* This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting. [00:00:02] [00:05:22] ALL RIGHT. THANK Y'ALL SO MUCH. CHAIR ADAMS. UH, WHENEVER YOU'RE READY TO START. THANK YOU GUYS. UM, COMMISSIONERS, WE ARE GONNA GO AHEAD AND DO A TIME CHECK AND CALL THE, THE MEETING TO ORDER. I WOULD LIKE TO CALL THE CITIZENS ADVISORY COMMISSION ON DISABILITY MEETING TO ORDER FOR MAY 8TH, 2025. THE TIME IS 1:06 PM CHAIR. THANK YOU. UH, COMMISSIONS. PLEASE CALL THE ROLE BY STATING YOUR NAME, YOUR PRONOUNS, YOUR TITLE ON THIS BODY, [CALL TO ORDER] AND FINISH WITH YOUR VISUAL DESCRIPTION PLEASE. RANDY HOPE HE, HIM. COMMISSIONER CAUCASIAN MALE, SHAVED HEAD AND BEARD, WEARING A GRAY SWEATER AND BLUE PANTS. MARISSA GONZALEZ. SHE HERS A CAUCASIAN FEMALE, BROWN HAIR AND A PONYTAIL, LIGHT BLUE ZIPPED UP JACKET. AND I USE A WHITE WALKING CANE FOR MOBILITY BECAUSE I AM VISUALLY IMPAIRED. I'M VICE CHAIR STEVE ADAMS. I AM AFRICAN-AMERICAN MALE WITH SHORT HAIR. I AM WEARING A BROWN POLO SHIRT AND I WEAR GLASSES. CHAKA GARBA SECRETARY AMERICAN FEMALE. SHE HER A BLUE SHIRT. ARTHUR ROMO COMMISSIONER. UH, MALE HISPANIC, UH, SENIOR BLACK SHIRT, GRAY PANTS, AND BLACK SHOES. GOOD, GOOD AFTERNOON. GRETCHEN SWANSON. UH, SHE, HER, UM, OLDER WHITE FEMALE, WHITE HAIR, LOTS OF WHITE HAIR GLASSES, GREEN, TOP BLACK VEST. I EVEN HAVE MY TAG ON TODAY, WHICH IS GREAT. THANK YOU. HI, I'M COMMISSIONER JULIE DEAN. I'M A CAUCASIAN WOMAN IN A MOBILITY SCOOTER WITH SHE HER HERS PRONOUNS. I HAVE SHORT AUBURN HAIR AND GLASSES, AND I'M WEARING A GREEN AND CREAM TOP. THANK YOU COMMISSIONERS. WE HAVE A QUORUM. WE HAVE ONE EXCUSED ABSENCE CHAIR. KIM BONG IS ABSENT TODAY. MOVING ON TO THE AGENDA. A RECOMMENDATION TO APPROVE THE MINUTES FOR THE CITIZEN'S ADVISORY COMMISSION ON DISABILITIES MEETING FOR THURSDAY, APRIL 10TH, 2025. THANK YOU. CAN I GET A MOTION ON THIS ITEM? MOTION? I SECOND. IT WAS MOVED BY COMMISSIONER DEAN AND SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER HOPE. THANK YOU. ANY PUBLIC COMMENT [1. 25-55231 Recommendation to approve the minutes for the Citizens’ Advisory Commission on Disabilities meeting of Thursday, April 10, 2025.       Suggested Action: Approve recommendation. ] RELATING TO THIS ITEM? IF THERE'S ANY MEMBER OF THE PUBLIC WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM IN PERSON, PLEASE LINE UP AT THE PODIUM AND IN ZOOM, PLEASE USE THE RAISE HAND FEATURE OR DOUBT. STAR NINE. AND IF CALLING IN JENNIFER, SEEING NO PUBLIC COMMENT. THANK YOU, COMMISSIONERS. IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION ON THIS ITEM? COMMISSIONER SWANSON. UH, THANK YOU. UH, I WAS NOT HERE, BUT I DID SEE THE VIDEO AND I JUST WANTED TO QUERY WAS I WAS UNCLEAR IF THERE WAS GOING TO BE A FOLLOW UP WITH THIS, WITH THE GROUP THAT WAS DEVELOPING THIS CONSORTIUM. ARE WE GOING TO GET A REPORT BACK? ANY KIND OF CONTINUED, UH, COMMUNICATION? OH, WE CAN ADDRESS THAT. UM, UH, WE WILL GET CONTINUED COMMUNICATION. OKAY. YES. THANK YOU SO MUCH. MM-HMM . SEEING NO FURTHER PUBLIC COMMENT, I WILL CALL FOR THE VOTE. COMMISSIONER HOPE. AYE. COMMISSIONER GONZALEZ. AYE. CHAIR ADAMS AYE. SECRETARY GARBE. AYE. COMMISSIONER ROMO ABSTAIN. COMMISSIONER SWANSON ABSTAIN. COMMISSIONER DEAN. AYE. MOTION PASSES WITH TWO ABSTENTION. YES. THANK YOU. UM, MOVING ON TO ITEM NUMBER TWO, A RECOMMENDATION TO RECEIVE AND FILE A 2025 ANNUAL UPDATE PRESENTATION FROM THE OFFICE, OFFICE OF ETHICS AND TRANSPARENCY. I. MOTION SCRIPT PLEASE. AYE, UH, CAN I HAVE A MOTION ON THIS ITEM I MOTION SECOND. IT WAS MOVED BY COMMISSIONER GONZALEZ'S AND, UM, UM, SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER DEAN. [00:10:02] THANK YOU. IS THERE A STAFF REPORT PRESENTATION FOR THIS ITEM? YES. I'LL TURN IT OVER TO HEATHER VAN WICK, ETHICS [2. 25-55232 Recommendation to receive and file 2025 Annual Update presentation from the Office of Ethics and Transparency.       Suggested Action: Approve recommendation. ] OFFICER. THANK YOU CHAIR. JENNIFER, IT SOUNDS LIKE YOU ARE CONTROLLING THE POWERPOINT SLIDES. JUST A OKAY. GIMME ONE SECOND. UH, WHILE JENNIFER'S DOING THAT, IT'S GOOD TO SEE EVERYBODY AGAIN. UH, MY NAME IS HEATHER VAN WICK. I'M THE ETHICS OFFICER FOR THE CITY OF LONG BEACH. I MANAGE THE OFFICE OF ETHICS AND TRANSPARENCY, AND WE ARE HOUSED IN THE CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE. SO WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO EACH YEAR WITH THE SUPPORT OF THE MAYOR, SOMETIMES THE MAYOR'S OFFICE IS WITH ME, UM, WHEN WE, WE GO TO DIFFERENT COMMISSIONS JUST TO LIFT UP ETHICS AND, AND GIVE ALL OF OUR COMMISSIONS AN UPDATE ON, ON WHAT THE OET HAS BEEN DOING, UM, AND STUFF LIKE THAT. SO I DO HAVE JUST A BRIEF PRESENTATION THAT I'LL SHARE WITH YOU IN JUST A SEC. GREAT. OKAY, PERFECT. UH, NEXT SLIDE PLEASE. SO, JUST A LITTLE BIT OF BACKGROUND. IT'S BEEN A LITTLE WHILE SINCE I WAS AT C COD LAST. SO, UH, THE LAST TIME I WAS HERE, WE WERE NOT OFFICIALLY THE OFFICE OF ETHICS AND TRANSPARENCY. YET IN FY 24, THE ETHICS PROGRAM AND THE PUBLIC RECORDS ACT PROGRAM CAME TOGETHER TO FORM THE OET. AND OUR MISSION IS REALLY PRETTY SIMPLE. IT'S TO BUILD TRUST AND MAINTAIN TRUST AMONGST, UH, THE PUBLIC, OUR EMPLOYEES, AND OUR OFFICIALS, AND TO PROVIDE NECESSARY RESOURCES, UH, TO MAKE THE IMPARTIAL DECISIONS THAT WE ARE TASKED WITH MAKING EVERY DAY, UM, AS STEWARDS OF PUBLIC RESOURCES. SO ONE OF OUR, UM, IN DOING SO, ONE OF OUR TOP PRIORITIES HAS BEEN, UH, TO CENTRALIZE OUR ETHICS PROGRAM. THIS WAS SOMETHING THAT WAS IDENTIFIED IN THE 2020 AUDIT OF OUR ETHICS PROGRAM, UM, THAT WE HAD LOTS OF GOOD STUFF. IT JUST SEEMED TO BE KIND OF EVERYWHERE. SO WE'VE BEEN WORKING HARD TO BRING ALL OF THAT TOGETHER, UM, INTO ONE, UM, PRETTY ACCESSIBLE LOCATION. TRAINING AND EDUCATION IS AT THE CORE OF WHAT WE DO. UM, AS I MENTIONED A MINUTE AGO, WE WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH OUR MAYOR. WE ARE ALSO WORKING, UM, ALL THE TIME WITH OUR CITY ATTORNEY, OUR CITY AUDITOR, OUR CITY CLERK, OUR CITY MANAGER, AND HUMAN RESOURCES. UM, AS YOU KNOW, AS VOTERS OF THE CITY OF LONG BEACH, UH, WE DO HAVE AN ETHICS COMMISSION THAT WAS, UH, APPROVED BY THE VOTERS IN 2018. THIS IS A CHARTER COMMISSION. UM, THEY ARE A RECOMMENDING BODY AND THE CHARTER GIVES THEM, UM, IM, IT ALLOWS THEM TO GIVE IMPARTIAL AND EFFECTIVE ADMINISTRATION OVER DIFFERENT THINGS LIKE, UM, CAMPAIGN FINANCE LOBBYING CONFLICTS OF INTEREST IN GOVERNMENTAL ETHICS. AND WHAT THAT REALLY MEANS IS THEY ARE SIMILAR TO C COD IN THAT THEY ARE A RECOMMENDING BODY, MEANING THEY DON'T HAVE ANY INVESTIGATORY OR ENFORCEMENT AUTHORITY. UM, BUT THEY DO, UH, DO DEEP DIVES INTO DIFFERENT, UM, AREAS THAT YOU SEE IN FRONT OF YOU. AND THEN GIVE RECOMMENDATIONS TO MAYOR AND COUNCIL. NEXT SLIDE. I LIKE TO PUT FACES WITH NAMES. SO I JUST BRIEFLY INTRODUCE THE TEAM THAT I WORK WITH. UM, JORGE EZ, HE'S AN ASSISTANT TO THE CITY MANAGER. YOU WILL ALSO KNOW JORGE, HE PART OF, UM, A LOT OF THE WORK THAT HE'S DOING RIGHT NOW IS SPECIFIC TO THE OLYMPICS. SO YOU'VE PROBABLY SEEN HIM OUT IN THE COMMUNITY. MEGAN FELIX IS OUR RECORDS COORDINATOR. SAM LOPEZ IS OUR ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT, AND THEN LILIANA AND NAVIN ARE OUR INTERNS. NEXT SLIDE. OH, AND WE REPORT TO TYLER CURLEY. HE'S OUR DEPUTY CITY MANAGER. SO LAST YEAR, WHAT DID WE DO? UM, IN FY 24, THE CITY COUNCIL, UM, ALLOCATED THE ETHICS COMMISSION 75,001 TIME DOLLARS, UH, TO ENGAGE IN A STRATEGIC PLANNING PROCESS. SO THAT $75,000 ALLOWED US TO BRING ON A CONSULTANT, THE, UH, MARCOLA CENTER FOR APPLIED ETHICS OUT OF SANTA CLARITA, AND SPENT THE BETTER PART OF A YEAR, UM, IN WHAT HAS BECOME, UH, A ROADMAP OF PRIORITIES FOR THE OFFICE OF ETHICS AND TRANSPARENCY. AND FOUR OVERARCHING PRIORITIES THAT WERE IDENTIFIED, INCLUDING INCLUDES A CULTURE OF ETHICS, A SOLID COMMUNICATION [00:15:01] STRATEGY, AND EDUCATION AND TRAINING BLUEPRINT, AND BETTER ORGANIZATIONAL, NO ALIGNMENT. SO AGAIN, THIS IS A FIVE YEAR STRATEGIC ROADMAP, UM, THAT WE REALLY STARTED IMPLEMENTING AND OPERATIONALIZING IN JANUARY OF THIS YEAR. NEXT SLIDE. REQUIRED TRAININGS AND AUTOMATIC REMOVALS. SO YOU AS COMMISSIONERS ARE NO STRANGERS TO REQUIRED TRAININGS. WE HAVE SEVERAL OF THEM. UM, WE HAVE OUR CITY REQUIRED CODE OF CONDUCT AND ETHICS TRAINING. THIS IS ANNUAL, UH, THIS IS THE 30 MINUTE TRAINING. WE ALSO HAVE THE STATE AND CITY REQUIRED HARASSMENT TRAINING FOR CALIFORNIA EMPLOYEES. THIS IS BIENNIAL. THE STATE REQUIRED AB 1234 ETHICS TRAINING. SO THIS IS BIENNIAL AS WELL. SOMETIMES THIS GETS CONFUSED WITH THE CITY'S REQUIRED CODE OF CONDUCT AND ETHICS TRAINING. UH, THERE IS A LITTLE INFOGRAPHIC TO THE RIGHT OF THIS SLIDE THAT EXPLAINS, UH, THE WHO, WHAT, WHEN, WHERE, AND HOW LONG OF EACH OF THESE TRAININGS. BUT THEY ARE BOTH REQUIRED. UM, LAST YEAR THE CITY ATTORNEY DID REMOVE SEVEN COMMISSIONERS FROM THEIR ROLES ON COMMISSIONS FOR NON-COMPLIANCE OF AB 1234. SO TRAININGS WE TAKE VERY SERIOUSLY. UM, IT'S NOW CODIFIED IN OUR MUNICIPAL CODE AND THAT, UM, YOU, YOU CAN BE REMOVED. UH, FOR FAILURE TO COMPLY. WE WORK REALLY HARD. UH, TAMLA WILL AGREE THAT THE CITY CLERK, THAT'S NOT THEIR FIRST CHOICE. THEY WILL WORK CONTINUOUSLY TO TRY AND GET COMMISSIONERS COMPLIANT. UM, BUT AT SOME POINT, UH, YOU WILL BE REMOVED, UM, IF NEEDED. SO JUST A LITTLE CHEERLEADING TO GET YOUR TRAININGS DONE. UM, THERE ARE THE OTHER MAYOR REQUIRED TRAININGS THAT YOU GUYS WILL HAVE ALREADY DONE BY NOW, AND I BELIEVE YOU ONLY HAVE TO DO IT ONCE DURING YOUR TENURE AS A COMMISSIONER, BUT WITH ONE WITHIN 120 DAYS OF ASSUMING OFFICE, YOU'VE GOT THE STRATEGIC VISION TRAINING, THE PARLIAMENTARY PROCEDURE TRAINING. AND THEN AS FAR AS I KNOW, THE EQUITY TOOLKIT TRAINING IS STILL PENDING. ALL OF THESE TRAININGS NOW LIVE AND LEARN, SO YOU CAN ACCESS THAT THROUGH YOUR LEARN ACCOUNT. UM, I RECOMMEND SOMETHING I PRACTICE MYSELF IS JUST GOING BACK TO VISIT THESE TRAININGS, UM, EVERY NOW AND THEN, ESPECIALLY THE PARLIAMENTARY PROCEDURE. UM, IT'S ALWAYS HELPFUL AS COMMISSIONERS TO REVISIT THAT TRAINING. NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE. SO, HELPLINE, WE DO HAVE AN ETHICS HELPLINE. THE LAST TIME I WAS HERE, WE WERE TRYING VERY HARD TO, UH, KEEP THAT WITH THE, UH, FRAUD HOTLINE. WE WERE TRYING JUST TO KEEP ONE PHONE NUMBER. UM, BUT TECHNOLOGY WISE, IT JUST DIDN'T WORK OUT. WE WEREN'T ABLE, EACH OF OUR OFFICES WEREN'T ABLE TO DO WHAT WE NEEDED TO DO WITH JUST ONE PHONE NUMBER. SO THE ETHICS, THE OET HAS THEIR OWN ETHICS HELPLINE NOW. UM, THERE'S A PHONE NUMBER AND AN ONLINE FORM. IT'S AVAILABLE TO THE PUBLIC, SO IT IS PUBLIC FACING. IT'S CONFIDENTIAL AND ANONYMOUS IF YOU WANT IT TO BE. AND IT IS 24 7. NEXT SLIDE. REMINDER. SO, I LIKE TO USE THIS OPPORTUNITY JUST TO REMIND OUR APPOINTED OFFICIALS, UM, TO BE MINDFUL OF SPEAKING IN OFFICIAL VERSUS PERSONAL CAPACITY. THE ATTORNEYS CALL CALL THIS MISUSE OF AUTHORITY. SO REALLY IT'S JUST, UM, WHEN YOU'RE OUT, I KNOW A LOT OF YOU ARE ENGAGED IN PUBLIC AFFAIRS AND YOU KNOW, GENERALLY SPEAKING, WHEN YOU ARE OUT ADVOCATING FOR DIFFERENT, UM, ISSUES OR CAUSES, JUST BE MINDFUL THAT YOU ARE ADVOCATING MOST LIKELY IN A PERSONAL CAPACITY. UM, SO WHAT THAT MEANS IS YOU CAN'T BE ADVOCATING FOR PANCAKES FOR DINNER. UM, AS COMMISSIONER GARBA, YOU'VE GOTTA BE JUST CHAKA, UH, ADVOCATING FOR DIFFERENT THINGS UNLESS YOUR COMMISSION HAS APPROVED THAT YOU CAN GO OUT AND ADVOCATE FOR SOMETHING THAT THE COMMISSION ITSELF, UM, UNDERSTANDS AND KNOWS ABOUT AND IS IN AGREEMENT WITH. UM, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE'VE HAD TROUBLE WITH WITH OTHER COMMISSIONS IN THE PAST, WHICH IS WHY WE'RE JUST TRYING TO BE DILIGENT IN BRINGING IT UP. UM, IT'S, AND SO YOU'LL SEE ON THE SLIDE IT SAYS ONLY THE CHAIR OR ANOTHER MEMBER OF A COMMISSION AUTHORIZED BY THE BODY MAY ADDRESS THE COUNCIL AS A COMMISSIONER. UM, I, IT SAYS THE COUNCIL ONLY BECAUSE IT'S [00:20:01] ONLY SPECIFICALLY STATED RIGHT NOW IN THE COMMISSION'S HANDBOOK, BUT THE, THE, IT APPLIES ALL THE TIME TO ALL OTHER ACTIONS. THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE'RE WORKING ON CODIFYING RIGHT NOW. UM, SO JUST BE MINDFUL OF THAT. THAT GOES WITH SOCIAL MEDIA AS WELL. UH, JUST BE CAREFUL NOT TO ADVOCATE FOR THINGS THAT YOU FEEL PASSIONATE ABOUT AS CAPE COD COMMISSIONERS ON YOUR SOCIAL MEDIA ACCOUNTS. THAT IF YOU DO SO, UM, YOU, THAT IS, UM, A RECORD, A PUBLIC RECORD IF YOU'RE ADVOCATING FOR AS A COMMISSIONER. SO WE CAN, UM, SOMEONE CAN ASK FOR ACCESS, YOU KNOW, THOSE PUBLIC RECORDS. SO BY LAW, IF, IF YOU ARE ASKED TO GIVE US THOSE RECORDS, YOU WOULD HAVE TO. UM, AND NO ONE LIKES PEOPLE DIGGING AROUND. NOT, NOT THAT THERE'S ANYTHING TO HIDE IN YOUR SOCIAL MEDIA ACCOUNTS, BUT IT'S JUST, UM, IF WE CAN AVOID IT, LET'S DO THAT. THAT ALSO GOES WITH SIGNATURES AND ENDORSEMENTS. UM, WE HAD SOMETHING HAPPEN WHERE SOMEONE SIGNED AS A COMMISSIONER ON A ADVOCACY LETTER THAT WENT OUT TO HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE AND THAT WAS NOT APPROVED BY THE COMMISSION OR THE CITY. UM, SO JUST BE CAREFUL. ANNUAL REPORTS, THESE ARE DUE EVERY YEAR NOW. UM, I BELIEVE THEY'RE DUE EITHER JUNE 1ST OR JULY 1ST. WE ETHICS COMMISSION. WE TEND TO DO OURS EARLY. UM, BUT NONETHELESS, THOSE ARE DUE EVERY YEAR. UM, LEARN CONCERNS. REACH OUT TO JENNIFER IF YOU HAVE, IF YOU'RE HAVING PROBLEMS WITH YOUR LEARN ACCOUNT OR YOU CAN EMAIL LEARN SUPPORT@LONGBEACH.GOV. THEY ARE A LITTLE SHORT STAFFED RIGHT NOW, SO I WOULD START WITH JENNIFER. UM, AND THEN WE CAN FIGURE OUT HOW TO GET YOU THE HELP YOU NEED. UH, FORM SEVEN HUNDREDS, HOPEFULLY YOU'VE DONE YOURS BY NOW. THE STATE DID EXTEND THAT DEADLINE THIS YEAR, THIS SHEER ONLY TO JUNE 2ND. SO YOU STILL HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF TIME IF YOU'VE NOT GOTTEN THAT FORM 700 IN THE CITY CLERK, PHILIP SPECIFICALLY WILL CONTINUE TO BUG YOU UNTIL THOSE FORMS ARE DONE. UM, SO HE DOESN'T WANNA DO THAT AND YOU DON'T WANT HIM TO DO THAT. SO JUST, UH, BE MINDFUL OF THAT. AND THEN OF COURSE, COMMISSION MEETINGS HAVE TO BE CONSISTENT WITH THE BROWN ACT, YOUR BYLAWS AND ROBERT'S RULES OF ORDER. AND IT SOUNDS LIKE THE CITY ATTORNEY HAS ALREADY DONE THEIR ANNUAL, UH, BROWN ACT PRESENTATION, WHICH IS GOOD. NEXT SLIDE. AND THAT'S IT. I THINK THERE'S ALSO A RESOURCES SLIDE IN HERE JUST FOR YOUR REFERENCE, UM, THAT TALKS ABOUT THE BROWN ACT AND THE EPICS GUIDE AND, AND ALL OF THAT STUFF. SO THAT IS MY ANNUAL UPDATE AND I'LL TAKE ANY QUESTIONS IF YOU HAVE ANY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU SO MUCH. ANY COMMISSIONERS HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? UM, BUT BEFORE WE GET TO THAT, UM, UM, WE WILL, UH, ASK THE PUBLIC TO SEE IF THEY HAVE ANY COMMENTS, UH, RELATING TO THIS ITEM. AND IF THERE'S ANY MEMBERS IN THE PUBLIC THAT WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM IN PERSON, PLEASE LINE UP IN THE PODIUM AND ON ZOOM, PLEASE USE THE RAISE HAND FEATURE OR DOW STAR NINE IF CALLING IN. SEE NO PUBLIC COMMENTS HERE. ADAMS. THANK YOU. UH, COMMISSIONER, IS THERE ANY COMMENTS OR COMMISSIONER SWANSON, IT'S GREAT TO SEE YOU BACK HERE. THIS IS A FAMILIAR SITE. UM, AND THANK YOU HEATHER. UM, OKAY, I HAVE A COUPLE OF DIFFERENT, ONE IS SORT OF AN OBSERVATION AND MAYBE YOU HAVE SOME THOUGHTS ON IT. UM, AND, UH, AND THE QUESTION ABOUT THE ETHICS COMMISSION. SO THE FIRST IS AN OBSERVATION IS THAT IN, UM, SORT OF ATTENDING DIFFERENT COMMUNITY EVENTS, PEOPLE MIGHT ASSOCIATE A PERSON WITH AN ENTITY. AND SO IT BECOMES A CHALLENGE TO, TO VOICE YOUR PERSONAL, UH, POSITION OR NEED FOR INFORMATION OR A CONTRIBUTION WITHOUT PEOPLE WHO ARE THERE, ASSUMING YOU ARE REPRESENTING WHOEVER THAT GROUP IS. UM, AND SO IT ENDS UP, UH, BEING A LOSS OF CONTRIBUTION ON THE PART OF THIS PERSON ME IN, IN THIS INSTANCE. BUT I SEE IT WITH OTHERS OF BEING ACTIVE AND WANTING TO BE INVOLVED, BUT NOT SHARING. I WOULD SAY 99% OF THE PEOPLE I KNOW DON'T KNOW THAT I SIT ON THIS COMMISSION BECAUSE OF THIS FAIRLY, UH, STRICT, UM, BOUNDARY. RIGHT. UM, AND YET I WANNA ADVOCATE. SO [00:25:01] DO YOU HAVE GUIDANCE FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE INVOLVED? AND I WOULD SAY EVERYBODY HERE ON THIS, UH, IN THIS GROUP AND MANY OF THE OTHER COMMISSIONS ARE IN THE SAME BOAT. THEY GET HERE BECAUSE THEY'RE INVOLVED WITH OTHER THINGS AND THEN THEY WANT TO SHARE INFORMATION AND POSITION, BUT NOT NECESSARILY A RECOMMENDATION FROM, IN THIS CASE, COD. YEAH, THAT IS TOUGH, ESPECIALLY BECAUSE YOU, MOST OF YOU ARE SO ENGAGED IN DIFFERENT REALMS OF THE PUBLIC. UM, I WOULD SAY, AND I'VE HEARD THE CITY ATTORNEY SAY IT, AS LONG AS PEOPLE UNDERSTAND THAT YOU ARE THERE AS GRETCHEN, UH, LONG BEACH RESIDENTS, YOU KNOW, YOU CAN JUST MAKE IT CLEAR IT'S NOT UP TO YOU WHAT OTHER PEOPLE ASSUME. UM, BUT AS LONG AS YOU'VE MADE IT CLEAR THAT I'M HERE AS GRETCHEN SWANSON OKAY. THE RESIDENT. AND YES, I'M ALSO A COMMISSIONER FOR THE CITY, AND THAT'S ALLOWED, THE STATEMENT IS, IS FROM OKAY, YES, THAT'S GOOD INFORMATION. 'CAUSE WE CAN BE CONSISTENT WITH THAT. YEP. THANK YOU. UM, WHEN THIS FIRST ROLLED OUT, YOU PROBABLY REMEMBER THOSE DAYS, THE COMMISSION, ETHICS COMMISSION, UM, SORT OF LANDED INTO A SEA OF HMM. INTEREST, UH, WHERE PEOPLE CAME OUT AND VERY CONCERNED ABOUT THE IMPACT OF, UH, THE LANGUAGE REGARDING LOBBYING OUR ELECTEDS. UH, CAN YOU SPEAK TO IMPACT, UM, THIS ESPECIALLY TO THE NONPROFIT COMMUNITY AS WELL AS OTHERS IN THE CITY OF LONG BEACH, THAT INITIAL ATTEMPT TO CLARIFY LOBBYING PRACTICE HERE IN THE CITY? I'M NOT SURE WHAT YOUR QUESTION IS, BUT THE OUT I CAN SPEAK TO THE OUTCOME OF YES. OUTCOME IS GOOD. YEAH. SO BASED ON ALL OF THE, THERE WAS A, UM, LET ME BACK UP A LITTLE BIT. SO THERE WAS A DEEP DIVE INTO THE CURRENT LOBBYIST ORDINANCE BY AN AD HOC ON THE ETHICS COMMISSION, AND THEY WORKED ON THIS FOR THE BETTER PART OF TWO YEARS. AT ONE POINT IN THIS, THEIR PROCESS, UM, THERE WAS, UM, SOME TALK ABOUT RECOMMENDING THAT, THAT, UH, NONPROFITS BE CLASSIFIED AS LOBBYISTS IN THE CITY OF LONG BEACH. AND I DON'T REMEMBER ALL OF THE, THE THRESHOLDS, UM, YOU KNOW, IF YOU GOT TO THIS THRESHOLD YES. IF YOU STAYED BELOW THIS THRESHOLD, NO. BUT THAT IN A NUTSHELL, THAT WAS PART OF, UH, THEIR RECOMMENDATION AT THAT TIME THAT THEY WERE CONSIDERING. UM, THERE WAS A LOT OF PUBLIC OUTREACH, A LOT OF PUBLIC OUTCRY. THERE WAS A LOT OF PUBLIC PARTICIPATION IN A COUPLE OF THE MEETINGS AROUND LOBBYING AND THE LOBBYIST ORDINANCE. AND SO THEY RETRACTED, UM, THAT PART OF THE RECOMMENDATION THAT WOULD'VE DIRECTLY AFFECTED A LOT OF OUR SMALLER NONPROFITS IN THE CITY. UM, THEY DID COME UP WITH A FINAL RECOMMENDATION THAT WAS SENT TO THE CITY COUNCIL EARLY FALL LAST YEAR. IT'S BEEN QUITE SOME TIME AT, AT THIS POINT, THERE'S BEEN NO ACTION TAKEN ON THE RECOMMENDATIONS BY THE ETHICS COMMISSION. UM, SO THAT'S WHERE IT STANDS RIGHT NOW. UNLESS THE MAYOR AND OR CITY COUNCIL AT SOME POINT WOULD LIKE TO BRING THAT RECOMMENDATION FORWARD, UH, FOR DISCUSSION AT A COUNCIL MEETING. UM, AND DEPEND, YOU KNOW, THE WAY THAT THE LOBBYIST RECOMMENDATION WAS STRUCTURED, I THINK THERE'S EIGHT COMPONENTS OF THE LOBBYIST ORDINANCE RECOMMENDATION THAT THE COMMISSION MADE. THE, THEY STRUCTURED IT THAT WAY. SO HOPING FOR SOME INTEREST IN AT LEAST PARTS OF IT. UM, THE RECOMMENDATION OR THE ULTIMATE, UM, RECOMMENDATION AT A CITY COUNCIL MEETING COULD BE A LA CARTE. LET'S SAY THEY, YOU KNOW, THERE MAY BE MORE DISCUSSION AROUND ITEMS TWO, THREE, AND FOUR. AND AGAIN, I, IT'S BEEN MONTHS SINCE I'VE LOOKED AT THIS. UM, BUT YEAH, THAT'S WHERE IT IS NOW. ANY, ANY MOVEMENT ON THAT WOULD BE AT THIS POINT DONE BY THE CITY COUNCIL AT A CITY COUNCIL MEETING. UM, AND IF THERE WERE CHANGES THAT THEY AGREED TO FOR THE LOBBYIST ORDINANCE, UM, IT WOULD NEED TO BE APPROVED AT A COUNCIL MEETING AND THEN IT WOULD GO TO THE CITY ATTORNEY FOR THEIR NORMAL PROCESS. GREAT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR THAT UPDATE. MM-HMM . THANK YOU. ANY OTHER COMMISSIONERS? AND JUST TO PIGGYBACK OFF, UH, COMMISSIONER SWANSON, [00:30:01] I THINK ONE OF THE WAYS THAT WE CAN, YOU KNOW, JUST BY PROMOTING, TELLING OUR FAMILY AND FRIENDS TO COME TO THIS MEETING AND TO BE A PART OF THIS MEETING, THAT'S WHY WE HAVE BUSINESS CARDS. SO THE BUSINESS CARDS ARE REALLY A GOOD ADVOCACY TO INVITE PEOPLE TO COME TO THE MEETING, 'CAUSE IT, IT GIVES 'EM THE ADDRESS AND TELL 'EM THE TIME, WHAT TIME OUR MEETINGS ARE HAPPENING. SO I USE THAT AS A, A GREAT WAY OF HELPING AND PEOPLE THAT HAVE DISABILITIES THAT'S IN THE COMMUNITY, I, I'LL GO 'EM TO 'EM AND SAY HELLO, BUT NOT SAYING I'M STEVE ADAMS VICE CHAIR, BUT I WOULD GET MY BUSINESS CARD. AND THAT'S WHAT THE BUSINESS CARD IS FOR AND IT'S FOR, TO INVITE THEM TO BE HERE. SO I THINK THAT'S ANOTHER WAY OF PROMOTING AND GETTING RID OF THE BUSINESS CARDS . SO THAT'S MY WAY OF PROMOTING AND TRYING TO ADVOCATE THE COMMUNITY. THANK YOU. UH, JENNIFER, COULD WE PLEASE HAVE A ROLL CALL? VOTE COMMISSIONER HOPE. AYE. COMMISSIONER GONZALEZ. AYE. CHAIR ADAMS AYE. SECRETARY GARBE AYE. CHAIR. ROMO AYE. COMMISSIONER SWANSON. AYE. COMMISSIONER DEAN. AYE. MOTION PASSES. THANK YOU HEATHER. THANKS EVERYONE. IT WAS SO GOOD TO SEE YOU. THANK YOU. I'LL TALK TO YOU SOON. BYE. MOVING ON TO ITEM NUMBER THREE, RECOMMENDATION TO RECEIVE AND FILE REPORTS FROM THE CURRENT AD HOC COMMITTEES. DISCUSS ANTICIPATED AD HOC COMMITTEES FOR UPCOMING PROJECTS AND IF APPROPRIATE, TAKE ACTION TO DISSOLVE OR CREATE AD HOC COMMITTEES. THANK YOU. CAN I GET A MOTION ON THIS ITEM? A MOTION? [3. 25-55233 Recommendation to receive and file reports from current Ad Hoc Committees; discuss anticipated Ad Hoc Committees for upcoming projects; and, if appropriate, take action to dissolve or create Ad Hoc Committees.       Suggested Action: Approve recommendation. ] SECOND. IT WAS MOVED BY SECRETARY GART AND SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER SWANSON. IS THERE A STAFF REPORT OR PRESENTATION? JENNIFER? UM, AT THIS TIME, UM, I WILL HAND IT OVER TO COMMISSIONER SWANSON TO DELIVER THE REPORT FOR THE DISABILITY, UH, FOR THE UNHOUSED PERSONS, UH, WITH DISABILITIES NEEDS. UH, THANK YOU JENNIFER. UH, SO THE ADCO, UH, AD HOC, UH, COMMITTEE HAS MET, UH, SINCE OUR LAST, UM, COMMISSION MEETING. AND, UM, WE ARE ADDRESSING A PLANNING, UH, DOCUMENT, A FORMAT THAT IS RECOMMENDED BY, UM, THE CITY'S MAN, CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE. UH, WE HAVE COMPLETED THAT AND WE ARE NOW PUTTING IT FORWARD TO, UM, THE, UM, OFFICE OF EQUITY MANAGEMENT TO REVIEW AND, AND PROCESS ACCORDINGLY. BUT BASICALLY WE ARE, UM, RECOMMENDING, UM, THAT WE HELP ESTABLISH A EQUIPMENT CLOSET NETWORK, UM, CALLED A COOPERATIVE, UH, HERE IN THE CITY. THAT WOULD BE, UM, PART, UH, PARTICIPANTS WOULD BE NONPROFITS WHO ARE ALREADY PARTICIPATING IN THE EQUIPMENT NEEDS OF PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES. THANK YOU. COMMISSIONER SWANSON. UM, I WILL, I'M MORE THAN HAPPY TO DELIVER THE REPORT ON BEHALF OF THE DISABILITY DATA AND COMMUNITY SURVEY AD HOC COMMITTEE. UH, WE MET YESTERDAY TO FURTHER DISCUSS, UH, STRATEGIC PARTNER PLANNING AND ONBOARDING. AS OF RIGHT NOW, OUR STRATEGIC PARTNERS ARE, UH, REPRESENTATIVES FROM THE SCHOOL DISTRICT, LONG BEACH UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT, UH, ABILITIES FIRST CITIZENS ADVISORY COMMISSION ON DISABILITIES AND EASTERSEALS. UM, MORE STRATEGIC PARTNERS HAVE BEEN REACHED OUT TO AND FOLLOWED UP WITH AND WE'LL HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF A LONGER LIST, UM, WHEN, UH, THE TIME COMES TO ANNOUNCE. UM, IN ADDITION TO THAT, OUR FIRST STRATEGIC PARTNERS MEETING IS ON, UH, MAY 21ST, UM, VIA ZOOM. AND THE, UH, AD HOC COMMITTEE WILL BE INTRODUCING THE WORK OF THE DISABILITY DATA AND COMMUNITY SURVEY AD HOC COMMITTEE TO THE STRATEGIC PARTNERS TO HOPEFULLY GARNER SUPPORT. AND THAT CONCLUDES MY REPORT. CHAIR ADAMS, THANK YOU FOR THE REPORT. APPRECIATE THAT. JENNIFER. IS THERE ANY PUBLIC COMMENT RELATING TO THIS ITEM? IF THERE IS ANY MEMBER IN THE PUBLIC THAT WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM IN PERSON, PLEASE LINE UP AT THE PODIUM OR IN A ZOOM. PLEASE USE THE RAISE HAND FEATURE OR DOW STAR NINE IF CALLING IN SEEING NO PUBLIC COMMENT. CHAIR ADAMS. THANK YOU. JENNIFER, CAN WE HAVE A VOTE PLEASE? COMMISSIONER HOPE? AYE. COMMISSIONER GONZALEZ? AYE. CHAIR ADAMS AYE. SECRETARY GART AYE. COMMISSIONER ROMO. AYE. COMMISSIONER SWANSON. AYE. COMMISSIONER DEAN. AYE. MOTION PASSES. MOVING ON TO ITEM NUMBER FOUR, RECOMMENDATION TO DRAFT THE CITIZENS' ADVISORY COMMISSION ON DISABILITIES ANNUAL REPORT FOR 2024. THANK YOU. CAN I GET A MOTION ON THIS ITEM? A MOTION? I'LL SECOND. IT WAS MOVED BY COMMISSIONER HOPE AND SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER ROMO. GREAT, THANK YOU. IS THERE ANY STAFF REPORT [4. 25-55234 Recommendation to draft the Citizens’ Advisory Commission on Disabilities 2024 Annual Report as outlined in the Long Beach Municipal Code, Chapter 2.18.        Suggested Action: Approve recommendation. ] OR PRESENTATION FOR THIS? UM, THIS IS JUST DIRECTION TO, UM, FOR ME TO START DRAFTING THE CITIZENS' ADVISOR COMMISSION, UM, ON DISABILITY'S ANNUAL REPORT FOR THE YEAR OF 2024. [00:35:01] WE DID ONE LAST YEAR AND IT'LL BE THE SAME PROCESS. I'LL BRING IT BACK WHEN IT'S READY TO GO AND UM, THE COMMISSION WILL THEN, UH, APPROVE IT AGAIN TO SEND OFF. OKAY. THANK YOU. ANY PUBLIC COMMENT RELATING TO THIS ITEM? AND IF THERE'S ANY MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC THAT WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM IN PERSON, PLEASE LINE UP AT THE PODIUM AND IN THE ZOOM PLEASE USE THE RAISE HAND FEATURE OR DIAL STAR NINE IF CALLED. NOW. SEEING NO PUBLIC COMMENT. THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER, IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION ON THIS ITEM? THERE'S NONE. JENNIFER, CAN WE PLEASE HAVE A VOTE? COMMISSIONER HOPE? AYE. COMMISSIONER GONZALEZ? AYE. CHAIR ADAMS AYE. SECRETARY GAR AYE. COMMISSIONER ROMO. AYE. COMMISSIONER SWANSON. AYE. COMMISSIONER DEAN. AYE. MOTION PASSES. THANK YOU. AT THIS TIME WE'LL TAKE A NON-AG AGENDA, PUBLIC COMMENT. IF THERE'S ANY MEMBER OF THE PUBLIC THAT WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK ON, ON THIS ITEM IN PERSON, PLEASE LINE UP AT THE PODIUM OR IN THE ZOOM, PLEASE USE THE RAISE HAND FEATURE OR DIAL STAR NINE IF CALL. SEEING NONE. SEEING NONE. OKAY. THANK YOU. UH, COMMISSIONERS AND STAFF, ARE THERE ANY ANNOUNCEMENT THIS TIME? I HAVE A STAFF REPORT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. CHAIR ADAMS. UH, UP FIRST, WE HAVE BEACH STREETS WEST THIS SATURDAY, MAY 10TH, UH, 2025 FROM 11:00 AM TO 5:00 PM YOU CAN LEARN MORE INFORMATION@LONGBEACH.GOV BACK SLASH BEACH STREETS FOR MORE INFORMATION AND IT'LL BE HAPPENING OFF OF THE WEST SIDE, WHICH IS, UH, WEST WILLOW AND SANTA FE. [ANNOUNCEMENTS] ITEM NUMBER TWO, LONG BEACH, UH, PRIDE FESTIVAL AND PRIDE PARADE WILL BE FRIDAY, MAY 16TH THROUGH THE 18TH IS THE ENTIRE FESTIVAL, AND THE PARADE IS ON SUNDAY, MAY 18TH AT 10:00 AM ALONG OCEAN BOULEVARD. YOU CAN LEARN MORE INFORMATION@LONGBEACHPRIDE.COM SLASH FESTIVAL.COM. MY APOLOGIES. LONG BEACH PRIDE.COM/FESTIVAL/UH, UP NEXT POOLS OF HOPE IS HOSTING A FREE SUMMER SWIM CAMP FOR AGES, UH, FIVE TO 17. UM, THIS IS A TWO WEEK SESSION MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY. SESSION ONE IS JULY 23RD TO JULY 3RD, AND SESSION TWO IS JULY 7TH TO JULY 18TH, AND ANOTHER SESSION JULY 28TH TO AUGUST 8TH. ALL OF THESE SESSIONS WILL HAPPEN AT 6 8 0 1 LONG BEACH BOULEVARD, AND YOU CAN LEARN MORE INFORMATION, UM, AT, UH, POOLS OF HOPE, UM, WEBSITE. UM, MOVING ON TO THE FOURTH ANNUAL LONG BEACH DISABILITY PRIDE. THIS YEAR WILL BE A VIRTUAL RALLY, MONDAY, JULY 21ST, 2025 AT 4:00 PM PACIFIC STANDARD TIME AND RSVP IS REQUIRED AND YOU CAN DO THAT AT LINK TREE SLASH LB DISABILITY PRIDE. AND THE FINAL ANNOUNCEMENT IS K COD ANNUAL DISABILITY ADVOCATES OF THE YEAR AWARDS. UM, THIS WILL HAPPEN ON THURSDAY, OCTOBER 8TH DURING THIS REGULAR MEETING IN THE CAPE COD REGULAR MEETING AT 1:00 PM HERE IN THE CIVIC CHAMBERS. NOMINATIONS ARE NOW OPEN FOR COMMISSIONERS AND WE WILL MAKE THAT ANNOUNCEMENT AS SOON AS AWARDEES ARE CHOSEN. AND THAT CONCLUDES MY STAFF REPORT. THANK YOU, JENNIFER. ANY COMMISSIONERS? ANY OTHER COMMENTS THAT MIGHT ADD TO? NO. OKAY, GREAT. IF THERE'S NO OBJECTIONS I CAN DECLARE THIS MEETING ADJOURN. JENNIFER, THE TIME IS 1:31 PM THANK YOU EVERYBODY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. * This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting.