[00:03:09]
WELL, GOOD AFTERNOON EVERYONE.
I'D LIKE TO CALL THE BUDGET OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE MEETING TO ORDER FOR AUGUST 19TH, 2025.
MADAM CLERK, WOULD YOU PLEASE CALL THE ROLL MEMBER ALLEN.
[CALL TO ORDER]
CLERK, PLEASE READ THE FIRST ITEM.ITEM ONE, RECOMMENDATION TO APPROVE THE MINUTES FOR THE BUDGET OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE MEETING OF TUESDAY, AUGUST 12TH, 2025.
[ROLL CALL]
MEMBER.ALLEN, CAN I GET A, THEY'RE EXCELLENT.
UM, SO I SEE A FIRST AND A SECOND, AND I BELIEVE WE HAVE A PRESENTATION.
[1. 25-56118 Recommendation to approve the minutes for the Budget Oversight Committee meeting of Tuesday, August 12, 2025. Suggested Action: Approve recommendation. ]
THESE ARE JUST THE MINUTES.SO IF WE HAVE A FIRST AND A SECOND, UM, PUBLIC COMMENT.
IF THERE'S ANY MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC THAT WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK ON ITEM ONE, PLEASE LINE UP AT THE PODIUM NOW.
ITEM TWO, ITEM TWO, RECOMMENDATION TO RECEIVE AND FILE AN OVERVIEW OF THE TIDELANDS FUND GROUP.
UM, CAN I GET A FIRST AND A SECOND? AND NOW I BELIEVE WE HAVE A PRESENTATION.
[2. 25-56119 Recommendation to receive and file an overview on the Tidelands Fund Group. Suggested Action: Approve recommendation. ]
GONNA TURN IT OVER TO GREG SORENSON, BUDGET OFFICER WITHIN FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT TO PROVIDE THAT PRESENTATION.WELCOME BUFFER BUDGET OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE MEMBERS TO THIS BOC PRESENTATION ON THE BUDGETARY AND FINANCIAL ASPECTS OF THE TIDELANDS OPERATING FUND.
THE TITLES FUND GROUPS ARE COMPRISED OF MARINA FUNDS, QUEEN MARY FUNDS, AND TIDELANDS OPERATING FUNDS.
THE MARINA FUNDS ARE USED TO MAINTAIN OUR MARINAS AND OPERATING REVENUES AND EXPENDITURES MUST MAINTAIN BOND COVERAGE RATIOS.
THE MARINA FUNDS HAVE HEALTHY RESERVES AND ARE STRUCTURALLY BALANCED.
[00:05:01]
FUNDS ARE UTILIZED FOR QUEEN MARY EXPENSES.THE QUEEN MARY FUNDS HAVE PREVIOUSLY RECEIVED TRANSFERS FROM THAILAND'S OPERATING FUNDS WHEN THE PREVIOUS SHIP OPERATOR DECLARED BANKRUPTCY AND THEN THE COVID PANDEMIC CLOSED THE SHIP.
THAILAND'S OPERATED FUNDS WERE UTILIZED TO PAY FOR THE QUEEN MARY'S CAPITAL PROJECTS, REOPENING COSTS, OPERATIONAL NEEDS AND DEBT SERVICE.
BUT IN FISCAL YEAR 23, THE REOPENED QUEEN MARY GENERATED A SURPLUS AND FUTURE YEAR PROJECTIONS ALSO ANTICIPATE A SURPLUS.
SO IT IS NOT ANTICIPATED THAT THE QUEEN MARY WILL NEED FURTHER FUNDING FROM THE TIDELANDS OPERATING FUNDS.
THIS PRESENTATION WILL NOT FOCUS ON THE MARINA AND QUEEN MARY FUNDS WILL FOCUS ON THE TIDELANDS OPERATING FUNDS.
SLIDE THREE SHOWS THE TYPES OF OPERATING EXPENSES IN TIDELANDS OPERATING, INCLUDING LIFEGUARDS, SAND AND BEACH MANAGEMENT, THE CONVENTION CENTER, THE BELMONT POOL, PARKING GARAGES, DEBT SERVICE, AND HOMELESS RESPONSE.
THE CONVENTION CENTER IS CURRENTLY PROJECTED TO INCUR AN OPERATING DEFICIT OF APPROXIMATELY $2 MILLION FOR THE NEXT TWO YEARS, IN PART DUE TO THE INCREASED LABOR COSTS FROM MEASURE RW.
IN ADDITION TO THE OPERATING DEFICIT, THE TIDELANDS OPERATING FUNDS ALSO PAY FOR THE CENTER'S UTILITIES, HEATING AND INSURANCE COSTS.
SLIDE FIVE SHOWS THE VARIOUS DEBT SERVICES IN TITLES OPERATING.
THERE WAS REINVESTMENT IN RAINBOW HARBOR, SEA WALLS, BOARDWALK AND PARKING AREAS.
AND THIS DEBT SERVICE WAS PAID OFF IN FISCAL YEAR 23.
THERE IS A DEBT, A CURRENT DEBT SERVICE FOR THE QUEEN MARY, WHICH WILL END IN FISCAL YEAR 28.
THERE ARE DEBT SERVICE COSTS FOR THE AQUARIUM AND ASSOCIATED GARAGE THAT WILL END IN FISCAL YEAR 30 AND THE PARK PIKE PARKING GARAGE DEBT SERVICE WILL END IN FISCAL YEAR 33.
THE NEXT TWO SLIDES SHOW THE TYPES OF CAPITAL PROJECTS IN TIDELANDS AND THE APPROPRIATION THAT HAS ALREADY BEEN COLLECTED, BUT IS STILL REMAINING FOR THESE GROUPS OF PROJECTS.
TIDELANDS CAPITAL INVESTMENTS INCLUDE THE BELMONT BEACH AQUATIC CENTER, BEACH FACILITIES, THE CONVENTION CENTER, SEA WALLS, DOCKS, AND BOAT LAUNCHES.
FURTHER INVESTMENTS INCLUDE PARKING, ALAMEDA BAY AND RAINBOW LAGOON, BELMONT PIER, AND VARIOUS PLAYGROUNDS.
SLIDE EIGHT SHOWS THE MAJOR REVENUE SOURCES FOR FISCAL YEAR 26, INCLUDING THE HARBOR TRANSFER, PARKING, OIL, REVENUES, EARNED INTEREST, RENTALS, LEASES, AND FEES.
THE NEXT TWO SLIDES WE'LL DISCUSS OIL PRODUCTION CHALLENGES AND HOW THEY'RE PROJECTED TO AFFECT OIL REVENUES.
THE FIRST OIL PRODUCTION CHALLENGE THE CITY EXPERIENCED WAS SB 1137, WHICH CREATED A HEALTH PROTECTION ZONE THAT AFFECTS ANY OIL OR GAS WELL WITHIN 3,200 FEET OF VARIOUS FACILITIES.
SB 1137 RESTRICTS ANY NEW WELLS OR FACILITIES WITHIN THE HEALTH PROTECTION ZONE AND ALSO RESTRICTS REPAIRING OF ANY SUCH WELLS IF THAT REPAIR NEEDS A PERMIT.
THE EFFECT OF THIS IS THAT AS WELLS BREAK DOWN AS PART OF THE NORMAL WELL LIFECYCLE, IF THE WELL CAN BE REPAIRED WITHOUT NEEDING A PERMIT, THEN THAT WELL CAN BE REPAIRED AND CONTINUE TO PRODUCE.
BUT IF THE WELL NEEDS A PERMIT FOR REPAIR, THEN THAT WELL NEEDS TO BE TAKEN OFFLINE PERMANENTLY AND WILL NO LONGER CONTRIBUTE TO OVERALL PRODUCTION.
KEEP IN MIND THE NORMAL BREAKDOWN CYCLES OF WELLS IN THIS ZONE AND FUTURE PRODUCTION IS LOWERED.
THE NEXT OIL PRODUCTION CHALLENGE WAS THAT CAL GEM, WHICH OVERSEES OIL AND NATURAL GAS INDUSTRIES, CREATED NEW REGULATIONS WHICH REDUCE INJECTION PRESSURES IN WELL ACTIVITIES, WHICH IN TURN REDUCES THE AMOUNT OF OIL THAT CAN BE EXTRACTED.
NEXT, WE'LL MOVE ON TO SLIDE 10, WHICH SHOWS THE EFFECTS OF THESE OIL PRODUCTION CHALLENGES ON OIL REVENUE PROJECTIONS.
SLIDE 10 SHOWS THE PROJECTED NET OIL REVENUES DECLINING DUE TO DECLINING PRODUCTION, WHILE OIL IS BUDGETED AT $55 PER BARREL FOR PROJECTION PURPOSES, WE CALCULATE AT $65 PER BARREL, WHICH IS IN LINE WITH HISTORIC TRENDS.
FISCAL YEAR 25 IS PROJECTED TO HAVE ABOUT 15 AND A HALF MILLION DOLLARS IN NET OIL REVENUES AFTER OIL PRODUCTION COSTS AND ABANDONMENT SET ASIDES NET OIL REVENUES ARE PROJECTED TO DECLINE TO ZERO
[00:10:01]
BY FISCAL YEAR 32.THIS DOES NOT MEAN THE OIL FIELDS WILL STOP PRODUCING COMPLETELY IN FISCAL YEAR 32 ONLY THAT THERE WON'T BE ANY AVAILABLE NET OIL SURPLUS FOR THE TIDELANDS OPERATING FUNDS.
THE NEXT FEW SLIDES WILL SHOW HOW THE ANNUAL SURPLUS IN TIDELANDS OPERATING HAS BEEN INVESTED IN CAPITAL PROJECTS.
SLIDE 11 SHOWS THAT FISCAL YEAR 22 HAD A $26 MILLION SURPLUS AND HOW THAT SURPLUS WAS REINVESTED IN INLAND'S NEEDS.
THE ITEMS IN RED SHOW THE T SURPLUS AMOUNTS THAT WERE SET ASIDE FOR THE QUEEN MARY REPAIRS AND REOPENING COSTS.
SLIDE 12 SHOWS THAT FISCAL YEAR 23 HAD AN $11 MILLION SURPLUS AND HOW THAT SURPLUS WAS ALLOCATED.
SLIDE 13 SHOWS THAT FISCAL YEAR 24 HAD A $14.8 MILLION SURPLUS AND THE PROJECT ALLOCATIONS, BUT ACTUALLY WITH APOLOGIES, THE FULL SURPLUS WAS ACTUALLY $16.7 MILLION, WHICH WE WILL SEE ON AN UPCOMING SLIDE.
THIS TABLE ACTUALLY ONLY CONTAINS WHAT WAS ALLOCATED AT YEAR END AND NOT FUNDS THAT WERE SET ASIDE MID-YEAR AS PART OF THE FY 25 BUDGET.
SLIDE 14 SHOWS THAT THE FISCAL YEAR 25 PROJECTED SURPLUS IS MUCH LOWER THAN PREVIOUS YEARS.
AND THE TABLE SHOWS THE PRIORITIES FOR FISCAL YEAR 26.
PART OF THE PROJECTED FISCAL YEAR 25 SURPLUS WILL BE SET ASIDE FOR AN ANTICIPATED FY 26 OPERATING DEFICIT IN TITLE'S OPERATING IN ADDITION TO NAPLES SEAWALL AND QUEEN MARY INVESTMENT.
ANY ADDITIONAL AVAILABLE SURPLUS WILL BE BROUGHT BACK TO COUNCIL AS A FINANCING PLAN FOR THE BELMONT BEACH AQUATIC CENTER.
SLIDE 15 SHOWS THE ANNUAL TIDELANDS OPERATING SURPLUS OR DEFICIT PROJECTIONS BY FISCAL YEAR AS THE GRAPH DEMONSTRATES AT AN ASSUMED $65 PER BARREL AVERAGE PRICE OF OIL AND INTEGRATING NEW OIL PRODUCTION ESTIMATES BASED ON SB 1137 AND CAL GM INJECTION REGULATIONS.
THE FUND IS PROJECTED TO SHOW A YEAR-END DEFICIT IN FISCAL YEAR 26.
AS MENTIONED ON A PREVIOUS SLIDE, PART OF THE PROJECTED FISCAL YEAR, 25 YEAR END SURPLUS WILL BE SET ASIDE TO COVER THIS DEFICIT.
FISCAL YEAR 27 IS CURRENTLY PROJECTED TO END THE YEAR WITH A $2.9 MILLION DEFICIT WITH NO RESERVES PLANNED.
IT IS ANTICIPATED THAT TOURISM AND THE NEW AMPHITHEATER WILL HELP TO REVERSE THIS TRENDING DEFICIT.
THIS CONCLUDES OUR PRESENTATION AND WE ARE READY TO READY FOR ANY COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THAT PRESENTATION.
UM, UH, I KNOW THAT COUNCIL MEMBER ALLEN, YOUR AREA IS IN THE TIDE LENS, UM, IN AREAS.
I'D LIKE TO ALLOW YOU TO SPEAK FIRST IF YOU HAD SOME QUESTIONS.
SORRY, I'M JUST GETTING MY NOTES UP HERE.
WHEN YOU STARTED THE PRESENTATION THAT YOU SAID THAT THE, THE QUEEN MARY DOESN'T NEED ANY ADDITIONAL FUNDS, THAT'S ALWAYS GOOD TO START WITH THAT GOOD NEWS.
UM, NOW WHEN YOU GO TO PAGE THREE ON TIDELANDS OPERATING FUND, AND THIS IS, THERE ARE, ISN'T THERE A PORTION OF TIDELANDS THAT ALSO GOES TO POLICE AND FIRE? IS THAT, I DON'T SEE THAT ON HERE A PORTION OR AM I WRONG? YES, A PORTION THERE IS, UM, THE MAJORITY OF THE COSTS IN TIDELANDS OPERATING THAT GO TO POLICE AND FIRE ARE ACTUALLY FOR COSTS INCURRED BY THE HARBOR DEPARTMENT AND THEY GET REIMBURSED BY THE HARBOR.
SO THEY DON'T END UP BEING ACTUAL AN ACTUAL NET COST TO TITLES OPERATING.
WHAT DOES REMAIN AS A COST TO TITLES OPERATING IS JUST THE NORMAL, UH, DUTIES IN THE TIDELANDS OPERATING AREA OUTSIDE OF, OF HARBOR.
SO IT, IT DIDN'T SHOW UP ON THE SLIDE JUST BECAUSE IT WASN'T AS BIG OF A FACTOR AS THE OTHER ITEMS THAT SHOWED UP ON THE SLIDE.
SO, UM, WHEN THAILAND'S FUNDS GO AWAY, THEN THAT MONEY, UH, THAT DOES GO TO, UH, THE HARBOR DEPARTMENT RIGHT NOW, HOW WILL THAT WORK? IT, THE HARBOR DEPARTMENT IS ACTUALLY REIMBURSING THE THAILANDS OPERATING FUNDS FOR THOSE COSTS.
SO THEY'LL BE THEN, SO, AND, UM, WHEN THE THAILANDS FUNDS GO AWAY, THEN, UH, WOULD THAT MEAN THAT THEN THEY, THEY'LL JUST REIMBURSE THE CITY? OH, IN TERMS OF THE, THE TITLES FUND AS A FUND GOING AWAY? YES.
UH, THAT WOULD BE A GOOD QUESTION FOR THE ACCOUNTING GROUP AS TO WHAT THE FUND ACTUALLY WILL
[00:15:01]
DO IN, IN THAT TIME.SO IT'S SAFE TO SAY THAT THAT THAILANDS FUND, NOTHING'S GOING TO POLICE AND FIRE OUTSIDE OF HARBOR HARBOR DEPARTMENT THERE.
WHATEVER ACTIVITY WOULD BE INCURRING IN THE AREA OUTSIDE OF HARBOR WOULD STILL NEED TO BE COVERED BY TITLES OR WHATEVER FUND IS THEN GOING TO BE COVERING TITLES, BUT HARBOR IS GOING TO CONTINUE TO PAY FOR WHATEVER SERVICES ARE PROVIDED TO THEM.
UM, AND THEN, UM, SO I'M GOING TO PAGE, UH, FOUR.
SO THE OPERATING DEFICITS, SO ALL OF THESE DEFICITS THEN WILL END, UM, IN YEAR 32 OR IS OR WILL ALL THIS END YEAR 25 AND 26 OR, 'CAUSE I LIKE INSURANCE AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
HOW, WHAT'S GONNA HAPPEN THERE? SO FOR THE CONVENTION CENTER SPECIFICALLY, CURRENTLY WE HAVE PROJECTIONS JUST FOR THE NEXT COUPLE OF YEARS.
AND, AND THOSE PROJECTIONS SHOWED THAT AT THE CONVENTION CENTER'S OPERATING COSTS, THEY'RE GONNA BE AT A DEFICIT OF 2 MILLION A YEAR.
AND THEN ON TOP OF THAT THERE ARE THE ANNUAL COSTS THAT CONTINUE, WHICH WOULD BE THE INSURANCE, THE UTILITIES, THE HEATING, SO THOSE COSTS TO OPERATE TO, TO BASICALLY NOT OPERATE BUT FOR THE, THE CONVENTION CENTER TO, UH, TO OPERATE NOT FROM THE OPERATE OR BUT FROM THE CITY SIDE.
THOSE COSTS WILL CONTINUE EACH YEAR.
UM, AND CHAIR, PLEASE LET ME KNOW, UH, WHEN I GET TO MY TIME 'CAUSE I HAVE A COUPLE MORE QUESTIONS.
SO YOU LET ME KNOW WITH ABOUT FIVE MINUTES SO I CAN WRAP IT UP WHEN YOU'RE GOOD.
UM, SO, UM, THEN CAN YOU TALK A LITTLE BIT, SO YOU LOOKED AT, AT PAGE EIGHT FOR OPERATING REVENUES, REVENUES, UM, WHAT YEAR DID THE THAILANDS FUND BEGIN? DO YOU KNOW? IS IT 1975 OR SOMETHING AROUND THERE? SORRY, CAN YOU SAY WHICH ONE IS IT AGAIN? UH, YEAH, SO IT'S ON PAGE PAGE EIGHT.
I JUST IS JUST NOT, NOT, UM, DO YOU KNOW, DO YOU KNOW WHEN THE TIDELANDS FUND BEGAN, BEGAN IN THE CITY OF LONG BEACH? DOES ANYBODY KNOW? NO.
UM, SO WHEN IT, WHEN IT FIRST BEGAN ON LONG BEACH, O THE OIL NET REVENUES WERE THE ORIGINAL, THE ORIGINAL, UM, SOURCE OF REVENUE, AND THEN WE WERE ABLE TO ADD THESE OTHER SOURCES OF REVENUE OVER A PERIOD OF TIME.
IS THAT YOUR UNDERSTANDING? I'M NOT ACTUALLY SURE ABOUT THE HISTORY OF WHEN THE FUNDS STARTED, OF WHAT THE REVENUES WERE AT THE TIME.
LET ME, UM, I WILL, I WILL DEFER THOSE TO US, THE CITY MANAGER.
UM, AND COUNCIL MEMBER ALLEN, IF I COULD JUST INTERJECT, WE ACTUALLY HAVE ANOTHER, UH, PRESENTATION REGARDING MORE OF THE TIDELANDS HISTORY AND LEGAL OVERVIEW AT THE BUDGET HEARING LATER AT THE CITY COUNCIL MEETING TONIGHT.
SO I FEEL LIKE SOME OF THOSE QUESTIONS COULD POTENTIALLY BE ANSWERED, BUT WE'LL ALSO NOTE THEM HERE AS WELL.
THEN DON'T WORRY THAT I WILL ASK THOSE TONIGHT.
THANK YOU FOR CLARIFYING THAT.
UM, UM, AND IF THIS IS NOT THE RIGHT QUESTION TO ASK HERE, THEN LET ME KNOW, BUT, UM, HOW ARE WE AND WHERE ARE WE AT WITH OUR ABANDONMENT FUNDS? AND IF NOT, I CAN ASK THAT TONIGHT.
I THINK WE CAN GET BACK TO YOU WITH MORE DETAILS.
UM, AND THEN, UM, SO MY LAST QUESTION FOR YOU IS GONNA BE THIS.
SO, UM, YOU, UH, YOU SAID THAT TOURISM AND EVENTUALLY THE AMP AMPHITHEATER IS EXPECTED TO HELP REVERSE TRENDING DEFICIT.
DO WE HAVE ANY, UM, ESTIMATES OF WHAT WE'RE EXPECTING, UM, THAT TYPE OF REVENUE TO BE, UM, FOR THE AMPHITHEATER OR TOURISM TO NO, WE DON'T HAVE, OR ANY PROJECTIONS.
WE DON'T HAVE THOSE NUMBERS YET.
WHEN, WHEN YOU DO, WHEN, WHEN THERE IS A POINT WHERE WE HAVE SOME PROJECTIONS, UM, I, I WOULD DEFINITELY LIKE TO, UH, SEE WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT.
IT KIND OF GIVES US, UM, AS A BUDGET, UH, COMMITTEE, UH, JUST, UM, YOU KNOW, UH, A PREVIEW OF OF OKAY.
WHAT THE FUTURE LOOKS LIKE ONCE WE HAVE THOSE, UH, THOSE NUMBERS PROJECTED.
THAT'S ALL MY QUESTIONS, CHAIR.
COUNCIL MEMBER ALLEN, UH, VICE MAYOR ORANGA.
UH, IN YOUR PRESENTATION YOU MENTIONED THE, UH, COST PER BARREL.
WHAT'S THE CURRENT COST PER MELL? HOW MUCH ARE WE CHARGING? UH, WHAT'S THE FUTURE? UH, SO WE TYPICALLY, WE BUDGET AT $55 A BARREL, UM, TO BE CONSERVATIVE.
AND THEN THAT ALLOWS US TO HAVE, UH, USUALLY MORE REVENUES THAN, THAN BUDGETED.
[00:20:01]
WHEN WE'RE DOING OUR PROJECTIONS, WE TRY TO BE MORE IN LINE WITH WHAT WE ACTUALLY SEE THE HISTORICAL COST BECAUSE WE'RE TRYING TO MORE, UH, AS ACCURATELY AS POSSIBLE PROJECT WHERE WE THINK THAT THE REVENUES ARE GONNA BE.SO WE ARE PROJECTING AT $65 A BARREL.
OIL REVENUES HAVE BEEN VERY VARIABLE.
WHY, WHY NOT MORE? WHY NOT MORE? YEAH.
UM, IF WE WERE TO PROJECT MORE AND THEN IT CAME IN UNDER THAN WE WOULD BE OVER PROJECTING, WE'RE TRYING NOT TO OVER PROJECT.
WE'RE TRYING NOT TO UNDER PROJECT.
SO YOU STILL NEED ANSWER QUESTION ONE.
WHEN IS THE CURRENT COST PER MERO? IT IS RIGHT AROUND 65.
IT WAS AT 70 I THINK EARLIER THIS YEAR.
AND I THINK IT'S BEEN BETWEEN 65 AND 70.
I THINK IT, SO WE'RE RIGHT AT, WE'RE RIGHT, RIGHT THERE.
I I BELIEVE THE LAST THAT HEARD IS, IS 65 IS STILL A GOOD ESTIMATE FOR THIS YEAR.
ARE YOU DONE? YOU'RE DONE THAT OH NO, I, I WAS DONE.
UH, ALSO, WHEN COMES DOWN TO THE
IS THAT CORRECT? YEAH, IF THAT'S WHAT THE SLIDE SHOWS, THAT WOULD BE WHAT WAS STILL REMAINING.
THAT'S BEEN ALLOCATED, BUT UNSPENT.
SO WITH THE CURRENT PROJECTION, I'M GOING TO 65 DR. ROMERO, IS THERE GONNA BE AN INCREASE EVENTUALLY FOR THE ALMA POOL? WELL, AS WE SEE THE PROJECTED DEFICITS HERE ON SLIDE 15 AT $65 A BARREL, WE'RE SHOWING DEFICITS.
SO AT THE MOMENT WE WOULDN'T BE SHOWING ANY ADDITIONAL FUNDS AVAILABLE FOR THE POOL.
AS YOU KNOW, WHEN I WAS ON THE COASTAL COMMISSION, WE FOUGHT HARD TO KEEP THE BABA POOL, SO I DON'T WANNA SAY JUST GO BY THE WAYSIDE, UH, BECAUSE OF VIOLENCE.
SO I, I GUESS MY, MY QUESTION WITH ME, HOW, HOW CAN WE SAVE THE POOL AND CONTINUE TO FUND IT SO THAT WE CAN EVENTUALLY BUILD IT? I, I THINK THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION.
THAT WE'D BE BETTER ANSWERED BY CITY MANAGER AND, AND CIP WOULD BE ADDRESSING THAT AS WELL FOR PUBLIC WORKS.
I, ON THE APPROPRIATE TIME THEN YOU, WELL, UH, THANK YOU COUNCIL MEMBER ALLEN, VICE MAYOR ARANGA.
IT SOUNDS LIKE YOU HAVE PREP CITY STAFF FOR, UH, FUTURE CITY COUNCIL MEETING THIS EVENING FOR ALL THE QUESTIONS YOU'LL BE ASKING.
UM, I JUST HAD ONE, UM, I JUST HAD ONE QUESTION, WHICH WAS RELATED TO SLIDE EIGHT, AND SO I APPRECIATE YOU ALL GOING THROUGH THE DIFFERENT, UM, FUNDING MECHANISMS AND REVENUE MECHANISMS FOR THE THAILANDS FUND.
I THINK FOR THE COMMUNITY, AND I THINK I ALSO FOR MYSELF AS A COUNCIL MEMBER, UM, WHEN YOU COME IN AND YOU UNDERSTAND LIKE THE $3 BILLION CITY BUDGET, RIGHT? AND YOU'RE THINKING HOW MUCH THE GENERAL FUND IS, IT'S DIFFICULT FOR PEOPLE, I THINK, TO UNDERSTAND THE ENTERPRISE FUNDS AND HOW THEY'RE FUNDED, WHAT THEY PAY FOR, ALL OF THAT.
AND SO TO THAT POINT, I KNOW WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE IMPACTS OF THE OIL NET REVENUE, UM, AS WE GO ALONG AND THE DECREASES THAT WE'RE EXPECTING TO GO INTO TIDELANDS.
BUT FOR THE OTHER REVENUE SOURCES, ARE WE EXPECTING ANY NEAR OR LONG-TERM IMPACTS TO ANY OF THOSE REVENUE SOURCES THAT THEY MIGHT DECREASE? WE EXPECT THEM TO INCREASE, MAYBE TO COMPENSATE? I WANTED A LITTLE BIT OF INFORMATION ABOUT THAT.
WHAT WE'VE SEEN IN THE HARBOR TRANSFER IS THAT HAS BEEN INCREASING BY, I WOULD ESTIMATE UPWARDS OF $2 MILLION A YEAR.
UNFORTUNATELY, THOUGH, WITH THE DOWNTURN IN CARGO TRAFFIC THAT WE'RE EXPERIENCING, THE TRANSFER IS BASED OFF OF THE PRIOR YEAR'S REVENUES.
SO RIGHT NOW, FOR FISCAL YEAR 25, THOSE REVENUES ARE ALREADY KNOWN.
THEY'RE ALREADY SET BECAUSE FISCAL YEAR, THEY'RE BASED OFF OF FISCAL YEAR 24.
BUT NOW THAT WE'RE EXPERIENCING A DOWNTURN IN CARGO REVENUE IN FISCAL YEAR 25, WHAT WE HAVE IN OUR PROJECTIONS IS SHOWING AN ACTUAL DECREASE TO THE HARBOR TRANSFER.
WE HAVEN'T HAD A DECREASE IN THE HARBOR TRANSFER, UH, IN AS FAR AS I'VE BEEN ABLE TO SEE IT.
SO WHAT WE'RE, WHAT WE'RE BASICALLY PROJECTING IS A, A RESET OF A DROP IN REVENUES AND THEN FROM THAT POINT, AGAIN, JUST A, A STEADY INCREASE.
SO HISTORICALLY IT HAD BEEN INCREASING, BUT UNFORTUNATELY WE'RE GONNA SEE, WE'RE PROJECTING TO SEE A DROP NEXT YEAR.
UM, PARKING FEES AND CITATIONS, THEY DON'T INCREASE A LOT.
SO THEY'RE, THEY'RE FAIRLY STEADY.
THEY WOULD HAVE JUST A NOMINAL GROWTH.
I WOULD, I'D SAY, UM, POOLED CASH DOES GO UP AND DOWN.
IT DEPENDS ON HOW MUCH CASH THAT YOU HAVE SITTING IN THE FUND, WHICH GOES DOWN WHEN YOU GET YOUR CIP PROJECTS DONE.
SO A LOT OF THAT CASH FOR, UH, THE REMAINING FUNDS THAT ARE SITTING IN CIP PROJECTS IS INVESTED IN THE MARKET, AND SO IT'S MARKET VOLATILE.
UM, SO IT CAN GO UP AND DOWN A BIT.
AND THE FACILITY LEASES, UH, RENTALS, CONCESSIONS, THAT'S GONNA GO UP WITH JUST MARKET INCREASES AND SAME WITH FEES AND CHARGES.
[00:25:01]
SO I WOULD SAY JUST NOMINAL INCREASES ON THOSE.UM, I DON'T HAVE ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS.
MAY I ASK YOU MORE QUESTIONS? PLEASE, PLEASE.
UM, SO I JUST WANNA FOLLOW UP ON, ON ROBERTO, I DO WORRY ABOUT, UM, I KNOW I JUST BEEN, UH, UH, VISITED, UH, VENICE LAST MONTH AND, YOU KNOW, AND ALL THE EXPERTS ARE SAYING, YOU KNOW, 150 YEARS WE'LL BE, ONLY WAY WE'RE GONNA SEE VENICE IS SCUBA DIVING, RIGHT? SO YOU WORRY ABOUT SEA LEVEL RISE, WE WORRY ABOUT THE MONEY THAT WE'RE SPENDING ON THE BELMONT POLE, UM, AND, UM, ABOUT, UH, YOU KNOW, UH, THE SEA WALLS AND ALL OF THAT, PROTECTING THE HOUSES THAT CONSTANTLY FLOOD AND, UM, SOME OF OUR RICHEST NEIGHBORHOODS.
BUT, UM, BUT IT, SO I JUST SPEAKING OF THE SEA LEVEL, UH, I MEAN, OF THE, OF THE SEA WALLS, HOW URGENT ARE THOSE REPAIRS? UM, WE CAN SPEAK WITH OUR CIP TEAM TOWARDS THAT AND GET BACK TO YOU.
AND THEN, UM, AND THEN ALSO WHEN YOU ASK THEM, COULD, COULD YOU, UM, HOW URGENT AND THEN WHAT HAPPENS IF THOSE ARE DELAYED BECAUSE OF THE, THE, UH, THE D THE DIFFICULTY WE'RE GONNA HAVE IN THE FUTURE TIDELAND FUNDS.
AND THEN, UM, LAST, THE LAST QUESTION IS HOMELESS RESPONSE, UH, WAS FUNDED THROUGH THE TIDELANDS.
IS THAT FOR HOMELESS, LIKE ALONG THE, THE, UH, THE BEACH? IS THAT HOW IT QUALIFIED TO BE PAID FOR OUT AT HIGHLANDS FUND? YES.
THOSE, THOSE WOULD BE FOR BEACH RELATED AND IN THE THAILANDS OPERATING AREA FOR COSTS INCURRED FOR HOMELESS TYPE OF RESPONSE.
SO, UM, SO HOW IS THAT TRACKED? IF YOU GET A CALL, LIKE, SAY THAT THERE YOU HAVE, UH, SOMEONE WITH SHOW, UM, THAT'S, THAT'S SLEEPING ON THE BEACH, THEN DOES THAT RESPONSE GET TAGGED BACK FROM POLICE OR, OR WHOEVER RESPONDS? UM, MSC, DOES THAT GET TAGGED BACK TO THE TIDELANDS FUND? IS THAT HOW THAT WORKS? UM, WE CAN ALSO LOOK BACK INTO EXACTLY THE OPERATIONS OF HOW THAT WORKS, BUT I DO ENVISION THAT IT WOULD JUST BE BASED ON GEOGRAPHICAL RESPONSE AND THEN KIND OF IF IT APPLIES TO THE TIDELANDS AREA, IT WOULD, COULD BE TRACKED BACK TO THAT.
BUT WE CAN CONFIRM WITH THE DEPARTMENT.
UM, THEN WE CAN MOVE TO, HOLD ON A SECOND, UH, TO, OH WAIT, DO MM-HMM
UM, WE CAN MOVE THE PUBLIC COMMENT.
UH, IF THERE'S ANYONE IN THE PUBLIC WHO WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK ON THIS AGENDA ITEM, PLEASE SIGN UP.
UH, THAT WAY WE CAN DETERMINE, UM, WHO WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK FOR PUBLIC COMMENT ON THIS ITEM.
ALRIGHT, WELL, APPARENTLY WE ARE ALL GOOD.
UH, THEREFORE WE CAN GO FOR A VOTE.
NEXT ITEM, ITEM THREE, RECOMMENDATION TO RECEIVE AND FILE AN OVERVIEW OF THE LONG BEACH CITY COMMUNICATIONS TEAM.
UM, I THINK WE HAVE A PRESENTATION.
[3. 25-56120 Recommendation to receive and file an overview on the Long Beach City Communications Team. Suggested Action: Approve recommendation. ]
HMM.I WOULD LOVE TO TURN IT OVER TO THE ONE AND ONLY KEVIN LEE TO PROVIDE THAT PRESENTATION.
THERE ARE A LOT OF KEVIN LEES IN THIS WORLD, SO I'M NOT THE ONE AND ONLY, BUT I'M HERE AND EXCITED TO BE HERE.
SO, UM, LET ME JUST GET SET UP REAL QUICKLY.
UM, ACTUALLY MY NOTES ARE AT MY DESK.
UH, GOOD AFTERNOON, COUNCILWOMAN AND CHAIR RICK OTI, UH, VICE MAYOR URANGA AND COUNCILWOMAN ALLEN.
THIS WILL BE A VERY HIGH LEVEL OVERVIEW OF WHAT WE DO IN THE OFFICE OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS AND COMMUNICATIONS, AND SOME HIGHLIGHTS THIS PAST YEAR AS WELL.
SO FIRST, I WOULD LIKE TO TALK ABOUT MY FABULOUS TEAM.
FIRST OF ALL, YOU KNOW WHO I AM.
I AM KEVIN LEE, THE CHIEF COMMUNICATIONS OFFICER.
I REALLY WORK ON STRATEGY, STRATEGY AS IT RELATES TO OUR CITY PRIORITIES, AS WELL AS BIG TOPICS SUCH AS RECENT FEDERAL IMPACTS AND THE 2028 OLYMPIC AND PARALYMPIC GAMES TO NAME A COUPLE.
THEN WE HAVE STACIA MOBERG, OUR PUBLIC AFFAIRS OFFICER.
SHE KEEPS US ORGANIZED AND IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE EVERYDAY FLOW OF COMMUNICATIONS COMING IN AND COMING AND GOING OUT.
WE HAVE ANNABEL CHAVEZ AND JENES, WHO IS OUR DIGITAL COMMS TEAM.
THEY REALLY WORK ON SOCIAL MEDIA STRATEGY AND CONTENT.
THEN WE HAVE JEN DE PREY AND LAITH MARTIN, OUR MEDIA RELATIONS TEAM.
UH, THEY'RE WORKING ON MEDIA STRATEGY RELATIONS AND PITCHING AS WELL.
[00:30:01]
WHO IS OUR DESIGNER.UM, HE OBVIOUSLY DESIGNS, BUT HE ALSO OVERSEES OUR CITY STYLE GUIDE COMPLIANCE AS WELL, SO THAT WE STAY ON OUR VISUAL BRAND.
AND THEN EXCITED TO SAY, UM, THAT WE'RE HIRING A COPYWRITER.
UM, THAT HIRING PROCESS IS ABOUT OVER.
THIS PERSON WILL BE A UTILITY PLAYER WHO WILL BE IMPORTANT IN CONTENT CREATION FOR OUR NEWS SITE, SOME NEWSLETTERS, BLOGS, SOCIAL MEDIA, WEB COPY, TALKING POINTS, VIDEO SCRIPTS AND EVERYTHING ELSE.
THEN WE HAVE THE AMAZING DENNIS HUNTER AND IT'S LBTV TEAM.
UH, THEY RESIDE IN TID BUT THEY'RE VERY MUCH AN INTEGRAL PART OF OUR TEAM.
THEY REALLY WORK ON OUR AUDIO AND VIDEO.
THEY DO HUNDREDS OF VIDEOS EVERY SINGLE YEAR.
THEY SUPPORT OUR TEAM WITH THOSE VIDEOS, SOCIAL MEDIA, CONTENT MEDIA TRAINING AND EVENTS AS WELL, LIKE PRESS CONFERENCES AND COMMUNITY EVENTS.
AND THEN WE HAVE LIDELLE ES ESTE, OUR CITY PHOTOGRAPHER.
UH, SHE RESIDES IN SPECIAL EVENTS AND FILMING, AND EVERY TIME WE CALL HER TO, UM, SHOOT A, UH, PRESS EVENT OR TO GET SHOTS OF THE CITY, SHE'S, UM, ON IT AND REALLY SUPPORTS OUR TEAM.
THEN WE HAVE DEPARTMENT COMMUNICATIONS AS WELL.
SO WE HAVE COMMUNICATORS IN MANY CITY DEPARTMENTS, UM, IN CITY MANAGER DEPARTMENTS, AND A LOT OF COMMS WORK ACTUALLY STARTS WITH THEM AND THEN GOES UP TO US.
AND THEN THIS YEAR WE'VE PROPOSED 1.5 FTE DESIGN INTERNS TO REALLY SUPPORT, UH, RAUL IN SUPPORTING DEPARTMENTS CITYWIDE.
WE DON'T HAVE A LOT OF DESIGNERS THROUGHOUT THE CITY.
UM, SO A LOT OF WORK GOES TO HIM.
SO THIS WILL HELP, UH, INCAPACITY THERE.
UH, NOW I WILL GIVE A VERY BROAD, HIGH LEVEL OVERVIEW OF OUR RESPONSIBILITIES.
UM, STRATEGIC COMMUNICATIONS, AS I MENTIONED, MEDIA RELATIONS, SOCIAL MEDIA FROM OUR LONG BEACH CITY HANDLES VISUAL DESIGN, CRISIS AND EMERGENCY COMMUNICATIONS.
FOR INSTANCE, IF THE EOC HAS STOOD UP, I AM THE LEAD PIO FOR THAT, AND I CAN SET UP A JOINT INFORMATION CENTER, UH, COMMUNICATION, SUPPORT AND TRAINING FOR OUR DEPARTMENTS, MARKETING AND ADVERTISING, WHICH I'M REALLY EXCITED ABOUT.
UM, THIS YEAR WE GOT SOME, UH, FY 25.
WE GOT SOME ONE TIMES THAT WE ARE DOING SOME NEW WORK WITH, WHICH WE'LL TALK ABOUT IN A BIT.
UM, WE SET POLICY AND GUIDANCE, UM, LIKE THE SOCIAL MEDIA POLICY, WHICH, UH, WE ARE WORKING ON UPDATING AND CITYWIDE INITIATIVES.
SOMETHING'S A BIG CITYWIDE INITIATIVE AND WE HAVE MULTIPLE DEPARTMENTS WORKING ON IT.
UH, MY TEAM IS ALSO USUALLY INVOLVED IN THAT.
AND THEN SOME HIGHLIGHTS, UM, OVER THE LAST YEAR, WHICH I THINK ARE RELEVANT.
UM, WE STARTED TO DIVE INTO BRANDED AND PAID CONTENT.
UM, SO, YOU KNOW, WE WORK WITH THE NEWS MEDIA EVERY SINGLE DAY.
THE LANDSCAPE IS CHANGING, UH, THAT WILL NEVER GO AWAY.
UM, EDITORIAL IS GREAT TO HAVE.
WE WORK WITH REPORTERS DAY IN AND DAY OUT.
UH, BUT WE ALSO NEED TO BROADEN THAT SCOPE AS WELL TO SHARE OUR STORY.
UM, SO WE'VE WORKING WITH PLACES LIKE THE LA TIMES AND SOCAL NEWS GROUP TO REALLY GET, UH, CONTENT OUT, OUT IN THE, UM, WORLD THAT WE WANT OUT THERE.
AND SO, UM, OVER THIS PAST YEAR WE HAD THREE CAMPAIGNS, WHICH ARE MONTH LONG CAMPAIGNS.
ONE WAS ON SPACE BEACH, ONE WAS ON YOUTH ENGAGEMENT, AND THE OTHER ONE WAS SMALL BUSINESS.
SO OUT OF THAT, UH, ALSO COMES A SOCIAL MEDIA CAMPAIGN.
AND WE HAD 2.6 MILLION IMPRESSIONS, 1.1 MILLION IN REACH, 45,000 ENGAGEMENTS.
AND THAT LED TO 38,000 ARTICLE PAGE VIEWS.
THESE ARE STORIES THAT, UH, LIKELY WOULDN'T HAVE BEEN, UH, SEEN, BUT NOW WE HAD 38,000 HIGHBALLS ON THEM, SO THAT'S GREAT.
WE ALSO LAUNCHED INSIDE LB NEWS, WHICH WAS REALLY EXCITING.
ANOTHER WAY TO BROADEN IN OUR SCOPE AND GET STORIES OUT THERE, UM, THAT WE WANT TO SHARE DIRECTLY WITH THE PUBLIC ABOUT ALL THE GREAT WORK WE ARE DOING AT THE CITY OF LONG BEACH.
UM, WE LAUNCHED THIS, WE, UH, LAUNCHED IT IN JUNE WITH 30 PRE-POPULATED STORIES, AND WE CONTINUE TO PUT STORIES IN THERE, A FEW A WEEK.
UH, IT'S AN EXTERNAL WEBSITE FROM SCRATCH, UH, WITH A NEW CMS. SO, UH, WE'RE EXCITED ABOUT THAT.
WE'RE GONNA HAVE SOME ADVERTISING FOR THAT PRETTY ROBUST CAMPAIGN COMING UP PRETTY SOON.
AND, UH, LOOKING FORWARD TO THE, TO THE FUTURE OF THAT SITE AS WELL.
AND THEN I REALLY WANT TO TOUCH ON ORGANIC SOCIAL MEDIA.
UM, ORGANIC SOCIAL MEDIA IS SO IMPORTANT.
IT'S HOW WE ENGAGE WITH OUR COMMUNITY.
UM, WE'VE BUILT THIS OVER TIME.
UM, YOU KNOW, JUST 10 YEARS AGO WE REALLY DIDN'T HAVE MUCH SOCIAL OR WHAT WE, WE WEREN'T REALLY DOING ANYTHING WITH IT.
AND SO WE'VE DONE A LOT SINCE.
IF YOU LOOK AT THE, UM, PLATFORMS THAT WE ARE ON, WE HAVE ABOUT 295,000 FOLLOWERS.
THAT'S THE SECOND LARGEST IN THE STATE ON THOSE PLATFORMS. WHEN YOU LOOK AT OFFICIAL CITY PAGES, WE'RE BEHIND SIGNIFICANTLY BEHIND SAN FRANCISCO CITY AND COUNTY.
UH, BUT WE'RE DOING A, A, A GREAT JOB AS THE SEVENTH LARGEST CITY IN THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA.
[00:35:01]
UH, THAT'S A 15%, UH, AUDIENCE INCREASE.AND THEN STRATEGICALLY OVER THE LAST YEAR, WE'VE REALLY BEEN INTENTIONAL ABOUT DOING VIDEO.
UH, VIDEO STILL CONTINUES TO, UH, BE KING.
THAT'S HOW A LOT OF PEOPLE RECEIVE THEIR INFORMATION.
UM, AND YOU'LL SEE IT, UH, IN THIS, UH, DATA AS WELL.
WE HAD 3.9 MILLION VIEWS, AND THAT'S AN 89% INCREASE OVER THE LAST YEAR.
UM, WITH THIS, OUR ORGANIC SOCIAL MEDIA, WE HAD 16.7 MILLION IMPRESSIONS, 744,000 ENGAGEMENTS.
AND WHAT THAT TRANSLATES TO, AND THIS IS AN IMPORTANT PART, IS 4.4% OVERALL ENGAGEMENT RATE 4.4 SEEMS SMALL.
UM, PER, UH, SPROUT SOCIAL, WHICH IS THE SOCIAL PLATFORM THAT WE USE.
SO WE'RE DOING A REALLY GOOD JOB THERE.
AND THEN EARN NEWS MEDIA HIGHLIGHTS.
THESE ARE STORIES ABOUT THE CITY OF LONG BEACH.
A LOT OF THIS INFORMATION COMES FROM THE PRESS RELEASES AND THE PUBLIC NOTICES AND THE PRESS CONFERENCES THAT WE PUT OUT THERE.
UH, WE HAVE A REACH OF A 6.8 BILLION, UH, 3 MILLION ESTIMATED VIEWS, 19,000 THOUSAND IN TOTAL ENGAGEMENT.
THE ENGAGEMENT HERE IS WHEN A, UH, BROADCAST NEWS SITE PUTS IT ON THEIR, THEIR PLATFORMS, LIKE A WEB PLATFORM OR A SOCIAL PLATFORM.
AND THEN 2000 UNIQUE EARNED MEDIA STORIES THAT DOES NOT INCLUDE DUPLICATES.
AND THEN JUST SOME HIGHLIGHTS, SOME QUICK, UH, HIGHLIGHTS FOR YOU AS WELL.
UM, WE LAUNCHED A COUPLE OF IMPORTANT WEBPAGES OVER THE LAST YEAR.
ONE FOR THE 2020 OLYMPIC AND PARALYMPIC GAMES.
WE ALSO LAUNCHED THE EMERGENCY PAGE.
WE DID THAT IN A SINGLE DAY, UH, TO RESPOND TO THOSE ERRANT MESSAGES.
WE WERE GETTING ABOUT EVACUATIONS DURING THE LA FIRES.
WE GOT THAT UP IN A SINGLE DAY, AND WE'VE BEEN USING IT SINCE.
WE LAUNCHED, UH, AN EXECUTIVE ON-CAMERA MEDIA TRAINING TO MAKE SURE OUR EXECUTIVE TEAM AND DEPARTMENT DIRECTORS ARE TRAINED IN CASE THEY DO ON-CAMERA MEDIA.
WE LAUNCHED TWO ONLINE SPECIALTY CALENDARS ON OUR, OUR WEB CALENDAR, A SUMMER AND A SPRING ONE TO, UM, HELP SUPPORT THOSE INITIATIVES.
SPEAKING OF THAT CALENDAR, WHICH WAS JUST LAUNCHED A FEW YEARS AGO, WE HAVE 2200 25,000 ONLINE CALENDAR REVIEWS.
THAT'S A 23% INCREASE FROM LAST YEAR.
IT'S PRETTY ROBUST, GIVES PEOPLE A LOT OF INFORMATION.
AND THEN WE'VE ALSO SUPPORTED OUR DEPARTMENTS WITH OVER 700 HOURS OF COMM SUPPORT.
AND WE LED THE EMERGENCY COMMUNICATIONS RELATED TO THE LA WILDFIRES.
ALSO LED CRISIS COMMUNICATIONS RELATED TO THE NETWORK SECURITY INCIDENT THAT STARTED IN 23.
AND THEN ANIMAL CARE SERVICES CHANGES FROM EARLIER THIS YEAR.
AND THEN, OF COURSE, FEDERAL FUNDING AND FEDERAL IMMIGRATION ENFORCEMENT, WHICH CONTINUE.
AND EXCITED TO SAY THAT THE CITY WON 12 COMMUNICATIONS AWARDS OVER THE LAST YEAR.
SOME FROM MY OFFICE, INCLUDING LBTV AND THEN DEPARTMENTS CITYWIDE.
AND THEN THIS VERY HIGH LEVEL BUDGET OVERVIEW.
UM, STRUCTURALLY IN FY 25, WE HAD $146,000.
UM, MOST OF THIS GOES TO COMMUNICATIONS TOOLS, JUST TO KEEP THE COMMUNICATIONS SHOP GOING.
UH, THAT INCLUDES SOCIAL MEDIA MANAGEMENT, UH, ARCHIVING TOOL FOR SOCIAL MEDIA AS WELL.
UM, MEDIA AND PRESS MONITORING TOOL, UH, CANTO, WHICH IS NEW THIS YEAR ACTUALLY.
IT'S AN ASSET MANAGEMENT TOOL SO THAT WE CAN, UM, REALLY TRACK OUR PHOTOS A LOT BETTER.
UM, CANVA, UH, WHICH IS A DESIGN TOOL.
AND THEN ALSO WE HAVE OUR NEW HOSTING AND WEB MANAGEMENT FOR OUR NEW NEW SITE AS WELL.
AND THEN THERE'S VARIOUS OTHER EXPENSES LIKE PRINTING, PHOTOGRAPHY SERVICES, OFFICE SUPPLIES, ET CETERA.
AND THEN WE WERE REALLY EXCITED, UH, TO GET FY 25 1 TIMES FOR MARKETING AND ADVERTISING FOR 300,000.
UH, A LOT OF THAT, UH, IS GOING TO THE BRANDED CONTENT I MENTIONED EARLIER.
AND THEN INSIDE LB ADVERTISING AS WELL.
UM, WE WILL CONTINUE THAT WORK INTO FY 26 AND THEN, UH, FY 25 1 TIMES AND COMBINED WITH SOME FY 24 CARRYOVER FOR MARKETING CONSULTING, STORYTELLING SUPPORT.
AND THAT'S, UH, 250,000 RIGHT NOW THAT'S GOING TO INSIDE LB NEWS FREELANCE WRITER WORK.
AND WE WILL ALSO CONTINUE, UH, TO DO ADDITIONAL WORK, WHICH I'LL TALK ABOUT, UM, AT THE END HERE.
SO WHAT'S NEXT? WE'LL CONTINUE OUR STRATEGIC COMMUNICATIONS RELATED TO MAYOR AND COUNCIL PRIORITIES, GROW LONG BEACH AND THE CITY'S 2030 STRATEGIC VISION.
UH, WE'LL HAVE MORE BRANDED CONTENT.
WE HAVE SOME IN THE WORKS RIGHT NOW ON HOUSING PRODUCTION AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT WORK, THE AUTOMOTIVE INDUSTRY, MICRO MOBILITY, AND THEN STUDENT CAREER PIPELINE AS WELL.
AND WE'LL SEE MORE AS WE MOVE ALONG.
UH, CONTINUED DEVELOPMENT AND ADVERTISING OF INSIDE LB NEWS AND INFLUENCER ENGAGEMENT AS WELL.
[00:40:01]
SUPPORT MONEY WILL GO TO INFLUENCER ENGAGEMENT, WHICH WE'RE IDENTIFYING OVER THIS LAST NEXT YEAR.AND THEN STRATEGIC MEDIA ENGAGEMENT, WHICH REALLY MEANS MORE PITCHING TO GET THAT EDITORIAL.
EDITORIAL IS WHERE YOU BUILD MORE TRUST IN THE COMMUNITY AS FAR AS NEWS GOES.
AND SO WE WANT TO CONTINUE THAT.
UM, WE MADE SOME MOVES WITHIN OUR SHOP, UM, SO THAT WE HAVE SOMEONE ON STAFF THAT WILL DO MORE PITCHING, AND THEN WE CAN ALSO, UM, UH, UH, WORK WITH A CONSULTANT AS WELL TO DO MORE OF THAT AS WELL.
SO WITH THAT SAID, I'M HAPPY TO TAKE ANY QUESTIONS AND THANK YOU.
UH, THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION.
UM, I'LL START BECAUSE I ACTUALLY WAS, THE REASON I WAS INTERESTED IN THIS PARTICULAR PRESENTATION IS, UM, I SEE, UM, YOUR OFFICE AND THE WORK THAT YOU ALL DO CITYWIDE, BUT THEN I ALSO SEE OUR DEPARTMENTS AND A LOT OF TIMES, AND I THINK YOU REFERRED TO THIS WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT THE, UM, SLIDE FOUR WHERE YOU HAVE THE DEPARTMENT COMMUNICATIONS, RIGHT? YEAH.
AND SO I THINK SOMETIMES I'M NOT ALWAYS CLEAR AROUND WHAT IS THE ROLE OF YOUR OFFICE VERSUS WHAT OUR DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS DO.
AND THEN I OFTEN SEE IN OUR BUDGET WHERE DEPARTMENTS ADD THEIR OWN COMMUNICATION STAFF, RIGHT? YEAH.
SO I SAY, OKAY, WELL WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN WHAT KEVIN LEE'S GROUP DOES? YES.
VERSUS WHAT WE'RE DOING IN OUR DEPARTMENTS.
IS THERE DUPLICATION? LIKE, SO CAN YOU TALK ME THROUGH, UM, DEFINITELY HOW THAT, HOW, HOW THOSE THINGS MARRY TOGETHER? DEFINITELY.
SO HOW THAT WORKS IS, SO DEPARTMENTS HAVE THEIR OWN COMMUNICATION STAFF, AND IT VARIES DEPENDING ON THE NEED IN THE DEPARTMENT.
UM, AND THEY WORK ON THEIR DAY-TO-DAY BUSINESS WITHIN THE DEPARTMENT, VERY FOCUSED ON THE WORK THAT THEY DO.
UM, WE DON'T TEND TO, MY, MY TEAM AND I DON'T TEND TO GET INVOLVED IN THOSE DAY-TO-DAY, UM, BUSINESS OF THEIR COMMUNICATIONS, EXCEPT THERE'S CERTAIN THINGS.
SO, UH, WHEN A, WE WANNA MAKE AN OFFICIAL ANNOUNCEMENT, SO A PRESS RELEASE OR A PUBLIC NOTICE, UM, THAT WORKS, STARTS WITHIN THE DEPARTMENT, AND THEY GET APPROVALS THROUGH THAT, AND THEN IT GOES UP TO MY SHOP, AND THEN WE ARE LOOKING AT IT TO MAKE SURE ALL THE INFORMATION IS IN THERE THAT WE NEED.
UH, THE RIGHT PEOPLE ARE BEING QUOTED BECAUSE WE'RE ABLE TO SEE THINGS AT A 30,000, YOU KNOW, UH, FOOT VIEW.
AND SO SOMETIMES THERE MIGHT BE THINGS MISSING THAT WE DON'T WANT MISSING IN THOSE.
UM, AND SINCE THEY'RE OFFICIAL COMMUNICATIONS THAT WE, WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE ALL GOOD.
SO THAT IS AN EXAMPLE OF HOW WE WORK WITH THEM.
ALSO, IF THINGS GET HIGHLY, UH, SENSITIVE AND, UH, WE, AND MAYBE MULTI-DEPARTMENT, AND WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE SHOWING UP, UM, AS A CITY TOGETHER, UM, MY OFFICE SOMETIMES GETS INVOLVED AS WELL.
SO IF THEY HAVE A COMMS OFFICER, THAT COMMS OFFICER MIGHT REACH OUT TO ME.
UM, AND WE'LL WORK THROUGH THOSE ISSUES AS WELL.
SO NO, THEY, THEY'RE REALLY FOCUSED ON THEIR DAY-TO-DAY WORK.
UM, ANOTHER EXAMPLE WOULD BE DESIGN, RIGHT? SO THEY MIGHT NOT HAVE A DESIGNER IN THEIR SHOP AS WELL.
UM, SO WE HELP, UH, SUPPORT THEM WITH DESIGN WORK.
MY TEAM ALSO WORKS DIRECTLY WITH THEM FLUID, UM, AS THEY NEED HELP AND SUPPORT AND GUIDANCE.
UM, THEN WE ALSO HAVE OFFICE HOURS THAT WE PROVIDE, UH, WHICH STAFF THEN, UM, WILL REACH OUT TO US AND CONNECT WITH US THROUGH OFFICE HOURS, SHOULD THEY HAVE ANY QUESTIONS.
SO WE'RE IN AN INTERESTING ROLE WHERE WE ARE BOTH THE LEADERS IN COMMS, BUT WE'RE ALSO, UH, SUPPORT FOR COMMS AS WELL.
UM, I HAD A QUESTION ABOUT SLIDE 17.
WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, UH, THE CONTINUED DEVELOPMENT OF ADVERTISING INSIDE LB NEWS, INFLUENCER ENGAGEMENT AND STRATEGIC MEDIA ENGAGEMENT.
UM, AND I JUST WANTED, I WAS HOPING THAT YOU COULD TALK US THROUGH, I, IT LOOKS LIKE YOU'RE KIND OF EXPANDING SOME OF THESE YES.
UH, STRATEGIES AND KIND OF TYPES OF ENGAGEMENT.
UM, CAN YOU TELL US, UM, FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF THE CITY, WHAT IS THE RETURN ON INVESTMENT YOU FORESEE FROM SOME OF THESE STRATEGIC COMMUNICATIONS STRATEGIES? UM, AND I'M SPECIFICALLY INTERESTED IN THE INFLUENCER ENGAGEMENT AND HOW THAT CONTRIBUTES TOWARD OUR SOCIAL MEDIA ENGAGEMENT, RIGHT? SO I THINK, BECAUSE I KNOW, I THINK WE HAVE CONTRACTS AND THINGS WITH SOME OF THESE ENTITIES, RIGHT? TO HELP, HELP ENGAGE AND GET OUR MESSAGING OUT THERE.
AND MY INTEREST IS WHETHER OR NOT YOU FEEL LIKE WE'RE GETTING A GOOD RETURN ON INVESTMENT FROM THAT, FROM THE, FROM THE MONEY THAT WE'RE PUTTING OUT.
UM, A LOT OF OUR WORK UP UNTIL THIS POINT HAS BEEN ORGANIC.
IT'S BEEN MY TEAM, UH, THAT'S BEEN DOING IT ORGANICALLY.
WE'VE BEEN DOING A REALLY GREAT JOB IN THAT.
WE ARE EXPANDING, RIGHT? UM, WE'RE MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE EXPANDING, WE'RE BROADENING.
A LOT OF IT HAS TO DO, LIKE I SAID, WITH THE, THE CURRENT ENVIRONMENT.
AND IT'S BECOMING MORE AND MORE DIFFICULT TO GET, UM, OUR STORIES OUT THERE, RIGHT? WHICH ARE IMPORTANT TO OUR COMMUNITY AND THE WORK THAT WE DO.
UM, SO REALLY WHEN YOU'RE LOOKING AT THINGS LIKE INFLUENCER ENGAGEMENT, WHICH AGAIN, WE WE'RE LOOKING INTO AND TRYING TO IDENTIFY THE RIGHT PEOPLE, UM, IT'S, UH, IT HELPS BROADEN, UM, THE, THE MESSAGING THAT WE'RE GETTING OUT NOW.
SO WE HAVE OUR SOCIAL CHANNELS AND IT'S ALL ORGANIC, AND THAT DOESN'T MEAN THAT IT REACHES EVERYONE.
THAT'S NOT THE WAY THAT SOCIAL WORKS ANYMORE.
[00:45:01]
TO PLAY TO, TO REACH EVERYONE IN YOUR AUDIENCE.SO INFLUENCER ENGAGEMENT IS GREAT AND THAT YOU'RE WORKING WITH SOMEONE TO TELL YOUR STORY, RIGHT? UM, AND THAT ALSO HELPS BUILD TRUST.
THEY HAVE A BUILT IN, UM, THEY HAVE BUILT IN AUDIENCE ALREADY.
UM, AND IF YOU ALIGN THOSE TWO THINGS BETWEEN YOUR STORY AND YOUR VALUES WITH THEIR STORY AND THEIR VALUES, UM, I THINK IT GOES A LONG WAY.
THE, THE, THE, WHAT WE WANT TO DO IS JUST MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE GETTING OUR STORY OUT THERE AS WIDE AS POSSIBLE.
UM, AND IT COULD DO A NUMBER OF THINGS.
SO WHEN YOU'RE LOOKING AT, SAY WE DID A STORY ON, UM, WE HAVE ONE, UH, UPCOMING ABOUT THE AUTOMOTIVE INDUSTRY, RIGHT? MM-HMM
THAT HELPS SUPPORT WITH ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
UH, AN AN EDITORIAL NEWSPAPER MIGHT SEE THAT THEY MIGHT PICK IT UP AND THEY MIGHT WANT TO DO AN EDITORIAL PIECE ON IT, RIGHT? AND A BIG BUSINESS MIGHT SEE THAT AND GO, HEY, THERE'S A LOT GOING ON IN THE CITY OF LONG BEACH.
I WANT TO INVEST IN HERE AS WELL.
SO THAT'S WHAT YOU START TO, YOU START TO SEE THESE RIPPLE EFFECTS, UH, WITH THE WORK THAT WE'RE PUSHING OUT THERE THROUGH PAID CONTENT AS WELL.
UM, AND COINCIDING WITH EDITORIAL AND ORGANIC CONTENT.
SO REALLY IT'S TO, UH, ATTRACT, UH, WELL ONE, GET THE WORD OUT TO PEOPLE IN OUR COMMUNITY, RIGHT? THE INFORMATION WE WANT TO PROVIDE TO THEM.
IT'S THE ATTRACT INVESTMENT, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AS WELL THAT GOES FROM SMALL BUSINESS TO BIG BUSINESS AS WELL.
UM, AND, UH, BUT YOU HAVE TO HAVE THOSE MIX OF BOTH ORGANIC AND PAID NOW.
AND WE'RE REALLY EXCITED ON THE PAID PORTION NOW 'CAUSE WE'VE BEEN DOING ORGANIC FOR SO LONG.
AND FOR THAT PAID PORTION, IS THAT SOMETHING YOU ALL ARE EXPLORING? DO WE HAVE AN IDEA OF HOW MUCH YOU THINK THAT MIGHT COST? OR IS THAT SOMETHING THAT'S SUBSUMED WITHIN THE, THE BUDGET YOU ALL HAVE RIGHT NOW? YEAH, THAT'S WITHIN WHAT WE'RE DOING WITH THE FY 25 BUDGET THAT WE HAD ONE TIMES.
UM, SO, UH, WE WORKED THROUGH SOME OF THAT IN FY 25 THAT WILL ROLL OVER INTO THIS YEAR.
UM, AND THEN WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO LOOK INTO ADDITIONAL BUDGET IN, IN FURTHER YEARS AFTER WE ANALYZE THE EFFECTS AND THE RETURN AND ALL THAT GOOD STUFF.
SO I THINK WE'RE PRETTY GOOD THROUGH THE REMAINDER OF, THROUGH FY 26, BUT THEN WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO LOOK AT IT AGAIN.
WE DIDN'T HAVE THOSE ONE TIMES BEFORE.
IT WAS JUST THE, UM, THE STRUCTURAL THAT I TALKED ABOUT THAT GOES TO KEEPING COMMUNICATIONS GOING.
ONE IS, YOU MENTIONED SOME OF THE SOFTWARE THAT YOU ALL USE AND I HEARD CANVA, AND SO SOME OF THE ONES YOU MENTIONED, I KNOW A LOT OF DEPARTMENTS I KNOW LIKE MY OFFICE USES.
UM, DO WE HAVE, LIKE, DO WE HAVE AN ENTERPRISE LICENSE FOR THAT OR DO WE DOLE IT OUT, WHICH EVERY DEPARTMENT HAS TO PURCHASE THEIR OWN? SO CANVA SPECIFICALLY, UM, I DON'T, UH, RECALL WHAT THEIR LICENSE LOOKS LIKE.
I THINK WE HAVE A PRETTY HIGH LICENSE, BUT IT ALSO DOESN'T, CANVA DOESN'T COST A LOT EITHER.
UM, SO DEPENDING ON THE SOFTWARE, UM, IT'S DIFFERENT HOW THEIR LICENSES WORK.
SOMETIMES IT IS LIKE A SINGLE LICENSE, SOMETIMES IT'S PER PERSON, NOT EVEN PER LIKE GROUP.
UM, SO THE WAY WE WORK IT ON CERTAIN SITUATIONS, LIKE SAY SPROUT SOCIAL, UM, CERTAIN DEPARTMENTS HAVE, UH, WE, WE PAY FOR A LICENSE FOR SOME OF OUR DEPARTMENTS TO BE A PART OF SPROUT SOCIAL, THE ONES THAT ARE USING IT MORE FREQUENTLY.
UM, THINGS LIKE THE, UM, THE TOOL FOR, UH, SOCIAL MEDIA WHERE WE ARCHIVE, UM, THAT IS ACTUALLY ALL OF OUR MAJOR PAGES ON SOCIAL ARE ARCHIVED THROUGH THAT AND WE PAY FOR IT.
AND ACTUALLY COUNCIL, I BELIEVE AS WELL HAVE, UM, THE ABILITY TO BE ON THAT AS WELL.
I'M NOT SURE ABOUT CANVA, BUT I CAN GET BACK TO YOU ON THAT.
UH, AND THEN LAST QUESTION IS, UH, DO YOU ALL HAVE, UM, TRAININGS THAT YOU DO WITH STAFF IN THE DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS, UM, ON LIKE BEST PRACTICES, SOCIAL MEDIA, COMMUNICATIONS, ET CETERA? YES.
UM, SO WE DO THAT AS, AS TIME ALLOWS.
UM, TRADITIONALLY WE HAVE PROVIDED TRAININGS TO OUR DEPARTMENTS.
UH, THIS PAST YEAR WE DID ALSO, UM, PROVIDE A TRAINING TO THE LEGISLATIVE OFFICES AS WELL.
I BELIEVE THAT WAS A SOCIAL 1 0 1.
AND WE CONTIN WE'RE GONNA CONTINUE TO DO THAT AS WELL.
UM, SO WE HAVE SOME ON, UH, BEST PRACTICES AROUND SHORT FORM VIDEO.
UM, SO WE'RE GONNA OFFER THAT TO LEGISLATIVE OFFICES AS WELL.
UH, ANY QUESTIONS FOR MY, UH, VICE MAYOR RANGA? UH, JUST CURIOUS, WHAT'S YOUR OVERALL BUDGET? OVERALL BUDGET? UH, YEAH, RIGHT HERE.
[00:50:01]
AND THEN 550,000 IS THE ONE TIMES FROM FY 25 WITH SOME CARRYOVER FROM FY 24.IS THAT GENERAL FUND? NO, IT'S ALL SAP.
SO THAT INCLUDES ALL YOUR STAFF? NO, NO.
I'D HAVE TO GET BACK TO YOU ON WHAT STAFF? OH, I THINK THAT, I THINK, I'M ASSUMING THAT MIGHT HAVE BEEN VICE MAYOR RON'S QUESTION, WHICH WAS WHAT'S THE FULL BUDGET? YES.
THAT INCLUDES, UH, YOUR, YOUR STAFF AS WELL.
I CAN GET BACK TO YOU ON THAT.
YEAH, I'M, THAT'S WHAT I AM, I'M MISSING HERE.
'CAUSE WHAT IS YOUR, I THINK I WANNA, WHAT IS YOUR OVERALL FUNDING? UM, IT LOOKS LIKE YOU HAVE EIGHT, EIGHT EMPLOYEES, IS THAT CORRECT? YES.
AND, UM, IS YOUR, IS YOUR DEPARTMENT, DO YOU MARK REMOTE OR ON, OR HERE AT CITY HALL? UM, SO MY TEAM WORKS REMOTELY.
UM, I LIKE TO CALL IT, CALL IT A NON-TRADITIONAL HYBRID, IF YOU WILL, BECAUSE WE'RE EXPECTED TO BE AT SITE VISITS, PRESS CONFERENCES, UH, EXTERNAL MEETINGS.
IF WE HAVE AN EMERGENCY AND WE HAVE TO GO INTO THE EOC, UH, WE'LL DO THAT AS WELL.
BUT TRADITIONALLY, UM, UH, WE WORK REMOTELY.
UM, I'M, I LIKE TO BE IN THE OFFICE ABOUT TWO DAYS A WEEK MYSELF.
SO, SO YOU DO HAVE THEN, UH, SOME OF THE EMPLOYEES THAT ARE WORKING AT A CITY HALL ON OCCASIONS IF, IF, IF YOU, IF OTHER DEPARTMENTS NEED YOUR HELP? OH, CORRECT.
AND, AND WE ARE ALSO THE, THE OFFICE THAT POST COVI, UH, WE ARE THE ONES THAT TESTED VIRTUAL, IF YOU WILL.
UM, AND WE ARE ON IT ALL THE TIME TALKING TO DEPARTMENTS THROUGHOUT THE CITY, DAY IN AND DAY OUT AND TALKING WITH EACH OTHER.
BUT YES, WE ARE IN THE OFFICE SOMETIMES AS WELL.
SO YOUR MEDIA SCHEDULE, SO YOUR SAP FUNDS ARE FOR YOUR PAID MEDIA, IS THAT CORRECT? YEAH.
AND ARE THERE ANY, UH, LIMITATIONS ON WHAT YOU CAN USE THOSE SAP FUNDS FOR? SAP FUNDS IN GENERAL? UM, ARE FOR THE PROMOTION OF THE, THE CITY? UM, AS FAR AS THE ONES THAT ARE INDICATED IN ABOVE, ABOVE, UM, ARE ON THE SIDE, UM, IT'S REALLY IN THE WORLD OF MARKETING, ADVERTISING, CONSULTING.
SO IT'S, IT'S PRETTY OPEN WITHIN THAT SPACE.
AND THEN, UM, SO YOU HAVE 1 46 AS YOUR STRUCTURAL FUNDING THAT YOU HAVE, AND THEN YOU HAVE THE ADDITIONAL, WHAT YOU HAVE ON PAGE 15, CORRECT.
SO YOU HAVE A STRUCTURAL AND THEN YOU HAVE YOUR ONETIME SET FUNDS.
YEAH, SO THE 1 46 IS THE STRUCTURAL.
AND THEN THE REST IS THOSE ONE TIMES.
AND THEN, UM, DO YOU ALSO UTILIZE LIKE OUTSIDE CONTRACTORS, ACTORS? SO WE HAVE IN THE PAST, UM, RIGHT NOW, UM, WE ARE WORKING WITH A FREELANCE WRITER AND THAT'S FOR, UH, INSIDE LB NEWS.
UM, WE'RE WORKING WITH THE CONTRACTOR TO HELP SUPPORT INSIDE LB NEWS AS FAR AS THE WEBSITE GOES.
UM, WE HAVE DONE, UH, SOME, UH, MARKETING CONSULTING IN THE PAST, LIKE RELATED TO HOMELESSNESS.
UM, BUT THAT IS DEFINITELY AN OPTION AS WELL.
SO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT, UM, WE TALKED ABOUT, UH, BEFORE IS THAT, UH, WE WANT TO CONTINUE TO DO MORE MEDIA PITCHING.
UM, BUT THERE ARE SOME PEOPLE OUT THERE AND CONSULTANTS, UM, WHO, UH, KNOW A LOT OF PEOPLE AND KNOW A LOT OF PEOPLE SAY, UH, ON NATIONAL PUBLICATIONS THAT COULD SUPPORT US AS WELL IN THINGS LIKE PITCHING AS WELL.
SO, UM, AND THEN OTHER MARKETING CONSULTANTS, UH, AS WELL TO TOTALLY OPEN TO THAT AS, AS NEEDED.
AND SO DO YOU HAVE, UM, YOU HAVE A, A LINE ITEM BUDGET FOR THAT AS WELL? THAT ALL, NO, NOT STRUCTURALLY.
UH, BUT THAT'S PART OF THOSE, UH, ONE TIMES.
THAT WOULD BE UNDER THOSE ONE TIMES.
UM, I'M REALLY EXCITED ABOUT INSIDE LONG BEACH.
YOU KNOW, AS SOMEONE WHO, UM, BOUGHT AND BUILT A LONG BEACH POST, I'M VERY FAMILIAR WITH WHAT IT TAKES TO, UH, TO BUILD THAT.
AND SO I THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, UM, YOU'RE GOING TO NEED, UM, SOME TYPE OF FUNDING AS YOU, AS YOU BUILD THAT.
'CAUSE I THINK IN, IN THE FUTURE IT'S GONNA BE, UM, UH, REALLY INSTRUMENTAL.
UM, I WOULD, UH, LIKE TO SEE YOU HAVE, UH, SOME FUNDING TO DO MORE OUTSIDE CONTRACTING, BECAUSE I'LL TELL YOU AN IN-HOUSE COPYWRITER IS GONNA LIMIT YOU BECAUSE THEY'RE JUST, THAT'S ONE PERSON.
WHEREAS IF YOU COULD, UM, CONTRACT OUT TO DIFFERENT PEOPLE, MAYBE ONE THAT FOCUSES ON, UH, THE BUSINESSES OPENING IN THE CITY OF LONG BEACH, ONE THAT FOCUSES ON THE FOOD SCENE, THE ATHLETICS, RIGHT.
UM, L-G-B-T-Q, I MEAN, THOSE ARE THINGS, UM, THAT I DID AS I BUILT A LONG BEACH POST.
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DO THAT, UM, AS YOU BRING A, A COPYWRITER IN HOUSE.SO JUST, UM, UM, I THINK YOU KNOW, ALL OF THAT STUFF TOO.
BUT, UM, BUT I KNOW IT IS, IS FUNDING.
SO, YOU KNOW, IT'S ABOUT PRIORITIZING, UH, YOUR BUDGET SO THAT YOU CAN DO THOSE, THOSE THOSE GREAT THINGS.
'CAUSE I THINK INSIDE LONG BEACH IS GONNA BE REALLY IMPORTANT, UM, FOR US IN THE FUTURE OF LONG BEACH, UM, TELLING OUR STORY.
SO, UM, THAT'S ALL THE QUESTIONS THAT I HAVE.
THANK YOU KEVIN, AND THANK YOU TO YOUR TEAM FOR ALL THE GREAT WORK THAT YOU DO.
UM, WE'LL MEET, WE CAN, UH, MOVE TO PUBLIC COMMENT.
UM, IF ANYONE IS INTERESTED IN, UH, SPEAKING ON THIS PARTICULAR, UH, AGENDA ITEM, UM, PLEASE STEP FORWARD, UM, SO WE CAN DETERMINE THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE WHO ARE INTERESTED IN SPEAKING.
SEEING NO PUBLIC COMMENT, WE CAN MOVE TO A VOTE.
ITEM FOUR, RECOMMENDATION TO RECEIVE AND FILE A PRESENTATION ON GRANTS AWARDED TO THE CITY AND IMPACT ON THE CURRENT FEDERAL ADMINISTRATION ON GRANTS RECEIPT.
I HAVE A FIRST AND A SECOND, AND I BELIEVE WE'RE GONNA GET A PRESENTATION.
[4. 25-56121 Recommendation to receive and file a presentation on grants awarded to the City and impact of the current Federal Administration on grants received. Suggested Action: Approve recommendation. ]
GREAT, THANK YOU.I WILL TURN IT OVER TO THERESA CHANDLER AND MEREDITH REYNOLDS TO PROVIDE THE STAFF PRESENTATION.
GOOD AFTERNOON CHAIR MEMBERS OF THE BUDGET OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE.
I'M MEREDITH REYNOLDS, DEPUTY CITY MANAGER, AND I'M JOINED TODAY BY MY FELLOW DEPUTY CITY MANAGER, THERESA CHANDLER.
TODAY WE'LL BE PROVIDING A PRESENTATION ON FEDERAL FUNDING IMPACTS PER THE COMMITTEE'S REQUEST.
UH, TODAY WE'LL PROVIDE IN OUR PRESENTATION SOME BACKGROUND ON FEDERAL ADMINISTRATIVE CHANGES, HOW THE CITY'S ORGANIZED ITSELF TO PLAN AND RESPOND INFORMATION ON FEDERAL FUNDING THE CITY RECEIVES IN THE CURRENT AND POTENTIAL FUNDING IMPACTS.
AS A RESULT OF FEDERAL CHANGES.
FROM THE BEGINNING OF THE CURRENT FEDERAL ADMINISTRATION, IT WAS CLEAR THAT A SHIFT IN PHILOSOPHY AND PRIORITIES WAS LIKELY TO CHANGE THE WAY THE CITY RECEIVED FEDERAL FUNDING, SOMETHING THAT THE CITY RELIES ON TO PROVIDE PROGRAMS AND SERVICES TO THE LONG BEACH COMMUNITY.
SINCE JANUARY, 2025, THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT HAS HALTED OR THREATENED TO HALT FUNDING FROM MULTIPLE CITY PROGRAMS. THIS INCLUDES NOT ONLY DIRECT FEDERAL SUPPORT, BUT ALSO STATE AND COUNTY PASS THROUGH GRANTS THAT HAVE BEEN IMPACTED AS A RESULT AFFECTING CRITICAL SERVICES AND INITIATIVES THROUGHOUT THE CITY.
THIS HAS LED TO POTENTIAL AND ACTUAL JOB LOSSES FOR CITY EMPLOYEES JEOPARDIZE THE CONTINUATION OF VITAL COMMUNITY PROGRAMS AND CREATED UNCERTAINTY IMPACTING OUR STAFF, OUR PROGRAMS, AND OUR COMMUNITY'S LIVELIHOODS, SAFETY AND TRUST IN GOVERNMENT, A NUMBER OF THESE EXECUTIVE ORDERS AND FEDERAL BILLS ARE LISTED HERE, AND OTHER ACTIONS AND LEGAL CHALLENGES, UH, HAVE OCCURRED OVER THE PROCEEDING MONTHS THAT ADDS TO THIS UNCERTAINTY.
SOME OF THESE ACTIONS PLAN TO REVERSE PAST FUNDING PROGRAMS AS WELL.
WITH A LARGE AMOUNT OF FEDERAL FUNDING THE CITY RELIES ON FOR PROGRAMS AND SERVICES, THE CITY'S GENERAL FUND CANNOT ABSORB ALL OF THE COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH THESE FEDERAL GRANTS, ESPECIALLY IF CUTS ARE WIDESPREAD.
GIVEN THIS, THE CITY ANTICIPATED NEEDING TO ASSESS THE AVAILABILITY OF OTHER FUNDING SOURCES ALIGNED WITH THE CITY PRIORITIES, AND DETERMINE WHETHER A PROGRAM CAN CONTINUE THIS COULD MEAN CHANGES TO THE SERVICES WE PROVIDE, AND IN SOME CASES, THE LOSSES OF PROGRAM, THE LOSS OF PROGRAMS IN THEIR ENTIRETY.
IN NOVEMBER, 2024, THE CITY BEGAN PROACTIVELY THINKING ABOUT HOW TO ORGANIZE OURSELVES INTERNALLY TO PLAN AHEAD AND HELP MITIGATE ANTICIPATED CHANGE AND UNCERTAINTY TO THE DEGREE POSSIBLE.
SO BETWEEN NOVEMBER, 2024 AND JANUARY, 2025, UH, THE CITY AND CITY STAFF CONDUCTED A GRANT FUNDING ASSESSMENT FOR CITY COUNCIL DETAILING FEDERAL FUNDING RECEIVED BY EACH DEPARTMENT, EITHER DIRECTLY FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT OR PASSED THROUGH VIA STATE OR COUNTY SOURCES.
SEVERAL MEMOS WERE PROVIDED TO THE CITY COUNCIL AND ALSO POSTED ON THE CITY'S WEBSITE WITH THIS INFORMATION.
IN APRIL, 2025, THE CITY ESTABLISHED THE FEDERAL IMPACTS COMMITTEE, WHO IS RESPONSIBLE FOR DEVELOPING STRATEGIC RECOMMENDATIONS, RECOMMENDATIONS FOR MITIGATING FINANCIAL RISKS, SHIFTING SERVICE DELIVERY, AND ADDRESSING STAFFING IMPACTS.
THIS COMMITTEE INCLUDES STAFF REPRESENTING EACH DEPARTMENT WHO RECEIVES FEDERAL FUNDING, AND THEY HAVE MET WEEKLY TO ESTABLISH A NUMBER OF PROCESSES FOR FLAGGING AND REPORTING NEW INFORMATION AND CHANGES FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT THAT AFFECTS OR COULD AFFECT THE CITY'S FEDERAL GRANT FUNDING.
IN MAY OF 2025, THIS COMMITTEE IMPLEMENTED PROCEDURES TO GATHER, ANALYZE, AND TRACK FUNDING AND PO UH, AND POLICY IMPACT DATA, AND ALSO BEGAN DRAFTING A COMPREHENSIVE COMMUNICATIONS PLAN.
WITH THE HELP OF KEVIN LEE, WHO YOU JUST HEARD FROM IN JUNE OF 2025, THE COMMITTEE BEGAN RECEIVING SPECIFIC TRAININGS TO STRENGTHEN OUR ABILITY TO ADDRESS FUNDING AND POLICY CHANGES, AND WE DEVELOP SPECIFIC IMPACT SCENARIOS AND MITIGATION
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STRATEGIES.THROUGHOUT THIS PLANNING, WE RECOGNIZE THE NEED FOR STRONGER COORDINATION WITH EXECUTIVE LEADERSHIP.
SO AN EXECUTIVE LEADERSHIP TEAM MADE UP OF OUR DIRECTORS AND CITY MANAGER WAS ALSO ESTABLISHED TO ENSURE A CLEAR AND CONSISTENT LINE OF COMMUNICATION.
THE FEDERAL IMPACT COMMITTEE IS SET UP THIS ALERT SYSTEM THAT YOU CAN SEE HERE ON THE SLIDE, AND WE, SO WE CAN TAKE SWIFT ACTION ONCE WE RECEIVE INFORMATION ABOUT FEDERAL FUNDING CHANGES THAT WILL OR POTENTIALLY CAN IMPACT CITY OPERATIONS.
SO WHEN WE RECEIVE THIS INFORMATION FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, UH, THROUGH A VARIETY OF DIFFERENT SOURCES, UM, WE THEN NOTIFY ALL OF THE DEPARTMENTS THAT ARE IMPACTED AND KEY DEPARTMENTS WHO PROVIDE SUPPORT AND GUIDANCE LIKE THE CITY ATTORNEY OR COMMUNICATIONS TEAM, HUMAN RESOURCES, GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS, ET CETERA, ASSESS THE SITUATION AND COORDINATE WITH THE DEPARTMENTS AS NEEDED.
UM, THE FOLLOW UP PROVIDES LEGAL ADVICE, UH, HUMAN RESOURCE, UH, GUIDANCE, UM, ANY INFORMATION THAT WE HAVE THAT RESULT IN BRIEFINGS FOR OUR CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS.
UM, AND TAILORED MESSAGING FOR OUR STAFF AND COMMUNITY, UH, IS THEN PREPARED.
WE ARE ABLE TO THEN TAKE CONCRETE ACTION, UH, IN, IN ORDER TO COMMUNICATE THIS INFORMATION.
AND WE KEEP ALL PARTNERS INFORMED, SHARE UPDATES, AND TRACK PROGRESS, UH, AS WHATEVER THE RESOLUTION IS REQUIRED FOR THE CHANGING INFORMATION.
UH, WE DO THIS IN A WAY SO THAT IT IS CLEAR, COORDINATED, UH, PROCESS FROM FIRST ALERT TO FINAL RESOLUTION, AND THIS IS THE WAY WE'RE ABLE TO COMMUNICATE WITH EACH OTHER THESE CHANGES.
THE WORK DONE THROUGH THE FEDERAL IMPACT COMMITTEE HAS RESULTED IN THE CITY SPECIFICALLY TRACKING 61 EXISTING OR ANTICIPATED GRANTS THAT EQUATES TO APPROXIMATELY TOTAL OF $321 MILLION.
THE LARGEST PORTION OF THESE FUNDS REPRESENTED ACROSS 38 GRANTS, UH, AND 220 MILLION ARE MANAGED BY THE PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT AND REPRESENT A NUMBER OF CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS THROUGHOUT THE CITY.
THIS IS ALSO FOLLOWED BY GRANTS TO THE AIRPORT FOR A NUMBER OF CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS AT THE AIRPORT PROPERTY.
11% OF THE GRANTS TRACKED ARE MANAGED BY THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT AND REPRESENT GRANTS THAT PROVIDE HEALTH PROGRAMS AND SER SERVICES TO OUR MOST VULNERABLE POPULATIONS.
FINALLY, THERE ARE A SMALLER NUMBER OF FEDERALLY FUNDED GRANTS THAT ARE AWARDED TO OUR DISASTER PREPAREDNESS AND EMERGENCY COMMUNICATIONS AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENTS.
WE KNOW HOW IMPORTANT THESE PROGRAMS ARE TO OUR NEIGHBORHOODS, OUR ECONOMY, AND TO THE MANY PEOPLE WHO RELY ON OUR PROGRAMS AND SERVICES EVERY DAY.
WE ALSO KNOW THAT CITY EMPLOYEES WORK HARD TO DELIVER THESE PROGRAMS TO OUR COMMUNITY, AND THEIR EMPLOYMENT MAY BE IMPACTED BY FUNDING CHANGES BEYOND OUR LOCAL CONTROL.
NOW I WILL TURN IT OVER TO THERESA, WHO WILL PROVIDE YOU WITH SOME EXAMPLES OF FEDERAL FUNDING REDUCED OR TERMINATED.
SO THE SLIDE SHOWS EXAMPLES OF THE FEDERAL FUNDING IMPACTS, UM, WITH PUBLIC HEALTH BEING ONE OF THE MAIN AREAS AFFECTED.
AS YOU CAN SEE, THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT HAS SEVERAL GRANTS LISTED HERE.
SO FUNDING TERMINATED REFERS TO FUNDS THE CITY PREVIOUSLY RECEIVED, BUT ARE NO LONGER AVAILABLE AND RESCINDED OR ELIMINATED PROGRAMS ARE GRANTS WE ANTICIPATED RECEIVING TO CONTINUE EXISTING PROGRAMS, BUT THOSE HAVE NOW BEEN CUT AND WILL NOT BE RENEWED.
UM, SO IF THERE ARE QUESTIONS, WE DO HAVE COLLEAGUES FROM THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT ON THEIR WAY, UH, THAT CAN SHARE HOW THE DEPARTMENT HAS BEEN WORKING TO ADDRESS THOSE LOSSES.
AND I THINK YOU'LL ALSO HEAR FROM THEM THIS EVENING.
UM, IT'S, IT'S ALSO IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT HEALTH IS NOT NAVIGATING THESE CHALLENGES ALONE.
AS MEREDITH MENTIONED EARLIER, UH, THE CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE, THE ATTORNEY, HR, AND OTHERS ARE ALL PART OF THE TEAM WORKING TOGETHER ON THE NEXT STEPS, UM, AS WE DISCUSSED EARLIER.
SO I WANNA TAKE A MOMENT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT VERY REAL HUMAN IMPACT BEHIND THE NUMBERS WE'RE RECEIVING TODAY OR WE'RE LOOKING AT TODAY.
IT'S CLEAR THAT OUR FUNDING CHANGES AREN'T JUST NUMBERS ON A SPREADSHEET.
THEY'RE AFFECTING REAL PEOPLE ACROSS OUR DEPARTMENTS.
THE CHART YOU SEE OUTLINES WHERE THINGS CURRENTLY STAND WITH EMPLOYEES IMPACTED BY FUNDING REDUCTIONS ACROSS DEPARTMENTS.
WHILE WE'VE HAD A FEW WHO HAVE, UH, RESIGNED OR VOLUNTARILY SHIFTED TO PART-TIME GOALS, THE MAJORITY ARE IN A HOLDING PATTERN, UH, LISTED AS PENDING PLACEMENT ON THIS CHART.
AND THEY'RE ACTIVELY LOOKING IN.
HR IS LOOKING AS WELL, OR SUPPORTING THEM IN LOOKING AS WELL.
SO THESE ARE PEOPLE WHO ARE STILL PART OF OUR TEAM, BUT DON'T YET HAVE CLARITY ON THEIR NEXT ROLE.
THAT LEVEL OF UNCERTAINTY IS CHALLENGING, NOT JUST FOR THOSE INDIVIDUALS, BUT FOR THE DEPARTMENTS TRYING TO MANAGE WORKLOADS AND SERVICE DELIVERY.
DURING THIS TRANSITION, WE'VE HAD A SMALL NUMBER WHO HAVE RECEIVED FINAL NOTICES OR HAVE BEEN SUCCESSFULLY PLACED, AND WE'RE CONTINUING TO WORK CLOSELY WITH HR AND DEPARTMENT LEADERSHIP TO SUPPORT EVERYONE THROUGH THIS PROCESS WITH AS MUCH CARE AND TRANSPARENCY AS POSSIBLE.
I WANNA, I WANNA BE CLEAR THAT THIS COMMITTEE'S DECISIONS AND OUR COLLABORATIVE LEADERSHIP HAVE A DIRECT IMPACT ON THE WELLBEING OF OUR WORKFORCE AND THE SERVICES OUR COMMUNITY DEPENDS ON.
WE'RE COMMITTED TO MANAGING THIS RESPONSIBILITY WITH THE VALUES OF EQUITY, COMPASSION, AND ACCOUNTABILITY AT THE FOREFRONT.
SO, AS MEREDITH SHARED EARLIER, THE CITY'S FEDERAL FUNDING IMPACTS COMMITTEE IS LEADING A COORDINATED RESPONSE TO ANTICIPATED FUNDING REDUCTIONS.
AND PART OF THAT RESPONSE INCLUDES ENSURING WE'RE GROUNDED IN EQUITY, CONSISTENCY, AND LEGAL INTEGRITY
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ACROSS ALL DEPARTMENTS TO SUPPORT THAT WORK.THE EQUITY AND POLICY PRACTICE AND PROTOCOL TASK FORCE, ALSO KNOWN AS EP THREE, WAS ESTABLISHED TO PROVIDE TIMELY EQUITY CENTERED AND GUIDANCE AND TOOLS FOR STAFF NAVIGATING THIS SHIFTING LANDSCAPE.
EP THREE IS FOCUSED ON TWO KEY AREAS.
THIS, UH, HELPS DEPARTMENTS PROTECT EQUITY AND BELONGING BY OFFERING PROTOCOLS, TOOLS, AND PRACTICAL STAFF FACING GUIDANCE, ESPECIALLY IN MOMENTS WHEN POLICY SHIFTS MAY BRING FINANCIAL OR OPERATIONAL CHALLENGES.
SECOND, IMMIGRATION RESPONSE AND COMMUNITY TRUST.
UH, THIS PROVIDES CLEAR LEGALLY SOUND PROTOCOLS THAT HELP STAFF MEET OUR OBLIGATIONS, UPHOLD INDIVIDUAL RIGHTS, AND CONTINUE FOSTERING TRUST WITH IMMIGRANT AND IMPACTED COMMUNITIES.
ULTIMATELY, EP THREE IS HERE TO HELP US MOVE THROUGH THIS PERIOD WITH CLARITY AND CARE, ENSURING WE REMAIN CONSISTENT IN OUR VALUES AND RESPONSIVE TO THE COMMUNITIES WE SERVE FOR COMMUNICATIONS.
OUR, OUR PLAN FOCUSES ON MAINTAINING PUBLIC AND EMPLOYEE TRUST BY BEING TRANSPARENT ABOUT HOW FUNDING CUTS AFFECT PROGRAMS, JOBS AND SERVICES.
INTERNALLY, WE'RE MAKING SURE EMPLOYEES AND CITY OFFICIALS HAVE THE INFORMATION THEY NEED FROM SITUATIONAL UPDATES ON FEDERAL, STATE, AND LOCAL FUNDING TO JOB OPPORTUNITIES FOR IMPACTED STAFF.
WE'RE ALSO KEEPING ELECTED OFFICIALS INFORMED REGULARLY SO THEY CAN RESPOND EFFECTIVELY AND ADVOCATE ON BEHALF OF THE CITY AND OUR EMPLOYEES EXTERNALLY.
OUR GOAL IS TO INCREASE COMMUNITY AWARENESS, NOT JUST ABOUT THE PROGRAMS AT RISK, BUT ABOUT HOW THESE SHIFTS COULD AFFECT COMMUNITY PRIORITIES AND RESOURCES.
FINALLY, WE'RE WORKING TO CREATE MORE OPPORTUNITIES FOR COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT SO RESIDENTS CAN STAY INFORMED AND INVOLVED AS WE NAVIGATE THESE CHANGES TOGETHER.
SO, AS WE CLOSE OUR TODAY'S PRESENTATION, WE WANNA SHARE THE KEY NEXT STEPS THAT ARE ALREADY IN MOTION, AND WE'LL GUIDE OUR WORK IN THE WEEKS AHEAD.
FIRST, WE'LL CONTINUE TO SUPPORT THE FEDERAL FUNDING COMMITTEE, AND WE'LL PROVIDE REGULAR UPDATES AS REQUESTED AND AS NEEDED.
SECOND, WE'LL KEEP ALIGNING WITH OUR COMMUNICATION PLAN, EP THREE WORK GROUPS AND EXECUTIVE LEADERSHIP TEAM TO MAKE SURE OUR INTERNAL TEAMS AND THE PUBLIC STAY INFORMED, SUPPORTED AND ENGAGED THROUGHOUT THIS PROCESS.
AND THIRD, WE'RE PREPARING FOR ADDITIONAL COUNCIL CONSIDERATION AS NEEDED.
THAT WILL INCLUDE BUDGET, DIRECTION, POLICY DECISIONS, AND RESOURCE ALIGNMENT, ALL SHAPED BY THE DATA AND FEEDBACK WE CONTINUE TO GATHER.
SO WE'RE COMMITTED TO MOVING THROUGH THIS WORK WITH CLARITY, CARE, AND COLLABORATION, AND WE'LL CONTINUE TO BRING FORWARD RECOMMENDATIONS THAT REFLECT THOSE VALUES.
THAT CONCLUDES OUR PRESENTATION, AND WE'RE AVAILABLE FOR QUESTIONS.
DEPUTY CITY, UH, MANAGER REYNOLDS AND CHANDLER.
UM, ANY QUESTIONS FROM MY COMMITTEE MEMBERS? COUNCILWOMAN ALLEN.
UM, WELL, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR, UH, PRESENTATION.
UM, IT'S NOT ALL SMILES THOUGH, I JUST THINK, UM, I, I LOVE THAT YOU ARE TRACKING AND YOU'RE VERY CLEARLY, UM, ARTICULATED THE IMPACTS, UM, OF THESE CUTS, WHICH ARE ABSOLUTELY, UH, DEVASTATING.
AND, YOU KNOW, HALTING, YOU KNOW, FEDERAL FUNDING, UM, HAS BEEN, UM, THAT'S BEEN SO, SO VITAL TO SO MANY OF OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS.
IT'S JUST, UM, IT'S JUST HARMFUL TO THE COMMUNITY.
I MEAN, I'M LOOKING AT PAGE SEVEN AND IT'S, THIS IS, THIS IS SNAP AND IMPROVING HEALTH OF YOUNG CHILDREN.
I MEAN, IT'S, I I DON'T EVEN KNOW WHAT TO SAY, CLEAN CREDIT.
IT'S, UM, IT'S ABSOLUTELY, UM, DEVASTATING AND HEARTBREAKING.
UM, I THINK, WHAT IS IT, LIKE 321 MILLION? UH, CUT.
UM, IF MY MATH IS RIGHT, UM, YOU KNOW, I TELL YOU, I WORKED REALLY CLOSELY ON WITH THE MOBILE, UH, TESTING UNIT.
UM, AND, UM, AND WE OFTEN PARTNERED, YOU KNOW, WITH THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT, YOU KNOW, ON THAT AND OUR, AND OUR COMMUNITY, AND IT WAS WELL ORGANIZED BY YOUR TEAM.
AND I CAN TELL YOU THE COMMUNITY CAME OUT.
UM, AND SO IT WAS REALLY IMPORTANT, UM, TO THEM.
SO, UM, IT'S JUST A REAL LOSS, UM, THAT WE NO LONGER HAVE, UH, THOSE SERVICES TO SOME OF, NOT SOME OF, IF MOST OF OUR MOST VULNERABLE, UM, UH, COMMUNITIES.
UM, I THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, IT'S JUST ESSENTIAL, ESSENTIAL THAT WE CONTINUE TO FIGURE OUT WAYS TO PROTECT AND UPLIFT, UM, THESE COMMUNITIES.
SO I GUESS MY ONLY QUESTION FOR YOU IS, UM, I ASSUME THAT WE HAVE FOLKS WITHIN THE CITY, AND I KNOW, UM, COUNCIL HAS THEIR OWN ADVOCACY, UH, GROUP THAT GOES TO DC SO WE CAN JUST CONTINUE JUST TO TELL WHOEVER WILL LISTEN, HOW IMPORTANT THESE PROGRAMS ARE.
SO I ASSUME THAT THAT'S GOTTA BE SOME SOMEWHAT, UH, ON, ON THE PLAN TO DO THAT OR ON YOUR PLAN TO DO THAT, IF YOU CAN SPEAK ON THAT.
UM, THE ADVOCACY PIECE IS DEFINITELY A PART OF BOTH
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THE COMMITTEE, THE EXECUTIVE LEVEL, AND EMBEDDED IN OUR GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS TEAM, UH, WITH OUR MANAGER, SARAH PATTERSON.AND SO THOSE TYPES OF ADVOCACY IS PART OF OUR LEGISLATIVE AGENDA, BOTH FOR THE STATE AND FEDERAL GOVERNMENT THAT OUR CITY COUNCIL APPROVES AND WILL CONTINUE TO BE A PIECE OF THAT AS, AS YOU APPROVE THOSE, UM, DOCUMENTS FOR US TO FOLLOW THROUGH THE YEAR.
UH, AND THEN THOSE ADVOCACY POSITIONS ARE TAKEN, UM, AND SHARED WITH OUR LEGISLATIVE DELEGATIONS AT THE STATE, COUNTY, STATE AND FEDERAL LEVEL, UH, BY THAT OFFICE.
UM, AND OFTEN IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THOSE OF YOU WHO GO ON SOME OF THOSE DELEGATION TRIPS.
UM, SO THAT IS ONE PART OF A LARGER, UH, FOCUS FOR ADVOCACY.
AND WE ALSO EN UH, ENCOURAGE, UM, OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS, UM, TO BE ADVOCATES AS WELL ON BEHALF OF THOSE PROGRAMS AND SERVICES THAT ARE MOST VALUABLE TO THEM.
YEAH, I LOVE THAT YOU SAID THAT.
'CAUSE IT TAKES, IT'S GONNA TAKE ALL OF US OR PART, UM, IN TALKING, UM, WITH ALL OF OUR LEGISLATURES.
AND I TELL YOU, UH, SARAH PATTERSON, UM, I THINK SHE'S AWESOME.
I KNOW SHE, SHE WORKED, I WORK WITH HER A LOT AT SCAG, AND SO I'M REALLY HAPPY THAT, UM, SHE'S HERE NOW WITH THE CITY OF LONG BEACH AND I THINK, UH, WE'RE IN GOOD HANDS.
SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR ANSWERING MY QUESTION.
THANK YOU, COUNCILWOMAN ALLEN.
UM, AND I JUST HAD A COUPLE OF COMMENTS, UH, AND A QUESTION.
UH, I WILL, YEAH, I WILL CONCUR WITH MY FELLOW COUNCIL MEMBER AND THAT IT'S INCREDIBLY DISAPPOINTING TO SEE HOW MANY OF OUR HEALTH DEPARTMENT GRANTS, UH, HAVE BEEN ON THE CHOPPING BLOCK HERE, PARTICULARLY AS WE ALL TOUTED HOW IMPORTANT IT WAS DURING THE PANDEMIC.
UM, I HAD ONE, UH, CLARIFICATION QUESTION.
SO FOR THE RESCINDED OR ELIMINATED PROGRAMS, THIS IS ON SLIDE SEVEN.
IT SAYS CCR EARMARK PROJECT FUNDING.
I'M ASSUMING THAT'S THE COMMUNITY CRISIS RESPONSE TEAM.
UM, AND I THINK WE'RE GONNA TALK ABOUT THAT LATER TODAY DURING THE, THE BUDGET HEARING.
UM, AND THEN, UH, ONE ADDITIONAL QUESTION, AND I THINK I HAD POSED THIS TO YOU ALL AS STAFF, BUT ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I HEAR COMMONLY, UM, IS AN ISSUE IN OUR HEALTH DEPARTMENT WITH RELATED TO OUR GRANTS IS RELATED TO THE OVERHEAD.
UM, AND THE, AND THE FACT THAT A LOT OF THE GRANTS THAT WE OFTEN ACCEPT AS A CITY YOU CAN EXPEND FOR FUNDS FOR, FOR PROGRAMS AND THE ACTIVITIES, BUT THE CITY ITSELF, THROUGH OUR GENERAL FUND OR OUR HEALTH FUND OR WHATEVER FUND IT IS, WE TAKE THE HIT AS COVERING THE OVERHEAD ASSOCIATED WITH THAT GRANT.
UM, AND SO MY QUESTION WAS, I KNOW THIS IS A, A SIGNIFICANT IMPACT FOR OUR HEALTH DEPARTMENT.
IS THAT IMPACT SEEN SIMILARLY ALSO FOR SOME OF THE OTHER DEPARTMENTS THAT GET GRANTS? UM, YES, THAT'S CORRECT.
I MEAN, OFTENTIMES WITH GRANTS, IT'S, THEY COVER MAYBE UP TO 10% OF OVERHEAD IT'S, OR ADMINISTRATIVE COSTS.
AND SO IT IS CHALLENGING WITH SOME OF OUR OVERHEAD.
UM, AND I THINK IT DOES AFFECT OTHER DEPARTMENTS.
MEREDITH KNOWS BETTER 'CAUSE I CAME FROM HEALTH, SO THAT'S WHERE I WAS SURROUNDED BY.
UM, BUT SHE CAN SPEAK TO SOME OF THE GRANTS THAT COME INTO OTHER DEPARTMENTS AS WELL.
UM, CHAIR OTTI, THE, UH, OVERHEAD IS, UM, OR, OR ADMINISTRATION, DEPENDING ON THE TERM, UM, RELATED TO THE GRANT, UH, IS SOMETHING THAT IS, UM, DEFINED AND EMBEDDED IN MANY OF THE GRANT GUIDELINES FOR ALL OF THE DIFFERENT GRANTS THAT WE GET.
AND OFTEN THE FEDERAL LEVELS DO HAVE LIMITATIONS.
UM, WE OFTEN SEE THAT THE GRANTS THAT FUND PROGRAMS AND PROGRAMMING, UH, THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT'S FOCUS IS REALLY ON THAT DIRECT SERVICE.
UH, AND SO THEY LIMIT, UM, THE, THE SUPPORT FOR THE PEOPLE NEEDING TO ACTUALLY PROVIDE THAT DIRECT SERVICE.
UM, THERE'S A VARIETY OF REASONS, UH, FOR THAT.
UH, FOR THINGS LIKE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROGRAMS OR CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS, UM, THEY ALSO PROVIDE SOME LEVEL OF OVERHEAD.
AND ADMINISTRATION IS ALSO OFTEN CAPPED ANYWHERE FROM ON AVERAGE, UH, YOU KNOW, 10% TO 25%.
UM, AND IN THOSE, SOME OF THOSE CONTEXTS, UM, FOR CAPITAL PROJECTS, THE, UH, ACTIVITIES THAT ARE REQUIRED TO DELIVER A CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECT ARE OFTEN SEEN AS DIRECT SERVICES.
SO SOME OF THOSE THINGS, WHETHER IT'S PERMITS OR INSPECTION OR DESIGN OR EVEN PROJECT MANAGEMENT TO SOME DEGREE, DEPENDING ON HOW THE GRANT IS DEFINED, SOME OF THOSE, UM, ITEMS CAN BE DIRECTLY CHARGED TO THE GRANT.
UM, SO THOSE OPERATE A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENTLY, BUT THEY DO, UH, OFTEN IN MANY CASES, HAVE THE SAME LEVEL OF RESTRICTIONS WITH SOME PERCENT OF THE TOTAL OVERALL GRANT, UH, BEING LIMITED TO ADMINISTRATION OR OVERHEAD.
THAT WAS EXACTLY WHAT I WANTED TO, WANTED TO HEAR, SO THANK YOU FOR THAT DESCRIPTION.
UM, SEEING NO OTHER COMMENTS FROM MY COLLEAGUES, UH, WE'LL NOT OPEN IT FOR PUBLIC COMMENT.
IF THERE ARE ANY MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC, WHICH SHOULD SPEAK ON THIS ITEM, PLEASE STAND AND FORM A LINE SO WE CAN DETERMINE HOW MANY SPEAKERS WILL BE PARTICIPATING ONCE THIS NUMBER IS ESTABLISHED.
NO ADDITIONAL PUBLIC COMMENT WILL BE HEARD FOR THIS ITEM.
AND I THINK WE JUST HAVE ONE PUBLIC COMMENTER, SO PLEASE.
HI, MY NAME'S KATHLEEN ADAMS. I PARTICIPATE IN MULTIPLE COALITION EFFORTS, UM, AND I WAS, UH, I'M HOPING THIS IS APPLIES BECAUSE IN THE SITUATION OF THE CUT OF FEDERAL FUNDING, UM, I'M WONDERING ABOUT EMERGENCY FUNDS.
THIS ALSO AFFECTS THE COMMUNICATION CONVERSATION.
HOW DOES THE PUBLIC KNOW ABOUT THE, UM, EMERGENCY FUNDS ARE AVAILABLE TO THE CITY?
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UM, AND I SAW SOME OPPORTUNITIES PERHAPS WITH THAILANDS AND SURPLUSES EARLIER IN THIS MEETING.UM, I'M HERE TO ALSO REPORT THAT A PERSON AT SEVENTH STREET IN BELLFLOWER WAS KIDNAPPED BY ICE ON SUNDAY WHILE I WAS AT CHURCH.
UM, AND IN THE DIALOGUES I'M HAVING WITH THE CONSTITUENTS AND FRIENDS, THIS IS AN EMERGENCY OF PEOPLE KIDNAPPED.
THE FEDERAL ADMINISTRATION IS IGNORING THE, THE ORDER TO NOT DO THAT.
OH, WE ARE QUITE SENSITIVE TO WHAT YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT.
WE DO HAVE TO LIMIT PUBLIC COMMENT TO SPECIFICALLY THIS AGENDA ITEM.
SO YOU WANNA SPEAK DIRECTLY TO THE ISSUE AROUND THE, THE, THE FEDERAL GRANTS THAT WE WERE DISCUSSING, CORRECT? ABSOLUTELY.
AND SO, UM, I'M, SO FROM, FROM AN EMERGENCY FUND STANDPOINT, HOW DO WE GET COMMUNICATED ABOUT HOW WE AS VOLUNTEERS PERHAPS CAN HELP WITH THE GRASSROOTS PULL PRIVATE GRANTS FROM AND FOUNDATIONS? 'CAUSE IT LOOKS LIKE THERE MIGHT BE ALREADY INFRASTRUCTURE HERE THAT EXISTS, AND IT'S ABOUT EDUCATING US AS A GROUP TO HELP, UH, EXPAND THE EFFORTS WITH GRANT FI FINDING.
UM, AND ALSO, UM, JUST A GENERAL, UH, VOLUNTEERS THROUGH LONG BEACH CITY COLLEGE AND C-L-C-O-B.
'CAUSE THAT'S WHERE, UM, STUDENTS ARE LEARNING HOW TO DO THIS.
I'M ALSO PARTICIPANT WITH THE C-L-C-O-B LIFELONG LEARNING INSTITUTE.
UM, BY THE WAY, I LEARNED SOMEONE GOT KIDNAPPED WHO WAS A AMERICAN CITIZEN, WHO'S BROWN AND WAS DETAINED FOR NINE HOURS, AND THEY TOOK HER DOCUMENTS.
SO THESE CONVERSATIONS, UM, WE'RE ALL HERE, LIKE, WHAT DO WE DO? HOW CAN WE HELP? WE KNOW THERE'S NOT ENOUGH BUDGET FOR THE, UM, CITY TO DO IT, AND YOU'VE GOT A BIG CONSTITUENCY HERE WHO'S WILLING TO HELP.
WE JUST NEED POINTED AND TO HELP GET MORE FUND, I'M THINKING THERE'S FOUNDATIONS THAT CAN HELP US WITH THIS, AND I'M BUYING A LOT OF TICKETS.
SO THE OTHER PART IS HOW DO I DONATE IF I WIN? THANK YOU.
WELL, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE REPUBLIC COMMENT.
SEEING NO ADDITIONAL PUBLIC COMMENT, WE CAN GO FOR A VOTE AND ME AND MY TERMINAL AREN'T GETTING ALONG WELL, SO, OH, THERE WE GO.
NEXT ITEM, ITEM FIVE, RECOMMENDATION TO RECEIVE AND FILE COUNCIL DISTRICT CORRESPONDENCE.
UM, I BELIEVE, UH, MY COUNCIL COLLEAGUES
[5. 25-56122 Recommendation to receive and file Council District correspondence. Suggested Action: Approve recommendation. ]
HAVE PROBABLY READ, I THINK THE, THE ONLY, UM, COUNCIL CO OH, WE HAVE GOT, SORRY, WE'VE GOT TWO COUNCIL CORRESPONDENCES.SO ONE WAS A RESPONSE FROM THE CITY AUDITOR'S OFFICE, UM, AND THEN ANOTHER IS FROM, UH, COUNCIL DISTRICT FIVE.
SO I'M GONNA TAKE THE RESPONSE FROM THE CITY AUDITOR'S OFFICE FIRST.
UH, CITY AUDITOR LAURA DOW FOR THE RESPONSE FROM, UM, YOUR OFFICE.
RELATED TO THE QUESTIONS THAT WE HAD, UM, RELATED TO YOUR BUDGET REQUEST, WAS THERE ANY COMMENTS OR THOUGHTS FROM MY COLLEAGUES AROUND THAT RESPONSE? ANY FOLLOW UPS THAT THEY HAD? UM, JUST POINT OF ORDER MM-HMM
UM, SO JUST WANNA UNDERSTAND CHAIR.
SO WE'RE GOING TO, AFTER ALL THESE RESPONSES COME IN, THEN WE'RE GONNA HAVE AN OVERALL CONVERSATION AT THE END.
THAT WAS MY UNDERSTANDING ON ALL OF THESE CORRESPONDENCE, CORRECT? YES.
SO, WE'LL, SO WE WILL GET AN OPPORTUNITY BECAUSE I DO HAVE A LOT OF, UH, QUESTION I STILL HAVE FOR, FOR, FOR YOU.
UM, BUT I, UM, BUT I WAS GONNA, UM, WITHHOLD ALL OF THOSE TILL WE DO THEM ALL AT ONE TIME.
IS IS THAT, IS THAT OKAY WITH YOU? SO I'LL SAY THIS MUCH.
UH, THE ONLY REASON, WELL, A COUPLE REASONS.
SO AS PART OF THE, THE NEW PROCESS THIS YEAR, WE'RE BASICALLY AS FOR A TRANSPARENCY PURPOSES AND ALSO FOR PROCEDURAL PURPOSES, WE'RE TRYING TO MAKE SURE THAT WE DON'T OVERLOAD OURSELVES AT THE END, RIGHT? WITH TRYING TO GET ALL THE RESPONSES.
SO IF THERE ARE THINGS THAT SOME OF OUR CITY STAFF DEPARTMENTS INFORMATION THEY NEED TO GET US, I WANT THEM TO BE ABLE TO HAVE THE TIME TO DO THAT IN THE INTERIM WHILE WE'RE HAVING OUR MEETINGS.
SO THEN WHEN WE FINALLY HAVE OUR FINAL DISCUSSION ABOUT THOSE RECOMMENDATIONS, WE HAVE AS MUCH INFORMATION AS THAT WE POSSIBLY NEED, UH, TO MAKE THAT A, THAT, TO MAKE THOSE DECISIONS.
SO THAT WAY WE'RE NOT MISSING THINGS WHEN WE NEED TO DETERMINE WHAT THOSE RECOMMENDATIONS ARE GONNA BE.
I'M, I'M GONNA, I'M WITHHOLD ALL MY QUESTIONING TILL THE END, UM, BECAUSE THEN I KNOW PRIORITIES, I DON'T KNOW EVERYONE'S PRIORITIES YET, SO I CAN'T MAKE, I DON'T REALLY HAVE, I I I'M WITHHOLD MY QUESTIONING TILL WE DO THAT AT THE END.
UH, THE ONLY QUESTION, THIS FOLLOW UP QUESTION I HAD FOR YOU, UM, UH, UH, CITY AUDITOR LAURA DOWD WAS, I KNOW THAT YOU HAVE VACANCIES, UM, IN YOUR STAFF.
UH, SO MY QUESTION TO YOU WAS, WOULD YOU CONSIDER, UM, POTENTIALLY LIKE RECLASSIFYING SOME OF YOUR CURRENT, UM, POSITIONS THAT ARE VACANT, UM, TO THE ONES THAT YOU'RE ASKING FOR BUDGET FOR, AND THEN POTENTIALLY WE COULD FUND,
[01:20:01]
AND THESE ARE JUST, THESE ARE JUST OPTIONS WE COULD POTENTIALLY FUND THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE, THE REQUESTED POSITION AND, UM, YOUR CURRENT ASK.SO I KNOW YOU HAVE, BECAUSE I KNOW YOU'RE ASKING TO KIND OF EXPAND YOUR BUDGET.
MY ONLY CONCERN WAS THAT I KNOW THAT YOU HAVE, UM, VACANT POSITIONS NOW, AND SO I'M THINKING ABOUT THAT IN TERMS OF, OF PROPER ALLOCATION FOR THE CITY AUDITOR'S OFFICE.
UH, YES, WE'D BE OPEN TO RECLASSIFYING, UM, WE WOULD NEED ADDITIONAL FUNDING TO FILL THE VACANCY.
UM, AND THEN, UM, AGAIN, UH, THE SECOND, UH, REQUEST THAT WE GOT WAS FROM COUNCIL DISTRICT FIVE.
SO JUST FOR EVERYBODY'S KNOWLEDGE, UH, THAT REQUEST WAS REGARDING A HARWELL PARK SKATE, UH, SKATE PARK FEASIBILITY.
UM, I WILL SAY THAT IN THE 2026 PROPOSED BUDGET BOOK ON PAGE ONE 50, THERE IS AN ALLOTMENT OF $300,000 PROPOSED FOR THE HOTWARE PLAYGROUND AREA IMPROVEMENTS THAT I'M NOT SURE IF THAT POTENTIALLY COULD BE USED.
UM, THEY, UH, THE SECOND REQUEST WAS REGARDING THE CONCRETE NEIGHBORHOOD STREET REPAIRS, UM, FOR THE, I BELIEVE THE, UM, UH, CALIFORNIA HEIGHTS NEIGHBORHOOD.
UM, AND I WILL SAY THAT IN THE FISCAL YEAR 26, PROPOSED CIP, UM, PART OF THE ARTERIAL STREET REHABILITATION DOES INCLUDE CHERRY AVENUE BETWEEN BIXBY ROAD TO, TO SPRING STREET.
UM, AND THIS COVERS PORTIONS OF THE CALIFORNIA HEIGHTS HISTORIC DISTRICT.
UM, AND THEN ADDITIONALLY IN THE 2026 PROPOSED BUDGET BOOK ON PAGE 6 0 1, THERE IS AN ALLOTMENT FOR THE 13.8 MILLION FOR RESIDENTIAL STREETS AND 500,000 FOR THE KRAKEN SLURRY SEAL.
SO I WOULD BE INTERESTED TO SEE IF ANY OF THAT FUNDING COULD POTENTIALLY BE USED FOR THAT.
UM, I WILL SAY THAT FOR FROM AN EQUITY STANDPOINT, WE SHOULD USE THAT LENS, UM, IN THIS PARTICULAR REQUEST AS IT WOULD REQUIRE US TO PUT FORWARD, UM, CONCRETE STREETS IN ONE AREA OF THE COMMUNITY WHILE OTHER, MOST OTHER NEIGHBORHOODS ONLY GET ASPHALT.
UH, LASTLY, THERE WAS A, REGARDING A REQUEST OF A FISCAL OFFSET BEING FOR MEASURE A OPEN SPACE ALLOCATION OR GENERAL FUND SOURCES.
UM, SO THIS ONE JUST SAID THIS PARTICULAR ASPECT OF THEIR, UM, BUT I WILL SAY THIS PARTICULAR ASPECT OF THIS REQUEST WOULD OCCUR WOULD NEED MOST LIKELY LONG-TERM DISCUSSION WITH LONG BEACH PARKS, RECREATION AND MARINE DEPARTMENT TO ASSESS, UM, HOW TO BEST USE THOSE FUNDS OVER TIME.
UH, AND THEN THE FINAL REQUEST WAS TO USE AIRPORT FUNDS AS A FISCAL OFFSET FOR COMMUNITY HEALTH OR ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE.
UM, AND THEN I'LL ALSO SAY THAT IN THE 2026 PROPOSED BUDGET BOOK ON PAGE 2 22 ONE-TIME FUNDING IS ALLOCATED TO SUPPORT, UM, UH, URBAN FORESTRY PLANTING AND PRIORITY AREAS OF EXTREME HEAT.
SO THERE ARE SOME THINGS IN THE BUDGET BOOK THAT ALREADY COVER, UM, SOME OF THE ASKS FROM DISTRICT FIVE.
AND THAT'S ALL I, THAT'S ALL THE COMMENTS I HAD.
UM, WE CAN GO OVER AND TAKE PUBLIC COMMENT IF THERE'S ANY COMMENT ON THIS PARTICULAR AGENDA ITEM.
UM, IF THERE'S ANYONE WHO'S INTERESTED IN, UH, HAVING PUBLIC COMMENT ON THIS ITEM, PLEASE, UH, STEP FORWARD, UM, ONCE WE DETERMINE THE NUMBER OF INDIVIDUALS INTERESTING.
UM, AND COMMENTING, UH, WE'LL THEN CLOSE PUBLIC COMMENT.
IT LOOKS LIKE THERE'S THREE, SO PLEASE PROCEED FORWARD.
UH, GOOD AFTERNOON, MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE.
MY NAME IS TARA REGIE AND I'M THE PRESIDENT OF THE CALIFORNIA HEIGHTS NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION.
I'M HERE ON BEHALF OF MY FELLOW BOARD MEMBERS AT CHNA AS WE ARE COMMITTED TO PROMOTING AND PRESERVING HISTORIC AND ARCHITECTURAL RESOURCES IN CALIFORNIA HEIGHTS.
THIS COMMITMENT EXTENDS TO OUR CONCRETE STREETS.
WE STRONGLY ENCOURAGE A FEASIBILITY STUDY REGARDING THE REPAIR OF OUR NEIGHBORHOOD STREETS IN CONCRETE AND NOT ASPHALT.
CALIFORNIA HEIGHTS IS ONE OF THE OLDEST AND MOST HISTORICALLY SIGNIFICANT NEIGHBORHOODS IN LONG BEACH.
OUR POURED CONCRETE STREETS LAID NEARLY A CENTURY AGO, ARE NOT JUST A MEANS OF TRAVEL.
THEY'RE A DEFINING FEATURE OF OUR HISTORIC DISTRICT.
WE BELIEVE PRESERVING THE STREETS IN CONCRETE IS THE RIGHT PATH FORWARD, AND HERE'S WHY.
DURABILITY, HISTORIC INTEGRITY, AND ENVIRONMENTAL BENEFITS.
DURABILITY, CONCRETE LASTS DECADES LONGER THAN ASPHALT.
SAVING OUR CITY MONEY BY AVOIDING CONSTANT REPAVING AND PATCHWORK REGARDING THE HISTORICAL INTEGRITY.
CONCRETE IS THE ORIGINAL MATERIAL.
USING IT PRESERVES THE UNIQUE CHARACTER OF CALIFORNIA HEIGHTS.
WHILE ASPHALT UNDERMINES THE VERY FABRIC OF OUR HISTORIC DISTRICT AND THE ENVIRONMENTAL BENEFITS, CONCRETE REFLECTS HEAT RATHER THAN ABSORBING IT, HELPING KEEP OUR NEIGHBORHOOD COOLER.
AND IT PROTECTS THE ROOTS OF OUR HISTORIC TREE CANOPY BETTER THAN ASPHALT, WHICH CAN TRAP HEAT AND DAMAGE OUR HISTORIC TREES.
FOR YEARS, SHORT-TERM ASPHALT PATCHES HAVE BEEN APPLIED.
THEY COST MORE OVER TIME AND MORE, MOST IMPORTANTLY, THEY ERODE THE VERY CHARACTER THAT MAKES CALIFORNIA HEIGHTS UNIQUE.
PRESERVING THESE STREETS IN CONCRETE IS NOT ONLY THE HISTORIC HISTORICALLY CORRECT SOLUTION, IT IS THE MOST DURABLE AND COST EFFECTIVE OPTION FOR OUR CITY IN THE LONG RUN.
THIS IS A CHANCE TO INVEST WISELY, TO PROTECT OUR NEIGHBORHOOD INTEGRITY, PRESERVE LONG BEACHES HISTORY, AND AVOID REPEATING THE CYCLE OF EXPENSIVE TEMPORARY ASPHALT FIXES ON BEHALF OF OUR RESIDENTS, WE URGE YOU TO SUPPORT THIS STUDY AND PRIORITIZE CONCRETE REPAIRS FOR THE CALIFORNIA HEIGHTS HISTORIC DISTRICT.
NEXT SPEAKER, WE'RE GONNA DO THIS TOGETHER.
UM, GOOD AFTERNOON, CHAIR, RICK SODI, VICE CHAIR URANGA, AND,
[01:25:01]
UM, COMMITTEE MEMBER ALAN.AND WE ARE LEADERS OF FRIENDS OF WILLOW SPRINGS PARK.
UM, PERSONALLY, WE SUPPORT EVERYONE AT COUNCILWOMAN CARE K'S RECOMMENDATIONS.
THEY'RE ALL ON TARGET AND ARE NOT JUST GOOD FOR DISTRICT FIVE, BUT WILL BENEFIT ALL OF LONG BEACH.
BUT REPRESENTING THE FRIENDS OF WILLOW SPRINGS PARK, WE ARE PARTICULARLY DRAWN TO HER RECOMMENDATION FOR FUNDS TO GO TO OUR BELOVED PARK AND THE EXPANSION OF THE, UM, SUBSIDIZED AVIATION FUEL FOR THE ENVIRONMENT, THE SAFE PROGRAM WE SUPPORT, WE SUPPORT THE FUEL RECOMMENDATION BECAUSE THESE SMALL PLANES CONSTANTLY FLY OVER WILLOW SPRINGS PARK.
NOT ONLY ARE THEY NOISY, BUT THEY'RE USING LEADED FUEL THAT IS RAINING DOWN ON OUR PARK VISITORS.
SO EXPANDING SAFE SHOULD BE A PRIORITY.
AND ALSO THE FRIENDS GROUP HAS BEEN PARTICIPATING IN BUDGET PLANNING MEETINGS AND BUDGET HEARINGS SINCE OUR INCEPTION BACK IN OCTOBER OF 2022, WHICH START STARTED WITH A GROUP OF 10 PEOPLE AND HAS GROWN TO BE OVER 450 MEMBERS STRONG.
WE'RE EXCITED LAST YEAR WHEN A MILLION DOLLARS WAS ALLOCATED, AND WE WERE DISAPPOINTED THIS YEAR WHEN WE WERE, WHEN THERE WAS NO FUNDING MENTIONS FOR THE PARK IN THE 2026 BUDGET.
WE STAND BY OUR GOAL TO, UM, ADVOCATE FOR THE CITY TO ALLOCATE FUNDING TO WILLOW SPRINGS PARK IN EVERY BUDGET, UM, BUDGET CYCLE, AND ARE GRATEFUL TO THE COUNCILWOMAN FOR RECOMMENDING THIS FUNDING TO GO TOWARDS A FOCUSED REVISIONING 'CAUSE ON TOP OF SUPPORTING THE FUNDING FOR THE PARK IN THE BUDGET, THE, EXCUSE ME, THE FRIENDS GROUP HAS ALSO BEEN ADVOCATING FOR A MASTER PLAN UPDATE.
SO THIS ALLOCATION WILL FULFILL TWO OF OUR GROUP'S GOALS.
SO, UH, MANY OF YOU, UH, MAY KNOW THAT THERE ARE A LOT OF ACTIVITIES GOING ON AT THE PARK FARM LOT 59.
UH, THERE'S, UH, THE LBB KEEPERS COMMUNITY COMPOST CONSERVATION CORPS, LUMBER MILLING, UM, AND THE OFFICE OF CLIMATE ACTION AND SUSTAINABILITY, WHICH SUPPORTS THE CLIMATE ACTION YOUTH AND WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT WHO MAINTAIN AND IMPROVE THE PARK PLUS THE NEIGHBORHOOD TO NEIGHBOR PROGRAM.
ALL THESE GROUPS ENCOURAGE PUBLIC PARK PARTICIPATION AND EDUCATION, UM, AND ALL THOSE ISSUES, THE, THE FLIGHTS AND, UH, A TREE CANOPY, UH, THEY'RE ALL IMPORTANT TO FOR THE LONG-TERM INVESTMENT OF THE CITY.
SO WE REALLY SEE IT AS A, UH, AN ALL AROUND BENEFIT.
UH, SO WE, WE DO SUPPORT, UH, COUNCILWOMAN K'S, UH, RECOMMENDATIONS AND WE HOPE THAT YOU WILL SUPPORT COUNCIL MEMBER, COUNCIL MEMBER KERR'S RECOMMENDATIONS AS WELL.
FROM YOUR PUBLIC COMMENT, UH, SEEING NO MORE PUBLIC COMMENT, WE CAN MOVE TO, UH, RECEIPT AND FILE.
UM, UH, PLEASE READ ITEM SIX, ITEM SIX, RECOMMENDATION TO RECEIVE AND FILE COMMUNITY CORRESPONDENCE.
CAN I GET A FIRST AND A SECOND? OKAY.
[6. 25-56123 Recommendation to receive and file community correspondence. Suggested Action: Approve recommendation. ]
JUST FOR POINT OF ORDER, THERE ARE TWO LETTERS ATTACHED, UH, FROM ATTACHMENT A AND ATTACHMENT B THAT WE ARE FROM.SO ATTACHMENT A IS FROM CAL STATE LONG BEACH'S GEOGRAPHY DEPARTMENT, AND ATTACHMENT B IS FROM OUR GENERATION CARES.
BOTH ARE ADVOCATING FOR THE SAME BUDGETARY ASK OF $775,000 FOR THE PURPOSE OF THE YOUTH POWER PARTICIPATORY BUDGETING INITIATIVE.
UM, ARE MY COUNCIL COLLEAGUES OKAY.
CONSIDERING THOSE TWO LETTERS TOGETHER.
UM, SO JUST A LITTLE BIT OF BACKGROUND.
SO FOR ATTACHMENT A, UM, I WOULD LIKE TO HIGHLIGHT, UM, THE ELEMENT REGARDING THE PROPOSAL TO MOVE THE OFFICE OF YOUTH DEVELOPMENT TO THE CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE.
UH, I WOULD SAY RELOCATING POSITIONS FROM THE OFFICE OF YOUTH DEVELOPMENT TO THE CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE WOULD NOT ONLY REQUIRE A SHIFT OF FUNDS FOR THESE POSITIONS FOR THE DEPARTMENT FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES DEPARTMENT TO THE CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE, BUT IT WOULD ALSO INCLUDE A DEPARTMENTAL RESTRUCTURING, WHICH IS NOT SOMETHING THAT'S UNDER THE PURVIEW OF THE BUDGET OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE.
UM, AND SO I WOULD THINK THAT RECOMMENDATION WOULD ACTUALLY BE REALLY BE POSED TO THE CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE AS TO WHY, WHETHER OR NOT THAT'S SOMETHING THAT THEY WOULD BE, UM, INTERESTED IN DOING AND, AND WE'D BE ABLE TO DO IN REGARDS TO ASK FOR THESE PARTICIPATORY BUDGETING INITIATIVE.
I ALSO WANNA POINT OUT THAT THE EXISTING RECOMMENDATION BY THE MAYOR TO ALLOCATE $500,000 TO SUPPORT DIRECT OF, UH, TO HE ALLOCATING $500,000 TO SUPPORT DIRECT INVESTMENTS INTO PROGRAMS SERVING LONG BEACH YOUTH, UM, AND THE CONTINUED STAFFING TO SUPPORT YOUTH OUTREACH AND ADMINISTRATION OF THE YOUTH PARTICIPATORY BUDGETING INITIATIVE.
SO POTENTIALLY THIS WOULD BE SOMETHING, UM, IF WE WANTED TO, TO FUND THIS, UM, WE WOULD BE ALLOCATING ADDITIONAL FUNDING ABOVE AND BEYOND WHAT ARE IN THE MAYOR'S RECOMMENDATIONS.
UM, SO THAT WAS ALL I WANTED TO SAY.
[01:30:01]
TWO ATTACHMENTS, UNLESS MY COUNCIL COLLEAGUES OR MY COMMITTEE COLLEAGUES HAD SOMETHING ELSE THEY WANTED TO ADD, COMMENT, ANYTHING, COUNCIL MEMBER, UH, ALAN.UM, AND THEN IN REFERENCE TO ATTACHMENTS, C AND D, UM, SO AGAIN, I WOULD LIKE TO, UH, BEFORE WE CONTINUE ON ATTACHMENT C AND D, UM, I'D ALSO LIKE TO POINT OUT THAT THE ATTACHMENT C, UM, IS A PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT ON THE IMPORTANCE OF HAVING, UH, READILY AVAILABLE PARAMEDIC LEVEL.
UM, CARE AND ATTACHMENT D IS FROM THE INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF FIREFIGHTERS.
UH, BOTH ARE ADVOCATING FOR THE BUDGETARY ALLOTMENT TO INCREASE RESCUE TWELVE'S CURRENT 12 HOUR OPERATION THROUGH THE REMAINDER OF FISCAL YEAR 25 WITH THE AMOUNT OF $700,000.
UM, AND THE ADDITIONAL 2.2 MILLION IN STRUCTURAL FUNDING TO EXPAND THE UNIT TO A FULL 24 HOUR DEPLOYMENT.
UM, ARE MY COUNCIL COLLEAGUES.
AGAIN, CONSIDERING FOLLOW, UM, CONSIDERING THOSE TWO ATTACHMENTS AS THE SAME REQUEST.
UM, MY ONLY COMMENTS THERE, UM, AND I IMAGINE COUNCIL MEMBER ALLEN IS GONNA HAVE SOME, UM, THOUGHTS ON THIS AS WELL.
UM, IN REGARDS TO SPECIFIC ASK, UH, IT'S WORTH NOTING THAT THE MAYOR'S FISCAL YEAR 26 BUDGET RECOMMENDATION, UM, RECOMMENDS 1.3 MILLION TO CONTINUE RESCUE TUBE PEAK LOAD AMBULANCE OPERATIONS AT FIRE STATION TWO ON A 12 HOUR SEVEN DAY SCHEDULE.
HOWEVER, DURING THE RECENT FIRE DEPARTMENT BUDGET BRIEFING, CHIEF BUCHANAN EXPLAINED THAT EXPANDING OPERATIONS TO A FULL 24 HOUR SCHEDULE WOULD REQUIRE AN ADDITIONAL 600,000 STRUCTURAL ALLOCATION, BRINGING THE TOTAL FISCAL YEAR 26 REQUEST FOR RESCUE TWO TO $1.9 MILLION.
SO I WANTED TO, TO GIVE THAT BACKGROUND, UM, AS WE START OUR DISCUSSION ON THIS PARTICULAR REQUEST.
UM, ANY COMMENTS FROM MY COUNCIL COLLEAGUES? UH, YES, I JUST, WITH REGARDS TO A FIRE, I THINK WE SPOKE A LOT ABOUT THAT, UH, LAST WEEK.
UM, WHAT WE NEED IS, UM, WE DON'T NEED A TEMPORARY BANDAID.
WE NEED A PERMANENT FIX TO RESCUE TWO, AND THAT'S A FULL-TIME 24 HOUR SEVEN, UH, UH, PEAK LOAD RESCUE UNIT.
AND, UM, THE CHIEF DID TALK ABOUT, UH, THE AMOUNT OF TIMES, UM, WHICH WAS SIGNIFICANT, UM, THAT WE WERE STILL OUT OF RESCUES WHEN SOMEONE DIALS 9 1 1.
SO THIS IS A MATTER OF LIFE AND DEATH.
COUNCILWOMAN ALLEN, UM, VICE MAYOR ORANGA, ANY COMMENTS HERE? YEAH, MY, MY COMMENT WOULD JUST BE THAT WE CONTINUE TO SUPPORT THE FIRE DEPARTMENT.
WE CONTINUE TO SUPPORT OUR PRIMARY UNITS AND WE'LL CONTINUE TO, UH, RECEIVE A FILE AND LOOK AT WAYS OF BEING ABLE TO GET A FULLY FUNDED PROGRAM FOR 24 7 COVERAGE.
SO YEAH, DEFINITELY IT LOOKS LIKE, UH, MY, UH, MY COMMITTEE COLLEAGUES ARE, ARE VERY INTERESTED IN THIS PARTICULAR TOPIC.
AND SO ONE OF THE THINGS I WOULD ASK THEM, UM, AS YOU ALL KNOW, WE DO NOT HAVE ANY ONE-TIME FUNDS, UH, THIS PARTICULAR YEAR.
SO WE ARE GONNA HAVE TO DETERMINE WHERE WE WOULD ALLOCATE THAT MONEY FROM.
SO I INVITE MY COLLEAGUES, UM, AS WE'RE DOING THESE, UH, BUDGET OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE MEETINGS AND GOING THROUGH THE BUDGET PROCESS, IF YOU HAVE IDEAS ON WHERE THAT FUNDING WOULD COME FROM, I WOULD DEFINITELY WELCOME THAT DISCUSSION.
WELL JUST TO, JUST TO, YOU KNOW, OUR, WE PAY OUR CITY MONEY AND STAFF AND A CITY MANAGER AND STAFF A LOT OF MONEY, THIS IS THEIR JOB TO FIGURE THAT OUT.
WE NEED TO TELL THEM OUR PRIORITIES AND THEY NEED TO FIGURE OUT HOW IT'S GONNA GET FUNDED.
UM, I, I WOULD SUGGEST THAT STAFF CAN COME BACK TO US AND SAY THERE ARE THINGS THAT CAN BE TAKEN AWAY OR, OR, YOU KNOW, MAKE THOSE RECOMMENDATIONS, BUT THAT'S REALLY THEIR JOB.
SO WHAT I WOULD EXPECT IS THEY COME BACK AND SAY, OKAY, IF, IF WE'RE GONNA FUND THIS, THIS IS WHAT HAS TO GIVE AND MAKE THOSE RECOMMENDATIONS TO IT.
TO BE HONEST, I'M NOT A BUDGET PERSON.
I MEAN, I'M NOT A EXPERT, UH, ON BUDGETS AND I EXPECT THAT STAFF IS, THAT'S WHAT THEY DO AND THAT'S WHAT THE CITY MANAGER DOES AND HIS TEAM.
SO, UM, THAT'S HOW I WOULD LIKE TO RECEIVE THE INFORMATION IS THEIR RECOMMENDATIONS.
IF THIS IS, UH, IS A, UH, PRIORITY OF COUNCIL TO HAVE THIS FUNDED AND THEY, THEY NEED TO LET US KNOW HOW THAT'S GONNA BE FUNDED.
SO IT SOUNDS LIKE THE REQUEST FROM, UM, COUNCILWOMAN ALLEN AND I SECOND THAT IS TO HAVE, UH, CITY STAFF EXPLORE OPTIONS FOR HOW WE WOULD, HOW WE WOULD FUND THAT $600,000 GAP, UH, IN ORDER TO MAKE THE RESCUE TWO PEAK LOAD AMBULANCE, UH, 24 HOURS, SEVEN DAYS A WEEK.
UH, AND THEN I THINK THAT WAS ALL, THAT WAS ALL THE ATTACHMENTS, CORRECT? BUT THERE'S ANOTHER ONE, THE EQUITY HUMAN RELATIONS COMMISSION.
OH, THIS ONE MIGHT BE JUST MISSING ON MY LIST.
ARE WE, IS THE EQUITY HUMAN RELATIONS COMMISSION ONE AS WELL, IS THAT THE, IS THAT THE NEXT ONE? OKAY.
IT JUST MIGHT BE MISSING OFF MY NOTES.
UH, WE DO HAVE ATTACHMENT E, WHICH IS THE EQUITY.
SO LAST ONE IS THE REQUEST FROM THE EQUITY AND HUMAN RELATIONS COMMISSION, WHICH I THINK I BELIEVE WAS FOR $22,500.
UM, AND I THINK I HAD ASKED CITY STAFF EARLIER, BUT I'LL, I'LL PUT THIS ON THE RECORD, WAS I KNOW THAT THEY HAVE ROLLOVER DOLLARS FROM FISCAL YEAR 25, UM, THAT
[01:35:01]
I'M, AS I'M ASSUMING ARE AVAILABLE.AND SO THIS WILL BE A QUESTION, WOULD THE FISCAL YEAR $25 BE AVAILABLE FOR ROLLOVER, UH, IN FISCAL YEAR 26? UM, WE CAN LOOK INTO THAT.
SO YEAH, I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW IF THOSE WOULD BE AVAILABLE FOR FISCAL YEAR 26 AND THEN WHAT'S THE PROCESS? DOES THAT, DOES, DO THEY AUTOMATICALLY GET ROLLED OVER OR DO WE NEED TO REQUEST, UM, THAT THEY BE ROLLED OVER? AND THEN IF SO, I THINK THE ASK THEM WOULD THE, THE, THE CONVERSATION THEN WOULD BE AS WHETHER OR NOT WE WANNA FUND THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THOSE ROLLED OVER FUNDS, UM, FROM END OF YEAR AND THEN THE 22,500 ASKS, UH, THAT EQUITY HUMAN RELATIONS COMMISSION IS NOW, UH, PUTTING FORWARD BEFORE US.
ANY COMMENTS FROM MY COLLEAGUES? NO.
SO I THINK THAT'S IT, RIGHT? ALRIGHT, BEAR WITH US HERE AS WE'RE, UH, NAVIGATING OUR NEW PROCESS, BUT WE WANNA MAKE SURE EVERYBODY KNOWS THAT THEIR REQUESTS ARE BEING HEARD.
UM, WITH THAT BEING SAID, UM, ONCE AGAIN, UH, WE WILL NOT TAKE PUBLIC COMMENT AT THIS TIME.
IF THERE ARE ANY MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC WHO WISH TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM, PLEASE STAND AND FORM A LINE SO WE CAN DETERMINE HOW MANY SPEAKERS, UH, WE'LL BE PARTICIPATING.
AND ONCE THIS NUMBER IS ESTABLISHED, NO ADDITIONAL PUBLIC COMMENTS WILL BE HEARD FOR THIS ITEM.
ALRIGHT, UH, GOOD AFTERNOON, CHAIR AND COMMITTEE MEMBERS.
I'LL BE SPEAKING IN MY CAPACITY AS CHAIR OF THE EQUITY HUMAN RELATIONS COMMISSION ON THE BUDGET REQUEST FOR $22,500.
I APPRECIATE THE, UM, REQUEST TO IDENTIFY IF THE FUNDS ARE ABLE TO ROLL OVER.
IN MY EXPERIENCE, UM, WE, UM, THROUGH BUDGET CYCLES, IT'S USE IT OR LOSE IT.
UM, AND SO WE DO APPRECIATE THE REQUEST TO SEE IF WE CAN ROLL OVER THOSE FUNDS AND IT WILL BE ABLE TO, UM, SUPPORT OUR INITIATIVES, UH, UNDER THE $22,500.
UH, WE'RE REQUESTING FUNDS TO GO DIRECTLY TO, UH, THREE LISTENING SESSIONS IN THIS FISCAL YEAR.
UH, THEY ARE GONNA BE ON THE TOPICS OF THE SOCIAL DETERMINANTS OF HEALTH.
UH, IT'S GONNA HAPPEN OVER TWO FISCAL YEARS, UH, MAYBE EVEN THREE IF NECESSARY, BUT WE'RE, UH, AIMING TO HAVE THREE THIS YEAR.
UM, IN ADDITION TO THAT, OUR COMMISSION HAS AN ANNUAL RETREAT TO IDENTIFY, UH, PRIORITIES AND OUTCOMES.
AND SO WE WOULD LIKE FUNDS TO BE IDENTIFIED FOR THAT.
UM, COMMUNITY TRAININGS, WE LIKE TO BRING IN, UH, SUBJECT MATTER EXPERTS TO OUR COMMISSION MEETINGS TO NOT ONLY TRAIN OUR COMMISSION, BUT TRAIN THE GENERAL PUBLIC WHO ARE WATCHING AND JOINING US IN PERSON.
IN ADDITION TO THAT, UH, COMMUNITY OUTREACH, UH, WE DO NOT HAVE A COMMS PERSON.
UH, WE DO HAVE A LIAISON, UH, AND, UH, WE HAVE TO WORK THROUGH THE CITY SYSTEMS, UH, TO BE ABLE TO GET THE INFORMATION OUT IN A TIMELY MANNER.
AND SO BY IDENTIFYING OUTREACH AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT FUNDS, WE'LL BE ABLE TO GET THE WORDS OUT FOR THESE COMMUNITY LISTENING SESSIONS AND OTHER INITIATIVES THAT THE COMMISSION IS TAKING ON.
UH, SO WE APPRECIATE YOUR, UM, YOUR ATTENTION TO THESE ITEMS AND WE HOPE THAT WE'RE ABLE TO, UM, SECURE THE 22,500 NECESSARY FOR FY 26.
UH, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME.
HI, GOOD AFTERNOON, COUNCIL MEMBERS.
SHARIF BETZ, AND I SERVE AS THE VICE CHAIR OF THE EQUITY AND HUMAN RELATIONS COMMISSION.
AND I AM HERE TODAY TO RESPECTFULLY URGE YOUR SUPPORT FOR OUR FISCAL YEAR OF 2026, BUDGET REQUEST OF $22,500.
THE COMMISSION EXISTS TO ADVISE THE CITY ON HUMAN RELATIONS, SOCIAL JUSTICE AND EQUITY, ENSURING THAT ALL VOICES IN LONG BEACH ARE HEARD, RESPECTED, AND VALUED.
AND OVER THE PAST TWO YEARS, WE HAVE WORKED DILIGENTLY TO BUILD TRUST WITH HISTORICALLY MARGINALIZED COMMUNITIES THROUGH INITIATIVES SUCH AS OUR RETREATS, RETRAINING, AND PREPARATION FOR LISTENING SESSIONS.
SO THESE EFFORTS HAVE BEEN SUCCESSFUL, BUT THEY ALSO REVEALED HOW MUCH MORE IS NEEDED IF WE ARE TO MEANINGFULLY ENGAGE WITH THE RESIDENTS THAT WE SERVE.
SO OUR FISCAL YEAR 26 REQUEST REPRESENTS A MODEST BUT IMPACTFUL INVESTMENT, AND IT WILL ALLOW US TO HOST CITYWIDE LISTENING SESSIONS FOCUSED ON THE SOCIAL DETERMINANTS OF HEALTH TO BRING FORWARD, LIVED EXPERIENCES FROM OUR MOST UNDERREPRESENTED COMMUNITIES, PROVIDE COMMUNITY TRAININGS ON EQUITY INCLUSION AND HUMAN RELATIONS THAT GIVE THE RESIDENTS THE TOOLS THAT THEY NEED TO CREATE A MORE WELCOMING AND CONNECTED SPACE.
AND THEN STRENGTHENING OUR COMMISSION'S CAPACITY WITH OUR ANNUAL RETREAT TO ENSURE THAT WE ARE ALIGNED, EFFECTIVE, AND ACCOUNTABLE, AND EXPAND OUR OUTREACH AND ENGAGEMENT USING MULTILINGUAL MATERIALS AND CULTURALLY RESPONSIVE STRATEGIES SO THAT PARTICIPATION REFLECTS THE FULLY DIVERSITY OF LONG BEACH.
SO FOR JUST THE 22,500, THE CITY CAN ENSURE THAT POLICY DECISIONS ARE INFORMED BY COMMUNITY VOICES THAT RESIDENTS FEEL EMPOWER TO
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PARTICIPATE IN SHAPING THEIR FUTURE.AND THAT LONG BEACH CONTINUES TO BE THE LEADER IN EQUITY AND INCLUSION.
THIS IS NOT SIMPLY ABOUT FUNDING EVENTS OR MATERIALS, IT'S ABOUT STRENGTHENING THE CONNECTION BETWEEN OUR CITY AND ITS PEOPLE.
AND IT'S ABOUT BUILDING TRUST, PREVENTING HARM, AND ADVANCING JUSTICE.
SO THE RETURN ON THIS INVESTMENT IS A STRONGER, MORE RESILIENT LONG BEACH WHERE EVERY RESIDENT FEELS SEEN AND HEARD.
SO WE URGE YOU TO APPROVE THIS REQUEST AND CONTINUE TO STAND WITH US IN OUR ONGOING WORK OF EQUITY, INCLUSION AND HUMAN RELATIONS.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND YOUR COMMITMENT TO BUILDING A JUST AND EQUITABLE LONG BEACH.
THANK YOU FOR THAT PUBLIC COMMENT.
SEEING NO ADDITIONAL PUBLIC COMMENT, UM, WE CAN GO AHEAD AND VOTE TO RECEIVE A FILE WHEN MOTION IS CARRIED.
UH, AND THEN WE CAN READ, UM, READ THE FINAL ITEM, ITEM SEVEN, RECOMMENDATION TO RECEIVE AND FILE A LIST OF FOLLOW-UP ITEMS FROM THE BUDGET HEARINGS AND OR BUDGET OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE MEETINGS.
[7. 25-56124 Recommendation to receive and file a list of follow-up items from the Budget Hearings and/or Budget Oversight Committee meetings. Suggested Action: Approve recommendation. ]
IS THE DOCUMENT FROM THE CITY MANAGER RELATED TO SOME FOLLOW UP ITEMS IT LOOKED LIKE.SO ONCE, UH, WE RECEIVE QUESTIONS FROM FOLLOW UP OR TO FOR BUDGET STAFF TO FOLLOW UP ON REGARDING, UH, BOC MEETINGS AND BUDGET HEARINGS, WE WILL COMPILE THAT INFORMATION AND THEN ATTACH IT TO THE, UM, NEXT AVAILABLE BOC MEETING.
SO THE, THIS IS RESPONSES FROM QUESTIONS THAT WE'VE RECEIVED FROM THE AUGUST 5TH, BOC IN BUDGET HEARINGS, JUST AGENDAS FOR TODAY.
SO THIS IS JUST A RECEIVING FILE FOR US, CORRECT? UH, SO TO REVIEW FOR THE, THE COMMITTEE.
ANY COMMENTS FROM OUR COUNCIL COLLEAGUES? COUNCIL MEMBER MORALE? OKAY, GOOD.
UM, THEN ONCE AGAIN, IF THERE ARE ANY MEMBERS OF PUBLIC WHO WE SHOULD SPEAK ON THIS ITEM, PLEASE STAND AND FORM A LINE SO WE CAN DETERMINE HOW MANY SPEAKERS WILL BE PARTICIPATING.
ONCE THIS NUMBER IS ESTABLISHED, NO ADDITIONAL PUBLIC COMMENT WILL BE HEARD.
FOR THIS ITEM, SEEING NONE, IF WE CAN VOTE TO, UM, STEVEN FILE, SEE FILE MOTION IS CARRIED.
AT THIS TIME, IF ANY MEMBERS OF PUBLIC WHO WISH TO SPEAK ON A NON AGENDA ITEM, PLEASE STAND AND FORM A LINE SO WE CAN DETERMINE HOW MANY SPEAKERS WILL BE PARTICIPATING.
ONCE THIS NUMBER IS ESTABLISHED, NO ADDITIONAL PO PUBLIC COMMENT WILL BE HEARD.
[PUBLIC COMMENT Opportunity to address the Budget Oversight Committee on non-agenda items. Each speaker is limited to three minutes to make their comments unless extended by the Chair.]
GOING ONCE, GOING TWICE.TWO PUBLIC COMMENTERS, PLEASE COME FORWARD.
HELLO, BUDGET OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE.
UH, MY NAME IS FERNANDO ELLO, AS I'M SURE ALL OF YOU'RE STARTING TO GET FAMILIAR WITH, UH, COMMUNITY LAWYER WITH OR, UM, AND BEFORE THE BUDGET OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE, UH, ONCE AGAIN TO ADVOCATE FOR 2.2 MILLION IN STRUCTURAL FUNDING FOR THE LONG BEACH JUSTICE FUND, UM, FROM NEW CITY DOLLARS.
UH, WE CAN'T RELY ON ROLLOVER FUNDS OR PREVIOUSLY AWARDED FUNDING TO SUPPORT OUR LONG BEACH, UH, IMMIGRANT COMMUNITY.
UM, AS I HOPE YOU ARE ALL AWARE, UM, THERE HAVE BEEN, UH, RECENT RAID IN OUR CITY TARGETING, UM, OUR PEOPLE IN LOCATIONS INCLUDING CAR WASHES AMONG OTHER LOCATIONS.
UM, THEY AND OTHERS ARE TARGETED BY THE VIOLENT FEDERAL ADMINISTRATION AND THESE FOLKS ARE REACHING OUT TO ORLE AND OTHER, UM, UH, COMMUNITY-BASED ORGANIZATIONS FOR SUPPORT, AND THEY TRULY RELY ON THE LONG BEACH JUSTICE FUND, UM, FOR THAT LEGAL SUPPORT.
UM, OTHERWISE A LOT OF, UH, THE LEGAL RESOURCES OUT THERE ARE EITHER INACCESSIBLE BECAUSE LONG BEACH IS A LEGAL DESERT, OR, UM, THEY TURN TO PRIVATE ATTORNEYS WHO ARE TOO EXPENSIVE FOR A LOT OF OUR FOLKS.
SO IT'S TRULY ESSENTIAL THAT THEY HAVE A LONG BEACH JUSTICE FUND THAT THEY CAN RELY ON FOR FREE LEGAL SUPPORT.
UM, THE REALITY IS ENFORCEMENT IN LONG BEACH IS HERE AND ONGOING, SO IT'S ALL THE MORE URGENT TO INCREASE FUNDING TO PROTECT OUR IMMIGRANT FAMILIES.
UM, AS THE BUDGET OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE, I ASK YOU ON BEHALF OF OUR IMMIGRANT COMMUNITY, UM, TO DO ALL YOU CAN TO MEET OUR ASK OF 2.2 MILLION IN STRUCTURAL FUNDING FOR THE LONG BEACH JUSTICE FUND, ONCE AGAIN THROUGH NEW, UH, THROUGH NEW CITY DOLLARS.
HELLO AND THANK YOU FOR LISTENING TO OUR COMMUNITY DURING THIS, UH, BUDGET PROCESS.
UM, I'M ALSO PARTICIPATING IN SHOWING UP FOR RACIAL JUSTICE ON LONG BEACH.
WE ECHO THE REQUEST FOR 2.2 MILLION JUSTICE FUND, 2 MILLION RENT FUND, AND $400,000 TO, UM, SUPPORT THE TRUST, LAND TRUST TO HELP KEEP THAT, UM, LOW COST INCOME HOUSING.
UH, ADDITIONALLY, WE ARE LOOKING FOR WAYS TO FUND $7 MILLION.
I LEARNED AT ONE OF THE BUDGET DIALOGUES FOR A 24 HOUR, UM, CRISIS RESPONSE TEAM AND A DIRECT LINE.
AND I WAS TOLD AT THE MEETING THAT, UM, IT WAS DECIDED THAT THERE WILL NOT BE A DIRECT LINE.
YOU GOTTA GO THROUGH, UH, 9 1 1.
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AND WE, WE ARE EMPHASIZING THAT THAT HAS LED TO A TREMENDOUS TRAGEDY.AND SO WE WANT TO UNDERLINE PLEASE, WE WOULD LIKE A SEPARATE LINE.
AND SO AGAIN, WITH MY PRIOR COMMENTS, HOW DO WE HELP FIND THE 7 MILLION FOR THIS BUDGET? THANK YOU.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR PUBLIC COMMENT.
SEEING A NEW ADDITIONAL PUBLIC COMMENT.
UH, TODAY'S BUDGET OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE MEETING IS ADJOURNED.