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UH, WE WANNA RECOGNIZE AND THANK[CALL TO ORDER]
RAFAEL S RAFIS RAFIS, UH, YOU ALL REMEMBER THEY HELPED US WITH OUR FIRST COUNCIL PRIORITIZATION TWO YEARS AGO, UM, JAN AND NANCY.WE LOOK FORWARD TO TODAY'S SESSION.
UM, AND IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE FOCUS ON COUNCIL PRIORITIZATION.
WE PLAN THE WORK, AND WE WORK THE PLAN.
THAT IS THE BEST WAY FOR US TO STAY, UH, ON THE SAME PAGE, OVERCOME OUR BIG CHALLENGES AS A CITY, AND, UH, AND MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE BEING GOOD STEWARDS AS LEADERS OF OUR CITY.
SO, UH, WE'LL, WE'RE GONNA START OFF WITH PUBLIC COMMENT BEFORE I JUMP INTO SOME OF MY COMMENTS.
SO WE HAVE ONE MEMBER OF THE PUBLIC SIGNED
[2. 25-55124 Public Comment ]
UP TO SPEAK, JOE MELLOW, AND WHERE'S, WHERE'S, WHERE ARE WE DOING PUBLIC COMMENT.YOU CAN JUST TAKE MY MICROPHONE.
UH, ON BEHALF OF, UM, SHORTLINE YACHT CLUB, I WANT TO THANK ALL OF YOU FOR COMING.
UH, IT'S A GORGEOUS FACILITY, AS YOU PROBABLY CAN SEE.
UH, WE LOVE SHOWING IT OFF AND WE LOVE HAVING PEOPLE HERE.
AND, UM, IT'S, UH, AS THE MAYOR SAID, IT'S ON PUBLIC LANDS.
AND, UH, WE ARE VERY COMMUNITY ORIENTED.
UM, WE, UH, HOLD A LOT OF, UH, FUNCTIONS, NOT JUST FOR BOATERS, BUT ALSO FOR, UM, PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY.
UH, WE TAKE, YOU KNOW, KIDS OUT TO SALE AND ALL KINDS OF THINGS.
UH, WE SUPPORT, UM, A LOT OF THE COMMUNITY, UH, ORGANIZATIONS HERE IN TOWN.
AND SO, UH, IT'S REALLY, UH, WONDERFUL TO, UH, ALSO HOST, UH, THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT TOO.
UM, I KNOW YOU GUYS HAVE A LOT ON YOUR AGENDA TODAY, BUT I WANTED TO MAKE A REQUEST.
MY NAME'S DAVID SALAZAR AND I'M THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF A NON-PROFIT HERE IN LONG BEACH, LONG BEACH COMMUNITY DESIGN CENTER.
AND, UM, I ASKED YOU TO CONSIDER THE CREATION OF A COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN THE CITY OF LONG BEACH, CAL STATE LONG BEACH, LONG BEACH CITY COLLEGE, TO ENGAGE AND COLLABORATE WITH LOCAL COMMUNITIES ON URBAN ISSUES.
THE PARTNERSHIP COMPLIMENTS AND GOES BEYOND THE EXISTING LONG BEACH PROMISE PROGRAM.
THIS UNIQUE PARTNERSHIP BRINGS TO, CAN BRING TOGETHER STUDENTS, FACULTY, STAFF, TO WORK COLLECTIVELY WITH OUR COMMUNITIES, UM, THROUGH A SERVICE LEARNING RESEARCH, OPPORTUNITIES, COURSEWORK, POLICY ANALYSIS, ANALYSIS IN, IN, REALLY IN PROMOTING CIVIC PROJECTS AND, AND PROGRAM DEVELOPMENT.
THIS TYPE OF PARTNERSHIP IS ESPECIALLY ACUTE AND ARE UNDERSERVED AND UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES UNDER-RESOURCED AND UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES.
THE LONG BEACH COMMUNITY DESIGN CENTER IS PREPARED TO WORK WITH THE CITY AND OUR EDUCATIONAL PARTNERS TO LAUNCH AND IMPLEMENT THIS INITIATIVE.
THANK YOU SO MUCH AND HAVE A GREAT RETREAT.
ANY OTHER PUBLIC COMMENT? ALRIGHT, WELL, LET'S JUMP
[1. 25-55123 Welcome and Opening Comments from Rex Richardson, Mayor ]
IN.SO, UH, JUST, WE, I WANNA ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THIS IS VIRTUALLY THE SAME GROUP THAT WE HAD TWO YEARS AGO, UH, WITH THE EXCEPTION OF ONE NEW MEMBER WITH TENA, BUT IT'S THE SAME GROUP.
AND I WANNA REMIND YOU ALL THAT OF THE BACKDROP OF WHAT WE WERE, WHAT WE WERE UP AGAINST.
UH, WHEN WE CAME INTO, UH, THIS NEW ADMINISTRATION TWO YEARS AGO, IT WAS VIRTUALLY A NEW CITY MANAGER, UM, A NEW MAYOR, A NEW CITY COUNCIL, AND WE WERE COMING OUTTA THE PANDEMIC.
AND SO THERE WERE SOME REAL CHALLENGES THAT WE NEEDED TO WRAP OUR MIND AROUND TWO YEARS AGO FOR OUR CITY.
AND SO, OBVIOUSLY, OUR ECONOMY HAD CHANGED THE MAKEUP OF OUR DOWNTOWN AND OFFICE SPACE AND, UH, MAJOR ECONOMIC IMPACTS.
AS A RESULT OF THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC, WE SAW HOMELESSNESS INCREASE IN OUR CITY BETWEEN 2020 AND 20 22, 60 2%.
UH, SO THIS WAS NOT ONLY IN LONG BEACH, THIS WAS ACROSS OUR REGION, ACROSS OUR STATE, ACROSS OUR COUNTRY, BUT THIS WAS THE NUMBER ONE ISSUE THAT ALL OF US FACED COMING IN.
WE SAW, UH, REAL CHALLENGES WITH OUR DOWNTOWN, WHEN YOU SHUT DOWN A DOWNTOWN AND YOU DON'T HAVE THE WALKABILITY.
AND, AND WE MOVED OUR CITY HALL TWO BLOCKS AWAY, AND, UM, AND A LOT OF THAT REALLY CHANGED THE FIG CONFIGURATION OF THE ECONOMY IN OUR DOWNTOWN.
AND IT ALLOWED FOR CERTAIN NUISANCES AND CHALLENGES TO MANIFEST IN OUR DOWNTOWN.
UH, THIS WASN'T UNIQUE TO LONG BEACH.
EVERY DOWNTOWN IN CALIFORNIA FACED THESE CHALLENGES.
WE ALSO UNIQUELY HAD A CHALLENGE.
OTHER CITIES WEREN'T DEALING WITH THAT UNIQUELY LONG BEACH WAS DEALING WITH, UH, WHICH IS DIMINISHING OIL REVENUES THAT WE'VE, WE'VE COUNTED ON FOR MANY YEARS TO FUND COURSE SERVICES AND INVEST IN OUR INFRASTRUCTURE, FROM STREETS TO CONVENTION CENTERS, TO, UH, SEA WALLS AND ALL OF THOSE THINGS.
AND THE REALITY IS, UH, DUE TO STATE LEGISLATION AND THE
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NEW DIRECTION IN THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA, OUR ABILITY TO, TO DEPEND ON THAT, UM, BECAME, UM, UNSUSTAINABLE FOR US.AND ALSO, WE INHERITED ABOUT A $90 MILLION STRUCTURAL DEFICIT OVER FIVE YEARS.
SO THAT WAS THE BACKDROP OF WHAT WE WALKED INTO.
UH, BUT WE CAME IN, THESE ARE THE THINGS THAT WE KNEW ABOUT.
AND THEN THERE WERE THINGS THAT WE DIDN'T KNOW ABOUT.
SO YOU PROBABLY REMEMBER AS SOON AS WE CAME IN, IT WAS A STATEWIDE NATURAL GAS EMERGENCY.
REMEMBER THAT WE STEPPED UP, WE WERE THE FIRST COMMUNITY TO, YOU KNOW, PROVIDE REBATES.
AND IT'S GREAT THAT WE ARE AN INDEPENDENT CITY, THAT WE HAVE OUR OWN UTILITIES PROGRAMS, BECAUSE OTHERS MODELED US.
WE WERE THE FIRST ONES TO SAY, HEY, WE'RE GONNA ISSUE RELIEF.
WE'RE GONNA APPLY AN AN EQUITY LENS TO THAT.
WE, WE COMMUNICATED QUICKLY THERE AND, AND WE WERE ABLE TO RESPOND TO, TO OUR RESIDENTS.
BUT THIS WAS ONE OF OUR FIRST EMERGENCIES.
RIGHT AFTER WE DECLARED OUR LOCAL STATE OF EMERGENCY ON HOMELESSNESS, WE HAD TO DEAL WITH THIS.
WE DEALT WITH A MAJOR CYBER INCURSION, CYBER ATTACK INCURSION.
WE'RE STILL DEALING WITH SOME OF THE FALLOUT THERE, BUT THIS WAS NOT ON THE BINGO CARD FOR US.
THIS IS NOT SOMETHING THAT WE ANTICIPATED, EVEN THOUGH WE'RE A TOP 10 DIGITAL CI DIGITAL CITY IN AMERICA COM CONSISTENTLY, NUMBER ONE, WE INVEST IN CYBERSECURITY EVERY SINGLE YEAR, BUT IT'S A REMINDER THAT WE HAVE TO CONTINUE TO INVEST IN CYBERSECURITY.
BUT THIS WAS NOT ON THE BINGO CARD.
WE SAW UNPRECEDENTED RAINFALL AND FLOODING.
OUR INFRASTRUCTURE WAS DESIGNED WHEN IT DIDN'T RAIN IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA.
NOW IT RAINS MORE AND MORE EVERY SINGLE YEAR, AND WE HAVE TO PREPARE FOR THAT.
BUT AGAIN, THIS WAS NOT ON THE BINGO CART, LARGE SCALE WATER MAIN BREAKS.
I CAN THINK OF TWO OF THEM, TWO MAJOR ONES, AND THERE'S BEEN OTHERS.
BUT, UH, REALLY FO REALLY AN EMPHASIS ON THE INFRASTRUCTURE THAT WAS IN PLACE, 50, 60 YEARS.
UM, WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE MAINTAIN A FOCUS ON THAT INFRASTRUCTURE IN OUR UTILITIES.
AND SO, UM, LARGE SCALE WATER MAIN BREAKS, WE SHIFTED INTO EMERGENCY MODE IN BOTH, IN BOTH OF THOSE CASES.
UH, ONE UP IN UPTOWN AND ONE OVER NEAR THE RANCHOS INTERNATIONAL CONFLICTS AND HUMANITARIAN CRISIS IN THE MIDDLE EAST.
THIS WAS LAST WINTER WHEN I'LL TELL YOU, I'VE VIRTUALLY ATTENDED.
I MEAN, EVERY ONCE IN A WHILE, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE A KID, AND I DON'T GO TO A COUNCIL MEETING, BUT I VIRTUALLY HAVE ATTENDED EVERY COUNCIL MEETING FOR THE LAST 15 YEARS.
I HAVE NEVER SEEN, UH, THE SITUATION LIKE WE DEALT WITH, WITH THE PRESSURE ON THE SITUATION IN GAZA AND PALESTINE.
WE'VE DEALT, DEALT WITH SOME MAJOR INCIDENTS IN LONG BEACH.
I'VE NEVER SEEN THAT AMOUNT OF ENERGY ON THE GROUND.
OUR CITY COUNCIL NAVIGATED IT.
WAS IT, WAS IT DIFFICULT? ABSOLUTELY.
UH, DID WE COME OUT THE OTHER SIDE, UNITED AS A, AS A, AS A, UH, AS A CITY COUNCIL AND OUR LEADERSHIP TEAM? WE ABSOLUTELY DID.
UM, AND SO THIS WAS A CHALLENGE THAT WE DID NOT ANTICIPATE, AND IT'S STILL ONGOING WILDFIRES AFFECTING LA COUNTY.
WE HAVE FOLKS IN LONG BEACH WHO LIVE THERE, WHO WORK THERE.
IT WAS NOT LIMITED TO PALISADES AND ALTADENA.
THIS IMPACTED OUR ENTIRE COUNTY, AND IT PUT STRAIN ON OUR RESOURCES AS WE SENT 50, 60, UH, FIREFIGHTERS AND ABOUT 30 POLICE OFFICERS OUT TO HELP SUPPORT ALTADENA AND THE PALISADES.
WE ALSO RALLIED TOGETHER, AND I WANNA THANK THE CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS, UH, AND CITY STAFF.
WE RALLIED TOGETHER AND WE RAISED, WE RAISED ALMOST $700,000 IN ABOUT A WEEK TO HELP SUPPORT THE RELIEF, UH, RIGHT AROUND THE STATE OF THE CITY.
WE HAD TO MAKE A DECISION, DO WE MOVE FORWARD WITH THE STATE OF THE CITY OR NOT? UM, YOU KNOW, WE DO HAVE SOME RESTRAINTS IN OUR CHARTER.
YOU KNOW, I, I COUNTED ON THE COUNCIL OF SOME OF YOU AND OUR CITY MANAGER AND OUR CITY ATTORNEY, AND I THINK WE MADE THE RIGHT DECISION TO PIVOT TO STILL PROVIDE THE UPDATES THAT OUR CITY NEEDED, BUT ALSO BE SENSITIVE TO THE WILDFIRE SITUATION.
THIS WAS NOT EASY, BUT WE NAVIGATED THAT.
AND THEN WE HAVE A NEW PRESIDENTIAL ADMINISTRATION, WHICH I TALK WITH DON PROBABLY ONCE A WEEK ABOUT, UM, YOU KNOW, DIFFERENT EXECUTIVE ORDERS THAT MAY IMPACT OUR ABILITY TO DELIVER THE SERVICES THAT WE PROVIDE TO OUR RESIDENTS.
AND SO THIS IS A CHALLENGE THAT WASN'T NECESSARILY ANTICIPATED.
WE DO ANTICIPATE ELECTIONS DO HAPPEN AND POLITICAL PENDULUM SWING, BUT SOME OF THIS STUFF IS UNPRECEDENTED.
WE'VE NEVER SEEN THIS LEVEL OF, UM, ATTACK ON LOCAL GOVERNMENT AND UNCERTAINTY AND JUST IN THE FIRST 100 DAYS.
SO THESE WERE THE THINGS THAT WERE UNANTICIPATED, RIGHT? THIS IS THE STUFF WE DIDN'T ANTICIPATE IN OUR RETREAT TWO YEARS AGO.
BUT DESPITE THAT, WE'VE DONE PRETTY WELL.
I MEAN, WE PLACED A REAL FOCUS ON HOMELESSNESS.
AND, YOU KNOW, I WANT TO THANK ALL OF YOU.
I KNOW IT'S BEEN A CHALLENGE AND ALL OF OUR CITY TEAMS, BUT WE ACHIEVED OUR FIRST REDUCTION IN HOMELESSNESS.
MORE PEOPLE EXITED HOMELESSNESS THAN ENTERED FOR THE FIRST TIME IN SEVEN YEARS.
WE'VE BUILT MORE INFRASTRUCTURE AROUND HOMELESSNESS.
WE'VE ALWAYS HAD A HEALTH DEPARTMENT, WE'VE ALWAYS HAD INFRASTRUCTURE, BUT THE PROBLEM HAD OUTGROWN OUR ABILITY
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TO RESPOND, UH, IN A MEANINGFUL WAY.AND SO WE FOCUSED ON THAT CAPACITY AND BUILDING SHELTER AND STAFFING UP LOOKING AT NEW MODELS.
WE ALSO NAVIGATED THE CHANGES IN THE LANDSCAPE POLITICALLY WITH, WITH, YOU KNOW, THE, THE GRANT'S PASS RULING AND REALLY THINKING ABOUT HOW WE'RE GONNA ADDRESS IT THOUGHTFULLY.
WE DIDN'T DO EXACTLY WHAT LA DID, AND WE DIDN'T DO EXACTLY WHAT ORANGE COUNTY CITIES DID.
WE DID WHAT WAS RIGHT FOR LONG BEACH.
AND, AND I THINK THE RESULT IS YOU SEE CLEANER, UH, MANY OF OUR CHRONIC ENCAMPMENTS, THEY DON'T LAST AS LONG AS THEY WERE BEFORE.
AND OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT HAS REAL CLARITY.
BUT WE'RE ALSO ADDRESSING THAT WITH, WITH WITH OUR OWN STYLE OF HUMANITY, UH, HERE IN LONG BEACH.
UM, WE SET NEW HOUSING PRODUCTION RECORDS EVERY YEAR OVER THE LAST TWO YEARS.
SO WE'RE DOING WHAT WE NEED TO DO.
JUST YESTERDAY, WE WERE OUT IN, IN SULIS DISTRICT, UH, OPENING 194 MORE UNITS.
THIS IS OUR FIRST MAJOR RIBBON CUTTING THIS YEAR.
SO WE'RE ON PACE FOR ANOTHER GREAT YEAR ON HOUSING PRODUCTION.
SO EVERY YEAR SINCE OUR OUR RETREAT, WE HAVE FOCUSED ON HOMELESSNESS AND FOCUSED ON HOUSING.
WE HAVE, WE CAN SHOW MEANINGFUL RESULTS THERE.
WE ALSO ARE, ARE, ARE COMING OUT OF OUR PANDEMIC ECONOMIC CHALLENGES WITH SOME REAL MOMENTUM FROM AN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STANDPOINT.
WE TOOK THE CHALLENGES OF OIL AND NEEDING NEW REVENUE, AND WE FRAMED AS AN OPPORTUNITY CALLED GROW LONG BEACH.
SOME THINGS WERE ALREADY IN THE WORKS, LIKE THE, UM, WHAT'S THE LAND USE PLAN OUT IN THE FIFTH DISTRICT? THE, UM, THE, UM, WHAT'S IT CALLED, THE GLOBE MASTER.
A LOT OF THAT WORK HAD TAKEN PLACE FOR MANY YEARS, BUT NOW WE'RE SEEING THE RESULTS OF GLOBE MASTER WITH BIG COMPANIES, UH, COMING OUT AND, AND LOCATING.
SO WE'RE, WE'RE NOW ONE OF THE FASTEST GROWING AEROSPACE CLUSTERS IN AMERICA.
IT'S EXPANDED BEYOND AEROSPACE.
NOW, YOU PROBABLY SAW THE JACKET I HAVE ON SLATE.
THIS HAS BEEN, THIS COMPANY'S BEEN IN STEALTH MODE UP IN THE NINTH DISTRICT, JONI, RIGHT? THIS COMPANY DESIGNED AN ELECTRIC, AN ELECTRIC TRUCK TO COMPETE WITH, YOU KNOW, CYBER TRUCK AND ALL THOSE GUYS.
THEY'VE BEEN OPERATING OUR CITY TWO YEARS IN STEALTH MODE.
AND SOMEBODY LEAKED IT AND SAID, OKAY, I GUESS IT'S TIME TO COME OUT.
AND SO THEY'VE ALL THE R AND D, THIS TRUCK WAS DESIGNED HERE IN LONG BEACH AND FORD, UH, ANNOUNCED THAT THEY'RE BRINGING THEIR ADVANCED CLEAN VEHICLE DEVELOPMENT CENTER TO LONG BEACH.
I WENT AND TOOK A TOUR OF IT IN CONSTRUCTION, IT LOOKS LIKE, LOOKS LIKE TONY STARK'S LABORATORY.
THAT'S, THAT'S THE COOL STUFF THAT'S HAPPENING OVER THE LAST TWO YEARS HERE IN THE CITY.
UM, THE PORT, YOU PROBABLY REMEMBER, PANDEMIC AROUND THE TIME WE CAME IN, WE WERE JUST COMING OFF OF MAJOR SUPPLY CHAIN CHALLENGES, RIGHT? THAT WAS TALKED ABOUT ALL AROUND THE WORLD.
AGAIN, WE WE'RE WATCHING THE HEADWINDS ON TARIFFS AND ALL OF THAT.
WE'RE, WE'RE CONCERNED ABOUT THOSE CHALLENGES, BUT WE'RE DOING WHAT WE NEED TO DO HERE.
UM, UH, TOURISM, UH, $2 BILLION IN ECONOMIC ACTIVITY.
THAT'S $200 MILLION MORE THAN OUR HIGHEST YEAR PRE PANDEMIC.
WE'RE CONTINUING TO INVEST IN THAT.
AND WE ARE MAKING GREAT PROGRESS ON OUR GOAL THAT WE ESTABLISHED, UH, OF MAKING OUR GENERAL FUND INDEPENDENT FROM UPLANDS OIL BY 2030.
THAT IS BUILT INTO OUR REVENUE PROJECTIONS.
THIS WILL BE THE FIRST TIME IN ALMOST A CENTURY THAT WE HAVEN'T, WE HAVEN'T PUT, I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE YEARS, 80 YEARS MAYBE, THAT WE HAVEN'T PUT REVENUE FROM UPLANDS INTO OUR GENERAL FUND TO BALANCE OUR BUDGET ON SERVICES.
IF DOLLARS DO COME IN, YOU JUST DON'T USE 'EM ON SERVICES.
YOU CAN USE 'EM ON ONE TIMES STREETS, YOU KNOW, INFRASTRUCTURE THAT DOESN'T CONNECT TO A PENSION AND A RETIREMENT AND HEALTHCARE, YOU KNOW, NOT BODIES, RIGHT? YOU'RE NOT INVESTING IN SERVICES THERE.
THE SERVICES WILL BE SUPPORTED BY MORE SUSTAINABLE RESOURCES LIKE OUR MORE TRADITIONAL REVENUE SOURCES.
SO THAT'S TRADITIONALLY, THAT'S, THAT'S PRETTY TRANSFORMATIVE.
THE FACT THAT WE'RE GONNA DO THIS FOR THE FIRST TIME IN, I DON'T KNOW, 80 YEARS OR SO.
AND THEN, UH, WE WENT TO THE BALLOT FOR THE FIRST TIME.
AND ALL OF OUR BALLOT MEASURES THAT THE CITY COUNCIL PUT FORWARD, AND THE ONE THAT'S MISSING IS MEASURE RW.
BUT ALL OF OUR MEASURES, UH, THESE WERE NOT EASY ISSUES.
UH, MEASURE LB, WE HAD, YOU KNOW, TO ADDRESS THE REVENUE CHALLENGES AND FIND A CREATIVE WAY TO DO SO.
AND MEASURE LB PASSED WITH 81, 80 2% OF THE VOTE, UH, MEASURE JB THAT THAT WASN'T EASY.
THAT WAS DEFINITELY THAT ONE, THAT ONE, THAT ONE WASN'T EASY.
BUT WE GOT THROUGH, WE GOT THROUGH MEETING CONFER.
WE APPOINTED A GREAT NEW COMMISSION OF PEOPLE WHO UNDERSTAND CIVIL SERVICE, UNDERSTAND EMPLOYMENT.
WE EVEN GOT A COUPLE OF OUR RETIREES OFF THE BENCH.
WE GOT CHRIS GARNER BACK, AND HE'S ON A COMMISSION.
WE GOT HURLEY HURLEY'S, MY GUY.
AND NOW WE'RE ON TRACK TO BE THE FIRST BIG CITY IN CALIFORNIA TO ACHIEVE 90 DAY HIRING.
AND MAJOR H MEASURE, HC THE MOST COMPLICATED MEASURE THAT NO ONE CARED ABOUT, ENDED UP PASSING WITH THE LEAST, UH, THE LEAST, UM, AMOUNT OF VOTES.
AND SO, UH, WE, WE HANDLED THAT.
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INHERITED WITHOUT RAISING TAXES, WITHOUT RAISING TAXES ON OUR RESIDENTS, WE'VE, WE'VE, WE'VE MADE MAJOR PROGRESS IN CUTTING INTO THAT DEFICIT.AND THAT'S BEFORE WE LOOK AT, UH, THE ARREST OF MEASURE A COMING IN, IN 2027, AND BEFORE WE SEE THE RESULTS OF SOME OF THE ECONOMIC INVESTMENTS IN THE OLYMPICS AND ALL OF THAT.
SO OUR HEADWINDS, WE'VE CUT IT DOWN FROM ABOUT 90 TO ABOUT 60 ISH PRIOR TO THOSE ADDITIONAL RESOURCES COMING IN.
AND SO WHEN THOSE GET FACTORED IN, WE'RE GONNA ACTUALLY SEE THAT WE'RE, WE'RE MA WE'RE, WE'RE MAKING SOME REAL STEPS TO ADDRESS THAT DEFICIT.
SO WE MADE SOME GREAT PROGRESS TOGETHER.
THIS IS JUST A, A LIST OF CITYWIDE, BUT YOU ALL HAVE MADE GREAT PROGRESS IN YOUR OWN DISTRICTS AS WELL, BECAUSE WE FOCUSED, BECAUSE WE WORK TOGETHER, BECAUSE WE'VE ADDRESSED BIG CHALLENGES.
WE HAVE BIG OPPORTUNITIES AHEAD OF US NOW.
SO WE, UH, WE'RE HAVING GREAT CONVERSATIONS WITH THE LA UH, SPORTS COMMISSION ABOUT POTENTIALLY HOSTING A FAN ZONE FOR, FOR, UH, THE WORLD CUP IN 2026, OFFICIALLY OR UNOFFICIALLY.
IT'S, IT'LL BE A TESTT EVENT FOR HOW WE ACTIVATE DURING THE OLYMPICS.
UM, THE OLYMPIC AND PARALYMPIC GAMES OVER THE LAST COUPLE YEARS, WE'VE REALLY, UH, GROWN OUR PROFILE, GROWN OUR FOOTPRINT.
A LOT OF CONFIDENCE IS BEING PLACED IN LONG BEACH TO HELP DELIVER THESE GAMES.
UM, I'LL TELL YOU, IT'S, WE'RE AT 11 GAMES NOW, BUT WHEN WE CAME IN, THERE WERE FIVE, WE HAD FIVE OLYMPIC GAMES, IT WAS SIX.
SO WHEN, WHEN I CAME IN, WHEN ALL OF US CAME IN, IT WAS 5, 5, 5 EVENTS.
AND THAT DOESN'T INCLUDE THE PARALYMPIC SLATE, WHICH PARALYMPICS IN ITS OWN RIGHT, IS GONNA BE A MAJOR EXPERIENCE.
THIS IS THE FIRST TIME THE OLYMPICS AND THE PARALYMPICS ARE HELD IN THE SAME PLACE IN THE UNITED STATES.
AND SO THERE'S GONNA BE A LOT OF EMPHASIS ON THE PARALYMPICS, UM, HERE IN LONG BEACH.
SO WE, THAT'S SOMETHING WE SHOULD BE PROUD OF.
AND IT'S BECAUSE WE, MAN, WE HOST MAJOR EVENTS AND WE HAVE A WELL PROFESSIONALLY MANAGED CITY.
THERE'S A LOT OF CONFIDENCE BEING PLACED ON US TO BE ABLE TO DELIVER THESE, THESE GAMES.
WE'VE ALREADY BEGUN OUR, OUR ENGAGEMENT WORK.
WE'VE STOOD UP, UH, CO-CHAIRS, UH, OF A COMMUNITY ADVISORY COMMITTEE.
UM, WE IMPLEMENTED OLYMPICS WAGES FOR HOTEL WORKERS.
UM, AND WE'RE, AND NEXT THING, LIKE WE KNOW THAT INFRASTRUCTURE'S IMPORTANT.
WE'VE PLACED A REAL FOCUS ON IMPROVING THE DELIVERY OF SERVICES AND THE QUALITY OF SERVICES WE DELIVER.
UM, UH, THE 90 DAY HIRING, THAT'S ALL ABOUT STAFFING UP AND DELIVERING BETTER, BETTER SERVICES, INVESTING IN OUR SMALL BUSINESSES WHO HAVE HAD CHALLENGES.
AND WE INVESTED MORE IN INFRASTRUCTURE THAN WE EVER HAD IN A FIVE YEAR SPAN OF TIME THROUGH THE ELEVATE 28 CAPITAL INFRASTRUCTURE PLAN.
IT'S CALLED 28, BUT IT ACTUALLY WRAPS UP IN 27.
SO THAT MEANS WE START TALKING ABOUT THE NEXT FIVE YEARS IN 26.
SO, SO NOW'S THE TIME FOR US TO BE THINKING ABOUT WHAT ARE THE NEXT BIG PRIORITIES FOR INFRASTRUCTURE.
WE PLAN, AGAIN, PLAN THE WORK, WORK THE PLAN.
SO NEXT YEAR IN 26, WE BEGIN OUR INFRASTRUCTURE CONVERSATIONS ABOUT THE NEXT INFRASTRUCTURE PLAN THAT PICKS UP IN 27 FOR THE NEXT FIVE YEARS, RIGHT? SO TIME HAS GONE BY PRETTY QUICKLY IN OUR ELEVATE 28.
IT'S ALREADY ALMOST TIME TO BEGIN THINKING ABOUT THE NEXT TRANCHE OF INFRASTRUCTURE.
THINK ABOUT THE NEXT SET OF, OF PRIORITIES.
AND DESPITE THAT, QUEEN MARY PROFITABLE WAS NOT IN THE BINGO CARD, RIGHT? THAT WASN'T SOMETHING WE SHOT.
WE, WE, WE KNEW ABOUT IT, BUT WE DIDN'T TALK ABOUT IT UNTIL WE ACTUALLY PROVED IT.
SIGNATURE AMPHITHEATER, THANK YOU TO CITY COUNCIL.
THAT WAS NOT SOMETHING WE WERE TALKING ABOUT TWO YEARS AGO.
AND WE'RE SEEING REAL OPPORTUNITIES WITH THE CONVENTION CENTER.
SO THESE ARE OPPORTUNITIES THAT WE HAVE FOR OUR CITY.
WHEN THESE ASSETS DO WELL AND THRIVE, IT HELPS US PROVIDE SERVICES ACROSS OUR WHOLE CITY.
SO, SO THAT PUTS A LITTLE BIT OF CONTEXT WHY IT'S SO IMPORTANT FOR US TO WORK TOGETHER.
WE CAME OUT WITH NORMS LAST TIME.
WE SET SOME, SOME BIG PRIORITIES FOR US.
BUT I THINK, I THINK WE'VE LEARNED, WE'VE LEARNED, UM, HOW, HOW TO WORK TOGETHER AS A GROUP.
I'VE LEARNED HOW TO SUPPORT EACH OF YOU IN YOUR PRIORITIES.
UH, WE'VE LEARNED HOW TO COMMUNICATE OVER THE LAST TWO YEARS.
AND BECAUSE OF THAT, OUR MUSCLES HAVE GOTTEN STRONGER ON COLLABORATION, WHICH IS, I THINK OUR HALLMARK HERE IN LONG BEACH.
UM, WHY YOU DON'T SEE THE KIND OF DRAMA THAT YOU SEE IN OTHER CITIES HERE IN LONG BEACH, BECAUSE WE COMMUNICATE AND WE COLLABORATE AND WE WORK TOGETHER.
SO THAT HELPS SET SOME CONTEXT FOR THE HOPE OF, WE WANT TO CONTINUE SOME OF THAT SAME SPIRIT OF COLLABORATION HERE TODAY.
SO THAT SAID, TOM, TAKE US AWAY.
[3. 25-55125 Opening Comments from Thomas B. Modica, City Manager ]
ALL RIGHT, THANK YOU, MAYOR.THAT WAS, UH, A GREAT OVERVIEW OF, UM, IMPORTANT TO LOOK BACK ON WHAT WE'VE ACCOMPLISHED, WHAT WE'VE KIND OF BEEN THROUGH.
I LOOKED AT SOME OF THOSE LISTS, THOSE THINGS, AND FRANKLY, IT'S LIKE, WOW, YEAH, THAT WAS A HUGE THING AT THE TIME THAT YOU WORK ON.
AND THEN YOU KIND OF MOVE PAST IT.
BUT IT'S IMPORTANT TO LOOK BACK AND GO, WOW, LOOK AT WHAT WE ACTUALLY ACCOMPLISHED,
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UH, INCLUDING THE ONES THAT, UH, WERE NOT ON THE BINGO CARD AS THE SAYING GOES.MY MY PART WILL BE REALLY SHORT RIGHT NOW BECAUSE I'M GONNA HELP, UH, LEAD SOME OF THIS, UH, LATER ON AS WE TALK ABOUT SOME OF OUR PRIORITY SETTINGS, WE'RE GONNA GO DEEPER INTO, YOU KNOW, THE PRIORITIES THAT WE'VE SET.
WE'LL TALK ABOUT SOME OF THE ACCOMPLISHMENTS, AND THEN WE'LL TALK ABOUT SOME OF THE BARRIERS AND THEN WHAT ELSE WE WANNA ACCOMPLISH.
AND THEN, UH, WE'LL ACTUALLY DIG IN LATER ON, LIKE WHAT, YOU KNOW, THE CORNERSTONES OF A, OF A WELL RUN CITY AND WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE AND, AND WHAT WE HAVE GOING FOR US.
AND THEN WHAT SOME OF OUR CHALLENGES ARE.
UH, THIS PART, I JUST WANNA SAY THANK YOU FOR ONE, INVESTING IN THIS WORK.
UM, WHEN I BECAME CITY MANAGER, UH, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I TALKED TO YOU ALL ABOUT, UM, AS I WAS APPLYING FOR THE JOB, IS CREATING A STRATEGIC VISION AND A STRATEGIC PLAN, WHICH WE HAD NEVER HAD IN LIKE 20 YEARS.
UM, SO WE HAD DONE A LOT OF STRATEGIC PLANNING, BUT NEVER A COMPREHENSIVE VISION.
SO THAT WAS ONE OF THE FIRST THINGS THAT WE ACCOMPLISHED.
AND THEN REALLY STARTING TO INVEST THE OR OR EMBED THAT IN THE ORGANIZATION.
AND SO, UH, THIS SESSION SESSION THAT WE DID TWO YEARS AGO WAS REALLY, REALLY HELPFUL FOR THAT.
AND TWO YEARS LATER, WHAT I HEAR THE ORGANIZATION TALKING ABOUT ARE THE COUNCIL'S PRIORITIES AND TALK ABOUT THESE ARE ONE OF THEIR TOP THREE THINGS THAT THEY'RE INTERESTED IN.
AND HERE'S WHAT'S IN THE STRATEGIC VISION.
AND WE'RE STARTING TO SEE THAT ALIGNMENT, WHICH HAD NEVER REALLY HAPPENED BEFORE.
UH, JUST EVEN WHEN WE'RE HAVING BUDGET DISCUSSIONS, IT'S LIKE, WELL, CAN WE AFFORD TO DO THAT? AND SOMEONE WILL SAY, THAT'S ONE OF THE COUNCIL'S TOP THREE PRIORITIES THAT WE TALKED ABOUT.
YOU KNOW, THAT SHOULD BE, YOU KNOW, IT'D HAVE MORE ATTENTION THAN MAYBE SOMETHING ELSE THAT WE HAVE TO WORK ON.
AND SO THAT TO ME MEANS THAT WE'RE REALLY GETTING THE ORGANIZATION TO BUY IN ON THIS, THAT, UH, YOU'VE SET THAT VISION AND YOU'VE BEEN REALLY GOOD AT, AT OVER THE LAST TWO YEARS SAYING, THESE ARE THE THINGS THAT WE WANNA FOCUS ON.
AND THEN OF COURSE, IT'S TIME NOW TO, UM, TO LOOK AT THAT AND, AND REITERATE AND SAY, ARE THOSE STILL THE BIG TOP ONES? AND I THINK WE'VE DONE A GOOD JOB TOO, OF NOT MAKING IT SO SIMPLE TO SAY, WE ONLY DO THE TOP THREE AND EVERYTHING ELSE GETS FORGOTTEN.
UH, WE STILL HAVE A LOT OF ACCOMPLISHMENTS IN THE OTHER AREAS BECAUSE THEY ARE IMPORTANT.
UH, BUT, UM, CREATING THAT, THAT, UM, THAT DIFFERE DIFFERENTIATION AND THAT EMPHASIS, UH, HAS BEEN REALLY GOOD FOR ME AS CITY MANAGER AND THEN ALSO FOR THE ORGANIZATION TO, TO BE ABLE TO FOLLOW IT.
AND, UH, I APPRECIATE THE ABILITY TO JUST BE HERE.
AND IT'S ALWAYS, UH, GOOD TO GET OUTTA CITY HALL AND COME AND EXPERIENCE ONE OF OUR OTHER CITY FACILITIES.
AND WE TRIED TO PICK ONE THAT MOST OF YOU MAY NOT EVEN KNOW ABOUT.
'CAUSE WE HAVE SO MANY HIDDEN GEMS, UH, HERE.
UH, AND THIS IS CERTAINLY ONE OF 'EM.
SO I'LL TURN IT OVER TO JAN AND NANCY AND THEY'LL START US WITH OUR, OUR DAY.
[4. 25-55126 Review Retreat Objectives and Agenda ]
WOW.UM, I THINK I AM MICD, SO IF YOU CAN HEAR ME, I WON'T, I DON'T THINK I NEED THAT.
UM, I WAS HERE TWO YEARS AGO AND MY COLLEAGUE NANCY HETRICK IS WITH ME THIS YEAR.
AND WE'RE, WE'RE GOING TO BE TAG TEAMING, UM, AND ALSO JULIE GKI IS OUR VISUAL FACILITATOR.
AND DURING THE DAY YOU WILL SEE HER FILL HER PAPER HERE WITH NOT ONLY WORDS BUT IMAGES, AND THEN THOSE WILL BE RETAINED BY THE CITY.
AND I THINK YOU'LL ENJOY THE WORK THAT SHE DOES UP HERE.
JULIE, COULD YOU INTRODUCE YOURSELF JUST A, A MOMENT AS TO THE WORK THAT YOU'RE GOING TO BE DOING? YEAH.
HI, MY NAME IS JULIE AND I'M A VISUAL FACILITATOR.
WHAT THAT MEANS IS I'M LISTENING TO THE CONVERSATIONS THAT ARE HAPPENING AND CAPTURING AT A HIGH LEVEL IN WORDS AND IMAGES.
IT IS PEN ON PAPER, BUT IT'S NOT PERMANENT.
SO IF SOMETHING IS NOT RIGHT OR SOMETHING IS NOT THERE THAT YOU THINK NEEDS TO BE THERE, JUST LET ME KNOW AND I CAN CHANGE OR ALTERNATE IT OR SOMETHING.
SO, UM, I'M GOING TO JUST GIVE YOU AN OVERVIEW OF THE DAY.
UH, NANCY AND I HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO INTERVIEW MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL AND THE MAYOR.
WE ALWAYS START OUR PLANNING WITH THOSE INTERVIEWS BECAUSE WE WANT TO KNOW WHAT DO YOU WANT TO DO IN YOUR, IN YOUR DAY TOGETHER, UH, OFFSITE.
SO, UM, WE HEARD A LOT OF DIFFERENT THINGS, AND SO, SO WE'VE JUST KIND OF SUMMARIZED WHAT WE HEARD FROM YOU.
AND THE AGENDA FLOWS FROM THIS.
WE HEARD THAT YOU'RE ON THE SAME PAGE.
YOU WANNA STAY ON THE SAME PAGE, THAT YOU HAVE THAT ALIGNMENT.
YOU WANT TO TALK ABOUT THAT AND TO, TO REINFORCE THAT AND CELEBRATE A FEW ACCOMPLISHMENTS.
SO YOU'LL, YOU'LL HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO THAT.
AND OF COURSE, ESTABLISH YOUR PRIORITIES.
AND WE HEARD THAT THE PRIORITIES THAT YOU HAVE ARE, ARE GOOD PRIORITIES, AND, BUT LET'S, LET'S TALK ABOUT THOSE.
SO YOU'LL CERTAINLY BE SPENDING MOST OF THE DAY ON THAT.
UM, AND FOLLOW THROUGH WITH WHAT YOU'VE ALREADY STARTED DELIVER ON PROMISES.
UM, WE ALSO HEARD THAT YOU WANNA TALK ABOUT YOUR DISTRICTS, AND AS YOU RECALL ALL THE, ONE OF THE NEW ONE,
AND SO AN OPPORTUNITY TO SHARE WHAT'S GOING ON IN YOUR DISTRICT.
SO WE HEARD THAT, AND WE'LL DO THAT TODAY AS WELL.
UM, AND THEN AGREEMENT ON HOW WE CONDUCT OURSELVES AND WORK TOGETHER AS A COUNCIL.
TWO YEARS AGO, AS THE MAYOR INDICATED YOU FOR THE FIRST TIME, ESTABLISHED A SET OF COUNCIL NORMS. AND SO WE'RE JUST GOING TO SPEND NOT A LOT OF TIME, JUST A LITTLE BIT OF TIME REFLECTING ON THOSE.
WHAT DO THOSE MEAN? DO WE, UM, ARE WE ADHERING TO THOSE? DO WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT ANY OF THOSE? WE'RE GONNA SPEND JUST A, A LITTLE BIT OF TIME ON
[00:25:01]
THAT.UM, AND THEN OF COURSE, JUST WORKING WELL TOGETHER AND RESPECTFULLY.
SO WHAT I HEARD AND WHAT NANCY AND I HEARD IS THAT LET'S HAVE SOME INFORMAL DISCUSSIONS TODAY.
LET'S HAVE INTERACTION BETWEEN COUNCIL MEMBERS.
SO THAT'S WHY YOU'RE SEATED, LIKE YOU WERE TWO YEARS AGO, TOGETHER IN, IN, UH, SMALL GROUPS.
AND WE'RE GOING TO MIX YOU UP, UM, ANOTHER TIME TODAY AS WELL.
UM, SO THAT YOU CAN INTERACT WITH, WITH YOUR COLLEAGUES, UM, THROUGHOUT THE DAY.
SO IN TERMS OF OUR OBJECTIVES, THAT JUST FLOWS FROM THOSE.
UM, REVIEWING THE COUNCIL NORMS, UPDATING THEM IF YOU NEED TO, UM, SHARING YOUR INTERESTS AND THEN ESTABLISHING YOUR PRIORITIES.
MAYBE YOU'LL STICK TO YOUR PRIORITIES, MAYBE YOU'LL MAKE SOME ADJUSTMENTS.
AND THEN, OF COURSE, STRENGTH AND TEAMWORK WITHIN THE COUNCIL.
AND THEN WITH YOUR STAFF HERE TODAY, UH, THE AGENDA JUST FOLLOWS THAT.
AND WE WILL WRAP UP NO LATER THAN THREE TODAY.
UH, WE WILL HAVE ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY FOR PUBLIC COMMENT TOWARD THE END OF THE DAY TODAY.
IT'S JUST A FEW GUIDELINES FOR THE DAY.
UM, VERY SIMPLE, JUST LISTENING TO EACH OTHER AND SEEKING CONSENSUS.
AND THEN, OF COURSE, ENGAGING.
AND WE'LL BE STRUCTURING THINGS SO THAT MOST OF IT, YOU'RE NOT GOING TO BE HEARING US SPEAK AT YOU, BUT RATHER HAVING YOU SPEAK AMONG YOURSELVES.
WE HAVE A BIKE RACK SO THAT IF THINGS COME UP DURING THE DAY THAT MIGHT TAKE US OFF TRACK OR THAT MIGHT NEED SOME RESEARCH LATER, WE'LL JUST PUT THEM ON A BIKE RACK.
AND WE HAVE THAT RIGHT HERE AS A MATTER OF FACT.
SO ANY OF YOU CAN, CAN SUGGEST THAT AS WELL.
SO WITH THAT, I'M GONNA TURN IT TO NANCY FOR JUST A QUICK LITTLE ICEBREAKER.
WELL, FIRST OF ALL, GOOD MORNING EVERYBODY.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR HAVING US HERE TODAY.
WE'RE DELIGHTED TO SPEND THE DAY WITH YOU AND ALSO VERY GRATEFUL FOR THE LOCATION.
SO
UH, SO TO GET STARTED, WE WANTED TO JUST HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF REFLECTION AROUND, YOU KNOW, WHAT DOES LONG BEACH MEAN TO YOU? RIGHT? WHAT DOES THAT MEAN TO YOU? AND SO, IN ONE WORD, WHICH IS HARDER THAN IT SEEMS, RIGHT? ESPECIALLY 'CAUSE I'M SURE IT MEANS A LOT OF THINGS TO YOU.
UH, WHAT IS ONE WORD THAT REALLY EXPRESSES WHAT THE CITY MEANS TO YOU? SO I'LL GIVE YOU A MOMENT TO KIND OF THINK ABOUT THAT.
UH, AND, AND WE'LL TAKE A VOLUNTEER AND KIND OF JUST DO IT.
WE'LL DO EVERYBODY SO EVERYBODY CAN PARTICIPATE, UH, AND SHARE WHAT DOES, WHAT DOES LONG BEACH MEAN TO YOU? YES, TIES.
THAT'S THE WAY YOU GET ONE WORD TO REALLY LAND, RIGHT? EVERYTHING.
I'M LOOKING, I'M NOT LOOKING AT THE BOATS.
WHY DON'T WE FILL OUT THE TABLE HERE.
COMMUNITY, OKAY, WE'LL COME BACK TO THE TABLE BACK HERE AND WE'LL HEAR FROM EACH OF YOU.
WITH A LITTLE HYPHEN IN THERE, RIGHT? IT CAN BE CONNECTED.
UH, I'M, I'M ROLLING WITH HOME.
LET'S HEAR FROM THE BACK TABLE HERE AS WELL.
EVERYBODY'S VOICE IN THE ROOM.
AW, I WAS GONNA SAY INCLUSIVE.
FAMILY HOME, EVERYTHING TIES, WHICH ALSO PROBABLY CONNECTS A LOT OF THOSE PIECES.
ALL RIGHT, I WANNA JUST GET EVERYBODY'S VOICE IN THE ROOM TO GET US STARTED.
AND YOU KNOW, REALLY THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR EVERYBODY TO JUST RELAX AND ENGAGE WITH EACH OTHER.
AND SO, YOU KNOW, IT'S NOT THE FORMALITY OF A COUNCIL MEETING, SO HOPEFULLY YOU CAN REALLY LEAN IN ON THAT OPPORTUNITY TO ENGAGE WITH EACH OTHER.
SO, UM, WE'RE GOING TO SPEND JUST A LITTLE BIT OF TIME ON INTENTIONALLY THINKING ABOUT TEAMWORK AND, AND YOUR NORMS. AND
[5. 25-55127 Discuss Teamwork and Council’s Adopted Norms ]
WE LIKE THIS AFRICAN PROVERB,[00:30:01]
IF YOU WANT TO GO QUICKLY, GO ALONE.IF YOU WANT TO GO FAR, GO TOGETHER.
CLEARLY THIS COUNCIL AND THE STAFF TEAM EXEMPLIFY THAT GOING TOGETHER BY GOING FAR.
UM, SO THE INSTITUTE FOR LOCAL GOVERNMENT IS AN ORGANIZATION I'M SURE MANY OF YOU KNOW ABOUT AS PART OF THE LEAGUE OF CALIFORNIA CITIES.
AND THEY PUT TOGETHER A LOT OF WORK ON GOOD GOVERNMENT AND GOOD GOVERNANCE.
AND THEY TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT, UM, HOW YOU NEED TO HAVE AS AN EFFECTIVE COUNCIL, UNITY OF PURPOSE.
YOU HAVE THAT, YOU HAVE THAT WITH YOUR PRIORITIES, CLEAR ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES.
YOU ALSO HAVE THAT, UM, STAFF ROLES, COUNCIL ROLES, MAYOR ROLES, POSITIVE GOVERNANCE CULTURE.
AND THAT'S WHERE THE NORMS CAN COME IN.
AND THEN CLEAR CLARITY OF NORMS, PROTOCOLS, AND POLICIES.
SO ALL THOSE INGREDIENTS GO INTO WHAT MAKES A CITY COUNCIL WORK WELL TOGETHER AND DO ALL THE GREAT THINGS THAT THE MAYOR REPORTED ON FIRST THIS MORNING.
SO YOU, TWO YEARS AGO, YOU DEVELOPED THOSE A SET OF NORMS, AND WE'D LIKE TO ASK YOU AT YOUR TABLES TO JUST REFLECT ON THOSE.
AND IN FRONT OF YOU, YOU WILL EACH HAVE THIS WORKBOOK AND ALL THE NORMS ARE LISTED THERE.
AND WE'D LIKE TO ASK YOU AT YOUR TABLES TO DISCUSS THREE QUESTIONS, WHICH ARE HERE.
AND THEN I'LL GO BACK TO THE NORMS. TAKING A LOOK AT THE NORMS, WHICH ONES DO YOU THINK THE COUNCIL AS A WHOLE IS REALLY DOING WELL WITH? WHICH ONES MIGHT THE COUNCIL WANT TO EMPHASIZE MORE? AND THEN, UM, WHICH ONES MAYBE THINKING ABOUT AFTER TWO YEARS IN MIGHT NEED, NEED A LITTLE CLARIFICATION.
YOU KNOW, ARE THERE ANY THAT YOU KIND OF SCRATCH YOUR HEAD AND SAY, WHAT DO THOSE REALLY MEAN? SO THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO REFLECT ON THOSE.
SO AT YOUR TABLES, IF YOU WOULD, UM, DISCUSS THOSE FOR A FEW MINUTES AND THEN WE'LL HEAR FROM EACH TABLE.
[00:44:37]
WE[00:44:37]
ARE WRAPPING UP STILL.OH, I THINK LET, LET'S GO AHEAD AND BRING THE CONVERSATION TO ONE, SHARE SOME OF THE, THE TAKEAWAYS AND YOUR OBSERVATIONS AROUND THE NORMS. UM, AND THEY, THEY, THEY MAY BE DIFFERENT, YOU KNOW, DEPENDING ON YOUR INDIVIDUAL EXPERIENCE.
[00:45:01]
WE'RE GONNA GET STARTED JUST KIND OF SHARING, UM, THE DISCUSSIONS AT EACH OF THE INDIVIDUAL TABLES AND FIND OUT, YOU KNOW, WHERE ARE THE, IS THERE SOME SHARED EXPERIENCE AND WHERE PERHAPS ARE THERE THINGS THAT YOU WANT TO BETTER EMPHASIZE, RE-EMPHASIZE, OR EVEN MAYBE JUST HAVE SOME CONVERSATION AROUND WHAT DOES THIS MEAN, CLARIFY THOSE.WHAT WE DON'T WANT TO SPEND TIME TODAY IN IS WORDSMITHING, BUT WE WANNA HAVE SOME CONVERSATION AROUND INTENT AND MAKE SURE THAT EVERYBODY FEELS COMFORTABLE, UH, WITH THE, WITH THE LANGUAGE THAT IS MEANINGFUL.
UH, AND THOSE THINGS THAT ARE IN NEED OF A LITTLE BIT EXTRA OOMPH, WE CAN RAISE THAT IN THE ROOM.
UH, SO LET'S START OFF WITH, UH, EVERYBODY HAS THEIR COPY, UH, WITH THOSE THINGS, THOSE NORMS, AND MAYBE WE'LL GO BACK ONE SLIDE HERE, SO WE HAVE 'EM IN FRONT OF US HERE.
UM, OOPS, THAT'S, WHERE'S THE CLICKER? HERE WE GO.
SO WE CAN LOOK AT 'EM ALL TOGETHER.
WHAT ARE THOSE THAT, THAT YOU FEEL LIKE ARE, ARE GENERALLY WORKING WELL? LIKE THAT IT'S CLEAR.
WHAT ARE SOME OF THOSE? GO AHEAD.
SO, UM, OUR GROUP, UH, IDENTIFIED, UH, NUMBER SIX, NUMBER SEVEN.
AND WE, UH, WE, WE WANNA ADD NUMBER ONE, HOWEVER, UM, WE THOUGHT THERE ARE A FEW OF US WHO SAW THAT MOVING TOWARDS THIS NUMBER TWO, WHICH IS WE CAN EMPHASIZE MORE.
BUT THOSE, THOSE ARE THE THINGS THAT WE THOUGHT WERE WORKING WELL.
SO FIVE THROUGH EIGHT, UM, I THINK IS, THOSE ARE THE ONES YOU SAID PLUS A TEETERING 1, 6, 7, 8, 5, AND A TEETER ONE.
HOW ABOUT THIS GROUP? UH, SURE.
UH, SO THE ONES THAT WE CHOSE, WHICH WE THOUGHT WE WERE DOING, CAN YOU USE YOUR MIC? YES, THANK YOU.
UH, SO THE ONES THAT WE, AS A GROUP IDENTIFI AS ONES THAT WE AGREED THAT WE WERE DOING WELL WERE NUMBER TWO.
UM, AND THEN NUMBER SEVEN THROUGH 10.
I PUT NUMBER THREE AS A NUMBER TWO, BUT THE REST OF MY GROUP HAD NUMBER THREE AS NUMBER ONE.
WHEN I WAS LISTENING TO YOU GUYS, I HAD ONE DASH TWO ON THAT ONE
AND AGAIN, THIS IS, THIS IS NOT GONNA BE PRECISE, BUT WE WANNA HAVE SOME CONVERSATION PARTICULARLY AROUND THOSE AREAS WHERE THERE'S EITHER A NEED TO BETTER EMPHASIZE OR CLARIFY.
WHAT ABOUT THIS GROUP HERE? OH, I TOOK THE NOTES.
UM, SO PRETTY CONSISTENT WITH THE OTHER TWO TABLES.
2, 3, 6, 7, 8, 10 WITH FIVE IN BETWEEN ONE AND TWO.
AND THEN FIVE IS ON THE BORDER, ON THE BORDER OF ONE AND TWO.
SO REALLY QUITE A MASHUP IN TERMS OF INDIVIDUAL EXPERIENCE, UM, AT THE TABLES, IT SOUNDS LIKE, UH, ON THESE NORMS. ALL RIGHT, SO LET'S TALK THEN ABOUT THOSE THINGS THAT WE NEED TO BETTER EMPHASIZE.
AND SO IT'S, YOU KNOW, MAKING SURE THAT IT'S IN VIEW.
AND WE HAD A COUPLE THAT WERE ON THE BUBBLE, RIGHT? SO WE HAD, UH, NUMBER, UM, NUMBER THREE SORT OF ON THE BUBBLE HERE.
WE HAD NUMBER FIVE SORT OF ON THE BUBBLE.
SO THAT IS RESPECTING ROLES OF THE MAYOR, CITY COUNCIL, CITY MANAGER, CITY ATTORNEY.
THAT'S NUMBER THREE ON THE BUBBLE.
UH, STAYING FOCUSED, UH, WITH COUNSEL PRIORITIES ALSO ON THE BUBBLE.
WHAT ARE THE OTHER ONES THAT NUMBER ONE ON THE BUBBLE.
NUMBER ONE ALSO NUMBER ONE WAS ALSO AND NINE.
AND LOTS OF THEM ON THE BUBBLE.
THIS FEELS LIKE A WORD PROBLEM TO ME.
SO LET'S HEAR SOME MORE AROUND THOSE THINGS AND THE CONVERSATION YOU HAD AROUND THAT, AROUND NEEDING TO BETTER EMPHASIZE, UH, SOME OF THESE NORMS. WHAT DOES, WHAT DOES THAT MEAN TO YOU? WHAT, WHAT IS LACKING THAT YOU WANT TO BETTER HIGHLIGHT OR EMPHASIZE? I WANTED TO ADD THAT WE HAD NUMBER TWO UNDER, SQUARELY, UNDER, UH, WHICH AREAS WE COULD EMPHASIZE.
WORKING TOGETHER AS A BODY MODELING, TEAMWORK, RESPECT, AND CIVILITY.
AND I WAS GONNA SAY FOR US, WE HAD, UM, ONE, FOUR AND 5, 1 4.
AND THERE ARE THINGS WE CAN EMPHASIZE MORE.
FOR, FOR NINE, WE HAVE ONE IN NINE.
AND FOR NINE, I THINK THAT IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE LOOK, OH YES,
UH, I THINK WE WERE, WE, WE HAD GOOD DISCUSSION ABOUT THAT HERE AT THE TABLE.
BUT NUMBER NINE, UM, I THINK WE NEED TO LOOK AT HOW WE USE OUR LONG RANGE PLANS TO BE REALISTIC
[00:50:01]
AND HAVE ACHIEVABLE GOALS THAT WE CAN LOOK AT.I THINK WE CAN, UM, EMPHASIZE THAT MORE IN SO MANY AREAS IN THE CITY.
SO YOU HAVE LONG TERM PLANS, BUT HOW ARE YOU USING 'EM AND MAKING SURE THAT THEY'RE ACHIEVABLE IN WHAT'S, WHAT'S ACCOMP BEING ACCOMPLISHED? WERE THERE OTHERS THAT, OTHER NORMS THAT CAME OUT INTO THE NEED TO EMPHASIZE? APRIL? DID YOU? NO.
I THINK NUMBER TWO, SHE DIDN'T PUT IT ON.
JULIE, DID YOU GET NUMBER TWO ON THERE ALSO FOR WORKING TOGETHER AS A BODY? YEAH, SHE DIDN'T PUT THE NUMBER WITH A NUMBER.
YEAH, WE MASH UP WITH WORDS AND NUMBERS.
SO REAL QUICK ON ASSUMING GOOD INTENT.
WE HAD A LITTLE BIT OF DISCUSSION HERE.
BECAUSE I'VE SEEN THE PROGRESS FROM TWO YEARS AGO TO NOW UHHUH ON ASSUMING GOOD INTENT, BUT IT DOES COME UP, YOU KNOW, WE WILL GET THE CALLS.
WHAT'S THIS ITEM ABOUT THAT SO AND SO'S DOING? HEY, ASSUME GOOD INTENT.
IT'S NOT A BAD, NOT NECESSARILY A BAD THING.
SO WE, WE AGREE WE CAN EMPHASIZE IT MORE MM-HMM
BUT I HAVE SEEN A LOT OF PROGRESS AS THE COUNCIL MEMBERS GOTTEN TO KNOW ONE ANOTHER MM-HMM
UM, ON ISSUES THAT COULD HAVE BEEN WAY MORE CONTROVERSIAL.
WHAT ABOUT OTHER TABLES, OTHER CONVERSATIONS AROUND THAT ASSUME GOOD INTENT, UH, AND THE NEED TO HIGHLIGHT AND EMPHASIZE THAT.
WHAT WAS THE NATURE OF YOUR CONVERSATION AND, AND WHAT HELPS TO THAT? YOU KNOW, WHAT HELPS YOU TO, YOU KNOW, SEE THINGS WITH THE SPIRIT OF GOOD INTENTIONS? IT WAS JUST DISCUSSION ON OUR TABLE.
NO OTHERS HAD OTHERS RAISED THIS ALSO FOR BETTER EMPHASIZING.
UM, I THINK APRIL BROUGHT UP A VERY GOOD, UM, POINT AND THAT WAS, UM, THAT IT'S HUMAN NATURE SOMETIMES TO NOT ASSUME GOOD INTENT.
AND SO, UM, BEING ABLE TO NAVIGATE THROUGH THAT AND BEING ABLE TO ASSUME GOOD INTENT, SOMETIMES IT'S NOT THE EASIEST.
SO I DO THINK THAT THAT'S, UM, SOMEWHERE WHERE WE TEETERED AT.
OKAY, SO HOW DO YOU, HOW DO YOU REMIND EACH OTHER, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE ALL HERE BECAUSE YOU LOVE THE CITY, RIGHT? YOU'RE ALL HERE, UM, FOR FOR GOOD REASONS.
AND SO HOW, HOW DO YOU, WHEN YOU MAYBE HAVE A DIFFERENCE OF OPINION, UM, DIFFERENT EXPERIENCE TO REMIND YOURSELF GENTLY, OKAY, YOU KNOW, I MAY NOT AGREE, BUT HOW CAN I REMIND MYSELF THAT, THAT THEY ARE BRINGING THEIR, YOU KNOW, GOOD INTENTIONS TO THE CONVERSATION? HOW DO YOU, HOW CAN YOU DO THAT? YEAH.
UM, I THINK WHAT WE TALKED ABOUT, AT LEAST AT THIS TABLE IS THAT, UM, SOMETIMES IT'S JUST PICKING UP THE PHONE, RIGHT? MM-HMM
AND TALKING TO YOUR, YOUR COLLEAGUE AND JUST SAYING, HEY, CAN YOU WALK ME THROUGH YOUR THOUGHT PROCESS, UM, WITH THIS PARTICULAR ITEM? UM, AND YOU MAY OR MAY NOT AGREE, RIGHT? UM, BUT AT LEAST YOU KNOW, FIRST, FIRST PERSON, RIGHT? YOU'RE NOT HEARING IT FROM SOMEONE ELSE OR HEARING SOMEONE ELSE'S PERSPECTIVE ON THE ITEM.
YOU'RE HEARING THE COUNCIL MEMBER'S PERSPECTIVE ON THEIR OWN ITEM.
UM, AND THAT GOES, I THINK TO ALLAY A LOT OF THE MAYBE MISCONCEPTIONS YOU MIGHT HAVE.
UM, I THINK BUILDING ON, UM, JOANIE'S, UM, COMMENT IS THAT IT'S ALSO NOT ONLY CALLING, BUT ALSO GIVING.
IF YOU'RE BRINGING SOMETHING FORWARD, YOU HAVE A SENSE OF AWARENESS AS WELL AS HOW OTHER MEMBERS MAY FEEL BECAUSE THEY'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT AN ITEM OR AN ISSUE TO ALSO GIVE THEM A PROACTIVE CALL ON A HEADS UP.
SO THEN IT DOESN'T COME AS A SURPRISE BECAUSE THAT'S WHERE A, A GOOD INTENT IS NOT ASSUMED BECAUSE IT COMES IN AS A SURPRISE OR A SHOCK BECAUSE THEN THERE IT'S LIKE, WOW, OUT OF NOWHERE IT, THIS JUST CAME UP.
YOU KNOW? AND THEN YOU HAVE TO PROCESS IT AT THAT MOMENT ON THE DIET SOMETIMES, WHICH IS WHERE THEN QUESTIONS CAN BE ASKED, BUT IT KIND OF SETS OFF ON A BAD INTENT TONE, RIGHT? THAT TAKES SOME TIME TO GET TO A PLACE OF MAYBE GOOD.
INTENT, HOPEFULLY GOOD INTENT, BECAUSE IT CAN SORT OF UNDERMINE SOME OF THE TRUST YOU MAY HAVE IF YOU ARE BEING SURPRISED IN A PUBLIC SETTING WHERE, UM, YOU SHOULD, YOU FEEL AS THOUGH YOU SHOULD HAVE SOME AWARENESS GOING INTO A CONVERSATION AROUND POSITIONS OR SUCH.
SO I LIKE WHAT, UH, JOANIE HAD TO SAY ABOUT PICKING UP THE PHONE AND WHAT SULI SAID WITH NO SURPRISES, BUT THE POINT OF DISCUSSION ON THE DAIS IS TO HAVE DISCUSSION ABOUT THE ITEM WE HAVE MM-HMM
WE CAN'T ALL BE TALKING ABOUT IT.
I THINK IF YOU LOOK AT THE BASIS OF INTENT, WE ALL HAVE, UH, DIFFERENT VALUES AND PRIORITIES.
AND I LIKE TO LOOK AT IT FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF THE COUNCIL MEMBER WHO'S BROUGHT SOMETHING FORWARD BECAUSE MAYBE THEIR VALUES AND PRIORITIES ARE DIFFERENT.
WE HAVE A DIVERSE CITY WITH DIFFERENT VALUES AND I SHOULD SAY DIFFERENT PRIORITIES.
[00:55:01]
I THINK, UM, THAT'S HOW I LOOK AT ITEMS. MM-HMMAND I THINK IF WE HAD TO CALL EVERY COUNCIL MEMBER, SO BECAUSE WE THINK SOMEONE'S GOING TO BE SURPRISED ABOUT SOMETHING THAT REALLY DEFEATS THE PURPOSE OF THE BROWN ACT.
AND MAYBE WE CAN CLARIFY THAT BECAUSE I DON'T, I, I DON'T WANNA SURPRISE ANYONE.
MY INTENT IS ALWAYS TO DO SOMETHING GOOD FOR THE COMMUNITY, SO MM-HMM
AND I THINK IT'S TO RESIST THE URGE TO JUMP TO CONCLUSIONS.
UM, THERE'S TIMES YOU'LL LOOK AT SOMETHING AND GO, OH, I KNOW WHAT THIS IS ABOUT, BUT IT, IT DOESN'T SAY THAT IN THE ITEM, BUT YOU, YOUR BRAIN SAYS, WELL, I, I TAKE INFORMATION FROM SOMETHING ELSE AND I'M GONNA JUMP AND MAKE A CONCLUSION THAT THAT'S WHAT THIS IS ABOUT.
AND I THINK TO RESIST THAT, TO ASSUME THAT GOOD INTENT AND THEN LET THAT DISCUSSION COME OUT, IF THAT REALLY IS BEHIND IT, IT'LL COME OUT AS PART OF THE OPEN DISCUSSION.
SO I JUST WANTED TO REITERATE EXACTLY WHAT TOM WAS SAYING.
MY JOB HERE IS TO BE YOUR YOUR BROWN ACT, GUARDIAN ANGEL.
AND SO JUST REMEMBERING THAT WHERE THERE IS THAT OPPORTUNITY TO CALL AND HAVE A CONVERSATION AND CLARIFY, BECAUSE WE'RE STILL WITHIN THE CONSTRAINTS OF THE BROWN ACT.
THAT'S A WONDERFUL OPPORTUNITY, BUT IT WON'T BE THERE EVERY TIME.
AND SO JUST UNDERSTANDING THAT YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE TO AT TIMES GIVE EACH OTHER THE BENEFIT OF THE DOUBT AND CHOOSE TO TRUST AND TO ASSUME GOOD INTENT WHEN YOU DON'T HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO CLARIFY WITH ONE ANOTHER'S OFFICE, BECAUSE THAT CONVERSATION NEEDS TO TAKE PLACE IN A PUBLIC SETTING.
THAT THERE'S THAT PIECE AS WELL.
SO, AND, AND I'LL ADD, I, I'VE SEEN A LOT OF GROWTH HERE MM-HMM
AND A PART OF IT IS RELATIONSHIPS.
IF, IF, LET'S SAY I WERE TO CALL CHRISTINA, UM, 'CAUSE SHE HAS AN ITEM.
I THINK TWO YEARS AGO THERE MIGHT HAVE BEEN A LOT OF MISTRUST AND NOT ASSUMING GOOD AT ATTENDANT FROM CALLING YOU ABOUT AN ITEM.
AND I THINK BECAUSE OF HISTORY MM-HMM
NOW THEY KNOW IF I TALK TO YOU ABOUT AN ITEM, IT'S TYPICALLY FROM A PLACE OF I WANT TO HELP LAND THE PLANE AND BE HELPFUL WITH THE COUNCIL OR STAFF OR GIVE WHATEVER PERSPECTIVE I MIGHT HAVE THAT HELPS YOU ACHIEVE YOUR GOAL.
AND I DON'T KNOW THAT ALL THAT TRUST WAS THERE TWO YEARS AGO.
AND I THINK IT'S THERE WITH MOST OF THE COUNCIL MEMBERS NOW, THAT IF I CALL ABOUT AN ITEM, IT ISN'T NECESSARILY BAD NEWS
IT MIGHT BE, IT MIGHT BE, IT MIGHT START OFF AS BAD NEWS
IF I MOVE IT TO GOOD NEWS ITEM, DO THE ITEMS, UM, AREN'T SUCCESSFUL.
AND MOST, FOR THE MOST PART, THEY ACTUALLY BECOME MORE SUCCESSFUL WHEN WE MM-HMM
WHEN THERE'S, WHEN WE SHARE INFORMATION THAT'S RIGHT.
WHEN WE ASSUME GOOD INTENT, REALLY, I MEAN WITH THE, WITH THE ASSUME GOOD INTENT, YOU KNOW, AT THE CORE IT'S AROUND RESPECTING INDIVIDUALS RIGHT.
AND KIND OF THE HUMANNESS BEHIND AND BUILDING THOSE RELATIONSHIPS.
THAT TAKES TIME AND ATTENTION.
AND IT'S NOT EASY IN THE SETTING THAT YOU OPERATE.
AND SO, YOU KNOW, IT IS A CHOICE TO ASSUME GOOD AND INTENT, BUT IT'S ALSO, UM, REINFORCED AND EASIER TO DO WHEN YOU HAVE A PERSONAL CONNECTION, UH, IN SOME SHAPE OR FASHION.
AND THAT'S GONNA BE DIFFERENT DEPENDING ON THE INDIVIDUALS AND THE CIRCUMSTANCES.
BUT THAT INVESTMENT OF TIME CAN BE LIKE, LIKE TODAY RIGHT.
ALRIGHT, WELL LET'S, THAT'S, THAT'S HELPFUL CONVERSATION AND KIND OF A REMINDER, YOU KNOW, IT SOUNDS LIKE, YOU KNOW, KEEPING, KEEPING IT IN YOU, UM, OTHERS THAT WE WANT TO, AND EVEN LET'S TALK, LET'S JUMP TO THOSE THAT WE WANNA CLARIFY OR MODIFY.
YOU KNOW, THERE ARE THOSE THAT NEED DISCUSSION HERE TODAY.
UM, WHAT DOES IT MEAN? YES, CHRISTINA? I THINK WE NEED TO SHARE INFORMATION AND AVOID SURPRISES THAT COULD BE CLARIFIED FAR MORE BECAUSE I THINK, UM, THERE'S A COUPLE OF THINGS THAT I'D LIKE TO SEE.
SO I'LL THROW IT OUT THERE RIGHT NOW IS SEEING STAFF REPORTS, I'D LIKE TO SEE THEM ON FRIDAY.
UM, IT'S REALLY HARD TO HAVE A 60 PAGE REPORT SHOW UP AT THREE O'CLOCK ON A COUNCIL DAY ON SOMETHING THAT WE HAVE CLOSED SESSION AND MAYBE A COMMITTEE.
UM, AND I THINK THAT GOES BACK TO WHAT WE DECIDED ABOUT SUPPLEMENTALS TWO YEARS AGO.
WHAT'S AN EMERGENCY FOR A SUPPLEMENTAL AND PUBLIC TRANSPARENCY? I THINK THE POINT OF A SUPPLEMENTAL IN AN EMERGENCY IS, IS FINE GETTING THE WORD OUT, BUT ALSO THE POINT OF HAVING OUR AGENDA OUT EIGHT DAYS BEFORE OUR COUNCIL MEETING IS FOR TRANSPARENCY AND NOT HAVING THE PUBLIC HAVE A SURPRISE.
SO NUMBER FOUR WAS IMPORTANT TO ME.
SO, SO CLARIFYING HERE THEN, UM, 'CAUSE WHAT YOU'RE DESCRIBING IS INFORMATION THAT'S AVAILABLE TIMELY COMING FROM STAFF TO COUNCIL SO THAT YOU HAVE WHAT YOU NEED TO FEEL INFORMED, THE PUBLIC IS AWARE, THINGS ARE TRANSPARENT, UM, YOU KNOW, AS COUNCIL NORMS AND HOW YOU ARE WORKING TOGETHER, THIS IS A GOOD, YOU KNOW, POINT OF CONVERSATION, RIGHT? IF THESE ARE COUNCIL NORMS AND YOU'RE NOT SETTING EACH OTHER UP AND HAVING
[01:00:01]
SURPRISES, UM, YOU KNOW, WHICH WE TALKED ABOUT UNDER THE IDEA OF ASSUMED GOOD INTENT, THE RELATIONSHIP WITH STAFF AND THAT INTERACTION IS WHAT I THINK YOU'RE DESCRIBING ALSO IS ALSO IMPORTANT.AND SO I THINK BRINGING THAT TO THE ROOM, HOW DOES THAT LINK BACK THEN TO THE COUNCIL NORMS AND AS A BODY SHARING INFORMATION AND, AND AVOIDING SURPRISES? YEAH.
I DON'T WANT TO BE ON STICK IN THE MUD, BUT WE HAVE BUILT IN LIMITATIONS.
YOU CAN'T DO A DAISY CHAIN, RIGHT.
YOU CAN ONLY TALK TO THREE PEOPLE MM-HMM
AND BECAUSE OF THAT, IT MAKES IT DIFFICULT FOR COUNCIL MEMBERS TO SHARE THEIR VIEWS ON CERTAIN AGENDA ITEMS OR CLARIFICATION ON THIRD ISSUES YEAH.
SO I FIND IT DIFFICULT TO ALWAYS SHARE WHAT I HAVE, BUT I WON'T SAY THAT MY DOOR'S ALWAYS OPEN.
I'VE ALWAYS MADE THEM ON TO PHONE, BUT WE ALWAYS HAVE TO BE AWARE OF THAT.
YOU CAN ONLY TALK TO A MAXIMUM THREE PEOPLE AFTER THAT.
WHICH IS WHY THE INFORMATION COMING THROUGH THE CITY MANAGER AND HAVING INFORMATION AVAILABLE IN A TIMELY FASHION PROBABLY HELPS HAVE, EVERYBODY HAS THE SAME INFORMATION.
BUT DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVES AND DIFFERENT VIEWS ARE GONNA BE, UM, HELD AND, AND, AND HARD TO SHARE BECAUSE OF THE LIMITS OF THE BROWN ACT AND OTHER REQUIREMENTS.
UM, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE TALKED ABOUT IS, UM, ALSO JUST, UH, UH, MAKING SURE WE EMPHASIZE THAT, UM, EACH COUNCIL MEMBER, YOU KNOW, IS IN CHARGE OF THEIR OWN DISTRICT MM-HMM
SO, UM, JUST TO MAKE SURE THAT, YOU KNOW, IF YOU, WE ARE, YOU'RE BRINGING AN ITEM AND WHETHER IT MAY BE, I DON'T KNOW, A LIQUOR LICENSE OR WHATEVER THAT WE'RE, WE'RE, WE'RE, WE'RE, UM, YOU'RE TALKING TO THAT COUNCIL PERSON AND 'CAUSE YOU KNOW, THEY'RE THE MAYORS OF THE LITTLE DISTRICT.
THEY KNOW THEIR CONSTITUENTS, THEY KNOW THEIR BUSINESSES.
AND I THINK JUST REMINDING, LIKE JUST OUTTA RESPECT TO HAVE THAT CONVERSATION ON, UM, ON ITEMS WITHIN YOUR DISTRICT.
WELL, AND THAT TOUCHES A COM A COUPLE OF THESE THINGS I THINK WHAT YOU'RE DESCRIBING.
AND SO IT'S KIND OF HONORING YOUR REPRESENTATION OF YOUR DISTRICT.
AND SO THE ROLE, YOUR ROLE AS A DISTRICT MAYOR, RIGHT.
UM, BUT ALSO, YOU KNOW, BEING FOCUSED ON YOUR DISTRICT.
SO IT TOUCHES A FEW OF THOSE THINGS.
AND WHAT I'M HEARING YOU SAY IS WE NEED TO HONOR THAT AND, AND KNOW THAT WE ARE BRINGING, YOU KNOW, OUR BEST ON BEHALF OF THE RESIDENTS THAT WE SERVE WITHIN THE DISTRICT.
UM, AND THEN HOW DOES THAT TOUCH BACK THEN TO THE CITYWIDE PERSPECTIVE ON, ON NUMBER SIX? HOW DOES, IS THAT, DOES THAT SEEM CLEAR? OH, I WAS READY FOR A TABLE.
IS IS THERE CONFUSION THEN ALSO LIKE HOW THE BALANCE, BECAUSE THAT'S AN, YOU KNOW, IT'S AN INTERESTING DYNAMIC BECAUSE YOU DO WANNA MAKE SURE THAT YOU'RE FULLY TAKING ADVANTAGE OF THE CONNECTEDNESS YOU HAVE TO YOUR DISTRICTS AND TO YOUR CONSTITUENTS WHILE STILL BEING ABLE TO ZOOM OUT AND SEE HOW THAT TIES WITH AND CONNECTS TO THE CITY AT LARGE.
BETWEEN THREE AND SIX, THEY'RE KIND OF SIMILAR.
IT'S LIKE, YEAH, WE ALL PAY ATTENTION CITYWIDE, BUT IN MANY WAYS DEFER THE COUNCIL MEMBER ON AN ISSUE IN THEIR DISTRICT.
THAT'S WHAT WHERE THEY WERE ELECTED TO REPRESENT.
AND SO I THINK THAT WAS A THREE 'CAUSE IT COULD BE CLARIFIED A BIT MORE ON WHEN TO DEFER, HOW TO DEFER IF YOU'RE NOT GONNA DEFER TO THAT COUNCIL MEMBER, WHAT'S THE PROTOCOL FOR TALKING TO THEM ABOUT HOW THAT DECISION IN THEIR DISTRICT IMPACTS ME AND MY DISTRICT? OR IS IT ELEVATING TO THE PLACE WHERE IT'S A CITYWIDE ISSUE? RIGHT.
FOR EXAMPLE, WE'VE ALWAYS SAID CERTAIN ASSETS ARE CITYWIDE THE AIRPORT, THE CONVENTION CENTER, THE PORT, THESE ARE CITYWIDE ASSETS.
EVEN THOUGH THERE MAY BE LOCAL IMPACTS ON A LOCAL NEIGHBORHOOD, ALL NINE DISTRICTS PAY ATTENTION TO THOSE CITYWIDE ASSETS.
SO THERE COULD BE A LITTLE BIT OF DISCUSSION ON WHAT, WHAT DO WE CONSIDER, YOU KNOW, FAIR GAME FOR EVERYONE TO HAVE AN OPINION ON? AND WHAT ARE TRADITIONALLY THOSE DISTRICT ISSUES THAT YOU, WE REALLY SHOULD DEFER TO THE COUNCIL MEMBER TO LEAD ON.
AND WHERE YOU HAVE IN DIFFERENT DISTRICTS PERHAPS THE SAME TOPIC OF AN ISSUE THAT MAY TAKE A DIFFERENT, YOU KNOW, TRACK.
LIKE THEY MAY BE DIFFERENT DEPENDING ON WHERE YOU SIT.
I JUST WANTED TO, TO EMPHASIZE THE COMMENTS THAT CINDY MADE ABOUT, AND I, I PUT THAT AS AN, AS THE NUMBER THREE.
NUMBER SIX AS NUMBER THREE FROM THE BEGINNING IS REALLY UNDERSTANDING THAT THE PERSPECTIVE THAT WE BRING TO THE CONVERSATION IS REFLECTIVE OF WHAT WE KNOW TO BE TRUE ABOUT THE COMMUNITY THAT WE REPRESENT.
AND IT'S JUST AS VALID, EVEN IF IT DOESN'T MAKE SENSE TO YOU, EVEN IF IT DOESN'T RESONATE WITH YOUR OWN EXPERIENCE IN THE CITY.
WE'RE TRYING TO MAKE A PERSPECTIVE THAT IS A VALID PERSPECTIVE THAT WE FEEL NEEDS
[01:05:01]
TO BE HONORED IN THE CONVERSATION IN THAT WAY.DOESN'T MEAN AT THE END OF THE DAY THAT WE AGREE.
UM, BUT THAT, I THINK THAT'S PART OF THE ASSUMING GOOD INTENT PART IS MAKING SURE THAT AS WE TALK WITH EACH OTHER OR OUR STAFF TALKS WITH EACH OTHER, UM, THE HONORING OF THE POSITION WE BRING AND NOT BELITTLING THE POSITION WE BRING BECAUSE IT JUST DOESN'T MAKE SENSE TO YOU BECAUSE IT HASN'T BEEN YOUR EXPERIENCE.
SO I THINK WE, WE HAVE TO WALK THAT LINE REALLY CAREFULLY.
WELL, AND IT DOES COME BACK TO THAT ABILITY TO ASSUME GOOD INTENT.
SO OUR, UM, TABLE, UM, UNANIMOUSLY AGREED THAT THE AREAS WHICH WE WOULD SAY WE WOULD LIKE TO CHANGE THE TERMS TO NOT JUST CLARIFY OR MODIFY, BUT TO WORK ON MM-HMM
WOULD BE ITEMS NUMBER FOUR AND ITEMS NUMBER NINE.
ITEM NUMBER FOUR, WE HAD A LOT OF DISCUSSION ABOUT, UM, AND REALLY FELT LIKE THAT ONE IN PARTICULAR NEEDS A LOT OF WORK.
UM, AND EMPHASIS FROM A VARIETY OF PERSPECTIVES.
MY COLLEAGUE GAVE ONE PERSPECTIVE.
THE OTHER PERSPECTIVE THAT WE TALKED ABOUT IS ENSURING THAT WE HAVE INFORMATION ABOUT WHAT'S HAPPENING WITHIN OUR DISTRICTS, UM, THAT MIGHT BE CITY RELATED EVENTS OR ACTIVITIES.
UM, AND MAKING SURE THAT TO THE EXTENT THAT THERE IS A TOPIC THAT ANY OF US WANT TO CONNECT ON, UM, THAT WE ARE AWARE OF THOSE THINGS AND HOW THEY'RE PLAYING OUT ACROSS THE CITY.
SO NOT HAVING THAT INFORMATION MEANS THAT THINGS COULD BE HAPPENING IN OUR DISTRICTS AND WE DON'T KNOW OR DON'T HAVE THE ABILITY TO RESPOND TO THEM IN A TIMELY MANNER TO BE ABLE TO PARTICIPATE IN ANY MEANINGFUL WAY.
AND THEN NUMBER NINE, UH, WE JUST SAID WE WANT SOME MORE CLARIFICATION, UH, FROM THIS GROUP.
WE FELT LIKE WE WEREN'T SURE, UM, JUST REALLY WHAT THAT MEANT.
UM, AND HOW NUMBER NINE NUMBER NINE, YEAH.
UH, WHAT THAT MEANT TODAY IN THE CONTEXT OF THE CONVERSATION AND IF THERE'S ROOM, WE ALSO SPENT A LITTLE TIME DISCUSSING THE NEED, UH, TO MAYBE REFLECT ON THESE NORMS A LITTLE BIT MORE.
AND THAT THESE NORMS MAY REFLECT A DIFFERENT COUNCIL AT A DIFFERENT TIME.
WE WERE SPECIFICALLY LOOKING AT NUMBER THREE AND NUMBER 10.
UM, AND, AND THOSE MAYBE COULD HAVE A LEVEL OF CONSOLIDATION OR THE WORD RESPECT COULD BE, UM, MODIFIED IN SUCH A WAY THAT IT IS MORE ABOUT HONORING, RECOGNIZING, COLLABORATING, UM, BECAUSE THAT REFLECTS MAYBE WHO THE COUNCIL BELIEVED THAT IT IS TODAY.
ELEVATED A LITTLE BIT MORE MM-HMM
AND IT IS JUST, 'CAUSE WE, THE, SOME OF MY COLLEAGUES HAVE BEEN AROUND CERTAINLY LONGER THAN ME AND THEY HAVE BEEN ABLE TO SHARE THAT, YOU KNOW, SOME OF THESE NORMS FEEL LIKE THEY ARE PRESENTED FROM A TIME WHEN THE COUNCIL OPERATED DIFFERENTLY.
BUT WE DEFINITELY WANT YOU TO TALK, WE WANNA TALK ABOUT FOUR AND NINE AND, YOU KNOW, WORK ON AND ALL THAT.
WHEN WE DID ESTABLISH THESE NORMS TWO YEARS AGO, WE WERE COMING OFF A VERY DIVIDED CITY COUNCIL PREVIOUSLY.
AND YOU ALSO HAD, UM, I HAD JUST INTRODUCED DEPUTY MAYORS FOR THE FIRST TIME.
SO, YOU KNOW, SOME OF THE COUNCIL MEMBERS WERE P****D ABOUT THAT.
AND SO THAT'S WHEN THE RESPECT THE ROLE OF THE MAYOR AND THE CITY MANAGER AND CITY ATTORNEY.
THAT'S LARGELY WHAT DROVE, WHAT DROVE THAT ONE.
I THINK THAT'S NOT AS BIG OF AN ISSUE NOW.
PEOPLE KNOW WHAT CONNOR AND LUCIUS DO, AND, AND THEY'VE GOTTEN TO KNOW YOU GUYS PRETTY WELL, BUT I THINK THAT WAS DRIVING THAT NORM.
IT WAS A WHOLE, IT WAS KIND OF AN EMPHASIS TO SAY, WHY ARE WE DOING, IT WAS A SIDEWAYS SAY OF SAYING, WHY ARE WE DOING DEPUTY MAYORS? WHY DO WE WANT THIS TO HAPPEN? THAT WAS THE UNDER, UNDER SPOKEN, UM, THE UNDERCURRENT THERE.
I THINK ON, ON THE OTHER ONE ABOUT TREATING STAFF RESPECTIVELY, RESPECTFULLY, YOU'RE RIGHT.
THERE WAS A VERY, THIS WAS RIGHT AFTER A CONTENTIOUS MAYOR'S RACE.
AND THE COUNCIL WAS VERY DIVIDED AT THE TIME.
UM, AND SOME OF THAT REFLECTED ON HOW WE TREATED STAFF, OR, WELL, NOT WE, I'VE ALWAYS BEEN GOOD WITH STAFF, BUT
BUT THERE WAS, BUT IT'S, IT'S TRUE.
THERE WERE, YOU KNOW, FOLKS WERE FORCING STAFF TO TRY TO MAKE CHOICES AND, AND FORCE THEM TO TAKE ONE SIDE OR THE OTHER.
AND IT WAS A VERY DIVISIVE TIME.
SO I, I AGREE WITH YOU THAT MAYBE THOSE COULD BE CONSOLIDATED OR UPDATED TO JUST BE MORE TIME, MORE TIMELESS, MORE EVERGREEN.
SO THAT'S NUMBER THREE AND NUMBER 10 TO MAYBE FIND SOME WAY, RIGHT.
AM AM I RIGHT ON THAT, TO BRING THOSE TOGETHER? UM, ON NUMBER FOUR, THAT'S THE INFORMATION THAT SEEMS LIKE THERE'S A LOT OF ENERGY AROUND THAT.
UH, AND WHAT I'M, WHAT I'M HEARING THOUGH IS IT'S LESS ABOUT THE BODY AS A COUNCIL IN TERMS OF AGREEMENT AND MORE ABOUT FEELING INFORMED, UH, AND KNOWLEDGEABLE ABOUT THINGS THAT ARE GOING ON IN YOUR DISTRICTS OR ACROSS THE CITY.
AND SO, YOU KNOW, MAYBE THAT IS SOMETHING THAT NEEDS TO, YOU
[01:10:01]
KNOW, BE A BIKE RACKI MEAN, I THINK IT'S HELPFUL FOR STAFF, EVERYBODY HERE IN THE ROOM TO HEAR THE NEED, THE REQUEST ON THAT.
UM, AND I DO THINK THAT IT'S BOTH THE, THE STAFF AND THE MAYOR.
I THINK WE ARE LOOKING FOR, AT LEAST, YOU KNOW, FROM MY TABLE, WE WERE LOOKING FOR INFORMATION ABOUT THINGS THAT ARE HAPPENING.
CHRISTINA, MAYBE, AND MAYBE ALSO A TWO-WAY STREET.
THAT'S SOMETHING THAT I HAVE LEARNED THAT I'M ASKING FROM STAFF.
I'M ALSO WORKING WITH THE MAYOR MORE.
I'M WORKING WITH, UM, IT'S A TWO-WAY STREET WITH SHARING INFORMATION AND AVOIDING SURPRISES.
ACTUALLY, THAT'S A GOOD ANSWER.
CHRISTINA DOES A REALLY GOOD JOB LOOPING ME IN ON WHAT SHE DOES.
AND I'M SU AND I'VE LEARNED ABOUT THE PRIORITIES IN THREE.
I WAS KIND OF KEPT OUT OF THREE THE LAST FEW YEARS, UH, BEFORE BECOMING MAYOR.
BUT I'VE LEARNED A LOT BECAUSE SHE PULLS ME IN AND NOW I KNOW THE KINDS OF THINGS SHE'S INTERESTED IN.
SO A LITTLE BIT OF HIS RELATIONSHIPS, FIGURING OUT WHO'S INTERESTED IN WHAT AND INVOLVING YOUR COLLEAGUES IN IT.
AND IF I COULD ADD, IT'S, IT'S AN HONEST DISCOURSE.
WE MAY NOT AGREE, BUT I STILL LOOP IN.
UM, I JUST WANNA ELEVATE WHAT CHRISTINA IS SAYING.
UH, SHE AND I HAVE TALKED ABOUT THIS.
UM, I'LL SAY ONE OF THE CHA I THINK THERE ARE PROS AND CONS OF HAVING A, UM, PART-TIME CITY COUNCIL MM-HMM
UM, ONE OF THE CONS, RIGHT, IS THAT THERE'S A LIMITED TIME FOR THOSE OF US PARTICULARLY, I'LL JUST SAY SPEAK FOR MYSELF AS SOMEBODY WHO WORKS FULL TIME.
I HAVE LIKE VERY PRESCRIBED TIMES IN WHICH I CAN DO COUNCIL STUFF.
'CAUSE BELIEVE IT OR NOT, YOU KNOW, FOR MY JOB, THEY EXPECT ME TO SHOW UP OCCASIONALLY.
UM, SO
AND THEN, YOU KNOW, FOR INSTANCE, LET'S, FOR EXAMPLE, CHRISTINA BRINGS SOMETHING FORWARD AND SHE'S BROWN ACTED OUT, I THEN NOW NEED TO TALK TO CITY, CITY STAFF, ET CETERA.
SO NOW I MIGHT NEED TO DO BRIEFINGS IF THAT INFORMATION ISN'T AVAILABLE UNTIL LIKE A SUPPLEMENT OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
I CAN'T DO WHAT I NEED TO DO IN ORDER TO INFORM MYSELF.
UM, AND SO IT'S ALWAYS SOMETHING THAT I'M CONSTANTLY BRINGING UP IS TO SAY, HEY, IF YOU PUT SOMETHING ON THE AGENDA, LIKE WE, WE REALLY NEED YOU TO LIKE PUT ALL THE DOCUMENTATION ASSOCIATED WITH THAT ITEM ON THE AGENDA ON A MONDAY NIGHT SO THAT I HAVE THOSE FULL EIGHT DAYS TO DO WHAT I NEED TO DO AS A COUNCIL.
AND THEN I THINK TO HER, TO CHRISTINA'S POINT AROUND THE SUPPLEMENTAL, YOU KNOW, WE, AS WE HAVE KIND OF A, I THINK AGREED AS, UM, AS COUNCIL OFFICES, AND I THINK IT'S SOMETHING THAT'S IMPORTANT TO, TO, UM, TO ALSO ELEVATE, AGAIN, IS TRYING OUR BEST NOT TO PUT ANYTHING LIKE BIG SIGNIFICANT ON, ON SUPPLEMENTAL, RIGHT? RIGHT.
LIKE, YOU WANNA DO A DIVIDE BY NINE, YOU WANNA WAIT TO THE NEXT, BUT EXACTLY.
BUT LIKE REALLY BEING MINDFUL OF LIKE, THE TIME CONSTRAINTS OF YOUR COLLEAGUES AND BE RESPECTFUL OF THE TIME OF YOUR COLLEAGUES TO NOT DO THAT SO THAT WE ALL CAN COME TO PRESENT OURSELVES AT COUNCIL AS INFORMED SO WE CAN HAVE THE BEST DISCUSSION POSSIBLE.
WHICH IS A WHOLE DIFFERENT NORM.
IT SOUNDS LIKE I'M HEARING IN TERMS OF SOMETHING THAT COULD BE OF INTEREST AND OF VALUE, UH, RESPECTING THE TIME THAT YOU NEED.
UM, OTHER, YEAH, TOM, SO I DO WANNA MAKE ONE POINT, 'CAUSE WE'RE TALK, I AGREE WITH THE CONVERSATION ABOUT THREE AND 10.
IT'S A DIFFERENT TIME AND WE MADE A LOT OF IMPROVEMENT ON THAT.
I, I DO WANT TO WANT TO SAY, JUST BECAUSE IT'S NOT AN ISSUE DOESN'T MEAN IT SHOULDN'T BE ON THE LIST.
SO YOU WANNA BE ABLE TO PREVENT THOSE THINGS TO KEEP THAT AS A CORE VALUE.
SO I ACTUALLY THINK WE'RE DOING VERY WELL NOW WITH COMMUNICATING CONCERNS TO ME ABOUT, UH, ABOUT ANY ISSUES YOU'RE HAVING THAT THAT DOESN'T COME UP, YOU KNOW, ABOUT, YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW, UM, IN A PUBLIC MEETING ABOUT A PERSONNEL ISSUE.
SO, BUT I DON'T WANT TO LOSE THAT EITHER, EVEN THOUGH IT'S NOT THAT BIG OF AN ISSUE ANYMORE RIGHT NOW.
JUST TO KEEP THAT REALLY GOOD, UM, NORM AND BEHAVIOR, UH, GOING.
IT DOESN'T HURT TO HAVE 'EM SEPARATE, BUT I THINK THAT THE ACKNOWLEDGEMENT THAT THEY'RE TIED IS HELPFUL.
AND JUST A, A COMMENT ON THAT AS WELL, IS THAT, THAT IT IS A GOOD, GOOD PRACTICE TO SET.
THIS IS THE, WAIT, CAN WE GET HER MIC ON? SORRY.
IT'S A GOOD PRACTICE TO SET THE NORM SO THAT FUTURE COUNCILS ALSO KNOW THIS IS WHAT YOU BELIEVE IN, IN TERMS OF HOW YOU'RE GOING TO OPERATE.
SHARE INFORMATION AND, AND AVOID SURPRISES.
YOU COULD ADD TO IT FOR CLARIFICATION.
'CAUSE SEVERAL OF YOU HAVE, HAVE NOTED SOMETHING LIKE BETWEEN STAFF AND COUNCIL AND WITHIN THE MAYOR AND THE COUNCIL OR SOMETHING TO THAT EFFECT.
WE CAN WORDSMITH IT, BUT TO, TO CLARIFY WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT.
I HONESTLY THINK THIS NEEDS A BIKE RACK, UM, NOTE BECAUSE IT GOES DEEPER THAN SURE IT DOES.
UM, AND IT WOULD BE GOOD TO TAKE THE TIME, I THINK TO, UH, FLESH OUT ALL THE DIFFERENT KINDS OF INFORM SHARING INFORMATION
[01:15:01]
MM-HMMUM, 'CAUSE I'VE, I'VE HEARD SEVERAL DIFFERENT KINDS, UM, EVEN HERE TODAY, BUT IT ACT I ACTUALLY CAME IN TODAY, INTO TODAY WITH THAT AS A PRIORITY WHERE I WAS HOPING TO BE ABLE TO MAKE SOME PROGRESS ON THE TOPIC.
UM, AND I DON'T THINK WE'RE QUITE THERE YET.
SO I REALLY WOULD APPRECIATE IT ON THE BIKE RACK.
WE CAN CERTAINLY PUT IT ON THE BIKE RACK.
AND IN THE INTEREST OF TIME, WE DO WANT TO YES.
BRING THIS SECTION TO CLOSURE SO THAT WE CAN MOVE INTO SOME OTHER THINGS.
AND IF I, UH, JUST FROM A PROCESS PERSPECTIVE, KIND OF BRING THIS TO THE GROUP.
SO DO WE WANT TO, LIKE WHEN IT'S NOT ON THE BIKE RACK NOW, HOW DO WE, HOW DO WE TAKE IT OFF THE BIKE RACK? SO HAS THAT COME BACK TO THE COUNCIL FOR A DISCUSSION ABOUT THE, THE COUNCIL NORMS? DO WE ADOPT THEM? DO YOU WANT STAFF TO MAKE SOME RECOMMENDATIONS HERE OR TO SPEND MORE TIME IN A SESSION LIKE THIS TOGETHER TO, TO WORK ON THOSE? I WOULD, I WOULD WE DO THIS THING CALLED GRADIENTS OF AGREEMENT AT LA CASA WHERE WE SAY, OKAY, IS THIS SOMETHING THAT YOU CAN'T MOVE FORWARD ON AT ALL UNTIL IT'S RESOLVED? OR IS IT SOMETHING I CAN MOVE FORWARD BUT IT'S SOMETHING I WANNA DISCUSS AT SOME POINT? OR IS IT READY TO GO? YOU KIND OF GIVE PEOPLE ABILITY TO SAY YES, MAYBE, OR, OR NO, LIKE RED, GREEN, YELLOW, AND TRY TO MOVE PEOPLE TO A PLACE WHERE EVERYBODY CAN BE RED OR YELLOW ON THIS.
I WOULD JUST BE CURIOUS TO KNOW, I THINK WHEN WE GET THROUGH THE BIKE RACK, I THINK WE NEED TO DO SOME GREATEST AGREEMENT AND SEE WHICH ONES DO WE REALLY NEED TO RESOLVE BEFORE MOVING FORWARD.
A AFTER WE PUT A FEW THINGS UP THERE, OR ARE THEY IN A GOOD ENOUGH PLACE WHERE WE CAN ADOPT OUR NORMS, MOVE FORWARD, BUT KNOW THAT THERE'S MORE WORK THAT NEEDS TO BE DONE ON THESE TOPICS.
SO I DON'T THINK WE GOTTA HANDLE THAT NOW.
I THINK, LET'S SEE WHAT ELSE ENDS UP ON THE BIKE RACK.
WELL, AND JUST IN CHECKING ASSUMPTIONS HERE, I THINK THE ONE THAT HAS THE GREATEST ENERGY AROUND MAYBE MODIFICATION IS THAT NUMBER FOUR.
IS THAT, ARE WE IN AGREEMENT WITH THAT? NUMBER FOUR DOESN'T NEED A CHANGE IN TERMS OF THE WORDS, IT JUST NEEDS A DISCUSSION IN TERMS AND CLARIFICATION WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE IN ACTION.
NO WORDS NEED TO CHANGE, RIGHT? OKAY, WE'RE GOOD? YES.
AND WE HAVE THAT ON THE BIKE RACK AND SO WE'LL BE ABLE TO REVISIT THE SUG.
UM, WE WANT TO TAKE A QUICK OPPORTUNITY TO STAND UP
UH, AFTER COMING OFF THAT, WE'RE GONNA COME BACK AND WE'RE GONNA WORK THROUGH, UH, AN ACTIVITY.
UM, THINKING ABOUT THE FUTURE.
FOR GRABBING SEATS,
[6. 25-55128 Visioning ]
THAT.SO WHAT WE WANNA DO NOW IS TAKE A LITTLE BIT OF TIME TO REALLY, YOU KNOW, REFLECT ON THOSE THINGS THAT ARE REALLY WORKING WELL, UH, THAT YOU WANNA REALLY ENSURE ARE SUSTAINED, THAT YOU CAN HOLD ONTO, UH, AS YOU'RE, YOU KNOW, LOOKING TO THE FUTURE.
UH, BUT ALSO THOSE THINGS THAT AREN'T TRUE TODAY, UH, THAT YOU WANT TO FOCUS ON AND PRIORITIZE AND LEAD TO FOR THE FUTURE.
SO, KINDA GIVING A LONG HORIZON, A 10 YEAR HORIZON, THINKING ABOUT THOSE THINGS NOT TRUE TODAY THAT YOU WANNA MAKE HAPPEN.
SO WE'RE GONNA GO THROUGH AN ACTIVITY, UH, THAT BRINGS THIS CONVERSATION TO HEAD.
UH, WE THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT, FIRST OF ALL TO TAKE A LONG VIEW, UH, BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT SOME OF THE BIG THINGS DON'T HAPPEN OVERNIGHT.
AND YOU WANNA MAKE SURE WE'RE ALREADY WORKING IN THE POST-ITS.
LET ME GIVE YOU YOUR, YOUR, UM, ASSIGNMENT HERE.
SO YOU HAVE, UH, EACH COUNCIL MEMBER SHOULD HAVE TWO SETS OF POST-ITS YELLOW AND GREEN BY YOUR NAME TAG.
IF YOU DON'T, THEN LET US KNOW.
UM, YOU SHOULD HAVE THREE YELLOW, THREE GREEN.
AND IF YOU DON'T, AGAIN, LET US KNOW.
UM, WHAT YOU'RE GOING TO DO IS ON THE YELLOW ONES, LISTEN CAREFULLY.
WE'RE GONNA, ON THE YELLOW ONES, WE WANT YOU TO ONE IDEA PER POST-IT.
WRITE DOWN, UM, SOME THOSE THINGS THAT ARE WORKING WELL THAT YOU REALLY WANNA HOLD ONTO AND PRESERVE GOING INTO THE FUTURE.
ONE IDEA PER POST-IT ON YELLOW.
THOSE THINGS THAT ARE TRUE TODAY THAT YOU WANNA STILL HAVE TRUE YELLOW IS TRUE TODAY.
OKAY? UM, ONCE YOU HAVE DONE THAT UP TO THREE INDIVIDUAL IDEAS, WE'RE GONNA DO THE WHAT IS NOT TRUE TODAY THAT YOU WANNA MAKE TRUE.
THAT'S ON THE GREEN POST-ITS OKAY.
I'M GONNA HAVE THREE IDEAS ON A TOPIC ON GONNA POST-IT.
UM, AS YOU HAVE THEM, YOU CAN HAND 'EM UP.
WE'RE GONNA TAKE 'EM UP HERE AND POST 'EM ON THE FLIP CHART AND WE'RE GONNA ORGANIZE THOSE TO SEE WHAT KIND OF THEMES EMERGE.
THREE IDEAS OF WHAT'S TRUE TODAY.
ON YELLOW, WE HAVE ALSO THESE SHARPIES THAT ARE ON THE TABLES.
[01:20:01]
YOU IF YOU ARE SO INCLINED TO MAYBE USE THOSE NOW, WE WILL BE ABLE TO READ 'EM A LITTLE BIT BETTER.CINDY, YOU GOT THOSE RIGHT? OKAY.
YEAH, WE'LL MAKE SURE WHEN YOU DO THREE.
AS YOU HAVE 'EM, YOU CAN SIGNAL 'EM, WE'LL GRAB 'EM.
THOSE THINGS WE WANNA HOLD ONTO GREEN.
THE THINGS WE WANNA MAKE HAPPEN.
CAN I TAKE THEM THREE MONTHS? CAN YOU MM-HMM
I'M GONNA START JUST PUTTING IT HERE.
CAN I GRAB THESE FROM YOU? YES.
'CAUSE YOU KNOW WHERE THEY ARE.
THE GREATEST SLIP THAT IN THERE.
DO WE HAVE TO POST A SECOND? CAN GRAB AND WE'LL PUT 'EM OVER THERE.
CAN I TAKE THESE FROM YOU? SURE.
YOU DON'T HAVE TO, IT'S UP TO YOU.
STAFF RECRUITMENTS ARE WORKING.
GREAT PLACE IS A GREAT PLACE TO PLANT ROOTS.
OPPORTUNITIES, CHARACTER OF NEIGHBORHOODS.
I LIKE THAT WE HAVE THESE ALL IN THE MIDDLE OF THE TABLE.
[01:25:01]
GOOD.THE MAYOR TO COME UP AND WANNA ASK HIM.
LOOK AT, SHE'S GOT A WHOLE STACK OF JUST SAYING
DARRYL, YOU WORKING ON SOME STILL? YEAH, I GOT ONE.
CAN I GRAB YOU A YELLOW ONE HERE? UH, NO.
OKAY, SO YOU GUYS ARE GOOD, RIGHT? NOPE, SHE'S STILL RUNNING.
YOU GUYS ARE, YOU GUYS ARE ALL DONE? I SAW THEM IN THE MIDDLE OF A TABLE.
WE CAN, YOU WANNA GO GRAB, DID SHE ASK YOU ABOUT, DO YOU WANNA DO THAT? YOU WANT ME TO DO THAT ONE OR DO THIS ONE? THIS ONE'S ALL CLUSTERED.
DO YOU DO THAT ONE? I'LL DO THAT OTHER ONE.
ALRIGHT, SO WE HAVE EVERYBODY'S IDEAS.
ALRIGHT, LET'S, LET'S SEE WHAT WE HAVE HERE.
UH, SO I'M GONNA GO THROUGH THE, THOSE THINGS THAT ARE TRUE TODAY, UH, AND KIND OF WHAT STANDS OUT, WHAT YOU CAME UP WITH.
AND THEN WE'LL HAVE, GO AHEAD.
AND THE MAYOR'S GONNA DO THAT ONE.
AND THEN THE MAYOR'S GONNA TAKE A LOOK AND WE'VE KIND OF CLUSTERED SOME OF THE IDEAS AROUND THE POSSIBILITIES OF WHAT YOU WANT TO ENVISION FOR THE FUTURE 10 YEARS FROM NOW.
SO LET'S, HERE, I'M GONNA GET BLINDED BY THAT.
SO, UM, LET'S STAND ON THIS SIDE.
ALRIGHT, SO I'M GONNA READ OFF SOME OF THE IDEAS AND KIND OF WHAT, WHAT ARE CLUSTERED TOGETHER.
SO, UM, UP HERE WE HAVE COMMITMENT TO LONG RANGE PLANNING FOR THE CITY BUDGET AND ANTICIPATED CHALLENGES.
I WAS LIKE, WHAT IS SHE FLAGGING ME DOWN, UM, LOOKING FOR AND SUCCESSFULLY SECURING RESOURCES FOR STRUCTURAL BUDGET.
SO THIS IS A, A FOCUS ON THE BUDGET, AN AFFORDABLE PLACE FOR FAMILIES TO LIVE.
UH, LONG BEACH IS THE BEST PLACE, UM, IS THE BEST STATE'S BEST.
UM, THE RECRUITMENTS ARE WORKING.
YOU CAN DO ANYTHING IN LONG BEACH.
UM, THERE'S WORKS OF ALL TYPE GROWING AN INCLUSIVE ECONOMY.
VISITORS CONTINUE WITH GREAT TIES TO LONG BEACH, THRIVING EDUCATION SYSTEM, PROFESSIONALLY MANAGED AND FUTURE FOCUSED CITIES.
SO THAT'S A LITTLE BIT WITH LONG RANGE PLANNING UP HERE ALSO.
UM, AND STAFF CONTINUES TO BE SUPPORTIVE.
COLLABORATIVE SPIRIT BETWEEN CITY COUNCIL AND CITY STAFF.
UH, FOCUS ON PUBLIC SAFETY, DIVERSE COUNCIL, THE CHARACTER AND DIVERSITY OF NEIGHBORHOODS AND BUSINESSES, DIVERSE AND INCLUSIVE.
COMMITMENT, DIVERSITY, EQUITY, INCLUSION.
SO A WHOLE LITTLE CLUSTER ON THAT ONE.
LONG BEACH STAYS THE BIGGEST LITTLE CITY.
UH, LONG BEACH IS THE BEST PLACE TO PLANT ROOTS AND LIVE THROUGH ALL CYCLES OF LIFE.
UH, COMMUNITY PRIDE, COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, AND PEOPLE FEEL COMMITTED, CONNECTED TO EACH OTHER, AND PROUD TO BE FROM LONG BEACH.
UH, SO THOSE ARE SOME OF THE THEMES THAT STOOD OUT TODAY FOR
[01:30:01]
THE THINGS THAT YOU WANNA REALLY HOLD ONTO AND NOT LOSE.UH, AND THAT REALLY REQUIRES INTENTIONALITY BEHIND IT.
SO ANY COMMENTS ON THE TRUE TODAY BEFORE WE HEAR ABOUT THE THINGS YOU WANT TO MAKE HAPPEN? LOTS OF FOCUS, I THINK, ON KIND OF THE PROFESSIONALISM OF THE ORGANIZATION IN A LOT OF DIFFERENT WAYS AROUND THE BUDGET AND GETTING PEOPLE INTO POSITIONS THROUGH RECRUITMENTS, THE PROFESSIONALISM, THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN COUNCIL AND STAFF.
UM, LOTS OF EMPHASIS I THINK ON THE ORGANIZATION.
MAYBE THAT'S WHERE YOU'VE BEEN SPENDING TIME AND ATTENTION.
MAYOR, YOU WANNA GIVE US SURE.
WE'VE GOT 'EM KIND OF ORGANIZED HERE A LITTLE BIT BY CLUSTERS.
WHAT I SEE ON THIS SIDE MM-HMM
IS A LOT OF FOCUS ON OUR ORGANIZATION AND PLANNING, AND A LOT OF FOCUS ON COMMUNITY PRIDE, DIVERSITY, THE, OUR IDENTITY IN LONG BEACH.
THOSE ARE THE THINGS THAT ARE TRUE TODAY MM-HMM
I LOVED, I WROTE MORE ON THIS ONE BECAUSE I LOVE TO THINK ABOUT THE FUTURE.
AND I THINK OUR, OUR CITY COUNCIL LOVES TO THINK ABOUT THE FUTURE.
HERE'S ONE CLUSTER THAT IS, UH, HAS A LOT TO DO WITH THE ENVIRONMENT.
SUCCESSFULLY TRANSITIONED TO A CLIMATE FORWARD ECONOMY, CLEAN AIR IN WEST LONG BEACH VIA A ZERO MISSION PORT CITYWIDE LEADER IN CLEAN ENERGY AND CITY OF LONG BEACH MADE A, A SOVEREIGN LIKE INVESTMENT WITH OIL REVENUE TO CREATE AN INNER IN EVERGREEN FUND.
SO A LOT OF THIS FOCUS ON WHERE WE COULD BE IN 10 YEARS IN TERMS OF CLEAN AIR MM-HMM
AND THE CLIMATE TRANSITION HERE.
I DID THESE TWO, UM, HOUSING FOR ALL.
WE ARE A PRO HOUSING CITY, BUT YOU KNOW, WE COULD DO BETTER.
WE COULD, WE COULD REALLY BE THAT CITY THAT TRULY ACHIEVES HOUSING FOR ALL.
A LOT OF STUFF HERE IS ABOUT THE ECONOMY, CONTINUED FOCUS ON ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, AC UH, ACROSS ALL DISTRICTS.
SO WE'RE NOT THERE YET, BUT THIS IS A BEAUTIFUL VISION.
WEST LONG BEACH IS WEST LONG BEACH.
IS THRIVING AND HAS BIG BUSINESSES, UH, OPEN LIKE GROCERY STORES AND BANKS, WORLD CLASS DESTINATION FOR TOURISM.
LONG BEACH HAS INTERNATIONALLY ENVIABLE, THRIVING, WATERFRONT THRIVING ECONOMY, ALL OF LONG BEACH EMPHASIS ON ALL FIELDS, THE ECONOMIC AND PHYSICAL INVESTMENT OF REVITALIZATION.
AND AGAIN, ALL OF LONG BEACH IS ECONOMICALLY THRIVING.
SO A LOT OF THIS IS ABOUT ALL OF THE CITY.
REACHING THE ECONOMIC OH, LOOK AT THAT.
SIGNIFICANT REDUCTION IN HUMAN TRAFFICKING IN OUR CITY.
UH, RESPECT FOR COUNCIL MEMBERS AS THE DEMOCRATICALLY ELECTED REPRESENTATIVES OF 51,000 REP RESIDENTS.
COMPLETE LONG BEACH HAS A BALANCED BUDGET BASED ON SUSTAINABLE SOURCES, STRUCTURAL SORT FALL THAT IS FREE FROM DEPENDENCE ON OIL.
SO SOME OF THAT IS, YOU KNOW, SOME RELATIONSHIP THERE.
LET'S BUILD A STRONGER FINANCIAL POSITION, A BIGGER BUDGET, UNRELIANT ON OIL, TRUE BUDGET BALANCE.
LOTS OF FOCUS ON THE SUSTAINABLE TRANSITION.
SO WE'RE ON, WE'RE ON THE RIGHT TRACK.
PROACTIVE INFRASTRUCTURE MAINTENANCE.
LONG BEACH HAS SMOOTH ROADS AND SIDEWALKS IN EVERY PART OF TOWN.
CRIME IS AT RECORD, LOWS AND PD IS FULLY STAFFED.
THESE ARE GREAT VISIONS FOR THE NEXT 10 YEARS.
WELL, AND SO, YOU KNOW, WHAT I REALLY LIKE ABOUT THIS, THIS ACTIVITY IS THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THESE TWO PIECES, RIGHT? SO THAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT, UH, SOME OF THE FOCUS ON THAT, THAT YOU'VE INVESTED IN THE ORGANIZATION, CONTINUING AND SUSTAINING IN ORDER TO REALIZE THIS LONG-TERM VISION.
AND AS WE TALK ABOUT YOUR PRIORITIES FOR THE NEXT COUPLE OF YEARS, UH, AND WHAT YOU HAVE BEEN WORKING ON FOR THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS, YOU KNOW, THERE'S REALLY, YOU KNOW, CONSISTENT ALIGNMENT, YOU KNOW, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, UM, FOCUSED ON SUSTAINABILITY, MAINTAINING STABILITY, AND HAVING A STRONGER, MORE VITAL BUDGET.
UM, CONTINUE TO FOCUS ON, ON SAFETY.
YOU KNOW, THOSE ARE SOME OF THE THEMES THAT YOU'VE ALREADY BEEN TALKING ABOUT.
AND SO IT SOUNDS LIKE THERE'S SOME CONTINUITY AND THREAD.
SO WHAT STANDS OUT TO ALL OF YOU IN THIS CONVERSATION? ANYTHING JUMP OUT TO YOU IN PARTICULAR? OKAY.
UM, THE CLUSTER AROUND, UM, ALL OF OUR CITY, ECONOMICALLY THRIVING.
[01:35:01]
UNDERSCORED.WHERE'S THE, UM, I WAS REALLY PLEASED WITH THE LEVEL OF ALIGNMENT.
UM, I, UM, WAS JUST, I'M JUST STRUCK BY, UM, HOW SIMILAR, UM, SOME OF THE THOUGHTS ARE, UM, AND HOW CONNECTED, UH, THE THOUGHTS ARE ABOUT THE FUTURE.
IF YOU LOOK AT, THERE'S LIKE BUCKETS HERE, RIGHT? THAT INDIVIDUAL VOICES BROUGHT TO THE SAME TABLE.
CAN I THINK TOO, WHEN YOU LOOK AT, UM, UH, THE CLIMATE AND THE COMMITMENT FROM A LOT OF DIFFERENT IDEAS WHEN IT COMES TO CLEAN ENERGY, CAN YOU PLEASE USE YOUR MICROPHONE? SO I JUST, ALL THE CLEAN ENERGY, RIGHT? OKAY.
THERE WAS A LOT OF ENERGY AROUND A LOT OF LIKE THAT, A LOT OF ENERGY AROUND THE ENERGY.
WHAT ELSE STOOD OUT? ANYTHING? YEAH.
I ALSO, ON THE, WHAT IS TRUE TODAY MM-HMM
UM, I, I MEAN, I WAS REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THE FACT THAT PEOPLE, YOU KNOW, WANTED TO SHARE HOW MUCH THEY LOVE THE COMMUNITY.
AND, UM, THE LIVABILITY OF IT, AND WANTING THAT LIVABILITY TO REMAIN.
YOU CAN AFFORD IT, FAMILIES CAN BE HERE.
THERE'S THAT COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT.
LIKE THOSE ARE THE THEMES THAT ARE TRUE TODAY THAT PEOPLE WANNA KEEP.
THERE'S A A, A WHOLE ARM HERE THAT'S ABOUT COMMUNITY PRIDE IN DIFFERENT WAYS, RIGHT? AND SO REALLY MAKING SURE TO HONOR THAT AND TO SUPPORT THAT AND, AND SUSTAIN IT OVER TIME.
I WISH I WOULD'VE READ IT, BUT I THINK OUR BEACHES, UH, OUR BEACHES ARE SO CLEAN.
AND, UM, AND SO I SURE HOPE THAT THEY STAY THIS WAY AND THERE'S A COMMITMENT, UM, TO KEEP IT THAT WAY IN 10 YEARS SO THAT PEOPLE ARE ENJOYING IT LONG FROM NOW.
ANYTHING ELSE JUMP OUT? YOU KNOW, WHAT WE WANTED TO DO IS PROVIDE THIS KIND OF CONTEXT AS WE'RE TALKING ABOUT PRIORITIES GOING IN.
IT'S HELPFUL TO TAKE THAT LONG VIEW ON SOME OF THESE, BUT ALSO YOU HAD A, A VISIONING ACTIVITY YOU DID TWO YEARS AGO.
UH, REMEMBER TWO YEARS AGO THERE WAS AN ACTIVITY THAT THE MAYOR LED ACTUALLY ON, ON VISIONING.
UM, COUNCIL MEMBERS IDENTIFIED A WORD THAT, UH, RESONATED WITH YOU THINKING ABOUT THE FUTURE.
UM, AND I DON'T THINK WE HAD A TIMEFRAME ON IT, BUT JUST THINKING ABOUT THE FUTURE, AND YOU CAN SEE SOME OF THE WORDS HERE ABOUT BUSINESS, FORWARD THINKING, CLEAN, SAFE, AND THAT CERTAINLY REFLECTED HERE.
INCLUSIVE, UH, DIVERSE, HEALTHY, DYNAMIC, CONNECTED, SUSTAINABLE, UH, RESPONSIVE, VIBRANT, EQUITABLE, AFFORDABLE.
SO A LOT OF THESE ECONOMICALLY STRONG AT THE BOTTOM.
THAT WAS AN IMPORTANT ONE AS WELL.
BUT WRITING HAD WAS THE WORD THAT HAD THE MOST, UM, INDIVIDUALS THAT PLACED THAT WORD IN THE, UM, THE VISIONING EXERCISE.
SO THAT'S THE ONE THAT IS REFLECTED SO MUCH IN TODAY'S EXERCISE AS WELL.
SO WE THOUGHT THAT YOU MIGHT ENJOY THAT.
MAYOR, JUST, JUST AN OBSERVATION.
SO MICROPHONE, JUST AN OP, JUST AN OBSERVATION IN THESE, IN EACH OF THESE CATEGORIES, THERE'S A PLAN.
UM, I WOULD BE INTERESTED, I KNOW SOME OF THEM, BUT I WOULD BE INTERESTED IN, IN EVALUATING EACH OF OUR PLANS, SPANS THIS 10 YEAR PERIOD, AND IF IT ARRIVES AT THIS VISION.
SO THERE IS, UM, A CLIMATE ACTION PLAN FOCUSED ON THIS TOPIC ON OIL.
THERE IS, THIS IS ALL CENTERED ON BUDGET AND TRANSITIONING OFF.
I DON'T KNOW THAT WE'VE, I KNOW WE, WE DO OUR FINANCIAL PLANNING AND WE DO THOSE THINGS.
I DON'T KNOW THAT WE HAVE OUTLINED A PLAN.
WE HAVE OUR FIVE YEAR PLAN TO GET OFF OF OIL AND ON UPLANDS, BUT NOT TIDELANDS YET IN SOME OF THE OTHER VULNERABLE AREAS.
I THINK IT WOULD BE INTERESTING TO SEE WHAT PLANS ALIGN WITH EACH OF THESE GOALS.
ECONOMICS, WE DO HAVE THE UPDATE TO THE, WHAT USED TO BE GROW LONG BEACH.
I MEAN, EXCUSE ME, WHAT USED TO BE THE BLUEPRINT? I THINK THIS LENS OF ALL OF LONG BEACH, I THINK PROBABLY COULD USE A PLAN.
AND THEN DOWN HERE, THESE ARE SORT OF MORE SPECIFIC THINGS.
MAYBE WE THINK ABOUT A BIGGER PLAN FOR 10 YEARS THAT SAYS IN 10 YEARS, EVERY STRAIGHT, EVERY SIDEWALK, EVERY EVERYTHING.
AND OF OUR CRITICAL INFRASTRUCTURE TO GET TO THIS GOAL.
I THINK IT'D BE SOMETHING THAT, SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT AS A GROUP TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR PLANS FEED INTO THIS, THIS VISION OVER 10 YEARS.
ANY OTHER OBSERVATIONS? TOM, ANY OBSERVATIONS FROM YOU ABOUT THIS EXERCISE? I LIKE THAT.
I DIDN'T SEE ANYTHING ON THERE THAT WAS LIKE, NO SURPRISES,
YOU KNOW, LIKE, THOSE ARE ALL THINGS THAT,
[01:40:01]
YOU KNOW, I'VE HEARD FROM EACH ONE OF YOU THAT THOSE ARE ALL THINGS THAT WE'VE BEEN KIND OF ROWING TOGETHER.I AGREE WITH NU I LIKE THE, UM, THE AMOUNT OF SYNERGY THAT CAME TOGETHER VERY QUICKLY MM-HMM
AND I THINK THAT'S BECAUSE WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT THOSE ISSUES.
AND THEN I DO THINK THAT HELPS.
IF WE'RE GONNA, IF THAT'S WHERE WE'RE GOING, WE DO NEED TO START, YOU KNOW, UM, LOOKING AT THOSE PLANS AND THEN TRYING TO SET SOME VISION FOR HOW WE CAN, HOW WE CAN ACCOMPLISH THAT.
WE'RE NOW GOING TO MOVE INTO THE DISTRICTS.
[7. 25-55129 Share District Interests ]
THERE'S ALREADY BEEN A LOT OF CONVERSATION ABOUT HOW IMPORTANT THE DISTRICTS ARE, WHICH OF COURSE THEY ARE.SO, UM, OUR THOUGHT LAST TIME WE, WE TALKED ABOUT WHAT ARE SOME THINGS IN COMMON BETWEEN THE DI DISTRICTS AS WELL AS WHAT ARE THE DIFFERENCES TODAY WE HAVE A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS.
ONE IS, WHAT DOES THRIVING NEIGHBORHOODS MEAN IN MY DISTRICT? SO FOR YOUR PARTICULAR DISTRICT, HOW WOULD YOU DEFINE THRIVING NEIGHBORHOOD? AND THEN SECONDLY, HOW DOES THE CITY'S SUCCESS OVERALL CONTRIBUTE TO YOUR DISTRICT'S WELLBEING? SO WHAT WE'D LIKE TO DO IS HAVE YOU AT YOUR TABLES, UM, DISCUSS THAT ABOUT YOUR PARTICULAR DISTRICTS, THESE TWO QUESTIONS.
UH, WHAT DOES THRIVING NEIGHBORHOODS MEAN IN YOUR DISTRICT? SO SHARE THAT.
HOW DOES THE CITY SUCCESS OVERALL CONTRIBUTE TO YOUR DISTRICT SUCCESS? AND THEN WE'D LIKE YOU TO SHARE THAT OUT WITH THE LARGE GROUP.
AND LET'S SEE WHAT DIFFERENCES IN, IN COMMONALITIES, UM, WE, WE SEE OVERALL.
AND IF YOU CAN GO TO YOUR WORKBOOK, THERE IS, THERE'S SOME LINES AVAILABLE FOR YOU TO, UH, TO USE IF YOU WOULD LIKE, UM, ON, ON PAGE FOUR.
SO TAKE A FEW MINUTES FOR THAT CONVERSATION.
[02:01:55]
SPANISH,[02:01:59]
THEY,[02:02:02]
OKAY.[02:02:03]
WE'RE GONNA REPORT OUT.I THINK ALL THE GROUPS ARE, HAVE GREAT IDEAS.
AND, UH, WHAT WE'RE GONNA DO IS, IS ASK EACH OF THE GROUPS TO FIRST REPORT OUT ON THE FIRST QUESTION.
I'M STANDING IN FRONT OF THAT.
AND THEN ON THE SECOND QUESTION, SO FIRST WE'LL DO, UH, QUESTION ONE, ALL THREE GROUPS, THEN QUESTION TWO, ALL THREE GROUPS.
SO HOW ABOUT IF WE START WITH THIS GROUP? YOU WANT ME SAY WHOEVER WOULD LIKE, WHOEVER WOULD LIKE TO REPORT OUT? I WILL, I WILL REPORT OUT ON BEHALF OF DISTRICT, AND YOU MIGHT NEED TO USE THIS.
I'M ON BEHALF OF DISTRICTS THREE, FIVE OR THREE SEVEN AND ONE.
UM, WE NOTED ALL OF THEIR RESPECTIVE, UM, IDEAS, BUT WHAT RESONATED WITH THE GROUP WERE IS CLEANLINESS, OVERALL SAFETY, ESPECIALLY STREET SAFETY, INCLUDING BEING ABLE TO WALK LATE AT NIGHT, TRAFFIC, SAFETY, ACTIVATED PARK SPACES, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, AND SOME OTHER WALKABILITY BUSINESSES, ESPECIALLY FOR THE SEVENTH DISTRICT.
UM, AND THEN JUST SAFE NEIGHBORHOODS AND WALKING CORRIDORS.
LET'S GIVE APRIL A ROUND OF APPLAUSE.
SO DISTRICTS, UH, TWO AND NINE.
UH, A LOT OF SIMILARITIES, UH, QUALITY OF LIFE, THAT RENT IS AFFORDABLE, UM, THAT IT'S SAFE AND YOUR BASIC SERVICES ARE COMPLETED.
UM, AND, AND PEOPLE ARE HAPPY WITH THOSE.
A BIG FOCUS FOR BOTH ON ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
UH, IT MEANS DIFFERENT THINGS IN DIFFERENT AREAS.
ONE HAS A LOT MORE VACANT SPACES AND THINGS THAT CAN BE, UH, ACTIVATED.
AND, UH, AND DISTRICT TWO, OBVIOUSLY THAT DOESN'T EXIST, BUT THEY STILL HAVE, YOU KNOW, WANTING TO ACTIVATE STOREFRONTS AND BUSINESS CORRIDORS.
AND SO THERE'S SOME SIMILARITIES THERE, UM, THAT THE BUSINESSES AND THE BUSINESS DISTRICTS ARE SUPPORTED.
UH, BOTH HAVE A BIG INTEREST IN OPEN SPACE.
UM, AND WHETHER THAT'S CREATING NEW OPEN SPACE OR ACTIVATING AND PROGRAMMING THE OPEN SPACE THAT WE, UH, THAT WE DO HAVE, UH, THAT WE CAN, UM, UH, HAVE WALKABLE, BEAUTIFUL MAJOR CORRIDORS, THAT THERE'S MICRO TRANSIT PROGRAMS THAT WORK AND ARE USED AND, UH, REGULATING VENDORS IS IMPORTANT.
SO WHETHER IT'S DOWN ON THE BEACH OR UP IN
SO THAT'S A VERY COMMON FOCUS.
WHERE'S TYLER? HE WENT TO GET FOOD.
SO HE'S THE FOOD PERSON, SO, OKAY.
WELL, MEGAN, YOU HAVE YOURS RIGHT THERE.
UM, AND AGAIN, SIMILAR THEMES, I THINK,
[02:05:01]
THROUGHOUT THE DISTRICT SO FAR.UH, WE TALKED A LOT ABOUT ECONOMIC REVITALIZATION, EMPTY STOREFRONTS, UH, BUSINESS CORRIDORS THAT NEED INVESTMENT, UM, SO THAT WE CAN HAVE STRONG COMMUNITIES THAT THEN SUPPORT AND WANT TO BE PRESENT IN THOSE BUSINESS AREAS.
UH, WE SEE OPPORTUNITIES WITH HOUSING, UM, AS WELL AS PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION.
I APPRECIATED THAT WE HAVE SOME OF THE BUSIEST CORRIDORS THAT RUN THROUGH, UM, EIGHT, FIVE, AND SIX ALONG THE ATLANTIC AND LONG BEACH BOULEVARD CORRIDORS, AND HOW THAT IS CONNECTED AS WELL.
UH, THE IDEA OF CLEAN SAFE STREETS, UH, WE TALKED ABOUT THE HISTORICAL POLICIES THAT PLAY A ROLE IN THE CURRENT CONDITIONS AND THE VARIATIONS IN OUR DISTRICTS AND HOW WE REPRESENT, UH, WE TALKED ABOUT HAVING STRONG PUBLIC SAFETY AND WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE, LOOKS DIFFERENT TO DIFFERENT COMMUNITIES AND BEING RECEPTIVE TO THAT.
UH, WE TALKED ABOUT CITY OWNED PROPERTIES THAT ARE VACANT, UH, HOW WE USE REAL ESTATE STRATEGIES TO, UM, UPLIFT THOSE REALLY MAJOR CORRIDORS THAT NEED SUPPORT.
DID I MISS ANYTHING? I THINK THAT WAS IT.
OH, WE'RE THAT THE SECOND? OH, SO MEGAN, KEEP GOING ON THE, ON THE SECOND QUESTION SINCE YOU'VE GOT THE MICROPHONE.
UM, WE TALKED ABOUT A CELL, A SENSE OF SERVICE.
SO WE TALKED A LOT ABOUT, UM, PEOPLE HAVING PRIDE IN BEING FROM LONG BEACH.
DON'T MISS NEIGHBORHOOD, ANYBODY IN TOWN, OR THEY'LL CORRECT YOU ON WHICH NEIGHBORHOOD THEY ACTUALLY BELONG TO
BUT BRINGING BACK THAT SENSE OF, UH, SERVICE BACK FROM OUR COMMUNITY.
SO, UM, UPLIFTING CURRENT NEIGHBORHOOD GROUPS, BUT DOING THE HARD WORK ON THE GROUND TO BUILD NEW NEIGHBORHOOD GROUPS TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT WORK.
UM, WE TALKED A LOT ABOUT, UM, WE ARE DISCONNECTED FROM THE DOWNTOWN.
WE ARE DISCONNECTED FROM THE WATER.
AND SO WHEN WE HAVE A LOT OF CONVERSATIONS THAT FOCUS HEAVILY ON OUR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DOWN HERE FOR A VERY GOOD REASON, UM, MAKING SURE WE CAN TELL THE STORY TO DISTRICTS THAT ARE DISCONNECTED AS TO WHY IT IS IMPORTANT THAT WE'RE FOCUSING IN THOSE PARTICULAR AREAS.
WHY IS IT IMPORTANT THAT DOWNTOWN IS THRIVING? WHY IS IT IMPORTANT THAT THE QUEEN MARY IS PROFITABLE? HOW DOES SOMEBODY WHO LIVES SIX MILES AWAY AND HAS NEVER BEEN, WHY SHOULD THEY CARE? UM, SO ONE OF THE CHALLENGES, I THINK, AND OPPORTUNITIES WE SEE IS TO BE ABLE TO TELL THAT STORY BETTER SO THAT OUR COMMUNITIES UNDERSTAND THAT WHEN THE ECONOMIC ENGINES OF OUR CITY THRIVE, THEY THEN GET THE SERVICES THAT THEY THINK ARE THE EVERYDAY SERVICES THAT THEY WANT, THAT THOSE ARE FUNDED OUT OF THAT WORK.
SO, UM, THAT WAS, THAT MESSAGING AND STORYTELLING IS IMPORTANT.
YOU GUYS WANNA GO? NEXT QUESTION.
UM, FIRST, FOREMOST, CITYWIDE SAFETY INITIATIVES, WHICH INCLUDES SUCCESSFUL RECRUITMENT OF OUR PUBLIC SAFETY MEMBERS.
UM, THAT INCLUDES, UH, D PREP, FIRE AND PD.
THE QUALITY OF LIFE TEAM INITIATIVES ARE VERY IMPORTANT.
AND ANY NEW PROGRAMS OR INITIATIVES, UM, THAT MIGHT BE IMPLEMENTED.
I, ONE THING I THINK OF IS INTERDEPARTMENTAL EFFORTS AROUND NEW POLICIES, SUCH AS GRANTS PASS.
UM, ONE THING THAT COUNCIL MEMBER ZENDEJAS BROUGHT UP THAT SHE NOTICED MADE A REALLY BIG DIFFERENCE IN HER COMMUNITY, UH, WERE THE NEIGHBORHOOD GRANTS RELATED SPECIFICALLY TO THE BLOCK PARTIES.
SO, UM, I KNOW THAT'S SOMETHING THAT DISTRICTS, ALL DISTRICTS WERE ABLE TO PARTICIPATE IN AND, UM, WERE ABLE TO WORK THROUGH, THROUGH OUR SPECIAL EVENTS TEAM, UM, ENCAMPMENT PROTOCOLS.
UH, WAS ANOTHER THEME FOR ALL OF THE DISTRICTS HERE.
UM, INTERDEPARTMENTAL ENFORCEMENT IN VARIOUS EFFORTS.
AND THEN OF COURSE, ANYTHING INCREASED HOUSING, HOUSING DEVELOPMENT, AND PERMANENT SHELTERS HAS THE BENEFIT ACROSS ALL DISTRICTS IN THE CITY.
SO, SINCE I DON'T HAVE A DISTRICT ANYMORE, AND JOANIE HAS IT NOW,
SO A MAJOR THEME AT OUR DISCUSSION WAS THE GENERAL HEALTH OF OUR CITY.
HOW HEALTHY OUR CITY IS FINANCIALLY IMPACTS OUR ABILITY TO DELIVER THESE SERVICES.
ALL OF THESE SERVICES ARE EITHER MANAGED OR DELIVERED BY PEOPLE WHO WE PAY FOR.
SO THAT MEANS MAKING SURE OUR BUDGET IS STRONG.
AND ONE POINT THAT OUR RAISE TO PUT IT IN COMPARISON OF WHAT'S HAPPENING AROUND US, OF THE BIG CITIES IN CALIFORNIA, LOS ANGELES IS FACING A BILLION DOLLAR DEFICIT, ANNOUNCED THEY'D BE LAYING OFF 600, 1600 EMPLOYEES.
NOT A GREAT THING, NOT A GOOD THING AT ALL.
AND CLOSING OUT ABOUT 1200 POSITIONS.
OAKLAND, WHICH IS SMALLER THAN
[02:10:01]
US, THEY'RE FACING A FINANCIAL CRISIS AND THEY'RE EVALUATING CHAPTER NINE BANKRUPTCY.UH, SAN DIEGO IS FACING A $250 MILLION DEFICIT, AND THEY'RE SOLVING THAT BY INCREASING A LOT OF FEES WELL BEYOND WHERE WE ARE.
AND SAN FRANCISCO IS FACING A HISTORIC $820 MILLION DEFICIT, WHICH SAN FRANCISCO IS ONLY 200, 300,000 PEOPLE LARGER THAN US.
SO, TO PUT IT IN PERSPECTIVE, MAINTAINING THE EYE ON OUR BUDGET HAS THE POTENTIAL TO BENEFIT US TO WHERE WE CAN MANAGE THESE SERVICES OR HURT US TO WHERE WE HAVE TO SHORTEN OUR SERVICES AND IMPACT EVERYONE'S DISTRICTS.
UH, THE OTHER THING IS HOW HEALTHY WE ARE IN TERMS OF STAFFING THAT RELATES TO PUBLIC SAFETY, POLICE AND FIRE CITYWIDE.
IT MEANS FOCUSING ON WE, THE STAFFING, THE MEASURE, JB ALL THE THINGS WE NEED TO DO TO MAKE SURE THAT WE CAN DELIVER OUR SERVICES.
PARAMEDIC RESPONSE, FIRST RESPONDERS, UH, WASTE, REFUSE, ALL OF THAT IS DELIVERED BY PEOPLE.
AND THEN THE LAST PIECE PIECE IS MAKING SURE CITYWIDE THAT WE'RE ALL FOCUSED ON A VISION THAT IS INCLUSIVE AND FOCUSED ON GROWTH.
IF WE HAVE A VISION THAT UNIFIES ALL OF OUR DISTRICTS WHERE WE ALL FEEL INCLUDED IN THIS GROWTH, THAT LABOR AND BUSINESS TOGETHER FEEL THE BENEFIT OF A VISION WITH GROWTH IN OUR CITY, GROWTH ACROSS NEW INDUSTRIES, MORE SUSTAINABLE INDUSTRIES, THEN THAT DIRECTLY TURNS INTO MORE REVENUE FOR OUR CITY, MORE OPPORTUNITIES FOR JOBS, MORE INVESTMENT AND UPWARD MOBILITY FOR OUR CITY, WHICH DIRECTLY IN INCREASES OUR ABILITY TO DELIVER THRIVING NEIGHBORHOODS.
APRIL, WE MEANT TO CLAP FOR YOU ALSO,
WHAT'S, WHAT'S REALLY STRIKING TO ME? OH,
NO, BUT, BUT WHAT, WHAT, WHAT YOU JUST DESCRIBED, AND I THINK A LITTLE BIT EVEN AROUND THE, THE MESSAGING, YOU KNOW, THE, THE STRENGTH AND THE HEALTH OF THE ORGANIZATION, UH, AND THE PRIORITIZATION, THE ALIGNMENT, UH, ALL OF THESE AREAS OF FOCUS HAVE THE TRICKLE DOWN EFFECT INTO YOUR DISTRICTS, RIGHT? AND SO THE ABILITY TO BE RESPONSIVE TO INTEREST, TO MAINTAIN THE ASSETS THAT YOU HAVE AND THAT COMMUNITY MEMBERS THAT THEY SEE IN THEIR EVERY DAY, UM, THE SUCCESS OF THE ORGANIZATION BROADLY IS A DIRECT, DIRECT CONNECTION TO THAT.
I APPRECIATE THAT, THAT SUMMARY.
UH, OTHER THINGS THAT STOOD OUT TO YOU RELATIVE TO THE CONVERSATION AROUND, UH, PARTICULARLY THAT SECOND ONE, HOW THE CITY'S SUCCESS CONTRIBUTES TO A THRIVING NEIGHBORHOOD TO YOUR DISTRICTS SPECIFICALLY.
ONE OF THE THINGS I DID MENTION IS REALLY ABOUT HOW DO RESIDENTS OR BUSINESS OWNERS HERE IN THE CITY FEEL THAT THEY ARE PART OF THAT SUCCESS.
NOT JUST REGIONALLY, BUT THAT THEY ACTUALLY ARE ENGAGED IN THAT WAY, WHETHER IT IS THE LOCAL COMMUNITY, BUSINESS ECONOMY TO THE GREATER, AND I THINK IT'S, UM, I DON'T WANNA GO, I ALWAYS, I WAS GONNA GO TO SOLUTION KIND OF COMMENTS, BUT IT'S REALLY, I THINK THAT'S KIND OF WHERE IT BECOMES ABOUT FEELING LIKE THEY WERE, THEY CAN HAVE THAT PRIDE TOO, BECAUSE WHEN THERE'S A LOT OF EMPHASIS REGIONALLY OR CERTAIN KINDS OF ECONOMIES, UM, OR CERTAIN WORK THAT IS VALUED, UM, THEN PEOPLE FEEL LEFT OUT AND THEY SEE THAT AS, WELL, THAT'S NOT MY SUCCESS, EVEN THOUGH I LIVE IN THIS CITY.
WELL, YOU MENTIONED BUSINESSES, BUT THAT RESIDENTS GENERALLY, RIGHT? AND THE, THE SENSE OF CONNECTION TO THE BIGGER, YOU KNOW, BIGGER CITY ENVIRONMENT, AND PARTICULARLY AS YOU HAVE SO MANY BIG THINGS THAT ARE ON THE HORIZON HERE IN THE CITY, IT'S SOMETHING TO KEEP IN MIND THAT PEOPLE ARE EXPERIENCING THEIR DAY TO DAY.
UH, AND HOW DO YOU HELP TO HAVE THEM CONNECTED, UH, TO THE THINGS THAT ARE HAPPENING DOWNTOWN OR WITH BIG EVENTS OR THINGS THAT ARE, UH, UNDERWAY BECAUSE THEY ARE INVESTMENTS THAT CAN REALLY HELP TO REVITALIZE AND INFUSE ENERGY INTO THE ORGANIZATION.
BUT IF PEOPLE AREN'T FEELING A PART OF THAT, YOU'VE MISSED AN OPPORTUNITY.
UH, AND GROUP BACK THERE TALKED A LOT ABOUT KINDA THAT SENSE OF PRIDE OF NEIGHBORHOOD, BUT MAYBE NOT MORE BROADLY.
SO, MEGAN, CAN I JUST ADD TO THAT? YEAH.
I THINK WE TALKED ABOUT IT ACROSS MULTIPLE DISTRICTS.
THE IDEA THAT WE HAVE RESIDENTS WHO ARE BUSY SURVIVING, THRIVING IS A LONG WAY OFF FOR THEM.
SO THEY WAKE UP, THEY TAKE CARE OF THEIR KIDS, THEY TAKE THEIR KIDS TO SCHOOL, MAYBE THEY TAKE THEIR KIDS TO PRACTICE, THEY GO HOME, THEY HAVE DINNER, THEY GO TO BED.
THAT THE WORLD THAT THEY LIVE IN, IN THE CITY CAN BE SMALL OUT OF NECESSITY.
AND SO CONNECTING THEM TO THE BIGGER STORY CAN BE DIFFICULT.
AGAIN, WHEN YOU'RE HEARING ABOUT INDUSTRIES THAT THEY DON'T WORK IN, WHEN YOU'RE HEARING ABOUT EVENTS HAPPENING THAT THEY DON'T NECESSARILY PARTICIPATE IN, NOT BECAUSE THEY DON'T WANT TO, BUT BECAUSE THERE ISN'T AN OPPORTUNITY PERSONALLY FOR THEM TO ENGAGE.
SO HOW ARE WE MAKING INDIVIDUAL RESIDENTS AND NEIGHBORHOODS FEEL
[02:15:01]
HEARD AND LISTENED TO WHEN THE BIGGEST NARRATIVES AND MOST OF THE NARRATIVES, UM, ARE REALLY MANY LEVELS ABOVE THEIR EXPERIENCE IN THE CITY DAY TO DAY? AND BRINGING THAT BACK TO, I THINK IT'S OUR RESPONSIBILITY AS COUNCIL MEMBERS, BUT I THINK WE HAVE TO DO IT IN COORDINATION, UM, WITH THE WHOLE CITY TO BE ABLE TO DELIVER THAT IDEA OF HOW YOU IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD CONTRIBUTE TO THE SUCCESS OF LONG BEACH AS WELL.OTHER THOUGHTS, COMMENTS? IT'S THIS WHOLE IDEA OF REPRESENTING YOUR DISTRICT AND BRINGING THOSE VOICES, BUT STILL KEEPING THE BIG PICTURE IN MIND.
AND THAT'S, UH, SOMETIMES EASIER THAN OTHER TIMES.
AND DEPENDING ON THE ISSUE, THE TOPIC, WHAT'S GOING ON.
OTHER COMMENTS OR THOUGHTS? OH, I THINK THAT THAT BRINGS US TO LUNCHTIME.
UH, AND ALSO JUST A REMINDER HOW LOVELY IT IS OUTSIDE, SO, YOU KNOW, IF YOU CAN TAKE ADVANTAGE OF GETTING SOME VITAMIN D AS WE ENJOY LUNCH.
AND I DON'T KNOW THE SPECIFIC OF, I DON'T KNOW THE SPECI.
THIS TYPE, IT'S, IT'S WHAT OUTSIDE LUNCH IS JUST IN THE OTHER.
I KNOW, IT'S LOVELY, RIGHT? I THINK SO.
IT SOUNDS LIKE YOU CAN GRAB LUNCH AND SEATING ALONG WAY.
AND JUST A REMINDER, ARE WE GOING, JUST A REMINDER WE'RE GONNA TAKE JUST REAL QUICK.
SO WE'RE GONNA TAKE 45 MINUTES.
AND SO WHERE YOU WANT TO HAVE YOUR LUNCH, UH, THAT'S FINE.
BUT, UM, IT'S, WE'RE GONNA COME BACK AT 1230 AND GET OURSELVES RESTARTED.
SO, AND JUST A REMINDER THAT DURING THIS BREAK TIME, UM, JUST HOLD THESE CONVERSATIONS FOR WHEN WE COME BACK IN SESSION, UM, AND JUST KIND OF ENJOY GETTING TO KNOW ONE ANOTHER AND SPENDING TIME TOGETHER.
SO WE'RE JUST GETTING STARTED HERE.
[8. 25-55130 Reflections on Accomplishments ]
I HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO INTERVIEW COUNCIL MEMBERS, WE ASKED YOU WHAT ARE SOME KEY ACCOMPLISHMENTS OF THE CITY OF LONG BEACH? TOOK IT THE LAST YEAR OR TWO, AND YOU HAD SO MANY THINGS TO OFFER, UM, IN YOUR SUGGESTIONS.AND, UH, SO WE'VE HIGHLIGHTED A NUMBER OF THINGS THAT YOU SAID, AND THERE WAS A LOT OF ALIGNMENT BETWEEN COUNCIL MEMBERS AND WHAT YOU HAD TO SAY.
UH, SO MANY OF YOU MENTIONED THE STRONG BUDGET THAT THE CITY HAS AND REDUCING THE DEFICIT, THE TRANSITIONING OFF THE OIL REVENUES, THE GROW LONG BEACH, UH, AGENDA.
AND YOU CAN SEE EVERYTHING ELSE UP, UM, ON THIS, ON THE SLIDE, HAVING TO DO WITH ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, UM, BUT ALSO PROGRESS IN SOME NEIGHBORHOODS AS WELL.
UM, AND, UH, THE HOMELESS SHELTER AND SPECIAL EVENTS.
SO, LOOKING AT THIS, WHAT ARE SOME OF YOUR OBSERVATIONS AS COUNCIL MEMBERS ABOUT ACCOMPLISHMENTS? WHAT WOULD YOU, UH, WHAT STANDS OUT TO YOU ABOUT THE CITY OF LONG BEACH ACCOMPLISHMENTS, OR EVEN THINGS YOU'RE JUST MOST PROUD OF? WHAT IS SOMETHING YOU WANNA BE LIKE, YAY US.
WE OPENED THE FIRST FIVE STAR HOTEL IN THE CITY.
SEE, THAT'S WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT.
WHAT, WHAT ELSE IS A SHOUT OUT? GO AHEAD, JAN.
NO, I JUST WANT DOUBLE DOWN ON THAT.
I TOLD THEM THE NEXT THING THEY NEED TO GET IS HIGH TEA SERVICE.
AND ONCE WE HAVE THAT
OH, I, I THINK WHEN I, WHEN PEOPLE COME INTO, UH, THE AREA, THEY SEE HOW CLEAN EVERYTHING IS, UHHUH.
SO WE'VE DONE A REALLY GOOD JOB AT, AT KEEPING EVERYTHING LOOKING GOOD.
WE ACTUALLY ON THE DRIVE IN LITERALLY THIS MORNING, WE WERE SAYING EXACTLY THAT AS YOU WERE COMING KIND OF ACROSS DOWNTOWN.
I DO FEEL LIKE THE MAYOR WENT OVER A LOT OF THIS.
SO WE, YOU KNOW, THANK YOU FOR YOUR OPENING REMARKS.
UM, I'M REALLY HAPPY TO SEE THE FEWER STAFF VACANCIES.
I THINK THAT THAT IS ALSO REALLY CRITICAL, NOT JUST FROM A PUBLIC SAFETY STANDPOINT, BUT FROM AN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STANDPOINT AND ALL THE OTHER, UH, POSITIONS AND AREAS THAT WE HAVE THAT OPERATE THE CITY.
IT'S THAT FOUNDATION, RIGHT? IF THE CITY'S HUMMING AND IT HAS THE RESOURCES TO DO THE THINGS, YOU GET THOSE OUTCOMES.
I GO, THE BALLOT MEASURES WERE HUGE.
SO, UM, PUTTING FORWARD SOME REAL TRANSFORMATIONAL CHANGE, UM, WITH A, YOU KNOW, LEADERSHIP FROM THE MAYOR AND THE COUNCIL ALL BEHIND IT, EVEN THOUGH IT WAS VERY DIFFICULT AND THERE WAS A LOT OF EMOTION, BUT,
[02:20:01]
YOU KNOW, STAYING TOGETHER, GETTING THAT DONE, AND THEN SEEING VOTERS REACT TO THAT AND RESPOND TO THAT WITH BIG NUMBERS.WELL, AND THOSE BIG NUMBERS AND THE PASSAGES OF ALL OF THOSE REALLY SPEAKS TO TRUST.
I MEAN, THAT GENERALLY, THAT'S WHAT YOU CAN KIND OF CORRELATE.
UM, AND THAT'S SOMETHING TO BE PROUD OF AS WELL.
IT'S NOT ON, ON ANY OF THESE SORT OF CHARTS GENERALLY, BUT IT'S SOMETHING TO RECOGNIZE AND NAME MEGAN.
YEAH, I THINK, UM, THE ATTRACTING NEW BUSINESSES, BOTH LARGE AND SMALL, AND WE HEAR A LOT ABOUT THE BIG ONES, BUT, UM, SEVERAL NEW SMALLER COMPANIES COMING IN, SMALL BUSINESSES BEING SUPPORTED ENOUGH NEW BUSINESSES, UH, GOING THROUGH PROGRAMS TO TO EITHER EXPAND THEIR BUSINESS OR OPEN A BRICK AND MORTAR FOR THE FIRST TIME, UM, WE'VE SEEN ACROSS OUR DISTRICT.
SO, SO I KNOW WENT OVER SOME OF THESE, BUT WHAT I SEE IS THAT WE ARE SWIMMING UPSTREAM BECAUSE ALL THE COMMUNITIES IN CALIFORNIA ARE DEALING WITH CHALLENGES AND ACROSS AMERICA, BUT WE ARE HITTING OUR GOALS.
AND LEANING INTO THOSE CHALLENGES, NOT AVOIDING THEM.
WE LEANED INTO HOMELESSNESS, WE LEANED INTO THE OIL CHALLENGES BY FOCUSING ON GROWTH.
WE'RE LEANING INTO THE DOWNTOWN RECOVERY.
SOME UGLY MOMENTS WE HAD TO GET THROUGH, RIGHT? WHERE ALL THE ONLY THINGS PEOPLE WOULD TALK ABOUT PUBLICLY WERE THE NEGATIVES ABOUT OUR DOWNTOWN ONE INCIDENT COULD JUST THROW OFF THE WHOLE FRAMING.
BUT I THINK WE'VE LEANED INTO THOSE AND, AND, AND WE'VE SHOWN REAL MEANINGFUL PROGRESS AND RESULTS ON EVERY ONE OF THESE STEPS.
SO MUCH SO THAT THE REST OF CALIFORNIA IS LOOKING TO LONG BEACH AND ASKING THE QUESTIONS.
AND WHEN, WHEN THE CONFERENCES COMING TO TOWN, WHEN LEAGUE OF CITIES CAME INTO TOWN, IF ANY OF YOU CAME OUT TO LEAGUE OF CITIES, I MEAN, THE COUNCIL MEMBERS WENT OUT THE LEAGUE OF CITIES, OKAY? TOM, YOU'RE NOT A COUNCIL MEMBER, BUT HE WAS HANGING OUTTA THE LEAGUE OF CITIES,
HOW'D YOU, HOW'D YOU DO IT? WE DID IT BY LEANING INTO THE CHALLENGES, NOT GLOSSING OVER THEM, ACKNOWLEDGING THEM AND MAKING A PLAN.
AND POSITIVITY BEGETS POSITIVITY.
SO WHEN YOU SHOW A LITTLE BIT OF PROGRESS, IT BUILDS THAT MOMENTUM TO WHERE OTHER THINGS YOU DIDN'T ANTICIPATE BEGIN TO MANIFEST.
UM, I'LL ADD IN HERE, AT LEAST FOR LAST YEAR, I KNOW WE TALKED A LOT ABOUT THE QUEEN MARY, UM, BUT WE'VE GOTTEN TO THE POINT NOW WHERE WE CAN HAVE LIKE DISTRICT DAYS, RIGHT? AS THE QUEEN MARY, WE CAN SHOWCASE IT.
IT GETS USED SO MUCH FOR THINGS.
UM, AND I DON'T HEAR ANY NEGATIVE COMPLAINTS ONLINE AT ALL ABOUT THE QUEEN MARY AND JUST A FEW YEARS AGO, THAT'S ALL PEOPLE WOULD TALK ABOUT, RIGHT? I MEAN, WE'RE, I MEAN, LITERALLY THREE OR FOUR YEARS AGO THEY WERE, THERE WAS A WHOLE CONVERSATION ABOUT LITERALLY TAKING IT OUT TO THE MIDDLE OF THE OCEAN AND SINKING IT, RIGHT? AND SO THE, THE, THE MASSIVE CHANGE OVER IN THE CONVERSATION, I MEAN, IT IS NOTHING SHOWED UP REMARKABLE.
AND THEY LEAVE OUT THE FACT IT WOULD COST $150 MILLION TO GO SINK OUT,
BUT ALSO IT'S REALLY TESTAMENT TO THE FOCUS AND THE ALIGNMENT AMONG COUNCIL AND THE ORGANIZATION, YOU KNOW, WHERE YOU CAN, YOU KNOW, TACKLE THE BIG THINGS AND GET IN, IN, YOU KNOW, LINE TO ADDRESS THEM.
SO NOW WE'RE GONNA HEAR FROM THE CITY MANAGER.
ALL RIGHT? SO I GET TO GO, UM, A LITTLE BIT DEEPER INTO THOSE ACCOMPLISHMENTS.
'CAUSE I THINK IT IS IMPORTANT THAT WE CELEBRATE THOSE.
SO I KNOW MAYOR TALKED ABOUT 'EM A LITTLE BIT.
UM, WE TALKED ABOUT THAT JUST NOT LAST EXERCISE, BUT ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE PROMISED WHEN WE GOT IN THIS ROOM TWO YEARS AGO WAS GIVE US DIRECTION AND THEN WE'LL START ALIGNING RESULTS AROUND THOSE THINGS.
AND SO I DO THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE GO THROUGH THOSE BEFORE WE START LOOKING AT WHAT, UH, ELSE, UH, WE'LL DO AN EXERCISE ABOUT WHAT ARE SOME OF THE CHALLENGES THAT ARE OUT THERE, AND THEN DO WE WANT TO, UM, UH, CONFER OR AFFIRM OR, UM, OR CHANGE OR MODIFY ANY OF THOSE.
AND SO AS A REMINDER, WE HAD OUR TWO FOUNDATIONAL PRIORITIES, UM, WHICH WAS FISCAL SUSTAINABILITY AND STAFFING.
AND THAT THE COUNCIL RECOGNIZED THAT IN ORDER TO DO ANYTHING ELSE, YOU HAVE TO HAVE THE PEOPLE, AND YOU HAVE TO HAVE THE FINANCIAL RESOURCES TO PAY FOR THE THINGS THAT WE'RE GONNA WANNA DO.
AND THEN OUR TOP THREE PRIORITIES WERE HOMELESSNESS AND HOUSING, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, AND PUBLIC SAFETY.
UH, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE TOOK HUGE STEPS ON IN THE LAST TWO YEARS IS, UH, WHAT WE CALL OUR ACE TOOL AND OUR STRATEGIC VISION.
THAT'S REALLY LED BY GRACE Y IN THE BACK THERE, UM, AS ONE OF THE DEPUTY CITY MANAGER ASSIGNMENTS.
AND SO WHEN WE DID OUR VISION, AND AGAIN, WE CALL THAT A VISION, NOT A PLAN, BECAUSE WE WEREN'T VERY DISCERNING.
WE SAID, HERE'S ALL THE THINGS THAT ARE IMPORTANT TO US AS A STRATEGIC VISION.
AND WE THREW IT ALL UP AGAINST THE WALL IN AN AMAZING DOCUMENT.
BUT WHAT WAS KIND OF LACKING WAS THE
[02:25:01]
HOW DO YOU TURN THAT INTO ACTION? BECAUSE IT WAS SO BROAD, WE WEREN'T MAKING THOSE TOUGH CHOICES, BUT IT WAS A VERY GOOD START FOR US.AND SO WE'VE GOT OUR STRATEGIC VISION, AND WHAT WE'VE BEEN DOING IS ACTUALLY ADDING AN APP AND A TOOL FOR DEPARTMENTS TO REALLY THEN SAY, OKAY, OF THE THINGS THAT WE ARE TALKING ABOUT, HOW ARE WE DOING WITH THOSE? AND WHAT ARE OUR METRICS AND WHAT ARE OUR SUCCESSES? A LOT OF THIS STARTED, UM, IN THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT.
UM, I ASKED FOR ACCOMPLISHMENTS, YOU KNOW, SEVERAL TIMES A YEAR, UH, YOU KNOW, YEAR END OR FROM MY EVALUATION.
AND, UH, THEY WERE KIND OF GETTING SICK OF DOING THE RUSSIAN HURRY UP OF, I PUT OUT A NOTE AND THEY GOT TWO WEEKS TO TRY TO REMEMBER WHAT THEY DID OVER THE LAST YEAR.
AND SO THEY STARTED INSTITUTIONALIZING A TOOL THAT LIKE EVERY QUARTER TEAMS WOULD HAVE TO UPDATE, HERE'S WHAT WE DID ON THESE MAJOR THINGS SO THEY COULD JUST SPIT OUT ACCOMPLISHMENTS.
AND WE ACTUALLY SHOWCASE THAT TO A LOT OF OUR OTHER DEPARTMENTS.
WE'VE BUILT NOW A WHOLE APP AROUND THAT.
AND IT, AND IT'S STARTING, UH, WE'RE STILL KIND OF IN THE INFANCY, BUT WE'LL BE ABLE TO REPORT OUT THOSE PERFORMANCE METRICS ON OUR STRATEGIC VISION, UH, FROM ALL THE CATEGORIES, NOT JUST YOUR TOP THREE AREAS.
AND SO, UH, I'LL GO A LITTLE DEEPER ON THESE, BUT WHAT ARE SOME OF THE MAJOR SUCCESSES IN FINANCIAL SUSTAINABILITY? MEASURE LB, UH, MAKING HUGE PROGRESS ON OUR TIDELANDS REVENUE, UM, AND, AND CHIPPING AWAY AT THAT.
AND THEN OF COURSE, MEASURE A BOTH CITY AND COUNTY.
AND THEN ON THE STAFFING SIDE, UH, THE MEASURE JB IMPLEMENTATION WAS, IS GONNA BE HUGE, REDUCING OUR VACANCY RATES AND STARTING TO ALIGN OUR MANAGEMENT PERFORMANCE, UM, UH, OR MANAGEMENT EVALS WITH PERFORMANCE, UH, THROUGH OUR CONTRACTS.
AND SO GOING A LITTLE DEEPER ON FISCAL SUSTAINABILITY, UH, WE HEARD THE MAYOR SAY THIS OVERWHELMINGLY SUPPORTED MEASURE LB AT 81%.
I THINK THAT SURPASSED ALL EXPECTATIONS.
UH, THAT WAS EVEN BETTER THAN SOME OF THE POLLING THAT WE DID THAT BROUGHT IN $15 MILLION.
THAT TOOK A LOT OF COURAGE FROM MAYOR AND COUNCIL TO PROPOSE THAT.
UM, AND, UH, AND REALLY GO OUT AND EXPLAIN IT.
AND AGAIN, NOW WE'RE, UM, WHAT WE HAD WAS HOPING WASN'T GONNA HAPPEN IS STARTING TO HAPPEN WHERE SCE IS LOOKING TO PASS THAT JUST ONTO OUR RESIDENTS.
UH, JUST TWO DAY, TWO, THREE DAYS AGO, WE FILED OUR LEGAL LETTER AND, UH, OUR COMMITMENT TO THE VOTERS THAT IF THEY DO THAT, WE'RE GONNA FIERCELY OPPOSE THAT.
SO, UM, BUT THAT WAS, THAT WAS A HUGE, UM, UH, A HUGE THING TO, FOR FINANCIAL SUSTAINABILITY.
UM, WE'VE ESTABLISHED NEW DIVISIONS, REALLY FOCUSED ON, UH, ON, ON REVENUE, ESPECIALLY IN, IN THE BEACH AREAS, UH, CALLED IT OUR RISE DIVISION, UH, TO REALLY LOOK AT HOW DO WE DO THINGS LIKE A TEMPORARY AMPHITHEATER? HOW DO WE DO THINGS LIKE ADVERTISING DISTRICTS? HOW DO WE, UH, START TO TRANSITION OFF OF OIL? UH, WE HAD A $20 MILLION SHORTFALL LAST YEAR.
UM, UH, WE DIDN'T SOLVE THE STRUCTURALLY DEFICIT, BUT WE DIDN'T HAVE ANY CUTS LAST YEAR.
WE'RE ABLE TO, UH, UH, SAVE UP A LOT OF OUR ONE-TIME DOLLARS IN ORDER TO ADDRESS THAT.
AND REMEMBER THOSE, THOSE, UM, UH, UH, RECOVERY ACT DOLLARS WERE SUPPOSED TO LAST TWO YEARS.
WE STRETCHED IT TO ABOUT FIVE.
UH, SO THAT'S A HUGE ACCOMPLISHMENT.
WE LAUNCHED ELEVATE 28, UM, ON CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT FOR 928 MILLION.
UH, I'LL ACTUALLY SPEND A, A GOOD DEAL OF TIME ON INFRASTRUCTURE, UH, BOTH THE POSITIVE AND THEN ALSO SOME OF THE CHALLENGES IN A LITTLE BIT.
UM, WE, UM, REALLY IF, IF WE DIDN'T HAVE ALL THESE OTHER THINGS IN PLACE, WE SHOULD BE CUTTING IN THIS NEXT YEAR'S BUDGET.
SO, UH, WE DON'T HAVE A DEFICIT ANYWHERE NEAR WHAT THE OTHER CITIES ARE.
BUT IF WE DIDN'T POSITION OURSELVES WITH MEASURE LB, WITH LOOKING AT WHAT COUNTY AND, AND CITY MEASURE A, UH, CAN DO, WE REALLY WOULD BE CUTTING THIS YEAR.
AND SO WE'RE IN A POSITION WHERE WE GOTTA START TIGHTENING THAT BELT.
WE GOTTA MAKE SOME TOUGH DECISIONS AND WHAT WE CAN'T INVEST IN OR CONTINUE TO PUT DOLLARS INTO, BUT WE'RE NOT LOOKING AT GENERAL FUND REDUCTIONS IN THE NEXT BUDGET.
AND THEN OF COURSE, WE STILL HAVE A $19 MILLION SHORTFALL FOR FY 26, AND THEN WE GOTTA KEEP WORKING ON THAT.
'CAUSE THAT'S A 38, YOU KNOW, MILLION DOLLARS CUMULATIVE, UH, BY FY 27.
UH, BUT THERE ARE STILL SOME OPPORTUNITIES TO LOWER THAT NUMBER IN THE STAFFING AREA.
UM, OVER 60% OF VOTERS SUPPORTED MEASURE.
JB I JUST THANK ALL OF YOU FROM THE BOTTOM OF MY HEART FOR, YOU KNOW, SUPPORTING THAT AND TAKING THAT COURAGE AND LEADERSHIP.
I KNOW IT WAS HARD, UH, FOR US TO NOT, YOU KNOW, OR TO SEE THROUGH SOME OF THE, THE PERSONAL ISSUES THAT WERE GOING ON THERE AND SOME OF THE, YOU KNOW, SOME OF THE REAL NEGATIVITY AND KEEPING OUR EYE FOCUSED ON HOW DO WE HELP HIRE PEOPLE, HIRE LOCAL, UM, HELP OUR STAFF.
THIS IS THE NUMBER ONE THING I HEAR FROM OUR ORGANIZATION IS, IS THE BUREAUCRACY AND IT TAKES TO, TO HIRE.
AND SO WE ARE MAKING BIG, UH, PROGRESS ON THAT.
AND JUST LAST WEEK, UH, YOU APPROVED THE NEW COMMISSION AND WE GOT, UM, AND WE GOT, UH, UH, AGREEMENT FROM ALL THE UNIONS, SO, AND THE MEET AND CONFER.
UM, SO WE'RE IN THE PROCESS OF EMERGING RIGHT NOW.
THE, WHEN WE KEPT OUR COMMITMENT TO THE CIVIL SERVICE EMPLOYEES, ANYONE WHO WANTS A JOB CAN COME INTO HR, BUT IF THEY DON'T CHOOSE TO, UM, THEY CAN GO AND TRANSFER TO ANOTHER CITY DEPARTMENT.
THEY HAVE TWO WEEKS TO LET US KNOW THAT.
SO WE'LL KNOW, UH, IN EARLY PART OF MAY IF, UH, WHAT DECISIONS THEY MAKE.
AND I THINK MOST OF THEM WILL, WILL CHOOSE TO COME INTO HR.
UH, WE ARE MAKING PROGRESS ON OUR CITYWIDE VACANCY RATE.
IT WAS OVER 22%, AND THAT'S ON AVERAGE.
UM, IT ACTUALLY WENT DOWN TO 18%, WENT BACK UP TO 20, AND NOW IS BACK DOWN TO 18.5%.
[02:30:01]
THAT'S WITHOUT ANY REAL MERGER OR CHANGES.THAT'S JUST WORKING THE CURRENT SYSTEM.
NOW, WE'LL BE ABLE TO SEE SOME OF THOSE EFFICIENCIES AND HOPEFULLY BRING THAT DOWN.
YOU TAUGHT US TO FOCUS ON STAFFING.
WE CREATED OUR OWN, UH, TALENT ACQUISITION DEPARTMENT DIVISION, WHICH IS YOUR TEMPORARY STAFF AND YOUR MANAGEMENT.
THE TEAM SET A GOAL OF 90 DAYS, WHICH I THOUGHT WAS INCREDIBLY AGGRESSIVE.
UH, 'CAUSE WE WERE AT LIKE MORE LIKE SEVEN TO EIGHT MONTHS.
UM, AND THIS IS 90 BUSINESS DAYS, WHICH IS ABOUT FOUR MONTHS.
WE'RE ACTUALLY DOING IT IN 70 BUSINESS DAYS.
UH, AND SO IT PROVES IT, IT CAN BE DONE.
AND OF COURSE, WE'RE, UH, THERE'S A LOT OF THINGS THAT HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH THE CIVIL SERVICE SYSTEM THAT, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE TO IMPROVE ALL ASPECTS OF THE HIRING PROCESS.
LET'S TAKE A LITTLE BIT, UH, LOOK AT HOUSING AND HOMELESSNESS SECTION.
THERE'S A LOT TO REPORT ON THERE.
AND THEN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
SO WE'LL GO OVER OUR ENCAMPMENT RESOLUTION, AFFORDABLE HOUSING, OUR HOMEOWNER SUPPORT PROGRAMS. WE ARE BUILDING RECORD LEVELS OF HOUSING AND, UH, AT ALL LEVELS OF AFFORDABILITY THAT WE'VE NEVER SEEN BEFORE.
AND THEN WE'LL GO THROUGH SOME OF THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, UH, INITIATIVES AS WELL.
SO WHERE ARE WE WITH HOUSING AND HOMELESSNESS? UM, WE ARE VERY, VERY CLOSE, IF NOT THERE, TO ACHIEVING OUR VISION OF THE MOST AFFORDABLE BEACH COMMUNITY.
WE TALKED ABOUT THAT, UH, SEVERAL YEARS AGO, UH, LATER THIS WEEK.
I HOPE IN THE NEXT SEVEN DAYS WE'RE GONNA HAVE SOME, UH, REAL DATA THAT WE'LL BE ABLE TO PUT OUT AND WORK ON.
ONE OF THOSE STORIES THAT WE PUT OUT TO THE WORLD ABOUT ACTUALLY BECOMING THE MOST AFFORDABLE BEACH COMMUNITY.
DOESN'T MEAN IT'S AFFORDABLE FOR EVERYONE.
I KNOW WE'RE, YOU KNOW, WE CONTINUE TO DO THAT WORK, BUT WHEN YOU LOOK AT ALL THESE BEACH COMMUNITIES, EVEN WITH THE FIRES, WE'RE STARTING TO SEE DATA WHERE PEOPLE ARE BECO, WHERE OTHER CITIES ARE GOING UP IN THEIR RENTS.
LONG BEACH, BECAUSE WE'VE BUILT HOUSING, BECAUSE WE'VE FOCUSED ON ALL THESE DIFFERENT LEVELS OF AFFORDABILITY ARE ACTUALLY STARTING TO GO DOWN, IF NOT HOLD FLAT, DEPENDING ON WHICH DATA YOU LOOK AT.
AT THE SAME TIME, OUR ASSESSED VALUATION, OUR PROPERTY VALUES ARE GOING UP.
AND SO IT'S NOT BECAUSE WE'RE A A, A DYING CITY.
IT'S BECAUSE WE'VE DONE THIS WORK TO ADD SUPPLY WHILE OTHER, UM, CITIES HAVE NOT ADDED HOUSING.
UH, AND YOU'RE CONSTRICTING SUPPLY, THEREFORE, YOU KNOW, AND YOUR DEMAND STILL GOES UP.
SO, UH, WE ARE MAKING HUGE PROGRESS IN BECOMING THAT MOST AFFORDABLE BEACH COMMUNITY.
CAN I JUST NOTE, I THINK THE REPORT, I THINK THE REPORT ALSO SHOWED NOT JUST BEACH COMMUNITIES, BUT CITIES ACROSS LA COUNTY AND SHOWED THAT WE'VE HELD OUR AFFORDABILITY TWO YEARS STRAIGHT WHILE OTHERS HAVE SEEN DOUBLE DIGIT INCREASES.
UM, OBVIOUSLY HOMELESSNESS IS A NATIONAL ISSUE.
18% INCREASE, UH, LAST YEAR NATIONALLY AND HOMELESSNESS OVER 25, I THINK 26% INCREASE IN ORANGE COUNTY OVER TWO YEARS.
UH, AND WE WENT DOWN BY 2%, UM, AND, UH, FOR THE FIRST TIME IN SEVEN YEARS.
SO THAT HUGE JUMP THAT WENT UP, THAT'S WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT HERE.
WE STARTED TO ARREST IT AND GO BACK DOWN AGAIN.
UH, THIS IS GONNA BE A CONSTANT BATTLE EVERY YEAR.
WE'RE GONNA SEE NUMBERS GO UP, GO DOWN.
WE'RE GONNA CONTINUE TO WORK ON THAT, BUT WE ARE IN SO MUCH MORE OF A BETTER POSITION TO ADDRESS IT.
AND, UH, WE'RE SEEING, UH, UH, A BIG IMPROVEMENT IN OUR, IN OUR, UM, UH, LONGSTANDING ENCAMPMENTS.
UH, WE BROUGHT ON 125 SHELTER BEDS.
183 ARE IN CONSTRUCTION RIGHT NOW.
WE'VE PURCHASED THAT EMERGENCY SHELTER FACILITY.
UH, I, I WAS VERY PROUD OF HOW WE DID THE MARTIN V BOISE.
WE, WE DIDN'T GO INTO THE EXTREMES.
WE DID IT KIND OF IN A WAY THAT WE COULD MEET OUR VALUES WHILE ALSO, UM, UH, DOING SOME OF THE ENFORCEMENT.
WHEN SOMEBODY REALLY ISN'T WANTING TO GET HELP, WE ARE ABLE TO DO THAT.
I'M COMING BACK TO THE COUNCIL IN ABOUT TWO WEEKS WITH THE REPORT ON MARTIN V BOISE AS YOU ASKED FOR.
AND WE'LL GO THROUGH ALL THE DATA AND SEE WHAT IS IT LOOKING LIKE IN OUR, IN OUR FOCUS AREAS, AND ALSO WHAT IS IT LOOKING LIKE CITYWIDE, BECAUSE WE, WE NEEDED TO DO IT BOTH CITYWIDE AND IN OUR FOCUS AREAS.
ONE OF THE ONLY THREE CITIES TO BE AWARDED THE ENCAMPMENT RESOLUTION GRANT.
THREE TO TIMES FROM THE STATE.
IT WAS ON THE ANAHEIM CORRIDOR FIRST, THEN IT WAS, UH, BILL AND KING DOWNTOWN, UH, PROMENADE.
UH, AND NOW IT'S THE LA RIVER FOR OVER $11 MILLION.
WE ARE DOING RECORD NUMBERS AND HOUSING.
THAT'S THIS OVER HERE, UM, IS RECORD HOUSING DEVELOPMENT IN 2024, ENTITLED 1800 NEW HOUSING UNITS 258 ARE AFFORDABLE, 1200 HOUSING UNITS AND 864 ADUS ACTUALLY CONSTRUCTED.
WE ARE THE NATIONAL OR THE STATEWIDE LEADER PER CAPITA IN A DU DEVELOPMENT.
UM, AND SO THAT'S SOMETHING TO BE VERY PROUD OF.
AND THEN, UH, DID SOME INNOVATIVE THINGS LIKE BACKYARD BUILDER PROGRAMS AND, AND, UH, TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE FOR HOMEOWNERS.
HOW DO WE HELP ENCOURAGE THAT A DU, UH, FOR AFFORDABLE UNITS? AND THEN, UH, THE COUNCIL, UH, REALLY, UH, BROUGHT TOGETHER IN A VERY, UH, UM, COLLABORATIVE WAY TO LOOK AT INCLUSIONARY HOUSING, UH, AND EXTEND THAT CITYWIDE.
IT WAS ONE OF OUR EASIEST MOVES, IF YOU WILL, ON AFFORDABLE HOUSING THAT I THINK I'VE EVER SEEN US DO.
EVEN THOUGH WE EXPANDED IT THROUGHOUT THE CITY, UH, THROUGH A LOT OF INPUT, UH, WITH THE, WITH THE VARIOUS GROUPS.
AND, UH, UNANIMOUS POLICY, UH, TO, UH, TO EXPAND, UH, OR INCLUSIONARY IN THE AREA OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
UH, SPACE SPEECH HAS REALLY LAUNCHED AND TAKEN OFF.
[02:35:01]
WE JUST SAW 200 OR $750 MILLION IN DOD DOLLARS COMING INTO THE LAST TWO YEARS.WE'RE OVER 4,000 JOBS IN THE SPACE SPEECH INDUSTRY RIGHT NOW.
WE ARE CORPORATE HEADQUARTERS OF THESE INDUSTRY GIANTS, INCLUDING ROCKET LAB AND VAST AND RELATIVITY AND JET ZERO.
UH, NIKON JUST OPENED THEIR ADVANCED MANUFACTURING, UH, FACILITY, UM, FOR ABOUT A HUNDRED MILLION DOLLARS IN UM, AREA.
WE ALSO DIDN'T, YOU KNOW, THOSE ARE THE BIG BUSINESS STUFF.
WE'RE REALLY FOCUSED ON THE SMALL BUSINESS THROUGH OUR VIP GRANTS.
WE'VE DONE 132 DIFFERENT GRANTS.
WE DON'T THINK ANY OTHER CITY IS DOING THAT TYPE OF INVESTMENT.
UM, UH, UH, BACK INTO THEIR BUSINESSES FOR, UH, FOR WHEN, YOU KNOW, THE UNFORTUNATE HAPPENS.
WE'VE LAUNCHED LEVEL UP LONG BEACH, UH, PROVIDING NEARLY 30 GRANTS.
WE'RE RE-ENVISIONING WHAT WE'RE DOING WITH LB WIN AND LOOKING AT HOW WE BRING THEM BACK INTO THE FOLD AND, AND REALLY BE INCORPORATED AND HAVE A NEW MISSION AND A NEW STRUCTURE.
SIDEWALK TO SUCCESS PROGRAM, UH, UH, IS IS OUT THERE.
WE HAVE OUR APPROVED VENDORS WHO, UM, ARE FOLLOWING THE RULES, GETTING SOME OF THE CARTS, UM, DOING THE FEE WAIVERS.
AND, AND WHILE WE DO THE ENFORCEMENT ON THE OTHERS, I THINK WE MENTIONED THIS QUEEN MARY OPEN AND GENERATING A PROFIT FOR THE FIRST TIME IN 40 YEARS.
AND, UH, UM, THE AMPHITHEATER PROJECT IS, UH, GOT THE PRELIMINARY APPROVAL FROM A FINANCE PERSPECTIVE.
WE'RE GOING THROUGH THE PERMITTING THAT IS COMING ALONG VERY, VERY NICELY.
UH, AND SEEDING UP TO 12,000 ATTENDEES AND GENERATING REVENUE.
AND THEN, UM, SOMETHING NEW TOO.
WHEN THE UNFORTUNATE HAPPENS TO OUR BUSINESSES, UM, WE'RE SHOWING THEM LOVE.
WE'RE OUT THERE WITHIN 24 HOURS.
UH, WE CAN SHOW THEM ALL THE DIFFERENT RESOURCES WE HAVE.
AND, AND THE COMMENTS WE GET IS JUST HOW MUCH THEY SHOW THAT THAT SHOWS THAT THE CITY CARES, UH, WHEN SOMETHING VERY UNFORTUNATE HAPPENS TO SOME OF OUR BUSINESSES.
SO LOOKING IN THE PUBLIC SAFETY AREA, POLICE AND FIRE ACADEMIES, UM, WE'LL GO THROUGH HIGH CRIME FOCUS TEAM, COMMUNITY CRISIS RESPONSE AND PEAK LOAD STAFFING.
SO, UM, ONE OF THE BIG THINGS, UH, THAT WE HEARD WAS TO FOCUS MORE ON OUR, OUR COMMUNITY QUALITY OF LIFE ISSUES.
AND SO WE CREATED A NEW COMMUNITY SERVICE BUREAU IN THE LAST TWO YEARS.
IT'S GOT EXPANDED BIKE TEAMS THAT ARE INCREDIBLY POPULAR.
THE COMMUNITY LIKES SEEING THEM.
WE'RE ABLE TO MOVE THEM AROUND AND, AND HAVE A HIGH VISIBILITY PRESENCE.
UH, WE HAVE, UM, JUST A COUPLE YEARS AGO WE HAD ONE QUALITY OF LIFE OFFICER PER DIVISION.
WE NOW HAVE, UM, SEVERAL, UM, I DON'T HAVE THE NUMBER HERE, BUT MANY QUALITY OF LIFE OFFICERS.
WE'VE CREATED OUR HIGH CRIME FOCUS TEAM, UM, WHICH REALLY HAS BEEN FOCUSED NOT ONLY ON VIOLET CRIME, UM, BUT ALSO SOME OF THE BUSINESS CORRIDOR SAFETY AND QUALITY OF LIFE ISSUES.
UH, WE HAVE ACTUALLY REDUCED SHOOTINGS FOR THE THIRD YEAR IN A ROW.
SO THREE YEARS IN A ROW THAT'S RIGHT HERE.
WE HAVE DECREASED SHOOTINGS, UH, AND WE'RE DOWN, UM, 3% FROM WHERE WE WERE LAST YEAR.
CAN YOU SAY IT ONE MORE TIME? TOM
IT IS REDUCTION IN SHOOTINGS FOR THE THIRD YEAR IN A ROW.
WE'VE RECOVERED 860 FIREARMS. WE'VE RECORD, UH, GONE TO OVER 216 CALLS FOR SERVICE AND KEPT OUR PRIORITY ONE RESPONSE TIME AT, UH, UNDER SIX MINUTES, 5.8, UH, MINUTES, WHICH IS, UH, ONE OF THE BEST IN THE COUNTRY.
YOU WANT TO BE BETWEEN FIVE AND SIX MINUTES, UH, OVER 3,800 FELONY ARRESTS.
AND, UH, YOU KNOW, FOR THE FIRST TIME WE WERE REALLY HAVING SOME ISSUES STAFFING OUR FIRE ACADEMIES AND, AND GETTING ENOUGH FIREFIGHTERS.
AND WE SAW SOME OF THE IMPACT ON THE WORKFORCE.
AND SO WE HAD THE LARGEST ACADEMY IN HISTORY.
WE WERE ACTUALLY OVERSTAFFED FOR A WHILE.
UH, AND WE'RE CONTINUING TO BRING ON NEW FIREFIGHTERS.
AND SO I TALKED A LITTLE BIT THIS BEFORE, I'LL GO A LITTLE FASTER HERE, BUT WE'VE GOT A TOOL THAT, UM, REALLY HELPS US LOOK AT ALL THE DIFFERENT PRIORITIES, UM, UH, UH, INCLUDING THE, THE THREE TOP ONES THAT YOU MENTIONED, OR THAT, UH, I JUST WENT OVER.
AND THEN WE CREATE THESE LIKE ASSOCIATION SURVEYS, AND WE HAVE EACH DEPARTMENT KIND OF LOOK AT WHAT IS THEIR ROLE IN RELATION TO THE STRATEGIC VISION THEMES.
UH, BACK IN DECEMBER, WE HAD ALL OF OUR TEAMS IN A MASSIVE SUMMIT ALL COME TOGETHER, UM, TO REALLY LOOK AT THAT COLLABORATION.
'CAUSE THAT IS SOMETHING WE CONTINUE TO WORK ON.
UH, WE GOTTA TRY TO HAVE OUR DEPARTMENTS, YOU KNOW, FEEL LIKE THEY HAVE THE ABILITY TO, UH, TO WORK TOGETHER ON THESE GOALS AND NOT JUST IN SILOS.
AND THEN WE CREATED THAT CENTRALIZED PLATFORM, UH, THAT WE TALKED ABOUT.
UM, IS THIS WHERE I TURN IT TO YOU FOR A MINUTE? HERE.
I DON'T THINK I NEED THIS ONE, BUT, UH, BUT DID WANNA TAKE A PAUSE? YES.
CAN I ASK A QUESTION? OF COURSE.
SO, UM, CAN YOU TURN ON YOUR MICROPHONE? YES.
SO, UM, DO YOU, UH, WHAT DO YOU ATTRIBUTE, UH, OUR SUCCESS TO OUR ADUS AS OUR POLICIES? OR WHAT, WHAT'S, HOW DID THAT HAPPEN? YEAH.
THE QUESTION ABOUT, UH, WHAT HAVE WE DONE ON ADUS, UM, TO MAKE THAT SO POPULAR? UM, ONE, I THINK YOU'VE EMBRACED IT.
UM, A LOT OF CITIES HAVE NOT, UM, THEY HAVE NOT BEEN INTERESTED IN THAT.
UM, STATE LAW DID CHANGE AND ALLOWED THINGS TO BE A LOT MORE FLEXIBLE FOR ADUS, BUT A LOT OF CITIES ENDED UP FIGHTING IT AND NOT WANTING TO, TO FOLLOW STATE LAW.
SO, UM, ONE, I THINK WE, UM, YOU KNOW, HAVING THAT RELAXED A LITTLE BIT.
UH, WE NOW HAVE IT AT ABOUT A FOUR WEEK, UM, APPROVAL TIME.
WE'RE ACTUALLY TRYING TO SHUT, OR TO LOWER THAT DOWN TO ABOUT THREE WEEKS.
[02:40:01]
UM, BUT IT'S OVER THE COUNTER.THE COUNCIL ACTUALLY HAD AN ITEM THAT SAID, CAN WE GET SOME PRE-APPROVED, UM, UH, PLANS THAT BASICALLY SAY IF YOU BUILD YOUR A DU LIKE THIS, YOU BASICALLY CAN GO ALMOST, YOU KNOW, LIKE OVER THE COUNTER.
SO WE HAVE THOSE, AND THEN OF COURSE WE HAVE THE ABILITY TO DO SOME VARIATIONS, UH, BUT, UH, THINGS LIKE THAT AND JUST EMBRACING IT.
OTHER QUESTIONS ON ANY OF THE ACCOMPLISHMENTS ASIDE? OKAY.
THAT'S, I LIKE THAT, THAT'S GOOD.
UM, BUT WE WANNA JUST TAKE A MOMENT.
'CAUSE WE HEARD YOUR, UM, THE THINGS YOU'RE PROUD OF AND WE KIND OF CELEBRATED THOSE.
BUT IT'S ALSO CAN BE HELPFUL TO TAKE A STEP BACK AND BE LIKE, WELL, WHAT ARE THE THINGS THAT ARE CONTRIBUTING TO THE SUCCESS? WHAT ARE THE, THE WAYS THAT YOU'VE BEEN ABLE TO BE SUCCESSFUL AND, AND MOVE THINGS FORWARD IN THE DIRECTION YOU'VE LAID OUT? SO THOUGHTS ON THAT.
WHAT HELPS TO CONTRIBUTE TO MAKING THESE THINGS ACTUALLY COME AND BEAR FRUIT? COLLABORATION AND WILLINGNESS TO COLLABORATE, I THINK IS ALSO A BIG THING AS WELL, IS WORKING TOGETHER WITH ALL OF THE COUNCIL AND DEPART, UM, STAFF DEPARTMENTS AS WELL.
SO THE COLLABORATION AMONG COUNCIL, WITH STAFF, AND PROBABLY WITH THE COMMUNITY RIGHT.
COLLABORATION, REALLY IMPORTANT.
UM, THIS FEELS LIKE A MOMENT TO, UH, LIST SORT OF TO ME, LIKE OUR GRATITUDE AREAS.
UM, AND SO, YOU KNOW, IN TERMS OF WHAT HAS MADE THIS POSSIBLE, UM, ONE OF THE ELEMENTS IS THE PEOPLE IN THE POSITION TO DO.
AND SO FOR ME, I HAVE A LOT OF CONFIDENCE, UM, IN OUR STAFF LEADERSHIP IN THE PROFESSIONALISM, THE KNOWLEDGE, THE COMMITMENT TO THE TOPICS THAT THEY ARE ENTRUSTED WITH.
UM, AND SO WHEN YOU LOOK AROUND THE COUNTY, WHICH I WORK IN A LOT OF DIFFERENT PLACES, WE HAVE A VERY STRONG STAFF IN A LOT OF KEY CATEGORIES.
OF COURSE, YOU KNOW, TOM GETS THE CREDIT FOR THAT, HAVING HIRED, UM, ALL THOSE FOLKS
UM, AND THEN FRANKLY, YOU KNOW, MAYOR, WE, I THINK WE GOTTA GIVE YOU SOME KUDOS.
THOSE, UM, BALLOT MEASURES THAT CAME FORTH, UM, WERE REALLY CRITICAL, UM, AT A CRITICAL MOMENT IN OUR CITY.
SO HAVING THE KIND OF LEADER WHO IS SEASONED WITH THE CITY, SO KNOWS THE CITY REALLY WELL, AND THE WORKINGS OF ITS GOVERNMENT, AND THEN HAS THE PULSE OF THE PEOPLE, AND AN UNDERSTANDING AS TO WHAT POLICIES NEED TO BE IN POSITION TO ALLOW US TO BE ABLE TO LIVE OUT WHAT WE HAVE HERE AND WHERE WE WANNA GO FORWARD, I THINK THAT THAT HAS TO BE APPLAUDED AS WELL.
AND I LOVE THE SPIRIT OF GRATITUDE TOO.
ARE THERE OBSERVATIONS, THINGS THAT HAVE CONTRIBUTED TO THE CITY'S SUCCESS? OH, I HAVE ONE MORE.
UM, SO THEN THE OTHER AREA, SOME PROBABLY COULD CONSIDER IT, UM, AN AREA WHERE I'D SAY, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE LIKE, YOU'RE NOT SURE IF THAT'S A GOOD THING OR NOT
EVEN THOUGH, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE CALL US AND SAY NASTY THINGS, SOMETIMES
SO I DO THINK THAT HAVING GENERATIONAL, UH, INVESTMENT AMONG OUR RESIDENTS MAKES A BIG DIFFERENCE.
WELL, AND SOMETIMES THAT INVESTMENT SHOWS IT, ITS FACE IN DIFFERENT WAYS, BUT IT STILL MEANS AT ITS CORE, PEOPLE CARE.
AND THEY WANT IT TO BE THRIVING.
SO, SO ONE THING I WOULD, I WOULD, I WOULD STATE, UM, TOM JUST GAVE ME A NUDGE.
USE YOUR TRAFFIC SIGNAL ANALOGY.
SO I, YOU KNOW, I, UH, WHEN DID I USE IT? FIRST? I THINK WHEN THE PLANTERS WERE IN TOWN, UM, WE HOSTED SOME MAYORS FROM AROUND AMERICA CAME TO LONG BEACH FOR MAYOR'S INSTITUTE ON CITY DESIGN.
SO THESE ARE MAYORS AND PLANNERS, AND ALL OF OUR MAYORS HAVE PARTICIPATED IN THIS PROGRAM.
ROBERT DID, AND I PARTICIPATED.
AND SO THEY CAME TO TOWN FOR THE FIRST TIME IN LONG BEACH.
WE TOURED 'EM AROUND THE CITY.
AND AFTERWARD WE HAD A DINNER WHERE WE DEBRIEFED.
AND, AND SO THE ANALOGY I USE IS THAT WE'RE SEEING THE PROGRESS IN THIS SHORT PERIOD OF TIME BECAUSE THE SIGNALS ARE SYNCHRONIZED IN LONG BEACH.
WHAT DOES THAT MEAN? WE'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT AN ACTUAL COURT CORRIDOR WITH SIGNALS THAT ARE SYNCHRONIZED.
WE DO HAVE SYNCHRONIZED SIGNALS ON SOME CORRIDORS,
AND IN LONG BEACH, WE ARE IN THIS WINDOW OF OPPORTUNITY WHERE YOU SEE A LOT OF ALIGNMENT, WHERE YOU HAVE A CITY STAFF WHO'S EXCITED ABOUT THEIR JOB,
[02:45:01]
WHO'S NOT AFRAID TO TALK ABOUT DIFFICULT ISSUES, AND WANTS TO SEE TRANSFORMATIVE CHANGE.YOU'VE GOT A CITY COUNCIL THAT IS FOCUSED ON MAKING, LIKE, MAKING, DOING AS MUCH GOOD AS POSSIBLE.
YOU'VE GOT A MAYOR'S OFFICE WHO'S SAYING, LET'S GROW, LET'S GO, LET'S MOVE FORWARD.
YOU'VE GOT A COMMUNITY WHO, FOR THE MOST PART, YOU MAY HAVE DETRACTORS, BUT FOR THE MOST PART, PEOPLE ARE IN LONG BEACH BECAUSE THEY CHOOSE LONG BEACH.
THE MAJORITY OF THE PEOPLE IN THIS ROOM THAT ARE ON CITY COUNCIL CHOSE LONG BEACH FOR ONE REASON OR ANOTHER.
AND EVEN IF YOU WERE BORN AND RAISED HERE, YOU CONTINUE TO CHOOSE TO LIVE HERE.
AND SO THERE'S AN AFFIRMATIVE STEP ON BEHALF OF OUR COMMUNITY, AND TO CHOOSE TO MAKE LONG BEACH GREAT.
AND MAYBE NOT THE BEST ANALOGY, BUT YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN.
I DON'T KNOW
YOU'RE SEEING A LOT OF PROGRESS IN A LOT OF PLACES ACROSS OUR WHOLE CITY IN A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME.
SO I GUESS WE NEED TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO KEEP OUR SIGNALS ALIGNED.
HOW DO WE MAKE SURE NO ONE'S LEFT BEHIND? OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS CONTINUE TO FEEL INCLUDED, OUR COUNCIL MEMBERS, YOU KNOW, CONTINUE TO FEEL, YOU KNOW, THAT SPIRIT OF, OF COLLABORATION.
YOU KNOW, HOW DO WE KEEP CITY STAFF ENCOURAGED, RIGHT? HOW DO WE CONTINUE TO KEEP OUR SIGNALS ALIGNED SO WE CONTINUE TO, TO FEED INTO THESE ACCOMPLISHMENTS? ONE OF THE THINGS YOU SAID AT THE BEGINNING OF YOUR COMMENTS AROUND THE, THE SIGNALS TOO, IS THE OPENNESS, RIGHT? THE OPENNESS TO HEAR DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVES.
AND SO YOU'VE, YOU'VE GOT GOALS YOU'VE LAID OUT IN VIEW, BUT THERE'S AN OPENNESS FOR PEOPLE TO SHARE THEIR EXPERIENCE, AND MAYBE IT IS OUT OF SYNC, RIGHT? AND HOW DO YOU GET IT BACK, UH, IN CONNECTION WITH IT? SO THAT'S, I THINK, AN IMPORTANT COMMENT TOO.
OTHER THOUGHTS? THINGS THAT CONTRIBUTE TO THE CITY'S SUCCESS THAT WE WANNA HIGHLIGHT? ALL RIGHT.
WE'RE GONNA GIVE IT BACK TO, OOPS.
IN ADDITION TO ALIGNMENT, I THINK THAT IT'S ALSO IMPORTANT TO MENTION THE ALIGNMENT OF WHAT HAD HAPPENED AT THE FEDERAL AND STATE LEVEL AROUND, UM, JUST FINANCIAL OPPORTUNITY, RIGHT? LIKE WE, I MEAN, OVERALL HAD BEEN IN A REALLY GOOD ECONOMIC PLACE, UM, EVEN IN THE MIDST OF THE PANDEMIC.
WHILE THAT WAS DIFFICULT, THERE WERE OPPORTUNITIES TO BE ABLE TO USE THAT AS A CATALYST TO ADDRESS OUR CHALLENGES.
WE HAVE TO ACHIEVE ACCOMPLISHMENTS.
WELL, WE'RE TAKING Y'ALL, IT'S ALWAYS HELPFUL TO TAKE A PAUSE AND LOOK BACK AT THE THINGS YOU'VE BEEN ABLE TO ACHIEVE AND WHAT CONTRIBUTED TO THAT SUCCESS.
BUT WE ALSO NOW WANNA START REDIRECTING AND LOOKING TO WHAT NEXT? WHERE DO YOU GO FROM HERE? I'M GONNA HAND IT BACK TO TOM TO START THAT COURSE.
[9. 25-55131 Setting Our Path Forward ]
THE CLICKER GO? DO I STILL HAVE THAT? UM, YEAH, THERE, IT'S ALL RIGHT.SO SETTING THE PATH FORWARD, UM, WE, WE, WE SPENT A FAIR AMOUNT OF TIME ON THIS TWO WEEKS OR TWO YEARS AGO, SO I WON'T GO TOO DEEP INTO IT.
UM, BUT, UH, THIS REALLY, WHEN I LOOK AT IT FROM AN ORGANIZATIONAL PERSPECTIVE, WHAT DOES IT TAKE TO ACCOMPLISH THE THINGS THAT YOU ASK US TO DO? AND SO WE TALK A LOT, UH, TO THE TEAM ABOUT THE, THE ROLE OF THE MAYOR AND COUNCIL IS TO TELL US WHAT IS OUR GOAL? WHERE ARE WE GOING? WHERE, WHAT DO YOU WANT US TO ACCOMPLISH? AND THEN IT'S THE TEAM'S JOB, UH, TO GET THERE.
UH, UH, YOU'RE BASICALLY TELLING US THIS IS WHERE THAT SHIP NEEDS TO GO.
SOMETIMES IT'S RELATIVELY STRAIGHTFORWARD.
IT'S A DIRECT, YOU KNOW, LINE OF SIGHT A TO B.
OTHER TIMES THAT TEAM NEEDS TO CHANGE COURSE.
WE NEED TO GO DIFFERENT DIRECTIONS.
WE NEED TO GO AROUND CERTAIN OBSTACLES.
AND SO GIVING THEM THE FLEXIBILITY TO DO THAT WHILE YOU, UM, KEEP THAT NORTH STAR OF WHAT ARE WE TRYING TO ACCOMPLISH? WHERE DO YOU WANT THE TEAM TO END UP? AND SO THE WAY WE DO THAT, AND WHEN WE'RE HITTING THAT BULLSEYE IS WHEN WE'RE ALIGNING THE FUNDING.
SO YOU ACTUALLY HAVE THE MONEY TO DO IT.
AND I KNOW WE ALL TALK ABOUT WE DON'T HAVE ENOUGH MONEY.
WE HAVE A LOT OF RESOURCES IN THIS CITY, UH, BUT WE MAKE DECISIONS ON WHERE THOSE GO.
AND SO WHEN WE MAKE DECISIONS ON, YOU KNOW, UH, FUNDING THE THINGS THAT ARE IMPORTANT, AND WE HAVE TO ALIGN IT WITH THE PEOPLE TO DO THE WORK SINCE, UH, MOST OF WHAT WE DO IS, UM, IS DOING THINGS WITH OUR EMPLOYEES.
AND SO OUR, OUR WORKFORCE OF 6,500, WHEN WE HAVE THE MONEY TO DO IT, AND WE HAVE THE PEOPLE TO DO IT, THAT WE CAN BRING ON QUICKLY, AND WE CAN HAVE REALLY TOP TALENT.
AND THEN HAVING THE BUSINESS TOOLS, UM, HAVING THINGS LIKE, YOU KNOW, TECHNOLOGY THAT WORKS AND HAVING FLEETS AND VEHICLES AND ALL THE THINGS THAT WE NEED TO EQUIP THEM WITH THE ABILITY TO DO THEIR JOB EFFECTIVELY, THAT'S REALLY WHERE WE'RE THE MOST EFFECTIVE.
AND SO IN ABOUT A MONTH, UH, WE'RE GONNA BE DOING OUR ANNUAL MANAGEMENT TREAT, UH, WHERE WE GET TOGETHER WITH ALL ABOUT 300 TO 400 MANAGERS, UH, AND GO THROUGH WHAT'S GOING WELL, WHAT ARE, UH, I, I'LL SHARE A LOT FROM THIS SESSION AS WELL, WHAT WE HEAR FROM YOU AND, AND WHERE WE'RE GOING.
AND ALSO WHAT ARE SOME OF THE CHALLENGES.
AND SO, UM, I'LL SHARE, OOPS, I'LL SHARE SOME OF THIS WITH YOU.
UH, 'CAUSE WE HAVE ACTUAL DATA BEHIND ALL THIS.
IT WAS, IT WOULD, IT WOULD EAT UP TOO MUCH TIME TO GO AND DO IT IN DETAIL.
[02:50:01]
UM, WHAT ARE SOME OF THE STRENGTHS, MOST OF THESE, I THINK ARE OVER 80%.UM, SO CLEAR VISION FROM THE CITY THAT WAS NOT OVER 80% BEFORE THAT WAS MUCH, MUCH LOWER.
AND SO, UM, IN THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS, WE'VE SEEN THAT GO UP.
OUR MANAGEMENT TEAM THINKS WE HAVE A VERY CLEAR VISION, THAT WE HAVE GREAT CONNECTION TO THE ORGANIZATION AND THE COMMUNITY, THAT THEY LOVE THEIR COMMUNITY AND THEY LOVE THEIR ORGANIZATION.
AND THAT THRIVES, OR THAT FUELS A LOT OF THE WORK THAT THEY DO.
THAT THERE'S GREAT COLLEGIALITY AND COOPERATION ACROSS THE CITY ORGANIZATION.
UM, SO, UH, THEY LIKE THEIR PEERS.
THEY LIKE WHO THEY'RE WORKING WITH.
THEY LIKE, UM, MAYOR COUNCIL, THEY LIKE, UH, LEADERSHIP AND THAT THEY HAVE A VERY GOOD SENSE OF PURPOSE, UH, DRIVING THE WORK, THAT THEY KNOW WHY THEY'RE HERE.
THEY, UM, THEY GET FUELED BY THAT.
UH, AND THAT, UH, THE WORK THAT THEY DO IS IMPORTANT TO THEM.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT STRESS THEM OUT, UM, BUDGET, OF COURSE,
UH, FOR EXAMPLE, RIGHT NOW, UM, AS WE BUILD THIS BUDGET, SINCE WE SHOULD BE CUTTING, WE'RE HAVING TO TELL DEPARTMENTS, I KNOW YOU NEED ALL THESE THINGS.
WHAT'S YOUR TOP PRIORITY? AND WHAT ARE YOU WILLING TO GIVE UP TO DO THAT? SO OUR, UM, EVEN LITTLE THINGS LIKE I NEED TO UPGRADE THIS POSITION, UH, TO GIVE IT $10,000 MORE SALARY.
WE'RE SAYING, SHOW ME WHAT YOU'RE GONNA REDUCE TO DO THAT.
UM, BECAUSE WE'VE GOTTA START, UH, TIGHTENING THAT BELT.
AND THAT'S HARD, UM, BECAUSE WE'RE CONTINUING TO ASK THEM TO DO MORE WITH LESS, UM, EFFICIENT HIRING PROCESS.
UM, THAT IS THE NUMBER ONE THING WHEN, UM, UH, YOU'LL SEE THE SURVEY RESULTS, EVERYTHING.
YOU KNOW, WHEN, WHEN THEY COMPLAIN ABOUT CERTAIN THINGS, IT'LL BE IN LIKE THE LOW TEENS.
UM, WE'LL SAY WE CANNOT HIRE EFFICIENTLY.
SO THAT IS WHY WE PROPOSED MEASURE JB THAT'S WHY WE LOOKED AT, UM, AT RADICAL CHANGES TO HOW WE HIRE WORKLOAD PRESSURES.
UM, AND LACK OF CAPACITY, UH, THAT, YOU KNOW, IS TIED TO BUDGET.
IT'S ALL THOSE THINGS THAT ARE INCLUDED, BUT YOUR ORGANIZATION IS TIRED.
UM, AND SO DOING PRIORITIZATION EFFORTS LIKE THIS REALLY DOES HELP.
UH, BUT WE HAVE A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO ARE, WHO ARE, YOU KNOW, WHO ARE, WHO ARE BURNT OUT.
AND THEN, AND, UM, COMMUNICATION HAS, HAS GROWN A LOT FROM, UM, FROM YOU ALL AND FROM ME TO THEM.
BUT WHAT WE'RE STILL SEEING AND THEY'RE COMMUNICATING WELL WITHIN THEIR DEPARTMENT, WE'RE STILL SEEING CHALLENGES WITH COMMUNICATING ACROSS DEPARTMENTS.
UH, THAT'S HARD IN A BIG ORGANIZATION WHEN YOU DON'T KNOW EVERYBODY.
WHEN YOU FEEL LIKE, I SHOULDN'T STEP ON SOMEBODY'S TOES.
I STAY WITHIN MY ORGANIZATION.
YOU DO YOUR WORK, I DO MY WORK.
AND SO THAT'S REALLY THE ROLES OF OUR DEPUTIES AS WELL.
UM, I'VE REALLY, UH, TASKED THEM TO BE THE ONES THAT HELP BRING PEOPLE TOGETHER ON OUR MAJOR STICKY ISSUES.
AND I THINK THAT'S GETTING BETTER.
UH, BUT THAT'S AN AREA WE STILL NEED TO WORK ON FOR 6,500 EMPLOYEES, FEELING LIKE THEY CAN TALK ACROSS DEPARTMENTS WITHOUT STEPPING ON TOES.
AND SO, ACTUALLY, TEAM, CAN I ASK YOU TO, CAN I DO THE INFRASTRUCTURE STUFF FIRST AND THEN GO INTO THIS? I THINK THAT'D BE HELPFUL.
I ADDED A BUNCH OF SLIDES, UM, UH, LAST NIGHT ON INFRASTRUCTURE.
'CAUSE UM, I, YOU KNOW, I HEAR THAT FROM EVERY SINGLE ONE OF YOU.
AND IT IS A GROWING CONCERN THAT I'M, I'M GETTING PRETTY WORRIED ABOUT AS YOUR CITY MANAGER, ARE WE GETTING TO THE POINT OF NO RETURN, WHERE IF WE DON'T REALLY START ARRESTING SOME OF THE DECAY IN OUR INFRASTRUCTURE ARE, ARE WE GONNA BE ABLE TO GET OUT OF THIS? ARE WE GONNA BE ABLE TO DELIVER THE STREETS AND SIDEWALKS AND BUILDINGS THAT WE HEAR SO MUCH ABOUT FROM OUR RESIDENTS? AND SO, UM, WE HAVE MADE HISTORIC INVESTMENTS, AND I'M GONNA SHOW YOU THAT VISUALLY IN SOME OF THESE SLIDES.
BUT, AND WE'VE DONE OUR BILLION DOLLAR PLAN, BUT IT'S NOT ENOUGH.
OUR UNFUNDED NEED IN THE CIP IS 3.5 BILLION.
SO WHILE WE'RE DOING, UM, UH, 928 OR 900, ALMOST A BILLION DOLLARS, THE REAL NEED IS 3.5 BILLION.
AND I'LL, I'LL DIVE INTO THAT.
AND IF WE WANTED TO TRY TO SOLVE THAT 3.5 BILLION, WE WOULD NEED 1.4 BILLION OVER FIVE YEARS JUST TO GET TO OUR MAJOR AND MINOR STREET DEFICIENCIES, JUST TO KIND OF GET IT UP TO A GOOD LEVEL.
AND, UH, WE'RE INVESTING ABOUT $68 MILLION A YEAR RIGHT NOW, UM, ON STREET PROGRAMS. AND SO, LIKE I SAID, WE ARE INVESTING AT LEVELS NEVER SEEN BEFORE IN, UM, FROM F ABOUT 10 YEARS AGO, FY 16 TO TODAY, CIP INVESTMENT HAS GROWN 395%.
AND WE'RE AT 250 MILLION MOBILITY FUNDING.
THAT'S OUR STREETS AND ROADS HAS GROWN 275% FROM ABOUT 28 MILLION TO 104 MILLION.
AND THAT'S JUST THE ANNUAL CIP.
GRAPHICALLY, THIS IS WHERE WE WERE RIGHT BEFORE MEASURE A CAME ON BOARD.
WE WERE DOING ABOUT $50 MILLION IN CIP MEASURE A STARTED, WE STARTED REALLY GROWING THAT ELEVATE 28 STARTED HERE.
AND LOOK WHERE WE ARE TODAY UP HERE, UM, JUST SHY OF $250 MILLION.
YEAH, WE'LL GO BACK WHEN HE COMES IN.
BUT WE ALSO NOT ONLY NEED TO BUDGET, BUT YOU NEED TO SPEND THE MONEY.
AND THAT'S BEEN AN AREA WHERE THE TEAM HAS REALLY GROWN, AND WE HAVE PUT A LOT OF MONEY INTO IT, ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU ISSUE BONDS.
YOU HAVE BASICALLY TWO YEARS, UH, TO ISSUE ABOUT 85%, UH, OR,
[02:55:01]
AND COMPLETE 85% OF YOUR WORK.UH, WE ARE ACTUALLY AC ACCOMPLISHING THAT MISSION.
BUT IF YOU LOOK HERE AT START OF MEASURE A, WE WERE KIND OF FLAT IN THE BEGINNING.
AND NOW HERE WE GO WITH ELEVATE 28.
THIS IS WHERE WE REALLY STARTED RAMPING UP STAFFING AND LOOK AT WHERE WE ARE IN TERMS OF ACTUALLY COMPLETING, UH, THAT WORK.
AND SO WHAT IS OUR NEED, UM, OUR ANNUAL NEED, WHAT WE SHOULD BE SPENDING, IF WE REALLY WANTED TO ADDRESS THE $3.5 BILLION IN FIVE YEARS, WHICH THAT, I MEAN, BY THE WAY, I WOULDN'T EVER RECOMMEND THAT.
THAT IS, THAT IS A HUGE, HUGE, HUGE AMOUNT OF INVESTMENT.
YOU PROBABLY COULDN'T BRING ON THE STAFF AND THE CONTRACTORS TO DO IT IN FIVE YEARS, BUT IF WE REALLY WANTED TO DO IT IN FIVE YEARS, 3.5 BILLION, YOU'D NEED, UH, $698 MILLION EVERY SINGLE YEAR.
UH, THE BIGGEST NUMBERS ARE REALLY IN OUR RESIDENTIAL STREETS, ABOUT A 1.4 BILLION.
UH, OUR ALLEYS ARE ACTUALLY COMING ALONG.
UH, WE GOT ABOUT A HUNDRED MILLION LEFT.
WE HAVE NOT INVESTED MUCH IN OUR STORM WATER CONVEYANCE SYSTEM, UM, WHICH WE REALLY NEED WHEN, UM, WHEN IT RAINS.
UM, OUR BUILDINGS ARE ACTUALLY IN, IN TROUBLE AT ABOUT 529 MILLION.
AND THEN, OF COURSE, SIDEWALK AND A DA, WE'RE MAKING HUGE PROGRESS THERE, BUT WE STILL HAVE A BIG NUMBERS TO GO.
SO, OH, MAYOR, I GOTTA SHOW YOU THIS.
YOU HAVEN'T SEEN THIS ONE YET.
10 YEAR INVESTMENT, UM, HISTORICAL OVERVIEW, RIGHT BEFORE MEASURE A, WE WERE DOWN HERE AT 50 MILLION.
WE STARTED MEASURE A, WE STARTED CREEPING UP, THEN WE STARTED ELEVATE 28, AND WE'RE UP HERE NEARLY 250 MILLION
SO WE HAVE PROFESSIONALIZED IN THE LAST TWO TO THREE YEARS, UM, WHERE WE PUT OUR DOLLARS, UM, BEFORE IT REALLY WAS WHAT WE, YOU KNOW, WE'D HAVE SO FEW DOLLARS WHEN WE HEAR FROM YOU AND THE COMMUNITY, THIS BUILDING NEEDS TO GET FIXED.
WE TRY TO SOLVE THAT NEED, BUT IT WASN'T REALLY BASED ON SCIENCE AND DATA AND WHICH ONES ARE THE HIGHEST NEED VERSUS JUST WHAT WE'RE HEARING.
AND SO WE STILL LISTEN, BUT WE ALSO APPLY DATA TO IT.
UM, WE DID A FACILITY CONDITIONS ASSESSMENT, UH, WHICH MEASURES THAT INDEX OF THE CITY BUILDING, AND IT'S DONE BY PROFESSIONAL ENGINEERS.
AND SO WE HAVE 253 STRUCTURES ACROSS THE CITY WITH A TOTAL OF 529 MILLION OF REPAIR.
BUT THE DATA SHOWING THAT EVEN WITH ALL THE WORK WE'RE DOING, WE NEED TO SPEND 20 TO $40 MILLION MORE TODAY JUST TO IMPACT THAT FCI TO, YOU KNOW, TO KEEP THE, OUR BUILDINGS FROM FALLING INTO DISREPAIR AND ACTUALLY START IMPROVING THEM AS A WHOLE.
WE NEED ANOTHER 20 TO 40 MILLION.
WE'RE GONNA BE ROLLING THIS OUT IN THE NEXT COUPLE MONTHS, BUT, UM, WE WANT TO CREATE THESE DASHBOARDS.
SO YOU CAN SEE JUST LIKE ON ELEVATE 28, WHAT IS THE FACILITY, WHAT IS THE STATE OF IT, WHAT IS THE VALUE? AND, AND MAKE SOME DECISIONS AS COME, COME BUDGET TIME.
AND WE'RE INVESTING A LOT, UM, ABOUT $14 MILLION IN OUR FACILITIES RIGHT NOW.
BUT A LOT OF THAT FUNDING IS RESTRICTED.
SO, UM, YOU KNOW, AB 32, WE'VE BEEN REALLY CREATIVE TO FUND.
IT'LL FUND THINGS LIKE, UM, ROOFS, UM, BECAUSE WE CAN SHOW ENERGY EFFICIENCY, BUT, YOU KNOW, WON'T, IT WON'T FUND, YOU KNOW, LIKE A BROKEN BATHROOM, FOR EXAMPLE.
SO WE HAVE TO, WE HAVE TO, UM, REALLY PIECE THESE ALL TOGETHER.
AND WE'VE HAD A LOT OF SUCCESS IN TIDELANDS DOING A LOT OF OUR CAPITAL PROJECTS.
BUT AS YOU, YOU KNOW, THAT'S RESTRICTED.
AND SO WHAT WE REALLY DO NEED IS ADDITIONAL FUNDING THAT IS UNRESTRICTED TO ADDRESS THOSE THROUGHOUT THE CITY.
UM, I, I KNOW ALL OF YOU KNOW THIS, I JUST WANNA SHOW SOME DATA, BUT YEAH, WE, WE NEED TO DO A BETTER JOB ON OUR ROADS.
UM, SO, UH, WE DO OUR STUDY, IT'S CALLED PAVEMENT CONDITION INDEX.
UM, WE'RE GONNA BE UPDATING THAT IN THE NEXT COUPLE MONTHS.
UM, WE'LL HAVE, UM, OUR PCIS AND SO WE WILL START USING THAT DATA TO DEVELOP THE NEXT FIVE YEAR PMP, UM, THE PROJECT OR PAYMENT MANAGEMENT PLAN, UM, BEGINNING IN 2026.
SO TO BRING ALL STREETS TO A GOOD CONDITION.
AND THAT GOOD IS THIS THIRD BAR RIGHT HERE TO BRING ALL OF THESE UP.
THAT'S WHERE WE NEED TO DO ABOUT $280 MILLION EVERY SINGLE YEAR, UH, FOR THE NEXT FIVE YEARS TO BRING THOSE UP.
AND SO WE'VE BEEN INVESTING ON AVERAGE, ABOUT 62 MILLION IN THE LAST COUPLE YEARS IN OUR MAJOR AND MINOR STREETS.
AND THAT IS THE LARGEST INVESTMENT IN GENERATION, BUT IT IS STILL FALLING DRAMATICALLY SHORT OF BRINGING EVERYONE UP.
AND IN FACT, IT'S NOT EVEN ALLOWING US TO, TO STOP SLIPPING.
SO OUR PCI HAS BEEN CONTINUOUSLY DROPPING EVEN WITH THAT LEVEL OF, OF, OF, UM, UH, OF INVESTMENT.
AND SO JUST TO KEEP IT FROM DROPPING, WE NEED ANOTHER $25 MILLION A YEAR.
UH, BUT, UM, AND TO IMPROVE IT, THAT'S WHERE WE NEED THE, UM, THE $280 MILLION FOR THE NEXT FIVE YEARS.
LIKE, YOU KNOW, CITY COUNCIL, IF YOU ONLY WERE DOING WHAT EVERYONE WAS DOING BACK IN THE NINETIES, WE, YOU KNOW, JUST DO WHAT OUR EVERYONE ELSE USED TO DO.
THOSE COUNCILS WERE SO MUCH BETTER.
UM, DON'T LISTEN TO ANY OF THAT.
WE DID A, UM, 30 YEAR HISTORICAL STREET FUNDING.
OUR ALLOCATIONS NOW FOR ARTERIAL STREETS ARE 500% HIGHER THAN THEY WERE IN 1993.
AND THAT'S ADJUSTED FOR INFLATION.
SO THAT'S NOT JUST TAKING DOLLARS BACK THEN VERSUS DOLLARS TODAY.
WE WERE SPENDING ABOUT $7.7 MILLION BACK IN THE
[03:00:01]
NINETIES, AND WE'RE SPENDING 38.5 MILLION IN THE SAME AMOUNT OF, OF DOLLAR OR THE SAME VALUE OF DOLLARS TODAY.AND SO WE ARE REALLY PAYING FOR SOME OF WHAT OUR FOREFATHERS AND FORE MOTHERS AND, UH, WE'RE DEALING WITH, UH, BY NOT INVESTING IN THAT, IN THAT STREET WORK.
NOW, WE'RE, YOU KNOW, THOSE ARE 30 YEAR ASSETS, RIGHT? MOST STREETS WILL LAST 20 YEARS, MAYBE 30 YEARS, AND THEY HAVE TO BE REDUNDANT.
THAT'S WHAT WE'RE FACING RIGHT NOW.
AND THEN IN RESIDENTIAL STREETS, WE REALLY DID NOT HAVE A RESIDENTIAL STREET PROGRAM.
UH, WE WERE SPENDING ABOUT $1.8 MILLION BACK IN THE NINETIES.
UM, AND TODAY WE'RE SPENDING ABOUT 23 MILLION.
THAT'S NOT INCLUDING REDEVELOPMENT ANDIT, RIGHT? THAT WAS, YEAH, THAT WAS EVERYTHING THAT WE WERE SPENDING BACK THEN, INCLUDING REDEVELOPMENT, ANDIT.
I'M VERY, I'M PRETTY CERTAIN THAT WAS THE TOTAL CIP ALLOCATION BACK IN THE NINETIES.
AND THEN, UM, THOSE, THAT'S LOOKING AT AN AVERAGE FROM 93 TO 96 LATER, UM, IN THE TWO THOUSANDS, WE STARTED DOING MORE STREET WORK.
'CAUSE IN THE BEGINNING, REDEVELOPMENT WAS ALL ABOUT BUSINESS.
AND THEN LATER WE STARTED DOING MORE STREET WORK, UH, IN THE TWO THOUSANDS.
BUT WE EVEN LOOKED BACK, UM, RIGHT BEFORE MEASURE A AND THOSE NUMBERS WERE NOT SIGNIFICANTLY HIGHER.
SO BEFORE MEASURE A, UM, SOME COUNCIL MEMBERS, DARRELL WILL PROBABLY REMEMBER, I THINK WE CAME TO THE COUNCIL AND SAID, YOU KNOW, WE THINK WE CAN REPAIR ONE RESIDENTIAL STREET THIS YEAR.
WHICH ONE IS THE HIGHEST ONE? OH MY GOSH.
AND WE DIVIDED IT BY NINE, ESSENTIALLY, BECAUSE IT, IT WAS SO MEAGER.
IT'S LIKE, ALL RIGHT, EVERYONE GETS THE STREET.
WHAT'S, WHAT'S YOUR PRIORITY OF THE 60 YOU HEAR ABOUT? SO, AND TODAY IT'S, IT'S A MUCH DIFFERENT.
SO, SO THIS IS MY LAST SLIDE ON THIS.
UM, AND THEN WE'LL TURN TO SOME OF THE, THE THINGS.
THIS IS HOW WE FUND OUR MOBILITY, UM, $67 MILLION AND, UM, THIS AND ALL THESE DIFFERENT, UH, REVENUE SOURCES, AB 27, 66, CDBG, GAS TAX MEASURE, A MEASURE ON ALL THESE DIFFERENT ONES.
KIND OF A TRICK QUESTION, BUT I WANT TO ASK, WHAT'S MISSING HERE? WHAT, WHAT, WHAT IS, WHAT IS NOT HERE THAT SHOULD BE HERE? GENERAL FUN.
WE'VE BEEN TRYING TO GRAB ALL THESE LITTLE PIECES.
AND YOU'LL HEAR, FOR EXAMPLE, WHERE PEOPLE SAY, WHY DON'T YOU PUT MORE MONEY IN THE RESIDENTIAL STREETS? WE CAN'T.
'CAUSE THE FUNDING SOURCE IS LINKED TO THE ARTERIAL STREETS.
AND SO WE ARE TRYING TO DO THIS WORK BY, AND THIS IS GREAT THAT IT'S SO BALANCED, BUT REALLY, IF WE WANNA MAKE THIS IMPACTFUL, PROBABLY HALF OF THAT SHOULD JUST BE ONE SINGLE DEDICATED STREETS UNRESTRICTED.
UM, CITIES, ALL KINDS OF DIFFERENT CITIES FUND THIS DIFFERENT WAYS, BUT WE HAVE NOT PASSED THOSE BONDS IN THE SIXTIES AND SEVENTIES THAT YOU CONTINUALLY INVEST BACK IN OUR STREETS.
WE'VE HAD TO DO THIS PIECEMEAL APPROACH, AND, AND THAT'S WHY OUR STREETS AND SIDEWALKS SLIPPED THE WAY THEY DO TODAY.
SO YOU SHOULD BE VERY PROUD OF THE INFRASTRUCTURE WORK THAT YOU'VE DONE AND LED ON THAT.
BUT I, I WANTED TO BE A LITTLE REAL WITH SOME OF THE, THE DATA AND, AND WHAT WE'RE FACING GOING FORWARD.
SO THE WAY I TALK ABOUT THIS PUBLICLY, THE REASON WE NEVER DID THIS WAS BECAUSE WE DEPENDED.
WE HAD MORE FLEXIBILITY ON OIL MONEY BACK IN THE DAY.
AND WE DID A LOT OF INFRASTRUCTURE WITH THAT.
BUT IF WE DIDN'T START DOING STREETS AND REDEVELOPMENT UNTIL LATE, LATE NINETIES, WHAT WERE WE DOING FOR OUR STREETS?
WHAT? WHY DIDN'T WE EVER PASS BONDS IN THE SEVENTIES WHEN EVERYONE ELSE DID? YEAH.
WHY? I'M GONNA LOOK TO OUR HISTORIAN BACK THERE.
UM, YEAH, I, I KNOW, BUT I'M NOT GONNA SAY IT.
SO WE DID, WE DID TRY BACK IN 2008, UM, THERE WAS BIG LACK OF WILL, A PUSH WITH MEASURE I, AND IT NEEDED, YOU KNOW, IT NEEDED TWO THIRDS AND IT, IT GOT LIKE 53%.
SO, UM, YEAH, IT'S, IT'S ONE OF THOSE THINGS THAT'S HARD IN CALIFORNIA.
UM, WE'VE ALSO, AS VOTERS, WE'VE CHOSEN TO INVEST IN, IN A LOT OF THINGS LIKE OUR EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS, WHICH ARE WONDERFUL.
IT SCHOOLS NEEDED IT, LONG BEACH CITY COLLEGE NEEDED.
BUT, UM, YOU KNOW, WE NEVER HAVE HAD THIS LEVEL OF INVESTMENT IN OUR STREETS WHEN WE'VE LOOKED AT SOME OF THE POLLING DATA.
UM, AND WE DID THIS SEVERAL YEARS AGO.
WE JUST, WE LOOKED AT IT, IT WAS ABOUT PROBABLY 60%, IF I REMEMBER IT RIGHT, 58 60% SAID, YES, WE NEED A DEDICATED REVENUE SOURCE IN CALIFORNIA FOR CITIES.
THAT WAS ON THE BALLOT FOR PEOPLE TO CHANGE AND BRING IT DOWN TO 55%.
UM, THAT JUST, UH, WENT TO VOTERS LA THIS YEAR.
I, I'LL JUST, UH, THE MIC, SIR.
WELL, I'LL, I'LL JUST PARAPHRASE.
BOB FOSTER, WHEN MEASURE I FAILED, PEOPLE WENT TO OUR MAYOR.
HE HAD A BIG INFRASTRUCTURE INITIATIVE AND THEY SAID, WHY DID THIS FAIL? AND HE SAID, I DON'T KNOW, BUT I'LL TELL YOU THIS, THE INFRASTRUCTURE HAS TO BE PREPARED, AND BY THE TIME YOU END UP DOING IT, IT'S GONNA COST A WHOLE LOT MORE THAN THIS.
WOULD'VE NO TRUER WORDS WERE EVER SPOKEN.
AND I THINK THAT'S REALLY OUR DILEMMA TODAY.
SO, UM, THANK YOU FOR, UH, SHOWING US THIS PIE.
UM, AND ALSO MAKING SURE THAT WE
[03:05:01]
HAVE THE, THE DOLLAR FIGURES NEXT TO THEM.'CAUSE INDIVIDUALLY, THEY DON'T SEEM, YOU KNOW, SO HIGH OR SO, THEY, THEY DON'T SEEM, YOU KNOW, SO BIG.
BUT TOGETHER IT MAKES UP QUITE A LOT.
AND WHILE THIS MIGHT NOT BE THE WAY THAT WE, UH, SHARE THIS PUBLICLY, BUT I THINK AS LEGISLATORS, WHEN I LOOK AT THOSE NUMBERS, AND I ALSO CONSIDER THE, UM, LEVEL OF EXPOSURE THAT WE HAVE AS A CITY, THAT WE HAVE HAD TO, UH, YOU KNOW, PAY OUT RESOURCES ON FOR NOT HAVING SIDEWALKS AND ROADS THAT CAN ACCOMMODATE PEOPLE AND NOT END UP IN SOME MEDICAL CRISIS.
UM, THESE NUMBERS LOOK, YOU KNOW, SMALL AND, AND, AND IN COMPARISON TO WHAT WE'RE PAYING OUT.
SO I THINK THAT, AND, AND THAT'S UNCONTROLLABLE.
'CAUSE WE DON'T KNOW WHEN THAT'LL HAPPEN OR HOW MUCH THAT WILL COST US.
SO FROM A LEGISLATIVE PERSPECTIVE, I'M THINKING ABOUT, YOU KNOW, HOW DO WE MAKE SURE THAT WE CREATE THE POT OF RESOURCES THAT GIVES US THE CERTAINTY ON WHAT WE KNOW WE NEED TO DO, SO THAT WE CAN SECURE FROM LEVELS OF LIABILITY THAT WE CANNOT CONTROL, UM, AND, AND GIVE US TOO MUCH EXPOSURE.
THAT IS THE $60 MILLION QUESTION,
OTHER THOUGHTS? QUESTIONS? ALL RIGHT.
I WILL TURN IT TO THE TEAM NOW TO GO THROUGH SOME OF THE OTHER CHALLENGES, UM, UH, THAT WE'RE FACING.
AND, AND, UH, BEFORE WE GET INTO OUR PRIORITY SETTING TO BACK UP REAL, REAL QUICK, QUICK QUESTION WHILE SHE'S TEEING IT UP.
HOW, HOW MUCH WAS THE OCHOA SETTLEMENT? OH BOY.
UM, SO IT WAS A COMMITMENT ABOUT ROUGHLY 200 MILLION OVER 30 YEARS, IF I REMEMBER RIGHT.
DOES THAT SOUND ABOUT RIGHT? TEAM? BUT THAT'S GOING RIGHT INTO THIS PROGRAM.
SO UP A LOT OF, UH, CHALLENGES AS WELL AS OPPORTUNITIES.
UH, WE WANTED TO HEAR FROM COUNCIL MEMBERS AS TO WHAT HEADWINDS AND CHALLENGES YOU ALL ARE HEARING ABOUT OR WORRIED ABOUT.
UH, BEFORE WE GET INTO PRIORITIES, JUST WHAT'S ON YOUR MIND.
UH, THIS JUST HAS A FEW IDEAS HERE THAT I'M SURE YOU'VE THOUGHT ABOUT.
YOU KNOW, LOSS OF FEDERAL FUNDING, STAFFING CHALLENGES, MONEY FOR STREETS.
WE'VE JUST HEARD A LOT ABOUT THAT.
UH, THE STATE BUDGET, THEY'RE IN A DEFICIT NOW AND IT'S WORSENING.
UH, BUT WHAT ELSE? SO WHAT'S ON THE MINDS OF MEMBERS OF COUNCIL AND THE MAYOR THAT ARE HEADWINDS OR CHALLENGES? YES, CHRISTINA, WE JUST TALKED ABOUT INFRASTRUCTURE.
IN TALKING ABOUT INFRASTRUCTURE, YES, WE, WE HAVE A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF MONEY.
WE HAVE A FIVE YEAR PLAN, BUT DO WE HAVE THE STAFF TO MAKE THIS HAPPEN? AND I THINK THAT IS MORE IMPORTANT TO ME RIGHT NOW.
HOW ARE WE GOING TO ACTUALLY DELIVER THESE INFRASTRUCTURE REPAIRS, UM, TO TALKS ABOUT ALL THESE, UM, THESE, UH, COURT CASES AGAINST US.
WE'VE GOTTA INVEST THE MONEY THAT WE DO HAVE AND SPEED UP AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE BASED ON INCREASED STAFFING LEVELS, GET THIS WORK DONE.
SO THE DELIVERY OF THE PROJECTS IS REALLY CRITICAL AND, AND IT WAS A BIG CHALLENGE.
WHAT ELSE, TOM, WE JUST TALKED ABOUT THIS WITH THE, THE POTENTIAL AUDIT ABOUT OUR ABILITY TO DELIVER ON THE INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS.
CAN YOU TALK ABOUT THAT A LITTLE BIT? YEAH, SO OUR CITY AUDITOR HAS BEEN PARTNERING, UH, WITH THE TEAM TO LOOK AT SOME OF THIS, UH, STREET DATA.
AND SO THAT'LL BE COMING OUT IN A LITTLE BIT.
UM, AND SO, UH, THERE UH, IS A LOT OF DATA ABOUT WHAT WE'VE DONE IN TERMS OF STAFFING UP.
JUST, UM, OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD, I THINK IT'S BEEN LIKE GOING FROM 20 OR 30 STAFF TO ALMOST 60 THAT DELIVER THIS.
SO THERE HAS BEEN A DEDICATED, UM, FOCUS ON BRINGING UP THE STAFF TO DO THIS WORK.
UH, THEY ARE GETTING THE MONEY OUT, OF COURSE THEY NEED, UM, A LOT OF THESE 'CAUSE WE'RE BLENDING THE FUNDING SOURCES WE NEED SOMETIMES 2, 3, 4, 5 YEARS TO GET THE FUNDING SOURCES FROM ALL THE DIFFERENT ONES TO MATCH THEM ALL UP IN ORDER TO GET THEM PAID OUT AND THEN DO THE PROJECT.
AND SO, UM, THAT CERTAINLY IS GONNA BE A CHALLENGE IF WE HAD AN UNDER RESTRICTED FUNDING SOURCE.
IT'S JUST, DO THE PROJECT, GET IT DONE, ISSUE IT, YOU KNOW, MONEY'S ALL THERE, YOU KNOW, THAT MAKES THE DELIVERY OF THE PROJECTS MUCH EASIER.
UH, BUT YOU'LL SEE WE HAVE BEEN INCREASING THE STAFF AND, UH, THEY ARE HITTING THEIR GOAL FROM THE MEASURE A BOND OF, UH, SPENDING 85% OF THOSE PROCEEDS BY THE DEADLINE.
WHAT OTHER HEADWINDS ARE OUT THERE? GO AHEAD, SUI.
WELL, I DON'T, I MEAN, I THINK
[03:10:01]
THAT THE ITEMS YOU LISTED ARE, YOU KNOW, ONGOING CONCERNS.UM, BUT I THINK ONE OF THE THINGS I'M REALLY CONCERNED ABOUT IS JUST THE COST TO DO EVERYTHING.
I MEAN, THIS IS ABOUT MM-HMM
WHAT'S LISTED, OUR FUNDING TO BE ABLE TO DO THESE PROJECTS, BUT I'M JUST CONCERNED ABOUT THE UNPREDICTABLE COST OF HOW THINGS WILL BE IN THE NEXT, I DON'T KNOW, JUST NEAR FUTURE.
SO COST INCREASES AND THE UNPREDICTABILITY OF THAT.
AND LABOR AND EVERYTHING BECAUSE SERVICES AND GOODS, INFLATION, BOTH MM-HMM
WHAT ABOUT THE IMPACT ON THE PORT? ARE THERE SOME CONCERNS AROUND THAT? YOU SAID COST, I, I GET CONCERNED ABOUT RECESSION.
THE ECONOMISTS ARE TALKING ABOUT THAT.
THE POTENTIAL NO ONE KNOWS, BUT THAT IT'S A, IT'S OUT THERE AS A POTENTIAL.
I'LL, I'LL, I'LL ALSO SAY WE SPEND A LOT OF TIME AT THE LAST RETREAT TALKING ABOUT THE SHIFTING, UM, MEDIA ENVIRONMENT AND, YOU KNOW, THE EMERGENCE OF SOCIAL MEDIA AND AI AND ALL THE ALGORITHMS JUST DRIVING SUCH A NEGATIVE TONE ABOUT GOVERNMENT IN GENERAL.
I'M TALKING ABOUT THERE IS AN INTENTIONAL CAMPAIGN TO REMOVE TRUST IN INSTITUTIONS MM-HMM
AND THAT AFFECTS OUR ABILITY TO, TO WORK TOGETHER.
IF ANYTHING, IT, IT CREATES MORE PRESSURE ON US TO MAKE POOR DECISIONS.
POOR, ERRATIC, SHORT TERM DECISIONS.
WHEN WE SHOULD BE THINKING LONG TERM.
PEOPLE ARE LOOKING FOR DOGE RIGHT NOW.
THEY'RE LOOKING FOR DISMANTLE DISRUPT.
BUT IN LOCAL GOVERNMENT, WE HAVE TO BUILD, WE HAVE TO INVEST.
WE'RE, WE'RE NOT IN THE SEASON OF DISMANTLE AND DISRUPT.
AND SO THAT IS DEFINITELY A HEADWIND THAT IT'S HARD TO PREDICT THE FUTURE POLITICS USED TO BE A VERY PREDICTABLE PENDULUM.
IT GOES CONSERVATIVE TO LIBERAL AND IT SWINGS BACK AND FORTH.
IT THING'S DOING LIKE 3 80, 360 SPINS NOW.
IT IS HARD TO PREDICT WHERE THINGS ARE GOING.
AND THE ONE THING THAT WE CAN PREDICT IS THAT IT'S BECOMING MORE EXTREME.
I'VE SEEN IT BECOME MORE EXTREME, EXTREME SINCE, UM, TRUMP TERM ONE, WHEN IT WAS, UM, WHAT WAS THE GROUP? UM, THAT WERE DOING THE HAND SIGNS AND ALL THE PICTURES? UH, I CAN'T WAIT.
BEFORE THAT IT WAS THE TEA TEA PARTY.
WELL THAT TOO, BUT NO, THIS WAS THE GROUP THAT WAS DOING THIS IN THE PICTURES DOING THAT.
YOU KNOW WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT? IF THAT'S WHEN PEOPLE START, 'CAUSE WE'VE ALWAYS HAD, WE'VE ALWAYS HAD GA FLIES IN LONG BEACH.
GIVE THEM THE TIME TO SAY WHATEVER THEY WANNA SAY.
SO THAT'S WHEN THINGS STARTED GETTING REALLY EXTREME AT COUNCIL MEETINGS AND PEOPLE WERE COMING IN SAYING VERY LIKE HARSH, NEGATIVE THINGS.
AND IT'S ONLY GOTTEN MORE EXTREME, UM, THAT PRESSURE AND IT, IT'S EVEN WORSE ON SOCIAL MEDIA.
SO THAT'S A HEADWIND THAT'S NOT LISTED THERE.
STATE BUDGET AS OF FEBRUARY WAS AT, AT ABOUT $46 BILLION DEFICIT AND IT'S GOTTEN WORSE SINCE THEN.
AND WHO KNOWS WHAT THE IMPACT ON LOCAL GOVERNMENTS WILL BE.
WHERE THE STATE DECIDES THAT THEY WANT TO SOLVE THEIR PROBLEM.
NOT AT THEMSELVES NECESSARILY.
AND THEN, AND THEN GENERALLY I'VE HEARD FROM ALL THE COUNCIL AND WE'RE BRIEFING ON A WEEKLY BASIS AS WE KNOW MORE, BUT THE LOSS OF FEDERAL FUNDING IS GONNA BE A HUGE ISSUE AND MM-HMM
THAT'S STARTING IN, IN THE LAST WEEK OR SO TO BECOME EVEN MORE REAL.
UH, THERE WERE JUST MORE EXECUTIVE ORDERS, YOU KNOW, LAUNCHED YESTERDAY THAT WE'RE ANALYZING.
WE'RE STARTING TO GET LETTERS ABOUT, UM, YOU KNOW, WHAT ARE SOME OF THE SPECIFIC GRANT REQUIREMENTS? IF YOU WANT OUR MONEY, THESE ARE THE THINGS YOU NEED TO DO.
SO WE'LL BE BRIEFING ON THAT SOON.
UH, BUT I THINK THERE'LL BE AN EXPECTATION THAT WELL, IF THEY DON'T PAY FOR IT, WE WILL.
THERE, THERE, THERE IS NO AGENCY THAT CAN SUPPORT AND ABSORB ALL OF THAT.
AND SO EVEN WHEN THINGS LIKE THE COUNTY GETS CUT, THEY'RE GONNA TURN AROUND MM-HMM
AND SO WE'RE GONNA SEE SOME VERY LARGE IMPACTS IN, IN OUR GRANT FUNDED, UH, AREAS.
YOU GOT, UM, YEAH, I WAS SIMILAR TO WHAT, UM, UH, TOM WAS SAYING WAS THE LAWS OF FEDERAL FUNDING.
UM, BUT I WAS JUST GONNA SAY, I'M NOT SURE WHAT'S WORSE, THE UNPREDICTABILITY OF THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT OR THE FACT THAT THEY'RE STARTING TO COALESCE ON THINGS THAT ARE NOT GONNA BE BENEFICIAL FOR STATES, COUNTIES, OR FOR CITIES.
UM, I THINK THE, THE CHALLENGE REALLY ON THIS YEAR AT LEAST, WAS THAT THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT WAS A MOVING TARGET, RIGHT? MM-HMM
[03:15:01]
UM, AND SO IT WAS VERY DIFFICULT TO THEN PLAN FOR AN ADMINISTRATION WHOSE PRIORITIES WERE, WELL, THERE WAS AN OVERARCHING PRIORITY ABOUT HOW THEY WERE GONNA ACTION THAT HAS BECOME, WAS VERY UNCLEAR.
UM, AND NOW THAT THINGS ARE STARTING TO COALESCE AROUND, LIKE THESE ARE GONNA BE OUR MANDATES, UH, I THINK IT'S ACTUALLY GONNA BE EVEN MORE OF A DIFFICULT ENVIRONMENT NOW THAT, UM, THERE'S MORE CERTAINTY AROUND WHAT IS GOING TO GET CUT.
SO, AND BOTTOM LINE IS LOTS OF UNCERTAINTY, BUT YOU STILL HAVE OBLIGATION TO DELIVER CITY SERVICES.
I MEAN, YOU STILL DO, YOU STILL HAVE TO PLAN, YOU STILL HAVE TO DO YOUR BUDGET AND YOU STILL HAVE TO, UH, MAKE CONTINGENCY PLANS AS WELL FOR, FOR THESE POSSIBLE CUTS.
UH, SO NOW WE WANNA TALK ABOUT COUNCIL PRIORITIES, BUT DO YOU ALL NEED ABOUT A 10 MINUTE BREAK? LET'S TAKE A QUICK BREAK.
YEAH, SO LET'S TAKE A 10 MINUTE BREAK AND, UH, WE'LL COME BACK AND THEN WE'LL TALK ABOUT PRIORITIES 1 45.
WE'RE AHEAD OF SCHEDULE, EVERYONE, LET'S KEEP IT THAT WAY.
SO
OH, UA AND MARY, MARY, SHE MIGHT THE RESTROOM.
DO YOU KNOW IF MARY WENT DOWNSTAIRS TO GO USE RESTROOM? SHE'LL BE THE LITTLE GOTCHA.
GO AHEAD AND CONTINUE WITHOUT HER.
MARY'S GONNA JOIN US IN JUST A MINUTE.
WELL, SHE SAID TO GO AHEAD AND GET STARTED SO WE CAN GO AHEAD AND JUMP IN.
SO THIS IS, THIS IS JUST A, YOU KNOW, LITTLE BIT OF A REMINDER, UH, ABOUT THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN SETTING A PRIORITY THAT YOU ARE ALL ALIGNED IN AND SAYING, YES, THIS IS WHERE WE WANT TO MAKE SIGNIFICANT PROGRESS AND MOVE THINGS FORWARD VERSUS THINGS THAT ARE JUST IMPORTANT.
UH, A LOT OF THE THINGS, MOST OF THE THINGS ARGUABLY THAT THE CITY DOES ARE THERE BECAUSE THEY'RE IMPORTANT.
YOU KNOW, THEY'RE SERVING RESIDENTS, THEY ARE MEETING THE CORE SERVICE REQUIREMENTS AND NEEDS OF THE COMMUNITY.
THEY'RE BUILT INTO YOUR BUDGET.
THEY'RE BUILT INTO DEPARTMENTAL WORK PLANS.
YOU KNOW, THEY'RE JUST HAPPENING.
THE PRIORITIES ARE THE EXTRA, RIGHT? THESE ARE THE THINGS THAT YOU WANT TO REALLY ADVANCE.
UH, LAST TIME YOU WENT THROUGH THIS PROCESS, YOU NAMED THREE TOP PRIORITIES.
UH, AND THEY HAVE SERVED YOU WELL.
IT SEEMS JUST BASED ON ALL OF THE ACCOMPLISHMENTS AND THE FOCUS THAT THAT HAS PROVIDED, UM, THESE ARE NOT TYPICALLY THINGS THAT YOU'RE GOING TO ACHIEVE IN SIX MONTHS OR A YEAR.
IT TAKES TIME TO DO BIG STUFF.
UH, AND SO THAT'S WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT HERE.
UH, SO HERE, OOPSIE, WRONG ONE REMOTE.
HERE ARE THE PRIORITIES THAT YOU ESTABLISHED WHEN YOU WORKED TOGETHER IN 2023.
THERE WERE TWO SORT OF CORE FOUNDATIONAL PRIORITIES, UH, AROUND FISCAL SUSTAINABILITY AND STAFFING.
AND WE HAVE HEARD A LOT ABOUT THOSE INVESTMENTS OF TIME AND ENERGY TO BE ABLE TO HELP STABILIZE THE ORGANIZATION.
AND IT SOUNDS LIKE IT HAS REALLY PAID OFF IN YOUR ABILITY TO GET STUFF DONE.
SO CONGRATULATIONS AND KUDOS ON THAT.
UH, THERE'S STILL FUNDAMENTAL CORE RIGHT TO THE ORGANIZATION AND HOW YOU'RE DOING THE WORK.
AND THEN THREE, UM, TOP PRIORITIES THAT YOU REALLY WANTED TO SEE SOME MAJOR PROGRESS TOWARDS.
HOMELESSNESS AND HOUSING, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND PUBLIC SAFETY.
AND SO WE HEARD UPDATES FROM TOM IN HIS PRESENTATION ABOUT THE INVESTMENTS AND THE WORK THAT HAS BEEN DONE AND THE OPPORTUNITIES THAT LAY AHEAD FROM THE MAYOR AT THE BEGINNING.
SO THESE ARE THE, THE PRIORITIES THAT YOU'VE BEEN WORKING AND FOCUSED ON.
UH, SO WHAT WE WANNA DO, UH, NOW IS THINK ABOUT WHAT NEXT, YOU KNOW, ARE THIS STILL THE RIGHT, OH, I KEEP DOING THAT.
WHAT, UM, WHAT YOU WANNA FOCUS ON.
SO WHEN WE HAD THE CHANCE TO CONNECT, UM, A FEW MONTHS AGO AND TALK ABOUT, YOU KNOW, WHAT'S IMPORTANT, WHAT ARE THE PRIORITIES GOING FORWARD, WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS? THERE WAS A LOT OF CONSISTENCY AND ALIGNMENT THAT WE HEARD.
SO HERE ARE SOME OF THE, THE COMMENTS THAT CAME THROUGH THOSE INTERVIEWS.
WE'LL JUST SHARE, FIRST OF ALL, YOU KNOW, I WOULD PROBABLY PUT IN BOLD AND UNDERLINE THAT FIRST ONE, WHICH WAS, STAY THE COURSE THAT YOU'RE MAKING PROGRESS, YOU'VE GOT MOMENTUM.
UH, AND THERE SEEMS TO BE A LOT OF CONSISTENT ALIGNMENT AROUND THOSE AND NOT A, NOT A DESIRE FOR A MAJOR PIVOT.
UM, WE CAN TALK ABOUT, YOU KNOW, WHAT THAT MEANS TO YOU AND WHAT SUCCESS LOOKS LIKE OVER THE NEXT COUPLE OF YEARS.
[03:20:01]
THE PRIORITIES YOU HAVE, BUT MAYBE SOME NEW WAYS OF ACHIEVING IT.SO KIND OF ITERATING AND BUILDING ON THE SUCCESSES THAT YOU HAVE ALREADY HAD.
NO, YOU'RE GOOD, YOU'RE GOOD, YOU'RE GOOD.
AND SO EVEN THE FOUNDATIONAL PRIORITIES COUPLED WITH YOUR TOP PRIORITIES, THEY ALL HAVE A NEXUS POINT IN TERMS OF THE SUCCESS.
UM, YOU KNOW, CONTINUE TO FOCUS ON THOSE INTERNAL ELEMENTS.
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IS ESSENTIAL.
YOU MENTIONED THAT INFRASTRUCTURE IS CRITICAL AND THIS WASN'T ONE OF YOUR TOP PRIORITIES LAST TIME, BUT WE HAVE JUST, YOU KNOW, HEARD A LOT ABOUT THE INVESTMENT AND THE, THE FOCUS IN THAT AREA.
HOUSING AND HOMELESSNESS, THERE'S MORE WORK TO BE DONE.
THERE'S ACHIEVEMENT AND ACCOMPLISHMENTS, YOU'RE CELEBRATING, BUT, YOU KNOW, STAY THE COURSE.
FINANCIAL SUSTAINABILITY IS CRITICAL.
YOU KNOW, FOCUS ON BASIC SERVICES.
AND SO A LOT OF THESE ARE, ARE UNDERPINNINGS OF, YOU KNOW, CRITICAL CORE SERVICES AND MAINTAINING AN EMPHASIS AND A FOCUS ON THOSE AREAS.
UH, LAST ONE THERE MORE COMMUNICATION AND DISSEMINATION OF INFORMATION.
AND I'M IN THE SMALL GROUP THIS MORNING.
WHEN YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT THE, THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN YOUR DISTRICTS AND THE CITYWIDE EFFORTS, UH, MAYBE THAT'S PART OF WHERE THAT COMES INTO PLAY AND MAKING SURE PEOPLE FEEL CONNECTED AND INFORMED WITH A LOT OF THE BIG PRIORITIES YOU'RE WORKING ON, UH, RELATIVE TO THEIR DAY TODAY.
SO THOSE ARE SOME OF THE COMMENTS, THE THEMES THAT STOOD OUT TO US THROUGH OUR CONVERSATIONS.
ANY REACTION OR THINGS THAT, UH, EITHER IN THE LAST COUPLE MONTHS HAVE EMERGED, UH, OR THAT YOU WANNA EMPHASIZE OR POINT OUT? YEAH, ROBERTO, EXCUSE ME.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT IS, UH, IMPORTANT IS THAT WHAT WE'RE HEARD TODAY, WE'RE DOING WELL, RIGHT? WITH PUBLIC SAFETY, WE'RE DOING WELL.
YOU GET OUT WITH DEVELOPMENT AND WE'RE DOING WELL IN COMMUNICATION WITH EACH OTHER.
WE ARE THINKING THOSE PRIORITIES.
MY NEW ONES ARE OUT THERE, AND MY STRENGTH, IT BECOMING MORE AND MORE IMPORTANT AMONG AIR QUALITY, CLIMATE CHANGE.
IS REALLY COMING TO THE SURFACE AS A REAL, REAL IMPORTANT ISSUE FOR MY, FOR MY RESIDENTS.
ALTHOUGH IT HASN'T MADE ANY DISCUSS USING TRAFFIC HORN.
TRAFFIC TRAFFIC AND WHAT? HORN TRAFFIC.
IT IS, UH, ON THE RISE AND WE NEED TO DO A BETTER, GET A BETTER HANDLE ON, ON HOW TO HAVE MANAGE OUR, OUR CLIMATE CHANGE.
SO YOU'RE SAYING A LOT OF THINGS YOU'VE BEEN FOCUSED ON IN THE CORE SERVICES OF THE CITY ARE WORKING WELL TO KEEP FOCUS ON THERE, BUT YOU DON'T WANNA LOSE SIGHT OF THE CLIMATE AND, UM, ADDRESSING AIR QUALITY AND OTHER CONSTRAINTS AND CONCERNS.
THAT CAME UP A LITTLE BIT IN THE TRUE IN 10 YEARS.
AS A LITTLE CLUSTER OF FOCUS AROUND HOW DO WE ADDRESS THE PRESSURES OF CLIMATE CHANGE AND THE IMPACTS ON OUR RESIDENTS.
OTHER THOUGHTS OR COMMENTS? THINGS THAT ARE MISSING OR THINGS THAT YOU WANNA EMPHASIZE? OKAY.
YOU KNOW, EMPHASIZING THE ENVIRONMENT AND AGAIN, YOU KNOW, JUST BRINGING US BACK TO THE, THE EXERCISE WE DID THIS THIS MORNING, RIGHT? SO SOME OF THESE THINGS ARE THOSE AREAS YOU'VE REALLY BEEN FOCUSED ON.
WE HAD SAFETY, WE HAD DOLLARS.
SO THE BUDGET, WE HAD ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, HOUSING, AND HERE'S THE CLUSTER AROUND THE CLIMATE AND THE ENVIRONMENT THAT HAD SOME ENERGY BEHIND IT, SO TO SPEAK.
THAT MEANS BECAUSE CLIMATE CHANGE HAS NO WATERS.
RIGHT? WE NEED TO DO A BETTER JOB OF WORKING WITH OUR NEIGHBORHOOD CITIES MM-HMM
CARS, LA LAKEWOOD, TO GET THEM TO KNOW THAT WHAT AFFECTS THEM AFFECTS US.
AND WE NEED TO WORK TOGETHER THOSE OTHER CITIES.
IT'S A REAL UNDER UNDERLY MOLD.
SO THE, UH, THE REGIONAL NATURE OF NEEDING TO ADDRESS THESE, THESE, UM, CLIMATE BASED CHALLENGES, RIGHT.
THAT IT DOESN'T HAPPEN JUST WITHIN THE LONG BEACH BORDERS.
AND THE PARTNERSHIP, WHICH YOU'VE DONE IN A LOT OF AREAS, UM,
[03:25:01]
TO ADDRESS PROBLEMS IS SOMETHING THAT MAYBE REQUIRES MAYBE, YOU KNOW, FROM AN ELECTED BODY ALL THROUGH THE ORGANIZATION, TIME AND ATTENTION.JUST ON THAT NOTE OF THE REGIONAL ISSUES, IS WE DON'T ALWAYS HAVE JURISDICTIONAL AUTHORITY RIGHT.
SO NOT JUST COLLABORATION WITH OUR NEIGHBORING CITIES, BUT IF, IF IT'S THE FAA OR A QMD, THERE ARE PEOPLE OUTSIDE OF US THAT HAVE THE CONTROLS AND THE MEASURING AND ALL OF THOSE THINGS.
AND I THINK AS WE CONTINUE TO, TO ADDRESS THOSE ISSUES AS A CITY, DEMONSTRATING THE WAYS IN WHICH WE ARE INTERACTING WITH THOSE AGENCIES WHO DO HAVE JURISDICTION.
'CAUSE WE, AS MUCH AS WE'D WANT TO MAKE A CHANGE IN SOME AREAS, WE DON'T HAVE THE AUTHORITY TO DO SO.
SO UNDERSTANDING THOSE JURISDICTIONAL LINES, BUT ALSO DEMONSTRATING THE WAYS IN WHICH WE'RE WORKING OR ADVOCATING WITH THOSE AGENCIES FOR CHANGE.
OTHER THOUGHTS ON THAT? THIS TOPIC IN PARTICULAR? OR, OR OTHERS THAT ARE MISSING? WELL, SOMETIMES WHEN YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT, YOU KNOW, ADDRESSING CLIMATE CHANGE, UM, ADDRESSING THE ENVIRONMENTAL, UM, SUSTAINABILITY AND NEEDS, YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES FROM THE CITY PERSPECTIVE THAT CAN LINK BACK INTO INFRASTRUCTURE TOO, WHICH WE'VE JUST BEEN TALKING ABOUT IN YOUR INVESTMENTS.
AND, YOU KNOW, THOSE THINGS THAT YOU'RE DOING, IT DOESN'T PRECLUDE THE NEED FOR THOSE REGIONAL PARTNERSHIPS AND, AND INFORMATION SHARING THAT'S IMPORTANT, BUT ALSO THE INVESTMENTS THAT YOU'RE MAKING IN YOUR OWN COMMUNITY AND HOW THAT IMPACTS, UM, THE, THE ENVIRONMENT GLOBALLY.
SO TWO YEARS AGO WE WERE VERY HEAD DOWN FOCUSED.
WE, WE HAVE TO CALM OUT OF THIS HOLE.
WE HAVE TO ADDRESS THESE REAL CERTAIN CHALLENGES.
SO THERE WASN'T A WHOLE LOT OF DISCUSSION ABOUT YOUR HIGHER LEVEL ASPIRATIONS FOR YOUR COMMUNITY, CLEAN AIR, UM, EXPANDING OPEN SPACE.
MANY OF THE THINGS THAT WERE BIG PRIORITIES FOR OUR CITY BEFORE THE PANDEMIC.
I MEAN, WE SPENT A LOT OF TIME ON EXPANDING OPEN SPACE AND IMPROVING OUR AIR QUALITY AND, UH, IMPROVING THE ECONOMIC CONDITIONS IN ALL PARTS OF OUR CITY.
AND THE PANDEMIC REALLY MADE US CLOSE RANKS AND SAY, LET'S JUST, LET'S JUST GET THROUGH THIS.
I THINK BECAUSE THESE, THESE PAST FEW YEARS WE FOCUSED ON THE FUNDAMENTALS, UM, I THINK THAT HAS OPENED UP THE APERTURE, I THINK, TO BE MORE CLEAR ABOUT SOME OF THESE OTHER, UM, REALLY IMPORTANT GOALS THAT, THAT ARE JUST AS IMPORTANT TO PEOPLE.
CLEAN AIR AND, AND OPEN SPACE AND ALL THOSE THINGS.
BUT I THINK THERE'S A RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN INVESTING IN, LET'S SAY, HOUSING AND INVESTING IN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND ACHIEVING THOSE GOALS.
FOR EXAMPLE, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IS MAKING SURE THAT YOU HAVE PROCUREMENT OPPORTUNITIES AS THE PORT GOES, ZERO MISSION AND INVEST IN INFRASTRUCTURE, MAKE SURE THAT THOSE JOBS ARE LOCAL AND UNION, AND THEN YOU GOT SUBCONTRACTORS WORKING.
SO THERE'S WAYS TO ADDRESS, SAY, AIR QUALITY AND CLEAN INFRASTRUCTURE BY FOCUSING ON ONE OF THE CORE PRIORITIES.
SO MAYBE NOW IS THE TIME THAT WE ARE MORE CLEAR WHEN WE TALK ABOUT OUR PRIORITIES AND HOW WE WANT TO DO IT.
NOT JUST THAT WE'RE, IT'S NOT JUST THAT WE'RE FOCUSED ON PUBLIC SAFETY AND HOMELESSNESS AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, HOW WE GET THERE TO MAKE SURE IT'S INCLUSIVE OF OUR COMMUNITY.
IT'S ADDRESSING CLIMATE GOALS, ADDRESSING AIR QUALITY, ADDRESSING INFRASTRUCTURE, ALL THOSE THINGS, I THINK MM-HMM
WE CAN NOW TALK ABOUT MORE PUBLICLY AND BE MORE INTENTIONAL ABOUT.
ARE WE INTO THIS PART? WELL, IT SOUNDED LIKE WE WERE GOING THERE.
YOU WANT ME TO JUMP, JUMP INTO THIS? WELL, NO, LET'S, LET'S, LET'S GO ON TO THIS CONVERSATION.
I WANTED TO, WELL, THANKS MAYOR FOR MENTIONING THAT.
'CAUSE I DID WANNA HONE IN MORE INTO OUR SPECIFIC COMMUNITIES ABOUT WHAT HAPPENS WHEN WE ARE IN A VERY UNCERTAIN TIME.
AND WE WENT THROUGH THAT DURING THE PANDEMIC WHEN WE REALLY, PEOPLE WERE IN FULL ON SURVIVAL MODE.
AND I DO FEEL WITH THE CONDITION THAT WE'RE SET UP IN FIND ECONOMICALLY AS WELL AS POLITICALLY, IS WE'RE HEADING INTO THAT SURVIVAL MODE FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE ALREADY JUST STILL TRYING TO RECOVER FROM THE PANDEMIC ECONOMICALLY.
AND I'M, I JUST WANNA BE THOUGHTFUL ABOUT, WELL, HOW DO WE SUPPORT PEOPLE WHO, UM, ARE CONSIDERING WAYS THAT IF THEY LOSE THEIR JOB, YOU KNOW, THEY DON'T HAVE ACCESS TO SOME OF THESE TRADITIONAL SOURCE OF SOMETIMES JOB OPPORTUNITIES.
SO PEOPLE ARE GONNA START DOING SIDE HUSTLES, MAKING IT THEIR FULL TIME.
SO IT'S ALWAYS, YOU KNOW, AND I THINK THAT, I WANNA THINK ABOUT, WELL, HOW DO WE, I, I MEAN, I THINK THAT WE'VE BEEN REALLY RESPONSIVE TO ADDRESSING SIDEWALK VENDING, BUT I THINK PEOPLE ARE GONNA BE STILL CONTINUING TO DO SOME LEVEL OF MICRO ENTREPRENEURSHIP OR ENTREPRENEURSHIP JUST BECAUSE IT'S, YOU KNOW, BEYOND BEING AN UBER DRIVER.
RIGHT? SO I THINK THAT THERE'S A LAYER OF ECONOMY THAT EXISTS IN OUR DIFFERENT DISTRICTS AND COMMUNITIES TO SURVIVE.
UM, SO I JUST WANTED TO LIFT THAT UP BECAUSE THAT IS VERY REAL AS PEOPLE ARE GETTING LAID OFF IN DIFFERENT COMPANIES.
UM, LIKE WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE? RIGHT? IT'S JUST A QUESTION I WANNA PUT OUT THERE, BECAUSE THAT'S GONNA BE WHAT PEOPLE WILL FALL
[03:30:01]
BACK ON AND THEY WILL DO IT REGARDLESS OF WHETHER WE HAVE A LEGAL PERMITTING PROCESS FOR IT OR NOT.SO I WAS COGNIZANT OF THE TIME, AND I WAS LOOKING AT THE FACT THAT WE ARE AT TWO O'CLOCK MM-HMM
AND THE TWO THINGS THAT I WAS HOPING WOULD COME OUT OF THIS PART OF THE CONVERSATION WOULD BE THE WHAT, SO WHAT ARE THOSE TOP THREE AND WHAT ARE THOSE TWO FOUNDATIONAL? YEP.
UM, AND THEN THE OTHER ELEMENT WHICH, AND YOU TELL ME FROM A PROCESS STANDPOINT, I DON'T KNOW THAT WE WILL GET THERE, BUT EVEN AS WE TALK ABOUT THE, WHAT I WANNA MAKE SURE WE TALK ABOUT THE WHAT, SIMILAR TO, WITH THE MAYOR, I THINK WHERE HE WAS GOING, I WANT GOALS FOR EACH OF THE AREAS, OR I WANT SOME LEVEL OF UNDERSTANDING ABOUT THE VISION OR WHAT WE THINK ABOUT, UM, IN EACH OF THOSE AREAS.
SO THAT WAY, UM, YOU KNOW, THERE ARE SOME THINGS THAT I'M INTERESTED IN CITYWIDE AND DISTRICT LEVEL WHERE THAT KIND OF COLORS FOR ME WHAT THOSE TOP THREE ARE, UM, AND HOW, UM, HOW I SEE THEM AS THE PRIORITIES.
RIGHT? UM, THAT'S, THAT'S A DISCIPLINE POINT.
AND I THINK THAT WE'RE STARTING TO TALK ABOUT THE, THE ITERATION IN SOME WAYS OF THESE GOALS OR SOMETHING ELSE ENTIRELY POTEN, NOT, NOT ENTIRELY DIFFERENT.
UM, BUT WHAT DOES SUCCESS LOOK LIKE? YOU KNOW, WHAT DOES THAT MEAN TO YOU? YES.
RIGHT? INDIVIDUALLY AND THEREFORE COLLECTIVELY.
UH, SO I MEAN, IN TERMS OF, OF PROCESS, WHAT WE HAD IMAGINE, AND WE CAN, YOU KNOW, DO AN ADJUSTMENT IF WE NEED TO, BUT TO TALK ABOUT THE BIG BUCKETS, RIGHT? AND RECOGNIZING USING ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AS AN EXAMPLE, IF THAT REMAINS SOMETHING THAT IS A HIGH PRIORITY, BUT MAYBE GIVEN THE UNCERTAINTY IN THE ECONOMY OR, OR THINGS THAT YOU'VE ALREADY ACCOMPLISHED.
MAYBE IT LOOKS A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT OVER THE NEXT TWO YEARS, BUT IT'S STILL SOMETHING YOU'RE FOCUSED ON TO BE ABLE TO TALK ABOUT THAT.
UM, SO IT'S, YOU KNOW, WHAT'S, WHAT'S ON THE HORIZON WITHIN THAT PRIORITY AREA.
UH, THEN WE WERE GOING TO MAKE SURE WE HAD AN OPPORTUNITY FOR EACH OF YOU TO, TO IDENTIFY WHAT ARE THOSE THINGS THAT YOU HOPE ARE ACCOMPLISHED RELATIVE TO THOSE BIG BUCKETS TO HELP INFORM, UM, THE BUDGET DEVELOPMENT AND THE NEXT STEPS.
AND SO WE WERE GONNA USE OUR LAST BIT OF TIME TOGETHER TO, YOU KNOW, JUST WRITE 'EM DOWN, RIGHT? AND GET THOSE IN FRONT OF THE, THE CITY MANAGER, UH, AND THEREFORE INTO THE CONVERSATION ABOUT BUDGET DEVELOPMENT AND, YOU KNOW, WHAT DO YOU HAVE THE RESOURCES FOR? WHAT CAN YOU FUND, BUT TO KNOW WHERE YOU'RE COMING FROM.
SO THAT, DOES THAT HELP TO ILLUSTRATE A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE, THE PROCESS WE WERE IMAGINING AND YEAH.
WE, WE, WE ARE NOW IN OUR, UM, KIND OF FINAL HOUR.
SO, LAST TIME WE AGREED ON TWO FOUNDATIONAL AND THREE PRIORITIES.
AND THEN THAT GAVE THE STAFF THE ABILITY TO COME BACK AND START THINKING ABOUT HOW THOSE CAN MM-HMM
YOU KNOW, BE REPRESENTED IN OUR BUDGET.
AND IN THE OTHER THINGS WE DID, THERE WAS A FOLLOW-UP PRESENTATION AT COUNCIL MM-HMM
AND OVER THE COURSE OF THE LAST TWO YEARS, WE KEPT REFERENCING HOW WE CAME BACK TO THOSE THREE PRIORITIES.
SO WHAT WE NEED TO DO NOW IS DISCUSS IF THESE ARE STILL OUR PRIORITIES, OR DO WE NEED TO CHANGE THOSE PRIORITIES.
I THINK WE SHOULD START WITH THESE TWO.
THE FOUNDATIONAL PRIORITIES HAVE BEEN A BIG FOCUS FOR US, FISCAL SUSTAINABILITY.
WE'RE NOT OUT OF THE HOLE YET, BUT WE'RE LOOKING GOOD, PARTICULARLY COMPARED TO THE OTHER TOP 10 BIG CITIES IN CALIFORNIA STAFFING.
UH, THE BIGGEST THING THAT WE WERE ABLE TO DO IS FUNDAMENTALLY CHANGE THE STRUCTURE OF OUR GOVERNMENT TO ADDRESS STAFFING.
BUT EVEN BEFORE THI BEFORE WE DID THE BALLOT MEASURE, THERE WAS A BIG EMPHASIS ON REFUSE AND THEN ON AMBULANCE HAULERS AND INCREASING THE SIZE OF OUR ACADEMIES.
ARE THESE STILL OUR TWO FOUNDATIONAL PRIORITIES, OR IS THERE ANOTHER FOUNDATIONAL PRIORITY? FOUNDATIONAL MEANING IT AFFECTS OUR ABILITY TO DELIVER ON THE PRIORITIES.
SO ARE THESE TWO STILL THE SAME? YES.
CAN WE, CAN WE GET A THUMBS AROUND EVERYBODY? OKAY.
NOW ON THE THREE TOP PRIORITIES, I DON'T SEE AS A, AS A MAYOR AND AS A FORMER COUNCIL MEMBER, HOW YOU DEPRIORITIZING THOSE? I, I, I THINK SURE, WE HAD A GOOD POINT IN TIME COUNT LAST YEAR, BUT IT COULD GO UP AND GO DOWN EVERY YEAR.
I THINK THAT HAS TO BE A CORE PRIORITY FOR US.
AND THE ENVIRONMENT IS SHIFTING ALL THE TIME, RIGHT.
SUPREME COURT DECISIONS AND ALL OF THAT.
I, I PERSONALLY DON'T KNOW HOW YOU DEPRIORITIZE THOSE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
THERE'S STILL A LOT OF WORK TO DO.
I DON'T KNOW HOW YOU DEPRIORITIZE THAT PUBLIC SAFETY.
I DON'T SEE HOW ANY COUNCIL MEMBER SAYS PUBLIC SAFETY IS NOT A PRIORITY.
[03:35:01]
BUT I THINK WHAT'S MISSING, AND IT WAS A LOT OF CONVERSATION TODAY, WAS ON INFRASTRUCTURE.WE'VE DONE WELL WITH OUR FIVE-YEAR INFRASTRUCTURE PLAN.
AND IT IS VERY CLEAR THAT EVEN WHEN YOU STAFF UP AND YOU INVEST MORE, WE LEVERAGE MEASURE A TO TURN AND TURN 500 MILLION INTO 920 MILLION.
EVEN WHEN YOU DO THAT, YOU'RE JUST TREADING WATER.
AND IT'S STILL NOT ENOUGH TO KEEP UP WITH THE BASIC STREETS AND SIDEWALKS, LET ALONE OUR MAJOR FACILITIES, CONVENTION CENTERS, SEA WALLS, ALL THE THINGS THAT HAVE BEEN BUILT IN OUR CITY, CITY IN THE SIXTIES AND THE SEVENTIES WITH NO REAL PLAN TO MAINTAIN THEM.
AND SO, I'M GONNA PUT A QUESTION TO THE GROUP.
I SAY WE ADD INFRASTRUCTURE AS A FOURTH PRIORITY OVER THIS NEXT TWO YEARS.
WHAT DO YOU GUYS THINK? TOPIC FOR DISCUSSION.
I WAS TRYING TO FOLLOW THE DIRECTIONS AND I ONLY DID TOP THREE.
SO IN, BUT, BUT THEN I PUT PUBLIC SAFETY WITHIN THE INFRASTRUCTURE, WHICH GOT TO MY POINT AROUND WHAT IS INSIDE THE GOALS, THE, YOU KNOW, WHAT'S, WHAT'S OUR PLAN FOR THOSE AREAS? SO YES.
WE JUST HAVE TO FIGURE OUT, IS IT THREE OR FOUR? WHAT ELSE? THREE'S NOT A MAGIC NUMBER.
IT'S JUST A, ITS A, SOMETHING TO SHOOT FOR THREE WAS A CHALLENGE.
IT WAS LIKE, TRY TO FOCUS ON THREE.
'CAUSE IF EVERYTHING'S A PRIORITY, NOTHING'S A PRIORITY.
I THINK THE CITY MANAGER MAY WANT TO COMMENT ON THAT TOO, BECAUSE TWO YEARS AGO WAS THE FIRST TIME OF DOING THIS RIGHT.
AND WE REALLY WEREN'T, I THINK TRYING TO FOCUS IN, I THINK WE, IT WAS THE FIRST TIME TWO YEARS AGO.
AND I THINK THE COUNCIL REALLY WAS TRYING TO FOCUS IN.
BUT I THINK TOM, SO BEFORE TOM JUMPS IN, ANY OTHER CON COMMENTS, COUNSEL ON, ON THIS PROPOSAL? I WAS GONNA SAY YES.
'CAUSE I, I WAS TRYING TO, I ALSO LIKE COUNCIL MEMBER TH TOOK, WAS TRYING TO FOLLOW THE DIRECTIONS AND I WAS LIKE, I REALLY WANT ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
I SAID, COULD I COUNT HOMELESSNESS AND HOUSING AS INFRASTRUCTURE TOO? SO THEN WE COULD JUST ALL HAVE IT TOGETHER.
AND WE SOLVE OUR DILEMMA BECAUSE YOU'RE NOT GONNA BE ABLE TO TAKE ANY OF THESE OUT.
WHO ELSE? DARRYL? WELL, I'M GONNA ADD TO THE PROBLEM.
SO, UM, I THINK WE NEED TO DEFINE PUBLIC SAFETY JUST A LITTLE BIT.
AND THE ONE THING I HAVEN'T HEARD TODAY THAT WE GET ALL KINDS OF CALLS IN THE OFFICE ABOUT IS TRAFFIC SAFETY AND SPEEDING AND SPEEDING BY, UH, SCOTERS.
SO THE, THERE, WE HAD A PLAN FOR THIS AT ONE TIME.
IT WAS CALLED, DO YOU REMEMBER TOM? IT WAS CALLED VISION ZERO.
UH, LONG BEACH IS AN INITIATIVE TO REDUCE TRAFFIC RELATED FATALITIES AND SERIOUS IN INJURIES TO ZERO BY 2026.
SO WE, THAT WAS A DIFFERENT COUNCIL.
UH, MAYOR, BUT THE PHONE CALLS HAVEN'T STOPPED, SO YOU'RE RIGHT.
UH, I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE WE DON'T NEGLECT, UH, TRAFFIC AND TRAFFIC RELIEF.
I THINK WHAT'S INTERESTING IS THAT THAT IS INFRASTRUCTURE AND IT'S STAFFING AND IT'S PUBLIC SAFETY.
IT, IT EXISTS WITHIN ALL OF THOSE PRIORITIES.
THAT WAS THE COMMENT ABOUT HAVING THESE LINKED RIGHT, RIGHT.
THAT THEY ARE INTERTWINED FOR SURE.
CHRISTINA, ARE THESE TOP THREE PRIORITIES SET IN PRIORITY FROM NO, THEY'RE NOT ANY OR NOT PUT 'EM IN THE BUCKET.
AND, UM, I, I THINK WE NEED TO ADD INFRASTRUCTURE.
I WAS ACTUALLY THINKING ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COULD POTENTIALLY GO BE COMBINED WITH PUBLIC SAFETY, BUT I THINK FOR FOUR SUBJECTS THEY'RE IMPORTANT.
IS, IT'S A BASIC SERVICE THAT PEOPLE ARE SCREAMING ABOUT AND DELIVERY OF THAT MM-HMM
IT CONTRIBUTES TO EACH OF THOSE THINGS AS WELL.
YOUR ECONOMIC VITALITY, GENERALLY THE SAFETY AS YOU'RE MENTIONING WITH TRAFFIC, THERE IS SOME INTERLINE.
WHO ELSE? I WANNA ADD SOMETHING THERE.
UM, I'M NOT SURE WHERE IT FITS INTO THE TOP PRIORITIES.
IT MIGHT JUST BE, UM, WITH EVERY ONE OF OUR TOP PRIORITIES AND THAT IS, UM, ENFORCEMENT AND FOLLOW UP ON OUR POLICIES THAT WE HAVE PASSED.
I FEEL LIKE, UM, THAT CAN BE IMPLEMENTED IN ALL OF THE, OUR TOP PRIORITIES.
AND I MEAN LIKE ENFORCEMENT AND FOLLOW UP ON HOMELESSNESS, ON STREET VENDORS, ON PARKING, UM, ALL, ALL THE THINGS THAT WE'VE ALREADY PASSED, POLICIES THAT, OR THAT ARE LAWS THAT ALREADY ARE IN EXISTENCE.
SO I THINK THAT IT'S IMPORTANT TO BE ABLE TO SEE THAT.
SO, UH, I, UM, I SEE TEN'S VISION WITH HOW SETTING GOALS UNDER ALL OF OUR TOP PRIORITIES WOULD BE GOOD.
[03:40:01]
YEP.AND THEN I WANTED TO SPEAK TO A LITTLE BIT OF THE HISTORY AND, AND THIS, UH, CONCEPT OF TRYING TO FOCUS ON THREE AND THE IDEA OF ADDING FOUR.
SO WHEN WE DID THIS THE FIRST TIME, UH, IF YOU REMEMBER WE HAD NINE, I THINK NINE AREAS IN THE STRATEGIC VISION THAT ARE LIKE OUTWARD FACING AND ANOTHER FIVE OR SIX THAT WERE INWARD FACING.
AND SO WE REALLY, YOU KNOW, THIS IS THE FIRST TIME WE'VE EVER DONE SOMETHING LIKE THIS.
SO WE TALKED ABOUT NOT OVEREXTENDING OURSELVES ABOUT TRYING TO PICK CERTAIN ONES.
AND I THINK AS YOU'VE SEEN FROM THE RESULTS, WE'VE BEEN SUCCESSFUL IN REALLY MOVING THE NEEDLE ON SOME OF THOSE, NOT THAT WE'RE DONE, UH, BUT WE, WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO SHOW THAT WE CAN ORGANIZE AROUND THOSE THREE WHILE STILL WORKING ON THE OTHER PRIORITIES.
UM, I WOULD FEEL COMFORTABLE ADDING INFRASTRUCTURE AS A FOURTH BECAUSE WE HAVE BUILT UP THE SYSTEMS, WE HAVE THE STAFFING, WE SHOWED THAT WE, WHEN YOU GIVE US MORE MONEY, WE CAN DO MORE WORK.
UH, AND I ACTUALLY IN, IN, IN LOOKING AT THE LIST UP HERE, WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT QUALITY OF LIFE AND YOU TALK ABOUT, UM, CLIMATE AND YOU TALK ABOUT HOUSING AND INFRASTRUCTURE, UM, UM, NOT INFRASTRUCTURE, UM, UH, ANY OF THOSE OTHERS, UM, THAT INFRASTRUCTURE SUPPORTS ALL OF THOSE.
AND SO I DO SEE IT SORT OF AS A FOUNDATIONAL PRIORITY, BUT I THINK IT FITS BETTER IN THE TOP FOUR PRIORITIES.
'CAUSE IT WILL HELP YOU WITH EVERYTHING FROM CLIMATE AND ENVIRONMENT TO ALL THESE THINGS THAT WE WANT TO ACCOMPLISH.
SO I DO THINK WE HAVE THE STAFFING TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT.
THIS WILL COME DOWN TO A FUNDING ISSUE MORE, UH, MORE THAN ANYTHING.
DO YOU, WELL, WELL, LEMME ASK A QUESTION OF THE GROUP.
DO YOU THINK INFRASTRUCTURE SHOULD BE A FOUNDATIONAL PRIORITY OR ONE OF THOSE THREE CATEGORIES OF PRIORITY, TOP PRIORITY? UH, MEGAN, UM, I WAS, BEFORE YOU JUMPED IN.
I WAS GONNA SAY I, I THINK IT'S CRITICAL THAT IT'S ONE OF OUR TOP PRIORITIES.
UM, PHYSICAL SUSTAINABILITY AND STAFFING, AGAIN, ALLOW US TO DO THE WORK THAT'S A TOP PRIORITY.
I THINK AS A COUNCIL MEMBER OVER THE LAST TWO YEARS, I'VE BEEN ABLE TO REFER BACK TO WHAT THE PRIORITIES ARE OF THIS COUNCIL.
I WOULD SAY THAT THE INFRASTRUCTURE ISSUE IS THE TOP ISSUE FACING MY STAFF AND OUR DISTRICT OFFICE IN TERMS OF CALLS AND NEED.
UM, AND SO TO BE ABLE TO SAY OUT LOUD TO PEOPLE, BECAUSE VERY FEW PEOPLE ARE GOING TO LISTEN TO THE RECORDING OF TODAY, WHERE EVERYBODY HAS TALKED ABOUT HOW IMPORTANT THIS IS TO THEM TO BE ABLE TO OUTWARDLY DEMONSTRATE THAT THIS IS A PRIORITY OF COUNCIL, I THINK IS REALLY IMPORTANT TO OUR FOLKS AND WE SHOULD DO IT.
UH, TAN YOU HAD SOMETHING TO ADD THAT, OH, I WAS GONNA EDIT NUMBER.
SO THUMBS UP IF EVERYBODY AGREES.
WE NOW HAVE FOUR TOP PRIORITIES FOR OUR CITY.
FOUR PRIORITIES, TWO FOUNDATIONAL, FOUR TOP PRIORITIES.
UM, SO I WANTED TO JUST FIRST OF ALL ASK THE QUESTION BECAUSE IT CAME UP, UM, AROUND THE CLIMATE AND DOES THAT ADDRESS THE CONCERN INFRASTRUCTURE, INCLUDING, UM, AS A PART OF THE INFRASTRUCTURE CONVERSATION? YEAH.
JUST WANTED TO HONOR THAT, THAT, THAT QUESTION.
SO WHAT WE'D LIKE TO DO THEN, WE DON'T NEED TO DO THAT VOTING BECAUSE CONGRATULATIONS, YOU JUST DO VOTED BY THUMBS.
UM, BUT WE WANTED TO, YOU KNOW, PROVIDE SOME OPPORTUNITY TO HELP PUT THAT DEFINITION IN THERE.
SO USING, AND WE'LL BRING AROUND SOME MORE POST-IT NOTES.
UM, LET'S SEE, ACTUALLY, OH, SO THIS IS A DIFFERENT CONVERSATION THAN I WAS IMAGINING.
UM, SO, YOU KNOW, WHAT ARE THE THINGS THAT ARE GOING TO, YOU KNOW, BE NECESSARY, UH, TO BE ABLE TO, THIS IS TOM.
SORRY, TOM, DID YOU WANNA HAVE ANY COMMENT ON HERE? OH, THAT'S ME.
WHAT DO YOU WANT TO GIVE UP,
I THOUGHT WE WERE DOING, YEAH, SO, UM, YOU KNOW, I, I THINK WE'VE ALL YOU, THIS IS, THIS IS OBVIOUSLY WHAT WE DO DURING THE BUDGET CYCLE.
THIS IS, IS THIS ON? YEAH, I DON'T THINK SO.
SO, UM, I THINK THIS GETS A LITTLE BIT TO TONUS POINT, WHICH IS LIKE, WHAT ARE SOME OF THE APPROACHES? LIKE WHAT ARE SOME OF THE THINGS WE'RE GONNA DO? I DON'T THINK WE HAVE TO HAVE IT ALL IRONED OUT IN THE NEXT 20, 30 MINUTES.
UH, WE WILL BE FOLLOWING UP ON THIS.
WE HAVE A LOT OF THESE ITEMS ALREADY LISTED IN YOUR STRATEGIC VISION, AND WE CAN START TO KIND OF PRIORITIZE WHICH ONES THOSE ARE.
BUT I DO THINK IT WILL BE HELPFUL TO HAVE ACTUAL GOALS.
BUT IF WE COULD DO A LITTLE BIT OF BRAINSTORMING AROUND THAT.
NOW, WHAT ARE SOME OF THE THINGS WHEN YOU THINK, DID I, DID I ACHIEVE THAT? OR DID I MOVE THAT FORWARD IN THE NEXT LIKE 2, 3, 4 YEARS? WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE? AND THEN, IF WE'RE GONNA PUT MORE ATTENTION HERE, HOW DO WE DO THAT? IS IT THAT WE DEPRIORITIZE OTHER AREAS? IS THAT WE FIND OTHER WAYS TO INCREASE IN THESE AREAS? LIKE, HOW DO WE DO THIS GIVEN THAT, YOU KNOW, RIGHT NOW WE HAVE A PLAN WHERE ALL OF OUR RESOURCES ARE SORT OF DEDICATED.
SO THAT IS A HARDER DISCUSSION.
UH, BUT I, I THINK WE SHOULD BE THINKING ABOUT THOSE, BOTH OF THOSE.
WHAT DO WE WANNA ACCOMPLISH AND HOW DO WE, UH, ACHIEVE THAT? OKAY, SO WHAT, IN THE INTEREST OF TIME, WHAT WE THOUGHT WE WOULD DO WOULD BE TO JUST GATHER YOUR IDEAS THROUGH STICKY NOTES.
[03:45:01]
WOULD JUST BE IDEAS THAT THAT WOULD BE PRESENTED TO TOM OF ANYTHING THAT WOULD BE IMPORTANT TO YOU AS MEMBERS OF COUNCIL TO PUT THESE PRIORITIES INTO ACTION.UH, AND THEN SECONDLY, IF YOU HAVE IDEAS ABOUT WHAT COULD BE, UM, DEFUNDED OR REDUCED, THEN OF COURSE OFFERING THOSE IDEAS AS WELL PER TOM'S COMMENT.
SO WE'D LIKE TO JUST ASK YOU TO TAKE A FEW MOMENTS.
UM, WE'RE GONNA HAND OUT SOME MORE STICKY NOTES, AND THEN WE'RE GOING TO JUST GIVE THOSE TO TOM AND THEN HE AND HIS STAFF WILL TAKE A LOOK AT THEM.
AND AS THEY'RE PREPARING THE BUDGET, AND I KNOW THEY'RE WORKING ON THAT RIGHT NOW, UH, THAT WILL GIVE THEM, UH, JUST SOME OF YOUR THOUGHTS ABOUT WHAT GOES IN WHAT YOUTH WOULD HOPE WOULD HAPPEN WITH EACH ONE OF THESE PRIORITIES.
YOU DON'T HAVE TO ADDRESS ALL OF THE PRIORITIES IF YOU'RE ONLY FOCUSED ON INFRASTRUCTURE, JUST, UM, OFFER YOUR COMMENTS ABOUT INFRASTRUCTURE.
IF YOU'RE ONLY INTERESTED IN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, YOU CAN JUST OFFER SOME COMMENTS ON THAT.
SO JUST TAKE A FEW MOMENTS TO, UM, OFFER ANY SUGGESTIONS FOR THE BUDGET PROCESS FOR TOM.
IN ORDER TO MOVE THE NEEDLE ON THESE PRIORITIES, THAT'S WHAT WE'RE WRITING DOWN.
I SHE'S WRITING THE WHOLE PLAN FOR US.
AND THEN JUST CLOSING COMMENTS.
HEY, JENNY, I'LL TAKE THAT FOR YOU.
[03:50:04]
LEMME GET MY GLASSES.WHERE, WHERE DO I PUT 'EM? GOT A COUPLE MORE COMING IN.
YOU INFRASTRUCTURE, THIS IS LIKE AN EXERCISE.
I THINK WE SHOULD READ SOME OF THESE OUT.
SOME ARE JUST KIND OF OVERARCHING.
IF YOU COMMENTED ON SOME OF THESE, YOU KNOW THAT YOU'RE ALREADY INCORPORATING THEM OR, OKAY.
I, I MIGHT BE WORTH, I CAN READ IT IF YOU CAN.
SO IT'S LIKE AROUND SOME STEPS.
LET'S JUST, LET'S JUST DO KIND OF A QUICK HIGHLIGHT SUMMARY OF WHAT YOU GUYS HAVE SHARED IN TERMS OF APPROACHES.
WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO GET OUT THE BIG MIC HERE IN JUST A SEC.
SO LET'S JUST HEAR SOME OF THE THINGS HERE.
WE'LL HAVE TOM REFLECT, THEN WE'RE GONNA HAVE ONE MORE OPPORTUNITY FOR PUBLIC COMMENT.
THEN WE'LL JUST DO PARTING THOUGHTS FOR THE TODAY.
SO, UM, I'LL TRY TO SYNTHESIZE A LITTLE BIT OF WHAT WE, WHAT WE HAVE HERE.
UM, SO, UH, A LOT OF IT SEEMS TO BE AROUND KIND OF STREAMLINING.
SO IT'S NOT ALL ABOUT WHAT WENT, I'M PROUD OF YOU ALL FOR NOT JUST SAYING, JUST PUT MORE MONEY TOWARDS IT THAT WE DON'T HAVE.
BUT A LOT OF IT DOES SEEM TO BE STREAMLINING WHAT WE HAVE.
UM, STREAMLINING DUTIES, LOOKING AT HOW WE, UM, TAKE EXISTING POSITIONS TO SUPPORT THE PRIORITIES.
UH, LOOKING AT, UM, YOU KNOW, DEVELOPING A PLAN FOR THE TOP THREE PRIORITIES.
COUNCIL OFFICES ARE PRIMARY CONNECTION TO THE RESIDENTS AND, AND SUPPORT THEM AS THEY DO THAT.
UH, WE'VE GOT, UH, QUESTIONS ABOUT RIGHT SIZING, UM, ALTERNATIVE STAFFING, UM, OPPORTUNITIES
[03:55:01]
SO THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, THINGS LIKE TRAFFIC ENGINEERING IF WE NEED TO BE ABLE TO RELY ON, ON DIFFERENT WAYS TO SUPPORT SOME OF THOSE, THOSE ONE-TIME, UH, INCREASES IN WORK.UM, THERE'S A, A COUPLE OF THEM AROUND KIND OF PUBLIC SAFETY THAT WE HAVE A LOT OF DOLLARS GOING TO PUBLIC SAFETY, AND WE MAY NOT NEED TO INCREASE IT THAT MUCH, BUT IT'S MORE ABOUT USING THE RESOURCES THAT ARE THERE AND ALLOCATING EXISTING RESOURCES ON THE THINGS THAT ARE THE MOST IMPORTANT.
UM, SOMEBODY WHO WILL REMAIN NAMELESS TALKED ABOUT HUMAN TRAFFICKING IN NORTH LONG BEACH.
UM, SO AS A PRIORITY, COULD HAVE BEEN TWO OF YOU.
WE HEARD THAT LOUD AND CLEAR ON TUESDAY.
UM, UH, COMMITMENT TO, TO FINISH AND IN SOME CASES START, UM, SOME OF THE LONG PROMISE PROJECTS.
UM, AND, UH, IN RESPONSE IN REGARDS TO PUBLIC WORKS AND HOMELESSNESS.
UH, WE'VE GOT SOME ON, LET'S SEE, VACANCY OF VIBRANCY, UH, LOCAL BUSINESS ACCELERATORS, UM, FOR VACANT PROPERTIES.
UH, LOOKING AT SOME STAFFING SUPPORT IN OUR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, LIKE AN ADDITIONAL DEPUTY, UH, TO REALLY ASSIST WITH IMPLEMENTING, UH, SOME OF THE WORK THAT'S THERE.
A COUPLE OF 'EM AROUND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, RENEWING OR REVIEWING ALL OF OUR CITY OWNED ASSETS FOR OPPORTUNITIES, UH, AND LOOKING AT HOW SPECIAL EVENTS CAN KIND OF SUPPORT SOME OF OUR BUSINESSES.
UH, INVESTING IN DISTRICT SPECIFIC STRATEGIES FOR ACTIVATING THE COMMERCIAL CORRIDORS.
KIND OF RECOGNIZING THAT NOT ALL CORRIDORS HAVE THE SAME, UH, HAVE THE SAME NEEDS.
UM, HOMELESSNESS, IDENTIFY AND FOCUS ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF LARGE SCALE DEMONSTRATION PROJECT TO DEVELOP, UM, UH, UNITS OF, OF HOUSING AND MEASURE OF SERVICE ACCEPTANCE AND FOCUS ON SUCCESSFUL PROGRAMS FOR GETTING PEOPLE OFF THE STREET.
THIS IS A TWO-PARTER, ELIMINATING PROGRAMS THAT ARE NOT SUCCESSFUL.
UM, AND SO KIND OF DOING THAT PROGRAM REVIEW OF SAYING, ARE THERE THINGS THAT WE'VE DONE IN THE PAST THAT NEED TO BE LOOKED AT? AND THEN, UH, KINDA REFOCUS THOSE ON, ON, UH, WAYS THAT ARE EFFECTIVE.
SO, DID I MISS ONE THAT SOMEBODY, OH.
WE'VE GOT, UM, AND OVER COMMUNICATE AND STICK TOGETHER.
THAT'S A GOOD ONE TO GOOD ONE WRAP.
DID I MISS ANYTHING? ANYONE HAVE ONE UP THERE THAT I, THAT I DIDN'T TALK ABOUT THAT WAS IMPORTANT? ALL RIGHT.
I APPRECIATE YOU ALL TAKING SOME TIME TO, TO WRITE THOSE BECAUSE IT'S A COMBINATION OF, OF WORKING TOGETHER AND TOGETHER IN STRATEGIES FOR ACCOMPLISHING THOSE PRIORITIES WITH ALSO SOME ORIENTATION TOWARDS SOME OF THE EXTERNALLY FAKE FACING PRIORITIES ABOUT WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE TO YOU.
SO THAT'S REALLY HELPFUL TO HEAR.
SO WE WRAP UP, WE HAVE ANOTHER PUBLIC COMMENT.
[10. 25-55132 Public Comment ]
IS THERE ANY PUBLIC COMMENT MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC, NOT THE COUNCIL MEMBERS.I DON'T SEE ANY PUBLIC COMMENT.
NOW WE'LL GET INTO OUR CLOSING
[11. 25-55133 Wrap-up and Closing Comments ]
COMMENTS.UM, SO, UH, AT THE TOP OF TODAY'S CONVERSATION, UM, MY, MY BIKE RACK GOT LOST.
UM, SO THAT IS STILL A TOPIC THAT I'D LIKE TO SEE HOW WE CAN, UH, ADDRESS.
UM, I'M NOT SAYING THAT WE HAVE TO ADDRESS IT TODAY, BUT I DO THINK THAT IT IS, UH, ENOUGH OF A PRIORITY THAT WE NEED TO SPEND SOME TIME ON IT.
AND I'M HAPPY TO TALK WITH THE CITY MANAGER TO AT LEAST GET THAT GOING.
UM, I HAVE, UH, ENJOYED MY FIRST TIME, UH, WITH YOU ALL IN THIS RETREAT EXPERIENCE.
UM, ONE OF THE OTHER THINGS THAT I WAS WONDERING IS IF THERE WILL BE OPPORTUNITIES FOR US TO DO THIS AGAIN AROUND SPECIFIC TOPICS.
UM, I, FOR ONE, AM PERSONALLY VERY INTERESTED IN, UH, A REGULAR CONVERSATION REGARDING THE OLYMPICS, UM, AND HOW WE PREPARE FOR THAT ACCORDINGLY, EVEN FROM A STRATEGIC STANDPOINT AND WHAT WE DO AS A COUNCIL AND HOW WE SUPPORT THE CITY, UM, AND THE MAYOR AND THOSE ACTIVITIES.
UM, AND I, SO I'M GONNA, I'M GONNA LEAVE IT AT THAT, BUT THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH, UH, TO THE TEAM THAT ASSISTED WITH FACILITATING MM-HMM
I WANNA RE RESPOND TO JUST A FEW OF THESE THINGS SINCE WE HAVE OPEN TIME.
SO WE HAVE OTHER TOOLS, RIGHT? SO THIS IS FAIRLY NEW.
WE STARTED THIS TWO YEARS AGO, THIS PRIORITIZATION.
UM, AND THIS WAS AN ALIGNMENT BETWEEN THE WAY TOM LEADS AND THE WAY THAT I LIKE TO LEAD.
SO WE BOTH AGREED, EVEN WHEN I WAS A STUDENT LEADER, WE STARTED EVERYTHING OFF WITH A RETREAT.
I MEAN, WE TALKING HUGS AND CAMPFIRES AND ALL OF THAT, RIGHT? KIND OF HARD TO DO WITH PUBLIC MEETING LAWS, BUT I THINK WE DID A GOOD JOB BRINGING PEOPLE TOGETHER OUTSIDE OF A NORMAL ENVIRONMENT.
AND IT'S ALSO A WAY THAT TOM LIKES TO LEAD.
SO WE TRIED IT TWO YEARS AGO AND THERE WAS A LOT OF APPREHENSION INITIALLY, BUT WE GOT FULL PARTICIPATION THIS TIME.
SO LET'S HEAR FOR ALL OF YOU, FOR EVERYBODY SHOWED UP AND PARTICIPATED THE WHOLE DAY.
[04:00:01]
NOW THIS IS NOT OUR ONLY TOOL TOOLS THAT YOU HAVE.UM, WE'VE PUT A LOT OF EMPHASIS ON TRYING TO ALIGN THE, THE, UM, CITY COUNCIL COMMITTEES WITH THE STRATEGIC PLAN AND HELPING EACH CHAIR DEVELOP AN AGENDA THAT FITS WITHIN TO THAT WITHIN, WITHIN THE STRATEGIC PLAN.
SO ALIGNS WITH THOSE THREE CORE PRIORITIES, BUT ALSO ALLOWS YOU TO TAKE A DEEPER DIVE ON CERTAIN THINGS.
AND SO I ENCOURAGE YOU TO, TO TALK TO COMMITTEE CHAIRS IN DIFFERENT AREAS ABOUT DEEPER DIVES AT THE COMMITTEE LEVEL.
THE OTHER TOOL THAT WE HAVE, OUR STUDY SESSIONS.
NOW, THERE ARE SOME MONTHS THAT ARE VERY, VERY BUSY AT COUNCIL.
SO WE WERE GONNA DISCOURAGE SUPER BIG ITEMS. BUT WHEN WE GET THROUGH THOSE, THE PERIOD OF TIME, NOTHING IN AUGUST, NOTHING PROB LIKE BUDGET TIME, FOR EXAMPLE.
NOT A GREAT TIME, NOT A GREAT TIME FOR, FOR, UH, A, A DEEP DIVE STUDY SESSION.
BUT THE SPRINGTIME TYPICALLY IS WHEN WE INTRODUCE BIGGER CONCEPTS OR THE BUDGET.
IT'S NOT BUDGET PRIME TIME, SOMETIMES RIGHT AFTER THE BUDGET AND BEFORE THE END OF THE YEAR IS ANOTHER LITTLE SOFT SPOT.
THOSE ARE TIMES TO, IF YOU WANT TO HAVE A DEEPER CONVERSATION AT COUNCIL, THEN WE CAN SET ASIDE A 45 MINUTE OR A HOUR LONG STUDY SESSION.
BUT TYPICALLY WE WANT IT TO ALIGN WITH A PRIORITY, GET SOME DEEP UNDERSTANDING, YOU KNOW, GIVE TIME, STAFF TIME TO LIKE PUT TOGETHER A GOOD STAFF REPORT.
AND IT'S SOMETHING THAT A LOT OF PEOPLE HAVE SHOWN INTEREST IN.
SO WE HAVE MORE THAN ONE TOOL, THIS RETREAT EVERY TWO YEARS OR EVERY YEAR.
AND WE DID A UPDATE LAST YEAR, DIDN'T WE? AND LIKE WE DID A SMALLER UPDATE THING.
TYLER, DO YOU REMEMBER WHAT WE DID? WE DID SOMETHING LAST YEAR AROUND THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR.
I DON'T, I DON'T REMEMBER WHICH UPDATE.
IT WASN'T A RETREAT, BUT WE DID, MAYBE IT WAS AN UPDATE.
LIKE, MIGHT JUST LIKE A MEMO, THAT KIND OF THING.
AND WE HAVE ALSO, AS FROM TOM'S COMMENTS, LIKE UPDATE ON THE ASAP THAT'LL BE COMING OUT AND STUFF.
SO WE'LL BE ABLE TO PREPARE MORE OF THAT INFORMATION IN BETWEEN THESE MEETINGS.
SO MAYBE THIS TIME NEXT YEAR, MAYBE IT'S NOT A FULL RETREAT, BUT MAYBE WE TAKE A DEEPER DIVE UPDATE INTO LIKE OUR CORE PRIORITIES, RIGHT? THE, THE THREE OR THE FOUR JUST TO SEE WHERE WE ARE, WHAT'S COMING DOWN THE PIKE, YOU KNOW, LIKE A CHECK-IN, RIGHT? BUT THO BUT I SAY THAT TO SAY YES, THERE IS TIME, TIME STILL TO TALK THROUGH ANY OF THESE ELEMENTS AND I WOULD ENCOURAGE USING SOME OF THE, SOME OF THE STRUCTURES THAT WE HAVE IN PLACE FOR THAT TO DO THAT.
THAT'S, THAT WOULD BE MY SUGGESTION.
ANY OTHER GENERAL OPEN QUESTIONS OR CONVERSATION SULI? YEAH, I, I WANTED TO JUST DIG IN A LITTLE MORE ABOUT INFRASTRUCTURE.
I KNOW WE TALK A LOT ABOUT FACILITIES, UPDATING FACILITIES AND ROADS, BUT I REALLY WANNA THINK ABOUT IT WITHIN THE CONTEXT OF WHERE WE'VE BEEN, WHICH IS GROWING, RIGHT? OUR, THE, YOU KNOW, THE, OUR GROWTH PLAN.
I WANNA THINK ABOUT IT IN BALANCE TO HOW DO WE BE THOUGHTFUL ABOUT QUALITY OF LIFE? BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, AS WE'RE INCREASING THE NUMBER AS A DISTRICT WITH ONE OF THE HIGHEST NUMBER OF AFFORDABLE BUILT HOUSING BEING BUILT, WE'RE HAVING ISSUES WITH TRANSPORTATION, RIGHT? ACCESS TO MOBILITY.
WE HAVE A MAJOR PARKING ISSUE THAT'S BECOMING, I'M EVEN SEEING ON MY STREET WHERE PEOPLE ARE DOUBLE PARKING ON THE STREET BECOMES A SAFETY ISSUE, RIGHT? UM, AND SO THAT'S WHAT WE'RE GONNA SEE MORE.
IT WAS IN COUNCILWOMAN ZENDEJAS DISTRICT, WE KNOW IN SOME STREETS WITH A LOT OF APARTMENTS.
SO I JUST FEEL LIKE THAT'S, THAT'S SOME STUFF THAT WE NEED TO BE REALISTIC ABOUT, IS HOW DO WE DO IT IN A WAY WHERE IT'S NOT GONNA CREATE OTHER PROBLEMS THAT, UM, MAKES IT LIKE SOMETHING WE HAVE TO FOCUS ON EVENTUALLY, RIGHT? SO I THINK THAT WE TALK A LOT ABOUT OUR MOBILITY RESOURCES, BUT HOW ARE WE INTENTIONALLY MAKING SURE THAT THAT'S TIED IN RIGHT? UM, THAT PEOPLE ARE UTILIZING THEM IN A WAY WHERE'RE ADDRESSING THE GROWTH FOR HOUSING AND THE GROWTH FOR TRANSPORTATION.
SO, AND, AND THAT'S JUST, UM, I'M SEEING THAT AS A RE YOU KNOW, MORE AND MORE AS A COUNCIL MEMBER THAT LIVES OBVIOUSLY THERE.
IT'S LIKE, I'M, I'M, IT'S, IT'S, YOU KNOW, IT'S PRESENT WHEN WE'RE GROWING.
UM, AND WE'RE BUILDING AND, AND MY RESIDENTS LET ME KNOW OBVIOUSLY ON A REGULAR BASIS AS WELL.
UM, SO, SO THAT'S WHAT I WANNA MAKE SURE, BECAUSE IT IS TIED INTO OUR PRIORITIES AND IT WASN'T REALLY MENTIONED TOO MUCH AROUND MOBILITY ISSUE AND HOW DO WE MAYBE WORK BETTER WITH OUR TRANSPORTATION PARTNERS AS WELL.
SO, AND I'M GONNA ASK TOM TO, TO WEIGH IN A LITTLE BIT, BUT I WOULD SAY ADDING INFRASTRUCTURE AS TOP PRIORITY IS KEY BECAUSE WE'RE TELLING THE CITY COUNCIL, WE'RE TELLING THE CITY MANAGER THAT WE WANT YOU TO GET YOUR TEAM TO START THINKING ABOUT HOW WE'RE GONNA TACKLE THIS.
PART OF THAT HAS TO BE SOME PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT AND SOME ENGAGEMENT WITH THE COUNCIL OFFICES TO UNDERSTAND THEIR NEEDS.
AND THEN THERE'S THE BIG RESOURCE QUESTION.
AND WE HAVE TO START BRINGING THE COUNCIL SOME OPPORTUNITIES TO LOOK AT RESOURCES.
I ALSO WANNA SAY WE DO HAVE THE MOBILITY COMMITTEE AT CITY COUNCIL.
[04:05:01]
AND, AND MEGAN IS THE CHAIR NOW AND MEGAN'S DEVELOPING HER AGENDA OVER THE NEXT YEAR ON THE TYPES OF ISSUES WE WANNA FLESH OUT.SO ARE YOU STILL ON THAT COMMITTEE? SULI.
I HAVE ALSO BROUGHT, I'VE, I'VE, I HAVE THIS CONVERSATION REGULARLY WITH OUR DIRECTOR OF COMMUNITY SERVICES REGULARLY.
SO IT'S ALWAYS COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT.
UH, COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT, I MEAN, BUT YEAH, IT'S AN ONGOING CONVERSATION I'VE HAD ABOUT HOW DO WE ADDRESS THIS? AND IT GOES BACK TO, WELL, WE HAVE PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION OPTION, RIGHT? IT BECOMES THIS ABSTRACT ALTERNATIVE, BUT WE CAN'T AVOID IT.
AND THAT'S JUST SOME OF THE ISSUES WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO DEAL WITH.
THERE ARE OTHER PARTS OF OUR CITY THAT HAS OUR PARKING COMPACTED AND IT'LL CONTINUE TO BE AN ISSUE, RIGHT? I'M JUST SHARING WHAT'S HAPPENING IN MY DISTRICT, WHAT'S GONNA HAPPEN AS WE BUILD MORE IN OTHER PARTS TOO.
SO HOW DO WE KIND OF, I GUESS, ADDRESS IT, UM, AS IT'S GONNA BECOME BIGGER, MORE OF AN ISSUE, RIGHT? IT WILL BECOME MORE OF AN ISSUE.
AND TOM, YOU WANNA JUMP IN? YEAH.
SO, UM, I, I THINK THAT CAN BE REPRESENTED IN SOME OF OUR INVESTMENT ON INFRASTRUCTURE.
'CAUSE WE DON'T JUST DO, YOU KNOW, STREETS, WE'RE LOOKING AT HOW DO YOU MOVE PEOPLE COMPLETELY, BUT IT, IT TIES INTO HOUSING.
STATE LAWS HAVE CHANGED WHERE YOU DON'T REQUIRE THE SAME KIND OF PARKING COUNTS.
I DO THINK WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO HAVE THAT CONVERSATION WITH OUR COMMUNITY TOO, ABOUT CHANGING THE WAY THAT WE GET AROUND.
BUT THEY CAN'T GET AROUND THAT WAY UNLESS WE HAVE THE INFRASTRUCTURE TO DO THAT.
AND THEN I THINK WE DO NEED TO LOOK AT MOBILITY MORE COMPREHENSIVELY.
SO IF YOU'VE NOTICED, PUBLIC WORKS IS REALLY LAID INTO THAT AND WE'VE REALLY INVESTED IN LIKE, BIKES AND, AND SCOOTERS AND ALL THESE OTHER WAYS.
BUT THEN WE ALSO HAVE A COMPLETELY SEPARATE AGENCY THAT LOOKS AT HOW DO YOU RUN BUSES ON OUR STREETS? AND SO GETTING BETTER ALIGNMENT BETWEEN ALL OF THAT AND FIGURING OUT HOW WE MOVE PEOPLE AND MAKE AND MOVE EVERYBODY, NOT JUST THOSE THAT DON'T HAVE MEANS, BUT THOSE, UH, THAT DO HAVE THE MEANS AND, AND HAVE THEM HAVE LOTS OF DIFFERENT OPTIONS TO BE ABLE TO MOVE AROUND.
I THINK THE OLYMPICS WILL HELP WITH THAT TOO.
SO I'M LOOKING AT THAT AS AN OPPORTUNITY TO FINALLY BE A AHA MOMENT TO PEOPLE.
GO, I DON'T NEED TO DRIVE MY CAR ALL THE TIME TO GET EVERYWHERE I NEED TO GO.
ESPECIALLY IN A PLACE AS COMPACT AND AS, AND AS KIND OF PLANNED OUT AS LONG BEACH.
THINK THANK, THANK YOU FOR THAT.
I JUST WANTED TO ADD TO THAT AS WELL.
UM, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I SEE A LOT, OR I HEAR A LOT FROM MY RESIDENTS IS ISSUES WITH PARKING.
UM, THAT'S WHY I HAD MENTIONED THE ENFORCEMENT, UM, BECAUSE WE SEE A LOT OF PEOPLE PARKING IN THE RED AND WE ALL KNOW THAT THAT'S A SAFETY ISSUE.
UM, AND, BUT WE SEE THAT MORE AND MORE, ESPECIALLY IN, IN MY DISTRICT.
I'M SURE THAT IT'S EVERYWHERE, BUT ESPECIALLY IN MY DISTRICT, WE SEE THAT A LOT.
AND WE ALSO SEE DOUBLE PARKING A LOT.
AND SO IT'S A CONTROVERSY AMONGST RESIDENTS BECAUSE SOME RESIDENTS WANT TO BE ABLE TO DOUBLE PARK WITHOUT, UM, ENFORCEMENT COMING AND TICKETING THEM.
AND OTHERS ARE LIKE, WHY ARE YOU ALLOWING THAT AS A CITY? UM, SO I THINK THAT, UM, PARKING SHOULD DEFINITELY GO ON THE BIKE RACK, BUT ALSO IN THE INFRASTRUCTURE PRIORITY, UM, THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT.
EMBEDDED WITHIN THE, THE WORK PROGRAMS THAT THE CITY HAS.
SO, UM, SO AS WE BEGIN TO CLOSE HERE TODAY, UM, WE'D JUST LET LIKE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR ANY COUNCIL MEMBER TO MAKE ANY COMMENT ABOUT THE VALUE TO YOU OF SPENDING THE DAY WITH YOUR COLLEAGUES.
YOU ALL HAVE MANY OTHER THINGS YOU COULD BE DOING AND YOU COMMITTED TO BEING HERE TODAY.
SO JUST LIKE TO OFFER ANY OF YOU THAT OPPORTUNITY JUST TO MAKE A BRIEF COMMENT ABOUT THE VALUE OF SPENDING THE DAY WITH YOUR COLLEAGUES.
AND WE'LL SAVE THE MAYOR FOR LAST
UM, I THINK THAT, THAT, THAT'S WHAT THIS DOES FOR US IS IT BRINGS US TOGETHER.
UM, LIKE COUNCILMAN DUGGAN SAID EARLIER IN THE DAY, WE ALL HAVE DIFFERENT CONSTITUENTS AND OUR HEART IS WITH OUR CONSTITUENTS.
THAT'S WHY WE ARE DOING WHAT WE'RE DOING.
NOT FOR THE PAY BUT
WE LOVE THE CITY THAT WE LIVE IN, AND WE WANNA MAKE IT BETTER FOR THEM.
AND I THINK THAT THAT'S SOMETHING THAT THIS WHOLE COUNCIL CAN AGREE ON, AND YEAH.
I THINK IT'S GREAT TO HEAR EVERYONE'S PERSPECTIVE, EVEN THOUGH WE HAVE AN IDEA OF IT FROM OUR WEEKLY MEETINGS.
UH, IT'S GOOD TO BE PERSONAL ABOUT OUR PRIORITIES AND OUR FOUNDATION AND REINFORCING THAT GOOD ROBERTA INFORMALITY.
[04:10:01]
INFORMAL INFORMALITY.YOU, YOU LET YOUR HAIR DOWN, YOU'RE RELAXED AND YOU SHARE MM-HMM
AND THAT'S
HAVING LUNCH OUT ON THE DECK,
THIS WAS A WONDERFUL LOCATION.
UH, THANK YOU TO THE STAFF FOR THAT.
UH, THESE PINS WERE SUPER HIGH QUALITY.
UM, THE ONLY NEGATIVE COMMENT THAT WILL GO ON MY CARD IS THE DESSERT
UM, BUT I LOVE BEING ABLE TO, TO DIALOGUE WITH MY COLLEAGUES.
THANK YOU ALL FOR INDULGING ME.
UM, AND I EVEN APPRECIATED THE LEVEL OF INFORMALITY WHERE WE USED OUR EACH OTHER'S FIRST NAMES, WHICH IS, UM, YOU KNOW, A BIG DEAL IN THIS KIND OF SETTING.
SO YEAH, IT'S, UM, THANK YOU ALL.
I JUST WANTED TO MAKE A QUICK, UM, MODIFICATION PLEASE ON THAT, IF WE COULD MAKE IT PARKING AND MOBILITY STRATEGIES.
WE RELATED TO THE PARKING ONE.
BECAUSE IT'S KINDA PART OF THE CHECK ISSUE WITH IT.
MEGAN, WHAT KIND OF A COMMENT DO YOU HAVE ABOUT, YOU KNOW, I JUST WANNA THANK YOU.
I, I DO APPRECIATE HAVING THE OPPORTUNITY TO, UM, REFLECT AND REVIEW OUR NORMS AS WELL AS CONSIDER OUR PRIORITIES.
I THINK IT HELPS TREMENDOUSLY TO MAKE SURE THAT, UH, WE ARE EFFICIENT WITH EVERYONE'S TIME AND ARE EFFECTIVE IN THE WAY THAT WE GOVERN, AS WELL AS RUN THE CITY IN PARTNERSHIP WITH STAFF.
UM, AND SO THANK YOU FOR TODAY'S FACILITATION AND IT'S GOOD TO DO THIS EVERY FEW YEARS AS CLIMATE CHANGE, NOT JUST COUNCIL MAKEUP, BUT POLITICAL AND ECONOMIC CLIMATE IS A BIG FACTOR IN HOW WE DO OUR WORK.
SO APPRECIATE EVERYONE'S INPUT AND PARTICIPATION SO THAT WE CAN BE CLEAR ON WHAT OUR PRIORITIES ARE.
THANKS TO THE TEAM WHO DID ALL THE WORK TO GET US READY FOR TODAY.
I THINK IT'S REALLY VALUABLE FOR US TO BE ABLE TO HAVE CONVERSATIONS WITHOUT A VOTE IN FRONT OF US.
UM, IT CHANGES THE TENOR FOR ME OF MY ABILITY TO THINK LONG TERM ABOUT THE ISSUE THAT'S IN FRONT OF US.
AND I'M NOT LOOKING AT THE MINUTIAE OF WHAT IS COMING IN 10 MINUTES.
UM, AND I THINK IT ALLOWS FOR US TO DREAM A LITTLE BIT TO, TO MOVE FORWARD AND HAVE CONVERSATIONS THAT WE'RE NOT ABLE TO HAVE.
AND I THINK THAT'S REALLY VALUABLE.
I THINK, AGAIN, FOR THE, THE WONDERFUL ENGAGED CITIZENS WHO LISTEN TO THIS RECORDING OF THIS
WELL, AS LONG AS THIS IS BEING RECORDED AND WE'RE VERY GOOD AT SAYING THANK YOUS, I'D LIKE TO THANK MY CHIEF OF STAFF, ISABEL, FOR BEING HERE ALL DAY.
AND ALSO ONE OR MORE OF OUR MORE FAMOUS FOURTH JOE MELLOW FOR STAYING HERE THE ENTIRE DAY.
UM, SO THANK YOU FOR TO EVERYONE FOR YOUR ENGAGEMENT.
UM, SO I JUST REALLY, UH, ENJOY TODAY.
THANK YOU EVERYONE THAT MADE IT HAPPEN.
UM, I REALLY LIKE MY COLLEAGUES AND, UM, SO, AND I RESPECT 'EM.
THEY EACH BRING SO MUCH INDIVIDUALLY TO THE TABLE.
AND SO TO BE IN A SETTING LIKE THIS AND GET TO HEAR, UH, MORE AND HAVE MORE EXTENSIVE CONVERSATIONS THAT WE WOULDN'T NORMALLY HAVE, I THINK IS, IS ALWAYS REALLY IMPORTANT.
SO THANK YOU FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY.
UM, AS THE DISTRICT NINE COUNCIL MEMBER, I ENJOY HAVING ALMOST THE LAST WORD, UH, BEFORE OUR MAYOR
UH, BUT NO, I, UH, I VERY MUCH ENJOYED, UH, TODAY'S CONVERSATION.
UM, I REALLY APPRECIATED THE ABILITY TO, TO TAKE A STEP BACK AND LOOK AT KIND OF THE 50,000 FOOT VIEW, RIGHT? BECAUSE I THINK WE GET KIND OF, I DON'T WANNA SAY BOGGED DOWN, BUT THERE'S SO MUCH COMPETING FOR OUR ATTENTION, UM, AS COUNCIL MEMBERS WEEK TO WEEK.
UM, SOMETIMES IT'S, IT'S YOU, YOU HAVE TO BE INTENTIONAL ABOUT CARVING OUT TIME TO DO THIS TYPE OF STRATEGIC THINKING.
AND SO I REALLY BENEFIT FROM HEARING MY COUNCIL COLLEAGUES TALK ABOUT THE THINGS THAT ARE OF CONCERN TO THEM, THE WAYS THAT WE ALIGN AND THAT HOW WE'RE GONNA HAVE A COLLECTIVE VISION MOVING FORWARD.
AND BEFORE THE MAYOR HERE, TOM, AH, THANKS.
UM, ONE, I REALLY APPRECIATE HOW POSITIVE EVERYBODY IS.
SO WE DEAL WITH A LOT OF PROBLEMS. WE HAVE A LOT OF THINGS THAT WE HAVE TO DO EVERY TUESDAY.
IT'S, THIS PROBLEM'S GOTTA BE SOLVED.
MY MY HEAD JUMPS TO HOW ARE WE GONNA SOLVE THAT PROBLEM? IT'S REALLY HEALTHY FOR AN ORGANIZATION TO STEP BACK, ESPECIALLY
[04:15:01]
LIKE THIS AND SAY, HERE'S THE GOALS THAT WE SET, AND THEN CELEBRATE THE VICTORIES.I ESPECIALLY APPRECIATE HOW YOU GIVE THE, THE KUDOS TO THE, THE WHERE IT BELONGS, WHICH IS THE TEAM THAT DOES ALL THIS WORK ON YOUR BEHALF.
AND, AND YOU'VE ALWAYS BEEN THINKING OF THE ORGANIZATION.
YOU THINK OF THAT IT TAKES PEOPLE, IT'S ONE THING TO SIT IN A ROOM AND SAY, HERE'S WHERE WHERE WE WANT TO GO.
AND THEN THEY'RE THE ONES THAT ACTUALLY HAVE TO DO THE WORK.
SO I APPRECIATE THAT YOU KEEP THEM, UH, AT THE BACK OF YOUR MINDS AND HOW DO WE SUPPORT THEM IN THE WORK THAT THEY DO? AND YEAH, WE HAVE SOME BIG CHALLENGES TO, TO FILL.
UM, BUT UH, JUST KNOWING THAT WE'RE KIND OF IN IT TOGETHER AND THAT THERE'S SUCH, UM, COLLEGIALITY AND SUCH, UH, COALESCENCE AROUND THE, THE THINGS THAT ARE IMPORTANT.
AND, UH, AND THAT'S ALL BASED IN WHAT YOU'RE HEARING FROM YOUR CONSTITUENTS AND, AND, UH, YOU'RE ALL THINKING ABOUT THEM AS WE DO THIS WORK TOGETHER.
SO I REALLY DO APPRECIATE THAT.
UH, YOU KNOW, WHEN WE FIRST PROPOSED THIS, I'LL BE HONEST, I WAS NERVOUS, LIKE, HOW ARE WE GONNA DO THIS? HOW ARE WE GOING TO, YOU KNOW, PICK A COUPLE THINGS WHILE NOT, YOU KNOW, DOING THE OTHER THINGS THAT ARE IMPORTANT WHILE SETTING PRIORITIES? AND YOU'VE HELPED US DO THAT AND, AND ALSO HELPED US STAY VERY FOCUSED OVER THE NEXT, UH, OVER THE LAST TWO YEARS.
AND I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO WHAT WE'RE GONNA BE ABLE TO DO OVER THE NEXT TWO YEARS.
LAST, BUT NOT LEAST, ALRIGHT, WELL, UH, YOU ALL HAVE, UH, SAID MOST OF THE THINGS I WOULD, I WOULD WANNA SAY, I HAVE REAL GRATITUDE FOR ALL OF YOU.
I APPRECIATE TAKING TIME, UH, TO, YOU KNOW, TAKE A LOOK BACK AT WHAT WE'VE OVERCOME, ACKNOWLEDGE WHAT WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO ACCOMPLISH TOGETHER, AND ACKNOWLEDGE THAT A LOT OF IT WAS, AGAIN, NOT, NOT ON THE BINGO CARD AND THE WAY WE RESPONDED TOGETHER AS A GROUP.
WE SHOULD BE REALLY PROUD OF HOW WE'VE OVERCOME AND NAVIGATED SOME REALLY, REALLY BIG CHALLENGES.
AND BECAUSE WE'VE DONE SO, OUR CITY IS BETTER OFF.
EVERY ONE OF OUR COUNCIL DISTRICTS ARE BETTER OFF BECAUSE OF THE WAY THAT WE'VE COME TOGETHER AND OVERCOME SOME OF THESE CHALLENGES.
AND I'LL, AND I'LL SAY IT FEELS GOOD WHEN THE CITY MANAGER STANDS UP AND SAYS, YOU KNOW, HEY, THE GENERATIONS BEFORE YOU OF COUNCIL MEMBERS AND MAYORS DIDN'T ADDRESS THIS BIG CHALLENGE THAT YOU ALL ARE TAKING ON.
'CAUSE WE HEAR A LOT HOW THIS COUNCIL IS THIS AND THIS COUNCIL IS THAT.
AND IT WOULD'VE BEEN BETTER IN THE NINETIES AND IN THE EIGHTIES AND THE SEVENTIES.
I MEAN, THEY HAD MORE REVENUE SOURCES, FEWER CHALLENGES.
THEY DIDN'T HAVE 5,000 MATTRESSES TO PICK UP A YEAR.
IT WAS JUST A DIFFERENT
AND DESPITE ALL THOSE CHALLENGES, WE'RE DOING REALLY WELL AS A CITY.
AND IT'S IMPORTANT FOR US TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT.
AND BECAUSE WE'VE DONE WELL, THIS IS GOING TO BE, UH, A VERY HISTORIC TIME FOR OUR CITY.
AND ALL OF YOU ARE THE LEADERSHIP OF OUR CITY IN THESE NEXT FEW YEARS THAT PEOPLE ARE GONNA TALK ABOUT FOR THE, FOR THE NEXT CENTURY.
THE WAY LONG BEACH REALLY CAME OUT OF A SHADOW THE WAY LONG BEACH STEPPED UP AND HOSTED THE WORLD.
MORE EVENTS, A BIGGER PROFILE, UH, IN THE OLYMPICS THAN 32 AND 84 COMBINED THE WAY WHEN THE LA REGION WAS FACING REAL CHALLENGES FINANCIALLY, UM, HIRING WILDFIRES, HOW LONG BEACH WAS THERE TO HELP STEP UP DURING THAT RECOVERY AND MAKE SURE THAT WE PUT OUR BEST FOOT FORWARD AS A REGION.
HOW LONG BEACH STEPPED UP TO ADDRESS AND LEAD ON THE HOUSING CRISIS, HOW IT WAS LONG BEACH, WHO PROPOSED AND ADVOCATED FOR THE CREATION OF A REGIONAL HOUSING AGENCY.
HOW LONG BEACH VOTED AND HIGHER NUMBERS TO ADOPT MEASURE A, THE FIRST COUNTYWIDE HOUSING, UH, DEDICATED HOUSING FUNDING LONG BEACH LED THAT HOW LONG BEACH IS REALLY SHOWING REAL LEADERSHIP IN OUR COUNTY RIGHT NOW.
AND YOU ALL ARE THE LEADERS OF THIS, OF THIS AGENCY, OF THIS INCREDIBLE CITY AT THIS POINT IN HISTORY.
AND SO WE'RE FORTUNATE, WE ARE BLESSED THAT THE CITY, OUR RESIDENTS HAVE, UH, BESTOWED THIS RESPONSIBILITY ON US AND WE'RE TAKING IT VERY SERIOUSLY.
AND THE RESULTS ARE, ARE WHAT WE TALKED ABOUT TODAY.
SO BECAUSE ALL OF YOU HAVE MADE TIME TO FOCUS AND TO BRING YOUR ATTENTION AND TO WORK WITH EACH OTHER, EVEN THOUGH WE COME FROM VERY DIVERSE BACKGROUNDS AND DIFFERENT EXPERIENCES IN OUR CITY, THE FACT WE'RE FINDING WAYS TO COME TOGETHER AND MAKING TIME TO TALK PRIORITIES, UM, WE SHOULD BE VERY PROUD OF, OF WHAT WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO ACCOMPLISH.
THERE WILL BE CHALLENGES, RIGHT? THERE WILL BE MORE CHALLENGES WE DIDN'T ANTICIPATE.
UNFORTUNATELY, I DIDN'T ANTICIPATE THE H QUAKE.
WE DIDN'T EVEN PUT THAT ON THERE.
WE HAD A HURRICANE EARTHQUAKE, SAME DAY
THERE'S ALWAYS GONNA BE SOMETHING ITING
OUR ABILITY TO OVERCOME CHALLENGES IS A SKILL.
AND THIS LEADERSHIP TEAM IS VERY, VERY SKILLED AT OVERCOMING CHALLENGES, POWERING THROUGH, UH, FOR THE SAKE OF OUR CITY.
AND SO GRATITUDE, I WANNA THANK ALL OF YOU.
I WANNA THANK ALL THE STAFF MEMBERS WHO ARE HERE, RIGHT? WHO SHOWED UP AND HUNG OUT ALL DAY.
LET'S HEAR FOR OUR FACILITATORS, RIGHT?
[04:20:01]
THAT'S GOOD.UM, OUR CLERK AND EVERYBODY AND OUR CITY MANAGER, UH, WE JUST WANT TO THANK EVERYBODY FOR, FOR CONTRIBUTING TO THIS.
AND THERE'S A LOT MORE WORK, UH, FOR US TO DO.
SO THAT'S, THAT'S MY CLOSE ONWARD.
[ADJOURNMENT]
NINE MINUTES EARLY.BEFORE EVERYONE GOES, THERE ARE TAKEOUT OR TO GO, UH, CONTAINERS IF YOU WANT TO TAKE SOME FOOD HOME,
AND THERE ARE ALSO, UM, EVALUATION PAGES AT THE, IN YOUR PACKET IF YOU WANNA FILL THOSE OUT.