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UH, WE'RE GONNA GO AHEAD AND CALL THIS MEETING TO ORDER ON WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 12TH AT 10:31 AM AND WE'RE, GO AHEAD AND START WITH THE ROLL CALL MICHELLE VALENCIA.WOULD EVERYBODY RISE? WHOA, WHOA, WHOA, WHOA, WHOA, WHOA, WHOA, WHOA, WHOA, WHOA, WHOA, WHOA, WHOA, WHOA.
ACTUALLY, BEFORE WE DO THE PLEDGE, WE'RE GOING TO, UH, WELCOME COMMISSIONER JUDY CLARK.
WOULD YOU LIKE TO TAKE A MOMENT TO LET US KNOW WHY YOU'RE, UH, WANTED TO BE ON THIS COMMISSION? SO, I, UH, WANTED TO BE ON THIS COMMISSION BECAUSE I'M AN OLDER ADULT
AND, UM, I'M PRETTY EXCITED ABOUT IT.
I WAS WITH THE MAYOR AT A EVENT.
WE SAT NEXT TO EACH OTHER, AND SO AFTER THE EVENT, HE SAID, I WANT YOU TO SERVE ON A COMMISSION.
LOOK AT MY COMMISSIONS AND SEE WHICH ONE YOU WANNA SERVE ON.
AND SO I CHOSE THIS COMMISSION AND I AM SO THANKFUL TO BE HERE.
NOW I'LL GO AHEAD AND HAVE BILL LEAD UP US IN OUR PLEDGE.
WILL EVERY PLEASE RISE AND JOIN ME IN THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE.
WITH YOUR RIGHT HAND OVER YOUR HEART, I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS, ONE NATION, INDIVISIBLE WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE.
WILL, COMMISSIONER GIBBONS, WILL YOU PLEASE READ OUR MISSION STATEMENT? WE ADVOCATE TO IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF LIFE FOR LONG BEACH, CULTURALLY DIVERSE OLDER POPULATION BY EXPANDING KNOWLEDGE AND SERVICES RELATED TO EDUCATION, HEALTH, HOUSING, PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION, SAFETY, TECHNOLOGY, AND LANGUAGE ACCESS.
AND COMMISSIONER HINES, WILL YOU PLEASE READ OUR LAND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT? YES, I'LL, WE, THE ADVISORY COMMISSION ON AGING RECOGNIZE THAT WE ARE ON TRADITIONAL AND SACRED LANDS OF MANY INDIGENOUS GROUPS WHO CALLED THESE GROUNDS HOME.
WE THANK THEM FOR THEIR STRENGTH, PERSEVERANCE, AND RESILIENCE IF THEIR SPIRIT MAY STRIVE TO ALWAYS HONOR AND RESPECT THE WISDOM OF OUR ELDERS.
UH, DID EVERYONE GET A CHANCE TO LOOK AT THE JANUARY MINUTES AND CAN WE HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE THOSE JANUARY MINUTES? THAT MOTION? WE HAVE A SECOND.
UH, DO WE HAVE ANY DISCUSSION ON THAT? OKAY, LET'S TAKE A VOTE.
ALL IN FAVOR OF APPROVING THE JANUARY MINUTES.
ANYONE OPPOSED? AND IS ANYONE ABSTAINING TODAY? I'M GONNA ABSTAIN.
SO THE MOTION CARRIES WITH FOUR EYES AND TWO ABSTENTIONS.
AND HEIDI, DO YOU HAVE A REPORT FOR US TODAY? YES.
SO, WELCOME COMMISSIONERS, WELCOME COMMISSION MEETING.
UM, WE, UM, JUST A COUPLE OF ON OUR DIFFERENT PROGRAM STATEWIDE CENTER.
TODAY WE'RE HERE AT THE CENTER, WHICH DOES PROGRAMING THREE DAYS A WEEK.
TUESDAY, WEDNESDAY, THURSDAY, NINE.
UM, WE DID PUT THE COUNTER ON YOUR DESK OR TABLES FOR YOU SO YOU CAN SEE WHAT'S GOING ON.
UM, TOMORROW WE HAVE OUR VALENTINES DAY UCK, SO WE'RE THE RAIN WALK AWAY, SOME OF THE GREAT DISHES THAT WE'RE HOPING TO SEE.
UM, BUT THEN THEY HAVE, HAVE A PARTNERSHIP HERE WITH CABLE, WHICH IS IN THE BUILDING, WHICH IS KIND OF PARTNERSHIP THAT THEY COME AND DO A ART OUR PARTICIPANTS ONCE A MONTH.
UM, SO JUST WANNA HIGHLIGHT SOME OF THOSE THINGS.
THERE'S LOTS OF OTHER THINGS GOING ON HERE AT THE, ALSO WANNA HIGHLIGHT A COUPLE THINGS THAT'S HAPPENING AT THIS MONTH.
UM, WE HAVE, WE'RE GONNA DO MORE INSPIRED TO YOU FOR, BUT WE HAVE, UM, MONTH OF DIFFERENT ACTIVITIES FOR LIFE HISTORY MONTH.
UM, SO TODAY WE HAVE A BINGO PROGRAM AT, WE'RE SIX TRIPLE EIGHT NEXT WEEK.
AND THEN WE HAVE ON THE 26TH, AND THEN WE'RE ENDING THE MONTH WITH A, A PRETTY BIG CELEBRATION.
UM, WE ARE, UM, ENDING IT WITH WHAT WE CALL THE BLACK MOSAIC.
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AND IT'S FROM SIX 30 TO 8:30 PM ON FEBRUARY 28TH IN THE EVENING.AND WE'RE GONNA HAVE D PERFORMANCES FROM THE LAUREATE.
UM, SOME, A MASTER DRUMMER, SOME SPOKEN, UM, ART EXHIBIT FROM, WE HAVE A ARTIST CAM, WHICH IS A, A SERIES.
WE HAVE AN ART EXHIBIT IN ROOM 1 0 7 THAT'S UP ALL ON THE GROUND.
UM, BUT WE'RE GONNA ACTUALLY FEATURE THAT TOO.
SO THAT IS ON FEBRUARY 28TH, SIXTH 30 AT EIGHT 30.
WE'RE EXPECTING MAYBE OTHER PEOPLE, SO WE'RE SUPER EXCITED, UM, ABOUT THAT ENDING OUR CELEBRATION.
SO THAT'S ALL I HAVE FOR TODAY, LIKE I SAID.
UM, AND I HAVE THESE ONES THAT I CAN GIVE OUT NOW.
THAT'S ALL I HAVE FOR MY REPORT.
CAN WE HAVE A MOTION TO RECEIVE AND FILE HEIDI'S REPORT? I MOVED SECOND.
UH, ANY DISCUSSION? OKAY, LET'S TAKE A VOTE.
ALL IN FAVOR OF RECEIVING AND FILING HEIDI'S REPORT.
ANYONE OPPOSED? AND IS ANYONE GONNA ABSTAIN? OKAY, THE MOTION CARRIES.
UH, LOOKS LIKE WE GET A PRESENTATION NOW.
UM, FROM DELETE THE DIVIDE PROGRAM ADMINISTRATOR, FELICIA DIVINITY.
MY NAME IS FELICIA DIVINITY, PROGRAM ADMINISTRATOR FROM DIVIDE COUNTY.
SO THIS MORNING I JUST WANNA SHARE SOME OF THE OPTIONS THAT WE HAVE.
UM, FLYER, THIS IS ENGLISH, THESE ARE SOME OF THE OFFERINGS THAT DIVIDE HAS, UM, BEEN OFFERED THE PAST TWO YEARS.
DIVIDE IS COUNTY OF LOS ANGELES INITIATIVE AND UNDERREPRESENTED C WITHIN THE LA COUNTY BOARD.
AND, YOU KNOW, LA COUNTY IS A VERY LARGE COUNTY.
UM, BUT WE DO OUR BEST TO GET ALL FIVE DISTRICTS.
AND THEN WE ALSO HAVE A NUMBER OF PROGRAMS THAT WE, UH, OFFER OUR RESIDENTS AS WELL AS OUR SMALL BUSINESSES.
AND SO, ONE THING THAT I'D LIKE TO SHARE WITH YOU, JUST A BACKSTORY.
SO, YOU KNOW, WHERE CAME FROM IN OUR HISTORY DURING COVID, WE HAD A LOT OF INDIVIDUAL PARENTS WHO HOME DID NOT HAVE ANY TYPE OF OR CONNECT TO INTERNET IN ORDER TO SUSTAIN THROUGH THEIR HOUSEHOLD, THEIR, THEIR POOL DESTINATION AS WELL AS THEIR BUSINESSES.
AND SO WE PROVIDE WAS UNANIMOUSLY APPROVED BY THE BOARD, COUNTY BOARD SUPERVISORS, AND OUR CHARGE WAS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE FILL THOSE GAPS, UM, AND MOVE THE DIVIDE BETWEEN THOSE WHO HAVE ACCESS TO DIGITAL, UM, EQUIPMENT AS WELL AS INTERNET AND THOSE WHO DO NOT.
SO HOW DO WE DO THAT? WE STARTED PARTNERSHIPS.
UM, THE DEPARTMENT I WORK WITH IS, OR WORK FOR, IS THE INTERNAL SERVICES DEPARTMENT.
SO TYPICALLY INTERNAL SERVICES DEPARTMENT DO NOT COMMUNICATE DIRECTLY WITH THE CONSTITUENTS OF COUNTY.
WE PROVIDE SERVICES TO OTHER COUNTY DEPARTMENTS.
SO WE ARE THE ONES WHO PROVIDE THE INTERNET AND DATA, YOU KNOW, STORAGE AND ALL THE IT SHOP FOR THE WHOLE COUNTY DEPARTMENT.
UM, THIS TIME WHEN
SO I'VE BEEN LONG ALL MY LIFE, GREW UP HERE ON THE WEST SIDE, EAST SIDE, WEST SIDE.
WENT THROUGH LONG BEACH UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT CAL, GRADUATED CAL STATE LONG BEACH IN THE EIGHTIES.
AND I'VE BEEN WITH THE ACCOUNT ANGELES FOR ALMOST 40 YEARS.
UM, SO, YOU KNOW, WITH DIVIDE GAVE ME AN OPPORTUNITY TO MOVE FROM, YOU KNOW, HACKING ON THE COMPUTER TO ACTUALLY GOING OUT INTO THE COMMUNITY AND MAKING SURE THAT, UH, RESIDENTS AND SMALL BUSINESSES UNDERSTAND WHAT'S AVAILABLE TO THEM AT NO CHARGE.
ALL OF OUR SERVICES AND PROGRAMS, ANYTHING THAT WE PROVIDE IS AT NO CHARGE TO THE RESEARCH, WHETHER IT'S SMALL BUSINESS.
AND SO ON THIS SHEET, I JUST WANT TO DRAW YOUR ATTENTION TO TWO, TWO AREAS ON THIS SLIDE.
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LITERACY PROGRAM IN THE LOWER RIGHT CORNER OF THE, ALMOST MIDDLE OF THE PAGE, THIS IS CALLED OUR LEARN BASIC TECH OFFERINGS.AND YOU'LL ALSO FIND A FIVE BY SEVEN CARDS THAT IS ALSO PLACED ON YOUR, YOUR DESKTOP.
LEARN BASIC TECH IS A FREE COURSE OR OFFERING FREE TRAINING TO IMPROVE BASIC DIGITAL SKILLS FOR ANYBODY IN LA COUNTY, REGARDLESS OF AGE, REGARDLESS OF ECONOMIC STATUS IS TO ANY AND EVERYONE.
IF YOU CAN FIT IN A CLASS AND HERE AND UNDERSTAND AND BE ABLE TO HAVE SOME KIND OF PROOF THAT YOU HAVE, UH, RECEIVED THE INFORMATION YOU'RE ABLE TO PERFORM, YOU CAN STAY IN A CLASS, YOU CAN BE SIX YEARS OLD AS LONG AS YOU, YOU CAN KEEP THAT ATTENTION, RIGHT? AND SO, UM, JACQUELINE IS ONE OF OUR INTERNS.
WE JUST ENDED A TWO YEAR PROGRAM IN DECEMBER OF 2024.
BUT JACQUELINE STAYED ON AND SHE'S A TRAINER FOR LEARN BASIC TECH.
LEARN BASIC TECH IS ANOTHER PROGRAM, LIKE I SAID, UNDER THE, UH, UNDERNEATH BROTHER.
AND IT'S RIGHT THERE ON THE, ON THE SHEET.
UM, MAKING SURE THAT WE MAKE PARTNERS SUCH AS THE COMMISSION AND MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE ABLE TO GET ACCESS TO THOSE WHO ARE PARTICIPANTS OR WHOEVER YOUR, YOUR CONSTITUENTS ARE, AND EDUCATING THEM ABOUT OUR SERVICES FREE IS THE BEST PRICE.
WOULDN'T YOU AGREE? IT'S ALWAYS, YOU KNOW, THREE, NINE NINE, THAT'S WHAT I CALL IT.
THREE NINE, RIGHT? SO MAKING SURE WE'RE FOCUSED SPECIFICALLY NOW ON SENIORS.
WHY? BECAUSE A LOT OF SENIORS ARE NOT REALLY TECH SAVVY, BUT THEY ABSOLUTELY NEED TO BECOME TECH SAVVY TO SOME DEGREE IN ORDER TO GET THE RESOURCES THEY NEED TO BE ABLE TO ACCESS TELEHEALTH, YOU KNOW, THE BENEFITS ON LIKE SSA OR WHATEVER THOSE BENEFITS ARE.
AND IF YOU HAVE A FEAR OF ACCESSING INTERNET, HAVE A FEAR OF TOUCHING THE DEVICE, THEN WE WOULD, WOULD BE HERE TO HELP YOU MOVE THAT FEAR AWAY THROUGH OUR TRAINING PROGRAM.
SO I'LL PASS OVER TO, UM, JACQUELINE AND JACK ABOUT THE CLASSES.
SO WE DO GIVE OUT EIGHT HOUR COURSES, OR SOMETIMES WE SPLIT THEM UP INTO TWO, UH, DIFFERENT DAYS.
SO WE'LL DO ONE DAY FOUR HOURS AND THEN THE OTHER DAY THE REST OF THE HOURS, FOUR HOURS.
AND THEN ONCE THEY DO COMPLETE THE COURSES AND THEY AR ELIGIBLE.
SO ELIGIBILITY, UM, IT DEPENDS ON THEIR INCOME, IT DEPENDS ON THEIR, IT DEPENDS ON, UM, UH, IF THEY NEED THAT RESOURCE AS WELL TOO.
AND THEY'RE, THEY'LL RECEIVE A THREE AS WELL.
SO WE ALSO ACCOUNT SET UP EVERYTHING FOR THEM AND IT'S FREE FOR THEM.
IT, THEY DON'T HAVE THE RETURN.
IT'S NOT, IT'S FOR THEM TO KEEP.
SO IT'S A REALLY GOOD COURSE AS WE GO OVER, LIKE THE INTERNET, BASIC NAVIGATE INTERNET, HOW TO, UM, PROPERLY USE THE COMPUTER, HOW TO NAVIGATE YOUR SMART PEOPLE DO HAVE SMARTPHONE NOW, HOW TO NAVIGATE APPS AND EVEN CYBERSECURITY COURSES AS WELL TOO.
SO, YOU KNOW, MAKING SURE THAT THEY DON'T CLICK ON THE WRONG LINKS, MAKING SURE THEY DON'T OPEN UP APPS ACCOUNTS, MAKE SURE THAT THEY DON'T ACCIDENTALLY LEAVE THEIR INFORMATION ON THERE.
AND WE DO TRY TO, UM, GIVE, UH, A TYPE OF TEACHING WHERE IT'S KIND OF EASY FOR EVERYBODY UNDERSTAND.
SO WE DO OPERATING MECHANICS? YES.
IS THIS A CLASSROOM OR YOU TAKE THAT TO SENIORS? I MEAN LIKE THE CENTERS OR FACILIT THEY HAVE BECAUSE A LOT OF SENIOR I UNDERSTAND.
UM, SO WE ACTUALLY DO HAVE VARIOUS LOCATIONS.
SO WE'RE STARTING TO REACH BRANCH OUT TO LIKE OUR, UM, COUNTY LIBRARIES.
SO WE'RE WHATEVER LIBRARIES ARE NEARBY.
WE'RE ALSO GOING LIKE, YOU KNOW, THERE'S HOMELESS, UM, SHELTERS AS WELL TOO THAT ALSO NEED THOSE RESOURCES.
THERE'S ALSO, I THINK RECENTLY WE WENT TO, UM, UH, MENTAL HEALTH AMERICA, UM, IN LANCASTER.
WE GO ALL THE WAY UP TO TRY TO WHERE PEOPLE ARE ABLE TO TAKE THOSE THERE TO THEIR LOCAL RESOURCE, TO THEIR LOCAL CENTERS, UM, TO MAKE IT MORE ACCESSIBLE AS WELL.
AND THEY, IF THEY'RE NOT ABLE TO ATTEND TRAINING ONLINE, IF THEY HAVE, YOU KNOW, ACCESS TO A SMARTPHONE, INTERNET OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT, AND THEY CAN COMPLETE THE EIGHT HOURS ONLINE AND THEY WOULD STILL
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BE, UM, ELIGIBLE TO RECEIVE A LAPTOP.OKAY, SO IF I DID THIS LITTLE CODE, WILL THEY TELL LOCATION OR THE WEBSITE? TECH ORG IS THE WEBSITE AND UM, YOU'LL BE ABLE TO SEE ALL THE AVAILABLE COURSES AND ALSO THE IN PERSON TRAINING LOCATIONS, DATES AND TIMES.
SO WE'RE ALWAYS LOOKING FOR RESIDENCE, WE'RE ALWAYS LOOKING FOR A, UH, AN ESTABLISHMENT.
IT DOES NOT HAVE TO BE OUTFITTED WITH ALL LAPTOPS.
IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE A COMPUTER LAB.
IT CAN BE LIKE THIS, RIGHT? WE JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THERE IS A SAFE PLACE FOR THOSE WHO ARE ATTENDING, UM, TO BE ABLE TO RECEIVE THE, THE, UH, CURRICULUM, UH, BASIC AB AUDIO VISUAL REQUIREMENTS, THE OVERHEAD PROJECTOR.
WE BRING OUR OWN, UM, YOU KNOW, FLYERS AND GOOD MATERIALS.
BUT FOR THE MOST PART WE JUST NEED A LOCATION WHERE MOST FOLKS CONJUGATE, RIGHT? ON A REGULAR BASIS.
SO IF THERE IS A, UM, SENIOR CENTER, RIGHT, THAT'S A PERFECT PLACE, RIGHT? IF THERE'S A COMMUNITY HALL, I MEAN LIKE THIS LOCATION IS PERFECT, YOU ALREADY HAVE A PROGRAM HERE, RIGHT? THEN THIS SIDE OF THE ROOM CAN BE THE BASIC LEARN BASIC TECH, HAVE IT SCHEDULED ON A PARTICULAR DAY OF THE WEEK AT A PARTICULAR TIME, AND THEN EVERYBODY COME AND UH, LEARN, RIGHT? ALL TOGETHER.
SO WE'RE ALWAYS LOOKING FOR NEW PARTNERS.
SO IF YOU ALL ARE OPEN TO, UH, EXPLORE THAT OPPORTUNITY CAN CONTACT ME.
I WILL PASS YOU OVER TO JAMELLE THOMAS, WHO IS THE PROGRAM ADMINISTRATOR OVER LEARN BASIC TECH.
UM, AND THEN WE'LL BE ABLE TO LOOK AT THE FACILITY AND MAKE SURE THAT, UH, IT MEET THE REQUIREMENTS AND THEN ABLE RESCHEDULE IT.
SO I DIDN'T GET INTO ALL OF THE, THE, THE SERVICES BECAUSE I WANTED TO FOCUS SPECIFICALLY ON WHAT MIX TECH FOR SENIORS.
BUT DO TAKE TIME TO LOOK OVER SOME OF THE OTHER, UM, OPPORTUNITIES I WOULD LIKE, BECAUSE I KNOW FOLKS ARE, YOU HAVE NO BUSINESS.
WE HAVE A SMALL BUSINESS DIGITAL ASSESSMENT PROGRAM WHERE THE BUSINESS OWNER WILL BE ABLE TO, UM, BASED ON THAT ELIGIBILITY BECAUSE WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT INDIVIDUAL IS A SMALL BUSINESS DEFINED BY THE DEFINITION THAT LA COUNTY DEFINES A SMALL BUSINESS TO BE.
BUT THEY WILL HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO RECEIVE FREE ASSESSMENT.
IT'S A BUSINESS AND IT'S A DIGITAL ASSESSMENT.
THAT DIGITAL ASSESSMENT IS GOING TO, HOW THEY SHOW UP FOR ONLINE.
DO THEY HAVE AN ONLINE PRESENT? WHAT DOES THAT ONLINE PRESENCE LOOK LIKE? AND IF IT'S WEAK OR NON-EXISTENCE, THEN IT WILL BE ABLE TO GET A FREE WEBSITE.
THEY'LL BE ABLE TO, UH, HAVE DIFFERENT, UM, ACCOUNT.
SO SAY IT'S A RESTAURANT AND THEY'RE NOT, THEY'RE NOT, THEY'RE NOT, YOU KNOW, THOSE TYPES OF ACCOUNTS WILL BE ESTABLISHED.
THE BUSINESS OWNER HAS TO BE VESTED IN HIM OR HERSELF.
AND FOR HIM OR HER OWN BUSINESS, IT'S A FIVE COMMIT.
AND IT TAKES THAT BUSINESS OWNER FULL CIRCLE FROM DIGITAL TO BRANDING TO BUSINESS LISTINGS TO BUSINESS SOLUTIONS.
SO E LIKE POINT SALES, THERE'S RECOMMENDATIONS, ET CETERA.
SO WHEN THAT SMALL BUSINESS OWNER NEEDS THE PROGRAM THAT SMALL BUSINESS OWNER'S WEBSITE IS, SO IF THAT INDIVIDUAL WANTS TO APPLY FOR A GRANT, WE ALL KNOW WHAT'S THE ONE QUESTION ON THE GRANT? DO YOU HAVE A WEBSITE? RIGHT? AND THEN YOU SAY YES, AND THEN YOU FILL IN YOUR URL AND WHEN THEY GO THERE, THEY GET BLOWN AWAY BECAUSE IT'S A VERY COLLEGE, VERY PROFESSIONAL WEBSITE.
AND SO THAT'S WHAT WE'VE GIVEN THOSE SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS, UM, AT NO COST.
AND THAT'S A BIG LIFT, ESPECIALLY COMING OUTTA COVID TO, WE LOST A WHOLE LOT OF BUSINESSES DURING COVID IN LA COUNTY AND THOSE SERVICES ARE NOT GONNA COME BACK INTO THE COMMUNITY THAT THEY WERE ONE ESTABLISHED IN.
SO THEREFORE, THE RESIDENTS HAVE TO GO SOMEWHERE ELSE TO GET THOSE CIRCLES.
DO YOU OFFER THIS SAME, UH, FIVE WEEK CLASS TO PEOPLE WHO ARE IN NON-PROFITS, SMALL NONPROFITS? YES.
WE, WE WERE, WE WOULD PARTNER WITH A NON-PROFIT, FAITH-BASED, COMMUNITY BASED ORGANIZATION.
IT IS NOT, WE DON'T DISCRIMINATE
WE WANT GET TO THE PEOPLE WHO NEEDS THE SERVICES.
WELL, I WAS THINKING LIKE SOME NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATIONS, UM OH YES.
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UM, UH, DIGITAL SUPPORT THAT THEY NEED.AND THEY CAN LEVERAGE THEIR LOCAL PARK AND HAVE, YOU KNOW, A MEETING THERE AT THE PARK, IN THE HALL.
IT'S NOT, WE, WE ARE FLEXIBLE.
WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT HOWEVER WE CAN SERVE, WE'LL SERVE.
AND, UM, JACQUELINE, DO ANY OF THE OTHER COMMISSIONERS HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR THEM? YEAH, I WAS CURIOUS ABOUT THE COMPUTERS, THE GIVEAWAY.
SO THE, THE JUST WE DISTRIBUTED LAPTOPS AND THESE LAPTOPS ARE NEW LAPTOPS.
UM, WE HAVE A GRANT CURRENTLY WHERE WE PURCHASE 7,500 LAPTOPS.
OKAY? SO WE'RE HALFWAY THROUGH THOSE 7,500, BUT WE ARE TARGETING THOSE COMMUNITIES AND THOSE INDIVIDUALS WHO HAVE BEEN IDENTIFIED AS WHAT WE DEFINE THE UNDERREPRESENTED CLASS IS NOT BY, YOU KNOW, ECONOMIC STATUS.
IT'S REALLY WHO DOESN'T HAVE INTERNET IN THEIR HOUSEHOLD, WHO DOESN'T HAVE A DEVICE IN THEIR HOUSEHOLD.
SO IF YOU GO TO DELETE THE DIVIDE ORG, WHICH IS OUR WEBSITE, DELETE THE DIVIDE ORG, AND YOU GO DOWN TO THE BOTTOM AND IT SAYS, SEE THE DIVIDE, YOU CLICK ON THAT BUTTON, A MAP IS GONNA COME UP.
THAT MAP IS GONNA SHOW YOU THE AREAS WITHIN LA COUNTY THAT FALLS INTO WHAT WE CALL THE DIGITAL DIVIDE AREAS.
OKAY? THAT MEANS THAT WITHIN A, THIS IS NOT BY ZIP CODE OR CITY IS BY CENSUS TRACK.
SO IT'S A LITTLE BIT MORE MICRO, RIGHT? SO WITHIN A CENSUS TRACK, 20.1 TO A HUNDRED PERCENT HOUSEHOLDS WHO REPORT THEY DON'T HAVE INTERNET OR THEY DON'T HAVE A DEVICE, THAT'S WHO WE'RE TARGETING.
THERE'S A LOT OF POCKETS WITHIN OUR, YOU KNOW, UH, COUNTY WHERE YOU HAVE A, A NICE PORTION OF THE HOUSEHOLDS IN A CENSUS TRACK THAT STILL DOESN'T HAVE THAT INTERNET CONNECTION AT HOME FOR WHATEVER THAT REASON IS, IF IT'S AFFORDABILITY OR EVEN IF IT'S INFRASTRUCTURE, LACK, LACK OF INFRASTRUCTURE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD, RIGHT? SO WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THOSE INDIVIDUALS GET CONNECTED DUE TO OUR DEVASTATING WILDFIRES THAT WE HAVE EXPERIENCED.
UH, LAST MONTH WE ACTUALLY PIVOTED.
A LOT OF HOMEOWNERS LOST EVERYTHING, LIKE A HUNDRED PERCENT OF EVERYTHING.
AND SO WE HELD TWO LAPTOP GIVEAWAYS.
WE GAVE 600 LAPTOPS TO, UM, WE WENT TO THE, OUT TO DIER AND THEN MAKING OUR ROUNDS.
UM, WE HAD ANOTHER 400 THAT SCHEDULED TO, WE, IT WAS PROBABLY CLOSE TO A THOUSAND HOUSEHOLDS.
AND OUR, OUR, OUR, UH, CRITERIA IS ONE LAPTOP PER HOUSEHOLD.
AND THE REASON IS BECAUSE WE NEED SPREAD THE WEALTH.
IF YOU HAVE A HOUSEHOLD OF SEVEN PEOPLE, IT'LL BE SEVEN PEOPLE.
ALL THE OTHER SEVEN FAMILIES HAVE NOTHING.
SO IF YOU HAVE ONE DEVICE IN THE HOUSEHOLD, YOU CAN'T TOUCH, EVERYBODY CAN TOUCH THAT DEVICE, RIGHT? EVERYONE HAS AN OPPORTUNITY TO DO THE HOMEWORK, TO LOOK FOR JOBS, TO DO WHATEVER IT IS THAT THEY NEED.
FIVE, FIVE CLEAN, RIGHT? SO ONE, ONE LAPTOP OR A HOUSEHOLD THAT IS OUR, OUR, YOU KNOW, MOVING FORWARD.
UM, AND WE DO HAVE THE LAPTOP GIVEN WAYS THAT JACQUELINE, UH, EXPRESSED THROUGH OUR LEARN BASIC TECH PROGRAM.
WE CAN'T HAVE EVERYBODY GET A, BECAUSE WE HAVE MEMBER, BUT WE DO OUR BEST TO TRY TO HIT THOSE WHO ARE MOST IN NEED.
DO ANY OTHER COMMISSIONERS HAVE A QUESTION? I HAVE A QUESTION ON THE, THE SMALL BUSINESSES THAT I MADE.
SO I NEED TO START TWO SMALL BUSINESSES.
THESE HAVE KIND OF BEEN TOP OF MIND FOR FOREVER, BUT I AM EXTREMELY CHALLENGED, RIGHT, IRENE, ON THE TECHNICAL SKILLS.
SO IT'S LIKE I'M THINKING THAT'S PROBABLY NOT GOING TO HAPPEN.
MAYBE WELL SOMEBODY WILL COME TO HELP ME AND I'LL COME TO REALIZE THAT NOBODY'S COMING TO HELP ME AND NOW YOU'RE COMING TO HELP ME.
SO MY QUESTION IS, IF YOU WANT TO START TWO BUSINESSES, NOT JUST ONE, AND YOU ARE SO TECHNICALLY CHALLENGED THAT FIVE HOURS IS, IS JUST A, YOU KNOW, A SUMMER BREEZE THAT I'M GONNA NEED A LOT MORE THAN THAT.
SO WHAT HAPPENS AFTER YOUR COURSE TIME AND YOU STILL DON'T GET IT? DO YOU HAVE THAT'S A SUPPORT AS YOU GO ALONG OR NOT? THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION.
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SO LA COUNTY DEPARTMENT OF ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY HAS A SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION OFFICE THAT'S GONNA BE YOUR BEST FRIEND BECAUSE THEY HAVE A CONCIERGE SERVICE WHERE THEY WOULD SIT ONE ON ONE WITH YOU AND HELP YOU WALK, YOU WALK YOU THROUGH SETTING UP YOUR BUSINESS.THEY'LL HELP YOU IDENTIFY WHAT TYPE OF BUSINESS YOU WANT, A PARTNERSHIP WITH AN S CORP, ET CETERA.
AND SO THEY WILL, THAT'S WHAT THEY DO ALL DAY, EVERY DAY AT NO COST TO YOU.
OKAY? SO TO GET YOUR BUSINESS STARTED, SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION, OFFICE OF THE SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION AND THAT CONTACT INFORMATION IS, IT IS NOT IN THERE, BUT I'LL GET IT FOR YOU BEFORE I LEAVE.
I'LL, I'LL LOOK IT UP FOR YOU.
WHAT HAPPENS AFTER THE EIGHT HOURS OF LEARNED BASIC TECH? WHEN I NEED MORE TRAINING? EXACTLY.
SO WE DON'T HAVE A ONE-ON-ONE AVAILABLE, RIGHT? HOWEVER, IF WE HAVE A RESIDENCY SOMEWHERE IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD AND YOU ARE ABLE TO COME TO THE LEARN BASIC TECH COURSES, EVEN AFTER YOU FINISH YOUR EIGHT HOURS, THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY FOR ONE OF THE INTERNS TO KIND OF HELP YOU, YOU KNOW, GET STARTED, HELP YOU NAVIGATE THE WEBSITES THAT YOU NEED TO NAVIGATE AS LONG AS YOU COME WITH YOUR, YOUR INFORMATION.
THEY COULD, THEY COULD PROBABLY DO THAT, UM, AFTER THE CLASS.
AND THAT WOULD JUST BE A ONE-ON-ONE TYPE OF THING.
I CAN'T GUARANTEE IT BECAUSE I DON'T KNOW WHAT THEIR SCHEDULE IS.
BUT THOSE ARE TYPE OF THINGS THAT WE HAVE DONE IN THE PAST WHERE THERE WAS AN INQUIRY AND SO I REALLY NEED ADDITIONAL HELP.
WELL, WE FILL IT IN, WE FILL IN THE GAPS AS MUCH AS WE CAN.
NOW THE OTHER THING IS, UM, I'M TRYING TO THINK OF THE, THE RESOURCE IN, UM, COMPTON, IT SLIPS MY MIND
SO THEY HAVE A FULL PROGRAM FOR SMALL BUSINESSES.
UM, I HAVEN'T MADE A DIRECT CONNECTION, UM, WITH THEM PERSONALLY IN PERSON.
I'VE TALKED THROUGH EMAIL AND WE HAVE SOME OTHER COLLABORATIONS, BUT THAT IS A RESOURCE AND I'LL TRY TO GET THE EXACT INFORMATION FOR YOU.
BUT THAT'S, THAT'S PRETTY MUCH YOU HAVE ANY OFFER WITH THAT WE'RE TO HELP HIM AFTER THE EIGHT HOURS.
UM, I GUESS WE COULD ALWAYS GET, UM, FEEDBACK AND, UM, I'M NOT TOO ENTIRELY SURE ABOUT LIKE HAVING ONE-ON-ONE, JUST, BUT THAT IS SOMETHING TO CONSIDER BECAUSE YOU KNOW, NOT EVERYBODY'S GONNA GRASP THAT INFORMATION.
EIGHT HOURS IS A LOT OF, UM, WITHIN THE EIGHT HOURS WE DO GO OVER A LOT OF INFORMATION.
SO WE DON'T REALLY EXPECT, YOU KNOW, EVERYBODY TO GRASP THAT.
AND THEN ALSO LIKE, WE ALSO DO WANNA HELP PEOPLE ONCE THEY DO GET A LAPTOP, SOMETIMES THEY FORGET THESE THINGS LIKE, OH I HOW TO CHECK.
SO I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE'RE ABOUT.
AND JUST ONE, NOT TO BURDEN THE CONVERSATION, BUT URL SAID THEY, THEY COST MONEY, RIGHT? SAY THAT AGAIN? TO ESTABLISH AND MAINTAIN A URL THAT THERE'S A FEE FOR THAT, RIGHT? YES.
OH, IS THAT ANNUALLY SORT OF THING? YEAH, AND IT DEPENDS WHO'S HOSTING, YOU KNOW, WHICH COMPANY YOU CHOOSE TO HOST IT.
SO YOU CAN'T DO PICKS YOU, OKAY, SO PICKS YOU CAN SPIN UP, UM, A WEBSITE IN MINUTES.
YOU LITERALLY BUILD IT BY CLICKING AND UM, YOU IS SUBSCRIPTION BASED.
IT IS, IT IS TYPICALLY SUBSCRIPTION BASED.
BUT YOU CAN FIND, YOU CAN FIND A HOSTING, UH, WEBSITE HOSTING COMPANY THAT IS LIKE $20 A MONTH.
YOU SAY $20 A MONTH OR ANNUAL? SOME, SOME, SOME OF THEM ARE OR $20 A MONTH YOU CAN PAY ANNUALLY OR, OR, OR MONTHLY.
BUT SOME OF THEM ARE ANNUALLY.
UM, I KNOW I THINK PYS IS $20 A MONTH.
BUT YOU ARE GONNA HAVE SOME ONGOING COSTS MAINTAINING YOUR WEBSITE.
SO YOU HAD MENTIONED, UH, CREATING A WEBSITE FOR THE SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS.
BUT THEN, SO WAS THAT FREE OR LIKE WHAT, WHERE DOES THE COST COME
[00:30:01]
INVOLVED? SO AS A SERVICE WITHIN THE DIGITAL MARKETING ASSESSMENT PROGRAM ORUM, SO THAT WOULD MEAN UPDATING ANY CONTENT.
UH, AND THEN ALSO MAKING SURE YOU HAVE A CREDIT CARD ON FILE TO MAKE SURE YOUR MONTHLY BILL GETS PAID ON TIME AND THERE'S NO INTERRUPTION IN YOUR WEBSITE.
DOES ANYONE ELSE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? GO AHEAD.
COMM, COMMISSIONER HINES, FIRST OF ALL, THANKS FELICIA COMING OUT.
'CAUSE UM, I ALWAYS SEE DELETE THE DIVIDE THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY.
YOU GUYS ARE DOING INCREDIBLE WORK, YOUNG PEOPLE.
ONE, HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE NEEDED TO ESTABLISH A CLASS OR TO HAVE A COURSE? IS IT FIVE AWARDS? 10 MORE? I MEAN, DO YOU HAVE TO HAVE A MINIMUM NUMBER IN ORDER TO HAVE, UH, THE TRAINING PART? I, SO HONESTLY I HAVE VERY SMALL CLASSES PERSON ATTENDING AND WE COURSE WE STILL WANNA DEDICATE, YOU KNOW, THEY TIME AND ENERGY TO COME INTO OUR, SO SOMETIMES WE HAVE LIKE ONE, SOMETIMES WE HAVE THREE.
LAST WEEK WE HAD LIKE 55 PEOPLE.
SO IT REALLY JUST DEPENDS ON US TO THE MARKETING.
UM, AND ALSO IT JUST DEPENDS ON HOW MUCH THE WORK HAS BEEN SPREAD AROUND COMMUNITY.
AND THE SECOND QUESTION IS, I KNOW YOU ARE ALL YOUNG AND UM, WE DON'T SPEAK, WE DON'T YOUNG YOUNG, YOU'RE ALL YOUNG.
SO, UM, WHEN YOU HAVE YOUNG INSTRUCTORS, DO THEY SPEAK TECHIE OR DO THEY SPEAK SENIOR? THEY SPEAK SENIOR.
LIKE HOW TO TURN IT ON? HOW TO TURN IT ON.
THAT'S GONNA BE THE FIRST TWO WEEKS.
BECAUSE YOU KNOW, THAT'S ALWAYS A PROBLEM WHEN YOU SPEAK.
OH, AND THE OTHER THIRD QUESTION IS, UM, WILL THEY, DO YOU COVER ANY CONVERSATIONS ABOUT AI OR IS IT A SEPARATE CLASS? UH, SO WE DO COVER A LITTLE BIT OF AI.
WE DO GIVE THEM MORE OF LIKE THE BASICS OF IT, THE BASICS, UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT AI IS.
WE ALSO TRY NOT TO, YOU PUT ANY FEAR AMONG THE SENIORS FALL TOO.
BECAUSE SOMETIMES THAT CAN BE A VERY LIKE, COMMON THING WHERE SOME PEOPLE ARE SCARED OF AI, BUT WE TRY TO JUST KIND LET PEOPLE KNOW THAT IT'S MORE OF A TOOL.
AND IT'S FUNNY YOU MENTIONED THAT.
UM, I ACTUALLY USED WORK FOR THE AGING AND DISABILITIES DEPARTMENT AND I USED TO IPAD CLASSES.
SO I WOULD TO TEACH THEM ALL DIFFERENT PARTS OF IPAD, TEACH HOW TO TURN IT ON AND OFF THE HOME BUTTON, THE VOLUME, LIKE WHERE THEY PUT IN LIKE THEIR HEADPHONES, JACK, LIKE, EVERYTHING LIKE THAT.
SO I HAD TO MOVE FROM EVERYTHING AND THEN JUST CUT EVERYTHING, JUST EVERYTHING.
SO WE DO TRY TO, YOU KNOW, KEEP OUR WORDS, OUR VERBIAGE AND NOT SO TECHY.
LIKE NOT, SO WE, WE ALSO DO PROVIDE, UM, DEFINITIONS OF EVERYTHING THAT WE'RE SENDING PLACE.
DID YOU HAVE A QUESTION? OH, NO, I, I I LOVE THAT THE SENIORS DON'T EVEN KNOW WHAT A MOUSE IS.
I'M, I'M EXTREMELY GOOD WITH COMPUTERS, BUT I NEED ONE.
SO LIKE I WOULDN'T NEED YOUR CLASS, BUT I NEED THE LAPTOP.
WELL AGAIN, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR COMING TODAY.
WE APPRECIATE YOUR PRESENTATION.
UM, NOW MAY I HAVE A MOTION TO RECEIVE AND FILE THE PRESENTATION FROM THE DELETE AND DELETE THE DIVIDE? SO MOVED.
CAN WE HAVE A VOTE ON APPROVING, RECEIVING AND FILING THE PRESENTATION FROM DELETE AND DIVIDE? ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE.
ANYONE OPPOSED? AND ANYONE ABSTAINING, THAT MOTION CARRIES.
AND NOW IT LOOKS LIKE WE ARE LOOKING AT THE SPEAKER LIST FOR 2025 TO SEE IF THERE'S ANY QUESTIONS AND THEN WE WILL HAVE A MOTION TO RECEIVE AND FILE THAT.
IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION ON THAT? DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? WE DISCUSSED THIS LAST MEETING.
THIS WAS, YOU HAD A GOOD ONE TODAY.
DO YOU HAVE SOMEBODY FOR NEXT MONTH FOR US? I DO INDEED.
IN CHARGE OF BOTH, YOU KNOW RICH? ANYBODY KNOW RICH? ALL RIGHT.
ANY CASE? HE'S A LONG, LONG TIME RESIDENT
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OF LONG BEACH AND UM, HE'S BEEN THE EXECUTIVE EDITOR OF THE PRESS TELEGRAM NEWSPAPER FOR THINGS.AND, UM, HE'S STILL A COMMUNITY REPRESENTATIVE FOR THE PRESS TELEGRAM AND WRITES A COLUMN FOR THE PRESS TELEGRAM.
HE'S GONNA ADDRESS SENIOR ISSUES AS ONLY RICH CAN DO, UM, AT OUR NEXT MEETING.
IRENE, DID YOU REACH OUT TO HIM? I HAVE.
SO MICHELLE, WHAT WE'RE GONNA DO IS JUST LOOK AT IT AND WE'RE JUST GONNA VOTE ON IT.
SO YEAH, CAN I HAVE A MOTION TO RECEIVE AND FILE THE SPEAKER LIST? SO MOVED.
IS THERE A SECOND? I'LL SECOND.
ALL IN FAVOR OF RECEIVING AND FILING THE SPEAKER LIST? AYE.
ANYONE OPPOSED? ANYONE? UPSTANDING.
NOW IT'S TIME FOR PUBLIC COMMENT WHERE THE PUBLIC HAS THE OPPORTUNITY TO ADDRESS THE ADVISORY COMMISSION ON AGING ON NON AGENDA ITEMS. EACH SPEAKER IS LIMITED TO THREE MINUTES.
WOULD ANYONE LIKE TO COMMENT? GO AHEAD.
OKAY, SO THIS IS MY FIRST MEETING AND I DUNNO, BANK BE REPETITIVE TO YOU.
I'M SORRY, BUT I, AND I CAN TELL YOU THE SENIOR CENTER SUCKS COMPARED TO WHAT LONG BEACH HAS TALKED SENIORS AT THE SENIOR CENTER.
SO I REALIZED THAT, BUT I FEEL AFTER A COUPLE YEARS OF GOING, ESPECIALLY TO FOURTH AND ORANGE, BUT ALSO ATTENDING AT MOUNTAIN PARK RECENTLY HERE AND SO AND SO FORTH, THAT THE SENIOR CENTERS NEED SOCIAL SERVICES AND ADVOCACY MUCH MORE THAN ENTERTAINMENT AND INFORMATION BECAUSE I THINK THAT MOST OF THE PEOPLE WHO ARE VOTING THERE ARE LOW INCOME.
AND I PERSONALLY KNOW AT LEAST A DOZEN PEOPLE WHO ARE OVER HOMELESS, NEAR HOMELESS, LIVING WITHOUT PEOPLE COOKING OR IN SOME WAY VERY COMPROMISED WHO SEE THE SENIOR CENTER AS SHELTER.
UM, WE HAVE PEOPLE THERE FAIR WHO BECOME INCOMPETENT, WHO URINATE ON THE CHAIRS.
UM, WE HAVE RUMORS OF SCAMS PERPETRATING RECENTLY THE, UH, WOMAN WHO HEADS UP PANTHERS ANNOUNCED THAT SCAMS PERPETRATED WITHIN THE LUNCH.
UM, WE ALSO HAVE PEOPLE WHO ARE SEXUAL S AND I THINK SOME OF THE EMPLOYEE THERE, FRANKLY, WE TRAIN BADLY TO DEAL WITH THE FOUR GENERATIONS OVER 50 YEARS OLD.
YOU KNOW, IT'S NOT JUST A MATTER OF ENTERTAINING OR PROVIDING AN EXERCISE CLASS, YOU KNOW, IT'S, IT'S THAT AN INDIVIDUAL WHO'S BEEN GOING THERE FOR A LONG TIME IS NOW AND NOT BECAUSE HE DOESN'T REMEMBER.
UM, THE OTHER OTHER THING I WOULD LIKE TO SAY IS THAT I FEEL NEGLECTED.
IT WAS ON JANUARY 27TH AND THERE WAS NOT ONE MENTION, NOT EVEN ON THE BILLBOARD WHERE ITS INTERNATIONAL POPCORN MADE.
WOULD ANYONE ELSE HAVE ANY COMMENT? GO AHEAD.
UH, MY NAME IS TREY AND UM, I WORK FOR WO HEALTH, WHICH IS AN AMAZING HEALTHCARE CHANGING LIVES.
BUT I'M SPREAD THE WORD ABOUT THIS PROGRAM AND WHAT THAT ALLOWS ME TO DO IS I'M IN THE HOOD, THE TRENCHES EVERY DAY TALKING TO THE ONE SENIORS WHO THEY DON'T HAVE A VOICE.
I KNOW WHAT THEY, UM, AS FAR AS PROGRAMS, UM, PRESENTED.
UH, AND THEY DON'T, THEY DUNNO ABOUT ANYTHING EITHER.
AND I'M HERE TO BE THEIR ADVOCATE.
THEY, ASIDE FROM HEALTH, NOT INSECURITY, I'M TELLING THEM, HEY YOU, I'M TALKING TO THESE DIRECTORS OF THESE NONPROFITS REALLY JUST TRYING TO BE A HERO IN THE CITY.
MY LITTLE GIRL WAS TWO YEARS OLD, SHE
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LIVES HERE.SO I'M DOING EVERYTHING I CAN TO BE HELP TO SENIOR COMMISSION WORK AS WELL.
SO I INTRODUCE MYSELF, EVERYBODY HERE KNOW THAT I'M HERE TO HELP.
WHEREIN I HEAR PEOPLE I HEAR, I KNOW WHAT THEY'RE SAYING.
SO I CAN BE A VERY GOOD RESOURCE TO GET UNDER OUR, SO THANK YOU.
ARE THERE ANY OTHER PUBLIC COMMENT TODAY? OKAY, UH, WELL I THINK IT NOW IS TIME FOR ANNOUNCEMENTS.
DO ANY OF OUR COMMISSIONERS HAVE ANY ANNOUNCEMENTS? I HAVE A FEW.
UH, ONE OF WHICH IS, UH, NOT AS MANY OF YOU KNOW, ONE OF OUR COMMISSIONERS PASSED AWAY ON SATURDAY MORNING AND UH, HE WAS ON THE COM AD HOC COMMITTEE WORKING TO GET A SENIOR SAFE HOUSE BECAUSE DOMESTIC VIOLENCE IS QUITE, UH, PREVALENT AMONG SENIOR.
AND WE'VE BEEN WORKING FOR ABOUT TWO OR THREE YEARS ON THAT.
UM, SO I CALLED THE COUNTY, UH, BECAUSE WE'VE BEEN WORKING WITH NATE HOLDEN AND, UH, JANIS ON'S OFFICE AND THEY WERE GOING TO TRY TO GET, UH, ONE OF THE MEETINGS AT THE SCENE, UM, ONE OF THE MEETINGS ENDING IN HIS NAME AND IN HONOR.
AND I'D ALSO LIKE TO SAY THAT WHEN AND IF WE EVER GET THAT HOUSE KILLED, I THINK WE MIGHT WANNA CALL IT ALAN'S HOUSE.
AND I THOUGHT THAT WOULD BE A NICE TRIBUTE.
SO THAT'S ONE OF MY ANNOUNCEMENTS.
ANOTHER ONE OF MY ANNOUNCEMENTS IS, UH, THAT, UM, WE NEED TO FORM AN AD HOC COMMITTEE BECAUSE I THINK BEING ON THIS COMMISSION, I DON'T KNOW, I DON'T KNOW ALL THE, UM, SERVICES AVAILABLE TO SEE IT.
UH, A SAFETY NET FOR LOW INCOME.
I JUST DON'T KNOW WHAT THEY ARE.
AND UNFORTUNATELY I HAD TO READ AN ARTICLE IN THE GRON TO LET ME KNOW THAT THERE'S A, A HEALTH THING THAT'S VIRTUAL 24 7 THAT SENIORS CAN GO ON AND GET MEDICAL CARE OR MEDICAL ADVICE.
WELL, WHO KNEW? SO I THINK IT MIGHT BE BEHOOVE ME AND SOME OF THE MEMBERS HERE TO FORM AN AD HOC COMMITTEE TO WORK AND SEE WHAT IS THAT SAFETY NET AVAILABLE IN LONG BEACH AND SURROUNDING COMMUNITIES IS A GUARANTEE INCOME IS, YOU KNOW, WHAT, WHAT'S OUT THERE.
SO THAT'S SOMETHING THAT IF YOU WANT TO DISCUSS THAT FURTHER, UM, WE COULD PUT IT, YOU CAN EMAIL IRENE TO PUT IT ON OUR NEXT AGENDA.
AND THEN WE COULD FURTHER, UH, DISCUSS IT THE NEXT, UH, NORMA DID THAT.
AND THEN THE THIRD THING IS JUST, UH, I HAD NO IDEA HOW MANY COMMISSIONS THERE WERE.
I MEAN, IT KIND OF OVERWHELMED ME.
SOMEBODY GAVE ME THIS LIST AND I THOUGHT IF I GAVE IT TO UH, IRENE, SHE MIGHT MAKE A COPY FOR ALL OF YOU BECAUSE I WAS JUST KIND OF A LITTLE OVERWHELMED THAT WE WERE QUITE THAT BUREAUCRATIC.
BUT I GUESS THAT'S LIFE FROM THE BIG CITY
SO EMAIL ALL THE COMMISSIONERS.
DO ANY OTHER COMMISSIONERS HAVE ANY ANNOUNCEMENTS? UM, I GUESS I DO, I JUST WANT TO LET EVERYONE KNOW THAT I ATTENDED ONE OF SIX BUDGET MEETINGS TO GIVE THOUGHTS AND PRIORITIES FOR OUR FISCAL YEAR 26 BUDGET.
UM, WAS ANYBODY ELSE ABLE TO ATTEND ONE OF THOSE SIX BUDGET MEETINGS? OKAY, WELL, UH, IT LOOKS LIKE $3.6 BILLION OF LONG BEACH'S BUDGET IS LOCKED UP IN MANDATORY SPENDING, BUT THERE IS 700 MILLION OF FLEXIBLE SPENDING.
SO THAT'S WHAT WE GAVE OUR OPINIONS ON IN DIFFERENT CATEGORIES SUCH AS EDUCATION, ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITIES, HOUSING AND HOMELESSNESS, DIGITALLY EQUALITY, UM, AND SO FORTH.
SO THE BUDGET GOES THROUGH VARIOUS PROCESSES BEFORE IT'S BEING FINALIZED.
WE JUST COMPLETED THE FIRST STEP, WHICH WAS THE INTERNAL PREPARATION AND THE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT WITH THESE SIX MEETINGS.
IT'S THEN GIVEN TO COUNCIL FOR THEIR PRIORITIES AND THEN THE CITY MANAGER TURNS THE BUDGET INTO THE MAYOR.
AND THEN THERE'S MORE PUBLIC HEARINGS THAT WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO ATTEND IN AUGUST TO FIND OUT WHERE WE'RE AT AND TO, AGAIN, TO PUT IN OUR RECOMMENDATIONS.
AND THEN FINALLY, THE PROPOSED BUDGET AND MAYOR'S RECOMMENDATIONS OCCUR AND THE BUDGET GETS APPROVED LIKE IN SEPTEMBER TO GO INTO EFFECT IN OCTOBER.
[00:45:01]
I JUST WANTED TO LET YOU KNOW I WENT TO ONE THOSE MEETINGS.ARE THERE ANY OTHER ANNOUNCEMENTS? THIS IS THE CONTACT THE CITY.
WE HAD AN OPINION ON THE BUDGET.
WHO WOULD WE CONTACT? THE UM, CITY OF LONG BEACH? JUST THE CITY.
YOU COULD LET YOUR COUNCIL PERSON KNOW.
THERE WAS A SURVEY AS WELL THAT WAS, UH, TO PUT, OKAY, I DO HAVE IT IN HOUSE.
I WASN'T GONNA DO IT, BUT THEY'VE INSPIRED ME WITH MY BUSINESS.
SO I'M GONNA BORE YOU FOR A MINUTE WITH, WITH OUR NEW BUSINESS.
UH, IT'S CALLED OPERATION CHRISTMAS CAN.
AND SO OUR GROUP OF VETERANS WE HARVEST, BASICALLY YOU, YOU JUST SNAGGED THE DISCARDED CHRISTMAS TREES OFF OF THE CURBS AND WE COLLECT THEM AS MANY AS WE COULD POSSIBLY PROCESS.
WE CUT UP ALL THE BRANCHES AND THEN WE STORE 'EM BASICALLY UNTIL THE SUMMER THE, THEY'RE CALLED SHAFTS, WHICH WILL ULTIMATELY BECOME CHRISTMAS CANES.
SO WE TAILOR THEM DOWN, THEY'RE BEAUTIFUL PIECES OF WOOD.
AND THEN NEXT CHRISTMAS, WE'LL TAKE OUR WHOLE HARVEST FROM THIS YEAR AFTER HAVING CRAFTED THESE CHRISTMAS STICKS INTO CANES AND WE'LL DONATE THESE, UH, THESE CHRISTMAS CANES TO VETERANS.
WE HAVE AN ASSOCIATION WITH THE US VETS OVER AT THE VILLAGES OF CABR.
I DUNNO IF YOU KNOW, NOT THE VILLAGES, BUT ANY WHO.
UM, AND WE'LL DONATE THE CHRISTMAS CANES NEXT CHRISTMAS TO CANE CARRYING VETERANS.
SO THAT'S THE NAME OF OUR, THE OPERATION CHRISTMAS CANE
SO, UH, I'LL, I'LL KEEP YOU POSTED TO SEE BECAUSE WE'RE WORKING ON THE, UH, THE 13 RECIPIENTS.
SO, UH, SO WE'RE WORKING ON THE RECIPIENTS WITH THE US VETS RIGHT NOW.
I'LL KEEP YOU POSTED NEXT CHRISTMAS TO MAKE SURE THAT IT ALL WENT AS, AS AS PROPOSED AND AS, AS WE SUPPOSED IT SHOULD AND MAKE SURE THOSE CAME CARRYING VETERANS.
'CAUSE THEIR, THEIR NAME AND THEIR RANK AT A TS ARE WHEN THEY TERMINATED SERVICE WITH THE MILITARY.
UM, AND THEIR BRANCH OF SERVICE IS INSCRIBED ON THIS CANE.
SO THEY'RE, THEY'RE PIECES OF ART AS MUCH AS THEY ARE FUNCTIONAL CANES.
SO I JUST, JUST WANT THAT LITTLE ANNOUNCEMENT TO BE OUT THERE.
I'LL KEEP YOU POSTED NEXT CHRISTMAS.
WELL MAYBE WE'LL BRING IN A, A VETERAN OR TWO WITH THEIR NEW CANES.
MR. HINES, DO YOU HAVE AN ANNOUNCEMENT? I JUST HAVE A QUESTION THOUGH.
UM, I KNOW WE WERE DOING, UM, VOLUNTEER INCOME TAX PREPARATION AT THE SENIOR CENTER.
WHERE DO YOU GO TO SIGN UP FOR AN APPOINTMENT? I DON'T REMEMBER US.
IT MIGHT HAVE BEEN YOU GO TO ROOM, UM, 1 0 7.
THAT'S OUR REFERENCE REFERRAL.
SO YOU WOULD GO IN THERE AND SET UP? WE DO THEM AND I HAVE THIS LETTER, WE DO THEM ON THURSDAYS AND FRIDAYS FROM NINE TO 12.
SO WE HAVE TO SIGN UP FOR APPOINTMENT, UM, TO GET THEM DONE.
AND I REMEMBER YOU SAYING SERVICES ALSO AT PARK.
WE DO IT ON WEDNESDAYS THAT WE HAVE TO SIGN UP THERE AS WELL.
SO, AND I REMEMBER YOU SAID THAT THEY ARE GOING TO DO SCHEDULE C FOR PEOPLE WHO HAVE BUSINESSES.
YEAH, THAT'S WHAT THEY SAID LAST TIME.
SO WILL IT, WILL IT MATTER, UM, WHICH LOCATION YOU GO TO? NO, BECAUSE THEY'RE BOTH, THEY'RE ALL BOTH TON PARK AND FOURTH STREET SENIOR CENTER, UM, SPONSORED BY A A RP.
SO THEY'RE ALL, UM, THE SAME ORGANIZATIONS AT DO SO IT WOULDN'T MATTER, UM, THAT YOU, WHEN ASKED THAT QUESTION LAST MONTH, IT WAS A COMBINATION OF THE SUPERVISOR OVER THERE AND THE SENIOR CENTER.
SO WE KIND OF GOT THE ANSWER FROM BOTH SITES.
SO YEAH, IT WOULD BE THE SAME.
UM, OKAY, WELL LET'S GO AHEAD AND CALL FOR ADJOURNMENT.
UH, ALL IN FAVOR OF, UH, HAVING ADJOURNING TO THE MEETING, BUT BE, BE OKAY.
I, BUT BEFORE WE ADJOURN TODAY, I'D LIKE TO END THIS MEETING WITH A MOMENT OF SILENCE IN HONOR OF OUR COMMISSIONER GOLDSTEIN, WHO IS NO LONGER WITH US.
WE THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING HERE AND WE ADJOURN THIS MEETING AT 11:21 AM.