[00:00:01]
[00:10:56]
I[00:10:56]
GOT HIM ONE FOR CHRISTMAS.JUST THOSE TALKING OVER THERE.
UH, PLEASE TAKE A SEAT AND WE'LL GET THINGS STARTED.
UM, I'M COUNCILMAN DARRELL AUGH AND I WILL BE CHAIRING TONIGHT'S MEETING.
UM, THEN THAT MEETING IS OF THE CITY COUNCIL, TUESDAY, APRIL 8TH, 2025.
[CALL TO ORDER]
UH, MADAM CLERK, MAY WE HAVE A ROLL CALL, PLEASE? COUNCILWOMAN ZENDEJAS.[ROLL CALL]
COUNCILMAN SUBINA? HERE.UM, SO THE FIRST ORDER OF BUSINESS, UM, AS I SAID, I'M, I'M CHAIRING TONIGHT'S MEETING, UH, BOTH THE MAYOR AND THE VICE MAYOR ON, ON IMPORTANT BUSINESS, AND IT MUST BE VERY IMPORTANT IF THEY ALLOWED ME TO CHAIR.
UM, BUT, UH, AND FOR THE PROCEEDINGS TONIGHT, UH, YOU CAN REFER TO ME AS CHAIR OF SUPER NA, UH, BUT I GUARANTEE YOU YOU'LL HEAR, UM, UH, OTHER TERMS USED, BUT, UH, WE WON'T HOLD YOU TO THAT.
BUT, UH, I'LL BE ACTING MAYOR OR ACTING VICE MAYOR, OR YOU MAY CALL ME YOUR LORDSHIP.
SO WE'LL MOVE, UH, DIRECTLY TO THE, UH, AGENDA.
WE'RE GONNA GO IN THE ORDER OF THE AGENDA.
I THOUGHT I'D TRY SOMETHING NEW TONIGHT.
UM, SO THE FIRST ORDER OF BUSINESS IS A CONSENT CALENDAR.
UM, MADAM CLERK, ARE WE READY FOR THAT? DID WE WANNA DO THE ROLL CALL OR I'M, I'M SORRY.
SO WE HAVE A, THAT IS NOT ON OUR, UH, ORDER HERE.
SO WE'LL GO TO THE, UH, PLEDGE, UH, ALLEGIANCE.
UH, COUNCILWOMAN RICK OTI WILL, UH,
[PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE]
LEAD US IN THE MOMENT OF SILENCE.UH, WAS IT LORD MY LORDSHIP? YEAH, THAT WORKS.
UM,
I THINK ANY OF THESE WOULD WORK.
UM, BUT ALL SERIOUSNESS, I THINK YOU ALL KNOW THAT, UM, OUR COUNTRY IS GOING THROUGH A LOT OF CHANGES IN TURMOIL.
UM, AND THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT ARE HAVING A DIFFICULT TIME, UM, DEALING WITH WHAT IS WHAT IS BEFORE US, UM, NO MATTER WHERE YOUR, WHERE, WHEREVER YOUR POLITICAL LEANINGS ARE.
UH, AND SO I WOULD JUST LIKE TO HA HAVE A MOMENT OF SILENCE, THINKING ABOUT THOSE THAT ARE AROUND US, RIGHT? MAKING SURE THAT PEOPLE, WISHING PEOPLE WELL, UM, AND MAKING SURE THAT, AND WISHING THAT ALL IN OUR COMMUNITY ARE WELL TAKEN CARE OF.
AND WITH THAT, UM, FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO ARE ABLE, PLEASE RISE AND WE'LL DO THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE.
UH, COUNCILWOMAN, UH, WE'RE GONNA GO RIGHT TO THE CONSENT CALENDAR.
THERE ARE 17 ITEMS ON CONSENT, BUT WE VOTE ON 'EM ALL AT ONE TIME.
UH, SO WE'RE GETTING THAT ITEM.
[CONSENT CALENDAR (1. – 17.)]
UH, THERE WE GO.WE HAVE A MOTION BY COUNCILMAN KERR, A SECOND BY SULI SORROW.
UH, DO WE HAVE ANY PUBLIC COMMENT ON CONSENT? THERE IS NO PUBLIC COMMENT ON CONSENT.
[00:15:01]
YOUR VOTE.WE HAVE THREE PRESENTATIONS TONIGHT, AND SO WE'LL GET, UH, INTO THOSE RIGHT NOW.
THE FIRST WE HAVE, UM, TOM MOCA, OUR CITY MANAGER, WHO'S GONNA DO A PRESENTATION ON EMPLOYEE OF THE MONTH.
[ EMPLOYEE OF THE MONTH]
ALL RIGHT, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.SO, UH, I GET TO, UH, THE HONOR OF DOING THIS EVERY QUARTER IS TO COME AND, UH, HIGHLIGHT THE AMAZING WORK OF OUR CITY EMPLOYEES.
SO WE'VE STARTED OUR, UH, EMPLOYEE OF THE MONTH PROGRAM SEVERAL YEARS AGO, AND IT'S BECOME MORE AND MORE POPULAR.
UH, TODAY WE'RE COVERING MARCH, UH, I'M SORRY, FEBRUARY, MARCH AND APRIL, 2025.
SO, UH, OUR FIRST ATTENDEE IS ACTUALLY NOT ABLE TO BE WITH US TODAY, BUT IT'S GABBY JOHNSON, ACCOUNTING CLERK OF IN THE FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT DEPARTMENT.
SO, GABBY IS AN ACCOUNTING CLERK WHO WORKS IN THE ADMINISTRATION DIVISION OF FLEET SERVICES.
GABBY PROCESSES HUNDREDS OF INVOICES A YEAR MANAGING INVOICE PROCESSING FOR WHAT IS THE LARGEST DIVISION AT FLEET MAINTENANCE.
GABBY HAS GONE ABOVE AND BEYOND IN CREATING A CUSTOM TRACKING SHEET THAT LISTS, THERE WE GO.
THAT LISTS, UM, WHEN FLEET SERVICES RECEIVES INVOICES WHEN DELIVERED TO STAFF AND WHEN RETURNED.
HER PROCESS WAS SO THOROUGH AND HELPFUL THAT OTHER DIVISIONS IN FLEET ARE IMPLEMENTING A SIMILAR MODEL INTO THEIR OPERATIONS.
GABBY'S ON THE FRONT LINES OF VENDOR ACCOUNT RECONCILIATION, WHICH REQUIRES A KEEN EYE FOR DETAIL.
SHE METICULOUSLY CHECKS IF ANY INVOICES ARE DUPLICATES OR HAVE ALREADY BEEN PAID.
SHE MASTERFULLY AND SKILLFULLY FOLLOWS UP WITH VENDORS AND FLEET STAFF TO ENSURE THAT THE LARGEST DIVISION IN FLEET HAS GREAT STANDING WITH OUR VENDORS.
SHE INPUTS AND MANAGES HUNDREDS OF UNI TRANSACTIONS, INCLUDING REQUISITIONS, PURCHASE CHANGE ORDER ORDERS, UM, UH, CONTRACT ENTRIES AND CONTRACT CHANGE ORDERS.
GABBY IS AN ALL AROUND EXEMPLARY EMPLOYEE AT FLEET SERVICES.
SO, UH, UH, GIVE IT UP FOR GABBY.
NEXT UP FOR THE CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE FOR FEBRUARY IS CHE CHEBA.
GOCHE IS AN ADMIN ANALYST THREE IN OUR OFFICE, UH, UM, AND SHE'S THE FEBRUARY 20, 25 EMPLOYEE OF THE MONTH.
IN HER ROLE, GOCHI IS RESPONSIBLE FOR SUPPORTING ALL OF THE DEPARTMENT'S PROGRAMS IN BUDGETING, FINANCIAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE OPERATIONS.
AND SHE SERVES AS ONE OF THE DEPARTMENT'S EQUITY CHAMPIONS, UH, CONTRIBUTING IN A MYRIAD AREAS ACROSS THE DEPARTMENT, INCLUDING MANAGING ARTS AND CULTURE FUNDING, CIVIC CENTER COORDINATION, AND CITY COUNCIL SUPPORT.
GOCHE STARTED HER PROFESSIONAL JOURNEY IN THE CITY AS AN ADMIN INTERN IN PUBLIC WORKS IN 2019, ASSISTING THE CIVIC CENTER TRANSITION TEAM.
SHE LATER BECAME ADMIN ANALYST, NON-CAREER IN PUBLIC WORKS, SUPPORTING THE OVERSIGHT AND MANAGEMENT OF CITY HALL AND CIVIC CENTER PLAZA BEFORE BECOMING THE ADMIN ANALYST THREE IN THE CITY MANAGER DEPARTMENT IN 2000, UH, 22.
AND ALL OF THESE ROLES, GOCHE IS CONSTANTLY DEMONSTRATED A CAN-DO WILLINGNESS, UH, CAN-DO ATTITUDE, WILLINGNESS TO LEARN NEW SKILLS, AND TAKE ON NEW CHALLENGES, AND THE INITIATIVE TO TRAIN AND SUPPORT OTHER MEMBERS OF HER TEAM.
GOCHE IS AN INVALUABLE MEMBER OF OUR CITY MANAGER TEAM AND IS THE EMBODIMENT OF THE PHRASE, NO JOB TOO BIG, NO JOB TOO SMALL.
UH, SHE ALSO IS INTRICATELY INVOLVED IN EVERYTHING IN CITY HALL.
EVERYTHING FROM, UH, YOU KNOW, THE, THE DESIGN TO THE MOVE IN.
AND SHE, UH, MONITORS OUR CONTRACTS WITH CITY HALL, MAKING SURE THAT THIS, UH, STAYS IN AMAZING FACILITY.
UH, ALSO UN UH, UNABLE TO BE HERE TONIGHT, UNFORTUNATELY, IS KIMBERLY RILEY, COMMUNICATIONS CENTER SUPERVISOR IN THE DISASTER PREPAREDNESS AND EMERGENCY COMMUNICATIONS DEPARTMENT.
UH, SO, UH, WE ARE PROUD TO NAME HER OUR EMPLOYEE OF THE MONTH FOR MARCH, 2025.
KIM HAS WORKED IN THE CITY'S 9 1 1 EMERGENCY COMMUNICATIONS CENTER FOR OVER 21 YEARS AND HAS SERVED AS A COMMS CENTER SUPERVISOR IN THE POLICE COMMUNICATION CENTER FOR THE PAST THREE YEARS.
IN HER ROLE AS COMMUNICATION CENTER SUPERVISOR, KIM SUPERVISES AN AVERAGE, AN AVERAGE OF TEN NINE ONE ONE DISPATCHERS PER SHIFT.
UH, SHE'S CROSS-TRAINED, UH, A CONSOLIDATED DISPATCHER, UH, WHICH MEANS THAT SHE IS PROFICIENT IN BOTH POLICE CALL TAKING AND DISPATCHING PROTOCOLS, AS WELL AS FIRE EMERGENCY MEDICAL CALLS FOR SERVICE.
KIM IS A MEMBER OF THE DEPARTMENT'S WELLNESS PROGRAM AND SERVES AS A PEER SUPPORT COUNSELOR PROVIDING ASSISTANCE TO FELLOW DISPATCHERS AFTER HANDLING ESPECIALLY TRAUMATIC CALLS FOR SERVICE.
SHE'S ALSO A MEMBER OF THE DEPARTMENT'S TACTICAL DISPATCH TEAM, RESPONSIBLE FOR DEPLOYING TO SWAT CALL OUTS AND SPECIAL EVENTS.
[00:20:01]
IS WELL RESPECTED AMONGST HER PEERS, DEMONSTRATES EXEMPLARY SUPERVISORY AND LEADERSHIP SKILLS, AND ROUTINELY RECOGNIZES HER TEAM FOR EXCELLENT SERVICE.NEXT UP FROM OUR CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE IS LITIGATION ASSISTANT VIOLA SALINAS.
SO I GOTTA ASK VIOLETA OR VIOLETA.
I WANNA MAKE SURE I GET IT RIGHT.
VIOLETA STARTED WITH THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE IN JANUARY, 2021 AS A LEGAL ASSISTANT, THREE ASSIGNED AS A LITIGATION ASSISTANT.
SHE WAS PROMOTED TO LEGAL ASSISTANT FOUR IN DECEMBER, 2024, AND NOW SERVES AS THE LEAD FOR FOUR OTHER LITIGATION ASSISTANTS AND LEGAL RECORDS ASSISTANT.
AS A LITIGATION ASSISTANT, VIOLETTA PROVIDES SECRETARIAL SUPPORT TO THREE DEPUTY CITY ATTORNEYS, BUT HER FOCUS IS ON WRONGFUL DEATH AND SERIOUS PERSONAL INJURY CASES.
VIOLETTA ROUTINELY MANAGES MORE THAN 50 LAWSUITS AT A TIME, AND SHE IS RESPONSIBLE FOR ALL CASE ACTIVITY FROM OUR OFFICE'S.
INITIAL RESPONSE TO A LAWSUIT ALL THE WAY THROUGH TRIAL AND APPEAL.
SHE EXPERTLY CALCULATES AND CALENDARS ALL DATES AND DEADLINES, HELPS KEEP DISCOVERY ON TRACK, SENDS EXPERTS, UH, ALL NECESSARY DOCUMENTS TO REVIEW, AND MAKES SURE THAT CASES AND ATTORNEYS ARE READY FOR THE COURT ROOM WHEN TRIAL BEGINS.
VIOLETTA HAS BEEN INSTRUMENTAL IN DE IN DEVELOPING LITIGATION SUPPORT CHECKLISTS AND GUIDELINES, AND HAS BEEN KEY TO TRAINING NEW AND EXISTING STAFF ON ALL OF THOSE GUIDELINES.
SHE MODELS EXCELLENCE AND A CAN-DO ATTITUDE ON A DAILY BASIS.
SHE'S CALM AND UNFLAPPABLE IN THE EYE OF THE LITIGATION STORM, AND ALL SEVEN ATTORNEYS IN THE LITIGATION DIVISION WANT HER AS THEIR ASSISTANT.
SIMPLY PUT, SHE IS THE STANDARD AND NO ONE IS MORE DESERVING FOR BEING EMPLOYEE OF THE MONTH.
YOU WANNA DITCH YOUR LANYARD? I NEED TO LOOK GOOD IN YOUR PICTURE.
NEXT UP, THE ONE, THE ONLY CRYSTAL KING PERSONNEL ASSISTANT CRYSTAL IS OUR PERSONNEL ASSISTANT IN THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT, AND, UH, SHE IS OUR EMPLOYEE OF THE MONTH FOR APRIL, 2025.
WITH MORE THAN 27 YEARS WITH THE CITY, CRYSTAL HAS SERVED IN VARIOUS ROLES ACROSS MULTIPLE DEPARTMENTS SINCE BEGINNING HER CAREER AS A COMMUNICATIONS DISPATCHER IN 1997.
THIS INCLUDES POSITIONS IN THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, HUMAN RESOURCES, AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
CRYSTAL CURRENTLY SERVES AS PERSONNEL ASSISTANT IN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENTS BUSINESS OPERATIONS BUREAU.
IN THIS CRITICAL ROLE, CRYSTAL FACILITATES PAYROLL AND EMPLOYEE BENEFIT TRANSACTIONS FOR THE DEPARTMENT'S 88 EMPLOYEES SUPPORTS RECRUITMENT AND ONBOARDING PROCESSES, HELPS TO ENSURE TIMELY COMPLIANCE WITH REQUIRED DISCLOSURES AND DISCLOSURES AND TRAINING, AND PROVIDES TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE TO LEADERSHIP RELATED TO PERSONNEL POLICIES AND PROCEDURES.
HER WORK IS CRUCIAL TO ENSURING ACCURATE AND TIMELY EMPLOYEE PAYMENTS, MAINTAINING COMPLIANCE WITH PAYROLL REGULATIONS, AND SUPPORTING HUMAN RESOURCES AND MANAGEMENT WITH PAYROLL RELATED TASKS.
ULTIMATELY CONTRIBUTING TO SMOOTH BUSINESS OPERATIONS.
BELOVED BY DEPARTMENT STAFF, CRYSTAL IS KNOWN FOR HER DISCRETION, EMPATHY, AND VIBRANT PERSONALITY.
SHE HAS EARNED THE TRUST OF HER COLLEAGUES WHEN NAVIGATING SENSITIVE EMPLOYEE BENEFIT DECISIONS AND, UM, PERSONNEL CONCERNS AND IS OFF TO RELIED ON FOR HER CANDOR AND EXPERTISE IN HER FREE TIME.
CRYSTAL IS VERY INVOLVED WITH HER FAMILY, HER CHURCH, AND THE COMMUNITY.
CRYSTAL ALSO REMINDS ME EVERY TIME I SEE HER, THAT SHE WAS THE FIRST PERSON THAT I INTERACTED WITH IN THE CITY OF LONG BEACH AND, UH, HELPED, UH, DO ALL MY PAPERWORK TO MAKE SURE I WAS BROUGHT ON AS A MANAGEMENT ASSISTANT BACK IN 2002.
AND OUR FINAL AWARD, UH, TONIGHT ALSO CANNOT BE HERE UNFORTUNATELY, IS, UH, PUJA KIM, OUR DEPUTY CITY PROSECUTOR IN THE CITY PROSECUTOR'S OFFICE.
THE CITY PROSECUTOR'S OFFICE IS PROUD TO NAME PUJA KIM AS EMPLOYEE OF THE MONTH
[00:25:01]
FOR APRIL, 2025.SHE IS THE SUPERVISING DEPUTY CITY PROSECUTOR FOR THE CITY OF LONG BEACH, AND STARTED HER CAREER AS A DEPUTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY FOR NAPA COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY'S OFFICE AND JOINED THE CITY PROSECUTOR'S OFFICE IN 2014 WITH THE REPUTATION AS A TOUGH BUT FAIR PROSECUTOR.
SHE QUICKLY BECAME AN INDISPENSABLE PART OF THE CITY PROSECUTOR TEAM IN 2022.
SHE WAS PROMOTED TO SUPERVISOR.
UH, PUJA CARES ABOUT FAIRNESS AND ACCOUNTABILITY, AND SHE GOES THE EXTRA MILE TO PROTECT, UH, VICTIMS. UH, SHE'S AN INCREDIBLE ASSET TO THE CITY OF LONG BEACH.
SAYS OUR CITY PROSECUTOR, DOUG HALBERT IN 2023, MS. KIM WAS SELECTED AS PROSECUTOR OF THE YEAR BY MOTHERS AGAINST DRUNK DRIVING, ARE MAD OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA FOR HER SIGNIFICANT CONTRIBUTIONS TOWARDS ELIMINATING IMPAIRED DRIVING AND PREVENTION WORK.
SHE ALSO TESTIFIED BEFORE THE CALIFORNIA STATE LEGISLATURE ON LEGISLATION TO PREVENT HUMAN TRAFFICKING.
SHE HAS HANDLED A WIDE RANGE OF CASES INCLUDING DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, DUI, BATTERY, VEHICULAR, MANSLAUGHTER, AND GANG RELATED CASES.
SO LET'S, UH, HEAR IT FOR PUJA.
SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH, UH, UH, MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL AND HIS LORDSHIP.
UH, WE ARE SO EXCITED TO BE ABLE TO DO THIS EVERY YEAR, BUT OUR EVERY MONTH, BUT I REALLY APPRECIATE THAT CHANCE TO, TO TALK ABOUT THE GREAT WORK AND THE THINGS THAT, UH, MAKE ALL THE POLICIES THAT YOU PASS AND, AND ASK US TO IMPLEMENT.
THEY'RE REALLY THE ONES THAT, UH, IMPLEMENT AND DO ALL THIS REALLY HARD WORK FOR US.
SO THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING US TO HIGHLIGHT THEM.
AND, UH, CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL HONOREES TONIGHT.
AND, UM, BOY, UH, IT'S AMAZING TO SEE SOMEONE HERE WHO KNEW TOM MOCA WINS.
SO THAT'S A VERY SPECIAL MOMENT FOR US ALL.
BY THE WAY, IT'S THE CITY MANAGER'S BIRTHDAY TODAY, SO, UH, WE CAN'T LET THIS NIGHT GO WITHOUT MENTIONING THAT.
OH, AND IF THE CITY ATTORNEY IS PREPARED.
UM, BEFORE WE GO TO OUR NEXT PRESENTATION, DO WE HAVE A REPORT OUT FROM CLOSED SESSION? THANK YOU.
UH, THERE IS NO REPORT FROM CLOSED SESSION.
ALL RIGHT, ONTO OUR NEXT PRESENTATION.
AND, UH, THIS IS A PRESENTATION ON ARTS CULTURE AND, UH, CREATIVITY MONTH.
AND IT, UH, WE WILL TURN IT OVER TO, UH, COUNCIL MEMBERS IN DEJAS
[ ARTS, CULTURE, AND CREATIVITY MONTH]
AND, UH, THE COUNCIL DISTRICT ONE OFFICE WILL PRESENT A RESOLUTION.UM, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THAT CHAIR.
UM, L LAST YEAR I CO-SPONSORED AN ITEM WITH COUNCIL MEMBER, UH, DR.
SORROW AND VICE MAYOR RGA, RECOGNIZING EVERY APRIL AS ART CULTURE AND CREATIVITY MONTH.
WHEN INTRODUCED, WE JOINED SEVERAL MUNICIPALITIES AND, UM, CALIFORNIA LEGISLATORS IN THIS RECOGNITION, THE PURPOSE OF THE RESOLUTION WAS TO CELEBRATE AND SHOWCASE THE CONTRIBUTIONS THE ART AND CULTURE MAKE THROUGHOUT THE COMMUNITY AND THEIR ECONOMIC IMPACT.
SOME STATISTICS THAT HIGHLIGHT THE ECONOMIC CONTRIBUTIONS OF ARTS AND CULTURE INCLUDE IN 2022, THE LA IN LA COUNTY ALONE, THE CREATIVE ECONOMIC ECONOMY GENERATED OVER 27 BILLION IN TAX REVENUES SUPPORTING NEARLY A MILLION JOBS.
IT IS ESTIMATED THAT FOR EVERY DOLLAR THAT IS INVESTED IN ARTS AND CULTURE SECTOR, THERE IS AN $8 RETURN ON THAT INVESTMENT.
IT IS CLEAR THAT THE ARTS AND CULTURE GENERATE PUBLIC REVENUE AND POSITIVE ECONOMIC ACTIVITY AS THE CHAIR OF THE ARTS CULTURE ON TOURISM COMMITTEE.
AND AS WE PREPARE FOR LA 28, THESE EFFORTS BECOME EVEN MORE IMPORTANT.
I AM PLEASED TO HOST THE ARTS COUNCIL FOR LONG BEACH TO BE RECOGNIZED ON THIS OCCASION WITH A PRESENTATION AND PROCLAMATION DOCUMENT.
WITH THAT, I WOULD LOVE TO INVITE GRISELDA EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR TO THE PODIUM.
GOOD EVENING, CHAIR
I APPRECIATE THIS INVITATION SO MUCH COUNCILMAN SIN HAS FOR PUTTING, UH, THIS ON THE AGENDA.
AND, UM, AS YOU SAID, WE'RE HERE TO CELEBRATE APRIL AS ARTS CULTURE AND CREATIVITY MONTH THROUGHOUT CALIFORNIA.
AND THIS IS WHERE OUR PARTNERS AND COLLEAGUES EVERYWHERE COME TOGETHER TO TALK ABOUT THE ROLE, UM, THAT THE ARTS HAVE IN LIFTING THE CREATIVE SECTOR, ALSO KNOWN AS THE CREATIVE ECONOMY.
AND SO, UM, I KNOW I, YOU KNOW, I WAS JOKING WITH ONE OF THE, UM, YOUR COLLEAGUES THAT WE'VE BEEN HERE A LOT LATELY, AND SO WE'VE TALKED
[00:30:01]
A LOT ABOUT THE POWER OF THE ARTS COUNCIL LOCALLY.SO I WANTED TO SHARE WITH YOU TONIGHT A BIT OF WHAT OUR ADVOCACY LOOKS LIKE IN REGARDS TO DOLLARS AND CENTS, THE CREATIVE ECONOMY, WHICH INCLUDES FILM AND TV AND MUSIC AND MUSEUMS AND THEATER AND FINE ARTS, AND SO MUCH MORE IN LA COUNTY, INCLUDING LONG BEACH.
THE OVERALL BIG UMBRELLA ECONOMIC OUTPUT IN 2022 WAS $386 BILLION.
THAT'S MORE THAN THE GDP OF 27 STATES.
SO OVER, UM, AS YOU STATED, OVER $1.2 MILLION IN OUR REGION ARE TIED TO THIS ECONOMY.
AND THESE ARE NOT JUST ART JOBS, THEY'RE ECONOMIC DRIVERS.
UM, AND DESPITE A FEW SLOW RECOVERY FROM MAJOR EVENTS THAT HAPPENED IN THE LAST THREE YEARS FROM, UH, COVID TO STRIKES, ALL THAT, UM, THE COUNTY'S, UM, FILM AND TV WORKERS EARN APPROXIMATELY 50% OF ALL THE WAGES REFLECTING THE REGION'S CONCENTRATION OF HIGH PAYING ROLES AND THE PROMINENCE OF LONG BEACH COMING IN AS MIAMI AND PARTS OF OTHER, UH, OF MEXICO, OF, UM, COLUMBIA.
I MEAN, LONG BEACH IS THE BACKDROP FOR SO MUCH FILM.
UM, SO THE MOST RECENT OTIS COLLEGE OF THE ARTS CREATIVE ECONOMY REPORT JUST CAME OUT JUST TWO WEEKS AGO.
AND THERE'S A WONDERFUL STATISTIC THAT I WOULD LIKE TO SHARE WITH YOU THIS YEAR ABOUT HIGHER EDUCATION, AND PARTICULARLY HERE IN LONG BEACH, AND HOW THEY'RE FUELING THE NATIONAL CREATIVE ECONOMY.
SO THERE IS, UM, YOU KNOW, WE IN THE ART SECTOR, UM, I'M VERY PROUD TO SAY THAT AS A PROFESSOR OF CAL STATE LONG BEACH, UM, CAL STATE LONG BEACH RANKS NUMBER TWO, THAT'S SECOND PLACE IN THE NATION AND NUMBER ONE IN CALIFORNIA FOR AWARDING THE MOST FINE ARTS DEGREES.
AND THIS IS BEHIND THE BIG MAJOR SCHOOL OF THE ART INSTITUTE OF CHICAGO.
SO OUR LOCAL UNIVERSITY, OUR STATE UNIVERSITY, IS HELPING TO DIVERSIFY AND EXPAND THE REGION'S CREATIVE WORKFORCE.
AND LONG BEACH CITY COLLEGE HAS AN ACTIVE, UM, PATHWAY IN CONNECTING FIRST GENERATION AND BIPOC STUDENTS TO PAID INTERNSHIPS AND TO FUTURE DEGREES AT LONG BEACH STATE, SUCH AS ARCHITECTURE, DIGITAL MEDIA, AND PERFORMING ARTS.
AND SO OUR LOCAL INSTITUTIONS ARE BUILDING A PIPELINE OF TALENT THAT REFLECTS OUR STRENGTH HERE.
UM, IT REFLECTS OUR COMMUNITY AND OUR GROWING INFLUENCE IN THE CREATIVE ECONOMY.
WE KNOW THIS GROWTH WILL FURTHER CEMENT THE UPCOMING LONG BEACH AMPHITHEATER PROJECT.
UM, THIS VENUE WILL BE MORE THAN A PERFORMANCE SPACE.
IT'S AN ECONOMIC ENGINE AND A PLACE WHERE THOSE JOBS IN CONSTRUCTION, PRODUCTION OPERATIONS, UH, MUSICAL TALENT MANAGEMENT CAN SUPPORT YEAR ROUND, UH, LOCAL ARTISTS AND OUR GRADUATES FROM LONG BEACH STATE.
SO DISNEY TRAFFIC AND REVENUE, UM, WILL ALSO IMPACT OUR SMALL BUSINESSES.
SO AS WE CONTINUE TO POSITION LONG BEACH AS A REGIONAL HUB FOR CULTURE, ENTERTAINMENT, AND ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY, UM, WE CELEBRATE APRIL.
THIS IS WHY THIS MONTH IS SO IMPORTANT AND THIS RECOGNITION MATTERS.
ARTS AND CULTURE, ALL ARTS, CULTURE, AND CREATIVITY MONTH GIVE US A CHANCE TO CELEBRATE OUR CREATIVE COMMUNITY, BUT ALSO RECOMMIT TO ITS GROWTH AND THE ACTIONS LIKE THESE ALIGN LONG BEACH WITH STATEWIDE EFFORTS THAT, UM, WHERE WE ADVOCATE TO INVEST IN ART AS PROSPERITY, INCLUSION, AND RECOVERY.
NEXT WEEK, THE ARTS COUNCIL FOR LONG BEACH WILL BE IN SACRAMENTO FOR ARTS ADVOCACY DAY, JOINING PEERS FROM ALL OVER THE STATE TO FIGHT FOR MORE FUNDING, MORE COMMUNITY FOCUSED PROGRAMS, AND MORE RESOURCES FOR THE WORK THAT'S HAPPENING HERE ON THE GROUND.
WE HAVE THE INSTITUTIONS, WE HAVE THE VISION AND THE NATION, UM, AND WE LEAD THE NATION IN, INTO ITS MORE CREATIVE AND INCLUSIVE FUTURE.
AND, UM, YOU HELP MAKE PEOPLE AND PROJECTS, UM, IN THE CREATIVE ECONOMY HAPPEN.
THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION.
UM, WE'LL MOVE ON TO OUR THIRD AND FINAL PRESENTATION, AND THAT IS NATIONAL LIBRARY MONTH.
REALLY QUICK, SORRY FOR THE INTERRUPTION.
WE HAVE A PROCLAMATION AND I'D LIKE TO INVITE THE COUNCIL TO TAKE A PICTURE.
SO WE WILL ALL, UH, HEAD DOWN THE FLOOR FOR
[00:35:01]
A PHOTO OP OH, GO AHEAD AND SIT IN THE CENTER.WE'LL GET BACK TO OUR THIRD AND, UH, FINAL PRESENTATION.
AND IT IS ON NATIONAL LIBRARY MONTH, AND THIS WILL BE PRESENTED BY, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER MEGAN KERR.
[ NATIONAL LIBRARY MONTH]
YES, THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR.AS SOME OF YOU MAY KNOW, APRIL IS CELEBRATED ACROSS THE COUNTRY AS NATIONAL LIBRARY MONTH, AND THIS WEEK, APRIL 6TH THROUGH 12TH IS NATIONAL LIBRARY WEEK.
THIS TIME IS DESIGNATED FOR CELEBRATION OF LOCAL LIBRARIES AND RECOGNITION OF LIBRARIANS AND LIBRARY WORKERS.
AND IT BEGAN WITH THE AMERICAN LIBRARY ASSOCIATION IN 1958.
WHETHER SCHOOL, ACADEMICS, SPECIAL OR PUBLIC, WE KNOW THAT LIBRARIES SUPPORT RESIDENTS, STUDENTS AND READERS IN A MYRIAD OF WAYS.
PERSONALLY, I HAVE A DEEP CONNECTION WITH LIFE WITH LIBRARIES.
I'M A LIFELONG LOVER OF BOOKS AND WAS LUCKY ENOUGH TO EXPERIENCE THE MAGIC AND SOLACE OF A LIBRARY, UM, AT A YOUNG AGE AND WALKING INDEPENDENTLY AFTER SCHOOL TO GO SPEND TIME IN MY LOCAL LIBRARY IN CELEBRATION OF NATIONAL LIBRARIES WEEK MONTH.
I'M HONORED NOW TO INVITE DIRECTOR KATHY DE LEON TO PROVIDE US WITH A BRIEF PRESENTATION ON ALL OF THE WONDERFUL THINGS GOING ON IN OUR LONG BEACH PUBLIC LIBRARIES.
GOOD EVENING, HONORABLE CHAIR AND COUNCIL MEMBERS.
UM, I HAVE TO TELL MY BOSS, HAPPY BIRTHDAY.
UH, I'M KATHY DEON, DIRECTOR OF LIBRARY ARTS AND CULTURE.
AND FIRST OFF, I WANNA THANK COUNCILWOMAN KERR FOR BRINGING THIS RECOGNITION FORTH AND CHAMPIONING NATIONAL LIBRARY MONTH AND PUBLIC LIBRARIES IN GENERAL.
AND REALLY THANK YOU TO ALL OF YOU ON THE COUNCIL FOR ALWAYS SUPPORTING THE WORK OF THE LIBRARY.
IT'S A HUGE COMFORT KNOWING THAT YOU ALL BELIEVE IN THE POWER AND VALUE OF PUBLIC LIBRARIES.
AND WITH THAT, WE'LL GO AHEAD AND GET STARTED.
SO, COUNCILWOMAN KERR, YOU DID TAKE ALL OF MY DIALOGUE FOR THIS SLIDE.
UM, SO YES, APRIL IS NATIONAL LIBRARY MONTH, AT LEAST THAT'S HOW WE CELEBRATE IT HERE IN LONG BEACH.
TECHNICALLY, IT'S NATIONAL LIBRARY WEEK, UM, WHICH WAS FIRST RECOGNIZED BY THE AMERICAN LIBRARY ASSOCIATION IN 1958.
AND IN PARTICULAR TODAY, APRIL 8TH IS NATIONAL LIBRARY WORKERS' DAY AT LONG BEACH PUBLIC LIBRARY.
HISTORICALLY, WE'VE EXPANDED THIS RECOGNITION TO LAST AN ENTIRE MONTH BECAUSE, WELL, WE FEEL THAT OUR COMMUNITY FEELS AND THAT WE DESERVE, UM, THAT OUR COMMUNITY FEELS, AND WE FEEL THAT WE DESERVE THAT LOVE.
SO NATIONAL LIBRARY MONTH CELEBRATES AND HIGHLIGHTS THE VALUABLE ROLE THAT LIBRARIES, LIBRARIANS, AND LIBRARY WORKERS PLAY IN TRANSFORMING LIVES AND STRENGTHENING COMMUNITIES.
PICTURED HERE, YOU'LL SEE ALMOST YOUR ENTIRE LONG BEACH PUBLIC LIBRARY STAFF AT OUR FIRST EVER HOLIDAY BRUNCH LAST DECEMBER THAT WAS HELD ON THE QUEEN MARY.
WE ARE 190 PLUS STRONG, AND MOST COULDN'T BE HERE TODAY BECAUSE WELL, WE'RE OPEN AND WE'RE SERVING THE PUBLIC AS WE SPEAK.
BUT THAT'S YOUR FOLKS, AND IF YOU SEE THEM SAY HELLO, UH OH.
SO THE FOLKS YOU SAW ON THE PREVIOUS SLIDE WORK IN OUR 12 LIBRARIES THROUGHOUT THE CITY, CHECKING BOOKS IN AND OUT, TELLING STORIES TO OUR LITTLE ONES, PROMOTING LITERACY FOR ALL AGES, TEACHING PEOPLE HOW TO USE EMAIL, HOW TO USE THEIR
[00:40:01]
OWN PHONES SOMETIMES, AND CREATING SAFE SPACES FOR THE MOST VULNERABLE SEGMENTS OF OUR POPULATION.AND FY 24 OVER 1 MILLION ITEMS, BOTH PRINT AND DIGITAL WERE CHECKED OUT.
AND OVER 80,000 ATTENDEES PARTICIPATED IN A PROGRAM OR EVENT HOSTED BY THE LIBRARY.
62% OF OUR PROGRAM PARTICIPANTS WERE YOUNG PEOPLE AGES ZERO TO 18.
NOW, MORE THAN EVER, PUBLIC LIBRARIES REPRESENT OPPORTUNITY INCLUSION AND DEMOCRACY.
WHEN WALK, WHEN ONE WALKS INTO A LIBRARY, ONE SHOULD FEEL A SENSE OF BELONGING AND OF POSSIBILITY, WHETHER IT'S LEARNING A NEW SKILL, WANTING TO READ A STORY THAT REFLECTS YOUR OWN EXPERIENCE, WANTING TO READ ABOUT THE HISTORIES AND EXPERIENCES OF OTHERS, ALL OF THOSE THINGS, YOU SHOULD FEEL LIKE YOUR LIBRARY CAN DO THAT FOR YOU.
AND MOST OF ALL, WHEN YOU GO INTO A LIBRARY, YOU SHOULD BE ABLE TO READ WHATEVER THE HECK IT IS THAT YOU WANT.
PARENTS SHOULD BE ABLE TO DECIDE FOR THEMSELVES, NOT FOR OTHERS, WHAT THEY WANT THEIR CHILDREN TO READ.
THE AMERICAN LIBRARY ASSOCIATION'S OFFICE OF INTELLECTUAL FREEDOM DOCUMENTED 821 ATTEMPTS TO CENSOR LIBRARY MATERIALS IN WHICH 2,452 UNIQUE TITLES WERE CHALLENGED.
72% OF THESE WERE INITIATED BY ORGANIZED GROUPS AND ELECTED OFFICIALS.
I AM INCREDIBLY PROUD THAT OUR CITY AND ITS LEADERS DEFEND AND HAVE CONSISTENTLY DONE SO DEFEND OTHERS', RIGHT TO READ FREELY.
SO THIS MONTH, WE INVITE YOU TO CELEBRATE LIBRARIES WITH US BY VISITING EACH OF OUR 12 LOCATIONS AND PICKING UP A NATIONAL LIBRARY MONTH PASSPORT.
AT EACH LIBRARY, YOU'LL GET A UNIQUE BUTTON THAT REPRESENTS THAT LIBRARY.
SO IF YOU LOOK UP THERE, YOU'LL SEE THERE'S 12 UNIQUE ONES, AND EACH ONE REFLECTS LIKE SOMETHING SPECIAL ABOUT THAT LIBRARY I REALLY LIKE, WELL, I LIKE ALL OF THEM, BUT I LIKE BAY SHORES.
IF YOU, IT'S THE BEACH BALL, UM,
SO AT EACH LIBRARY, YOU'LL GET A UNIQUE BUTTON THAT REPRESENTS A LIBRARY.
IF YOU HAVE TIME, TAKE A PEEK AT OUR SOCIAL.
AND FOLKS ARE ALREADY MAKING THE ROUNDS.
YOU'LL SEE WE'VE ALREADY REPOSTED SOME STORIES PEOPLE HAVE ALREADY MADE, MADE IT TO TWO OR THREE OF THE 12, UH, LIBRARIES WITH THE GOAL OF COLLECTING ALL 12 BUTTONS.
IT BECAME A THING TWO YEARS AGO.
WE HAD NO IDEA HOW POPULAR IT WOULD BECOME, BUT WE BROUGHT IT BACK FOR THIS YEAR.
SO, UM, IT IS DEFINITELY A FUN WAY TO GET AROUND THE CITY AND TO GET TO KNOW OUR LIBRARIES.
AND WITH THAT, THAT CONCLUDES MY PRESENTATION.
THANK YOU AGAIN FOR SUPPORTING YOUR PUBLIC LIBRARIES AND ALL THAT THEY STAND FOR.
AND WE, WE HAVE A PROCLAMATION FROM THE MAYOR'S OFFICE THAT WILL BE PRESENTED.
IS THERE A PROCLAMATION? YEAH, IF I COULD JUST CLOSING COMMENTS BEFORE WE DO THE PROCLAMATION AND THE PICTURE.
UM, DIRECTOR DE LEON, I JUST WANNA THANK YOU, UM, FOR POINTING OUT, UH, WHAT FOR A LOT OF US IS OBVIOUS IN TERMS OF THE WORK OF THE LIBRARY WORKERS AND HAPPY LIBRARY WORKER DAY TO THE ENTIRE TEAM.
UM, WE KNOW WE CAN'T TAKE FOR GRANTED THE WORK THAT YOU DO.
WE KNOW THAT LIBRARY FUNDING HAS BEEN CUT AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL.
WE KNOW THAT THERE HOPEFULLY ARE MINIMAL IMPACTS TO US HERE IN LONG BEACH, BUT I KNOW THAT YOU'RE WATCHING THAT CLOSELY.
BUT I WANNA THANK YOU, UM, FOR LEADING A TEAM WHO CARES DEEPLY ABOUT OUR COMMUNITY IN EVERY WAY.
UM, LIBRARY WORKERS AREN'T JUST LIBRARY WORKERS ARE NOT JUST PUTTING BOOKS ON SHELVES AND SCANNING BOOKS.
UM, THEY'RE PROVIDING CRITICAL SOCIAL SUPPORT TO FOLKS WHO NEED IT, WHETHER IT'S YOUNG FOLKS BETWEEN THE HOURS WHEN THEIR PARENTS COME HOME AND SCHOOL, UM, FOR UNHOUSED, FOLKS WHO ARE LOOKING FOR RESOURCES OR FOR SOMEONE WHO JUST NEEDS SOMEONE TO SEE AND TALK TO DURING THE DAY.
UM, SO WE ARE GRATEFUL FOR ALL THAT YOUR LIBRARY WORKERS ARE LIBRARY WORKERS DO.
SO THAT'S MY GOAL BY THE END, UM, TO SEE THAT.
BUT I WANNA THANK YOU FOR CONTINUING TO LEAD A TEAM, UM, THAT IS PROACTIVE IN THE WORK OF SUPPORTING LITERACY AND LEARNING AND INFORMATION FOR EVERYONE.
IF MY COLLEAGUES COULD JOIN US FOR THE PROCLAMATION.
[00:45:33]
OKAY.THANK YOU FOR ALL THE PRESENTATIONS THIS EVENING.
UM, BEFORE WE MOVE TO THE REGULAR AGENDA, IN ITEM NUMBER 18, WE'RE GONNA GO TO GENERAL PUBLIC COMMENT NUMBER ONE.
AND WE HAVE A TOTAL OF FIVE SPEAKERS TONIGHT.
SO WE WILL NOT BE INVOKING THE SUPERMAN RULE.
[ 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. ]
FULL THREE MINUTES TO SPEAK.UM, SO WE HAVE AN ORDER OF SPEAKING, UH, JENNIFER LISA VEST, UH, LAURA FOY, KAREN RE SIDE, UM, MARK LIMA, AND CHANDLER WEBER.
WE'RE GONNA START OFF WITH JEFF.
WHO'S OUR FIRST SPEAKER? JENNIFER.
YOU'RE UP, YOU'RE GOING FIRST.
UM, I'M HERE TO SPEAK ABOUT SPACEX AGAIN.
I AM A RESIDENT OF LONG BEACH AND A BUSINESS OWNER, AND I'M ALSO A MEMBER OF A COMMUNITY ORGANIZATION CALLED THE FEMINIST UPRISING.
AND I'M SPEAKING OUT ABOUT SPACEX BECAUSE WE FIND OURSELVES IN A REALLY CHALLENGING MOMENT RIGHT NOW AS A COUNTRY.
AND IT'S A MOMENT THAT'S REALLY CALLING UPON ALL OF US TO TAKE A STAND, TO MAKE A CHOICE, TO SPEAK OUT.
AND I THINK WE ALL HAVE OUR OWN WAY OF DOING THAT.
AND EACH OF US HAS A DIFFERENT TYPE OF POWER OR ACCESS TO POWER.
AND SO I'M HERE ASKING THAT THE COUNCIL CONSIDER HAVING A PUBLIC FORUM ABOUT SPACEX SO THAT WE CAN TALK ABOUT IT.
I'M VERY CONCERNED THAT LONG BEACH, UH, SHOULD NOT BE DOING BUSINESS WITH A NAZI.
I THINK THAT RIGHT NOW THE DECISIONS THAT WE MAKE ARE REALLY IMPORTANT.
AND WE CAN'T JUST KIND OF SIT BY QUIETLY AND SAY, OH, WELL, WE HAVE THIS CONTRACT AND WE ALREADY MADE THIS CONTRACT, AND I GUESS WE'RE STUCK WITH THIS CONTRACT.
I THINK THIS IS A TIME FOR US TO THINK CREATIVELY AND TO, UH, ASK OURSELVES WHAT CAN WE DO? HOW CAN WE PUSH BACK? HOW CAN WE STOP WHAT'S HAPPENING TO OUR COUNTRY? HOW CAN WE AS LONG BEACH STAND UP FOR WHO LONG BEACH IS A COMMUNITY THAT'S DIVERSE, THAT'S GAY FRIENDLY, THAT'S TRANS FRIENDLY, HOW CAN WE REALLY TRULY REPRESENT WHO WE ARE AS LONG BEACH? AND HOW CAN WE ACCEPT DOING BUSINESS WITH ELON MUSK, KNOWING WHAT HIS POSITION IS ON TRANS PEOPLE, GAY PEOPLE, PEOPLE OF COLOR, KNOWING THAT HE HAS BEEN VERY EXPLICIT ABOUT HIS SUPPORT FOR NEO-NAZI PROGRAMS AND GOVERNMENTS.
AND SO I'M JUST HERE ASKING THAT WE HAVE A CHANCE TO TALK ABOUT THIS IN A FUTURE AGENDA.
HI, UH, GOOD TO SEE YOU GUYS AGAIN,
UM, I ALSO AM ASKING THAT WE CANCEL THE CONTRACT WITH SPACEX.
EIGHT EMPLOYEES OF SPACEX HAVE COME FORWARD WITH SEXUAL ABUSE ALLEGATIONS AGAINST ELON MUSK.
SO WE'RE AT A TIME IN AMERICAN POLITICS WHERE OUR PRESIDENT HAS 27 WOMEN THAT HAVE COME AGAINST HIM WITH SEXUAL ABUSE ALLEGATIONS.
IT'S REALLY FRIGHTENING THAT WE'RE BEING OUR GOVERNMENT'S, UH, BEING LED BY SERIAL RAPISTS.
UM, DONALD TRUMP'S NAME WAS, UH, LISTED 67 TIMES IN THE EPSTEIN FILES.
WE REALLY LIKED THAT HASHTAG EPSTEIN DIDN'T KILL HIMSELF.
WE DON'T LIKE TO SAY THAT OUR AMERICAN GOVERNMENT CURRENTLY, THE PEOPLE IN OFFICE CURRENTLY HAVE DIRECTLY ENABLED AND FUNDED THE SEX TRAFFICKING OF MINORS.
[00:50:01]
I DON'T KNOW WHAT'S HAPPENING WITH MAKING SCHOOLS NO LONGER SAFE SPACES FOR CHILDREN.I DON'T KNOW WHAT'S HAPPENING WITH ALLOWING ICE TO TAKE KIDS FROM SCHOOLS.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT'S HAPPENING IN THOSE DETENTION CENTERS.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT'S HAPPENING IN OUR COUNTRY.
BUT WE DO KNOW THAT ELON MUSK IS INVOLVED AND IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT TO TAKE A VERY STRONG STAND AGAINST, AGAINST HIM.
AND ONE EASY WAY TO DO THAT IS WITH HIS BUSINESSES.
SO HE'S ALREADY LOST A BUNCH OF MONEY FROM TESLA.
SO CALIFORNIA IS ALREADY IN A REALLY GREAT POSITION TO JUST FOLLOW ALONG WITH TAKING A STAND AGAINST DOING BUSINESS WITH HIM.
AND I THINK THAT'S THE RIGHT THING TO DO.
I ALSO WANTED TO SAY SOMETHING REGARDING, UM, WHAT PUBLIC OFFICIALS COULD DO RIGHT NOW TO KIND OF HELP THE COMMUNITY FEEL BETTER.
WHEN I, DURING THE PANDEMIC, I LIVED IN IRELAND AND THE PRIME MINISTER EVERY TUESDAY NIGHT WOULD GET ON TV AND GIVE A LITTLE UPDATE ABOUT WHAT THE HECK WAS GOING ON.
AND I THINK THAT COULD BE A REALLY BEAUTIFUL THING FOR YOU GUYS TO CONSIDER.
ALSO, JUST AT, AT YOUR CITY COUNCIL MEETING, WHAT'S GONNA HAPPEN IF MEDI-CAL IS CANCELED? HOW IS THAT GONNA AFFECT LONG BREACH? WHAT'S GONNA HAPPEN IF MEDICARE IS CANCELED? WHAT'S GONNA HAPPEN IF SOCIAL SECURITY IS CANCELED? LIKE A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE DEPENDING ON THESE SOCIAL SERVICES FOR THEIR LIVELIHOOD, AND WE DON'T REALLY KNOW HOW TO POSITION OURSELVES RIGHT NOW.
I'VE SAID A FEW TIMES, MOST OF MY PATIENTS AT MY CLINIC ARE MEDI-CAL AND MEDICARE PATIENTS.
SO I DON'T KNOW IF I'M SUPPOSED TO BE LOOKING FOR ANOTHER JOB RIGHT NOW,
LIKE NONE OF US KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON.
I'M SURE YOU GUYS ARE TALKING ABOUT IT AND COMING UP WITH PLAN BS OR HAVE ACCESS TO THAT INFORMATION.
IT'D BE REALLY, REALLY GREAT IF THERE WAS SOME WAY TO LET THE COMMUNITY KNOW ALSO WHAT THOSE PLANS ARE.
I REALLY APPRECIATE ALL OF YOUR WORK AND YOUR SERVICE AND FOR LISTENING TO US COME EVERY SINGLE EFFING WEEK,
UH, NEXT UP IS KAREN RE SIDE, AND PLEASE QUEUE UP MARK LIMA.
I'M THE PRESIDENT OF THE LONG BEACH GREAT PANTHERS, AND I'M HERE FOR A GREAT REASON TONIGHT.
UM, TO THANK EVERYBODY THAT HELPED PARTICIPATED IN REMOVING THE PLANTER FROM IN FRONT OF THE SENIOR CENTER.
THERE HAVE BEEN NO DRUG DEALERS IN FRONT OF THE BUILDING FOR THE LAST TWO WEEKS, SO, UM, I KNOW CINDY, YOU AND YOUR STAFF, UH, WE'RE THE LEAD ON THIS.
IT'S MADE A BIG DEAL, A DIFFERENCE IN SAFETY AROUND THE FRONT OF THE BUILDING, UH, PUBLIC WORKS, WHO ACTUALLY, I THINK WERE VERY HAPPY TO TAKE IT OUT.
NOW ALL WE NEED IS SOME BEAUTIFUL PLANTING TO, UM, ENHANCE THE FRONT OF THE SENIOR CENTER.
BUT, UH, THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, THE FIRE DEPARTMENT, EVERYBODY HELPED PITCH IN AS WAS CONCERNED ABOUT THIS AND GETTING RID OF THE DRUG DEALERS.
UM, NOW I THINK THEY'VE MOVED PROBABLY TO SOME OTHER AREAS FURTHER DOWN THE STREET, BUT THEY'RE NOT BOTHERING THE SENIORS LIKE THEY WERE.
SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR CARING AND TAKING CARE OF THIS PROBLEM.
UM, MARK LIMA, AND PLEASE, IF YOU COULD, UH, CHANDLER WEBER QUEUE UP IN THE SPOT, UH, BEHIND MARK.
GOOD EVENING, CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS AND CITY MANAGER MOCA AND HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU, SIR.
HAPPY, UH, BEFORE I GET STARTED, I HAD JUST HAVE SOME INFORMATION PACKETS TO PASS OUT.
IS THERE AN OFFICER OR SOMEBODY THAT CAN, UM, RIGHT, RIGHT OF THE CLERK WILL REACH OUT TO YOU? THANK YOU.
THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME TO SPEAK AND INTRODUCE MYSELF.
I'M WITH CANON USA, I REPRESENT THE MANUFACTURER DIRECT AS PART OF A $30 BILLION GLOBAL CORPORATION.
AND OUR WESTERN US HEADQUARTERS IS BASED RIGHT HERE IN THE CITY OF LONG BEACH.
WE'RE RIGHT BY THE AIRPORT OVER THERE.
UM, OUR GOAL IS TO SERVE AND SUPPORT THE CITY OF LONG BEACH DIRECTLY, UH, IN OUR PACKETS THERE, IF YOU LOOK AT 'EM, UH, SOME OF THE PRODUCTS AND SERVICES WE OFFER ARE MULTIFUNCTION DEVICES FROM DESKTOP PRINTERS TO PRODUCTION PRINTERS, LARGE FORMAT SCANNING AND PRINTING FOR DEPARTMENTS SUCH LIKE, UH, PUBLIC WORKS AND PLANNING, UH, SCANNING SERVICES FOR DIGITALIZING RECORDS, DOCUMENT MANAGEMENT, SOFTWARE AND WORKFLOW, INCLUDING DOCUMENT SECURITY AND CHANGE MANAGEMENT SERVICES, JUST TO NAME A FEW.
UH, WE ALREADY REGISTERED IN LONG BEACH BUYS AND PLANET BIDS FOR FUTURE OPPORTUNITIES.
WE ENJOY SERVING AND SUPPORTING OUR CUSTOMERS BASED IN THE BEAUTIFUL CITY OF LONG BEACH.
AND WE HAVE MANY LOCAL GOVERNMENT
[00:55:01]
REFERENCES WHO ARE WILLING TO SHARE THEIR SUCCESSES WITH CANNON FOR YOU.SO MY CONTACT INFORMATION IS IN THE PACKETS, AND THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR TIME AND CONSIDERATION.
OUR LAST SPEAKER IS, UH, CHANDLER WEBER, AND HE LEARNED THE DRILL TO HAND IT OFF TO THE CITY CLERK.
YOUR LORDSHIP AND COUNCIL MEMBERS.
UH, MY NAME IS CHANDLER WEBER.
I'M A PUBLIC INFORMATION OFFICER WITH THE US SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION.
THE PURPOSE FOR ME BEING HERE TODAY IS WE'RE FINDING EVERYONE UNDERSTANDS WHO FEMA IS WHEN IT COMES TO DISASTERS, BUT THEY DON'T REALLY UNDERSTAND THE ROLE THAT SBA PLAYS.
SO WE MADE IT OUR MISSION TO VISIT ALL 88 INCORPORATED CITIES WITHIN LOS ANGELES COUNTY.
AND I'M HERE TO JUST KIND OF SHARE MORE ABOUT WHAT OUR PROGRAM IS.
UH, SO FIRST AND FOREMOST, THERE IS THE NORMAL SBA OFFICE LOCATED IN DOWNTOWN THAT HANDLES 5 0 4, UH, SEVEN A LOANS, THINGS OF THAT NATURE.
MY OFFICE IS ACTUALLY CALLED THE OFFICE OF DISASTER RECOVERY AND RESILIENCE.
AND IN THAT IT MEANS I ESSENTIALLY GO FROM DISASTER TO DISASTER TO DISASTER, UNFORTUNATELY, WHETHER THAT WAS BE, UM, MANMADE OR NATURAL DISASTERS.
SO I CAN TELL YOU FIRST OFF, RIGHT OFF THE BAT OF THE 2.35 BILLION THAT'S BEEN APPROVED FOR LOS ANGELES COUNTY ALONE, RIGHT ABOUT 2.07 BILLION WITH THE B BILLION HAS GONE TO HOMEOWNERS AND RENTERS.
SO EVEN THOUGH OUR NAME IS SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION, THE MAJORITY OF OUR ASSISTANCE GOES TO THE INDIVIDUAL.
AND WHAT THAT KIND OF LOOKS LIKE IS WE'RE ABLE TO OFFER LOW INTEREST LOANS.
THESE CAN GO ALL THE WAY UP TO 30 YEAR TERMS. UM, AND FOR INDIVIDUAL, IT CAN BE AS LOW AS A 2.5629999999999997% INTEREST RATE.
AND IN THAT CAN OFFER UP TO 500,000 FOR PHYSICAL DAMAGES THAT MAY HAVE HAPPENED TO YOUR PROPERTY.
IT DOESN'T JUST HAVE TO BE IF YOU, YOU KNOW, UH, SUFFERED A TOTAL STRUCTURE LOSS.
THE INCIDENT PERIOD GOES FROM JANUARY 7TH THROUGH THE 31ST.
SO IF YOU HAD WIND DAMAGE OR HAIL, OR AGAIN, IF YOU KNOW SOMEONE THAT WAS AFFECTED BY FIRE, WHICH MAY NOT BE PERTINENT TO YOUR CONSTITUENTS, BUT STILL KEEP THIS IN MIND, WE ARE ABLE TO STEP IN AND O OFTENTIMES WE ARE ABLE TO GET DISBURSEMENTS OF FUNDS QUICKER THAN INSURANCE MAY BE.
SO WHILE YOU WAIT ON INSURANCE OR GRANTS THAT YOU CAN GET STARTED WITH US AND YOU CAN TURN AROUND AND PAY US BACK TOMORROW, THERE'S NO PREPAYMENT PENALTY AS WELL ON THAT.
AND ADDITIONALLY, THERE'S A 12 MONTH, UH, DEFERMENT FOR INTEREST AND PAYMENTS AS WELL.
SO DURING THAT 12 MONTH PERIOD, SAY IF YOU TAKE FUNDS IN APRIL OF 2025, YOU DON'T START PAYING AGAIN UNTIL APRIL, 2026.
SO AGAIN, IT GETS YOU HOPEFULLY IN THE REBUILDING PROCESS A LITTLE BIT FASTER.
FOR THE BUSINESS SIDE, WE CAN OFFER UP TO $2 MILLION FOR PHYSICAL DAMAGE.
AGAIN, IF THAT'S YOUR, UM, INVENTORY, THE BUILDING ITSELF, THINGS LIKE THAT YOU LOST.
AND THEN, UM, WE ALSO OFFER ECONOMIC INJURY, DISASTER LOANS OR IDLE LOANS.
AND THAT'S AN ADDITIONAL 2 MILLION, AND THAT'S MIGHT BE A LITTLE MORE, UH, PERTINENT TO YOUR CONSTITUENTS.
THAT DEADLINE GOES ALL THE WAY UNTIL OCTOBER 8TH.
AND THE REASON FOR THAT EXTENSION IS BECAUSE AS WE MOVE INTO SUMMER MONTHS, BUSINESS PLANS ARE NOT WRITTEN WITH NATURAL DISASTERS IN MIND, OBVIOUSLY.
SO IF YOU SEE LOSS IN TOURISM DOLLARS OR, UM, PORT CLOSURES, ROAD CONSTRUCTION ISSUES THAT WERE EVEN, IT WASN'T A DIRECT EFFECT OF THE WILDFIRES IN LOS ANGELES FROM JANUARY, THAT IS STILL AN OPPORTUNITY AND ASSISTANCE THAT IS AVAILABLE FOR BUSINESSES AS WE MOVE THROUGH THE SUMMER MONTHS INTO, UM, AUGUST, SEPTEMBER, AND OCTOBER.
SO AGAIN, JUST KEEP THAT IN MIND THAT THOSE IDLE LOANS OR ECONOMIC INJURY LOANS ARE NOT JUST FOR LOS ANGELES COUNTY AS WELL.
THOSE ARE ALL THE SURROUNDING COUNTIES.
SO, UM, VENTURA ORANGE, SAN BERNARDINO, UH, KERN COUNTY, ANY SURROUNDING COUNTY IS ELIGIBLE FOR THOSE.
AND THAT IS SOMETHING TO JUST KEEP IN MIND THAT, AGAIN, IF HEAVEN FORBID, THERE IS ANOTHER DISASTER MOVING FORWARD, THAT WE ARE A RESOURCE AVAILABLE AND WE ARE ACTUALLY THE LARGEST SOURCE OF FEDERAL FUNDING.
UM, I CAN TELL YOU RIGHT NOW, SORRY, YOUR TIME'S CONCLUDED.
THAT CONCLUDES, UH, GENERAL PUBLIC COMMENT SESSION NUMBER ONE.
WE'LL NOW MOVE ON TO THE REGULAR AGENDA.
AND FIRST UP IS ITEM NUMBER 18, AND WE'LL ASK, UH, CITY CLERK MONIQUE DE LA GARZA TO READ THE ITEM COMMUNICATION FROM COUNCILMAN KERR.
COUNCIL MEMBER DUGGAN, COUNCIL MEMBER RICKS OTI RECOMMENDATION TO COLLABORATE WITH
[18. 25-54910 Recommendation to request City Manager to collaborate with Health & Human Services Department, Business Licensing, and other appropriate departments to develop a more streamlined and overarching event permitting process for established Business Improvement Districts (BIDs) and Business Improvement Associations (BIAs) and report back to the Council within 90 days. Office or Department: Megan Kerr, Councilwoman, Fifth District; Kristina Duggan, Councilmember, Third District; Joni Ricks-Oddie, Councilmember, Ninth District Suggested Action: Approve recommendation. ]
THE HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES DEPARTMENT, BUSINESS LICENSING AND OTHER APPROPRIATE DEPARTMENTS TO DEVELOP A MORE STREAMLINE, AN OVERARCHING EVENT PERMITTING PROCESS FOR ESTABLISHED BUSINESS IMPROVEMENT DISTRICTS AND BUSINESS IMPROVEMENT ASSOCIATIONS AND REPORT BACK TO THE COUNCIL WITHIN 90 DAYS.OKAY, WE HAVE A, UH, ITEM MOVED BY MEGAN KERR AND SECONDED BY CHRISTINA DUGGAN.
UM, SO WE'LL GO TO COUNCILMAN MACKER TO SPEAK.
UH, WE KNOW THAT LONG BEACH HAS LONG BEEN AN ADVOCATE FOR AND PROPONENT OF SUPPORTING LOCAL SMALL BUSINESSES AS THEY PLAY A CRUCIAL ROLE IN PROMOTING ECONOMIC GROWTH AND ENCOURAGING ACTIVE ENGAGEMENT FROM COMMUNITY LOCAL BUSINESS IMPROVEMENT ASSOCIATIONS OR BUSINESS IMPROVEMENT DISTRICTS ARE OFTEN THE DRIVING FORCE BEHIND CONNECTING SMALL BUSINESSES WITH ONE ANOTHER WITH CITY RESOURCES AND WITH THE COMMUNITIES THAT THEY SERVE.
BEING INVOLVED IN A BID CAN HELP SMALL BUSINESSES GAIN LOCAL RECOGNITION AND INVOLVEMENT, ESPECIALLY THROUGH PROMOTIONAL EVENTS AND ACTIVITIES THAT REVITALIZE LOCAL BUSINESS CORRIDORS ATTRACT FOOT TRAFFIC
[01:00:01]
AND STIMULATE ECONOMIC ACTIVITY.OFTENTIMES WE'RE FINDING THAT THESE ORGANIZATIONS FACE CHALLENGES IN OBTAINING PERMITS FOR THE EVENTS AND ACTIVITIES DESIGNED TO BENEFIT WITH THO WITH THE BENEFITS IN MIND.
AT PRESENT OF A SMALL BUSINESS, ESPECIALLY A RESTAURANT WHERE TO HOLD AN OUTDOOR EVENT, THEY WOULD TYPICALLY NEED TO APPLY FOR A SPECIAL PERMIT BY SUBMITTING AN APPLICATION TO THE CITY'S EVENTS AND SPECIAL EVENTS AND FILMING DEPARTMENT WITH DETAILS SUCH AS LOCATION, ATTENDANCE, UM, ANY SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS IF THE EVENT INVOLVES FOOD SERVICES OUTSIDE OF A REGULAR RESTAURANT OPERATIONS LIKE A BOOTH OR OUTDOOR COOKING.
THEY ALSO NEED TO COORDINATE WITH ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH BUREAU TO ENSURE, UH, COMPLIANCE WITH HEALTH AND SAFETY STANDARDS FOR FOOD HANDLING.
AND IF THE EVENT IS HAPPENING WITHIN A BID OR IF A BID ITSELF IS HOSTING AN EVENT, A BUSINESS WOULD LIKELY NEED TO COORDINATE WITH THEM AS WELL.
AND WHILE THE CITY WEBSITE HAS SPECIAL EVENT GUIDES THAT, AND WE HAVE A GREAT SPECIAL EVENTS DEPARTMENT THAT'S WORKING THEIR TAIL OFF ON THE GRAND PRIX AS WE SPEAK, UM, IT INCLUDES TIMELINES FOR APPLICATIONS AND FEES.
HOWEVER, WE KNOW MANY LOCAL BUSINESSES STRUGGLE WITH, WITH ACCESS, WITH THE TIME IT TAKES TO DO IT, AND ARE LOOKING FOR WAYS TO IMPROVE THE SYSTEM AND ITS PROCESSES.
UM, WITH THIS ITEM, WE'RE ASKING THAT THE CITY MANAGER WORK WITH THE RELEVANT DEPARTMENTS, INCLUDING SPECIAL EVENTS HEALTH, UM, TO LOOK AT POTENTIAL IMPROVEMENTS LIKE PRE-APPROVAL AND TEMPLATES, WHICH WOULD CREATE A PRE-APPROVED TEMPLATE FOR COMMON TYPES OF EVENTS WITHIN BIDS.
SO BUSINESSES ONLY NEED TO INPUT THEIR SPECIFIC DETAILS INSTEAD OF STARTING COMPLETELY FROM SCRATCH.
BID COORDINATION ENCOURAGE BIDS TO ACT AS A LIAISON, HELPING BUSINESSES WITH PAPERWORK AND ENSURING COMPLIANCE WITH CITY REGULATIONS, OTHER ONLINE APPLICATIONS AND TRACKING IF BUSINESSES WITHIN BIDS COULD ALSO TRACK THEIR PERMIT OR POTENTIALLY EVEN RECEIVE DIRECT FEEDBACK ON WHAT ADDITIONAL INFORMATION WAS NEEDED.
IT COULD REDUCE THE BACK AND FORTH INEFFICIENCIES THAT WE OFTEN FIND AND GIVE BUSINESSES A CLEAR IDEA OF TIMING AND OF AN APPLICATION STANDING.
UM, ANOTHER IDEA IS ANNUAL BLANKET PERMITTING FOR BUSINESSES AND GOOD STANDINGS WITHIN OUR BIDS.
WE HAVE SEVERAL BUSINESSES, ESPECIALLY RESTAURANTS WHO HAVE BEEN GOOD PARTNERS, WHO KNOW HOW TO DO SPECIAL EVENTS, WHO MAINTAIN THEIR HEALTH PERMITS, ALL OF THE REGULATIONS THAT THEY NEED FOR THEIR BRICK AND MORTAR BUSINESS.
BUT WE KNOW THAT WHEN THEY DO AN EVENT THAT THEY HAVE TO GET ADDITIONAL PERMITS AND THEY HAVE TO PAY ADDITIONAL FEES JUST TO OPERATE EVEN MERELY A FEW FEET OUTSIDE OF THE KITCHEN THAT IS ALREADY PERMITTED BY OUR HEALTH DEPARTMENT.
UM, SO WITH THIS ITEM, WE ARE LOOKING AT EXPLORING WAYS TO THINK DIFFERENTLY.
WE KNOW WE HAVE STATE REQUIREMENTS AROUND ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH, BUT ALSO WE KNOW THAT WE HAVE BUSINESS IMPROVEMENT DISTRICTS AND SMALL BUSINESSES THAT WOULD REALLY LIKE TO DO EVENTS MAYBE A LITTLE MORE SPONTANEOUSLY.
MAYBE A RESTAURANT IN BIXBY KNOWLES MIGHT WANNA PARTNER WITH A NEW RECORD STORE IN BIXBY, KNOW TO DO SOMETHING.
AND SO THEY DON'T HAVE THE ADVANTAGE OF LEAD TIME THE WAY SPECIAL EVENTS WOULD PREFER THAT THEY HAVE IT.
SO BY CREATING KNOWN BUSINESS ENTITIES WITHIN BIDS AND PEOPLE WHO ARE HOLDING HEALTH PERMITS, WHAT WE'RE REALLY ASKING FOR IS FOR THE TEAMS TO DIG DEEP AND TO NOT IMMEDIATELY SAY, BUT WE HAVE REGULATIONS AND REALLY LOOK AT WAYS, UM, AND MODELS FROM OTHER CITIES.
NEW YORK HAS A MODEL TO REALLY ALLOW SMALL BUSINESSES TO ENGAGE IN THE BID IN WHICH THEY PAY TO DO EVENTS IN THE AREA IN WHICH THEY'RE LOCATED, UM, IN A MORE STREAMLINED FASHION BECAUSE WE KNOW, UM, WE HAVE BIG STRONG BIDS.
WE HAVE DOWNTOWN, WE HAVE SECOND STREET, UM, WE HAVE BIXBY KNOLLS, AND WE KNOW WE HAVE EMERGING BS LIKE UPTOWN AND ZACHARIA WHO WANT TO BE ABLE TO DO SOME OF THOSE BIGGER EVENTS, BUT DON'T HAVE THE STAFFING TO HANDLE THE BACK AND FORTH WITH COMES THAT COMES WITH THAT, UM, THAT KIND OF EVENT.
SO THE IDEA OF THIS, UM, WITH THE SUPPORT OF, UM, ALL OF OUR BIDS, I DIDN'T PRINT, I'M, I'M, I'M AGAINST PRINTING THINGS JUST FOR YOU TO SEE, 'CAUSE Y'ALL HAVE THEM IN YOUR EMAIL.
I JUST SAW THEM FROM THE CITY CLERK, UM, FROM ALL OF OUR BUSINESS ASSOCIATIONS, THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, COBA, UM, TO REALLY TALK ABOUT WAYS THAT WE CAN LEAN INTO THE KNOWLEDGE OF THE BIDS AND THE BUSINESS IMPROVEMENT ASSOCIATIONS TO ASK THEM HOW WOULD WE MAKE THIS EASIER FOR THEM AND LOOK AT SOME INNOVATIVE WAYS, UH, TO CREATE COMMUNITY AND TO ALLOW, UM, OUR BUSINESSES THAT ARE ALREADY PAYING MULTIPLE FEES, ESPECIALLY RESTAURANTS, UM, TO HAVE SOME RELAXING ON THAT SO THAT THEY CAN CONTINUE TO ENGAGE IN COMMUNITY AT A TIME WHEN I THINK MORE THAN EVER, WE NEED PEOPLE TO ENGAGE IN COMMUNITY AND TO ENGAGE WITH SMALL BUSINESSES.
UM, SO I'M ASKING THAT WE CONSIDER WAYS TO IMPROVE THOSE SYSTEMS IN ESTABLISHED SMALL BUSINESS CORRIDORS IN OUR EMERGING BUSINESS CORRIDORS.
UM, AND I REQUEST THAT REPORT BACK IN 90 DAYS AND I WILL LEAVE IT THERE, UM, AND LEAVE IT TO, UH, MY COLLEAGUES TO ASK ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS AND HEAR FROM PUBLIC.
WE'LL MOVE TO THE SECONDARY OF THE MOTION.
[01:05:01]
CHRISTINA DUGGAN, THANK YOU CHAIR AND THANK YOU COUNCIL MEMBER KERR FOR BRINGING THIS ITEM FORWARD.I THINK IT'S SO IMPORTANT AND EVERYTHING YOU HAD TO SAY WAS PERTINENT TO HELPING OUR BUSINESS DISTRICTS, UM, REALLY MOVE IN A MORE STREAMLINED PROCESS.
SO I'M REALLY PROUD TO CO-SIGN ON THIS RECOMMENDATION BECAUSE WE ALL HEAR THIS FROM OUR BUSINESS DISTRICTS REGULARLY.
IN DISTRICT THREE, WE, I'M PROUD TO HAVE TWO VERY GREAT STRONG BUSINESS WOMEN RUNNING OUR ZEPHYR BUSINESS DISTRICT AND THE BELMONT SHORE BUSINESS ASSOCIATION, UM, SORRY, THE ZEPHYR BUSINESS ASSOCIATION.
I JUST THINK THAT THEY ARE BOTH COMMITTED TO HELPING OUR SMALL BUSINESS COMMUNITY AND MY OFFICE REGULARLY ATTENDS THE COBA MEETINGS.
ONE THING WE HEAR FROM COBA AND FROM OUR BIDS IS THAT WE NEED TO STREAMLINE THIS PERMITTING PROCESS.
UM, EVENTS ARE DIFFICULT TO GET THROUGH THAT PERMITTING PROCESS, BUT WHEN THEY'RE REPEATED YEAR AFTER YEAR, I THINK WE CAN DO A MORE EFFICIENT JOB.
OUR BIDS ARE PARTNERS TO US AND THERE ARE BOOTS ON THE GROUND IN OUR BUSINESS COMMUNITIES GATHERING INFORMATION, ENCOURAGING PEOPLE TO, TO BE A PART OF OUR COMMUNITY.
AND IT REALLY BRINGS LIFE TO OUR BUSINESS CORRIDORS.
THEY DRIVE FOOT TRAFFIC, PROMOTE LOCAL BUSINESS, AND REALLY ENHANCE THAT SENSE OF COMMUNITY.
SO WE WANT OUR BIDS FOCUSED ON BUILDING UP OUR LOCAL COMMUNITIES, OUR ECONOMY, AND NOT SPENDING THEIR TIME, UM, WORKING ON THE PERMITS.
AND I THINK THAT IS A GREAT FOCUS OF THIS ITEM.
SO I'M HAPPY TO BE A CO-SIGNER AND I ASK MY COUNCIL COLLEAGUES FOR THEIR SUPPORT WITH THIS ITEM.
WE'LL MOVE TO COUNCIL MEMBER JONI BRICK SODI, UH, THANK YOU CHAIR.
UM, I ALSO WANNA THANK COUNCIL MEMBER KERR, UH, FOR INVITING ME TO CO-SPONSOR THIS ALONGSIDE COUNCIL MEMBER DUGGAN.
UM, I'M PROUD TO JOIN THEM IN BRINGING THIS FORWARD.
UM, OUR BUSINESS IMPROVEMENT DISTRICTS AND ASSOCIATIONS PLAY A CRITICAL ROLE IN VITALIZING OUR COMMUNITY CORRIDORS FOSTERING COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT AND TI STIMULATING ECONOMIC GROWTH.
BY STREAMLINING THE EVENT PERMITTING PROCESS, WE ARE HELPING THESE ORGANIZATIONS MORE EFFICIENTLY ACTIVATE THEIR SPACES AND INCREASE FOOT TRAFFIC THAT SUPPORTS OUR LOCAL BUSINESSES.
THE CURRENT PROCESS, WHILE THOROUGH, CAN SOMETIMES BE COMPLEX TO NAVIGATE, ESPECIALLY FOR SMALLER BUSINESSES OR THOSE UNFAMILIAR WITH THE PERMITTING REQUIREMENTS.
THIS PROPOSAL AIMS TO SIMPLIFY AND ENHANCE THAT PROCESS, PARTICULARLY FOR BUSINESSES THAT ALREADY HOLD HEALTH PERMITS, SAVING TIME AND RESOURCES FOR BOTH THE BUSINESS OWNERS AND OUR CITY DEPARTMENTS.
ADDITIONALLY, IT FOSTERS A MORE INCLUSIVE AND EQUITABLE AND ECONOMIC ENVIRONMENT BY LOWERING BARRIERS TO ENTRY FOR NEWER OR SMALL BUSINESSES INTERESTED IN PARTICIPATING IN LOCAL EVENTS, UH, AND BEYOND THE ECONOMIC BENEFITS.
THIS CHANGE WILL STRENGTHEN COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT WITH OUR BIDS TO PLAN AND HOST EVENTS THAT BRING PEOPLE TOGETHER, UH, AND CELEBRATE THE VIBRANCY OF OUR NEIGHBORHOODS.
SO I'M VERY EXCITED ABOUT THAT.
UM, I ADDITIONALLY HAVE A COUPLE OF THINGS THAT I WOULD LIKE STAFF TO KIND OF CONSIDER AS THEY'RE, UH, TAKING THIS ON.
SO ONE BEING, UM, AND I THINK WE THINK ABOUT EFFICIENCY IS WHETHER OR NOT THERE'S A, UH, POTENTIAL FOR, YOU KNOW, MAYBE A SINGLE PERMIT TO COVER MULTIPLE EVENTS.
UM, AND IN ADDITION TO THAT, IS THERE A WAY TO EXPLORE MAYBE GENERAL OR ANNUAL SPECIAL EVENT PERMITS THAT CAN BE USED FOR MULTIPLE EVENTS THROUGHOUT THE YEAR? UH, ADDITIONALLY, AS WE'RE THINKING ABOUT, UM, THIS PARTICULAR POLICY, ONCE WE CRAFT IT, ARE THERE PILOT PROGRAMS NECESSARILY, OR PUBLIC OUTREACH OR TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE, RIGHT? MEASURES THAT WE CAN OFFER TO BUSINESSES TO HELP THEM UNDERSTAND AND UTILIZE THE NEW SYSTEM.
BECAUSE WE STREAMLINE IT, WE THEN WANT OUR BUSINESS COMMUNITY TO THEN KNOW ABOUT IT AND BE ABLE TO IMPLEMENT IT.
UH, SO AGAIN, REALLY LOOKING FORWARD TO SEEING WHAT CITY STAFF COME BACK HERE TO COME BACK WITH.
UM, BUT AGAIN, VERY EXCITED AND VERY TIMELY, UM, TIMELY ITEMS. SO THANK YOU.
OKAY, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER, UH, MARY ZENDEJAS.
UM, THANK YOU COUNCIL MEMBER KERR AND, UM, COLLEAGUES WHO SIGNED ONTO THIS ITEM.
UM, THE PANDEMIC HIGHLIGHTED THE IMPORTANCE AND VALUE OF PEOPLE BEING OUT AND ABOUT.
WHEN PEOPLE ARE OUT, THEY SPEND MONEY.
UM, THEY SUPPORT LOCAL BUSINESSES AND THEY BUILD RELATIONSHIPS WITH BUSINESSES AND NEIGHBORHOODS.
UM, EVENTS DO MORE THAN PROVIDE A FUN TIME.
THEY SPREAD RESOURCES, SERVE AS A VIOLENCE PREVENTION TOOL, BUILD COMMUNITY, FOSTER CULTURAL RICHNESS, AND INCREASE FOOT TRAFFIC FOR OUR BUSINESSES.
AS A CITY, WE SHOULD STRIVE TO MAKE PLANNING EVENTS EASIER.
THIS WILL ALLOW US TO SEE MORE EVENTS, AND THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT OUR RESIDENTS AND BUSINESSES WANT TO SEE.
[01:10:01]
FOR THE DOWNTOWN BUSINESS IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT HERE IN LONG BEACH, I AM A STRONG SUPPORTER OF THIS ITEM AND I ABSOLUTELY WHOLEHEARTEDLY SUPPORT THIS ITEM AND LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING, UM, THE REPORT COME BACK.WE'LL MOVE TO, UH, PUBLIC COMMENT AT THIS TIME.
SO WE'RE MOVING TO, UH, COUNCILWOMAN CINDY ALLEN FIRST.
ALL RIGHT, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
UM, I JUST WANNA SAY THANK YOU TO COUNCILWOMAN KERR FOR INTRODUCING THIS ITEM AND ALSO FOR COUNCILMAN DUGGAN AND COUNCILMAN RICKS OTI FOR SUPPORTING IT.
YOU KNOW, UH, BIDS DO MORE THAN JUST SUPPORT, UH, LOCAL BUSINESSES.
THEY HELP ACTIVATE OUR CORRIDORS, UM, BY, UH, BRINGING IN FOOT TRAFFIC AND ALSO BY BUILDING COMMUNITY AND IN RETURN, THEY ALSO HELP OUR SMALL BUSINESSES THRIVE.
UH, IN DISTRICT TWO, WE ARE VERY FORTUNATE TO HAVE BOTH RIA AND FOURTH STREET, WHICH ARE TWO VERY, UH, ACTIVE BIDS.
AND I SEE BOTH OF THESE WONDERFUL FEMALE LEADERS HERE, MARISSA AND CASTON, UM, FROM, UH, FROM THESE BIDS.
AND JUST THANK YOU PERSONALLY FOR ALL THAT YOU DO.
YOU GUYS ARE, ARE INCREDIBLE, INCREDIBLE WOMEN.
UM, YOU KNOW, THIS EFFORT TO STREAMLINE PERMITTING COULD OPEN EVEN MORE DOORS FOR THEM TO GROW THEIR EVENTS AND EXPAND THEIR REACH AND CONTINUE TO ACTIVATE THEIR CORRIDORS IN NEW WAYS.
AND, UM, BY SIMPLY USING THE EVENT PROCESS, WE'RE NOT ONLY HELPING OUR BIDS, BUT WE'RE SUPPORTING ECONOMIC GROWTH.
AND I CAN TELL YOU RIGHT NOW, UM, AS I'VE REACHED OUT AND TALKED TO, UH, THESE BUSINESSES, THEY'RE STILL TOUGH TIMES AHEAD.
THERE'S A LOT GOING ON AND THEY STILL NEED, NEED OUR HELP MORE THAN EVER.
UM, THESE EVENTS DRAW PEOPLE INTO THE NEIGHBORHOODS, THEY INCREASE VISIBILITY FOR LOCAL SHOPS AND THEY, UH, THEY, THEY SUPPORT, UM, PEOPLE BUYING STUFF.
AND, AND I KNOW ALL OF OUR BUSINESSES NEED THAT, DON'T THEY? SO, UM, I THINK ANYTHING THAT WE CAN DO TO STREAMLINE AND MAKE IT EASIER FOR THESE BIDS TO DO BUSINESS IS IMPORTANT.
THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THIS FORWARD.
UH, NOW WE'RE GONNA MOVE TO A PUBLIC COMMENT.
WE HAVE THREE SPEAKERS, UH, ALEXANDRA ESCOBAR, MARISSA PFEIFFER, AND AUSTIN MATOYA.
YOU EACH HAVE THREE MINUTES TO SPEAK.
GOOD EVENING, LONG BEACH CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS AND LONG BEACH RESIDENTS.
MY NAME IS ALEXANDRA ESCOBAR AND I WAS BORN AND RAISED IN LONG BEACH.
FOR THE LAST TWO YEARS I'VE LIVED AND WORKED REMOTELY IN THE EAST VILLAGE ARTS DISTRICT.
AND AS A NEWER MEMBER OF THE DOWNTOWN LONG BEACH ALLIANCE'S EVENTS COMMITTEE, I'VE QUICKLY LEARNED HOW BURDENS BURDENSOME AND DISJOINTED THE EVENT PERMITTING PROCESS IS AND HOW IT SLOWS DOWN OUR ABILITY TO CARRY OUT OUR CARRY OUT STANDARD AND OFTEN RECURRING EVENTS.
SO I STAND HERE BEFORE YOU TODAY IN SUPPORT OF STREAM STREAMLINING THE EVENT PERMITTING PROCESS FOR THE BUSINESS IMPROVEMENT DISTRICTS AND ASSOCIATIONS LIKE THE DOWNTOWN LONG BEACH ALLIANCE.
AN AGENDA ITEM, IN MY OPINION, THAT'S BEEN NEEDED BY THE, THAT'S BEEN NEEDED IN THE CITY OF LONG BEACH FOR FAR TOO LONG.
I'M A LITTLE BIT CONCERNED THAT THE PROPOSED 90 DAY TIMELINE FOR THE CITY MANAGER TO COLLABORATE WITH DEPARTMENTS IS SIMPLY NOT FAST ENOUGH.
FOR EXAMPLE, THE TASTE OF DOWNTOWN SERIES, WHICH SHOWCASES DOWNTOWN'S DIVERSE CULINARY COACH CULTURE KICKS OFF THIS SAT, UH, NEXT MONTH ON SATURDAY, MAY 3RD, JUST 25 DAYS FROM TODAY.
THE SERIES ENDS ON AUGUST 16TH WITH BEV'S BYTES AND BEETS.
AN EXCITING PARTNERSHIP WITH KCRW SUMMER NIGHTS AT CATALINA LANDING.
THE ALLIANCE'S ANNUAL EVENTS CALENDAR GENERATES $1.1 MILLION IN ECONOMIC RETURN, AN IMPACT THAT THE CURRENT PERMITTING PROCESS FAILS TO SUPPORT.
WITH JUST 25 DAYS UNTIL SIP, SHOP AND STROLL, WE'RE ALREADY CONTEMPLATING DOWNSIZING THE EVENT BECAUSE THE PERMITS ARE TWO COSTLY, WHICH MEANS LESS FOOT TRAFFIC FOR OUR LOCAL BUSINESSES, FEWER OPPORTUNITIES FOR ARTISTS AND MAKERS, AND A REAL ECONOMIC LOSS FOR THE EAST VILLAGE AND THE ENTIRE LONG BEACH COMMUNITY.
EVERY UNNECESSARY DELAY, BURDENSOME REQUIREMENT OR UNCLEAR INSTRUCTION REDUCES THE ALLIANCE'S CAPACITY TO EXECUTE EVENTS QUICKLY AND EFFICIENTLY.
WE'RE NOT ASKING FOR CORNERS TO BE CUT, WE'RE ASKING FOR A SMARTER, MORE COLLABORATIVE APPROACH.
ONE THAT EMPOWERS BUSINESS IMPROVEMENT DISTRICTS AND ASSOCIATIONS TO DO WHAT THEY DO BEST PLAN
[01:15:01]
FUN EVENTS THAT BRING PEOPLE TOGETHER WHILE BRINGING MORE MONEY AND OUTSIDE VISITORS TO LONG BEACH.IT'S NOT ABOUT PERMITS, IT'S ABOUT MOMENTUM.
AND WITHOUT QUICK IMPROVEMENTS OR IMMEDIATE COLLABORATION, WE RISK MISSING OUT ON THE UPCOMING SUMMER SEASON OF EVENTS.
I RESPECTFULLY ASK THIS COUNCIL TO RECONSIDER AMENDING YOUR RECOMMENDATION TO INCLUDE A FASTER TRACK, PERHAPS A 30 DAY PILOT PERMITTING PROCESS SO THE CITY MANAGER AND DEPARTMENTS CAN IMPLEMENT IMMEDIATE COMMON SENSE CHANGES.
LET'S NOT LET BUREAUCRACY GET IN THE WAY OF OUR POTENTIAL.
WITH SWIFT ACTION, WE CAN MAKE THIS SUMMER ONE OF THE MOST SUCCESSFUL AND COMMUNITY DRIVEN, YET IT'S BEEN FIVE YEARS SINCE THE PANDEMIC HIT AND IT'S TIME WE PROVE TO LONG BEACH RESIDENTS THAT OUR LOCAL GOVERNMENT CAN ACTUALLY GET THINGS DONE.
UM, MY NAME IS MARISSA PFEIFFER AND I'M THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE ZARIA BUSINESS IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT.
UM, I, UH, THE ZAPHY BUSINESS, UH, IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT IS IN COUNCIL DISTRICT TWO WITH COUNCILWOMAN ALLEN AND COUNCIL DISTRICT THREE WITH COUNCILWOMAN DUGGAN.
AND WE KIND OF DIP OUR TOES A LITTLE BIT INTO DISTRICT FOUR WITH YOUR LORDSHIP
UM, SO I'M HERE TODAY TO, UH, SUPPORT, UH, THIS, UH, POLICY REQUEST TO STREAMLINE THE EVENT PERMITTING PROCESS, UH, FOR BUSINESS IMPROVEMENT DISTRICTS LIKE OURS.
UM, BUT THROUGHOUT LONG BEACH, UH, ZEPHYR REALLY CONSIDERS ITSELF TO BE THE ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT DISTRICT OF LONG BEACH.
WE HAVE ICONIC VENUES LIKE ALEX'S BAR D PIAZZAS, AND SUPPLY AND DEMAND.
WE HAVE THE LONG BEACH PLAYHOUSE, AND WE HAVE SO MUCH MORE.
WE HOST A WIDE VARIETY OF EVENTS EACH YEAR, LIKE THE HAPPY SUNDAYS MUSIC FESTIVAL, UM, AND OUR NEWEST EVENT, WHICH IS VIA ZARIA, HAPPENING THREE TIMES A YEAR NOW.
UM, IT'S A DISTRICT-WIDE FESTIVAL.
UH, THESE EVENTS PLAY A CRUCIAL ROLE IN SUPPORTING OUR LOCAL BUSINESSES AND CONNECTING TO OUR NEIGHBORHOOD.
HOWEVER, NAVIGATING THE CURRENT PERMITTING PROCESS HAS BECOME INCREASINGLY DIFFICULT FOR OUR SMALL TEAM.
THE COMPLEXITY, THE TIME AND THE COST HAS MADE IT HARDER FOR US TO FULFILL OUR MISSION AND DISCOURAGED US FROM HOSTING MORE THINGS LIKE OPEN MARKETS AND CLOSED STREETS EVENTS, AND OTHER THINGS THAT REALLY DRIVE FOOT TRAFFIC INTO OUR DISTRICT.
UM, IT JUST TAKES A LOT OF LABOR FOR US DURING THE PERMITTING PROCESS, AND WE ARE A VERY SMALL TEAM.
UM, AND I ALSO WOULD LIKE TO SAY THAT I WORK FOR THE ART THEATER OF LONG BEACH, WHICH IS IN THE RETRO ROW BID.
UM, AND WHEN THEY HAVE STREET MARKETS AND THEY HAVE OPEN, UH, ALL SORTS OF EVENTS THERE, IT DRIVES THEM SO MUCH MORE FOOT TRAFFIC TO THE BUSINESSES THERE AS WELL.
UM, IT'S VERY EASY TO SEE HOW, UH, POSITIVELY IT AFFECTS ALL THE BUSINESS DISTRICTS IN LONG BEACH.
I THINK A MORE EFFICIENT, PREDICTABLE, AND ACCESSIBLE EVENT PERMITTING PROCESS WOULD ALLOW RIA AND ALL OF THE DISTRICTS ACROSS THE CITY TO PUT OUR LIMITED RESOURCES INTO CREATING BETTER EVENTS, ATTRACTING MORE VISITORS, AND SUPPORTING OUR LOCAL BUSINESSES.
WE REALLY BELIEVE THAT STREAMLINE THIS PROCESS WILL BE A GAME CHANGER FOR THE BIDS AND SUPPORT OUR BUSINESSES.
UH, THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK THIS EVENING.
MY NAME IS AUSTIN MATRE PRESIDENT, CEO, FOR THE DOWNTOWN LONG BEACH ALLIANCE, BUT I'M ALSO SPEAKING ON BEHALF OF THE COUNCIL OF BUSINESS ASSOCIATIONS, WHICH REPRESENTS ALL THE BUSINESS IMPROVEMENT DISTRICTS ACROSS THE CITY AND THOSE DISTRICTS WHO ARE LOOKING TO BECOME A BUSINESS IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT.
I WANNA THANK COUNCILMAN KERR, COUNCILMAN RICK, RICKS ODI AND COUNCILWOMAN DUGGAN FOR BRINGING THIS ITEM UP.
AND COUNCILWOMAN MAYOR ZENDAY, THANK YOU FOR THE WORK THAT YOU'VE DONE ON THIS AS WELL.
WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THIS OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS FOR EVENTS IN DOWNTOWN.
UM, WE STRONGLY SUPPORT THIS ITEM.
RIGHT NOW, SMALL BUSINESSES ARE NAVIGATING INFLATION, SHIFTING CONSUMER HABITS, AND THE LINGERING IMPACTS THE PANDEMIC.
AND AS WE'RE LOOKING AT WHAT IS HAPPENING ON THE FEDERAL STAGE, A LEVEL OF UNCERTAINTY THAT NONE OF US CAN IMAGINE MOVING FORWARD IN THIS ENVIRONMENT IS THE ROLE OF THE BIDS IN ORGANIZING EVENTS IS MORE CRITICAL THAN EVER.
EVENTS BRING IN PEOPLE TO OUR CORRIDORS.
THEY GENERATE FOOT TRAFFIC AND THEY DIRECTLY SUPPORT SMALL BUSINESS, SMALL BUSINESSES THAT DEPEND ON THE VISIBILITY AND SALES TO SURVIVE.
BUT THE PERMITTING PROCESS AS IT STANDS TODAY, CAN BE BURDENSOME FOR SOME.
UH, IT'S LAYERED WITH WHAT CAN SEEM LIKE REDUNDANT REQUIREMENTS, UNCLEAR TIMELINES AND FEES THAT QUICKLY ADD UP.
THESE CHALLENGES CAN SLOW OUR DISTRICTS DOWN AND SOMETIMES IN SOME CASES, STOP EVENTS FROM HAPPENING ALTOGETHER.
[01:20:01]
NOT THAT'S A LOST OPPORTUNITY, NOT JUST FOR OUR BUSINESSES, BUT FOR OUR NEIGHBORHOODS AND OUR LOCAL ECONOMY.I APPRECIATE THE MOTION AND RECOGNIZES THAT BIDS ARE EXPERIENCED ACCOUNTABLE PARTNERS, AND WE URGE THE CITY TO TAKE THE NEXT STEP IN TREATING BIDS AS TRUSTED PARTNER BY STREAMLINING APPROVALS, REDUCING THE FEES WHEN APPROPRIATE, AND ALLOWING FOR COORDINATION WITH THE DEPARTMENT'S HEALTH AND BUSINESS LICENSING.
I WOULD ALSO SUGGEST LOOKING AT STREET WAIVER, STREET CLOSURE WAIVERS, UH, FOR DISTRICTS TO UTILIZE AS THOSE ARE OFTENTIMES ONE OF THE CENTRAL EVENTS THAT BIDS DO TO BRING PEOPLE OUT.
UM, AND ALSO LOOK AT EXPANDING ON THE EXISTING BID PERMIT FEE.
WHAT OTHER TYPES OF EVENTS CAN BE LOOKED AT UNDER THAT EXISTING EVENT PERMIT FEE, WHICH I BELIEVE YOU GET SIX OVER A SIX MONTH PERIOD.
UM, AS WHAT WAS STATED EARLIER, THIS ISN'T ABOUT SKIPPING SAFETY OR OVERSIGHT.
IT IS ABOUT MAKING SMART ADJUSTMENTS SO THAT BIDS CAN DO WHAT WE DO BEST, ACTIVATE PUBLIC SPACES, SUPPORT OUR LOCAL ENTREPRENEURS, AND HELP TO KEEP OUR BUSINESS CORRIDORS VIBRANT AND ACTIVE.
THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR, FOR YOUR TIME, AND COBELL LOOKS FORWARD TO WORKING WITH STAFF AND THE COUNCIL AS RECOMMENDATIONS ARE DEVELOPED.
THAT CONCLUDES PUBLIC COMMENT.
WE'LL RETURN BACK TO THE COUNCIL FOR ANY FURTHER COMMENT.
YEAH, I'M NOT SEEING THE QUEUE UP.
SO DO WE HAVE, UM, WE'LL, WE'LL GO TO COUNCIL MEMBER DUGGAN.
UM, THANK YOU TO, UH, COPA, THE BIDS COMING OUT TO SPEAK.
UM, I HAVE A QUESTION JUST BASED ON WHAT ONE OF THE, UH, EXECUTIVE DIRECTORS HAVE TALKED, UH, WHO ASKED ABOUT WHAT WOULD BE THE POSSIBILITY OF BRINGING YOU BACK IN 60 DAYS.
I THINK THAT'S A BIG REACH, BUT CAN YOU SHARE IF, IF THAT COULD BE POSSIBLE? I THINK IT'S ALWAYS POSSIBLE TO COME BACK WITH INFORMATION IN 60 DAYS, BUT I THINK EVEN 90 DAYS IS GONNA BE CHALLENGING US FOR, FOR US TO MEET.
UH, JUST TO REMEMBER WHAT'S ON THE PLATE FOR THIS TEAM.
UM, WE'RE BRINGING YOU FOOD TRUCK RECOMMENDATIONS VERY SOON.
THAT'S A PRO, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WAS BROUGHT TO US BY DISTRICT ONE, I THINK, ALMOST TWO YEARS AGO.
SO THAT IS A REALLY INTENSIVE PERMITTING PROCESS THAT WE'RE BRINGING ON HOW TO REGULATE FOOD TRUCKS.
UH, WE'RE ALSO WORKING ON THE MECO ITEM, WHICH IS WHAT THE COUNCIL ASKED US TO WORK ON, UH, TO GO BACK AND LOOK HOW WE CAN DO, UM, THE IN-HOUSE, UM, UH, KITCHENS AND, AND, AND, UH, TO BE ABLE TO, TO HELP ENTREPRENEURS.
AND THEN THIS IS ALSO THE SAME TEAM WHO'S WORKING ON, UH, ALL OF THE FOOD VENDORS AND, AND TRYING TO GET A HANDLE ON ALL OF THE STREET VENDORS AND THE COMPLIANCE, UH, FOR THE COUNCIL'S, UM, FOR THE COUNCIL'S ORDINANCE THAT WAS PASSED.
SO, UH, WE CAN CERTAINLY ADD THIS TO THEIR PLATE, BUT, UM, THERE IS A LOT THAT THEY'RE DOING RIGHT NOW, BUT IN 90 DAYS YOU THINK YOU CAN COME BACK WITH SOMETHING THAT COULD STREAMLINE.
THERE'S SO MANY REPEATED EVENTS THAT COULD REALLY BE STREAMLINED.
YOU THINK 90 DAYS IS GOING TO BE SUFFICIENT TO GET A GOOD PLAN TOGETHER.
I, I THINK IN 90 DAYS WE'LL HAVE A GOOD FRAMEWORK AND BE ABLE TO DO A LOT OF RESEARCH, FIGURE OUT WHAT WE CAN DO ON THE STREAMLINING.
SOME OF THE COMMENTS WE HEARD TODAY ARE REALLY ABOUT COST.
THAT'S KIND OF A DIFFERENT DISCUSSION BECAUSE EVERYTHING FROM THE COUNCIL'S POLICIES IS COST OFFSET AND COST RECOVERY.
THAT MEANS WE'RE LOOKING AT SUBSIDIES AND THOSE TYPES OF THINGS.
BUT WE CAN CERTAINLY LOOK AT HOW DO WE REDUCE SOME OF THE, THE BURDEN AND THE WORKLOAD, WHICH THEN REDUCES THE COST AS WELL.
AND SO, UH, RATHER THAN JUST A FEE REDUCTION, TRYING TO SAY, HERE'S THE WORK THAT WE'RE, YOU KNOW, THAT WE DON'T NEED TO DO ANYMORE.
THEREFORE, THE COST, UH, IS POTENTIALLY GOING DOWN.
BUT I THINK IN 90 DAYS WE CAN COME BACK WITH SOMETHING, UH, AND WITH AN UPDATE.
UM, I AGREE WITH COUNCILWOMAN DUGGAN, UM, ABOUT WANTING TO SEE THIS, UM, COMING FORTH A LITTLE BIT FASTER.
UM, I KNOW THAT WE HAVE A LOT ON OUR PLATES.
IS IS IT POSSIBLE THAT DURING THIS TIME THAT WE CAN, UM, CREATE A, A PILOT PROGRAM TO KIND OF SEE HOW IT IT'S GOING? I KNOW I'VE BEEN WORKING WITH OUR BID, UM, DTLB ALLIANCE, UM, FOR MANY YEARS, AND WE ENCOUNTER THE SAME PROBLEMS YEAR AFTER YEAR AFTER YEAR.
UM, UM, AND IT'S VERY DISCOURAGING TO OUR BUSINESS OWNERS, UH, AROUND THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
AND THAT'S ONE THING THAT WE'RE TRYING TO, UM, TRYING TO SEE HOW WE CAN HELP OUT NOT ONLY OUR, OUR BUSINESS COMMUNITY, BUT ALSO OUR RESIDENTS.
SO I'M THINKING IF, IF WE COULD HAVE EVEN BE IN THAT REPORT, MAYBE SOME WAY WE CAN INTERTWINE A PILOT PROGRAM OR, UM, JUST WORKING WITH THE COMMUNITY AND WORKING WITH THESE BUSINESSES.
'CAUSE I, I DIDN'T REALIZE SUMMER IS JUST AROUND THE CORNER.
I KNOW WE JUST STARTED SPRING, BUT SUMMER IS OUR CITY'S MOST ACTIVE, UM, TIME IN THE CITY WHEN IT COMES TO HAVING EVENTS.
SO WOULD THAT BE, UM, SOMETHING THAT WE COULD DO?
[01:25:01]
I THINK WE'RE ABSOLUTELY WILLING TO WORK ON EVERY EVENT AS THEY COME FORWARD.THE ONES THAT ARE THE MORE ESTABLISHED ARE THE EASIEST ONES FOR US TO, TO FIGURE OUT BECAUSE WE KNOW WHAT'S HAPPENING.
WE KNOW HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE COMING.
AND SO THOSE CAN CERTAINLY, UH, BE IMPLEMENTED A LITTLE BIT FASTER.
OUR TEAM DOES WORK ON, ON EACH EVENT AND TRIES TO LOOK FOR SOLUTIONS AND STUFF.
I THINK THE TEAMS HERE IN THE COUNCIL VERY CLEARLY, WE WANNA MAKE THIS GO EASIER AND A LITTLE BIT FASTER AND, AND TRUST OUR BIDS, UH, WHO, WHO WE WORK WITH, UH, ALL THE TIME TO DO THESE TYPES OF EVENTS.
SO, UM, I, UH, WE CAN CHECK IN WITH YOU TOO, IF THERE'S A SPECIFIC ONE THAT YOU'RE WORRIED ABOUT, UM, THAT TEAM IS, CAN BE CREATIVE AND WORK ON THAT.
SO WE'RE NOT LOOKING TO HOLD UP ANYTHING THAT IS CURRENTLY BEING PLANNED, AND, UH, WE WANNA MOVE ALL THOSE FORWARD, UH, WHILE WE ALSO DO THIS WORK.
WE'LL RETURN TO THE MAKER OF THE MOTION, MEGAN KERR.
AND THANK YOU TO MY COLLEAGUES FOR, UM, THEY'RE GOOD QUESTIONS AND INPUT.
I REALLY WANNA THANK OUR PUBLIC SPEAKERS FOR COMING OUT.
WE KNOW THAT THE EDS OF THESE BIDS AND BIS ARE WORKING HARD EVERY DAY.
WE DO KNOW THAT THERE IS CONSISTENCY IN THE WORK AS WELL.
AND SO I WOULD ASK CITY STAFF AS THEY'RE DOING THIS WORK AND DOING THEIR RESEARCH, TRULY LEAN IN.
UH, WE ALSO ATTEND THE COBA MEETINGS.
WE KNOW THE FOLKS IN THAT ROOM HAVE YEARS OF EXPERIENCE, YEARS OF PUTTING ON PRODUCTIONS AND SPECIAL EVENTS WITHIN OUR CITY.
UM, AND LOOKING AT, WHEN WE TALK ABOUT, UM, I KNOW WHEN WE TALK ABOUT FEES AND REDUCING FEES, I REALLY APPRECIATE, UH, AUSTIN'S COMMENTS AROUND, THIS ISN'T LOOKING FOR SHORTCUTS.
THIS ISN'T LOOKING FOR, UM, REDUCING FEES THAT ARE NECESSARY AND NEEDED FEES.
BUT IF WE CAN STREAMLINE A PROCESS, HOPEFULLY THAT MEANS IT'S ALSO LESS STAFF TIME, WHICH MEANS THERE DOESN'T NEED TO BE THE REIMBURSEMENT AT THE SAME RATE, BECAUSE IF WE MAKE IT EASIER FOR THEM, WE SHOULD BE MAKING IT EASIER FOR US AS WELL.
UM, SO I WANNA THANK MY COLLEAGUES.
AND TOM, THANK YOU FOR CONSIDERING AND WORKING AS QUICKLY AS YOU CAN.
AND THE TEAM, UH, WE KNOW THEY HAVE A LOT ON THEIR PLATE, UH, LITERALLY AND FIGURATIVELY.
SO, UH, GRATEFUL FOR THE CONSIDERATION AND THE SUPPORT OF MY COLLEAGUES.
THAT CONCLUDES, UH, COUNCIL COMMENT AND, UH, WITH CONFIRMATION THAT CITY STAFF, UM, HAS CAPTURED THE PARAMETERS OF THIS MOTION.
WE'LL MOVE TO THE NEXT, UH, AGENDA.
REPORT FROM HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES RECOMMENDATION TO EXECUTE ALL DOCUMENTS NECESSARY TO AMEND CONTRACT WITH THE LONG BEACH NONPROFIT PARTNERSHIP FOR
[19. 25-54838 Recommendation to authorize City Manager, or designee, to execute all documents necessary to amend Contract No. 36266 with the Long Beach Nonprofit Partnership, Inc., of Long Beach, CA, for providing organizational and leadership development by engaging the City’s youth and emerging adults and youth-serving organizations, to increase the contract amount by $3,000,000, for a revised contract amount not to exceed $5,250,000. (Citywide) Office or Department: Health and Human Services Suggested Action: Approve recommendation. ]
PROVIDING ORGANIZATIONAL AND LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT BY ENGAGING THE CITY'S YOUTH AND EMERGING ADULTS AND YOUTH SERVING ORGANIZATIONS FOR A REVISED CONTRACT AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED 5,250,000 CITYWIDE.WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND.
AND, UH, DO WE HAVE A PRESENTATION ON THIS ITEM? OKAY.
SEEING NONE, DO WE HAVE ANY PUBLIC COMMENT ON THIS ITEM? THERE IS NO PUBLIC COMMENT ON THIS ITEM.
MEMBERS, PLEASE CAST YOUR VOTES.
MOTION IS, I'M SORRY, COUNCILWOMAN HOUSE MOTION IS CARRIED.
WILL THE CLERK PLEASE READ REPORT FROM HUMAN RESOURCES AND CITY ATTORNEY RECOMMENDATION TO ADOPT SPECIFICATIONS AND AWARD OF CONTRACT TO CPS HR CONSULTING JL GROUP
[20. 25-54839 Recommendation to adopt Specifications No. RFP HR-23-352 and award contracts to CPS HR Consulting, of Sacramento, CA, JL Group, LLC, of Laguna Niguel, CA, and Palicon Group, LLC, of Riverside, CA, for providing investigation services, in a total annual aggregate amount not to exceed $1,500,000, for a period of two years, with the option to renew for three additional one-year periods, at the discretion of the City Manager; and, authorize City Manager, or designee, to execute all documents necessary to enter into the contract, including any necessary subsequent amendments. (Citywide) Levine Act: Yes Office or Department: Human Resources; City Attorney Suggested Action: Approve recommendation. ]
FOR PAL CON GROUP FOR PROVIDING INVESTIGATION SERVICES AND A TOTAL ANNUAL AGGREGATE AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED 1,500,000 AND EXECUTE ALL DOCUMENTS NECESSARY TO ENTER INTO THE CONTRACT CITYWIDE.DO WE HAVE ANY PUBLIC COMMENT ON THIS ITEM? THERE'S NO PUBLIC COMMENT ON THIS ITEM.
MEMBERS, PLEASE CAST YOUR VOTES.
ITEM NUMBER 21, PLEASE READ REPORT FROM POLICE DEPARTMENT DISASTER PREPAREDNESS AND EMERGENCY COMMUNICATIONS AND FIRE DEPARTMENT RECOMMENDATION TO EXECUTE A CONTRACT IN ALL NECESSARY
[21. 25-54840 Recommendation to authorize City Manager, or designee, to execute a contract, and all necessary amendments including term extensions, with the Department of Homeland Security to receive and expend grant funding for the 2024 Port Security Grant Program, in an amount of $840,001, with a Port of Long Beach cost match of $280,000, for a total amount not to exceed $1,120,001, for a period ending August 31, 2027; and Increase appropriations in the General Grants Fund Group in the Fire Department by $420,001, and the Police Department by $700,000, offset by federal grant funds and Port of Long Beach cost match funds. (Citywide) Office or Department: Police Department; Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Communications; Fire Department Suggested Action: Approve recommendation. ]
AMENDMENTS WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY TO RECEIVE AND EXPEND GRANT FUNDING FOR THE 2024 PORT SECURITY GRANT PROGRAM FOR A TOTAL AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $1,120,001 CITYWIDE.OKAY, WE HAVE A MOTION, A SECOND.
UH, ANY PUBLIC COMMENT ON ITEM 21? THERE IS NO PUBLIC COMMENT ON THIS ITEM.
AND, UH, NO, UH, PRESENTATIONS.
MEMBERS, PLEASE CASH YOUR VOTES.
LET'S GO TO ITEM NUMBER 22, REPORT FROM PUBLIC WORKS.
RECOMMENDATION TO ADOPT A RESOLUTION OF INTENTION TO ESTABLISH UNDERGROUND UTILITY DISTRICT 42 PROPORTIONS OF CHERRY AVENUE.
[22. 25-54841 Recommendation to adopt Resolution of Intention to establish Underground Utility District 42, for portions of Cherry Avenue; Set the date of May 6, 2025, for the public hearing on establishing Underground Utility District 42; and Direct City Clerk to mail notices of the public hearing, together with a district map and letter of information, to all concerned utilities and affected property owners as shown on the last equalized assessment roll. (Districts 8, 9) Office or Department: Public Works Suggested Action: Approve recommendation. ]
FOR THE PUBLIC HEARING ON ESTABLISHING UNDERGROUND UTILITY DISTRICT 42 AND DIRECT[01:30:01]
CITY CLERK TO MAIL NOTICES OF THE PUBLIC HEARING TOGETHER WITH A DISTRICT MAP AND LETTER OF INFORMATION TO ALL CONCERNED UTILITIES AND AFFECTED PROPERTY OWNERS DISTRICTS EIGHT AND NINE.WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND.
ANY PUBLIC COMMENT ON THIS ITEM? THERE'S NO PUBLIC COMMENT ON THIS ITEM.
WE'RE GONNA MOVE TO, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER DUGGAN.
I JUST WOULD LIKE CLARIFICATION ON THIS.
UM, I HAVE MANY NEIGHBORHOODS WHO ASK FOR, UM, UNDERGROUNDING OF THEIR UTILITIES.
CAN YOU JUST GIVE A QUICK OVERVIEW ON WHY THIS IS IN THE DISTRICTS IN THE CORRIDORS AND WHERE THERE'S FUNDING FOR THAT, PLEASE? YES.
ERIC LOPEZ, OUR DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS.
CITY MANAGER, UM, CHAIR AND COUNCIL MEMBERS.
UM, THE CRITERIA THAT, UH, WE USED, UH, WAS, UH, SPELLED OUT ON, UH, PAGE TWO OF THE STAFF REPORT.
UH, THESE ARE PUBLIC BENEFIT CRITERIA THAT WERE SET ASIDE BY THE CPUC, UH, AND BY SSCE MANY YEARS AGO.
AND THEY'VE BEEN, UM, THEY'VE BEEN, UM, REVISED AND UPDATED AND MORE HAVE BEEN ADDED.
YOU KNOW, THE, THERE, THERE IS A, A FOCUS ON MAJOR CORRIDORS ON, ON ARTERIALS.
UH, THIS DOES NOT, THIS SOURCE DOES NOT FUND, UH, RESIDENTIAL STREET UNDERGROUNDING PROJECTS.
I KNOW THERE'S A FEW IN YOUR DISTRICT, A FEW OF YOUR, UH, RESIDENTS THAT ARE INTERESTED IN THAT.
AND, UH, WE WORK WITH, WITH, WITH THOSE PARTICULAR CASES BECAUSE THE WAY TO FUND THOSE IS THROUGH A, UH, ANOTHER PROCESS, UH, WITHIN, UH, WITHIN THE CPUC, UH, WHERE HOMEOWNERS PAY FOR THE COST OF, OF UNDERGROUNDING.
UH, SO HERE THE KEY CRITERIA REALLY, UM, IS, UM, IS, UM, IS MAJOR STREET INTERIORS.
UH, YOU KNOW, WE'RE LOOKING AT AREAS WHERE THEY MIGHT HAVE MAJOR A DA OBSTRUCTIONS, UH, LOOKING AT THE MOBILITY ELEMENT PLAN IN OUR GENERAL PLAN TO SEE IF, IF THE, THIS FALLS WITHIN A CORRIDOR, UM, UH, OF INTEREST.
YOU KNOW, WE LOOK AT COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT AREAS, WE LOOK AT BUSINESS DISTRICTS, UH, WE LOOK AT THE DISTANCE.
YOU KNOW, A TWO MILE SEGMENT IS A LOT MORE EFFICIENT TO, UH, TO UNDERGROUND THAN A TWO BLOCK SEGMENT WHERE IT'S, UH, IT'S A, IT'S A, IT IS A, UH, PORTION OF, OF A MILE.
SO ALL OF THESE, UH, REASONS WE'RE TAKING INTO ACCOUNT TO MAKE THE RECOMMENDATION, UH, TO PROCEED, UH, WITH THIS PARTICULAR LOCATION.
WE, WE'VE CHECKED PUBLIC COMMENT ON THIS ITEM.
UH, MEMBERS PLEASE CASH YOUR VOTES.
UM, ITEM NUMBER 23, UH, HAS BEEN WITHDRAWN.
THAT'S AN ITEM INVOLVING AN ORDINANCE, UH, WITH THE AIRPORT.
UH, BUT THOSE DON'T BE TOO DISAPPOINTED.
WE'LL BE BACK HERE NEXT WEEK WITH THE SAME ITEM.
SO, UM, YOU CAN PREPARE YOUR COMMENTS, UH, FOR NEXT WEEK.
WE'RE THROUGH OUR AGENDA AND, UH, WE'RE GONNA MOVE NOW TO PUBLIC COMMENT NUMBER TWO, AND IF THE CLERK CAN HELP ME WITH THIS, IF YOU CAN READ THE NAMES, PLEASE.
[ 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. ]
THE SECOND PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD.SPEAKER NUMBER ONE IS SAI KEN FAY, THEN MARIA, MAYA AND ERIC.
WITH FOUR SPEAKERS, YOU WILL EACH HAVE THREE MINUTES.
SO, UH, SAIFE THE FLOOR IS YOURS.
UM, YOU KNOW, EVERY TIME I LOOK AT OUR CITY MANAGER, I SEE THE RESEMBLANCE THAT WE SHARE.
AND LO AND BEHOLD, WE'RE BORN ON THE SAME DAY.
SO YOU WORK ON YOUR DAY OF, OF BIRTH.
I'M WORKING ON MY DAY OF BIRTH AS WELL.
UM, I JUST WANTED TO SAY THANK YOU.
YOU KNOW, WE ALWAYS ARE VERY LOUD ABOUT THE THINGS THAT WE DISAGREE OR HAVE AN ISSUE WITH THE CITY GOVERNMENT WITH.
SO I CAME TODAY, I, I WAS OUT OF TOWN THE LAST COUNCIL MEETING, BUT I WANTED TODAY SAY THANK YOU TO, UH, MR. BENJAMIN BLANCHARD.
HE'S WITH, UH, THE PUBLIC WORKS OFFICE, IF I'M NOT MISTAKEN.
UM, YOU KNOW, UH, AS A TAXPAYER, I SHOULD DO MY OWN MONTHLY EMPLOYEE, UH, GRATITUDE AWARD SHIP, UH, MAYBE WITH SOME FUNDING, UH, UH, UH, PRINT UP SOME, UH, COMMEMORATIVE, UH, PLAQUES TO GIVE OUT, UH, MR. MOCA.
BUT MR. BLANCHARD, UH, ASSISTED ME WITH, UH, MINIMIZING, UH, MY TRASH CANS.
I WENT FROM 95 GALLONS TO 35 GALLONS.
HE ACTUALLY CAME, WELL, HIS TEAM ACTUALLY CAME THE VERY NEXT DAY.
AND, UH, I'M APPRECIATIVE OF THE PRIVILEGE OF COMING HERE ON TUESDAY AND HAVING DIRECT ACCESS TO PEOPLE THAT ARE, UH, IN DEPARTMENTS THAT WILL SERVICE
[01:35:01]
ME AS A, AS A RESIDENT AND MY MOTHER AND MYSELF.THANK THE MR. BLANCHARD AND HIS TEAM GREATLY, SO THANK YOU.
AS ALWAYS, THANK YOU FOR YOUR CIVIC ENGAGEMENT AND HAPPY BIRTHDAY.
AND, UH, GOOD EVENING COUNCIL MEMBERS AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS.
UH, MY NAME IS MARIA AUTONOMOUS TENANT ORGANIZER WITH THE LONG BEACH TENANTS UNION.
I WANNA THANK ALL THE OFFICES THAT HAVE HAD, UH, MADE THE TIME TO MEET WITH US, UM, AND WE'RE WORKING TO GET THROUGH THE LAST OF THE MEETINGS THIS WEEK.
SO REALLY APPRECIATE EVERYONE MAKING THE TIME TO MEET WITH US BEFORE RENTER'S DAY.
WE'RE JUST A, A ABOUT A WEEK SHY OF RENTER'S DAY AND IN ACTION IS NOT AN OPTION FOR OUR COMMUNITIES, JUST HOW WE GOT OUR, THE FLAG UP FOR BLACK HISTORY MONTH AND PASS THE SANCTUARY POLICY FOR TRANS VISIBILITY DAY.
WE NEED COUNCIL TO TAKE ACTION AND SPEAK OUT ABOUT THE SERIOUS ISSUES THAT ARE FACING OUR TENANT POPULATION, WHICH IS THE MAJORITY POPULATION HERE IN THE CITY OF LONG BEACH OF 60%.
UM, WE NEED TO CONTINUE, UH, THE DIALOGUE OF EXPLORING, UM, AND MOVING FORWARD ARE JUST CAUSE CHANGES.
THERE IS NO TIMELINE AND YOU WILL HEAR FROM TENANTS WHO, FOR THEM, IT'S AN EMERGENCY TO REALLY MOVE THIS FORWARD.
UM, WE LOOKED AT IT IN THE PAST IN 2021, SO WE HOPE THAT ALL OF YOU HAVE THAT INFORMATION AT HAND OR AT LEAST SHARE IT WITH YOUR STAFF SO THAT WHEN WE HAVE THESE MEETINGS, UM, THERE ISN'T A LOT OF QUESTIONS.
I ALSO KNOW THAT, UM, A LOT OF YOU PROBABLY DON'T KNOW ABOUT TENANT UNIONS, AND SO WE ENCOURAGE YOU ALL TO LOOK INTO, UM, TENANT UNIONS ARE NOT FORMAL ORGANIZATIONS.
THEY ARE GRASSROOTS ORGANIZATIONS.
OUR MEMBERS ARE THROUGHOUT ALL OF LONG BEACH, UH, WHICH ARE THE 60% OF TENANTS THAT RENT IN THE CITY OF LONG BEACH, WHICH ARE IN EVERY ONE OF YOUR DISTRICTS.
UM, AND SO, UH, TO GET TODAY, AGAIN, I WANNA MENTION THAT THE TENANT BILL OF RIGHTS IS OUR HOPES AND DREAMS. IF YOU LOOK UP KEEP LA HOUSE.ORG, YOU WILL SEE THAT, UH, IT'S EIGHT POLICIES WOVEN TOGETHER LIKE A WARM BLANKET TO PROTECT OUR FAMILIES AND RE AND KEEP THEM HOUSED.
OUR RATE OF SUCCESS IS REALLY AS HOW LONG WE KEEP OUR FAMILIES HOUSED.
AND SO, UM, WITHOUT THERE BEING NO TIMELINE FOR US, IT'S REALLY EMINENT THAT WE EITHER GET AN INTERIM POLICY OR A MORATORIUM IN PLACE, UM, TO REALLY AT LEAST HAVE A GRASP ON THE SITUATION AND ALLOW TENANTS TO FEEL A SENSE OF SECURITY.
RIGHT NOW, THERE REALLY IS NO SENSE OF SECURITY.
IT FEELS LIKE THE ISSUE IS REALLY BEING, UM, EITHER PUSHED OUT OR IGNORED AND IT DOESN'T REALLY FEEL GREAT.
UH, PERSONALLY, UH, I HAVE COURT TRIAL, APRIL 21ST.
I INVITE YOU TO COME AND CHECK OUT WHAT IT FEE, WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE FOR TENANTS TO GO TO COURT AND FIGHT AND RESIST AGAINST DISPLACEMENT.
I KNOW I'M GONNA WIN, BUT THIS IS THE FIFTH TIME, UH, THAT I'M GOING TO HAVE TO FIGHT FOR MY HOME IN AND OUT OF COURT.
AND SO I REALLY, UM, ENCOURAGE YOU ALL TO TAKE A STEP FORWARD AND, UM, NOT BE QUIET ON RENTERS.
THEY, IF, IF ANYTHING, PUT OUT A STATEMENT ON YOUR SOCIAL MEDIAS THAT YOU SUPPORT, UM, YOU KNOW, AND PREVENT IN, IN PREVENTING EVICTIONS.
OKAY, OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS MAYA.
THANKS FOR DOING THINGS IN ORDER TONIGHT.
UM, IN 2017, COUNCIL MEMBER ORANGA, AS WELL AS MAYOR RICHARDSON, REQUESTED THAT A RESOLUTION TO ESTABLISH RENTER'S DAY BE ADDED TO THE COUNCIL AGENDA.
I'D LIKE TO READ THE DISCUSSION OF THAT AGENDA ITEM TO YOU.
NOW, NEARLY 60% OF LONG BEACH RESIDENTS ARE RENTERS REPRESENTING EVERY SEGMENT OF OUR POPULATION.
RENTERS ARE INVESTORS IN OUR CITY AND DRIVE OUR LOCAL ECONOMY AS WORKERS, YOUTH, SENIORS, ENTREPRENEURS, AND BUSINESS OWNERS, IN THE PAST YEAR, LONG BEACH HAS TURNED ITS ATTENTION TO LOWERING VACANCY RATES AND RISING RENTS, WHICH ARE PRICING MORE FAMILIES OUTTA THE MARKET.
THOSE WHO ARE ABLE TO STAY OFTEN DO SO AT A PRICE.
TWO THIRDS OF LONG BEACH RESIDENTS HAVE A HIGH HOUSING COST BURDEN, MEANING THEY SPEND MORE THAN 30% OF THEIR INCOME ON RENT AND MUST MAKE DIFFICULT DECISIONS ABOUT BASIC NECESSITIES.
THE PURPOSE OF THIS RESOLUTION IS TO HIGHLIGHT THE CENTRAL ROLE THAT RENTERS PLAY IN OUR CITY, AND TO ALSO ACKNOWLEDGE THE UNIQUE CHALLENGES THEY FACE.
IN DECLARING APRIL 19TH RENTERS DAY, WE JOIN OTHER CITIES ACROSS THE REGION.
IN HONORING THE CONTRIBUTIONS OF RENTERS IN LONG BEACH, WE ALSO STRESSED THE NEED TO CONTINUE TO COLLABORATE, TO DEVELOP SOLUTIONS FOR COMMUNITY WELLBEING, NEIGHBORHOOD INCLUSIVITY, AND ECONOMIC PROSPERITY.
THIS WAS WRITTEN SEVEN YEARS AGO, BUT IT COULD HAVE BEEN WRITTEN YESTERDAY.
DESPITE SEVEN YEARS IN POWER, WHAT HAS CHANGED, FAMILIES ARE STILL BEING PRICED OUT OF THE MARKET.
EVICTIONS ARE A LEADING CAUSE OF HOMELESSNESS, AND WE STILL DON'T HAVE ENOUGH AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
SEVEN YEARS AGO, THIS COUNCIL STRESSED THE NEED TO COLLABORATE TO DEVELOP SOLUTIONS, BUT WHEN WE OFFER YOU COMMON SENSE SOLUTIONS, IT FEELS LIKE YOU DON'T ENGAGE AT ALL.
THE COMMUNITY HAS BEEN DEMANDING
[01:40:01]
THE END TO SUB REMODEL EVICTIONS SINCE 2019, AT LEAST.AND I ASK, WHERE IS THE COLLABORATION? I'M TIRED OF WATCHING MY NEIGHBORS SUFFER, LOSE THEIR HOMES, AND FIGHT FOR THEIR LIVES.
WHILE IT FEELS LIKE CITY COUNCIL'S POSITION IS THAT POLITICAL PRESSURE IS THE GREATEST BURDEN TO BEAR, RENTER'S DAY IS IN TWO WEEKS.
WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO FOR US? I KNOW THAT THERE'S SOME POSITION AND FEELING THAT, OH, IT'S IN TWO WEEKS.
WE CAN'T DO ANYTHING THAT FAST.
BUT I REMIND YOU THAT YOU HAVE KNOWN ABOUT RENTER'S DAY FOR SEVEN YEARS, BUT OKAY, MAYBE THAT IS YOUR POSITION.
THAT DOESN'T MEAN YOU HAVE TO DO NOTHING NEXT WEEK.
USE RENTER'S DAY TO MAKE CLEAR PUBLIC COMMITMENTS FOR TENANTS.
TELL US IN PUBLIC WITH TENANTS WATCHING.
WHEN ARE YOU GONNA PUT REMOVING SUBMODEL EVICTIONS ON THE AGENDA? WHEN ARE YOU GOING TO ESTABLISH A MORATORIUM TO PREVENT MORE SUBMODEL EVICTIONS? AND WHEN WILL RENT CONTROL BECOME A PRIORITY FOR YOU? AND HOW MANY FAMILIES ARE YOU WILLING TO LET LOSE THEIR HOMES? BEFORE YOU DO THAT, THANK YOU.
UH, MY NEIGHBORS AND I WERE FIGHTING AN EVICTION CASE.
UH, CURRENTLY THE CITY RECEIVES MONEY TO SOLVE THIS HOMELESS CRISIS THAT HELP.
BUT WHAT HELPS THE MOST ARE THE STRONG AND PERMANENT PRO, UH, PROTECTIONS TO PREVENT EVICTION.
UH, THE FITTING WAS REMOVED, UH, UH, FROM THE LAW.
THE LANDLORD SERVED FIVE YEARS, FIVE SEPARATE UNITS WITH THIS, UH, 60 DAY NOTICE AFTER WE TOLD HIM THAT HE WAS BREAKING THE LAW WITH AN ILLEGAL RENT DECRE.
UH, HE'S THIS RETALIATION AND IT IS, UH, CLEAR THAT THE LANDLORD IS USING, UH, THE SUB REMODEL AS A LOOPHOLE TO EVICT US.
UH, ANOTHER VERY IMPORTANT THING IS THE CONTROL OF INCOME AND PROTECTIONS AGAINST EVICTION FOR LACK OF PAYMENT.
THE CITY MUST ACT NOW, UH, CURRENTLY SINCE LAST YEAR.
IT SAYS AND SAYS THE CHANGES ARE COMING, AND SO FAR NOTHING HAPPENS.
UH, WE JUST ASK FOR SUPPORT AND, AND HELP TO OUR FAMILIES.
WE CANNOT CONTINUE IN DANGER OF EVICTION AND WE DEMAND CHANGES.
THANK YOU THAT IN, UH, CONCLUDES, UH, PUBLIC COMMENT, UH, SESSION NUMBER TWO.
UM, AND WE'LL MOVE NOW TO ANNOUNCEMENTS.
SO COUNCIL MEMBERS, PLEASE QUEUE UP AND I'LL START THINGS OFF WITH, UM,
[ANNOUNCEMENTS]
MY REMARKS.AND I'D LIKE TO CLOSE TONIGHT'S MEETING BY RECOGNIZING OUR COUNCIL COLLEAGUE, UH, COUNCILWOMAN CINDY ALLEN.
UH, SHE, UH, RECENTLY RECEIVED A VERY PRESTIGIOUS AWARD, AND THAT IS A LOS ANGELES COUNTY BUSINESS FED FEDERATION 2025, UH, BUSY AWARD.
AND THAT'S A, THAT'S A PICTURE OF
AND BY THE WAY, THAT THAT'S B-I-Z-Z-I, NOT BUSY.
AND IT SOUNDS FOR THE BUSINESS FEDERATION.
AND THE AWARD WAS FOR A SUPERVISOR, JANICE HANS DISTRICT FOR ELECTED OFFICIAL OF THE YEAR.
SO I THINK SHE DESERVES A ROUND OF APPLAUSE FOR THAT.
AND, UM, I'D LIKE TO HAND IT OFF TO, UM, THE HONOREE.
IF SHE'D LIKE TO SAY A FEW WORDS ABOUT THE AWARD.
IT SAYS, OKAY, THEY ARE, NOW IT'S WORKING.
UM, THANK YOU VERY MUCH YOUR LORDSHIP FOR THAT RECOGNITION.
UM, I AM, BUT I WANNA SAY, YOU KNOW, LORDSHIP SOUNDS KIND OF LIKE BRITISH.
YOU KNOW, SO I WAS THINKING MAYBE WE COULD COME UP WITH LIKE, SOMETHING LIKE MORE LONG BEACH, LIKE, YOU KNOW, UM, BIG DOG OR BIG ENCHILADA OR UM, HEAD HONCHO UNA.
SO ANYWAY, I'M JUST THINKING OF OTHER THINGS THAT MIGHT, THAT MIGHT WORK.
SO ONTO, I THANK YOU SOME THE AWARD.
THANK YOU FOR THE RECOGNITION.
AND JUST SO YOU GUYS, UM, THIS WAS THE THEME OF THIS, UM, AWARD SHOW WAS YOUR FAVORITE, UH, SPORTS TEAM.
SO I DON'T KNOW IF YOU SEE ON THERE, I HAVE MY RAIDER HAT ON.
SO, UM, BUT, UM, BUT I JUST THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR, FOR THE RECOGNITION AND, UM, AND, AND JANICE HAN AND, UM, BUSINESS FEDERATION.
THANK YOU COUNCILMAN FOR THAT TOO.
OKAY, NEXT UP WE HAVE MARY ZENDEJAS.
UM, JUST WANNA INVITE EVERYONE TO THE DAN DOWNTOWN RE RE REVOLUTION AT THE MOSA PROMENADE EVERY TUESDAY IN APRIL FROM SIX TO 8:00 PM UH, ALSO COFFEE WITH A COP AT COFFEE STATION ON WEDNESDAY,
[01:45:01]
APRIL 9TH FROM 9:00 AM TO 10:00 AM LOCATED AT FOUR FOUR PINE AVENUE, FOUR FOUR OH PINE AVENUE.UM, ALSO THE SPRING FESTIVAL AT GUMBY PARK.
UM, HOSTED IN COLLABORATION WITH ST.
ANTHONY'S NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION ON SATURDAY, APRIL 19TH FROM 12:00 PM TO 2:00 PM AT 8 8 0 EAST SEVENTH STREET.
HOPE TO SEE EVERYONE OUT THERE.
AND FROM COUNCIL DISTRICT SIX, WE HAVE COUNCIL MEMBER SULI.
I WOULD LIKE TO INVITE EVERYONE TO COME TO ANOTHER CLEANUP IN THE SIXTH DISTRICT, WE'RE DOING A, UM, AN UPLIFT, THE SIXTH NEIGHBORHOOD CLEANUP ON ORANGE AVENUE AND ANAHEIM STREET.
ALWAYS GRATEFUL FOR CASSIDY CORNER CAFE, CAMBODIA OWNED BAGEL SHOP.
UM, IT'S A CHAIN FROM, UH, THIS ONE IS THE, THE, THE OWNERS FROM LBX WHO PROVIDES BAGELS TO EVERY ONE OF OUR CLEANUPS.
SO I WANTED TO GIVE THEM A SHOUT OUT.
UM, THE OTHER IS RIGHT AFTER THAT, YOU SHOULD HEAD OVER TO THE SIX EAST EASTER BASKET GIVEAWAY.
UM, THAT STARTS RIGHT AT NOON.
UM, IT'S GONNA BE AT KING PARK.
SO PLEASE, UM, JOIN US IN ONE OF THOSE OR BOTH OF THOSE EVENTS.
FROM DISTRICT NINE, WE HAVE COUNCIL MEMBER JONI, RICK SODI.
UM, I'D LIKE TO INVITE EVERYBODY OUT, UH, THIS SATURDAY, APRIL 12TH FROM 12:00 PM TO 4:00 PM TO, FOR THE LONG BEACH REALIST ASSOCIATIONS BUILDING BLACK WEALTH COMMUNITY DAY.
THIS WILL BE HELD AT THE MICHELLE OBAMA LIBRARY AT 58 70 ATLANTIC AVENUE.
ADDITIONALLY, I INVITE EVERYBODY OUT TO, UM, OUR WALK UPTOWN ON WEDNESDAY, APRIL 16TH FROM FIVE 30 TO 6:30 PM UH, WE'LL BE MEETING AT HOUGHTON PARK.
UM, COME JOIN YOUR NEIGHBORS, GET IN A STROLL, LEARN HOW TO USE THE, UM, THE GO LONG BEACH APP AND IMPROVE YOUR COMMUNITY.
UH, AND LASTLY, I'D LIKE TO INVITE EVERYONE OUT TO OUR HIGHER UPTOWN JOB SUMMIT ON SATURDAY, APRIL 19TH FROM 10:00 AM TO 1:00 PM THIS WILL ALSO BE HELD AT HOUGHTON PARK.
UH, WE'LL HAVE A VARIETY OF ORGANIZATIONS AND COMPANIES THERE, UM, FROM THE PUBLIC SECTOR, THE PRIVATE SECTOR, FROM OUR LABOR GROUPS.
SO COME OUT, FIND OUT WHAT POSITIONS ARE AVAILABLE TO YOU.
THERE'LL BE SOMETHING THERE FOR EVERYONE, INCLUDING, UH, APPRENTICESHIPS, UH, INTERNSHIPS, UM, AND FULL-TIME JOBS.
SO WE LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING YOU THERE.
AND FINALLY, WE HAVE FROM DISTRICT FIVE COUNCIL MEMBER MEGAN KERR.
UH, SO MUCH HAPPENING AROUND LONG BEACH THIS WEEKEND.
UH, FIRST I INVITE RESIDENTS TO VISIT THEIR HISTORIC RANCHOS CERRITOS FOR THEIR NEXT ARTIST ARTIST WORKSHOP ON SATURDAY APRIL 12TH.
FROM 10:00 AM TO 12, PARTICIPANTS OF ALL AGES CAN JOIN THE RANCHOS FEATURED ARTIST HELI OMAR GONZALEZ FOR AN INTRODUCTION TO PAINTING FROM REFERENCE AND LEARN TO USE REFERENCE PHOTOS TO INSPIRE PAINTING PROJECTS.
YOU CAN LEARN MORE BY TICKETS@RANCHOLOSCERRITOS.ORG FOR ANOTHER WAY TO BE ARTISTIC.
I INVITE RESIDENTS TO ATTEND THE BIXBY KNOLL BUSINESS ASSOCIATION'S MAKER'S JAM ON SATURDAY THE 12TH, FROM 11 TO ONE AT ABLE ARTS WORK AT 3 8 4 1 ATLANTIC.
YOU CAN CELEBRATE NATIONAL RECORD STORE DAY WITH THE B-K-B-I-A BY JOINING NEIGHBORS AND MAKING MUSIC THEMED CRAFT.
OR BRING YOUR OWN PROJECT TO WORK ON ALONGSIDE OTHER COMMUNITY MEMBERS.
YOU CAN ALSO STOP BY THE FREE BUTTON MAKING STATION OUT FRONT AND PRESS YOUR OWN CUSTOM BUTTONS.
ADDITIONALLY, THIS SATURDAY, APRIL 12TH PARKVIEW VILLAGE WILL BE HOLDING THEIR MONTHLY SECOND SATURDAY'S BLOCK PARTY FROM 11 TO THREE.
JOIN FOR THE SPECIAL EASTER BUNNY, HOP AND SHOP THEME, COMPLETE WITH PHOTO OPPORTUNITIES, PET ADOPTIONS, AND MORE THAN 40 LOCAL VENDORS.
AND SIMILARLY, YOU CAN FIND NEIGHBORHOOD MARKETS AT LBX ON BOTH SATURDAY AND SUNDAY.
UH, SATURDAY FROM NOON TO SEVEN, YOU CAN CELEBRATE NATIONAL PET DAY AND SUNDAY THE 13TH.
YOU CAN HEAD BACK OVER FOR AN EASTER THEMED BUNNY BASH.
I ALSO INVITE SUPPORTERS OF THE PERFORMING ARTS TO VISIT THE HELEN BOARDS THEATER THIS WEEKEND AS LONG BEACHES SHAKESPEARE'S COMPANY PERFORMANCE OF A MIDSUMMER NIGHT STREAM CLOSES THIS SATURDAY OR THIS SUNDAY, APRIL 13TH.
TICKETS AND SHOWTIMES CAN BE FOUND@LBSHAKESPEARE.ORG.
LASTLY, I ENCOURAGE ANY INTERESTED RESIDENTS TO SAVE THE DATE FOR OUR NEXT DISTRICT FIVE COMMUNITY INFORMATION MEETING, WHICH WILL BE HELD ON THURSDAY, APRIL 24TH AT 6:00 PM AT WARDLOW PARK COMMUNITY CENTER, WITH GUEST SPEAKERS FROM COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT AND THE FIRE DEPARTMENT.
I HOPE TO SEE YOU ALL OUT IN THE COMMUNITY.
THANK YOU THAT THAT CONCLUDES ANNOUNCEMENTS.
AND, UH, HERE'S A PHRASE YOU DON'T HEAR TOO OFTEN.
IT IS 6:50 PM AND WE'RE ABOUT TO ADJOURN.
UM, BUT I'D LIKE TO THANK YOU ALL FOR
[ADJOURNMENT]
YOUR CIVIC ENGAGEMENT AND, UM, EVERYTHING YOU'VE ADDED TO THIS MEETING TONIGHT.AND THANK YOU FOR, UH, TOLERATING ME AS YOUR CHAIR.
SO WITH THAT, WE STAND ADJOURNED.