLUB IN 1985.
SINCE THEN, HE'S DEDICATED 42 YEARS OF SERVICE TO HIS COMMUNITY THROUGH THE HEALTH AND FITNESS INDUSTRY, HELPING MANY LIVE THEIR LIFE TO THE FULLEST PRINCIPAL PARTNER OF THE BELMONT, UM, MURPHY'S PUB AND SHORE STRENGTH LAB.
UH, BORN AND RAISED IN LONG BEACH, UH, ATTENDED JORDAN HIGH SCHOOL AND J TOWN AND LONG BEACH CITY COLLEGE.
EVENTUALLY TRANSFERRING TO CAL STATE LONG BEACH TO COMPLETE A BA IN IN PSYCHOLOGY.
MARRIED FOR 20 YEARS WITH HIS WIFE KATHY.
ENJOYS FREE FISHING AND FREE TIME AND LIFELONG FAN OF THE DALLAS COWBOYS.
UH, NEXT CITIZEN ADVISORY COMMISSION ON DISABILITIES AT LARGE.
UH, SO RANDY, A LONGTIME RESIDENT OF LONG BEACH WITH MORE THAN 20 YEARS OF COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, HOLDS A MASTER'S DEGREE IN SOCIAL WORK FROM CAL STATE LONG BEACH.
UH, FACULTY MEMBER AT CAL STATE LONG BEACH SCHOOL OF SOCIAL WORK SPECIALIZING IN MACRO AND LEADERSHIP CURRENTLY SERVES AS SOCIAL SERVICES MANAGER AT ST.
EXPERIENCED SOCIAL WORKER DEDICATED TO ADVOCACY FOR MARGINALIZED COMMUNITIES AND ACTIVE MEMBERS OF THE LONG BEACH HIV PLANNING COMMITTEE AND THE LONG BEACH DISABILITY PRIDE PLANNING COMMITTEE.
WELCOME TO K COD RANDY NEXT, CLIMATE RESILIENT AND SUSTAINABILITY, SUSTAINABLE CITY COMMISSION.
UH, PRINCIPLE IN CHARGE OF PE ENTERPRISE CONSULTING.
OR IS IT PE ENTERPRISE, A WOMAN OWNED LOCAL BUSINESS THAT SUCCESSFULLY IMPLEMENTS SUSTAINABILITY INITIATIVES.
REDUCING OPERATIONAL CARBON FOOTPRINT BY 20%.
HOLDS AN MBA IN FINANCE AND MARKETING FROM UCLA, ANDERSON AND A MSC IN HYDROLOGY FROM OHIO UNIVERSITY AND A BSC AND A BS IN GEOLOGY FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF MUMBAI.
SHE SERVES AS CORPORATE PRESIDENT OF THE WOMEN'S ENVIRONMENTAL COUNCIL EXPERTISE AND INCLUDES GROUNDWATER MANAGEMENT, FLOOD RISK ASSESSMENT, AND SUSTAINABILITY INITIATIVES.
SHE'S COMMITTED TO ENHANCING LONG BEACH'S CLIMATE RESILIENCE, PROMOTING SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT, AND ENGAGING THE COMMUNITY IN ENVIRONMENTAL INITIATIVES.
WELCOME TO THE SCENE NEXT AT LARGE ON OUR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION, KEVIN KER.
KEVIN IS CO-FOUNDER AND CEO OF AMP AIR, UH, LONG BEACH'S NEWEST AEROSPACE, AEROSPACE STARTUP.
UH, CALTECH TRAINED ENGINEER WHO GRADUATED WITH HONORS, UH, AND THE SCHOOL'S TOP LEADERSHIP AWARD.
FORMER NA NASA JPL RESEARCHER WORKED ON MARS AND MOON ROBOTS.
FORMER NORTH ROOM GRUMMAN ENGINEER AND PROGRAM MANAGER WORKED ON STEALTH AIRCRAFT TECHNOLOGY, DEFENSE AND WEATHER SATELLITES.
KEVIN AND HIS TEAM ARE PIONEERS IN THE SUSTAINABLE, IN SUSTAINABLE AVIATION.
HE DEEPLY CARES ABOUT SUPPORTING HIS COMMUNITY AND INNOVATING TO MAKE THE WORLD A BETTER PLACE.
UH, ONE OF OUR, OUR, OUR NEWEST LEADERS IN THE AEROSPACE AND SPACE BEACH SPACE.
AND ANO, WE ALWAYS WELCOME ANOTHER ROCKET SCIENCE AND CONGRATULATIONS TO YOU AND YOUR WIFE ON YOUR NEW HOME AND ON YOUR BABY ON THE WAY.
ALRIGHT, UH, ON THE HOMELESS SERVICES ADVISORY COMMISSION, DISTRICT NINE, PAT SCOTT LONGTIME, UH, NORTH LONG BEACH RESIDENT RETIRED IN 2018 AFTER WORKING AS A SYSTEMS ANALYST FOR THE CITY OF LOS ANGELES, PROVIDING REPORTS TO THE MAYOR'S OFFICE OF COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT HOUSING EXPERIENCES
[00:55:01]
HAVE GIVEN INSIGHT TO LARGE HOUSING OPERATIONS AND THE GRANT PROCESS HAS ENGAGED IN VARIOUS VOLUNTEER ACTIVITIES, INCLUDING BEING A MEMBER OF THE ASSISTANCE LEAGUE IN LONG BEACH, SEWING QUILTS FOR VETERANS SUPPORTING HOMELESSNESS BY PROVIDING CLOTHING HI HYGIENE PRODUCTS AND ORGANIZING AT COOKOUTS.WE'D LIKE TO TAKE A MOMENT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT PAT IS UNABLE TO JOIN US TODAY BECAUSE SHE'S CELEBRATING HER WEDDING.
CONGRATULATIONS TO HER AND HER FAMILY ON THIS JOYOUS OCCASION.
WE ARE EXCITED FOR HER TO JOIN OUR TEAM AND LOOK FORWARD TO HER CONTRIBUTIONS AS A NEW COMMISSIONER ON THE HOMELESS SERVICES ADVISORY COMMISSION.
PLEASE STAND ALL THE, UH, COMMISSIONERS SO WE CAN RECOGNIZE YOU.
OKAY, WE'RE GONNA GO TO COUNCIL MEMBER SUPER NA FIRST.
MAYOR, I JUST WANTED TO CONFIRM THIS IS THREE OF THE AGENDA ITEMS, RIGHT? CORRECT.
WE'RE GONNA DO THE PRESENTATION NOW, THEN WE'RE GONNA TAKE TWO OF ADDITIONAL VOTES AFTER THIS.
YEAH, IT DOESN'T MAKE SENSE TO DO ALL THAT THREE TIMES.
JUST MAKING SURE WE'RE ON THE SAME PAGE.
WE'RE WE ARE ON THE SAME PAGE.
UH, IF YOU DIDN'T GET ENOUGH OF THE FOURTH DISTRICT WITH THE BRUCE MCCRAE PRESENTATION, UH, I THINK WE SET A RECORD HERE TONIGHT AND THAT IS ONE THIRD OF THE APPOINTEES AND REAPP APPOINTEES ARE FROM DISTRICT FOUR.
THANK YOU ALL FOR STEPPING UP AND SERVING AND GO FORTH.
COUNCILWOMAN ZENDEJAS, I JUST WANNA SAY THANK YOU TO ALL OF YOU, TO THE ONES THAT HAVE, UM, WERE REAPPOINTED TONIGHT.
THANK YOU FOR DOING A GREAT JOB.
AND FOR THOSE THAT ARE COMING NEW TO THE FAMILY, THE LONG BEACH CITY FAMILY, THANK YOU FOR YOUR DEDICATION.
AND THANK YOU FOR BEING PARTNERS AS WE TOGETHER WORK TO IMPROVE OUR CITY MORE AND MORE EVERY DAY.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR DEVOTION TO OUR CITY.
THANK YOU, UH, FOR SAYING YES.
I KNOW, UM, WHEN PEOPLE SAY THEY'RE ON A COMMISSION, NOT EVERYBODY'S GONNA KNOW WHAT YOU MEAN BY BEING ON A COMMISSION.
UM, BUT AS SOMEONE WHO'S BEEN ON COMMISSIONS AND NOW WORKS WITH COMMISSIONS AS ADVISORS, I'M REALLY GRATEFUL FOR THE PERSPECTIVE AND THE INSIGHT THAT YOU BRING TO THE WORK.
UM, IT'S AN INCREDIBLY TALENTED GROUP OF PEOPLE, UM, WHO BRING DIVERSE PERSPECTIVES TO EVERYTHING FROM PARKS AND AIRPORTS TO PLANNING COMMISSIONS, THINGS THAT REALLY MATTER TO OUR COMMUNITY.
AND I APPRECIATE THAT AND I THANK YOU FOR SAYING YES.
COUNCIL MEMBER RICK SOTE, UH, I ECHO EVERYTHING THAT MY COUNCIL COLLEAGUE SAID.
THANK, UH, THANK YOU FOR BEING WILLING TO STEP UP AND, UM, CONTRIBUTE YOUR TIME AND SERVICE OF OUR CITY.
AS A PERSON WHO WAS A COMMISSIONER, I UNDERSTAND THAT THESE ARE LABORS OF LOVE.
UM, AND SO I JUST WANNA SAY THANK YOU.
UM, AND I WANNA SAY CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR DUE DISTRICT NINE, UM, APPOINTEES, UH, JUDY AND PAT.
UM, THEY ARE BRAND NEW COMMISSIONERS AND SO I LOVE TO SEE NEW FOLKS, UH, BE PART OF THE FOLD AND BE ABLE TO CONTRIBUTE THEIR LEADERSHIP AND THEIR UNDERSTANDING TO THIS IN SUPPORT OF OUR CITY.
CONGRATULATIONS, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER DUGGAN, I WANNA SAY THANK YOU TO ALL THE COMMISSIONERS, BOTH NEW AND CONTINUING.
THE WORK THAT YOU DO IS REALLY IMPORTANT AND FOLLOWING LEARNING THE PROTOCOL, THERE'S SO MUCH INVOLVED AND, UM, IT'S GREAT TO SEE THE WORK THAT'S GOING TO BE DONE.
I ALSO WANNA SHOUT OUT, UM, PEARL HANKS WHO I WAS ABLE TO MEET IN THIS PROCESS.
UH, YOU HAVE SO MANY DEGREES, SO MUCH, SO MUCH THAT YOU HAVE TO OFFER OUR CITY, AND I LOOK FORWARD TO WHAT YOU'RE GOING TO DO.
AND JEFF COARD A LOCAL BUSINESSMAN, I'M GONNA SHARE WITH THE FOURTH DISTRICT, BUT HE IS, UH, ON SECOND STREET.
I'M GONNA APPRECIATE HIS WORK THAT HE'S GOING TO DO TOO.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR WORK.
CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL THE NEW APPOINTEES AND ALL THE REAPPOINTMENTS.
UM, I JUST A DEEP GRATITUDE FROM ALL OF US FOR YOUR COMMITMENT TO OUR, TO OUR CITY.
I'M ALSO PLEASED TO ANNOUNCE, UM, OUR NEW APPOINTEES, RANDY HOPE, UM, IT'S HERE.
UM, I KNOW HE'S, UH, BEING APPOINTED TO THE CITIZENS ADVISORY COMMISSION AND GRISELDA UH, VEZ IS BEING APPOINTED TO THE PLANNING COMMISSION.
I'D LIKE TO JUST JOIN IN THE CHORUS OF CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL OF OUR NEW AND CONTINUING, UH, CONTIN COMMISSIONERS.
UH, I WANT TO THANK YOU, UH, IN ADVANCE FOR YOUR TIME AND YOUR SERVICE.
UH, NONE OF YOU ARE FORTUNATE ENOUGH TO LIVE IN A GREAT EIGHTH DISTRICT, UH, UNFORTUNATELY, BUT, UM, I WANTED TO, UM, AS A, AS A, AS A GOOD SPORT AND, UH, SOMEBODY WHO LOVES LONG BEACH, LIKE ALL OF YOU DO, I WANTED TO, TO LEND MY, UH, CONGRATULATIONS AND, AND, UH, SUPPORT TO EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU.
AND I WANNA THANK ALL THE COUNCIL MEMBERS FOR, UH, THEIR PARTNERSHIP IN THE, IN THIS PROCESS.
[01:00:01]
I KNOW IT'S A LOT OF WORK, UH, RECRUITING AND MANAGING AND THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE AND THE CLERK'S OFFICE IN THIS WHOLE PROCESS.UH, THIS IS A GREAT GROUP OF COMMISSIONERS.
UH, WE WISH YOU THE BEST, WORK HARD WORK WITH US.
WE WANNA MAKE OUR COMMUNITIES BETTER.
UH, WE MAY ASK YOU TO MAKE BIG CHANGES.
THAT'S, THAT'S OUR JOB, RIGHT? BUT THANK YOU SO MUCH, UH, FOR BEING A PART OF THIS MEMBERS.
WE'RE GONNA CAST OUR VOTE AND THEN WE'RE GONNA DO ALL THREE VOTES AND THEN WE'RE GONNA COME UP FOR THE PICTURE.
SO LET'S, UH, MEMBERS PLEASE CAST YOUR VOTE FOR ITEM 18 FOR 18.
YOU KNOW, FORGOT TO ASK FOR PUBLIC COMMENT.
WAS THERE ANY PUBLIC COMMENT THERE? NO PUBLIC COMMENT.
I DIDN'T ASK FOR PUBLIC COMMENT ON THAT.
THERE'S ANY PUBLIC COMMENT ON 32? NO PUBLIC COMMENT.
MEMBERS, PLEASE CAST YOUR VOTE.
PLEASE COME FORWARD, COMMISSIONERS.
[21. 24-55299 Recommendation to receive Charter Commission appointments approved by the Government Operations and Efficiency Committee pursuant to Section 509 of the City Charter and Section 2.03.065 of the Long Beach Municipal Code. Office or Department: Daryl Supernaw, Councilman, Fourth District, Chair; Government Operations and Efficiency Committee Suggested Action: Approve recommendation. ]
[32. 24-55321 Recommendation to receive Charter Commission reappointments approved by the Government Operations and Efficiency Committee pursuant to Section 509 of the City Charter and Section 2.03.065 of the Long Beach Municipal Code. Office or Department: Daryl Supernaw, Councilman, Fourth District, Chair; Government Operations and Efficiency Committee Suggested Action: Approve recommendation. ]
WE HAVE GENERAL PUBLIC COMMENT NUMBER ONE.
[ PUBLIC COMMENT: OBTAIN SPEAKER CARD FROM THE CITY CLERK Opportunity to address the City Council (on non-agenda items) is given to the first 10 persons who submit Speaker Cards to the City Clerk beginning at 15 minutes prior to the commencement of the meeting. Each speaker is allowed three minutes to make their comments. ]
LOOKS LIKE SEVEN SPEAKERS SIGNED UP TO SPEAK.FELTON WILLIAMS, HERMAN LONG, MS. ELLA CAPRICE, MCDONALD, ROBIN, GORDON PETERSON, BRIAN COCHRAN, UH, JESSICA MARTINI AND KELLY STRODEL.
FELTON WILLIAMS. GOOD EVENING, MR. MAYOR, MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL EXECUTIVE STAFF.
MY NAME IS FELTON WILLIAMS AND I'M HERE TO SPEAK ON THE PROPOSITION MEASURE.
JB, UM, AND I JUST WANT TO SAY, TALK ABOUT THE PRIMARY GOAL OF THE CIVIL RIGHTS CIVIL SERVICE HAS AND HAS BEEN AND CONTINUES TO BE TO ENSURE THAT APPOINTMENTS ARE BASED ON MERIT AND ABILITY AS DETERMINED THROUGH A COMPETITIVE PROCESS.
THE CIVIL SERVICE SYSTEM ENACTED NINE MERIT SYSTEM PRINCIPLES TO
[01:05:01]
IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF PUBLIC SERVICE BY RECRUITING EMPLOYEES FROM ALL SEGMENTS OF SOCIETY, PROVIDING EQUAL PAY FOR WORK OF EQUAL VALUE, AND RETAINING AND SEPARATING EMPLOYEES ON THE BASIS OF THEIR PERFORMANCE.NOW I WANNA SPEAK TO A BROCHURE THAT SUPPORTS MEASURE JB THE BROCHURE STATES THAT MEASURE JB WILL SPEED UP THE TIMELINE TO FILL VACANT POSITIONS, INCLUDING FIREFIGHTERS, PARAMEDICS, AND POLICE OFFICERS.
RECRUITING FOR POLICE OFFICERS IS EXTREMELY DETAILED AND DIFFERENT FROM MOST OTHER POSITIONS DUE TO THE NEED TO ENSURE APPLICANTS HAVE THE MENTAL AND PHYSICAL ABILITY TO SERVE.
THE SECOND ASPECT IS TRAINING THAT CAN TAKE MONTHS.
AND THAT IS DONE UNDER THE STRICT GUIDELINES OF POST OR THE COMMISSION ON POST SE, POST OFFICER TRAINING.
THE THIRD INVOLVES SCHEDULING AN AN ACADEMY FOR NEW HIRING NEW POLICE OFFICERS THAT IS INITIATED BY THE CITY.
CIVIL SERVICE RESPONSIBILITY IN ALL OF THIS IS TO RECRUIT, CERTIFY, AND REFER.
IT DOES NOT HIRE THE LAST ITEM ON THE BROCHURE TO CREATE AN INDEPENDENT COMMUNITY MEMBER DRIVEN CIVIL SERVICE.
THIS IS DISTURBING BECAUSE IT IS PART OF THE CIVIL SERVICE.
THE CITY WOULD DUPLICATE THE WORK OF CIVIL SERVICE.
YOU HAVE TO ASK YOURSELF WHY A SEPARATE PROCESS WOULD BE CREATED.
THE CURRENT CIVIL SERVICE OPERATES ON LEGAL FOUNDATION.
THE ONE THAT WOULD BE ESTABLISHED BY THE CITY WOULD NOT CON CONSEQUENCES.
THE CITY WOULD BE ABLE TO WRITE THE RULES THAT SUIT THEIR PARTICULAR PURPOSE AND CHANGE THEM WITH LITTLE OR NO ACCOUNTABILITY.
THIS IS PRECISELY WHY THE CIVIL SERVICE SERVICE SYSTEM WAS CREATED TO CHECK GOVERNMENT ABUSE.
UM, HIRING FOR ALL JOBS WILL COME UNDER THE COME UNDER THE DIRECT JURISDICTION OF THE MAYOR AND CITY MANAGER WITHOUT THE BENEFIT OF VERIFYING FOR EXPERIENCE, QUALIFICATION OR MENTAL FITNESS.
THE HR, THE HR DEPARTMENT, DOES NOT HAVE THE SAME LEGAL MANDATE TO CERTIFY THE ELIGIBILITY OF POTENTIAL EMPLOYEES THAT ARE PART OF THE STRUCTURE OF CIVIL SERVICE.
IN CLOSING, CIVIL SERVICE WAS DESIGNED TO PREVENT FRAUD AND ABUSE IN GOVERNMENT HIRING.
PLEASE JOIN ME ALONG WITH THE FOLLOWING VOTING ONS ON MEASURE.
JB JANE BIXBY SMITH, DR. MIKE WALTER, DR.
JENNY BAXTER, NIKKI BROWN, TENANT, FORMER AIDE TO CONGRESSMAN ALAN LOWENTHAL, JANE ROTOR.
JUDY, JUDY ROSS, FORMER EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF LONG BEACH NONPROFIT CENTER.
BRADON PHILLIPS, FORMER BUREAU CHIEF FOR THE LONG BEACH POLICE DEPARTMENT.
ALRIGHT, NEXT SPEAKER IS HERMAN LONG.
I'M THE RETIRED DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF THE CIVIL SERVICE DEPARTMENT.
I'M HERE TO EXPRESS MY OPPOSITION TO MEASURE JB.
UM, THE EXISTING INDEPENDENT CIVIL SERVICE COMMISSION PROVIDES ASSURANCES, NOT PROMISES.
THE ESSENTIAL ELEMENTS OF A SUCCESSFUL RECRUITMENT TESTING AND SELECTION PROCESS MUST BE ONE IN WHICH THERE'S INTEGRITY, TRANSPARENCY, HONEST OVERSIGHT, TRUST, CREDIBILITY, FAIRNESS, AND EQUAL ACCESS.
THE MERGING OF THE CIVIL SERVICE AND HUMAN RESOURCE DEPARTMENTS WILL RESULT IN THE ELIMINATION OF MANY OF THESE ELEMENTS.
LET ME GIVE YOU A POLITICAL REALITY CHECK.
THERE WAS AN ARTICLE IN THE PRESS TELEGRAM ENTITLED OUTSIDE SEARCH FOR THE NEXT PUBLIC CHIEF ANGERS MANY AND LONG BEACH PD.
THIS WAS BACK IN 2009, CITING THE NUMBER OF QUALIFIED CANDIDATES AND THE COST OF A NATIONAL SEARCH.
THE THEN CITY MANAGER ANNOUNCED THERE WOULD BE AN INTERNAL SEARCH AND SELECTION PROCESS FOR THE CHIEF OF POLICE.
FIVE HIGHLY QUALIFIED LONG BEACH CHIEFS AND COMMANDERS APPLIED THE PRESS TELEGRAM FURTHER REPORTED THAT OFFICERS ANONYMOUSLY SAID THEY HAD HEARD THAT AN LAPD CHIEF DEPUTY CHIEF WAS REFERRED TO THE CITY MANAGER BY A COUNTY SUPERVISOR AND THAT CITY MANAGER MET WITH THIS PERSON.
ADDITIONALLY, IT WAS REPORTED THAT THIS OUTSIDER WAS SEEN TALKING TO THE MAYOR AT A CHRISTMAS PARTY.
NOT THIS MAYOR, A FORMER MAYOR.
AFTER THE APPLICATION DEADLINE, THE CITY MANAGER OPENED UP AND EXTENDED THE PROCESS FOR AN ADDITIONAL TWO WEEKS IN ORDER FOR EXTERNAL CANDIDATES TO APPLY.
GUESS WHO WAS SELECTED? A VERY FINE CHIEF OF COURSE, BUT IT WAS ONE OF THE OUTSIDERS.
IF THIS CAN OCCUR AT THE UPPER LEVEL OF MANAGEMENT, JUST IMAGINE WHAT WILL OCCUR WITH THE EMPLOYEES IN THE CLASSIFIED LOWER LEVEL
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POSITIONS.IF MEASURE JB IS NOT DEFEATED, THE CITIZENS EMPLOYEES PROSPECTIVE JOB APPLICANTS ARE URGED TO VOTE NO ON JB THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.
NEXT SPEAKER IS, UH, CAPRICE MCDONALD.
BORN AND RAISED IN LONG BEACH.
JUST A LITTLE BIT ABOUT MYSELF.
I'VE WORKED FOR THE CITY OF LONG BEACH FOR 33 PLUS YEARS.
I WORKED MY WAY UP, STARTED FROM AS A CLERK TYPIST TO PERMANENT PART-TIME AND I TOOK EVERY STEP.
I HAD NO PERSONAL CONNECTIONS, DON'T TO ANYONE.
MY DAD, HE WAS THE FIRST BLACK PLUMBER THE CITY OF LONG BEACH HAD, AND HE ACHIEVED HIS JOB THROUGH THE CLASSIFIED SERVICE.
HE LEFT THE CITY DUE TO DISCRIMINATION IN THE SELECTION PROMOTIONAL PROCESS.
HE WENT ON TO THE NAVY SHIPYARD WHERE HE WAS RESPECTED AND RETIRED.
AND THIS IS AFTER RETIRING FROM THE US NAVY AFTER 20 YEARS.
JUST A LITTLE FUN, SOME FUN FACTS I WANNA SHARE WITH YOU ALL TODAY.
THE LAST FISCAL YEAR CIVIL SERVICE REFERRED OUT 5,410 CANDIDATES AT THE CITY.
OF THAT NUMBER 325 WERE HIRED.
SO 6% OF THE CANDIDATES ON AT LISTS WERE HIRED OF THAT NUMBER.
WERE CITY OF LONG BEACH A HUNDRED AND UM, 300 AND UH, THE 325 HIRED 120.
WERE CITY OF LONG BEACH AND WE TALK ABOUT, WE HEAR A LOT ABOUT PREFERENCES.
SO CURRENTLY THERE IS PREFERENCE PROCESS FOR VETERANS 112 VETERANS WERE ACHIEVED.
PLACEMENT ON ELIGIBLE LIST 12 WERE DISABLED OF THE DISABLED.
OF THE A HUNDRED VETERANS THAT WERE NOT DISABLED, SEVEN WERE HIRED.
AND LAST I WANNA JUST THANK THE FIREFIGHTER ASSOCIATION FOR SHOWING UP AT LEADERSHIP LONG BEACH FORUM LAST NIGHT BECAUSE THEY TOLD THE COMMUNITY WHAT THE COMMUNITY NEEDED HERE.
THEY SAID THAT IT TAKES SEVEN MONTHS TO ONBOARD FIREFIGHTERS.
AND AGAIN, CIVIL SERVICE DOES NOT DO THE ONBOARDING.
NEXT IS ROBIN GORDON PETERSON.
IT HAS BEEN QUITE SOME TIME, UH, THAT I'VE BEEN HERE.
I WANTED TO GO BACK TO THE CONVERSATION THAT I WANTED TO HAVE WITH YOU REGARDING SUBMITTING A SALARY RANGE FOR CHRISTINA WINTON.
CAN I GET YOUR ATTENTION? CAN EVERYBODY LISTEN PLEASE? I SUBMITTED HER SALARY RANGE UNDER THE AGREEMENT THAT I THOUGHT WE HAD ONLY TO COME TO THIS MEETING AND HAVE IT RECEIVED AND FILED WITHOUT ANY DISCUSSION, ANY MEANINGFUL DISCUSSION.
WHEN THE CITY MANAGER FELT THAT HE WASN'T BEING HEARD, HE DISCLOSED TO YOU THAT THERE WAS A 4% INCREASE ON THE TABLE.
I HAD MADE AN AGREEMENT OF THREE AND A HALF PERCENT AND GAVE MY WORD.
I WOULD NOT EXCEED THAT AMOUNT.
THAT 4% DISCUSSION WAS PRIVATE.
THERE WAS NO NEED TO BRING THAT TO THIS ROOM.
IT WAS A PRIVATE EMAIL THAT HE DISCLOSED BECAUSE HE THOUGHT THAT HE MIGHT LOSE THE DISCUSSION.
CHRISTINA WINING WILL NEED A SALARY RANGE.
PER, PER, SHE HAS TO HAVE ONE.
WHEN I GAVE MY WORD THAT THE INCREASE WOULD NOT EXCEED 3.5%, IT DIDN'T MATTER WHAT THE RANGE WAS.
I GAVE MY WORD, I'M A PERSON OF MY WORD.
AND WHEN I TALK ABOUT DISINGENUOUS AND HALF TRUTHS, IT'S BECAUSE WHEN HER SALARIES, HER INCREASES WERE DISCUSSED IN THE PUBLIC TO FURTHER HUMILIATE HER.
NOT ONCE DID THE CITY MANAGER TELL ANYONE WHY THOSE INCREASES WERE GIVEN, WHY YOU APPROVE THEM.
THE MAYOR KNEW HE JUST HAPPENED TO NOT BEEN HERE BECAUSE HE WAS TAKING CARE OF CITY BUSINESS.
MR. MOCA KNEW TOO, BUT HE DIDN'T TELL YOU.
AND SO IT LED THE PUBLIC TO BELIEVE THAT THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF CIVIL SERVICE
[01:15:01]
WAS GETTING 7% INCREASES.YOU NEED TO HAVE ALL THE INFORMATION.
IF YOU'RE GOING TO GIVE SOME OF THE INFORMATION, GIVE IT ALL SO THAT WE ALL HAVE A CLEAR PICTURE.
THAT'S ALL THAT I EVER ASK FOR THE TRUTH.
NOW YOUR JOB IS TO SET A RANGE.
I'LL LET YOU DECIDE HOW THAT'S GOING TO BE DONE.
THIS IS REGARDING DENSE BREAST BECAUSE I DIDN'T HEAR THE DOCTOR WHO WAS GIVEN THE PRESENTATION.
WHEN YOUR DOCTOR TELLS YOU THAT AFTER YOUR MAMMOGRAM, PLEASE INSIST ON AN ULTRASOUND.
THE ULTRASOUND IS WHAT WILL DETERMINE WHETHER YOUR BREAST HAS CANCER.
YOU CANNOT DETERMINE THAT WITH DENSE BREATHS.
SO ANY WOMEN THAT GO IN AND THEY'RE TOLD, AND BY THE WAY, SOMETIMES THEY DON'T TELL YOU.
SO ASK IF YOU HAVE DENSE BREASTS REQUEST AND DEMAND AND ULTRASOUND SO THAT YOU DON'T GET STUCK WITH BREAST CANCER.
GOOD EVENING, HONORABLE MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEMBERS.
I WANNA CONTINUE A THEME THAT WE SORT OF HAD THE EVENING START OFF WITH, WHICH IS A LITTLE BIT OF GRATITUDE.
I AM APPRECIATIVE AND MY COMMUNITY, BELMONT SHO, IS APPRECIATIVE THAT TONIGHT WE ARE NOT HERE TO REVIEW THE PANAMA JOE'S PARKLET APPLICATION BECAUSE DECISIONS WERE MADE THAT PREEMPTED THAT AND MADE RIGHT THINGS FOR THE COMMUNITY.
I WANNA THANK COUNCIL, COUNCIL MEMBER DUGGAN, ESPECIALLY FOR TAKING A STAND AND HELPING GUIDE THINGS TO THE RIGHT DECISION.
WE NOT, WE'RE NOT SURE HOW THAT ARRIVED, BUT WE WERE APPRECIATIVE OF THE FINAL OUTCOME.
WE'RE NOT SURE WHY THE BUSINESS WITHDREW ITS APPLICATION AT THIS LATE JUNCTURE, BUT WE ARE GRATEFUL FOR THAT OUTCOME FOR THE COMMUNITY'S WELLBEING.
MR. MAYOR, I KNOW HOW MUCH YOU CARE ABOUT NEIGHBORHOOD GROUPS AND COMMUNITY ASSOCIATIONS AND HOW IMPORTANT THOSE ARE TO THE PROCESS FOR YOU ALL.
I WOULD ASK, AND I'M, THIS IS MY ASK GOING FORWARD IS THAT THIS PROCESS WITH THE PARKLET APPLICATIONS, BE MORE TRANSPARENT, MORE OPEN, MORE INCLUSIVE OF THOSE COMMUNITY GROUPS.
WE KNOW THAT A FORMER COUNCIL MEMBER REDUCED THAT MECHANISM AND IT'S IMPORTANT FOR US.
WE WOULD JUST LIKE TO KNOW MORE OF HOW THE REASONING GOES INTO IT.
WE KNOW THE BELMONT SHORT BUSINESS ASSOCIATION AND THE BUSINESS THEMSELVES HAVE A LOT OF INPUT AND A LOT OF ENGAGEMENT ON THESE THINGS DIRECTLY WITH THE COUNCIL MEMBER AND THE PROCESSES THROUGH THE DEPARTMENTS.
ALL WE ASK IS THAT, THAT PART BE EXTENDED TO US SO THAT WE KNOW.
AND IT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT WE FIND OUT AT THE LAST MINUTE, BUT WE ARE GRATEFUL AND WE APPRECIATE ALL THE HELP THAT'S COME TO THAT POINT.
MY NAME IS JESSICA MARTINI AND I'M A RESIDENT AND OWNER AT 1187 EAST THIRD STREET.
THIS BUILDING IS BEHIND THE LONG BEACH SENIOR CENTER THAT IS LOCATED NEAR FOURTH AND ORANGE IN DISTRICT TWO.
I STAND BEFORE YOU TONIGHT, NOT ONLY AS A CONCERNED CITIZEN, BUT ALSO AS A SINGLE PARENT TO A THREE AND 6-YEAR-OLD.
I'M HERE WITH MY NEIGHBORS TO ADDRESS AN ONGOING ISSUE THAT AFFECTS OUR COMMUNITY, THE URGENT NEED FOR A PROTECTIVE GATE AROUND THE SENIOR CENTER PARKING LOT AND A LONG-TERM STRATEGY FOR THE BUILDING.
BECAUSE OF ITS NEGATIVE IMPACT ON SAFETY IN THAT NEIGHBORHOOD, THE SITUATION HAS BECOME DIRE.
OVER THE PAST THREE MONTHS, I'VE MADE 45 CALLS TO THE NON-EMERGENCY LINE 6 9 1 1 CALLS AND SUBMITTED 10 REQUESTS ON THE GO LONG BEACH APP FOR EVERYTHING FROM TRESPASSERS, USING NEEDLES AND INHALANTS IN THE OPEN INDIVIDUALS PASSING OUT DESTRUCTION OF PROPERTY THEFT, DUMPING ITEMS AS LARGE AS KITCHEN OVENS AND PHYSICAL DISPUTES IN THE SENIOR CENTER PARKING LOT.
THIS IS IN ADDITION TO THE THEFT OF MY PERSONAL PROPERTY IN OUR GARAGE IN A BREAK-IN ONE MONTH AGO, AS THE INDIVIDUALS WHO LOITER IN THE LOT LINGER IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
THREE WEEKS AGO, SOMEONE STOLE THE TAILPIPE FROM A CAR AND USED IT TO BREAK OPEN THE LOCKED SIDE YARD GATE AT OUR BUILDING.
MY NEIGHBORS AND I CLEANED UP HUMAN WASTE DRUG PARAPHERNALIA, THE CONTENTS OF A FULL CAMPSITE THAT WAS ESTABLISHED OVERNIGHT IN THE SIDE YARD OF OUR BUILDING.
AND I ASSURE YOU NONE OF THAT WAS ON MY 2024 BINGO CARD THIS PAST SATURDAY.
A COMMUNITY MEMBER WHO HAS STOLEN AN ENTIRE SET OF POSTAL KEYS, LET THEMSELVES INTO OUR BUILDING, STOLE PACKAGES AND MAIL HAS UNLIMITED ACCESS TO THE BUILDING UNTIL THE BUILDING IS RE-KEYED.
THE VERY BUILDING THAT MY THREE AND 6-YEAR-OLD LIVE IN, ALONG WITH MY NEIGHBORS, THE SENIOR CENTER HAS SEVERAL THOUSAND SQUARE FEET OF UNMONITORED SPACE THAT IS NOT VISIBLE FROM THE STREET AT A BUILDING THAT DOES NOT HAVE STAFF ALL HOURS OF THE DAY.
MOST PEOPLE WHO VISIT OR WORK THERE ARE IN NO POSITION TO CHASE PEOPLE OFF, NOR SHOULD THEY BE.
THE SENIOR CENTER'S PLANNED RELOCATION IN FOUR YEARS LIVES
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US, LEAVES US WITH SHORT-TERM CONCERNS ABOUT SAFETY WITHOUT A GATE AND LONG-TERM FEARS ABOUT WHAT WILL HAPPEN TO THAT BUILDING ONCE THEY MOVE.WE RECEIVED NO UPDATES AT THE SENIOR CENTER TOWN HALL IN SEPTEMBER, AND THEY DID NOT ALLOW ANY REMARKS.
AND THERE WERE ALSO NO UPDATES AT THE ALAMEDO BEACH NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION MEETING EARLIER THIS MONTH.
TONIGHT I URGE CITY HALL TO TAKE OUR CONCERNS SERIOUSLY, AND WE NEED ACTION TO KEEP US ALL SAFE.
THANKS FOR COMING DOWN J JESSICA.
ALL RIGHT, OUR FINAL SPEAKER, UH, KELLY.
LAST TIME WAS HERE IS IN JULY ASKING ABOUT THE VERY SAME THING THAT JESSICA JUST TALKED ABOUT.
UM, WE ARE MOSTLY JUST HOPING FOR AN UPDATE.
WE'VE BEEN ASKING ABOUT THIS FOR SINCE MARCH, 2023 IN EMAIL, IN WRITING.
UM, WE'VE BEEN GOING TO EVERY MEETING WE CAN THINK OF EVERY TIME WE CAN TALK WITH CITY STAFF.
I'VE BEEN EMAILING SO MANY PEOPLE THAT THEY ARE SICK OF ME NOW.
WE JUST WANNA KNOW WHEN IT'S GONNA BE GATED.
AND ONE OF THE REASONS WHY IS BECAUSE IT, AS JESSICA MENTIONED, IT CREATES A GIANT GAP IN THE ABILITY TO, UM, STAVE OFF PEOPLE FROM COMING ONTO OUR PROPERTY.
SO WHEN PD COMES DOWN AND TRIES TO ADDRESS TRESPASSING ON ONE OF THE PROPERTIES, THEY'RE JUST SWEPT ONTO THE NEXT PROPERTY.
UM, WE HAVE, UH, AS I WAS DRIVING OUT, OUR NEIGHBOR MIKE HERE, HE DROVE OUT OF THE GARAGE AND AS WE LEFT THE GARAGE, THERE WERE THREE PEOPLE HOVERING AT THE BUILDING.
ONE GUY SNUCK IN RIGHT AS THE GARAGE DOOR CLOSED AND TRIED TO MAKE A RUN FOR OUR BUILDING, AND WE HAD TO DRIVE IN AND CALL PD AND WE WERE TOLD THERE'S NOTHING THEY COULD DO BECAUSE HE WENT OUT THE EMERGENCY DOOR.
'CAUSE WE CAUGHT, YOU KNOW, WE CAUGHT HIM COMING IN AND WE TOLD HIM HE NEEDED TO LEAVE.
THE, THE MONTH AGO THAT JESSICA WAS TALKING ABOUT.
I STAYED UP ALL NIGHT LONG CHASING OUT THIEVES BECAUSE OUR GARAGE DOOR WAS BROKEN AND I HAD TO PERSONALLY CALL PD FOUR TIMES.
UM, WE HAVE, UH, THE MAILBOX SITUATION, LIKE TENS OF THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS OF, OF, UM, UPDATES TO OUR BUILDING JUST TO SECURE IT BECAUSE OF THE ONGOING ISSUES.
AND THAT'S NOT TO MENTION THE HUMAN WASTE AND CLEANLINESS ISSUE BECAUSE WE HAVE PEOPLE USING OUR ALLEY AS A BATHROOM USING THE PARKING LOT AS A BATHROOM.
AND, AND THANKFULLY, UH, VICE MAYOR ALLEN'S STAFF HAS HELPED US GET SOME CLEANUPS IN THE ALLEYWAY IN THE PARKING LOT.
BUT IT'S JUST PUTTING A BANDAID ON A, ON A SITUATION AND WE KNOW THE GATE'S NOT GONNA FIX IT.
WE JUST WANT ONE PIECE TO HELP US START MAKING OTHER IMPROVEMENTS SO THAT WE CAN WORK ON THOSE OTHER SITUATIONS.
'CAUSE UNTIL THAT LOT IS SHUT DOWN, IT'S JUST, IT'S NEVER GONNA STOP.
SOMEONE CAN GET THEM AN UPDATE ON THE FENCE.
I DON'T KNOW THE SITUATION, BUT WE, I THINK ASKING FOR AN UPDATE IS VERY FAIR.
SO, WE'LL REALLY HELPFUL AS WELL.
WELL, THAT CONCLUDES, THAT CONCLUDES OPENING PUBLIC COMMENT.
WE'LL NOW GO BACK TO, LET'S SAY ITEM 19 PLEASE.
ITEM NINETEEN'S COMMUNICATION FROM VICE MAYOR ALLEN
[19. 24-55296 Recommendation to request Police Department to provide a presentation to City Council in 60 days on the protocols and guidelines the Department employs when responding to cases of trespassing and occupying abandoned properties (“squatting”); and Request Police Department to work with City Manager, City Attorney, and City Prosecutor to evaluate current legislation and associated impacts on the Department’s capabilities when addressing incidents of “squatting” and trespassing, and report back to City Council with recommendations in 90 days. Office or Department: Cindy Allen, Vice Mayor, Second District; Daryl Supernaw, Councilman, Fourth District; Megan Kerr, Councilwoman, Fifth District Suggested Action: Approve recommendation. ]
COUNCILMAN, UH, ANA COUNCILWOMAN KERR.RECOMMENDATION TO REQUEST POLICE DEPARTMENT TO PROVIDE A PRESENTATION TO CITY COUNCIL IN 60 DAYS ON THE PROTOCOLS AND GUIDELINES, THE DEPARTMENT EMPLOYEES WHEN RESPONDING TO CASES OF TRESPASSING AND OCCUPYING ABANDONED PROPERTIES.
AND REQUEST POLICE DEPARTMENT TO WORK WITH CITY MANAGER, CITY ATTORNEY, CITY PROSECUTOR TO EVALUATE CURRENT LEGISLATION AND ASSOCIATED IMPACTS ON THE DEPARTMENT'S CAPABILITIES WHEN ADDRESSING INCIDENTS OF SQUATTING AND TRESPASSING AND REPORT BACK TO CITY COUNCIL WITH RECOMMENDATION IN 90 DAYS.
UM, THANK YOU MAYOR, AND THANK YOU, UH, COUNCIL KERR AND, UH, COUNCILMAN SOFF.
UM, I SUBMITTED THIS ITEM IN RESPONSE TO A, UH, VERY, UH, UNFORTUNATE SITUATION IN DISTRICT TWO.
UM, I DO WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE, UH, FROM THE START, THE HARD WORK OF THE POLICE DEPARTMENT AND OF, UH, THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT.
UM, I KNOW THAT, UH, EVERYONE WAS INSTRUMENTAL IN, UM, IN RESOLVING THIS SITUATION.
WHAT HAPPENED, YOU KNOW, IN DISTRICT TWO WAS AWFUL.
IT WAS DEFINITELY TRAUMATIC, UH, TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
AND I DON'T THINK THAT AS A COUNCIL, UH, I DO THINK AS A COUNCIL THAT WE NEED TO TAKE, UM, STEPS TO ENSURE THAT INCIDENTS OF PROLONGED SQUATTING AND TRESPASSING, UH, DON'T HAPPEN, UM, IN OUR CITY.
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PROVIDE SOME BACKGROUND FROM MY COLLEAGUES, THERE WAS A CERTAIN PROPERTY IN DISTRICT TWO, UM, THAT WAS OCCUPIED BY TRESPASSERS FROM JANUARY, 2023 TO JUNE OF 2024.AND DURING THIS TIME, THE TRESPASSERS TERROR, THE NEIGHBORHOOD, AND MADE MANY OF THE RESIDENTS FEEL EXTREMELY UNSAFE.
THERE WERE DRUGS, GUNS, VIOLENCE COMING OUT OF THAT HOUSE.
AND IT TURNED OUT THAT SOME OF THE OCCUPANTS WERE KNOWN GANG MEMBERS.
SO THE PURPOSE OF THIS ITEM IS TO FIND OUT HOW THE POLICE DEPARTMENT HANDLES THESE SITUATIONS OF TRESPASSING AND SQUATTING.
AND ADDITIONALLY, I'D LIKE THE DEPARTMENT TO EVALUATE, UH, CURRENT, YOU KNOW, CURRENT, UH, LAWS AND LEGISLATION AND SEE WHAT'S OUT THERE.
AND THEN, YOU KNOW, COME BACK TO US AND COUNSEL AND SEE HOW WE CAN STRENGTHEN, YOU KNOW, THE DEPARTMENT'S ABILITY TO RESPOND TO, UH, THESE INCIDENTS OF SQUATTING AND TRESPASSING.
'CAUSE I CAN TELL YOU THIS, THAT NO RESIDENT IN LONG BEACH SHOULD HAVE TO GO THROUGH WHAT HAPPENED, UM, TO THIS NEIGHBORHOOD.
AND IN MY DISTRICT, I, I DO FEEL LIKE THAT WE NEED TO DO BETTER.
UM, WE CAN HAVE KNOWN CRIMINALS OCCUPYING HOUSES, SELLING DRUGS, AND GETTING IN SHOOTOUTS TO NEIGHBORHOODS AND, AND JUST, THIS WENT ON FOR SO LONG, FOR OVER A YEAR.
SO THIS IS JUST, I KNOW, UM, I'M SPEAKING ON BEHALF OF MY RESIDENTS.
AND I THINK THAT, UH, I REALLY DON'T THINK THAT ANY OF YOU, AND I'M SORRY, WHAT YOU HAD TO, UM, TO EXPERIENCE.
UM, I CAN SAY THAT OUR CODE, OUR, OUR CODE ENFORCEMENT, UM, TEAM WAS GREAT.
UM, BUT THEY ALSO SHOULDN'T HAVE TO BE DEALING WITH ISSUES OF ASSAULT WITH A DEADLY WEAPON AND PEOPLE ENTERING AND EXITING THE BUILDINGS AND, AND DISTURBING THE PIECE.
YOU KNOW, THAT IS THE JOB OF THE POLICE DEPARTMENT TO HANDLE THESE KIND OF ISSUES.
SO I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO, UH, RECEIVING, UM, THE REQUESTED, UH, PRESENTATION AND, UM, JUST THE RECOMMENDATIONS IN THE FUTURE.
SO I'M GONNA TURN THIS OVER TO CHIEF WALLY.
AND WE, WE WILL COME BACK WITH THAT REPORT.
UM, UH, I, I WILL NOTE THAT, UH, PART OF THE CONFUSION IS RELATED TO, UH, WHAT YOU AND I HAVE DISCUSSED RELATED TO ADVERSE POSSESSION AND WHERE CIVIL BECOMES CRIMINAL AND TRESPASSING IS, UM, CERTAINLY SOMETHING THAT THE POLICE DEPARTMENT IS AWARE OF AND, AND SHOULD AND COULD BE INVOLVED IN.
AND, UH, SO WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO BRINGING THAT REPORT BACK FOR A FULL PRESENTATION.
ALRIGHT, THANK YOU, UH, VERY MUCH.
UM, I'M GONNA TURN THIS OVER TO, DO YOU HAVE SOME QUESTIONS? I HAD THE SECOND.
UH, THANK YOU VICE MAYOR ALLEN, FOR BRINGING THE ITEM FORWARD.
UM, AND I TOO WANNA THANK, UM, POLICE DEPARTMENT COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT CODE ENFORCEMENT.
CLEARLY, WHEN WE HAVE ISSUES LIKE THIS, AND WE KNOW IT'S NOT JUST IN ONE DISTRICT, WE, YOU KNOW, HAVE SOME SITUATIONS IN MULTIPLE DISTRICTS, UM, THE KIND OF MULTI-JURISDICTIONAL INTERDEPARTMENTAL WORK THAT WE DO IS REALLY IMPORTANT.
AND I THINK, UM, WHAT I WOULD HOPE TO SEE IN THE REPORT IS KIND OF THOSE CLEAR LINES OF COMMUNICATION AND THE WAYS THAT YOUR DEPARTMENTS DO COLLABORATE TOGETHER.
UM, AND THEN ALSO RECOMMENDATIONS, UM, OF HOW YOU NEED THIS COUNCIL TO SUPPORT YOU, UM, IN BEING ABLE TO DO THOSE MORE EFFICIENTLY AND EFFECTIVELY AND WORK TOGETHER.
SO, UM, THANK YOU VICE MAYOR FOR BRINGING IT FORWARD, AND THANK YOU CHIEF FOR BEING HERE.
AND, AND THANK YOU, UH, COUNCILMAN KERR AND COUNCILMAN, UH, SUPERMAN FOR SIGNING ON.
I GUESS, UM, ONE OF SOME OF THE QUESTIONS TOO, CHIEF, I WANNA JUST MAKE SURE, LIKE, WHEN, WHEN THIS WAS REPORTED, UM, WHY WASN'T IT, UM, ADDRESSED, UH, FOR LIKE BREAKING AND ENTERING LIKE A BURGLARY? AND I THINK WE JUST, WE WANNA UNDERSTAND THAT AND THAT I THINK THAT THE COMMUNITY'S GONNA NEED TO UNDERSTAND, LIKE, WHEN WE, UH, WHEN IS A CRIME REPORTED? IS IT WHEN SOMEONE CALLS IN TWO WEEKS LATER WHEN THEY RECOGNIZE SOMEONE IS BROKEN INTO THEIR HOUSE? IS THAT WHEN THE CRIME COMMITTED? OR IS IT WHEN THEY, THEY BROKE IN? SO I THINK AS A COMMUNITY, WE REALLY NEED TO UNDERSTAND THAT ESPECIALLY, UM, THE, UH, THE RESIDENTS OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
THANK YOU VICE MAYOR, WE'LL, WE'LL DEFINITELY INCLUDE THAT.
AND NOBODY HAS THE RIGHT TO BREAK INTO A PROPERTY AND OCCUPY THAT.
UH, REALLY THE DIFFERENCE WITH BETWEEN CIVIL AND CRIMINAL IS, YOU KNOW, OFTENTIMES WE'RE, WE ENCOUNTER INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE OCCUPYING AND ABANDONED PROPERTY, BUT THAT HAD LIVED THERE AT SOME POINT, DIDN'T BREAK IN AND COULD BE A CIVIL MATTER WHERE WE NEED THE, THE SHERIFFS TO HELP ASSIST US IN REMOVING THAT PERSON, BUT BREAKING INTO A PROPERTY.
UM, NOW WE'RE STARTING TO TALK ABOUT TRESPASSING AND IT BECOMES CRIMINAL.
SO WE'LL DEFINITELY CLARIFY THAT IN OUR REPORT BACK.
AND I JUST WANNA THANK YOU, CHIEF.
I KNOW THAT WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THIS AND I'VE WORKED CLOSELY WITH OUR COMMANDER AND I DO APPRECIATE THAT.
UM, BUT I KNOW I'M NOT THE ONLY, UH, DISTRICT THAT IS HAVING ISSUES.
AND SO I THINK HAVING CLARITY ON,
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ON, ON, ON THESE ISSUES AND THEN ALSO, UM, FROM OUR INTERGOVERNMENTAL AFFAIRS, LIKE IF THERE ARE THINGS THAT WE CAN DO TO STRENGTHEN THESE LAWS ARE REALLY IMPORTANT TOO.SO WE LOOK FORWARD TO YOUR FEEDBACK.
THANK YOU COUNCILWOMAN DUGGAN.
I WANNA THANK THE VICE MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEMBER SUPER KERR FOR BRINGING THIS ITEM FORWARD BECAUSE I KNOW QUALITY OF LIFE CAN REALLY CHANGE WITH THESE IMPACTS AND WE'VE HAD A VERY, UH, A LESSER ISSUE IN THE THIRD DISTRICT, BUT WE HAVE HAD TO DEAL WITH THIS.
SO I LIKE THE, UH, REPORT BACK ON PROTOCOLS, BUT I WOULD LIKE TO UNDERSTAND WHAT THE PROTOCOLS ARE AS RELATED TO, UH, TRESPASSING.
WE TALK A LOT, I TALK A LOT WITH COMMANDER BENSON ABOUT THE NO TRESPASSING SIGNS AND, AND YOU WERE INDICATING THAT, UH, VICE MAYOR, THE NO TRESPASSING SIGNS AND THE REQUIREMENTS FOR, UH, THE STANDING NO TRESPASSING ORDER.
SO CAN WE INCLUDE THIS, UH, IN THE UPDATE ABOUT THE REQUIREMENTS FOR, FOR NO TRESPASSING TO BE ENFORCED WITHOUT THE OWNER ON SITE AND THEN MAYBE EVEN HAVE A ONE SHEET THAT WE CAN PASS OUT.
'CAUSE WE ARE TALKING ABOUT THIS ALL THE TIME AND PEOPLE DON'T UNDERSTAND IT.
SO, UM, LET YOU SPEAK TO THAT.
SO SOME LEGISLATION HAS CHANGED RECENTLY.
SO OUR, OUR TRESPASSING, UM, UH, UH, REQUIREMENTS HAVE IN TERMS OF NOT HAVING A RESPONSIBLE PARTY SIGNING ON BEFOREHAND.
SO WE WERE ABLE TO ENFORCE THAT, UM, AND HAVE A LIST OF BUSINESSES THAT, THAT HAD SIGNED ON FOR THAT LEGISLATION HAS CHANGED.
SO WE NEED TO GO BACK OUT, REVISIT THAT, AND THAT'LL BE INCLUDED IN OUR REPORT AS WELL, ON HOW WE WILL DO THAT AND, UH, EDUCATE THE COMMUNITY AND CONTINUE TO WORK ON, ON IMPROVING THE SAFETY.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH CHIEF, AND THANKS FOR BRINGING THIS FORWARD.
I THINK THOSE ARE GREAT, UH, IDEAS AND SUGGESTIONS.
ALRIGHT, SO, UM, UH, COUNCILMAN MARY ZENDEJAS.
UM, THANK YOU FOR BRINGING UP THIS ITEM.
I KNOW THAT THIS IS, CAN BE A VERY COMPLEX ITEM ONCE WE HAVE PEOPLE INFILTRATING THESE HOMES.
SO I'M REALLY LOOKING FORWARD TO THE REPORT BACK AND SEEING WHAT OUR OPTIONS ARE.
AND I JUST WANTED YOU TO KNOW THAT I'M VERY SUPPORTIVE OF THIS ITEM.
UH, I DON'T SEE ANY MORE COMMENTS FROM MY COLLEAGUES, SO, UH, THANK YOU VERY MUCH CHIEF FOR BEING HERE.
SO WHAT WE'RE GONNA DO NOW, WE'RE GONNA GO TO A PUBLIC, UH, COMMENT ON THIS.
I KNOW WE HAVE CYNTHIA, OLIVIA, FELICIA RODRIGUEZ, IF YOU CAN, UH, COME UP FOR YOUR PUBLIC COMMENT.
UM, MY NAME IS CYNTHIA OLIVA, AND, UM, I HAPPEN TO OWN THE, THE HOUSE NEXT TO THE SQUATTERS AND, UM, THE HOUSE THAT BASICALLY THIS, THERE, IT'S A DUPLEX, RIGHT? SO THE SQUATTERS TOOK OVER ONE OF THE HOUSES FIRST.
AND, UM, AT FIRST I STARTED NOTICING A LOT OF TRASH.
I STARTED NOTICING A LOT OF DIFFERENT PEOPLE HANGING OUT.
I STARTED NOTICING PEOPLE COMING IN OUT OF THE HOUSE.
AND, UM, AND I WOULD, AND OKAY, UM, SO, UM, I WAS TRYING TO, OKAY, MAY 24TH SWAT RAIDED THE HOUSE, RIGHT? AND IT WAS AT THREE O'CLOCK IN THE MORNING, AND, UH, JUNE 28TH, THERE WAS A SHOOTING AT THE HOUSE IN WHICH ONE OF THE SQUATTERS WAS SHOOTING ANOTHER SQUATTER.
AND, UM, FOR ME IT WAS VERY FRUSTRATING BECAUSE I, UM, I BOUGHT THIS HOUSE IN 2013, AND, UM, I WORK A FULL-TIME JOB.
SO I HAD TO LIKE, TRY TO FIGURE OUT WHAT WAS GOING ON.
I WOULD CALL THE POLICE TO LET THEM KNOW THAT THERE WERE, WELL, FIRST I, I STARTED CALLING CODE ENFORCEMENT, RIGHT? BECAUSE THE HOUSE WAS SUPER DIRTY.
THEY HAD ALL KINDS OF TRASH PEOPLE.
AND THEN CODE ENFORCEMENT WOULD, YOU KNOW, WOULD SAY, OKAY, WE'RE GONNA SEND A LETTER TO THE, TO THE OWNER.
AND, UM, AND, AND THEN I HAD TO WAIT FOR THAT TO HAPPEN.
AND AT ONE POINT, UM, THE, WHAT STARTED HAPPENING IS THE SQUATTERS WERE, UM, LETTING SEWAGE OUT OF THE, THE MAIN DRAIN, AND IT WAS GOING DOWN THEIR DRIVEWAY AND ACROSS MY DRIVEWAY, RIGHT? BUT AT FIRST, I COULDN'T TELL WHAT WAS GOING ON BECAUSE I WOULD JUST SMELL STUFF AND MY ROOMMATES WOULD SMELL SEWAGE.
SO THEN FINALLY I FIGURED IT OUT THAT IT WAS SEWAGE COMING OUT OF THEIR DRIVEWAY.
SO I CALLED, YOU KNOW, CODE ENFORCEMENT, AND CODE ENFORCEMENT WOULD TELL ME, OKAY, UM, YOU NEED TO CALL WHEN YOU SEE THE WATER FLOWING.
SO THEN I WOULD CALL CODE ENFORCEMENT, YOU KNOW, I HAD TO LIKE FI LOOK TO SEE WHEN THE WATER WAS FLOWING.
THEN CODE ENFORCEMENT WOULD TELL ME,
[01:35:01]
UM, YOU CALL WHEN THE WATER IS FLOWING.SO THEN I WOULD CALL AND IT WOULD TAKE A WHILE FOR CODE ENFORCEMENT TO GET THERE.
BY THAT TIME, THE WATER FROM THE DRIVEWAY WAS DRY.
AND THEN AT ONE POINT, I DON'T KNOW EXACTLY HOW, BUT I CALLED SO MANY NUMBERS, SO MANY DIFFERENT PEOPLE, AND SOMEONE TOLD ME, CALL 9 1 1.
SO I THOUGHT IT WAS STRANGE THAT I HAD TO CALL 9 1 1 FOR THIS, BUT THAT'S WHAT THEY TOLD ME TO DO.
SO THEN THE FIRST TIME I DIDN'T REALIZE THAT I HAD TO LIKE, EXPLAIN THE SITUATION.
SO FINALLY 9 1 1 CAME OUT, THEY DETERMINED THAT IT WAS SEWAGE.
THEY CALLED THE NEXT DAY, SOMEBODY CAME TO CLEAN IT UP.
AND THEN I CALLED CODE ENFORCEMENT AND I TOLD THEM, UM, YOU KNOW, THE, THE FIRE DEPARTMENT ESTABLISHED THAT IT WAS SEWAGE AND CODE ENFORCEMENT SAID, WELL, WE DON'T KNOW THIS.
WE DON'T KNOW THAT IT'S SEWAGE.
SO WE HAVE TO THANK YOU, CYNTHIA.
I JUST WANNA LET YOU KNOW THAT MY, IT WAS VERY, VERY DIFFICULT DEALING.
AND WHEN I TRY TO, I EVEN CALL LEE.
THANK YOU THAT, THAT'S ALL WE CAN DO IS THREE MINUTES.
FELICIA, MAYBE YOU CAN, UH, YOU CAN COME UP.
I JUST HAVE TO SAY, I AM A TENANT WHO LIVES RIGHT BEHIND THE BUILDING.
AND UNFORTUNATELY, THIS EVENTS LED TO A LOT OF ISSUES ON MY OWN WHERE, UH, THEY KEPT ON JUMPING THE FENCE OVER, LEAVING NEEDLES, AND GOT VERY SCARY.
AND THEY EVEN, UH, THREATENED MY DAUGHTER MYSELF.
AND I KEPT ON HEARING, I LIVE THERE, I SLEEP THERE, I HEAR EVERYDAY ARGUMENTS AND FIGHTING FEMALES BEING RAPED, ABUSED, VERBALLY, PHYSICALLY, SHOTS, CONTINUOUS FIGHTS.
AND I AM GLAD AND I'M HAPPY IT'S FINALLY OVER.
AND I HOPE THAT I DON'T SEE OR HEAR FROM ANYONE ELSE GOING THROUGH THIS SITUATION BECAUSE IT TOOK A VERY, VERY LONG WHILE FOR US TO SOLVE THIS MATTER.
AND I DON'T WISH IT UPON ANYONE.
SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH AND I HOPE WE COULD DO BETTER FOR THE REST.
YEAH, THANK YOU BOTH FOR COMING OUT.
MEMBERS, PLEASE CAST YOUR VOTE.
ITEM 20 IS COMMUNICATIONS FROM COUNCILWOMAN KERR.
COUNCILMAN AUSTIN, COUNCIL MEMBER RICKS ODI RECOMMENDATION TO REQUEST CITY MANAGER TO WORK WITH UTILITIES COMMISSIONS
[20. 24-55298 Recommendation to request City Manager to work with Long Beach Utilities Commission on a presentation to City Council in 45 days on an infrastructure and communications plan overview of Long Beach Utilities; and Request City Manager to work with Long Beach Utilities Commission, Long Beach Department of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Communications, Long Beach Fire, Long Beach Health Department, and other relevant departments on a comprehensive after-action report and presentation to City Council in 45 days regarding the significant water main breaks that occurred on October 9, 2024 and the subsequent Boil Water Notice. Office or Department: Megan Kerr, Councilwoman, Fifth District; Al Austin, Councilman, Eighth District; Joni Ricks-Oddie, Councilmember, Ninth District Suggested Action: Approve recommendation. ]
ON A PRESENTATIONS TO CITY COUNCIL IN 45 DAYS ON AN INFRASTRUCTURAL AND COMMUNICATIONS PLAN.OVERVIEW OF LONG BEACH UTILITIES AND REQUEST CITY MANAGER TO WORK WITH LONG BEACH UTILITIES COMMISSIONS, UH, LONG BEACH DEPARTMENT OF DISASTER PREPAREDNESS AND EMERGENCY COMMUNICATION, LONG BEACH FIRE, LONG BEACH HEALTH DEPARTMENT, AND OTHER RELEVANT DEPARTMENTS ON A COMPREHENSIVE AFTER ACTION REPORT.
AND PRESENTATIONS TO CITY COUNCIL IN 45 DAYS REGARDING THE SIGNIFICANT WATER MAIN BREAKS THAT OCCUR ON OCTOBER 9TH, 2024, AND THE SUBSEQUENT BOIL WATER NOTICE.
UH, THANK YOU COUNCILMAN KERR.
YES, UH, THANK YOU VICE MAYOR.
UM, AS MANY ARE AWARE, TWO WEEKS AGO, A SIGNIFICANT WATER MAIN BREAK NEAR THE INTERSECTION OF WARDLOW ROAD IN ORANGE AVENUE IN THE FIFTH DISTRICT RESULTED IN A SERIES OF INTERRUPTIONS TO THE NORMAL FLOW OF LIFE FOR RESIDENTS, BUSINESS OWNERS, AND FAMILIES THROUGHOUT THE CITY.
UH, WE KNOW THAT OUR AMAZING CITY HAS AGING INFRASTRUCTURE, ESPECIALLY IN MANY OF OUR NEIGHBORHOODS WHO ARE COMMEMORATING, UH, CENTENNIAL AND 75TH ANNIVERSARIES.
HOWEVER, THIS RECENT WATER MAIN BREAK IN ALL ASSOCIATED FLOODING, STREET DAMAGE, LOSS OF WATER OR WATER PRESSURE TO HOMES, BUSINESSES, AND SCHOOLS, AND THE SUBSEQUENT NOTICE TO BOIL WATER RAISED LOTS OF FEELINGS OF CONCERN AND DISTRESS WITH THIS ITEM.
AND I THANK MY COLLEAGUES, COUNCIL MEMBER AUSTIN AND RICK'S ODI FOR SIGNING ON AND SUPPORT WE'RE REQUESTING AN OVERVIEW OF LONG BEACH UTILITIES INFRASTRUCTURE AND MAINTENANCE PLAN PROTOCOLS THAT ADDRESS SITUATIONS LIKE THESE AS THEY ARISE.
AND SPECIFIC TO THIS INCIDENT, HOW WAS, HOW IT WAS RESPONDED TO WITH PARTICULAR FOCUS ON THE UTILIZATION AND EFFECTIVENESS OF THE EMERGENCY RESPONSE AND PUBLIC ALERT SYSTEMS? WE KNOW A SWIFT RESPONSE IN ADDRESSING PHYSICAL.
THERE WAS A SWIFT RESPONSE IN ADDRESSING THE PHYSICAL DISRUPTIONS RELATED TO THE BRAKE, UM, AND REPAIR OF THE PIPE.
AND I AM DEEPLY GRATEFUL FOR THE HARDWORKING CREWS OF THE UTILITY DEPARTMENT, UH, FOR REPAIRING THE DAMAGE AND RESTORING WATER TO THOSE AFFECTED AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE.
CREWS LITERALLY WORKED AROUND THE CLOCK FOR SEVERAL DAYS TO ADDRESS THIS INITIAL AND SUBSEQUENT BREAK, AND I APPLAUD THEM, AND I AM DEEPLY APPRECIATIVE OF HOW HARD THEY WORKED AND THEIR PROFESSIONALISM IN DOING THEIR JOB.
WE HAD MANY RESIDENTS REACH OUT TO US IN THE DIRECT AREA WHO WATCHED THESE CREWS WORK FOR THOSE HOURS, UM, WHO EXPRESS THEIR GRATITUDE AS WELL.
WE ALSO RECOGNIZE THAT THERE IS A SCIENTIFIC PROCESS WITH SPECIFIC LEGAL REQUIREMENTS RELATED TO DETERMINING THE NEED FOR A BOIL WATER NOTICE.
BUT FOR MANY OF US NOT AS WELL VERSED IN THESE PROCESSES, THE NOTICE CAME, UM, AS A SHOCK WITH A LOT OF UNKNOWNS, WHICH LED TO FEAR, MISINFORMATION AND SOME DISTRESS.
[01:40:01]
THOUGH WE KNOW THAT THAT NOTICE CAME OUT OF AN ABUNDANCE OF CAUTION, UH, WE KNOW THAT THE VERY NATURE OF AN EMERGENCY IS IT OCCURS WITHOUT WARNING AND PUTS OUR CITY'S RESPONSE SYSTEMS TO THE TEST.IN THE WAKE OF THIS RECENT INCIDENT, IT WAS CRUCIAL THAT WE TAKE THIS AS AN OPPORTUNITY, UM, TO ASSESS OUR RESPONSE, THE THINGS WE DID REALLY WELL, OUR PUBLIC ALERT SYSTEMS, UM, AGAIN, HIGHLIGHTING THE SUCCESSES AND IDENTIFYING AREAS FOR IMPROVEMENT MOVING FORWARD TO HELP ALLEVIATE SOME OF THAT DISTRESS AROUND THE UNKNOWNS IN THE FUTURE.
REPORT IS REQUESTED IN THIS ITEM GIVEN AS A PUBLIC RECORD BEFORE CITY COUNCIL WILL HELP SUPPORT THE FUTURE DISSEMINATION OF INFORMATION WITH A GENERAL BASELINE UNDERSTANDING OF HOW AND WHY THESE TYPES OF NOTICES COME OUT AND WHAT IT MEANS FOR RESIDENTS AND BUSINESSES WHEN THEY DO.
FURTHER FROM THIS INCIDENT, IT'S CLEAR THAT OUR CITYWIDE EMERGENCY RESPONSE SYSTEM NEEDS TO BE DISCUSSED.
THE BOIL WATER NOTICE WAS ISSUED TO OUR CONSTITUENTS ACROSS THREE ZIP CODES.
A FIFTH OF OUR CITY WAS IMPACTED BY THIS NOTICE.
UM, AND WE WEREN'T ABLE TO SUFFICIENTLY SPREAD THE WORD TO EVERYONE WHO NEEDED TO KNOW.
WE KNOW THAT, UM, WE RECEIVED A NUMBER OF INQUIRIES AND CONCERNS FROM RESIDENTS, FAMILIES, AND BUSINESSES WHO DIDN'T HEAR ABOUT THE NOTICE UNTIL WELL INTO THE FOLLOWING DAY.
SOME OF WHOM HEARD ABOUT IT FROM FRIENDS OR FAMILY OUTSIDE OF LONG BEACH BEFORE RECEIVING A PHONE CALL OR AN ALERT.
UM, BUT WE ALSO KNOW THAT THE INITIAL, UH, NOTICE CAME OUT AT NEARLY MIDNIGHT.
UM, OUR OFFICE STAYED UP TO SUPPORT THAT WORK TO BE ABLE TO RESHARE THE INFORMATION THAT UTILITIES PUT OUT AS PROMPTLY AS POSSIBLE.
UM, WE SENT OUT SOCIAL MEDIA, I THINK AT 12 30, 1 O'CLOCK IN THE MORNING.
WE HAD A NEWSLETTER GO OUT AT 6:00 AM SO THAT AS PEOPLE WERE WAKING UP, HOPEFULLY CATCHING THEM TO THE NEWS.
UM, SO WE ALSO KNOW THAT THE MEANS THAT WE USED IN OUR OFFICE PERSONALLY ARE OPT IN.
THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO OPT INTO OUR NEWSLETTER.
THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO HAVE ACCESS TO SOCIAL MEDIA.
WE KNOW THAT AS WE TRANSITION INTO THE DIGITAL ERA, WE KNOW THAT THERE IS STILL A DIGITAL DIVIDE.
WE KNOW THAT WE FACE ISSUES ON A FEDERAL LEVEL OF ACCESS FOR ALL FOLKS, UM, TO INTERNET.
AND SO SHARING VIA SOCIAL MEDIA IS THE BE, IS WHAT WE CAN DO IN THE MOMENT.
BUT WE'RE A LARGE DIVERSE CITY, AND WE KNOW THAT IN OUR DISTRICT, ESPECIALLY OLDER RESIDENTS AREN'T ON SOCIAL MEDIA, UM, AREN'T LOOKING AT EMAILS EVERY SINGLE DAY.
UM, AND SMARTPHONE BASED OR INTERNET BASED UPDATES MIGHT NOT BE, UH, THE BEST WAY FOR THEM TO GET OUT INFORMATION THAT COULD AND THIS MOMENT DID POTENTIALLY AFFECT THEIR HEALTH.
I THINK THIS IS ONE OF THE BIGGER EMERGENCIES WE'VE FACED SINCE COVID.
AND WE CAN LEARN FROM PAST EXPERIENCES OF HOW WE'RE MAKING SURE THAT WE HAVE SYSTEMS IN PLACE TO KEEP RESIDENTS, UH, SAFE AND INFORMED.
UM, AND SO TO BEGIN, I JUST HAVE A COUPLE QUESTIONS.
UM, I KNOW DIRECTOR, YOU ARE HERE, AND I'LL GIVE YOU A MOMENT.
ACTUALLY, WHY DON'T YOU INTRODUCE YOURSELF NOW AND THEN I'LL ASK SOME QUESTIONS.
I'M THE NEW GENERAL MANAGER OF LONG BEACH UTILITIES.
UM, WE KNEW, WE KNOW THAT THE UTILITY DEPARTMENT PRIORITIZES BUDGETS AND INFRASTRUCTURE THAT THAT WORK IS ONGOING EVERY YEAR.
UM, SO WE'RE HOPING IN THIS REPORT, I THINK YOU MENTIONED IN THE PRESS CONFERENCE, A HUNDRED MILLION DOLLARS OF INFRASTRUCTURE WORK EVERY YEAR.
UM, SO IN THIS, WE'D LOVE FOR YOU TO OUTLINE, UM, WHAT THE ONGOING MAINTENANCE IS AND HOW IT'S PRIORITIZED IN THE SYSTEM.
UM, WE KNOW THIS IS SORT OF A CHAIN OF COMMAND ISSUE.
WE KNOW THAT THE CITY IS PARTNERS IN COMMUNICATIONS AND WORK, BUT THE UTILITY DEPARTMENT IS UNDER THE OVERSIGHT OF AN INDEPENDENT BOARD OF UTILITIES AND MANAGED BY YOU AND YOU REPORT TO THAT BOARD.
UM, SO IF IN THE REPORT YOU COULD, UM, KIND OF CLARIFY WHAT THAT IS FOR FOLKS TO BE ABLE TO UNDERSTAND THAT.
UM, AND THEN TWO MORE THINGS, AND I'LL PASS IT TO MY COLLEAGUES SPECIFIC TO UTILITIES.
UM, AND THIS WATER MAIN BREAK, A TIMELINE OF EVENTS WOULD BE HELPFUL FOR RESIDENTS TO UNDERSTAND, UM, FROM THE TIME IT WAS NOTIFIED.
I KNOW I WAS TOLD ABOUT IT MAYBE 1130 ISH AS PEOPLE STARTED TO SEE WATER RUSHING DOWN THE STREET AND YOU HAD CREWS ON SITE AROUND NOON, IF I REMEMBER CORRECTLY.
UM, AND THEN HOW WAS THE BOIL WATER NOTICE ISSUED AGAIN, UM, THE CHAIN OF COMMAND IN TERMS OF WHO, WHO HANDLES THAT? I KNOW WE HAD CONVERSATIONS WITH SOME OF MY COLLEAGUES AND WITH SOME OF OUR RESIDENTS THAT WHEN WE TURN ON THE TAP, THE WATER COMES FROM THE PIPES THAT ARE IN LONG BEACH.
AND SO WE ASSOCIATE THE CITY MANAGER AND THE CITY COUNCIL AND, AND REALLY UNDERSTANDING HOW, UM, UTILITIES PROVIDE THOSE INCREDIBLE SERVICES FOR US WOULD BE REALLY IMPORTANT.
UM, AND WHO IN THE ORGANIZATION, UM, WOULD BE A POINT PERSON FOR EMERGENCY COMMUNICATIONS.
UM, AND THEN I'LL ACTUALLY STOP THERE AND PASS IT TO MY COLLEAGUES IF THEY HAVE, UM, THINGS.
AND THEN I'D LIKE TO ADDRESS THE CITY MANAGER ON SOME WAYS THE CITY CAN PARTNER.
UM, I'M GONNA PASS THIS OVER TO COUNCILMAN JONI, JONI RICKS OIE.
UM, AND THANK YOU TO COUNCIL MEMBER KERR FOR, FOR LEADING ON THIS ITEM.
[01:45:01]
UM, I CONCUR WITH EVERYTHING THAT, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER KERR, UM, HAS STATED, AND I JUST WANTED TO, I KNEW SHE WAS GONNA LAY IT OUT WELL.SO I JUST WANTED TO SHARE KIND OF MY PERSONAL EXPERIENCE, UM, DURING THAT TIME.
UM, AND SO I JUST WANTED TO TAKE A MOMENT TO EMPHASIZE HOW IMPORTANT IT'S FOR A CITY TO REVIEW HOW WE COMMUNICATE BOTH INTERNALLY AND EXTERNALLY, ESPECIALLY AFTER THE RECENT WATER MAIN BREAK.
UM, YOU KNOW, DURING EMERGENCIES, AS YOU KNOW, IT'S, IT'S CRITICAL THE RESIDENTS GET CLEAR AND TIMELY INFORMATION, UM, AND WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYONE RECEIVES THE ACCURATE INFORMATION AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE.
UM, AND I THINK ONE THING WE CAN IMPROVE IN IS HAVING THAT FACT SHEET, UM, AVAILABLE AND READY FOR SITUATIONS LIKE THIS.
I KNOW SINCE ISSUING A BOILED WATER NOTICE IS A STATE REQUIREMENT, UM, I'LL, I'LL SAY TO ME, IT WAS CONCERNING THAT LONG BEACH UTILITIES DIDN'T HAVE THAT IN PLACE BEFOREHAND.
I WOULD ASSUMED, UM, HONESTLY, THAT THERE WAS SOME KIND OF STANDARD FAQ SINCE IT WAS A STATE OF CALIFORNIA PROCESS.
AND I, I'LL IMAGINE I, UM, UM, I WAS, YOU KNOW, IT WAS A LITTLE BIT SURPRISING TO ME THAT THAT WASN'T IN PLACE.
UM, I THINK THE TIMELY FAQ WOULD'VE ANSWERED A LOT OF THE COMMON QUESTIONS AND HELPED TO REDUCE THE CONFUSION THAT I, THAT A LOT OF RESIDENTS FELT.
UM, I KNOW THAT I WAS PERSONALLY SENDING UTILITIES DEPARTMENT QUESTIONS I WAS SEEING ON SOCIAL MEDIA FROM A LOT OF RESIDENTS.
UM, AND BECAUSE AN FAQ WASN'T RELEASED IN A, IN A TIMELY MANNER, I THINK IT ENDED UP BEING LESS EFFECTIVE THAN IT COULD HAVE BEEN IN MANAGING PEOPLE'S EXPECTATIONS AND CLEARLY DEFINING THE EMERGENCY FOR THEM.
UM, AND THEN I ALSO SAY MY, MY OFFICE ALSO FACED COMMUNICATION ISSUES WITHIN THE CITY OF LONG BEACH.
UH, SO FOR EXAMPLE, YOU KNOW, THE LINK TO THE LIVE STREAM WASN'T MADE AVAILABLE TO OUR OFFICE, RIGHT? SO WE WERE KIND OF HUNTING AND PECKING TO TRY TO FIND OUT WHERE IT WAS.
UM, WHEN THE ALERT FINALLY WENT OUT TO THE COMMUNITY, YOU KNOW, NOT EVERYONE AFFECTED RECEIVED IT AS COUNCIL MEMBER KERR MENTIONED.
UM, AND THOSE WHO DID SAID IT WAS HARD TO UNDERSTAND BECAUSE OF LANGUAGE BARRIERS.
AND THE ALERT DIDN'T CLEARLY EXPLAIN WHAT THE BOIL WATER NOTICE WAS.
UM, ONE RESIDENT EXPRESSED THEIR CONCERN IS THEY DIDN'T RECEIVE AN ALERT AND THEN THEY HAD BATHED THEIR NEWBORN RIGHT AT NIGHT.
SO, UM, I JUST WANNA, I JUST KIND OF WANNA IMPRESS UPON THE FACT THAT THERE WERE, UM, JUST A LOT OF DELAYS THERE.
AND THEN EVEN SOME OF OUR RESPONSE, RIGHT, WAS THE COMMUNICATION BETWEEN OUR COUNCIL OFFICES AND THE CITY.
UM, AND LONG BEACH UTILITIES WAS LACKING.
SO, UH, THE WATER DISTRIBUTION HOWTON PARK, RIGHT? I WAS WAITING KIND OF FOR OFFICIAL NOTIFICATIONS TO MY OFFICE AROUND, YOU KNOW, WHAT WE COULD PUT OUT, WHAT WE COULD TELL RESIDENTS, RIGHT? AND SO A LOT OF THE, THOSE THINGS WERE HAPPENING, BUT THERE WAS A, THERE WASN'T A LOT OF COMMUNICATION WITH MY OFFICE TO HELP DISSEMINATE THAT INFORMATION.
AND SO MY, MY ASK MOVING FORWARD IS THAT WE ASSESS AND IMPROVE HOW WE SHARE THAT INFORMATION SO YOU CAN HELP US HELP YOU, RIGHT? UM, AND COMMUNICATING IN SITUATIONS LIKE THIS SO THAT WE CAN MAKE SURE THAT OUR RESIDENTS ARE GETTING THE INFORMATION THAT THEY, THAT THEY NEED.
AND, UH, I'M CERTAINLY LOOKING FORWARD TO HEARING FROM OUR NEW GENERAL MANAGER, UM, MR. A**L ALLERGAN.
UM, CONGRATULATIONS ON YOUR NEW ROLE.
UH, THIS HAPPENED, I THINK, THREE DAYS INTO HIS, HIS NEW ROLE AS THE GENERAL MANAGER OF LONG BEACH UTILITIES.
UH, I'M PLEASED TO, UM, HAVE BEEN ASKED TO, UH, CO-SPONSOR THIS ITEM WITH, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER KERR AND, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER JONI ODI.
UM, AND I HOPE THIS DISCUSSION WILL, UM, BE HEALTHY AND WILL HELP US IDENTIFY AREAS OF IMPROVEMENT TO ENSURE HOPEFULLY THAT THIS, WE'VE LEARNED SOMETHING FROM THIS AND THIS DOESN'T HAPPEN AGAIN.
UM, AND THAT WE HAVE A RESILIENT WATER SYSTEM.
UM, I WANNA COMMEND THE WORK THAT WAS, THAT WENT INTO THIS, THIS WAS NOT EXPECTED.
AND YES, THIS WAS AN EMERGENCY.
AND, AND, UH, YOU KNOW, UH, I, I I WILL SAY THAT THE RESPONSE FROM THE CREWS FROM LONG BEACH WATER WAS, WAS REMARKABLE.
THEY WERE VERY IMPRE, UH, PROFESSIONAL.
UH, I KNOW FIRSTHAND, MY NEIGHBORS KNOW FIRSTHAND BECAUSE WE WERE IMPACTED.
THE WATER MAIN BREAK WAS RIGHT IN FRONT OF MY HOME
UM, WE SAW A LOT OF WATER, UM, DIDN'T KNOW WHAT THE, WHAT THAT WAS, BUT WITHIN 30 MINUTES OR SO, UH, CREWS WERE THERE, UM, AND AT WORK HARD AT WORK.
AND THESE CREWS WORKED VERY, VERY DILIGENTLY AND HARD FOR MANY HOURS.
UH, MANY OF THEM HAD WORKED OVER 24 HOURS ON THEIR SHIFT TO RESPOND TO, TO SEVERAL BREAKS, UM, AT ONE TIME.
AND SO I THINK I WANT TO FOCUS MORE ON THE, THE, THE IMPACT OF, YOU KNOW, SEVERAL.
AND MANY OF THE WORKERS, UM, COMMENTED TO ME THAT, YOU KNOW, THEY HAD NEVER SEEN THIS TYPE OF ACTIVITY HAPPEN ALL AT ONCE.
UM, I THINK WE NEED TO UNDERSTAND WHAT THE CAUSES WERE, RIGHT? AND, AND, UH, THAT'S REALLY WHAT I, I, THAT'S NOT ALL, BUT I MEAN, I THINK THAT'S AN IMPORTANT, UH, PIECE, UH, SO THAT WE, WE CAN, UM, YOU KNOW, GET AHEAD OF, BE PROACTIVE, UH, AND, AND, UH, DEAL WITH, UH, WHATEVER CHALLENGES WE, WE HAVE TO DEAL WITH, UH, MOVING FORWARD.
UM, WATER IS VERY IMPORTANT, UM, UH, IN TERMS OF OUR INFRASTRUCTURE AND OUR, AND OUR CITY.
UH, I WANNA, UM, ALSO, UM, EXPECT A REPORT TO, UM, HELP IDENTIFY
[01:50:01]
THE CHALLENGES IN OUR INFRASTRUCTURE AND, AND, UM, HIGHLIGHT NECESSARY IMPROVEMENTS.ADDITIONALLY, I HOPE THE PORT WILL, THE REPORT WILL ADDRESS THE, THE, UM, COMMUNICATION GAPS THAT WERE, WERE MENTIONED.
YOU KNOW, I, I, I WAS, I WAS, I FOUND MYSELF ON PINS AND NEEDLES WAITING FOR MORE INFORMATION AND, AND TRYING TO COMMUNICATE ALONG WITH MY, MY TEAM, YOU KNOW, TO, TO, UH, UH, MY, MY RESIDENTS THROUGHOUT THE DISTRICT ABOUT WHAT WAS GOING ON.
UM, I, I THOUGHT, YOU KNOW, THE SOCIAL MEDIA WORK WAS, WAS, WAS GOOD.
I THOUGHT, YOU KNOW, FACEBOOK AND INSTAGRAM AND, AND THEN THE WORK OF THE COUNCIL OFFICES, THE KIND OF SUPPORT THAT INFORMATION GETTING OUT WAS THERE, BUT IT CLEARLY WAS NOT ENOUGH.
YOU KNOW, UM, EVERYBODY HERE MAY BE ON SOCIAL MEDIA, MOST, MANY, OR MANY IN OUR COMMUNITY THAT AREN'T, RIGHT.
UM, AND SO I THINK IT WAS ALMOST 24 HOURS LATER, SEVEN, SIX OR SEVEN O'CLOCK THE NEXT DAY, THERE WAS A TEXT MESSAGE ALERT THAT WENT OUT TO, TO EVERYONE.
UM, AND I THOUGHT THAT WAS THE MOST EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION.
I HAD LITERALLY NEIGHBORS COME AND KNOCK ON MY DOOR AND SAID, I, I DIDN'T KNOW THAT THIS WAS GOING ON.
UM, I BRUSHED MY TEETH, I COOKED, I DID EVERYTHING THAT I WASN'T SUPPOSED TO DO DURING THE COURSE OF THE DAY.
AND, YOU KNOW, AND I, I WAS LEFT SPEECHLESS.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO TELL YOU.
YOU KNOW, WE'VE DONE EVERYTHING WE CAN DO TO GET THE INFORMATION OUT, BUT THAT WAS AN EFFECTIVE, UH, TOOL.
UH, I KNOW THAT WE DON'T TAKE COMMUNICATING LIKE THAT LIGHTLY, BUT, UM, IN THE FUTURE, I, I, I WOULD LOOK AT THAT AS A FIRST OPTION AS OPPOSED AS A LAST OPTION.
AND THEN, UH, I, I THINK I JUST WANT TO JUST EMPHASIZE TO, TO OUR, OUR CITY MANAGER AS WELL AS LUM BEACH UTILITY MANAGER.
THIS IS A ENTERPRISE FUND OR, OR QUASI CITY ORGANIZATION.
WE APPOINT THE COMMISSIONERS, UH, THROUGH THIS BODY.
UM, AND AT THE END OF THE DAY, THE, THE RESIDENTS DON'T SEE A SEPARATION BETWEEN THE UTILITIES DEPARTMENT AND THE CITY OF LONG BEACH.
IT'S ALL THE CITY OF LONG BEACH.
SO WE HAVE TO OWN ALL OF US COLLECTIVELY, ANY OF THE FAILURES IN COMMUNICATION, ANY OF THE, THE, UM, THE CHALLENGES THAT, THAT WENT INTO THAT.
UM, AND, AND, UH, WE ALL HAVE TO DO BETTER IN TERMS OF, UH, JUST PARTICULARLY WITH THE COMMUNICATION AND GETTING THE WORD OUT TO THE RESIDENTS.
UM, BUT AGAIN, WE NEED TO ALSO GO TO THE ROOT CAUSES.
AND, AND I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO GETTING THAT INFORMATION AS WELL.
I WANT TO, UM, AGREE WITH MY COLLEAGUES AND THEIR, AND THEIR COMMENTS.
THIS INCIDENT PROVIDES TWO OPPORTUNITIES, A TEACHING MOMENT AND A LEARNING MOMENT.
THE TEACHING MOMENT IS GETTING THE FEEDBACK FROM US AS COUNCIL MEMBERS AND WHAT WE LEARN FROM OUR COMMUNITY AND OUR CONSTITUENTS WHEN THEY CALL US, WHEN THERE'S A PROBLEM.
I KNOW MANY STAFF DON'T GET AT THAT.
YOU KNOW, A LOT OF TIMES WE'RE THE FRONT LINE ON COMMUNICATION.
WE'RE IN THE FRONT LINE WHEN IT COMES TO, TO AN INCIDENT IN LAW BEACH, WHETHER IT'S VIOLENT OR, OR AN INCIDENT SUCH AS THIS.
WE GET THE CALLS RIGHT AWAY, WHETHER IT'S ON SOCIAL MEDIA, PHONE CALLS, I KNOCK ON THE DOOR, WHATEVER.
WE GET IT RIGHT AWAY, AND WE NEED ANSWERS RIGHT AWAY.
NOW, YOU DO KNOW THAT WHEN THIS DIDN'T TAKE PLACE, WHAT'S GOING TO BE YOUR RESPONSE? WHAT HAPPENED LAST TIME? LET'S LEARN FROM THIS.
I'M NOT SO MUCH CONCERN ABOUT OUR PHYSICAL RESPONSE TO AN INCIDENT.
I THINK THE RESPONSE WAS GREAT STAFF THAT JUMPED ON IT, FIXED IT IN A TIMELY MANNER.
BUT WHAT FAILED WAS COMMUNICATION.
THAT WAS WHERE THE, WHERE, WHERE THE, UH, COMMUNICATION WASN'T SHARED WITH EVERYBODY.
AND THAT WE, WE HAD LACK LACKING IN THE SENSE THAT THE INFORMATION WAS INCOMPLETE OR WAS VERY DELAYED.
I ALSO HEARD THAT THERE WAS A POSSIBILITY THAT THAT LANGUAGE ACCESS COMMIT TO PLAY.
I WANT TO JUST REITERATE, DON'T LET ACT, UH, ACT LANGUAGE ACCESS.
BE AN IMPEDIMENT TOWARDS COMMUNICATION.
GET THE WORD OUT AND THEN YOU CAN TRANSLATE, OR, EXCUSE ME,
[01:55:01]
NEED MY THROAT.LANGUAGE ACCESS SHOULD NOT BE AN IMPEDIMENT TOWARDS GOOD COMMUNICATION.
GETTING THE INFORMATION OUT, THE LANGUAGE ACCESS WILL TAKE CARE OF ITSELF WHEN IT REGARDS TO TRANSLATING INTO DIFFERENT LANGUAGES.
WHAT'S IMPORTANT IS GETTING THE WORD OUT COMMUNICATION.
THAT IS THE UTMOST IMPORTANCE IN ANYTHING.
THE OTHER PART OF IT IS BEING ACCURATE.
I WAS AFFECTED, MY DISTRICT WAS AFFECTED, BUT THE INFORMATION THAT WENT OUT THERE WAS VERY BROAD AND VERY GENERAL.
WELL, MY DISTRICT IS MUCH MORE THAN JUST THE NORTHERN PART OF MY DISTRICT, WHICH WAS AFFECTED, WHICH IS, UH, IN MIAMI CALLED WRIGLEY HEIGHTS, WHICH IS NORTHERN WILLOW, I MEAN, YEAH, NORTHERN PACIFIC, NORTHERN WARLOW BETWEEN CHERRY AND THE RIVER.
SO MY, MY IGNITION WAS PREGNANT, BUT NOT THE ALL OF IT.
9 0 8, 0 6 LOUIS WRIGLEY, AND PARTS OF WEST, WEST BEACH.
AND THAT ONE, THEY WERE NOT AFFECTED.
SO THERE WAS CONFUSION IN REGARDS TO WHERE IS THE NEXT HEAD AND WHERE IS IT HAPPENING AND WHERE, AND WHAT DO THEY NEED TO DO.
SO THE ACCUSING CAME OUT WHILE GOOD, WHERE EXACTLY ACCURATE.
BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY, AS COUNCIL MEMBER AUSTIN SAYS, WE'RE IN ONE CITY, ONE UTILITY CITY OF LONG BEACH.
THERE SHOULD ALWAYS BE COMMUNICATION BETWEEN THE CITY MANAGER'S, OFFICE AND UTILITIES, OR ANY OTHER DEPARTMENT WITHIN THE CITY.
I GOT MORE INFORMATION AT ALMOST MIDNIGHT FROM OUR CITY MANAGER THAN I DID FROM ANYWHERE ELSE.
AND THAT SHOULDN'T NECESSARILY BE BECAUSE HE WASN'T SUPPOSED TO BE IN THAT LOOP.
YOU WERE SORRY TO PUT YOU IN THAT SPOT OR TO, TO JUMP ON YOU THAT WAY, BUT YOU'RE THE MANAGER.
GET ON IT, AND MAKE SURE THAT YOU HAVE ALL YOUR I'S DONE AND YOUR TS CROSSED WHEN YOU GET THINGS OUT.
BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY, IT COMMUNICATION.
I, I, I CAN'T OVEREMPHASIZE THAT BECAUSE THAT, THAT WAS WHERE THE, THE MAJOR, THE MAJOR, UH, UH, PROBLEM WAS IN THIS INCIDENT.
SO IT'S A TEACHING MOMENT, BUT ALSO A LEARNING MOMENT.
SO LET'S YOU, LET'S TAKE IT AS THAT.
I, I ASSUME OUR GENERAL MANAGER KNOWS THIS FACT, BUT, UH, FOR THE AUDIENCE, UM, THE AMERICAN SOCIETY OF CIVIL ENGINEERS IN JUNE ESTIMATED THAT THERE'S A MAJOR WATER MAIN BREAK EVERY TWO MINUTES IN THIS COUNTRY.
SO WHAT STRIKES ME ABOUT THAT ASTOUNDING FACT IS THAT THERE MAY BE BEST PRACTICES OUT THERE TO PICK UP SOME COMMUNICATION MODELS THAT ARE BEING USED THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY.
SO, UM, I JUST LIKE TO ADD TO THIS ITEM.
LET'S SEIZE THAT OPPORTUNITY TO SEE HOW, HOW OTHER, UH, COMMUNITIES ARE COMMUNICATING ON THIS.
THE, UM, SET I, I'LL CONTINUE.
UM, THE SECOND POINT I WANNA MAKE WAS THAT THE, THE LANGUAGE THAT WAS USED HERE TONIGHT, UH, THIS LANGUAGE OUT OF ABUNDANCE OF CAUTION.
AND IF THAT PHRASE IS ACCURATE, GREAT.
BUT IF IT'S A STATE MANDATE THAT BECAUSE OF THE LOW WATER PRESSURE WE HAVE TO EXERCISE THIS, THIS, UH, REQUIREMENT, I THINK THAT SHOULD BE COMMUNICATED DIRECTLY.
IF THE STATE MANDATE SAID OUT OF A, A BUNCH OF A, A CAUTION, SO BE IT.
BUT I'D LIKE TO HAVE THAT EXAMINED.
AND, UH, SO WE DON'T MISCOMMUNICATE.
TO ME, THOSE TWO PHRASES HAVE A DIFFERENCE.
AND I THINK WE SHOULD BE VERY, UH, ACCURATE IN OUR COMMUNICATING.
NOW, I'LL REALLY GET INTO THE WEEDS HERE.
WHEN THE NOTICE WENT OUT ON FACEBOOK, THAT INCLUDED A MAP.
I THINK THAT WAS, UM, UH, I, I THINK I SAW IT AT, UM, 5:30 AM ON OCTOBER 10TH.
THERE WERE IMMEDIATELY COMMENTS ABOUT OUR, IS THIS IN THE FOURTH DISTRICT? THE MAP SHOWS, UM, UH, 9 0 8 1 5 AND 9 0 8, 0 8.
WELL, PEOPLE WEREN'T READING THE, THE RED LINE ON THE MAP, BUT MY SUGGESTION WOULD BE, WHY INCLUDE THAT IF THAT'S NOT PART OF THE AREA? SO I IMMEDIATELY POSTED ON ONLINE.
PLEASE NOTE, WELL, PART OF THE FOURTH DISTRICT ZIP CODE 9 0 8, 0 8 AND 9 0 8 1 5 ARE SHOWN ON THE MAP.
[02:00:01]
THE AREA WITHIN THE RED LINE INCLUDED IN THE, UH, WHAT'S INCLUDED IN THE, UH, BOILED WATER NOTICE.NO PART OF CD FOUR IS IMPACTED BY THE WATER EMERGENCY.
UM, AND THAT GOT 20 LIKES
UM, SO I THINK WE JUST HAVE TO BE VERY AWARE THAT A LOT OF DIFFERENT PEOPLE, UM, WHO MAY NOT USE SOCIAL MEDIA ALL THE TIME, UH, LET'S MAKE THE, THE MAPPING AND, UH, AS CLEAR AS POSSIBLE.
UH, AND THANKS TO MY COLLEAGUES FOR ADDING TO THE DISCUSSION.
UH, SO, UH, CITY MANAGER MOCA, JUST A COUPLE OF THINGS.
I KNOW WE'VE TALKED ABOUT, UM, CHAIN OF COMMAND AND HOW THE CITY PARTNERS IN THIS WORK.
SO SOME OF THE THINGS I'D LIKE, UM, SOME INFORMATION ON IN THE REPORT BACK THAT ARE MORE CITY THAT PERTAINED IS INFORMATION ABOUT, UM, ALERT LONG BEACH AND, AND THE MECHANISMS THAT WE USE.
'CAUSE WE KNOW WE NEED ALERT LONG BEACH AND USE IT.
UM, I GOT MY ALERT, LONG BEACH.
MY HUSBAND RIGHT NEXT TO ME DID NOT GET HIS, AND HE HAS ALSO SIGNED UP.
UM, WE HEARD FROM MANY RESIDENTS IN NORTH LONG BEACH THAT THEY DIDN'T GET IT EITHER.
UM, THOSE WHO REQUESTED SPANISH GOT THE SECOND MESSAGE THE NEXT DAY, NOT IN A TEXT MESSAGE, BUT THEY DID GET AN EMAIL PRIMARILY IN SPANISH.
UM, BECAUSE THAT IS THEIR PREFERRED LANGUAGE.
SO I THINK IT'S AN OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO LOOK AT THAT SYSTEM AND MAKE SURE THAT IT'S GONNA ADEQUATELY SERVE US IN AN EMERGENCY.
AGAIN, THIS WAS A FIFTH OF OUR CITY.
IF THERE WAS A MAJOR DISASTER, IF THERE WAS AN EARTHQUAKE THAT AFFECTED THE ENTIRE REGION, WE KNOW EVERYONE'S GONNA BE USING EMERGENCY SYSTEMS. UM, I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW THAT OURS IS UP TO THE TASK OF ALERTING AS MANY FOLKS AS POSSIBLE.
UM, I KNOW WE USE THE WEA, THE WIRELESS EMERGENCY ALERT.
SO ANYONE WHO DROVE THROUGH AT THAT TIME GOT THAT ANNOYING BUZZ ON THEIR PHONE, BUT FOR SOME PEOPLE IT WAS THE FIRST TIME HEARING IT.
UM, SO WAYS THAT WE COULD EMPLOY THAT IN THE FUTURE AS WELL.
UH, MY COLLEAGUES ALREADY BROUGHT UP THE ID, THE, UM, ISSUE OF LANGUAGE ACCESS AND MAKING SURE THAT THE ALERTS ARE, UM, IN APPROPRIATE LANGUAGES, AND THAT OUR RESIDENTS HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY IN THAT ALERT LONG BEACH SYSTEM TO SIGN UP FOR THE MOST, UM, UH, NECESSARY LANGUAGE FOR THEIR HOUSEHOLD OR THEIR INDIVIDUALS IN THEIR HOUSEHOLD.
UM, I THINK IT WOULD BE INTERESTING TO SEE HOW MANY ALERT LONG BEACH SIGNUPS WE GOT AFTER THE ALERT.
WE, I KNOW MOST OF US SHARED WAYS FOR PEOPLE TO SIGN UP FOR THAT SYSTEM THROUGHOUT THE, UH, THE 24, 36 HOURS.
UM, AND DO WE HAVE MORE PEOPLE? UM, AND HOW AND WHEN CAN WE PROMOTE AND ENCOURAGE ADDITIONAL SIGNUPS BEFORE ANOTHER EMERGENCY HAPPENS? AND THEN THIS GOES BACK TO, UM, I KNOW MR. MOCA, YOU AND I TALKED ABOUT THIS SORT OF THAT I IDEA OF A REVERSE 9 1 1 AND FOR LANDLINES.
SO FOR, WE HAVE A SIGNIFICANT, UH, SENIOR CITIZEN POPULATION IN OUR DISTRICT.
WE KNOW, I WANNA SAY YOU SAID AROUND 40,000 LANDLINES WE WERE ABLE TO, TO MAKE A CALL TO IN THAT MOMENT.
UM, BUT I THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT THAT WE'RE FIGURING OUT A WAY TO REACH EVERYONE.
AND THEN MY QUESTION FOR UTILITIES WOULD BE, IF EVERY UTILITY ACCOUNT HAS TO HAVE A PHONE NUMBER ASSOCIATED WITH IT, OR AN EMAIL FOR BILLING PURPOSES, HOW ARE WE UTILIZING THAT INFORMATION IN EMERGENCY SITUATIONS? IS THERE A WAY TO OPT THOSE PEOPLE INTO WHATEVER SYSTEM? OR DO WE HAVE TO RELY ON THEM DOING IT PERSONALLY? BUT REALLY JUST MAKING SURE THAT WE ARE GETTING AS MUCH INFORMATION TO AS MANY PEOPLE AS POSSIBLE IN THOSE MOMENTS FOR THE NEXT TIME THAT OUR CITY FACES AN EMERGENCY.
UM, AND I THINK THAT WAS ALL THE QUESTIONS THAT I HAD.
UM, NOT A QUESTION, BUT JUST A HUGE THANK YOU.
IN ADDITION TO THE CREWS, WE KNOW, UM, THAT FOLKS WORKED REALLY HARD TO PROVIDE BOTTLED WATER THE NEXT DAY.
UM, I DON'T REMEMBER HOW MANY PALLETS IT WAS.
WE HAD, UM, HEALTH DEPARTMENT EMPLOYEES, UM, FIRE DEPARTMENT EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT.
WE HAD OUR POLICE EXPLORERS OUT THERE AT TWO DIFFERENT PARKS AT HOUGHTON AND AT SOMERSET DOING THAT WORK.
I WANT TO THANK THEM FOR THE HOURS THAT THEY PUT IN.
UM, I SAW THOSE, THOSE FOLKS, THEY HAPPENED TO BE MEN ON THE TRUCK, UH, MOVING THOSE PALLETS FOR HOURS AT SOMERSET PARK.
AND IT WAS HARD WORK AND IMPORTANT WORK, AND OUR RESIDENTS WERE REALLY GRATEFUL.
SO, UM, THANK YOU TO THOSE DEPARTMENTS, UH, FOR ACTIVATING QUICKLY IN THAT VICE MAYOR ALLEN.
JUST WANNA SAY THANK YOU TO COUNCILWOMAN, UH, KERR FOR INTRODUCING THIS ITEM.
THANK YOU ANTO, FOR BEING HERE.
IT'S GOOD TO, IT'S GOOD TO SEE YOU.
UM, I THINK, UH, YOU KNOW, IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT THAT WE UNDERSTAND, YOU KNOW, HOW WE CAN, UM, JUST RESPOND TO THIS CRISIS AND THEN ALWAYS LOOKING AT HOW WE, YOU KNOW, WE CAN BE BETTER.
UM, ONE OF THE QUESTIONS I HAVE, UH, COUNCILMAN CAR.
SO IT'S A 45 DAY, UH, UH, IT'S A 45 DAYS, UH, ON THE, UM, PRESENTATION PRESENTATION COMING BACK TO COUNCIL.
SO IT'S A PHYSICAL PRESENTATION THAT'S, UH, IS THAT, UM, IS THAT DOABLE COUNCIL? UH, UH, UH, UH, TOM MOCA IN 45 DAYS.
'CAUSE NORMALLY IT'S 60 DAYS FOR US, BUT TO HAVE A PRESENTATION BACK TO COUNCIL.
SO I'M JUST ASKING ABOUT THAT TIMELINE, IS THAT,
[02:05:01]
WELL, WE, WE WERE HOPEFUL AND WE'LL GIVE GRACE TO THE DEPARTMENTS FOR SURE.BUT, UM, WE WOULD LOVE IT TO SEE IT BEFORE COUNCIL MEMBER AUSTIN IS, UH, WELL, HE'S HERE TO HEAR IT.
UM, BUT WE ALSO UNDERSTAND THAT THERE'S WORK TO DO, I THINK ROUGHLY THAT SHOULD WORK IF WE HAD A LITTLE BIT OF TIME ON EITHER SIDE.
UM, SO WE ALSO NEED TO MAKE SURE THE BOARD OF WATER COMMISSIONERS HAS A CHANCE TO LOOK AT THAT AS WELL.
WE WANT TO GET IT TO THE COUNCIL.
ALSO, GOTTA TO AVOID THE HOLIDAYS.
UH, BUT WE'VE ALREADY STARTED, UM, UH, UH, RIGHT AFTER THE EVENT, UM, UTILITIES DID, UH, A HOT WASH, WHICH IS YOU LOOK, YOU KNOW, A COUPLE DAYS AFTER.
AND THEN WE ACTUALLY STARTED AGAIN TODAY, UH, WITH OUR LARGER GROUP AND WE'RE GONNA BE DOING MORE OF THAT.
AND SO THE, THIS WORK'S ALREADY UNDERWAY.
SOUNDS LIKE THEY GOT FLEXIBILITY.
UM, COUNCILWOMAN DEJAS, THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER KERR, FOR BRINGING THIS ITEM FORWARD.
UM, I THINK THAT THIS IS A GOOD EXAMPLE OF, UM, US NOT KNOWING WHAT TO EXPECT, UM, IN THE CITY.
UH, IT'S A SURPRISE, IT WAS A SURPRISE TO US.
BUT, UM, YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE KNOW AS A CITY, ESPECIALLY AFTER COD, UM, CAME IS THAT WE CAN EXPECT ANYTHING.
WHAT I'D LIKE TO SEE IS A LITTLE BIT MORE, UM, PARTNERSHIP AND HELP BETWEEN, UM, THE CITY AND THE UTILITIES.
I THINK THAT THAT WOULD BE VERY BENEFICIAL TO US ALL.
UM, ALSO I WOULD LIKE TO SEE HOW WE CAN, UM, YOU KNOW, INFORM THOSE SENIORS AND PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES WHO HAVE VERY LIMITED MOBILITY ON, UM, WHAT TO DO IN CASE OF EMERGENCIES LIKE THAT.
SO I REALLY, UM, SUPPORT THE IDEA OF, UM, THE ALERTS THAT YOU BROUGHT UP, COUNCILWOMAN KERR.
I THINK THAT THAT'S GOING TO BE VERY IMPORTANT, UM, GOING FORWARD, UH, IN, ON OUR PART OF THE CITY.
THAT WAY IF, IF WE GET THE INFORMATION, WE COULD SEND IT OUT TO OUR RESIDENTS.
I THINK THAT THAT'S VERY IMPORTANT.
UH, COUNCIL MEMBER KERR, FOR THE QUESTIONS THAT YOU ASKED STAFF, WAS THE INTENTION FOR YOU TO GET THE QUESTIONS ANSWERED HERE OR FOR THOSE TO BE IN THE PRESENTATION? WHEN, OR THE, THE REPORT WHEN WE GET IT BACK IN THE PRESENTATION WHEN PRE, OKAY.
UM, AND THEN SECOND, YOU ACTUALLY GOT ME THINKING, I KNOW WE TALKED ABOUT ALERT LONG BEACH, UM, BUT THERE WERE TWO EMERGENCY NOTIFICATION SYSTEMS THAT WE USED AS PART OF THE EMERGENCY.
WHAT WERE THOSE? SO CODE RED RUNS TWO DIFFERENT SYSTEMS. ONE IS ALERT LONG BEACH, WHICH HAS TRADITIONALLY BEEN THE WAY THAT WE NOTIFY IT CALLS LANDLINES.
IT ALSO DOES ALL THE SIGNUPS FOR ANYBODY WHO WE'VE BEEN TRYING TO SIGN UP FOR THE PAST, YOU KNOW, SEVERAL YEARS TO GET INTO THE SYSTEM.
THE WE ALERT, UM, IS, IS ALSO RUN THROUGH THAT SYSTEM, BUT THAT'S, UH, REALLY SUPPOSED TO BE MORE FOR LIKE AMBER ALERT.
IT'S, IT'S EMERGENCY PUBLIC INFORMATION.
IT ACTUALLY HITS CELL PHONES THAT COME IN.
SO IF YOU LIVED IN LONG BEACH, BUT YOU WERE WITH YOUR CELL PHONE SOMEWHERE ELSE, YOU WOULDN'T GET THAT ALERT.
BUT IF YOU TRAVELED TO LONG BEACH, YOU WOULD GET THAT ALERT.
AND SO THEY'RE USED DIFFERENTLY.
UM, AND SO WE ALSO ARE LEARNING, UH, WE AS A RELATIVELY NEW SYSTEM, UH, LONG BEACH ALERT, LONG BEACH WE'VE HAD FOR A LONG TIME.
SO, UM, WE USED A COMBINATION OF THOSE, UM, AND WE USED THEM SEVERAL TIMES.
UM, UH, UH, MR. AUSTIN MENTIONED HE GOT IT AT SIX O'CLOCK ON WIA.
WE'D ACTUALLY SENT A WIA AT 11 O'CLOCK, AT SIX O'CLOCK AND AT TWO O'CLOCK IN THE MORNING.
AND SO, UM, SOME OF THOSE YOU, WE GET AND SOME YOU DON'T, DEPENDING ON WHERE YOU ARE.
AND THEN THE ALERT LONG BEACH IS BASED ON YOUR LOCATION, ESPECIALLY THE LANDLINES THAT'S, WE HAVE ACCESS TO EVERY LANDLINE IN THE CITY.
AND SO, UH, THE FIRST ALERT, LONG BEACH, WE'LL GET INTO THIS IN THE REPORT LATER, BUT, UM, WENT TO ABOUT 50,000 PEOPLE.
SO AT, ON FRIDAY NIGHT, UM, WE HIT ABOUT, UH, OR I'M SORRY, WEDNESDAY NIGHT WE HIT ABOUT 50,000, UH, USING THE ALERT LONG BEACH.
AND, BUT WE, IT DOESN'T TELL US HOW MANY PEOPLE WE ACTUALLY REACH, UM, THAT IT DOES NOT HAVE THAT SYSTEM REPORTING CAPABILITY.
SO WE CAN GET INTO THAT MORE IN THE REPORT.
YEAH, THAT WOULD BE GREAT BECAUSE I WOULD LOVE TO HEAR ABOUT THE DECISION MAKING PROCESS ABOUT WHEN WE USE WHICH, FOR WHAT REASONS.
AND THEN, LIKE YOU SAID, UM, BECAUSE I'M JUST, I'M JUST CONCERNED ABOUT, UM, TO COUNCIL MEMBER KERS COMMENT, RIGHT? UH, ABOUT HAVING AN OPT-IN SYSTEM FOR PEOPLE WHO DON'T OPT, OPT IN.
LIKE HOW DOES THAT WORK? AND THEN WE HAVE THE DECREASING USAGE OF LANDLINES IN GENERAL, RIGHT? SO I THINK THOSE ARE ALL THINGS THAT WE CAN CONSIDER AS WE DO THIS AFTER ACTION REPORT.
COUNCILMAN AUSTIN? JUST HAD A QUESTION.
HAVE WE HAD ANY BREAKS SINCE THE OCCURRENCE TWO WEEKS AGO? COUNCILMAN ROLIN? WE, WE HAVE MINOR MAIN BREAKS THAT OCCUR THROUGHOUT THE SERVICE AREA.
UM, BUT NONE OF THE MAGNITUDE AND SIZE THAT WE EXPERIENCED THEN.
AND IN THE RE REPORT BACK, YOU CAN ANSWER THE QUESTION IF YOU KNOW NOW.
UM, BUT ALSO, UH, I WOULD LOVE TO SEE A, A, A MAP KIND OF OUTLINING WHERE THE DISRUPTIONS WERE OVER A, A TWO DAY PERIOD.
UM, 'CAUSE IT SEEMED LIKE THEY WERE CONCENTRATED IN, UM, CERTAIN AREAS, UM, THAT I KNOW WE
[02:10:01]
HAD TWO IN, IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD ALONE, UH, ON MY BLOCK, AND THEN A COUPLE OF BLOCKS OVER.UH, SO THE DISRUPTIONS WERE, WERE CONCERNING.
UH, I'D LIKE TO JUST UNDERSTAND THE SCOPE OF, OF THE, UM, THE CHALLENGE THAT WE WERE FACING.
AND THEN OF COURSE, UH, I'LL GO BACK TO IT, LIKE WHAT WERE THE CAUSES? INDEED, WE'LL, WE'LL PREPARE THAT.
THAT'LL BE PART OF THE AFTER ACTION REPORT.
HAVE WE DONE PUBLIC COMMENT YET? DON'T HAVE ANY.
I'LL JUST, FIRST OF ALL, THANK YOU, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER KERR AND THE COUNCIL MEMBERS, UH, FOR BRINGING THIS FORWARD.
SO ONE ANTO, YOUR FIRST WEEK ON JOB AND A DU BLEW UP AND WE HAD WATER MAIN BREAKS.
THE, THESE ARE BIG THINGS NO ONE EXPECTED.
I, IN THE 14 YEARS I'VE BEEN A CITY EMPLOYEE, I'VE NEVER SEEN A WATER MAIN BREAK TO THAT EXTENT OR AN A DU EXPLOSION TO THAT, TO THAT, ANY, ANYTHING LIKE THAT.
DON'T TAKE IT AS AN AMBUSH BY THE COUNCIL.
THESE ARE NEW, RIGHT? THESE HAVEN'T HAPPENED.
SO IT MAKES SOME SENSE TO GET QUESTIONS THAT MAYBE WE HAVEN'T GOTTEN BEFORE.
UH, I WAS THERE ON SCENE THE ENTIRE TIME FROM WHEN IT ESCALATED TO A BOIL WATER NOTICE.
I DIDN'T SEE ANY BREAKDOWNS BETWEEN CITYSIDE AND UTILITY SIDE.
I THINK THERE ARE QUESTIONS THAT HAVE ARISEN.
I'M PARTICULARLY INTERESTED IN, YOU KNOW, I UNDERSTAND THAT ONE WATER MAIN BREAK CAN TRIGGER OTHERS.
I WANNA BETTER UNDERSTAND THAT WE GET WATER MAIN BREAKS ALL THE TIME.
UH, I WANT TO BETTER UNDERSTAND THAT DYNAMIC.
THERE WAS A LOT OF QUESTIONS ABOUT THE CONDITION OF OUR, OUR INFRASTRUCTURE AND OUR UTILITIES DEPARTMENT.
WELL, WE INVEST IN IT AND THAT GETS PASSED ONTO THE RATE PAYERS.
AND SO MAYBE THERE'S AN UPDATE, THERE'S A NUMBER OF NEW COUNCIL MEMBERS HERE.
MAYBE WE NEED TO DO A STUDY SESSION ON HOW THAT INFRASTRUCTURE INVESTMENT IS DIFFERENT THAN LET'S SAY STREETS AND SIDEWALKS AND MEASURE A AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
SO MAYBE THAT'S SOMETHING THAT'S, UH, WORTH RAISING.
UH, I'D ALSO SAY I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT, UM, THAT WE UNDERSTAND WHAT IS AND WHAT IS NOT UNDER OUR CONTROL.
BECAUSE EACH OF THESE TOOLS THAT WE USE, SOME OF THEM REG REGULATED, FCC, SOME OF THEM ARE NOT, SOME, WE HAVE MORE FLEXIBILITY ON, SOME WE DO NOT.
UH, I THINK AN UNDERSTANDING SO THAT WE CAN MANAGE EXPECTATIONS ON WHEN WE DEPLOY WHAT I THINK WOULD BE IMPORTANT FOR THE LEADERSHIP OF THE CITY TO UNDERSTAND.
I WOULD ALSO SAY WE'VE USED THE TERM EMERGENCY A LOT HERE.
UM, A DECLARATION OF EMERGENCY IS A VERY SPECIFIC THING.
AND SO WE NEED TO BE CLEAR WHAT'S A NOTICE, WHAT'S AN EMERGENCY SO THAT WE CAN MANAGE REAL EXPECTATIONS WITH WHAT IS EXPECTED FROM OUR LEADERS.
IF IT'S AN EMERGENCY, THERE IS A PROTOCOL THERE.
IF IT'S A BOIL WATER NOTICE, WHICH WE, I DON'T REMEMBER OF A BOIL WATER NOTICE IN MY 14 YEARS TIME.
DO YOU REMEMBER ANY? SO THIS IS THE FIRST ONE.
SO I THINK THE FIRST ONE, FOLKS, THE EXPECTATION MAY LOOK LIKE AN EMERGENCY, BUT WE NEED TO UNDERSTAND HOW, HOW IT'S DIFFERENT FROM A BILLING STANDPOINT, FROM A PUBLIC NOTICE STANDPOINT.
ARE THERE DIFFERENCES OR CAN WE TREAT IT LIKE AN EMERGENCY? SO I THINK ALL OF THESE THINGS, I THINK WE JUST TAKE IT AS AN OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE SURE EVERYBODY UNDERSTANDS WHAT'S WHAT, WHAT'S NORTH, WHAT'S SOUTH? UH, I THINK THE THINGS THAT CAME UP THE MOST THAT I I'M MOST INTERESTED IN IS THE CONDITION OF THE PUBLIC INFRASTRUCTURE.
AND TWO, UH, OF THE, OF THE NOTICE SYSTEMS THAT WE CONTROL.
ARE THEY THE BEST SYSTEMS? ARE THERE BETTER SYSTEMS THAT WE CAN DEPLOY OR, OR ACQUIRE, PROCURE, RIGHT? THOSE ARE WHAT I'M REALLY INTERESTED IN.
BUT I WANNA THANK THE COUNCIL MEMBERS FOR, UH, RAISING THIS.
I THINK AFTER OUR REPORTS ARE ALWAYS GOOD.
WE HAVE, IN EMERGENCIES, WE CAN HAVE 'EM IN OTHER THINGS TOO, UH, BECAUSE IT ALLOWS US TO LEARN.
YEAH, I JUST WANNA THANK ALL OF OUR RESIDENTS, UM, FOR THEIR COOPERATION AND THEIR PATIENTS.
UH, WHEN THIS HAPPENED, I, I WAS AT THE PARK, UM, HELPING OTHER FOLKS DISTRIBUTE WATER.
WE WERE DISTRIBUTING WATER FOR ABOUT SEVEN HOURS.
AND THE OPPORTUNITIES TO TALK TO FOLKS, UM, WAS IMPORTANT, I THINK, FOR ME AND FOR THEM TO BE ABLE TO EXPRESS CONCERN, ASK QUESTIONS, AND BE REASSURED THAT EVERYONE WAS DOING EVERYTHING THAT THEY COULD.
SO I WANT TO THANK AGAIN, THE TEAMS THAT DID THAT AND THANK ALL OF THE FOLKS WHO HAVE WRITTEN TO US AND CALLED US AND CALLED OUR COLLEAGUES TO ASK THE QUESTIONS THAT THEY FEEL LIKE THEY NEED ANSWERS TO.
UM, IT WAS A SCARY DAY FOR SOME, UM, ESPECIALLY FOLKS WHO WERE COMPROMISED HEALTH, UM, FOLKS WITH DISABILITIES, FOLKS CARING FOR ELDERS, UH, FOLKS WITH LITTLES.
AND SO WE WANNA REALLY, I WANT TO, I'LL SPEAK FOR ME.
UH, THANK YOU FOR YOUR PATIENCE AND ACKNOWLEDGE THAT IT WAS A TOUGH DAY.
UM, AND THE POINT OF THIS REPORT IS REALLY FOR US TO LEARN MORE SO THAT NEXT TIME IT ISN'T QUITE SO TOUGH FOR SO MANY PEOPLE.
ALSO WANNA RECOGNIZE ALL THOSE EMPLOYEES THAT WERE OUT THERE AS WELL, UH, WENT AND CHECKED IN WITH, WITH SOME OF THEM AT, AT YOUR, YOUR WATER DEPARTMENT, UM, A COUPLE DAYS LATER.
SO THIS WAS A LOT OF WORK FOR THEM AS WELL.
CREWS WORKING THROUGH THE NIGHT AND PUBLIC WORKS.
AND THANK YOU COUNCIL MEMBER KERR.
AND, AND WE'LL, WE LOOK FORWARD TO THIS REPORT.
MR. MAYOR, CAN I SAY ONE THING? SURE.
[02:15:01]
UM, I DO WANNA THANK THE COUNCIL FOR, FOR THE GOOD QUESTIONS TONIGHT.WHEN WE, WHEN WE LOOK AT EMERGENCIES OR, OR NOTICES, HOWEVER WE DO THIS, YOU KNOW, WE CAN ALWAYS DO BETTER.
UH, AND SO THAT WORK HAS ALREADY STARTED.
I DON'T EVER RECALL A BOIL WATER NOTICE IN MY 22 YEARS HERE IN LONG BEACH.
I THINK ANTO HAS SEEN ONE AND HE SAW IT DURING AN EARTHQUAKE.
UM, AND SO, UH, THEY, THEY HAPPEN RARELY.
UM, AND SO THIS WAS, UH, SOMETHING WE WERE ALL KIND OF WORKING THROUGH.
UH, AND IT'S A CHANCE IT WAS ALSO ONE THAT WAS DIFFERENT WHERE IT HAPPENS, YOU KNOW, WITH THE LEAD OF A UTILITIES DEPARTMENT, UH, AS OPPOSED TO OUR MANY EMERGENCIES THAT WE'VE DONE THAT HAPPEN IN, IN A DIFFERENT STRUCTURE.
AND SO WE WERE LEARNING A LOT AND IT'S HELPING US THINK FOR THE FUTURE.
I DO WANNA SAY FOR ALL THE AUDIENCE THOUGH, IS WHILE IT WAS SCARY AND WE WENT THROUGH IT AND THERE WAS UNKNOWN, AT THE END OF THE DAY, THE, THERE WAS NEVER ANY ISSUE WITH THE WATER.
SO I KNOW WE ALL KNOW THAT, BUT FOR ANYONE THAT'S CALLING IN 177 TESTS WERE CONDUCTED.
EVERY SINGLE ONE CAME BACK NEGATIVE.
IT WAS TO, TO COUNCIL MEMBER, SUPER NA'S POINT, A STATE REQUIREMENT, AND WE'LL GET INTO THAT.
BUT IT WAS DONE, YOU KNOW, POURING ABUNDANCE OF CAUTION TO MAKE SURE THAT WE, YOU KNOW, UM, YOU KNOW, WE'RE NOT PUTTING ANYTHING IN OUR BODIES THAT HAS THE POTENTIAL TO BE UNSAFE.
SO ULTIMATELY, WATER WAS SAFE.
UM, AND WE DIDN'T ACTUALLY LOSE A LOT OF WATER, UM, YOU KNOW, TO PEOPLE'S, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE HAD WATER DURING THAT TIME, BUT, UH, THEY DID HAVE TO BOIL IT, UH, IN ORDER, UH, TO CONSUME IT.
SO, UH, WE LOOK FORWARD TO THIS.
WE'LL COME BACK AND, AND REALLY GO THROUGH IT AND, UH, LEARN AND, AND IMPROVE FOR NEXT TIME.
AND I ALSO WANNA THANK THOSE SCHOOLS TOO, 'CAUSE THEY WERE, THEY WERE ON TOP OF IT, UH, THE SCHOOL DISTRICT.
SO THANKS TO ALL OUR PARTNERS AS WELL.
MEMBERS, PLEASE CAST YOUR VOTE.
ALRIGHT, NOW WE'RE GONNA GO TO ITEM 26, PLEASE.
ITEM 26 IS REPORT FROM COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT RECOMMENDATION TO ENTER INTO A PARTNERSHIP AGREEMENT WITH CITY FABRIC AS PART OF A GRANT
[26. 24-55250 Recommendation to authorize City Manager, or designee, to enter into a partnership agreement with City Fabrick (CF) as part of a grant application submission to the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Environmental and Climate Justice Community Change Grant Program. (District 7) Office or Department: Community Development Suggested Action: Approve recommendation. ]
APPLICATION SUBMISSION TO THE UNITED STATES ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY, ENVIRONMENTAL AND CLIMATE JUSTICE COMMUNITY CHANGE GRANT PROGRAM DISTRICT SEVEN.UM, MR. MAYOR, MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL, THERE IS NO, UH, POWERPOINT, BUT THE US EPA DOES REQUIRE US TO, UH, OBTAIN COUNCIL AUTHORIZATION, WHICH IS WHAT WE'RE DOING TONIGHT.
UM, BEFORE APPLYING FOR A GRANT.
UM, THIS IS IN COUNCILMAN YANG'S DISTRICT.
UM, AS WE'VE BEEN DISCUSSING, UH, THROUGHOUT THIS YEAR, WE'RE TRYING EVERY AVENUE AVAILABLE TO US TO TRANSFORM THE TI THE TERMINAL ISLAND FREEWAY, UM, INTO A PARK-LIKE ENVIRONMENT AND A BETTER BUFFER, UM, FOR THE MANY RESIDENTS ON THE WEST SIDE.
UM, THIS GRANT WILL BE USED TO DO, UH, CAPACITY BUILDING, ENGAGING WITH OUR RESIDENTS IN THE DESIGN PROCESS, UH, TO COME CLOSER TO A SHOVEL READY DESIGN, UM, TO ADVANCE THE PROJECT.
UH, WE'RE REQUIRED TO DO THE WORK, NOT JUST AS A CITY, BUT WITH, UH, COMMUNITY PARTNERS.
AND THAT'S WHAT WE HAVE DONE IN THE GRANT APPLICATION.
AND WE'RE HERE SEEKING YOUR APPROVAL TO APPLY.
UH, THERE IS NO GUARANTEE THAT WE'LL BE AWARDED THE GRANT, UM, BUT WE DO FEEL CONFIDENT THAT WE'RE IN A GOOD POSITION AND WE'VE BEEN WORKING WITH A PROFESSIONAL GRANT WRITER, UM, THAT HAS OBTAINED THIS GRANT FROM EPA, UH, BEFORE FOR OTHER CLIENTS.
ALRIGHT, THANK YOU COUNCIL MEMBER URANGA, ANYTIME THERE'S FREE MONEY AVAILABLE, LET'S GO FOR IT.
SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR APPLICATION AND THEN WISH, LET'S WISH EACH OTHER AND LUCK THAT WE ARE SUCCESS SUCCESSFUL.
ALRIGHT, UH, COUNCILMAN AUSTIN, ANYTHING HAPPY TO SUPPORT THIS.
ALRIGHT, ANY PUBLIC COMMENT HERE, MEMBERS, PLEASE CAST YOUR VOTE.
ITEM 20 TWO'S REPORT FROM CITY MANAGER.
RECOMMENDATION TO RECEIVE AND FILE A PRESENTATION FROM CITY MANAGER DEPARTMENT PROVIDING AN UPDATE ON THE CANNABIS SPECIAL
[22. 24-55251 Recommendation to receive and file a presentation from City Manager Department providing an update on the Cannabis Special Events Feasibility Study. (Citywide) Office or Department: City Manager Suggested Action: Approve recommendation. ]
EVENTS VISIBILITY STUDY CITYWIDE.UM, I WILL TURN IT TO GRACE YON AND HER TEAM, UH, TO GO THROUGH THIS.
THIS WAS REQUESTED BY THE COUNCIL, UM, AND WE'VE, UH, TO ACTUALLY COME BACK AND, AND GIVE A REPORT OF WHERE WE ARE.
WE'RE ABOUT MIDWAY THROUGH THIS PROCESS.
WE'LL BE BACK IN, IN APPROXIMATELY 45 DAYS WITH ADDITIONAL, UH, MATERIALS FOR YOU TO CONSIDER.
UH, BUT WE HAVE A LOT TO SHARE WITH YOU ON PROS AND CONS IN PUBLIC OUTREACH, UH, OF, UH, CANNABIS POTENTIAL OR POTENTIAL CANNABIS EVENTS IN LONG BEACH.
HI, GOOD EVENING, HONORABLE MAYOR, MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL.
ITEM 22 ON TONIGHT'S AGENDA IS AN UPDATE TO THE CANNABIS SPECIAL EVENTS FEASIBILITY STUDY.
THIS STUDY WAS REQUESTED BY CITY COUNCIL ON AUGUST 6TH.
I WOULD LIKE TO START BY SHARING THE
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LENS USED FOR THIS FEASIBILITY STUDY, AS IT WILL HELP LAY THE FOUNDATION FOR THE REST OF THE PRESENTATION AS REGULATORS, AND IN THIS CASE THE OFFICE OF CANNABIS OVERSIGHT, WE MUST NOT TREAT CANNABIS ANY DIFFERENTLY THAN WE WOULD TREAT WHEN REGULATING ALCOHOL OR TOBACCO.IT IS A LEGAL INDUSTRY SINCE 2016, AND IT IS OUR RESPONSIBILITY TO HELP DESTIGMATIZE CANNABIS BY PROVIDING EDUCATION ON WHAT IS LEGAL AS WELL AS BEST PRACTICES IN OTHER JURISDICTIONS.
THE FRAMEWORK FOR THIS FEASIBILITY STUDY IS COMPRISED OF RESEARCH, INTERNAL POLICY DISCUSSIONS, COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, TONIGHT'S UPDATE, AND THEN THE EVENT, AND EVENTUALLY IN 45 DAYS, A COMPREHENSIVE REPORT.
AND I WOULD LIKE TO EMPHASIZE THAT THE INTERNAL POLICY TEAM IS COMPRISED OF, UM, CANNABIS OVERSIGHT, SPECIAL EVENTS AND FILMING HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES, AS WELL AS OUR PARTNERS IN POLICE AND FIRE.
UM, ADDITIONALLY NOTING THAT OUR INTERNAL POLICY DISCUSSIONS WERE FOCUSED ON LARGE SCALE SPECIAL EVENTS, UM, WITH ON, WITH ONSITE CONSUMPTION DUE TO THE INTERDEPARTMENTAL COORDINATION NEEDED TO ENSURE EVENT SAFETY.
NOW IN THE NEXT FEW SLIDES, I WILL COVER THE STATE REGULATIONS RELATED TO CANNABIS SPECIAL EVENTS.
THE DEPARTMENT OF CANNABIS CONTROL, OR DCC, UM, REFERRED TO AS SHORT, DEFINES A TEMPORARY CANNABIS EVENT AS MULTI-DAY EVENTS RANGING FROM ONE TO FOUR DAYS WHERE CANNABIS CAN BE SOLD AND CONSUMED.
THESE EVENTS MAY ONLY BE ATTENDED BY 21 YEAR BY PERSONS, 21 YEARS OR OLDER, AND CANNABIS GOODS MAY ONLY BE SOLD BY A LICENSED CANNABIS RETAILER AT THESE EVENTS, TEMPORARY CANNABIS EVENTS ARE HOSTED BY AN EVENT ORGANIZER OR PROMOTER WHO IS RESPONSIBLE FOR COORDINATING ALL ASPECTS OF THE EVENT, INCLUDING MAINTAINING THE EVENT SPACE AND HIRING SECURITY.
IN ALIGNMENT WITH THE, WITH THE STATE'S DUAL LICENSE, DUAL LICENSING SYSTEM FOR CANNABIS, THE EVENT ORGANIZER MUST OBTAIN TWO LICENSES FROM DCC, THE FIRST BEING THE CANNABIS EVENT ORGANIZER LICENSE.
THE SECOND, THE TEMPORARY CANNABIS EVENT LICENSE.
AND IN ADDITION, THE CANNABIS EVENT ORGANIZER MUST OBTAIN LOCAL AUTHORIZATION BY THE JURISDICTION WHERE THE EVENT WILL BE HOSTED.
AND I WANT TO EMPHASIZE HERE THAT A TEMPORARY CANNABIS EVENT LICENSE SHALL NOT BE ISSUED FOR A PREMISES THAT IS LICENSED FOR THE SALE.
TOBACCO OR ALCOHOL CONSUMPTION OF TOBACCO OR ALCOHOL IS PROHIBITED ON THE LICENSED, ON THE LICENSED PREMISES FOR CANNABIS SPECIAL EVENTS.
UM, CANNABIS CONSUMPTION, WHETHER IT'S SMOKING VAPING OR EDIBLES AT A SPECIAL EVENT, MUST NOT BE VISIBLE FOR ANY PUBLIC PLACE OR A NON AGE RESTRICTED AREA.
SMOKING OF CANNABIS GOODS IN GENERAL CANNOT BE WITHIN, WITHIN A THOUSAND FEET OF A SCHOOL DAYCARE CENTER OR YOUTH CENTER.
WHILE CHILDREN ARE PRESENT AND WE SMOKING TOBACCO IS PROHIBITED.
CANNABIS SPECIAL EVENTS ARE SUBJECT TO DAILY SALES LIMITS AS SHOWN ON THE TABLE FOR BOTH MEDICAL AND ADULT USE.
CANNABIS, UM, NOTING THAT A CONSUMER MAY ONLY PER MAY ONLY PURCHASE ADULT USE OR MEDICAL CANNABIS, NOT BOTH.
UM, AND FURTHERMORE, THESE ARE THE SAME DAILY SALES LIMITS APPLY TO STOREFRONT RETAILERS AT THE STANDS RIGHT NOW.
AND TO CONCLUDE THIS SECTION OF THE PRESENTATION, I WOULD LIKE TO HIGHLIGHT THAT THE DCC HAS A DEDICATED TEAM THAT IS RESPONSIBLE FOR WHAT THEY REFER TO AS REAL-TIME COMPLIANCE AT CANNABIS SPECIAL EVENTS.
THIS INCLUDES ENSURING THAT ALL CANNABIS GOODS AND SALES ARE MA AND WHAT THEY REFER TO AS MANIFESTED IN THE COMPLIANCE.
UM, IN THE COMPLIANCE SYSTEM, THE STATE'S TRACK AND TRACE SYSTEM KNOWN AS METRIC, THE DCC HAS THE AUTHORITY TO TURN AWAY DISTRIBUTION VANS WHO ARRIVE ON EVENT DAY WITH CANNABIS GOODS THAT ARE NOT MANIFESTED IN METRIC, AS WELL AS SHUTTING DOWN THE SALES AS AN AT THE EVENT.
IF AN EVENT ORGANIZER FAILS TO COMPLY WITH STATE REGULATIONS SUCH AS GIVING AWAY FREE SAMPLES, WHICH IS A HUGE NO.
AND AS PART OF THIS FEASIBILITY STUDY, STAFF RELEASE AN ONLINE COMMUNITY SURVEY TO OBTAIN AN UNDERSTANDING FROM DIFFERENT STAKEHOLDERS ON WHAT THEY WANT OR DON'T WANT OF CANNABIS SPECIAL EVENTS.
IT IS IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT THIS SURVEY WAS NOT INTENDED TO BE STATISTICALLY VALID, BUT RATHER TO SERVE AS A TEMPERATURE CHECK AS TO HOW PEOPLE FEEL ABOUT THIS POLICY ISSUE.
AS SUCH, THE QUESTIONS WERE READ IN A VERY GENERAL FASHION.
THE SURVEY ALSO ASKED PARTICIPANTS IF THEY WERE INTERESTED IN A ROUND TABLE DISCUSSION WITH STAFF.
THE SURVEY WA THE SURVEY IN ENGLISH WAS RELEASED ON SEPTEMBER 6TH AND CLOSED ON SEPTEMBER 25TH WITH 730 RESPONSES.
OF THOSE 730 RESPONDENTS 155 RESPONDENTS EXPRESSED INTEREST IN PARTICIPATING IN A ROUND TABLE DISCUSSION WITH STAFF.
UM, THE SURVEY WAS ALSO MADE AVAILABLE IN OTHER LANGUAGES, WHICH WERE RELEASED AT A LATER DATE.
SURVEY PARTICIPANT PARTICIPANTS WERE ASKED TO SELF-IDENTIFY THE STAKEHOLDER GROUP THAT MOST ACCURATELY REPRESENTS THEM AND THEIR INTENTION FOR COMPLETING THE SURVEY.
THIS WAS NOT A DEMOGRAPHIC QUESTION.
600 OUT OF THE 730 RESPONDENTS INDICATED THAT THEY WERE A LONG BEACH RESIDENT.
AND TO BETTER UNDERSTAND THEIR PERSPECTIVE ON CANNABIS, PARTICIPANTS WERE ASKED IF THEY ARE A CONSUMER OF CANNABIS.
THE RESULTS FOR THIS QUESTIONS ARE PRETTY SPLIT, AS SHOWN IN THE PIE CHART, UM, WITH 55
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WITH 45.8% INDICATING YES, 45.5 INDICATING NO, AND THE REMAINING 8% INDICATING PREFER NOT TO ANSWER.PARTICIPANTS WERE ASKED WHAT TYPES OF CANNABIS SPECIAL EVENTS THEY MAY BE INTERESTED.
THIS INCLUDES MUSIC FESTIVALS.
THOSE ARE COMMONLY HEARD OF TASTING AND PAIRING EVENTS, EDUCATIONAL CONFERENCES, TRADE SHOWS, EXHIBITION AND EXPO.
UM, AND WHAT YOU SEE ON THE SCREENS ARE JUST SORT OF THE RAW DATA COLLECTED FROM THE SURVEY PARTICIPANTS WERE ALSO ASKED IF THEY ARE INTERESTED IN INDOOR OUTDOOR EVENTS WITH 47 1 0.1% INDICATING BOTH AND 42% INDICATING NONE.
PARTICIPANTS FURTHER WERE ASKED IF THEY ARE INTERESTED IN NON TICKETED EVENTS, TICKETED EVENTS WITH, UM, 45.8% INDICATING BOTH 41.4% INDICATING NONE.
AND FURTHERMORE, PARTICIPANTS WERE ASKED IF THE, IF THE CITY WERE TO DEVELOP A CANNABIS SPECIAL EVENTS ORDINANCE, WOULD THEY BE INTERESTED IN THE FOLLOWING CONSIDERATIONS AS LISTED ON THE SCREEN? UM, PRIORITIZING CANNABIS SPECIAL EVENT PERMITS FOR LOCAL, FOR LOCAL CANNABIS BUSINESSES WAS THE TOP CHOICE FOR THIS QUESTION.
THE SECOND TWO REQUIRING LARGE SCALE EVENTS TO PARTNER WITH LOCAL CANNABIS BUSINESSES.
PARTICIPANTS WERE ASKED IF THEY HAD ANY CONCERNS ABOUT CANNABIS SPECIAL EVENTS ATTENDEES DRIVING UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF CANNABIS WAS THE TOP CHOICE FOR THIS QUESTION.
SECOND TO EXPOSURE TO SMOKE AND THIRD, SECURITY.
THE WRITTEN RESPONSES FROM THE SURVEY WERE PRETTY SPLIT WITH PRELIMINARY THEMES INDICATING THAT THOSE IN SUPPORT EXPRESSED DESIRE TO ALLOW CANNABIS CONSUMPTION AT EVENTS THE SAME WAY AS ALCOHOL IS ALLOWED.
PRIORITIZE LOCAL CANNABIS BUSINESS SUPPORT THE LEGAL INDUSTRY AND DIMINISH THE ILLICIT MARKET AND UNDERGROUND CANNABIS EVENTS, AND EXPRESSING HOW THIS OPPORTUNITY CAN INCREASE LOCAL TOURISM AND ECONOMY VERSUS THOSE WITH CONCERNS STATED HEALTH RISKS SUCH AS SECONDHAND SMOKE AND EXPOSURE TO THE COMMUNITY.
CONCERNS ABOUT DRIVING UNDER THE INFLUENCE AND ABILITY TO ADEQUATELY ENFORCE CONCERNS ABOUT CANNABIS CONSUMPTION BEING ALLOWED AT ALL CITY SPECIAL EVENTS AND STATING IF TOBACCO SMOKE IS NOT ALLOWED, CANNABIS SMOKE SHOULD NOT BE ALLOWED EITHER.
THE INTENT OF THE ROUND TABLE DISCUSSIONS, UM, THAT WE'VE HOSTED SO FAR IS INTENDED TO DELVE INTO THE RESPONSES OF EACH STAKEHOLDER GROUP.
HENCE, WE ASKED THE FIRST QUESTION ON THE SURVEY, WHICH STAKEHOLDER GROUP DO YOU BEST IDENTIFY? UM, SOLICIT, SOLICIT ADDITIONAL FEEDBACK, AS WELL AS PROVIDE GENERAL EDUCATION ON WHAT IS ALLOWED AT CANNABIS EVENTS PER STATE REGULATIONS AND, AND BEST PRACTICES.
TO DATE, STAFF HAS CONDUCTED THREE, THREE ROUNDTABLE DISCUSSIONS WITH THREE DIFFERENT STAKEHOLDERS.
THIS INCLUDES THE LONG BEACH COLLECTIVE ASSOCIATION, OR ALSO KNOWN AS THE LBCA.
UH, WE ALSO MET WITH OUR VERIFIED EQUITY APPLICANTS IN OUR CANNABIS EQUITY PROGRAM.
AND WE ALSO, IN ADDITION, WE MET WITH THE COALITION FOR A SMOKE-FREE LONG BEACH, UM, WHICH IS ONE OF THE COMMUNITY, UM, HEALTH PARTNERS.
AND, AND, AND SO WE DO HAVE SOME ADDITIONAL PENDING ROUND TABLES THAT WE ARE, UM, REQUESTING ADDITIONAL, ADDITIONAL 45 DAYS, UM, TO COMPLETE THESE ROUND TABLE DISCUSSIONS.
UM, WHO, AND WITH THESE STAKEHOLDERS WHO ALSO EXPRESS INTEREST IN THE SURVEY,
NOW MOVING ON TO THE RESEARCH AND BEST PRACTICES IN OTHER JURISDICTIONS.
I WOULD LIKE TO START WITH THE CITY OF OAKLAND WHO HAVE ALLOWED KIND OF A SPECIAL EVENT SINCE 2018.
INITIALLY, OAKLAND LIMITED THE NUMBER OF PERMITS TO 12 PER YEAR PER LOCATION, INDIVIDUAL OR ENTITY TO PREVENT A SPECIFIC LOCATION FROM BECOMING WHAT THEY CALL THE DEFACTO AND DISPENSARY.
HOWEVER, THIS PROVISION WAS WAIVED FOR A ONE YEAR PILOT PERIOD TO FOSTER MORE OPPORTUNITIES FOR EQUITY APPLICANTS AND SET TO, AND IS SET TO BE REINSTATED THIS JANUARY.
UM, CANNABIS SPECIAL EVENTS HAVE BEEN HELD AT THE FRANK AGE AWA PLAZA, WHICH IS THEIR CITY HALL AND THE HENRY J KAISER CENTER FOR THE ARTS.
MOST RECENTLY, A PROMINENT OF CANNABIS EVENT KNOWN AS THE EMERALD CUP WAS HOSTED AS THE ARTS CENTER ON AUGUST 17TH AND 18TH.
THIS WAS A TWO DAY TICKETED CANNABIS SPECIAL EVENT, WHICH INCLUDED A MUSIC FESTIVAL COMPETITION MARKETPLACE WITH ONSITE CONSUMPTION, AN ART GALLERY, EDUCATIONAL SPEAKER, SPEAKER SESSION.
AND I WANNA NOTE THAT CITY OF OAKLAND STAFF INDICATED THAT THERE WERE NO ISSUES OUT OF THE ORDINARY FOR THIS EVENT.
AND THEN FURTHER, UM, DID IT GO SORRY, IN SEE, SORRY ABOUT THAT.
UM, AND SO I DO WANNA NOTE THAT IN 2018 IN ALIGNMENT WITH THEIR EXISTING SPECIAL EVENT PROCESS, THE CITY OF SACRAMENTO PASSED A RESOLUTION TO AUTHORIZE THE APPROVAL OF CANNABIS SPECIAL EVENTS AT CAL EXPO, WHICH IS A 350, WHICH IS 350 ACRES IN SIZE WITH 18 DIFFERENT VENUES AND FACILITIES THAT CAN HOST A THOUSAND TO 10,000 ATTENDEES.
AND EARLIER THIS YEAR, UH, THE STATE FAIR WAS HOSTED AS CA AT CAL EXPO FEATURING IN WHAT THEY CALL THE CANNABIS EXPERIENCE, INCLUDING A CANNABIS EXHIBIT ON ON SITE SALES AND CONSUMPTION.
CITY OF SACRAMENTO STAFF, UM, INDICATED THAT THERE WERE NO ISSUES OUTSIDE OF THE ORDINARY FOR THIS EVENT.
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I WOULD LIKE TO EMPHASIZE THAT THE CANNABIS CONSUMPTION THAT TOOK PLACE, UM, AT THIS EVENT WAS, WAS TOOK PLACE IN A FOREIGN DISTINCT AREA FROM THE REST OF THE FAIR ACTIVITIES.IN OTHER WORDS, IT WAS A COMPLETELY SEPARATE EVENT.
THIS IS A VERY UNIQUE EXAMPLE, AND IT WAS FEASIBLE FOR THIS JU JURISDICTION.
GIVEN THAT CAL EXPO IS 350 ACRES IN SIZE, MOST JURISDICTIONS DO NOT HAVE STATE FAIRGROUNDS THAT THEY CAN ACTIVATE AND OR HAVE THE ABILITY TO HOST DUAL EVENTS.
AND ON THIS SLIDE HERE, I WANNA KNOW, IN 2018, THE CITY AND COUNTY OF SAN FRANCISCO ESTABLISHED A PILOT PROGRAM AND FRAMEWORK TO ALLOW CANNABIS SPECIAL EVENTS.
AND I I WANNA HIGHLIGHT THAT SAN FRANCISCO'S CANNABIS SPECIAL EVENT ORDINANCE IS VERY DETAILED AND HAS BEEN AMENDED OVER THE YEARS TO STRENGTHEN THE PROGRAM AND FRAMEWORK SUCH AS ONLY ALLOWING LOCAL CANNABIS RETAILERS TO CONDUCT CON SALES AT THESE EVENTS.
IN OTHER WORDS, CAN A CANNABIS EVENT ORGANIZER CANNOT BRING THEIR OWN CANNABIS RETAILERS OR CONNECTIONS PER SE OUTSIDE OF THE, UH, OUTSIDE OF SAN FRANCISCO? THIS IS STARKLY DIFFERENT THAN THE EXAMPLE IN SACRAMENTO AS THE CANNABIS EVENT ORGANIZER ALSO HAPPEN TO BE THE SOLE RETAILER ALLOWED TO CONDUCT SALES.
THE AMENDMENTS TO SAN FRANCISCO OR TO SAN FRANCISCO'S ORDINANCE INTRODUCED EQUITY CRITERIA REQUIRING EVENT ORGANIZER TO DESCRIBE HOW THEY WILL SUPPORT THE CITY'S LOCAL EQUITY GOALS.
AND FURTHERMORE, UNDER SAN FRANCISCO'S PILOT PROGRAM, CANNABIS SPECIAL EVENTS ARE LIMITED TO THE FOLLOWING.
UM, AND SO ONLY THE FOLLOWING PERSONS OR GROUPS ARE ABLE TO HOST EVENTS.
SO THOSE EVENTS THAT HAVE BEEN PREVIOUSLY, PREVIOUSLY HELD ON ON A REGULAR BASIS, EVENTS AND PRIOR YEARS, HAVING RECEIVED A CITY ISSUED PERMIT OR EVENTS IN, IN PRIOR YEARS, HAVING SIGNIFICANT UNREGULATED SALES OF CAN OR CANNABIS CONSUMPTION, WHICH, WHICH WILL BE DETERMINED BY THEIR EQUIVALENT OF OFFICE OF CANNABIS OVERSIGHT TO BE, UM, UH, AN ELIGIBLE FOR A CANNABIS EVENT PERMIT.
CURRENTLY, THERE ARE SEVEN ORGANIZERS THAT FALL UNDER THIS CRITERIA OF THE PREVIOUSLY HELD ON A REGULAR BASIS.
MOST RECENTLY, THE OUTSIDE LANDS MUSIC AND ARTS FESTIVAL WAS HELD AT GOLDEN GATE PARK ON AUGUST 9TH THROUGH THE 11TH.
AND LASTLY, SAN FRANCISCO STAFF INDICATED THAT THERE WERE NO ISSUES OUTSIDE OF THE ORDINARY FOR THIS EVENT.
NOW SHIFTING OVER TO OUR JURISDICTION, I WANNA TAKE A MOMENT TO SPOTLIGHT THE GREENLIGHT LB PROGRAM, WHICH COMBINES COMMUNITY EDUCATION SYSTEMS AND BEHAVIOR CHANGE AND STRATEGIES TO REDUCE DRUG IMPAIRED AND DISTRACTED DRIVING, UM, IMPLEMENT AS WELL AS IMPLEMENTING YOUTH CANNABIS PREVENTION ACTIVITIES AND ENSURE THAT ADULTS CAN MAKE RESPONSIBLE DECISIONS RELATED TO CANNABIS.
GREENLIGHT LB IS ALSO ADMINISTERS THE CITY'S RESPONSIBLE CANNABIS VENDOR TRAINING PROGRAM, WHICH IS INTENDED TO ASSIST ALL CANNABIS RETAIL LICENSEES IN FINDING APPROPRIATE PUBLIC HEALTH AND COMPLIANT TRAINING FOR STAFF.
IT IS, WHAT I WANNA EMPHASIZE HERE IS THAT THE LIGHT LB PROGRAM WILL CONTINUE TO EXIST WHETHER THE CITY COUNCIL PROCEEDS WITH THE CANNABIS SPECIAL EVENTS POLICY IF A POLICY IS PASSED.
AND THIS PROGRAM WILL SIMPLY COEXIST WITH CANNABIS SPECIAL EVENTS AS IT DOES WITH EXISTING CANNABIS LICENSES THAT ARE CURRENTLY ALLOWED IN THE CITY.
AND IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE CITY'S COMMUNITY HEALTH BUREAU, WE WOULD LIKE TO UNDERSCORE HEALTH IMPACTS TO THE COMMUNITY TO, TO THE COMMUNITY, SUCH AS SECONDHAND SMOKE AND VAPOR EXPOSURE, OUT EXPOSURE, OUTDOOR EXPOSURE, RISK, AND DRUG DRIVING RISK.
UM, SO ON THIS FIRST SECTION HERE, IT'S NOTING THAT INDOOR CANNABIS EVENTS ARE LIKELY TO PRODUCE UNHEALTHY LEVELS OF SECONDHAND SMOKE AND VAPOR WITH STUDIES INDICATING THAT SMOKE, THE CANNABIS SMOKE GENERALLY GENERATES SIGNIFICANTLY HIGHER LEVELS OF PARTICULATE MATTER THAN TOBACCO SMOKE, POSING SERIOUS RISK TO CARDIOVASCULAR AND RESPIRATORY HEALTH, PARTICULARLY FOR VULNERABLE POPULATIONS.
IN THE SECOND, UH, IN THE MIDDLE, WE HAVE OUTDOOR EVENTS MAY NOT FULLY MITIGATE THE RISK FOR WORKERS AS EVIDENCED BY A STUDY OF LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS PROVIDING SECURITY AT OUTDOOR CONCERTS.
SMALL AMOUNTS OF CANNABIS WERE DETECTED IN THE POST-EVENT, URINE OF 34% OF OFFICERS AND MANY REPORTED SYMPTOMS SUCH AS RED EYES, DRY MOUTH, AND HEADACHES DURING THE EVENTS.
AND LASTLY, UM, WE HAVE A META-ANALYSIS OF STUDY CONCLUDED THAT CANNABIS DOUBLED THE RISK OF CRASH INVOLVEMENT AND DATA SHOWS A SIGNIFICANT INCREASE IN, IN TRAFFIC ACCIDENT POST LEGALIZATION ALLOW, ALLOWING EVENTS WHERE CONSUMPTION IS PERMITTED WILL LIKELY INCREASE THE NUMBER OF TOXIC INTOXICATED USERS ON THE ROAD.
FURTHERMORE, THERE FURTHERMORE, THERE IS A RISK OF, UM, THIRDHAND SMOKE, UM, OR THS AS IT'S REFERRED AS WELL, WHICH IS THE LEFTOVER CONTAMINATION ON SERVICES AND DUST AFTER SMOKING, WHICH CAN LINGER AND REENTER THE AIR LONG AFTER THE SMOKING EVENT ENDS.
STUDIES INDICATE THAT THS CAN, FROM CANNABIS USE CONTAINS THC AND CONTAMINATE CONTAMINATES INDOOR SERVICES LIKE TABLES AND CHAIRS, EVEN WITH VENTILATION, SUGGESTING THAT PEOPLE COULD BE EXPOSED TO THC AND OTHER CHEMICALS BY TOUCHING THESE SERVICES, EVEN IF THEY WEREN'T PRESENT WHEN THE CANNABIS WAS CONSUMED.
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HIGHLIGHT THE IMPORTANCE OF CAREFULLY CONSIDERING HOW SHARED COMMUNITY SPACES WILL BE UTILIZED FOR CANNABIS SPECIAL EVENTS AS LINGERING CONTAMINATION COULD POSE HEALTH RISKS OR FUTURE OCCUPANTS.AND ON THIS SLIDE I WANNA NOTE THAT STAFF IS RECOMMENDING, UM, CANNABIS SPECIAL EV SPECIAL EVENTS TO FOLLOW THE EXISTING SPECIAL EVENTS APPLICATION PROCESS.
IF THE CITY COUNCIL WERE TO PASS THIS POLICY, I WANT TO HIGHLIGHT THAT AS IT STANDS, THE CITY'S SMOKING IN PUBLIC PLACES, ORDINANCE STIPULATES EXCEPTIONS FOR FILMING AND SPECIAL EVENTS.
ON TOP OF THIS, WHEN A SPECIAL EVENTS PERMIT IS ISSUED TO AN EVENT ORGANIZER OR PROMOTER, IT BECOMES A PRIVATE ACTIVITY.
THIS ALLOWS FOR THE ORGANIZER TO DESIGNATE OUTDOOR TOBACCO SMOKING AREA AS PART OF THEIR PRIVATE VENUE IF THEY SO CHOOSE.
THE SAME APPROACH WOULD BE FOLLOWED FOR CANNABIS SPECIAL EVENTS WITH ONCA ONSITE CONSUMPTION TO AUTHORIZE CANNABIS SPECIAL EVENTS, AN AMENDMENT TO THE CITY'S CANNABIS ORDINANCE, WHICH IS CHAPTER 5.92, WOULD BE REQUIRED TO ADD A NEW OPERATING CONDITION SECTIONS FOR THIS CANNABIS ACTIVITY.
UM, CHAPTER 5.92 CURRENTLY HAS A SEPARATE SECTION FOR EACH OF THE CANNABIS LICENSE AND ACTIVITY.
UM, SO FOR INSTANCE, WE HAVE A SPECIAL SECTION ON RETAILERS, CULTIVATION, MANUFACTURING, AND WE WOULD FOLLOW THAT SAME FORMAT FOR SPECIAL EVENTS.
AND THIS AMENDMENT WOULD ALSO REQUIRE A TEMPORARY WAIVER TO THE CITY'S SMOKING IN PUBLIC PLACES ORDINANCE FOR THE DURATION OF THE CANNABIS SPECIAL EVENT WITH ONSITE CONCEPTION.
AND THIS IS SIMILAR TO SAN FRANCISCO'S ORDINANCE AS IT STANDS RIGHT NOW.
AND AS PART OF THE INTERNAL POLICY DISCUSSION, STAFF HAVE IDENTIFIED SAFETY CONCERNS SUCH AS EXPOSURE TO SECONDHAND CANNABIS SMOKE, POTENTIAL STAFF IMPAIRMENT AND ABILITY TO OPERATE A VEHICLE DURING AND POST-EVENT.
WHILE VARIOUS POLICIES AND PROCEDURES MAY BE DEVELOPED TO LIMIT THIS EXPOSURE, CERTAIN SITUATIONS MAY ARISE WHERE SECONDHAND SMOKE IS UNAVOIDABLE.
UM, PARTICULARLY EMERGENCY SITUATIONS WHERE STAFF ARE REQUIRED TO RESPOND IN THE DESIGNATED CANNABIS CONSUMPTION AREA.
BASED ON RESEARCH OF BEST PRACTICES IN OTHER JURISDICTIONS AND IN EXISTING SPECIAL EVENT REGULATIONS IN THE CITY, STAFF IS OPEN TO EXPLORING SOLUTIONS TO ADDRESS STAFF SAFETY CONCERNS SUCH AS EXPOSURE TO SECONDHAND CANNABIS SMOKE.
AN ORDINANCE TO PERMIT CANNABIS SPECIAL EVENTS WOULD HAVE AN IMPACT ON CITY EMPLOYEE WORKING CONDITIONS.
AND AS A RESULT, BEFORE ANY ORDINANCE UPDATES CAN BE CONSIDERED AND APPROVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL, THERE, THE CITY HAS AN OBLIGATION TO NOTICE ALL IMPACTED EMPLOYEE ASSOCIATIONS PRIOR TO APPROVAL AND IMPLEMENTATION OF A CANNABIS SPECIAL EVENT ORDINANCE.
IN OTHER WORDS, A MEETING AND CONFER PROCESS WITH THE IMPACTED LABOR GROUPS MUST ENSUE BEFORE STAFF CAN RETURN TO THE CITY COUNCIL WITH THE DRAFT ORDINANCE.
AND ON ON THIS SCREEN HERE, WE DO HAVE A LIST OF POTENTIAL POLICY CONSIDERATIONS.
SO THE FIRST BEING, UM, TO SAFEGUARD THE CITY'S ABILITY TO COLLECT CANNABIS TAXES AND ENFORCE LOCAL REGULATIONS, ANY SALES OF CANNABIS AND CANNABIS PRODUCTS AT SPECIAL EVENTS MAY ONLY BE CONDUCTED BY A LICENSED LONG BEACH CANNABIS RETAILER REGARDLESS OF THE EVENT SIZE OR LOCATION.
NUMBER TWO, TO PREVENT ANY LOCATION FROM BECOMING A, A DEFACTO UH, DISPENSARY.
AS NOTED IN THE OAKLAND EXAMPLE, SPECIAL EVENTS PERMITS WILL BE LIMITED TO SIX PER YEAR PER INDIVIDUAL BUSINESS ENTITY, BUSINESS OWNER, EVENT ORGANIZER, OR PROMOTER.
THIS LIMITATION WOULD APPLY TO BOTH LICENSED LONG BEACH STOREFRONT RETAILERS AND DELIVERY ON ONLY RETAILERS WHICH ARE COMING IN THE FUTURE.
NUMBER THREE IS A CITY MANAGER OR EXIT NICHE SHALL BE YOUR AUTHORIZED TO IMPOSE CONDI CONDITIONS ON CANNABIS SPECIAL EVENT PERMITS AT THEIR DISCRETION TO ENSURE OVERALL EVENT SAFETY.
THIS INCLUDES ISSUING PERMITS TO ONLY ISSUING PERMITS TO ONLY EVENT ORGANIZERS OR PROMOTERS WITH THE PROVEN EXPERIENCE IN HOSTING LARGE SCALE EVENTS WITH THE ONSITE CONSUMPTION.
AGAIN, THIS IS A PRETTY SIMILAR EXAMPLE TO THE SAN FRANCISCO MODEL MODEL.
AND NEXT STEPS INCLUDE COMPLETING THE FEASIBILITY STUDY AND ISSUING A COMP, A COMPREHENSIVE REPORT WITHIN 45 DAYS.
AT THAT TIME, THE CITY COUNCIL COULD THEN DIRECT STAFF TO PREPARE ORDINANCE FOR CANNABIS SPECIAL EVENTS.
PLEASE NOTE ONCE AGAIN THAT THE MEETING AND CONFER PROCESS WITH THE IMPACT OF LIBRA GROUPS MUST BE SUCCESSFULLY COMPLETED IN ORDER FOR A PROPOSED POLICY TO MOVE FORWARD.
ONCE THE MEETING CONFER PROCESS PROCESS HAS CONCLUDED, THEN STAFF WILL BRING BACK AN ORDINANCE FOR CITY COUNCIL CONSIDERATION AND THAT'S THE CONCLUSION OF MY PRESENTATION AND MYSELF AND MY COLLEAGUES ARE AVAILABLE FOR ANY QUESTIONS.
ALRIGHT, UH, THANK YOU SO MUCH.
WE'LL GO TO, WE'LL GO TO PUBLIC COMMENT BEFORE YOU DO.
DID YOU, DID I SEE IT CORRECTLY THAT YOU SAID OAKLAND CITY HALL WAS AN APPROVED SITE? NOT THE BUILDING ITSELF, BUT THE PLAZA FRONT.
YES,
UM, OKAY, WE'LL GO TO PUBLIC COMMENT.
UH, I SEE FOUR MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC SIGNED UP TO SPEAK.
AYA, KEN FAY, PATRICIA SSO, JOHN KENDRICK, AND ED AND EDGAR CRUZ.
AYA, KEN FAYE, SIX DISTRICT RESIDENT.
UM, THANK YOU FOR THE, UM, FEASIBILITY STUDY,
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UH, MS. ROMERO AND TEAM.I APPRECIATED THE, UM, OPPORTUNITY OF YOU UTILIZING SOME OF THE LEADERS IN THE SPACE WITH RESPECT TO CANNABIS EVENTS SUCH AS, UH, CITY OF SAN FRANCISCO.
UH, I'VE WORKED, UH, FOR THE OUTSIDE LANDS, UM, FESTIVAL A FEW TIMES, AND THE CANNABIS ELEMENT HAS PROVIDED A SUBSTANTIAL AMOUNT OF SPONSORSHIPS, UH, AS WELL AS, UH, OPENING UP THE REVENUE STREAM FOR THE CITY.
I THINK THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR EVERYONE TO EAT.
WE JUST HAVE TO MAKE ROOM FOR EVERYONE TO EAT.
AND WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE IS, UH, YOU KNOW, WALLY AND TEAM, YOU GUYS GET TO EAT WHAT THE WE DON'T WANT TO EAT
I KNOW YOU DON'T DO RAMADAN, SO I DON'T BELIEVE THAT.
I DON'T BELIEVE THAT, I DON'T BELIEVE THAT EVERYONE HAS THE OPPORTUNITY TO EAT, BUT WE GOTTA MANDATE IT.
MUCH LIKE WE HAD TO DO WITH INCLUSIONARY HOUSING.
YOU HAVE TO MAKE SPACE FOR PEOPLE THAT HAVE BEEN HELD ON THE SIDELINES TO PEOPLE I'M DESCRIBING ARE THOSE THAT ARE STILL PARTICIPATING FOR WHATEVER REASON IN THE EQUITY PROGRAM THAT THE CITY OF LONG BEACH, UH, ALLEGES THAT IT'S, UH, ADHERING TO.
AND WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE IS POLICY RECOMMENDATION 1, 2, 3, AND FOUR.
IF YOU SAW IN THE EXAMPLE THAT, UM, MS. ROMERO UTILIZED IN THE STUDY IS THAT CITY OF SAN FRANCISCO AS WELL AS CITY OF OAKLAND, THEY HAVE EQUITY BUILT INTO, UM, THE CANNABIS SPECIAL EVENTS PROCESS.
SO WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT IS THE FUNNELING OPPORTUNITY.
YOU HAVE TO DO IT, YOU HAVE TO USE LOCAL RETAILERS, YOU HAVE TO DO IT ON A CITY OWNED OR A PUBLICLY OWNED, UH, PROPERTY.
OKAY? YOU ALT ALSO HAVE TO HAVE EQUITY, UH, PARTICIPANTS THAT ARE MANDATED TO HAVE SOME TYPE OF SPACE WITHIN THE MARKETPLACE.
OTHERWISE, MILLIONS AND MILLIONS OF DOLLARS, UH, ARE ARE GONNA BE LEFT ON THE SHELF FOR THESE PEOPLE THAT ARE ALREADY BEEN LEFT ON THE SHELF FOR YEARS NOW.
AND IT'S NOT FAIR, YOU KNOW, IT'S NOT FAIR TO COMPARE CANNABIS WITH TOBACCO AND ALCOHOL BECAUSE RJ REYNOLDS DOESN'T GET, UH, TO HOLD MILLIONS OF DOLLARS IN PROPERTY TAX, UH, UNTIL THEY GET SOME TYPE OF TAX RELIEF.
YOU KNOW, AND, UH, ALCOHOL WISE, UM, THERE WOULD BE NO UNCLE NEAREST IN ANY CANNABIS, UH, EXAMPLE BECAUSE OF THE INHERENT ANTI-BLACKNESS WITH RESPECT TO, UH, CURRENTLY HOW CANNABIS OPERATES IN THE CITY.
SO, WITH THAT BEING SAID, I LOVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO FUNNEL, UH, MORE MONEY TO OUR PARKS.
THIS COULD BE AN OPPORTUNITY TO PAY FOR OUR PARKS IN PERPETUITY AND, AND FACILITATE SOME OF THE OIL MONEY THAT'S DECLINING.
I JUST BELIEVE THAT IN THERE NEEDS TO BE ROOM MADE FOR THE EQUITY, UH, OUR EQUITY CANNABIS APPLICANTS AND PARTNERS WHO AREN'T NECESSARILY A PART OF THE APPARATUS AS A WHOLE.
GOOD EVENING MAYOR, VICE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL.
UM, I AM A RESIDENT OF THE THIRD DISTRICT.
I'M A VICE PRESIDENT FOR A NATIONAL HEALTH WORKFORCE EQUITY PROGRAM.
UM, I'M A FIVE TIME GOVERNOR'S APPOINTEE TO THE STATE, UH, LEGISLATED TOBACCO EDUCATION AND RESEARCH OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE.
SO YOU WERE HERE EARLIER, UM, COMMENDING YOUR COMMISSIONERS.
I, THAT WAS A TIME THAT I SPENT FROM 2010 THROUGH 22 VOLUNTEERING, 2022, VOLUNTEERING MY TIME AND EXPERTISE IN THE HEALTH SCIENCES TO SUPPORT STATEWIDE TOBACCO PREVENTION AND EDUCATION PROGRAMS, UM, TO THE T ROCK BOARD, THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC HEALTH, THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION, AND THE UC OFFICE OF RESEARCH REPORTED TO THE BODY.
UM, WE WERE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE FUNDING OF PROPOSITION 99 MONIES, WHICH ALSO SUPPORTED THE FABULOUS LONG BEACH, UM, STRONG TOBACCO, UH, ORDINANCE.
AND IT'S MOST CONCERNING TO ME THAT THE CITY IS EVEN ENTERTAINING.
UM, A ESSENTIALLY A SMOKING EVENT, UM, MARIJUANA.
AND, UH, WHEN YOU MENTIONED, FOR EXAMPLE, SIX EVENTS PER LICENSE HOLDER, I HAVE NO IDEA, MAYBE THERE ARE A HUNDRED IN THE CITY.
SO THAT WOULD BE SIX TIMES A HUNDRED, 600 EVENTS AND SUSPENDING THE ORDINANCE, THE TOBACCO ORDINANCE, ESSENTIALLY YOU WOULD BE UNDOING THE TOBACCO
[02:45:01]
ORDINANCE FOR THIS CITY OF LONG BEACH.AND I HAVE TO SAY LONG BEACH IS ONE OF THE AWARDED CITIES FOR PROTECTING, UM, ITS RESIDENTS WITH A STRONG TOBACCO ORDINANCE.
THAT WOULD BE A DEVASTATING TRAGEDY.
UM, THANK I WAS A PART OF ONE OF THE ROUND TABLES.
THE SURVEY REALLY WAS A, UM, A VENDOR SURVEY FOR ALL INTENTS AND PURPOSES.
UM, THERE'S SOME THINGS THAT ARE NOT COVERED IN, IN THE SURVEY.
I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW, FOR RISK, WHAT REALLY IS THE RISK, THE MONETARY RISK FOR THE CITY? YOU KNOW, IT, IT'S, YOU'RE DRIVING UNDER THE INFLUENCE.
THERE'S SO MANY RISKS AND THE MONETARY RISK WAS NOT COVERED IN, UM, IN THAT.
AND THAT'S ONE THING THAT I ASKED FOR.
UM, I'M A TWO TIME OLYMPIAN, AND AS THE CITY OF LONG BEACH IS ONE OF A, THE HOST CITIES FOR 2028 WITH MANY EVENTS, UM, MARIJUANA IS A BANNED SUBSTANCE.
THE CONCEPT OF DESTIGMATIZING IS OUTTA LEFT FIELD, AND I CERTAINLY WOULDN'T PROPOSE THIS OR HAVE THIS DURING THE OLYMPIC YEAR.
I AM THE CO-CHAIR OF THE LONG BEACH, UH, UH, COACHING FOR LONG BEACH.
I'M ALSO THE CO-FOUNDER OF THE LONG BEACH ENVIRONMENTAL ALLIANCE.
AND I BELONG TO MANY OTHER ORGANIZATIONS HERE IN LONG BEACH, AND I CAN'T BELIEVE THAT YOU'RE GONNA PUT PROFIT BEFORE HEALTH.
YOU KNOW, SINCE THIS BECAME LEGAL, WE HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO ENFORCE NOT ONE POLICY OR REGULATION WHEN IT COMES TO THIS, TO MARIJUANA ON ANY LEVEL.
THIS IS FROM OUR STREETS AND OUR BEACHES EVERY DAY.
THIS IS WHAT I'VE DONE PERSONALLY, AND IT'S BEEN MORE, AND IT'S ONLY GOTTEN WORSE.
THIS IS NOT JUST A HEALTH ISSUE, IT'S A ENVIRONMENTAL IT CLIMATE.
THIS EVEN GOES AGAINST YOUR CAP BECAUSE WHEN THIS PLASTIC BREAKS DOWN IN OUR ENVIRONMENT, WE ARE CONSUMING THIS.
IT'S IN OUR BLOOD SYSTEM, AND WE KNOW ABOUT THE PLASTIC, WHAT IT'S DOING TO US.
ALSO, TOO, WHENEVER THE BEACH CREWS CLEAN UP THE BEACH, THOSE HEAVY MACHINERY, THEY CHOP IT UP TO ITS REAL FINE AND IT ENDS UP INTO OUR MARINE ENVIRONMENT.
WE EAT THE FISH AND EVERYTHING BECAUSE WE'RE TOP OF THE FOOD CHAIN.
AND NOW YOU WANT TO SELL THIS STUFF.
WE PUT COMMERCIALS OUT THERE SAYING DON'T DO MARIJUANA AND DRIVE, BUT NOW WE ARE GONNA SIT THERE AND SELL IT TO PEOPLE AT AN EVENT AND THEN HAVE THEM DRIVE ON THE FREEWAY AND PEOPLE ARE GONNA BRING THE STUFF TO THE EVENT BECAUSE YOU CAN'T SEARCH THEM AND FIND IT.
AND THEY'RE GONNA BRING LEGAL AND ILLEGAL STUFF AND CAUSE OTHER UNFORESEEN PROBLEMS. AND THIRD HAND SMOKE, WHEN THEY GO HOME AND PICK UP THAT LITTLE SIX MONTH OLD BABY, THAT CHILD WILL NOW ASSUME IT.
SO, I UNDERSTAND YOU WORRYING ABOUT YOUR REVENUE ON OIL, BUT YOU KNOW, SOMETHING, PUTTING PEOPLE'S HEALTH IN DANGER IS NOT THE WAY.
AND I'M GOING TO GIVE THIS TO YOUR STAFF.
THIS IS FROM THE CDC, THE AMERICAN AND LUNG ASSOCIATIONS, SINCE THEY MADE IT LEGAL TO DO RESEARCH.
NOW THEY'RE FIGHTING ALL KIND OF THINGS.
AND THIS IS JUST AS BAD AS TOBACCO.
AND THIS IS PASSED ON TO OUR UNBORN CHILDREN.
SO IF YOU WANNA PUT PROFIT BEFORE PEOPLE'S HEALTH, WE THEN, YOU KNOW, BETTER THAN THE TOBACCO COMPANIES AND OTHERS, AND THEY'RE ALSO PUTTING MONEY INTO MARIJUANA.
AND THIS IS EVERY DAY ON OUR STREETS.
AND IN 2013, THIS CITY PAID OVER $13 MILLION.
WHAT ARE WE DOING NOW IN 2024? THANKS.
OUR FINAL SPEAKER, ED EDWARD EDGAR CRUZ.
[02:50:02]
GOOD EVENING MAYOR, CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS AND DEDICATED CITY STAFF.MY NAME IS EDWARD CRUZ AND I AM HERE AS A PARTICIPANT OF THE LONG BEACH EQUITY PROGRAM, AS WELL AS AN ADVOCATE FOR EQUITABLE OPPORTUNITIES IN THE CANNABIS SPACE.
FIRST, I WANT TO EXPRESS MY SUPPORT FOR THE CANNABIS SPECIAL EVENTS FEASIBILITY STUDY BEING DISCUSSED TODAY.
IT'S ENCOURAGING THE CITY TO CITY TAKE STEPS TO CREATING OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE CANNABIS INDUSTRY, PARTICULARLY THROUGH THE SPECIAL EVENTS LICENSE.
HOWEVER, WHILE I SUPPORT THIS AGENDA, I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THE CITY MAKE MORE OF AN EFFORT TO SUPPORT EQUITY BUSINESSES AS PART OF THIS PROCESS.
AS MANY EQUITY RECIPIENTS STILL FACE SIGNIFICANT CHALLENGES, WHETHER IT'S ACCESSING CAPITAL, NAVIGATING THROUGH THE REGULATORY ENVIRONMENT, OR COMMITTING WITH LARGER OPERATORS.
THIS NEW LICENSE TYPE PRESENTS AN OPPORTUNITY TO ADDRESS THOSE CHALLENGES, BUT IT REQUIRES AN INTENTIONAL ACTION FROM THE CITY.
I URGE YOU TO PRIORITIZE EVENTS OPPORTUNITIES FOR EQUITY.
APPLICANTS PROVIDE TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE TO HELP EQUITY RECIPIENTS THROUGH THIS PROCESS AND CREATE PATHWAYS FOR EQUITY BUSINESSES TO FULLY PARTICIPATE IN THESE EVENTS.
ADDITIONALLY, I BELIEVE THAT THE NEW INCUBATION PLAN WILL ONLY BE EFFECTIVE IF IT INCLUDES STRONGER ENFORCEMENT MEASURES FOR OPERATORS WHO HAVE NOT COMPLIED WITH CITY ORDINANCES OR HAVE FAILED TO PAY THEIR TAXES.
UM, HOLDING THESE OPERATORS ACCOUNTABLE IS CRITICAL TO ENSURING THE INDUSTRY DOES NOT CONTINUE TO FACE THE SAME ISSUES IT HAS SINCE RECREATIONAL CANNABIS HAS BEEN APPROVED.
UM, WHILE THIS OPPORTUNITY IS OPEN TO ALL OPERATORS, IT IS ESSENTIAL THAT EQUITY BUSINESSES ARE PRIORITIZED AND NOT LEFT BEHIND.
EQUITY BUSINESSES, EQUITY BRANDS AND MICRO BUSINESSES SHOULD ALSO HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO PROMOTE AND SELL THEIR PRODUCTS.
AS MANY STILL FACE SIGNIFICANT BARRIERS TO OBTAINING FULL LICENSING.
UH, CURRENTLY THERE ARE NO OPERATING RETAIL, UH, EQUITY BUSINESSES, UH, IN THE CITY OF LONG BEACH.
AND IT'S UNLIKELY THAT WE'LL SEE ANY, ANY SOON DUE TO FACTORS BEYOND EQUITY, UH, CONTROL, UH, WITHOUT TARGETED SUPPORT, WE RISK, UH, PERPETUATING THE DISPARITIES THAT, UH, THE EQUITY PROGRAM WAS DESIGNED TO ADDRESS.
UM, I APPRECIATE THE EFFORTS OF THE CANNABIS OVERSIGHT COUNCIL AND THE OTHER DEPARTMENTS AND DIVISIONS ON THIS PRESENTATION AND STUDY.
I HOPE THAT THE EQUITY BUSINESSES REMAIN A KEY FOCUS AS WE MOVE FORWARD WITH THESE NEW LICENSE TYPES.
AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR GUYS' TIME IN CONSIDERATION.
SO THAT CONCLUDES PUBLIC COMMENT.
JUST SO EVERYONE IS CLEAR, THIS WAS, THIS IS A FEASIBILITY STUDY THAT IS ONGOING.
NO DECISION HAS BEEN MADE BY THE CITY COUNCIL ABOUT, UH, WHETHER YOU WILL OR WILL NOT, UH, OPEN THIS BUSINESS LINE UP.
AND THERE ARE STILL QUESTIONS TO BE ASKED.
UH, THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR THE COUNCIL TO FURTHER ASK FURTHER QUESTIONS.
IF THERE WERE THINGS BROUGHT UP IN THE PRESENTATION THAT YOU WANNA GO A LITTLE DEEPER ON, YOU WANT US TO RESEARCH A LITTLE BIT FURTHER, UH, QUESTIONS ABOUT THE TIMETABLE, QUESTIONS ABOUT, YOU KNOW, HOW, YOU KNOW, HOW STAFF IS THINKING ABOUT WHAT THOSE VENUES COULD BE.
UH, BUT WE NEED YOU TO BE BE VERY CLEAR ON WHAT'S IN FRONT OF US AS A RECEIVING FILE PRESENTATION.
THAT SAID, WE'LL, UH, WE'LL GO TO THE COUNCIL.
THANK YOU SO MUCH, UM, MR. MAYOR.
AND, UH, I WANNA APPRECIATE ALL OF THE PUBLIC COMMENT.
UM, YOU KNOW, MUCH OF WHAT I'VE AGREED WITH, AND I THINK THERE WERE SOME GREAT POINTS RAISED.
I WANT TO THANK OUR STAFF, ESPECIALLY FOR THE VERY, VERY COMPREHENSIVE, UH, IMBALANCED, UH, UM, PRESENTATION.
YOU KNOW, KIND OF LOOKED AT IT FROM ALL ANGLES, UM, WHICH WAS VERY MUCH APPRECIATED.
UH, I'M NOT AWARE OF TOO MANY POLICIES IN WHICH WE ACTUALLY GO OUT AND DO SURVEYS AND SURVEY RESIDENTS.
UM, I THINK THE RESPONSE IN THIS PARTICULAR, UM, SURVEY, I THINK, UM, WAS PRETTY EXTRAORDINARY COMPARED TO, TO OTHERS THAT WE'VE, UH, DONE, UM, OUR BUDGET SURVEY, WHAT WERE THE RESPONDENTS ON THAT 200 PEOPLE? OUR BUDGET SURVEY CHAIR SAYS ABOUT 200 PEOPLE RESPONDED VERSUS 700 PLUS IN THIS, THIS, UH, THIS ITEM.
UM, AND I KNOW WE'VE DONE OTHERS ON OTHER ITEMS, BUT, BUT NOT MUCH.
UM, SO I WANNA POINT THAT OUT.
UH, A COUPLE OF ITEMS OR MENTIONED POINTS THAT WERE MENTIONED THAT I VERY MUCH AGREE WITH, UM, THE PRIORITIES SHOULD BE GIVEN TO LOCAL BUSINESSES FOR SUCH EVENTS.
UM, I THINK SAN FRANCISCO IS GETTING IT RIGHT AND WE SHOULD ALSO PUT A GREAT EMPHASIS ON EQUITY PARTNERS, UM, IN OUR CITY.
UM, THEY HAVE BEEN LEFT BEHIND.
UM, UM, I'M REALLY NOT HAPPY WITH WHERE WE ARE WITH, WITH THAT PROGRAM.
UM, AND THIS IS EXPANDING OPPORTUNITY.
UM, I I ALSO LIKE TO, I DON'T WANT TO EXTEND THIS BEYOND FURTHER THAN IT NEEDS TO GO.
[02:55:01]
COUNCIL WILL GET TO A PLACE, A LANDING PLACE WHERE THEY'RE COMFORTABLE WITH MOVING FORWARD WITH AN ORDINANCE.BUT, UH, THE LOCAL ECONOMIC BOOST SHOULD NOT BE UNDERSTATED.
UM, THERE'S A REAL OPPORTUNITY HERE.
WE LOOK AT OUR BIGGEST EVENTS IN THE CITY, RIGHT? THE GRAND PRIX BRINGS IN ABOUT 150, 190,000, UM, LONG BEACH PRIDE, A HUNDRED THOUSAND.
WELL, THE, THE ONE EVENT THAT WAS DONE IN SACRAMENTO, THIS JUST A COUPLE OF MONTHS AGO AT THE COW EXPO YIELDED OVER A HUNDRED THOUSAND PARTICIPANTS OVER TWO DAYS.
THAT'S, THAT'S NOTHING TO, TO, TO, TO SNEEZE AT.
THAT'S AN, IT'S AN IMPORTANT EMPHASIS THAT THIS WOULD BE A VERY, VERY, IT COULD BE A VERY BIG AND LUCRATIVE EVENT FOR OUR LOCAL BUSINESSES.
BUT, AND, AND, AND ATTRACTING PEOPLE TO, TO LONG BEACH, I KNOW WE HAVE, AND THIS COUNCIL HAS BEEN VERY INTENTIONAL ABOUT MAKING LONG BEACH A AN ENTERTAINMENT DESTINATION, RIGHT? UM, UTILIZING OUR SPACE, UH, CREATIVELY.
AND, UH, I THINK THIS WOULD CERTAINLY ACCOMPLISH THAT.
I ALSO WANT TO JUST JUST POINT OUT THE OBVIOUS.
ANYBODY GO TO A CONCERT LATELY? I'VE BEEN TO A HALF A DOZEN IN MY, UH, OVER THE LAST, UH, YEAR.
AND, UH, YEAH, YOU KNOW, CANNABIS IS EVERYWHERE.
EVEN OUR CITY SPONSORED EVENTS.
I JUST WANT TO BE CLEAR ON THAT.
AND SO, YOU KNOW, UM, OUR CITY EMPLOYEES ARE ALREADY EXPOSED.
THE BARB MARLEY FESTIVAL USED TO BE AN INDOOR EVENT.
I PERSONALLY THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, TO, TO MITIGATE ANY OF THE, THE CONCERNS RELATED TO RESIDUAL IMPACTS AND SECONDHAND, UM, SMOKE.
I THINK, UH, WE SHOULD, WE SHOULD LOOK AT AN OUTDOOR, UM, MANDATE FOR, FOR SUCH EVENTS, OUTDOOR SPACES OR PREFERENCE OUTDOOR SPACES.
UM, I ALSO WANNA JUST POINT OUT THE FACT THAT GOVERNOR NEWSOM JUST TWO WEEKS AGO SIGNED AB 1775 THAT ALLOWS LOCAL JURISDICTIONS TO PREVENT CANNABIS CAFES, UH, TO OPERATE.
AND THAT I WANT TO DISPEL SOME, SOME MISNOMERS OUT THERE.
IT'S NOT ALL SMOKE, IT'S IN THE FOOD, IT'S CONSUMPTION AND EDIBLES AND, AND, AND, AND DRINKS AND GUMMY BEARS.
SO, I MEAN, IT'S NOT ALL, ALL SMOKE.
I WANNA BE VERY CLEAR ON THAT.
UM, I THINK, UM, SOMETHING THAT WAS MISSING IN TERMS OF THE SAFETY COMPONENT, WE SHOULD ALSO BE LOOKING AT, YOU KNOW, UM, PLANNING THESE EVENTS.
AND I KNOW I SEE TASHA THERE SPECIAL EVENTS.
THERE SHOULD BE SOME, SOME IN PARTNERSHIPS AND BUILT-IN PARTNERSHIPS FOR RIDESHARE PROGRAMS, UM, FOR NOT JUST THIS, BUT I WOULD ALSO SAY, YOU KNOW, THE WINE FEST THAT WE HAVE, RIGHT? WE DO HAVE ONE OF THOSE, OR A COUPLE OF THEM.
I KNOW WE HAVE A BEER FEST THAT HAPPENS HERE.
YOU KNOW, THESE ARE, THESE ARE SUBSTANCES THAT IMPAIR YOU AND IT'S OKAY HERE IN THE CITY OF LONG BEACH TODAY.
UM, I'LL GO BACK TO YOUR FIRST SLIDE IF YOU WANT.
MIKE, WANNA HELP US OUT AND SHOW THAT TO US.
SHOULD BE THE, I THINK NUMBER SLIDE NUMBER THREE.
IT'S RELATED TO, TO NOT HAVING A BIAS ABOUT
IT IS A LEGAL, UM, PRODUCT IN, IN, IN THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA AND IN THE CITY OF LONG BEACH.
SO, SO AGAIN, I WANT TO BE, BE BE VERY CLEAR AND I THINK WE NEED TO ALSO, UM, MOVE FORWARD WITH THAT LENS IN MIND, ALL OF THE ABOVE, UM, BEST PRACTICES.
I KNOW A COUPLE OF CITIES WERE MENTIONED.
UM, I WOULD, WOULD, WOULD LOVE TO UNDERSTAND LIKE WHAT, WHAT, WHAT WERE THE NE NEGATIVE IMPACTS ON, UM, THESE EVENTS? WE, WE HAVE THE CITY OF SANTA ROSA THAT HOSTED THE EMERALD CUP FOR MANY YEARS.
UM, WE NOW HAVE THE CITY OF SACRAMENTO THAT'S HOSTED A VERY LARGE, UH, CONSUMPTION, OUTDOOR CONSUMPTION EVENT.
WE HAVE OAKLAND, WE HAVE LAS VEGAS THAT, UM, I, I BELIEVE LAS VEGAS HOSTS A BIG SMOKE.
WONDER WHAT THAT DOES FOR THEIR ECONOMIC IMPACT.
I JUST THINK WE NEED TO THINK BIGGER.
UM, WE NEED TO BE A FUTURE, FUTURE THINKING CITY.
AND, AND, UH, I, I DO RESPECT THE WORK.
UM, YOU KNOW, I LED THE EFFORT TO, TO BAN, UM, FLAVORED TOBACCO IN OUR CITY, RIGHT? UM, I, I WAS ON WITH THAT POLICY BECAUSE IT WAS, IT, WE, WE DO NOT WANT OUR CHILDREN TO BE EXPOSED TO ANYTHING THAT'S GONNA BE DETRIMENTAL TO THEIR HEALTH.
BUT I ALSO WANT TO DISPEL THE, THE HEALTH, UM,
[03:00:01]
ARGUMENT AS WELL.BEFORE THERE WAS A DUMP ADULT USE CANNABIS CONSUMPTION LEGAL, THERE WAS MEDICAL MARIJUANA.
AND SO THERE ARE MEDICAL VALUES, UH, TO, TO MARIJUANA AND UM, HEALTH VALUES TO IT AS WELL.
AND SO, UH, AGAIN, I WANT TO THANK STAFF FOR YOUR WORK ON THIS.
I UNDERSTAND THAT YOU HAVE TO CONTINUE YOUR, UM, FEASIBILITY STUDY AS YOU GO OUT IN THE COMMUNITY.
UH, REMEMBER THAT THAT FIRST LINE, UM, IN THE FIRST SLIDE HERE IS IN TERMS OF HOW WE, WE, UM, HOW WE MOVE FORWARD WITH, WITH OUR REGULATIONS, OUR FUTURE ORDINANCES.
WE NEED TO LOOK AT THIS INDUSTRY ON, ON THE LEVEL AS WE WOULD ANY OTHER, UM, INDUSTRY.
UH, FIRST AND FOREMOST, I WANNA THANK COUNCIL MEMBER AUSTIN FOR INVITING ME TO CO-SPONSOR THIS ITEM BACK IN AUGUST.
UM, AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR, YOUR THOUGHTFUL, UH, COMMENTS.
UM, I ECHO YOUR COMMENTS AND SUPPORT THAT.
UM, I ALSO WANT TO THANK STAFF FOR ALL YOUR HARD WORK AROUND THIS.
THIS IS NEW TO US AS A CITY, SO I KNOW THAT YOU GUYS ARE GOING, UM, YOU KNOW, LEARNING AS YOU GO.
I REALLY, REALLY APPRECIATE, UM, THE VISUALS FROM YOUR PRESENTATION, THE PIE CHARTS, THE GRAPHS, UM, I THINK THAT THAT IS EASIER TO UNDERSTAND, UM, BECAUSE THIS IS A, A VERY COMPLEX, UM, ISSUE TO BE, YOU KNOW, TO BE WORKING THROUGH.
SO I REALLY DO, UM, THANK YOU FOR THAT AND FOR ALL THE WORK THAT HAS BEEN PUT ON.
UM, I KNOW THAT FOR SPECIAL EVENTS, IT'S NEW TERRITORY, UM, BUT I THINK THAT IT, WE ARE MOVING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION.
SO I ENCOURAGE YOU, UM, TO BE ABLE TO, UM, MOVE FORWARD IN THIS VISIBILITY STUDY AND BRING US, YOU KNOW, OPTIONS THAT THAT COULD WORK FOR OUR CITY.
I LOVE THE EXAMPLES OF OTHER CITIES AND WHAT HAS WORKED FOR THEM.
UM, I, I, YOU KNOW, IN THE PRESENTATION I SAW THAT THERE WAS, UM, THAT SOMETHING THAT, YOU KNOW, I'M ALSO STILL LEARNING AND SOMETHING THAT WAS NEW TO ME, UM, THAT I, THAT I NOTICED WAS THAT THERE'S, UM, IN THE PRESENTATION IT'S AIMED TO NOT HAVE ANY OTHER SUBSTANCE WHEN HAVING A SPECIAL EVENT LIKE THIS.
AND I KNOW WE'RE STILL IN THE FEASIBILITY STAGE OF THIS.
UM, I WAS UNDER THE UNDERSTANDING THAT IN SOME OTHER CITIES WHERE THIS HAS WORKED, THAT THEY MIGHT HAVE DIFFERENT, UM, DESIGNATED AREAS FOR OTHER CONSUMPTIONS OF, UH, LIKE ALCOHOL AND TOBACCO AND STUFF LIKE THAT.
IS THAT SOMETHING THAT, IF YOU COULD CLARIFY THAT FOR ME? YES, I CAN SPEAK TO THAT.
SO IN THOSE INSTANCES, AND LET'S SAY THIS THE SACRAMENTO STATE FAIR EXAMPLE, UM, THEY ARE CONSIDERED SEP, THE KEY WORD HERE IS PREMISES.
SO THEY'RE CONSIDERED SEPARATE EVENT PREMISES ALTOGETHER, SEPARATE EVENTS, UM, MANAGED BY DIFFERENT EVENT ORGANIZERS.
AND SO WITH THE STATE FAIR, IT WAS BECAUSE OF THE SPACE, UM, BECAUSE IT'S 350 ACRES AND THEY HAVE DIFFERENT FACILITIES WITHIN THAT VENUE.
THEY DO HAVE THE ABILITY TO, UM, HAVE THE CANNABIS RETAIL AREA IN ONE AREA, THE CONSUMPTION AREA.
THOSE ARE ALSO SEPARATE WITHIN THAT SPACE.
UM, BUT SAY IF THERE'S ALCOHOL BEING SOLD AS PART OF THE REGULAR STATE FAIR ACTIVITIES, THAT WAS ESSENTIALLY LIKE WAY ON THE OPPOSITE SIDE OF THE STATE FAIR.
UM, AND OTHER, I THINK, UM, WHEN WE SPOKE TO THE DCC, UM, THEY GAVE THE EXAMPLE OF, I BELIEVE IT WAS LENTO, THAT THEY ALSO HAD A SIMILAR SITUATION.
BUT AGAIN, THESE ARE MUCH LARGER SPACES THAN WE HAVE AVAILABLE IN LONG BEACH.
AND SO IF CITY COUNCIL WERE TO PROCEED WITH THIS POLICY OF STAFF, WE WOULDN'T RECOMMEND TO HAVE THE KIND OF THE DUAL EVENT CONCEPT THAT YOU'RE HEARING JUST BECAUSE IT'S FOR SAFETY REASONS.
IT'S, WE WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO, UM, YOU KNOW, ENSURE SECURELY THAT THE, THE TWO THINGS ARE NOT GONNA MIX UP, WHICH IS THOSE BEING ALCOHOL AND TOBACCO CANNOT BE IN THE SAME SPACE, UM, AS THE CANNABIS EVENT.
AND I DO WANNA NOTE, I THINK THERE WAS A COMMENT MADE EARLIER ABOUT, UM, YOU KNOW, CHECKING FOR, FOR PEOPLE NOT BRINGING THEIR OWN THING.
SO AGAIN, THESE CAN ONLY, CANNABIS CAN ONLY BE SOLD BY LICENSED RETAILERS AT THESE EVENTS.
UM, AND LIKE ANY OTHER EVENT IN THE CITY, WHETHER IT'S A CONCERT, WHATEVER IT MAY BE, THERE ARE SECURITY CHECKS.
AND SO WE ARE IN THESE CANNABIS EVENTS, THEY ARE CHECKING THAT NOBODY IS BRINGING THEIR OWN PERSONAL CANNABIS PRODUCTS, NO ALCOHOL OF COURSE, NO TOBACCO.
HOPEFULLY THAT PROVIDES SOME CLARIFICATION.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH, VALENCIA.
UM, AS WE ALL KNOW, UM, CAN, THE CANNABIS INDUSTRY IN
[03:05:01]
THE CITY OF LONG BEACH HAS, UM, A RICH CULTURE HERE.LIKE WE HAVE A BIG POPULATION OF CANNABIS.
UM, AND SO I AM REALLY ENCOURAGED BY, BY THIS VISIBILITY STUDY, AND I REALLY WOULD LIKE US TO ALSO, UM, FOCUS ON THE EQUITY PROGRAMS AND GIVING THEM THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE PART OF THESE SPECIAL EVENTS.
AND I KNOW THAT WE'LL DEFINITELY TAKE THAT INTO CONSIDERATION AS WE'RE DOING THE VISIBILITY STUDY.
SO THANK, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THAT.
AND IF I MAY ADD FOR THE EQUITY COMPONENT, UM, LIKE THE SACRAMENTO EXAMPLE, SA FROM SAN FRANCISCO ALSO ADD THAT THEY HAVE AN EQUITY PLAN THAT THIS IS, UM, PUT ON THE EVENT ORGANIZER.
UM, BUT I DO WANNA EMPHASIZE THAT ANYBODY IN THEORY COULD BE AN EVENT ORGANIZER.
IT COULD BE SOMEBODY WHO HAS AN EQUITY BUSINESS CAN DO IT.
BUT FOR OUR EQUITY APPLICANTS, I AM VERY HAPPY TO REPORT THAT.
UM, FOR OUR EQUITY DISPENSARIES, WE JUST FINISHED THAT SELECTION PROCESS ABOUT A MONTH AGO.
UM, TWO OUT OF THOSE EIGHT HAVE NOW FOUND LOCATIONS, UM, TWO FOR THEIR DISPENSARIES, TWO MORE IN THE PROCESS IN THE NEXT TWO WEEKS.
AND SO I SAY THAT BECAUSE THOSE EIGHT EQUITY DISPENSARIES WOULD HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY, YOU KNOW, BASED ON THE PROPOSED POLICIES OR PROPOSED RECOMMENDATIONS, THEY WOULD HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE A RETAILER AT THESE EVENTS.
AND SO THAT IS ONE WAY THAT EQUITY HAS A FOOTING IN THESE EVENTS AS WELL.
JUST WANTED TO ADD THAT, AND THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
THANK YOU FOR THAT CLARIFICATION.
AND THAT'S, THAT'S GOOD BECAUSE WHENEVER WE HEAR EQUITY ALL, WE ALWAYS HEAR THE, THE PROBLEMS WITH THE PROCESS.
SO I'M GLAD YOU ACTUALLY BROUGHT UP SOME PROGRESS THAT YOU'RE MAKING ON THE EQUITY WORK COUNCIL MEMBER RICK SOTE.
UM, THANK YOU FOR HIGHLIGHTING THAT.
UH, MAYOR, UM, I JUST HAD A COUPLE OF JUST CLARIFICATION QUESTIONS.
SO I SAW IN THE COMMUNITY SURVEY, UM, THAT, UM, UH, BASICALLY APPROXIMATELY HALF THE FOLKS WHO FILLED OUT THE SURVEY WERE USERS, HALF THE FOLKS WERE, WERE NON-USERS.
UM, AND THEN ABOUT HALF THE SURVEY BASICALLY SAID THAT THEY WEREN'T INTERESTED IN A, LIKE A, LIKE A CANNABIS SPECIAL EVENTS PERMIT.
DO YOU KNOW IF THE FOLKS THAT ESSENTIALLY SAID WE'RE NOT INTERESTED WERE ALSO JUST THE SAME PEOPLE WHO JUST DON'T TEND TO USE CANNABIS ANYWAY? THAT'S VERY LIKELY.
BUT WE, THAT'S PART OF THE ANALYSIS THAT WE HAVE TO TAKE A LOOK AT AS PART OF THE REMAINING PART OF THE FEASIBILITY STUDY.
AND SO WHAT YOU SAW IN THE PRESENTATION EARLIER WITH JUST SORT OF LIKE THE RAW RESULTS OF THE SURVEY, UM, THAT'S PART OF OUR ANALYSIS THAT WE WOULD LIKE TO DO.
TYPICALLY SPEAKING, THAT'S GENERALLY WHAT WE SEE, BUT WE WANNA BE ABLE TO DO A FORMAL ANALYSIS ON THAT.
AND SO ONE OF THE INTEREST INTERESTING THINGS I WOULD, UM, LIKE TO HIGHLIGHT AS PART OF THE ROUND TABLES, BECAUSE I KNOW YOU'RE GONNA BE REACHING OUT TO COMMUNITY GROUPS AND NONPROFITS IS KIND OF TEASE THAT OUT A LITTLE BIT BECAUSE I IMAGINE THERE'S ESSENTIALLY KIND OF TWO CAMPS, RIGHT? ARE FOLKS WHO AREN'T USER USERS AND WOULD BE INTERESTED IN THIS AND THEY'LL HAVE A VARIETY OF IDEAS AROUND HOW THEY PLAN FOR THIS TO BE ROLLED OUT.
AND THEN THERE'LL BE COMMUNITY MEMBERS THAT DON'T AND ARE PRIMARILY, YOU KNOW, CONCERNED ABOUT THE QUALITY OF LIFE ISSUES RELATED TO THESE SPECIAL EVENT PERMITS.
AND SO I KNOW I WOULD BE INTERESTED AS WE'RE POTENTIALLY CRAFTING AN ORDINANCE AROUND THAT TO, TO SEE, TO SEE SOMETHING COME BACK THAT, UM, DISCUSSES THAT AND MAKES THAT CLEAR, UH, TO THE COUNCIL.
UM, AND THAT'S WHY WE DID HOLD THE, THE THE, WE ASKED THE QUESTION ABOUT STAKEHOLDERS.
'CAUSE WE DO UNDERSTAND THAT THIS COULD BE A VERY DIVISIVE ISSUE.
AND SO WE WANNA HAVE THOSE ROUND TABLE DISCUSSIONS, WHICH ARE TENDED TO BE SMALL GROUP.
UM, AND JUST TO GIVE A SAFE SPACE FOR THOSE, UM, CONCERNS TO BE EXPRESSED IN THAT.
UM, AND THEN I NOTED, I THINK IT WAS ON LIKE SLIDE 23 FOR THE CITY OF OAKLAND, BUT THIS IS RELATED TO SOMETHING THAT COUNCIL MEMBERS AND DEJAS AND COUNCIL MEMBER AUSTIN MENTIONED AROUND THE EQUITY APPLICANTS.
I KNOW THAT THEY WERE A COUPLE, I DON'T KNOW IF I CALL THEM BEST PRACTICES, BUT THEY WERE DEFINITELY POLICIES AND PROGRAMS THAT OTHER CITIES HAD PUT INTO INCENTIVIZE, UM, A MORE EQUITABLE DISTRIBUTION OF THE, OF THE TYPES OF, UM, PEOPLE WHO RUN THESE EVENTS WHO, YOU KNOW, WHO ARE VENDORS AT THESE EVENTS.
AND SO, AGAIN, AND I, I APPRECIATE YOU, UM, HIGHLIGHTING THE PROGRESS WE'VE MADE WITH OUR, OUR EQUITY APPLICANTS.
AND SO I THINK IN MY MIND, IF WE WERE TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THIS, I'D WANT US TO CRAFT SOMETHING IN A WAY THAT INCENTIVIZES THAT RIGHT AS AN OPPORTUNITY THAT WE'RE GIVING TO OUR EQUITY APPLICANTS.
UH, AND THEN LASTLY, UH, AND I KNOW THAT THIS WILL BE, YOU MENTIONED THIS WILL BE INCLUDED.
UM, YEAH, I'M VERY INTERESTED IN HEARING WHAT ARE THE POTENTIAL MITIGATIONS AND SOLUTIONS TO ADDRESS WHAT I KNOW ARE THE COMING CONCERNS AROUND STAFF SAFETY, UM, AND PUBLIC SAFETY.
YOU MENTIONED THE THINGS ABOUT, YOU KNOW, IMPAIRED DRIVING, ET CETERA.
UM, I'M SURE THAT THAT CITIES HAVE THAT NOW, HAVE THESE EVENTS HAVE, UM, HAD TO TACKLE THESE CHALLENGES AND WILL HAVE COME UP WITH SOME TYPES OF SOLUTIONS.
AND SO I'M INTERESTED TO SEE WHAT THOSE VARIETY OF THOSE SOLUTIONS ARE GOING TO BE.
ALRIGHT, THANK YOU VICE MARILYN.
AND I, I DO, UM, ALSO APPRECIATE COUNCILMAN AUSTIN AND, AND ZENDAY HOUSE FOR THIS ITEM.
YOU KNOW, I, I'M A, UM, I'M AN ADVOCATE FOR THIS.
I THINK THAT, UM, I THINK THESE, UH, THESE CANNABIS EVENTS ARE
[03:10:01]
ADVANTAGEOUS FOR US.I THINK, UM, YOU KNOW, CANNABIS IS, IS LEGAL AND IF PEOPLE WANNA GO TO A CANNABIS EVENT, THEN SO BE IT.
IF THEY DON'T AND THEY DON'T WANNA BE EXPOSED, THEN DON'T.
BUT, UM, BUT I, I THINK THAT, UH, WE SHOULD, UH, UH, YOU KNOW, UH, LOOK AT THIS.
UM, ALSO, I, YOU KNOW, I'M, I'M OBVIOUSLY, UM, VERY INTERESTED IN, UM, THE SAFETY, UH, TO STAFF AND, UM, AND, YOU KNOW, UH, POLICE DEPARTMENT AND HOW THAT EXPOSURE WOULD, YOU KNOW, HOW OTHER CITIES LIKE, UH, SAN FRANCISCO OR OAKLAND HAVE HAVE ADDRESSED? YOU KNOW, WE CAN'T HAVE A, UH, UH, UH, ARMED POLICE OFFICER EXPOSED, UM, AND THEN I'LL CALL, YOU KNOW, DOING CALLS FOR SERVICE.
SO I, I DON'T KNOW HOW THEY DEALT WITH THAT.
SO, UH, I DEFINITELY WOULD LIKE TO KNOW A LITTLE BIT MORE, UH, HOW THOSE ISSUES WERE, WERE ADDRESSED.
AND THEN, UM, I REALLY LIKE, UM, THE, YOU KNOW, USING SMALL BUSINESSES, BUT I ALSO LIKE TO PUT OUT THERE, I THINK THAT WE ALSO SHOULD LIMIT, UM, ONLY USING BUSINESSES THAT ARE UP TO DATE ON THEIR TAXES.
I KNOW THAT WE HAVE QUITE A BIT OF, UH, UH, FOLKS OUT THERE WHO, WHO ARE NOT, UH, PAYING THEIR FAIR SHARE.
SO I THINK PART OF THAT SHOULD BE, I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S, THAT'S PROBABLY A CITY ATTORNEY THING, BUT, UM, SHE'S LOOKING AT ME.
I DON'T KNOW IF IT, BUT, UM, BUT I JUST THINK THAT THAT'S A FAIR THING, UM, THAT THEY SHOULD, IF THEY HAVEN'T PAID THEIR CITY TAXES.
AND THEN I DON'T KNOW IF WE'RE ALLOWED TO DO THAT.
BUT, YOU KNOW, HEY, I LOOK FORWARD, I LOOK FORWARD TO A BIG EVENT.
MAYBE SNOOP DOGG WILL COME HERE AND WE'LL HAVE A BIG SMOKE OUT AT QUEEN MARY, WHO KNOWS.
BUT, UM, BUT I, I THINK, I THINK IT'S A GOOD THING.
ALRIGHT, SNOOP DOGG, QUEEN MARY.
OKAY, SO I'LL JUST ADD MY COMMENTS HERE.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE PRESENTATION.
IT RAISE A LOT OF, A LOT OF QUESTIONS THAT I THINK WE CAN ANSWER.
I THINK TIMING, I THINK FOR THIS CONVERSATION IS KEY BECAUSE WE'RE TAKING STEPS TO EXPLORE, UH, A PUBLIC AMPHITHEATER BECAUSE WE PASSED IN THE BUDGET FUNDING TO DO AN ENTERTAINMENT STRATEGIC PLAN.
I THINK SOME OF THOSE QUESTIONS AROUND VENUES AND TRAFFIC AND TRANSPORTATION CAN BE ANSWERED AS YOU EVALUATE SOME OF THOSE, UH, SOME OF THOSE FACTORS.
I ALSO THINK, UM, I AGREE WITH WHAT I'VE HEARD, IF WE HEAD IN THIS DIRECTION, UH, TO PRIORITIZE EQUITY IN SOME WAY, UM, I'VE, YOU KNOW, I'VE, FROM THE FIRST CANNABIS, MID FIRST FROM MEDICINAL TO THE NON MEDICINAL RECREATIONAL POLICY TO THE EQUITY POLICY, TO THE DELIVERIES.
WE HAVEN'T, WE'VE TRIED EQUITY A NUMBER OF TIMES AND WE'VE FAILED A NUMBER OF TIMES.
I'M GLAD TO HEAR SOME PROGRESS ON THE MOST RECENT ITERATION.
THANKS, COUNCILMAN AUSTIN FOR HELPING LEAD THAT EFFORT.
BUT IT, IT, IT DOES MAKE ME JUST A LITTLE WARY.
UM, WHEN WE TALK ABOUT EQUITY, WE HAVE TO, WE HAVE TO ACTUALLY DELIVER HERE, UH, BECAUSE THERE'S BEEN SO MANY TIMES THAT THAT CITIES NOT JUST LONG BEACH, ALMOST NEARLY EVERY CITY HAS ATTEMPTED EQUITY.
IT'S BEEN A LEARNING, UM, EXPERIENCE.
AND WE, IF WHATEVER WE DO, I JUST HOPE IT, WE DON'T OVERCOMMIT AND UNDERDELIVER, UM, WHATEVER HAPPENS THERE.
I ALSO THINK, UM, I WOULD LOVE IN THE NEXT PRESENTATION TO UNDERSTAND WHAT THE MEET AND CONFER PROCESS LOOKS LIKE WITH THE, UH, THE WORK, THE EMPLOYEES, UM, THAT ARE CITY EMPLOYEES THAT WILL BE ASSOCIATED WITH THIS.
SO, SPECIAL EVENTS, STAFF, POLICE DEPARTMENT, WHAT DOES THAT PROCESS LOOK LIKE? AND, UM, SO THAT YOU CAN UNDERSTAND SORT OF WHAT THE PATHWAY FORWARD IS.
I'VE HEARD DIFFERENT CONCERNS.
I'VE ALSO HEARD, HEY, THERE ARE WAYS THAT OTHER CITIES HAVE ADDRESSED IT.
LET'S GET TO THE POINT WHERE WE'VE, YOU KNOW, WE CAN ACTUALLY UNDERSTAND WHAT'S AT STAKE.
UH, BUT IN GENERAL, UM, WHAT I'M HEARING AROUND THE ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY ALIGNS WITH WHAT THE CITY COUNCIL HAS, HAS PREVIOUSLY ESTABLISHED AS A PRIORITY, WHICH IS EXPLORING ENTERTAINMENT, ARTS AND CULTURE AS REVENUE DRIVERS.
UH, MEMBERS, PLEASE CA CAST YOUR VOTE TO RECEIVE AND FILE MOTION IS CARRIED.
ITEM 20 THREE'S REPORT FROM CITY MANAGER.
RECOMMENDATION TO RECEIVE AND FILE A PRESENTATION ON ESTABLISHING A QUIET ZONE VISIBILITY ON UNION PACIFIC
[23. 24-55252 Recommendation to receive and file a presentation on the memoranda related to establishing a Quiet Zone Feasibility on Union Pacific Railroad (UPRR) right of way and a Memorandum of Understanding with UPRR. (Citywide) Office or Department: City Manager Suggested Action: Approve recommendation. ]
RAILROAD RIGHT AWAY.YES, THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR, MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL.
SO THIS WAS AN ITEM REQUESTED BY COUNCIL.
UH, WE'VE BEEN DOING A LOT OF RESEARCH ON THIS, ON BOTH THE QUIET ZONE FEASIBILITY AND, UM, UH, POTENTIAL OF A MEMORANDUM, MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING, OR SOME SORT OF OTHER AGREEMENT WITH UNION PACIFIC RAILROAD.
UH, THERE'S BEEN A LONGSTANDING COMMUNITY ISSUE.
UH, LONG BEACH ISN'T, UH, UNIQUE IN THAT, AND THAT THERE, WHEN YOU HAVE A TRAIN THROUGH, UH, YOUR TOWN, THERE TENDS TO BE EXTERNALITIES THAT COME ALONG WITH THAT, AND IT'S FEDERAL PROPERTY, UH, MANAGED BY THE RAILROADS.
AND SO, UH, HAPPY TO GIVE A PRESENTATION TODAY TO TALK THROUGH SOME OF THE, THE CHALLENGES AND SOME OF THE POTENTIAL OPPORTUNITIES.
I'LL TURN THAT OVER TO, UH, TYLER CURLEY, DEPUTY CITY MANAGER, AND THERESA CHANDLER, OUR DEPUTY CITY MANAGER AS WELL.
[03:15:01]
THANK YOU SO MUCH.SO WE WANT TO PROVIDE AN UPDATE ON A COUPLE MEMOS THAT WE, UH, SENT OUT LAST MONTH.
AND THESE WERE IN RESPONSE TO, UH, TWO DIFFERENT ACTIONS ON JULY 16TH, ASKING FOR A FEASIBILITY, LOOKING AT ESTABLISHING QUIET ZONES AT TWO DIFFERENT INTERSECTIONS IN LONG BEACH.
AND, UH, THE PROCESS TO ESSENTIALLY STRENGTHEN OUR PARTNERSHIP WITH UNION PACIFIC THROUGH POTENTIALLY A MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING OR, UM, YOU KNOW, ANOTHER APPROACH TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE COORDINATING WITH UNION PACIFIC ON SOME OF THESE CORE ISSUES.
SO WE DID HAVE A COUPLE DIFFERENT TEAMS WORKING, UM, AND MEETING WITH UNION PACIFIC AND OTHER STAKEHOLDERS.
AND, UH, EVEN LAST WEEK WE MET AGAIN WITH UNION PACIFIC TO MAKE SURE THAT WE UNDERSTOOD THEIR PERSPECTIVE OF BOTH OF THESE ISSUES.
AND I DID WANNA NOTE THAT, UM, UNION PACIFIC DID PROVIDE SOME PUBLIC COMMENT, UM, EMPHASIZING A FEW KEY PIECES RELATED TO BOTH MEMOS.
UH, JUST SO THAT YOU'RE AWARE.
SO FOR THE QUIET ZONE FEASIBILITY, UM, WE, WE DID CONVENE, UH, A NUMBER OF FOLKS FROM VARIOUS DEPARTMENTS THAT WOULD BE IMPACTED, UM, AND RELATED TO THIS WORK, SO OBVIOUSLY CITY MANAGER'S, OFFICE, PUBLIC WORKS, HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT, WERE INVOLVED IN LEARNING A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THE QUIETS ZONE PROCESS.
AND, UH, WE MET WITH NOT ONLY UNION PACIFIC, BUT ALSO, UH, LEARNED FROM CITIES OF POMONA AND SAN JOSE, WHICH HAVE ESTABLISHED QUIET ZONES AND GONE THROUGH THE PROCESS.
ULTIMATELY, WHAT THIS IS, AND I KNOW, UM, YOU KNOW, THE COUNCIL HAD, UM, A HEALTHY DISCUSSION ABOUT THIS PROCESS IN JULY, BUT, UH, THE FRA REGULATES RAIL OPERATIONS ACROSS THE COUNTRY, AND THEY HAVE A RULE THAT REQUIRES THEM TO SOUND, UH, THEIR TRAIN HORNS, UH, BETWEEN 15 AND 20 SECONDS AHEAD OF ALL PUBLIC GRADE CROSSINGS.
AND WHAT A QUIET ZONE WOULD DO IF YOU'RE ABLE TO MEET CERTAIN TECHNICAL AND INFRASTRUCTURE REQUIREMENTS IS, UM, WOULD ALLOW THEM TO NOT HAVE TO SOUND THEIR HORN EVERY SINGLE TIME, BUT ONLY REALLY IF THERE ARE PEOPLE THAT ARE ON THE TRACKS.
UM, AND SO I, OBVIOUSLY, THIS IS OF, OF INTEREST TO FIND WAYS TO MINIMIZE THE IMPACTS OF, UH, THOSE HORNS AND, UH, RAIL OPERATIONS NEAR ESPECIALLY RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOODS.
SO, AT A HIGH LEVEL, UM, THIS IS WHAT THE PROCESS WOULD LOOK LIKE FOR THE CITY.
WE WOULD HAVE TO ENGAGE WITH THE FRA, WITH THE CALIFORNIA PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION, WITH UNION PACIFIC AND THE PROPERTY OWNER AT THE TWO INTERSECTIONS THAT WERE MENTIONED IN THE COUNCIL ACTION.
TO BEGIN THAT PROCESS, WE, THE CITY, WOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR COMPLETING A DIAGNOSTIC ASSESSMENT, UM, THAT WOULD REALLY TELL US WHAT ARE THE INFRASTRUCTURE AND ENGINEERING IMPROVEMENTS THAT WOULD BE NEEDED AT BOTH INTERSECTIONS, UH, IN ORDER TO BE COMPLIANT WITH THESE FEDERAL REGULATIONS.
AND, UM, WE WOULD NEED TO REIMBURSE UNION PACIFIC FOR THEIR STAFF TIME AND RESOURCES TO ENGAGE IN THAT PROCESS.
AND THEY ESTIMATE THAT ABOUT, UH, $25,000 PER INTERSECTION, BUT IT WOULD BE ON A REIMBURSEMENT BASIS.
SO IT MAY NOT BE EXACTLY THAT AMOUNT, UM, BUT ULTIMATELY, YOU KNOW, AROUND $50,000 TOTAL FOR BOTH INTERSECTIONS TOTAL.
UM, AND, UH, IN ADDITION TO THE ASSESSMENT AND THAT PROCESS, OF COURSE, THEN THE CITY WOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY OF THE TRAFFIC DESIGN IMPROVEMENTS.
UM, FOR EXAMPLE, ADDING CROSSING GATES.
UM, AND WE WOULD'VE TO WORK WITH UNION PACIFIC IF WE WERE TO ADD, UM, LIGHTS OR OTHER SIGNAL FACILITIES, UM, AT BOTH OF THE INTERSECTIONS.
AND THEN LAST, I WANT TO EMPHASIZE, OF COURSE, THAT ALL THE COSTS FOR THOSE INFRASTRUCTURE IMPROVEMENTS AND THE ONGOING MAINTENANCE WOULD ULTIMATELY BE, UH, THE CITY'S RESPONSIBILITY.
BUT THIS IS HIGH LEVEL, AT LEAST WHAT THE PROCESS WOULD LOOK LIKE, UM, AND THEN SOME OF THE INITIAL UPFRONT COSTS TO ENGAGE IN THAT PROCESS.
AND WITH THAT, I'LL TURN IT OVER TO THERESA CHANDLER, UH, TO TALK A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THE OTHER ITEM AND HOW WE CAN STRENGTHEN OUR PARTNERSHIP WITH UNION PACIFIC.
SO IN THE SECOND PART OF THE PRESENTATION, ALVIN AND I ARE GONNA SHARE OUR TEAM'S APPROACH IN EXPLORING THE POTENTIAL OF ESTABLISHING A MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING WITH UNION PACIFIC RAILROAD.
SO SIMILAR TO AN MOU, UH, UPRR, ONCE ESTABLISHED WITH THE CITY OF SAN JOSE, WE WERE HOPEFUL THAT THIS MOU WOULD ALLOW US TO WORK COLLABORATIVE COLLABORATIVELY TO ADDRESS THE GROWING HOMELESS ENCAMPMENTS THAT ARE NEAR RAILROAD RAILROAD PROPERTY WITHIN THE LONG BEACH JURISDICTION.
SO FOLLOWING CITY COUNCIL'S DIRECTIVE ON JULY 16TH OF THIS YEAR, THE CITY MANAGER WAS TASKED WITH EXPLORING AN MOU.
UM, AND THOUGH WE ALREADY HAVE BEEN WORKING WITH THEM THROUGH OUR INTERJURISDICTIONAL COLLABORATIVE NETWORK FOR THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS, THE CITY WANTED TO CONSIDER TIGHTENING OUR PARTNERSHIP IN RESPONSE TO ONGOING CONCERNS RAISED BY RESIDENTS, BUSINESSES, AND LOCAL OFFICIALS ABOUT THE NEGATIVE IMPACTS OF HOMELESS ENCAMPMENTS ALONG THE
[03:20:01]
RAILROAD TRACKS.ENCAMPMENTS ON UNION PACIFIC PROPERTIES NOT ONLY PRESENT SERIOUS SAFETY AND SECURITY RISKS FOR RAILROAD EMPLOYEES AND NEIGHBORING COMMUNITIES, BUT ALSO FOR THE UNHOUSED IN INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE LIVING THERE.
THE PROPOSED MOU WOULD ENHANCE OUR COLLABORATION TO ADDRESS THESE ISSUES MORE EFFECTIVELY, INCLUDING ENCAMPMENTS, OVERGROWN VEGETATION, AND ILLEGAL DUMPING.
THE ULTIMATE GOAL IS TO PROMOTE PUBLIC HEALTH AND SAFETY, PARTICULARLY IN AREAS WHERE UPRR PROPERTIES ARE ADJACENT TO RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOODS.
THIS AGREEMENT WOULD BE A KEY PART OF OUR CITY'S BROADER STRATEGY TO ENSURE A SAFER ENVIRONMENT FOR ALL.
ACCORDING TO OUR 2024 POINT IN TIME COUNT, THERE ARE OVER 3,300 PEOPLE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS IN LONG BEACH.
AS YOU ALL ARE AWARE, A NUMBER, THIS IS A NUMBER THAT HIGHLIGHTS THE SCALE OF THE CRISIS THAT WE ARE ADDRESSING.
SOME OF THE INDIVIDUALS HAVE ESTABLISHED ENCAMPMENTS ON UNION, UNION PACIFIC RAILROAD PROPERTIES.
WHEN LOOKING AT LOCA LOCATIONS ACROSS THE CITY WHERE PEOPLE RESIDE WHEN THEY'RE LIVING OUTSIDE, THESE PROPERTIES ARE PARTICULARLY VULNERABLE TO ENCAMPMENTS, DUE TO THEIR, LARGELY IN AN UNFENCED NATURE, MAKING THEM VERY EASILY ACCESSIBLE.
THE CHALLENGE OF CONSISTENT MONITORING ADS TO THE COMPLEXITY, ALLOWING MANY AREAS TO BE RE REOCCUPIED EVEN AFTER THEY HAVE BEEN CLEARED.
ONE OF THE MAJOR CONCERNS WITH THE ENCAMPMENTS ON THESE PROPERTIES IS A SIGNIFICANT PUBLIC SAFETY RISK THEY POSE, INCLUDING POTENTIAL ACCIDENTS INVOLVING TRAINS OR HAZARDOUS MATERIALS, AND OTHER DANGEROUS SITUATIONS.
OUR EFFORTS TO ADDRESS THESE ENCAMPMENTS ARE NOT ONLY FOCUSED ON THE IMMEDIATE SAFETY OF ALL PARTIES INVOLVED, BUT ALSO ON FINDING LONG-TERM SUSTAINABLE SOLUTIONS FOR THOSE EXPERIENCING CHRONIC HOMELESSNESS.
AND THIS PARTNERSHIP, UM, IS KEY TO THAT APPROACH.
LOCAL RESIDENTS AND BUSINESSES HAVE EXPRESSED INCREASED FRUSTRATIONS ABOUT THE UNSANITARY CONDITIONS.
AND THESE CONDITIONS POSE NOT ONLY HEALTH RISKS, BUT ALSO CONTRIBUTE TO THE OVERALL DECLINE IN NEIGHBORHOOD SAFETY AND CLEANLINESS.
THE STRAIN ON PUBLIC RESOURCES HAS BECOME EVIDENT AS CITY DEPARTMENTS ARE BEING CALLED UPON MORE FREQUENTLY TO ADDRESS THESE ISSUES, PUTTING ADDITIONAL PRESSURE ON SERVICES ALREADY TASKED WITH MANAGING BROADER CITYWIDE CHALLENGES.
THE PRESENCE OF INDIVIDUALS LIVING NEAR OR ON THE TRACKS HEIGHTENS THE CHANCE OF DANGEROUS ACCIDENTS INVOLVING TRAINS POTENTIALLY LEADING TO SERIOUS INJURIES OR FATALITIES.
MOREOVER, ENCAMPMENTS OFTEN INVOLVE UNSAFE CONDITIONS LIKE OPEN FLAMES OR HAZARDOUS ELECTRICAL SETUPS, INCREASING THE LIKELIHOOD OF FIRES THAT COULD SPREAD QUICKLY TO NEARBY STRUCTURES OR UNDERBRUSH.
ADDING TO THESE RISKS IS THE FACT THAT MANY RAILROAD CORRIDORS EITHER CONTAIN OR TRANSPORT HAZARDOUS MATERIALS.
THIS CREATES AN ADDITIONAL LAYER OF DANGER AS INDIVIDUALS COULD BE EXPOSED TO DANGEROUS SUBSTANCES, PARTICULARLY IN THE EVENT OF LEAKS OR ACCIDENTS INVOLVING CHEMICALS OR FUEL.
ALTHOUGH RAILROAD PROPERTIES ARE FEDERALLY OWNED, OVERSIGHT AND OPERATIONS OF THESE AREAS FALL UNDER THE JURISDICTION OF UNION PACIFIC RAILROAD.
THIS DISTINCTION COMPLICATES LOCAL EFFORTS AS THE CITY DOES NOT HAVE LEGAL AUTHORITY OVER THE MAINTENANCE OR MANAGEMENT OF UNION.
UNION PACIFIC'S RIGHTS OF WAY.
AS A RESULT, ADDRESSING ISSUES ON THESE PROPERTIES OFTEN REQUIRE A COLLABORATIVE APPROACH WHERE LOCAL JURISDICTIONS ALONE CANNOT ACT.
THOUGH THE RAILROAD IS NOW CONDUCTING MONTHLY CLEANUPS, ENCAMPMENTS ALONG RAILROAD PROPERTIES REMAIN A PERSISTENT ISSUE.
IN MANY CASES, THESE ENCAMPMENTS REAPPEAR SHORTLY AFTER CLEANUPS, DEMONSTRATING THE CHALLENGES OF SUSTAINING LONG-TERM SOLUTIONS.
SPECIFIC AREAS SUCH AS CANDLEWOOD STREET, ORANGE AVENUE, AND LOCATIONS NEAR THE 91 FREEWAY HAVE BECOME WELL-KNOWN HOTSPOTS FOR REOCCURRING ENCAMPMENTS.
FURTHER COMPLICATING CLEANUP EFFORTS, ENFORCING TRESPASSING LAWS ON THESE PROPERTIES PRESENT ANOTHER LAYER OF DIFFICULTY AS OVERLAPPING JURISDICTIONS BETWEEN FEDERAL, LOCAL, AND CORPORATE ENTITIES SLOW DOWN THE RESPONSE TIMES.
ADDITIONALLY, LIMITED RESOURCES AVAILABLE TO MONITOR AND ADDRESS THESE ENCAMPMENTS COMPOUND THE CHALLENGES FACED BY BOTH THE CITY AND UPRR, MAKING IT DIFFICULT TO PROVIDE CONSISTENT ENFORCEMENT.
SO I'M GONNA PASS THE MIC OVER TO ALVIN TO DISCUSS THE FEASIBILITY OF THE MOU AND OUR NEXT STEPS.
UM, SO, UM, BEFORE WE GET INTO THAT, I DO WANT TO HIGHLIGHT SOME OF OUR EXISTING INTERJURISDICTIONAL EFFORTS AND COLLABORATION WITH UP.
UM, SO, UM, THE HOMELESS SERVICES BUREAU, UM, DOES, UH, COORDINATE, UM, OUTREACH EFFORTS WITH UP, UM, THROUGH, UH, COUNTY FUNDED INTERJURISDICTIONAL LIAISON AND OTHER INTERJURISDICTIONAL COLLABORATIONS.
UM, SO THE HOMELESS SERVICES BUREAU AND THE CITY, UH, INTERDEPARTMENTAL TEAM, UM, DO CONDUCT OUTREACH AND SERVICE CONNECTIONS IN THE AREAS IMMEDIATELY AROUND THE UNION PACIFIC PROPERTY.
UM, UNION PACIFIC ALSO, UH, CONDUCTS CLEANUPS AT LEAST ONCE A MONTH, UM, RESPONDING.
UH, THEY DO RESPOND DIRECTLY TO REPORTS SUBMITTED VIA THEIR REPORTING SYSTEM, UM, THROUGH APPROVED SUBCONTRACTORS WITH SPECIALIZED CREWS TRAINED TO HANDLE CLEANUPS ALONG THOSE RAILROADS, UM, WHICH OFTEN INVOLVE, UH, HAZARDOUS MATERIALS.
UM, AND WE WILL GET TO, UH, THAT IN A SECOND IN TERMS OF HOW WE CAN
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SUBMIT THOSE REPORTS.UM, AND ALSO, UH, WHILE, UH, UP DOES EMPLOY ITS OWN, UH, POLICE FORCE AND SECURES THEIR OWN, UH, RAILROAD LINES AND PROPERTIES, UH, LONG BEACH POLICE DEPARTMENT DOES ACCOMPANY, UH, THOSE CLEANUP CREWS, UH, TO PROVIDE SECURITY AND OTHER, UH, COORDINATION, UM, IN TERMS OF OUTREACH SERVICES, UM, UNION PACIFIC DOES CONTRACT WITH CITY NET, WHICH IS A SERVICE PRO, UH, PROVISION ORGANIZATION, UH, THAT PROVIDES STREET OUTREACH TO UNHOUSED INDIVIDUALS AND CONNECTS THEM TO TRANSPORTATION, HOUSING ASSISTANCE, HOSPITAL TRANSFERS, OR FAMILY REUNI REUNIFICATION SERVICES, UM, AS WELL AS COLLABORATING WITH OUR EXISTING HOMELESS SERVICES SYSTEM HERE IN LONG BEACH.
UM, UH, WHEN, UH, TALKING WITH UNION PACIFIC, THEY DID, UM, EMPHASIZE THAT THEY DO HAVE TWO REPORTING MECHANISMS, UM, FOR WHICH, UM, THE CITY OF LONG BEACH, UH, RESIDENTS AS WELL AS CITY STAFF, CAN SUBMIT, UH, REPORTS AND REQUESTS.
UM, SO FOR EMERGENCY INCIDENTS, THINGS LIKE LIFE SAFETY CONCERNS, FIRES, HAZARDOUS MATERIALS, UM, THERE IS A NUMBER 1 8 8 8, UH, 8 7 7 7 2 6 7.
THAT IS FOR EMERGENCY CALLS, UM, FOR NON-EMERGENCY, NON-EMERGENCY ISSUES SUCH AS ENCAMPMENTS, BLOCK CROSSINGS, ILLEGAL DUMP, DUMPING VEGETATION.
UM, THERE IS AN ONLINE, UH, UH, PORTAL, UH, IN WHICH, UH, UH, RESIDENTS AND, UH, CITY STAFF CAN SUBMIT REQUESTS, UH, FOR CLEANUPS.
UM, IN RESPONSE TO THE REQUEST, UH, BY CITY COUNCIL, CITY STAFF DID, UH, INQUIRE WITH UNION PACIFIC ABOUT THE POSSIBILITY OF AN AGREEMENT MODELED FROM THEIR MOU WITH THE CITY OF SAN JOSE.
UM, UP DID, UH, CLARIFY THAT THEIR PREVIOUS MOU WITH SAN JOSE IS NO LONGER ACTIVE.
UM, THIS MOU, WHICH ALLOWED THE CITY OF SAN JOSE TO ACCESS UNION PACIFIC PROPERTIES TO CONDUCT THEIR OWN CLEANUP EFFORTS, UH, WAS PUT IN PLACE, UM, BUT PRIOR TO UP CONTRACTING OUT, UM, FOR THEIR OWN OUTREACH AND CLEANUP SERVICES.
UM, AND IN RESPONSE TO HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE ENCAMPED ON UNION PACIFIC PROPERTY, UM, THE CITY OF SAN JOSE, UH, DID ALSO ALLOCATE SIGNIFICANT FINANCIAL AND IN-KIND RESOURCES, INCLUDING STAFF RESOURCES TO CONDUCT DIRECTLY CONDUCT OUTREACH, CLEANUPS, AND POST CLEANUP CONTROLS.
UM, NONE OF WHICH WERE REIMBURSED BY UNION PACIFIC.
UM, IT, IT, IT IS ALSO, UH, IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT COORDINATING CLEANUPS ON RAILROAD PROPERTIES ALSO REQUIRES, UH, SPECIAL EQUIPMENT, SPECIAL TRAINING COORDINATION, UH, WITH UP TO, UM, ENSURE SAFE, UH, TRAIN LINE SUSPENSIONS DURING CLEANUPS AS WELL.
UM, WE ALSO WOULD LIKE TO HIGHLIGHT THAT THERE ARE SIGNIFICANT COSTS, EVEN IF THE CITY WERE TO ASSUME, UH, RESPONSIBILITY, SIMILAR TO THOSE IN SAN JOSE, INCLUDING WAIVER OF PERMIT FEES, UH, ENCAMPMENT CLEANUPS, GRAFFITI REMOVAL, AND VEGETATION ABATEMENT, UM, HOMELESS OUTREACH AND ENCAMPMENT ABATEMENT, UM, POST CLEANUP PATROLS AND SECURITY, AS WELL AS FENCING, UM, AND LANDSCAPING, UH, MAINTENANCE, UM, ALL OF WHICH WOULD, UH, BE AT THE COST, UH, OF THE CITY DIRECTLY.
UM, WHILE A AN MOU FOR DIRECTLY CONDUCTING CLEANUPS, UH, IS NOT FEASIBLE AT THIS TIME.
THE CITY AND UNION PACIFIC ARE ALSO, UH, CURRENTLY EXPLORING OTHER OPPORTUNITIES TO EXPAND SERVICES ON, UH, UNION PACIFIC PROPERTY.
UH, ONE POTENTIAL OPPORTUNITY IS GRANTING ACCESS TO UNION PACIFIC PROPERTY, UM, UH, FOR HEALTH DEPARTMENT STAFF, IN ADDITION TO, UH, THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, UH, WHEN UNION PACIFIC, WHILE UNION PACIFIC DEPLOYS ITS OWN SECURITY, THE LONG BEACH POLICE DEPARTMENT DOES HAVE AN ACTIVE LETTER OF AGREEMENT WITH UNION PACIFIC, WHICH ALLOWS, UM, LBPD, UH, OFFICERS TO ENFORCE TRESPASSING VIOLATIONS WITHIN 20 FEET OF, UH, UNION PACIFIC TRACKS AND TOW ABANDONED VEHICLES ON UP PROPERTY.
UM, BUT IT SHOULD BE NOTED THAT THIS LETTER OF AGREEMENT IS, UH, UH, LIMITED TO ENFORCEMENT AND CANNOT BE, UH, AMENDED CURRENTLY.
SO, UH, UNION PACIFIC AND CITY STAFF ARE IN THE PROCESS OF EXPLORING A NEW VEHICLE IN WHICH, UM, ACCESS TO, UM, UNION PACIFIC PROPERTY MAY BE EXTENDED TO HOMELESS SERVICES, OUTREACH STAFF WHO, UH, IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, UH, MAY BE ABLE TO, UH, GO OUT AND ENGAGE PEOPLE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS, UM, WHO HAVE, UH, ENCAMPED ON UNI PACIFIC PROPERTY.
UM, WE ARE ALSO EXPLORING, UH, WAYS OF EXPANDING AND STREAMLINING, UH, COORDINATED RESPONSES TO ALSO INCLUDE SERVICE REFERRALS FOR SHELTER AND HOUSING THROUGH LONG BEACH'S COORDINATED ENTRY SYSTEM.
SO A FORMAL MOU IS NOT FEASIBLE AT THIS TIME DUE TO UNION PACIFIC CURRENTLY PROVIDING SERVICES DIRECTLY, UM, AS WELL AS THE SIGNIFICANT COSTS ASSOCIATED AND INNER JURISDICTIONAL CHALLENGES.
UM, AS NEXT STEPS, THE CITY STAFF WILL CONTINUE PURSUING AN AGREEMENT WITH UNION PACIFIC TO ALLOW EXPANDED ACCESS TO HOMELESS SERVICES, OUTREACH TEAMS, ACCOMPANIED BY POLI LBPD OFFICERS, UM, AND CONTINUE EXISTING INNER JURISDICTIONAL EFFORTS TO WORK WITH, UH, UNION PACIFIC TO BETTER RESPOND TO THE NEEDS OF BOTH COMMUNITY MEMBERS AND THE PEOPLE WHO HAVE RESORTED TO CAMPING ON THESE PROPERTIES.
UM, RESIDENTS ARE ENCOURAGED TO REPORT ISSUES ALONG THE RAILROAD USING, UH, THE PREVIOUSLY DEFINED REPORTING CHANNELS, UM, TO ENCOURAGE TIMELY RESPONSES FROM UNION PACIFIC AS WELL.
UM, THIS INCLUDES OUR PRESENTATION, AND WE ARE NOW AVAILABLE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.
IS THERE ANY PUBLIC COMMENT HERE? OKAY.
[03:30:01]
SEEING NONE, WE'LL TAKE IT BACK BEHIND THE RAIL.THANK YOU AGAIN, STAFF FOR GREAT WORK.
UM, THANK YOU FOR LOOKING INTO THE FEASIBILITY OF, UH, DOING A, ESTABLISHING A QUIET ZONE AND A MEMO RANDOM OF UNDERSTANDING WHAT UNION PACIFIC RAILROAD.
UM, WE BROUGHT THIS ITEM FORWARD, UM, IN AN EFFORT TO AMPLIFY THE VOICES OF, AND, AND THE, THE FRUSTRATIONS OF MANY OF THE RESIDENTS IN, IN MY DISTRICT WHO, UM, ARE IMPACTED BY ACTIVITIES ALONG THE RAILROAD, INCLUDING ENCAMPMENTS, UM, FIREWORKS, UM, SCREAMING NOISE, UM, BUT, BUT ALSO, UH, THE, THE, THE RAILROAD ITSELF, UH, THE TRAINS THEMSELF.
AND, AND WHEN WE BROUGHT THIS ITEM FORWARD, WE UNDERSTOOD IT WAS COMPLICATED.
UM, AND MY TEAM HAD SPENT A CONSIDERABLE AMOUNT OF TIME RESEARCHING WHAT WAS HAPPENING IN OTHER JURISDICTIONS TO JUST LOOK FOR ANSWERS, RIGHT? LOOK FOR ANSWERS FOR OUR RESIDENTS.
AND, AND SO WE'LL CONTINUE TO DO THAT.
UM, I'M GLAD THAT, UM, WE'VE BROUGHT THIS TO, UH, THE, THE ATTENTION OF, OF, UH, OUR CITY STAFF, OUR, OUR HEALTH DEPARTMENT IS, IS, IS WELL AWARE.
UH, THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION, BECAUSE THE POINTS RAISED DEMONSTRATE THAT YOU ALL UNDERSTAND THE, THE, THE, UH, THE, THE SEVERITY OF, OF, OF THE ISSUE.
AND, AND THE, THE, THE REAL NEW, I WANT, I'LL SAY, I'LL SAY IT'S BEYOND A NUISANCE FOR, FOR THE RESIDENTS, UH, WHO LIVE, UH, ALONG THE RAILROAD TRACK.
WE STILL HAVE CHALLENGES WITH BRUSH TODAY, RIGHT? TODAY, UM, WE, WE, WE, I, I PUT IN THE REQUEST, UH, TO, TO HAVE THAT MITIGATED AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE.
I'VE TALKED TO OUR FIRE CHIEF, I'VE TALKED TO OUR CITY MANAGER, UM, AND WE'LL CONTINUE TO, TO ADVOCATE TO GET, UH, MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE, WE'RE DOING ALL WE CAN TO PREVENT THE FIRES AND, AND THE, THE, THE, UM, I WOULD SAY THE, THE UN UN UNFORTUNATE CIRCUMSTANCES THAT THAT CAN HAPPEN.
WE, WE RECENTLY HAD, SINCE WE BROUGHT FORTH THE U THE THE ITEM, WE'VE HAD A HANDFUL OF FIRES ALONG OVER THE RAILROAD, UM, TRACKS.
AND, UM, YOU KNOW, ALL WE CAN DO IS TELL OUR RESIDENTS THAT WE UNDERSTAND AND WE ARE WORKING ON SOLUTIONS.
I DO, I, I, I, I, I WANNA ALSO, UH, POINT OUT THAT YES, I'M WELL AWARE OF THE, THE INNER JURISDICTIONAL, UM, COMMITTEE THAT WORKS TOGETHER, UH, TO ADDRESS THESE ISSUES.
I, I KNOW WE MADE SOME GREAT PROGRESS EVEN WITH THAT GROUP.
CAN YOU TELL US HOW OFTEN, UM, THAT THAT TEAM MEETS, UM, WHO'S INVOLVED AND, UH, YOU KNOW, MAYBE SOME OF THE SUCCESS STORIES THAT HAVE COME OUT OF IT? SURE.
I'M GONNA BRING UP, UH, PAUL DUNCAN TO TALK SPECIFICALLY BECAUSE HIS TEAM ATTENDS THOSE MEETINGS AND ASK AND LEADS THOSE MEETINGS DIRECTLY.
UM, SO THERE'S TWO DIFFERENT INTER-JURISDICTIONAL GROUPS THAT MEET.
WE HAVE A LARGER EXPANDED GROUP THAT, UM, INCLUDES OUR STATE AND COUNTY PARTNERS, BUT ALSO OWN A LOT OF, UH, PRIVATE OWNERSHIP.
THE UPRR, UM, A COUPLE OF THE OIL REFINERIES THAT ARE HERE IN LONG BEACH.
THEY OWN A CONSIDERABLE AMOUNT OF PROPERTY, UH, AND HAVE SOME ENFORCEMENT MECHANISMS OF THEIR OWN, AS WELL AS WE COORDINATE WITH OUR SURROUNDING JURISDICTIONS, SIGNAL HILL, SEAL BEACH, UH, AND REALLY ENSURING THAT WE ARE WORKING TOGETHER WITH SOME OF THE, UH, PROPERTY THAT ABUTS EACH OTHER.
SO, UM, THAT GROUP MEETS, UH, EVERY OTHER MONTH.
AND THEN WE HAVE A SMALLER GROUP THAT'S FOCUSED WITH OUR COUNTY AND, UH, CALTRANS PARTNERS, AND THEY MEET EVERY OTHER WEEK TO DISCUSS, UH, THOSE PROPERTIES.
IT IS THE LARGEST, UH, OF THE, THE, THE PARTICIPANTS IN THE INNER JURISDICTIONAL, UH, SOME SUCCESSES, YOU KNOW, DURING THE PANDEMIC, WE SAW A LOT OF PEOPLE ON CALTRANS PROPERTY.
WE WERE ABLE TO WORK THROUGH SOME MOU MECHANISMS, UH, AND REALLY WORKING ALSO THROUGH SOME OF THE CHALLENGES THAT WERE COMING UP, UM, ON THE RIVERBED.
WE HAD A LOT OF STUFF COMING UP ON THE SAN GABRIEL RIVERBED, AND WE WERE ABLE TO ENGAGE SOME OF THE NEIGHBORHOODS AROUND THERE, WORKING THROUGH SOME OF THE, THE CHALLENGES, MAKING SURE PEOPLE THAT WERE INFORMED, UH, AND TRYING TO BRING ADDITIONAL RESOURCES TO THOSE LOCATIONS.
AND, UM, I, I, I KIND OF KNEW SOME OF THOSE ANSWERS, BUT I, I WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT, THAT, FOR THE BENEFIT OF THOSE LISTENING AT HOME
[03:35:01]
OR OUT IN THE AUDIENCE, THEY, THEY UNDERSTAND AS WELL.UH, I, I WANT TO JUST SAY, UM, TO OUR, OUR CITY TEAM, UM, MR. DUNCAN, THERESA ALVIN, Y'ALL HAVE A MAJOR, A SERIOUS, SERIOUS RESPONSIBILITY.
UM, IT'S A BIG JOB TO, UH, DEAL WITH THE, THE, THE UNHOUSED CHALLENGES THAT WE HAVE.
UM, BUT THOSE UNHOUSED CHALLENGES, UM, DO CORRELATE WITH THE, THE RAILROAD.
UM, AND, AND THIS IS WHY WE'VE BROUGHT THIS FORWARD.
UM, SO I, I DEFINITELY WILL LOOK FORWARD TO, TO, UH, THE, THE ONGOING, UM, CONVERSATIONS WITH UNION PACIFIC RAILROAD, IF YOU WILL.
PLEASE KEEP MY OFFICE, UM, AND FUTURE EIGHTH DISTRICT OFFICES AND, UM, COUNSEL, UH, PRIZE OF WHAT'S GOING ON.
UM, ANY DEVELOPMENTS ALONG THERE.
UM, IT WOULD BE REALLY NICE TO HAVE LIKE A SCHEDULE OF, OF CLEANUPS THAT WE CAN LOOK FORWARD TO AND COMMUNICATE WITH, UM, WITH OUR RESIDENTS, UM, ANY SORT OF, UH, WORK TO, TO, TO, TO MITIGATE, UH, CHALLENGES THAT ARE CURRENTLY THERE.
WE, WE WANT TO KNOW ABOUT IT, UM, THAT I THINK THAT WOULD BE HELPFUL SO WE CAN COMMUNICATE THAT TO OUR RESIDENTS.
AND I WANT TO THANK, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER AUSTIN FOR HIS CUMMINS, AND I TOTALLY AGREE WITH EVERYTHING HE SAID.
IT'S UNFORTUNATE THAT WE'RE DEALING WITH A INTER-JURISDICTIONAL ISSUE HERE, WHERE WE CAN'T GO INTO AN MOU RIGHT NOW, BUT AT LEAST WE CAN CONTINUE TO MAKE THAT EFFORT TO, TO, TO COME TO ONE EVENTUALLY SOMEDAY.
WE WORK IN SILOS, SO OUR EFFORT IS TO GET RID OF THOSE SILOS AND WORK TOGETHER AS ONE TEAM, UH, SO THAT WE CAN BETTER ADDRESS THE ISSUES THAT WE HAVE OF ANYTHING WITH, WITH, UH, THE UNHOUSED A LOT THE TRACKS.
SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR EFFORTS, ANTE.
UM, UH, WE ALREADY ASKED FOR PUBLIC COMMENTS, SO MEMBERS, PLEASE CAST YOUR VOTE.
ITEM 24 IS REPORT FROM COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT RECOMMENDATION TO DOBB RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE PARTICIPATION IN CALIFORNIA STATE DEPARTMENT OF
[24. 24-54960 Recommendation to adopt resolution authorizing the participation in California State Department of Housing and Community Development’s Affordable Housing and Sustainable Communities program, and acceptance of a loan and grant in the amount of $28,228,708, for the construction of an affordable housing project at 912 - 946 Linden Avenue; and Increase appropriations in the Housing Development Fund Group the Community Development Department by $8,228,708, offset by grant revenue. (District 1) Office or Department: Community Development Suggested Action: Approve recommendation. ]
HOUSING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENTS, AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITIES PROGRAM.AN ACCEPTANCE OF A LOAN AND GRANT IN THE AMOUNT OF 28.2 MILLIONS FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF AN AFFORDABLE HOUSING PROJECT AT NINE 12 THROUGH 9 46 LYDEN AVENUE, DISTRICT ONE.
UH, CHEL STAVO WILL BE GIVING THE REPORT TONIGHT.
THIS ITEM IS A REQUEST TO ADOPT A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE PARTICIPATION IN THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITIES PROGRAM FOR AN AFFORDABLE HOUSING DEVELOPMENT AT 9 4 6 LINDEN AVENUE.
THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITIES PROGRAM PROVIDES FUNDING FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF NEW AFFORDABLE RENTAL HOUSING UNITS AND RELATED PUBLIC INFRASTRUCTURE IMPROVEMENTS.
ON FEBRUARY 20TH, 2024, THE CITY COUNCIL APPROVED THE SUBMISSION OF A JOINT APPLICATION WITH DEVELOPER AMCAL MULTI-HOUSING FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF A 100 UNIT AFFORDABLE HOUSING PROJECT.
ON AUGUST 23RD, 2024, THE CITY AND AM L WERE NOTIFIED THAT THE APPLICATION WAS SUCCESSFUL AND RECEIVED A CONDITIONAL AWARD OF $28,228,708 IN LOAN AND GRANT FUNDS.
THE PROPOSED PROJECT WILL CREATE 100 NEW LARGE FAMILY RENTAL UNITS CONSISTING OF 38 1 BEDROOM UNITS, 31 2 BEDROOM UNITS AND 31 3 BEDROOM UNITS.
11 UNITS WILL PROVIDE HOUSING FOR EXTREMELY LOW INCOME HOUSEHOLDS.
11 UNITS WILL BE FOR VERY LOW INCOME HOUSEHOLDS, AND 77 UNITS WILL BE FOR LOW INCOME HOUSEHOLDS.
ONE UNIT WILL BE RESERVED FOR AN ONSITE MANAGER.
THE PROJECT WILL INCLUDE A COMMUNITY ROOM, A FITNESS AREA, COMPUTER CENTER, TOP LOT, AND A COURTYARD AND BARBECUE AREA.
THE FUNDS THAT HAVE BEEN CONDITIONALLY AWARDED INCLUDE A $20 MILLION LOAN TO HAMAL FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE PROJECT.
REPAYMENT OF THE LOAN WILL BE THE RESPONSIBILITY OF AMCAL $8,228,708 OF GRANT FUNDS HAVE ALSO BEEN AWARDED TO BE USED FOR INFRASTRUCTURE IMPROVEMENTS AND TRANSPORTATION AMENITIES, INCLUDING A NEW CLASS FOUR BIKE LANE, SIDEWALK AND BUS STOP IMPROVEMENTS AND INSTALLATION OF TRANSIT SIGNAL PRIORITY SOFTWARE TO REDUCE COMMUTE DIMES.
[03:40:02]
THE AWARD IS CONDITIONED ON THE CITY ADOPTING A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING PARTICIPATION IN THE PROGRAM AND ACCEPTANCE OF THE PROGRAM TERMS. THE ADOPTED RESOLUTION MUST BE PROVIDED TO THE STATE BY OCTOBER 28TH.THE RECOMMENDATION IS TO ADOPT A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE PARTICIPATION IN THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITIES PROGRAM AND ACCEPTANCE OF A LOAN AND GRANT IN THE AMOUNT OF $28,228,708 FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF AN AFFORDABLE HOUSING PROJECT AT LINDEN AVENUE AND INCREASE APPROPRIATIONS IN THE HOUSING DEVELOPMENT FUND BY $8,228,708 OFFSET BY GRANT REVENUE.
THIS CONCLUDES THE PRESENTATION.
WE'RE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.
ALRIGHT, WELL THIS IS A BEAUTIFUL PROJECT.
UH, CONGRATULATIONS TO YOU, TO THE PROJECT TEAM, TO THE DEVELOPER, AND, UM, AND I LOVE THE, THE, UM, A HSC PROGRAM, STRATEGIC GROWTH COUNCIL, SCAG, ALL INVOLVED IN ALLOCATING FUNDING THERE.
SO I'M VERY FAMILIAR WITH THE PROGRAM.
I'M GLAD TO SEE THAT LONG BEACH CONTINUES TO LEAD AND BRING DOWN RESOURCES.
UH, THIS WAS LIKE THE GREENHOUSE GAS REDUCTION FUNDING, THE CAP AND TRADE MONEY, RIGHT? SO I WAS GLAD TO SEE MORE OF THAT BEING SPENT HERE IN LONG BEACH, UH, COUNCIL MEMBERS AND DEJAS.
I'M SO EXCITED ABOUT THIS PROJECT.
I AM JUST LIKE, CAN'T WAIT FOR THE CONSTRUCTION TO START A AFFORDABLE HOUSING PROJECT IN IS SO NECESSARY, ESPECIALLY IN THAT NEIGHBORHOOD.
UH, IT'S RIGHT ACROSS THE STREET FROM ST.
MARY AND I AM JUST THRILLED ABOUT THAT.
UM, I KNOW THAT IT'S VERY EARLY ON, BUT I KNOW THAT MY RESIDENTS WILL BE ASKING ME.
SO I'M GONNA ASK, UM, IF YOU HAVE ANY IDEA OF HOW THE PROCESS FOR ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS TO LIVE IN THESE UNITS WILL BE.
IF YOU DON'T HAVE THAT INFORMATION RIGHT NOW, I TOTALLY UNDERSTANDABLE, BUT MAYBE YOU CAN SHARE, UM, WHAT IN THE PAST SOME OF THESE AFFORDABLE HOUSING PROJECTS HAVE.
WHAT HAVE THEY DONE WHEN ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS? SURE.
THIS IS ACTUALLY THE SECOND TO LAST STAGE IN COMPLETING THE FINANCING PACKAGE FOR THIS PROJECT.
SO, UM, THE DEVELOPER WILL BE APPLYING FOR TAX CREDITS IN THE SPRING OF 2025.
AND IF THOSE ARE AWARDED, THEN WE WOULD HOPE TO START CONSTRUCTION IN 2026.
UH, TYPICALLY AT THE TIME THAT WE START CONSTRUCTION, USUALLY WE ASK BECAUSE WE'RE GONNA HAVE A LOVELY GROUNDBREAKING EVENT AND PEOPLE START CALLING OUR OFFICE TO SEE HOW THEY CAN GET ON THE WAIT LIST.
YEAH, SO AT THAT TIME WE WOULD HAVE A WEBSITE SET UP SPECIFICALLY FOR, UH, INTERESTED PARTIES WHERE THEY CAN ELECTRONICALLY GET ON AN INTEREST LIST OR THEY CAN CALL SOMEONE AND HAVE THEIR NAME ADDED TO IT INTEREST LIST.
AND AT THAT TIME THEY WILL GET REGULAR UPDATES AS SOON AS WE HAVE THEM AVAILABLE AS TO WHEN THE LEASE UP PROCESS WILL START.
UH, LEASE UP PROCESSES USUALLY START ABOUT SIX MONTHS BEFORE THE END OF CONSTRUCTION AND CONSTRUCTION.
WE'LL TAKE APPROXIMATELY 24 MONTHS.
SO WE HAVE A LONG WAY TO GO, BUT WE'LL DEFINITELY HAVE A A, A PROCESS ESTABLISHED AND, UM, I'M SURE WE'LL HAVE LOTS OF, LOTS OF INTERESTED PEOPLE IN THIS, THIS BEAUTIFUL PROJECT.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THAT ANSWER.
AND I THINK MY RESIDENTS WOULD ABSOLUTELY APPRECIATE THAT AND THANK, AND IT GIVES THEM SOME IDEA AND WHAT TO EXPECT EVEN IF IT'S, YOU KNOW, FAR, FAR FROM NOW.
SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH AND I'M SUPER EXCITED.
DID I SAY THAT ALREADY? THANK YOU.
AND THANK YOU FOR RAISING THAT POINT.
AND I KNOW WE, WE'VE EXPLORED WAYS TO, TO PACKAGE PROPERTIES TOGETHER OR HAVING, UM, UH, LISTS THAT PEOPLE JOIN.
I ALSO KNOW THERE'S CHALLENGES GIVEN DIFFERENT, THE WAY DIFFERENT PROJECTS ARE FUNDED, DIFFERENT REQUIREMENTS AND ALL OF THAT.
BUT I THINK WE SHOULD KEEP WORKING TOWARD, AS WE CONTINUE TO BUILD MORE HOUSING, A WAY TO STREAMLINE THE APPLICATION PROCESS.
SO SOMEONE, LET'S SAY THEY DON'T GET INTO THIS ONE, THEY CAN BE ADDED TO THE LINE TO THE NEXT ONE THAT QUALIFIES FOR WHATEVER, YOU KNOW, AFFORDABILITY RATE THEY HAVE, THEY THEY QUALIFY FOR.
AND MAYOR, WE DO HAVE SOME GOOD NEWS ON THAT.
SO WHILE WE HAVEN'T FIGURED OUT, UM, THE TAIL END OF THAT, THE APPLICATION PROCESS, WE DO KEEP AN INTEREST LIST NOW, UM, A UNIFIED INTEREST LIST.
SO MEGAN'S GONNA TELL YOU ABOUT THAT.
JUST THIS YEAR ACTUALLY WE DEVELOPED AN ONLINE INTEREST LIST.
SO WE ARE COMPILING THAT AND IT'S A GREAT WAY FOR PEOPLE THROUGHOUT THE CITY, UM, TO GET NOTIFIED AS SOON AS UM, THE OPPORTUNITIES TO APPLY FOR ANY OF OUR PROJECTS BECOMES AVAILABLE.
WE DEFINITELY WILL, UM, ADD THOSE WHO ARE NOT GIVEN A UNIT TO THAT INTEREST LIST EACH TIME WE HAVE A NEW PROJECT LEASE UP NOW.
AND SO WITHIN THE NEXT FEW YEARS WE EXPECT TO HAVE QUITE A SUBSTANTIAL INTEREST LIST FORMED AND CONTINUALLY GROWING.
[03:45:01]
FIRST TO BE NOTIFIED.UM, AND JUST REMINDING YOU, SO FAR WE HAVE BEEN VERY SUCCESSFUL IN, UM, KEEPING OUR LONG BEACH HOUSING PREFERENCE POLICY.
AND SO ALL OF OUR UNITS, TYPICALLY I'D SAY 99% ARE LEASED UP TO LONG BEACH RESIDENTS OR THOSE WHO WORK IN LONG BEACH.
AND VERY OFTEN, UM, THE FIRST PEOPLE ON THE INTEREST LIST ARE FROM THE IMMEDIATE NEIGHBORHOOD BECAUSE WE POST SIGNS ABOUT HOW TO GET ON THE INTEREST LIST ON THE CONSTRUCTION SITE.
UM, IT WAS GREAT TO HEAR THAT UPDATE ON THAT PROGRESS.
YOU KNOW, WE'RE THE FRONT DOOR IN A LOT OF DIFFERENT SERVICES AND A LOT OF TIMES PEOPLE THINK THE ONLY WAY IN IS TO JOIN THE HOUSING AUTHORITY SECTION EIGHT LIST.
IT IS NOT, THAT'S A, THAT'S A PARTICULAR LIST THAT THE CITY MANAGES, BUT THAT IS NOT THE PATHWAY INTO MUCH OF THE HOUSING THAT WE'RE BUILDING.
SO WE NEED TO CONTINUE DOWN THAT TRAJECTORY.
UH, IS THERE ANY PUBLIC COMMENT HERE? MEMBERS? PLEASE CAST YOUR VOTE.
25 ITEM 25 IS A REPORT FROM COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT RECOMMENDATION TO ADOPT RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE PARTICIPATION IN CALIFORNIA STATE DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENTS, AFFORDABLE
[25. 24-54959 Recommendation to adopt resolution authorizing the participation in California State Department of Housing and Community Development’s Affordable Housing and Sustainable Communities program, and acceptance of a loan and grant in the amount of $24,277,592, for the construction of an affordable housing project at 1401 Long Beach Boulevard; and Increase appropriations in the Housing Development Fund Group the Community Development Department by $7,277,592, offset by grant revenue. (District 1) Office or Department: Community Development Suggested Action: Approve recommendation. ]
HOUSING AND SUSTAINABLE COM COMMUNITIES PROGRAM AND ACCEPTANCE OF A LOAN AND GRANT IN THE AMOUNT OF 24.2 MILLIONS FOR THE CONSTRUCTIONS OF AN AFFORDABLE HOUSING PROJECT AT 14 0 1 LONG BEACH BOULEVARD DISTRICT ONE.ANOTHER PROJECT, IF WE CAN JUST SEE THE PICTURE 'CAUSE IT'S PROBABLY THE SAME DETAILS AS THE LAST PRESENTATION.
YEAH, WE'LL BREEZE THROUGH IT.
TELL STRAVA, JUST GO TO THE PROJECT DETAILS AND THE PICTURE.
YEAH, SO SOME PROJECT DETAILS IS, THIS WILL BE 153 NEW LARGE FAMILY RENTAL UNITS, 74 1 BEDROOM UNITS, 42 BEDROOM AND 39 3 BEDROOM UNITS.
38 UNITS WOULD BE FOR EXTREMELY LOW INCOME HOUSEHOLDS, 60 UNITS FOR VERY LOW INCOME HOUSEHOLDS AND 53 UNITS FOR LOW INCOME HOUSEHOLDS.
TWO UNITS WILL BE FOR AN ONSITE MANAGEMENT PROJECT WILL INCLUDE A COMMUNITY ROOM, FITNESS AND YOGA ROOM, BIKE STORAGE, PLAY STRUCTURE, AND TWO COURTYARDS AND BARBECUE AREA.
AND HERE'S THE LATE, THE LATEST RENDERING.
THAT'S ANOTHER BEAUTIFUL PROJECT COUNCIL MEMBER ZENDEJAS, IF I WAS EXCITED ABOUT THE LAST, I'M SUPER EXCITED ABOUT THIS.
I KNOW THAT, UM, OUR WASHINGTON NEIGHBORHOOD IS GONNA BENEFIT SO MUCH, UM, FROM HAVING THIS, UM, FROM HAVING THIS HOUSING PROJECT, UM, THERE AND ESPECIALLY EXCITES ME TO KNOW THAT IT'S FOR LOW INCOME, VERY LOW INCOME, UM, HOUSING.
AND IT'S ALSO RIGHT ACROSS THE STREET FROM OUR BELOVED 14TH STREET PARK WALKING DISTANCE FROM, UM, WASHINGTON MIDDLE SCHOOL, ROOSEVELT ELEMENTARY AND POLLY HIGH.
SO I'M SUPER EXCITED, UM, TO SEE ALL THE WONDERFUL FAMILIES THAT ARE GONNA BE ABLE TO BENEFIT AND BE ABLE TO LIVE IN SUCH A BEAUTIFUL PLACE.
THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR HARD WORK THAT HAS BEEN DONE TO BRING THIS FORWARD.
DOES THAT SAY THAT THIS COMES WITH FOUR ELECTRIC BUSES? YES.
THAT'S PART OF THE SCOPE OF WORK FOR THIS ASIC PROGRAM TO LONG BEACH TRANSIT.
IS THAT TYPICAL? I DON'T THINK I'VE SEEN THAT BEFORE.
SO THESE, WE CALL 'EM ASIC BUT THESE ASIC APPLICATIONS ARE ACTUALLY A LOT OF WORK AND A LOT OF PARTNERSHIP GOES INTO 'EM.
WE START PREPARING, UH, TO SUBMIT THE APPLICATION APPROXIMATELY A YEAR BEFORE THEY'RE DUE.
AND WE ARE WORKING VERY CLOSELY WITH OUR PUBLIC WORKS COLLEAGUES AND ALSO LONG BEACH TRANSIT, UM, BECAUSE WE HAVE TO SHOW IN THE SCOPE OF WORK THAT THERE ARE TRANSIT ORIENTED IMPROVEMENTS, RIGHT.
NOT JUST FOR THE CITY, BUT FOR THE COMMUNITY AT LARGE.
YEAH, NO, I'VE SEEN, YOU KNOW, THE BUS SHELTERS, THE SIDEWALK EXPANSION, THE BIKE CONNECTIONS, I JUST DON'T THINK I'VE SEEN ONE THAT ACTUALLY INCLUDED FOUR ELECTRIC VEHICLES.
WE JUST DIDN'T GET THOSE AWARDS, BUT WE'RE SUPER, SUPER EXCITED.
COUNCILWOMAN THAT WE GOT TWO AWARDS.
UM, IT ACTUALLY KIND OF PUT US ON THE MAP.
UM, WE ACTUALLY HAVE ONE PERSON SIGNED UP TO SPEAK.
HELLO, MY NAME IS WILLIAM FRANKENFIELD.
I LIVE IN THE 9 0 8 0 7 ZIP CODE, BUT I CARE ABOUT THIS PROJECT AND JUST ALL THE ENSUING DEVELOPMENT ALONG THIS AREA.
'CAUSE I ATTENDED LONG BEACH POLY.
UM, I LOVE THAT THE AREA IS LIKE FINALLY REDEVELOPING.
WE'RE SEEING TRANSIT ORDERING HOUSING, WHICH ALIGNS WITH BOTH OUR CITY AND STATE GOALS.
UM, YOU KNOW, BUT I THINK THE CITY NEEDS TO
[03:50:01]
NOT PUT A HALT ON THESE PROJECTS, BUT FIND OTHER WAYS TO IMPROVE THE NEIGHBORHOOD BECAUSE I'VE READ THE MIDTOWN SPECIFIC PLAN AND THE AREA AND IT TALKS ABOUT HOW THE AREA LACKS PARK SPACE AND JOBS AND GROCERY STORES AND BANKS AND THAT IS STILL THE CASE.I KNOW 14TH STREET PARK IS SEEING SOME IMPROVEMENTS, BUT IT IS STILL A SEVERELY, SEVERELY PARK SHORT, UH, PARK, UH, SPACE, SHORT NEIGHBORHOOD.
UM, LIKEWISE THERE ARE SOME BANKS, SOME GROCERY STORES, BUT FOR THE POPULATION, LIKE THERE SHOULD BE WAY MORE.
AND MY BIG CONCERN IS THAT THERE AREN'T A LOT OF LOCAL JOBS IN THE AREA WHERE I LIVE.
UM, IF YOU DON'T HAVE A HIGH SCHOOL, IF YOU DROPPED OUTTA HIGH SCHOOL, IF YOU DON'T HAVE A COLLEGE DEGREE, THERE ARE PLENTY OF PLACES THAT YOU CAN WORK.
YOU HAVE SHOPS, RESTAURANTS, BARS THAT ARE WILLING AND ABLE TO HIRE YOU.
UM, BUT THIS AREA JUST, THERE AREN'T THAT MANY JOBS.
AND EVEN WITH TRANSIT IMPROVEMENTS TO REACH OTHER JOBS, I REALLY THINK THE CITY NEEDS TO FIND WAYS TO BRING MORE JOBS AND COMMERCIAL SPACE, UM, AND PARK SPACE INTO THIS AREA.
AND THERE'S A LOT OF JOBS IN THE CITY OF LONG BEACH.
ALRIGHT, UH, MEMBERS PLEASE CAST YOUR VOTE.
ITEM 27 IS REPORT FROM FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT RECOMMENDATION TO ADOPT RESOLUTION TO EXECUTE A CONTRACT WITH THE ALPHA AND OMEGA GROUP SECURITY SERVICES FOR PROVIDING SECURITY GUARD SERVICES FOR A TOTAL ANNUAL
[27. 24-55254 Recommendation to adopt resolution authorizing City Manager, or designee, to execute a contract, and any necessary documents including any necessary subsequent amendments, with The Alpha & Omega Group Security Services, Inc., of Inglewood, CA, for providing security guard services, on the same terms and conditions afforded to the County of Orange, CA, in an annual amount of $1,800,000, authorize a 20 percent contingency in the amount of $360,000, for a total annual contract amount not to exceed $2,160,000, until the County of Orange, CA, contract expires on March 31, 2025, with the option to renew for as long as the County of Orange, CA, contract is in effect, at the discretion of the City Manager; Office or Department: Suggested Action: ]
CONTRACT AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED 2.1 MILLION.DECLARE ORDINANCE, DECLARE PROPOSITION L ORDINANCE, READ THE FIRST TIME AND LAID OVER TO THE NEXT REGULAR MEETING OF THE CITY COUNCIL FOR FINAL READING AND EXECUTE DOCUMENTS NECESSARY TO AMEND CONTRACT WITH GSSI FOR PROVIDING SECURITY GUARD SERVICES FOR A REVISED CONTRACT AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED 9.3 MILLION CDY.
AS ANY PUBLIC COMMENT MEMBERS, PLEASE CAST YOUR VOTE.
ITEM 28, REPORT FROM FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT RECOMMENDATION TO EXECUTE ALL DOCUMENTS NECESSARY TO AMEND CONTRACTS WITH AB AB M INDUSTRY FOR PROVIDING CUSTODIAL SERVICES TO VARIOUS LOCATION
[28. 24-55257 Recommendation to authorize City Manager, or designee, to execute all documents necessary to amend Contract No. 35089 with ABM Industries, Inc., of Tustin, CA, for providing custodial services to various locations, to increase the contract amount by $1,300,000, for a revised total contract amount not to exceed $13,307,139 and extend the term of the contract to June 30, 2025. (Citywide) Office or Department: Financial Management Suggested Action: Approve recommendation. ]
FOR A REVISED CONTRACT AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED A 13.3 MILLION CDY.IS THERE ANY PUBLIC COMMENT MEMBERS PLEASE CAST YOUR VOTE.
29 ITEM 20 NINE'S REPORT FROM POLICE DEPARTMENT RECOMMENDATION TO EXECUTE ALL DOCUMENTS NECESSARY TO AMEND CONTRACT WITH THE LOS ANGELES COUNTY
[29. 24-55255 Recommendation to authorize City Manager, or designee, to execute all documents necessary to amend Contract No. 95866000LBPD24750, with the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority, for providing law enforcement services, to adopt a revised Statement of Work and increase the contract amount by $5,416,199, for a revised contract amount not to exceed $59,655,115, for the term of March 23, 2017, to January 1, 2025, with the option to renew for a cost of $902,700 per month, for a maximum of three one-month periods, at the discretion of the City Manager. (Districts 1, 2, 6, 7, 8) Office or Department: Police Department Suggested Action: Approve recommendation. ]
METROPOLITAN TRANSPORTATION'S AUTHORITY FOR PROVIDING LAW ENFORCEMENT SERVICES FOR A REVISED CONTRACT AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED 59.6 MILLION DISTRICT 1, 2, 6, 7, AND EIGHT.ALRIGHT, WHAT IS THIS? SO MR. MAYOR, THIS IS, UM, WE TALKED ABOUT THIS AS PART OF THE FY 25 BUDGET.
THE, UH, METRO AUTHORITY IS LOOKING AT CREATING THEIR OWN POLICING FORCE IN THE FUTURE.
UH, AND SO, UH, THIS IS US EXTENDING OUR CONTRACT TO WORK ON THE TRANSITION.
UH, WE, UH, ACTUALLY, UM, WE SEE THIS AS A VERY POSITIVE THING.
UH, FOR A, A SHORT TIME, UH, WE'VE BEEN, UH, DOING ALL THE POLICE SECURITY SERVICES ON THE A LINE, IT WAS THE RIGHT THING TO DO.
WE STEPPED UP, WE MOVED INTO THIS, UM, POSITION TO DO THIS, AND AT THIS POINT IN TIME, UH, WE'LL BE TRANSITIONING THIS, UH, MOST LIKELY TO THE SHERIFF AND THEN EVENTUALLY TO THEIR NEW, UH, POLICE FORCE.
AND IT ACTUALLY GIVES US A BENEFIT TO OF GETTING OUR OFFICERS, UH, WHO ARE DOING THIS, UH, BOTH, UH, OFFICERS AND ON OVERTIME BACK INTO HELPING FILL SOME OF THE VACANCIES THAT WE HAVE IN OUR OWN, UH, COMMUNITY THAT CAN BE POLICING IN OUR OWN COMMUNITY.
SO, UM, THIS IS A PARTNERSHIP WITH METRO.
WE'D LIKE TO THAT TO BE A SMOOTH AND SEAMLESS TRANSITION.
SO WE'RE ASKING FOR SOME EXTRA TIME TO, TO DO THOSE, UH, EXTENSIONS, UH, AS WE TRANSITION SERVICES.
I'M, I'M PLUGGED IN, I'M AWARE AND I SUPPORT THE GENERAL DIRECTION.
THIS IS BEGINNING THAT PROCESS.
YOU'RE FIGURING YOU'RE, THIS GIVES YOU THE AUTHORITY TO DO THAT, CORRECT? CORRECT.
WE'RE, WE'RE NEGOTIATING THAT AS WE SPEAK AND WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE AND, AND, UH, AND HOW WE'RE GOING TO EXIT OUTTA HERE.
WE DO HAVE, UM, IN THE FISCAL, IN THE REPORT KIND OF WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE IN TERMS OF, OF DOLLARS.
AND THEN WE WOULD TRUE UP OUR BUDGET IN THE NEXT BUDGET CYCLE AS ALL THOSE, UH, COME, COME TO FRUITION.
I, UM, I HAVE, I DO HAVE MY CONCERNS ABOUT HOW EFFECTIVE, UH, STARTING IN YOUR OWN POLICE DEPARTMENT FOR METRO IS GONNA BE, BUT NEVERTHELESS,
[03:55:01]
UM, THAT'S OUT OF OUR, UH, THAT'S OUT OF OUR WORRIES.BUT, UH, I SUPPORT THIS, UH, I SUPPORT THIS THANK YOU COUNCIL MEMBER KERR, SAME SUPPORT.
IT'LL BE INTERESTING TO SEE HOW IT PLAYS OUT FOR METRO.
AND, UH, I'LL JUST SAY I THINK IT'S AN OPPORTUNITY FOR US.
I MEAN, HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE IN THAT? HOW MANY OFFICERS DO WE HAVE IN THAT DETAIL? COMMANDER BENSON.
YOU CAUGHT ME OFF GUARD ON THAT ONE.
UM, SO WE HAVE TWO SERGEANTS IN THE DETAIL AND I BELIEVE IT'S SIX OFFICERS THAT ARE ASSIGNED TO THE DETAIL.
SO THAT WOULD GIVE US BACK TWO SERGEANTS TO POTENTIALLY PATROL OR ANOTHER DETAIL THAT'S MISSING.
AND THEN THOSE OFFICERS FOR CALLS FOR SERVICE, RIGHT? I THINK THAT WILL HELP BEEF UP OTHER AREAS LIKE PATROL, NEIGHBORHOOD SAFETY, BIKE TEAMS, OTHER AREAS THAT WE HAVE THE POSITIONS AVAILABLE, BUT WE DON'T HAVE THE PLACE FOR IT TO GO OR TO PROVIDE SOME OF THE SERVICE OUTSIDE THE PLATFORM THAT HAS BEEN AN ISSUE, PARTICULARLY DOWNTOWN OR TO DO WORK IN TANDEM WITH METRO, BUT NOT DIRECTLY FOR METRO IN TERMS OF MANAGING THE QUALITY LIFE CHALLENGES AT THE END OF THE LINE.
MEMBERS, PLEASE CAST YOUR VOTE.
AND I'M SUPPORTIVE OF THE DIRECTION.
I JUST WANTED TO TO POINT OUT THAT, YOU KNOW, THIS WAS A, BEGAN AS A $30 MILLION CONTRACT OVER FIVE YEARS.
UM, THAT'S NOT A SMALL NUMBER IN TERMS OF OFFICERS FUNDED.
UM, I I WANT TO BE SURE THAT, THAT, UM, WE WE'RE GONNA BE ABLE TO RECOUP THOSE COSTS OR RE MAYBE MR. CITY MANAGER, WHERE ARE WE GONNA GET THE MONEY? BECAUSE WHEN, WHAT THIS WAS BROUGHT FORTH, UM, OUR MAYOR, I BELIEVE WAS ON THE METRO BOARD.
THIS WAS TOUTED AS A VICTORY, LOCAL CONTROL, BRINGING MONEY BACK TO THE CITY TO TO, TO TO, TO, UH, DEAL WITH SOME OF OUR BUDGET ISSUES.
RIGHT? UH, SOME OF THAT HAS CHANGED.
SO THE CONTEXT, AND I'LL LET TOM CHIME IN TOO, BUT THE CONTEXT I TALK TO, I ASKED THIS YOU, I I'LL YOU, I'M SORRY.
BUT ANYWAY, THE, UH, SOME OF THAT HAS CHANGED.
THE CONTEXT THEN WAS A VERY DIFFERENT SHERIFF AND SOME REAL CHALLENGES.
AND NOW WE'RE IN A PLACE WHERE WE HAVE A DIFFERENT SHERIFF IN THE COUNTY AND THAT IS A PART HELPING INFORM THAT.
TOM, YOU WANNA ELABORATE? ABSOLUTELY.
SO AT THE TIME WE WERE DOING THIS, WE WERE GETTING REALLY VERY POOR SERVICE FROM THE SHERIFF.
THE SHERIFF WASN'T INVESTING, IT WAS A DIFFERENT SHERIFF, UH, NOT, NOT ALIGNED KIND OF WITH THE VISIONING OF POLICING THAT WE WOULD EXPECT.
UH, AND SO, UH, A CITY OF LOS ANGELES WAS EXPERIENCING THE SAME THING.
AND SO THERE WAS A BID FOR THE SHERIFF TO TAKE A SMALLER PART OF THE, MET OF THE, A LINE LONG BEACH WOULD TAKE ITS PART AND CITY OF LA WOULD TAKE ITS PART.
THEY'VE FUNDED A NUMBER OF POSITIONS.
UH, AT THAT TIME WE, UH, WERE PRETTY CLOSE TO FULLY STAFFED.
WE HAD A MUCH LOWER VACANCY RATE AND WE WERE ABLE TO DO THIS MOSTLY THROUGH OVER TIME, UH, AND BRING PEOPLE ONTO THAT ASSIGNMENT.
UH, AND SO THIS HAS ALL BEEN FULLY OFFSET.
THEY GIVE US THE BUDGETED OFFICE OR, UH, THE BUDGET FOR THE POSITIONS AND THEN, UH, WE EITHER FILL THOSE WITH OFFICERS OR WE FILL THEM WITH, UM, WITH OVERTIME.
AND SO WHEN THIS GOES AWAY, THEN THE REVENUE GOES AWAY AND THE EXPENSE GOES AWAY.
BUT WE'RE GONNA STILL HAVE THE SHERIFF NOW PROVIDING THAT LEVEL OF SERVICE IN LONG BEACH.
SO THE SERVICE WILL STILL BE THERE AND WE THINK IT'LL BE MUCH BETTER THAN WHEN IT WAS, UM, SEVERAL YEARS AGO.
AND THEN THIS WILL, UH, THE ACTUAL AMOUNT IS NINE POLICE OFFICERS, TWO SERGEANTS, ONE LIEUTENANT, TWO PROFESSIONAL SUPPORT STAFF MEMBERS WILL BE REASSIGNED TO OTHER CRITICAL VACANCIES IN OUR DEPARTMENT.
THE ONE IMPACT THAT IT WILL HAVE IS WE SPREAD A LITTLE BIT OF COST OVERHEAD RIGHT NOW, ABOUT $250,000 THAT GETS SPREAD TO THIS CONTRACT.
UH, BUT IN EXCHANGE, ALL OF THOSE PEOPLE ARE BACK ON THE FORCE.
AND RIGHT NOW IT'S VERY DIFFERENT WITH A ALMOST 20% VACANCY, UH, THAT, YOU KNOW, THE, THE, THE PEOPLE ARE THAT IT WILL FILL THOSE POSITIONS ARE INCREDIBLY VALUABLE.
SO, UH, HAPPY TO HAVE THEM BACK IN OUR COMMUNITY.
UM, THANK YOU FOR THAT CLARIFICATION.
I'M GLAD THAT OUR, THOSE OFFICERS WILL BE BACK IN THE COMMUNITY.
AND I THINK WHEN THIS IS DONE AND WE GET THE DETAILS OF EXTENSION, WE SHOULD COME BACK AND EXPLAIN IT TO COUNCIL A BIT.
'CAUSE I'LL BE, I'LL BE HONEST, I, WE'VE HAD A LOT OF CONVERSATION ABOUT THAT, BUT I DIDN'T KNOW THAT THIS WAS THE ITEM TO BEGIN THAT PROCESS.
AND WE TALKED ABOUT A LITTLE BIT, I THINK IT WAS IN THE MAYOR'S BUDGET RECOMMENDATIONS TO EXPLORE SOME OF THIS.
AND I WOULD WELCOME THAT NUMBER OF BODIES BACK IN BECAUSE WE DO HAVE THE POSITIONS FUNDED, BUT NOT THE BODIES SLATED INTO THOSE POSITIONS.
SO THIS HELPS US WITH OUR STAFFING ISSUES IN OUR LONG BEACH POLICE DEPARTMENT IN TERMS OF VACANCY.
UM, THAT SAID, MEMBERS, PLEASE CAST YOUR VOTE.
ITEM 30 30 IS REPORT FROM PUBLIC WORKS RECOMMENDATION TO EXECUTE MOU WITH THE RANCHO LOS ALAMITOS FOUNDATION AND RANCHO LOS CERRITOS FOUNDATION TO ADMINISTER FUNDING
[30. 24-55256 Recommendation to authorize City Manager, or designee, to execute Memorandums of Understanding (MOU), and any necessary documents including any amendments, with the Rancho Los Alamitos Foundation (RLA) and Rancho Los Cerritos Foundation (RLC), respectively, to administer funding in an aggregate amount not to exceed $4,700,000, less the amounts identified for City administrative costs for the RLA and RLC deferred maintenance and capital improvement projects. (Districts 4, 5) Office or Department: Public Works Suggested Action: Approve recommendation. ]
IN AN AGGREGATED AMOUNT, NOT TO EXCEED 0.4 0.7 MILLION[04:00:01]
FOR CITY ADMINISTRATIVE COST FOR THE DEFER MAINTENANCE AND CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS PROJECTS DISTRICT FOUR AND FIVE.OKAY, WE'RE GONNA GO TO COUNCIL.
SHE'S ON RECORD COURT FOR RECUSAL.
YES, I'M A BOARD MEMBER OF RANCHO CERRITO.
SO OUT OF AN ABUNDANCE OF CAUTION, I WILL RECUSE MYSELF FROM THIS ITEM.
OH, ARE YOU ON THE BOARD TOO? COUNCILMAN SUPERMAN? YOU KNOW WHAT? I'M NOT CLOSE ENOUGH.
I SHOULD PROBABLY DO THE SAME THING.
WHAT? NO, I DON'T THINK YOU, I I, MADAM ATTORNEY, DOES SHE NEED TO ACCUSE, DO THEY NEED TO RECUSE THEMSELVES? WHY WOULD YOU NEED TO RECUSE COUNCIL MEMBER? WELL, I, WE OKAY.
USE YOUR MIC IF I DON'T, IF I DON'T, I DON'T, I'M NOT A MEMBER OF THE BOARD, BUT I HAVE A LOT OF DEALINGS WITH THEM, SO I'M, I'M GOOD WITH THAT.
I THINK THAT'S EXPECTED AS A COUNCIL MEMBER.
DO WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND? UH, RE UH, COUNCIL MEMBER YANG, ANYTHING? ALRIGHT.
UH, ANY PUBLIC COMMENT MEMBERS, PLEASE CAST YOUR VOTE.
31 IS COMMUNICATION FROM COUNCILMAN AUSTIN.
RECOMMENDATION TO ENTER INTO A NO CAUSE CONTRACT WITH CLEAR CHANNEL OUTDOOR TO DISPLAY A PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT REGARDING
[31. 24-55320 Recommendation to authorize City Manager to enter into a no cost contract with Clear Channel Outdoor, LLC to display a public service announcement regarding human trafficking and missing person, Ruthey Smith, for six weeks, with the option to extend the contract for an additional twelve-week period at the discretion of the City Manager. Office or Department: Al Austin, Councilman, Eighth District Suggested Action: Approve recommendation. ]
HUMAN TRAFFICKING AND MISSING PERSON RUTHIE SMITH FOR SIX WEEKS, WITH THE OPTION TO EXTEND THE CONTRACT FOR AN ADDITIONAL 12 WEEK PERIOD AT THE DISCRETIONS OF THE CITY MANAGER.IS THERE ANY PUBLIC COMMENT HERE? MEMBERS, PLEASE CAST YOUR VOTE.
UH, MR. MAYOR, THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT OF THE ITEM.
THIS IS, UH, UM, RUTHIE SMITH, HER, HER FAMILY HAS COME TO THE CITY COUNCIL.
UH, SHE HAS BEEN, UM, THEY HAVE BEEN ASKING FOR A BILLBOARD.
WE FINALLY WERE ABLE TO GET CLEAR CHANNEL TO AGREE TO DO SO AT NO COST.
THIS IS A, A, A GOOD ITEM THAT BRINGS ATTENTION TO A, TO A VERY SAD ISSUE HAPPENING IN OUR CITIES.
ALRIGHT, MEMBERS, PLEASE COUNT YOUR VOTE.
UM, WE'LL NOW GO TO GENERAL PUBLIC COMMENT NUMBER TWO.
[ PUBLIC COMMENT: IMMEDIATELY PRIOR TO ADJOURNMENT Opportunity is given to those members of the public who have not addressed the City Council on non-agenda items. Each speaker is limited to three minutes unless extended by the City Council. ]
WE HAVE JESSE TORRES.ALRIGHT, WE'LL NOW GO TO GENERAL ANNOUNCEMENTS AND ADJOURNMENT.
[ANNOUNCEMENTS]
THANK YOU MAYOR.UM, I'D LIKE TO INVITE EVERYONE TO OUR AMAZING HALLOWEEN BIXBY PARTY ON SUNDAY, OCTOBER 27TH FROM TWO TO FOUR.
IF YOU HAVE ANY KIDS, BRING 'EM OUT THERE.
I JUST LOVE THIS EVENT AND I GET A, UH, I GET, I GET THE PRIVILEGE OF JUDGING THESE KIDS.
IT'S JUST, IT, IT'S JUST A FANTASTIC TIME.
SO PLEASE COME OUT AND SEE US IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS.
UM, THIS IS HOSTED BY ALAMITOS BEACH, BLUFF PARK, BLUFF HEIGHTS AND ROSE PARK NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION.
SO A BUNCH OF NE GREAT NEIGHBORHOOD GROUPS PARTICIPATING IN THIS.
UM, AND THEN, UM, ALSO WOULD LIKE TO CLOSE THIS MEETING IN HONOR OF, UH, ONE OF OUR RESIDENTS AT PASSED.
SHE WAS THE CO-FOUNDER AND PRESIDENT OF A LONG BEACH CREATIVE GROUP.
UM, MARK'S ARTISTIC JOURNEY BEGAN AT THE TORONTO ART INSTITUTE AND LED TO HER MFA FROM CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY LONG BEACH.
SHE TAUGHT AT CAL, CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY LONG BEACH FOR 32 YEARS, AND SUPERVISED STUDENT TEACHERS SHAPING COUNTLESS STUDENTS AND IMPACTING THE ARTISTIC COMMUNITY.
SHE ALSO CO CO-FOUNDED THE LONG BEACH CREATIVE GROUP IN 2015 WITH SIX OTHER ARTISTS TO CREATE OPPORTUNITIES FOR LOCAL ARTISTS AND TO BE ABLE TO SHOWCASE THEIR WORK.
HER VISION HAS HELPED ESTABLISHED, UH, ESTABLISHED THE LONG BEACH CREATIVE GROUP AND THE ROD BRICKS GALLERY AS A VIRTUAL HUB FOR ARTISTIC EXPRESSION.
MARCUS'S LEGACY IS AN EDUCATION, CREATIVITY, AND COMMUNITY CONTINUES TO INFLUENCE A LONG BEACH ARTISTIC LANDSCAPE.
A CELEBRATION OF LIFE WILL BE HELD IN EARLY DECEMBER.
OUR SINCERE CONDOLENCES TO THEIR FAMILY.
I WANNA THANK SENATOR GONZALEZ IN ASSEMBLY MEMBER LOWENTHAL FOR SECURING FUNDING FOR OUR RANCHO, WHICH WAS APPROVED WHILE I WAS OUT OF THE ROOM.
UM, AND THEIR CONTINUED SUPPORT.
UH, THERE ARE SO MANY GREAT THINGS TO DO FOR FAMILIES AND LITTLES THIS WEEKEND.
SO THIS WEEKEND I INVITE YOU TO THE HISTORICAL SOCIETY OF LONG BEACH'S 28TH
[04:05:01]
ANNUAL HISTORICAL CEMETERY TOUR.FROM EIGHT 30 TO THREE, YOU CAN EXPLORE THE CEMETERY, THE SUNNYSIDE AND MUNICIPAL CEMETERIES.
LEARN ABOUT LOCAL HISTORY THROUGH GRAVESIDE PERFORMANCES OF THE LIVES OF THOSE AT REST TICKETS AND IN INCOME.
INFORMATION CAN BE FOUND@HSLB.ORG.
UH, ALSO ON SATURDAY THE 26TH, YOU CAN SHOP FROM CREATIVE VENDORS WHILE ENJOYING LOCAL FOOD AND DRINK AND OTHER ACTIVITIES AT THE LONG BEACH EXCHANGE DURING THEIR HALLOWEEN THEMED POP-UP AT THE HANGAR FROM 12 TO FOUR.
OR YOU CAN VISIT CAL HEIGHT'S MUSIC TO JOIN THEIR HOWELL O WEEN FESTIVAL SATURDAY FROM ONE TO THREE FREE FAMILY FRIENDLY ACTIVITIES AND FEATURING LOCAL CHILDREN'S CHOIR PERFORMANCES.
THEN ON SUNDAY THE 27TH, IT IS THE ANNUAL BIXBY KNOWLES CULE MASS ZOMBIE THEMED BIKE RIDE.
PLEASE BE SURE TO WEAR YOUR BEST ZOMBIE LOOK OR GET THERE AT 10 30 AND YOU CAN BE MADE UP TO LOOK LIKE A ZOMBIE.
UH, AND JOIN THE COMMUNITY AS THEY TAKE OFF FROM BEHIND PIXIE TOYS AT 11:00 AM ON SATURDAY THE 27TH.
YOU CAN JOIN THE NEXT EXPERIENCE AT WILLOW SPRINGS PARK WORDS IN THE PARK THIS SUNDAY FROM THREE TO FIVE.
UM, AND LASTLY, I INVITE YOU TO RANCHO LOS CERRITOS FOR A FREE FAMILY FRIENDLY DIA DE LOS MUTOS CELEBRATION IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PUENTE LATINO ASSOCIATION.
THE HISTORIC RANCHO WILL HOST A VIBRANT CULTURAL CELEBRATION THIS SUNDAY FROM TWO TO SEVEN COMPLETE WITH LIVE MUSIC, ARTS AND CRAFTS.
AND TRADITIONAL A FRIEND, HOPE TO SEE YOU OUT IN THE COMMUNITY.
UM, I WOULD LIKE TO INVITE EVERYBODY OUT TO OUR FINAL COFFEE WITH THE CO FOR 2024.
UH, IT'S GONNA BE HELD ON SATURDAY, OCTOBER 26 FROM NINE TO 11:00 AM UM, AT THE STARBUCKS LOCATED AT 66 29 DOWNEY AVENUE.
SO THAT'S AT DOWNEY AND ARTESIA.
UH, ADDITIONALLY I WOULD LOVE TO INVITE EVERYBODY OUT TO, UH, THE COLLEGE SQUARE NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATIONS.
THEY'LL MEETING ON TUESDAY, OCTOBER 29TH FROM SEVEN TO 8:00 PM THIS EVENT WILL BE HELD VIRTUALLY.
UH, AND THEN LASTLY, UH, SUPER EXCITED TO CONTINUE TO ANNOUNCE, UM, AND INVITE EVERYBODY OUT TO BEACH STREETS UPTOWN.
UH, THIS WILL BE HELD ON SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 9TH FROM 11 TO 4:00 PM UM, THIS EVENT WILL BE IN THE NINTH DISTRICT, UM, ALONG ATLANTIC BETWEEN SOUTH AND ARTESIA.
UM, AND ARTESIA BETWEEN ATLANTIC AND CHERRY.
UM, IT'S GONNA BE A TON OF FUN.
UH, WE'RE GONNA BE COMBINING THIS WITH OUR VETERANS DAY FESTIVAL AT HOWTON PARK, AS WELL AS SHOWCASING ALL OF THE FANTASTIC WORK THAT IS BEING DONE ON, UM, THEES YOUR GREAT BOULEVARD PROJECT.
SO PULL OUT YOUR BIKES, YOUR SKATES, WHATEVER YOU WANT, UM, AS LONG AS IT DOESN'T HAVE A MOTOR.
ALL RIGHT, LOOKING FORWARD TO THAT.
UM, WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 23RD, UM, DOWNTOWN LONG BEACH ALLIANCES FOOD SERIES WORKSHOP WILL BE TAKING PLACE FROM 6:00 PM TO SEVEN 30 AT THE HUB AT 100 WEST BROADWAY.
ALSO, THIS WEEK WE WILL BE HOSTING OUR DISTRICT ONE CHECK-IN HAPPENING ON THURSDAY, OCTOBER 24TH FROM SIX 30 TO 7:30 PM AT PARTAKE COLLECTIVES 4 56 ELM AVENUE.
FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT MY OFFICE ON WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 23RD.
UM, ON MONDAY, UM, OCTOBER 28TH, WE WILL BE HAVING TRICK FOR TREATS PEP PARADE ON NEXT MONDAY FROM ONE TO FIVE AT LINCOLN PARK ON PACIFIC AND BROADWAY.
UM, PLEASE JOIN US FOR THIS SATURDAY COMING UP OCTOBER 26, UM, OR NEXT SATURDAY COMING UP OCTOBER 26 FROM 8:30 AM TO 10 30 FOR ALAMEDO BEACH CLEANUP AT 2 1 9 ESPERANZA AVENUE FOR DISTRICT ONE QUARTERLY CLEANUP.
AND LAST BUT DEFINITELY NOT LEAST, PLEASE JOIN US ON NOVEMBER 2ND FOR OUR CITY OF LONG BEACH.
STARTING ON PINE AND THIRD AT 1130 A AT 11:00 AM ON NOVEMBER 2ND.
HOPE TO SEE EVERYONE OUT IN THE COMMUNITY.
ALRIGHT, COUNCIL MEMBER SUPER NOW, UH, THANK YOU.
ON FRIDAY MORNING, OUR OFFICE WILL BE SPONSORING THREE TABLES AT THE HOPE LATINA EMPOWERMENT DAY AT THE HOTEL MAYA.
SO I'D LIKE TO THANK THE CITY EMPLOYEES WHO WILL BE JOINING OUR COUNCIL, STAFF AND EMPLOYEES FROM ORANGE COUNTY CREDIT UNION.
LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING YOU THERE.
ALRIGHT, WELL IT LOOKS LIKE WE'RE, UH, HEADING INTO HOLIDAY SEASON 'CAUSE THE EVENTS
[04:10:01]
ARE BEGINNING TO, UM, TO RAMP UP.SO, UH, THANKS TO THE COUNCIL MEMBERS, THANK FOR EVERYBODY FOR PARTICIPATING, UH, AT THIS COUNCIL MEETING'S NOW ADJOURNED.
ACTUALLY, WE WON'T SEE YOU NEXT WEEK OR THE WEEK AFTER BECAUSE THE COUNCIL MEETING IS CANCELED FOR THE ELECTION.