* This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting. [00:21:31] ALL [00:21:32] RIGHT, [00:21:32] FOLKS. [00:21:32] WELCOME [00:21:33] TO THE AUGUST 19TH MEETING OF THE LONG BEACH CITY COUNCIL. WE JUST WRAPPED UP, CLOSED SESSION, SO THANKS, UH, FOR BEARING WITH US. I'LL NOW CALL THE MEETING TO ORDER. ROLL CALL [CALL TO ORDER] PLEASE. COUNCILWOMAN ZENDEJAS. COUNCILWOMAN ALLEN. PRESENT. COUNCIL MEMBER DUGGAN. HERE. COUNCILMAN SUPERAL. HERE. COUNCILWOMAN KERR. PRESENT COUNCILWOMAN SORROW. VICE [ROLL CALL] MAYOR URANGA PRESENTE. COUNCILWOMAN THRASH OOK. HERE. COUNCIL MEMBER RICK OTI. MAYOR RICHARDSON. I AM HERE. WE HAVE A QUORUM. THANK YOU. UH, WE'LL START WITH THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE. A MOMENT OF SILENCE LED BY COUNCIL MEMBER ALLEN. UM, HELLO EVERYONE, [PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE] AND, UH, GLAD TO SEE YOU. LET'S TAKE A MOMENT OF SILENCE FOR, UH, THE INCIDENT THAT HAPPENED AT THE CAR WASH. OKAY. IF YOU'RE ABLE, PLEASE STAND UP AND FACE THE FLAG AND PUT YOUR HAND OVER YOUR HEART. I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS, ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL. ALL RIGHT, THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER, UH, COUNCIL MEMBERS AND DEJAS WON'T BE WITH US, UH, TODAY. UM, WE HAVE TWO PRESENTATIONS, ONE HEARING, AND THEN WE GET INTO, UH, A FAIRLY SHORT AGENDA AFTER THAT. SO WE'LL START OFF WITH THE EMPLOYEE OF THE MONTH PRESENTATION BY OUR CITY MANAGER. [ EMPLOYEE OF THE MONTH] ALL RIGHT, THANK YOU EVERYBODY FOR THE CHANCE TO RECOGNIZE THE AMAZING WORK THAT OUR EMPLOYEES DO. UM, THIS HAS KIND OF BECOME A TRADITION AND WE REALLY APPRECIATE YOU GIVING US THE TIME. AND AS YOU CAN SEE, WE GET A LOT OUT TO CHEER ON THEIR FELLOW EMPLOYEES. SO I WILL GO THROUGH THE EMPLOYEES OF THE MONTH FOR MAY, JUNE, JULY, AND AUGUST. SO JUST AS A REMINDER, UH, WE DO EMPLOYEES OF THE MONTH, BUT THEN WE BRING THEM TO YOU ONCE A QUARTER, SO WE GET TO CELEBRATE THEM ALL TOGETHER. SO FIRST UP, FROM HARVARD DEPARTMENT, WE HAVE SONIA CASTANOS. SONIA IS A MAINTENANCE ASSISTANT THREE, AND SHE IS THE STAR OF THE HARBOR DEPARTMENT'S MAINTENANCE ASSISTANT DREAM TEAM. WHETHER THROUGH THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC OR DURING MORE ROUTINE TIMES, SONYA HAS CONSISTENTLY DEMONSTRATED EXCEPTIONAL DEDICATION, PROFESSIONALISM, AND A STRONG WORK ETHIC. SINCE JOINING US IN 2015, HER IMPRESSIVE RECORD INCLUDES TWO WELL EARNED PROMOTIONS, REFLECTING HER STATUS AS A HIGH PERFORMER WITHIN THE CITY. SONIA PLAYS A KEY ROLE IN SUPPORTING COMMUNICATIONS AND GOVERNMENT RELATIONS, FREQUENTLY, ASSISTING WITH THE COORDINATION OF HOSPITALITY EVENTS, UM, AND NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL DIGNITARIES, A RESPONSIBILITY SHE HANDLES WITH EMPATHY AND PRECISION. SONIA WAS A MEMBER OF OUR COVID-19 RESPONSE TEAM AND PERFORMED HER DUTIES WITH CARE TO ENSURE OUR HARBOR TEAMMATES REMAIN SAFE DURING THE PANDEMIC. BEYOND HER COURT DUTIES, SHE CONTRIBUTES GREATLY TO THE SUCCESS, SUCCESS OF THE HARBOR DEPARTMENT BY ASSISTING IN THE TRAINING OF OUR NEWLY HIRED MANAGE MAINTENANCE ASSISTANTS IN THE CUSTODIAL SECTION OF OUR MAINTENANCE DIVISION. HER MENTORSHIP ENSURES THAT NEW TEAM MEMBERS ARE WELL PREPARED AND ALIGNED WITH THE STANDARDS. ADDITIONALLY, SHE HAS STEPPED [00:25:01] FORWARD IN THE ABSENCE OF HER SUPERVISOR PROVIDING SEAMLESS LEADERSHIP AND OPERATIONAL CONTINUITY. HER INITIATIVE, UH, ADAPTABILITY AND COMMITMENT TO EXCELLENCE MAKES IT OUR HONOR TO RECOGNIZE SONYA AS THE EMPLOYEE OF THE MONTH FOR HARBOR. SO WELCOME UP SONYA AND UH, HARBOR LEADERSHIP. ALL RIGHT, NEXT UP FROM OUR, UH, CITY AUDITOR'S OFFICE, SENIOR PERFORMANCE AUDITOR, UH, UH, TWO, RICHARD COE. RICHARD CURRENTLY SERVES AS SENIOR PERFORMANCE AUDITOR TWO AND IS RESPONSIBLE FOR DELIVERING IMPACTFUL AUDITS AND REVIEWS OF CITY OPERATIONS PROGRAMS AND FUNDS. HE JOINED THE CITY IN 2022 AND BROUGHT WITH HIM FOUR YEAR OR YEARS OF AUDITING KNOWLEDGE, INCLUDING EXPERIENCE AT KPMG, A BIG FOUR PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM, AND MOST RECENTLY AS AN AUDIT MANAGER WITH HYUNDAI MOTOR. HIS CONSISTENT EXCELLENCE, TECHNICAL EXPERTISE, AND COLLABORATIVE SPIRIT HAVE ALWAYS MADE A LASTING IMPACT ON OUR TEAM AND THE SUCCESS OF OUR PROJECTS. HE'S ALWAYS AT THE FOREFRONT OF UTILIZING TOOLS AND SYSTEMS IN THE MOST EFFICIENT WAY POSSIBLE, OFTEN SETTING THE STANDARD FOR BEST PRACTICES ACROSS THE DEPARTMENT. RECENTLY, RECENTLY, RICHARD MANAGED THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE OFFICE'S UPDATED AUDIT SOFTWARE WORKING WITH TID AND THE SOFTWARE VENDOR TO BRING IN NEW SYSTEMS ONLINE, ALL WHILE DEVELOPING MANUALS AND GUIDES FOR OTHER AUDITORS TO FOLLOW. ONE OF RICHARD'S TRUE STANDOUT ACHIEVEMENTS WAS HIS INTEGRAL ROLE IN THE AWARD-WINNING CONSTRUCTION DEMOLITION PERFORMANCE AUDIT. HIS CON CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE AUDIT WERE KEY TO THE PROJECT'S SUCCESS, NOT ONLY IN THE EXECUTION OF THE AUDIT ITSELF, BUT IN DEVELOPING AN INNOVATIVE SOLUTION TO PERFORMING MASSIVE RECONCILIATION OF DISPARATE DATA SETS INVOLVING COMPLEX CALCULATIONS, WHICH IDENTIFIED 9.2 MILLION IN FORFEITURE FUNDS, UH, TO BE USED FOR OUR ENVIRONMENTAL PROJECTS. HE CONSISTENTLY GOES ABOVE AND BEYOND IN SUPPORTING HIS PEERS AND MANAGEMENT AND ALWAYS READY TO JUMP IN WITH PATIENT INSIGHT AND KINDNESS. HE ALSO TOOK INITIATIVE DURING THE, UH, OFFICE'S EXTERNAL PEER REVIEW PROCESS SHOWING EXCEPTIONAL OWNERSHIP AND INITIATIVE. UH, PERHAPS MOST IMPRESSIVELY, RICHARD BRINGS A CALM, COMPOSED PRESENCE, NO MATTER THE CHALLENGE IN HIGH PRESSURE SITUATIONS. HE REMAINS FOCUSED, THOUGHTFUL, AND SOLUTION ORIENTED. A TRUE EXAMPLE OF GRACE UNDER PRESSURE, HE EMBODIES THE VALUES OF OUR TEAM AND CONTINUES TO INSPIRE, UH, THOSE AROUND HIM AND IS VERY DESERVING OF HIS RECOGNITION. PLEASE HELP US CONGRATULATE RICHARD FOR HIS WORK, AND WE'LL WELCOME UP RICHARD AND OUR CITY AUDITOR. THANK YOU. WAY TO GO. THOSE FUNDS, REALLY GOOD USE FUNDAMENTAL PROJECTS. THANK YOU FOR JUNE. UM, WE HAVE FROM THE UTILITIES DEPARTMENT, SENIOR ENGINEERING TECHNICIAN ONE NEA LUGO ARIA'S JOURNEY WITH THE CITY BEGAN IN JULY, 2015 AS AN ENGINEERING INTERN FOR THE PORT OF LONG BEACH. IN MAY, 2018, SHE JOINED THE UTILITIES DEPARTMENT AS AN ENGINEERING TECHNICIAN. ONE, HER HARD WORK AND, UH, DEDICATION QUICKLY LED TO A PROMOTION TO ENGINEERING TECH TWO. AND BY NOVEMBER, 2023, SHE ADVANCED INTO HER CURRENT ROLE AS SENIOR ENGINEERING TECHNICIAN. ONE. AS A SENIOR ENGINEERING TECHNICIAN, NERIA CONSTANTLY DELIVERS EXCEPTIONAL VALUE. SHE'S NOT ONLY HIGHLY SKILLED, TECHNICALLY, BUT ALSO A TRUE CARING LEADER WHO, WHO INVESTS IN HER STAFF, ALWAYS WILLING TO HELP AND MENTOR HER COMMITMENT. EXCE EXTENDS BEYOND HER DIRECT RESPONSIBILITIES. SHE CONSTANTLY STEPS UP TO SUPPORT DEPARTMENT EVENTS, SHOWCASING REMARKABLE TEAM SPIRIT, BOTH PEERS AND SUPERVISORS CONSTANTLY, UM, CONSISTENTLY PRAISE NERIA FOR UNWAVERING DEPENDABILITY AND HIGH QUALITY OF WORK. UH, SHE ALSO PLAYS A CRITICAL ROLE IN MAINTAINING THE DEPARTMENT'S COMPLIANCE TRACKING SOFTWARE FOR THE GAS UTILITY, A SIGNIFICANT RESPONSIBILITY SHE HANDLES WITH EXPERTISE, ENSURING COMPLIANCE WITH FEDERAL REGULATIONS IS A VITAL RESPONSIBILITY OF THE UTILITIES DEPARTMENT. AND SHE PLAYS A SIGNIFICANT ROLE IN REVIEWING UPDATES TO THE GAS UTILITIES GIS DATABASE, TRACKING THE LOCATION AND INFORMATION OF OUR CITY'S GAS DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM. HER DEDICATION HELPS ENSURE THE SMOOTH AND SAFE OPERATION OF THE CITY'S VITAL GAS SERVICES. PLEASE JOIN US IN, UH, CONGRATULATING HER ON HER HARD WORK AND COMMITMENT. THANK YOU. [00:30:08] THANK YOU. BRING THEM UP EVERYBODY. LET'S GET YOU PARTY. IT'S YOUR POSSE. TRY TO FIT EVERYONE IN HERE. WEDDING STUFF. ALRIGHT, EVERYONE RIGHT HERE. 3, 2, 1. WELL DONE. CONGRATULATIONS. YEAH, THANK YOU. SO FOR OUR JUNE EMPLOYEES OF THE MONTH, UH, WE HAVE TWO FROM THE POLICE DEPARTMENT. UM, FIRST I'LL START WITH OUR, UM, OUR CIVILIAN, UH, OUR ADMINISTRATOR IN OUR INFORMATION MANAGEMENT DIVISION, CHRISTINA CORTEZ. CHRISTINA BEGAN HER CAREER IN THE DEPARTMENT IN 2017 AS A CLERK TYPIST THREE IN THE INFORMATION MANAGEMENT DIVISIONS REPORTING SECTION. SHE'S CURRENTLY AN ADMINISTRATIVE ANALYST THREE, UH, FOR THE POLICE DEPARTMENT'S, UM, INFORMATION MANAGEMENT DIVISION WHERE SHE OVERSEES A MONTHLY CRIME REPORTING TO THE CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE. SHE'S A SUBJECT MATTER EXPERT FOR THE POLICE DEPARTMENT'S RECORD MANAGEMENT SYSTEM, AND WAS INSTRUMENTAL IN THE EXTREMELY COMPLICATED DEPARTMENTAL WIDE TRANSITION FROM SUMMARY BASED CRIME REPORTING TO INCIDENT BASED CRIME REPORTING. ALSO, IN AN EFFORT TO PROVIDE GUIDANCE AND SUPPORT TO THE DEPARTMENT PERSONNEL DURING MAJOR TECHNOLOGICAL TRANSITIONS, CHRISTINA HAS ATTENDED SEVERAL SQUAD MEETINGS, CREATED REFERENCE MATERIALS, AND HELD VIRTUAL SUPPORT OFFICE HOURS. IN ADDITION, SHE'S ONE OF THE POLICE DEPARTMENT'S, UH, PEER SUPPORTERS. SHE IS A STANDOUT EXAMPLE OF WHAT IT MEANS TO BRING COMRADERY, WELLNESS AND SUPPORT TO THE WORKPLACE. HER GENUINE CARE FOR OTHERS FOSTERS A WELCOME ENVIRONMENT WHERE COLLEAGUES FEEL SUPPORTED AND VALUED FROM COORDINATING WELLNESS ACTIVITIES TO PROVIDING FEEDBACK ON WAYS TO PRO, UH, PROMOTE PERSONAL GROWTH, PROFESSIONAL GROWTH. UH, CHRISTINA IS LOOKING FOR WAYS, UH, TO UPLIFT OTHERS. CHRISTINA IS AN INVALUABLE RESOURCE, NOT ONLY FOR THE INFORMATION MANAGEMENT DIVISION, BUT DEPARTMENT-WIDE AS WELL. LET'S, UH, CONGRATULATE CHRISTINA AND OUR POLICE CHIEF WILL JOIN US, UH, AND, UH, HAS A LOT OF SUPPORT FROM OUR, OUR WHOLE COMMAND STAFF HERE. I LOVE HOW THEY COME TO SUPPORT THEIR ENTIRE TEAM. SO THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING HERE. THANK YOU. 3, 2, 1. THE STATS FROM THE FBI'S NEW SYSTEM, THAT WHOLE, JUST A HANDFUL. WOW. THANK YOU. THREE, TWO. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. SO THE SWORN, UH, UH, EMPLOYEE OF THE MONTH IS DETECTIVE OMAR DE LEON. DETECTIVE OMAR DE LEON HAS BEEN A POLICE DEPARTMENT EMPLOYEE SINCE OCTOBER, 2007, PRIOR TO BEING ASSIGNED TO HIS CURRENT ROLE AS VIOLENT CRIMES. DETECTIVE DETECTIVE DE LEON WAS A PATROL OFFICER AND A FIELD TRAINING OFFICER. IN JANUARY, 2024, DETECTIVE DE LEON WAS SELECTED TO JOIN THE VIOLENT CRIMES DETAIL AS A NEW DETECTIVE. THIS DETAIL IS EXTREMELY DEMANDING AND INVESTIGATES THE WIDEST VARIETY OF CRIMES IN THE INVESTIGATION BUREAU. THESE INCIDENCES OFTEN INVOLVE SERIOUS FELONIES AND CRIMES OF A SERIOUS, HIGHLY SENSITIVE NATURE, SUCH AS ATTEMPTED MURDER, ASSAULT WITH A DEF DEADLY WEAPON, HATE CRIMES, STALKING, VANDALISM, AND ANIMAL CRUELTY. DETECTIVES IN THIS DETAIL MUST LEARN QUICKLY AND HAVE A STRONG UNDERSTANDING OF THE DIFFERENT ELEMENTS OF THE MULTIPLE CRIMES THEY INVESTIGATE. DETECTIVE DE LEON, HAVING NO PRIOR DETECTIVE EXPERIENCE LEARNED EXTREMELY FAST. AFTER ONLY A FEW MONTHS, DETECTIVE DE LEON WAS HANDLING WORK ASSIGNMENTS LIKE A DETECTIVE. WITH SEVERAL YEARS OF EXPERIENCE, HE QUICKLY BECAME AN ASSET TO THE DETAIL AND FREQUENTLY ASSIGNED CASES THAT HAVE HEIGHTENED SENSITIVITY AND OR URGENCY. EVEN THOUGH DETECTIVE DE LEONE HAS ONLY BEEN ASSIGNED TO THE INVESTIGATIONS BUREAU FOR JUST OVER A YEAR, HE'S ALREADY PROPOSED METHODS TO IMPROVE THE DETAIL. HE HAS ATTENDED TRAINING COURSES AND DONE INDEPENDENT DEVELOPMENT FOCUSED ON INCREASING THE EFFICIENCY IN WHICH HE CAN WORK AND SHARE THIS INFORMATION WITH HIS COWORKERS IN HIS DETAIL AND THROUGHOUT THE DIVISION. HE HAS A GREAT REPUTATION THROUGHOUT HIS CAREER, BUT HIS EFFORTS OVER THE PAST YEAR HAVE BEEN EXTREMELY IMPRESSIVE. LET'S WELCOME UP, UH, DETECTIVE DE LEON. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. [00:35:01] UM, ALL RIGHT. UM, SO FROM UH, JULY, UH, WE HAVE OUR CITY CLERK SPECIALIST IN THE CITY CLERK'S OFFICE. ALYSSA CAMPOS. ALYSSA'S JOURNEY WITH THE OFFICE OF THE CITY CLERK BEGAN IN 2016 AS AN ELECTIONS INTERN. FROM DAY ONE, SHE DEMONSTRATED A COMMITMENT TO PUBLIC SERVICE AND A DEEP CURIOSITY ABOUT THE INNER WORKINGS OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT. IN NOVEMBER, 2018, SHE WAS PROMOTED TO CITY CLERK ASSISTANT WHERE SHE GAINED A STRONG FOUNDATION IN THE DEPARTMENT'S OPERATIONS AND BECAME A WELCOMING PRESENCE FOR THE PUBLIC, BOTH IN PERSON AND OVER THE PHONE. IN FEBRUARY, 2022, SHE WAS PROMOTED TO THE CITY CLERK SPECIALIST AND SHE, WHERE SHE CONTINUES TO DISTINGUISH HERSELF, SHE HAS EMBRACED CROSS TRAINING AND STANDING COMMITTEES, BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS, AND CURRENTLY LENDS HER EXPERTISE TO COMMITTEES UNDER THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT. ALYSSA HAS PLAYED A KEY ROLE IN MANAGING THE PROCESSING OF ORDINANCES AND RESOLUTIONS AND MAINTAINS THE LONG BEACH MUNICIPAL CODE ONLINE, AN ESSENTIAL RESOURCE FOR THE CITY, WHICH I USE A LOT. SO THANK YOU FOR THAT. UM, MOST NOTABLY, ALYSSA IS KNOWN CITYWIDE FOR EXCEPTIONAL CUSTOMER SERVICE. SHE REGULARLY RECEIVES PRAISE FROM BOTH CITY STAFF AND THE PUBLIC, AND HER POSITIVE ATTITUDE, PROFESSIONALISM, AND RELIABILITY ARE RECOGNIZED BY COLLEAGUES AND MANAGEMENT ALIKE. THANK YOU, ALYSSA, FOR YOUR UNWAVERING COMMITMENT TO EXCELLENCE. YOU MAKE THE CITY CLERK'S OFFICE AND THE ENTIRE CITY BETTER EVERY DAY. LET'S WELCOME UP, ALYSSA. THANK YOU. JUST IN THE MIDDLE, MIDDLE, YOU'RE THE STAR. OUR AUGUST EMPLOYEE FROM PUBLIC WORKS, UNFORTUNATELY COULD NOT BE HERE TONIGHT, UM, BUT IT IS SENIOR TRAFFIC ENGINEER SAEED RUSA. SAYED LEADS A TRAFFIC TEAM TO MANAGE INTELLIGENT TRANSPORTATION SYSTEMS, WHAT WE KNOW AS ITS AND AROUND 750 SIGNALED INTERSECTIONS CITYWIDE, INCLUDING BIDDING OUT PROJECTS TO BUILD NEW SIGNALS AND UPGRADE OTHERS, MONITORING, ANALYZING, AND ADJUSTING THE SYSTEM TO OPTIMIZE TRAFFIC, MOVEMENT AND SAFETY. HE MAINTAINS ITS HARDWARE OPERATIONALLY AS PART OF HIS DUTIES. HIS TEAM ALSO SUPPORTS CAPITAL PROJECTS OUTSIDE THE TRAFFIC ENGINEERING DIVISION, PROVIDING EXPERTISE ON TRAFFIC SIGNAL DESIGN FOR MANY CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS. HE PLAYS A MAJOR ROLE IN PREPARING OUR SYSTEMS, TRAFFIC SYSTEMS FOR THE UPCOMING OLYMPIC AND PARALYMPIC GAMES SPEC. SPECIAL RECOGNITION IS DUE TO THE EXTRA EFFORT OF HIS TEAM OVER THE LAST YEAR, REVIEWING EVERY SINGLE DETOUR PLAN IN THE CITY WHILE LEADERSHIP, UM, WITHIN ANOTHER TRAFFIC CER, UH, SECTION WAS VACANT. SAYED GOES ABOVE AND BEYOND NORMAL DUTIES TO PREPARE NOMINATIONS FOR PROJECT AWARDS, RECOGNIZING AND HIGHLIGHTING LONG BEACH PUBLIC WORKS PROJECTS LOCALLY, REGIONALLY, AND NATIONALLY. AND AS A RESULT, UH, WE HAVE BEEN WINNING QUITE A FEW AWARDS. NEXT TIME YOU SEE A DETOUR SIGN OR A RED LIGHT, YOU CAN BLAME IT'S ACTUALLY CROSSED OUT OR THANK SAYED . SO LET'S HEAR IT FROM HIM IN THAT, IN THAT SENSE. AND THEN, UH, OUR LAST ONE FOR AUGUST, UH, IS IN OUR COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT. IT'S PUBLIC AFFAIRS AND COMMUNICATIONS SPECIALIST CRYSTAL VEGA. CRYSTAL IS AN EXCEPTIONAL EMPLOYEE WHO EXEMPLIFIES WHAT IS GREAT ABOUT LONG BEACH. CRYSTAL COMES TO COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT AFTER THEY COMPLETED PUBLIC SERVICE CORPS FELLOWSHIP. AS A COMMUNICATION SPECIALIST, CRYSTAL HELPS TO TELL THE DEPARTMENT'S STORY, BOTH INTERNAL AND EXTERNAL AUDIENCES. TELLING THAT STORY STARTS WITH AN UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT WE DO AND WHY IT MATTERS. AFTER COMING TO THE DEPARTMENT IN OCTOBER OF 2024, CRYSTAL FORMED RELATIONSHIPS AND LEARNED ABOUT THE DEPARTMENT ACROSS ALL LINES OF BUSINESS, AND BECAME A FRIEND AND CHAMPION OF STAFF ACROSS THE DEPARTMENT. CRYSTAL HAS NAVIGATED THROUGH MANY CHALLENGES DURING THEIR TIME IN THE DEPARTMENT THROUGH MULTIPLE CHANGES IN SUPERVISORS AND THE DEPARTMENT'S OVERALL RESET TO NEW APPROACH TO COMMUNICATIONS. CRYSTAL HAS BROUGHT A POSITIVE ATTITUDE, SOLUTIONS AND OVERALL BROUGHT JOY AND EXCITEMENT BACK TO THE WORKPLACE AND OUR COMMUNICATIONS WORK. CRYSTAL DOES TRANSFORMATIVE WORK AND DOES SO WITHOUT COMPLAINT OR DEMAND FOR PRAISE. IN, IN ADDITION TO COM, UH, COMMUNICATIONS DUTIES, CRYSTAL IS AN INTEGRAL PART OF THE, UH, DEPARTMENT'S EQUITY WORK AND STRATEGIC PLAN IMPLEMENTATION. PRIOR TO COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT, CRYSTAL HELPED STRUCTURE THE CITY'S EQUITY FRAMEWORK FOR, UH, DURING WORK IN THE PUBLIC SERVICE, UM, FELLOWSHIP, AND PREVIOUSLY TO THAT, DID IMPACTFUL WORK, SUPPORTING EARLY CAREER TEACHERS, SUPPORTING YOUNG PROFESSIONALS IN THE L-G-B-T-Q COMMUNITY PLUS COMMUNITY, AND TO ADVOCATE FOR THEMSELVES AND WORKING IN MEDIA PRODUCTION FIRMS TO IMPROVE EQUITY AND EMPLOYEE ENGAGEMENT. THE SENIOR MANAGEMENT TEAM IN CRI IN COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT, ALL UNANIMOUSLY SELECTED CRYSTAL AS THE EMPLOYEE OF THE MONTH. CRYSTAL IS A GRADUATE OF CAL [00:40:01] STATE LONG BEACH WITH AN MPA IN URBAN STUDIES AND UNIVERSITY OF SAN FRANCISCO WITH A BA IN URBAN STUDIES AND CRITICAL DIVERSITY. LET'S WELCOME UP CRYSTAL THREE, TWO. ALRIGHT, THANK YOU, MAYOR. COUNCIL, I KNOW THIS TAKES TIME OUT OF WHAT YOU, IS REALLY A BUSY SCHEDULE FOR YOU, BUT IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT TO BE ABLE TO HIGHLIGHT THE PEOPLE THAT DO THE WORK ON ALL OF OUR BEHALF. UM, THEY'RE THE ONES THAT ARE OUT THERE TAKING THE CALLS AND GETTING THE WORK DONE EVERY SINGLE DAY. AND I REALLY APPRECIATE THEM AND I KNOW YOU DO AS WELL. WE TALK ABOUT THAT A LOT. SO IT'S GREAT TO BE ABLE TO HONOR THEM. THANK YOU SO MUCH. WELL, TOM, WE, WE WANNA, WE WANNA RECOGNIZE AND, AND THANK YOU FOR CONTINUING THIS TRADITION. ALL THE PROGRESS OUR CITY IS MAKING IS BECAUSE OF OUR DEDICATED CITY EMPLOYEES. LET'S HEAR FOR ALL OF OUR EMPLOYEES OF THE MONTH, THE BEST ANYWHERE IN AMERICA, THE BEST IN THE WORLD. AND I LOVE THAT YOU'RE HIGHLIGHTING SOME OF OUR NEW EMPLOYEES AS WELL. THAT'S VERY ENCOURAGING. UH, YOU KNOW, WITHOUT NAMING NAMES, WE'VE GOT SOME PUBLIC SERVICE CORPS FELLOWS THAT STARTED OFF AS FELLOWS IN THE CITY, INTERNS IN THE NINTH DISTRICT, YOU KNOW, EMPLOYEES OF THE MONTH IN THE CLERK'S OFFICE. WE'VE GOT SOME INCREDIBLE CITY EMPLOYEES, SO WE WE'RE GONNA CONTINUE TO RECOGNIZE THEM EVERY CHANCE THAT WE CAN. THANK YOU SO MUCH. ALRIGHT, UH, WE HAVE OUR SECOND PRESENTATION, ANIMAL CARE SERVICES, MONTHLY PET ADOPTIONS. LET'S, LET'S [ ACS PET ADOPTION] CALL UP, UH, ANIMAL CARE SERVICES. SO THIS IS OUR, THIS IS OUR, YOU KNOW, WE DO THIS ONCE A MONTH WHERE WE INVITE, UH, ANIMAL CARE SERVICES TO SHOW THE INCREDIBLE PET FRIENDS THAT WE HAVE UP FOR AVAILABLE FOR ADOPTION HERE IN THE CITY OF LONG BEACH. UH, THE ONE YOU'RE GONNA MEET TODAY, UH, HE IS A CUTIE AND HE IS ON HIS WAY. . MM-HMM . ALL RIGHT. WHO'S THIS? WHO'S THIS KID WE GOT HERE? HI, THIS, WHO IS THIS? THIS IS JASPER. HE'S A THREE MONTH OLD CHARADE PIT BULL MIX FROM LONG BEACH ANIMAL CARE SERVICES. ALL RIGHT. JASPER . HELLO, ESTEEMED CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS AND HONORABLE MAYOR. MY NAME IS ALMA ALIMA WITH LONG BEACH ANIMAL CARE SERVICES, AND TODAY WE ARE JOINED BY OUR AMAZING VOLUNTEERS, JEN AND MIKE. THEY'RE ALSO, THEY ALSO HAPPEN TO BE MEMBERS, UH, EXCUSE ME, OWNERS OF A WONDERFUL ORGANIZATION CALLED ZOOM ROOM THAT HELPS US OUT HERE IN LONG BEACH. UM, AND THIS IS JASPER AGAIN, OUR PET OF THE MONTH. . THIS IS JASPER'S INTAKE PHOTO. UH, JASPER IS ABOUT THREE AND A HALF MONTHS, A LITTLE BIT OLDER. UH, HE'S A VERY FRIENDLY, ACTIVE, SOMETIMES A LITTLE LOUD PIT BULL MIX. UM, HE'S PLAYFUL, HE'S CUDDLY, HE'S EXTREMELY SMART. OUR, UH, JEN AND MIKE HAVE BACK, BACK OVER IN THE GREEN ROOM, HAVE BEEN TREATING HIM. HE KNOWS SIT DOWN, STAY. HE'S AMAZING. UH, HE IS AVAILABLE FOR ADOPTION, IS LOOKING FOR HIS FOREVER FAMILY. IF YOU'RE LOOKING TO TAKE ON THE REWARDING EVENT ADVENTURE OF RAISING A PUPPY, JASPER IS AVAILABLE. UH, HE'S GONNA BLOSSOM INTO A WONDERFUL, WONDERFUL, VERY SMART ADULT. UH, WE ARE OPEN FROM WEDNESDAY TO THROUGH SUNDAY, STARTING AT 10:00 AM SO PLEASE COME VISIT US AND COME VISIT JASPER. HE IS AVAILABLE FOR ADOPTION, SO THAT, THAT PHOTO DOES NOT DO JASPER JUSTICE DOES NOT. , I THINK HE WAS PRETTY FRESH IN THAT PHOTO. WAS HE MAYBE A MONTH OLD? HE WAS, YEAH. YEAH. . YEAH, HE'S THREE MONTHS NOW. HE'S PUTTING ON SOME WEIGHT. YEP. HE GOTTA SELL HIM OUT. SO, CURRENTLY, SORRY. OH, HE'S ALREADY PICKED A FAMILY. , IRMA, ARCHULETA IS GOING HOME WITH A DOG. IT LOOKS LIKE . WE CAN DO THIS ALL DAY. I KNOW. THE REACTION IS AMAZING. YOU KNOW, I WILL SAY, I WILL SAY THAT, UH, EVERY ONE OF OUR PETS THAT WE BRING IN FRONT OF THE CITY COUNCIL ENDS UP GETTING PICKED UP PRETTY QUICKLY. EXACTLY RIGHT. YEAH. SO JASPER'S GONNA FIND A HOME. WE'RE PRETTY CONFIDENT IN THAT. THE QUESTION IS, WILL ONE OF YOU HERE TODAY SIGN UP TO TAKE JASPER HOME? THAT'S THE QUESTION, BUT I'LL TELL YOU. THIS IS, THIS IS A SPECIAL DOG, JASPER'S A SPECIAL DOG. SO APART FROM JASPER, WE ALSO, UH, CURRENTLY HAVE IT'S KITTEN SEASON. UH, WE HAVE AN ADOPTION SPECIAL. WE HAVE A TWO FOR ONE ADOPTION SPECIAL, UM, AND AT A REDUCED RATE. SO IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN ADDING SOME KITTENS TO YOUR FAMILY, PLEASE COME TO OUR SHELTER. WE HAVE LOTS OF AMAZING KITTENS AVAILABLE FOR ADOPTION. AND AGAIN, WE HAVE A TWO FOR ONE SPECIAL HAPPENING [00:45:01] RIGHT NOW. SO PLEASE COME VISIT US. AUGUST IS CLEAR, THE SHELTERS MONTH, AND, UH, WE HAVE LOTS OF GREAT PETS AVAILABLE FOR ADOPTION. PLEASE COME OVER, VISIT US AGAIN. WE ARE OPEN FROM WEDNESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY, AND WE HAVE DOGS, CATS, LOTS OF GUINEA PIGS AVAILABLE FOR ADOPTION RIGHT NOW. AND BECAUSE IT IS CLEAR THE SHELTERS MONTH THROUGH THE END OF AUGUST. UH, PLEASE COME SEE AND WHAT ADOPTION SPECIALS WE CURRENTLY HAVE LONG BEACH ANIMAL CARE SERVICES AND COMMUNITY ANIMAL MEDICINE PROJECT, ALSO KNOWN AS CAMP. CAMP ARE TEAMING UP TO BRING YOU LOW COST VACCINE AND WELLNESS CLINICS. UH, REMEMBER THAT A HEALTHY PET, A HEALTHY PET IS A HAPPY PET, AND MICROCHIPPING CAN BE A LIFESAVER. THE CLINIC IS AN ONGOING EVENT, UH, OVER AT OUR SHELTER EVERY MONDAY AND SECOND AND FOURTH FRIDAY OF THE MONTH. NO APPOINTMENTS ARE NECESSARY TO VIEW DETAILS INCLUDING A MORE ACCURATE SCHEDULE. PLEASE VISIT OUR WEBSITE@LONGBEACH.GOV SLASH ACS, CALIFORNIA AND LONG BEACH MUNICIPAL LAW REQUIRES THAT ALL CATS AND DOGS OVER THE AGE OF FOUR MONTHS BE LICENSED AS A RABIES CONTROL MEASURE. IF YOUR PET ISN'T LICENSED YET, GETTING THEIR LICENSE IS SIMPLE. YOU CAN APPLY EITHER ONLINE OR IN PERSON AT OUR SHELTER, AND ALL YOU NEED IS PROOF OF RABIES, UH, AND A SPAN YOUR CERTIFICATE. AGAIN, FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT LICENSING, PLEASE VISIT OUR WEBSITE@LONGBEACH.GOV SLASH ACS. AND LASTLY, HERE'S INFORMATION ABOUT OUR SHELTER. IF YOU WANT TO ADOPT, VOLUNTEER, FOSTER, OR DONATE, WE HAVE LOTS OF AMAZING ANIMALS THAT NEED YOUR HELP, PLEASE COME ON DOWN AND VISIT US. OUR SHELTER IS OPEN WEDNESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY, STARTING AT 10:00 AM AND YOU CAN FIND ALL OF TODAY'S INFORMATION AND MORE RESOURCES ON OUR WEBSITE@LONGBEACH.GOV SLASH ACS. THANK YOU VERY MUCH, EVERYONE. ALL RIGHT, WELL, LET'S HEAR IT FOR JASPER AND THE INCREDIBLE TEAM AT LONG BEACH ANIMAL CARE SERVICES, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE PRESENTATION. LET'S HEAR IT FOR ONE MORE TIME FOR JASPER. LET'S GET JASPER HOME. ALRIGHT. OKAY, NOW IT IS TIME FOR OUR BUDGET HEARING. YAY. BUDGET . ALL RIGHT. LET'S HEAR, LET'S READ HEARING ITEM 15. [15. 25-56108 Recommendation to conduct a Budget Hearing to receive and discuss an overview of the Proposed Fiscal Year 2026 Budget for the departments of Community Development and Health and Human Services and a presentation overview of Tidelands. (Citywide)       Office or Department: Financial Management         Suggested Action: Approve recommendation. ] PLEASE REPORT FROM FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT RECOMMENDATION TO CONDUCT A BUDGET HEARING TO RECEIVE AND DISCUSS AN OVERVIEW OF THE PROPOSED FISCAL YEAR 2026 BUDGET FOR THE DEPARTMENTS OF COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT AND HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES, AND A PRESENTATION OVERVIEW OF TIDELANDS CITYWIDE. ALRIGHT, UH, SO TODAY WE'RE CONTINUING OUR BUDGET HEARING. WE HAVE HAVE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT, HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES AND TITLES, UH, GREAT COLLECTION. AND, UM, AS THEY SET UP, YOU KNOW, HISTORICALLY, WE, WE, YOU KNOW, WE'RE A PUBLIC HEALTH CITY, BUT WE USED TO HAVE TO FIGHT TO GET PUBLIC HEALTH A PRESENTATION DURING THE BUDGET TIME. BUT, UM, YOU KNOW, PUBLIC HEALTH IS A PRIORITY. SO RIGHT AFTER POLICE AND FIRE, PUBLIC HEALTH IS HERE WITH COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT, AND WE ASK FOR A SPECIAL PRESENTATION ON TITANS AS WELL. SO, UH, WITH THAT, THAT SAID, TOM, TAKE US AWAY. ALL RIGHT, WE'LL JUMP RIGHT INTO IT. I WILL TURN IT OVER TO CHRISTOPHER KOONTZ, UM, OUR DIRECTOR OF COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT AND HIS TEAM TO GO THROUGH THE FIRST PRESENTATION. GOOD EVENING, UH, MAYOR, MEMBERS OF COUNCIL. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR HAVING US THIS EVENING. UM, WE'RE HERE TO TALK ABOUT COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT WHERE MORE THAN 200 EMPLOYEES, UM, WORK IN ALL CORNERS OF THIS CITY. UM, TO MAKE IT A BETTER LONG BEACH EVERY DAY, I'M JOINED, UM, BY OUR, OR ADMIN AND FINANCIAL SERVICES BUREAU MANAGER, APRIL AKA, AND OUR DEPUTY DIRECTOR, CHONG WYNN. UM, TO GIVE THIS, UH, PRESENTATION, UH, WE WERE IN FRONT OF YOU TWO YEARS AGO IN 2023, AND WE TALKED ABOUT THE DEPARTMENT'S STRATEGIC PLAN AND ITS STRATEGIC INITIATIVES. I THINK YOU'LL FIND THAT WE'VE DELIVERED ON ALL OF THOSE. THAT WAS TO EMPOWER OUR WORKFORCE, WHICH WE HAVE DONE, UM, BY CONNECTING WITH OUR EMPLOYEES AND GIVING THEM THE TOOLS, UH, TO DO THEIR JOB AND DO THEIR JOB WELL. LEADING WITH TECHNOLOGY. WE'LL TALK MORE ABOUT MAJOR INVESTMENTS IN OUR PERMIT SOFTWARE AND OTHER TECHNOLOGICAL CHANGE, FOCUSING ON CORE SERVICES, REALIZING THAT IF WE TRY TO DO EVERYTHING, WE WON'T DO IT WELL. SO WE'RE FOCUSED ON THOSE MOST IMPORTANT TASK AND MOST IMPORTANT SERVICES FOR THE DEPARTMENT. DEMYSTIFYING COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT, WHICH IS TALKING ABOUT OUR WORK AND COMMUNICATING WITH CONSTITUENTS WHERE WE HAVE MADE MAJOR STRIDES AND INSTITUTIONALIZING EQUITY, WHICH IS PART OF OUR WORK EVERY DAY. UM, SO THE KEY SERVICES THAT COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DOES, IF YOU WALK DOWN THE STREET AND YOU LOOK AT ALL THE PRIVATE PROPERTY, WE TOUCH EVERY ONE OF THOSE PROJECTS, WHETHER IT'S SOMEONE'S HOME OR APARTMENT OR A LARGE OFFICE THAT THEY WORK IN. UM, WE OVERSEE THE PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT WITHIN THE CITY. WE PLAN AND ENVISION A FUTURE, UM, THAT IS BRIGHT AND THEN COME UP WITH THE RU RULES AND THE PATHWAYS TO GET THERE. UH, WE FACILITATE AND STREAMLINE THE DEVELOPMENT PROCESS. WE COMPETE FOR INVESTMENT ALL ACROSS THE STATE, THE COUNTRY, THE GLOBE. UM, AND [00:50:01] WE TRY TO HAVE A PROCESS, UM, THAT IS PREDICTABLE, THAT IS FAIR, UH, AND THAT IS FAST. UH, WE INVEST IN AND PROTECT AFFORDABLE HOUSING. WE ARE A MAJOR LENDER IN THAT SPACE. UM, WE PROVIDE CODE ENFORCEMENT ASSURING THAT EVERYWHERE IS CLEAN, SAFE, AND BEAUTIFUL, AND THAT, UH, EVERYONE CAN ENJOY THE CITY. UM, AND WE SUPPORT COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AND PROGRAMS, UM, THROUGHOUT THE CITY. SO THOSE ARE BIG IDEAS AND, AND BIG IDEAS MATTER, BUT IT'S ALSO ABOUT INDIVIDUALS. SO IT'S ABOUT INDIVIDUALS LIKE AN ARMY VETERAN AND CD ONE THAT THROUGH OUR FIRST TIME HOME BUYER PROGRAM, WAS ABLE TO BUY A CONDO HERE DOWNTOWN. IT'S ABOUT, UM, WORKING WITH AN INDIVIDUAL IN, UH, CD TWO WHO LOST THEIR HOME INSURANCE AND WAS EXTREMELY LOW INCOME, AND WE WERE ABLE TO WORK THAT CASE AND GET THEM INSURED AND KEEP THEIR HOME UP. IT'S ABOUT IN CD THREE, WORKING WITH INDIVIDUAL RESTAURANT OWNERS OR PROPERTY OWNERS GOING OUT SOLVING MYSTERIES ABOUT GREASE TRAPS, WHATEVER IT TAKES, UM, TO PROVIDE GREAT SERVICE. UM, IT'S ABOUT, UM, ASSISTING EL DORADO ESTATES NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION AND CD FOUR, UM, THROUGH A MICRO GRANT PROGRAM TO BE ABLE, UH, TO HOST COMMUNITY CHRISTMAS EVENTS. IT'S ABOUT, UH, HELPING SENIORS WITH HOT WATER AND COUNCIL DISTRICT FIVE AND DOING WHAT IT TAKES TO RESOLVE THEIR SITUATION. UM, IT'S ABOUT HELPING A MEDICAL OFFICE OPEN BACK UP AFTER A FIRE IN CD SIX OR ABOUT, UM, CODE ENFORCEMENT, UM, WORKING A REALLY HARD CASE ON CD SEVEN ON FASHION AVENUE, WHERE WE HELPED A SINGLE MOTHER WITH FOUR KIDS WHO WAS IN AN ILLEGAL DWELLING FIND A, A PLACE TO LIVE SO THAT THEY WEREN'T OUT ON THE STREET. IT'S ABOUT NEW HOME OWNERSHIP, WHERE A, UH, LIBRARY USED TO BE, AND CD EIGHT. IT'S ABOUT WORKING WITH INDIVIDUALS THERE, AND IT'S ABOUT MORE THAN 30 INDIVIDUAL SENIORS THAT ARE ABLE TO STAY IN THEIR HOME BECAUSE THEY RECEIVED GRANTS, UH, UP IN CD NINE. SO THE, THE ACCOMPLISHMENTS WE'RE TALKING ABOUT HERE ARE CITYWIDE. THEY'RE BIG NUMBERS, BUT I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT, UM, TO REMEMBER THERE'S AN INDIVIDUAL BEHIND ALL OF THOSE. UM, SO OUR ACCOMPLISHMENTS, UM, IN THE LAST YEAR, WHETHER IT'S UPDATING PARKING REQUIREMENTS SO THAT BUSINESSES CAN EXPAND OR WORKING ON OUR DOWNTOWN SHORELINE VISION, UM, OR STARTING WORK WITH PRM ON THE OPEN SPACE ELEMENT, EXPANDING INCLUSIONARY HOUSING OPPORTUNITIES. UM, NONE OF THESE HAPPENED BY ACCIDENT. THESE HAPPENED BECAUSE OF INVESTMENTS, UM, MADE IN YEARS PAST AND THE SUPPORT OF THIS COUNCIL, UM, TO GROW THIS DEPARTMENT OVER TIME. SO TO GIVE YOU AN IDEA OF, UM, THE DEVELOPMENT PROCESS, YOU SEE KIND OF A PICTURE OF OUR COUNTER THERE. AND THEN INSPECTIONS. UM, WE SERVE MORE THAN, UM, 300 CUSTOMERS, VIRTUALLY THOUSANDS OF CUSTOMERS IN PERSON. WE'VE IMPROVED THE WAY THAT WE INTERACT SO PEOPLE CAN GET IN AND GET OUT AND GET WHAT THEY NEED. UM, WE ISSUE MORE THAN A THOUSAND PERMITS EACH MONTH, UM, AND WE'RE SPENDING $40 MILLION TO HAVE THE BEST PERMIT SOFTWARE, UM, IN THE, UH, INDUSTRY SO THAT OUR CUSTOMERS, UH, CAN DO BUSINESS WITH US THE WAY THAT THEY WANT TO. IF THEY'VE BEEN COMING, UH, TO SEE US IN PERSON FOR 20 YEARS, I LOOK FORWARD TO CONTINUING TO WELCOME THEM IN PERSON. UM, BUT IF THEY WANT TO ACCESS, UM, PERMITTING ONLINE, THEY WILL FINALLY BE ABLE TO DO THAT. UM, IF, UH, THEY HAVE QUESTIONS OR THEY JUST WANT TO TRACK WHAT'S HAPPENING, THAT WILL ALL BE POSSIBLE WITH OUR NEW LB BUILD SYSTEM. SO, OTHER KEY ACCOMPLISHMENTS. WE'VE TALKED, UH, BEFORE ABOUT RECORD NUMBERS OF HOUSING UNITS ENTITLED UNDER CONSTRUCTION. FINISHED LEADING THE STATE IN ADUS. UM, BUT ALSO VERY PROUD OF THE WORK THAT WE'VE DONE IN THE AFFORDABLE SPACE, MANAGING LEASE UP OF VERY LOW INCOME UNITS, UM, AT META HARBOR YARDS, UM, AND ASSISTING HOMEOWNERS WITH GRANTS FOR ROOFS AND OTHER PROGRAMS, CODE ENFORCEMENT. WE DO MORE THAN 14,000 CODE ENFORCEMENT INSPECTIONS EACH YEAR. UM, WE UPDATED WITH THIS COUNCIL SHORT TERM RENTAL PROGRAMS AND ARE ABLE TO PROVIDE BETTER, UH, OVERSIGHT AND PROTECTIONS TO THE COMMUNITY WHILE, UM, ADMINISTERING THAT PROGRAM. UM, AND WE AM, UM, INSPECT MULTIFAMILY APARTMENTS TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYONE HAS A DIGNIFIED, SAFE, UH, LIVING CONDITION. WE'VE MADE MAJOR INVESTMENTS, UH, YEAR OVER YEAR ON THE WEST SIDE AS PART OF THE WEST SIDE PROMISE, WORKING WITH THE VICE MAYOR AND THE MAYOR ON THAT INITIATIVE. MORE THAN 20 DIFFERENT EVENTS FROM A LARGE, UH, SMALL TO LARGE, INCLUDING UPCOMING, UM, WEST SIDE FEST. WE'VE DONE MICRO GRANTS AND WE'VE HELD, UM, RESOURCE DRIVEN EVENTS. WE WERE IN COUNCILMAN SUPER NAS, UH, DISTRICT FOR THE HOME IMPROVEMENT EXPO. WE, IT WAS A GREAT EVENT, UH, WORKED WITH MANY OF YOU ON THAT, AND IT WILL BE BACK NEXT YEAR, UH, BIGGER AND BETTER. [00:55:03] SO HOW DO WE PAY FOR ALL OF THESE INCREDIBLE SERVICES? UM, THE DEPARTMENT'S BUDGET COMES PRIMARILY FROM THE DEVELOPMENT SERVICES FUND. THOSE ARE THE FEES PAID BY OUR CUSTOMERS, SO WHETHER IT'S FOR A BUILDING PERMIT OR A PLANNING ENTITLEMENT. UM, AND THEN WE DO, UH, RECEIVE A COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT. AND, UM, WE HAVE THE HOUSING FUND, SO WHEN WE MAKE LOANS ON AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND THOSE REPAYMENTS ARE REINVESTED IN THE HOUSING FUND, UM, AND THEN WE DO ADMINISTER THE SUCCESSOR. SO THIS IS THE FORMER, UM, REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY. UH, THOSE NUMBERS ARE A LITTLE MISLEADING BECAUSE THE MONEY COMES IN AND THEN IT GOES RIGHT BACK OUT, UM, TO MAKE DEBT SERVICE PAYMENTS. UH, WE HAVE, UM, 259 POSITIONS PROPOSED, AND THAT'S OVER A BASE OF 2 55. UM, NOT ALL OF THOSE ARE FILLED, BUT WE'VE MADE INCREDIBLE PROGRESS IN RECENT YEARS IN FILLING OUR POSITIONS. STILL NEED TO FILL SOME ENGINEERING POSITIONS. ENCOURAGE YOUR KIDS TO STUDY, UH, CIVIL ENGINEERING. UM, THERE'S A SHORTAGE AND IT AFFECTS US. IT AFFECTS THE HARBOR, IT AFFECTS PUBLIC WORKS. UM, BUT WE'RE A GREAT PLACE, A GREAT PLACE TO WORK. UM, SO IN TERMS OF THE LOOKING FORWARD BUDGET, UM, WE DO HAVE, UM, FEE INCREASES IN SOME CASES, SUBSTANTIAL FEE INCREASES, UM, IN ORDER TO CONTINUE TO PROVIDE OUR SERVICES. UM, OUR CUSTOMERS ARE REALLY LOOKING FOR EASE, SPEED, AND PREDICTABILITY. EVERYONE WOULD LIKE A LOWER PRICE RATHER THAN A HIGHER PRICE, BUT WHAT'S MOST IMPORTANT TO OUR CUSTOMERS IS EASE, SPEED, AND PREDICTABILITY. WE'VE ABSORBED, UH, FIVE YEARS OF, UH, PRETTY SIGNIFICANT, UM, WAGE INFLATION AS WELL AS, UH, INFLATION ON THE COST OF, UM, GOODS AND SERVICES WE WE RECEIVE FROM OTHERS. UM, WE'RE MAKING SOME CHANGES IN OUR PLANNING GROUP. LAST YEAR WE WORKED WITH THE MAYOR TO ADD A SIGNATURE PROJECTS, UH, DIVISION, AND NOW THAT THAT'S UP AND RUNNING, WE'RE JUST REORGANIZING HOW, UM, THE REPORTING STRUCTURE AND DIFFERENT OFFICERS WORK, UH, IN PLANNING SO THAT, THAT, UH, CAN BEST ACCOMPLISH THE WORK THAT NEEDS TO BE DONE. UH, IN OUR CODE ENFORCEMENT, UH, WE ARE WITH NO GENERAL FUND IMPACT, ADDING SOME ADDITIONAL SUPERVISOR IN CODE ENFORCEMENT WHO WILL, UM, HELP US WITH MULTI-FAMILY INSPECTIONS, SHORT-TERM RENTALS AND VACANT STOREFRONTS. UH, WE CONTINUE TO HAVE A VERY HIGH LEVEL OF NEED ACROSS ALL NINE DISTRICTS TO ADDRESS, UM, VACANT LOTS AND VACANT STOREFRONTS AND THE IMPACT THAT THOSE CAN HAVE ON THE SURROUNDING COMMUNITY. WE ALSO HAVE A NUMBER OF FUN TECHNICAL CORRECTIONS, UM, THROUGHOUT THE BUDGET. UM, SO IT'S A LIMITED INCREASE, BUT WE ARE INCREASING POSITIONS, AGAIN, WITH NO IMPACT ON THE GENERAL FUND, UM, ADDING AN INSPECTOR POSITION TO IMPROVE, UM, TURNAROUND TIMES. I'VE, UH, SPOKEN WITH MANY OF YOU. UM, WE DO HAVE, UM, GREAT INSPECTION SERVICES. UH, WE AT TIMES HAVE DELAYS ON THE COMMERCIAL SIDE OF INSPECTION, AND THIS WILL HELP US, UM, CATCH UP AND BE ABLE TO PROVIDE OUR GOAL OF NEXT DAY INSPECTIONS. UH, WE'RE WORKING, UM, TO PROVIDE DEDICATED STAFF AT THE COUNTER FOR ADUS. UM, WE'VE HAD GREAT SUCCESS. WE'RE A, A STATEWIDE LEADER ON ADUS. UM, BUT IT TURNS OUT, UM, THOSE REQUIRE A LOT OF STAFF WORK. SO EVEN THOUGH IT'S A SMALL PROJECT, IT'S SOMEONE'S BACKYARD HOME, UM, A LOT OF TIMES IT'S MAYBE A CUSTOMER THAT'S NEVER DONE A PROJECT LIKE THAT BEFORE. IT MIGHT BE A, A CONTRACTOR AS WELL THAT MAYBE HAS LESS EXPERIENCE. SO THAT ACTUALLY REQUIRES MORE, UM, STAFF WORK THAN ON SOME OF OUR BIGGER PROJECTS. UM, AND WE'RE DOING A LOT OF THOSE PROJECTS. SO THIS, UM, WILL PROVIDE, UH, DEDICATED STAFFING, UM, TO ASSIST THOSE CUSTOMERS. UM, WE'RE MAKING SOME, UM, CHANGES IN OUR, UH, PLANT CHECK ENGINEERING DIVISION, UM, JUST AS OUR, UH, WORKLOAD HAS CHANGED AND WE HAVE MORE SMALL PROJECTS AND, UH, FEWER LARGE PROJECTS, UH, STILL HIGH LEVELS OF WORK, BUT JUST MATCHING, UM, THE POSITIONS TO THE WORK THAT'S COMING IN THE DOOR AND THEN IMPROVING OUR, UH, SUPPORT STAFF TO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE THE BEST CUSTOMER SERVICE POSSIBLE. UH, SO WE ALSO HAVE SOME OTHER CHANGES TO COMMUNICATIONS. UM, YOU KNOW, WHAT WORKED TODAY DOESN'T NECESSARILY WORK TOMORROW. UM, AND CERTAINLY WE DON'T COMMUNICATE THE WAY, UH, WE DID YESTERDAY. SO, UM, WE HAVE A NEED TO PROVIDE A LOT MORE, UM, DIGITAL CONTENT, WHETHER THAT'S SOCIAL MEDIA OR COMPLETELY DOING OUR WEBSITE OR, UM, EVENTS WORKING, UM, WITH FOLKS IN BOTH A DIGITAL AND IN-PERSON WAY. UM, BUT AT THE SAME TIME, TRADITIONAL MEDIA HAS NOT GONE AWAY. WE HAVE TO INTERACT WITH THE PRESS. UM, WE NEED TO PROACTIVELY BE PROVIDING, UM, STORIES AND INFORMATION TO THE PRESS. UM, AND WE'VE GOTTA BE ABLE TO COMMUNICATE WITH OURSELVES SO THAT, [01:00:01] UH, EVERYONE IN THE DEPARTMENT KNOWS WHAT'S IMPORTANT AND, AND WHAT'S BEING WORKED ON. SO IN ORDER TO DO THAT, IT TAKES STAFF AND THOSE ARE REQUESTED IN THIS BUDGET, UM, INCLUDING, UM, BOTH STAFF AND MONEY FOR MARKETING AND CONSULTING. UM, AND WE'RE MAKING GOOD ON OUR EQUITY WORK. SO WE HAVE A NEW COMMUNITY CONNECTOR PROGRAM, UH, WHICH WILL ENGAGE SPECIFICALLY WITH THOSE FOLKS THAT, UH, TRADITIONALLY DON'T SHOW UP TO CITY MEETINGS OR DON'T WEIGH IN ON OUR PROCESS. UM, BUT THEY DO EXIST WITHIN OUR COMMUNITIES. UM, AND THEN EVERY THREE YEARS, THE STATE REPLACES THE ENTIRE BUILDING CODE. THEY MANDATE THAT DOWN ON US AND WE HAVE TO ENFORCE IT, UM, STARTING ON JANUARY 1ST, BUT THAT REQUIRES UNDERSTANDING IT. UM, SO WE HAVE SOME ONE-TIME FUNDING, UM, TO TRAIN OUR STAFF FOR THAT BUILDING CODE UPDATE. SO, UM, TO JUST GO INTO GREATER DETAIL, UM, A COUPLE YEARS AGO, THE COUNCIL, UH, ENACTED A CONTRACTOR AND SUBCONTRACTOR VERIFICATION, UH, PROGRAM. THIS REQUIRES ON LARGER PROJECTS THAT, UH, WE COLLECT INFORMATION ABOUT EVERY CONTRACTOR AND SUBCONTRACTOR AND, UH, THEIR COMPLIANCE WITH, UH, STATE LABOR REGULATORS. UH, WE ARE ADMINISTERING THAT PROGRAM NOW, NOW THAT WE'RE A COUPLE YEARS IN. UM, WE RECOGNIZE THAT WE NEED LESS STAFF ON THE FRONT END COLLECTING THE INFORMATION AND MORE STAFF ON THE BACK END FOLLOWING THROUGH AND MONITORING AND FOLLOWING UP. UM, SO THAT'S A NET ZERO, BUT THAT IS A CHANGE IN POSITIONS. UM, AND THEN WE ARE MAKING THE WEST SIDE PROMISE, UM, A DEDICATED ONGOING PROGRAM. AS PART OF THIS BUDGET CHALLENGES, WE DEFINITELY HAVE CHALLENGES IN THE DEPARTMENT, UH, THE CHANGING BY THE DAY, SOMETIMES BY THE HOUR. UM, FEDERAL POSTURE AND HOW THAT IMPACTS OUR FEDERAL GRANTS MAKES IT INCREDIBLY DIFFICULT TO MANAGE. OUR HOUSING AND NEIGHBORHOOD SERVICES GROUP. UH, AFFORDABLE HOUSING PROJECTS ARE PUT TOGETHER OVER A FIVE TO SIX YEAR PERIOD. UM, IF YOU DON'T HAVE CERTAINTY AROUND THAT FUNDING IT, IT BECOMES, UH, VERY DIFFICULT. UH, WE ALSO OPERATE AMAZING, UM, PROGRAMS LIKE NEIGHBORHOOD LEADERSHIP AND SENIOR ROOF PROGRAM, UM, THAT DEPEND ON CDBG. AND EVEN IF DIFFERENT HOUSING DOLLARS CAME IN, UM, WE WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO, TO OPERATE THOSE PROGRAMS ON A DIFFERENT FUNDING SOURCE BECAUSE OF SOME OF THE NUANCES OF HOW THE OTHER MONEY WORKS. SO THAT'S, THAT'S SOMETHING I WORRY ABOUT AND NOT TOTALLY IN OUR CONTROL, BUT THAT'S JUST SOMETHING TO BE AWARE OF. AND THEN, UM, CHANGES IN DEVELOPMENT ACTIVITY. SO WE'RE BUSY, WE'RE BUSY IN COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT, BUT WE'RE BUSY IN A VERY DIFFERENT WAY THAN WE WERE FIVE YEARS AGO. UH, WE ARE DOING TONS OF SMALL PROJECTS. EVERYONE IN THIS CITY SEEMS TO BE DOING A, UH, KITCHEN REMODEL OR A BATHROOM ADDITION OR AN A DU, WHICH IS WONDERFUL, UM, THAT'S GREAT FOR, FOR THEIR HOME AND ALSO GREAT FOR THE CITY. UM, BUT THAT'S DIFFERENT THAN HOW WE WERE SET UP AND HOW OUR FEE STRUCTURE WAS SET UP WHEN WE WERE DOING A LOT OF BIG PROJECTS. SO, UM, WE'RE HAVING TO ADAPT TO THOSE CHANGES. UH, NUISANCE ACTIVITY CONTINUES TO BE AN ISSUE POST COVID. UH, MOST PEOPLE TAKE GREAT CARE OF THEIR PROPERTY, BUT THE AMOUNT OF ISSUES THAT WE HAVE WITH ABSENTEE LANDLORDS NOT TAKING CARE OF VACANT LOTS AND VACANT STRUCTURES HAS INCREASED EXPONENTIALLY, QUITE FRANKLY. UM, AND WE'RE WORKING TO ADDRESS THAT. AND THEN WE'RE VERY EXCITED ABOUT OUR NEW, UM, SOFTWARE. UM, BUT IT DOES REQUIRE, UM, STAFF ACROSS MULTIPLE DEPARTMENTS AND A HUGE CAPITAL OUTLAY, UM, TO MAKE THAT HAPPEN. UM, AND WE WILL SEE DIVIDENDS FROM THAT, UH, STARTING IN 2028. SO THAT CONCLUDES MY PRESENTATION. I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO YOUR QUESTIONS, AND I ALSO WANT TO THANK YOU FOR SCHEDULING US ON THE SAME DAY AS HEALTH. I THINK YOU'LL FIND THAT ALLISON AND I WORK, UH, HAND IN HAND AND TOGETHER, UM, DOING EVERYTHING WE CAN TO IMPROVE PEOPLE'S LIVELIHOOD, INCLUDING THOSE MOST DISADVANTAGED FOLKS, UM, EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS OR AT RISK OF HOMELESSNESS. SO WE'RE VERY PROUD OF THE WORK WE DO HERE IN COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT AND LOOK FORWARD TO YOUR QUESTIONS. THANK YOU, CHRISTOPHER. AND THEN IN THE INTEREST OF TIME, UH, UH, TYPICALLY THE COUNCIL ASKS US TO GO RIGHT INTO THE NEXT PRESENTATION AND THEN WE'LL COME BACK AND GO THROUGH THE QUESTIONS. SO I WILL TURN IT NOW TO HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES, AND THEN YOU'LL HEAR AGAIN FROM CHRISTOPHER WHEN IT'S TIME FOR QUESTIONS. SO ALISON KING AND HER TEAM, GOOD EVENING. THANK YOU, CHRISTOPHER FOR WARMING THE SEAT. [01:05:01] AND GOOD EVENING TO MAYOR RICHARDSON, VICE MAYOR URANGA AND ESTEEM MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL, AS WELL AS MY AMAZING HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES DEPARTMENT, TEAM MEMBERS THAT I SEE POPULATING SO MANY OF THE SEATS HERE TONIGHT. THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO PRESENT THE HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES DEPARTMENT'S PROPOSED BUDGET FOR FISCAL YEAR 25 AND 26. IT'S BEEN A REMARKABLE YEAR, AND I'M VERY PROUD TO SHOWCASE A FEW OF THE TRANSFORMATIVE EFFORTS THAT CAPTURED, THAT ARE CAPTURED IN THESE IMAGES THIS YEAR. OH, DO YOU HAVE THE THINGY? OH, THIS IS IT. I'M GONNA LET YOU DO THAT. OOPS, I WENT TOO FAR. I'M GONNA LET YOU DO THAT. GOD. OKAY. THIS YEAR WE FINALIZED KEY HOUSING AND SUPPORT INITIATIVES, REFRESHED OUR HOMELESSNESS STRATEGIES, STRENGTHENED OUTREACH AND CRISIS RESPONSE, ENGAGED THOUSANDS IN COMMUNITY SAFETY PROGRAMS LIKE WALK TO SCHOOL WEEK, AND EXPANDED A NUMBER OF OVERALL HEALTH DEPARTMENT FACILITIES TO 15. THESE IMAGES REPRESENT OUR COMMITMENT TO INNOVATION, PARTNERSHIP, AND COMPASSION. AS WE MOVE INTO THE BUDGET DISCUSSION, I LOOK FORWARD TO DETAILING HOW EACH DOLLAR INVESTED. WE'LL BUILD ON THESE SUCCESSES AND ADVANCE HEALTH WELL AND WELLNESS, AND AN OPPORTUNITY FOR EVERY LONG BEACH RESIDENT. NEXT SLIDE. CONNECTING ALL OUR WORK IS A COMMITMENT TO PREVENTION ACROSS EVERY STAGE OF LIFE. WE START BY BUILDING STRONG FAMILIES, OFFERING PARENTING WORKSHOPS, EARLY CHILDHOOD PROGRAMS, AND RESOURCE NAVIGATION THAT LAY A FOUNDATION OF STABILITY, RESILIENCE, AND HEALTHY RELATIONSHIPS FOR OUR YOUNGEST RESIDENTS. THROUGH HIGH SCHOOL, WE PARTNER WITH SCHOOLS, CLINICS, AND COMMUNITY CENTERS TO DELIVER NUTRITION, EDUCATION, PHYSICAL ACTIVITY INITIATIVES, AND SCREENINGS FROM EARLY IMMUNIZATION AND PRESCHOOL READINESS TO AFTERSCHOOL MENTORSHIP AND CIVIC PARTICIPATION. WE EQUIP YOUNG PEOPLE WITH THE TOOLS AND SUPPORT THEY NEED TO THRIVE ACADEMICALLY, EMOTIONALLY, AND PHYSICALLY FOR OLDER ADULTS, OUR PROGRAMS HELP SENIORS MAINTAIN INDEPENDENCE, STAY CONNECTED, AND AGE WITH DIGNITY. BY INVESTING EARLY AND SUSTAINING SUPPORT THROUGH EVERY LIFE STAGE, WE PREVENT CRISES, REDUCE LONG-TERM COST, AND PROMOTE HEALTHIER, STRONGER COMMUNITIES FOR ALL OF LONG BEACH. OVER THE PAST YEAR, WE'VE DRAMATICALLY EXPANDED OUR PREVENTATIVE AND DATA-DRIVEN SERVICES. HELP ME GROW WORKSHOPS REACHED PARENTS AND EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION PROFESSIONALS ON EARLY DEVELOPMENT TOPICS. WHILE MORE THAN 500 TK AND KINDERGARTEN STUDENTS RECEIVED DENTAL SCREENINGS AND ORAL HEALTH EDUCATION, OUR NURSE FAMILY PARTNERSHIP ENROLLED 23 FIRST TIME MOTHERS IN CULTURALLY AFFIRMING CARE, AND WE ENHANCE THE COMMUNITY CRISIS RESPONSE TEAM WITH AN A DA COMPLIANT LIFT TO BETTER SERVE EVERYONE IN NEED. BEHIND THE SCENES, WE LAUNCHED EQUITY AND VACCINE DASHBOARDS ON ONLINE VITAL RECORDS SYSTEMS AND A STREAMLINE OUTBREAK REPORTING TOOL. AND WE EMPOWERED NEARLY 2000 YOUTH TO FUND LOCAL PROJECTS THROUGH PARTICIPATORY BUDGETING. AT THE SAME TIME, OUR TEAM GUIDED HUNDREDS OF RESIDENTS TO HEALTH INSURANCE AND SENIOR SERVICES ENSURING THAT NO ONE FALLS THROUGH THE CRACKS. WHEN EMERGENCY STRUCK, WE ACTED SWIFTLY AND COHESIVELY. OUR TB OUTBREAK RESPONSE TO A POSITIVE CASE IN LONG BEACH CONTINUED THROUGH JANUARY, 2025. AND WHILE THE EMERGENCY HAS ENDED, WE CONTINUE TO SERVICE AND TREAT THOSE UH, AT RISK DURING SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA'S WILDFIRES, HEAT WAVES AND STORMS. WE OPENED 65 AND COMMIT WEATHER BEDS, SERVING 465 PEOPLE ACROSS THREE ACTIVATIONS. DURING THE JANUARY WILDFIRES, OUR STAFF MAINTAINED THE INCLEMENT WEATHER SHELTER FOR A TOTAL OF 25 CONSECUTIVE NIGHTS, REPRESENTING OUR LONGEST WEATHER RELATED ACTIVATION ON RECORD. IN RESPONSE TO A SINGLE CONFIRMED MEASLES CASE IN LONG BEACH, WE IDENTIFIED OVER 470 POTENTIALLY EXPOSED INDIVIDUALS, REASSIGNED 35 STAFF TO CONTAINMENT ROLES, AND CONDUCTED 131 CONTACT TRACING INTERVIEWS THAT LED TO 22 QUARANTINE ORDERS. A SITUATION THAT REMINDED US HOW CRITICAL STAFFING FLEXIBILITY IS FOR AN EFFECTIVE PUBLIC HEALTH EMERGENCY RESPONSE. SIMULTANEOUSLY, WE MANAGE MULTIPLE COVID-19 INFLUENZA AND RSV OUTBREAKS IN SKILLED NURSING FACILITIES, PROTECTING SOME OF OUR MOST VULNERABLE RESIDENTS. [01:10:04] THIS YEAR WE CHAMPIONED ACTIVE LIVING ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY, AND HOUSING STABILITY WALK TO SCHOOL WEEK, ENGAGED 133 STUDENTS AND FAMILIES IN SAFE ROUTE EVENTS. AND OUR COMMUNITY HEALTH ASSESSMENT ATTRACTED NEW MANAGED CARE INVESTMENTS FOR LONG-TERM IMPROVEMENT PLANNING THE SIDEWALK TO SUCCESS PILOT EASED COMPLIANCE COST FOR STREET VENDORS, 124 APPLIED 12 RECEIVED CARTS AND 12 RECEIVED FINANCIAL SUPPORT. WE SECURED A STATE GRANT TO BOLSTER REENTRY SERVICES AT THE SAME TIME. THE HOUSING AUTHORITY ASSISTED OVER 6,775. FAMILIES ADDED 185 PROJECT-BASED VOUCHERS AND HOMELESS SERVICES COMPLETED CAPITAL UPGRADES AT TWO HOME KEY SITES, CREATING 177 INTERIM BEDS. WE ALSO WON STATE FUNDING FOR RIVERBED OUTREACH AND A BUILT FOR ZERO GRANT TO LAUNCH HOUSING NAVIGATION SERVICES. OUR BREADTH OF WORK SPANS HEALTH SAFETY AND HARM REDUCTION. IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PROJECT STREET VET, WE SERVED MORE THAN 150 PETS ON SITE. WE SECURED THREE CALIFORNIA OFFICE OF TRAFFIC SAFETY GRANTS FOR THE GREENLIGHT LB AND WALK AND ROLL LONG BEACH, FOCUSING ON IMPAIRED DRIVING BIKE AND PEDESTRIAN SAFETY, DISTRACTED DRIVING AND COMMUNITY EDUCATION. WE DISTRIBUTED 200 FREE GUN SAFES TO PREVENT ACCIDENTS AND PUBLISH THE FIRST ANNUAL HARM REDUCTION FRAMEWORK PROJECT THROUGH OUR MOBILE AND INTERIM HOUSING SERVICES. WE HOPED 93 INDIVIDUALS SECURE STABLE HOUSING AND PROVIDED 570 THERAPY AND SUBSTANCE USE SESSIONS. WE ALSO CONTINUED OUR SAFE PASSAGE PROGRAM AND RELEASED AN INAUGURAL OPIOID OVERDOSE REPORT ANALYZING ESCALATING FENTANYL RELATED DEATHS. OVER THE LAST YEAR, OUR HOMELESS SERVICES BUREAU LEVERAGED MEASURE H FUNDING TO OPERATE CORE PROGRAMS LIKE STREET OUTREACH, INTERIM HOUSING, RAPID REHOUSING, AND PREVENTION AND NAVIGATION SERVICES. DURING THOUSANDS OF SERVICE INTERACTIONS WITH INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES, WE COMPLETED PHASE ONE OF INTEGRATING OUR HMIS WITH LOS ANGELES COUNTY SYSTEM, VASTLY IMPROVING DATA SHARING AND INTERAGENCY COORDINATION AT THE MULTI-SERVICE CENTER. OUR NEWLY RENOVATED KIDS CORNER WELCOMED CHILDREN WITH READING NOOKS ART STATIONS AND INTERACTIVE LEARNING TOOLS, OFFERING STABILITY AND ENRICHMENT FOR FAMILIES IN CRISIS. WE ALSO FINALIZED CAPITAL UPGRADES AT TWO PROJECT HOME KEY SITES, LONG BEACH BOULEVARD, ADDING 177 INTERIM BEDS AND ONSITE SUPPORTIVE SERVICES. IN RESPONSE TO THE UNIQUE NEEDS OF YOUNG ADULTS, WE LAUNCHED OUR TRADITION TRANSITIONAL AGE YOUTH NAVIGATION CENTER GUIDING YOUNG ADULTS TOWARD HOUSING CAN COUNSELING AND JOB READINESS PROGRAMS. TOGETHER THESE ACHIEVEMENTS REFLECT OUR BUREAU'S COMMITMENT TO INNOVATION, PARTNERSHIP AND COMPASSION AND CARE FOR EVERY NEIGHBOR EXPERIENCING AT RISK FOR HOMELESSNESS. AS WE LOOK AHEAD TO FISCAL YEAR 26, WE'RE COMMITTED TO SUSTAINING AND STRENGTHENING TWO OF OUR MOST IMPACTFUL RESPONSE TEAMS. FIRST, WE CONTINUE THE SUCCESSFUL MOMENTUM OF THE PHASE CITYWIDE ROLLOUT OF THE COMMUNITY CRISIS RESPONSE TEAM, WHICH DELIVERS HEALTH-FOCUSED NON-LAW ENFORCEMENT INTERVENTIONS FOR BEHAVIORAL HEALTH AND QUALITY OF LIFE ISSUES. SINCE PROGRAM INCEPTION, THEY'VE SERVED OVER 900 INDIVIDUALS, DEESCALATING CRISIS, MAKING VITAL CONNECTIONS TO BEHAVIORAL HEALTH SERVICES, AND REDUCING RELIANCE ON TRADITIONAL POLICING. FOR THESE CALLS. SINCE LAUNCHING CITYWIDE IN JULY, CCRS ELIGIBLE CALLS IN INCREASED HAVE NEARLY TRIPLED IN THE PAST MONTH AND INCREASED BY 255% COMPARED TO THE SAME ONE MONTH PERIOD LAST YEAR. ON AVERAGE, THERE HAS BEEN A RANGE OF FIVE TO 10 CALLS PER DAY. THE RECORD ONLY A FEW WEEKS AGO WAS RESPONDING TO 12 CALLS IN ONE DAY. WE LOOK FORWARD TO PROVIDING A MORE IN DEPTH LOOK AT THE IMPORTANT WORK DONE BY THIS TEAM DURING THE SEPTEMBER 2ND BOC MEETING WHEN WE WILL MAKE A PRESENTATION THERE. SECOND, WE'RE REQUESTING DEDICATED FUNDING FOR OUR RECENTLY ASSEMBLED COMPLAINT RESPONSE TEAM. THIS MULTI-DEPARTMENTAL UNIT ENFORCES REGULATIONS ON UNPERMITTED SIDEWALK FOOD VENDORS WHILE OFFERING EDUCATION AND SUPPORT. LAST YEAR ALONE, THEY RESPONDED TO 170 COMPLAINTS, INVESTIGATED 32 OPERATIONS AND CONFISCATED FOOD OR EQUIPMENT FOR 26 NONCOMPLIANT VENDORS. CONTINUED RESOURCES WILL ENSURE SAFE REGULATED VENDING AND PROTECT PUBLIC HEALTH ACROSS LONG [01:15:01] BEACH. AND I'D ALSO LIKE TO TAKE THIS TIME TO THANK MY COLLEAGUE, DEPUTY CITY MANAGER, GRACE YON, WHO HAS BEEN LEADING IN THAT EFFORT. THIS SLIDE REQUEST ONE-TIME FUNDING TO BOLSTER OUR CITYWIDE VIOLENCE HEALING RESPONSE TEAM. ENSURING SURVIVORS OF GUN VIOLENCE RECEIVED DEDICATED PUBLIC HEALTH SUPPORT. WE'VE ONLY CERTIFIED 32. WE'VE ALSO, I'M SORRY, CERTIFIED 32 COMMUNITY VIOLENCE INTERVENTION WORKERS THROUGH PROFESSIONAL TRAININGS EQUIPPED TRUST, EQUIPPING, TRUSTED CULTURALLY ROOTED PRACTITIONERS WITH EVIDENCE-BASED DEESCALATION OUTREACH AND VICTIM SUPPORT SKILLS. THROUGH OUR LONG BEACH ACTIVATING SAFE COMMUNITIES PROGRAM, THESE COMMUNITY VIOLENCE INTERVENTION WORKERS ARE DEPLOYED IN COORDINATION WITH LBPD TO PROVIDE IMMEDIATE ON SCENE SUPPORT, CONNECT SURVIVORS TO SERVICES AND HELP PREVENT RETALIATION, STRENGTHENING OUR COMMUNITY LED APPROACH TO VIOLENCE PREVENTION. WE'VE ADJUSTED 0.5 FTE OF OUR AGING COORDINATOR TO REFLECT DECLINING MEASURE US REVENUE, AND WE'LL CONTINUE BACKING OUR ANNUAL YOUTH SUMMIT. WE ALSO MAINTAIN OUR YOUTH PARTICIPATORY BUDGETING PROGRAM WITH ONE-TIME MEASURE US FUNDING, AS WELL AS THE MAYOR'S RECOMMENDATIONS FOR YOUTH DEVELOPMENT. THAT INCLUDES FUNDS FROM SUCCESSOR AGENCY SALE PROCEEDS, BRINGING THE TOTAL YOUTH POWER PARTICIPATORY BUDGETING ALLOCATION TO $500,000, ALONG WITH THE MAYOR'S RECOMMENDATION FOR ONE-TIME GENERAL FUND SUPPORT TO RETAIN OUR YOUTH DEVELOPMENT COORDINATOR IN THE OFFICE OF YOUTH DEVELOPMENT. THESE INVESTMENTS HEAL OUR COMMUNITIES, UPLIFT YOUNG LEADERS AND SUSTAIN ESSENTIAL YOUTH SERVICES. TO STRENGTHEN OUR FRONTLINE HEALTH SERVICES, WE'RE UPGRADING A MEDICAL ASSISTANT TO, TO A LICENSED VOCATIONAL NURSE FUNDED BY REDUCING AN ADMINISTRATIVE INTERN POSITION. ADDITIONALLY, WE ARE ADDING TWO HEALTH EDUCATOR TWOS AND A COMMUNITY PROGRAM SPECIALIST FOUR TO OUR TB RESPONSE TEAM BY REPURPOSING A PART-TIME INTERN SLOT. WE'RE ALSO INVESTING ONE-TIME FUNDS TO PURCHASE THREE FLEET VEHICLES FOR FIELD INSPECTIONS AND ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH AND OFFSET BY THE HEALTH FUND PERMIT FEES AND ALLOCATING A BUDGET TO MAINTAIN A REPURPOSED VEHICLE FOR THE GENERAL MAINTENANCE SUPERVISOR. FINALLY, WE'RE INCREASING OUR BUDGET TO COVER NON-REIMBURSABLE INDIRECT COST IN HOUSING AUTHORITY PROGRAMS WHILE REDUCING DEDICATED TECHNOLOGY AND INNOVATION SUPPORT COST ACCORDINGLY. SINCE THE ADMINISTRATION TRANSITION IN JANUARY OF 2025, WE'VE SEEN $3.9 MILLION IN GRANT CANCELLATIONS REDUCTIONS OR TERMINATIONS ACROSS S-T-I-H-I-V PREVENTION, IMMUNIZATIONS, NUTRITION, PUBLIC HEALTH, EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT, AND EQUITY PROGRAMS IMPACTING 16.2 FTE AND RESULTING IN 10 POSITIONS LOST SO FAR. KEY LOSSES FOR THIS YEAR INCLUDE FUNDING ELIMINATION FOR SNAP EDUCATION, EFFECTIVE SEPTEMBER 30TH, 2025, WHICH REPRESENTS A LOSS OF $900,000. AND A 6.5 FTE IMPACTED FIVE JOBS WILL BE LOST IN SEPTEMBER 1.6 MILLION AND 8.5 FTES IN THE LA COUNTY DPH PASS THROUGH FOR H-I-V-S-T-I PREVENTION, $137,725 AND 0.25 FT IN CHILDHOOD VACCINES. THE CDC HAS RELEASED 70% OF OUR PUBLIC HEALTH EMERGENCY GRANT. THE REMAINING 30% IS BEING HELD PENDING LA COUNTY DEMONSTRATION OF CONTINUED RISK AND NEED AS THE PASS THROUGH RECIPIENT, WE ARE COORDINATING WITH THE COUNTY TO SECURE THE REMAINDER. OUR EARMARKED $989,000 FOR THE COMMUNITY CRISIS RESPONSE WAS ELIMINATED IN THE FISCAL YEAR. CONTINUING RELU RESOLUTION AND CDC CONSTRICTIONS RESULTED IN A COST OF $89,934 AND THE LOSS OF ONE FTE FROM OUR HEALTH EQUITY GRANT. THESE REDUCTIONS STRIKE AT THE HEART OF OUR CORE PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICES. IN RESPONSE, WE'RE REALIGNING RESOURCES, STRENGTHENING PARTNERSHIPS, AND WORKING TO SEEK ALTERNATIVE FUNDING. OKAY, LOOKING AHEAD, OUR CASE MANAGERS AND [01:20:01] HEALTH EDUCATORS WILL NEED RAPID TRAINING ON NEW MEDI-CAL AND SNAP RULES. AND WE NEED TO PIVOT OUTREACH TO ADAPT TO EVOLVING ELIGIBILITY AND WORK REQUIREMENTS. THE IMPLEMENTATION OF PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY AND WORK OPPORTUNITY RECONCILIATION ACT POLICY CHANGES WILL RESTRICT ACCESS TO FEDERAL PUBLIC BENEFITS FOR UNDOCUMENTED IMMIGRANTS. P-R-W-O-R-A ALLOWED LOW INCOME IMMIGRANTS WITHOUT LEGAL STATUS TO ACCESS BASIC SERVICES LIKE HEALTHCARE, CHILDCARE, AND HEALTH EDUCATION. WHILE FEDERAL GUIDELINES FOR IMPLEMENTATION REMAIN UNCLEAR, THE WORKFLOW OF MULTIPLE TEAMS IN OUR DEPARTMENT MAY BE IMPACTED THROUGH IMMIGRATION STATUS, VERIFICATIONS, AND OTHER ELIGIBILITY CHECKS AT THE STATE LEVEL. FISCAL YEAR 25 AND 26 BUDGET MAY BE REVISITED IN A SPECIAL SESSION TO OFFSET FEDERAL CUTS PUT IN GRANTS LIKE THE FUTURE OF PUBLIC HEALTH AT RISK. MEANWHILE, CONGRESS HAS FINALIZED DISCRETIONARY FUNDING THE HOUSE AND SENATE COMMITTEES ON APPROPRIATIONS RELEASE, THEIR RESPECTIVE TRANSPORTATION, HOUSING, AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT SPENDING BILLS. BOTH BILLS REJECT MOST OF THE PRESIDENT'S PROPOSED CUTS, BUT MAY SLIGHTLY REDUCE HOUSING PROGRAM FUNDING. THE SENATE APPROPRIATION SUBCOMMITTEE ON LABOR HOUSING AND HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES AND EDUCATION MET JULY 31ST AND ADVANCED A SPENDING PLAN THAT LARGELY PRESERVES CATEGORICAL PUBLIC HEALTH FUNDING AND REJECTS THE ADMINISTRATION'S PROPOSED WHOLESALE CONSOLIDATIONS. BUT FINAL FUNDING DEPENDS ON HOUSE I, SENATE NEGOTIATIONS, AND THE FULL APPROPRIATIONS PROCESS BEFORE SEPTEMBER 30TH. WHAT DOES THIS MEAN FOR US? THE SENATE COMMITTEE KEEPS FUNDING FOR CORE CDC AND BEYOND LEGISLATIVE PRESSURES. OUR HEALTH FUND FACES PERSISTENT COMPOUNDING COST DRIVERS THAT STRAIN EVERY PROGRAM. THE CITY'S T-I-D-M-O-U IS BASED ON COST ALLOCATION, WHICH IS NOT REIMBURSABLE BY FEDERAL GRANTS. OUR MOU WITH TID HAS CONTINUED TO GROW, AS HAS OUR ROLE IN CITYWIDE EMERGENCY RESPONSE, WHICH IS NOW BUDGETED AND HAS NO OFFSET. OUR VACANCY RATE WAS IDENTIFIED IN THE HR PRESENTATION AS 28%, WHICH REFLECTED INFORMATION PROVIDED BY FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT IN APRIL OF 2025. BUT BASED ON GRANT FUNDING THAT REQUIRES MULTI-YEAR GRANT BUDGETING, VACANCY RATES CHANGE AS A RESULT OF PERSONNEL COST DRIVERS AND DECREASING GRANTS THAT TRIGGER INTERNAL BUDGET REDUCTION STRATEGIES FROM WEATHER EVENTS TO PUBLIC HEALTH CRISIS. THESE DEMANDS NECESSITATE ON-CALL RESOURCE AND RAPID DEPLOYMENT. INFLATING OPERATING EXPENSES, ESCALATING LABOR COSTS FURTHER WIDENING THE GAP. AND WE UNDERSTAND WE ARE NOT ALONE IN THAT CHALLENGE. PER CITY POLICIES, FEES ARE GENERALLY SET TO RECOVER THE COST OF SERVICE UNLESS COUNCIL DETERMINES A PUBLIC BENEFIT FROM CHARGING LESS. IN PRACTICE, SEVERAL OF OUR HEALTH DEPARTMENT FEES ARE INTENTIONALLY PRICED BELOW FULL COST RECOVERY TO KEEP SERVICE AFFORDABLE AND ACCESSIBLE. THAT CHOICE SUPPORTS EQUITY AND PREVENTS BARRIERS TO CARE AND PERMITTING. BUT IT ALSO MEANS THE GENERAL FUND AND OUR HEALTH FUND ABSORB THE REMAINING COSTS CONTRIBUTING TO THE STRUCTURAL GAP WE'RE PRESENTING TODAY. WHILE MULTIPLE FACTORS STRAIN OUR HEALTH FUND, STATE FUNDING DECISIONS ARE ONE OF THE PRINCIPAL DRIVERS OF THE PRESSURE LOCAL HEALTH JURISDICTIONS NOW FACE. OVER RECENT YEARS, THE STATE HAS PROVIDED REALIGNMENT REVENUE THAT HAS NOT KEPT PACE. WITH INCREASED PROGRAM RESPONSIBILITIES MANDATED TO LOCAL HEALTH DEPARTMENTS, STATE FUNDING CHOICES AND UNDER RESOURCING OF CORE PUBLIC HEALTH RESPONSIBILITIES HAVE FORCED US INTO A POSITION OF CONTINUAL COST REALLOCATION. THIS REALITY HIGHLIGHTS WHY WE MUST PRESS THE STATE TO INCREASE REALIGNMENT SUPPORT, PROVIDE GRANTS THAT KEEP PACE WITH RISING COSTS AND ADEQUATELY FUND THEIR MANDATES WHILE WE PURSUE INTERNAL EFFICIENCIES AND CREATIVE REVENUE SOLUTIONS TO PROTECT FRONTLINE SERVICES. MOST STRIKINGLY INDIRECT COSTS NOW ACCOUNT FOR THE MAJORITY OF OUR HEALTH FUND DEFICIT CENTRAL AND INTERDEPARTMENTAL CHARGES ARE BILLED TO EACH PROJECT AND PROGRAM IN THE HEALTH FUND. EFFORTS ARE MADE TO MAXIMIZE GRANT REIMBURSEMENT OF INDIRECT COST. HOWEVER, I GRANT REIMBURSEMENT RATE HOOVERS AT APPROXIMATELY 50%. TOGETHER THESE DRIVERS HIGHLIGHT THE IMPORTANCE OF STRATEGIC FUND BALANCING AND COST CONTAINMENT MEASURES WHILE MAINTAINING MANDATED CORE SERVICES. BEFORE [01:25:01] I TAKE, OH, SORRY, I WON'T BE TAKING QUESTIONS. UM, 1415, OH, SORRY. THIS IS IT. . OKAY. CARING FOR THOSE WHO CARE FOR OUR COMMUNITY IS ESSENTIAL TO THE WORK WE DO. WE'RE COMMITTED TO SUPPORTING THE WELLBEING OF OUR STAFF IN MEANINGFUL AND INTENTIONAL WAYS. WE'RE SCALING SUPPORT TO MEET THIS MOMENT BY ENCOURAGING FOLKS TO UTILIZE THE EMPLOYEE ASSISTANCE PROGRAM AND PREPARING FOR POTENTIAL STAFF DISPLACEMENT, BUT PROVIDING FOCUSED TRANSITION ASSISTANCE LIKE RESUME AND INTERVIEW COACHING, INTERNAL REDEPLOYMENT SEARCHES AND ACCESS TO BENEFITS RETIREMENT COUNSELING, ALL PAIRED WITH CLEAR, TIMELY COMMUNICATION ABOUT DECISIONS. THESE STEPS AIM TO PROTECT STAFF WELLBEING WHILE ENSURING CONTINUITY OF OUR ESSENTIAL SERVICES. LOOKING FORWARD, WE HAVE POWERFUL OPPORTUNITIES TO AMPLIFY OUR IMPACT BY DEEPENING PARTNERSHIPS WITH OTHER AGENCIES AND NONPROFITS, WE CAN LEVERAGE SHARED EXPERTISE, STREAMLINE REFERRALS, AND STRETCH EVERY DOLLAR A HEALTH FUND STUDY, WHICH YOU WILL ALL RECEIVE FINAL COPIES OF VERY SOON, HELPS US FRAME THE COMING CONSIDERATIONS THROUGH THE LENS OF CORE PUBLIC HEALTH MANDATES AND REFINING SERVICE DELIVERY TO ENSURE SUSTAINABILITY. THE LOCAL SOLUTIONS ALLOCATION FROM COUNTY MEASURE A BRINGS NEW RESOURCES FOR OUR HOMELESSNESS AND PREVENTION PROGRAMS, HELPING US EXPAND HOUSING NAVIGATION AND SUPPORT SERVICES FOR LONG BEACH. TOGETHER, THESE STRATEGIES GIVE US A FOUNDATION TO INNOVATE AND BETTER SERVE COMMUNITIES IN THE CHALLENGING YEAR AHEAD. UH, I WANT TO ENSURE YOU THAT WE WILL STEWARD EVERY DOLLAR WITH URGENCY AND CARE. WE'RE AGGRESSIVELY PURSUING EVERY AVAILABLE REVENUE SOURCE, LOOKING FOR WAYS TO MAXIMIZE RECOVERIES FOR INDIRECT AND TECHNOLOGY CHARGES ON GRANTS AND CLOSING GAPS IDENTIFIED IN THE HEALTH FUND STUDY. AT THE SAME TIME, WE'RE PERFECTING FAMILIES FRONTLINE SERVICES THROUGH STRATEGIC COST CONTAINMENT SO WE DON'T LEAVE MONEY ON THE TABLE. WE COMMIT TO TRANSPARENT TRACKING AND ACCOUNTABILITY AND PLAN TO BRING YOU MID-YEAR UPDATES AND A REASSESSMENT OF PRIORITIES. IF CONDITIONS CHANGE. WITH YOUR CONTINUED SUPPORT, WE WILL PRESERVE ESSENTIAL SERVICES, ACCELERATE WHAT WORKS, AND PROTECT THE LONG-TERM HEALTH AND RESILIENCE OF LONG BEACH. THANK YOU FOR PARTNERING WITH US TO KEEP OUR COMMUNITY SAFE, HEALTHY AND WHOLE. THANK YOU, MAYOR AND COUNCIL. WE HAVE ONE MORE PRESENTATION TO GO AND THEN WE'LL GET INTO THE DELIBERATION AND ALSO WE HAVE A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF PUBLIC COMMENT AS WELL. SO, UH, UH, LAST WEEK, UH, AT THE REQUEST OF THE MAYOR AND COUNCIL, UH, YOU ASKED US TO ADD, UM, ANOTHER PRESENTATION TONIGHT TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT TITLES. UH, WE HEARD SOME GOOD TITLES DISCUSSION IN, UH, BOC TODAY, UH, AND, UH, BUT I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO REMIND US WHAT IS THE THAILANDS AND WHAT IS IT FUN? WHY IS IT IMPORTANT? WHERE DO THE REVENUES COME FROM? AND THEN IT'S FISCAL HEALTH, WHICH IN THE PAST HAD BEEN FAIRLY HEALTHY, UH, BUT REALLY HAS TAKEN, UH, A BIG CHANGE OVER THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS. SO I'LL GIVE A CHANCE TO, I'LL GO THROUGH, UH, PART OF IT AND I'LL TURN IT OVER TO BOB DOW WHO WILL HELP US WITH PART OF THE, THE PRESENTATION AS WELL. AND WE'LL TRY TO GO THROUGH THIS QUICKLY. SO TIDELANDS IS REALLY, UM, UH, WHAT WE CALL THE AREA WHERE THE WATER MEETS, UM, WHAT USED TO BE THE, THE HIGH TIDE LINE. SO, UH, IN SOME STATES THAT'S PRIVATE LAND THAT YOU CAN BUY AND OWN AND, AND KICK PEOPLE OFF OF IN LONG BEACH AND IN CALIFORNIA, THAT'S ALL PUBLIC LAND. SO YOU CAN ACCESS ANYWHERE ON THE COAST, ANYWHERE IT BELONGS TO THE STATE, AND IT IS HELD IN TRUST BY, UH, BY THE CITY. AND SO, UH, UM, THAT REALLY STARTED BACK IN 1850. AND SO REALLY IT'S ALL THAT LAND THAT IS, UM, YOU KNOW, CONSIDERED NATURAL WATER RESOURCES. AND THEN THE CALIFORNIA STATE LANDS COMMISSION WAS ESTABLISHED IN 1938, AND THAT REALLY IS THE ENTITY THAT'S ENSURING THAT WE KEEP THAT COASTLINE OPEN FOR EVERYBODY. AND THEN THAT LAND HAS BEEN GRANTED IN TRUST TO OVER 80 DIFFERENT JURISDICTIONS, INCLUDING LONG BEACH. SO HERE'S A MAP. UM, UH, THIS IS CALLED THE 1 38 LINE. SO, UH, BASICALLY THAT THE RED LINE IS WHERE THE WATER USED TO COME AND TOUCH THE, UM, UH, TOUCH THE LAND. AND THEN ANYTHING THAT WE'VE BUILT OUT INTO THE OCEAN, FOR EXAMPLE, OVER THE YEARS IN THE, YOU KNOW, FIFTIES, SIXTIES, SEVENTIES, EIGHTIES, NINETIES, ALL OF THAT IS STILL CONSIDERED TIDELANDS AND IS, UM, COMPLETELY RESTRICTED. AND SO THERE'S 35 DIFFERENT GRANTS AND STATUTES THAT, UH, COMPRISE THE TIDELANDS TRUST. UH, STATE LANDS COMMISSION MONITORS EACH OF THOSE GRANTS TO ENSURE, UM, THAT WE'RE IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE PUBLIC TRUST DOCTRINE, AND THEY CAN, UM, INVESTIGATE AUDIT REVIEW GRANTS AND THEY CAN, UH, DIRECT US TO TAKE CORRECTIVE MEASURES. UH, THEY CAN REQUIRE GRANTEES TO REINVEST REVENUES PRODUCED. SO WE OFTEN GET THIS QUESTION, HOW COME, YOU KNOW, THE MONEY AT THE BEACH, YOU KNOW, CAN'T BE SPENT FOR POLICE AND FIRE AND CAN'T BE SPENT IN NORTH LONG BEACH AND EAST LONG BEACH? THAT IS LEGALLY [01:30:01] REQUIRED. UM, SO ANYTHING THAT IS GENERATED IN THE COAST NEEDS TO STAY IN THE COAST. AND SO A TRUSTEE MAY NOT DO A NUMBER OF THINGS. WE MAY NOT SELL TIDELANDS TO PRIVATE INDIVIDUALS. UH, WE CANNOT DAMAGE THE, THE PUBLIC'S TITLES, AND WE CANNOT TAKE ANY ACTION THAT WILL LEAD TO DESTRUCTION OR INAPPROPRIATE PRIVATIZATION. UH, AND THEN ANY OF OUR PROJECTS THAT WE DO TAKE SOME TIME TO DO IN THAILANDS, 'CAUSE WE GO THROUGH A PROCESS WITH THE STATE FOR THEM, UH, TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY ARE ALL CONSISTENT, UM, WITH OUR GRANTING STATUTES. AND SO WHAT CAN YOU DO IN THE TIDELANDS? UM, YOU, THERE ARE CERTAIN SPECIFIC PERMITTED USES, PORTS, MARINAS, DOCKS, PIERS, VES, BUOYS, THOSE TYPES OF THINGS. UM, ANYTHING THAT WE CALL COMMERCE OR NAVIGATION IS A TIDELANDS USE. UH, WE CAN ALSO DO THE DEVELOPMENT AND PRODUCTION OF OIL AND GAS. UH, WE CAN DO HABITAT, WE CAN DO WILDLIFE REFUGES, UM, AND OPEN SPACE. UH, ONE OF THE BIG ONES IS VISITOR ORIENTED OR SERVING FACILITIES SUCH AS A HOTEL, AIRPORTS, RESTAURANTS, SHOPS, PARKING LOTS AND RESTROOMS. UM, BUT THERE'S RESTRICTIONS. WE OFTEN GET ASKED, WHY, YOU KNOW, DOWN ON THE COAST, DON'T WE HAVE A MALL OR HAVE, UM, SHOPPING OPPORTUNITIES, UM, THAT WE SEE IN SOME OTHER STATES? THOSE ARE PROHIBITED BECAUSE THOSE CAN GO ANYWHERE. BUT WE CAN DO RESTAURANTS AND WE CAN DO HOTELS, AND WE CAN DO THINGS LIKE QUEEN MARY'S, UH, THAT ARE VISITORS SERVING RATHER THAN JUST A, A COMMERCIAL ACTIVITY. AND THEN, AS I MENTIONED, TIDELANDS REVENUES MUST BE SPENT ON OR ADJACENT TO TIDELANDS, AND THEY MUST BE FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE TIDELANDS. WHAT CAN'T YOU DO? YOU CANNOT HAVE STRICTLY NEIGHBORHOOD SERVING USES. SO WE OFTEN GET THIS QUESTION, CAN'T I RESTRICT ALL PARKING IN THE COAST JUST FOR NEIGHBORS? 'CAUSE WE LIVE DOWN NEAR THE COAST. AND THE ANSWER IS NO. UH, YOU NEED TO, UH, BASICALLY HAVE THAT OPEN TO EVERYBODY, NOT JUST A NEIGHBORHOOD. YOU CANNOT BUILD HOUSES, CAN'T BUILD RESIDENTIAL. WE CAN'T DO THOSE DEPARTMENT STORES OR THINGS THAT ARE NOT VISITOR SERVING RETAIL. WE CAN'T HAVE NON MARINE RELATED OFFICE USES. UH, YOU CAN'T HAVE GENERAL COMMERCIAL, UM, FAC, UM, FACILITIES OR MEDICAL FACILITIES OR MIXED USE DEVELOPMENTS THAT, UM, UH, THAT CONTAIN TRUST AND NON-TRUST ELEMENTS. UM, IF THEY, IF THEY AREN'T REALLY THERE TO SUPPORT THE TRUST. WE HAVE LOTS OF DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS THAT MANAGE THESE VERY COMPLEX RELATIONSHIPS. THIS IS ONE OF OUR MOST COMPLEX FUNDS IN, IN THE WHOLE CITY. UM, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DOES LEASE MANAGEMENT. SO THOSE BUSINESSES YOU DO SEE DOWN, UH, ON THE, ON, UM, THE, THE BEACH. THOSE ARE ACTUALLY CITY OWNED FACILITIES THAT ARE THEN AND CITY OWNED LAND FOR THE MOST PART, AND THEN LEASED BACK TO THOSE, UH, TO CREATE, UM, THOSE OPPORTUNITIES. UH, PARKS AND REC DOES ALL THE MAINTENANCE ON THEIR PARKS AND BEACHES AND BUILDINGS AND MARINAS. THEY ALSO OPERATE OUR AQUATICS PROGRAMS AND OPERATE OUR MARINAS. UH, PUBLIC WORKS MAINTAINS THE PARKING LOTS IN THE STREETS. UH, PUBLIC WORKS ALSO DOES ALL THE CAPITAL PROJECTS AND PERMITTING. UM, FINANCE MONITORS OUR TIDELANDS REVENUES AND EXPENDITURES, ENERGY RESOURCES, UM, UH, THROUGH CRC DOES MINERAL EXTRACTION. THE PORT OF LONG BEACH OPERATES IN THE TIDELANDS. AND THEN, UH, OTHERS, POLICE AND FIRE AND LIFEGUARDS, UM, YOU KNOW, ALL OPERATE DOWN ON THE BEACH TO, TO KEEP US SAFE. SO I'M GONNA TURN FOR A COUPLE MINUTES OVER TO, UM, BOB, AS HE'S GONNA TALK ABOUT ONE OF THE MOST UNIQUE THINGS IN LONG BEACH AND ACTUALLY IN THE WHOLE STATE, UH, WHICH IS REALLY, UM, UH, THE OIL PRODUCTION, UM, THAT WE HAVE THAT MOST COASTAL CITIES DO NOT HAVE. UH, HOW THAT'S COME TO BE AND WHERE ALL THE, THE REVENUES HAVE COME FROM AND, UH, WHAT SOME OF THE OBLIGATIONS ARE. THANKS TOM. UM, AS TOM HIGHLIGHTED THE, UH, TIDELANDS, WE'RE GONNA FOCUS MORE ON THE ONE OF THE REVENUE STREAMS AND THE TIDELANDS, AND THAT'S THE, UH, TIDELANDS OIL PRODUCTION. SO, AS WE MENTIONED, THE THAILANDS ARE HELD IN TRUST FOR THE PEOPLE OF CALIFORNIA OIL THAT'S EXTRACTED FROM THOSE TIDELANDS. AND THE REVENUE IT GENERATES ARE PART OF THE TRUST. THE TRUST RESOURCES MUST SUPPORT PUBLIC PURPOSE, TRUST PURPOSES LIKE NAVIGATION, FISHING, COMMERCE, YOU KNOW, WATER QUALITY, COASTAL ACCESS, AND THE CITY AND THE STATE SHARE A, A CONTINUING NONDELEGABLE DUTY TO PROTECT THESE RESOURCES AND ENSURE THAT THE TRUST NEEDS ARE MET. SO THE MAP YOU SEE THERE, UH, TO THE RIGHT DEPICTS TWO OP, THE MAIN OPERATING AREAS FOR THE TIDELANDS TRUST, THE WEST WILMINGTON AND THE LONG BEACH UNIT. WEST WILMINGTON WAS THE AREA OF THE INITIAL DISCOVERY OF OIL IN 1937. ITS OWNERSHIP IS VARIED ACROSS FIVE DEFINED GEOLOGIC, UH, FAULT BLOCKS WITH MINERAL INTEREST, ALSO VARYING BETWEEN THE CITY, STATE AND OTHER MINERAL OWNERS. PRODUCTION TODAY FROM THE WEST WILMINGTON OPERATIONS ACCOUNTS FOR ABOUT 70%, I'M SORRY, 30% OF THE TOTAL, UH, THAILANDS OIL PRODUCTION, THE LONG BEACH UNIT, OR AS WE REFER TO IT SOMETIMES AS THE EAST WILMINGTON IS THE AREA APPROVED FOR DEVELOPMENT BY THE STATE IN 1964. AND CONSISTS OF SMALL AREAS OF ONSHORE WELLS WITHIN THE PORT OF LONG BEACH, AND THE MAJORITY OF THE WELLS BEING LOCATED ON THE FOUR MANMADE OIL ISLANDS. IT CONSISTS OF THREE TRACKS UNITIZED UNDER A SINGLE AGREEMENT, AND THE CITY RETAINS THE REVENUE INTEREST, UM, IN, IN OF 8.5% IN TRACK, ONE 0% IN TRACK TWO, AND 7.4% IN TRACK THREE UNDER THE CURRENT OPTIMIZED WATER FLOOD, UH, PROGRAM AGREEMENT PRODUCTION TODAY FROM THE, THE LONG BEACH UNIT ACCOUNTS FOR ABOUT 70% OF THE TOTAL PRODUCTION, UH, IN [01:35:01] THE TIDELANDS. SO THIS IS KIND OF THE TIMELINE OF ALL THE LEGAL AND STATE STATUTES THAT HAVE WERE INITIALLY, UH, PUT IN PLACE AND HAD WORKED THEIR WAY OVER TIME. I'LL WALK THROUGH AND BRIEFLY, IN 1911, THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA GRANTED THE CITY OF LONG BEACH, THE TIDELANDS AND SUBMERGED LANDS LYING WITHIN THE CITY, BOUNDARIES AND TRUST FOR CERTAIN USES AND PURPOSES CONNECTED WITH THE DEVELOPMENT OF LONG BEACH HARBOR. THE TERMS OF THE STATE'S ORIGINAL GRANT OF INTEREST IN LONG BEACH TIDELANDS WERE AMENDED BY THE LEGISLA IN 1925 AND 1935, ENLARGING THE TERMS OF THE ORIGINAL GRANT FOLLOWING THE DISCOVERY OF OIL UNDER THE TIDELANDS IN 1937. IT WAS DETERMINED IN THE CITY OF LONG BEACH VERSUS MARSHALL THAT THE CITY HAD THE RIGHT TO PRODUCE OIL AND GAS FROM THESE LANDS AND IN THE CITY OF LONG BEACH VERSUS MORSE THAT, AND THAT THE OIL AND GAS REVENUES COULD ONLY BE USED FOR TRUST PURPOSES. IN 1951, THE LEGISLATOR FOUND THAT APPROXIMATELY 50% OF THE OIL AND GAS REVENUE WAS NO LONGER NEEDED FOR TRUST PURPOSES AND DECLARED SUCH PART OF THE REVENUE FREE FROM THE PUBLIC TRUST. THE CITY THEN AMENDED ITS CHARTER TO USE THESE FUNDS FOR GENERAL PURPOSES IN THE MALLON VERSUS CITY OF LONG BEACH. IN 1955, IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE STATE, NOT THE CITY, WAS ENTITLED TO THE REVENUE FREED FROM THE TRUST BY ITS PARTIAL REVOCATION. FUTURE TITLELESS OIL PROFITS. AFTER THIS DECISION WERE SPLIT 50 50 BETWEEN THE CITY AND THE STATE WITH ALL THE GAS REVENUE GOING TO THE STATE. UH, THEN IN 1964, WITH THE FORMATION OF THE LONG BEACH UNIT, THE STATE RECEIVED ALL THE TITLELESS PROFITS FROM THE WEST WILMINGTON OPERATIONS, AND THE CITY THEN RECEIVED A DECLINING FIXED PAYMENTS SCHEDULE DURING THE TIME WITH OIL REVENUES RETAINED BY THE CITY, WHICH FURTHER RESTRICTED ITS ACCESS TO THEIR SPECIFIC USES. AND THEN IN 1991, THE CITY STATE AND THE OPERATOR AT THE TIME, UH, ARCO IMPLEMENTED THE LONG BEACH UNIT OPTIMIZED WATER FLOOD PROGRAM AGREEMENT WITH THE LONG BEACH TIDELANDS PROFIT SPLIT IN TRACK ONE, WHICH IS THE MAJORITY OF IT, THE STATE RECEIVING 42.5%, THE CITY 8.5%, AND OUR CODE 49% FOR TRACK ONE. SO THE LAST TWO THAT WE JUST TALKED ABOUT, THERE'S VARIOUS RATIONALE, UH, FOR WHY THE SPLITS WERE WHAT THEY WERE. BUT ESSENTIALLY IN THE CHAPTER 1 38 OF 19 IN THE 1964, IS THAT THEY PROJECTED SUBSTANTIAL AUGMENTATIONS OR INCREASE IN OIL REVENUE FROM THE CREATION OF LONG BEACH UNIT, AND CONCLUDED THAT THE CONTINUED EXPENDITURE IN THE FUTURE BY THE CITY OF OIL REVENUES IN THE PERCENTAGES BEFORE, WHICH WAS 50%, WOULD BE ECONOMICALLY IMPRACTICAL, UNWISE, AND UNNECESSARY. UH, AS TIME WENT BY ALMOST 27 YEARS LATER, UH, THE OWPA CAME INTO PLAY AS, AS WE MENTIONED, AND IN CHAPTER, UH, 9 41, UH, IT WAS HELD THAT THE THAILAND REVENUES HAD DECLINED SIGNIFICANTLY BY 1991 AND CONTINUED THE FLOW OF OIL REVENUE WAS DEEMED BY THE STATE AS NECESSARY FOR PROMOTION OF PUBLIC INTEREST. SO THE LEGISLATOR EXPANDED THE CITY SHARE OF REVENUE, UH, IN THE LONG BEACH UNIT, PARTICULARLY IN TRACK ONE TO 8.5, 0.8 0.5% TO INCENTIVIZE THE CITY TO IMPLEMENT THIS PROGRAM, WHICH SIGNIFICANTLY EXTENDED THE OIL FIELD'S ECONOMIC LIFE THROUGH CAPITAL INVESTMENT. SO, LIKE EVERYBODY ELSE TONIGHT, WE ALL HAVE CURRENT AND FUTURE CHALLENGES. UH, AND AND SPECIFIC TO THE THAILAND'S OIL REVENUE, UH, THE STATE'S COLLECTED NEARLY 6 BILLION, UH, SINCE, UH, 2004. THE REVENUE SPLIT HAS NOT BEEN UPDATED TO REFLECT RISING COST OR DECLINING OIL PRODUCTION. THE STATE HAS ONLY RESERVED 400 MILLION OF ITS ESTIMATED 1 BILLION OBLIGATION TO REMEDIATE THE THAILAND OPERATIONS. AT THE END OF ITS LIFE, THE STATE HAS NOT PROVIDED A PLAN FOR A REASONABLE TRANSITION AWAY OIL THAT PROTECTS LONG BEACH'S RESIDENTS, COASTLINE AND FINANCIAL FUTURE. AND IN A RECENT, UH, CITY OTTER ESTIMATED THAT ROUGHLY 300 MILLION IN LOST OIL REVENUE OVER THE NEXT DECADE, WHILE MORE THAN 1 BILLION IN COASTAL CAPITAL NEEDS REMAIN UNFUNDED. ALL RIGHT, THANK YOU. SO I WILL, UH, FINISH UP HERE. UM, SO, UM, UH, I THOUGHT YOU WERE, DID YOU HANDLE THIS ONE? SO, YEAH, THIS IS YOUR SLIDE. SORRY, I'M SORRY. SO THE OIL PRODUCTION CHALLENGES, UH, I'M SORRY, SB 1137, AS YOU KNOW, THAT WAS, UH, IMPLEMENTED, UH, A FEW YEARS AGO. IT, IT DEFINED A HEALTH HAZARD ZONE, AND IT BASICALLY AFFECTED, WELL ANY, UH, RECEPTOR LOCATED WITHIN 3,200 FEET OF AN OIL AND GAS WELL, SUCH AS A RESIDENT SCHOOL, HOSPITALS, PLAYGROUNDS, NURSING HOMES. SO IN THAT HEALTH HAZARD ZONE, THERE WILL BE NO, WELL PERMITS, UH, ISSUED A LIMITED REPAIR OF CURRENT FACILITIES. SO IT REALLY LIMITED, UH, THE, THE OPERATIONS THAT CAN BE CONDUCTED, UH, IN THE AREAS THAT WE OPERATE UNDER. WE HAVE ABOUT 50% OF WHAT I SHOWED YOU ON THOSE TWO MAPS IMPACTED BY THIS, UH, UH, 3,200 FOOT RESTRICTION. AND IT BECAME EFFECTIVE IN JUNE OF 2024. THE OTHER SIGNIFICANT IMPACT FROM THE REGULATORY SIDE IS, UH, THE REDUCTION OF OUR INJECTION GRADIENT. SO WE, WE PUT OIL WATER BACK INTO THE GROUND THAT WE BRING TO THE SURFACE THROUGH OUR PRODUCTION, AND IT TAKES PRESSURE TO PUT THAT WATER AWAY. AND IF WE CAN PUT OR FORCE TO PUT IT AWAY AT A LOWER PRESSURE, THERE'S LESS WATER WE CAN PUT INTO THE GROUND. AND [01:40:01] WE CAN'T STOCKPILE WATER AT THE SURFACE BECAUSE WE HAVE LIMITED CAPABILITY, SO WE HAVE TO PRODUCE LESS. SO IT'S KIND OF A, A CART BEFORE THE HORSE THING. UM, THE ORIGINAL DIRECTORY WAS TO REDUCE PRESSURE WITHIN SIX MONTHS. UH, WE'VE COUNTERED WITH A PLAN TO REDUCE IT WITHIN FIVE YEARS, AND WE'RE CURRENTLY IN THE PROCESS OF ADHERING TO THE PLAN THAT WE SUBMITTED TO CAL GYM. UH, WE'VE ACTUALLY SEEN INSTANCES WHERE WE'RE NOT ABLE TO PUT AWAY SOME THINGS AND, AND SURFACE ELEVATIONS, OR WE'RE TRYING TO GET A BETTER UNDERSTANDING. WE SURVEYED TWICE A YEAR, UH, BUT, UH, WE, WE'VE GOT A PAUSE RIGHT NOW THAT WE WERE GRANTED FOR ABOUT SIX MONTHS TO A YEAR TO BETTER UNDERSTAND THE IMPACTS OF THIS INJECTION GRADIENT. UH, AND SO WE CAN MAKE THE APPROPRIATE ADJUSTMENTS OVER THE NEXT FIVE YEARS. UM, DUE TO THE REDUCTION IN OIL PRODUCTION, UH, AND ASSUMING AN AVERAGE, UH, UH, PRODUCTION OF PRICE OF 60 DOTTED $5 A BARREL, THE NET OIL REVENUES ARE PROJECTED TO BE ZERO BY FY 32. AND AGAIN, THAT'S THE NET. REMEMBER, WE, WE STILL HAVE TO FUND OUR ABANDONMENT LIABILITY, AND THAT'S A PORTION OF THE MONIES THAT ARE TAKEN FROM THAT, UH, PROFITS. AND WE STICK THEM ASIDE FOR OUR LIABILITY, ABANDONMENT LIABILITY. BUT APPROXIMATELY IN FY 32, UH, THEY WILL BE, UH, NEUTRAL. ALL RIGHT, SO NOW WE NOW UNDERSTAND WHERE A VAST MAJORITY OF THE, OF THE REVENUE COMES FROM AND THE COMPLEXITY THAT IT TAKES TO, TO GET THOSE DOLLARS. LET'S TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT HOW THEY'RE SPENT. UH, SO WITHIN TIDELANDS, WE HAVE THREE DIFFERENT AREAS THAT ARE ALL TIDELANDS DOLLARS, BUT WE KIND, YOU KNOW, THAT CAN BE USED ON ANYTHING, BUT WE KIND OF SEGREGATE THEM OUT FOR CERTAIN PURPOSES. AND SO ONE IS THE MARINA FUNDS. UH, SO REALLY SETTING ASIDE DOLLARS AND COLLECTING REVENUES TO, UH, IMPROVE AND MAINTAIN OUR MARINAS. ANOTHER IS THE QUEEN MARY. SO WE'VE ALWAYS TRIED TO HAVE THE QUEEN MARY SUPPORT ITSELF. SO IT'S NOT GETTING GENERAL FUND DOLLARS. AND IN GENERAL, UM, IN THE PAST HAS NOT GOTTEN MANY THAILANDS DOLLARS AND IT'S SUPPORTING ITSELF, AND NOW IT'S STARTING TO GENERATE REVENUE. AND THEN THE THAILAND'S OPERATING FUNDS, WHICH ARE RESTRICTED TO GENERAL THAILAND'S EXPENSES. SO SOME OF THE OPERATIONAL EXPENSES WE HAVE, OUR BEACH AND JUNIOR LIFEGUARD PROGRAM IS A BIG, UM, EXPENSE, NOT THE JUNIOR LIFEGUARD AS MUCH THAT'S OFFSET WITH, UH, FEES. BUT REALLY PROVIDING BEACH LIFEGUARDS IS A, IS A HUGE INVESTMENT THAT WE MAKE. UH, WE HAVE A LOT OF DOLLARS FOR OUR SAND MANAGEMENT AND STORM PROTECTION. UH, WE DO BEACH MANAGEMENT AND, AND, UH, A LOT OF ACTIVITIES ON THE BEACH. UH, WE FUND A CONVENTION CENTER, UM, WHICH A LOT OF PEOPLE BELIEVE MAKES A HUGE PROFIT. IT ACTUALLY OPERATES IN THE NEGATIVE, UM, AND THAILAND SUPPORTS THAT, BUT IT'S THERE TO BRING IN VISITORS AND TO ACTIVATE OUR BUSINESSES AND OUR HOTELS. UH, CONVENTION CENTERS REALLY AREN'T DESIGNED TO BE, TO BE HUGE GENERATORS. THEY'RE ECONOMIC DRIVERS RATHER THAN A, A SINGLE BUILDING BY ITSELF, MAKING, MAKING THOSE DOLLARS, UH, BELMONT POOL OPERATIONS, UH, PARKING GARAGES AND ENFORCEMENT DEBT SERVICE, AND THEN HOMELESSNESS RESPONSE. SO AS WE TALK ABOUT OUR CONVENTION CENTER, IT'S CURRENTLY OPERATING AT A DEFICIT, ABOUT $2 MILLION. UM, UH, AND A LOT OF THAT HAS BEEN DUE TO LABOR COST INCREASES AND WORKING WITH OUR PARTNERS, UM, UH, AT UNITE HERE, UH, TO GET A, A FAIR AGREEMENT. BUT THOSE DO HAVE IMPACTS ON THE ACTUAL COST, UH, OF THE, OF THE BUILDING. AND THEN PAYING THE UTILITIES AND HEATING COSTS AND THE INSURANCE COSTS, UM, UH, TO OPERATE THE FACILITY. UH, WE HAVE ISSUED DEBT OVER THE YEARS, UM, AND, UH, YOU KNOW, SOME OF THOSE 20, 30 YEARS AGO, BUT IN THE NEXT 10 YEARS, A LOT OF THOSE ARE GONNA COME OFF THE BOOKS. SO THAT ACTUALLY IS, IS A LITTLE BIT OF AN OPPORTUNITY IN RAINBOW HARBOR. WE ENDED THE DEBT SERVICE IN 2023, THE QUEEN MARY. UM, WE, UH, DID VERY, UM, STRATEGICALLY SEVEN AND 10 YEAR DEBT, RATHER THAN 20 AND 30 YEAR DEBT. SO THAT ACTUALLY WILL END, UM, IN 2028 AND GIVE US A CHANCE TO REINVEST AGAIN IF WE CHOOSE TO. UM, AQUARIUM, UH, ENDS IN FY 30. THAT'S THE, UH, AQUARIUM IN THE PARKING GARAGE. AND THEN THE PIKE PARKING GARAGE ENDS IN FY 33. UH, WE HAVE, UH, DONE SOME AMAZING PROJECTS OVER THE LAST YEARS IN TIDELANDS. AND OUR, OUR GOAL IS TO HAVE THE BEST BEACH FACILITIES OF ANY BEACH COMMUNITY. UH, GIVEN THAT WE DON'T HAVE THE TYPICAL WAVE TYPE ACTIVITY THAT BRINGS PEOPLE DOWN, UH, OUR STRATEGIC GOAL HAS HAD TO HAVE AMAZING FACILITIES, AND WE'VE ACCOMPLISHED THAT. AND WE'VE GOT A LOT OF PROJECTS IN THE WORK STILL. UH, THESE ARE THE ONES THAT STILL HAVE DOLLARS ASSIGNED TO THEM FROM OUR, OUR, UH, LONG-TERM STRATEGIC PLAN, UH, CAPITAL PLAN, THE BEACH, UH, AQUATICS CENTER, UH, UH, BELMONT BEACH AQUATIC CENTER AT 50 MILLION BEACH FACILITIES CONVENTION CENTER, SEA WALLS, DOCKS AND BOAT LAUNCH, UH, PARKING LOTS, STREETS AND GARAGES, ALAMEDA BAY AND RAINBOW, UH, UH, LAGOON WATER QUALITY ARE BELMONT PIER AND OUR PLAYGROUNDS. AND THEN, UM, WE DO GET A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF REVENUE COMING INTO THE TIDELANDS. IN MOST CITIES. THE BEACH ACTUALLY GETS GENERALLY FUND SUBSIDIZED, BUT IN LONG BEACH, UH, WE DO HAVE A LOT OF REVENUE TO SUPPORT IT. OUR HARBOR, UM, UH, GENEROUSLY PROVIDES $25 MILLION, UH, 5% OF THEIR GROSS PROFITS GO TO SUPPORT THE TIDELANDS. UH, WE GET ABOUT $11 MILLION IN PARKING FEES AND CITATIONS, $10 MILLION IN, IN OIL NET REVENUES. UH, ABOUT $8 MILLION IN POOLED CASH INTEREST RIGHT NOW, ABOUT $6 MILLION FROM OUR FACILITY RENTALS, AND ABOUT 2.7 IN FEES. AND SO, THE BAD NEWS THOUGH, IS THAT FOR THE FIRST TIME IN MANY YEARS, UM, WE'RE ACTUALLY FACING A TIDELANDS [01:45:01] DEFICIT, UM, COMING UP. THIS IS THE VERY FIRST YEAR OF DEFICIT. UM, UH, SO, UH, THESE PROJECTIONS CAN AND WILL CHANGE. IT'S, UH, THE REVENUE SOURCES ARE, ARE PRETTY HIGHLY DEPENDENT ON THE ECONOMY. UH, BUT FOR THE FIRST YEAR, YOU'LL SEE IN FY 26, WE'RE ACTUALLY IN A DEFICIT THIS YEAR AT 1.5 MILLION. I'LL SPEAK TO THAT IN A SECOND. UH, AND THEN IT GOES UP TO 2.9 MILLION, AND THEN 7.89 AND 10. THOSE ARE NOT CUMULATIVE STRUCTURAL DEFICITS, THOSE ARE PER YEAR DEFICITS. SO IF YOU SOLVE SOMETHING IN THE YEAR BEFORE, IT'LL HELP THE IN THE NEXT YEAR. AND SO, UM, UH, THIS YEAR IS IN THE BUDGET. WE ARE SETTING ASIDE, FIRST AND FOREMOST, OF THE $5.5 MILLION WE EXPECT TO GET IN, IN THAILANDS DOLLARS, EXTRA THAILANDS DOLLARS. 1.5 GOES FOR THE ANTICIPATED DEFICIT. UH, THE COUNCIL AND THE MAYOR HAVE BEEN VERY CLEAR THAT THE SEAWALLS PROJECT IS SOMETHING WE NEED TO CONTINUE TO FUND. AND WE HAVE BEEN FUNDING IN THE LAST SEVERAL FUNDING CYCLES THAT IS GETTING ANOTHER $2 MILLION TO DO THE, THE TIE, UH, BACKS AND STARTING WITH THE PERMITTING. AND THEN WE WANNA INVEST IN REVENUE SO THAT WE CAN ACTUALLY GENERATE MORE REVENUE. AND SO THE QUEEN MARY IS NOW POSITIVE FOR THE FIRST TIME IN 40 YEARS. IT'S ACTUALLY THE SECOND YEAR THAT IT'S, UH, GENERATING A NET POSITIVE OF CASH FROM THE OPERATING EXPENSE. AND SO, UM, THINGS LIKE, SIR WINSTON'S WAS A HUGE REVENUE GENERATOR IN THE PAST, AND WE WANNA BRING THAT BACK, UH, AND, AND ADD TO, TO OUR REVENUE GENERATION. AND THEN, UM, WE WILL BE BRINGING YOU A PLAN, UH, BY THE END OF THE YEAR ABOUT THE, UH, THE BELMONT POOL AND HOW TO FINANCE THAT AND, AND HOW THAT FITS INTO THE FINANCES AND WHAT SOME OF THE CHOICES WILL BE IF WE WANNA MOVE FORWARD WITH A POOL. SO I'M ALMOST DONE. I KNOW IT'S A LONG PRESENTATION, BUT THERE'S THIS, AGAIN, THIS IS ONE OF OUR MOST COMPLEX FUNDS, UM, THAT REALLY IS, IS SOMETHING THAT EVERYBODY GETS TO ENJOY. BLEACH BELONGS TO EVERYBODY IN THE CITY. AND SO WE STILL HAVE ABOUT A BILLION DOLLARS WORTH OF UNFUNDED CAPITAL NEEDS, UH, FROM EXPENSES OF THE QUEEN MARY TO THE CONVENTION AND EN ENTERTAINMENT CENTER, UH, TO THE $125 MILLION NAPAL SEA WALL REPLACEMENT, UH, TO OUR PENINSULA SHORELINE, UH, THE BELMONT PIER, OUR, UM, RESTORATION PROJECTS IN THE BAY, INCLUDING ALAMEDAS BAY, UM, REMOVING AND REPURPOSING THE THUMBS OIL ISLANDS. UM, UH, ONCE OIL IS IS DONE, UH, THE, UH, BELMONT POOL, AND THEN, UM, RESTORATION OF SOME OF THE WETLANDS. SO THIS IS JUST SOME OF THE MAJOR PROJECTS THAT CONTRIBUTE TO THAT, OVER BILLION DOLLARS. SO THE MAYOR AND COUNCIL HAVE NOT BEEN JUST SITTING BACK AND, AND WAITING FOR THIS TO HAPPEN. BEEN VERY PROACTIVE OVER THE LAST COUPLE YEARS. KNOWING THIS IS COMING. WHAT CAN WE DO? UH, THE MAYOR AND COUNCIL, UH, SUPPORTED A GROW LONG BEACH INITIATIVE, WHICH IS TO ADVANCE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND DIVERSIFY, EXPLORING ALTERNATIVE REVENUE STREAMS TO GET US AWAY FROM THAT RELIANCE ON OIL. AND IT FOCUSES ON SIX INDUSTRY SECTORS. NOT ALL ARE IN THE COAST, BUT THEIR AEROSPACE AND AVIATION, TRANSPORTATION, LOGISTICS AND SUPPLY CHAIN, UM, TOURISM AND THE CREATIVE ECONOMY, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, CLIMATE FORWARD ECONOMY, AND OTHER, UM, INITIATIVES. AND SO SPECIFIC TO TIDELANDS, UH, AS I WRAP UP, UH, WE DO HAVE A PLAN. UM, SO FIRST AND FOREMOST, INVEST WHERE WE CAN IN THOSE REVENUE GENERATING ASSETS. THAT'S WHY WE TALK ABOUT AN AMPHITHEATER. IT WILL BE A NET POSITIVE ONCE IT PAYS FOR ITS CAPITAL, UH, COSTS. AND WE'LL START BRINGING IN REVENUE THAT THEN WE CAN DO, UM, UH, MORE PROJECTS AND MORE, UH, REVENUE GENERATING PROJECTS WITH THE QUEEN MARY AND SIR WINSTON'S ALSO GENERATING NET POSITIVE CASH RIGHT NOW, AND CAN DO MORE AS WE ACTIVATE THAT SITE. UM, ADVERTISING, WE HAVE A GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO BRING IN SOME ADVERTISING AND MARKETING AND SPONSORSHIP REVENUES, UM, IN, IN THE T**S AREA. UH, LOOKING AT THE ARENA AS THE MAYORS TALKED ABOUT AT THE STATE OF THE CITY AND BROUGHT TO THE COUNCIL, UH, CAN THE ARENA BE, UM, BROUGHT FORWARD WHILE CONVENTION CENTERS DON'T GENERATE A LOT OF CASH ARENAS AND ENTERTAINMENT CENTERS DO. UM, AND THEN OF COURSE, FOCUSING ON CONCERTS AND EVENTS AND TOURISM AND CONVENTIONS AND BUSINESS ACTIVATION. WE'RE CONTINUING TO MODERNIZE OUR MARINAS. WE HAVE THE LARGEST MUNICIPALLY OWNED MARINA SYSTEM IN THE UNITED STATES. UH, AND A GREAT DEMAND FOR, FOR OUR ACTIVITY DOWN THERE. WE HAVE A MASTER PLAN FOR THE FUTURE OF THE SHORELINE. LOOKING OUT 20, 30 YEARS, WE'RE CONTINUING THE PURSUIT WITH OUR PORT OF PARTNERSHIP FUNDS WHERE WE CAN HELP THEM IN THE PORT AND THEY CAN IN TURN, TURN AROUND AND, AND GENERATE SOME REVENUE TO HELP US IN THAILANDS. WE'RE PURSUING FUNDING FROM THE STATE, UH, AND YOU'LL HEAR MORE ABOUT THAT LATER TONIGHT. BUT ALSO LOOKING AT USING SOME OF THE INTERESTS THAT WE HAVE ON, ON SOME OF THESE, UM, SINKING FUNDS THAT WE'VE SET UP TO, TO HELP WITH OUR TRANSITION. WE'RE FUNDING OUR ABANDONMENT LIABILITY, DOING OUR ENVIRONMENTAL, UH, RESPONSIBILITY SO THAT WHEN OIL IS DONE, UH, WE WILL HAVE CLEANED THOSE UP AND HAVE SET ASIDE MONEY FOR IT, ADDRESSING CRITICAL INFRASTRUCTURE LIKE THE NAPLES, SEA WALLS, LIKE OUR, UH, UH, BEACH MANAGEMENT, UM, OUR BATHROOMS, OUR, UM, ALL OF OUR ASSETS, OUR PEER, AND THEN OF COURSE, ADDRESSING THE STRUCTURAL IMBALANCE, UM, FOR OPERATIONS. AND THEN PLANNING FOR THE END OF OIL. SO THAT, UH, GETS US TO THE END OF OUR PRESENTATIONS. UH, WE'LL TURN IT BACK TO YOU, MAYOR, TO, UM, UH, FACILITATE THE BUDGET QUESTIONS. ALRIGHT, WELL, UH, THANK YOU TOM AND TEAM FOR THESE THREE INCREDIBLE PRESENTATIONS. UH, WE'RE GONNA GO TO COUNCIL DELIBERATION, AND THEN WE HAVE PUBLIC COMMENT, 40 SOME ODD, UH, UH, RESIDENTS WHO'VE SIGNED UP TO SPEAK. MY COMMENTS ARE GONNA BE BRIEF, UM, YOU KNOW, ON COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT. [01:50:01] LOTS OF INCREDIBLE WORK. JUST WANNA LIFT UP. 1,788 HOUSING UNITS, UH, ARE ENTIT WERE ENTITLED THIS PAST YEAR, UH, PERMITS ISSUED FOR 1700 UNITS THAT ARE NOW UNDER CONSTRUCTION AND COMPLETED 1200 NEW UNIT, NEW UNITS THAT ARE AVAILABLE FOR TENANTS. EACH OF THESE PROJECTS, YOU HAVE TO HAVE AN INSPECTOR THAT SHOWS UP AT EVERY, EVERY STAGE OF THE DEVELOPMENT. IT'S TIME TO DO ELECTRICAL, IT'S TIME TO DO PLUMBING. YOU'RE GOING TO ANOTHER LEVEL. INSPECTORS HAVE TO LOOK AT IT, INSPECT EVERY FOOTING AND EVERY STEP. A LOT OF STAFF TIME WENT INTO THIS. SO THIS IS A REFLECTION OF A, AN, AN INCREDIBLE AMOUNT OF WORK. AND CHRISTOPHER, THIS IS RECORD. THIS WAS ANOTHER RECORD, RIGHT? I THINK SINCE YOU'VE BEEN DIRECTOR, WE'VE LIKE BROKEN RECORDS EVERY YEAR ON HOUSING PRODUCTION. SO CONGRATULATIONS TO YOU, EVEN IN THIS DIFFICULT ENVIRONMENT. YOU AND YOUR TEAM ARE DOING INCREDIBLE WORK. UM, AND, AND ALLISON, UH, NO QUESTIONS, JUST COMMENTS. UM, WHERE SHE'S OVER THERE SOMEWHERE A THERE, SHE'S ALLISON. YOU KNOW, IT'S, IT'S DIFFICULT TO SEE THE POSITION, UM, THAT YOU ARE IN. UH, FINANCIALLY. WE'VE BEEN WORKING TO GET MORE FUNDING, UM, GENERAL FUND FUNDING INTO THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT THROUGHOUT THE YEARS BECAUSE THE MAJORITY OF YOUR RESOURCES HAVE BEEN GRANT FUNDED. BUT WE DIDN'T ANTICIPATE THAT YOU'D BE UNDER AN ALL OUT ATTACK FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT. AND, AND I WILL SAY, UM, WE ARE DOING OUR BEST TO PREPARE FINANCIALLY AND TO A, UH, AND TO SORT OF ADDRESS AND SMOOTH OUT THESE IMPACTS. BUT THEY, THEY HAPPEN SO RAPID THAT SOMETIMES WE, WE DON'T EVEN KNOW, FOR EXAMPLE, WHEN WE PUT TOGETHER THE MAYOR'S RECOMMENDATIONS, A LOT OF TIMES THAT'S MY OPPORTUNITY TO LOOK AT WHAT'S MISSING FROM THE OVERALL BUDGET AND ADDRESS SOME OF THOSE CHALLENGES. AND AS WE CLICK SAVE ON IT, WE LEARNED ABOUT THE, THE STI, UH, CUTS. AND SO WHAT I WOULD SAY TO OUR BUDGET OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE, UM, I KNOW THERE'S A LOT OF ASKS OUT THERE, BUT I THINK THAT'S ONE AREA TO PUT SOME, PUT SOME ATTENTION, UH, IN THIS BUDGET BECAUSE THAT IT, IT WASN'T ON THE TABLE WHEN I, WHEN I DID THE MAYOR'S BUDGET. SO THAT'S ONE PLACE THAT I THINK WE NEED TO LOOK AND SEE WHERE WE CAN BE CREATIVE. UM, BUT I THINK LONG TERM, I'LL JUST SAY IT, IF WE VALUE PUBLIC HEALTH, HOW OLD'S OUR HEALTH DEPARTMENT A HUNDRED YEARS, A HUNDRED YEAR OLD HEALTH DEPARTMENT, IF WE VALUE PUBLIC HEALTH, WE HAVE TO HAVE A BIGGER CONVERSATION AS A CITY ABOUT WHAT IT TAKES TO MAKE OUR, OUR PUBLIC HEALTH DEPARTMENT LESS DEPENDENT ON THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT. IT'S HONESTLY A CONVERSATION ABOUT WHAT KIND OF FUTURE WE WANT TO HAVE AS A CITY SO THAT WE DON'T HAVE TO HAVE THESE DIFFICULT CONVERSATIONS. 'CAUSE MOST, I MOST OF THE TIME THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT CONVERSATIONS ARE GOOD ONES, RIGHT? WE'RE, WE'RE LOOKING AT VIOLENCE PREVENTION, ALL THESE THINGS FROM A PUBLIC HEALTH LENS WHEN OTHER CITIES DON'T HAVE THAT BENEFIT. ONE OF ONLY THREE CITIES IN THE ENTIRE STATE. BUT THAT MADE THAT, THAT WAS, THAT WAS A PAINFUL PRESENTATION WHEN WE LOOK AT ALL OF THE THINGS WE VALUE WHO ARE UNDER ATTACK RIGHT NOW. SO THE ONLY WAY FORWARD IS TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO CONTROL OUR OWN FATE HERE AS IT RELATES TO PUBLIC HEALTH. BUT THANK YOU. NO QUESTIONS FOR YOU. MOST ON TIGHT TIGHTS, I'LL JUST SAY, UM, WE HAVE AN ITEM LATER TO HAVE CONVERSATIONS ABOUT, YOU KNOW, THE HISTORY AND HOW WE GOT THERE AND ALL OF THAT, AND STATE LEGISLATION. SO I, I'LL SAVE MY COMMENTS FOR THAT DURING THAT ITEM. BUT I WILL SAY, UM, TOM, ON THE GROW LONG BEACH, UH, STUFF, AND THANK YOU FOR HIGHLIGHTING IT, THESE INVESTMENTS MAKE A DIFFERENCE. WHEN WE TALK ABOUT TAKING OUR ARENA, WHICH HAS INCREDIBLE HISTORY, LIKE PEOPLE HAVE PERFORMED THERE, IT USED TO BE A REVENUE GENERATOR. AND WE, FOR THE MOST PART, SINCE THE, I DON'T KNOW, THE EARLY TWO THOUSANDS, WE'VE REALLY USED IT AS A BALLROOM. AND IT'S, AND IT'S DONE GREAT FOR THE CONVENTION CENTER, BUT IT HAS GREAT POTENTIAL TO BE A REVENUE DRIVER AND REVENUE GENERATOR. AGAIN, NOT JUST INDIRECTLY, BUT DIRECTLY. IF WE INVEST IN IT, IT'S GOT GREAT, IT HAS GREAT BONES, GREAT POTENTIAL. LOOK AT WHAT THEY DID WITH THE FORUM, YOU KNOW, WITH THE HISTORY THAT WE HAVE, WE INVESTED, YOU DON'T HAVE TO PUT $2 BILLION IN LIKE INTUIT DOME 'CAUSE IT'S GOT GREAT BONES, BUT YOU HAVE TO ADD SOME PREMIUM FOOD AND BEVERAGE. YOU HAVE TO ADD SOME CLUB LEVEL EXPERIENCES, BOX SUITES, THOSE TYPES OF THINGS. AND BOOK ENTERTAINMENT THAT WILL GENERATE MORE REVENUE. THE AMPHITHEATER WILL GENERATE MORE REVENUE. UM, YOU KNOW, AND EVERY TIME THAT I HEAR IT IS JUST IMPRESSIVE THAT WE HAVE THE LARGEST MUNICIPALLY OWNED MARINAS WITH OPPORTUNITIES. 'CAUSE WE'RE PRETTY AFFORDABLE TOO, IN TERMS OF PUBLIC MARINAS. WE HAVE OPPORTUNITIES TO GENERATE REVENUE THERE, EXPLORE NEW MARINAS. YOU KNOW, THERE'S, THERE'S, UM, UM, MARINAS OUTSIDE OF AMPHITHEATERS AND PEOPLE PULL UP THEIR BOATS AND SEE A FREE SHOW AND ALL OF THAT. THERE'S OPPORTUNITIES FOR US TO DO THOSE, SOME OF THOSE VERY SAME THINGS. BUT EACH OF THOSE PLAYS TAKES TIME. FIVE YEARS, 10 YEARS. WE'RE SEEING WHAT WE NEED. WE'RE SEEING THE SIGNS THAT WE NEED TO SEE, BUT, UM, WE'RE GONNA NEED SOME INTERVENTION, UM, FROM THE STATE IN ORDER FOR US TO ACTUALLY SEE THOSE INVESTMENTS, UM, MATURE. SO THERE IS A RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN EVERYTHING WE'RE DOING. 'CAUSE I THINK WE'RE DOING, THINKING ABOUT THESE THINGS THE RIGHT WAY, BUT WE NEED [01:55:01] TO BE, BE TO LEVEL WITH THE PUBLIC THAT AN AMPHITHEATER, AN ARENA IS NOT GONNA SPIN OFF REVENUE TO SAVE US OVERNIGHT. WE HAVE TO AND MAKE THOSE INVESTMENTS. AND WE HAVE TO BUILD IT UP. SHORELINE DRIVE, THAT'S GONNA, THAT'S A 20, 30 YEAR VISION, RIGHT? ALL, YOU KNOW, ALL THE OPPORTUNITIES WE HAVE BECAUSE WE'RE FORTUNATE THAT WE'VE OWNED AND WE OWN ALL THESE PROPERTIES THEY TAKE TIME TO INVEST IN. SO WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE, UH, WE LEVEL WITH THE PUBLIC ABOUT WHAT'S REQUIRED IN ORDER FOR US TO GET TO THAT SUSTAINABLE PLACE. UM, BUT THAT SAID, THIS WAS A LOT, A LOT WE HEARD TONIGHT. UM, WE'RE GONNA GET A LOT OF QUESTIONS, UH, FOR THE COUNCIL. SO WE'RE GONNA START WITH WHO WAS THE MAKING THE MOTION. I DON'T HAVE IT UP YET, RICK. OKAY. COUNCIL MEMBER RICK SODI. YOU'RE UP. THANK YOU, MAYOR. UM, AND I WANTED TO START WITH HEALTH, UH, BUT I WANTED TO, UM, DIRECTOR KING. I WANTED TO UPLIFT AND AGREE WITH EVERYTHING THE MAYOR SAID AROUND, UM, I THINK I MENTIONED THIS TO YOU, UH, UH, A WHILE BACK THAT I WAS LIKE, I, I, I'M NOT SURE THE MAGIC THAT YOU MAKE OVER THERE AT THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT, YOU AND YOUR STAFF, BUT YOU MAKE US PROUD EVERY SINGLE DAY AND THE WAY THAT YOU INVEST IN OUR COMMUNITY, THE WORK THAT YOU ALL DO, UM, AND THE WAY THAT YOU ARE NAVIGATING AND PIVOTING AND TRYING TO ADDRESS THE FUNDING GAPS. UH, THE CHALLENGES THAT WE, UH, DID NOT FORESEE MANY OF YOU HAS HAVE HEARD ME SAY THAT. I DON'T THINK ANY OF US SAW MOST OF THIS ON OUR 2025 BINGO CARD. UM, BUT HERE WE ARE. UM, AND SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP. UM, I ALSO WANTED TO JUST, UM, COMPLIMENT YOU. UH, THIS SLIDE DECK IN YOUR PRESENTATION WAS EXCELLENT, VERY WELL PUT TOGETHER, CLEARLY LAID OUT THE ACCOMPLISHMENTS, THE CHALLENGES, UM, AND, UH, THE BUDGET ASK, RIGHT? LIKE IT WAS, I WAS, I WAS TEXTING MY, MY STAFF TALKING, COMPLIMENTING YOU ON, ON THE WAY THAT YOU STRUCTURED THIS TO MAKE IT VERY CLEAR. BUT IT ALSO GAVE US A VERY SOBERING PICTURE ON WHAT OUR HEALTH, THE CHALLENGES OF OUR HEALTH DEPARTMENT. UM, AND AS THE MAYOR MENTIONED, THE, THE KIND OF DIFFICULT DECISIONS WE NEED TO HAVE. BUT IF WE VALUE OUR HEALTH DEPARTMENT, LIKE WE HAVE, MANY OF US HAVE SAID THAT WE DO, RIGHT? THEN WE NEED TO PUT OUR, OUR MONEY WHERE OUR MOUTH IS AND THINK ABOUT THE WAYS THAT WE BOLSTER YOU AND SUPPORT YOU STRUCTURALLY ONGOING. UM, THAT BEING SAID, I JUST WANTED TO, TO LIFT UP A COUPLE OF THINGS. UM, SO A, A, A PROGRAM THAT I KNOW CAME OUT OF THE FRAMEWORK OF RACIAL RECONCILIATION THAT'S REALLY BEEN REALLY IMPORTANT AND I HEAR A LOT ABOUT, UM, IN THE BOC OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS IS THE, UM, OUR CRISIS RESPONSE TEAM. UM, AND SO I KNOW THAT, UH, THAT WAS ONE OF THE, UM, PROGRAMS THAT YOU MENTIONED. THE GRANT GOT CUT FEDERALLY THAT WAS GOING TO ORIGINALLY SUPPORT THAT. I KNOW THAT WE WERE ABLE TO FIND SOME FUNDING STRUCTURALLY TO SUPPORT IT, BUT I, MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT WE WEREN'T ABLE TO, TO FULLY, UH, FUND THAT, UM, IN THE, THE CURRENT BUDGET RECOMMENDATIONS. IS THAT CORRECT? UM, IT WAS CUT, UH, AS A RESULT OF AN EARMARK THAT WE WERE EXPECTING. WHEN THEY DID THE CONTINUING REV RESOLUTION AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL, IT WENT AWAY. UM, WHAT WE HAVE NOW IS PRETTY MUCH FULL FUNDING THANKS TO LA CASA, MEASURE H. EXCELLENT. WONDERFUL. YEAH. AND I, AND JUST TO ADD TO THAT, SO THIS WAS ONE OF THOSE PROGRAMS THAT WAS GOING TO GO AWAY HAD WE DONE NOTHING. SO THERE WAS THE GRANT THAT WAS, UH, THAT WAS REDUCED, I'LL TALK ABOUT THAT IN A SECOND. BUT THIS WAS, UH, THE COUNCIL PROVIDED TWO YEARS OF, OF ONE-TIME FUNDING, BUT WITHOUT ANY ONE-TIME FUNDING, IT WOULD'VE GONE AWAY. SO WITH, UH, MEASURE A COMING IN IT, IT'S FUNDING ABOUT 60 TO 70% OF IT STRUCTURALLY. SO NOW WE'RE 70% OF THE WAY THERE. AND THEN, UM, SOME OF THE FEW ONE TIMES WE HAD LEFT, WE USED TO COVER THIS YEAR, THEN, UM, WE DO BELIEVE WE'RE GONNA GET SOME EARMARK MONEY OUT OF THIS. UM, IT WAS GONE AWAY, BUT IT LOOKS LIKE IT'S COMING BACK. WE'LL HAVE A MEMO ON ON THAT FOR YOU SHORTLY. BUT THE, THE SENATE, UM, OUR SENATE MEMBERS REALLY DO VALUE THIS PROGRAM AND WANNA TRY TO INVEST IN IT IF WE CAN GET IT. WE JUST CAN'T COUNT ON THOSE DOLLARS TILL THEY ARRIVE. EXCELLENT. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THAT. UM, AND THEN MY ONLY, UH, ADDITIONAL QUESTION WAS, UM, ON SLIDE 28, YOU TALKED ABOUT, UH, SOME OF THE HEALTH FUND DEFICIT DRIVERS. UM, AND ONE OF THE ONES THAT YOU MENTIONED, AND I I, WE TALKED ABOUT THIS A LITTLE BIT IN BOC TODAY, WAS AROUND THE INDIRECT COSTS AND THE OVERHEAD COSTS. UM, AND I, YOU, YOU, YOU SAID A, A METRIC THAT STRUCK ME WHERE YOU SAID THAT OUR, UM, GRANT REIMBURSEMENT PERCENTAGE RIGHT NOW HOVERS AROUND 50%. AND CAN YOU TALK US THROUGH WHY THAT IS? MANY OF OUR GRANTS DON'T ALLOW US TO CHARGE FOR INDIRECT COSTS BECAUSE IT IS JUST THAT INDIRECT. THEY CANNOT TIE IT TO SOMETHING SPECIFIC. AND SO A LOT OF THAT COMES FROM, UM, THE LARGER EXPENSES THAT WE HAVE HERE AT THE CITY. THERE ARE SOME GRANTS, PARTICULARLY THROUGH OUR COUNTY, OUR OPIOID SETTLEMENT FUNDS AND OTHERS THAT DO ALLOW US, UM, ADMINISTRATIVE, UH, COST UP TO A CAP OF GENERALLY ABOUT 10%. WHEN YOU LOOK AT THAT ACROSS ALL OF OUR GRANTS, UM, IT AVERAGES OUT TO BE ABOUT 50% OF WHAT IS INDEED RECOVERABLE. UM, SO, UH, I THINK FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT IS, UM, PROJECTING THAT AT ABOUT 85%, BUT IT IS NOT QUITE THAT HIGH. IT'S 85% THE RIGHT NUMBER. YEAH. OKAY. YOU SAID, I'M SORRY, YOU SAID 85%? 85% IS WHAT [02:00:01] IS BEING PROJECTED BY FM AS RECOVERABLE, BUT IN REALITY IT IS ABOUT 50%, UM, THAT WE COULD ACTUALLY RECAPTURE WITH ANY OF THE GRANTS THAT DO ALLOW FOR THOSE COSTS TO BE CHARGED. AND WE HAD TO MAKE SOME CHANGES TO OUR COST ALLOCATION PLAN. THIS IS PRETTY COMPLEX STUFF, BUT I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT. UH, IN THE PAST, WE WERE ACTUALLY LEAVING MONEY ON THE TABLE, UM, FOR HEALTH GRANTS BECAUSE WE DIDN'T HAVE A RECOGNIZED, FEDERALLY RECOGNIZED COST ALLOCATION PLAN THAT THEY WOULD ACCEPT. AND, UH, THEY WERE SAYING YOU GOT A CERTAIN PLAN FOR THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT, WHICH IS LOW BECAUSE OF THE GRANT CAPS, BUT THE CITY ONE IS DIFFERENT. AND SO WE NEEDED TO COME UP WITH ONE STANDARDIZED COST ALLOCATION PLAN THAT YOU'LL CHARGE EVERYBODY. AND SO WE'VE DONE THAT. NOW IT'S, UH, BEEN ABLE TO RECOUP MORE DOLLARS, BUT THEN IT IS HIGHER. AND SO IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT THAT EACH FUND RECOGNIZE WHAT ITS COSTS, TOTAL COSTS ARE, AND WE'RE DOING THAT NOW BETTER. BUT THEN IT'S, THEY'RE NOT ALWAYS RECOVERABLE, BUT AT LEAST IT GIVES US A BETTER ACCOUNTING THAT WE'RE MAXIMIZING WHAT THE GRANT CAN PAY. AND THEN THAT'S WHERE THE GENERAL FUND WILL COME IN AND HELP SUBSIDIZE AND RETURN SOME OF THOSE DOLLARS, UM, AND MAKE THAT THAT SUBSIDY TO THE HEALTH FUND. OKAY. THANK YOU. I SEE MY TIME IS UP. I'LL REQ. UM, WHAT I'M GOING TO DO, I'M GONNA LOOK TO THE COUNCIL IF THE, I I THINK WE'RE GONNA GIVE DOUBLE TIME TO THE COUNCIL MEMBERS TO TRY TO KNOCK 'EM ALL OUT IF EVERYBODY CAN AGREE, WE'RE JUST GONNA PUT 10, 10 UP AND TRY TO GET ALL YOUR QUESTIONS IN AT ONCE. EVERYBODY GOOD WITH THAT? ALRIGHT. SO YOU GOT FIVE MORE? OKAY, WELL, WONDERFUL. THEN I'M GONNA HAVE A, A, A, A CONVERSATION WITH OUR, UH, OUR BESTIE OVER HERE AT COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT. UH, DIRECTOR KUNTZ, YOU'RE NOT ALLOWED TO TAKE MY FIVE MINUTES YET 'CAUSE HE HASN'T COME AND SAT DOWN YET, SO HE GOTTA RESET IT. YOU, YOU CHAIR A COMMITTEE WHERE YOU GET A WHOLE LOT OF TIME TO ASK THESE QUESTIONS TOO. SIR. SIR, SIR, I'M RECLAIMING MY TIME, SO ALL RIGHT, Y'ALL HERE ALL NIGHT. A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS. UM, UNDER A CODE ENFORCEMENT, UM, THERE WAS A COMMENT IN THERE AROUND FOCUS ON VACANT STOREFRONTS, UH, BUILDING, MONITORING AND PARTNERING WITH OTHER CITY ENTITIES TO PROMOTE NEW BUSINESS, THUS REVITALIZING BLIGHTED AREAS. UM, AND I JUST WANTED YOU TO KIND OF DESCRIBE TO US WHAT DO YOU SEE THAT FROM AN OPERATIONAL STANDPOINT, LIKE WHAT WOULD PARTNERING WITH OTHER CITY ENTITIES TO PROMOTE NEW BUSINESSES LOOK LIKE? SURE. SO WHEN WE HAVE A, UH, VACANT LOT, UM, AND IT HAS DUMPED ITEMS, MAYBE IT HAS, UH, PEOPLE TRESPASSING, IT HAS DIRT, WEEDS, UM, YOU KNOW, WE, WE START WITH A WARNING AND THEN WE ESCALATE AND WE, THAT'S AN ENFORCEMENT CASE. UM, BUT THE ANSWER TO THAT PROBLEM ISN'T JUST ENFORCEMENT. THE ANSWER IS THAT THE PROPERTY OWNER BUILDING SOMETHING ON THAT LOT AND ACTIVATING THAT SPACE. SO PART OF THAT IS PLANNING AND HAVING RULES THAT ALLOW A VIABLE USE. PART OF THAT IS THE BUILDING PERMIT PROCESS. UM, BUT PART OF THAT IS WORKING WITH OTHERS THAT CAN BE WORKING WITH ALLISON'S TEAM ON RESTAURANT AND FOOD SAFETY AND MAKING SURE THAT THE PROCESS RUNS SMOOTHLY, UM, FOR RESTAURANTS TO OPEN UP. THAT COULD BE WE HOLD THE PROPERTY OWNER ACCOUNTABLE, BUT SOMETIMES THERE ARE CRIMES OCCURRING ON SITE OR, OR OTHER ISSUES. SO THAT'S WORKING WITH OUR, OUR PD AND OUR, OUR FULL PUBLIC SAFETY, UM, CONTINUUM. UM, I, WE'RE A PRO-BUSINESS DEPARTMENT, BUT WE ARE A REGULATOR. SO THERE'S, UH, IN TERMS OF, UH, DEAL MAKING AND ATTRACTING CERTAIN BUSINESSES, THERE'S, UH, A POINT, UH, AT WHICH THAT WORK STOPS. AND, UM, IT'S, THAT'S DONE BY BEAU MARTINEZ. THAT'S DONE BY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT. SO IT DOES TAKE A WHOLE, UM, A WHOLE OF CITY APPROACH. OFTENTIMES THESE, UH, VACANT LOTS HAVE CHALLENGES. THEY, THEY WOULDN'T BE VACANT, UM, IF THEY WERE EASY TO DEVELOP. SO IT COULD BE WORKING EVEN WITH THE FIRE DEPARTMENT, WHICH HAS A CERTAIN ROLE IN REGULATING, UM, HAZARDOUS MATERIALS. UM, IT COULD BE WORKING WITH STATE AND FEDERAL PARTNERS, UM, TO REMEDIATE. UM, WE HAVE A LOT OF PROPERTIES WITH OIL WALLS. UM, AND WHILE WE PAY OUR OWN, UM, LIABILITY AND HAVE BEEN PUTTING THAT ASIDE, SOME PRIVATE, UH, OWNERS HAVE NOT PLANNED AT ALL FOR THAT LIABILITY. AND IT CAN COST 2, 3, 4, $5 MILLION TO ABANDON A SINGLE WELL. UM, SO WE HAVE TO HAVE TO WORK AS A WHOLE OF CITI TO ADDRESS THOSE ISSUES. EXCELLENT. THANK YOU FOR THAT. UM, ADDITIONALLY, UM, I KNOW WE TALKED ABOUT THIS A LITTLE BIT, UM, BUT I SEE IN THE PUBLIC, IN THE, IN THEIR BUDGET THAT YOU HAD, UM, THE ADDITION OF A PUBLIC AFFAIRS ASSISTANT IN THE EXECUTIVE OFFICE TO ENHANCE COMMUNICATIONS CAPABILITIES AND INCREASE PUBLIC OUTREACH. UM, AND YOU'RE ALSO ADDING AN ADMIN ANALYST THREE IN THE EXECUTIVE OFFICE IS COMMUNICATION DIVISION FOR OUTREACH AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT EFFORTS. UM, AND THEN THERE'S SOME ONE-TIME DOLLARS, UM, ALSO INCLUDED IN THE BUDGET FOR ONE-TIME FUNDING FOR TRAINING AND CONSULTING SERVICES TO ENHANCE COMMUNICATION AND PUBLIC OUTREACH. UM, WE HAD, UH, KEVIN LEE FROM OUR, UH, PUBLIC AFFAIRS OFFICE COME AND SPEAK TO BOC EARLIER. AND I KNOW WHEN, SOMETIMES WHEN I LOOK AT SOME OF THESE ADDITIONAL, UM, THESE ADDITIONS [02:05:01] FOR THESE KIND OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS, UM, POSITIONS AND DEPARTMENTS, I WONDER, HEY, WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE WORK THAT YOU'RE DOING WITHIN YOUR DEPARTMENT VERSUS THE WORK THAT OUR PUBLIC AFFAIRS OFFICE IS DOING WITH THE CITY MANAGER? IS THERE OVERLAP? IS THERE DIFFERENCES? WHY DO WE NEED THOSE ADDITIONAL POSITIONS? CAN YOU TALK ABOUT THAT? SURE. SO, UM, THE OFFICE OF PUBLIC, UM, OPAC, KEVIN LEE'S OFFICE, UH, THEY PROVIDE OVERSIGHT. THEY PROVIDE MY DEPARTMENT THE AIRPORT HEALTH WITH THE GUIDELINES OF WHAT COMMUNICATIONS, UM, SHOULD LOOK LIKE. IF THERE'S A CITYWIDE EVENT WITH MULTIPLE DEPARTMENTS, UM, THEY MAY HELP STAFF THAT, BUT FOR SOMETHING THAT IS PURELY THE DEPARTMENT, UM, PROMOTING ITS OWN PROGRAM. SO FOR EXAMPLE, THE ROOF PROGRAM THAT WE OFFER, UM, THAT RESPONSIBILITY FALLS, UH, ON THE DEPARTMENT. UM, WE HAVE TO FOLLOW THE CITYWIDE GUIDELINES, BUT THOSE, UM, PROMOTIONS, UM, MATERIALS ARE PREPARED BY OUR STAFF. ANY EVENTS ARE STAFFED BY OUR STAFF. UM, OPAC DOESN'T REALLY HAVE A, A ROLE IN THAT OTHER THAN, YOU KNOW, PROVIDING OVERALL GUIDANCE. UM, WE'RE TRYING TO DO MORE, UM, BRANDED CONTENT OR PAID CONTENT, WHICH KEVIN MAY HAVE TALKED TO YOU, UM, ABOUT. SO IN THOSE CASES, THE DEPARTMENT, UH, PREPARES THE COPY, UM, YOU KNOW, THE PIECE, AND THEN KEVIN'S TEAM TAKES OVER AND THEY GET THAT PLACED IN THE, THE NEWSPAPER OR WHATEVER, UM, PUBLICATION OR ONLINE, UM, SOURCE. SO WE WORK TOGETHER, BUT THERE ARE DIFFERENT, UH, TASK, UM, THAT, THAT THE DEPARTMENT IS DOING VERSUS, UM, WHAT OPEC'S DOING. UM, THE COMMUNICATION STAFF HAS GROWN A LOT OVER THE YEARS. I RECOGNIZE THAT. UM, BUT I THINK AS COMMUNICATION HAS CHANGED, IT USED TO BE ONCE UPON A TIME YOU WOULD REALLY SUPPRESS RELEASE AND THERE WAS THIS THING CALLED LOCAL MEDIA AND THEY WOULD, THEY HAD A LOT HU HUMAN BEINGS THAT WORKED AT THE NEWSPAPER AND THEY WOULD COVER IT, AND THEN PEOPLE WOULD READ THE NEWSPAPER ARTICLE. IT'S KIND OF NOT THE WORLD WE LIVE IN. UM, THERE'S MANY PEOPLE, WHICH IS TERRIFYING THAT THEIR WHOLE SOURCE OF INFORMATION IS INSTAGRAM. UM, WE HAVE TO BE ABLE TO DO VIDEOS. THOSE VIDEOS NEED TO BE IN ENGLISH AND SPANISH. IT TAKES STAFF, IT TAKES PEOPLE AND DOLLARS TO, TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT. OKAY. AND THEN LAST QUESTION IS FOR THE, THE LINE AMOUNT TRAINING AND CONSULTING SERVICES. ONE OF THE QUESTIONS, UH, COMMENTS I HAD WITH KEVIN LEE WAS WHETHER OR NOT THEY PROVIDED SOME OF THAT TRAINING AND HE SAID, YES. OR IS THERE SOMETHING DIFFERENT ABOUT THE TYPE OF TRAINING YOU NEED VERSUS WHAT OUR, OUR, OUR CITY MANAGEMENT OFFICE COULD OFFER? YEAH, SO, UM, KEVIN'S OFFICE PROVIDED TRAINING TO ALL OF OUR MANAGERS ABOUT HOW TO DO ON-CAMERA INTERVIEWS, HOW TO, UM, KIND OF IMPROVE OUR RELATIONS, UH, WITH MEDIA. THAT WAS SUPER VALUABLE TO ME. I, I DON'T SPEAK FOR OTHERS, BUT, UM, SO THAT WAS VERY IMPORTANT. BUT THE, THE LINE ITEM AND THE BUDGET, THE CONSULTANT SERVICES, UM, THAT REALLY HAS TO DO WITH SOME VERY SPECIFIC WORK ON, UM, OUR WEBSITE AND OTHER CONTENT THAT A PRIVATE FIRM JPW, UM, IS DOING FOR US AS KIND OF AN EXTENSION OF STAFF. UM, AND THAT'S REALLY JUST FILLING IN A GAP WHERE IT'S NOT ENOUGH WORK FOR US TO HIRE AN ADDITIONAL FTE, IT'S, IT'S, UH, BEST TO UTILIZE THAT CONTRACT SERVICES. AND THEN IF I CAN ADD, UM, UH, YOU DO GIVE US RESOURCES, GENERAL FUND AND SAP TO TRY TO DO AS MUCH AS WE CAN, BUT WE REALLY RELY ON OUR OTHER FUNDS AS WELL. CHRISTOPHER'S TEAM HAS A HUGE STORY TO TELL ABOUT HOUSING AND BUILDING AND WORKING WITH BUSINESSES. THEIR CUSTOMERS AREN'T ALWAYS THE SAME. SOMETIMES THEY'RE DEVELOPERS, SOMETIMES THEY'RE PEOPLE COMING TO THE PERMIT COUNTER, WHICH IS DIFFERENT THAN JUST, YOU KNOW, REGULAR COMMUNICATIONS ABOUT WHAT'S GOING ON IN THE CITY. AND SO WE MAXIMIZE HIS NON-GENERAL FUND REVENUE SOURCES TO HELP TELL THAT STORY AND COMMUNICATE TO ALL THE PEOPLE DOING BUSINESS WITH HIS DEPARTMENT, BUT ALSO, UH, TO HIGHLIGHT THE SUCCESSES OF THE CITY. OKAY. THANK YOU FOR THAT. ALRIGHT, THANK YOU COUNCILWOMAN. I WANNA RECOGNIZE THE 20 OR SO YOUTH WHO HAD TO GO HOME, WHO ARE HERE FOR THE VIOLENCE PREVENTION. LET'S HEAR. THANK YOU, UH, CHRISTOPHER AND THE YOUNG PEOPLE. NEXT IS COUNCIL MEMBER ALLEN. UH, THANK YOU MAYOR. OKAY, CHRISTOPHER, JUST STAY THERE IN THE HOT SEAT. UM, UH, FIRST OF ALL, I JUST WANNA SAY THANK YOU, UM, FOR YOUR INFORMATIVE, UH, PRESENTATION. UM, I LIKE TO SEE ALL OF THE NEW INSPECTION POSITIONS THAT THAT CAME. 'CAUSE I KNOW, UM, THAT WILL REDUCE A LOT OF OUR, UH, BACKLOGS AND SPEED UP TIMES. UM, I LOVE IT WHEN THE MAYOR TALKED ABOUT THE ADU. UM, I TELL YOU, IN MY ADVOCACY WORK AS PRESIDENT OF SCAG, I, I TRAVEL TO THE STATE TO DC AND EVERYONE TALKS ABOUT LONG BEACH WHEN IT COMES TO ADUS. YOU ARE, UM, WE'RE AN EXAMPLE TO THE COUNTRY AND WHAT CAN BE DONE. SO I JUST WANNA SAY, UH, YOU KNOW, CON JUST CONGRATULATIONS. THANK YOU. KEEP UP ALL THAT GOOD WORK. UM, NOW I'LL GO ON TO HEALTH AND SERVICES. SO I ALSO WANNA THANK YOU FOR YOUR, UH, PRESENTATION. UM, AND THEN ALSO, UM, YOU KNOW, THE, UH, INVESTMENT IN, IN, UM, THE CRISIS RESPONSE TEAM. AND, UH, I KNOW THAT'S, THAT'S REALLY, UM, IMPORTANT, UM, TO RESPOND DIRECTLY TO THESE BEHAVIORAL, UM, EMERGENCIES. AND THAT ALSO RELIEVES, UH, THEY'RE MORE QUALIFIED AND THAT SOMETIMES, AND IT ALSO RELIEVES A LOT OF STRESS THAT WE HAVE WITH POLICE AND FIRE, [02:10:01] YOU KNOW, UM, I ALSO SIT ON THE BOC AND TALKING TODAY, UM, TO YOUR TEAM ABOUT, UH, THE FUNDING THAT HAS BEEN ELIMINATED, UH, THE GRANT FUNDING THAT'S BEEN TERMINATED. YOU, YOU, UM, WHEN YOU LOOK AT, YOU KNOW, IMMUNIZATIONS FOR CHILDREN AND IMPROVING THE HEALTH OF YOUNG CHILDREN HAS BEEN, BEEN, UH, TERMINATED SNAP PROGRAMS, UM, LA COUNTY, HIV AND STD PREVENTION PROGRAMS. THIS IS JUST TRAGIC. UM, I THINK THAT YOU HAVE ONE OF THE MOST DIFFICULT JOBS IN THE CITY, UM, HAVING TO OPERATE WITH, UH, UNDER ADMINISTRATION, UM, THAT, UM, IS JUST PULLING ALL OF THIS, UH, GRANT FUNDING FROM OUR MOST VULNERABLE IN OUR COMMUNITY. SO I, I THINK, UM, WE WILL DO EVERYTHING THAT WE CAN POSSIBLY DO IN OUR POWER, UH, TO SUPPORT THOSE MOST IN NEED IN OUR COMMUNITY. SO THANK YOU FOR ALL THAT YOU DO. I KNOW, I KNOW. UH, THINGS ARE HARD. UM, OKAY, SO NOW I'M GONNA GO OVER TO THE TIDE LENS. UM, SO I DO HAVE SOME QUESTIONS. UM, AND SO I WANNA START, UH, WELL FIRST OF ALL, THANK YOU BOTH, UH, BOB AND TOM FOR YOUR, FOR YOUR PRESENTATION AS WELL. UM, SO JUST A COUPLE CLARIFYING QUESTIONS. UM, DOES, UH, THE, DOES POLICE FOR FIRE GET FUNDED OUT OF THE TIDELANDS FUND? YES. OKAY. AND, AND CAN YOU EXPLAIN THAT? YEAH, SO IT'S A COST FOR SERVICE. SO, UM, FOR EXAMPLE, LIFEGUARDS IS THE, IS THE BIGGEST AMOUNT OF THAT GOES TO THE FIRE DEPARTMENT. UM, THEY ARE ALL FULLY FUNDED BY TIDELANDS. THEY DON'T LEAVE THE TIDELANDS, THEY'RE SELF-CONTAINED TO THE TIDELANDS. UH, WE DO HAVE SOME FIRE SERVICES, UM, THAT ALSO GET FUNDED OUT OF TIDELANDS. AND THEN THERE'S THE TIDELANDS PART THAT IS THE HARBOR DEPARTMENT. THAT'S WHERE THE MAJORITY OF THE MONEY. SO THAT, YOU KNOW, IN THAT TIDELANDS IS, WE DIDN'T ADDRESS HARBOR 'CAUSE THEY'RE THEIR OWN SEPARATE FUND, BUT THERE'S A MULTIMILLION DOLLAR MOU WHERE THEY FUND POLICE SERVICES AND, AND, AND ACTUAL FIRE STATIONS, UH, IN THE TIDELANDS IN THE HARBOR DEPARTMENT. OKAY. SO DO WE GET REIMBURSED FROM THE PORT, UM, FOR, UM, THE COST OF THE, OF THAT? SO IT'S NOT, IS IT? YES, A HUNDRED PERCENT. OKAY. SO, SO IT'S NOT DIRECTLY, SO I GUESS THE QUESTION I'M GETTING TO IS WHEN UM, THE TIDELANDS FUND EVENTUALLY GOES AWAY, HOW ARE WE GONNA FUND, UH, THE PORT? WELL, THEY JUST THEN PAY THE CITY DIRECTLY INTO THE GENERAL FUND. WE GET REIMBURSED THROUGH. WE, WE DON'T EXPECT ANY OF THESE CHANGES TO HAPPEN ON THE THAILAND SIDE TO AFFECT THE PORT. THEY ARE SEPARATE. THEY HAVE THEIR OWN REVENUE SOURCES, THEY PAY FOR THE SERVICES. WE'VE ACTUALLY BEEN WORKING AND THEY'VE BEEN A GOOD PARTNER BECAUSE OUR COST OVERHEAD HAS BEEN GOING UP. AND SO, UH, WE'RE ABLE TO SAY NOT ONLY THE EXACT PEOPLE THAT YOU ARE GETTING SERVED, BUT ALSO THE INFRASTRUCTURE THAT HELPS SUPPORT THEM NEED TO, NEED TO BE PAID FOR AS WELL. AND SO, UH, BOTH AIRPORT AND HARBOR HAVE BEEN GOING THROUGH THEIR MOU PROCESS TO UP UP THEIR AMOUNT TO, UM, FULLY ACCOUNT FOR THE FULL COST RECOVERY. OKAY. SO JUST SO I UNDERSTAND THEN, SO WE GET REIMBURSED FROM EVERYTHING FROM THE HARBOR PATROL THAT'S NOT COMING OUT OF THE THAILANDS FUND, THAT'S REIMBURSED BACK TO THE THAILANDS FUND? CORRECT. THAT'S DIFFERENT. THAT'S OUT OF THE HARBORS FUND FOR POLICE AND FIRE THAT ARE SPECIFIC TO THE HARBOR. OKAY. ALRIGHT. JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE I WAS JUST, UH, UNDERSTANDING THAT. OKAY. AND THEN, UM, I WANNA TALK ABOUT THE HOMELESS, UM, RESPONSE. HOW DO WE, HOW, WHAT PA WHAT'S BEING PAID FOR THE HOMELESS RESPONSE THROUGH THE THAILANDS FUND? YEAH, OVER THE YEARS, UM, WE'VE HEARD REQUESTS OF LIKE, HOW DO WE GET ADDITIONAL RESPONSE DOWN IN THE BEACH, UH, WITHOUT AFFECTING OUR CITYWIDE RESPONSE. AND SO OUR CI OUR HOMELESS TEAMS ARE GENERALLY FUNDED OR GRANT FUNDED. THEY GO EVERYWHERE. BUT WE HAVE GOTTEN REQUESTS, CAN WE DO SOME ADDITIONAL WORK, UM, WITH ENCAMPMENT CLEANUPS? CAN WE DO ADDITIONAL WORK WITH OUTREACH? UM, AND SO WE'VE UH, SET ASIDE SOME DOLLARS TO ALSO DO, YOU KNOW, THE EITHER THINGS LIKE STED PROJECTS AND, AND OTHERS WITH THAILAND'S DOLLARS TO TRY TO ADDRESS SOME OF THOSE NEEDS. SO THEY DIDN'T COME OUT OF, UM, KIND OF CITY GENERAL FUNDS. OKAY. SO WE TRACK THEN HOW THAT'S WHERE, WHERE THOSE TIDELAND FUNDS GO, THAT'S BEING USED FOR HOMELESS SERVICES. OF THE DOLLARS WE GOT ALLOCATED, THEY'RE KIND OF LIKE ENHANCED DOLLARS. WE STILL HAVE OUR, OUR, LIKE WHENEVER OUR MAC TEAM SHOWS UP THERE, THEY'RE NOT AUTOMATICALLY GETTING CHARGED TO TIDELANDS. UM, IF THEY'RE THERE ALL THE TIME, THEN WE CAN SET UP A, A CHARGE POINT FOR TIDELANDS. BUT YES, WE DO HAVE THE, THE TRACKING FOR THE CAPITAL PROJECTS, UM, THAT YOU'VE GIVEN US TO BE ABLE TO DO SOME ADDITIONAL WORK. AND FOR EXAMPLE, IF WE WANNA TRY TO DO ADDITIONAL POLICING, UM, DOWN ON THE TIDELANDS, WE'VE SET SOME, SOME FUNDING UP FOR THAT. BUT THAT'S ALSO, UH, YOU KNOW, DEPENDING ON THE, THE HOURS THAT PD HAS TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT. OKAY. UM, AND THEN MY NEXT QUESTION IS PROBABLY FOR YOU TOM. SO OUR, OUR ABANDONMENT LIABILITY. SO THE STATE, I THINK FROM YOUR PRESENTATION, YOU SAID THE STATE HAS PUT 400 MILLION AND, BUT THEIR LIABILITY IS LIKE A BILLION. IS THAT CORRECT? THAT'S CORRECT. AND SO, AND WE'VE PUT IN HOW MUCH BOB CAN GIVE YOU THE SPECIFIC NUMBER. WE'RE WAY BETTER, UM, ON OUR PROJECTIONS. YEAH. WE'RE, WE'RE ABOUT, UH, $80 MILLION PLUS, UH, AS OF THE END OF THE FISCAL YEAR 25. AND OUR PROJECTED IS ABOUT 150 MILLION. SO WE PROJECT OVER THE NEXT NINE YEARS, WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO GET TO THE, UH, UH, OUR, OUR FIGURE OF 150. BUT THE STATE HAS A LONG WAY TO GO TO GET THE, UH, $600 MILLION GAP CLOSED ON THEIR END. YEAH. [02:15:01] AND SO HAVE WE DONE ANY COMMUNICATION WITH THE STATE TO SEE WHAT THEIR PLAN IS WITH REGARDS TO FULFILLING THEIR OBLIGATION? VERY MUCH SO. SO THIS HAS BEEN A MULTI-YEAR CONVERSATION AND WE'VE ACTUALLY HAD SOME PROGRESS. UM, SO IN THE LAST TWO YEARS, A A BILL WAS INTRODUCED TO ACTUALLY LIFT THE CAP, UH, 'CAUSE THEY, BEFORE WERE CAPPED AT I THINK 300 MILLION AND NOW THEY, WE'VE LIFTED THAT CAP AND THEY CAN ACTUALLY PUT MORE INTO IT. IT'S THE FIRST STEP, UH, IT'S NOT NEARLY ENOUGH. UM, WE, WE ARE SETTING UP TO BE ABLE TO HAVE OUR ABANDONMENT LIABILITY FULLY FUNDED BY 2030. SO THAT IF AND WHEN OIL IS NOT, YOU KNOW, STILL COMING OUT OF THE GROUND, WE'RE ABLE TO START ABANDONMENT THEN. BUT THE STATE WHO HAS THE BIGGEST MAJORITY, UM, IS NOT ANYWHERE NEAR THAT. I THINK THEY'RE ON LIKE A 2045 TIMEFRAME, SOMETHING LIKE THAT. OKAY. AND, UM, DO WE, SO I'M LOOKING AT, UM, PAGE, UH, WHERE YOU HAD THE HISTORY OF THE REVENUES, UM, AND, UH, LET'S SEE, PAGE NINE. UM, SO WHEN, AT 1964, IT WAS, UM, CHAPTER 1 38 WHERE WE MADE THAT DEAL THAT, UH, WE ARE GOING TO, WE'LL KEEP A MILLION AND THE, THE STATE GETS MOST OF THE MONEY. UH, IT'S INTERESTING, UM, THAT, UM, WELL FIRST OF ALL, HOW THAT DEAL WAS EVER MADE IS, I MEAN, WHO KNOWS. THAT WAS A LONG TIME AGO. UM, BUT UM, I JUST, WOW, THAT WAS SUCH A BAD DEAL FOR US. BUT, UM, SO I'M JUST SCRATCHING MY HEAD OVER THAT A LITTLE BIT. UM, BUT UM, SO IT THERE, HAS THERE BEEN ANY LITIGATION OR SINCE THEN, UM, TO TRY TO REVERSE THAT HORRIBLE DEAL SORT OF? YES. I'LL START AND THEN, UM, BOB CAN TALK ABOUT IT, NOT LITIGATION, BUT, UM, SO BACK IN THE FIFTIES WE WERE ACTUALLY GETTING ALL OF THE, ALL THE MONEY. THEN WE GOT 50%, 50 50. THEN IN 64, THAT'S WHERE THE STATES STARTED SAYING, WELL, YOU KNOW, WE'RE GONNA TAKE A LOT OF THAT. AND, UM, THEY OFFERED THE COUNCIL A DEAL AT THE TIME, AND IN THE, AT THE TIME, IT DID NOT LOOK LIKE THERE WAS A LOT OF VIABILITY TO THE FUTURE OF OIL. UM, THEY WERE WRONG. UM, THERE WAS STILL A LOT OF OIL LEFT, UH, BUT IT WAS, YOU KNOW, DO YOU WANT A GUARANTEED AMOUNT OF A MILLION DOLLARS A YEAR OR DO YOU WANT TO TAKE THE RISK AND, AND TRY TO SEE WHAT YOU MIGHT GET? UM, AND SO THE COUNCIL AT THE TIME CHOSE THE MILLION DOLLARS. IT'S A LESSON FOR ALL OF US TO, YOU KNOW, TRY TO MAKE THE BEST DECISIONS WE CAN FOR, YOU KNOW, WHAT'S GONNA AFFECT US IN THE FUTURE. BUT WE DON'T KNOW WHAT THEY WERE FACING. AND THEN, UH, WE WERE ABLE TO REVERSE THAT. IN 1991, THE CITY VERY PROACTIVELY WORKED TO GET A PERCENTAGE SHARE AND THAT'S WHERE THAT EIGHT POINT HALF PERCENT COMES FROM. AND THAT REALLY SAVED US. THAT WENT ALL THE WAY UP UNTIL 2018. AND THAT, UH, THEN THAT GOT ADJUSTED. SO THAT $1 MILLION IS NO LONGER THERE. THAT'S NOW PART OF OUR, WE GET A PERCENTAGE OF THE, OF THE REVENUE GOING FORWARD. OKAY. ALRIGHT. AND JUST LAST, I JUST WANNA SAY, FIRST OF ALL, I WANNA COMMEND, IF I CAN, IF I CAN ADD TO THAT, IT WASN'T ALWAYS A MILLION EARLY ON, IT WAS SIGNIFICANTLY MORE THAN 1 MILLION IN THE SIXTIES. EARLY SIXTIES, IT WAS SIGNIFICANTLY MORE THAN THAT. IT'S JUST AT TODAY'S RATE THAT PRODUCTION IS, IT'S, IT'S AN ANNUAL $1 MILLION A YEAR THAT WE STILL GET TODAY IN ADDITION TO THE OWPA, UH, UH, REVENUE SPLITS. BUT IT WAS SIGNIFICANTLY MORE THAN THAT BACK IN THE EARLY SIXTIES. IT'S JUST AT TODAY'S PRODUCTION WITH THE, UH, UH, EAST, THE INITIAL EAST WILMINGTON AGREEMENT. THAT'S, THAT'S WHERE IT HAS STEPPED DOWN TO TODAY. I DON'T KNOW THE TOTAL THAT WE'VE, WE'VE GATHERED OVER THE YEARS SINCE 1964, BUT WE COULD CERTAINLY TRY TO COME UP WITH THAT NUMBER IF, IF YOU'D LIKE. WELL, THAT WAS A HORRIBLE DEAL AND I'M SO THANKFUL THAT, UH, COUNCILMAN DUGGAN BROUGHT AN ITEM FORWARD THAT WE'RE GONNA HEAR LATER ON. UM, AND JUST LASTLY, I WANNA SAY, UM, CON, UH, I WANNA SAY THANK YOU, UH, CITY MANAGER TOM AND ALL OF YOUR TEAM ON ALL THE GREAT WORK AND MAYOR, UM, ON THE QUEEN MARY, YOU KNOW, UM, IT, IT WAS TOUGH GOING THROUGH THAT PROCESS. PEOPLE WANTED US TO GO AND SING COLONEL ALL THAT. AND SO TO HEAR YOU SAY THAT SHE IS PROFITABLE AND WE ARE MAKING MONEY IN TWO YEARS. KUDOS. THIS IS GREAT. GREAT WORK. THANK YOU. ALRIGHT, THANK YOU. AND YOU KNOW, MORE TO COME ON, UM, THE TITLELESS DISCUSSION ON THE NEXT ITEM. ALRIGHT, NEXT IS COUNCILWOMAN SORROW. THANK YOU MAYOR. UM, YEAH, SO I WANNA ADD MY, UM, THANKS TO DIRECTOR KONS KING AND AS WELL AS DAO, UH, IN YOUR PRESENTATION. I THINK THAT IT'S A REALLY TOUGH TIME FOR DIRECTORS RIGHT NOW WHERE, UM, REALLY MA HAVING TO MAKE TOUGH DECISION. BUT I APPRECIATE YOU UPLIFTING THE ACCOMPLISHMENTS BECAUSE IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT TO SEE WHAT WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO, UH, GET DONE. UM, I MEAN WE WENT THROUGH COVID, RIGHT? AND I THINK THAT THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WASN'T TOO FAR OFF. AND IN SOME WAY WE HAVE A DIFFERENT FORM OF COVID RIGHT NOW, THAT WE DIDN'T EXPECT TO COME BY. BUT I DID HAVE QUESTION, UM, FOR DIRECTOR KONZ AS WELL AS KING ON REALLY AROUND THIS OPPORTUNITY. MY COLLEAGUES HAVE ASKED A LOT OF QUESTION, BUT I REALLY WANTED TO NARROW DOWN, WHILE WE MAY NOT BE ABLE TO HAVE THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT AS A PARTNER, UM, HOW ARE WE LOOKING AT THE STATE AS A PARTNER? ARE THEY, ARE, ARE THEY ABLE TO MAYBE DECREASE CERTAIN REQUIREMENTS [02:20:01] SO THAT, UM, WITH UNDERSTANDING THAT FUNDING IS DIFFERENT? SO IT'S A, I KNOW THERE'S PROBABLY A LOT, BUT I'D LOVE TO HEAR A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE IN ORDER FOR US TO ADDRESS THE SHORTFALLS THAT WE MAY BE SEEING AHEAD. THANK YOU, UM, FOR THE QUESTION, COUNCIL MEMBERS, SO BOTH OF OUR DEPARTMENTS, YOU KNOW, WE PURSUE, UM, ALL THE FUNDING THAT'S AVAILABLE AND, AND THROUGH, YOU KNOW, SARAH AND THE INTERGOVERNMENTAL TEAM, WE ARE IN DISCUSSIONS, UM, WITH THE STATE ALL THE TIME. THE STATE HAS BEEN AN EXCELLENT PARTNER ON THE HOUSING FRONT, AND WE HAVE BEEN IN RECENT YEARS, ABLE TO EXPAND THE LOANS THAT WE GIVE THAT CREATE NEW AFFORDABLE HOUSING PROGRAMS BECAUSE THE STATE HAS REALLY STEPPED UP. AND I BELIEVE THAT IN THIS MOMENT, THE STATE WANTS TO STEP UP. UM, BUT THE STATE IS ALSO IN A FISCAL CRISIS, UH, WHICH I THINK, YOU KNOW, PREVENTS THEM FROM COMPLETELY BACKFILLING. I MEAN, IT'S A VERY UNPLEASANT EXPERIENCE. AT, AT ONE POINT IT LOOKED LIKE WE WERE GONNA LOSE ALL OUR FEDERAL FUNDS OVERNIGHT, AND WE HAD A, A REDUCTION IN SERVICE PLAN FOR THAT AND HOW WE WERE GONNA MAKE OUR STAFF WHOLE. AND THAT ENDED UP NOT COMING TO BE, AT LEAST FOR THE MOMENT. BUT, UH, THE STATE JUST IS NOT IN A FINANCIAL POSITION, UM, TO DO THAT. UM, BUT WE ARE, UH, CONTINUING TO TALK TO THEM. AND THE THING ABOUT THE STATE BUDGET HAVING BEEN AT THIS A LONG TIME, UM, USUALLY WHEN THEY'RE VERY BROKE A COUPLE YEARS LATER, THEY HAVE SO MUCH MONEY THAT THEY SEND OUT, YOU KNOW, CHECKS BECAUSE THEY DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO WITH IT. SO IT IS A, UM, VOLATILE, UM, STATE BUDGET. AND I DO EXPECT THAT THE STATE BUDGET WILL BOUNCE BACK AND, AND WE WILL BE TALKING TO THEM ABOUT HOW THEY CAN SUPPORT US. UM, AT THE SAME TIME, AS MUCH AS WE APPRECIATE THAT SUPPORT, SOME OF THOSE STATE GRANTS ARE EXTREMELY, UH, ONE CHALLENGING. UM, WE HAVE TO TELL THEM FIVE YEARS AHEAD OF TIME HOW WE'RE GONNA SPEND THE MONEY DOWN TO THE LAST CENT AND EVEN PROVIDE THEM LIKE, LEGAL AGREEMENTS FOR FUTURE PROJECTS THAT HAVE NOT YET, UM, EVEN BEEN ENVISIONED. SO I THINK WE CONTINUE TO HAVE A HEALTHY DISCUSSION, UM, WITH THE STATE JUST ABOUT HOW, UM, WE'RE GONNA MAKE GREAT USE OF THAT MONEY, HOW THEY COULD MAYBE MAKE IT A LITTLE BIT EASIER. AND THEN SOMETHING I, I THINK WE BOTH WORRY ABOUT, THE STATE IS GREAT AT FUNDING THINGS. GO BUILD A BRIDGE, GO BUY A VEHICLE, GIVE OUT THIS LOAN. THE STATE HASN'T BEEN A GREAT PARTNER IN FUNDING PROGRAMS. SO WHEN WE GIVE OUT GRANTS, WHEN WE DO WORK WITH COMMUNITY, UM, THE, THE CDBG FUNDS ARE VERY FLEXIBLE. THEY'RE A GREAT WAY TO DO THAT. AND THE STATE REALLY, THAT HASN'T BEEN THEIR APPROACH. THEIR FUNDING IS TYPICALLY VERY RIGID. UM, AND IT WORKS TO DO A VERY SPECIFIC THING THAT YOU APPLY FOR. SO, UM, THAT'S SOME OF THE CHALLENGE. YEAH. SO I THINK, YOU KNOW, UM, ALLISON AGREES AND, AND WE CONTINUE TO WORK WITH THE STATE. I THINK THE STATE IS A GOOD PARTNER. UM, BUT THE STATE ALONE IS NOT GONNA BACKFILL, YOU KNOW, WHAT HAS BEEN OVER THE YEARS OF BIPARTISAN COMMITMENT, UM, BY THE FEDS TO, TO FUND COMMUNITIES THAT, THAT SEEMS TO BE, UM, FADING AT THE MOMENT. THE ONLY THING I CAN ADD TO THAT IS THAT, YOU KNOW, IN SOME CASES THEY DO FUND PROGRAMS FOR US, BUT AS I MENTIONED IN THE PRESENTATION, UM, THOSE EXPENSES HAS, EXPENSES HAVE NOT KEPT UP WITH COST. UM, MANY OF THE FUNDS THAT WE RECEIVE ARE A PASS THROUGH FROM THE STATE TO THE COUNTY, UM, AND THEY ARE PICKING UP THE SLACK IN SOME AREAS SUCH AS HIV, WHERE THEY'VE GIVEN A TWO YEAR GRANT FOR $1 MILLION. UM, BUT THERE MAY BE SOME REVISION WITHIN THE NEXT SIX MONTHS PENDING WHAT COMES OUT OF THE FEDERAL BUDGET. AND I'LL JUMP IN REAL QUICK. I KNOW YOU WANT TO ASK A DIFFERENT QUESTION, BUT THIS IS AN IMPORTANT TOPIC. THE STATE REALLY DOES FUND, LIKE, THEY HAVE A GENERAL FUND FOR HEALTH. IT'S OUR HEALTH FUND, IT'S OUR REALIGNMENT DOLLARS. THAT'S REALLY WHAT'S DESIGNED TO FUND OUR HEALTH DEPARTMENT WHERE IT DOESN'T HAVE OTHER DOLLARS. IT HAS NOT KEPT PACE WITH THE COST. SO WHEN WE, YOU KNOW, NEED TO MAKE SURE WE'RE HIRING THE BEST OF THE BEST, AND WE'RE INCREASING SALARIES FOR NURSES, AND WE'RE DOING ALL THOSE EQUITY ADJUSTMENTS WE DID LAST YEAR, THAT ISN'T COMING WITH A CORRESPONDING REVENUE INCREASE FROM THE STATE. AND SO THAT REALLY IS SOMETHING WE'RE CONTINUING TO TALK TO THE STATE ABOUT. THEY NEED TO INVEST IN THE, IN IN THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT. OF COURSE, THE GENERAL FUND WILL DO EVERYTHING. ITS CAN, BUT, UH, WE REALLY NEED THAT TO KEEP PACE SO THAT WE CAN USE THAT TO FUND ALL THE THINGS IT TAKES TO FUND A HEALTH DEPARTMENT WHILE WE CAN CONTINUE TO PURSUE GRANTS. THANK YOU. I, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE DO DISCUSS THAT BECAUSE I THINK THAT CALIFORNIA HAS BEEN LEADING THE WAY IN VARIOUS ISSUES AND HAVE BEEN CREATIVE IN THE WAY THAT WE ADDRESS, UH, VARIOUS CHALLENGES. AND I, I LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING HOW OUR [02:25:01] STATE REPRESENTATIVE CAN CONTINUE TO BE, LOOK AT ALTERNATIVE WAYS THAT CAN SUPPORT US IN THE WAY THAT WE COULD ADVANCE ALL OF THE ISSUES WE CARE ABOUT, ESPECIALLY PUBLIC HEALTH, THE AREAS THAT ARE BEING CUT. AND I JUST, I THINK IT'S KIND OF LIKE THERE'S NOBODY HERE TO SAVE US, BUT WE GOTTA SAVE OURSELF IS REALLY KIND OF THE POINT OF MY QUESTIONS IS THAT I THINK WE ARE GONNA KEEP LOOKING FOR PARTNERSHIP, BUT IT'S REALLY GONNA COME BACK RIGHT DOWN TO THE DEPARTMENTS TO NOT ONLY FIGURE OUT AREAS WHERE WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO, UM, UH, DECREASE, UM, UH, YOU KNOW, PROGRAMS TO ALSO, BUT I THINK ALSO OPTIMISTICALLY SEEING OTHER WAYS THAT WE COULD, UM, FIND ALTERNATIVES STILL. UM, SO I JUST ALSO WANNA JUST THANK, YOU KNOW, THE, THE CITY TEAM AS WELL AS FOR ALL THEIR HARD WORK, BECAUSE MANY OF US DO THIS, UM, BECAUSE WE CARE ABOUT OUR CITY AND WE CARE ABOUT OUR COMMUNITY. AND I THINK THAT THAT'S THE DRIVE AND THE HOPE THAT WE NEED TO CONTINUE TO HAVE, BECAUSE SOMETIMES IT SEEMS REALLY DARK IN THIS MOMENT WHERE, WELL, WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO? BUT I THINK THAT WE ALWAYS COME BACK AND I THINK WITH THE TALENT OF OUR STAFF, UM, AND THE CREATIVITY IS FIGURING OUT ALTERNATIVES. SO I, YOU KNOW, REALLY BELIEVE, UM, IN ALL YOUR LEADERSHIP AS WELL AS CITY MANAGER, UM, IN, IN THE WAYS THAT IT'S NOT GONNA BE, WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO, UM, FACE CHALLENGES, BUT I JUST WANTED TO ELISE LIFT THAT UP THAT WE'VE BEEN HERE BEFORE AS A CITY. UM, AND I THINK THAT WE'RE GONNA BE ABLE TO CONTINUE TO FIGURE OUT THIS OUT TOGETHER. SO THANK YOU. ALRIGHT, THANK YOU. NEXT UP, COUNCIL MEMBER DUGGAN. ALRIGHT. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE PRESENTATIONS TONIGHT. ALL THREE OF THEM. BUT I ESPECIALLY, UM, LIKE THAT DIRECTOR KUNTZ AND DIRECTOR KING, WERE WORKING TOGETHER FROM COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT AND HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES. YOU WORK LIKE DIRECTOR KUNTZ SAID IN SO MANY PATHWAYS TOGETHER, AND BOTH OF YOU ARE SO RESPONSIVE. I'M, I'M REALLY APPRECIATIVE OF THE WORK THAT YOU DO, . SO, UM, DIRECTOR KUNZ, UH, YOU KNOW, LIKE I SAID, WHEN ISSUES COME UP, YOU ALWAYS TAKE THE TIME TO UNDERSTAND THEM. I USUALLY HAVE EXAMPLES AND WE WORK THROUGH THEM, BUT YOU ALWAYS COMMUNICATE SO CLEARLY AND COME UP WITH SOLUTIONS FOR THE PROBLEMS. AND YOU'VE SHOWN A COMMITMENT TO HELPING OUR BUSINESSES, UM, GET OPEN AND NAVIGATE PROCESSES THAT AREN'T ALWAYS AS EASY AS IT SEEMS. AND THE INEXPERIENCE THAT YOU REFERENCED WITH GENERAL CONTRACTORS, JUST INEXPERIENCE IN GENERAL, IT DOES MAKE A DIFFERENCE WHEN PEOPLE ARE TRYING, THEY'RE DESPERATE TO OPEN THEIR BUSINESS. UM, SO REGARDING THE BUDGET, I AM REALLY GLAD TO SEE THE FOCUS ON THIS YEAR, UH, BUILDING CAPACITY FOR IMPROVING CUSTOMER SERVICE. THIS IS WHERE YOU AND I HAVE SPOKEN SO OFTEN THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, THESE ARE AREAS THAT COME UP AGAIN AND AGAIN IN CONVERSATIONS WITH BUSINESS OWNER OWNERS. AND THE FASTER WE CAN PERMIT, UM, GET THINGS INSPECTED, GET THROUGH THE PROCESS, THE BETTER OFF IT IS FOR BUSINESSES AND FOR THE CITY. IT TAKES IT OFF OUR INSPECTOR'S PLATES AND IT HELPS WITH POSITIVE, REALLY A POSITIVE OUTLOOK FOR BUSINESSES. AND THAT REPUTATION IS SPREAD WHETHER OR NOT WE ARE EASY WITH PERMITS OR WE'RE MORE DIFFICULT. SO, UM, I LIKE PEOPLE TO, UM, HAVE A GOOD EXPERIENCE, THEN WE CAN, THEY CAN INVEST IN FOLLOWING THE RULES, INVEST IN UPGRADES, AND BRING THEIR BUSINESS TO LONG BEACH. SO WE WANT PEOPLE TO SEE LONG BEACH AS A PARTNER, AND THAT MEANS HAVING THE STAFF IN PLACE TO PROCESS APPLICATIONS QUICKLY, ANSWER QUESTIONS AND GUIDE PEOPLE FROM START TO FINISH. I'M REALLY GLAD YOU HAVE YOUR NEW, UM, YOUR NEW SOFTWARE FOR HOUSING. AND I ALSO APPRECIATE MORE INSPECTORS. WE, WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT THAT QUITE OFTEN. UM, INVESTING IN YOUR TEAM IS NOT JUST AN INTERNAL BUDGET DECISION. IT HAS A DIRECT IMPACT ON OUR ENTIRE BUSINESS CLIMATE. SO I WANT PEOPLE TO INVEST HERE. UM, DIRECTOR KING, I APPRECIATE YOUR LEADERSHIP DURING AN INCREDIBLY DIFFICULT TIME IN OUR HEALTH DEPARTMENT. FROM THE WIND DOWN OF THE LONG BEACH RECOVERY ACT TO FEDERAL CUTS THAT WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT TONIGHT. YOU'VE ALWAYS REMAINED CALM, COLLABORATIVE, AND FOCUSED ON SOLUTIONS. YOU LIKE DIRECTOR KOONS, ANSWER MY CALL EVERY SINGLE TIME. WE CAN AVOID [02:30:01] PROBLEMS AND COME UP WITH SOLUTIONS BECAUSE YOU DO THAT. ONE OF THE THINGS I AM MOST EXCITED ABOUT IS THE CRISIS RESPONSE TEAM. THERE IS A NEED IN OUR COMMUNITY FOR, UM, WE NEED TO RESPOND EFFECTIVELY TO PEOPLE WHO ARE IN DISTRESS, IN MENTAL DISTRESS. SO THIS TEAM IS DESIGNED TO MEET PEOPLE WHERE THEY ARE AND REALLY OFFER SUPPORT THAT'S FOCUSED ON CARE, WHICH HELPS OUR CITY OFFER A BALANCED APPROACH BETWEEN COMPASSION AND ENFORCEMENT. AND I KNOW YOUR EMPATHY, YOUR COMPASSION, ALONG WITH THE WAY YOU RUN YOUR DEPARTMENT ADDS TO THIS CCR TEAM. SO I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO SEEING THE NUMBERS AS WE GO WITH THAT TEAM. AND, UM, I THINK IT HELPS OUR OVERALL PUBLIC SAFETY AND REALLY ALL THE SYSTEMS INVOLVED WITH TRYING TO GET PEOPLE WHO NEED HELP O ON THE STREET. I'M ALSO GLAD TO SEE THE INVESTMENT IN NEW INSPECTORS FOR HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES AS WE GROW. I WANNA EMPHASIZE THE IMPORTANCE OF FOCUSING ON GETTING BUSINESSES OPEN, LIKE I I SAID ABOUT, UH, COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT AND WORKING ON THEM, WORKING ON BUSINESSES, GETTING INTO COMPLIANCE RATHER THAN CREATING OBSTACLES FOR THEM. OPENING OUR HEALTH INSPECTORS PAY A, PLAY A KEY ROLE IN KEEPING THE COMMUNITY SAFE, BUT THEY ALSO CAN BE KEY PARTNERS IN HELPING LOCAL BUSINESSES SUCCEED. SO, I KNOW THAT YOU UNDERSTAND THIS DIRECTOR KING, AND I LOOK FORWARD TO CONTINUING TO WORK TOGETHER WITH YOU. UM, BRIEF COMMENTS ON OUR PRESENTATIONS BY BOB DOWELL AND, AND TOM MOCA. THIS IS SO COMPLICATED. YOU MENTIONED IT MULTIPLE TIMES. THE TIDELANDS, JUST THE MORE I I DUG INTO IT, THE DEEPER I GOT IT. IT WAS, THERE'S SO MUCH INFORMATION TO KNOW AND, UM, I'LL TALK MORE, UH, ABOUT TIDELANDS AND OIL REVENUE, UH, WHEN MY ITEM COMES UP. BUT THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR PRESENTATIONS. ALL RIGHT, THANK YOU. NEXT IS COUNCIL MEMBER BRA AND TOOK, THANK YOU SO MUCH, MAYOR. UH, GOOD EVENING ALL. UM, SO I WANNA THANK BOTH DIRECTOR KING, UM, AS WELL AS DIRECTOR KUNTZ FOR YOUR PRESENTATIONS TONIGHT. UM, I THINK SO MUCH OF WHAT YOU HAVE BEEN ABLE TO SHARE TONIGHT IS THE IMPORTANCE OF CITY SERVICES IN SUPPORTING THOSE WHO NEED THE MOST, UH, FROM OUR CITY IN THE WORK THAT YOU DO. UH, DIRECTOR KING, UH, I WANNA, UH, THANK YOU FOR THE VERY THOROUGH PRESENTATION, UH, BOTH IN ORAL FORM AS WELL AS WRITTEN, UH, WITH THE PROPOSALS THAT WERE LISTED HERE. UH, THE WORK THAT YOU DESCRIBED THAT YOUR DEPARTMENT IS DOING, UM, IS BEYOND REMARKABLE IN TERMS OF WHAT WE CAN ACCOMPLISH, UH, ON BEHALF OF THE PEOPLE OF THE CITY OF LONG BEACH. WHEN YOU HAVE A PUBLIC HEALTH DEPARTMENT THAT FOCUSES ON HARM REDUCTION AND SO MUCH OF WHAT YOU DESCRIBED IS REALLY THAT IN THE MIDST OF THINGS THAT ARE HARMFUL TO OUR COMMUNITY, UM, THAT HARM REDUCTION FOR ME IS ALSO ABOUT, UM, ENSURING THAT WE HAVE VIOLENCE PREVENTION, UM, ENSURING THAT WE HAVE INTERVENTIONS DURING A CRISIS, UM, BUT ALSO ENSURING THAT, UH, WE HAVE PUBLIC SAFETY WHEN IT COMES TO WHAT WE KNOW NOW WHEN PUBLIC HEALTH CAN HAVE A DETRIMENTAL IMPACT ON US ALL, UH, WITH THE VARIOUS, UM, OUTBREAKS THAT WE'VE HAD IN THE PAST. SO HAVING A TEAM IN PLACE THAT CAN ANALYZE WHAT'S HAPPENING IN REAL TIME IN OUR COMMUNITIES, UH, AND THEN BE ABLE TO GET THAT INFORMATION OUT TO THE COMMUNITY REALLY HELPS TO KEEP, UH, EVERYONE SAFE. SO I WANNA THANK YOU, UH, FOR THAT. IN TERMS OF, UH, DIRECTOR, UH, KUNTZ, UM, THANK YOU AS WELL FOR YOUR PRESENTATION. UH, SO MUCH OF WHAT YOU FOCUSED ON HERE TODAY IN TERMS OF THE HIGHLIGHTS, UH, REMIND US OF THE IMPORTANCE OF ENSURING THAT WE ARE INVESTING IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING. THAT'S WHAT KEEPS OUR COMMUNITY SAFE. THAT'S WHAT KEEPS OUR COMMUNITY HEALTHY. UM, BUT ALSO, UM, THE UNDERSTANDING THAT CODE ENFORCEMENT IS NEEDED AS WELL AND GOES HAND IN HAND IN THAT, BECAUSE IN ORDER FOR PEOPLE TO BE SAFE IN THEIR HOMES, WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT THEY TRULY ARE, UM, YOUR, UH, BUDGET HIGHLIGHTS THAT, UM, I WANTED TO JUST, I'M, I'M REALLY PLEASED AT THE DIRECTION, UH, THAT YOU'RE GOING WITH THAT, UM, BECAUSE IT'LL ADD NOT ONLY TO THE, THE, UH, SAFETY NET AND FABRIC OF OUR COMMUNITY, BUT ALSO CONTINUE TO BRING REVENUE, UM, TO OUR CITY ACCORDINGLY. SO, UH, ADDING INSPECTORS I THINK IS CRITICAL. UM, I'M REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THE CONCEPT OF ADDING AN A DU COUNTER. UM, WE'VE, WE'RE LEARNING A LOT FROM OUR PILOT. I LOOK FORWARD TO BRINGING YOU BACK TO THE HOUSING COMMITTEE TO DISCUSS HOW THAT'S GOING. UM, BUT I SEE THAT AS A STREAMLINED OPPORTUNITY TO BRING ON MORE [02:35:01] HOUSING UNITS, UM, THAT WILL SUPPORT HH UH, S IN, IN OUR CITY, AND ALL OF THOSE THINGS THAT HELP TO MAKE, UM, A STRONGER COMMUNITY. UM, SO THOSE ARE SOME OF THE THINGS I DO WANT YOU TO KNOW, THOUGH. I'M, YOU KNOW, I, I UNDERSTAND THAT YOU WANT ADDITIONAL COMMUNICATIONS, UM, SUPPORT, AND I TOTALLY BELIEVE THAT WE SHOULD HAVE THAT. AND WE'VE GOTTA BE ABLE TO COMMUNICATE OUT HOW EASY IT IS TO DO BUSINESS, UH, WITH LONG BEACH IN TERMS OF DEVELOPMENT. 'CAUSE WE WANT THAT DEVELOPMENT HERE. UM, WE WANT TO BE ABLE TO SHARE WITH COMMUNITIES SOME OF THOSE GREAT PROGRAMS THAT YOU HIGHLIGHTED, UM, IN YOUR PRESENTATION WHERE YOU WENT, UH, DISTRICT BY DISTRICT ONE THROUGH NINE TO TELL US WHAT YOU'RE DOING WITH ALL YOUR PROGRAMS. WE'VE GOTTA GET THAT MESSAGE OUT, UM, TO THE COMMUNITY. BUT I WILL SAY, I THINK THAT IT'S PART OF A LARGER DISCUSSION, UM, THAT I'D LIKE TO HAVE WITH THIS COUNCIL REGARDING WHAT OUR GENERAL COMMUNICATION STRATEGY IS AND HOW DO WE MAKE SURE ALL THE DEPARTMENTS FEEL LIKE THEY ARE SUPPORTED AND HAVE WHAT THEY NEED IN ORDER TO BE ABLE TO SPEAK WITH CUSTOMERS AS WELL AS OUR RESIDENTS, UH, WITHIN THE CITY. SO THAT'S MY, MY BIG PICTURE, UH, THOUGHT THERE. AND THEN, UH, DIRECTOR, UH, DOLL, I WANNA THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR PRESENTATION. UM, HONESTLY, I THINK THAT WE'VE GOTTA GET A MOVIE GOING. WHERE DID MY COLLEAGUE GO? OH, SHE'S NOT THERE. DOWN THERE. UM, THERE, WE'VE GOTTA HAVE A DOCUMENTARY ON THIS HISTORY AND THIS BACKGROUND. UM, 'CAUSE THERE'S SO MUCH THERE. UM, AND I LOOK FORWARD TO BEING ABLE TO PROVIDE SOME COMMENTS, UH, WHEN THE I MATTER COMES FORWARD, UM, LATER ON OUR AGENDA. UM, BUT I DO THINK HAVING THE HISTORICAL BACKGROUND IS A NICE GROUNDING, UH, FOR THE CONVERSATION THAT WE WILL HAVE, UM, LATER TODAY. SO, THANK YOU. I STAYED IN MY FIVE MINUTES. THERE'S A MOVIE IT'S CALLED, THERE WILL BE BLOOD NO, DANIEL DAY LEWIS. ALL RIGHT, BASED ON UPTON SINCLAIR'S OIL. THOSE GUYS WERE FROM SIGNAL HILL, WHICH IS LONG BEACH ADJACENT, BUT IT'S, IT'S KIND OF THE SAME STORY. WELL, WE WANT OUR OWN. WE WANNA TELL OUR OUR STORY. I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S A GOOD STORY TO TELL, BUT ALL RIGHT. IT'LL BE, IT'LL MAKE GOOD CINEMA TELL YOU THAT MUCH. COUNCIL MEMBER KERR, YES. UH, THANK YOU SO MUCH MR. MAYOR AND, UH, TO DIRECTOR KOONS AND DIRECTOR KING, THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATIONS. UM, I'M ALWAYS GRATEFUL FOR MY COLLEAGUES ENGAGING IN REALLY ROBUST CONVERSATION. I THINK ONE OF THE THINGS WE'RE GOOD AT IS NOT REPEATING EACH OTHER, SO I WILL NOT DO THAT. UM, SO I'M JUST GONNA CALL IT A COUPLE OF THINGS. UM, AND MOST ESPECIALLY, I WANNA COMMEND THE CITY TEAMS ON THEIR INTERDEPARTMENTAL WORK. I KNOW IT HAS BEEN A FOCUS OF THE CITY F FROM BEFORE I WAS ON COUNCIL TO REALLY HAVE OUR TEAMS REACH ACROSS DEPARTMENTS AND SEE WHAT COMMONALITIES WE HAVE IN THE WAYS THAT WE ALL HAVE A PART OF A SOLUTION TO A PROBLEM THAT THE CITY'S FACING. SO I WANT TO THANK YOU AND OUR OTHER DIRECTORS FOR, UM, FOR WORKING SO CLOSELY TOGETHER TO HELP SOLVE BIGGER PROBLEMS FOR OUR CITY. UM, I'LL START WITH COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR. KONZ, YOU ALWAYS ANSWER MY CALL. I'M APPRECIATIVE OF THAT. UM, YOUR DEPARTMENT AND EVERYONE WHO WORKS THERE IS HELPING TO BUILD A SAFE AND RESILIENT AND EQUITABLE CITY. UM, FOR EVERYBODY WHO CALLS LONG BEACH HOME. UM, I WANNA THANK YOU, ESPECIALLY FOR YOUR SUPPORT OF NEW BUSINESSES IN DISTRICT FIVE. SO AS DOUGLAS PARK CONTINUES TO BE ONE OF THE SPACES THAT GETS BUILT OUT NEW, UM, YOUR TEAM HAS BEEN INCREDIBLE IN WELCOMING, UH, BUSINESSES, LARGE AND SMALL IN THAT AREA BY STREAMLINING THOSE PROCESSES FOR THEM AND MAKING US A REALLY BUSINESS FRIENDLY CITY. SO I WANT TO THANK YOU AND YOUR DEPARTMENT FOR MAKING THAT HAPPEN, ESPECIALLY WHEN WE'RE LOOKING AT NEW CONSTRUCTION. UM, JUST SOME OF THOSE HIGHLIGHTS, HOUSING UNITS, THE CHANGE OF PARKING AMENDMENTS, UM, COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT WEEK. THANKS FOR COMING TO OUR COMMUNITY MEETINGS AND TALKING TO OUR RESIDENTS ABOUT, UM, WAYS THAT YOUR DEPARTMENT IS ABOUT MORE THAN JUST CODE ENFORCEMENT AND HOUSING, BUT ALL THE WAYS THAT THEY CAN SUPPORT, UM, EVERYONE WHO LIVES IN THE CITY. UM, YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD MICRO-GRANT PROGRAM AND NEIGHBORHOOD CLEANUP ASSISTANCE PROGRAM HELPS SEVERAL GROUPS IN DISTRICT FIVE, AND I'M GRATEFUL FOR THAT. YOUR WORK ON SHORT-TERM RENTAL ORDINANCES, KNOWING THE ENFORCEMENT AND MANAGEMENT WHEN WE'VE BEEN PRESENTED WITH PROBLEMS, UM, YOU'VE BEEN HELPING US COME UP WITH SOLUTIONS, UM, AND REALLY BACK TO, UH, STREAMLINING PROCESSES FOR RESIDENTS AND CUSTOMERS, UM, WHO COME TO YOUR, UH, BEAUTIFUL WINDOWS, UH, TO GET THEIR NEEDS MET OR WHO ARE DOING IT NOW MORE AND MORE ONLINE. UM, I WANNA THANK YOU LIKE COUNCILMAN THRASH UNTUCK TALKED ABOUT YOU, YOU BROUGHT AN EXAMPLE FROM EVERY DISTRICT, AND I THINK IT SHOWED THE BREADTH OF THE WORK THAT YOU DO. AND I THINK FOR SOME PEOPLE, THEY HEAR CODE ENFORCEMENT AND THEY THINK THEIR NEIGHBOR'S WEEDS. UM, BUT YOU KNOW, WE'VE BROUGHT VERY REAL ISSUES TO YOU, WHICH IS, YOU KNOW, SENIOR CITIZENS WITHOUT HOT WATER IN A BUILDING FOR MORE THAN TWO WEEKS, AND WHO CAN THEY CALL TO GET THAT REMEDIED? AND YOU WERE RIGHT ON IT, AND YOU HAD YOUR FOLKS GO OUT AND DOING INSPECTIONS AND MAKING SURE THAT BUILDING OWNERS WERE DOING WHAT THEY NEEDED. SO, UM, IT ISN'T ALL JUST AESTHETICS. IT REALLY IS, UM, IMPORTANT QUALITY OF LIFE ISSUES FOR EVERYONE. UM, I WANNA THANK YOU FOR, UM, YOUR FOCUS ON REORGANIZATION AND STAFFING. UM, ADDING NEW INSPECTORS, UH, AGAIN, HELPS EVERYONE [02:40:01] WHO'S BUILDING NEW, UM, ANYBODY WHO'S RENOVATING OR TAKING OVER A DIFFERENT SPACE WITH A DIFFERENT USE OF WHAT WAS THERE BEFORE. UM, AND THAT CONTINUES TO BE PART OF THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT THAT WE DEPEND ON. SO THANK YOU FOR ALL OF THAT GOOD WORK. NO REAL QUESTIONS. UM, DIRECTOR KING, UM, AND ALL OF THE TEAM WHO ARE HERE FROM HEALTH, THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE. UM, AGAIN, YOUR APPROACH ON IDENTIFYING, UM, KEY SERVICES THAT ARE NECESSARY, HOUSING AND HOMELESSNESS SUPPORT FOR PEDESTRIANS AND STUDENTS AND FAMILIES. UM, EMERGENCY RESPONSES TO THINGS LIKE TUBERCULOSIS AND MEASLES WHO THOUGHT IN 2025, WE'D BE REALLY GRATEFUL FOR YOUR RESPONSE TO TUBERCULOSIS AND MEASLES. UM, BUT THANK YOU FOR THAT. UM, I WISH WE DIDN'T HAVE TO. UM, THE INCLEMENT WEATHER BEDS THAT YOU OPENED UP, THAT WAS YOUR STAFF STAYING LATER TO SET UP AND COME IN EARLIER TO TAKE THEM DOWN AND CLEAN, TO SERVE A WHOLE GROUP OF PEOPLE THAT DAY. AND THEY DID IT OVER AND OVER AND OVER AGAIN. SO TO THE TEAMS THAT MET THE IMMEDIATE NEED OF OUR COMMUNITY, UM, THANK YOU FOR FINDING SPACE FOR THAT AND THE TEAMS THAT SUPPORTED THE WORK. UM, I TOO SHARE THE CONCERN AROUND THE COMMUNITY CRISIS RESPONSE TEAM. UM, SO I'M GLAD THAT WE HAVE COBBLED TOGETHER MAKING THAT WHOLE, BECAUSE IT IS CRITICAL FOR EVERY NEIGHBORHOOD. UM, AND I'M SURE IF WE SCATTER PLOT THAT MAP, THERE IS RESPONSE IN EVERY PART OF OUR CITY. UM, AND IT WOULD BE AN INTERESTING MAP TO SEE SOMEDAY IF YOU'RE EVER BORED, UM, OR WHOEVER DID YOUR AMAZING PRESENTATION, IS EVERY BOARD AND WANTS TO DO A SCATTERPLOT OF, OF THE KIND OF CALLS THAT YOU TAKE, BECAUSE YOU DO TAKE THOSE IN EVERY PART OF THE CITY. UM, YOUR YOUTH ENGAGEMENT AND DEVELOPMENT WORK, UM, AS WELL AS HEALTHY AGING FOR OLDER ADULTS AND THE PROGRAMMING THAT GOES INTO THEIR SHOWING YOUR CARE AND CONCERN FOR OUR LITTLEST AND, UM, OUR MOST SENIOR MEMBERS OF OUR COMMUNITY. SO THANK YOU FOR THAT. UM, LIKE THE MAYOR SAID, I, I SHARE, UM, THE PRIDE IN THE WORK THAT WE'RE DOING AND THE COMMITMENT TO WHAT WE'RE HAVE RIGHT IN FRONT OF US, BUT ALSO, UM, THE CONCERN ABOUT THE PICTURE THAT YOU VERY CLEARLY PAINTED ABOUT WHAT'S NEXT. UM, AND WE KNOW IT'S SUPER CHALLENGING. AND SO I, I THINK WE ALL HAVE SAID MULTIPLE TIMES, I THINK YOU, THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT WAS ONE OF THE FIRST DEPARTMENTS THAT I CHECKED IN WITH, UM, WHEN I WAS ELECTED AND WHEN YOU WERE APPOINTED AS WELL, THAT WE ALL CARE DEEPLY FOR THE WORK. WE KNOW IT IS INCREDIBLE, INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT TO HAVE HEALTHY COMMUNITIES ACROSS THE BOARD. AND YOUR DEPARTMENT DOES A LOT OF THAT WORK. SO, UM, I JUST WANNA ACKNOWLEDGE THAT WE HAVE A ROUGH ROAD IN FRONT OF US AND, AND I THINK WE'RE ALL ON YOUR SIDE TO BE ABLE TO, AND OUR EMPLOYEE SIDE AND OUR RESIDENT SIDE, UM, TO BE AS CAREFUL AS WE CAN WITH THAT AND AS, UM, MOTIVATING AS WE CAN TO ENSURE THAT EITHER FEDERAL GRANTS CONTINUE OR WE'RE FIGHTING, UM, IN THE SPACES THAT REQUIRE FIGHTING IN. SO, THANK YOU. UM, TIDE ONES OVERVIEW. SO JUST YESTERDAY I DID A TOUR OF THUMBS, UM, OUT THERE WITH THE TEAM. UM, SO I GOT TO SEE THE LITTLE VIDEO THAT TELLS A LITTLE BIT OF THE STORY, DOESN'T TELL THE WHOLE STORY, BUT IT DOES TELL A LITTLE VIDEO OF THE STORY. SO, UM, I THINK FOR A DISTRICT LIKE DISTRICT FIVE, WE'RE LANDLOCKED. AND SO FOR SOME FOLKS, WHEN THEY HEAR TIDELANDS, THEY THINK THE SHORE AND THE TIDELANDS APPROPRIATELY. UM, BUT I THINK THE PRESENTATION TONIGHT IS REALLY IMPORTANT TO HAVE ON THE RECORD FOR TRANSPARENCY FOR PEOPLE WHO DO NOT SEE THEMSELVES AS AFFECTED BY TIDELANDS OR UNDERSTANDING THE RELATIONSHIP THAT TIDELANDS HAS TO CITY SERVICES ACROSS THE CITY. AND SO, UM, THANK YOU FOR MAKING THAT CLEAR. THE WAYS THAT, UM, THINGS THAT ARE FUNDED OUT OF THERE WOULD NO LONGER BE FUNDED OUT OF THERE AND WOULD HAVE TO COME OUT OF A GENERAL FUND POTENTIALLY SOMEDAY, AND HOW THAT IMPACTS SERVICES ACROSS THE CITY. SO, UH, THANK YOU FOR HAVING THAT HERE ON THE RECORD. FOR FOLKS WHO, WHO MAY NOT PAY AS CLOSE ATTENTION TO TIDELANDS, I APPRECIATE THE INFORMATION. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT, THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER SUPERAL. UH, THANK YOU. UM, I'D LIKE TO START OFF WITH, UH, DEFENDING THE CITY COUNCIL OF 1964 , UH, IN PARTICULAR FOURTH DISTRICT COUNCILMAN JAMES HAYES, WHO SERVED FROM 63 TO 66. AND ACTUALLY BECAUSE, UM, OF TOM CLARK SERVING 30, 30, UH, 30 YEARS, THERE WERE ONLY FOUR COUNCIL MEMBERS WHO SEPARATE MYSELF FROM JAMES HAYES. UM, BUT HE WAS A VERY SHARP ATTORNEY OUT OF HASTINGS. I KNOW THEY DON'T CALL IT HASTINGS ANYMORE, BUT I HAVEN'T LEARNED THEIR NEW NAME. AND, UM, HE HAD RUN FOR ASSEMBLY PRIOR TO THAT AND KIND OF, UH, THEY SAID, WELL, YOU GOT GOOD NAME RECOGNITION NOW, WHY DON'T YOU RUN FOR CITY COUNCIL? SO HE DID IT, AND IT WAS HIS WORK AND HIS LEGAL GENIUS THAT MADE THAT DEAL FAR BETTER THAN IT EVER WOULD'VE BEEN. GUESS WHAT? THE STATE WOULD'VE GOT A MUCH, UH, BETTER DEAL FOR THEM HAD IT NOT BEEN FOR JAMES HAYES. SO, UH, JUST WANTED, UH, GIVE HIM SOME RECOGNITION. UM, ALRIGHT, JAMES. YEAH, LET'S HEAR IT FOR JAMES HAYES. ACTUALLY, HIS SON JIM WAS MY CLASSMATE AT STANFORD JUNIOR HIGH. THAT'S HOW I HAPPEN TO [02:45:01] KNOW JAMES SO WELL, AND, UH, JIM IS STILL WITH US, SO MAYBE HE'LL HEAR THIS TONIGHT. UM, AND THEN MOVING ON TO COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT, UM, I JUST WANNA, UH, COMMEND THE STAFF. THEY'RE INCREDIBLE STAFF. I THINK THAT REFLECTS THEIR DIRECTOR. AND, UM, YOU KNOW, WE'RE ON THE EAST SIDE, WE DON'T HAVE A LOT OF HISTORICAL STUFF OVER THERE, BUT ACTUALLY I THINK LAST YEAR THEY HAD TO REACH A, UH, RESEARCH, A 100-YEAR-OLD EASEMENT BY THE TRAFFIC CIRCLE . SO THAT'S THE KIND OF STUFF WE THROW AT THEM AND TALK ABOUT CREATIVITY. THEY FIGURED OUT A WAY TO MAKE A MONUMENT OUT OF A LIVING, UH, TREE IN NEAR STUDENTS PARK. SO KUDOS TO THEM FOR CREATIVITY AND WE, I REALLY APPRECIATE THEM, UH, TO THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT. UM, I HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT ONE ASSET, AND THAT IS THE MOBILE ACCESS CENTER. I DON'T MEAN TO PUT YOU ON THE SPOT, BUT DOES ANYONE HERE EITHER IN THE CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE TO THE HEALTHPOINT KNOW WHAT THE COST IS TO THE TAXPAYERS ANNUALLY TO RUN THE MOBILE ACCESS CENTER? OKAY, PAUL DUNCAN'S GONNA TAKE A SHOT AT THIS . CURRENTLY, THE MOBILE ACCESS CENTER DOES NOT UTILIZE ANY GENERAL FUNDS. UH, BUT OVERALL THE MOBILE ACCESS CENTER IS MADE UP OF, UM, EIGHT CASE MANAGERS, A SUPERVISOR AND A NURSE. OVERALL, THAT PROGRAM COSTS ABOUT $1.2 MILLION A YEAR. OKAY. THANK YOU FOR THAT. I'M IMPRESSED. UM, AND HOW MANY COUNCIL DISTRICTS DOES IT SERVE? ? UH, WE HAVE LOOKED AT DIFFERENT UTILIZATION AND OUR DATA OVER TIME. IT HAS SHIFTED, I THINK, AT MOMENTS. IT'S BEEN IN EVERY SINGLE COUNCIL DISTRICT THROUGHOUT THE CITY CURRENTLY. UH, I DON'T KNOW EXACTLY OFFHAND, BUT IF YOU GO TO LONG BE, UH, LONG BEACH.GOV/HOMELESSNESS, UH, AND THE SERVICES TAB, THE ACTIVE MAC SCHEDULE IS AVAILABLE ONLINE. OKAY. WELL, I CAN TELL YOU IT DOES NOT SERVE THE FOURTH DISTRICT ANY LONGER. UH, IT DID ORIGINALLY, SO THE FOLKS AT LOS ALTO SHOPPING CENTER GOT VERY FOND OF IT. SO, UH, IF IT, IF IT COSTS THAT MUCH, I, AND IT'S A CITYWIDE AS ASSET, UM, I WOULD ASK, UH, THE TEAM TO MAYBE REASSESS WHERE, WHERE IT'S UTILIZED. OKAY. THAT'S ALL I HAVE FOR TONIGHT. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU FOR THE HISTORY LESSON. YOU'RE WELCOME. WE, WE DON'T KNOW WHAT OTHER COUNCILS HAVE TO DEAL WITH, SO LET'S NOT, LET'S NOT JUDGE THEIR SITUATION. UM, NEXT IS VICE MAYOR URANGA. UH, THANK YOU MAYOR. AND I WANNA, I LINE MYSELF WITH ALL THE COMMENTS, ALL MY, ALL MY COLLEAGUES. I GOT TWO TAKEAWAYS FROM THE DISCUSSION TONIGHT. IN FACT, FROM EVERY DISCUSSION, THE CITY'S BEING CHALLENGED. WE HAVE GREAT CHALLENGES, ONE AND TWO, WE HAVE A GREAT STAFF THAT IS MEETING THEM, THOSE CHALLENGES. AND THAT'S ALL I HAVE TO SAY. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. YEAH. ALL RIGHT. THAT'S WHY HE IS THE VICE MAYOR. THAT'S WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT, ROBERTO. ALRIGHT. OKAY. WE'RE NOW GONNA GO TO PUBLIC COMMENT. I'M GONNA READ OFF. SO THERE ARE, LET'S SEE, 42 PEOPLE SIGN UP TO SPEAK. UM, I'M NOT SURE THAT ALL 42 ARE STILL HERE, SO, SO I'M GONNA READ, UH, MAYBE THE FIRST 20 NAMES COME FORWARD, UH, AND WE'LL GET STARTED. BARRICK STE. KATHLEEN ADAMS, MARY S CHRISTOPHER COVINGTON, PAULA WOOD, CINDY SAGA, UM, I ALWAYS MESS IT UP. CINDY, FORGIVE ME. KELLY L DEANNA KNOWLES, BRANDY DAVISON, UM, DENISE TAPIA, NANCY RIANO, WALTER HORN, HALEY WAGNER, MARSHALL ROBINSON, HAILEY FLORES, UH, MELVIN, H DEKE H DEMI MONSON, ERIC GARCIA AND KARINA WOOD, IF YOU HEARD YOUR NAME, PLEASE, PLEASE COME FORWARD AND JUST SAY YOUR NAME 'CAUSE IT MIGHT BE OUTTA ORDER SO WE CAN REMOVE YOU FROM THE LIST. THANK YOU. PLEASE PROCEED. AND THEN, EXCUSE ME AS A REMINDER, DUE TO THE VOLUME OF SPEAKERS, WE ARE GOING LIMIT THE TIME TO ONE MINUTE. OKAY. UNDERSTAND, JUST SO PEOPLE CAN UNDERSTAND, PREPARE THEIR COMMENTS IN ADVANCE FOR ONE MINUTE. OKAY. ALRIGHT, THANK YOU. HI, MY NAME'S BARRY STE. I'M REPRESENTING, UH, SURGE LONG BEACH, WHICH IS, UH, SHOWING UP FOR RACIAL JUSTICE LONG BEACH. UM, I LIVE IN DISTRICT TWO AND I SUPPORT THE CITY'S EXPANSION OF THE COMMUNITY CRISIS RESPONSE TEAM. AND I WANNA APPLAUD THE, UH, THE, THE EXTRA EFFORT THAT WAS MADE TO, UH, MOVE FUNDS AROUND TO CONTINUE TO SUPPORT THIS TEAM. I, I, I, I REALLY THINK THAT THAT WAS WONDERFUL AND I APPLAUD YOUR, YOUR EFFORTS ON THAT, ON THAT FRONT. AND I WANT TO THANK, UM, DIRECTOR KING AND ALL HEALTH DEPARTMENT WORKERS HERE TONIGHT FOR YOUR INCREDIBLE WORK AND ESPECIALLY THE FIVE MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY CRISIS [02:50:01] RESPONSE TEAM. UH, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ALL YOU DO. UM, I'D LIKE TO POINT OUT TWO THINGS, UM, FOR BEFORE I'M, I'M DONE. UM, PEOPLE DON'T HAVE THEIR CRISES ON A NINE TO FIVE SCHEDULE, SO I THINK WE'RE GONNA NEED TO EXPAND THE HOURS AT SOME POINT. AND I ALSO WANT TO ESTABLISH, UH, A, UH, A DEDICATED NON, UH, NON 9 1 1 NUMBER SO WE CAN HAVE THE, THE PHONE CALLS GO DIRECTLY TO THAT TEAM. THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME, FOR YOUR SUPPORT. THANK YOU. I APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY. I APPRECIATE YOU. THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER, PLEASE. HELLO, I'M KATHLEEN ADAMS. I PARTICIPATE WITH MULTIPLE COALITIONS THAT END WITH, UM, ECONOMIC JUSTICE AND INCLUDING PARTNER WITH BARRY WITH SURGE. AND I ECHO EVERYTHING. HE SPOKE ALREADY ABOUT, I BOUGHT LOTTO TICKETS TODAY AND I'M GONNA KEEP BUYING LOTTO TICKETS BECAUSE I AM INTERESTED IN GETTING THE $7 MILLION FOR A 24 HOUR CRISIS RESPONSE LINE DIRECTLY ALLOCATED. AND I ASKED ALL OF LONG BEACH TO DO THE SAME. AND ONCE WE WIN THIS MONEY, WHERE DO WE PUT IT? HOW DO WE GET IT TO YOU? WE WANT IT IN THE BUDGET FOR THE, WE WANT IT TO ALLISON KING AND THE CRISIS RESPONSE TEAM. OKAY. AND THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE EXPANSION. I DON'T WANNA REPEAT WHAT BARRY SAID, BUT I ECHO EVERYTHING HE SAID. UM, ALSO I DIDN'T SEE CCR ON THE TIDELANDS FUND AND I BELIEVE, UH, THOSE ARE WILDLIFE. WE ARE WILDLIFE DOWN ON LONG BEACH IN THE TIDELANDS AND UM, THAT'S PART OF THE CRISIS RESPONSE. SO I HOPE TO INCLUDE THAT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU SO MUCH, MAYOR. THAT LAST SPEAKER IS A FOURTH DISTRICT RESIDENT, SO SHE'S GIVING AWAY MONEY. I MEAN, ALRIGHT, DON'T TAKE HER UP HER TIME. COUNCIL MEMBER. ALRIGHT, YOUR TURN. UH, HI, COUNCIL MEMBERS AND MAYOR AND CITY LEADERSHIP. MY NAME IS CHRISTOPHER COVINGTON. I AM THE CO-CHAIR OF THE ADVANCING PEACE, UH, STEERING COMMITTEE, OUR CITY'S VIOLENCE PREVENTION INITIATIVE. UH, I AM COMING TODAY TO APPRECIATE THE CALL OUT FOR THE YOUTH THAT WEREN'T ABLE TO STAY, UM, AS WELL AS IDENTIFYING, UM, SPECIFIC, UH, RESOURCES AND STRATEGIES TO SUPPORT VIOLENCE PREVENTION AND THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT. SO WE WANT TO ADVOCATE FOR THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT. WE WANT TO SEE THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT FULLY FUNDED, AND IN ADDITION TO THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT, UH, WE WANT VIOLENCE PREVENTION FULLY FUNDED AS WELL. UM, SO WE'RE URGING $1.4 MILLION ADDED TO THE BUDGET PROPOSALS TO MAKE VIOLENCE PREVENTION WHOLE IN THE CITY OF LONG BEACH, PRIORITIZING YEAR ROUND ACTIVATION, 600,000 SAFE PASSAGES 215, AND THEN HEALING RESPONSE FOR AN ADDITIONAL 1 66. UM, SO WE APPRECIATE YOUR TIME AND STRATEGIES. PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE INVEST IN THE SODA TAX. IT'S TIME FOR IT. WE CAN MAKE IT HAPPEN. WE CAN INVEST IN OTHER TAXES AS WELL IF NECESSARY. UH, BUT THE SOLUTIONS ARE OUT THERE, LET'S MAKE IT HAPPEN. THANK YOU. THANK YOU SO MUCH. ALRIGHT, NEXT SPEAKER PLEASE. GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL. MY NAME IS PAULA WOOD, I'M THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF SUCCESS AND CHALLENGES. UM, I'M HERE TONIGHT AS A MEMBER OF THE ONE LONG BEACH, UM, COLLABORATIVE AS WELL AS THE, UM, LONG BEACH, UM, STEERING COMMITTEE AS WELL. UH, I, AGAIN, I WANNA REITERATE THE FACT THAT THE BUDGET CUTS. LET'S SEE. FIRST OF ALL, WE APPRECIATE THE MAYOR'S INVESTMENT IN VIOLENCE PREVENTION AND YOUTH DEVELOPMENT IN THE PROPOSED YEAR 26 BUDGET. THIS IS A GREAT START, BUT AS WE KNOW THAT THERE ARE MANY THINGS THAT WERE UNDERFUNDED AND MY BIG CONCERN IS THE, SOME OF THE THINGS THAT ACTUALLY GO TOWARDS PREVENTION THAT WE NEED TO CONSIDER THAT ARE IMPORTANT. AND THAT IS THE YEAR ROUND ACTIVATIONS, SAFE PASSAGES AND THE HEALING RESPONSE. I'VE BEEN INVOLVED WITH MANY SITUATIONS THROUGH THE COMMITTEE WHERE WE'VE ACTUALLY INTERVIEWED FAMILIES WHO WERE IN DESPERATE NEED OF SUPPORT AND WE WERE ABLE TO FUND SOME PEOPLE TO BE SUCCESSFUL IN, UM, THE HEALING RESPONSE EFFORTS. SO I WOULD, I'D LIKE TO SEE IF YOU COULD CONTINUE TO FIND FUNDING FOR THOSE THINGS AS WELL. MA'AM, YOUR TIMES' CONCLUDED. OKAY, THANK YOU. THANKS MS. WOOD. ALRIGHT, CINDY, GOOD EVENING MAYOR, COUNCIL MEMBERS AND CITY STAFF. MY NAME IS CINDY SAGUN AND I AM WITH RO CHA. I AM HERE ON BEHALF OF THE ONE LONG BEACH COLLABORATIVE AND ALSO AS A STEERING COMMITTEE MEMBER AS OF ADVANCING PEACE STEERING COMMITTEE AND ALSO A DISTRICT IN, UM, A RESIDENT IN DISTRICT EIGHT. I WANT TO BEGIN BY EXPRESSING MY SUPPORT FOR THE PROPOSED HEALTH DEPARTMENT BUDGET. WE APPRECIATE THE CITY'S ONGOING COMMITMENT TO PUBLIC HEALTH AND SAFETY. THAT SAID, I AM HERE TO URGE, UH, RESPECTFULLY URGE TO FUND THE REMAINING 1.54 MILLION NEEDED FOR VIOLENCE PREVENTION AND YOUTH DEVELOPMENT IN THE FISCAL 2026 BUDGET. THIS ASK IS GROUND GROUNDED IN THE ONE LONG BEACH COMMUNITY VIOLENCE NEEDS ASSESSMENT, UM, LED BY THE C-V-I-P-I COLLABORATIVE IN THE SPRING OF 2024, WHERE OVER 1700 RESIDENTS SHARED CONCERNS, UM, AROUND VIOLENCE, DISINVESTMENT, AND THE LACK OF, UM, ACCESS TO RESOURCES. SO ONCE AGAIN, WE JUST URGE THAT VIOLENCE PREVENTION CONTINUES TO BE [02:55:01] A, A PRIORITY IN THE BUDGET. THANK YOU. THANKS SO MUCH. THANKS SPEAKER, PLEASE. HELLO. UM, GOOD EVENING MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEMBERS. MY NAME IS KELLY AND I'M HERE AS BOTH A PROUD STAFF MEMBER SUPPORTING YOUTH POWER PARTICIPATING, BUDGETING, AND A YOUNG PERSON WHO'S PERSONALLY BENEFITED FROM THESE INVESTMENTS. THANK YOU FOR YOUR PAST SUPPORT AND I'M HERE TO ASK YOU TWO THINGS. ONE, TO INCREASE THE YOUTH PARTICIPATORY BUDGETING ALLOCATION TO $650,000 AND TWO, INCREASE OUTREACH FUNDING TO $150,000. YOUTH POWER PARTICIPATORY BUDGETING BUILDS REAL POWER FOR OUR LONG BEACH YOUTH. I'VE FIRSTHAND SEEN YOUNG PEOPLE GAIN CONFIDENCE BY SHAPING REAL INVESTMENTS AND PROGRAMS THAT THEY WANTED TO CREATE. THESE FUNDS DON'T JUST SUPPORT PROJECTS. THEY CREATE SPACES WHERE YOUNG PEOPLE FEEL SEEN, HEARD AND VALUED. IN 2025, WE COLLECTED NEARLY 500 IDEAS. A 1020 5% INCREASE FROM 2024 AND PARTICIPATION MORE THAN DOUBLED FROM THE PREVIOUS YEAR WITH OVER A HUNDRED YOUTH AND ORGANIZATIONAL MEMBERS BY INCREASING THE PB BUDGET TO $800,000, WE SHOW THAT LONG BEACH BELIEVES IN ITS YOUTH AND THAT MUST BE REFLECTED IN OUR FUNDING. THANK YOU. THANKS KELLY. ALL RIGHT. NEXT SPEAKER PLEASE. GOOD EVENING. I'M MELVIN HARRIS AND I'M A YOUTH INTERN WITH LOVE BEYOND LIMITS. I'M HERE TO URGE YOU TO FUND THE REMAINING 1.54 MILLION NEEDED FOR VIOLENCE PREVENTION AND YOUTH DEVELOPMENT IN THE FY 2026 BUDGET. WE APPRECIATE THE MAYOR INCLUDED MANY INVESTMENTS IN VIOLENCE PREVENTION AND YOUTH DEVELOPMENT IN THE PROPOSED 26 BUDGET. THAT IS DEGREE START. HOWEVER, SEVERAL ESSENTIAL PROGRAMS REMAIN UNDERFUNDED, INCLUDED YEAR-ROUND ACTIVATIONS, SAFE PASSAGES, AND HEALING RESPONSE. THESE PROGRAMS SAVE LIVES BY PREVENTING VIOLENCE SUPPORTING SURVIVORS AND HELPING YOUTH THRIVE. THEY ARE REAL RESOURCES FOR REAL PEOPLE. PLEASE PRIORITIZE 600 K TO YEAR-ROUND ACTIVATIONS, 500 TO SAFE PASSAGES AND 300 TO HEALING RESPONSE AND FUND THE REMAINING 1.54 MILLION TO PROTECT AND UPLIFT THE COMMUNITIES WHO NEED IT MOST. WE ALSO ENCOURAGE THE CITY TO EXPLORE SUSTAINABLE FUNDING SOURCES SUCH AS TAX ON HEALTHY FOODS AND SODA TO VE SHARE YOUR TIME, PROTECT AND YOUR TIME TOO. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. ALRIGHT, NEXT SPEAKER PLEASE. GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL. MY NAME IS NANCY ANO. I'M A DISTRICT FIVE RESIDENT. UM, DURING THE COVID PANDEMIC, OUR COMMUNITY FACED A CRISIS UNLIKE ANYTHING ELSE IN RECENT HISTORY. IN THAT MOMENT, THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT CAME TO CITY'S INTENSIVE CARE UNIT PROVIDING RAPID LIFESAVING INTERVENTIONS WHEN NO OTHER AGENCY WAS EQUIPPED TO RESPOND JUST LIKE AN ICU CARES FOR THE CRITICALLY ILL, WE CARED FOR THE ENTIRE CITY WHEN IT NEEDED INTENSIVE PUBLIC HEALTH CARE AND SUPPORT. WITHOUT OUR RAPID RESPONSE, THE CONSEQUENCES WOULD'VE BEEN DIRE AS THE THREAT OF COVID HAS FADED SO TOO HAS THE MEMORY OF THE SACRIFICES AND SERVICES WE PROVIDED. THESE EFFORTS ARE FORGOTTEN, BUT THE WORK OF THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT CONTINUES ASKING THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT TO BEAR THE FINANCIAL BURDEN OF THIS CRISIS IS LIKE ASKING THE ICU TO PAY THE HOSPITAL BILL AFTER SAVING A PATIENT'S LIFE. WE DIDN'T JUST SERVE THE DEPARTMENT, WE SERVED THE ENTIRE CITY AND THE COST OF THAT CARE IS A SHARED RESPONSIBILITY. THE NEED FOR A STRONG HEALTH DEPARTMENT DID NOT END WITH THE PANDEMIC. TODAY WE REMAIN ON THE FRONT LINES OF SERIOUS THREATS LIKE TUBERCULOSIS, MEASLES, AND TYPHUS. YOU OTHER INFECTIOUS DISEASES. PUBLIC HEALTH IS NOT DEFINED BY PROFIT MARGINS, BUT DEFINED BY THE LIVES WE SAVED AND THE CRISES WE PREVENT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. WELL SAID. THANK YOU SO MUCH. ALRIGHT, DEANNA. ALRIGHT. GOOD EVENING MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL. MY NAME IS DEANNA KNOWLES. I'M A, I'M A COMMUNITY ORGANIZER WITH LONG BEACH FOR ADJUST ECONOMY. I'M ALSO A PROUD RESIDENT OF DISTRICT NINE. TONIGHT I WOULD LIKE TO PRESENT TO YOU OVER 125 POSTCARDS REPRESENTING VOICES ACROSS LONG BEACH. WE ALSO HAVE OVER 4,000 LETTERS SIGNED BY THE LONG BEACH COMMUNITY. IN SUPPORT OF OUR BUDGET ASK, I AM HERE NOT ONLY CARRYING MY OWN VOICE, BUT THE VOICES OF COMMUNITY MEMBERS ACROSS OUR BEAUTIFUL CITY OVER THE PAST FEW WEEKS THAT OUR BUDGET, OUR FUTURE COALITION, HAS COLLECTED POSTCARDS AND LETTER LETTERS FROM RESIDENTS ALL ACROSS LONG BEACH TO REFLECT A BUDGET THAT REFLECTS OUR VALUES. A BUDGET THAT REFLECTS THE PEOPLE IN CARE. A BUDGET THAT PUTS PEOPLE FIRST BY KEEPING OUR IMMIGRANT COMMUNITY SAFE, PREVENT PEOPLE FROM LOSING THEIR HOUSING AND PROVIDING LONG-TERM SOLUTION TO AFFORDABLE HOUSING. THESE POSTCARDS REPRESENT STORY THAT REFLECT OUR NEIGHBORS ASKING FOR 2 MILLION IN NEW FUNDING FOR OUR RIGHT TO COUNSEL PROGRAM, 2.2 MILLION FOR THE JUSTICE FUND AND 400,000 TO THE COMMUNITY LAND TRUST. OUR COMMUNITY IS HURTING A LOT OF OUR COMMUNITIES CANNOT MAKE IT OUT HERE BECAUSE OF GOING ON IN OUR CLI WHAT'S GOING ON IN OUR CLIMATE AND THE POLITICAL PROCESS. FOLKS CANNOT VOICE THEIR OPINION. TIME RECORDED. SO WE NEED, WE URGE YOU TO SUPPORT OUR BUDGET ASK. [03:00:01] THANK YOU. THANKS SO MUCH. ALRIGHT, NEXT SPEAKER. HELLO COUNCIL AND MAYOR. MY NAME IS DENISE AND I'M A COMMUNITY ORGANIZER WITH RE AND I'M A RESIDENT OF DISTRICT TWO. UM, I WANTED TO THANK YOU FOR INVESTING IN IMMIGRANTS AND TENANTS. UM, I WANTED TO ASK THAT YOU ALLOCATE FUNDS TO LONG BEACH JUSTICE FUND, COMMUNITY LAND TRUST AND EVICTION PROTECTIONS. UM, THESE ARE PROGRAMS THAT HAVE ALREADY BEEN DEVELOPED AND HAVE A PLAN TO GROW THEIR IMPACT. UM, I ASK THAT THE NEW PROGRAM SUCH AS THE SAFE PLACE BUSINESS CERTIFICATION OR THE MENTAL HEALTH SUPPORT GROUPS NOT TAKE AWAY FROM THE JUSTICE FUND. HOW WILL THESE PROGRAMS BE IMPLEMENTED? UM, WILL THE OVERWHELMED OFFICE OF EQUITY TAKE THIS ON? WE NEED TO FOCUS ON EFFORTS AND FUNDS ON A PROGRAM THAT COMMUNITY HAS SHOWN THAT THEY WANT AND NEED AND THAT IS ALREADY ESTABLISHED. UM, WE ASK THAT YOU ALLOCATE 2.2 MILLION IN STRUCTURAL FUNDING FOR THE LONG BEACH JUSTICE FUND WITH NEW CITY DOLLARS 2 MILLION FOR EVICTION DEFENSE AND 400,000 TO COMMUNITY LAND TRUSTS. THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER PLEASE. ALRIGHT, UM, HELLO, MY NAME IS KARINA WOOD. I AM A WIFE, A MOTHER AND PHYSICIAN. UM, NOT ONLY DO I LIVE IN LONG BEACH, BUT I'VE WORKED IN LONG BEACH FOR LAST 10 YEARS. MY KIDS WILL ACTUALLY ATTEND THE SAME ELEMENTARY SCHOOL THAT MY HUSBAND DID IN MEGAN CARES, UM, DISTRICT. UM, AS A PHYSICIAN I SEE THE DAILY HEALTH CONSEQUENCES OF ICE KIDNAPPINGS. MY PATIENTS ARE AFRAID TO LEAVE THEIR HOUSES TO GO FOR A WALK TO COME SEE ME. IN ADDITION TO THAT, THE LACK OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING IS ANOTHER IMPACTFUL SOCIAL DETERMINANT OF HEALTH AFFECTING MY PATIENTS. THIS IS WHY I'M HERE TODAY. UM, AS OUR MAYOR POSTED TODAY IN SOCIAL MEDIA, THESE RAIDS VIOLATE A COURT ORDER AND OR VALUES. PLEASE SHOW US THAT LONG BEACH FIGHTS BACK WITH MORE THAN WORDS. PLEASE HELP SUPPORT THE 30,000 PLUS IMMIGRANTS AND NON-CITIZENS IN OUR COMMUNITY. THE FUNDS WE'RE ASKING FOR THE 2.2 MILLION FOR THE JUSTICE FUND, THE 2 MILLION FOR THE EVICTION DEFENSE AND THE 400,000 FOR PERMANENT AFFORDABLE HOUSING ARE NOT UNREASONABLE. I WOULD ASK THAT YOU WOULD BE COURAGEOUS. THERE ARE TERRIFYING TIMES AND I HOPE THAT WE WILL BE SEEN BY OUR CHILDREN'S AS HEROES WHO HAVE THE STRENGTH TO DO WHAT IS RIGHT. THANK YOU. ALRIGHT, THANK YOU. ALRIGHT, ERIC, BEFORE YOU GO, I'M GONNA READ THE NEXT 20 SO THEY CAN START THE LINE UP. JUST HANG ON JUST A MINUTE. ALL RIGHT. UH, FERNANDO ACEVEDO, UH, ROMEO HARAN. LET'S SEE. GISELLE DE LOS REYES, LEVON SANTOS, LESTER RAMOS, UH, THERESA HAN, NIA, UH, MARY DW, JENNIFER TAFE, CARLA POLITO, JORDAN, LAURA MOZO. NATE KIM IVANA, NANETTE MACHADO WAN GILO. UM, MICHAEL CARLOS VIENNA. UM, JIMMY SUMLIN CHRISTIAN. SO LOZANO ALBA, DAN, UH, BENIA PALMER, JAZZ TABOR, JARED ABATE EDGAR AND VERONICA. VAL DINOS. ALRIGHT, YOU'RE UP ERIC. WHAT'S UP Y'ALL? ICE TARGETED TWO CAR WASHES OVER THE WEEKEND. UH, ANDRES AND COAST DETAILING. UM, AND WHAT IS, LIKE MY COLLEAGUE MENTIONED PREVIOUSLY, WHAT IS PROBABLY A VIOLATION OF THE TEMPORARY RESTRAINING ORDER ISSUED AGAINST THE FEDS FOR THEIR RAID THAT THEY CONDUCTED IN JUNE. UH, WE ARE IN COMMUNICATION WITH THE FAMILIES TO CONNECT THEM TO LEGAL SER UH, LEGAL RESOURCES THROUGH THE JUSTICE FUND, UH, WHICH IS WHY I'M HERE TODAY. MANY FOLKS LOSE THEIR PRIMARY INCOME GENERATOR, UH, AS IS THE CASE, UM, IN A LOT OF THESE RATES. AND SO THE FAMILIES NEED SO MUCH MORE THAN JUST LEGAL SUPPORT. I'M HERE TO ASK FOR 2.2 MILLION TOWARD THE LONG BEACH JUSTICE FUND. UH, THE LONG BEACH JUSTICE FUND ALSO HELPS WITH AFFIRMATIVE, UH, HUMANITARIAN VISAS LIKE AWA T VISA, UM, AND U VISAS, UH, WHICH IS A, A PROACTIVE APPROACH TO NOT WAIT UNTIL SOMEBODY IS IN THE WORST CASE SCENARIO, FIGHTING DEPORTATION BEFORE THEY CAN LOOK TO LOOK AT THEIR IMMIGRATION RELIEF, UH, UH, OPTIONS. UH, AND LASTLY, WE NEED LOCAL GOVERNMENT TO PUSH EQUALLY HARD TO PROTECT AS MANY AS THE RESIDENTS AS POSSIBLE. AS WE KNOW, THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT IS PUSHING THE LINE ON WHO THEY CAN ARREST AND DEPORT. UH, TO PUT ALSO HERE TO ASK FOR 2 MILLION FOR EVICTION DEFENSE AND 400 K FOR, UH, COMMUNITY LAND TRUST. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. ALRIGHT, NEXT SPEAKER PLEASE. HELLO, MY NAME IS JIMMY SUMLIN. UM, I AM VICE PRESIDENT OF A YOUTH AMBASSADOR. UM, OUR ORGANIZATION CALLED OGC, OUR GENERATION CARES WHILE I'M COMING UP HERE IS, FIRST OF ALL, I WANT TO THANK, UH, YPV FOR, UM, FUNDING US DURING THE SUMMER TO GET US PROGRAMS FOR OUR BLACK AND BROWN COMMUNITY TO BRING OUR YOUTH IN. UM, I WANT TO ASK IF WE COULD POSSIBLY GET MORE FUNDING AND MORE HELP IN THE FUTURE TO BE ABLE TO GET OUR KIDS OFF THE STREETS AND INTO BETTER OPPORTUNITIES. THANK YOU. THANKS SO [03:05:01] MUCH. ALRIGHT, NEXT SPEAKER PLEASE. ALRIGHT, GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR. UH, RICHARD RICHARDSON. MY NAME IS CHRISTIAN ANO AND I'M, UH, WITH THE COUNSELING OF, UH, OUR GENERATION CARE. WE ARE, UM, I'M TALKING ABOUT Y UH, YPV YOUTH, UH, PARTICIPATION BOAT AND, UH, HALF OUR GENERATION CARE. WE ARE TRYING TO HELP OUT YOUTH PEOPLE AND, UM, FIND A MAJOR, UM, TRYING TO MAKE EVENTS FOR THEM, TRYING TO BASICALLY, UH, NOT TO KEEP HIM ON THE STREETS, TRY TO TAKE HIM OUT OF THE STREETS. THERE'S TWO YOUNG PEOPLE DOING SOME DRUGS. UH, YEAH, THAT'S WHY UH, WE'RE DOING UH, THIS YPB JUST TO HELP HIM OUT, TO TAKE HIM OUT OF THE STREETS. UM, I WOULD APPRECIATE YOU GUYS IF WE CAN GET ALL YOUR SUPPORT, TRYING TO HELP 'EM OUT. FINDING, UM, FINDING MENTAL HEALTH EDUCATION OR ALSO SUPPORT FOR THEM. THANK YOU. GOOD JOB. THANK YOU ALL. ALRIGHT, NEXT SPEAKER PLEASE. HELLO, MY NAME IS VELO COMMUNITY LAWYER WITH OR I'M BEFORE YOU ALL TO ONCE AGAIN ADVOCATE FOR 2.2 MILLION IN STRUCTURAL FUNDING FOR THE LONG BEACH JUSTICE FUND FROM NEW CITY DOLLARS. WE CANNOT RELY ON ROLLOVER FUNDS OR PREVIOUSLY AWARDED FUNDING TO SUPPORT OUR LONG BEACH IMMIGRANT COMMUNITY. AS YOU ARE ALL AWARE, THERE HAVE BEEN RECENT RATES IN OUR CITY, TARGETING OUR PEOPLE AT LOCAL CAR WASHES. THE EARLIER MOMENT OF SILENCE OUR FOR OUR IMPACTED COMMUNITY MEMBERS IS APPRECIATED AS IS IMPORTANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE WHAT IS HAPPENING TO OUR COMMUNITY. BUT THEY NEED THE CITY TO STAND UP FOR THEM. UH, THEY AND OTHERS TARGETED BY THIS VIOLENT FEDERAL ADMINISTRATION RELY ON THE LONG BEACH JUSTICE FUND FOR SUPPORT. THE REALITY IS ENFORCEMENT AND LONG BEACH IS HERE AND ONGOING. UM, SO IT IS ALL MORE, ALL THE MORE URGENT TO INCREASE FUNDING TO PROTECT OUR IMMIGRANT FAMILIES. I ASK YOU ON BEHALF OF OUR IMMIGRANT COMMUNITY, ESPECIALLY THOSE WHO ARE TOO AFRAID TO, TO COME OUT TODAY, GIVEN THOSE RECENT RATES, UM, TO MEET OUR ASK OF 2.2 MILLION IN STRUCTURAL FUNDING FOR THE LONG BEACH JUSTICE FUND THROUGH NEW CITY DOLLARS AND ALSO SHARING MY SUPPORT FOR AN ALLOCATION OF 2 MILLION FOR THE TENANT RIGHT TO COUNCIL PROGRAM AND 400,000 FOR THE LONG BEACH COMMUNITY LAND TRUST. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. ALRIGHT, NEXT SPEAKER PLEASE. HONORABLE MAYOR RE, REX RICHARDSON, VICE MAYOR, CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS AND THE CITY MANAGER. MY NAME IS CARLA POLITO JORDAN. I AM A PROUD CITY OF LONG BEACH EMPLOYEE. I AM ALSO THE SECRETARY TREASURER FOR I AM LOCAL 1930. I AM ALSO A UNION STEWARD THAT REPRESENTS ABOUT 427 POSITIONS AT THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT. FOR YEARS WE HAVE KNOWN THAT THIS MOMENT WOULD COME. THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES HAS LONG BEEN UNDERFUNDED, RECEIVING ONLY SIX TO 7% OF THE GENERAL FRONT ALLOCATIONS. THIS LEVEL OF INVESTMENT DOES NOT REFLECT THE ESSENTIAL ROAR PUBLIC HEALTH PLACE IN THE WELLBEING OF OUR COMMUNITY. WE ARE LIVING IN A TIME WHERE PUBLIC HEALTH PROGRAMS ARE BEING CUT ACROSS THE NATION AND YET PUBLIC HEALTH AND SHOULD NOT BE EVALUATED BY PRO PROFIT MARGINS. IT MUST BE MEASURED BY THE LIVES IT SAVES THE CRISIS IT PREVENTS AND THE STABILITY IT BRINGS TO OUR NEIGHBORHOODS. THE CITY OF LONG BEACH MUST ACT NOW AND INVEST IN MEANINGFUL PUBLIC AND MEANINGFULLY IN PUBLIC HEALTH. OUR COMMUNITY'S HEALTH AND SAFETY DEPEND ON IT. YOU CONCERN THE RESIDENTS DEPEND ON IT. I RESPECTFULLY URGE THE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL, THE CITY MANAGER TO TAKE A STAND, MAKE THE HEALTH YOUR TIME'S CONCLUDED. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU. ALRIGHT, NEXT SPEAKER, PLEASE. GOOD EVENING, MAYOR CITY COUNCIL AND, UH, CITY MANAGER. MY NAME IS LUUM. THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT STOOD IN FRONT LINES FOR THE CITY. WHEN DIFFERENT, DIFFERENT PUBLIC HEALTH CRISIS CAME, WE BECAME THE SAFETY NET. THAT THAT KEPT LONG BEACH TOGETHER. WE CARRIED THE WEIGHT THEN AND WE CARRY THOSE. WE STILL CARRY THE WEIGHT NOW EVERY DAY AS PUBLIC HEALTH NURSE. WE SERVE THE PEOPLE IN LONG BEACH COMMUNITIES WHO TOO OFTEN FALL THROUGH THE CRACKS. PEOPLE WHO ARE UNDOCUMENTED, UH, PREGNANT WOMEN WITH COMPLICATED JOURNEYS, DOMESTIC VIOLENCE SURVIVORS, PEOPLE BATTLING MENTAL HEALTH AND SUBSTANCE USE. OUR AGING POPULATION WHO ARE ISOLATED AND VULNERABLE LED BURDEN CHILDREN, CHILDREN WITH S WITH SPECIAL NEEDS, UM, AND PEOPLE FACING SERIOUS COMMUNICABLE DISEASES. OUR SUCCESS IS NOT MEASURED WITH PROFITS OR REVENUES. IT'S MEASURED IN VALUES. IN VALUES. WE TOUCH AND MAKE A DIFFERENCE. WE MAKE IN RESIDENTS OF LONG BEACH. WE WILL YOUTH CARRY THIS WORK WITH US. THIS IS NOT JUST ABOUT BUDGETS, IT'S ABOUT VALUES. IT'S ABOUT WHETHER THE CITY HONORS AND INVEST IN OUR WORK. LONG BEACH MUST INVEST IN LONG, IN LONG TERM AND IN ITS HEALTH DEPARTMENT PROGRAMS THAT PROTECTS STRENGTH IN OUR COMMUNITIES. THANK YOU. THANK YOU SO MUCH. ALL RIGHT. NEXT SPEAKER PLEASE. GOOD EVENING EVERYBODY. MY NAME IS IVO ANNETTE MACHADO AND I'M A MEMBER OF [03:10:01] AND I'M ALSO MATO PARK BOARD MEMBER IN THE CITY OF LA AND A COMMUNITY ACTIVIST. DURING THE PANDEMIC I WAS VOLUNTEERING AT A, AT THE IN UNIDOS, WHICH IS A TENANT ADVOCATE FOR THE CITY OF LA AND ALSO WE HAD TENANTS FROM LONG BEACH THAT WERE BEING DISPLACED AND THEY HAVE MIXED E MIXED, UM, STATUS FAMILY MEMBERS IN THEIR HOUSEHOLD. SO I MERGING YOU TO PLEASE ALLOCATE $2 MILLION TO THE JUSTICE FUND AND WE WERE FIGHTING ALSO FOR THE RIGHT TO CANCEL. SO IT IS ESSENTIAL TO GIVE $2 MILLION FOR LEGAL DEFENSE BECAUSE A LOT OF THE TENANTS GOING TO COURT, THEY MIGHT BE DISPLACED AND BECOME HOMELESS AND DO SPEAK TO THE MEXICAN PRESIDENT TO ALLOCATE, UM, THE PORT TO CREATE JOBS FOR LONG BEACH BECAUSE WE NEED SOME OF THOSE PRODUCTS TO COME HERE ON THEIR WAY TO CANADA. SO WE HAVE A BEAUTIFUL PORT AND IT'S AN OPPORTUNITY FOR GROWTH. THANK YOU. ALRIGHT, THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER PLEASE. GOOD EVENING. HONORABLE MAYOR, VICE MAYOR AND THE COUNCIL MEMBERS. MY NAME IS REVEREND MARY YUNG, DIRECTOR OF THE LABOR PROGRAM AT CLU, CLERGY AND LAITY, UNITED FOR ECONOMIC JUSTICE. AND I'M HERE TO SUPPORT THE ALLOCATION OF $2 MILLION FOR THE RIGHT TO COUNCIL PROGRAM. $400,000 FOR COMMUNITY LAND TRUST AND $2.2 MILLION FOR LONG BEACH JUSTICE FUND. FIRST I WANNA SAY THANK YOU FOR INCREASING THE FUNDS FOR EVICTION DEFENSE AND THE LONG BEACH JUSTICE FUND COMPARED TO LAST YEAR AND WITH OUR CURRENT CRISIS, I URGE YOU TO INVEST MORE BECAUSE MORE LONG BEACH RESIDENTS ARE AT RISK OF EVICTION AND DEPORTATION RIGHT NOW. AND OUR CITY HAS MEASURED A FUNDING TO MEET THE NEEDS OF OUR TENANTS. UH, SO LONG BEACH WILL NOT LOSE MONEY BY USING MEASURE AID FUNDS FOR EVICTION DEFENSE AND COMMUNITY LAND TRUST TO PREVENT HOMELESSNESS. UH, AND AS WE KNOW, HOUSING IS, UH, SACRED BECAUSE IT'S A SPACE OF CARE AND STABILITY THAT BUILD HEALTHY COMMUNITIES AND HEALTHY FAMILIES. SO OUR INVESTMENT TODAY IN THESE PROGRAMS WILL IMPACT GENERATIONS TO COME. SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR THOUGHTFUL LEADERSHIP. ALRIGHT, THANK YOU. ALRIGHT, NEXT SPEAKER PLEASE. UH, GOOD EVENING, HONORABLE MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEMBERS. MY NAME IS REVEREND JEN TOFL. I'M CLERGY IN COMMUNITY AT FIRST CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH OF LONG BEACH LOCATED IN DISTRICT ONE. I'M HERE TO SUPPORT THE ALLOCATION OF $2 MILLION FOR THE TENANT RIGHT COUNCIL PROGRAM. $400,000 FOR THE LONG BEACH COMMUNITY LAND TRUST AND A STRUCTURAL $2.2 MILLION FOR THE LONG BEACH JUSTICE FUND. MEMBERS AT FIRST CONGREGATIONAL WROTE POSTCARDS TO VOTERS AND KNOCKED DOOR TO DOOR TO HELP PASS MEASURE A. NOW IS THE TIME FOR OUR CITY TO FULFILL MEASURE A'S PURPOSE, WHICH IS TO INVEST IN REAL SOLUTIONS TO HOMELESSNESS LIKE EVICTION DEFENSE AND COMMUNITY LAND TRUST. THE RIGHT TO COUNSEL PROGRAM HAS BEEN EFFECTIVE IN ENSURING RENTERS HAVING ACCESS TO FREE LEGAL REPRESENTATION THAT KEEPS THEM HOUSED, NEGOTIATES SETTLEMENTS SO THEY DON'T END UP DISPLACED OR PROVIDE THEM LEGAL COUNSEL TO RENTERS THAT HAVE HOUSING QUESTIONS. LAST YEAR, THIS PROGRAM HAS SERVED 500 HOUSEHOLDS. YOUR TIME'S CONCLUDED. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. THANK YOU. ALRIGHT, NEXT SPEAKER PLEASE. GOOD EVENING. UH, ROMEO, HE BROWN, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR WITH THE FILIPINO MIGRANT CENTER. AGAIN, CALLING FOR 2.2 MILLION IN NEW STRUCTURAL FUNDING FOR THE JUSTICE FUND, UH, THAT COULD SUPPORT PEOPLE'S HEALTH AND WELLBEING. WE DON'T NEED MILLIONS OF DOLLARS INVESTED INTO MORE POLICING. IMMIGRANTS DON'T FEEL SAFE AS IT IS WITH ICE RAIDS. AND INCREASED POLICE PRESENCE WON'T CONTRIBUTE TO FEELING PROTECTED. THAT MONEY SHOULD INSTEAD BE REDIRECTED TO THE JUSTICE FUND OR THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT. WE ALSO SUPPORT THE ASK FOR 2 MILLION FOR EVICTION DEFENSE AND 400 K FOR PERMANENT AFFORDABLE HOUSING THROUGH THE COMMUNITY LAND TRUST. AND LASTLY, IF WE'RE TALKING ABOUT EQUITY AND WANTING TO INCREASE CIVIC ENGAGEMENT AT THE CITY COUNCIL MEETINGS, THEN THERE ALSO NEEDS TO BE TIME PARAMETERS SET ON THE PUBLIC PRESENTATION, ON THE PRESENTATIONS. UM, SO THE PUBLIC CAN ALSO SPEAK THEIR MIND WITHOUT HAVING TO RUSH THROUGH 60 SECONDS. OR FOR THE YOUTH, UH, WHO HAVE TO GO HOME LIKE MANY WEEKS, UM, CONSECUTIVELY. THANK YOU. ALRIGHT, THANK YOU. ALRIGHT, NEXT SPEAKER PLEASE. GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS GISELLE. I'M THE DIRECT SERVICES MANAGER OF THE FILIPINO MIGRANT CENTER AND A DISTRICT ONE RESIDENT EVERY YEAR AND ESPECIALLY THIS YEAR, IT HAS BEEN HARD FOR OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS TO NAVIGATE THE IMMIGRATION SYSTEM WHILE STILL ALSO EXPERIENCING WAGE THEFT, DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, HOUSING INSECURITY, AND EVEN SCAMMERS PREYING ON THEIR NEED FOR RESOURCES. WE CONTINUE TO WORK WITH FILIPINOS AND THEIR FAMILIES WHO ARE CURRENTLY IN DETENTION OR ARE LOOKING FOR IMMIGRATION SUPPORT WITH THE SUPPORT THAT HAS BEEN ABLE TO BE GIVEN SUCH AS LEGAL SERVICES AND EDUCATION THROUGH THE JUSTICE FUND TRUST AMONGST OUR COMMUNITY TO DEFEND EACH OTHER HAS BEEN STRENGTHENED AND SHARED DEMANDS FOR MORE RESOURCES BECAUSE THEY KNOW [03:15:01] IT IS WHAT THEY DESERVE AND THE ISSUES AND WITH THE, WITH THE ISSUES THAT THEY CONTINUE TO FACE. SO AGAIN, THE FILIPINO COMMUNITY IS URGING THE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL TO ALLOCATE 2.2 MILLION IN NEW STRUCTURAL FUNDING FOR THE JUSTICE FUND. WE ALSO SUPPORT THE 2 MILLION FOR EVICTION DEFENSE AND 400,000 FOR THE COMMUNITY LAND TRUST. THANK YOU. ALRIGHT, THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER PLEASE. HI, GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS LUANN. I'M A MEMBER OF GABRIELA SOUTH BAY, A FILIPINO WOMEN'S ORGANIZATION AND I'M ALSO A RESIDENT OF DISTRICT EIGHT. AND I'M HERE ON BEHALF OF MY ORGANIZATION IN THE FILIPINO MIGRANT CENTER TO URGE THE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL TO ALLOCATE 2.2 MILLION IN NEW STRUCTURAL FUNDING FOR THE JUSTICE FUND, 2 MILLION FOR EVICTION DEFENSE AND 400,000 FOR THE COMMUNITY LAND TRUST. LONG BEACH IS FULL OF MIGRANTS WHO'VE MOVED HERE IN SEARCH FOR A BETTER LIFE FOR THEMSELVES AND THEIR FAMILIES. WE HAVE SPENT THIS PAST YEAR LEARNING ABOUT OUR WEST SIDE COMMUNITY AND THE PEOPLE WHO MAKE IT SPECIAL. I PERSONALLY KNOW SOMEONE WHO IS SCARED TO TAKE THE BUS TO WORK AND NOW USE THEIR HARDWORKING WAGES ON UBERS TO GO TO AND FROM WORK. AS I'VE, AS IT WAS ALREADY PREVIOUSLY MENTIONED, THIS PAST SUNDAY, TWO ICE RAIDS, TWO ICE RAIDS HAPPENED AT TWO DIFFERENT CAR WASHES IN LONG BEACH, EIGHT WORKERS BEING RIPPED APART FROM THEIR FAMILIES. IT'S VERY CLEAR THAT OUR PEOPLE ARE BEING KIDNAPPED IN BROAD DAYLIGHT. THE CITY NEEDS TO RESPOND TO THESE TA THESE ATTACKS ON OUR COMMUNITY WITH MORE URGENCY. AND THE 2.2 MILLION FOR THE JUSTICE FUND IS THE BARE MINIMUM. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER PLEASE. HI, GOOD EVENING EVERYONE. UH, MY NAME IS THERESA ELIA. I'M PART OF THE FILIPINOS IN EDUCATION FOR COMMUNITY ACTION AS WELL AS THE FILIPINO MIGRANT CENTER. UM, AS A LONG TIME EDUCATOR, I'VE SEEN, UM, THE URGENT NEEDS FOR FAMILIES, IMMIGRANT FAMILIES AND STUDENTS. UM, I'VE ALSO, UM, I'M HERE TO, UM, URGENTLY ASK FOR, UM, ALLOCATION TO THE LONG BEACH JUSTICE FUND FOR THE 2.2, UH, MILLION, AS WELL AS THE 2 MILLION FOR, UM, EVICTION AND DEFENSE. UM, AND THE 400,000 FOR PERMANENT AFFORDABLE HOUSING, UH, THROUGH THE COMMUNITY LAND TRUST. UM, WE KNOW IN NEARBY CITIES, WE'VE BEEN HEARING ABOUT STUDENTS WHO'VE BEEN DETAINED WITH THEIR FAMILIES OR HAVE BEEN DETAINED JUST FOR WALKING THEIR DOGS OR COMING TO CAMPUS WITH THEIR FAMILIES. AND WE KNOW AS A SCHOOL YEAR APPROACHES, UM, IMMIGRANT FAMILIES ARE REALLY AFRAID AND ARE THINKING ABOUT, UM, WHAT THE CITY IS, IS DOING TO STAND UP FOR THEM. UM, SO, UH, YOUR SUPPORT AND YOUR ALLOCATION OF FUNDS, UM, FOR THE UH, LONG BEACH JUSTICE FUND, UM, FOR HOUSING, FOR EDUCATION, UM, IN THIS CITY IS ONE WAY TO REALLY STAND UP FOR IMMIGRANT FAMILIES, WHICH WE URGENTLY NEED RIGHT NOW. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU. ALRIGHT, NEXT SPEAKER, PLEASE. YEAH. HELLO, GOOD EVENING. UH, I'M LESTER RAM, COMMUNITY ORGANIZER WITH THE FILIPINO MIGRANT CENTER IN LONG BEACH. BEFORE I GOT HIRED AT FMCI WAS HELPED BY THEM AS A HUMAN TRAFFICKING VICTIMS AND SEPARATED FROM MY FAMILY FOR MANY YEARS. FMC HELPED ME TO REUNITE WITH MY FAMILY. AFTER EIGHT OF YEARS OF BEING SEPARATED AS A MIGRANT MYSELF, I KNOW WHAT IT'S LIKE TO BE UNDOCUMENTED AND EXPERIENCE EXPLOITATION AND ABUSE AND TAKE ADVANTAGE, TAKE ADVANTAGE OF MY OF BY MY EMPLOYER. BECAUSE OF MY LEGAL STATUS DOING FFMC WORK, I LEARNED THAT THERE'S ARE MANY STORIES OF BACKGROUNDS THAT ARE EVEN WORSE THAN WHAT I EXPERIENCED. THIS IS WHY WE NEED THE JUSTICE BAN BECAUSE THERE ARE SO MANY MORE IMMIGRANTS LIKE ME WHO ARE NEEDING OF SUPPORT. IN ADDITION OF 2.2 MILLION FOR THE JUSTICE BAN, WE ALSO SUPPORT 2 MILLION FOR EVICTION DEPENDS, AND FOR A HUNDRED THOUSAND FOR PERMANENT AFFORDABLE HOUSING TO THE COMMUNITY LAND TRUST. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU. ALRIGHT, NEXT SPEAKER PLEASE MA'AM, [03:20:04] WE NEED OUR TRANSLATOR TO PROVIDE THE TRANSLATION SERVICES. OKAY. UM, HELLO. I'LL BE TRANSLATING FOR LAURA TODAY. IN THE PAST, TRANSLATION HAVEN'T BEEN ACCURATE TO A COMMUNITY MEMBERS SHARE. UM, AND TODAY SOME OF THE TRANSLATION EQUIPMENT WASN'T WORKING. GOOD AFTERNOON, MR. MAYOR AND MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL, THANK YOU FOR GIVING ME THE OPPORTUNITY TO ADDRESS YOU. MY NAME IS LAURA MOSO. I AM THE MOTHER OF TWO DAUGHTERS IN THE SCHOOL DISTRICT. I'M A VOLUNTEERING COMMUTED LEADER. FOR A LONG TIME I LIVED IN DISTRICT ONE AND CURRENTLY LIVE IN DISTRICT SIX. TODAY I AM HERE WITH RE BECAUSE IN LONG BEACH, AS IN MANY CITIES, WE ARE LIVING IN LIVING, LIVING IN FEAR OF DEPORTATIONS AND THE SEPARATION OF OUR FAMILIES. THIS AFFECTS MY DAILY LIFE, NOT ONLY ECONOMICALLY, BUT ALSO UH, EMOTIONALLY AND MY HEALTH IN GENERAL, THE SUPPORT WE CAN, WE HAVE CANNOT BE SUSTAINED WITHOUT THE NECESSARY RESOURCES. THAT IS WHY IT IS SO IMPORTANT TO HAVE THE FUND OF 2.2 MILLION FOR THE JUSTICE FUND, 2 MILLION FOR EVICTION DEFENSE, AND 400,000 FOR THE COMMUNITY LAND TRUST. PERSONALLY, I AM WORRIED BECAUSE IN LESS THAN FOUR MONTHS THEY RAISED MY RENT AGAIN AND WITHOUT A RENT CONTROL IN THE CITY OF LONG BEACH, MANY FAMILIES LIKE MINE LIVE WITH CONCERN OF NOT KNOWING. IF AT ANY MOMENT WE WILL NOT HAVE ENOUGH MONEY TO PAY OR BE EVICTED. AND ON THE OTHER HAND, LIVING IN HARASSMENT BECAUSE OF THE DEPORTATIONS AND THREATS MAKES US FEEL CORNERED. IT IS WORRYING TO HAVE TO FACE ALL THESE DIFFERENT SITUATIONS IN OUR LIVES. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. ALRIGHT, NEXT SPEAKER PLEASE. GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS EDGAR TIZ. I'M WITH THE CALIFORNIA IMMIGRANT POLICY CENTER. WE'RE HERE TODAY IN SOLIDARITY WITH THE COMMITTEE MEMBERS PRESENT IN THIS ROOM, AS WELL AS THE INDIVIDUALS WHO WEREN'T ABLE TO MAKE IT OUT TO THIS MEETING, CALLING FOR AN INVESTMENT OF AN ADDITIONAL 2 MILLION IN THE LONG BEACH JUSTICE FUND. DURING THESE CRITICAL MOMENTS, THIS IS A TIME WHERE YOU AS THE CITY'S LEADERS, CANNOT AFFORD TO ALLOW AN INVERSE RELATIONSHIP TO HOLD WHERE THE CITY IS PULLING BACK FROM ITS COMMITMENT TO SUPPORT IMMIGRANT COMMUNITIES WHILE THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT CONTINUES TO RAMP UP ITS ATTACKS ON COMMUNITIES, BE IT, UH, DETAINING AND KIDNAPPING, UH, OUR NEIGHBORS, OUR LOVED ONES, OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS, LIKE WHAT WAS JUST SHARED THAT HAPPENED ON SUNDAY TO, UH, ROVING AROUND SCHOOLS TO INTIMIDATE CHILDREN TO, AS WE SAW IN SAN BERNARDINO SHOOTING AT PEOPLE WHO TRY TO RESIST A WARRANTLESS KIDNAPPING. THIS IS A TIME WHERE IT'S A DIFFICULT SITUATION THAT'S CALLING FOR THE CITY OF LONG BEACH TO LEAD. AND THIS IS ABSOLUTELY SOMETHING THAT THE CITY NEEDS TO DO TO ENSURE THAT OUR COMMUNITIES ARE PROTECTED. THANK YOU. ALRIGHT, THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER, PLEASE. HELLO, I'M BETHEA PALMA. I'M LIVE IN DISTRICT ONE. UM, I'M HERE TO ADVOCATE FOR 2.2 MILLION TO THE, UH, LONG BEACH JUSTICE FUND, UM, EVICTION PROTECTION AND THE, UH, THE LAND TRUST. UM, I HOPE THAT THE CITY, UM, APPROACHES THIS TIME IN OUR HISTORY AS THE SAME, WITH THE SAME URGENCY AS COVID BECAUSE PEOPLE ARE CONFINED IN THEIR HOMES, THEY'RE AFRAID. UM, PEOPLE'S STRESS LEVELS ARE VERY HIGH, THEIR ANXIETY IS HIGH. THAT'S VERY BAD FOR PUBLIC HEALTH. WE WON'T HAVE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT, WE WON'T HAVE PUBLIC HEALTH. IF IMMIGRANTS ARE BEING SNATCHED OFF THE STREETS AND SENT TO DETENTION CENTERS AND THEIR FAMILIES CAN'T FIND THEM. UM, I HOPE THAT WE SEE, UM, ALL OF OUR CITY BAND TOGETHER AND HAVE THEIR BACKS. AND THAT'S WHY I'M HERE. UM, I HOPE THAT WE FUND THE JUSTICE FUND AND, UM, THE, UM, AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND ALL THE SUPPORT THAT PEOPLE NEED. UM, AS PRICES INCREASES, AS PRICES INCREASE AND PUBLIC ASSISTANCE FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT IS BEING CUT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER, PLEASE. HI. I AM URGING THE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL TO ALLOCATE 2.2 MILLION TO NEW STRUCTURAL FUNDING FOR THE JUSTICE FUND BECAUSE THE CURRENT PROPOSAL OF 1.8 MILLION ISN'T ENOUGH TO MEET THE URGENT NEEDS OF OUR MIGRANT COMMUNITIES. I CAME HERE WITH VARIOUS COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS BECAUSE WE'VE BEEN WORKING CLOSELY ON THE GROUND WITH THE FILIPINO MIGRANT CENTER AND SEE FIRSTHAND HOW CRUCIAL THE JUSTICE FUND IS IN PROVIDING SERVICES AND EDUCATION TO MIGRANT WORKERS FROM THE PHILIPPINES, CENTRAL AMERICA, THE CAMBODIA, AND MEXICO AND SO ON. JUST AN FYI 2.2 MILLION IS ONLY 0.6% OF THE POLICE BUDGET. SO IF YOU'RE FEELING GENEROUS TO MEET THE NEEDS OF YOUR CONSTITUENTS, YOU KNOW WHERE TO FIND THE EXTRA FUNDS. ANYWAYS, IN ADDITION TO THE 2.2 MILLION FOR THE JUSTICE FUND, WE ALSO SUPPORT THE 2 MILLION FOR EVICTION DEFENSE AND 400,000 FOR PERMANENT AFFORDABLE HOUSING THROUGH THE COMMUNITY LAND TRUST. THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER, PLEASE. UH, WE'VE BEEN WORKING CLOSELY ON THE GROUND WITH UH, FILIPINO MIGRANT CENTER TO GET THAT 2.2 MILLION FOR THE LONG BEACH JUSTICE FUND. AND THE 2.2 MILLION IS FRANKLY THE BARE MINIMUM THAT WE SEE, UH, FOR THIS JUSTICE FUND. IN ADDITION TO THE, UH, UH, EVICTION PROTECTIONS AND AND SUCH, UH, WE ARE URGING YOU TO, UH, UH, UH, INCREASE THE, UH, FUNDING FOR THAT AS WELL AS, UH, CONSIDER THE, THE NATURE OF, UH, THE, UH, UH, THE, THE CONTINUING CRISIS [03:25:01] OF IMMIGRANT COMMUNITIES LIKE MINE WHO ARE FEELING ANXIOUS AND SCARED. AND, UH, DISTRICT EIGHT, UH, WHOM I'M A MEMBER OF WAS FRANKLY TURNED INTO A BATTLEGROUND LAST JUNE. UH, A BATTLEGROUND IN THE MOST LITERAL SENSE. AND I DON'T EVER WANT TO SEE THAT HAPPEN AND I DON'T WANT TO SEE THAT FOR, UH, MY FAMILY AND MY FRIENDS. THANK YOU. ALRIGHT, OUR FINAL SPEAKER. GOOD EVENING, SIR. SIRS AND MADAMS OF THE CITY COUNCIL. MY NAME IS VERONICA, COMMUNITY LEADER WITH ORLE AND I LIVE IN DISTRICT EIGHT. IN THE LAST 30 YEARS THAT I LIVED IN THE IN LONG BEACH, I HAVE NOT EXPERIENCED THE INJUSTICES THAT HAVE BEEN TAKING PLACE WITHIN THE LAST COUPLE OF MONTHS. THERE'S MANY FAMILIES BEING SEPARATED, CHILDREN CRYING, YEARNING FOR THEIR PARENTS, PARENTS THAT CAME TO THIS COUNTRY TO WORK IN SEARCH OF A BRIGHTER FUTURE FOR THEIR FAMILIES. I KEEP BELIEVING THAT I LIVE IN THE UNITED STATES, NOT DIVIDED STATES. THEREFORE, I ASK FOR YOUR SUPPORT IN ALLOCATING 2.2 MILLION FOR THE JUSTICE FUND. $2 MILLION FOR THE EVICTION DEFENSE IN 400,000 FOR COMMUNITY LAND TRUST. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. ALRIGHT, OUR LAST, LAST SPEAKER. HI EVERYONE. MY NAME IS ALBA DELLI. I AM THE FOUNDER AND EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF OUR GENERATION CARES, OGCA, YOUTH LED NONPROFIT, NONPROFIT AND SOCIAL ENTERPRISE HERE IN DISTRICT ONE THAT WAS ACTUALLY BORN FROM THE POST PANDEMIC NEED OF OPPORTUNITY, GROWTH AND CHANGE. IT IS WITH A GREAT PRIDE THAT I SHARE THE SUCCESS STORY THAT COME FROM SUMMER PROGRAMMING, LIKE THE YOUTH PARTICIPATORY BUDGET FOR THE LAST THREE YEARS, OUR ORGANIZATION HAS BEEN A PART OF THIS PROCESS. IT IS THE LAUNCH PATH OF OUR SUMMER PROGRAM. WE TEACH CAR AND DRIVER EDUCATION FOR FREE, AND THAT IS ACTUALLY HOW WE START OUR FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM. OUR YOUTH THIS YEAR WE HAVE 45 KIDS WHO ENROLLED FOR OUR SUMMER PROGRAM. FROM THOSE 45 KIDS, WE HAVE 10 YOUTH WHO CONTINUE WITH US AS OUR FELLOWS INTO A NINE, NINE MONTH PROGRAM TO 12 MONTHS. AND I GOTTA SAY THAT IT IS A PLEASURE TO BE ABLE TO BRING THEM HERE AND SEE HOW CIVIC ENGAGEMENT, HOW BEING ACTIVELY INVOLVED AND HAVING A VOICE CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE. SO I ASK FOR THE CONTINUED SUPPORT OF YPV. I WANNA SAY THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE OUTREACH TEAM THAT HAS DONE A PHENOMENAL JOB. EVERY YEAR WE'VE GOTTEN MORE VOTES AND MORE YOUNG PEOPLE REALLY EXCITED AND, AND COLLABORATING. SO THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH TO OUR MAYOR AND TO OUR COUNCIL MEMBERS FOR THE SUPPORT FOR YPD. ALL RIGHT. AND LA P IS COMING UP IN A LITTLE BIT. ALRIGHT. UH, WHAT'S YOUR NAME? CARLOS VIE. I THINK YOU YEAH, I CALLED YOUR NAME. COME ON, COME ON FORWARD. YEAH. ALRIGHT. SORRY TO SAY MAKE YOU SAY PSYCH THREE TIMES, BUT I'M HERE TO ONCE AGAIN UPLIFT THE CALLS BEING MADE BY COMMUNITY. YOU'VE HEARD 'EM, YOU LOVE 'EM. 2.2 MILLION FOR THE LONG BEACH JUSTICE FUND, 2 MILLION FOR EVICTION DEFENSE AND 400,000 FOR THE COMMUNITY LAND TRUST. OUR PEOPLE ARE BEING ATTACKED AND FACING VIOLENCE THAT HAS RAMIFICATIONS THAT QUITE FRANKLY SOME FOLKS MAY NEVER RECOVER FROM WITHOUT COMMUNITY AND INSTITUTIONAL SUPPORT. AND HERE TODAY AND IN THE FOLLOWING WEEKS IS YOUR CHANCE TO EXTEND THAT TO THEM. UH, WE NEED THESE RESOURCES TO BE FULLY FUNDED TO ENSURE THAT OUR FAMILY'S DREAMS AREN'T CRUSHED BY THE WEIGHT OF BARRIERS PRESENT IN ACCESSING LEGAL SERVICES AND BECOMING HOMEOWNERS WHEN FAMILIES ARE INCREASING ARE, ARE INCREASINGLY FACING SEPARATION AND HOMELESSNESS. ANYTHING LESS THAN THAT IS FRANKLY INADEQUATE AND IMMORAL. THANKS. THANK YOU. ALRIGHT, WELL THAT CONCLUDES PUBLIC COMMENT. SOME REALLY GOOD FEEDBACK. I SAW COUNCIL MEMBERS TAKING SOME NOTES ON A FEW THINGS. WE SHOULD TALK ABOUT THE, THE, UH, THE LIMITS ON, UH, COUNCIL PRE ON STAFF PRESENTATIONS. I ACTUALLY LIKE THAT IDEA. UH, BUT THANK YOU SO MUCH. WE'RE GONNA, UM, CONTINUE THIS HEARING TO NEXT OUR NEXT COUNCIL MEETING. SO WE NEED, UH, A VOTE NOW ON CONTINUING THIS HEARING. MEMBERS PLEASE CAST YOUR VOTE. MOTION IS CARRIED. ALRIGHT, THANK YOU. ALRIGHT, LET'S, UH, LET'S HAVE OUR REPORT OUT FROM CLOSED SESSION, PLEASE. UH, THANK YOU MAYOR. WE HAVE NO REPORT FROM CLOSED SESSION. ALL RIGHT. BEST KIND REPORT. UM, NEXT WE'LL HAVE CONSENT CALENDAR. [03:30:02] OKAY. FOR SOME REASON THE SYSTEM ISN'T SHOWING ME A, A MOTION IN A SECOND. DO YOU SEE ONE? NO. NOPE. OKAY. WE'LL TAKE A, A VOICE MOTION IN A SECOND, PLEASE. ALL RIGHT. MOVE THE VICE MAYOR. SECOND. SECOND. CD FIVE. IS THERE ANY PUBLIC COMMENT ON CONSENT? THERE IS NO PUBLIC COMMENT ON CONSENT. MEMBERS. PLEASE CAST YOUR VOTE. UH, DISTRICT TWO. AYE. ROLL CALL VOTE. LET'S GO. DISTRICT THREE, AYE. DISTRICT FOUR, AYE. DISTRICT FIVE AYE. SIX. AYE. DISTRICT SEVEN. AYE. DISTRICT EIGHT. AYE. DISTRICT NINE. AYE. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT, THANK YOU. MOTION IS PASSED. WE NOW HAVE GENERAL PUBLIC COMMENT. LET'S SEE. OKAY, WE HAVE SEVEN MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC SIGNED UP TO SPEAK. PLEASE COME FORWARD WHEN YOU HEAR [ PUBLIC COMMENT: OBTAIN SPEAKER CARD FROM THE CITY CLERK Opportunity to address the City Council (on non-agenda items) is given to the first 10 persons who submit Speaker Cards to the City Clerk beginning at 15 minutes prior to the commencement of the meeting. Each speaker is allowed three minutes to make their comments. ] YOUR NAME. IRMA ULTA, UH, JOSEPH MOORE OSA, ANTHONY HOLMES. UH, STAR FOREMAN, LORDES DIXON, KATHLEEN ADAMS AND SHAYLA DIAZ. ALL RIGHT, THANK YOU. GOOD EVENING. WELCOME, UH, HONORABLE MAYOR, UH, REX RICHARDSON AND HONORABLE VICE MAYOR ROBERT DURGA AND HONORABLE COUNCIL MEMBERS. MY NAME IS ARCHULETA AND I SERVE AS VICE CHAIR FOR THE COMMISSION ON WOMEN AND GIRLS. AND I'M HERE THIS EVENING TO MAKE A STATEMENT ON THEIR BEHALF. ON AUGUST 26TH, 2025, THE CITY OF LONG BEACH WILL CELEBRATE THE 10TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE RESOLUTION RE RECOGNIZING WOMEN'S EQUITY DAY. THE LONG BEACH WOMEN AND GIRLS COMMISSION RESPECTFULLY REQUEST THAT THE CITY REAFFIRM ITS RESOLUTION TO HONOR WOMEN'S EQUALITY DAY AND FORMALLY INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING STATEMENT PREPARED BY THE COMMISSION IN THE OFFICIAL RECORD. SINCE ITS INCEPTION IN 2024, THE LONG BEACH COMMISSION FOR WOMEN AND GIRLS HAS BEEN STEADFAST IN ITS MISSION TO UNDERSTAND AND ADDRESS THE UNIQUE NEEDS OF WOMEN AND GIRLS IN THE COMMUNITY. WE HAVE ACTIVELY ENGAGED WITH CITY SERVICE PROVIDERS AND LOCAL ORGANIZATIONS TO LEARN FROM THEIR INSIGHTS AND EXPERIENCE. OUR JOURNEY HAS BEEN ONE OF PROFOUND LEARNING AND TRANSFORMATION. WE HAVE DELVED INTO THE MOST FUNDAMENTAL NEEDS, THE MOST SEVERE CHALLENGES FACED BY WOMEN AND GIRLS IN OUR COMMUNITY. FROM HEALTH AND HOUSING TO EMPLOYMENT EQUITY FROM SURVIVORS OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AND SEXUAL ASSAULT, VICTIMS OF HUMAN TRAFFICKING. AND FROM THE RECENT AGGRESSION AGAINST IMMIGRANTS, WE HAVE LISTENED AND LEARNED AND WE ARE ABSOLUTELY COM COMMITTED, RESOLUTELY COMMITTED, EXCUSE ME, TO ADDRESSING THESE PRESSING ISSUES. WHILE ALL THE ISSUES THAT WE HAVE ENCOUNTERED ARE OF GREAT CONCERN, THE COMMISSION IS CURRENTLY FOCUSING ON THE ISSUES. BELOW WE ASK THAT THE LONG BEACH CITY COUNCIL JOIN IN SHEDDING, GRADING LIGHT, GREATER LIGHT ON THESE MATTERS AND SEEKING SOLUTIONS FOR OUR COMMUNITY. FIRST, GENDER EQUITY IN WORKPLACE GENDER INEQUITIES PERSIST IN MANY WORKPLACES AS PART OF ITS WORK. THE COMMISSION HAS IDENTIFIED GENDER INEQUITIES IN CHANGING ROOMS AND, UH, LABORATORIES IN THE LONG BEACH FIRE REGIONAL TRAINING CENTER AND HAS FORMALLY REQUESTED THAT THE CITY COUNCIL PRIORITIZE FUNDING DURING THIS CURRENT FINANCIAL PLANNING PERIOD TO CORRECT THESE ISSUES. SECOND, HUMAN TRAFFICKING. THE LONG BEACH COMMISSION FOR WOMEN AND GIRLS IS CONSIDERING PARTNERING WITH THE LONG BEACH HUMAN TRAFFICKING TASK FORCE TO CREATE A REPORT ON THE STATUS OF HUMAN TRAFFICKING IN OUR CITY. WE SUPPORT THE COUNCIL ACTION DATED APRIL 22ND, 2025 TO ASSESS THE CITY STRATEGIES TO ADDRESS HUMAN TRAFFICKING CONCERNS ON LONG BEACH BOULEVARD IN NORTH LONG BEACH. AND SEEKS TO ALIGN OUR REPORTING EFFORTS WITH THESE, UH, FINDINGS. MOST IMPORTANTLY, WE ENCOURAGE THE COUNCIL TO CONTINUE IRMA TO ADDRESS. I THINK SOMEONE'S SEEDING THEIR TIME TO YOU, CORRECT? YES. IF WE DIDN'T HAVE JOE. ALRIGHT, THANK YOU SO MUCH. HELLO, MY NAME IS JOSEPH ZA AND I'M GOING TO SEED MY TIME TO FANTASTIC IRMA. ALRIGHT, THANK GO AHEAD IMA, YOU CAN FINISH THIS. THANK YOU. AS I MENTIONED, UM, AND I'M, UH, TO ASSESS THE CITY'S STRATEGY TO ADDRESS HUMAN TRAFFICKING CONCERNS ON LONG BEACH BOULEVARD AND LONG IN NORTH LONG BEACH AND SEEK TO ALIGN OUR REPORTING EFFORTS WITH THESE FINDINGS. MOST IMPORTANTLY, WE ENCOURAGE THE COUNCIL TO CONTINUE TO ADDRESS HUMAN TRAFFICKING IN OUR COMMUNITIES, AGGRESSION AGAINST THE IMMIGRANT COMMUNITY. RECENT STUDIES BY GEORGE WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY AND GEORGETOWN UNIVERSITIES [03:35:02] INDICATE THAT WOMEN AND GIRLS ARE DISPROPORTIONATELY IMPACTED BY MASS, UH, DEPORTATIONS. IN ADDITION TO FACING UNIQUE IMPACTS, THE COMMISSION IS ACTIVELY SEEKING INFORMATION AND RESEARCHING THE ISSUE ON THE LOCAL LEVEL. WE ENCOURAGE THE LONG BEACH CITY COUNCIL TO STAND FIRM IN SUPPORT FOR IMMIGRANTS IN OUR COMMUNITY AND TO CONSIDER ADDITIONAL AVENUES OF AID INCLUDING THOSE LISTED BELOW, ACCESS TO BASIC NEEDS DUE TO HEIGHTENED FEAR, MANY RESIDENTS ARE NOT LEAVING AS WE'VE HEARD, UH, THEIR HOMES, WHICH MEANS THEY ARE MISSING MEDICAL APPOINTMENTS, UNABLE TO GO TO WORK, AND STRUGGLING TO MEET ESSENTIAL NEEDS SUCH AS PAYING RENT AND PURCHASING GROCERIES, ACCESS TO WELLNESS RESOURCES. THE ONGOING THREAD OF IMMIGRATION ENFORCEMENT HAS EXACERBATED STRESS AND MENTAL HEALTH CHALLENGES, PARTICULARLY AROUND OUR IMMIGRANT COMMUNITIES. ACCESS TO LEGAL REPRESENTATION, THE RECENT FEDERAL SUSPENSION OF BOND HEARINGS FOR UNDOCUMENTED IMMIGRANTS HAS RESULTED IN PROLONGED AND POTENTIALLY UNLAWFUL DETENTION, EFFECTIVELY DENYING INDIVIDUALS THEIR RIGHT TO DUE PROCESS. WHEREAS THE LONG BEACH COMMISSION FOR WOMEN AND GIRLS IS AN ADVISORY BODY DEDICATED TO PROVIDING RECOMMENDATIONS FOR ESTABLISHING AND MAINTAINING EQUAL RIGHTS, EQUITY, SOCIAL JUSTICE, AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR ALL GENDERS. WITH A PARTICULAR FOCUS ON WOMEN AND GIRLS LIVING IN THE CITY OF LONG BEACH, WE KINDLY REQUEST YOUR SUPPORT REGARDING THE ISSUES OUTLINED ABOVE. SO ON AUGUST 26TH, 2025, WHEN THE CITY OF LONG BEACH CELEBRATES THE 10TH ANNIVERSARY OF ITS RESOLUTION, HONORING WOMEN'S EQUALITY DAY, THE LONG BEACH COMMISSION FOR WOMEN AND GIRLS, LOOK FORWARD TO THE REAFFIRMATION OF THIS RESOLUTION AND WITNESSING THE ANDREA OF THE OFFICIAL STATEMENT PREPARED BY THE COMMISSION IN SUMMER OF 2025. SINCERELY, UH, LONG BEACH COMMISSION ON WOMEN AND GIRLS AND WE ARE PLEASED THAT OUR ISSUES THAT WE RAISED ALIGN WITH SO MANY OF THE ISSUES HEARD THIS EVENING. THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO PRESENT THIS TO YOU. THANKS IRMA. THANK YOU. THANKS FOR COMING DOWN. ALRIGHT, NEXT SPEAKER PLEASE. MY NAME IS STAR FOREMAN AND I LIVE AT 1204 TO 1204 REDONDO AVENUE. I'M HERE TONIGHT BECAUSE ONCE AGAIN, THE CITY IS PREPARING TO CLOSE THE SERIOUS CODE ENFORCEMENT VIOLATION CASES ON MY APARTMENT AND ON THE BUILDING I LIVE IN. WITHOUT PROPER REINSPECTION OR REPAIR IN VIOLATION OF STATE LAW AND FRANKLY HUMAN DECENCY, THE VIOLATIONS OF THE STATE LAW IN DOING THIS TYPE OF A CLOSING OF A CODE VIOLATION CASE ARE COVERED UNDER AB 8 38, WHICH REQUIRES THAT TENANT COMPLAINTS ARE FULLY INSPECTED AND PROHIBITS CASE CLOSURE UNTIL ALL VIOLATIONS ARE ACTUALLY CORRECTED AND AFFIRMED TO BE CORRECTED WITH PHOTOGRAPHIC EVIDENCE. AB 5 48 REQUIRES CITIES TO ADOPT WRITTEN PUBLIC PROCEDURES FOR RE-INSPECTIONS AND CASE CLOSURES. WHILE THIS HAS BEEN REQUIRED, I CAN FIND NO PUBLISHMENT OF THESE PROCEDURES IN THE TWO YEARS LONG BEACH HAS HAD PRIOR TO JANUARY 1ST TO CREATE AND PUBLISH THEM THE UNSAFE CONDITIONS, MANY OF WHICH ARE STILL VISIBLE FROM THE SEAT FROM THE STREET, INCLUDE PAINT, PEELING, FACADE, CLUMPING AND BRONC, AND MISSING MASONRY, EXPOSING STRUCTURAL ELEMENTS IN THE FRONT OF THE BUILDING. SECOND FLOOR FIRE EXIT LAPS A GUARD RAIL. SO YOU'LL JUST FALL TO THE GROUND AND DIE IF YOU NEED TO EXIT THAT WAY. THERE IS NO EXTERIOR LIGHTING AT LIGHT, NO EXIT SIGNS OR EMERGENCY LIGHTING. THE REAR EXIT REQUIRES A KEY, WHICH MEANS DURING A FIRE YOU CANNOT EXIT WITHOUT THAT KEY. THERE ARE RODENT DROPPINGS. AN ONGOING INFESTATION, WHICH WAS CITED IN MARCH, HAS STILL NOT BEEN REMEDIATED OR CLEANED UP. THE CRAWLSPACE DEBRIS HAS NEVER BEEN INSPECTED OR TESTED FOR PROBABLE ASBESTOS, THERE ARE CEILING CRACKS, RAW CRACKS, DEBRIS IN THE CRAWLSPACE, WILING WINDOWS FALLING OUT DUE TO ROCK AND ALL OF THIS LIKELY TO CONTAIN ASBESTOS. THE PRACTICE THE CITY SEEMS TO HAVE OF PLACING THE BURDEN ON TENANTS TO COORDINATE OR SCHEDULE FOLLOW-UP ON INSPECTIONS AFTER AN INSPECTOR IS TURNED AWAY DUE TO IMPROPER NOTICES. UNACCEPTABLE. IN BEGINNING OF JUNE OF THIS YEAR, AN INSPECTOR ARRIVED TO MY DOOR WITHOUT NOTICE. I UTILIZED MY GOD-GIVEN RIGHT TO SAY I'M SORRY, BUT I CANNOT HOST YOU AT THIS TIME. I LIVE ALONE. IT IS LIKELY THAT THERE WERE CLOTHES ON THE FLOOR. THERE WERE REASONS NOT TO ALLOW. THE CITY HAD PRIOR GIVEN NOTICE TO MY LANDLORD WHO CHOSE NOT TO INFORM ME BEFORE SHOWING UP WITHOUT NOTICE. THE CITY COULD HAVE AT THAT TIME GIVEN THE LANDLORD A FEW FINES. MAYBE THEY COULD HAVE BLAMED THE LANDLORD FOR THEM BEING UNABLE TO GET ACCESS. INSTEAD, I AM BEING BLAMED. MY CASE IS BEING CLOSED AND I AM BEING LITERALLY HARMED PHYSICALLY [03:40:01] BECAUSE I CHOSE NOT TO ALLOW A CITY INSPECTOR TO ACCESS MY UNIT WITHOUT ANY TYPE OF WARNING. I AM REQUESTING THE CITY REOPENED THE CASE. THIS IS THE SECOND TIME YOU HAVE CLOSED THE CASE AS I AM REQUESTING THE CITY STAND BY CALIFORNIA LAW IN THE WAY THAT YOU HANDLE CODE VIOLATION CASES AND STOP MAKING IT THE TENANT'S RESPONSIBILITY TO FOLLOW THE CODE ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS AND FORCE THEM TO DO THEIR JOBS. ALRIGHT? ALL RIGHT, THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. IF YOU WANT TO TALK WITH, UH, STAFF, WE HAVE STAFF HERE THIS EVENING, WE CAN ANSWER YOUR QUESTIONS. ALRIGHT. SECOND VERSE. SAME AS THE FIRST. ALRIGHT, THANK YOU ANTHONY HOLMES MENTAL HEALTH IS REAL. DON MCINTOSH. YEAH, EVERY TIME I COME DOWN HERE, YOU DISRESPECT ME BY PUTTING YOUR HEAD DOWN WHEN I TALK, BUT I KNOW THAT'S JUST THE GUILT OF WHITE SUPREMACY RUNNING THROUGH YOUR VEINS. THE ONLY THING I'M GUILTY GOOD OF UA IS BEING BLACK AND SPEAKING THE TRUTH. UM, WE HAD A PERSONNEL OFFICER BY THE NAME OF LATOYA SULLIVAN THAT WORKED IN OUR DEPARTMENT FOR TWO MONTHS. THIS HAPPENED TO BE A CLOSE FRIEND OF MY FAMILY. SHE WAS BULLIED, SHE WAS HARASSED, SHE WAS RETALIATED AGAINST WITH DON HENDERSON AND JACQUELINE CANIS. JOSH HICKMAN KNOWS ABOUT THIS. UM, ERIC LOPEZ KNOWS ONE OF THE CITY ATTORNEYS KNOWS SHE HAD 45 PAGES ON WHAT HAPPENED TO HER. BUT YET, AND STILL I TELL HER TO GO TO THE EO. I SENT BOB, WHAT, SIX, SEVEN PEOPLE TO THE EO AND ALL THEIR, ALL OF THEIR CLAIMS CAME BACK UNSUBSTANTIATED. THIS IS A BLACK MOTHER THAT COME TO WORK, DO HER JOB, BUT GET HARASSED. HOW IS IT THAT SHE HAD 45 PAGES AND SHE DIDN'T EVEN GIVE ERICA RODRIGUEZ THE WHOLE 45 PAGE? JUST THE MAIN DIRECT DETAILS. SO WHAT I'LL DO, I'LL PUT IT UP ON THE INTERNET FOR THE PUBLIC TO SEE AND READ IT AND LET THEM COME UP AND BE THE JURY. AND TOM MOTOR, YOU SHOULD HAVE KNOWN ABOUT THIS. HOW IS ALL THIS STUFF HAPPENING UNDER YOUR BELT? I DON'T UNDERSTAND. LIKE YOU OVER ALL THIS. LIKE I TOLD ERICA RODRIGUEZ, SHE CAN NEVER DO HER JOB. SHE'S AN UNCLASSIFIED WORKER. SO THE SECOND THAT SHE DO HER JOB AND START HELPING EMPLOYEES THAT GO DOWN THERE AND FILE THEM CLAIMS, YOU'RE GONNA HAVE HER FIRED. WE DONE SEEN IT MULTIPLE TIMES IN THE CITY, BUT THIS IS WHO Y'ALL LET BE. OUR DEPARTMENT HEAD DON HENDERSON, JUST LIKE A EMPLOYEE RESIGNED. DON HENDERSON TELLS LATOYA SULLIVAN KNOW PUT THAT WE FIRED HIM. SO I'M GONNA BRING THESE PEOPLE DOWN HERE WHEN THEY GET CLOSE TO CRUNCH TIME WHEN THE ELECTION COMES SO THEY CAN SPEAK AND THEY CAN SHARE THEIR STORY. 'CAUSE I DON'T APPRECIATE THEM DOING A SINGLE BLACK MOTHER THAT COME TO WORK, DO HER JOB, WANT TO GO HOME AND GOTTA DEAL WITH THIS BS AND THAT'S NOT SAY THAT RETALIATION THAT HAPPENED AGAINST ME ALL THE TIME. I'M JUST BOWLING UP TO COME UP HERE AND SPEAK THE TRUTH. AND JOSH HICKMAN, I GUESS Y'ALL APPOINTED HIM THE PUBLIC WORKS DIRECTOR. I DONE HAD ENCOUNTERS WITH ALL OF THEM. KEEP MY DUCKS IN ORDER, RIGHT? I ALSO.MY I'S AND CROSSED MY T'S TOO. HE CO-SIGNED THE BS, HE CO-SIGN IT. HE PROTECT WHITE SUPREMACY. HE DOESN'T SHOW UP. AND IT'S, IT'S JUST, IT'S JUST HEARTBREAKING THAT I HAVE TO KEEP COMING UP HERE MULTIPLE TIMES FOR YOU GUYS TO ACT DUMB. FOUND IT ABOUT WHAT GOES ON. I CAN SEE THE FIRST SEVEN TIMES THAT I CAME DOWN HERE, Y'ALL, YOU KNOW, YOU GUYS CAN UNDERSTAND IT. YOU WASN'T GETTING IT, BUT NOW IT'S CLEAR IN THE OPEN. SO YOU GUYS HAVE A NICE DAY. BLACK LONG BEACH, STAND UP. ALL RIGHT, NEXT IS LOURDES DIXON. AFTER LOURDES IS KATHLEEN , CHE, MR. MAYOR RICHARDSON AND ME. AND GOOD EVENING MAYOR RICHARDSON AND CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS. MY NAME IS LOU NAVARRO DIXON. I HAVE A FAMILY BUSINESS, A BUNGEE JUMPER FOR THE LAST 15 YEARS. QUAR MOUNTED IN THE AQUARIUM AREA, RESTAURANT IN FRONT OF THE BABA, UH, RESTAURANT WITH A OPERATING WITH A PERMIT OF THE CITY, UH, SHORELINE VILLAGE IN SHORELINE VILLAGE. RENT, UH, THE SPACE. WE [03:45:01] CONTINUE HAVING ISSUES WITH THE, UH, TRUCK VENDORS. IT HAS INCREASED EXPONENTIALLY AND THERE ARE MORE, UH, VENDORS THAT ARE COMING THROUGH DEPARTMENT. THEY'RE COMING, UH, WITHOUT A PERMIT, OPERATING WITHOUT A PERMIT, AND NO SUPERVISION PAYING, NO RENT OR, UH, INCOME TAXES OR ANYTHING OF THE, OF THE NATURE. AND OUR BUSINESS HAS BEEN IMPACTED, UH, HEAVILY, THE SHORELINE AND ALL OF THE VENDORS THAT ARE BELONGING TO THE SHORELINE AREA. UH, THESE VENDORS, TRUCK VENDORS START PARKING IN THE AREA STARTING ON THURSDAY THROUGH SUNDAY TO TAKE CARE OF THE AREA, UH, OR, UH, LOT IN THE AREA THAT THEY'RE PARKED. YEAH, THEY START, UH, UNLOADING AROUND 7:00 AM WITH, UH, MANY FOOD ITEMS AND THEY'RE THERE THROUGHOUT THE WEEK AND THEY'RE ALSO OBSTRUCTING THE WAY OF, UH, PEDESTRIAN. AND DURING THE WEEKEND, THEY LEAVE, UH, BEHIND A LOT OF TRASH AND THE STREET IS LEFT WITH A LOT OF GREASE AND VERY DIRTY. THEY DON'T REALLY CARE WHERE THEY SITUATED. IT DOESN'T MATTER, REGARDLESS IF IT'S IN RED ZONE OR WHERE THE FIRE HYDRANT IS. THERE IS A LADY THAT HAS FOUR, UH, ICE CREAM TRUCKS AND SHE FEELS LIKE SHE'S THE OWNER OF THE WHOLE AREA. SHE'S VERY CONFRONTATIONAL WITH PEOPLE THAT ARE, UH, ARRIVING TO THE AREA. AND MY SON WAS INTIMIDATED. UH, SHE SENT, OR A GANG, GANG MEMBER, SHE SENT A, A GANG MEMBER TO INTIMIDATE HIM. SHE SENT HIM OVER AND SHE ALSO GOT INTO CONFRONTATION WITH OTHER VENDORS AND WAS TOLD THE SAME THING THAT SHE WOULD SEND OVER SOME GANG MEMBERS TO HARASS HIM. THERE'S NO LONGER PEACE OR HARMONY IN THAT AREA. IT SEEMS LIKE THE AREA AT THE ATMOSPHERE OF THE AMBIANCE IS HAVE A SWAP MEET. LOS RE ALL THE RESTAURANT OWNERS HAVE, UH, MADE MULTIPLE COMPLAINTS FOR A LONG TIME, THE SAME WAY THAT I HAVE BEEN DOING FIGHTING FOR EVERYBODY BECAUSE WE'D LIKE TO WORK, UH, UNDER THE LAW AND KEEP EVERYTHING, UH, IN LEGAL STATUS INSPECTIONS, PERMITS AND, UH, INSURANCE AND GIVE GOOD SERVICE TO TOURISM AND THE COMMUNITY. AND I THINK THEY SHOULD BE INSPECTED BY, UH, THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT BECAUSE I FEEL THAT THEY'RE VERY DIRTY. THEY'RE THERE THROUGHOUT THE DAY AT FROM 7:00 AM TO 10:00 PM AND I'M YEARNING FOR YOUR HELP. I'M REALLY IN NEED OF YOUR HELP. HOPEFULLY IT WON'T, UH, GET TO WORSE, UH, OF A CRIME. UH, DUE TO THIS, UH, LADY TACOS, THERE'S ANOTHER MAN THAT SELLS HOG DOGS, UH, WHO IS ALSO AS VIOLENT AS HER. THAT'S STATIONED IN FRONT OF THE BUNCH SHOPPERS. HE'S ALSO, UH, PARKED IN RED AND WHERE THE FIRE HYDRANT IS. UH, I HOPE [03:50:01] THAT I CAN RECEIVE YOUR HELP AND IT'S, IT'S VERY, UH, TROUBLING YOUR TIME'S CONCLUDED. I'M NOT AWARE THAT THERE ARE OTHER, BUT THANK YOU SO MUCH, . THANK YOU. ALRIGHT, KATHLEEN, YOU'VE BEEN PATIENT. THANK YOU. KATHLEEN . HELLO. UM, SO I, I AM HEARING WE ARE IN A MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS IN LONG BEACH FROM THE VARIOUS EVENTS THAT ARE HAPPENING NOW. AND I WAS THINKING ABOUT HOW, UM, YOU KNOW, WALT DISNEY HAD A, A MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS. AND, AND WHAT HE DID WAS HE TRAVELED AROUND EUROPE AND LEARNED ABOUT IT'S A SMALL WORLD AND HE BUILT DISNEYLAND, BUT HE DIDN'T HAVE THE MONEY. UM, HIS BROTHER, ROY DISNEY WENT TO ARCO AND SAID, UH, I WAS LIKE, $20 MILLION AND WE'LL PUT YOUR NAME FOR THE NEXT 30 YEARS ON UTOPIA. AND I THINK THAT'S THE KIND OF OUT OF BOX THINKING I'D LIKE TO SEE US DO IN LONG BEACH IS TO, YOU KNOW, YOU CAN SEE THE, THE OPPORTUNITIES THAT ARE HERE. SO I'M HERE TO TALK ABOUT HOW CAN LONG BEACH COMMUNICATE TO US. UM, WE'RE ASKING FOR THESE, YOU'RE HEARING THEM. HOW CAN WE KNOW YOU'RE LISTENING. SO I'M LOOKING FOR ON THE WEBSITE, WE HEARD YOU, HERE'S THE PIE. IF WE HAD, UM, THE $20 MILLION ON THE ROY DISNEY GOING DOOR TO DOOR AND SAYING, WE'LL PUT YOUR NAME ON THIS. I WANNA SEE THAT BUDGET PIE AND SHOW WHAT IT WOULD LOOK LIKE. 'CAUSE RIGHT NOW WHAT WE'RE BEING ASKED TO DO THAT I'M HEARING IS YOU'RE ALLOWED TO HAVE THIS MUCH OF A DREAM, AND WE WANT YOUR DREAM TO FIT INTO THIS BOX. AND I'M SAYING I AM IN A, WITH A FAMILY WHO SAW DISNEYLAND GROW UP, OR DISNEYLAND HAPPENED, AND I'VE WENT WITH SOMEONE WHO, UH, WHEN WE GO OUT TO BREAKFAST, WE'RE SAYING IT'S LIKE WE'RE IN HAWAII. IT'S LIKE WE'RE ON A VACATION AND WE HAVE THAT EXPERIENCE HERE IN LONG BEACH. AND SO I THINK IF WITH ADVOCACY ACROSS OUR, AND COMMUNICATION WITH OUR WHOLE CITY, AND IF WE UNDERSTOOD WHAT THE WISH BUDGET IS, THE LONG BEACH GROW WISH BUDGET, AND STOP TRYING TO FIT IN THIS BOX AS THE ONLY OPTION I WANNA SEE EVERY ASK THAT THIS CITY COUNCIL'S GOT ON THE WEBSITE AND SHOW WHAT THAT BUDGET LOOKS LIKE. AND I WANT HELP WITH ADVOCACY, GRANT WRITING CITYWIDE, UM, CITIZEN DEESCALATION TRAINING ADDED, UH, WISHES. I'M CALLING IT THE WISHES, BUDGET. BUDGET. I WANNA SEE A FIVE YEAR AND A 30 YEAR ROADMAP. UM, THESE ONE YEAR. THIS IS, IT IS VERY DIFFICULT TO, UM, HAVE THAT DREAM WHERE I FEEL LIKE WE'RE STUCK IN THIS BOX. SO, UM, AND I, AGAIN, I ECHO EVERYONE, UH, ASKS HERE AND THE FOR BUDGET AND THE EQUITY OFFICE, NONVIOLENT TRAINING IS VERY IMPORTANT. AND THANK YOU FOR CONSIDERING US WILDLIFE, INCLUDING US IN THE TIDE FENCE TOO. THANK YOU. ALRIGHT, THANK YOU SHAYLA. HI EVERYONE. GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS SHELA DIAZ. I LIVE IN DISTRICT SEVEN AND I'M A COMMUNITY ORGANIZER AT LANE. UM, SO LAST NIGHT I WAS ABLE TO ATTEND A BUDGET, UM, COMMUNITY MEETING IN DISTRICT NINE WITH SOME OF OUR COMMUNITY LEADERS, UM, WHO LIVE IN THE DISTRICT. UM, AS USUAL, WE HAD THE BUDGET PRESENTATION THAT LED INTO THE Q AND A PORTION OF THE MEETING. UM, BUT BEFORE THIS, HOWEVER, WE HAD AN EXERCISE WHERE THE COMMUNITY MEMBERS WERE ABLE TO INTERACT, UM, WITH THE BUDGET SIMULATION TOOL. FOR SOMEONE LIKE ME, IT IS EASIER, UM, TO USE THIS TOOL AND SHARE MY CONCERNS REGARDING THE BUDGET. HOWEVER, IT IS NOT ALWAYS THE CASE WITH THE COMMUNITY MEMBERS, OUR LEADERS, WERE HAVING A LITTLE TROUBLE USING IT, EVEN WITH THE ASSISTANCE OF STAFF. WE NEED TO KEEP IN MIND THAT NOT EVERYONE KNOWS HOW TO USE A COMPUTER OR KNOWS HOW TO ACCESS THIS TOOL. THE CITY PRIDES ITSELF ON INCLUDING COMMUNITY AND TAKING THEIR INPUT DURING THESE MEETINGS. BUT THIS EXERCISE MAKES IT HARDER FOR SOME COMMUNITY MEMBERS TO BE INVOLVED. INSTEAD OF MAKING IT HARDER, WE NEED TO MAKE TOOLS MORE ACCESSIBLE AND KEEP EVERYONE IN MIND. THANK YOU. AND I JUST URGE YOU TO ADD THE 2 MILLION, 2.2 MILLION TOWARDS ADJUSTED FUND, 2 MILLION TOWARDS RATES OF COUNCIL AND OF A HUNDRED THOUSAND TOWARDS THE CLT. THANK YOU. ALRIGHT, THANK YOU. WELL, THAT CONCLUDES PUBLIC COMMENT. UH, WHAT WE'RE GONNA DO NOW, HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE HERE, UM, PRESENT FOR ITEM 18? RAISE YOUR HAND FOR THE WHAT. OKAY. AND HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE HERE FOR THE SISTER CITIES ITEM? OKAY. ALL RIGHT. IT'S ABOUT EVEN, SO WE'RE GONNA DO, UH, ITEM 18. I WANT TO, UM, UH, JUST REMIND THE COUNCIL MEMBERS, THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE STILL WAITING FOR AN AGENDA ITEM AFTER THAT. UH, SO LET'S BE EXPEDIENT ON THESE NEXT FEW ITEMS. LET'S CALL ITEM 18, PLEASE. 16 COMMUNICATION FROM COUNCIL MEMBER DUGGAN [03:55:01] COUNCILMAN ALLEN, AND COUNCIL MEMBER RICKS [18. 25-56147 Recommendation to direct City Manager to work with the Government Affairs Office to revise the City’s Legislative Agenda to support policies, legislation, and funding that help facilitate the City’s responsible and strategic phase-out of local oil extraction operations including, but not limited to, measures that: Modernize the State’s “surplus” finding and the associated revenue-sharing formula governing Long Beach’s tidelands oil and gas revenue; Redirect interest revenues generated from the state’s oil abandonment liability savings or reinvest state oil revenues through direct appropriations back into Long Beach; and Direct City Manager to work with the Government Affairs Office to develop and present additional recommendations to the Intergovernmental Affairs Committee for discussion related to the responsible transition away from oil production and the protection of public trust resources. This discussion should include potential changes to the Legislative Agenda that would support strategies to mitigate budget impacts to core city services, limit employment losses and support the transition of displaced workers, and plan for future decommissioning and site remediation efforts.       Office or Department: Kristina Duggan, Councilmember, Third District; Cindy Allen, Councilwoman, Second District; Joni Ricks-Oddie, Councilmember, Ninth District         Suggested Action: Approve recommendation. ] OTI RECOMMENDATION TO DIRECT CITY MANAGER TO WORK WITH THE GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS OFFICE TO REVISE THE CITY'S LEGISLATIVE AGENDA TO SUPPORT POLICIES, LEGISLATION, AND FUNDING THAT HELP FACILITATE THE CITY'S RESPONSIBLE AND STRATEGIC PHASE OUT OF LOCAL OIL EXTRACTION OPERATIONS. AND DIRECT CITY MANAGER TO WORK WITH GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS OFFICE TO DEVELOP AND PRESENT ADDITIONAL RECOMMENDATIONS TO THE INTERGOVERNMENTAL AFFAIRS COMMITTEE FOR DISCUSSION RELATED TO THE RESPONSIBLE TRANSITION AWAY FROM OIL PRODUCTION AND THE PROTECTION OF PUBLIC TRUST RESOURCES. RIGHT. UM, BEFORE WE GO TO COUNCIL MEMBER DUGGAN, JUST OFFER SOME, SOME FRAMING, FRAMING COMMENTS. FIRST, I WANT TO THANK, UH, COUNCILMAN DUGGAN FOR, UH, WORKING WITH CITY STAFF AND WORKING WITH PAUL IN OUR OFFICE. AND, UH, LANDING ON WHERE I THINK IS AN APPROPRIATE PLACE TO HAVE THIS CONVERSATION ABOUT THE FUTURE OF OIL. WHY INTERGOVERNMENT AFFAIRS COMMITTEE MIGHT YOU ASK? WELL, BECAUSE WE DON'T FULLY CONTROL IT OURSELVES, AND IT'S GONNA REQUIRE, UH, A BETTER CONVERSATION WITH THE STATE AND ACTION FROM THE STATE. UH, THIS IS ONE OF OUR BIG TASKS RIGHT NOW, THE TRANSITION AWAY FROM OIL, BIG HISTORY OVER THE LAST CENTURY. UH, AND IN MANY WAYS WE TOOK IT FOR GRANTED AS A COMMUNITY AND EXPECT THAT IT WOULD CONTINUE TO, UM, UH, BEAR FRUIT. UH, BUT THE REALITY IS, ALTHOUGH IT PLAYS A BIG PART OF OUR PAST, OUR FUTURE IS NOT DEPENDENT ON THAT. AND, AND THE SOONER, UH, WE SOLVE THIS CHALLENGE WITH, UH, THE STATE AND WE'RE ABLE TO, UM, MAKE OUR PRIORITIES MORE SUSTAINABLE AND LESS BASED ON OIL, I THINK THE BETTER OFF WE'LL BE. UM, LOOKING AHEAD, THERE WERE, THERE WAS A LOT OF CONVERSATION TONIGHT. I WANNA THANK STAFF FOR THEIR PRESENTATION ABOUT WHAT OUR GROWTH OPPORTUNITIES ARE IN ORDER TO GET OUR GENERAL FUND AND TIGHTS OFF OF OIL. IT'S GONNA REQUIRE MAKING INVESTMENTS IN NEW REVENUE STREAMS. BUT LIKE ANY INVESTMENT, IT TAKES TIME TO MATURE. THERE'S NO SNAP OF THE FINGER FIX TO THIS CHALLENGE. IT'S GONNA REQUIRE, UH, TAKING OUR ASSETS THAT WE'VE BEEN SMART ABOUT OVER THE DECADES, THE QUEEN MARY, UM, YOU KNOW, OUR ARENAS, OUR MARINAS, ALL OF THOSE THINGS, MAKING THEM MORE PROFITABLE, BUT ALSO LOOKING AT NEW WAYS TO GENERATE MORE REVENUE. UM, AMPHITHEATERS, UH, EXPANDING MARINAS, LOOKING AT NEW DEVELOPMENT ALONG THE SHORELINE. ALL OF THOSE HELP CREATE MORE REVENUE OPPORTUNITIES. BUT EVEN STILL OVER THE NEXT 10 YEARS, WE WILL SEE, UH, REVENUE CHALLENGES. THAT'S JUST THE REALITY. AND, UM, AND THE STATE HAS A RESPONSIBILITY HERE, UH, TO PLAY A PART. UH, THE GOALPOSTS HAVE BEEN MOVED ON MORE THAN ONE OCCASION. UH, PRIOR TO, LIKE YEARS AGO, WE SET A CLIMATE ACTION ADAPTATION PLAN WITH A PLAN, UH, 10 YEARS AHEAD OF THE STATE, 2035 TO BE INDEPENDENT. AND THE STATE WAS OUT ONLY ASKING FOR 2045 AT THE TIME. SO WE, WE WERE ACTUALLY 10 YEARS AHEAD OF SCHEDULE AND THEN THE GOALPOST MOVED, UH, AND MOST AND MOVED AGAIN. MOST RECENTLY WE LEFT WITH SB 1137. AND SO HAD IT NOT BEEN FOR STATE ACTION, WE WOULDN'T BE IN THE POSITION WE'RE IN TODAY. AND IT'S GONNA REQUIRE STATE ACTION TO GET OUT OF THIS. SO THAT'S A LITTLE BIT OF THE FRAMING COMMENTS. UH, COUNCILWOMAN, UH, YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. GREAT. THANK YOU SO MUCH, MAYOR. AND THANK YOU TO THE CITY TEAM FOR THEIR ADVOCACY OVER THE PAST SEVERAL YEARS. THIS HAS BEEN YEARS THAT THEY'VE WORKED WITH SACRAMENTO, UM, PUSHING THE STATE TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR ITS SHARE OF OIL ABANDONMENT COSTS AND ITS BROADER OBLIGATION TO SUPPORT A RESPON RESPONSIBLE TRANSITION FROM OIL PRODUCTION IN LONG BEACH. AND AS THE MAYOR REFERENCED, WE HAD A TRANSITION PLAN FOR 20 45, 11 37, REALLY SHORTENED THAT TIMEFRAME FOR US. I WANNA THANK COUNCIL MEMBER, DR. RICKS OTI AND COUNCIL MEMBER ALLEN FOR JOINING ME IN BRINGING THIS ITEM FORWARD TONIGHT. AND LASTLY, I WANNA THANK OUR RESIDENTS AND COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS FOR BEING HERE TONIGHT AND HAVING YOUR VOICE HEARD. IT'S BEEN, UM, A LITTLE BIT OF TIME. I DO WANNA READ. I APPRECIATE YOU ALL BEING HERE TO SPEAK. AND I WANT TO SAY THAT, UM, THE LIFEGUARD ASSOCIATION, THE POLICE OFFICERS ASSOCIATION, FIREFIGHTERS ASSOCIATION, LOCAL 3 72 VISIT LONG BEACH AITA, LOS CERRITOS, WETLAND STEWARDS, BELMONT SHORE BUSINESS ASSOCIATION, AND THE BOAT OWNERS ASSOCIATION, AS WELL AS CLOSE TO 200 RESIDENTS FROM ACROSS THE CITY ARE SUPPORTING THIS ITEM. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. SO TONIGHT WE ARE ASKING THE COUNCIL TO TAKE THE FIRST STEPS IN URGING THE STATE TO KEEP MORE OF LONG BEACH'S OIL REVENUE LOCAL. FOR NEARLY A CENTURY LONG BEACH'S TIDELANDS, OUR BEACH, MARINAS AND WATERWAYS HAVE GENERATED OIL REVENUE. THAT REVENUE WAS MEANT TO SUPPORT THE COAST. AND OUR TIDELANDS. YOU HEARD THE HISTORY THAT WAS TOLD TONIGHT BY OUR CITY MANAGER AND BOB DOWELL. I'LL SAY IN 1964, THE STATE DECLARED MOST OF THE MONEY GENERATED FROM OIL PRODUCTION IN LONG BEACH [04:00:01] AS A SURPLUS AND BEGAN REDIRECTING IT TO SACRAMENTO. THAT DECISION WAS BASED ON THE CONDITIONS OF THE 1950S AND SIXTIES, WHEN THE COAST HAD FEWER NEEDS AND OIL REVENUE WAS MUCH HIGHER. TODAY THAT FORMULA IS OUT OF STEP WITH REALITY. LONG BEACH NOW RECEIVES JUST 8.5% OF THE REVENUE TO MAINTAIN THE COAST THAT WE HAVE BEEN TASKED WITH. WE ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR TAKING CARE OF OUR COAST AND THE STATE TAKES 42.5% AS A SURPLUS. SINCE 2004, THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA HAS TAKEN NEARLY $6 BILLION FROM LONG BEACH. EVEN AS OUR LOCAL OBLIGATIONS AND COSTS HAVE INCREASED, NOW WE FACE MORE THAN $1 BILLION IN UNFUNDED COASTAL PROJECTS THAT AND THE CITY AUDITOR PROJECTS, WE WILL LOSE ANOTHER 300 MILLION IN OIL REVENUE OVER THE NEXT DECADE. FOR THE FIRST TIME, LONG BEACH IS USING LOCAL DOLLARS TO MAINTAIN THE SAME WATERS THAT STILL GENERATE HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS FOR THE STATE'S GENERAL FUND. THE BURDEN ON LOCAL TAXPAYERS IS GROWING. IT WILL PUT RES, IT WILL PULL RESOURCES AWAY FROM POLICE, FIRE, PARKS, LIBRARIES, AND BASIC INFRASTRUCTURE LIKE STREET REPAIR ACROSS THE CITY. THIS IS NOT JUST A TIDELANDS ISSUE, IT'S A LONG BEACH ISSUE, AND IT'S AFFECTING EVERY NEIGHBORHOOD IN OUR CITY. THE URGENCY IS CLEAR. ACCORDING TO THE CITY AUDITOR'S 2024 REPORT, EVEN IF THE STATE DEVOTED ALL OF ITS REMAINING LONG BEACH OIL REVENUE TO THE OIL ABANDONMENT FUND, THERE WOULD STILL BE A $466 MILLION SHORTFALL BY 2035. DESPITE THIS, ONLY HALF OF THE STATE SHARE IS GOING TOWARDS ABANDONMENT AND THE REST, OR A PROJECTED 271 MILLION WILL STILL BE SENT TO THE GENERAL FUND BY 2035. TONIGHT, WE ARE ASKING THE STATE TO ISSUE A NEW UPDATED SURPLUS DETERMINATION, ONE OF ONE THAT IS INFORMED BY A FORMAL PUBLIC TRUST ANALYSIS. WE BELIEVE THIS PUBLIC TRUST ANALYSIS IS A CRITICAL STEP IN FULFILLING THE STATE'S AFFIRM A AFFIRMATIVE AND ONGOING DUTY TO EVALUATE WHETHER IT'S ACTIONS CONTINUE TO UPHOLD THE PUBLIC TRUST, ESPECIALLY WHEN CONDITIONS CHANGE. WE BELIEVE A CURRENT PUBLIC TRUST ANALYSIS WILL CLEARLY SHOW THAT THE 1964 SURPLUS FINDING NO LONGER HOLDS THE NEEDS OF TODAY'S COASTLINE AND THE BURDENS PLACED ON OUR CITY MEAN THERE IS NO LONGER A VALID SURPLUS. CONTINUING TO TAKE REVENUE WITHOUT MEETING TRUST OBLIGATIONS UNDERMINES THE PUBLIC TRUST. THIS IS ABOUT FAIRNESS, IT'S ABOUT ACCOUNTABILITY, AND IT'S ABOUT PROTECTING OUR FUTURE. THE STATE IS FAILING TO MEET ITS OBLIGATIONS AS THE LARGEST BENEFICIARY OF OIL OPERATIONS IN LONG BEACH. IN THE CASE OF LONG BEACH'S TIDELANDS, THE STATE IS PLAYING THE ROLE OF GREEDY OIL TYCOON, COLLECTING THE PROFITS WHILE OUR CITY IS LEFT BEGGING FOR THOSE DOLLARS TO BE REINVESTED IN OUR LOCAL COMMUNITIES. BUT WE ARE DONE BEGGING. WE ARE DONE PLEADING, AND WE ARE PREPARING TO FIGHT FOR OUR CITY, FOR OUR RESIDENTS, AND FOR OUR FUTURE. WE WILL NOT LET THE STATE WALK AWAY FROM ITS RESPONSIBILITIES. WE WILL NOT LET THEM ABANDON THE PUBLIC TRUST TONIGHT. THE PEOPLE OF LONG BEACH HAVE SHOWN THEY ARE STANDING WITH US IN THIS FIGHT. THEREFORE, I MOVE THE RECOMMENDATIONS AS OUTLINED IN THE ITEM AND I RESPECTFULLY ASK FOR YOUR SUPPORT. THANK YOU SO MUCH. ALRIGHT, THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER ALLEN. UH, YES, I JUST, UM, WANNA THANK COUNCILMAN DUGGAN, UM, FOR YOUR AMAZING LEADERSHIP, UM, ON THIS ITEM. AND, UM, AND I ALSO, UH, WANT TO THANK, UM, OUR BUDGET, BUDGET CHAIR COUNCILMAN RICK SODI FOR SIGNING ON. UM, I KNOW THAT AS YOU SAID EARLIER IN YOUR COMMENTS, THIS, THIS FUND IS VERY COMPLICATED, BUT I THINK HAVING THE PRESENTATION EARLIER PROBABLY HELPED A LOT. I KNOW THIS IS THE SECOND TIME THAT I RECEIVED IT TODAY. UM, AND I KNOW IT WAS VERY, UH, BENEFICIAL. UM, FOR ME, AGAIN, JUST TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE HISTORY, UM, OF OUR THAILANDS FUND, WHICH AS YOU ALL HAVE HEARD, IS JUST ABSOLUTELY CRITICAL FOR OUR CITY, UH, BUDGET BECAUSE IT MAINTAINS, UM, THE MARINAS, THE QUEEN MARY, UM, OUR BEACHFRONT AND, UM, CONVENTIONS CENTER ARE BELMONT POOL. AND I ALSO AGREE WITH YOU, UM, I LIKE THE WAY THAT [04:05:01] YOU PHRASE THIS COUNCILWOMAN, IS THAT IT DOES AFFECT THE WHOLE CITY. AND I THINK THAT'S, THAT'S A, A, THAT, THAT'S A GREAT PERSPECTIVE. UM, BUT AS WE KNOW, WE ARE ALL OPERATING ON A DEFICIT DUE TO THE INCREASES, UM, IN BOTH LABOR, UTILITIES, INSURANCE, AND SO ON. AND, UM, WE HAVE SO MANY, UH, PROJECTS THAT ARE PLANNED IN THE TIDELANDS. AND WE HAVE 50 MILLION, THAT'S BELMONT POOL. WE HAVE 10 MILLION, UM, FOR THE CONVENTION CENTER AND JUST LOTS OF OTHER PROJECTS THAT, THAT WERE LISTED IN OUR EARLIER, UH, PRESENTATION. BUT, UM, AS WE KNOW, THE DUE TO THE STATE LAW OLD REVENUE PROJECTS ARE, UH, RAPIDLY DECLINING AND WILL BE AT ZERO, UM, IN FY 32. SO TIDELANDS REVENUES, UM, AND EXPENDITURES AS WE HEARD EARLIER ARE, ARE VERY MUCH, UM, RESTRICTED AND, UM, AND WE WANNA BE ABLE TO MOVE FORWARD ON, UM, SO MANY PROJECTS, UH, THAT WE HAVE PLANNED, UM, FOR THE CITY THAT, UM, THAT EVEN HAVEN'T BEEN FUNDED YET OR EVEN IDENTIFIED. SO SINCE, UM, SINCE 2004, UH, THE STATE HAS COLLECTED NEARLY SIX B, THAT'S A BILLION IN THAILAND'S REVENUE, AND THE REVENUE SPLIT HAS NOT BEEN UPDATED TO REFLECT, UM, THE RISING COST OR EVEN THE, UM, THE DECLINING, UM, IN OIL, UH, PRODUCTIONS. UM, I AM PERSONALLY WHEN, UM, WHEN COUNCILMAN DUGGAN TALKED TO ME ABOUT THIS ITEM, I AM, I'M, UH, I WILL DO EVERYTHING ON MY POWER TO SUPPORT THIS. UM, I THINK THIS IS GREAT. UM, I THINK THAT WE ALL NEED TO ADVOCATE, UM, FOR A NEW AGREEMENT. UM, WE ABSOLUTELY SHOULD NOT BE REQUIRED TO GIVE UP A REVENUE SOURCE THAT WE'VE HAD FOR OVER, UM, I THINK OVER A HUNDRED YEARS AND LOOKING AT THE TIMELINE. UM, AND THEN, UH, ESPECIALLY WHEN THE STATE HAS NOT PROVIDED US ANY, UM, REASONABLE TRANSITION, UM, OFF OF, OF THE OIL. AND AT THE END OF THE DAY, THE STATE IS RESPONSIBLE FOR OUR DECLINING REVENUE IN THE TIDELANDS FUND AND, UH, THEY, UM, THEY SHOULD, UH, HELP US FIGURE THIS OUT, PERIOD. SO AGAIN, THIS IS THE RIGHT THING TO DO. THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN DUGGAN. GREAT WORK. ALRIGHT, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER RICK SODI. UH, THANK YOU MAYOR. UM, AND THANK YOU TO MY COUNCIL COLLEAGUES PARTICULARLY, UH, COUNCILWOMAN DUGGAN FOR BRINGING THIS REALLY IMPORTANT ITEM FORWARD. UH, YOU PROBABLY ARE ALL THINKING WHAT DOES, UH, THE COUNCIL MEMBER FOR THE NORTHERN MOST DISTRICT, UM, IN THE CITY OF LONG BEACH, UM, WHY IS SHE INTERESTED IN AN ITEM RELATED TO TIDELANDS? UM, BUT I WOULD SAY AS BOC CHAIR, I WANT TO BE CLEAR, YOU KNOW, EVERY PUBLIC ASSET WE RELY ON FIRE POLICE LIFEGUARDS IS CONNECTED TO THE STRENGTH OF OUR TIDELANDS FUND, RIGHT? SO THIS, AS, AS MY COUNCIL COLLEAGUE SAID, THIS AFFECTS EVERYBODY. THAT'S WHY IT'S VITALLY IMPORTANT THAT WE HAVE A WELL-FUNDED TIDELANDS. WITHOUT IT, OUR GENERAL FUND IS FORCED TO DIVERT RESOURCES AWAY FROM ESSENTIAL CITYWIDE SERVICES AND RESOURCES. THE CURRENT ALLOCATION STRUCTURE WAS ESTABLISHED BECAUSE REVENUES FLOW TO THE STATE UNDER THE SURPLUS MODEL. THAT SETUP IS NOW OUTDATED AND UNSUSTAINABLE AND NO LONGER REFLECTS THE CURRENT BUDGETARY NEEDS OF OUR CITY. IT WOULD BE IRRESPONSIBLE OF US TO NOT REVISIT THIS ALLOCATION. THE NUMBERS DON'T REFLECT TODAY'S REALITIES AND LONG BEACH CANNOT AFFORD TO CONTINUE SUBSIDIZING THE STATE WHILE OUR LOCAL NEEDS GO UNMET. WE ARE SEEING THE TRUE IMPACTS IN REAL TIME THROUGH OUR BUDGET PROCESS, THROUGH OUR BUDGET HEARINGS. UM, COUNCILWOMAN AL AND I ARE SEEING IT IN THE BUDGET OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE PROCESS. WITHOUT STATE ACTION, OUR GENERAL FUND WILL, WILL BEAR A GROWING BURDEN, LEAVING FEWER RESOURCES FOR CORE SERVICES ACROSS EVERY NEIGHBORHOOD SUPPORTING ITS AGENDA ITEM SENDS A CLEAR MESSAGE THAT OIL REVENUES GENERATED IN LONG BEACH, STAY IN LONG BEACH, WHERE THEY CAN FUND OUR COASTAL OBLIGATIONS WITHOUT COMPROMISING PUBLIC SAFETY AND CITYWIDE SERVICES. WE DO NOT HAVE THE GENERAL FUND TO COVER THE COST OF AN EXHAUSTED TIDELANDS FUND IN THE SAME WAY WE DO NOT HAVE THE FUNDS TO COVER THE LIABILITIES OF THE TIDELANDS FUND. SO I AM HAPPY TO PROVIDE MY STRONG SUPPORT FOR THIS ITEM AND I WOULD ASK MY COLLEAGUES TO DO THE SAME. THANK YOU COUNCIL MEMBER THRASH INTO, UH, THANK YOU MAYOR. UM, SO, UH, I TOO BELIEVE THAT THIS IS A KEY MATTER FOR OUR CITY. SO I WANT TO THANK THE AUTHORS, COUNCILWOMAN DUGGAN ALLEN, AND RICK OIE FOR BRINGING THIS FORWARD AND PUTTING IT ON THE AGENDA. IT HAS THE POTENTIAL, AS WAS STATED, TO HAVE A TREMENDOUS IMPACT ON THE FISCAL STABILITY OF OUR ENTIRE CITY. A DEPLETED TIDE LENS FUND COULD IMPACT EVERY CORNER [04:10:01] OF OUR CITY, AS WAS NOTED AND POSES A MAJOR THREAT TO OUR GENERAL FUND. WE ARE, ALL OF OUR DISTRICTS DEPEND ON CITY SERVICES, AND WE CANNOT ALLOW A GROWING, UH, GENERAL FUND DEFICIT TO MAKE OUR NEIGHBORHOODS MORE UNAFFORDABLE, UNSAFE, AND UNLIVABLE. THE STATE HAS WORKED STEADILY TO DERE AND ELIMINATE ITS REVENUE SOURCES THROUGHOUT, UH, AS THEY CONTINUE TO PHASE OUT THE USE OF OIL WHILE LEAVING THE CITY WITH VERY FEW MEANINGFUL RESPONSIBLE WAYS TO WIND DOWN AND ABANDON OIL WELLS. THE STATE HAS AN OBLIGATION HERE, AND FOR FAR TOO LONG, UM, THIS ASSET, WHICH HAS DISPROPORTIONATELY BENEFITED THE ENTIRE STATE, HAS NOT BEEN ABLE TO BE IN A POSITION TO ENSURE THAT LONG BEACH RESIDENTS WHO BEAR THE BURDEN OF THE TRANSITION DON'T HAVE ENOUGH OF A REAL VOICE IN THE PROCESS. IT'S ASTONISHING. WE TALKED ABOUT IT HERE TODAY, THAT THE LAST SURPLUS DETERMINATION WAS CONDUCTED IN 1964, OR THE ONE THAT WAS CONDUCTED THEN THAT WAS MORE THAN 61 YEARS AGO. THE COST OF RUNNING THE CITY IS NOWHERE NEAR THAT OF THE MID 20TH CENTURY, FOR EXAMPLE, I SAID, WHY DON'T WE TAKE A LOOK AT WHAT IT COST TO HAVE A POLICE OFFICER IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA. AT THAT TIME, IT WAS APPROXIMATELY $5,000 A YEAR. TODAY'S SALARIES, INFRASTRUCTURE COSTS, AND THE OVERALL LIVING IN OUR CITY HAS RISEN EXPONENTIALLY. YET THE STATE CONTINUES TO RELY ON THAT OUTDATED FORMULA. THE CONSEQUENCES OF AN ACTION ARE STAGGERING. AND WE'VE NOTICED THAT IN THE, UH, MOTION THAT WAS PUT FORTH TODAY, THE STATE HAS COLLECTED NEARLY $6 BILLION FROM LONG BEACH OVER THE PAST 20 YEARS UNDER THIS OUTDATED CALCULATION. TO PUT THAT INTO PERSPECTIVE, THAT REPRESENTS THE CURRENT EQUIVALENT OF A PART OF CALIFORNIA'S RAINY DAY FUND, WHICH IS THE DISCRETIONARY SECTION CURRENTLY TOTALING $4.5 BILLION. I CANNOT HELP REFLECT ON THE QUANDARY THAT WE HAVE BEFORE US TODAY. THE STATE HAS STATED A DESIRE TO REDUCE OIL PRODUCTION AND TO NOT NECESSARILY CONTINUE TO RELY ON THAT YET. REVENUES, OIL REVENUES GENERATED FROM THE TIDELANDS CONTINUE TO BE SENT TO THE STATE FOR RESOURCES. SO FOR GENERATIONS, I BELIEVE THAT THIS, UH, FOR THE GENERATIONS TO COME, I BELIEVE THAT WE SHOULD BE SUPPORTING AND LOOKING AT THIS MATTER AND ADDING IT TO OUR LEGISLATIVE AGENDA AND PURSUE EVERY AVAILABLE OPPORTUNITY TO ENSURE THAT AS MUCH OF THE RESOURCES REMAIN HERE IN LONG BEACH SO THAT WE CAN SUPPORT OUR RESIDENTS, OUR COASTLINE, AND OUR FUTURE. WITH THAT, UM, I WILL, UM, THAT I WILL, I WILL YIELD MY TIME. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER KERR. YES. UH, THANK YOU COUNCIL MEMBER DUGGAN FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP ON THIS. UM, FOR ALL OF THE REASONS STATED BY MY COLLEAGUES, I SUPPORT THIS STRONGLY AND I LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU ON THE INTER GOVERNMENTAL AFFAIRS COMMITTEE, UH, ON GETTING IT DONE. SO THANK YOU. ALRIGHT, UM, BEFORE WE GO TO PUBLIC COMMENT, TOM, CAN YOU BRING UP THAT SLIDE? ALRIGHT. SO I KNOW THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE A RELATIONSHIP WITH THE STATE LANDS COMMISSION AND THEIR STAFF IS LIKELY WATCHING THIS DISCUSSION. SO I REALLY WANNA SUM IT UP. THIS CHART WE SAW EARLIER IN THE PRESENTATION, UH, IN TITLES ABOUT WHAT THE DEFICIT LOOKS LIKE. IF YOU NOTICE, AT NO POINT DOES THAT DEFICIT GO BEYOND $10 MILLION AT SOME POINT. SOME OF THESE NUMBERS ARE NOT UNATTAINABLE TO ACHIEVE. WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES, THE MARINAS, THE AMPHITHEATER, THE QUEEN MARY, OTHER THINGS, BUT NONE OF THOSE WILL HIT, NONE OF THOSE WILL REALLY SHOW REAL GAINS UNTIL AFTER MAYBE FIVE YEARS. SO THE REAL NUMBER TO MAKE US WHOLE IS ABOUT $10 MILLION A YEAR. THAT'S REALLY THE NUMBER. THERE ARE A NUMBER WAYS TO GET THERE. YOU CAN RENEGOTIATE THE SPLIT BETWEEN LONG BEACH AND THE STATE. THAT'S ONE WAY YOU CAN MAKE A DIRECT BUDGET ALLOCATION. THAT'S ONE WAY TO DO IT. THE STATE MAY SAY, HEY, WE HAVE OUR OWN BUDGET CHALLENGES. THAT MAY BE A CHALLENGE. OR YOU CAN USE THE DOLLARS THAT ARE ALREADY SET ASIDE FOR LONG BEACH. WE HAVE OUR, OUR OWN, UH, ABANDONMENT LIABILITY FUND. THE INTEREST IS ABOUT $15 MILLION A YEAR. YOU CAN ALLOCATE 10 MILLION OUT OF THAT RIGHT NOW FOR FIVE YEARS OR FOR 10 YEARS. AND IT SMOOTHS OUT THIS CHALLENGE. SO THERE ARE A NUMBER OF WAYS TO GET THERE IN THE STATE LEGISLATIVE AGENDA. WE'RE GONNA, YOU KNOW, WE'RE GONNA GO BACK TO SACRAMENTO AND PUT OPTIONS ON THE TABLE. UH, AND THEY HAVE A MENU. BUT THE REALITY IS THIS, DOING NOTHING IS NOT, IS NOT AN OPTION FOR US. IT'S LIKE WE'VE BEEN IN THIS RELATIONSHIP FOR, YOU KNOW, 70 YEARS WITH STATE LANDS AND WE'RE GETTING A DIVORCE. SO YOU CAN'T JUST WALK AWAY. YOU HAVE SOME RESPONSIBILITIES TO THIS COMMUNITY [04:15:01] THAT HAS BORNE THE BRUNT OF THE IMPACTS FOR MANY YEARS. UH, THE STATE HAS GENERATED $6 BILLION FROM THE WORK TAKING PLACE IN LONG BEACH FOR THE LAST 20 YEARS, $6 BILLION. LONG BEACH HAS MADE A TINY FRACTION OF THAT. AND SO, AS WE ARE TRANSITIONING AWAY FROM ONE ANOTHER AND BUILDING A MORE SUSTAINABLE, UH, COMMUNITY, WE'RE NOT SAYING, WE'RE NOT SAYING WE WANNA HOLD ON TO OIL FOREVER. WHAT WE'RE SAYING IS LET'S HAVE A REALISTIC TRANSITION, AND THE COST IS ABOUT $10 MILLION A YEAR. THAT'S WHAT IT WILL TAKE TO GIVE US THE RUNWAY OVER THE NEXT FIVE OR 10 YEARS. SO WE CAN GROW OUR WAY OUTTA THIS ISSUE IN THE RIGHT WAY. THAT'S WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO. SO LET'S, LET'S, LET'S GO TO PUBLIC COMMENT. UH, THANK YOU FOR YOUR PATIENCE. AARON FLETCHER, NANCY PINKARD, UH, KATHERINE SEL, UH, TONY B GIOVANNI. I KNOW TONY. UH, PAUL KRAMER, UH, LEGIA, J KATIE ROWE AND JEFF HOFFMAN. HONORABLE MAYOR, CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS, UH, CITY STAFF AND, UH, MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC. THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR TIME. MY NAME IS AARON FLETCHER. I'M PRESIDENT OF THE LONG BEACH LIFEGUARD ASSOCIATION. I'M ALSO, UH, A RESIDENT OF LONG BEACH AND DISTRICT FOUR. MY FATHER USED TO WORK FOR THE THUMBS OIL ISLANDS, AND SO IT'S BEEN AROUND IN MY FAMILY FOR A VERY LONG TIME. UH, THE LONG BEACH LIFEGUARDS ARE TASKED WITH KEEPING THE MARINAS AND THE WATERWAYS SAFE AROUND LONG BEACH. WE ARE FUNDED ALMOST ENTIRELY OUT OF THE T ENDS BUDGET. UH, WE'RE, WE'RE DIFFERENT FROM A LOT OF THE OTHER AGENCIES THAT ARE FUNDED A WHICH PART OF THE GENERAL FUND. WE ARE ALMOST PREDOMINANTLY A HUNDRED PERCENT OUT OF THE T ENDS FUND. SO THIS WOULD IMPACT US GREATLY. AND WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT THE THINGS THAT THE LONG BEACH LIFEGUARDS DO, AND A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T UNDERSTAND WHAT OCEAN LIFEGUARDS DO, BECAUSE OUR JOB ENCOMPASSES SO MUCH MORE THAN JUST, YOU KNOW, THE, THE STAYING ON THE BEACH AND KEEPING THE SWIMMER SAFE. IT ALSO INCORPORATES, UH, RESPONDING TO BOAT FIRES, TO DOG BITES, TO SCUBA DIVE EMERGENCIES, UM, EVEN TO, UM, SWIFT WATER RESCUE. UH, WE HAVE STATE FIRE MARSHAL INSTRUCTORS THAT ARE LONG BEACH LIFEGUARDS THAT ALSO TRAIN FIRE DEPARTMENT AND LONG BEACH LIFEGUARD AND, UH, SURROUNDING AGENCY PERSONNEL IN RIVER RESCUE. SO KEEPING, UH, THE, THE INCREASE, UH, IN, IN THE, IN THE BUDGET THAT WOULD COME BACK TO LONG BEACH IS GONNA GIVE TIME FOR THE MAYOR'S PLANS. YOU'VE TALKED ABOUT IT. YOU HAVE A PLAN. THIS ISN'T SOMETHING THAT WE'RE JUST SAYING, HEY, LET'S FIX IT AND IT'LL, IT'LL ALWAYS STAY THE SAME. YOU HAVE A PLAN AND THIS IS THAT STOPGAP MEASURE TO MAKE US THROUGH IT. AND I REALLY APPRECIATE THE FACT THAT THERE IS LIGHT AT THE END OF THE TUNNEL IF WE GET THESE MEASURES IN PLACE. UH, WE HAVE THE OLYMPICS COMING UP IN 2028, AND THAT'S GONNA BE A VERY LARGE IMPACT ON THE TIDAL ENDS AREA. IN PARTICULAR, THE SPECIAL EVENTS BETWEEN NOW AND THEN ARE RAMPING UP BECAUSE EVERYBODY WANTS TO HAVE THEIR SPECIAL EVENT IN THE OLYMPIC VENUES. AND SO WE HAVE A SALINE, WE'VE GOT, UH, THE SWIMMING, WE'VE GOT ALL KINDS OF THESE WATER EVENTS THAT ARE GONNA BE GOING ON IN LONG BEACH. AND IT'S GONNA AFFECT THE, NOT ONLY THE, THE, THE, UH, TIDAL ENDS AREA AS FAR AS THE USE GOES, BUT IT'S GONNA AFFECT THE SERVICES THAT THE LONG BEACH LIFEGUARDS CAN PROVIDE, HOW WE MAKE IT HAPPEN. SO, UH, 100% WE'RE SUPPORTING THIS. AND WE THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR BRINGING IT ON THE TABLE. UH, IT'S SOMETHING THAT'S NECESSARY AND IT'S, IT IS ONE THING THAT, YOU KNOW, WITH SB 1137 THERE, IT JUST GIVES US THAT TIME THAT WE NEED. SO THANK YOU. THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER, PLEASE. HI, GOOD EVENING. UM, NANCY PINKER. UM, AND I HAVE BEEN WORKING WITH A GROUP OF RESIDENTS TO JUMPSTART THE, UH, SEA WALL REPLACEMENT TO TRY TO GET ALL OF THE SEA WALLS, UH, FIXED. UM, AND OF COURSE THE ISSUE IS MONEY, BUT AS COUNCILWOMAN ALLEN SAID, THE ISSUE BETWEEN THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA AND THE CITY OF LONG BEACH WITH RESPECT TO THE HIGHLANDS FUND 1964 WAS A BAD DEAL. IT'S A BAD DEAL. THE IDEA OF RENEGOTIATING THAT IN ORDER TO PROVIDE FUNDS, WHICH WILL ALLOW FOR SO MANY UNFUNDED AND NOT FUNDED ENOUGH PROJECTS IN THE TIDELANDS TO GO FORWARD WOULD BE FABULOUS. SO THAT'S WHY OUR ORGANIZATION IS WORKING WITH, UM, COUNCIL MEMBER DUGGAN IN ORDER TO SUPPORT THE INITIATIVE TO GET THE, UH, PERCENTAGE RENEGOTIATED WITH THE STATE. WHATEVER WE CAN DO TO HELP, WE'LL DO, THANK YOU SO MUCH. ALL RIGHT, THANK YOU. UH, NEXT IS, UH, COME ON UP, TONY. YEAH, THANK YOU. UH, UH, MAYOR RICHARDSON, UH, AND COUNCIL MEMBERS. UM, MY NAME'S TONY DE GIOVANNI. I'M THE PRESIDENT OF, UH, NAPLES IMPROVEMENT ASSOCIATION. UH, WE'RE A NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION REPRESENTING OVER 800 RESIDENTS, UH, IN EAST LONG BEACH IN THE THIRD DISTRICT OF, UH, [04:20:01] UH, COUNCIL MEMBER, UH, DUGGAN, YOU HAVE ALREADY MADE ALL OF THE ARGUMENTS, UH, FOR SUPPORTING THIS MEASURE. UH, I CAN ONLY STAND UP HERE AND SAY I SUPPORT NUMBER ONE. I SALUTE, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER DUGGAN FOR THE RESEARCH THAT WAS DONE TO REALLY BRING THIS TO THE TABLE AND, AND MAKE SURE THAT WE CAN EXAMINE IT AND, AND LOOK AT IT. WELL, ALL OF THE COMMENTS MADE BY THE OTHER COUNCIL MEMBERS HERE, I THOUGHT WERE RIGHT ON POINT. UH, THIS IS NOT A TIDELANDS PROJECT, THIS IS A CITY OF LONG BEACH ISSUE. IT IT REALLY COVERS EVERY PART OF LONG BEACH. IT COVERS THE BASIC NECESSITIES, THE BASIC SERVICES THAT WE RECEIVE, UH, DAY IN AND DAY OUT. UM, WE WHOLEHEARTEDLY, UH, SUPPORT THIS MEASURE AND WE'LL DO ANYTHING THAT WE CAN, UH, TO MAKE IT, UH, TO MAKE IT GO FORWARD. SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER, PLEASE. GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND COUNCIL, UH, PEOPLE. UM, MY NAME IS CATHERINE SEL AND I AM THE RESIDENT OF LONG BEACH FOR OVER 35 YEARS. I'M ALSO ON A MEMBER OF THE NEW LONG BEACH SEAWALL COMMITTEE AND ON THE BOARD OF THE NAPLES AND PER, UH, MAPLES, UH, ISLANDS GARDEN CLUB. AND I AM HERE IN FULL SUPPORT OF LONG BEACH, KEEPING THE TIDELANDS FUND LOCAL. IT ONLY MAKES SENSE THE TIDELANDS FUNDS BEING USED ON TIDELAND INFRASTRUCTURE ISSUES SUCH AS THE SEA WALLS AND THE BEACH EROSION. AND, UM, THE WATER IMPROVEMENT IN ALAMEDAS BAY AND THE PIER USING THOSE TIDELANDS FUNDS FREEZE UP GENERAL FUNDS FOR THE REST OF THE DISTRICTS, FOR THE DISTRICTS OUTSIDE OF THE TIDELANDS AREA. THIS IS A WIN-WIN FOR ALL OF LONG BEACH AND I COMPLETELY SUPPORT IT. ALRIGHT, THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER, PLEASE. GOOD EVENING, LONG BEACH LEADERSHIP. MY NAME IS LEGIA JACK MAGEN. I'M A RESIDENT OF DISTRICT THREE. UM, HOWEVER, AS A LIFELONG LONG BEACH RESIDENT, I'VE ACTUALLY LIVED IN ALMOST ALL OF YOUR DISTRICTS AT SOME POINT IN MY LIFE. AND I WILL SAY, NO MATTER WHAT CORNER OF LONG BEACH I ENDED UP LIVING IN, I ALWAYS FOUND MY WAY BACK TO OUR COASTLINE. UM, I HAVE FOND MEMORIES OF SHORELINE VILLAGE, BEING AT THE PIER, AND, UM, I REALLY APPLAUD YOU AND REALLY THANK YOU ALL FOR BRINGING THIS TO THE ATTENTION, UM, OF THE CITY AND TO THE STATE. AND, UM, MY PREDECESSORS HAVE ALREADY MADE A LOT OF GREAT STATEMENTS AND YOU GUYS ALREADY KNOW THE NUMBERS AS WELL AS I DO. SO I JUST WANTED TO SHARE MY LITTLE PERSPECTIVE ON THIS. UM, LIKE I SAID, I GREW UP IN WEST LONG BEACH, LIVED IN ALL FOUR CORNERS OF THE CITY, AND I DO AGREE THAT THIS ISSUE DOESN'T MATTER TO JUST THE PEOPLE THAT LIVE BY THE WATER. IT MATTERS TO ANYONE THAT WANTS TO KEEP OUR COASTLINES SAFE, CLEAN, AND ACCESSIBLE. SO RESIDENTS FROM EVERY NEIGHBORHOOD CAN COME DOWN TO FISH, RELAX, EXERCISE, OR EVEN MAINTAIN THEIR MENTAL HEALTH. AS FOR MANY FAMILIES OR FOR SOME FAMILIES, FISHING ISN'T JUST A HOBBY. FOR SOME OF THEM, IT'S AN ACTUAL WAY OF SUSTAINING THEIR FAMILIES. FOR OTHERS, UM, A SAFE PLACE TO MEDITATE OR EVEN THINK ON THE BEACH, IT'S, IT'S LIFESAVING MENTAL HEALTH FOR SOME PEOPLE. AND, UH, FOR MANY FAMILIES LIKE MINE GROWING UP, GOING TO THE BEACH, WASN'T JUST GOING TO THE BEACH. THE COASTLINE WAS A VACATION SPOT WITHIN OUR CITY THAT DIDN'T REQUIRE A PASSPORT OR AN EXPENSIVE PLANE TICKET. I LOOK AT MY CHILDHOOD FONDLY AND THE MEMORIES THAT I HAVE OF OUR COASTLINE TODAY AS A, AS AN AVID PADDLER, I'M ON THE WATER, UH, SEVERAL TIMES A WEEK AND, UM, I AM HAPPY AND HEALTHY BECAUSE OF THAT ACCESS. I WILL ALWAYS THANK LONG BEACH FOR THAT. SO, UM, I BELIEVE AGAIN, ASKING FOR PETER TO PAY PAUL REALLY DOES JEOPARDIZE OUR ABILITY TO SUSTAIN THIS TREASURE THAT WE HAVE HERE FOR OUR CHILDREN AND OUR GRANDCHILDREN. AND I REALLY DON'T SEE A NEED TO, UM, GO INTO THE GENERAL FUND WHEN THE MONEY IS ALREADY THERE. SO THANK YOU. PLEASE URGE THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA TO, UH, RETHINK THE CURRENT AGREEMENT SO THAT WE CAN CONTINUE TO PROVIDE THE CITIZENS OF LONG BEACH, UM, WITH THIS RESOURCE OF THE COASTLINE AND SO THAT WE CAN CONTINUE TO BE THE EXAMPLE OF THE HAPPY COMMUNITY THAT IS TRULY THE AQUATIC CAPITAL OF AMERICA. THANK YOU SO MUCH. ALRIGHT, THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER PLEASE. HI THERE, I'M KATIE ROWE. I'M A FIFTH GENERATION RESIDENT OF LONG BEACH AND I'M KIND OF TRUE BLUE LONG BEACH, AS YOU MAY GUESS AFTER FIVE GENERATIONS. UM, I'M FROM LONG BEACH SAFE BAY. WE'RE AN ADVOCACY GROUP FOR [04:25:01] ALAMEDA BAY AND ALSO THE SEAWALLS ADVOCACY GROUP AND SWIM LONG BEACH. SO KIND OF A WATER THEME GOING ON. SO YOU'VE HEARD A LOT OF PEOPLE TALKING TO YOU TONIGHT ABOUT A LOT OF ACCOUNTING, YOU KNOW, 6 BILLION, THIS 42% THAT SURPLUS IS DEFICITS, SHORTFALLS, OH MY STUFF. ONLY A CITY MANAGER LIKE TOM AND THE NUMBER OF CRUNCHERS CAN APPRECIATE. I WANNA SAY THAT AS A COUNCIL, YOU HAVE VERY FEW OPPORTUNITIES TO DO SOMETHING THAT WILL BENEFIT EVERY RESIDENT OF OUR CITY AND ALSO POSSIBLY OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA RENEGOTIATE THE DEAL WITH THE STATE AND GET OUR MONEY BACK. LET THE TIDELANDS MONEY PAY FOR TIDELANDS SO WE DON'T HAVE TO USE THE GENERAL FUND AKA, OUR TAX DOLLARS. THE ENTIRE CITY WILL BENEFIT. WHAT I'M REALLY HERE TO TELL YOU IS YOU HAVE ALL THESE PEOPLE HERE AND THE RESIDENTS OF THE CITY. WE HAVE YOUR BACK ON THIS. WE SUPPORT YOU A HUNDRED PERCENT. KEEP LONG BEACH OIL REVENUE LOCAL. THANK YOU. ALRIGHT, OUR FINAL SPEAKER PLEASE. UH, GOOD EVENING, MR. MAYOR, MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL. UM, JEFF HOFFMAN, RESIDENT OF THE THIRD DISTRICT. HATE HAVING TO FOLLOW KATIE. SHE'S A FIFTH GENERATION LONG BEACH RESIDENT. I'M ONLY A FOURTH GENERATION LONG BEACH RESIDENT, BUT I WILL SAY, CONSIDERING THAT I'VE ALWAYS BEEN HERE, YOU KNOW, IN FACT COUNCIL MEMBER SUPER KNOT WHEN YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT THOSE PEOPLE, I'VE ACTUALLY MET THE ONES YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT. SO I'VE BEEN AROUND A LOT TOO. BUT I'VE SEEN OUR COASTLINE CHANGE FROM WHEN I WAS A CHILD, WHEN, YOU KNOW, THE OLD AUDITORIUM WAS THERE AND YOU DROVE AROUND WITH, YOU KNOW, THE, THE RAINBOW BRIDGE TO ALL OF THE BEAUTIFUL THINGS THAT WE HAVE NOW WITH THE AQUARIUM AND THE, UH, YOU KNOW, RAINBOW HARBOR. AND, UH, YOU KNOW, UP AND DOWN THE COAST WE TALK ABOUT THE OLYMPICS THREE YEARS FROM NOW WHEN PEOPLE ARE WATCHING THEIR TELEVISIONS AROUND THE WORLD AND THEY'RE SHOWING THE COASTLINE, THEY'RE GONNA BE LOOKING AT OUR COASTLINE. AND A LOT OF THAT COASTLINE WAS BUILT WITH TIDELAND FUNDS AND OBVIOUSLY WE NEED TO, UH, MAINTAIN WHAT WE HAVE. UM, I'M IN FULL SUPPORT OF, OF THE COUNCIL PUSHING FORWARD OR PUSHING BACK TO THE STATE, UH, SO WE CAN BRING SOME OF THAT TIDE LAND FUNDS BEST. UM, I WILL NOT RESTATE ANYTHING OTHER THAN I THINK, UH, YOU, DR. RICKS ODY SAID IT BEST BEING CHAIR OF THE BUDGET OVERSIGHT, UH, COMMITTEE. THIS IS SOMETHING THAT BENEFITS THE ENTIRE CITY. SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR SUPPORT OF THIS. ALRIGHT, WELL THANKS EVERYONE FOR YOUR PUBLIC COMMENT. UH, MEMBERS PLEASE CAST YOUR VOTE. MOTION IS CARRIED. ALL. ALRIGHT, NEXT. THANK YOU. AND, AND TOM, I KNOW IT'S IN THE LEGISLATIVE AGENDA. I'M INTERPRETING THIS AS MAKE IT TOP PRIORITY IN THE STATE AS WE DO OUR ADVOCACY EFFORTS. I KNOW WE HAVE DIFFERENT PROBLEMS IN THE FEDS, BUT IN THE STATE, I THINK IT'S PRETTY CLEAR THIS IS OUR NUMBER ONE, UH, PRIORITY THIS NEXT YEAR. LOVE TO HEAR IT. ALRIGHT, GOOD. ALRIGHT, UH, WELL NOW GO TO ITEM 16, PLEASE. COMMUNICATION FOR MAYOR RICHARDSON. RECOMMENDATION TO REQUEST THAT THE CITY COUNCIL APPROVE THE APPLICATION OF LA [16. 25-56137 Recommendation to request that the City Council approve the application of La Paz, Mexico as the City's newest Sister City, and authorize the Mayor of Long Beach to take necessary actions and execute any and all documents to accomplish the establishment of such a relationship.       Office or Department: Rex Richardson, Mayor         Suggested Action: Approve recommendation. ] PAAZ, MEXICO AS THE CITY'S NEWEST SISTER CITY. AN AUTHORIZE THE MAYOR OF LONG BEACH TO TAKE NECESSARY ACTION TO EXECUTE ANY AND ALL DOCUMENTS TO ACCOMPLISH THE ESTABLISHMENT OF SUCH A RELATIONSHIP. ALRIGHT, WELL, UH, I WANT TO, UH, UM, UH, THANK EVERYBODY. I I'LL GET TO YOU JUST IN A MOMENT. JUST GONNA GIVE SOME FRAMING COMMENTS. UH, THANK EVERYBODY FOR THEIR PATIENCE. UH, TONIGHT'S PRETTY EXCITING. UM, THERE'S A LOCAL, LOCAL COMMUNITY GROUP THAT'S BEEN LEADING AN EFFORT TO EXPAND OUR SISTER CITIES PROGRAM. AND, UH, WE HAVE THE PROSPECT OF WELCOMING OUR NEXT SISTER CITY, LA PAZ, MEXICO, UH, THE SISTER CITY PROGRAM. IT'S A PROGRAM THAT, UM, WAS ESTABLISHED AFTER WORLD WAR II, A MAYOR TO MAYOR PROGRAM TO HELP RECONNECT OUR COMMUNITIES ALL AROUND THE WORLD AND HAVE DISCUSSIONS CITY TO CITY AND BUILD STRONGER, UH, RELATIONSHIPS AND TIES. AND WE HAVE A GREAT HISTORY OF THAT HERE IN THE CITY OF LONG BEACH. WE'VE BEEN DOING THIS FOR 62 YEARS. UH, AND SO LA PAZ IS A PORT CITY LIKE LONG BEACH. UH, IT HAS A POPULATION OF, UH, MORE THAN 250,000 PEOPLE IT SERVES AT THE CAPITAL OF THE STATE OF BAJA SEUR IN NORTHWESTERN MEXICO. IT'S RECOGNIZED FOR ITS NATURAL BEAU BEAUTY, IT'S MARINE BIODIVERSITY, AS WELL AS ITS EC ECONOMIC IMPACT IN THE REGION. UH, FOR ECOTOURISM SCIENCE AND MARINE COMMERCE. THERE'S A LOT THAT WE HAVE IN COMMON TOGETHER. AND SO, WHILE [04:30:01] LONG BEACH HAS PREVIOUSLY ACKNOWLEDGED PLAYA DEL ROSARITO AS A FRIENDSHIP CITY, UH, THERE'S ACTUALLY NEVER BEEN AN OFFICIAL SISTER CITY RELATIONSHIP ESTABLISHED WITH, UH, MEXICO BEFORE. AND SO THIS IS HISTORIC. WE'VE NEVER DONE THIS, UH, SINCE LONG BEACH'S HOME TO A LARGE POPULATION OF RESIDENTS WITH MEXICAN DESCENT. ESTABLISHING A SISTER CITY RELATIONSHIP WITH LA PAZ WILL HELP HONOR THESE CULTURAL TIES, STRENGTHEN, STRENGTHEN, UH, AND EMBRACE OUR RICH DIVERSITY OF LONG BEACH'S RESIDENTS. SO THIS IS A NEW BILATERAL RELATIONSHIP. UH, WE WILL CALL FOSTER CULTURAL EXCHANGES LETTER WRITING A WHOLE WIDE RANGE OF AREAS, EDUCATION, ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY, TECHNOLOGY, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, UH, SO AT A TIME, UH, WHEN, UM, OUR LATINO COMMUNITIES ARE, ARE UNDER ATTACK, I THINK IT'S AN OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO REALLY LEAN IN AND EMBRACE OUR COMMUNITIES MORE PUBLICLY AND INTERNATIONALLY. AND SO I WANNA INVITE UP, UH, PRESIDENT OF THE LA PAZ SISTER CITY COMMITTEE, UH, TO PROVIDE SOME, UH, PRESENTATION AND SOME COMMENTS, SO PLEASE COME FORWARD. THANK YOU, MAYOR. THAT WAS A, A GREAT INTRODUCTION. I THINK YOU, YOU SAID IT THE BEST. I THINK WHAT WE HAVE HIGHLIGHTED TODAY IS JUST THE OPPORTUNITY TO REALLY CREATE A NEW SISTER CITY RELATIONSHIP THAT WOULD BE GREAT FOR OUR COMMUNITY, OUR LATINO COMMUNITY, OUR UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES, JUST TO SEE HOW WE ARE COMING TOGETHER WITH SUCH A GREAT PROGRAM. SISTER CITIES INTERNATIONAL. THE CITY OF LONG BEACH HAS SIX ESTABLISHED SISTER CITIES. WE WILL BE THE SEVENTH SISTER CITY, THE FIRST ONE IN LATINO AMERICA, WHICH IS, I THINK AT THESE TIMES IS, IS VERY MUCH NEEDED. UM, FROM WHAT I UNDERSTAND, THIS IS THE FIRST SISTER CITY IN THE LAST THREE YEARS, AND MR. REC, I BELIEVE THE FIRST SISTER CITY SINCE YOU'VE BEEN MAYOR. SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR GIVING US THE OPPORTUNITY TO JUST COME TOGETHER AS LATINOS, AS YOUNG PROFESSIONALS WHO HAVE BEEN CHAMPIONING THIS INITIATIVE FOR THE LAST 10 MONTHS. I WANNA SHARE A LITTLE BIT ABOUT PAS. UM, WITH A POPULATION OF OVER 250,000, THE CITY HAS SERVED AS THE CAPITAL OF THE STATE OF BAJA CALIFORNIA SUR AND COVERS MORE THAN 7,000 SQUARE MILES. I THINK THERE'S MANY DIFFERENCES. I'M SORRY. THERE'S MANY, UM, SIMILARITIES THAT WE HAVE AS PORT CITIES. THEY HAVE OVER FOUR UNIVERSITIES. THEIR INTEREST IN MARINE BIOLOGY AND WORKING WITH, UH, WITH OUR UNIVERSITIES HERE IS GREAT. THEY WOULD LIKE TO REALLY SEE HOW CAN WE LEARN FROM LONG BEACH ABOUT THE, THEY'RE IMPRESSED WITH THE SUSTAINABILITY MEASURES THAT WE HAVE PUT FORWARD. THEY'RE IMPRESSED WITH MAYOR X, HOW MUCH WE REALLY PRIORITIZE OUR YOUTH. I'D LIKE TO TALK ABOUT, UM, OUR MAYOR IN LA PAST. SHE IS, UM, THE FIRST YOUNG FEMALE ELECTED MAYOR AT 33 YEARS OLD. SHE IS SERVING HER SECOND TERM AND SHE IS BUILDING A MASSIVE SPORTS COLISEUM IN THE CITY OF LA BAS THAT IS ACTUALLY YOUTH CENTRIC. IT IS FOR SOCCER, FOR SWIMMING, FOR GYMNASTICS. I MEAN, THIS WONDERFUL, REALLY YOUNG PROFESSIONAL HAS COME TOGETHER IN LA PAST AND, AND KIND OF CHANGED HISTORY IN MEXICO. UM, I BELIEVE NOW HERE IN LONG BEACH, WE CAN DEFINITELY HAVE A GREAT RELATIONSHIP FOSTERING YES, ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITIES, EDUCATIONAL, UH, OPPORTUNITIES FOR NOT ONLY OUR YOUTH, BUT OUR YOUNG PROFESSIONALS WHO ARE GOING TO LBCC WHO ARE GOING TO C-S-U-L-B. WE HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO REALLY EXPAND OUR KNOWLEDGE ON WHAT IS THE LATINO COMMUNITY, WHAT IS, YOU KNOW, THE MEXICAN CULTURE. WE HAVE, I BELIEVE OVER 79% OF OUR LATINO POPULATION HERE HAS MEXICAN HERITAGE. AND IT IS WITH GREAT PLEASURE THAT I INTRODUCED, UH, THIS LAAS INITIATIVE. UH, NEXT SLIDE I WANNA TALK ABOUT, UM, LAAS WAS ACTUALLY, AND I, AND I LOVE THE PRESENTATION THAT, UM, WAS, UH, THE COMMENT THAT WAS JUST SHARED EARLIER. THE CITY OF LONG BEACH IS, IS A COASTAL CITY. WE HAVE, UH, WE'RE, WE HAVE FISHERMEN HERE AND I THINK IT'S VERY IMPORTANT TO KNOW THAT LA PAST STARTED AS A QUIET FISHING, UM, VILLAGE. UH, IT HAS GROWN INTO THE REGIONAL HUB FOR NOW, ECOTOURISM SCIENCE AND MARINE, UH, MARINE COMMERCE, MARITIME COMMERCE, EXCUSE ME. WHILE MAINTAINING THE COASTAL CHARM AND A STRONG CULTURAL ROOTS, UH, INVITE US TO, UM, REALLY LA LA IS TWO HOURS AWAY FROM LOS CAVO MEXICO. IT IS, UH, YOU CAN TRAVEL THERE BY LAND, BY SEA, UH, OR BY AIR. I AM HAPPY TO ANNOUNCE THAT THE CARNIVAL OR CARNIVAL CRUISE LINE ACTUALLY HAS A LA PASS IN, UH, I'M SORRY, HAS A STOP IN LA PAST MEXICO. THIS, THIS STOP WAS ADDED APPROXIMATELY TWO YEARS AGO. SO IT'S FAIRLY NEW. AND, UH, I BELIEVE WE CAN GET PEOPLE FROM LA LA PAST TO VISIT LONG BEACH RIGHT NOW. IT'S THE PERFECT TIME. WE HAVE THE OLYMPICS COMING UP. WE HAVE OUR YOUNG PEOPLE WHO ARE EXCITED ABOUT THE OPPORTUNITY TO CONNECT WITH OUR ROOTS, LEARN ABOUT NEW CULTURE, AND THROUGH A PROGRAM LIKE SISTER CITIES INTERNATIONAL AND THE GREAT WORK THAT SISTER CITIES OF LONG BEACH HAS REALLY ACCOMPLISHED. NOW, I REALLY JUST, I I ASK FOR YOUR SUPPORT. I THINK IT'S TIME TO REALLY COME TOGETHER, UM, AND, AND SEE WHAT CAN WE DO NOT JUST HERE IN LONG BEACH, BUT BUILDING BRIDGES ACROSS BORDERS AND REALLY SHOWING OUR YOUNG PEOPLE HOW THESE CONNECTIONS ARE MADE. IT'S NOT JUST ABOUT YOUR LOCAL COMMUNITY, IT'S NOT JUST ABOUT THE STATE. IT'S, IT'S ABOUT THE WORLD. AND IF WE START INTRODUCING THESE INITIATIVES AND THESE PROGRAMS TO OUR YOUNG PEOPLE, TO OUR COMMUNITY, IT'LL GIVE US AN OPPORTUNITY TO REALLY [04:35:01] EXPAND ON OUR, ON OUR CONNECTIONS AS A FELLOW, UH, LONG BEACH, UH, ENTREPRENEUR, I'VE STARTED HERE WHEN I WAS 22 YEARS OLD IN A, WITH A TAX AND ACCOUNTING OFFICE. I HAVE GROWN IN THE CITY OF LONG BEACH TO NOT BE LEADING A YOUTH NONPROFIT AND A SOCIAL ENTERPRISE THAT I WOULD'VE NEVER IMAGINED I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO DO. MY HERITAGE DIDN'T TEACH ME THAT I WAS CAPABLE OF DOING ALL OF THESE THINGS, BUT THE MORE I CONNECTED WITH MY COMMUNITY, THE MORE I LEARNED THE, THE NEED FOR REALLY THE, THE, THE YOUTH VOICE, THE YOUNG PROFESSIONAL VOICE TO COME TOGETHER AND OVERALL JUST TO CONNECT WITH MY CULTURE. WHAT WAS I MISSING THAT I DIDN'T, UH, THAT I DIDN'T HAVE GROWING UP? ALTHOUGH I GREW UP IN A, IN A LATINO HOUSEHOLD, I THINK THAT SISTER CITIES INTERNATIONAL IS A GREAT WAY FOR US TO CONNECT WITH LONG BEACH AND CITIES ABROAD. AND I ASK FOR YOUR SUPPORT ON BEING ABLE TO REALLY UNITE OUR LATINO COMMUNITY BECAUSE THERE'S A LOT OF ENVY THAT EXISTS BETWEEN THE LATINO COMMUNITY. BUT IF WE START ESTABLISHING THESE BRIDGES AND WE START WORKING TOGETHER, IT DOESN'T MATTER IF YOU'RE MEXICAN, SALVADORIAN AND GUATEMALAN, WE ARE ALL ONE PEOPLE AND WE ARE HERE TO SHARE OUR CULTURE. UH, I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO, UH, INVITE US ALL TO KNOW ON NINE 20, PLEASE SAVE THE DATE. WE WILL BE CELEBRATING OUR FIRST ANNUAL LA PAST CELEBRATION IN, UH, IN DOWNTOWN LONG BEACH AT THE COURTYARD, UH, BY MARRIOTT, NINE 20 PEOPLE. IT IS AN OPEN INVITATION TO REALLY SEE WHAT OUR YOUNG PEOPLE ARE GOING TO PRESENT. IT IS A DOCUSERIES CALLED BRIDGES ACROSS BORDERS, SISTER CITIES OF LONG BEACH. AND SHOWCASING THE SEVEN SI, THE WELL NOW THE SEVEN SISTER CITIES THAT, UH, I HOPE AFTER TONIGHT WE ARE ESTABLISHING. SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. ANY QUESTIONS? PLEASE KNOW THAT THE LONG BEACH LATINO CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, WE ARE A NEW CHAMBER OF COMMERCE. WE HAVE 40 PLUS BUSINESSES. WE HAVE BEEN, UH, REALLY CHAMPIONING THIS FOR THE LAST YEAR. AND I WANNA THANK ALL OF MY YOUTH, ALL OF MY YOUNG PEOPLE WHO REALLY STUCK IT OUT. AND I'M HERE TODAY BECAUSE YOU ALL BELIEVED IN US AND BELIEVING NOW IN OUR LOCAL GOVERNMENT. SO THANK YOU FOR GIVING US THAT OPPORTUNITY TO CONNECT WITH OUR HERITAGE. ALRIGHT, WELL, UH, ALBA, UM, A FEW, A FEW POINTS, UH, THEN WE'LL GO TO PUBLIC COMMENT. SO FIRST, WHEN, WHEN I SAT DOWN WITH YOU AND YOUR COMMITTEE, I WAS INCREDIBLY IMPRESSED WITH YOUR ENERGY AND ENTHUSIASM FOR ESTABLISHING THIS NEW SISTER CITY BECAUSE THE SISTER CITIES ARE NOT SUCCESSFUL UNLESS THEY HAVE A STRONG COMMITTEE LOCALLY, RIGHT? THEY'RE THE ONES WHO MANAGE AND MAINTAIN THE RELATIONSHIPS. UH, AND WE DO THE MORE FORMAL DIGNITARY THINGS AND FIGURE OUT MORE FORMAL WAYS TO, TO WORK TOGETHER. UH, SO YOU WILL BE A CRITICAL PART OF MAKING SURE THAT THIS IS, UH, SUSTAINABLE. NOT ALL THE SISTER CITY RELATIONSHIPS STAND THE TEST OF TIME. SOME OF 'EM HAVE YOICHI 62 YEARS OLD, RIGHT? WE JUST CELEBRATED, UM, UH, CHING DAO THIS YEAR, 40 YEARS. THESE ARE MADE, YOU KNOW, THESE ARE REAL COMMITMENTS. UM, BUT I WAS IMPRESSED WITH YOU AND YOUR COMMITTEE THAT YOU ARE COMMITTED TO THIS AND, AND WE'RE GONNA CERTAINLY NEED YOU. UH, I WILL ALSO JUST MENTION THE, YOU KNOW, AS WE PREPARE TO HOST THE OLYMPICS IN THE NEXT FEW YEARS, THERE WILL BE AN OPPORTUNITY TO TAKE A FRESH LOOK AT ALL OF OUR SISTER CITY RELATIONSHIPS. THIS IS CERTAINLY, YOU'RE RIGHT, THE FIRST FORMAL, UM, THAT WE ARE TAKING THAT, TAKING THAT STEP TO, TO CREATE FIRST SINCE I'VE BEEN MAYOR, BUT THERE'S A DISCUSSION AND COUNCILWOMAN SORROWS ENGAGED WITH, UM, UH, UH, OUT IN, IN THE, UH, PAPUA NEW GUINEA REGION, SISTER CITY THERE, UH, THERE'S RENEWED CONVERSATIONS ABOUT, UH, WE HAD, UM, A RELATIONSHIP WITH ISMIR TURKEY AND IT, AND IT WENT AWAY, BUT NOW TURKEY'S GOT A BIG FOOTPRINT FOR THE OLYMPICS AND, YOU KNOW, TARGET SHOOTINGS IN THE OLYMPICS, AND YOU GOT THE GUY WITH HIS HAND IN HIS POCKET, UH, FROM TURKEY, RIGHT? THAT'S GONNA HAPPEN IN LONG BEACH. THERE'LL BE BIG TURKISH PRESENCE THAT'S GOTTEN THE CONVERSATION BACK GOING ABOUT, UH, ISMIR, THERE'S DISCUSSIONS ON SPAIN. I MET WITH THE MAYOR OF VALENCIA. SO THIS IS AN EXCITING MOMENT IN OUR HISTORY TO LOOK AT, UH, NEW RELATIONSHIPS OR BRINGING BACK OLD RELATIONSHIPS AND REFRESHING THEM. AND SO YOU'RE THE FIRST, SO CONGRATULATIONS TO YOU. I ALSO NEED TO, I HAVE A NOTE HERE. I HAVE TO AMEND THE RECOMMENDATION, MADAM CITY ATTORNEY, TO INCLUDE, UH, REQUEST FOR CITY ATTORNEY TO PREPARE RESOLUTION AND RETURN IT TO COUNCIL TO AUTHORIZE THE CITY SISTER CITY RELATIONSHIP WITH LA PAZ IN ORDER TO MEMO, MEMORIALIZE THIS PARTNERSHIP. SO WE NEED THE, UH, MAKER OF THE MOTION, WHO IS THE MAKER OF THE MOTION, UH, VICE MAYOR URANGA TO, TO ACCEPT THAT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. GOOD. HE'S GOOD. HE SAID HE DID A THUMBS UP. ALL RIGHT, GREAT. AND COUNCIL MEMBER THRASH INTO, ALRIGHT, UH, YOU CAN SEE YOU CAN TAKE A SEAT, YOU NOW. THANK YOU. UM, WE'RE GONNA GO THROUGH COUNCIL COMMENTS AND THEN WE'RE GONNA DO PUBLIC COMMENT VICE MAYOR URANGA. YEAH, IT'S A LITTLE TRICKY TODAY. THANK YOU MAYOR. I THINK, WON'T YOUR COMMENTS AND, UH, YOU KNOW, THANK YOU. CONGRATULATIONS TO THE COMMITTEE FOR COMING OUT AND SUPPORTING THIS. UH, I STRONGLY SUPPORT, UH, THIS EFFORT IN ONE [04:40:01] OF THE REALLY LONG TIME COMING. I REMEMBER A FEW YEARS BACK, IT'S REALLY LIKE A STARTING, STARTING STUFF. STUFF START AND YOU KNOW, WE'RE AT THIS POINT WHERE WE'RE GONNA MAKE A MOTION TONIGHT TO MAKE IT HAPPEN. AND THAT'S GREAT BEING AT TRIVIA. I WENT THROUGH THE BUS 40 YEARS AGO AS A YOUNG MAN , SO SURE THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF CHANGES IN THE BUS AND I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO REVISITING IT. SO THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THIS FORWARD, THANK YOU TO THE COMMITTEE AND I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO, UH, ESTABLISHING THAT RELATIONSHIP WITH THE BUS. THANK, THANK, THANK YOU. ALRIGHT, COUNCILMAN PROGRESSION TOOK, UH, I WANT TO, UH, CONGRATULATE, UH, THE, THE COMMITTEE AS WELL. AND THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ALL OF YOUR EFFORTS. WE COULD HEAR AND FILL YOUR ENTHUSIASM HERE TONIGHT FOR THE RELATIONSHIP AND THE PARTNERSHIP. UH, MAYOR, CONGRATULATIONS ON YOUR FIRST, UH, SISTER, NEW SISTER CITY FOR ON BEHALF OF THE CITY. UH, I THINK NOW IS A WONDERFUL TIME TO, UH, UNDERSCORE OUR CONNECTION TO MEXICO AND IDENTIFY CULTURAL AND INTELLECTUAL EXCHANGES THAT WE CAN HAVE, UH, WITH THE NATION AS WE PREPARE, UH, TO WELCOME THE WORLD HERE TO LONG BEACH. SO, CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL. THANK YOU. AND I'LL GO TO PUBLIC COMMENT. KELLY KNIGHT, JEFFERSON RODRIGUEZ, SUSAN REDFIELD, AND RICHARDSON. HELLO, HOW ARE YOU? MY NAME IS JEFFERSON RODRIGUEZ. I AM WORKING THE LATIN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE. I HAVE MY COMPANY, THE ZUMBA LATIN EVENTS. I AM VERY EXCITED FOR. THE OPPORTUNITY IS THE, THE, THE, THE LOOK FOR THE FUTURE, YOU KNOW, IN THE, IN THIS MOMENT IS DIFFICULT FOR THE PERSON. I'M FROM COLOMBIA AND HE IS VERY EXCITED FOR THE OPPORTUNITY BECAUSE I LOOK MAYBE IN A WALMART, MY PRESIDENT DANCER FOR MEXICO, COLUMBIA, AND, AND, AND NORTH CITIZEN HERE. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU, SUSAN. YES, MY NAME IS SUSAN REDFIELD. I'M PRESIDENT OF SISTER CITIES OF LONG BEACH AND A PROUD MEMBER OF THE SEVENTH DISTRICT. AND I HAVE LOTS OF STUFF TO SAY, BUT IT'S REALLY ALREADY BEEN SAID. I'M SO APPRECIATIVE. CAN YOU IMAGINE WE GET TO WORK WITH THAT ENERGY, THESE YOUNG PEOPLE LIKE ALBA AND ALBA? I DID WANNA SAY, ACTUALLY I'M USING RICHER SON'S WORDS. HE HAD TO LEAVE. LA PAZ SHARES OUR VALUES OF COMMUNITY RESILIENCE AND INNOVATION UPON APPROVAL WE WILL EXPLORE NEW OPPORTUNITIES IN EDUCATION, TOURISM, ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP, AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, WHILE STRENGTHENING BONDS THAT ALREADY EXIST WITHIN OUR DIVERSE COMMUNITY. THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT IN CONSIDERING THIS, UH, NEW PARTNERSHIP. AND THAT'S ALL. THANK YOU. ALRIGHT, IS THAT KELLY? NO, UM, B ON BEHALF OF KELLY. ON BEHALF OF KELLY. YEAH. OKAY. ALRIGHT. UH, MY NAME IS MARIBEL ILLA. I'M THE VICE PRESIDENT FOR LATINA CHAMBERS OF COMMERCE. THANK YOU FOR THAT OPPORTUNITY TO BE HERE WITH YOU GUYS. WE HONORED TO HAVE, UH, JOIN ON THE COMMUNITIES AND LEADERS DREAMERS IN A CHANGE MAKER FROM AROUND LA PAST AND, UH, SISTER CITY. THIS GROUP IS BUILT OF THE SPIRIT CONNECTION, COLLABORATION, AND CULTURE EXCHANGE. WE ARE VERY PROUD TO BE THIS, UH, PART OF THIS, UH, COMMUNITY AND I'M JUST HAPPY AND EXCITED TO BRING PEOPLE FROM AROUND THE WORLD TO COME AND SEE OUR CITY. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT, THANK YOU. ALRIGHT, MEMBERS, PLEASE CAST YOUR VOTE. MOTION IS CARRIED. THANK YOU. 17, PLEASE COMMUNICATION FROM COUNCILMAN SUPER NA RECOMMENDATION TO REQUEST CITY MANAGER TO DIRECT THE PROPER DEPARTMENTS TO IMPLEMENT A TRAFFIC FATALITY VICTIM MEMORIAL SIGN PROGRAM, SIMILAR TO THE ONE IMPLEMENTED ON CALTRANS RIGHT OF WAYS AND HOMAGE OF TRAFFIC FATALITY VICTIMS, AND REQUEST THE PROGRAM BE CODIFIED INTO THE LONG BEACH MUNICIPAL CODE. THEREFORE, A DRAFT ORDINANCE FOR CITY COUNCIL REVIEW REQUESTED FROM THE LONG BEACH CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE. ALRIGHT, THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER SUBINA. OKAY, THANK YOU MADAM CLERK FOR THAT GREAT READING OF THE LONG RECOMMENDATION. UM, THIS IS A RESIDENT LED REQUEST TO ESTABLISH A MEMORIAL SIGN PROGRAM. IT HAS BEEN REVIEWED BY THE CHIEF OF POLICE, FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT, AND THE CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE. ALL THE BACKGROUND INFORMATION ON AB [17. 25-56136 Recommendation to request City Manager to direct the proper departments to implement a Traffic Fatality Victim Memorial Sign Program similar to the one implemented on California Department of Transportation (CalTrans) right-of-ways in homage of traffic fatality victims. Further, this recommendation requests the program be codified into the Long Beach Municipal Code therefore, a draft ordinance for City Council review is requested from the Long Beach City Attorney’s office. The language in Assembly Bill 965, Statutes of 2001 is being provided and recommended for codification draft purposes.       Office or Department: Daryl Supernaw, Councilman, Fourth District         Suggested Action: Approve recommendation. ] 9 65 AND THE EXISTING CALTRANS PROGRAM IS INCLUDED IN THE SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS. THE REQUEST CAME TO ME FROM CD FOUR RESIDENTS, LILY AND GREG GOSSAGE. [04:45:01] UH, GREG IS A MEMBER OF OUR CITY FAMILY. AS A LONG TIME AND HIGHLY RESPECTED CIVILIAN EMPLOYEE OF THE POLICE DEPARTMENT. THEIR TEENAGE SON, AIDEN LOST HIS LIFE WHILE CROSSING LAS COUNTY'S DIAGONAL AND IN THE CROSSWALK AT DEBORAH STREET ON SEPTEMBER 4TH, 2021. LILLIAN GREG ASKED ME TO READ THE FOLLOWING STATEMENT. THIS PROGRAM STANDS AS A LOVING TRIBUTE TO OUR SON AIDEN, AND TO ALL THE LIVES LOST IN PREVENTABLE TRAFFIC COLLISIONS, TRAGEDIES THAT COULD HAVE BEEN AVOIDED WITH GREATER AWARENESS AND RESPONSIBILITY. WE BELIEVE THIS INITIATIVE WILL SERVE AS A POWERFUL REMINDER TO EVERY DRIVER THAT NO PLACE IS IMMUNE TO LOSS, AND THAT EVERY JOURNEY CARRIES THE WEIGHT OF OTHER SAFETY THROUGH EDUCATION AND REFLECTION. WE HOPE THIS PROGRAM WILL INSTILL A SENSE OF REVERENCE FOR LIFE AND A COMMITMENT TO RESPONSIBLE DRIVING SO THAT FEWER FAMILIES WILL HAVE TO ENDURE THE PAIN WE CARRY. SINCERELY, LILY AND GREG GOSSAGE AND THANK YOU VERY MUCH. AND I ASK FOR MY COLLEAGUE SUPPORT. ALRIGHT, THANK YOU. LET'S SEE, WHO WAS A SECONDARY HERE? UH, COUNCIL MEMBER KERR. YEAH, I WANNA THANK COUNCIL MEMBER SONO FOR BRINGING THIS FORWARD, UM, AND OUR CONDOLENCES TO THE FAMILY. WE KNOW THAT THIS IMPACTS, UH, FAMILIES ACROSS OUR COMMUNITY AND ACROSS EVERY DISTRICT IN THE CITY AS WE TRY TO GET TO VISION ZERO AND WE TRY TO MAKE IT SAFER FOR FOLKS. UM, WE JUST HAD A FATALITY IN THE BIGSBY HOLES AREA JUST TWO WEEKS AGO, UM, ON ATLANTIC. SO, UH, THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THIS ITEM FORWARD. I FULLY SUPPORT. ALL RIGHT. UH, ANY PUBLIC COMMENT HERE? I HAVE A COMMENT. OH. OH, OKAY. I DIDN'T SEE IT. UH, COUNCIL MEMBER THRASHING TOOK. THANK YOU SO MUCH. UM, SO, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER, SUPER NA UH, THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THAT FORWARD AND IT'S, UH, REALLY IMPORTANT THAT YOU READ THE STATEMENT THAT YOU DID AND OUR CONDOLENCES GO OUT TO THE FAMILY THAT WAS SO IMPACTED, UH, BY THE CIRCUMSTANCE. I JUST WANTED TO ADD A COUPLE OF CLARIFYING THOUGHTS OR THINGS THAT I'D LOVE FOR THE CITY MANAGER TO CONSIDER AS WE MOVE FORWARD WITH THIS, UH, REQUEST. SO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I NOTICED IS THAT, UM, AB 9 65 REALLY FOCUSES IN ON, UH, DRUNK DRIVING AND ENSURING THAT THE VICTIMS OF SUCH, UH, ARE ABLE TO BE MEMORIALIZED BY THESE SIGNS. JUST WANTED TO, AS YOU PUT TOGETHER YOUR REPORT BACK, UH, I WANNA MAKE SURE I UNDERSTAND FROM A CITY STANDPOINT, UH, WHO WOULD BE CONSIDERED A VICTIM. AND, UH, IN TERMS OF, YOU KNOW, WHAT DOES IT HAVE TO INCLUDE, UH, SOMEONE WHO WAS IMPACTED BY A DRUNK DRIVER IN PARTICULAR, GIVEN THAT THE A DIRECTION IS TAKEN FROM AB 9 65? UM, ANOTHER MATTER I'D LIKE FOR US TO THINK ABOUT IN THE REPORT BACK AS WELL, UM, YOU KNOW, CERTAINLY WE'VE SEEN ON THE HIGHWAYS, UH, SWORN, UH, OFFICERS AND OTHERS IN THEIR OFFICIAL CAPACITIES BEING RECOGNIZED FOR, UM, LOSS OF LIFE, UM, WHILE THEY'RE ON ACTIVE DUTY. UM, AND THOSE MAINTAINED FOR SOME TIME. UM, I NOTICED THAT AB 9 65, UM, STATED THAT THERE WOULD BE A PERIOD OF TIME BY WHICH, UH, SUCH, UM, SIGNS WOULD REMAIN UP. SO THAT'S SOMETHING THAT I THINK WE MIGHT WANNA CONSIDER AS WELL, UM, TO COMPLY WITH OR AT LEAST, YOU KNOW, GO UNDER THE STATE LAW. AND THEN, UH, I WOULD IMAGINE THAT WE'LL WANNA TAKE A LOT OF CARE AND CONSIDERATION INTO WHAT THE SIGNS LOOK LIKE, UM, HOW THEY'RE DISPLAYED, UM, SO THAT THEY ARE REALLY PART OF THE FABRIC OF OUR CITY AND DON'T IN ANY WAY, YOU KNOW, CREATE ANY, UM, YOU KNOW, UNDUE PEOPLE ARE DRIVING DOWN THE STREET. WE DON'T WANT THEM TO BE DISTRACTED NECESSARILY. UM, BUT WE DO WANT PEOPLE TO, TO, UH, TO NOTICE THAT THERE WAS A LIFE HERE THAT WE WANNA RECOGNIZE, BUT TRYING TO MAKE SURE WE HAVE A WAY TO ENSURE THAT IT FITS IN WITH THE CITY FABRIC. UM, AND THEN I'VE JUST, FROM AN, UM, AN EQUITY STANDPOINT, IT SEEMS TO ME THAT THIS IS SOMETHING THAT, UH, THE FAMILY WOULD HAVE TO, UH, COME FORTH AND REQUEST. THAT WAS ALSO NOTED IN AB 9 65. UM, BUT IN TERMS OF THE FINANCIAL COSTS, JUST MAKE SURE WE UNDERSTAND WHAT THAT IS, UM, SO THAT WE HAVE SOME SENSE OF HOW, UH, FAMILIES MIGHT BE IMPACTED BY, UM, THE COST OF SUCH A REQUEST ON BEHALF OF THE CITY. AND I'D BE INTERESTED IN HOW OTHER CITIES, IF ANY, UM, HAVE DETERMINED TO PUT FORTH THEIR OWN POLICIES, UH, LOCALLY, UM, AS THEY SEEK TO, YOU KNOW, UTILIZE THE LANGUAGE FROM AB 9 65 IN ORDER TO IMPLEMENT THIS LOCALLY. SO THOSE ARE SOME OF MY THOUGHTS REGARDING HOW WE MIGHT, UH, THOUGHTFULLY CONSIDER, UH, MOVING FORWARD ON THE ORDINANCE. THANK YOU. ALRIGHT, IS THERE ANY PUBLIC COMMENT? SEEING NONE MEMBERS PLEASE CAST YOUR VOTE. [04:50:01] MOTION IS CARRIED. THANK YOU. 22. PLEASE REPORT FROM HUMAN RESOURCES RECOMMENDATION TO RECEIVE AND FILE A REPORT ON THE REQUIREMENTS OF ASSEMBLY BILL 25 61, WHICH MANDATES LOCAL PUBLIC AGENCIES [22. 25-56106 Recommendation to receive and file a report on the requirements of Assembly Bill 2561, which mandates local public agencies to present on the status of vacant positions, recruitment, and retention efforts prior to adoption of the City’s annual budget; and direct staff to comply with the provisions of the law. (Citywide)       Office or Department: Human Resources         Suggested Action: Approve recommendation. ] TO PRESENT ON THE STATUS OF VACANT POSITIONS, RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION EFFORTS PRIOR TO ADOPTION OF THE CITY'S ANNUAL BUDGET AND DIRECT STAFF TO COMPLY WITH THE PROVISIONS OF THE LAW CITYWIDE. ALRIGHT, THANK YOU. WE'LL GO TO STAFF. YES, MR. MAYOR, MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL. SO THIS IS A NEW REQUIREMENT THAT WAS PASSED ON DOWN FROM THE STATE, SO THIS IS NOT SOMETHING THE COUNCIL'S DONE BEFORE. SO, UH, UH, WE ALSO APPRECIATE A LITTLE GRACE AS WE KIND OF FIGURE OUT HOW TO BEST DO THIS. AND IT'S SOMETHING THAT, UH, WE MAY BE DOING AS PART OF OUR BUDGET, UM, UH, PROCESS GOING FORWARD, ALTHOUGH HOPEFULLY NOT. UH, THE POINT IS, IS TO, UH, REALLY REDUCE OUR VACANCIES AND, YOU KNOW, THERE'S A LOT OF EFFORT RIGHT NOW, UH, TO, TO DO THAT. SO, UH, WE ARE GONNA GIVE A PRESENTATION, UM, FROM, UH, HR TO GO THROUGH, UH, THE REQUIRED PARTS OF THE REPORT AND THEN, UH, WE HAVE HAD REQUESTS FROM OUR, UM, FROM CERTAIN UNIONS TO PRESENT TO YOU AS WELL. UH, AND THAT'S PART OF, UM, WHAT IS REQUIRED UNDER THE STATE LEGISLATION. SO, UM, WE'LL DO THE PRESENTATION, THEN THEY'LL EACH HAVE ABOUT FIVE MINUTES TO GO THROUGH THEIR PRESENTATION. AND THEN, UH, ANY COUNCIL QUESTIONS AS WELL. SO, ALRIGHT, I WILL TURN IT OVER TO, UH, BRYCE. ALRIGHT, YOU GOT THE FLOOR, BRYCE. GOOD, GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND, UH, COUNCIL MEMBERS, UH, THANK YOU AGAIN FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO PRESENT THIS EVENING. I'M JUST GONNA DO A LITTLE BACKGROUND ON AB 25 61, AND THEN I'M GOING TO, UH, PASS IT OVER TO, UH, DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF HUMAN RESOURCES. FRED, UH, VERDUGO TO GET INTO THE DATA. SO, JUST A LITTLE BACKGROUND IN, UH, TO AB 25 61. THIS BILL BECAME EFFECTIVE, UH, JANUARY 1ST, 2025, ADDING GOVERNMENT CODE SECTION 35 0 2 0.3 TO THE MYERS MILIUS BROWN ACT. UH, THIS BILL REQUIRES PUBLIC AGENCIES TO HOLD A PUBLIC HEARING AT LEAST ONCE ANNUALLY BEFORE ADOPTING THE FINAL BUDGET. DURING THIS HEARING, AGENCIES MUST REPORT ON JOB VACANCIES, RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION EFFORTS, AND ANY POLICIES, PROCEDURES, OR RECRUITMENT ACTIVITY CHANGES THAT COULD CREATE HIRING OBSTACLES. AGENCIES MUST ALSO SHARE BOTH THE CITYWIDE VACANCY RATE AND VACANCY RATES BY BARGAINING UNIT WITH EXCLUSIVELY RECOGNIZED BARGAINING GROUPS. THESE BARGAINING, UH, GROUPS MUST BE GIVEN THE OPPORTUNITY TO PROVIDE INPUT TO THE COUNCIL REGARDING THEIR SPECIFIC VACANCY RATES. SO, JUST REALLY BRIEFLY, UM, WE HAVE AN OVERVIEW OF THE CITY'S, UH, HIRING PROCESS. AND AGAIN, THE FOCUS HERE IS TO PROVIDE TRANSPARENCY ON HOW TALENT IS ATTRACTED AND HIRED. UM, AND JUST VERY BRIEFLY, UM, THESE SECTIONS INCLUDE THE PRE RECRUITMENT PROCESS, UH, THE RECRUITMENT TESTING AND RANKING, AND THEN ALSO, UH, THE SELECTION PROCESS LEADING TO HIRING AND JOB PLACEMENT FOR 2024. JUST WANNA HIGHLIGHT SOME OF THE RECRUITMENT OUTCOMES, UM, THAT THE CITY, UM, HAS SEEN. UH, DURING THAT TIME PERIOD, THE CITY OPENED 421 RECRUITMENTS ACROSS VARIOUS DEPARTMENTS AND JOB CLASSIFICATIONS TO MEET WORKFORCE DEMANDS. A TOTAL OF 38,628 APPLICATIONS WERE PROCESSED FROM CANDIDATES SEEKING CITY EMPLOYMENT. UH, THESE EFFORTS RESULTED IN 1041 PERMANENT HIRES SUPPORTING ESSENTIAL CITY OPERATIONS. THE CITY'S ONLINE JOB BOARD ALSO SAW OVER 2.5 MILLION HITS IN VIEWS DEMONSTRATING STRONG VISIBILITY AND OUTREACH. UM, A LITTLE BIT OF BREAKDOWN, UH, REGARDING THE RECRUITMENTS BY CATEGORY. THERE WERE 348, UH, RECRUITMENTS FOR UNCLASSIFIED POSITIONS. UH, 73 RECRUITMENTS FOR CLASSIFIED POSITIONS. UM, OF THOSE 66 WERE MANAGEMENT ITEMS AND 282 WERE NON-MANAGEMENT ITEMS. SO FOR THIS, UH, PRESENTATION AND IN COLLABORATION WITH ALSO, UH, THE HARBOR AND UTILITIES APARTMENTS, UM, IT WAS AGREED THAT THE POINT IN TIME DATE OF APRIL 1ST, 2025 WOULD BE USED FOR REPORTING OUT ON VACANCY DATA. UH, THROUGHOUT THIS PRESENTATION, WE'LL ALSO PROVIDE SOME UPDATES AS TO, UH, MORE RECENT, UH, DATA JUST TO REFLECT, UM, SOME OF THE PROGRESS THAT'S BEEN MADE. UM, AGAIN, THIS IS A SNAPSHOT, UH, OF DATA, UH, WHICH REFLECTS THE CONSISTENT, UH, VIEW ACROSS DEPARTMENTS, INCLUDING, UM, AS I MENTIONED, HARBOR AND UTILITIES. UH, THE CITY WORKFORCE INCLUDES, UH, APPROXIMATELY 5,798 PERMANENT BUDGETED REPRESENTATIVE POSITIONS. UH, OF THOSE 1,068 POSITIONS WERE VACANT, RESULTING IN AN 18.1% OVERALL VACANCY RATE AS OF APRIL 1ST, 2025. UH, THIS DATA ALSO EXCLUDES CONTRACT, TEMPORARY, SEASONAL, AND EXTRA HELP, UH, EMPLOYEES. SINCE APRIL, WE'VE SEEN THE VACANCY RATE, UH, DROP OR IMPROVE, I SHOULD SAY, TO 17.7%, UH, WHICH IS DOWN FROM 22% [04:55:02] IN, UH, 2024. UH, THIS SHOWS MEANINGFUL PROGRESS IN RECRUITMENT AND HIRING EFFORTS CITYWIDE AND WILL HIGHLIGHT SOME OF THOSE EFFORTS MOVING FORWARD FOR REPRESENTED POSITIONS. UM, SOME OF THE FACTORS THAT IMPACT THE VACANCY RATES, UM, THERE ARE LABOR MARKET CHALLENGES AND COMPETITION, UH, PUBLIC SECTOR ROLES, ESPECIALLY IN IT ENGINEERING, UH, AND SKILLED TRADES. FACE STIFF COMPETITION FROM PRIVATE SECTOR AND OTHER GOVERNMENT AGENCIES. UH, COMPETITIVE SALARIES, REMOTE WORK, REMOTE WORK OPTIONS, AND FASTER HIRING ELSEWHERE MAKE ATTRACTING QUALIFIED CANDIDATES MORE DIFFICULT. ALSO, THERE HAVE BEEN, UH, WORKFORCE SHIFTS AND, UH, UH, THE GREAT RESIGNATION WHICH OCCURRED AFTER COVID. UH, THIS INCREASED, UH, SHALL INCREASE IN RETIREMENTS, CAREER CHANGES AND SECTOR MOVEMENT, WHICH HAVE RESHAPED THE LABOR POOL CANDIDATES NOW PRIORITIZE JOB FLEXIBILITY, WORK-LIFE BALANCE, AND POSITIVE WORKPLACE CULTURE. ATTRITION IS ALSO A FACTOR AS BOTH PLAN AND UNPLANNED SEPARATIONS. RETIREMENTS, RESIGNATIONS PROMOTIONS CAN OUTPACE THE CITY'S ABILITY TO FILL VACANCIES, SPECIALI, ESPECIALLY IN SPECIALIZED ROLES, GROWTH THROUGH NEW BUDGETED POSITIONS. SO EXPANSION OF DEPARTMENTS AND NEW PROGRAMS INCREASE THE TOTAL NUMBER OF VACANCIES, UH, OR BUDGETED POSITIONS TEMPORARILY RAISING THE VACANCY RATE AS NEW ROLES ARE FILLED. INTERNAL STRUCTURAL CHANGES, UM, INITIATIVES LIKE THE CHARTER AMENDMENT MEASURE, JB AND THE INTEGRATION OF NOW, UH, THE HUMAN RESOURCES AND FORMER CIVIL SERVICE DEPARTMENTS AIMING TO IMPROVE HIRING EFFICIENCY, UM, BUT REQUIRE TRANSITIONAL PERIODS. AND THESE EFFORTS FOCUS ON ALIGNING PROCESSES, SYSTEMS, AND RESOURCES FOR A MORE UNIFIED APPROACH TO RECRUITMENT AND EMPLOYEE SUPPORT. SO JUST AS A, UH, OVERVIEW, THIS IS JUST A LIST OF OUR 11 BARGAINING UNITS HERE WITHIN THE CITY. AND NEXT WE'RE GONNA JUMP INTO THE DATA, UM, PROVIDING A VACANCY SUMMARY BY BARGAINING UNIT. AND AGAIN, THIS DATA REFLECTS, UH, THE POINT IN TIME OF APRIL 1ST, 2025, AND I'M GOING TO HAND IT OVER TO FRED TO, UH, CONTINUE THE PRESENTATION. THANK YOU, BRYCE. UH, GOOD EVENING MAYOR. MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL. I'LL BE PRESENTING INFORMATION ON THE BARGAINING GROUPS THAT EXCEEDED, UH, THE 20% AS WELL AS THE CITY'S RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION EFFORTS AND PATH MOVING FORWARD. FIRST BARGAINING GROUP, UH, IS THE ASSOCIATION OF ENGINEERING EMPLOYEES CLASSIFICATION THAT COVERS CRITICAL TECHNICAL AND PROFESSIONAL ENGINEERING ROLES ESSENTIAL TO THE CITY'S INFRASTRUCTURE DEVELOPMENT AND PUBLIC SAFETY. AS OF APRIL 1ST, 2024 THROUGH MARCH 31ST, 2025, THERE WERE 306 BUDGETED POSITIONS, UH, 69 VACANCIES RESULTING IN A 22% VACANCY RATE. UM, THE CITY CONDUCTED 14 RECRUITMENTS RECEIVING A 484 APPLICATIONS FOR ROLES INCLUDING CIVIL AND STRUCTURAL ENGINEER, MECHANICAL AND PETROLEUM ENGINEERING ASSOCIATES AND PLAN CHECKERS. THE AVERAGE TIME TO HIRE WAS 97 BUSINESS DAYS ACTIONS TAKEN TO IMPROVE THE RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION IN A EE. CLASSIFICATIONS INCLUDE THE CITY'S ESTABLISHMENT OF A DEDICATED CLASS AND COMP DIVISION FOR BETTER SALARY STRUCTURE AND WORKFORCE PLANNING, IMPLEMENTING, UH, SPECIALIZED INCENTIVES FOR HARD TO FILL ROLES, AS WELL AS NEGOTIATING SALARY INCREASES TOTALING 7.6% AND EQUITY ADJUSTMENTS OF SIX, UH, TO 7% IN THE PAST. UH, LABOR NEGOTIATIONS. THESE INITIATIVES ARE SHOWING POSITIVE IMPACTS AND CAN, UH, FURTHER DEVELOP IN THE FUTURE NEGOTIATIONS. NEXT BARGAINING GROUP IS THE POA POLICE OFFICER ASSOCIATION, WHICH REPRESENTS SWORN PUBLIC SAFETY PERSONNEL ESSENTIAL TO COMMUNITY SAFETY. AS OF APRIL 1ST, 2024, THERE WERE 826 BUDGETED POA POSITIONS WITH 219 VACANCIES RESULTING A 26%, UH, VACANCY RATE FROM APRIL 1ST, 2024 TO MARCH 31ST, THERE WERE 3,600 APPLICANTS APPLIED ACROSS NINE RECRUITMENTS FOR POLICE OFFICER LATERAL AND ACADEMY GRADUATE POLICE RECRUIT AND POLICE LIEUTENANT RECRUITMENTS FOR SWORN ROLES FACE UNIQUE CHALLENGES. AN AVERAGE TIME TO HIRE IS APPROXIMATELY 141 DAYS DUE TO THE BACKGROUND CHECKS, POST CERTIFICATION AND ACADEMY SCHEDULING. JUST TO MENTION A FEW INITIATIVES TO REDUCE THE VACANCIES AND SPEED HIRING, UH, P D'S FASTER. UM, BACKGROUND PROCESSING PARTNERSHIP WITH VENDOR AND DIGITAL PLATFORM TO REDUCE THE BACKGROUND TIME FROM SIX MONTHS TO THREE MONTHS. ONE, STOP HIRING EVENTS [05:00:01] TO CONSOLIDATE ADMINISTRATIVE STEPS IN A SINGLE DAY TO MINIMIZE DELAYS. RECRUITMENT READINESS PROGRAMS LAUNCHED IN 2025, OFFERING 80 HOURS OF PHYSICAL AND ACADEMIC PREP WHILE CANDIDATES AWAIT THE ACADEMY PLACEMENT. AND AS WELL AS A DIGITAL COMMUNITY OUTREACH USING A RECRUITMENT VIDEOS, GEO TARGETED ADS, RIDE-ALONGS, INFO SECTION INFO SESSIONS, AND COMMUNITY EVENTS TO INCREASE CANDIDATE ENGAGEMENT. PRIOR LABOR NEGOTIATIONS SECURED, UH, 11.5, UM, PERCENT GENERAL INCREASE, UH, FOR PUBLIC SAFETY. A RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION TASK FORCE WAS ESTABLISHED IN 2023 TO LOOK AT, UH, PROCESS MAPPING, UH, THE HIRING PROCESS AND LOOKING TO IMPROVE AND STREAMLINE THAT PROCESS. ADDITIONALLY, TO TACKLE RECRUITMENT CHALLENGES, THE POLICE DEPARTMENT IMPLEMENTED TARGETED INCENTIVES TO ATTRACT AND RETAIN TALENT FOR HARD TO FILL POSITIONS. IN TWENTY TWENTY FOUR, SEVEN HUNDRED AND TWENTY ONE INCENTIVES WERE PAID AND THAT INCLUDED REFERRAL BONUSES, UH, CHILDCARE SUBSIDIES, HOUSING SUBSIDIES, AND RECRUITMENT INCENTIVES. DOUBLE TIME PAY USED EXTENSIVELY WITH 454 INSTANCES PAID IN 2025 SHIFTED TO THE FOCUS OF NEW HIRING RECRUITMENT. 293 INCENTIVES WERE PAID. INTRODUCED LATERAL OFFICER HIRING INCENTIVES PAID THREE $10,000 INCENTIVES. UM, OUR INSTALLMENTS, UH, CONTINUED REFERRAL BONUSES TARGETING POLICE RECRUITS, LATERAL OFFICERS TO ENCOURAGE COMMUNITY AND EMPLOYEE REFERRALS. THE NEXT BARGAINING UNIT, UM, IS SEIU SERVICE EMPLOYEES INTERNATIONAL UNION. UH, WE FOCUSED ON THE REFUSE OPERATOR CLASSIFICATIONS. THIS CLASSIFICATION IS VITAL TO SANITATION AND WASTE COLLECTION. CURRENT STATUS IS THERE'S 122 BUDGETED POSITIONS WITH 43 43 VACANCIES RESULTING IN A 35% VACANCY RATE. THE RECRUITMENT EFFORTS, UH, INCLUDE, UM, ONGOING, UH, RECRUITMENT SINCE MARCH OF 2017. CURRENTLY, THERE ARE SIX ACTIVE ELIGIBILITY LISTS WITH 165 CANDIDATES. UH, ONE OF THE OPTIONS, POTENTIAL OPTIONS WERE SOMETHING SIMILAR THAT WE DID IN 2023, WHICH IS A ONE DAY HIRING EVENT, WHICH YIELDED, UH, 250 ATTENDEES AND 32, UH, JOB OFFERS WERE MADE THAT DAY. SINCE JULY 23 TO MARCH OF 25, THERE'S BEEN 48 HIRES FROM THE ELIGIBILITY LIST. UH, TO ACCELERATE HIRING PUBLIC WORKS HAS FUNDED A DEDICATED RECRUITMENT ANALYST WITH TALENT ACQUISITION FOCUSED ON PUBLIC WORKS, UH, VACANCIES, TARGETED INCENTIVES TO HARD FOR HARD FIELD POSITIONS. THE REFUSE OPERATORS COMPOSITIONS IMPROVEMENT INCLUDE, UH, PRIOR, UH, LABOR NEGOTIATIONS, UH, WHICH SECURED A 2.25 GENERAL SALARY INCREASE, AS WELL AS A 15% EQUITY ADJUSTMENT FOR OP REFUSE OPERATORS. UPCOMING NEGOTIATIONS WILL CONTINUE TO PRIORITIZE RECRUITMENTS AND RETENTION STRATEGIES. THE THREE PILLARS OF RECRUITMENT ARE STREAMLINING OPERATIONS, ATTRACTING QUALITY CANDIDATES, AND IMPROVING RETENTIONS TO MODERNIZE HIRE TIME TO HIRE IMPROVEMENTS, REDUCE CLASSIFIED UNCLASSIFIED RECRUITMENTS, WENT FROM SEVEN MONTHS TO, UH, UNDER 90 BUSINESS DAYS. MEASURE JB INTEGRATIONS UNIFIED, UH, CIVIL SERVICE AND THE HUMAN RESOURCES DEPARTMENT INTO A SINGLE ENTITY. AND THEN THE CREATION OF THE TALENT, UH, MANAGEMENT BUREAU, WHICH CENTRALIZED ALL HIRING OVERSIGHT, UH, FOR CONSISTENT STANDARDS AND IMPROVING COMMUNICATIONS WITH DEPARTMENTS. WE ALSO, UH, STANDARDIZED, UH, ALIGNING JOB, UH, DESCRIPTIONS AND MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS ACROSS DEPARTMENTS TO REDUCE CONFUSION AND DELAYS AND APPEAL CHALLENGES. ALSO, TECHNOLOGY ENHANCEMENTS, UPGRADE TO APPLICANT TRACKING SYSTEM AUTOMATED, UH, CANDIDATE NOTIFICATION TO IMPROVE COMMUNICATION, TRANSPARENCY AND ENGAGEMENT. AND ALSO A STRONGER, UM, RECRUITMENT INFRASTRUCTURE. TOGETHER THESE EFFORTS CREATED MORE EFFICIENT, AGILE, AND CANDIDATE FRIENDLY HIRING SYSTEM TO MEET THE CITY'S EVOLVING, UH, WORKFORCE NEEDS. THE NEXT ITEM IS ATTRACTING QUALITY CANDIDATES, IMPLEMENTING RECRUITMENT INCENTIVES FOR HARDER FIELD POSITIONS, EXPANDING OUR INTERNSHIP, APPRENTICESHIP AND TRAINING PROGRAMS, UH, TO BUILD TALENT PIPELINES, ALSO LAUNCH STORYTELLING CAMPAIGNS TO HIGHLIGHT PUBLIC SERVICE IMPACT, CONNECT WITH CANDIDATES EMOTIONALLY, UH, INCREASED TARGET OUTREACH THROUGH SOCIAL MEDIA, JOB FAIRS, COMMUNITY NEWSLETTER AND EVENT PARTICIPATION WITH BROADEN AND DIVERSE DIVERSITY. THE, UM, AND THE TALENT POOL PARTNERED WITH LOCAL ORGANIZATIONS TO IMPROVE ACCESS, [05:05:01] UH, FOR UNDER UNDERREPRESENTED COMMUNITIES AND PROMOTE EQUITY. ESTABLISH LOCAL PREFERENCES TO PRIOR PRIORITIZE, UM, QUALIFIED LONG BEACH RESIDENTS AND STRENGTHEN COMMUNITY TIES. UH, THESE COMBINED EFFORTS INC. TO BUILD TALENT, DIVERSE AND ENGAGED WORKFORCE REFLECTIVE OF THE COMMUNITY NEEDS. AND THIS IS OUR, UH, COMMUNITY, UH, OUTREACH. A SNAPSHOT, UH, CITYWIDE SIGNIFICANT EXPANSION IN OUR OUTREACH FROM FY 22 TO FY 25 GREW FROM 27 EVENTS IN FY 22 TO A PEAK OF 89 IN FY, UH, 24 IN FY UH, 25, WE MAINTAINED THE STRATEGIC TOTAL OF 49 EVENTS, WHICH INCLUDED 17 CAREER FAIRS AND HIRING EVENTS. 11 COMMUNITY OUTREACH EVENTS, SIX OPEN HOUSE, UH, RECRUITMENT EVENTS, AND 15 WORKSHOPS IN TRAINING, RETAINING STRATEGY AND INVESTMENTS. ESTABLISHED CLASSIFICATION AND COMPENSATION DIVISION TO ENSURE, UH, PAY EQUITY, MARKETING, COMPETITIVENESS AND TRANSPARENCY, ADDRESSING, UH, SALARY, UH, COMPRESSION BY REGULARLY UPDATING JOB CLASSIFICATIONS AND CLARIFYING CAREER ADVANCEMENT PATHWAYS. UH, CREATED ORGANIZATIONAL DEVELOPMENT TO EXPAND TRAINING, LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT AND CAREER GROWTH PROGRAMS. UH, ENHANCED ONBOARDING EXPERIENCE THROUGH STRUCTURED FEEDBACK LAUNCH. COMPREHENSIVE EXIT SURVEY OVERALL APPROACH EMPHASIZED A DATA DRIVEN SOLUTION FOCUSED ON COMPENSATION, EMPLOYEE DEVELOPMENT, ENGAGEMENT, AND WORK, UH, WORKPLACE SATISFACTION TO SUSTAIN A HIGH PERFORMING WORKFORCE. IN 2024, THE CITY, UH, PROCESSED 651 TOTAL EMPLOYMENT SEPARATIONS, UH, WHICH INCLUDED 162 RETIREMENTS, 21 LAYOFFS, AND 468 TERMINATIONS. THE TERMINATIONS IS A BROAD CATEGORY ENCOMPASSING MULTIPLE PERSONNEL ACTIONS, INCLUDING DISMISSALS, PROBATIONARY, DISMISSALS, RESIGNATIONS, SEPARATIONS DUE TO DEBT, DISCIPLINE, AND OTHER CAUSES. THE MAJORITY OF THEM ARE RESIGNED, UM, FOR PERSONAL REASONS, OR RESIGNED FOR OTHER EMPLOYMENT MAKING. 315 OF THE 468, UH, UM, TERMINATIONS. THIS DATA POINTS TO POTENTIAL OPPORTUNITIES SUCH AS MANAGING, UH, RECRUITMENTS OR RETIREMENTS THROUGH SUCCESSION PLANNING AND OPPORTUNITIES TO REDUCE TURNOVER, PARTICULARLY AMONG EMPLOYEES LEAVING, UH, FOR PERSONAL REASONS AND OUTSIDE JOB OPPORTUNITIES. SEPARATIONS BY LENGTH OF SERVICE, UH, THE DATA ILLUSTRATES THE LENGTH OF SERVICE FOR THE 651 TOTAL SEPARATIONS IN 20 24 0 TO FIVE YEARS ENCOMPASS 383 SEPARATIONS. THIS GROUP REPRESENTS THE LARGEST SHARE OF SEPARATIONS WITH NEARLY SIX IN 10 EMPLOYEES LEAVING WITHIN THE FIRST FIVE YEARS. THIS TREND HIGHLIGHTS A CRITICAL RETENTION WINDOW WHERE TARGET TARGETED STRATEGIES SUCH AS ENHANCED ONBOARDING, STRUCTURED MENTORING, EARLY CAREER DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES AND COMPETITIVE COMPENSATION ARE ESSENTIAL TO REDUCE, UH, EARLY TURNOVER. THE SECOND BIGGEST GROUP IS 25 PLUS YEARS, WHICH IS 86, UH, SEPARATIONS. THIS DATA CLARITY SHOWS, UH, THAT THE FIRST FIVE YEARS OF EMPLOYMENT ARE THE MOST VULNERABLE, UH, PERIOD FOR TURNOVER. UNDERSCORING THE NEED FOR A STRONGER EARLY CAREER RETENTION STRATEGIES. AT THE SAME TIME, THE CITY MUST PREPARE FOR A STEADY WAVE OF RETIREMENTS AND LONG-TERM TRANSITION AMONG ITS MOST EXPERIENCED EMPLOYEES. BALANCING THESE PRIORITIES REDUCE EARLY DEPARTURE WHILE PLANNING FOR LEADERSHIP AND INSTITUTIONAL KNOWLEDGE TRANSFER WILL BE, UM, CENTRAL TO SUSTAINING A SKILLED ENGAGED WORKFORCE. SOME OF THE HIGHLIGHTS, HIGHLIGHTS, UH, UH, SOME FOR SOME SUCCESS. OVER THE PAST, UH, YEAR IN PUBLIC WORKS, THE MAINTENANCE ASSISTANT, UH, POSITIONS FILL RATE SURGE FROM 58% TO AN IMPRESSIVE 95% WITH 54 OF 57 POSITIONS NOW BEING FILLED. AND THE FIRE DEPARTMENT ACHIEVED A HUNDRED PERCENT FIELD RATE FOR FIREFIGHTER ROLE CONTRIBUTING TO THE OVERALL DEPARTMENT STAFFING LEVEL OF 93%. IN LIBRARY, THEY INCREASED STAFFING CAPACITY SUBSTANTIALLY REACHING 93% FILL RATE, AND FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT SECURED A 90% FILL RATE. STRENGTHENING THE DEPARTMENT'S ABILITY TO MAINTAIN FISCAL OVERSIGHT AND OPERATIONAL STABILITY IN PUBLIC SAFETY DISPATCHERS IMPROVED TO AN 88% FILL RATE. BOLSTERING CRITICAL 9 1 1 CAPABILITIES AND ENSURING TIMELY EMERGENCY COMMUNICATION, [05:10:01] THE PATH FORWARD AND FUTURE, UH, PRIORITIES AND STRATEGIC DIRECTION. ORGANIZATIONAL, UH, INTEGRATION EMERGE CIVIL SERVICE AND HUMAN RESOURCES INTO A UNIFIED UH, TEAM. ELIMINATE DUPLICATION, IMPROVE ACCOUNTABILITY, AND DELIVER FAST CONSISTENT SUPPORT. THE TALENT ACQUISITION MODERNIZATION. CENTRALIZED HIRING WITHIN TALENT MANAGEMENT FOR END TO END CONSISTENCY. INVEST IN ADVANCED TECHNOLOGY AND DATA ANALYTICS, LOCAL HIRING AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, STRENGTHENING HIRING PREFERENCE, QUALIFIED, UH, LONG BEACH. TWO, QUALIFIED LONG BEACH RESIDENTS. PARTNER WITH LOCAL SCHOOLS, COLLEGES, UNIVERSITIES AND WORKFORCE, UH, GROUPS TO BUILD TALENT PIPELINES, RETENTION AND EMPLOYEE ENGAGEMENT TO ENHANCE ONBOARDING, UH, TO SUPPORT AND CONNECT NEW HIRES FROM DAY ONE, EXPAND LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT AND CAREER GROWTH AND PROCESS IMPROVEMENT AND EFFICIENCIES. STREAMLINE HIRING WORKFLOWS TO REDUCE DELAYS WITHOUT COMPROMISING QUALITY OR FAIRNESS. COLLABORATE WITH LABOR PARTNERS TO ALIGN WORKFORCE PLANNING WITH OPERATIONAL NEEDS AND OVERALL VISION. TRANSFORM RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION INTO A MODERN AGILE SYSTEM. BUILD A RESILIENT HIGH PERFORMING CITY WORKFORCE READY FOR CURRENT AND FUTURE COMMUNITY NEEDS. THIS CONCLUDES THE PRESENTATION AND WE'RE AVAILABLE FOR QUESTIONS. WE'RE GONNA GO, YEAH, WE'RE GONNA GO. SO, UM, NEXT WE'D LIKE TO, UH, UH, CALL UP A EE TO MAKE THEIR PRESENTATION FIRST FIVE MINUTES AND THE CLERK OF Q ABOUT FIVE MINUTE TIMER. THANK YOU. GOOD EVENING. UH, MY NAME IS HENRY CORSO. I'M THE PRESIDENT OF A EE, UM, THE LONG BEACH ASSOCIATION OF ENGINEERING EMPLOYEES. UM, I KNOW WE ARE TIRED, BUT THIS IS IMPORTANT FOR US. SO, UM, I APPRECIATE IF I GET, UM, DO ATTENTION. UH, THE LONG BEACH ASSOCIATION FOR ENGINEERING EMPLOYEES REPRESENTS HUNDREDS OF EMPLOYEES IN THE CITY OF LONG BEACH. OUR GROUP'S UNIQUE SKILLS FROM DIVERSE ENGINEERING FIELDS ARE A KEY CONTRIBUTOR TO THE CITY'S INFRASTRUCTURE DEVELOPMENT AND SUCCESS. LIKE ALL NIGHT, WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT LIKE THE FUTURE OF THE CITY AND HOW WE CAN GET IT BETTER, BUT ALL THOSE THINGS HAVE IN COMMON INFRASTRUCTURE AND OR THE DEVELOPMENT OF PROJECTS AND UNDERNEATH IT'S ALWAYS AN ENGINEER. ENGINEERING SERVICES ARE PART OF IT. SO WE SYMPATHIZE WITH THE RECENT RECRUITMENT AND RETENTIONS EFFORTS MADE BY THE DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN RESOURCES. WE, HOWEVER, CONSIDER THAT OUR ASSOCIATION HAS BEEN DISPROPORTIONATELY AFFECTED BY THE STANDING VACANCY RATE OF 22.5%. CRITICAL ENGINEERING RESPONSIBILITIES, UH, STILL NEED TO BE PERFORMED NO MATTER WHAT, UH, RESULTING IN OUR MEMBERS HAVING TO EXTEND SOMETIMES 30% OVER THEIR NORMAL DUTIES WHILE THEIR COMPENSATION KEEPS BEING ERODED BY INFLATION. AND RECENT, UM, ECONOMIC VARIABLES LIKE TARIFFS. A LOT OF TIMES THIS LEADS TO BURNOUT AND FEELINGS OF BEING UNDERVALUED, WHICH IS CURRENTLY REFLECTED ON IN VALUE IN THE VOLUME OF RESIGNATIONS THAT YOU SAW. REASONS, EFFORTS OF TRYING TO GET SOME POSITIONS TO EQUITY ARE SIMPLY NOT EFFECTIVE IF THE ADJUSTMENTS FOR COST OF LIVING ARE LOW WHEN COMPARED WITH NEARBY AGENCIES THAT HAVE, YOU KNOW, HAVE PROVIDED SOMETIMES 22 TO 25% IN THE RECENT MOUS TO THEIR PROFESSIONAL ENGINEERING ASSOCIATIONS AS MAJOR RARE, RARE AS MAJOR REX RICHARDSON HAS MENTIONED IN THE PAST, WE NEED A BROADER COMMITMENT TO MAKE CITY PUBLIC'S SERVICE ATTRACTIVE AND THE CITY HAS TO PRIORIT PRIORITIZE THEIR EFFORTS WITH THEIR ENGINEERING EMPLOYEES. IF WE SERIOUSLY CONSIDER THE CITY'S INFRASTRUCTURE AS A SOLID INVESTMENT FOR ITS OWN FUTURE, L-B-E-L-B-A-E-E THEREFORE RECOMMENDS THAT THE STREAMLINING OF THE HIRING PROCESS CURRENTLY BEING PURSUED BE COMBINED WITH A COMPREHENSIVE PLAN TO MAKE WAGES, EMPLOYMENT CONDITIONS AND BENEFITS MORE ATTRACTIVE AND COMPETITIVE IN OUR CURRENT ECONOMY. AND WE HAVE ONE MORE YEAR TO, FOR THE NEXT NEGOTIATION. SO PLEASE TAKE THAT INTO ACCOUNT BECAUSE WE, WE WANT TO WORK FOR THE CITY, LIKE THE, THE ENGINEERING EMPLOYEES ARE PROUD OF BEING PART OF LONG BEACH, BUT THEY NEED TO BE, HAVE LIKE THAT, UH, EFFORT TO, TO BE RETAINED. SO, UM, THANK YOU FOR [05:15:01] YOUR ATTENTION. THANKS FOR YOUR PRESENTATION. NEXT UP, UH, I AM GOOD EVENING, MR. MARIN, ESTEEMED MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL. MY NAME IS BRAD NOTTINGHAM AND I'M THE BUSINESS REP FOR THE INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF MACHINIST AND AEROSPACE WORKERS, COMMONLY REFERRED TO AS THE IAM WHO REPRESENTS MOST OF THE EMPLOYEES THAT PROUDLY SERVE THE CITY OF LONG BEACH. I WANNA THANK YOU FOR THIS TIME AND OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK ON THE CITY'S VACANCY RATES AND RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION EFFORTS. FIRST, LET ME START OFF BY SAYING THAT THIS IS THE LARGEST LABOR UNION THAT PARTNERS WITH THE CITY OF LONG BEACH. AND WE AGREE THAT THE CITY DOES NEED TO REDUCE THE VACANCY RATE AND REDUCE OVERALL TIME IT TAKES TO GET NEW PEOPLE INTO THESE AVAILABLE JOBS. WITH THAT BEING SAID, I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO SHED SOME LIGHT ON SOME OF THE RESISTANCE THAT WE'VE EXPERIENCED IN THIS WHOLE PROCESS. LAST MONDAY, WE WERE INFORMED OF THIS VACANCY RETEN RETENTION PRESENTATION AND WE'RE TOLD THAT WE HAD ONE DAY TO RESPOND. IF WE WANTED TO PRESENT SOMETHING ON OURSELVES, THAT'S ONE DAY TO RESPOND AND JUST ABOUT A WEEK TO PREPARE SOMETHING. AND THAT'S WHY I DON'T HAVE A POWERPOINT PRESENTATION AS MUCH LIKE HOW THE CITY HAS PRESENTED SOMETHING. I WAS ONLY ABLE TO SCROUNGE THIS, THIS SPEECH FOR YOU GUYS TODAY. UH, I WAS THEN INFORMED THAT I WOULD HAVE 10 MINUTES TO RESPOND AND, AND MAKE A PROPOSAL TO THEN BE DIMINISHED TO, TO FIVE MINUTES, BUT I COULD THEN POSSIBLY GAIN ANOTHER THREE MINUTES IF I WENT TO PUBLIC COMMENT. IF THERE WAS NOT MORE THAN 10 SPEAKERS, WHICH THEN IT WOULD ONLY BE A MINUTE 30. UH, LET'S ALSO JUMP BACK TO JANUARY, 2024 WHEN THE CITY MANAGER ANNOUNCED MEASURE JB WAS THE SOLUTION TO MAKE THE NECESSARY CHANGES NEEDED TO SOLVE THE CITY'S HIRING CROSS CRISIS ORGAN. OUR ORGANIZATION WAS NOTIFIED OF THE INTENT TO MEET AND CONFER OVER THE CHARTER CHANGES, BUT WE HAD A DEADLINE OF MARCH 22ND TO FINAL FINALIZE THAT SET PROCESS BECAUSE THE MEASURE WAS SUPPOSED TO MAKE IT TO THE NOVEMBER BALLOT IN ORDER TO MAKE THE CHANGES TO THE CHARTER. THAT'S JUST ABOUT TWO MONTHS TO BE ABLE TO FIGURE OUT HOW EVERYTHING IS SUPPOSED TO HAPPEN TO, TO POSSIBLY MAKE THESE FUNDAMENTAL CHANGES, UH, THAT WERE BEING PROPOSED BY THIS PROPOSAL. DURING THE MEET CONFER PROCESS, WE BROUGHT MANY CONCERNS AND HAD MANY QUESTIONS ON HOW CHEN AND THE CHARTER WAS ACTUALLY GOING TO ACHIEVE THE GOAL OF A 90 DAY, EXCUSE ME, 90 BUSINESS DAY HIRING PROCESS. OUR INQUIRIES WERE MET WITH OPPOSITION AND AT ONE POINT WE WERE EVEN TOLD THAT THE EDITS THAT TO THE CHARTER WE WERE GONNA BE QUOTE UNQUOTE ALLOWED TO MAKE WERE SOLELY PUNCTU PUNCTUATIONAL. WE STILL VENTURED THROUGH THIS PROCESS AND ENDED UP CREATING THE LENGTHIEST LETTER OF AGREEMENT OF ANY OF THE OTHER LABOR UNIONS IN THE ATTEMPT TO SECURE THE MOST PROTECTIONS FOR OUR MEMBERSHIP TO WHEN WE DID FIND OUT THAT THE CITY DID ALLOW THE POLICE OFFICERS ASSOCIATION TO MAKE STRUCTURAL CHANGES IN THE CHARTER THAT WOULD BENEFIT THEIR MEMBERSHIP. SO THAT'S, IN MY OPINION, HARDLY A MEASURE OF GOOD FAITH BARGAINING. LET'S ALSO GET INTO THE, LET'S GET INTO THE ACTUAL PRESENTATION NUMBERS 'CAUSE THERE'S SOME CLARIFICATION THAT I WOULD LIKE ON THE STATISTICS PERCENT IN THIS PRESENTATION. IT STATES THAT WE HAVE A TOTAL OF 2,455 MEMBERS WITH 466 VACANCIES EQUALING 19% VACANCY RATE. BUT IF YOU CHECK THE CITY OF LONG BEACH WEBSITE IN THE LABOR RELATIONS SECTION, IT DOES SHOW THAT WE HAVE 3,570 MEMBERS. AND ADDITIONALLY, WITH THE LATEST JUNE DEMO, 2025 DEMOGRAPHIC REPORTS SUPPLIED BY THE CITY LABOR RELATIONS TEAM, I SHOW A TOTAL COUNT OF 3,700 MEMBERS. SO I DON'T KNOW WHAT NUMBERS THESE ARE BEING PRESENTED TO YOU TODAY. I DON'T KNOW HOW THIS AFFECTS OUR VACANCY RATE AND I JUST, I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW HOW THE 1200 MEMBER DIFFERENCE WOULD AFFECT THOSE RATES. NOW IT HAS BEEN NINE MONTHS SINCE MEASURE JB HAS PASSED AND WE HAVE STILL NOT SEEN HOW DISMANTLING CIVIL SERVICE COMMISSION HAS IMPROVED THE HIRING PROCESS. ON AUGUST 7TH, THERE WAS A, A TOWN HALL SESSION TO UPDATE PEOPLE OF THE CIVIL SERVICE MERGER, WHICH BASICALLY THE OVERALL MESSAGE WAS, WE'RE STILL TRYING TO FIGURE THIS OUT. I'M TELLING YOU ALL THIS BECAUSE I'M ASKING THE CITY LEADERS TO DO BETTER. WE, THE LABOR UNION ARE NOT HERE TO BE A HINDRANCE OR A ROADBLOCK TO THE CITY'S PLANS OF PROGRESS. AS I STATED EARLIER, WE DO AGREE THAT WE DO NEED TO QUICKEN THE HIRING PROCESS AND FOCUS ON RETENTION EFFORTS SO THAT WE CAN STOP OVERBURDENING OUR CURRENT MEMBERSHIP AND OUR CURRENT EMPLOYEES. I'M LETTING YOU KNOW THAT I'M HERE TO WORK COLLABORATIVE WITH THE DIRECTOR OF HR AND LABOR RELATIONS AND, AND, AND EVEN THE CITY MANAGER TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERY EMPLOYEE IS TAKEN CARE OF WHILE OBTAINING THE OVERALL GOAL OF IMPROVING THE CITY. MY TWO YEARS AS A BUSINESS REP, I HAVE COME TO OBSERVE PRACTICES NOT RIGHT, THAT I DON'T FIND RIGHT WHEN IT COMES TO RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION. BUT A GOOD EXAMPLE IS THAT THE TECHNOLOGY INNOVATION DEPARTMENT IS CONSISTENTLY POSTING BULLETINS FOR HIGHER GRADE LEVEL POSITIONS, UH, STATING THAT THE CURRENT POOL OF EMPLOYEES DON'T HAVE THE SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS IN ORDER TO PROMOTE. THEY'RE ALSO CONTRACTING OUT THIS BUSINESS OR THIS WORK FROM OUR BARGAINING UNIT FOR THE SAME REASONS. SO WHY ARE WE NOT TRAINING OUR CURRENT FOLKS, OUR CURRENT EMPLOYEES, TO CREATE A A, A CAREER PATH FOR SUCCESS? IT ALSO SUPPORTS JOB SATISFACTION FOR OUR EMPLOYEES AND IT ALSO ACTUALLY MAKES [05:20:01] RECRUITMENT EASIER BECAUSE WHEN YOU LOOK AT IT, YOU'RE LOOKING FOR ENTRY LEVEL CANDIDATES WHEN YOU'RE HIRING FOR THOSE LOWER GRADE LEVEL, UH, POSITIONS RATHER THAN SOMEBODY WITH A VERY SPECIAL NICHE, NICHE CERTIFICATION AT HIGHER GRADE LEVELS. I'VE ALSO NOTICED THAT IN THE CITY, UM, RECENTLY HAS MULTIPLE INTERNAL RECRUITMENT OPPORTUNITIES THAT HAVE EXCLUDED NON-CAREER EMPLOYEES. WELL WHY IS THIS? WE HAVE NON-CAREER EMPLOYEES THAT HAVE SERVED THIS CITY FOR OVER 10, 15 YEARS THAT WOULD LOVE TO GET PULLED ON AND BENEFIT FROM FULL-TIME EMPLOYMENT. SIR, YOUR TIME'S EXPIRED. HOLY MOLY. THANK YOU. ALRIGHT, COOL. THANK YOU. ALRIGHT, THANK YOU. NEXT UP WOULD BE LGA. GOOD EVENING AGAIN, HONORABLE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS AND MAYOR OF THE PUBLIC, UH, THANK YOU FOR STICKING AROUND FOR ME. UM, WE ARE VERY SMALL ORGANIZATION AS FAR AS FULL-TIME EMPLOYEES GO. THERE'S ONLY ABOUT 24 FULL-TIME STAFF MEMBERS OF THE, UH, LONG BEACH LIFEGUARD ASSOCIATION OF THE MARINE SAFETY DIVISION. THAT INCLUDES MARINE SAFETY BATTALION CHIEFS, RESCUE BELT CAPTAINS AND MARINE SAFETY OFFICERS. WE HAVE ABOUT 187, UH, SEASONAL PART-TIME EMPLOYEES THAT ARE PART OF THAT. BUT THE VACANCY RATES WE'RE TALKING ABOUT AND THE FULL-TIME POSITIONS EXCLUSIVELY ARE KIND OF WHAT I'M CONCENTRATING ON RIGHT NOW. UM, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT AFFECTS US, UH, I GUESS WITH FIRE DEPARTMENT AND POLICE DEPARTMENT AND PUBLIC SAFETY IN GENERAL IS WHEN SOMEBODY IS VACANT FROM THAT POSITION, UH, OTHER PEOPLE ARE FORCED INTO THOSE HOURS. IT'S NOT JUST THAT SOMEBODY HAS TO WORK HARDER TO COVER THEIR SHIFTS, SOMEBODY HAS TO TAKE UP EXTRA, YOU KNOW, UH, UH, UH, JOBS AND DUTIES. IT'S THAT THAT THERE'S ACTUAL TIME COMMITMENT THAT GOES INTO FILLING THAT POSITION. SO WHEN WE HAD, UH, TWO VACANCIES IN OUR RESCUE BOAT CAPTAIN POSITION, FOR EXAMPLE, AND THEN WE HAD A THIRD PERSON GO OUT ON INJURY BECAUSE WE HAVE A HIGH RISK JOB THAT HAPPENS, YOU KNOW, WITH PUBLIC SAFETY AND DEALING WITH EMERGENCY SITUATIONS, SOMEONE WHO HAD AN INJURY, THAT MEANS WE HAD 33% VACANCY ON OUR RESCUE BOAT CAPTAIN'S RANK, UH, FOR A PERIOD OF MONTHS IN THE BEGINNING PART OF THIS YEAR, WHICH MEANT THAT OUR SIX REMAINING RESCUE BOAT CAPTAINS, ME INCLUDED, UH, I WORKED ABOUT AN AVERAGE OF 90 HOURS A WEEK FROM MARCH THROUGH JUNE BEFORE WE HIRED THOSE TWO OTHER PEOPLE. NOW, MARCH TO JUNE ISN'T A HUGE AMOUNT OF TIME, BUT THOSE VACANCIES HAD EXISTED ACTUALLY FROM OCTOBER OF 2024. SO I KNOW WE'RE LOOKING AT TRYING TO REDUCE THE AMOUNT OF TIME THAT IT TAKES TO FILL THESE POSITIONS, BUT WE'RE NOT SEEING THAT COME INTO EFFECT YET. WE'RE NOT SEEING THAT, UH, THAT CHANGE IN THAT EXPEDITE HAPPEN. OUR MARINE SAFETY OFFICERS, UH, WE HAVE VACANCIES IN THAT RANK AS WELL. AND WE ORIGINALLY HAD, UH, SO WE GO THROUGH A COMPETITIVE TESTING PROCESS AND THAT COMPETITIVE TESTING PROCESS STARTED WITH THE, UH, APPLICATIONS BEING DUE ON FEBRUARY 16TH, 2024. IT WASN'T UNTIL JUNE OF 2025 THAT WE HAD OUR FIRST HIRE OUT OF THAT. SO THAT'S FAR MORE THAN THE 97 DAYS THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT FOR THE ENGINEERS. THE 141 DAYS FOR THE POA, WE'RE TALKING OVER 365 DAYS TO HIRE ONE POSITION. NOW THAT WASN'T THE CIVIL SERVICE PROCESS THAT SLOWED THAT DOWN. I'M NOT SURE WHERE THE BREAKDOWNS WERE BECAUSE THE CIVIL SERVICE PROCESS WAS DONE IN JUNE OF 2024. WE DIDN'T GET OUR FIRST HIRE UNTIL JUNE OF 2025 AFTER THAT. SO I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S AN HR THING OR WHAT, WHAT THE SUPPORT SYSTEM THAT NEEDS TO BE PUT IN PLACE TO HAPPEN TO TO PREVENT THAT FROM HAPPENING AGAIN. BUT WE'RE IN A SITUATION RIGHT NOW WHERE WE HAVE TWO RESCUE WHEEL CAPTAINS THAT PROMOTED. SO WE HAVE TWO MORE VACANCIES IN THE MARINE SAFETY OFFICER RANK. AND AS SOON AS YOU OFFER THAT PERSON A CONDITIONAL OFFER OF EMPLOYMENT, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT AT LEAST THREE MONTHS BEFORE THEY GO THROUGH THE BACKGROUND PSYCH PHYSICALS AND EVERYTHING. TO ACTUALLY START JUNE OF, UH, JUNE 14TH OF THIS YEAR, THOSE TWO POSITIONS BECAME OPEN. AND WE HAVE A CURRENT LIST, A CURRENT LIST THAT'S ALREADY BEEN CIVIL SERVICE BANDED AND DONE. WE'RE NOW AUGUST 19TH AND WE'VE HAD ONE PERSON GET A CONDITIONAL OFFER. WE HAD INTERVIEWS DONE AGAIN AT THE CHIEF'S LEVEL ON UH, JUNE 30TH, SORRY, SORRY, JULY 30TH. AND NOW THREE WEEKS LATER WE HAVE ZERO MOVEMENT THAT WE CAN SEE ON FILLING THOSE POSITIONS. SO EVERY ONE OF THESE DELAYS DOESN'T JUST ADD THREE WEEKS, IT ADDS THREE WEEKS OF EXTRA WORK AND EXTRA SHIFTS FOR PEOPLE AND A TIME AWAY FROM THEIR FAMILIES AND TIME AWAY FROM THINGS THAT THEY NEED TO BE TAKEN CARE OF. SO I'M JUST LOOKING TO SEE WHAT THE CITY CAN DO TO HELP OUR CHIEF OR HELP OUR DEPARTMENT OR HELP US UNDERSTAND WHERE THE DELAYS ARE HAPPENING IN THE HIRING PROCESS FOR US. 'CAUSE WE'RE A VERY SMALL ORGANIZATION, SO ONE PERSON BEING GONE IS A HUGE EFFECT ON US. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. [05:25:01] WE HAVE ONE MORE, CORRECT? YES. AND UH, NEXT UP WOULD BE SEIU. OKAY. I DON'T SEE THE SEIU REPRESENTATIVES HERE. YEAH. SO NOT SURE IF THEY CAME EARLIER, BUT YEAH, THAT WAS THE FOURTH GROUP. SO. ALRIGHT, SO THAT CONCLUDES YOUR PRESENTATION. IT DOES. THANK YOU SO MUCH. ALRIGHT, WELL, UH, JUST A FEW POINTS AND WE'LL, UM, UH, TAKE IT BEHIND THE RAIL OF THE COUNCIL. SO FIRST I WANNA THANK, UM, ALL THE GROUPS, PARTICULARLY THE ONES WHO STAYED TO HEAR OUR REACTION. UM, YOU STAYED ALL NIGHT, UM, UH, TO PRESENT AND WE APPRECIATE THAT AND WE DON'T WANT THAT TO, UH, TO GO UNNOTICED, UM, THAT YOU SHOWED UP TO COUNCIL. THIS IS OUR FIRST TIME DOING THIS. STATE LAW REQUIRES IT. UM, AND THIS IS SOMETHING I THINK WE SHOULD, YOU KNOW, MAKE THE TIME FOR AND REALLY FOCUS ON, UM, IN FUTURE YEARS BECAUSE IT'S BEEN SUCH A BIG PRIORITY FOR US THESE LAST THREE YEARS. RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION, THE PRESENTATION, UM, HIGHLIGHTED PROGRESS. UH, YOU KNOW, WHEN, WHEN I STARTED AS MAYOR, UH, YOU KNOW, TWO AND A HALF YEARS AGO, I THINK WE WERE LOOKING AT A 23% VACANCY RATE BACK THEN AND TOOK TONIGHT TO SAY THERE IS 17% THAT MAKES THAT, THAT'S DEMONSTRATING REAL PROGRESS BECAUSE YOU HAVE TO MAKE UP FOR YOUR NORMAL ATTRITION IN RETIREMENT AND ALL OF THE FOLKS WHO WERE LEAVING. SO YOU HAVE TO RECRUIT FOR THOSE INDIVIDUALS, AND THEN YOU HAVE TO BRING IN MORE FOLKS TO MAKE UP FOR THE VACANCY YOU HAD IN THE PAST. SO, SO YOU NEED TO KEEP THAT UP FOR THE NEXT FEW YEARS IN ORDER TO REALLY GET TO THOSE, UM, GET TO THE NUMBERS OF FULL EMPLOYMENT. I THINK THERE WAS A LOT OF GOOD FEEDBACK. I THINK, UM, THE PROCESS IMPROVEMENTS, LET'S TAKE SOME NOTES. MAYBE, MAYBE THIS IS A PART OF THE BUDGET, OR MAYBE THIS IS SOMETHING WE DO A STUDY SESSION ON ONCE A YEAR, JUST TO BE ABLE TO JUST REFLECT ON OUR PROGRESS AND, UM, AND WE GIVE, YOU KNOW, WE GIVE, UH, MORE TIME FOR THE EMPLOYEE GROUPS TO BE ABLE TO, YOU KNOW, RSVP TO MAKE IT MAYBE A STUDY THREE, A THREE 30 STUDY SESSION FOR SOMETHING LIKE THIS SO WE CAN ACTUALLY GIVE IT THE TIME THAT IT, THAT IT, THAT IT NEEDS. I ALSO THINK, UM, YOU KNOW, I, AND I'VE SAID THIS PUBLICLY ENTRY LEVEL POSITIONS, WE SHOULD NOT HAVE ANY VACANCIES ON ENTRY LEVEL POSITIONS BECAUSE WE'RE HOME TO LONG BEACH STATE AND CAL STATE DOMINGUEZ HILLS AND LONG BEACH CITY COLLEGE. AND THE POINT RESONATES WITH ME THAT WE SHOULD BE TRAINING OUR CURRENT WORKFORCE TO FILL THOSE MID-LEVEL POSITIONS THAT REQUIRE, YOU KNOW, EXPERTISE, UH, AS OFTEN AS WE CAN. SO THE VACANCIES THAT ARE EASIEST TO FILL ARE THE ONES THAT WE'RE DOING RECRUITMENTS FOR. THAT MAKES A WHOLE LOT OF SENSE TO ME. AND THAT'S WHY WE INCLUDED, WE INCLUDED A PREFERENCE OF MEASURE JB FOR EXISTING EMPLOYEES TO GET THAT SHOT AT, UM, YOU KNOW, AT THAT OPPORTUNITY. SO WE WANT, YOU KNOW, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT I WANT TO PAY, PAY MORE ATTENTION TO MOVING FORWARD ON HOW WE CAN DO MORE INTERNAL PROMOTIONS. UM, WHAT DOES IT SAY ABOUT OUR EMPLOYEES IF, IF WE'RE, IF, YOU KNOW, THEY'VE SERVED WITH US 10 YEARS, 15 YEARS AND, AND THEY'RE NOT ABLE TO, TO PROMOTE. AND SO IF YOU WANNA MAKE SURE THAT PEOPLE, 'CAUSE I SAW YOUR DATA SHOWED THAT IT'S THE YOUNGER EMPLOYEES, UH, EARLIER ON IN THE CAREER THAT, THAT WE HAVE THE RETENTION ISSUES WITH. WELL, IF THEY KNOW THEY HAVE A FUTURE HERE AND WE'RE GROOMING THEM FOR LEADERSHIP, I THINK THAT CAN HELP OFFSET SOME OF THOSE CHALLENGES. THE LAST THING I'LL SAY IS, UM, I HEARD THE COMMENT ABOUT, UM, MEASURE JB UH, HAVING BEEN NINE MONTHS. WELL, A PART OF THAT IS IT COULDN'T BE IMPLEMENTED BECAUSE THERE WAS A SECOND MEET AND CONFER PROCESS. AND JUST SO WE'RE CLEAR, THAT WAS COMMITTED TO, PRIOR TO THE CAMPAIGN, UM, THE EMPLOYEE GROUPS ASKED FOR A SECOND MEET AND CONFER AFTERWARD. AND SO WE CAN'T MOVE FORWARD WITH IMPLEMENTATION UNTIL THAT COMPLETED. BUT THE GOOD NEWS IS THAT IS COMPLETE. THE NEW COMMISSION IS ESTABLISHED, UM, THEY'VE BEEN APPOINTED AND, AND THAT'S WORKING. SO NOW THAT'S OUT THE WAY WE SHOULD ALL BE ALIGNED IN MAKING SURE THAT ALL PARTS OF MEASURE JB ARE FULLY IMPLEMENTED. THAT SAID, THE PREFERENCES, UM, I WOULD LIKE FOR YOU JUST TO PROVIDE AN UPDATE ON WHERE WE ARE ON THE FOUR PREFERENCES AND PARTICULARLY, UM, THE ONE WITH APPRENTICESHIPS, OUTDOOR APPRENTICE, OUTSIDE APPRENTICESHIPS THAT ALLOW US TO RECRUIT FOR SOME OF THE HARD TO FILL POSITIONS IN, IN OUR CITY. SO DO WE HAVE A BRIEF UPDATE ON THAT? YEAH, WE HAVE. I CAN PROVIDE A BRIEF UPDATE AT LEAST ON, UM, I THINK THE FIRST THREE, THE APPRENTICESHIP WE MAY NEED TO GET A LITTLE BIT MORE INFORMATION ON. SO WE ARE WORKING, UM, WITH THE NEO GOV SYSTEM TO UPLOAD ALL THE PRE, UH, THE PREFERENCES TO BE ABLE TO, UH, START IMPLEMENTING THOSE RIGHT AWAY. WE'VE RUN INTO SOME TECHNICAL SNACKS, BUT WE'RE WORKING THROUGH THAT AND WE HOPE TO STILL HAVE THAT RESOLVED BY THE END OF THIS MONTH. SO WE'LL HAVE AN UPDATE ONCE THAT'S, UH, COMPLETED. SO, SO THANK YOU BRYCE. MM-HMM . UM, SO THE LOCAL PREFERENCE IS PROBABLY EASIEST TO, TO IMPLEMENT, RIGHT? THE, UH, PREFERENCE FOR CURRENT, UM, NON-CAREER OR PART-TIME EMPLOYEES APPLYING FOR A FULL-TIME, THAT'S PRETTY EASY 'CAUSE WE CAN [05:30:01] JUST VERIFY THEIR STATUS. UH, THE FOLKS WHO GRADUATED FROM A LOCAL INSTITUTIONS WHO WERE REFERENCED, THAT'S PRETTY EASY TO IMPLEMENT. THE ONE THAT'S GONNA BE MORE CHALLENGING IS THE ONE WHERE WE HAVE TO WORK WITH THE COMMUNITY TO BUILD PIPELINES AND BRING, YOU KNOW, BRING THOSE TO CITY COUNCIL FOR APPROVAL AND CERTIFICATION SO THAT THE COMMUNITY CAN GO OUT AND DO WHAT THEY DO, WHICH IS RECRUIT PEOPLE INTO THESE HARD TO FILL POSITIONS. THAT, THAT IS WHERE I THINK WE NEED TO, LIKE, I JUST WANT TO HAVE A BETTER UNDERSTANDING ON WHERE THAT IS. IS WORKFORCE PLAYING A ROLE? THERE IS THIS ALL LED BY HR? UM, THAT'S WHERE THE COMMUNITY, THAT'S ONE OF THE PIECES THE COMMUNITY WAS MOST EXCITED ABOUT WITH JB AND IT'S ARGUABLY THE HARDEST ONE TO IMPLEMENT, BUT THAT'S WHAT THE PIPELINE IS ABOUT. SO THIS IS ME AS THE MAYOR USING MY PLATFORM TO SAY, I NEED TO SEE THE PROGRESS ON THAT ONE. BUT, UM, BUT I WILL SAY THIS IS INCREDIBLE AMOUNT OF WORK THAT WE'RE SEEING. WE DEFINITELY SEE IT. I MEAN, TO GET TO, TO SEE THAT YOU'RE, YOU'RE APPROACHING THAT 90 DAY STANDARD IS, IS, I MEAN, I, YOU KNOW, WHEN I FIRST CAME IN OFFICE, WE HAD A MEETING WITH HR AND CIVIL SEARCH DIRECTORS. TOM WAS THERE, I THOUGHT I WAS MEETING WITH TOM, BUT HE BROUGHT BOTH DIRECTORS. HE SAID, ASK ME YOUR QUESTIONS. YOU REMEMBER THAT TOM AND I ASKED THE QUESTIONS AND THE ANSWERS WERE LIKE SEVEN MONTHS AND 11 MONTHS. IT WASN'T, IT WASN'T 90 BUSINESS DAYS. AND THE, AND THE FACT THAT WE'VE MADE PROCESS IMPROVEMENTS TO GET THERE AND THAT WE'RE, WE FEEL CONFIDENT THAT THAT IS A STANDARD WE CAN, WE CAN MAINTAIN, UM, THAT, THAT NEEDS ACKNOWLEDGEMENT, THE FACT THAT WE ARE AT THAT PLACE, BUT THERE'S STILL MUCH MORE WORK TO DO. SO, UM, WE'RE GONNA TAKE IT BACK BEHIND THE RAIL. WE, UH, FIRST IS COUNCIL MEMBER THRA. ALRIGHT, THANK YOU FOR THAT. UM, SO FIRST OF ALL, UM, DIRECTOR BRYCE, I WANNA THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR COMING BEFORE US. I KNOW THIS IS WE OF THE FEW TIMES THAT WE'VE HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO REALLY HEAR FROM YOU AS WE WELCOME YOU TO THE CITY. UM, SO YOU AND YOUR TEAM ON THIS NEW, UH, AREA, UM, IS ONE THAT I WANNA THANK YOU FOR ALL THE DETAILS, UH, REGARDING, UM, THE STATE MANDATE HERE. I WANNA THANK ALL OF OUR LABOR PARTNERS FOR COMING OUT TONIGHT AND FOR BEING ABLE TO SHARE, UH, THEIR PERSPECTIVES. UM, I DO LIKE THE IDEA OF SPENDING SOME MORE TIME ON THIS, UH, WITH A STUDY SESSION. UM, JUST SO YOU KNOW, PHILOSOPHICALLY FOR ME, I BELIEVE THAT THE CITY IS, UH, THE BIGGEST ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITY FOR OUR RESIDENTS IN TERMS OF, UH, EMPLOYMENT. UM, AND SO IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT THAT WE, UM, MAKE THAT CONNECTION AND BE ABLE TO CREATE THOSE PIPELINES OF OPPORTUNITY INTO OUR CITY. UM, SO I TOO WOULD LIKE TO SEE US, UH, UNDERSTANDING WHAT THAT PIPELINE IS. LIKE, WHO ARE OUR PARTNERS THAT WE ARE WORKING WITH TO PREPARE OUR LOCAL WORKFORCE, OUR LONG BEACH WORKFORCE FOR THE OPPORTUNITIES THAT ARE AVAILABLE, UM, HERE AT THE CITY. UH, I'M ALSO INTERESTED IN THE EQUITY OF OPPORTUNITY, UM, ENSURING THAT ALL OF OUR RESIDENTS FROM ACROSS THE ENTIRE CITY HAVE A CHANCE TO BE ABLE TO GAIN ACCESS TO EMPLOYMENT WITH OUR CITY, UH, FROM A LONG-TERM PERSPECTIVE. AND IT WAS, YOU KNOW, VERY, VERY, I THINK BRAVE OF US TO PUT UP THE, THE PIE CHART THAT YOU DID, UM, TO SHOW, UM, THAT 60% OF THOSE WHO DO DECIDE TO LEAVE DO SO WITHIN THAT ZERO TO FIRST FIVE YEARS. UM, WE'VE GOT SOME WORK TO DO THERE AND MAKING SURE THAT WE ARE ABLE TO UNDERSTAND, UH, HOW PEOPLE ARE FARING AND THEIR EXPERIENCES IN THEIR FIRST FEW YEARS, UH, WITHIN OUR CITY. UM, WHAT IS IT THAT'S ATTRACTING THEM HERE? AND THEN HOW AND WHY ARE WE LOSING THEM, UH, ACCORDINGLY. UM, I MAYBE SOME OF IT HAS TO DO WITH, UH, BUT WITH WAGES, BUT I THINK IT'S PROBABLY BEYOND THAT. UM, AND SO I LOOK FORWARD TO YOU AND YOUR LEADERSHIP AND BEING ABLE TO, UH, SPEND SOME TIME TACKLING, UM, THAT ASPECT OF OUR, UM, YOU KNOW, OF OUR STRATEGY. UM, SO WITH THAT, UH, I LOOK FORWARD TO FUTURE CONVERSATIONS ON THIS. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. NEXT, NEXT IS COUNCILMAN RICK SOTE. UH, I'LL TAKE MY, I'LL KEEP MY COMMENTS SUCCINCT. I THINK, UH, COUNCILWOMAN THRES TOOK, SUMMED IT UP WELL, UH, THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION AND THE LEVEL OF DETAIL. UM, I'M ALWAYS GONNA BE SOMEONE THAT'S A FAN OF SHEDDING LIGHT AND CREATING TRANSPARENCY AROUND THE WORK THAT WE'RE DOING REALLY TO, UM, ADDRESS THOSE, UM, THOSE GAPS AND THE VACANCIES THAT WE HAVE, RIGHT? AND THEN ALSO BEING, UH, BEING OPEN AND HONEST AROUND, UH, THE AREAS THAT WE'RE FALLING SHORT, THE THINGS THAT WE'RE WORKING ON. AND SO I REALLY APPRECIATE THAT. AGAIN, THANK YOU CHARLIE PARTNERS FOR COMING AND SHARING YOUR PERSPECTIVE. UM, 'CAUSE THAT ALLOWS US TO MAKE THE BEST DECISIONS POSSIBLE AND UNDERSTAND, UM, WHERE YOU'RE COMING FROM AND THE, UM, THE IMPACTS TO YOUR MEMBERS. AND SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME THIS EVENING, AND, UM, I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO, AS THE, AS THE MAYOR SHARED, UM, ALLOWING SOME ADDITIONAL TIME, UM, TO REALLY DIG INTO THIS, UH, SO THAT EVERY UM, EVERY ENTITY AND EVERY STAKEHOLDER, UH, FEELS HEARD. ALRIGHT, THANK YOU VICE MAYOR GARGA. UH, THANK YOU MAYOR. UM, AS I WAS LISTENING TO THE, UH, UNION REP SPEAK, I, UH, [05:35:01] IDENTIFIED WITH THE CONCERNS. THOSE WERE CONCERNS THAT I BROUGHT UP EARLY ON DURING THE PROCESS. MADE A TIME EFFORT THAT ARE OUT THERE, EXCUSE ME. UH, SO I CAN IDENTIFY WITH THAT. I ALSO LOOK AT THIS REPORT AS A BENCHMARK, SOMETHING TO START WITH ACCORDING TO MY HERE, YOU KNOW, THERE WERE REASONS WHY PERHAPS THEY LITTLE LONGER THAN THEY SHOULD, BUT THAT'S OKAY. I, I CAN SEE THAT THERE'S A BEGINNING NEXT YEAR. I HOPE WE DO A LOT BETTER AND, AND A BETTER REPORT THAN, THAN WE HAVE HERE. ONE QUESTION THAT I HAVE IS, HAVE THERE BEEN ANY REVIEWS OF WHAT I USED TO CALL WARM BODY POSITIONS? THOSE POSITIONS THAT REQUIRE ONLY A ICE CREAM OF NO, SUCH AS POLICE OFFICER, FIREFIGHTER, DISPATCHER, I CONTROL. THOSE DON'T REQUIRE ANYTHING. ALL IT REQUIRE IS A ICE CREAM OF NOMA 18 OR OVER, AND, UH, CITIZENSHIP WHEN THEY FINISH, THEN THEIR ACADEMY OF TRAINING. SO ALL I HAVE TO SAY IS THAT I DON'T SEE WHY WE STILL HAVE PROBLEMS, BUT IT IS WHAT IT IS. OTHER CITIES AS SAN JOSE AND, UH, I THINK SANTA HAD RAISED THEIR MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS FOR POLICE OFFICERS TO INCLUDE A BA DEGREE, AND THEN THEY PROVIDE INCENTIVES FOR BEYOND THAT, WHICH IS GREAT. AS THE CITY LOOKED THERE, I GOT EVEN DO ANYTHING LIKE THAT AT ALL. EXCUSE ME. I, SO IN TERMS OF LOOKING AT, UH, OUR POSITIONS, WE ARE LOOKING AT ALL POSITIONS. WE'RE LOOKING AT EVERYTHING FROM TOP TO BOTTOM TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT RECRUITMENTS MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE AS COMPETITIVE AS WE COULD BE. UM, DEFINITELY WE WILL GO BACK AND LOOK AT THOSE, UH, WARM BODY POSITIONS AS YOU CALL 'EM, TO MAKE SURE THAT WE DON'T HAVE, UH, REQUIREMENTS IN PLACE THAT DON'T MEET, UM, THOSE, UH, BEST PRACTICES, UH, THROUGHOUT, THROUGHOUT THE, THE, THE COUNTRY. YEAH, WE HAVE FOLLOWED SOME OF THOSE CITIES, SO THAT'S A, THAT'S A TRADE OFF. UM, SO SOMETIMES WHEN YOU DO THAT, YOU GET HIGHER, YOU KNOW, MORE EDUCATED PEOPLE. YOU ALSO TEND TO REDUCE YOUR APPLICANT POOL AND, AND SOMETIMES YOU'RE REDUCING YOUR DIVERSITY IN YOUR APPLICANT POOL AS WELL. AND SO, UH, WE HAVE NOT MOVED TO THAT YET. OURS IS STILL THE 19 YEARS OLD FOR POLICE AND FIRE WITH, UM, WITH, UM, UH, WITH THE, THE LOWER LEVEL, UM, YOU KNOW, DIPLOMA. BUT, UM, YOU KNOW, WE ARE TRYING VERY HARD TO GET THOSE APPLICANT POOLS. WE USED TO GET 2000 POLICE OFFICERS AND THEN YOU'D GO THROUGH AND YOU'D HIRE 60. NOW WE GET MORE LIKE EVEN WITH THOSE LOWER LEVELS, LIKE 400 APPLYING, AND THEN YOU GO THROUGH AND YOU, YOU TRY TO FIND YOUR CLASSES. SO, UH, THAT IS NOT JUST A LONG BEACH PROBLEM, THAT'S A NATIONAL PROBLEM. UH, I AM HAPPY TO SAY WE ARE HIRING RIGHT NOW FOR OUR ACADEMY CLASS, UM, FOR THE HUNDREDTH ACADEMY CLASS, UH, AND OUR NEW FACILITY. AND WE ARE PUSHING REALLY HARD TO TRY TO GET IT AS CLOSE TO A HUNDRED AS POSSIBLE. WE ALREADY HAVE ABOUT 61 SIGNED UP, UM, UH, TODAY AND STILL MOVING FORWARD FOR THAT ONE. SO, UM, IT'S A HUGE PUSH BY THE CHIEF TO GET AS MANY OFFICERS IN THE DOOR AS POSSIBLE, AND I APPRECIATE THOSE COMMENTS. HOWEVER WE LOOK AT IT NATIONALLY AND THE PROBLEMS THAT WE HAVE WITH POLICING, THOSE INDIVIDUALS THAT GET POPPED FOR HARASSMENT, VIOLENCE, UH, AGAINST CITIZENS ARE INDIVIDUALS WHO JUST HAVE HIGH WRONG DIPLOMA. SO THERE'S A PLUS AND A MINUS. YES, YOU GET NOWHERE HAVING GET POOL WHERE YOU HAVE INCREASED REQUIREMENTS, BUT YOU ALSO GET A BETTER POLICEMAN OR A BETTER FIREFIGHTER. THOSE THAT ARE NOT GONNA GET INTO TROUBLE, THEY'RE MATURE AND THEY'RE OLDER AND THEY, THEY UNDERSTAND THEIR LIFE EXPERIENCES ARE INCREASED. SO WE NEED TO LOOK AT THAT MORE CLOSELY, I THINK IN ORDER TO, UH, DETERMINE WHETHER WE WANNA MOVE THAT DIRECTION OR NOT. WE, WE MIGHT BE BETTER OFF WHERE WE'RE AT, THAT'S FINE, BUT LET'S DO THE STUDY, LET'S GET THE DATA TO SHOW THAT. YEAH, BECAUSE I'M NOT CONVINCED THAT A HIGHER DEGREE LOWERS OUR APPLICANT POOL OR THE QUALITY OF OUR, OF OUR, UH, CADRE OF POLICE OFFICERS AND FIREFIGHTERS AND THEN [05:40:01] IT HAS OPPOSITE EFFECT. ANY CRAZY SOMETHING TO LOOK AT FOR SURE, SIR. ABSOLUTELY. CONTINUE THAT RESEARCH. I THINK THAT'S ALL I HAVE FOR NOW. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. ALRIGHT, THAT CONCLUDES COUNCIL REMARKS. UH, THANKS AGAIN TO EVERYONE. UH, WHO PARTICIPATED. IS THERE ANY PUBLIC COMMENT HERE SEEING NON-MEMBER? PLEASE CAST YOUR VOTE. MOTION IS CARRIED. ITEM 19, PLEASE REPORT FROM ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT RECOMMENDATION TO ADOPT SPECIFICATIONS AND AWARD A CONTRACT TO BROWN UNITED FOR THE FABRICATION, TRANSPORTATION, AND INSTALLATION OF THE STAGE FOR THE LONG BEACH AMPHITHEATER FOR A [19. 25-56103 Recommendation to adopt Specifications No. RFP ED-25-602 and award a contract to Brown United, Inc., of Monrovia, CA, for the fabrication, transportation, and installation of the stage for the Long Beach Amphitheater, in a total amount of $1,600,000, authorize a five percent contingency in the amount of $80,000, for a total contract amount of $1,680,000, for a period of one year, at the discretion of the City Manager, or designee, to execute all documents necessary to enter into the contract, including any necessary subsequent amendments. (District 1)       Office or Department: Economic Development         Suggested Action: Approve recommendation. ] TOTAL CONTRACT AMOUNT OF 1,680,000 DISTRICT ONE, ONE OF MY FAVORITE THINGS TO TALK ABOUT. ALRIGHT, MR. MOKA, WE GONNA NEED A STAFF REPORT. ALL RIGHT. YES SIR. UM, PULL THIS UP REAL QUICK. WHICH ONE? OH, THANK YOU. SORRY. UH, THIS DIDN'T PULL UP IMMEDIATELY, SO, YES, UM, UH, WE ARE HERE TO TALK A, UH, ABOUT THE STAGE IN THE AMPHITHEATER. SO, UH, WE ARE MOVING FORWARD, UH, AS WE'VE TALKED ABOUT, WE HAD A BIG PRESENTATION WITH THE COUNCIL. UH, WE ARE STILL IN THE PERMITTING STAGE OF THAT. AND SO, UH, UH, THAT SHOULD BE COMING, UH, WE BELIEVE TO THE HARBOR COMMISSION, UH, HOPEFULLY IN THE OCTOBER TIMEFRAME. UH, SO IT'S A LITTLE BIT LATER THAN WE HAD EXPECTED, BUT, UH, DOING A LOT OF WORK ON THE TRAFFIC STUDIES AND, AND THAT'LL BE ALL OUT AND WE'LL DO THAT PERMITTING. UH, SO WE'RE NOT MOVING AHEAD WITH THE PROJECT, OF COURSE, UNTIL ALL THE PERMITTING IS DONE. WE ARE ASKING YOU TO TAKE, UM, UH, SOME, UM, UH, SOME STEPS THOUGH THAT WE, UH, ARE ABLE TO BRING ON THE SEATS, WHICH WE ALREADY DID, AND NOW WE'RE ABLE TO PLACE THE CONTRACT FOR THE STAGE, UH, SO THAT WE CAN STAY ON TRACK TO BE ABLE TO BE OPEN AND, UH, START SEEING ALL THOSE CONCERTS, UH, NEXT YEAR. SO THAT'S WHAT WE'RE DOING WITH THIS ONE IS ASKING FOR YOUR PERMISSION TO DO THAT. IT WOULDN'T ACTUALLY BE CONSTRUCTED UNTIL WE GET THROUGH THE PERMITTING PROCESS. UH, BUT THEN WE'LL BE READY TO GO. THANKS. YOU GOT ANY PRETTY PICTURES FOR US? MAYOR CITY COUNCIL? WE DON'T HAVE ANY BEAUTIFUL PICTURES TO SHOW, BUT BUMMER, WE, WE CAN LET YOU KNOW THAT IT'S GONNA BE AN AMAZING STAGE WHEN IT'S BUILT. ALRIGHT, YOU'RE RAISING THE EXPECTATIONS, BO. ALRIGHT, THANKS A LOT. UH, IS ANY PUBLIC COMMENT HERE? NO PUBLIC COMMENT. ALL RIGHT. UM, LET'S, YOU KNOW, LET'S GET THROUGH THIS PERMITTING SO WE CAN HAVE SHOWS AT THE AMPHITHEATER. LONG BEACH NEEDS THAT. ALRIGHT, AND THAILANDS NEEDS THAT, AIN'T THAT RIGHT? COUNCILWOMAN DUGGAN? YES, SHE SAID YES. ALL RIGHT, GOOD. UH, NO PUBLIC COMMENT. MEMBERS, PLEASE CAST YOUR VOTE. MOTION IS CARRIED. ALRIGHT, THANKS. ITEM 20, PLEASE REPORT FROM FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT RECOMMENDATION TO ADOPT RESOLUTION TO EXECUTE A CONTRACT IN ANY NECESSARY DOCUMENTS WITH THE ALPHA AND OMEGA GROUP SECURITY SERVICES FOR PROVIDING [20. 25-56104 Recommendation to adopt resolution authorizing City Manager, or designee, to execute a contract, and any necessary documents including any necessary subsequent amendments, with The Alpha & Omega Group Security Services, Inc., of Inglewood, CA, for providing security guard services, on the same terms and conditions afforded to the County of Orange, CA, in an annual amount of $3,900,000, authorize a 20 percent contingency in the amount of $780,000, for a total annual contract amount not to exceed $4,680,000, until the County of Orange, CA contract expires on March 31, 2030, with the option to renew for as long as the County of Orange, CA contract is in effect, at the discretion of the City Manager. (Citywide)       Office or Department: Financial Management         Suggested Action: Approve recommendation. ] SECURITY GUARD SERVICES FOR A TOTAL ANNUAL CONTRACT AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED 4,680,000 CITYWIDE BANKS HAS BEEN MOVED. AND SECOND, ANY PUBLIC COMMENT I GOT YOU MEMBERS, PLEASE CAST YOUR VOTE. SORRY. MOTION IS CARRIED. 21. PLEASE REPORT FROM FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT RECOMMENDATION TO ADOPT SPECIFICATIONS AND AWARD CONTRACTS TO FUJI TECH, AMERICA, AND SPECIALIZED ELEVATOR SERVICES FOR PROVIDING ELEVATOR INSTALLATION, [21. 25-56105 Recommendation to adopt Specifications No. RFP CE-25-603 and award contracts to Fujitec America, Inc., of Santa Fe Springs, CA, and Specialized Elevator Services, LLC, of Santa Fe Springs, CA, for providing elevator installation, maintenance, repair, and related services, in an annual aggregate amount not to exceed $1,100,000, authorize a 20 percent contingency in the amount of $220,000, for a total annual aggregate contract amount not to exceed $1,320,000, for a period of two years, with the option to renew for three additional one-year periods, at the discretion of the City Manager; and, authorize City Manager, or designee, to execute all documents necessary to enter into the contracts, including any necessary subsequent amendments. (Citywide)       Office or Department: Financial Management         Suggested Action: Approve recommendation. ] MAINTENANCE REPAIR, AND RELATED SERVICES FOR A TOTAL ANNUAL AGGREGATE CONTRACT AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED 1,320,000 CITYWIDE. WE NEED ELEVATOR SERVICES. IS THERE ANY, UH, PUBLIC COMMENT? NO PUBLIC COMMENT MEMBERS, PLEASE CAST YOUR VOTE. COUNCIL ZARO, OH, SORRY. MOTION IS CARRIED. 23 REPORT FROM TECHNOLOGY AND INNOVATION RECOMMENDATION TO EXECUTE ALL DOCUMENTS NECESSARY TO AMEND A CONTRACT WITH UTILITY SOLUTIONS PARTNERS FOR MANAGED SERVICES FOR PROVIDING MAINTENANCE AND INTEGRATION [23. 25-56107 Recommendation to authorize City Manager, or designee, to execute all documents necessary to amend Contract No. 34740 with Utility Solutions Partners, LLC, of Washington, DC, for managed services for providing maintenance and integration support related to the City of Long Beach’s utilities technology support and consultation services, in an annual contract amount of $2,529,916, plus a 5 percent contingency in the amount of $126,496, for a revised annual contract amount of $2,656,412, and extend the term of the contract to September 30, 2026 at the discretion of the City Manager. (Citywide)       Office or Department: Technology and Innovation         Suggested Action: Approve recommendation. ] SUPPORT RELATED TO THE CITY OF LONG BEACH'S UTILITY TECHNOLOGY SUPPORT AND CONSULTATION SERVICES FOR A REVISED ANNUAL CONTRACT AMOUNT OF 2,656,412 CITYWIDE. THANK YOU. ANY PUBLIC COMMENT? NO PUBLIC COMMENT. MEMBERS, PLEASE CAST YOUR VOTE. MOTION IS CARRIED. 24 REPORT FROM HARBOR RECOMMENDATION TO DECLARE ORDINANCE TO APPROVE, CONFIRM AND RATIFY ORDINANCE OF THE BOARD OF THE HARBOR COMMISSIONERS, WHICH AUTHORIZES THE CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER OF THE HARBOR DEPARTMENT TO EXECUTE A LAND EXCHANGE AGREEMENT [24. 25-56145 Recommendation to declare ordinance to approve, confirm, and ratify Ordinance No. HD-25-2490 of the Board of Harbor Commissioners of the City of Long Beach, which authorizes the Chief Executive Officer of the Long Beach Harbor Department to execute a Land Exchange Agreement between the City of Long Beach and the Los Angeles County Flood Control District, for the Pier B On-Dock Rail Support Facility Program, read the first time and laid over to the next regular meeting of the City Council for final reading. (District 7)       Office or Department: Harbor         Suggested Action: Approve recommendation. ] BETWEEN THE CITY OF LONG BEACH AND THE LOS ANGELES COUNTY FLOOD CONTROL DISTRICT FOR THE PIER B ON DOCKED RAIL SUPPORT FACILITY PROGRAM. READ THE FIRST TIME AND LAID OVER THE NEXT REGULAR MEETING OF [05:45:01] CITY COUNCIL FOR FINAL READING, DISTRICT SEVEN. IS THERE ANY PUBLIC COMMENT? NO PUBLIC COMMENT. MEMBERS PLEASE CAST YOUR VOTE. MOTION IS CARRIED. 26. NO. 25. 25. A REPORT FROM COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT RECOMMENDATION TO ADOPT ORDINANCE APPROVING A ZONING CODE. AMENDMENT TO THE ZONING REGULATIONS IN THE LONG BEACH MUNICIPAL CODE AND ADOPT THE PROPOSED FINDINGS [25. 25-56177 Recommendation to adopt ordinance approving a Zoning Code Amendment (ZCA24-002) to Section 21.39.030 of the Zoning Regulations in the Long Beach Municipal Code (LBMC), and adopt the proposed findings related thereto, to allow the Commercial Storage (CS) Zoning District to utilize height overlays pursuant to Chapter 21.39 of the Zoning Regulations, read and adopted as read; and       Office or Department: Community Development         Suggested Action: Approve recommendation. ] RELATED THERETO. AND ALLOW THE COMMERCIAL STORAGE ZONING DISTRICT TO UTILIZE HEAVY OVERLAYS, RED AND ADOPTED AS RED, AND ADOPT AN ORDINANCE APPROVING A ZONING MAP, CHANGE REQUEST AND ADOPT THE PROPOSED FINDINGS RELATED THERETO TO AMEND THE ZONING DESIGNATION FROM LIGHT INDUSTRIAL TO COMMERCIAL STORAGE, WHICH ALSO INCLUDES A HIGH RISE OVERLAY DESIGNATION OF FIVE STORIES IN HEIGHT, RED AND ADOPTED AS RED. IS THERE ANY PUBLIC COMMENT? NO PUBLIC COMMENT. MEMBERS PLEASE CAST YOUR VOTE. AND JUST TO BE CLEAR, THIS ONE NEEDS DIFFERENT VOTES FOR EACH ONE OF THEM. HOW MANY VOTES? TWO VOTES. TWO VOTES. ALL RIGHT, LET'S DO THE FIRST VOTE. OKAY. FIRST VOTE. MOTION IS CARRIED. I'M LOOKING UP. ALL RIGHT, LET'S DO THE NEXT VOTE THAT HAS BEEN QUEUED UP. YOU CAN RECORD YOUR VOTES. MOTION IS CARRIED. THANK YOU. 26 REPORT FROM COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT RECOMMENDATION TO DECLARE ORDINANCE AMENDING THE LONG BEACH MUNICIPAL CODE RELATING TO ENHANCED DROWNING PREVENTION MEASURES FOR PRIVATE SWIMMING POOLS, RED AND ADOPTED AS [26. 25-56179 Recommendation to declare ordinance amending Sections 18.40.820, 18.40.830, 18.41.300, and 18.41.310 of the Long Beach Municipal Code relating to enhanced drowning prevention measures for private swimming pools, read and adopted as read;       Office or Department: Community Development         Suggested Action: Approve recommendation. ] RED. DECLARE ORDINANCE AMENDING THE LONG BEACH MUNICIPAL CODE RELATING TO THE DESIGN REQUIREMENTS CONSIDERING FUTURE SEA LEVEL FOR BUILDINGS IN COASTAL FLOOD HAZARD AREAS. RED AND ADOPTED AS RED AND DECLARE ORDINANCE AMENDING THE LONG BEACH MUNICIPAL CODE RELATING TO CLARIFYING REQUIREMENTS FOR SUBGRADE ELECTRICAL, ELECTRICAL WORK IN AREAS WITH POTENTIAL METHANE GAS RED AND ADOPTED AS RED CITYWIDE. AND THERE WILL BE THREE VOTES ON THIS ITEM. ALL RIGHT. UH, IS THERE ANY PUBLIC COMMENT? ALL RIGHT, LET'S DO THE FIRST VOTE. MOTION IS CARRIED. NEXT VOTE. MOTION IS CARRIED. LAST VOTE. MOTION IS CARRIED. ALL RIGHT. AND SO I HAVE A NOTE THAT I HAVE TO SIGN THIS ONE TONIGHT. SO YOU GOT IT READY? YOU GOT IT HANDY? YES. OKAY. ALL RIGHT. SOON AS WE'RE DONE. OKAY. WE'RE, UH, WE'RE NOW AT GENERAL PUBLIC COMMENT NUMBER TWO. UM, I SEE EIGHT PEOPLE SIGNED UP TO SPEAK. I DON'T SEE EIGHT PEOPLE IN THE AUDIENCE, SO I'M GONNA READ ALL THESE NAMES. SAM CHRISTOPHER DALEY, UH, SHARA RE, SHADOW RAY RODNEY SAUCIER, JOEL BARON, KURT ESCOBAR, RACHEL W AND IVANA NET. MACHADO. ARE ANY OF THESE FOLKS HERE? ONE. ALL RIGHT, SIR, YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. GOOD EVENING. EXCUSE ME. I'VE BEEN FLYING SO I CAN'T HEAR HOW LOUD I'M TALKING. OKAY. WHAT'S YOUR NAME? RODNEY SIER, SENIOR RODNEY. ALL RIGHT. UM, I'M COMING TO YOU TO, UH, I'VE ASKED, I'VE SENT SOME PICTURES TO DR. SORROW'S OFFICE, UH, FOR A NUMBER OF INJURY ACCIDENTS AT THE INTERSECTION OF LYME AVENUE AND HILL STREET IN THE SIXTH DISTRICT. AND I'VE ASKED ABOUT GETTING SOME SPEED BUMPS IN THE 2100 BLOCK OF LIME AND 2200 BLOCK OF LIME. UM, I WAS TOLD BY SOMEONE IN YOUR OFFICE THAT THERE ARE STOP SIGNS, SO THEY WEREN'T REALLY LOOKING TO DO THAT. [ PUBLIC COMMENT: IMMEDIATELY PRIOR TO ADJOURNMENT Opportunity is given to those members of the public who have not addressed the City Council on non-agenda items. Each speaker is limited to three minutes unless extended by the City Council. ] BUT MY WHOLE PURPOSE FOR THAT WAS THAT THOSE PEOPLE WERE RUNNING STOP SIGNS. AND I'VE SENT NUMEROUS PICTURES BY EMAIL WITH OVERTURNED CARS, AND THERE'S A DAYCARE ON THE CORNER. THERE'S BOBBY SMITH ELEMENTARY, ONE BLOCK OVER. AND I THINK THE THING TO DO WOULD BE TO PUT SOMETHING THERE TO BE PROACTIVE BEFORE SOMEONE, ONE OF THE CHILDREN GET REALLY HURT OR KILLED. THAT'S ALL. ALRIGHT, WELL THANK YOU FOR YOUR, FOR YOUR TESTIMONY. THANK YOU. [05:50:01] ALRIGHT. OKAY. THAT CONCLUDES GENERAL PUBLIC COMMENT. WE'LL NOW GO TO ADJOURN. THE ME MEETING. UH, THIS ONE IS NOT FUN. UM, UH, LONG BEACH RECENTLY SUFFERED A LOSS, A REAL GIANT IN THE COMMUNITY. UM, A DEAR FRIEND OF MINE AND TO MANY OF US, [ANNOUNCEMENTS] UH, WITH THE PASSING OF SKIP KEEL. SKIP WAS MORE THAN AN ACCOMPLISHED ATTORNEY. HE WAS A DEVOTED CI CIVIC LEADER, A FRIEND, A FRIEND TO LONG BEACH, A FRIEND TO NONPROFITS, A GENERAL PHIL, A GENEROUS PHILANTHROPIST, A CHAMPION FOR THE CITY. HE LOVED HIS KINDNESS, GENEROSITY, ANDRA UNWAVERING, UH, COMMITMENTS TO LONG BEACH, TOUCH COUNTLESS LIVES, SUPPORTING NONPROFITS AND MENTORING YOUNG LEADERS. UH, HE HAD CONNECTIONS ALL AROUND THE GLOBE. UH, HE HAD PROFESSIONAL SUCCESS. HE ALWAYS MADE PEOPLE FEEL SEEN AND HEARD AND VALUED. UM, YOU KNOW, ANYONE WHO WANTED TO, TO GET HIS COUNSEL OR TALK WITH HIM, HE ALWAYS HAD AN OPEN DOOR. UH, YOU KNEW THE, YOU KNOW, YOU CAN GO HAVE BREAKFAST WITH HIM AND HE'S GONNA HAVE HIS BACON COOKED. VERY, VERY CRISPY. I DON'T EVEN EAT PORK, BUT I WOULD EAT BACON WITH SKIP. UM, UH, HE, HE EMBODIED THE VERY BEST OF LONG BEACH HUMILITY, SERVICE AND PRIDE IN OUR COMMUNITY. UH, HIS LEGACY WILL ENDURE FOR GENERATIONS. HIS ABSENCE WILL BE DEEPLY FELT ACROSS OUR CITY. I WAS HONORED TO HAVE PROVIDED, PROVIDED HIM AND BETH, UH, WITH THE KEY KEY TO THE CITY, MY VERY FIRST KEYS TO THE CITY. UH, AND I WAS VERY SURPRISED THAT IN ALL THESE YEARS HE HADN'T, HADN'T RECEIVED IT AS GENEROUS AS HE IS, BEEN WITH THE CITY OF LONG BEACH. SO, ON BEHALF OF THE CITY OF LONG BEACH, I EXTEND, UH, OUR HEARTFELT CONDOLENCES TO THE KEEL FAMILY, FRIENDS, AND THE MANY PEOPLE WHOSE LIVES WERE MADE BETTER BY SKIP'S PRESENCE. UM, THANK YOU. WE'LL, NOW GO TO VICE MAYOR URANGA. THANK YOU MAYOR WILSON. AND, UH, MY CONDOLENCES TO THE KEEL FAMILY AND FRIENDS, WE LOST A CHAMPION AND A GIANT FOR LONG BEACH. TONIGHT I'D LIKE TO CLOSE IN HONOR OF PAUL BLANCO, A LONG TIME, LONG BEACH RESIDENT THAT ADVOCATED AND WORKED FOR HIS COMMUNITY. MR. BLANCO SERVED AND THE COMMISSIONER FOR THE LONG BEACH DID COMPLETE COMMISSION, THE LONG BEACH BOARD AND WATER COMMISSIONERS, AS WELL AS THE TRANSITION TEAMS FOR PREVIOUS MAYOR ERNIE CAL AND MAYOR MARY O'NEILL. HIS ADVOCATION FOR THE LONG BEACH AIR FOR ASIAN AMERICAN COMMUNITY TRANSLATED THROUGHOUT HIS LIFE PARTING FILIPINO HERITAGE MONTH AND THE FILIPINO FESTIVAL. HIS EFFORTS HELPED CREATE THE DESIGNATION OF THE FILIPINO NEIGHBORHOOD OF WAS SANTA FE AVENUE AT BURNETT IN WEST PALM BEACH. HIS LOSS WILL BE DEARLY FELT AND HE WILL BE. THANK YOU. ALRIGHT, THANK YOU COUNCIL MEMBER THRASH AND TOOK. THANK YOU. UH, I TOO WANNA EXPRESS MY SINCERE CONDOLENCES TO THE KEEL FAMILY. UM, I DO HOPE THAT HE WOULD HAVE UNDERSTOOD HOW MUCH HIS LEGACY WILL BE MISSED WITHIN OUR CITY. UH, WE THANK HIM FOR HIS GENTLE WAY, HIS KIND WAY, HIS PHILANTHROPY, AND HIS LOVE FOR THE CITY. UH, THIS EVENING, I WANNA NOTE THAT I HAD THE PLEASURE OF ATTENDING OUR CITY OF LONG BEACH COMMUNITY BUDGET MEETING LAST NIGHT AT THE MICHELLE OBAMA LIBRARY IN THE NORTH PART OF OUR CITY, ALONG WITH COUNCILWOMAN RICKS OTI. IT WAS WELL ATTENDED, AND FROM WHAT I'VE BEEN TOLD, IT HAS BEEN THE BEST ATTENDED THROUGHOUT THE CITY SO FAR. WE'RE SO EXCITED THAT SO MANY OF OUR NEIGHBORS HAVE BEEN OUT AND ENGAGING WITH OUR STAFF AND WITH OUR COMMUNITY AROUND CONVERSATIONS TO ENSURE THAT OUR BUDGET REFLECTS THE VALUES AND THE NEEDS OF THE COMMUNITY. I WANNA THANK THE FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT TEAM, OUR CITY MANAGER, AND THE REST OF THE STAFF FOR THEIR APPRECIATION, UM, AND DEDICATION FOR SHOWING UP, ANSWERING SO MANY QUESTIONS AND HAVING ALL THE MATERIAL SO WELL PREPARED FOR OUR COMMUNITY. LOOKING AHEAD, UH, THIS WEEK, WE'VE GOT SEVERAL NEIGHBORHOOD ACTIVITIES HAPPENING TOMORROW, AUGUST 20TH. THE COOLIDGE TRIANGLE NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION WILL HOST THEIR, UH, MONTHLY MEETING AT 7:00 PM UH, PLEASE JOIN US ON AUGUST 21ST WITH THE NORTH VILLAGE, UH, WHO WILL GO OUT AND DO THEIR GO LONG BEACH WALK. STARTING THIS WEEK AT 5:00 PM WE'LL START AT THE COMMUNITY RESOURCE CENTER ON ATLANTIC, AND THEN THIS SATURDAY, THE RIDGEWOOD TRIANGLE COMMUNITY WILL BE OUT WITH THEIR STRONG SENSE OF COMMUNITY PRIDE. UM, CONDUCTING A NEIGHBORHOOD CLEANUP AT 8:30 AM THEY'LL BE AT 4 5 5 5 ORANGE AVENUE. ONCE YOU'RE DONE WITH THAT, GET A LITTLE BREAKFAST. AND I WANNA PERSONALLY INVITE YOU OVER TO A FAN FAVORITE AT SHEAR PARK. WE'RE GONNA DO A BACKPACK GIVEAWAY THAT'LL START AT 10:00 AM TO 2:00 PM UH, WE'LL HAVE FOOD, UM, LOTS OF GIVEAWAYS, FREE SUPPLIES, UM, HAIRSTYLISTS WILL BE THERE, BARBERS ALL KINDS OF, UM, ACTIVITIES [05:55:01] FOR THE COMMUNITY. AND YES, WE HAVE A DJ, SO IF YOU'RE INTERESTED IN ATTENDING, PLEASE COME BY YOU. WELCOME TO VOLUNTEER. PLEASE VISIT OUR OFFICE WEBSITE FOR MORE INFORMATION ON THAT. UM, WE LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING YOU OUT THIS WEEKEND IN NORTH LONG BEACH. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. GOOD JOB COUNCIL MEMBER RICK OTI. UH, THANK YOU MAYOR. UM, I ALSO WANNA EXTEND MY CONDOLENCES TO THE KEEL FAMILY, UH, PARTICULARLY SKIP'S WIFE. UM, YOU ARE IN OUR THOUGHTS, UM, DURING THIS DIFFICULT TIME. UM, SKIP WAS, UM, WONDERFUL. UM, AND I THINK MANY OF US HAVE HAD OUR OWN, UH, SKIP KEEL STORIES OF HAVING BREAKFAST WITH HIM OR DINNER WITH HIM. UM, AND JUST HIS VERY GENTLE SPIRIT AND JUST THE WISDOM THAT HE WOULD SHARE WITH MANY OF US, HE'LL BE MISSED. UM, A COUPLE OF ANNOUNCEMENTS FROM MY, UM, FROM MY DISTRICT. UH, I'D LIKE TO INVITE EVERYBODY OUT TO ATTEND THE COUNCIL DISTRICT NINE BUDGET PARTY ON THURSDAY, AUGUST 21ST FROM ONE TO 4:00 PM JOIN THE CONVERSATION AND SHARE IDEAS AND PRIORITIES THROUGH THE CITYWIDE COMMUNITY BUDGET SURVEY. LIGHT REFRESHMENTS WILL PROVIDED. THIS EVENT WILL TAKE PLACE AT THE DISTRICT NINE FIELD OFFICE AT 6 5 0 9 GUNDRY AVENUE. UH, ADDITIONALLY, WE'D LIKE TO INVITE YOU OUT TO ATTEND THE PHOENIX RISE, UM, PHOENIX RISE PROJECT RISE AND THRIVE EVENT ON SATURDAY, AUGUST 23RD FROM 10:00 AM TO 8:00 PM THE EVENT WILL TAKE PLACE AT RAMONA PARK, 33 0 1 E 65TH STREET. UM, ENJOY FREE FOOD, WELLNESS AND SELF-CARE WORKSHOPS AND LIFE PERFORMANCES. UH, AND LASTLY, I'D LIKE TO INVITE EVERYBODY OUT TO OUR NEXT DISTRICT NINE WALK UPTOWN ON FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 5TH FROM FIVE 30 TO 6:30 PM THIS EVENT IS A COMMUNITY WALKING GROUP CONNECTING NEIGHBORS HIGHLIGHT MOBILITY AND LEARN TO REPORT LOCAL CONCERNS THROUGH THE GO LONG BEACH APP. THIS EVENT WILL TAKE PLACE IN FRONT OF THE, IN FRONT OF STAR KING ELEMENTARY, 1 4 5 EAST ARTESIA BOULEVARD. FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT OUR OFFICE AT 5 6 2 5 7 0 6 1 3 7 OR DISTRICT9@LONGBEACH.GOV. THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER KERR. YES, THANK YOU. UH, FIRST I'D LIKE TO REMIND YOU, REMIND FOLKS THAT OUR OFFICE IS HOSTING OUR NEXT DISTRICT FIVE COMMUNITY MEETING THIS THURSDAY, AUGUST 21ST AT 6:00 PM AT THE WARDLOW PARK COMMUNITY CENTER. UH, JOIN US TO HEAR GUEST SPEAKERS FROM THE LONG BEACH UTILITIES DEPARTMENT AS THEY SHARE SERVICES, PROGRAMS, RESOURCES, AND ANSWER COMMUNITY QUESTIONS. AND I AND MY TEAM WILL BE THERE TO ANSWER QUESTIONS AS WELL. OF COURSE, UH, WE'D ALSO LIKE TO ENCOURAGE ALL RESIDENTS TO PLAN TO VISIT THE HISTORICAL SOCIETY OF LONG BEACH. STARTING ON THURSDAY, AUGUST 21ST, THEY WILL OPEN THEIR NEW EXHIBIT OLYMPICS IN THE GOLDEN SHORE ON THE GOLDEN SHORE. THE HISTORICAL SOCIETY IS LOCATED AT 4 2 6 0 ATLANTIC AVENUE OPEN. TUESDAYS THROUGH SATURDAYS ONE TO FIVE AND THURSDAYS, THEY'RE OPEN ONE TO SEVEN. BE SURE TO CHECK OUT THIS GREAT NEW EXHIBIT AS IT WILL FEATURE HISTORICAL IMAGES OF THE GAMES AND VENUES HELD IN LONG BEACH DURING THE LA OLYMPICS OF 1932 AND 1984, PROVIDING HISTORICAL CONTEXT AS WE PREPARE AND MOVE TOWARDS LA 28. UH, ALSO YOU CAN VISIT THE HANGAR THIS WEEKEND FOR MANY OF THEIR THREE THEMED EVENTS. THEY HAVE FAMILY NIGHT ON FRIDAY IN THEIR FRIDAY NIGHT MARKET. THEY'RE GONNA HAVE A PETTING ZOO THIS WEEK, UH, BACK TO SCHOOL CARNIVAL ON SATURDAY, AUGUST 23RD. AND ON AUGUST 24TH, UH, NEIGHBORS AND FANS CAN GATHER TO HONOR AND CELEBRATE THE LIFE AND LEGACY OF KOBE BRYANT. LASTLY, I'D LIKE TO INVITE YOU TO THE COMMUNITY LED CONCERT AT PAN-AMERICAN PARK THIS SATURDAY, AUGUST 23RD FROM FOUR TO 7:00 PM HOSTED BY THE LAKEWOOD VILLAGE NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION. UH, THERE'LL BE A BAND, FOOD TRUCKS, ACTIVITIES AND COMMUNITY CONNECTIONS. SO WE HOPE TO SEE YOU OUT THERE. ALRIGHT, THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER SORROW. UM, THANK YOU MAYOR. I ALSO WANNA EXPRESS MY DEEP CONDOLENCES TO BETH AND THE KISO FAMILY. UM, I, I, ALONG WITH EVERYONE HERE, UM, HAVE HAD A CHANCE TO GET TO KNOW SKIP AND REALLY, UM, JUST ONE OF A KIND PERSON WHO REALLY MODELS, UM, WHAT HE PREACHES, UM, AND HOW HE LIVES HIS LIFE ON A REGULAR BASIS. AND I JUST REMEMBER ONE THING ABOUT HIM THAT SUPERVISOR HAN SAYS IS THAT YOU CAN NEVER OUT THANK, UM, SKIP KEEL. HE WILL ALWAYS HAVE THE LAST THANK. SO, UM, HE WILL ALWAYS BE REMEMBERED. AND, AND SO I WANNA UM, NOW TRANSITION JUST TO A ONE EVENT THAT I WANTED TO SHARE ON SATURDAY. UM, AUGUST 23RD FROM 8:00 AM TO 10:00 AM WE'RE GONNA BE HAVING THREE BACK TO SCHOOL CLEANUP BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, WE WANNA MAKE SURE, UH, I KNOW IN LONG BEACH WE'RE KIND OF ALWAYS A LITTLE BIT OF THE LAST, UM, SCHOOL DISTRICT TO START SCHOOL. SO WE'RE GONNA HAVE CLEANUPS ON 2103 EAST 17TH STREET AND NINE 10 EAST HILL STREET AND 5 4 8 EAST 17TH STREET. SO WE HAVE PLENTY OF PLACES FOR CLEANUP. IT'S SOMETHING WE MAKE SURE WE DO, UM, IN MY OFFICE TO ENSURE THAT WE'RE, UM, KEEPING OUR NEIGHBORHOODS SAFE AND CLEAN FOR STUDENTS AS THEY WALKED TO SCHOOL. THANKS. ALL RIGHT, WELL THAT CONCLUDES, [06:00:01] UH, COUNCIL COMMENTS. THANK YOU FOR JOINING THIS, JOINING US. THIS MEETING IS NOW ADJOURNED. GOOD NIGHT. * This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting.