* 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. [00:06:33] ALL [00:06:33] RIGHT, MADAM CLERK, UH, THANKS EVERYONE FOR JOINING US. WE'RE GONNA GO AHEAD AND CALL TO ORDER THE MEETING OF LONG BEACH CITY COUNCIL FOR SEPTEMBER 2ND. ROLL CALL PLEASE. [ROLL CALL] COUNCILWOMAN ZENDEJAS. COUNCIL. COUNCILMAN DEHUS IS PRESENT. COUNCILWOMAN ALLEN PRESENT. COUNCIL MEMBER DUGGAN. HERE. COUNCILMAN SUBINA? HERE. COUNCILWOMAN KERR. HERE. VICE MAYOR URANGA. PRESENTED. MAYOR RICHARDSON. I'M HERE. WE HAVE A QUORUM. THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER DUGGAN, CAN YOU LEAD US IN A MOMENT OF SILENCE IN THE PLEDGE? [PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE] LET'S TAKE A MOMENT TO REMEMBER THOSE WHO WE CARE ABOUT IN OUR HOUSEHOLD AND OUR FAMILY. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. LET'S RISE FOR THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE. ALRIGHT, UH, WE'LL START WITH THREE PRESENTATIONS. THE FIRST IS RECOGNIZING LB PRIDE BOARD MEMBER WAYNE MANOUS, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER ALLEN. YES. UM, I JUST WANNA SAY THANK YOU MAYOR AND TO ALL MY COLLEAGUES [ RECOGNIZING LB PRIDE BOARD MEMBER WAYNE MANOUS ] FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TODAY TO RECOGNIZE WAYNE MANTIS FOR A VERY INCREDIBLE ACHIEVEMENT. WAYNE IS ALSO A DISTRICT TWO RESIDENT AND A LONG TIME MEMBER OF LONG BEACH PRIDE, WHICH IS ALSO HEADQUARTERED IN DISTRICT TWO. AND, UH, WAYNE IS RECENTLY THE WINNER OF A LOS ANGELES AREA EMMY AWARD. THIS IS A BIG DEAL. UM, THIS AWARD SHOWCASES THE BEST AND THE BRIGHTEST IN TELEVISION PRODUCTION AND HIGHLIGHTS THE DIVERSITY OF LA COUNTY. WAYNE AND HIS TEAM AT KTLA FIVE RECEIVED AN AWARD FOR THEIR INCREDIBLE LIFE COVERAGE OF THE ROSE PARADE, WHICH IS AN ANNUAL NEW YEAR'S TRADITION. SO I HAVE A SMALL CLIP FROM THE AWARD CEREMONY THAT I LIKE TO SHOW YOU. SO IF YOU WOULD ROLL THE CLIP. BUT NOW HERE ARE THE NOMINEES FOR OUTSTANDING LIVE SPECIAL EVENTS PROGRAMMING, LIVE SPECIAL EVENTS, PROGRAMMING 65TH ANNUAL LA COUNTY HOLIDAY CELEBRATION, PBS SOCAL ROSE PARADE, PRESENTED BY HONDA, KTLA FIVE, AND THE LOS ANGELES AREA. EMMY GOES TO ROSE PARADE PRESENTED BY HONDA. WE CAN ALL CLAP. [00:10:09] OH MY GOODNESS, HUH. OKAY. THE ROSE PARADE WAS FIRST TELEVISED BY KTLA IN 1947. IT WAS BEFORE WE WERE KTLA. WE WERE EXPERIMENTAL STATION W SIX XYZ. IT'S IN OUR DNA. UM, IT TAKES A HUGE VILLAGE, THIS WONDERFUL, AMAZING GROUP, AND SO MANY WHO ARE NOT HERE, HUNDREDS, THE ENTIRE KTLA STATION COMES TOGETHER AND SUPPORTS EVERY ONE OF US TO PUT ON THIS WONDERFUL, AMAZING SHOW WHERE WE TRY TO TELL STORIES OF THE PEOPLE BEHIND THE PARADE. AND I AM SO INCREDIBLY LUCKY TO WORK WITH SUCH AMAZING PEOPLE AND TO BE HELMED BY SUCH AN AMAZING MANAGEMENT TEAM. THANK YOU, JANINE. SO I JUST WANNA SAY WE WANT TO KEEP DOING IT FOR ANOTHER A HUNDRED YEARS OR SO, RIGHT? AND, UH, THANK YOU SO MUCH TO THE TEAM AND TO THE VILLAGE. IT ABSOLUTELY TAKES A VILLAGE. THANK YOU EVERYONE. WELL, I WANNA ACKNOWLEDGE, UH, WAYNE AND, UM, ALL OF HIS TEAM FOR ALL OF YOUR INCREDIBLE WORK. WE'RE SO PROUD OF YOU AND, UH, IT'S SO AMAZING TO HAVE SUCH, UH, TALENTED PEOPLE IN OUR CITY, ESPECIALLY IN DISTRICT TWO. SO, UH, WAYNE, DID YOU BRING THAT EMMY? ALRIGHT. ALL RIGHT. WELL, UM, YOU COME UP HERE AND SAY A COUPLE WORDS. THAT'S MY NAME ON IT NOW TOO. ALL RIGHT. GOOD EVENING, MAYOR RICHARDSON, COUNCIL MEMBERS, STAFF AND FELLOW RESIDENTS OF THE CITY OF LONG BEACH, CALIFORNIA. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR RECOGNITION OF THIS SPECIAL OCCASION. I'M TRULY HONORED TO BE ACKNOWLEDGED BY MY CITY FOR A PROJECT THAT WAS BOTH CHALLENGING AND INCREDIBLY REWARDING. AS AN ASSOCIATE PRODUCER ON THE KHL FIVE PRODUCTION OF THE 2024 ROW PARADE, I HAD THE PRIVILEGE OF WORKING WITH THE PHENOMENAL TEAM TO BRING THE ICONIC LIVE EVENT TO VIEWERS ACROSS SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA. WINNING AN LA AREA EMMY AWARD WAS A DREAM COME TRUE. AND BEING RECOGNIZED TONIGHT BY THE CITY OF LONG BEACH MAKES IT EVEN MORE SPECIAL. I'M PROUD TO REPRESENT THIS COMMUNITY AND THE WORK I DO, AND GRATEFUL TO CALL LONG BEACH HOME. THANK YOU AGAIN FOR THIS HONOR. I REALLY APPRECIATE IT. WELL, AGAIN, CONGRATULATIONS. WE'RE SO PROUD. WELL HOLD RIGHT THERE ON THE MAYOR AND I ARE GONNA COME DOWN AND TAKE A PICTURE WITH YOU REAL QUICK. CONGRATULATIONS. WE ALSO HAVE A LOOK AT THAT. ALL RIGHT, ONE, TWO, THREE, SORRY, NOT MY PHONE. OKAY. ONE, TWO, THREE. YOU CAN TAKE A PICTURE OF. ALL RIGHT, WELL, CONGRATULATIONS AGAIN. UH, WAYNE. WE'LL NOW HAVE THE PRESENTATION CELEBRATING A 9 0 8 DAY IN LONG BEACH. IT'S SEPTEMBER, UH, WE BEGAN, UH, [ CELEBRATING "908 DAY" IN LONG BEACH] [00:15:01] RECOGNIZING 9 0 8 DAY. IT'S COMING UP VERY SOON. AND SO WE'RE GONNA INVITE UP JOHN, UH, JOHN GROSSEY, PRESIDENT, UH, PUBLISHER OF, UH, THE 9 0 8 MAGAZINE. JOHN, TAKE US AWAY. WHAT'S THE PLAN FOR THE YEAR? ALRIGHT, THANK YOU. UM, OKAY. I'VE NEVER BEEN CALLED THE PRESIDENT, SO I LIKE THAT. . UM, 9 0 8 DAY IS SEPTEMBER 8TH. I WANT TO, FIRST OF ALL, THANK, UH, MAYOR REX RICHARDSON AND HIS WHOLE OFFICE FOR, UH, ENCOURAGING ME TO, TO GO THROUGH WITH THIS AND MAKING IT OFFICIAL DAY. UM, AS WELL AS MY STAFF, ESPECIALLY MY EDITOR, KATHLEEN MESS, UM, WHO TOOK ME FROM JUST A RANDOM GUY IN HIS ROOM TRYING TO CONVINCE PEOPLE ON A CAMERA THAT 9 0 8 DAYS A HOLIDAY TO NOW THE CITY COUNCIL HAS APPROVED IT THAT LONG BEACH. WE HAVE OUR OWN HOLIDAY, WHICH IS JUST REALLY COOL, THE SPIRIT OF THE DAY. UM, SO NINE OH EIGHT'S EVERY ZIP CODE IN LONG BEACH STARTS WITH 9 0 8. UH, I OWN AND RUN 9 0 8 MAGAZINE. AND, UH, WE START CALLING THE TOWN THE 9 0 8 BECAUSE WHETHER YOU'RE IN 9 0 8, 0 2, 9 0 8 0 3, 9 0 8 0 7 9 0 8 1 4, DOESN'T MATTER WHERE YOU LIVE, YOU'RE ALL PART OF THE 9 0 8 IN LONG BEACH. AND THE SPIRIT OF THE DAY IS REALLY SIMPLE. WE'RE ENCOURAGING PEOPLE TO JUST GET OUT THERE AND WEAR LONG BEACH. WEAR IT ACROSS YOUR CHEST. ALMOST EVERYONE HAS SOMETHING THAT SAYS LONG BEACH. WHETHER IT SAYS JUST LONG BEACH OR LONG BEACH STATE, OR LONG BEACH CITY COLLEGE OR LONG BEACH POLY, OR, UH, WHATEVER YOUR ORGANIZATION THAT YOU BELONG TO IS. UM, AND IT COULD SAY 9 0 8. IT COULD SAY 5 6 2, JUST REPRESENT YOUR CITY LIKE YOU WOULD WEAR GREEN ON ST. PATRICK'S DAY. OR WEAR RED, WHITE AND BLUE ON 4TH OF JULY. YOU SHOULD WEAR LONG BEACH ON 9 0 8 DAY. AND THEN THERE'S A TON OF BUSINESSES THAT ARE GIVING DISCOUNTS. UM, THE GOAL OF THE TODAY IS TO SUPPORT SMALL BUSINESSES. SO WE HAVE OVER 60 BUSINESSES IN COUNTING. I THINK IT'LL BE CLOSE TO A HUNDRED BY THE TIME OF THE DAY. UM, ACTUALLY HAPPENS ON MONDAY, WHERE ALL YOU GOTTA DO IS WEAR SOMETHING THAT SAYS LONG BEACH. AND YOU'RE GONNA GET 10% OFF, 25% OFF A TON OF RESTAURANT SPECIALS WHERE YOUR WHOLE MEAL COSTS $9 AND 8 CENTS. SO, UH, REALLY COOL. I WANT TO THANK YOU GUYS, UM, AND ESPECIALLY DISTRICTS 1, 3, 4, 5 FOR SPONSORING THE DAY. I REALLY APPRECIATE IT. AND WE HOPE THIS IS AN EVERY YEAR THING AND PEOPLE CELEBRATE IT IN THEIR OWN WAY, IN THEIR OWN ZIP CODE. LIFE IS GREAT IN THE 9 0 8. LOVE IT. LIFE IS GREAT IN THE 9 0 8. LET'S HEAR IT FOR JOHN ONE MORE TIME. ALRIGHT, THANK YOU. THANKS A LOT JOHN. SO JOHN, SO JOHN, SO JOHN, UM, LET'S BE CLEAR. SO I'M GONNA WEAR SOME LONG BEACH GEAR COUNCIL MEMBERS. ARE YOU GONNA, UH, WEAR SOME LONG BEACH GEAR ON 9 0 8 DAY? ALL RIGHT. HOW ABOUT ALL OF YOU? ARE YOU GONNA WEAR SOME LONG BEACH GEAR ON 9 0 8 DAY? ALRIGHT, WHAT CAN WE DO TO HELP PROMOTE 9 0 8 DAY SUPPORT A LOCAL BUSINESS? WHAT ARE WE DOING? YEAH, I MEAN, I WOULD SAY, UH, I, I GAVE YOU GUYS ALL POSTERS. UH, WE POSTED ON LB 9 0 8 INSTAGRAM. ALL THE DEALS ARE ON LB NINE OH EIGHT.COM, WHERE YOU CAN SEE ALL THE PARTICIPATING BUSINESSES. SO LB NINE OH EIGHT.COM. ALL RIGHT. AND IF YOU CAN SHARE IT, SHARE OUR POST, UH, TELL PEOPLE AND, UH, EVEN BETTER IS IF ANYONE BELONGS TO AN ORGANIZATION AND THEY CAN, UM, JUST GET OUT THAT DAY WITH YOUR ORGANIZATION, WHETHER IT'S A WORKOUT GROUP OR A NONPROFIT, UM, OR JUST YOUR FRIENDS AND FAMILY SAY LIKE, HEY, IT'S 9 0 8 DAY, THIS IS A NEW YEARLY THING AND WE'RE GOING OUT AND SUPPORTING SMALL BUSINESS. WE GOTTA SOCIALIZE IT. ALL RIGHT. LONG BEACH DAY COMING UP. 9 0 8 DAY COMING UP. CONGRATULATIONS. THANK YOU. THANK YOU SO MUCH. ALRIGHT, OUR FINAL PRESENTATION TODAY IS TRAUMA INTERVENTION PROGRAM [ TRAUMA INTERVENTION PROGRAM] AND WE'RE GOING TO COUNCIL MEMBERS IN DEJAS. THANK YOU SO MUCH. UM, MAYOR AND YAY. GO 9 0 8 DAY. I AM SO EXCITED FOR MONDAY. SO THANK YOU. UM, LONG BEACH HAS AN AMAZING PROGRAM THAT OFFERS, THAT OFTEN SERVES UNDER THE RADAR AND DOESN'T ALWAYS RECEIVE THE RECOGNITION THAT THEY DESERVE. I FOUND THE TRAUMA INTERVENTION PROGRAM, OR TIP TO, UM, TO MERIT COUNCIL RECOGNITION TODAY, UM, BECAUSE I FELT THAT IT WAS VERY IMPORTANT TO HIGHLIGHT AND UPLIFT THE, THE WORK THAT THEY DO. TRAUMATIC CRIME INCIDENTS CAN SHATTER NOT ONLY THE VICTIMS, BUT THEIR FAMILIES AND COMMUNITY AS WELL. TIP IS AN ADDITIONAL TOOL OF SUPPORT THAT THE CITY OF LONG BEACH CAN OFFER FAMILIES. DURING CHALLENGING TIMES, I WOULD LIKE TO YIELD THE REST OF MY TIME TO THEIR TEAM TO SPEAK A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THE INCREDIBLE WORK THAT THEY DO HERE IN OUR CITY OF LONG BEACH. WELCOME IN DISTRICT FOUR, A MAN GOES TO WATCH SUNDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL WITH HIS DAD AND ARRIVES TO FIND HIM DECEASED IN HIS BEDROOM. A 17-YEAR-OLD WHO LIVES IN DISTRICT EIGHT AND HAS JUST GRADUATED FROM HIGH SCHOOL AND SUFFERS A FATAL ASTHMA ATTACK. HIS FAMILY IS LEFT REELING IN SHOCK, IN GRIEF AT WARDLOW AND WOODRUFF. ANOTHER MOTORCYCLE ACCIDENT TAKES A LIFE IN DISTRICT FIVE, ANNETTE REDONDO AND ANAHEIM. THE SAME HEARTBREAK IN DISTRICT TWO. IN DISTRICT SEVEN, A FAMILY STRUGGLES TO TRACK DOWN YOUNG CHILDREN TAKEN TO DIFFERENT HOSPITALS AFTER THEIR UNCLE DROWNED IN THE LA RIVER. AND IN DISTRICT EIGHT, AN ELDERLY MAN DIES AFTER FALLING FROM [00:20:01] THE ROOF WHILE DOING REPAIRS ON HIS SISTER-IN-LAW'S HOME. THESE ARE JUST A FEW OF THE CALLS WHERE TIP VOLUNTEERS HAVE RESPONDED IN RECENT MONTHS. IN EACH CASE, TRAGEDY STRUCK WITHOUT WARNING, AND IN EACH CASE, A VOLUNTEER SAT DOWN BESIDE A FAMILY, HELPING THEM THROUGH THE VERY FIRST HOURS OF THEIR WORST DAY. GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEMBERS. MY NAME IS CHRISSY BOOTH AND I'M THE PROGRAM DIRECTOR FOR TRAUMA INTERVENTION PROGRAM OF LONG BEACH OR TIP. SPECIAL THANK YOU TO COUNCILWOMAN MARY ZENDEJAS FOR INVITING US HERE THIS EVENING. SINCE AUGUST OF LAST YEAR, OUR VOLUNTEERS HAVE RESPONDED TO OVER 300 CALLS, SPENDING 840 HOURS ON SCENE AND SERVING 1,370 RESIDENTS. THAT'S ACTUALLY A LITTLE BIT MORE 'CAUSE WE'VE HAD A COUPLE OF CALLS SINCE THEN. TIP IS PART OF A NATIONAL NETWORK OF 15 AFFILIATES ACROSS THE COUNTRY. THIS YEAR, THE ORGANIZATION CELEBRATES ITS 40TH ANNIVERSARY. AND HERE IN LONG BEACH, WE ARE PROUD TO HAVE BEEN SERVING THIS COMMUNITY SINCE 2021. IN JUST A FEW SHORT YEARS, WE HAVE STOOD ALONGSIDE THOUSANDS OF RESIDENTS IN MOMENTS OF TRAGEDY, ENSURING THAT THEY WERE NOT LEFT TO FACE IT ALONE. OUR MISSION IS SIMPLE BUT PROFOUND TO PROVIDE EMOTIONAL FIRST AID IN THE IMMEDIATE AFTERMATH OF A CRISIS. WHETHER IT'S A SUDDEN DEATH, A FIRE, A VIOLENT CRIME, OR A MEDICAL EMERGENCY. OUR TRAINED VOLUNTEERS GIVE THE FIRST RESPONDERS THE SPACE THAT THEY NEED TO DO THEIR JOBS WHILE MAKING SURE THAT THOSE LEFT BEHIND ARE SUPPORTED WITH COMPASSION AND CARE. THIS OCTOBER, WE WILL HOST OUR NEXT VOLUNTEER TRAINING ACADEMY AT TWO COMMUNITY LOCATIONS, LONG BEACH FIRE HEADQUARTERS IN DISTRICT FIVE, AND THE RON RES HEALTH EQUITY CENTER IN DISTRICT NINE. WE ARE SO GRATEFUL TO THE COUNCIL MEMBERS WHO'VE ALREADY SHARED THIS OPPORTUNITY IN NEWSLETTERS AND ON SOCIAL MEDIA. BECAUSE OF YOU, MORE RESIDENTS ARE LEARNING ABOUT TIP AND STEPPING FORWARD TO SERVE THEIR NEIGHBORS. WE ALSO WANNA THANK YOU FOR SUPPORTING OUR RECENT EXPANSION WITH THE LONG BEACH FIRE DEPARTMENT. THAT PARTNERSHIP IS MORE THAN A CONTRACT. IT'S A COMMITMENT TO ENSURING FAMILIES IN EVERY NEIGHBORHOOD HAVE SOMEONE BY THEIR SIDE WHEN TRAGEDY STRIKES. SO TONIGHT I COME BEFORE YOU WITH A SIMPLE REQUEST THAT YOU CONTINUE TO CHAMPION TIP THROUGH YOUR ADVOCACY, THROUGH YOUR VISIBILITY, AND WHERE POSSIBLE, THROUGH DIRECT SPONSORSHIPS. YOUR SUPPORT ALLOWS US TO RECRUIT, TRAIN, AND SUSTAIN VOLUNTEERS WHO RESPOND IN YOUR DISTRICTS, ON YOUR STREETS, AND IN THE LIVES OF YOUR CONSTITUENTS. BECAUSE AT THE END OF THE DAY, THE DIFFERENCE THAT, THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN BEING LEFT ALONE AFTER A TRAGEDY AND HAVING SOMEONE SIT DOWN, HOLD YOUR HAND AND WALK WITH YOU THROUGH THOSE UNBEARABLE FIRST HOURS, THAT'S THE DIFFERENCE THAT TIP MAKES. WITH YOUR CONTINUED SUPPORT, WE CAN ENSURE THAT NO LONG BEACH FAMILY IS EVER LEFT TO FACE TRAGEDY ALONE, AND THAT EVERY DISTRICT IN THIS CITY CONTINUES TO BE SERVED WITH COMPASSION. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME, YOUR LEADERSHIP, AND FOR BEING CHAMPIONS OF COMPASSION IN OUR COMMUNITY. ALL RIGHT, THANK YOU. UH, LET'S HEAR IT. FOR OUR TIP PROGRAM, OUR TRAUMA AND PREVENTION PROGRAM, IT'S AN IMPORTANT, IT'S IMPORTANT WORK THAT HAS TO TAKE PLACE HERE IN THE CITY OF LONG BEACH. UM, A A A A CITY WHERE THERE'S A LOT OF NEED. SO THANK YOU SO MUCH. ALRIGHT, THAT CONCLUDES OUR PRESENTATIONS. LET'S TAKE CONSENT CALENDAR QUICKLY MINUS ITEM 15. [CONSENT CALENDAR (1. – 19.)] OKAY. IT'S BEEN MOVED AND SECONDED. IS THERE ANY PUBLIC COMMENT ON CONSENT? NO PUBLIC COMMENT. THANK YOU. MEMBERS, PLEASE CAST YOUR VOTE ON CONSENT. MOTION IS CARRIED. 15. PLEASE REPORT FROM FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT RECOMMENDATION TO ADOPT A RESOLUTION DIRECTING THE LOS ANGELES COUNTY AUDITOR CONTROLLER TO INCLUDE ON THE 20 25, 20 26 COUNTY [15. 25-56184 Recommendation to adopt resolution directing the Los Angeles County Auditor-Controller to include on the 2025-2026 County Secured Tax Roll an additional levy made pursuant to the provisions of the Long Beach Municipal Code, for Substandard Building Property in the amount not to exceed $7,189. (District 8)       Office or Department: Financial Management; Community Development         Suggested Action: Approve recommendation. ] SECURED TAX ROLE AND ADDITIONAL LEVY MADE PURSUANT TO THE PROVISIONS OF THE LONG BEACH MUNICIPAL CODE FOR A SUBSTANDARD BUILDING PROPERTY IN THE AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $7,189 DISTRICT EIGHT. ALRIGHT, COUNCIL MEMBER TH THANK YOU SO MUCH, MAYOR. [00:25:02] UM, SO FIRST I JUST WANNA TAKE A MOMENT TO THANK THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT AND FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT STAFF FOR YOUR DILIGENT WORK ON THIS PARTICULAR ITEM IN BRINGING IT FORWARD. UM, COLLEAGUES, I WILL BE VOTING AYE AND I URGE YOU TO JOIN ME IN THIS AS WELL. UM, BUT JUST BEFORE WE VOTE ON IT, I WANTED TO TAKE A MOMENT TO JUST KIND OF SET A LITTLE BIT OF CONTEXT AND I'D LIKE TO OFFER, UH, A AN ADDITION, UH, TO THE MOTION FOR TODAY. SO THE ACTION THAT PLACES A LIEN ON THE PROPERTY AT 60 20 TO 60 90 LONG BEACH BOULEVARD IS NECESSARY TO RECOVER NO LESS THAN, BUT THERE'S ALSO ADDITIONAL DOLLARS, $7,000, UH, IN TAXPAYER DOLLARS THAT WE HAVE SPENT TO CLEAN UP A SITE THAT HAS BEEN, UH, NEGLECTFUL BY THAT PROPERTY OWNER. UM, BUT THIS IS MORE THAN JUST ABOUT A LIEN. FOR FAR TOO LONG, THE COOLIDGE TRIANGLE COMMUNITY HAS HAD TO BEAR THIS BLIGHT. CODE ENFORCEMENT SECURED THIS PROPERTY IN MAY, FOR EXAMPLE, AND JUST A FEW WEEKS LATER IT WAS BREACHED AGAIN AND REOCCUPIED. UM, SO THIS CYCLE AND THIS PATTERN IS ONGOING. AND TIME AND TIME AGAIN, THE CITY STEPS IN USES PUBLIC RESOURCES, UH, BECAUSE OF THE INACTION OF THE PROPERTY OWNER AND MAKES SURE THAT IT DOESN'T CONTINUE TO BE A MAGNET FOR NUISANCE ACTIVITY. COLLEAGUES. LET'S BE CLEAR, UH, WHAT WE'RE TAKING HERE IS REALLY JUST REACTING, UM, BUT NOT A SOLUTION. AND THIS CYCLE IN OUR CITY AND ANY NEIGHBORHOOD SHOULD BE UNACCEPTABLE. OUR RESIDENTS, UH, NEED TO FEEL SAFE. THEY NEED TO HAVE CLEAN NEIGHBORHOODS, AND IT SHOULD NOT BE IN AN AFTERTHOUGHT THAT WE ENSURE THAT LANDLORDS TAKE CARE OF THEIR PROPERTY, UH, BECAUSE THIS HAS SHOWN A LEVEL OF DISREGARD FOR OUR COMMUNITY. SO, UH, FOR TODAY, I THANK THE CITY MANAGER, UH, WHO'S WORKING TO ENSURE THAT WE WILL TRY AND, UH, BRING FORTH THE RESOURCES THAT WE'VE ALREADY SPENT. UM, AND FOR TODAY, WHAT I'D LIKE TO ASK IS THAT, UH, AS WE LOOK AT NOT ONLY WE'RE WE'RE COVERING OUR COST, UM, BUT THIS IS ALSO A CHRONIC NUISANCE. UM, AND I WANNA TAKE A LOOK AT OUR FINE STRUCTURES, FIGURING OUT WHAT WE CAN DO TO INCREASE ESCALATION ENFORCEMENT AND JUST CREATE TIGHTER, UM, ADMINISTRATIVE PENALTIES THAT WILL HELP TO COMPEL MORE COMPLIANCE. SO IN TERMS OF, UH, FOLLOWING THROUGH WITH THIS, UM, I LOOK FORWARD TO BEING, UH, TO GOING AHEAD AND ADOPTING THIS RESOLUTION, BUT ALSO ASKING THAT WE RETURN WITH A CONVERSATION REGARDING HOW WE CAN, UH, REVIEW THE LEVELS OF FINES THAT WE ARE REQUESTING FOR PROPERTIES AND ACTIVITIES LIKE THIS. THANK YOU. ALRIGHT. STAFF, ANYONE WILL RESPOND TO THAT. NOW, THIS IS CLEARLY A VERY NUISANCE PROPERTY. UM, SO WE DO WHAT WE CAN TO TRY TO GET COMPLIANCE THROUGH THE NORMAL PROCESSES. WHEN IT DOESN'T WORK, THEN WE MOVE ON TO THIS. UH, AND ACTUALLY WE'LL BE LOOKING AT ACTUALLY REMOVING THE BUILDING, UM, IF, UH, IF IT DOESN'T GET ANY BETTER. SO THAT'S, UH, IN THE WORKS, WE CAN CERTAINLY LOOK AT WHAT OUR, OUR CODE ENFORCEMENT STRUCTURE IS. IT IS SOMETHING THAT WE'VE GONE A LITTLE BIT FASTER ON IN RECENT YEARS, BUT ARE THERE OTHER PENALTIES FOR REALLY EGREGIOUS USES? UH, THE GOAL OF CODE ENFORCEMENT NORMALLY IS TO GET COMPLIANCE RATHER THAN, YOU KNOW, GENERATE REVENUE. AND SO THE, THE FINES ARE REALLY THERE TO, TO INCITE, YOU KNOW, OR IN, UH, INCENTIVIZE BETTER BEHAVIOR. UH, AND WE CAN CERTAINLY LOOK AT, UH, WHAT OTHER TOOLS WE HAVE FOR, UH, PROPERTIES LIKE THIS THAT HAVE BEEN REALLY BAD ON THE NEIGHBORHOOD. THANK YOU. I WAS UNCLEAR. THIS IS THE, THE OLD, UM, GAS STATION LOUISIANA CHICKEN. THIS ONE YOU TALK ABOUT. YEP. YOU AND COUNCIL MEMBER DISTRICT NINE. THAT'S WHY I WAS UNCLEAR IS DISTRICT EIGHT. SO LET'S NOT, LET'S NOTE THAT, BUT I WILL TELL YOU THE COST IS WELL OVER $7,000 BECAUSE THE BLESSED, THE ENTRY RATE OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD IS BLIGHT IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD. I LIVED IN THAT NEIGHBORHOOD NINE YEARS. IT IS NEVER, THAT SITE HAS NEVER LOOKED THIS BAD. AND SO THE FACT THAT CITY'S LIKE CRACKING DOWN ON THEM, THEY NEED TO BE HELD TO A HIGHER STANDARD. UH, AND WE HEAR IT FROM ALL OF THOSE, THOSE NEIGHBORS. IT'S EMBARRASSING TO PULL INTO THE NEIGHBORHOOD WITH THAT YEAH, THAT PROPERTY. SO, AND THERE'S ANOTHER LIEN FOR $16,000 FOR OTHER PRIOR WORK THAT WE'VE DONE. SO THIS IS THE, YOU KNOW, ANOTHER ADD-ON. GOOD. BUT WE, WE SHOULD BE LOOKING AT WHAT WE CAN DO TO ACQUIRE THAT OR WHATEVER, WHATEVER IT IS. 'CAUSE IT, IT'S NOT ACCEPTABLE. IT WOULDN'T, IT WOULDN'T BE TOLERATED IN ANY OTHER NEIGHBORHOOD. UM, ALL RIGHT. UH, ANY, ANY ADDITIONAL PUBLIC COMMENT HERE? NO PUBLIC COMMENT ON THIS. MEMBERS, PLEASE CAST YOUR VOTE. MOTION IS CARRIED. THANK YOU. LET'S REPORT OUT FROM CLOSED SESSION, PLEASE. UH, THANK YOU MAYOR. WE HAVE NO REPORT FROM CLOSED SESSION. THANK YOU. ALRIGHT, GENERAL PUBLIC COMMENT NUMBER ONE, THIS IS OUR OPENING PUBLIC COMMENT. WE HAVE, LET'S SEE, SEVEN PEOPLE SIGNED UP TO SPEAK. PLEASE MAKE YOUR WAY TO THE FRONT WHEN [ 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. ] YOU HEAR YOUR NAME. PAUL SHARP. GREGORY MOORE. UH, LAVERNE DUNCAN. TASHA HUNTER. I DIDN'T KNOW LAVERNE WAS HERE. WHERE'S LAVERNE? THERE SHE IS. UM, MAG NAKAZAWA, KATHLEEN ADAMS AND SHAUNTICE JORDAN, PLEASE COME FORWARD IF YOU HEARD YOUR NAME. PAUL, IS THAT YOU? YES, SIR. YES, SIR. YOU ARE UP. THANK [00:30:01] YOU. THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBERS FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK AS A 20 YEAR VOLUNTEER IN CHILD ABUSE PREVENTION. I DEEPLY VALUE PROGRAMS THAT SUPPORT VULNERABLE FAMILIES. HOWEVER, I MUST RESPECTFULLY RAISE CONCERNS ABOUT THE BLACK INFANT HEALTH LINE ITEM IN THE 2025 BUDGET UNDER COMMUNITY HEALTH BUREAU SERVICES. PAGE 3 74. I ATTACHED IT TO MY HANDOUT. WHILE I UNDERSTAND THE PROGRAM'S INTENT TO ADDRESS DISPARITIES AND BIRTH OUTCOMES, I BELIEVE WE MUST ASK CRITICAL QUESTIONS TO ENSURE OUR PUBLIC HEALTH INITIATIVES ARE BOTH EFFECTIVE AND EQUITABLE. FIRST, DOES THE PROGRAM COMPLY WITH THE TITLE VI OF THE CIVIL RIGHTS ACT OF 1964? FEDERAL LAW PROHIBITS DISCRIMINATION BASED ON RACE AND PROGRAMS RECEIVING PUBLIC FUNDS. NUMBER TWO, ARE WE UNINTENTIONALLY EXCLUDING INFANTS OF OTHER RACES WHO MAY ALSO BE AT RISK? TARGETED PROGRAMS MUST NOT COME AT THE EXPENSE OF UNIVERSAL ACCESS TO CARE. I DON'T BELIEVE A HEALTH ISSUE FOR A BLACK MOTHER MAY NOT BE APPLICABLE TO AN ASIAN, WHITE, HISPANIC, OR ANY OTHER RACE. NUMBER THREE, HOW IS RACIAL ELIGIBILITY DETERMINED SINCE SELF, UH, IDENTIFICATION? A RACE ALLOWS EVERY MOTHER WHO CHOOSES TO DECLARE HERSELF BLACK AS BEING ELIGIBLE. THERE IS NO VALUE DESCRIBING A BLACK INFANT HEALTH SERVICE WHEN I ASSUME ALL RACES ARE ELIGIBLE FOR THE SAME SERVICE AS IT SHOULD BE. NUMBER FOUR, MOST IMPORTANT. HOW DOES A BLACK MOTHER FEEL SINGLED OUT FOR SERVICE BECAUSE OF HER RACE? CONSIDER THE DEMEANING AND STIGMATIZING OF BLACK MOTHERS WHEN OFFERED SERVICES BECAUSE THEY ARE DIFFERENT THAN OTHER RACES. WE NEED TO OFFER THE SAME SERVICES TO ALL RACES. I URGE THE CONS TO REVIEW THIS LINE ITEM TO ENSURE OUR BUDGET REFLECTS A COMMITMENT TO INTRUS INCLUSIVE, NON RACE DRIVEN, AND LEGALLY SOUND PUBLIC HEALTH STRATEGIES THAT SERVE AS LONG BEACH FAMILIES IN NEED OF AND DOESN'T STIGMATIZE AND DEMEAN BLACK MOTHERS. AND THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. ALL RIGHT. UH, WE HAVE, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE BLACK MOTHERS HERE WHO ARE EXPERTS AND WE'RE GONNA DEFER TO THEM ON HOW BEST TO, TO ADDRESS AND SUPPORT THIS PROGRAM. NEXT IS, UH, GREGORY MOORE. ALRIGHT, FIRST OF ALL, I'D APPRECIATE IF ALL THE COUNCIL MEMBERS COULD, I SAW SOME COUNCIL MEMBERS ON THEIR PHONE DURING THE LAST COMMENT I'D APPRECIATE, IF I COULD GET, COULD GET THE ATTENTION FOR MY THREE MINUTES. UH, IN MARCH, THE POLICE DEPARTMENT RELEASED THEIR, UH, ANNUAL, THEIR 2024 ANNUAL YEAR IN REVIEW AND ACCOUNTABILITY REPORT. UM, THERE WERE A COUPLE OF NUMBERS IN THAT REPORT THAT WERE PARTICULAR INTEREST TO ME. ONE WAS AT BETWEEN 2023 AND 2024, USE OF FORCE INCIDENTS INCREASED BY 29%. DURING THAT SI SAME TIME PERIOD, UH, UH, COMPLAINTS BY THE GENERAL PUBLIC AGAINST POLICE OFFICERS, UH, WENT UP BY 27%. THIS WAS THE FOURTH YEAR IN A ROW THAT THERE WAS A DOUBLE DIGIT INCREASE IN A PERCENTAGE INCREASE IN COMPLAINTS, UH, BY THE GENERAL PUBLIC. IN JUNE, IN MY CAPACITY AS A REPORTER FOR RANDOM LINKS NEWS, I CONTACTED EVERY ONE OF YOUR OFFICES TWICE ASKING JUST TWO QUESTIONS. ONE, HAD YOU READ THE REPORT? WERE YOU AWARE OF THESE STA OF THESE TREND? UH, AND TWO, DID IT CONCERN YOU? AND WERE YOU GONNA LOOK INTO IT MORE OR DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT? NOT ONE OF YOU WOULD EVEN SAY WHETHER YOU READ THIS REPORT. UH, AND AGAIN, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT OVER THE COURSE OF FOUR YEARS, A 60 PER OVER, A 60% INCREASE IN THE NUMBER OF COMPLAINTS BY YOUR CONSTITUENTS AGAINST POLICE OFFICERS. NOW, BY NO STRETCH OF THE IMAGINATION, AM I SAYING THAT EVERY COMPLAINT AGAINST POLICE OFFICERS IS LEGITIMATE? WE KNOW THAT'S NOT THE CASE. THE SAME TOKEN, WE KNOW THAT COM, THAT MISCONDUCT IS UNDER-REPORTED BY THE GENERAL PUBLIC BECAUSE PEOPLE ARE SCARED BECAUSE THEY DON'T KNOW WHAT THEY CAN DO. ALSO, WE KNOW THAT POLICE DEPARTMENTS ARE NOT IN THE HABIT OF MAKING THEMSELVES LOOK WORSE THAN THEY ARE. SOMETIMES WE KNOW THAT THEY LIE AND THEY COVER STUFF UP. WE HOPE THAT POLICE DEPARTMENTS ARE HONEST, BUT WE KNOW THAT THEY DON'T MAKE THEMSELVES LOOK WORSE. THESE NUMBERS, THESE STATISTICS, FOUR YEARS IN A ROW, DOUBLE DIGIT INCREASE AND 29% INCREASE FROM FROM 2023, 2024 AND USE OF FORCE. THESE ARE THE POLICE'S NUMBERS. SO, UH, WHAT I'D LIKE NOW, YOU KNOW, I'M COMING TO YOU NOW, IS ONE OF YOUR CONSTITUENTS, AND I'D LIKE TO HEAR FROM YOU. NOW, AT THIS POINT, I'M PRESUMING THAT SINCE THE REPORT WAS ISSUED IN MARCH AND SINCE YOU WERE A CONTACTED TWICE BY A REPORTER ABOUT THIS IN JUNE, I'M PRESUMING THAT ALL OF YOU AT THIS POINT ARE AWARE OF THESE NUMBERS. EITHER THAT OR YOU'RE NOT DOING YOUR JOB. SO I'M GIVING YOU THE BENEFIT OF DOUBT AND SAYING YOU'RE AWARE OF THESE NUMBERS. SO I'D LIKE TO HAVE AN ANSWER. NOW, [00:35:01] AS ONE OF YOUR CONSTITUENTS, ARE YOU CONCERNED THAT THERE'S BEEN A 60% INCREASE BETWEEN 2021 AND NOW IN USE OF FORCE COMPLAINTS BY YOUR CONSTITUENTS? AND ARE YOU LOOKING INTO IT? ARE YOU GONNA DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT? I, I'D LIKE TO GET AN ANSWER NOW. MAYOR RICHARDSON, CAN WE START WITH YOU? ALL RIGHT, WELL THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. IS THAT ALL YOU HAVE? NO, NO ANSWER. COUNCIL MEMBERS AND DEJAS, YOU'RE MY REPRESENTATIVE. I LIVE IN YOUR DISTRICT. ARE YOU CONCERNED WITH THIS TREND STILL? NO ONE WANTS TO SAY ANYTHING. YOU CAN DIRECT DIRECT THE COMMENTS TO THE CHAIR. OKAY, THANK YOU. ALRIGHT, NEXT IS LAVERNE DUNCAN. GOOD EVENING. UM, MAYOR RICHARDSON, MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL. UM, I'M HERE THIS EVENING ON BEHALF OF BLACK HISTORY LONG BEACH AND MY PARTNER IN THE GOSPEL BRUNCH, THE QUEEN MARY, OUR ICONIC, OUR ICONIC QUEEN MARY, AND TO TODAY I'M HERE TO TALK ABOUT THIS GOSPEL BRUNCH, WHICH IS A COMMUNITY EMPOWERMENT PROJECT AMONG SEVERAL NONPROFITS, INCLUDING THE LONG BEACH NAACP, CCEJ, LONG BEACH FORWARD, AND A HUNDRED BLACK MEN AND WORDS TO VISION. AND WE COME HERE TODAY. THE PURPOSE OF US COMING TO YOU TODAY IS TO HONOR THE RICH HISTORY AND ENDURING INFLUENCE OF GOSPEL MUSIC AND TO BRING TOGETHER NONPROFITS, CIVIC LEADERS, AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS IN A UNIFIED EFFORT TO EDUCATE, EMPOWER, AND UPLIFT THE PEOPLE OF LONG BEACH. THIS GOSPEL BRUNCH IS OUR INITIAL LAUNCH OF A YEAR LONG OR AN ANNUAL EFFORT AMONG THESE NONPROFITS. AND THROUGH THIS COLLABORATION, WE ARE NOT ONLY PRESERVING THE CULTURAL LEGACY OF GOSPEL MUSIC, BUT ALSO CHANNELING ITS SPIRIT OF HOPE AND PERSEVERANCE INTO TANGIBLE OPPORTUNITIES FOR OUR COMMUNITY, INCLUDING SCHOLARSHIPS FOR STUDENTS PURSUING HOSPITALITY, TOURISM, AND STEAM FIELDS. AND IT WILL ALSO SUPPORT VITAL COMMUNITY PROGRAMS THAT ARE ALREADY CURRENTLY IN PLACE BY THESE NONPROFITS. BUT WE HOPE TO COME TOGETHER TO MAKE IT A A, A COMBINED EFFORT. SO I WANNA THANK FIRST OF ALL, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER MARY ZENDAY, WHO WAS THE FIRST ONE TO TALK TO ME ABOUT THIS. AS WELL AS COUNCIL MEMBER ROBERTO URANGA, THANK YOU FOR, UM, LISTENING TO THIS EFFORT. UM, YOUR PRESENCE AND YOUR HELP WILL HELP STRENGTHEN THIS COLLECTIVE WISDOM AND VISION. AND WITH YOUR SUPPORT, WE HOPE TO MAKE AN IMPACT THAT WILL RESONATE FAR BEYOND THE WALLS OF THE QUEEN MARY. AND WE HOPE TO BE BUILDING BRIDGES, CREATING OPPORTUNITIES AND UPLIFTING LIVES ACROSS THE GREATER LONG BEACH A COMMUNITY. BECAUSE THIS EFFORT WITH THESE PARTICULAR NONPROFITS IS ONLY THE BEGINNING. WE ARE ALSO GOING TO BE INCLUDING OTHER NONPROFITS IN THIS EFFORT ACROSS THE CITY OF LONG BEACH. AND I WANNA THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND I WANT TO THANK THE MAYOR, ESPECIALLY BECAUSE HE'S ALWAYS HAD A LISTENING EAR TO ANYTHING THAT BENEFITS THIS COMMUNITY IN LONG BEACH. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME. ALL RIGHT, THANKS LABERT. ALL RIGHT, NEXT SPEAKER IS TASHA. HI, GOOD EVENING, HONORABLE MAYOR, COUNCIL PERSONS AND CITY STAFF AND COMMUNITY. I WANNA ECHO LAVERNE ACTUALLY SAID EVERYTHING THAT I WAS SUPPOSED TO SAY. SO , I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT I LET, I LET EVERYONE KNOW THAT THIS GOSPEL BRUNCH IS EXCITING. AS LAVERNE MENTIONED, WE HAVE NONPROFITS COMING TOGETHER, UM, TO DO THIS WORK. NONPROFITS THAT HAVE HAD BOOTS ON THE GROUND, WORDS, DIVISIONS, PRODUCTIONS, A HUNDRED BLACK MEN, LONG BEACH FORWARD, CCEJ. UM, AND I KNOW I'M FORGETTING, I THINK I SAID A HUNDRED BLACK MEN, BUT IT IS GOING TO BE A PHENOMENAL EXPERIENCE SEPTEMBER THE 20TH ON BOARD OUR QUEEN MARY. AND AS A CULTURAL WORKER, UM, THAT I AM AND AN EDUCATOR THAT I AM, I'M VERY EXCITED TO SEE SO MANY DIFFERENT CULTURES AND ORGANIZATIONS COME TOGETHER. THIS IS FOR MULTI-FAITH. IT'S NOT JUST ONE BASE FAITH, BUT IT'S A TIME FOR US TO BE ABLE TO UPLIFT AND, YOU KNOW, COME TOGETHER, SHOW JOY. AND ON OUR ICONIC QUEEN MARY, THIS IS TO BE THE FIRST OF AN ANNUAL EVENT. I'M VERY EXCITED ABOUT THAT. AND ALSO EXCITED ABOUT THE SCHOLARSHIP THAT WILL BE FOR SENIORS AND COLLEGE, UM, STUDENTS. SO IF YOU HAVE SOME LONG [00:40:01] BEACH, UM, 12TH GRADERS AND COLLEGE STUDENTS, YOU CAN GO TO BLACK HISTORY LB.COM. WE CAN GET TICKETS TO THE EVENT AS WELL AS APPLY FOR THAT SCHOLARSHIP. ALL THANK YOU ALL. HAVE A GOOD EVENING. ALRIGHT, THANK YOU. ALRIGHT, UH, NEXT MEUMI. GOOD EVENING EVERYBODY. UM, MY NAME IS MEUMI NAWA AND I AM A YOUNG ARTIST WHO WORKS IN LOS ANGELES AND I'M NOT A PUBLIC SPEAKER, BUT TODAY I WANT TO BRING UP THAT ISRAEL IS COMMITTING A GENOCIDE AGAINST THE PEOPLE OF PALESTINE. AND OUR GOVERNMENT IS THE ONE THAT IS SUPPORTING THIS BY DIRECTLY ARMING ISRAEL AND BY CREATING THE BOMBS AND FUNDING THE GENOCIDE THAT IS KILLING OVER 50,000 CIVILIANS IN GAZA. AND FORGIVE ME AS MY VOICE SHAKES WHEN I SAY THIS, BUT IT IS UP TO ALL OF US AS CIVILIANS, BUT ESPECIALLY AS ELECTED OFFICIALS WHO CLAIM TO CARE ABOUT HUMANITY AND THE THINGS THAT ARE OF JUSTICE, OF FREEDOM, OF LIBERTY FOR ALL. AND I URGE YOU ALL AS ELECTED MEMBERS TO USE YOUR VOICES TO SPEAK UP ON THESE ISSUES. THAT IS ONE OF THE GREATEST STAINS ON OUR HISTORY IN HUMANITY. AND IS NOT, IT'S NOT MY ROLE TO BE SPEAKING UP ABOUT THIS. IT IS YOUR ROLE AS GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS TO USE YOUR POLITICAL LEVERAGE TO SPEAK UP ON THE ISSUES AND TO CHALLENGE OUR GOVERNMENT TO END THIS GENOCIDE, TO STOP FUNDING THIS GENOCIDE AND TO HELP THE PEOPLE OF PALESTINE TO BE FREE. SO PLEASE, I URGE YOU ALL IN WHATEVER WAY YOU CAN, EVERY SINGLE PERSON IN THIS ROOM TO USE YOUR VOICES TO SPEAK UP, TO NOT BE SILENT. AS I AM HERE TODAY, I CAME HERE STRAIGHT FROM A PROTEST IN FRONT OF THE ISRAELI CONSULATE WHO IS DIRECTLY FACILITATING THIS GENOCIDE. AND IF YOU HAVEN'T DONE ANYTHING SO FAR, WHAT WILL YOU TELL YOUR GRANDCHILDREN, YOUR CHILDREN WHO LOOK BACK ON THIS TIME IN OUR HISTORY WHEN THEY ASK YOU WHAT YOU DID TO STOP THIS? BECAUSE A THREAT TO JUSTICE ANYWHERE IS A THREAT TO JUSTICE EVERYWHERE. AND WE ALL NEED TO DO SOMETHING. WE ALL CAN. SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH. ALRIGHT, THANK YOU FOR YOUR TESTIMONY. NEXT IS KATHLEEN. HELLO. THANK YOU FOR LISTENING TODAY. UH, WONDERFUL COUNCIL MEMBERS, I COMMEND ALL OF YOU FOR GREAT NEWSLETTERS, WEBSITE, GO LONG BEACH, UM, AND LIBRARIES THAT DO A GOOD JOB OF CONNECTING CITIZENS TO THE RESOURCES THAT ARE HERE. AND UM, BUT IN GOING THROUGH THE WEBSITE MYSELF, I'VE HAD CHALLENGES AS I'VE REPORTED BEFORE AND I'M HOPING I JUST LEARNED ABOUT THIS AWESOME EVENT. IS IT POSSIBLE THAT WE HAVE A CAROUSEL ON THE WEBSITE? SO THESE BEAUTIFUL FLYERS THAT ARE BEING GENERATED, WE SEE THEM AND I HEAR, I DON'T KNOW IF EVER BEEN HERE IS STAY TILL 1:00 AM TO HEAR ALL THE WONDERFUL ANNOUNCEMENTS AND I'M TRYING LIKE WRITE 'EM DOWN, BUT I'M BARELY AWAKE. AND SO THAT'S ONE ASK IS TO PUT, I KNOW IT'S KIND OF OLD FASHIONED FOR SOME PEOPLE TO SEE A CAROUSEL, BUT I WOULD LOVE TO SEE THE BEAUTIFUL THING STREAMING BY. AND IF YOU DID THAT, YOU, I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S LEGAL, YOU LET ME KNOW. BUT YOU CAN HAVE BUSINESSES PUT THEIR BUSINESS IN THERE AND THAT'LL GENERATE REVENUE TO HELP WITH THE BIG BEAUTIFUL THING WE'RE TRYING TO DO HERE. THE BUDGET, WHICH WE'RE TALK ABOUT LATER. ALSO, UM, THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO ARE BEING LEFT OUTTA THE PROCESS HERE RIGHT NOW. UM, THEY CAN'T CALL IN. SO I'M ASKING IF WE, WE CAN HAVE A CALL IN NUMBER FOR THIS. UH, IT'S GREAT YOU HAVE IT ONLINE, BUT THERE'S NO WAY FOR PEOPLE WHO HAVE TO STAY HOME TO CALL IN AND GIVE THEIR 2 CENTS. UM, AND THANK YOU FOR HAVING IT SO YOU CAN DO IT ONLINE, BUT I'LL TELL YOU, NOT EVERYONE CAN GET ON THERE AND DO THE BUBBLE AND PUT THEIR COMMENTS IN. ALSO WHAT WOULD BE HELPFUL, MAYBE YOU'RE DOING IT AND I DON'T KNOW, IS THERE A TRANSCRIPT OF THIS MEETING? I SEE IT THERE, BUT IS THERE A SPIT OUT SOMEWHERE THAT I COULD SEE? HOW DID I SOUND OR HOW DID IT END UP ALSO, UM, [00:45:01] WE'RE LOOKING FOR AS A CITIZEN AND A GROUP, A COALITION, A 24 HOUR COMMUNITY CARE LINE. I DON'T WANNA CALL 9 1 1 TO TAKE CARE OF SOMEONE IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD. IT'S TOO SCARY. I SAW TODAY ON TV A NAKED WOMAN FREAKING OUT AND THEY WERE SURROUNDED BY LIKE A SWAT TEAM. THAT IS, I'M SORRY, THAT'S NOT THE WAY TO RESPOND OUT A NAKED WOMAN FLIPPING OUT. UH, WE NEED A DIFFERENT APPROACH. I KNOW, I KNOW PEOPLE HERE ARE WORKING ON THAT AND I COMMEND EVERYONE FOR DOING THAT. ALSO, UM, I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THE DREAM BUDGET, WHICH IS NOT THE ONE THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, BUT THE ONE OF ALL THE ASKS THAT GOT MAYBE LEFT ON THE CHALKING BLOCK THAT WE'RE ASKED FOR SO WE CAN SEE WHAT WE ASKED FOR AND WHAT HAPPENED. AND ALSO TO SEE IF ONCE WE SEE THAT, THEN WE CAN HELP WITH THESE IDEAS AND HOW TO FUND THINGS THAT WE'RE NOT FUNDING AND WE'RE NOT ABLE TO FUND YET. UM, HAVE WE TALKED, I DRIVE DOWN THE 4 0 5 AND GUESS WHAT THE BACKS OF THE 4 0 5 SIGNS THAT TELL US WHERE TO GO, I COULD SEE SIGNAGE THERE AND YOU COULD, YOU COULD CHARGE MONEY AND GET REVENUE DURING LONG BEACH. AND THANK YOU, UM, AGAIN FOR LISTENING FOR TODAY. ALRIGHT, THANK YOU. AND OUR FINAL, FINAL SPEAKER IS SHAUNTICE JORDAN SHIK FIRST GIVING OUT TO GOD. I'M NOT A PUBLIC SPEAKER MYSELF. MY VOICE IS STRONG BUT I MEAN NO HARM. IT'S JUST WHO I AM. UM, I JUST WANTED TO BRING UP THE, UM, THE VOTE THAT YOU DID ON DISTRICT NINE ABOUT THE BEAUTIFICATION. MY, MY CONCERN IS SORT OF ABOUT, WELL IT IS ABOUT BEAUTIFICATION. I LIVE RIGHT AT THE SEVEN 10 ON RAMP NORTHBOUND AND THEY'RE, THEY'RE, IT'S REALLY GETTING SCARY 'CAUSE THEY KEEP CLOSING IT IN AND THEY'RE NOT FIXING IT. I JUST WOULD LIKE TO SEE, IS THERE ANY WAY POSSIBLE WITHIN THAT BUDGET THAT WE ARE GONNA FIX THE FREEWAY. FINALLY, I'VE BEEN IN MY HOUSE RIGHT THERE FOR 25 YEARS AND IT'S JUST GETTING WORSE. AND EVEN THE OFF RAMP AT SIXTH STREET COMING OFF THE FREEWAY, IT'S MORE NARROW. THERE'S NO LIGHTING, THERE'S NOTHING. AND IT'S SCARY. ESPECIALLY AT NIGHT IF I HAVE TO GO OUT AND DRIVE THE WHOLE SEVENTH STREET PAVEMENT, IT'S ALL BROKEN UP FOREVER. IT NEVER GETS TO THIS END OF FROM ATLANTIC TO THE FREEWAY. IT'S ALL BAD. I HAVE A VINTAGE CAR, 21 YEARS LOOKING GOOD AND I COULD BARELY PULL HER OUT. MY UH, MY CROSSFIRE DON'T DESERVE THIS , I WANNA PULL IT OUT. IT'S CLASSIC AND IT'S JUST THAT WHOLE ROAD. SO JUST BEAUTIFICATION IN THE AREA OF DISTRICT ONE. I'M RIGHT AT FIFTH AND DAISY, I'VE SENT EMAILS TO YOU TO RICHARDSON, OUR MAYOR AND PUBLIC WORKS AND EVERYWHERE ELSE. 'CAUSE I DON'T REALLY KNOW WHO I'M SUPPOSED TO TALK TO. I DON'T UNDERSTAND THIS POLITICAL STUFF. I JUST KNOW WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO SEE IN OUR ENVIRONMENT. AT LEAST WHERE I LIVE, I'M DOING WHAT I CAN. AND THE OTHER THING IS THE LANDSCAPE OUTSIDE ON CITY PROPERTY. THEY SAID I, THE HOMEOWNER NEEDS TO BE RESPONSIBLE, BUT IF I FIX IT HOW I THINK IT SHOULD LOOK, YOU MIGHT NOT LIKE THAT. IT IS DROUGHT TOLERANT, BUT IT'S ARTIFICIAL TURF. IT MATCHES MY YARD, IT'S IN FRONT OF MY HOUSE, BUT I DIDN'T GET THE APPROVAL. I ASKED FOR IT IN WRITING. SO IT STILL LOOKS A HOT MESS RIGHT THERE THAT SOMEONE PLANT ALLOWED. UM, ONE OF THE NEIGHBORS WHO HAD THEIR HOME MOVED ON THE BLOCK RIGHT THERE WHO WORKED FOR THE CITY TO PLANT A TREE IN FRONT OF MY HOUSE BUT DO NO LANDSCAPE AROUND THAT TREE. BUT YET THEY WANT ME TO BE RESPONSIBLE. THEY SAY IT'S MY RESPONSIBILITY. HOW IS CITY PROPERTY MY RESPONSIBILITY? IF I CAN'T DO WHAT I NEED TO DO, I NEED HELP SOMEBODY, PLEASE HELP ME ON THAT. AND I'M STILL LOOKING FOR GAINFUL EMPLOYMENT RIGHT HERE WHERE I LIVE. 'CAUSE I LIKE TO WORK WHERE I LIVE AND I MEAN GAINFUL EMPLOYMENT. AND THAT'S ALL I WANNA SAY. IS THERE ANY COMMENTS, QUESTIONS, CONCERNS? ALL RIGHT, SHANTE, SO I HAVE, SO REACH OUT. YOU ASKED THE RIGHT QUESTION, WHO SHOULD YOU BE TALKING TO? YEP. SO I'M GONNA HAVE, UH, PAUL, MY CHIEF, MY, UM, ALMOST GAVE HIM A PROMOTION. UH, PAUL, MY POLICY DIRECTOR , UH, CONNECT YOU WITH, WE'LL FIND OUT WHAT COUNCIL DISTRICT YOU'RE IN. I'M IN DISTRICT ONE WITH, OKAY, SO WE'LL, WE'LL MAKE SURE YOU ALL CONNECT. UM, PAUL, IF YOU CAN JUST CONNECT HER WITH THE RIGHT FOLKS. THANK YOU SO MUCH. WE'LL MUCH YOU IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION. THANKS SHANTE. BLESS YOU. THAT CONCLUDES, UH, GENERAL PUBLIC COMMENT. NOW WE'LL GO TO HEARING ITEM 20, THE BUDGET HEARING REPORT FROM FINANCIAL [20. 25-56187 Recommendation to conduct a Budget Hearing to receive and discuss an overview of the Proposed Fiscal Year 2026 Budget for the departments of Public Works; Economic Development; Parks, Recreation and Marine; Library, Arts, and Culture; and Technology and Innovation. (Citywide)       Office or Department: Financial Management         Suggested Action: Approve recommendation. ] MANAGEMENT RECOMMENDATION TO CONDUCT A BUDGET HEARING TO RECEIVE AND DISCUSS AN OVERVIEW OF THE PROPOSED FISCAL YEAR 2026 BUDGET FOR THE DEPARTMENTS OF PUBLIC WORKS, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, PARKS, RECREATION AND MARINE LIBRARY, ARTS AND CULTURE AND TECHNOLOGY AND INNOVATION CITYWIDE. ALL RIGHT, SO WE ARE, THIS IS OUR CONTINUED BUDGET HEARING. THERE ARE FIVE DEPARTMENTS TO HEAR FROM TODAY. THAT MEANS THIS IS GONNA BE A VERY LONG HEARING, VERY [00:50:01] LONG HEARING TODAY. SO WE'RE GONNA DO A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT. WE'RE GONNA DO PUBLIC COMMENT FIRST. LET THE FOLKS WHO ARE HERE SPEAK THEN WE'RE GONNA DO THREE DEPARTMENTS, LET THE COUNCIL GET THEIR, UH, QUESTIONS IN AND THEN WE'LL TAKE A BREAK AND COME BACK AND DO TWO ADDITIONAL SO EVERYBODY'S FRESH. BUT WE'RE GONNA START UP BECAUSE THE LAST FEW TIMES THE PRESENTATIONS WENT SO LATE THAT SOME OF THE YOUTH HAD TO LEAVE. SO WE'RE GONNA PUT PUBLIC COMMENT FIRST. SO LET'S TEE UP PUBLIC COMMENT. WE HAVE 52 MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC SIGNED UP TO SPEAK. UH, THIS IS PUBLIC COMMENT ON THE BUDGET. UM, I'M GONNA READ THE FIRST 10. UM, ROLANDO CRUZ. I'M GONNA READ THE FIRST 20. ROLANDO CRUZ, UH, JANET HUNT, ALISON BRUSO, GRISELDA SUAREZ, UH, REVEREND JENNIFER T TFL. UH, FRED KUSHNER, MARIA R SKY FIELD, IRMA, FERRIERA LOU, BECKY DENISON, MARK DAVISON, ALLEN KAT, SANTA CRUZ, FERNANDO, CRYSTAL NUNEZ, SHANNON POS, UH, DENISE TAPIA, UM, ROMEO HIRAN AND PAX, UH, MARQUEZ. SO FIRST UP IS ROLANDO, AFTER ROLANDO IS JANET ROLANDO, COME ON DOWN. GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS ROLANDO AND I THOUGHT I HAD THREE MINUTES BUT I GUESS WE HAVE ONE. UM, I'LL GO BRIEF. TWO YEARS AGO I ACCEPTED A POSITION ON THE MEASURE A CITIZENS ADVISORY COMMITTEE THINKING IT WOULD BE NICE TO BE PART OF THE PROCESS AND GET A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF HOW OUR MEASURE A DOLLARS ARE BEING SPENT. IN 2016, WE ORIGINALLY VOTED FOR A 10 YEAR 1% SALES TAX TO FIX OUR INFRASTRUCTURE PROBLEM. IT HAS NOW BEEN EXTENDED PERMANENTLY. SO I'M NOT GONNA TALK ABOUT THE RECOMMENDATION 'CAUSE THE COMMITTEE HAS MADE A RECOMMENDATION AND SENT IT TO COUNCIL. UH, AND YOU HAVE THAT BEFORE YOU AND IT INCLUDES A LOT OF EXHIBITS AS TO WHAT WE'VE DONE. BUT I'LL JUST SAY THAT FOR THE FIRST YEAR I JUST LISTENED AND ASKED A LOT OF QUESTIONS. UH, THE SECOND YEAR I WAS ELECTED AS CHAIR AND THEN WE STARTED GOING THROUGH THE PROCESS AND I ASKED AT THE VERY BEGINNING FROM STAFF THAT WE WOULD LIKE TO BE PART OF THE PROCESS AND UNDERSTAND MEASURE A AS IT GROWS. WE STARTED OFF WITH A WORKSHOP, WENT THROUGH IN THE END IT'S NOT BEEN FUN AND A LOT OF ROADBLOCKS HAVE BEEN DROPPED OFF AND IT'S JUST AMAZING AS A CHAIR OF ADVISORY THAT WE CAN, WE HAVE TO COME TO PUBLIC COMMENT TO PRESENT INFORMATION. THANK YOU. WELL, WE RECEIVED YOUR LETTER AND WE CAN MAKE SOME TIME TO TO TO MEET AND TALK, BUT THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE. NEXT SPEAKER, PLEASE, JANET. GOOD E GOOD EVENING. ALRIGHT. MY NAME IS JANAE HUNT AND I AM A BOARD MEMBER WITH THE ARTS COUNCIL FOR LONG BEACH. OUR MISSION HAS ALWAYS BEEN ROOTED IN ACCESS AND EQUITY. EVERY NEIGHBORHOOD DESERVES CREATIVITY AND CULTURAL CONNECTION. WE HAVE CONTINUED TO HEAR ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF SUSTAINING PROGRAMS THAT SERVE YOUTH, FAMILIES, AND VULNERABLE COMMUNITIES. THE ARTS ARE A VITAL PART OF THAT SAME CONVERSATION. THEY BRING SAFETY, HEALING, AND CONNECTION THROUGH CREATIVITY. WE THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT AND LOOK FORWARD TO YOUR CONTINUED INVESTMENT IN ARTS LONG BEACH SO THAT EQUITY IS NOT JUST A PRINCIPLE, BUT A PRACTICE ACROSS LONG BEACH. THANK YOU. ALRIGHT, THANK YOU. NEXT IS ALLISON. HELLO, GOOD EVENING EVERYONE. MY NAME IS ALLISON BRULE HOP. I'M THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF RANCHO LOS CERRITOS AND I AM JOINED BY TIM ROBERTS WHO IS THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF RANCHO LOS ALAMITOS. WE ARE PART OF THE CITY'S BUDGET AND ARE SO HAPPY TO BE PART OF THE FABRIC OF THE CITY. WE DO HAVE TO SAY THOUGH THAT WITHIN THE PARKS AND RECS BUDGET WE HAVE HAD A STANDING CITY MANAGEMENT FEE, WHICH WAS GENEROUS AND WE'RE VERY HAPPY FOR IT. HOWEVER, IT HAS BEEN THE EXACT SAME FEE SINCE 2014. AND SO WE ARE ASKING THE CITY TO RECOGNIZE HOW MUCH THE RANCHOS DO FOR THE CITY, HOW IMPORTANT WE ARE AND HOW MUCH IT TAKES TO UPKEEP THESE RANCHOS. AND SO WE'RE ASKING FOR THE CITY COUNCIL SUPPORT SO IT TO INCREASE OUR CITY MANAGEMENT FEES. SO IT GOES WITH THE COST OF LIVING AND HOW MUCH IT TAKES TO RUN THE RANCHOS. SO WE THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION AND THANK YOU VERY MUCH. ALRIGHT, THANK YOU FOR YOUR TESTIMONY. NEXT SPEAKER, PLEASE. GRISELDA BUENA. I AM, UH, GRIS LAS SUAREZ, THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE ARTS COUNCIL FOR LONG BEACH. GOOD EVENING, MAYOR RICHARDSON, COUNCIL MEMBER CITY MANAGER TOM MOCA STAFF. UM, I WANT TO BEGIN BY THANKING THE CITY FOR THE THOUGHTFUL FRAMEWORK YOU CREATED TO EXPAND THE LIBRARY ARTS AND CULTURE DEPARTMENT OVER THE COMING YEARS. WE LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING TOGETHER TO BRING THIS VISION TO LIFE IN WAYS THAT REFLECT CREATIVITY, DIVERSITY, [00:55:02] AND THE VOICES OF OUR COMMUNITY. AS YOU CONSIDER THIS NEW DEPARTMENT AND ITS ROLE IN OUR COMMUNITY, PLEASE CONTINUE LOOKING AT THE WAYS THAT YOU CAN CONTINUE TO INVEST IN THE ARTS COUNCIL. OUR WORK DIRECTLY SUPPORTS ARTISTS, ORGANIZATIONS, NEIGHBORHOODS ACROSS ALL OF LONG BEACH. UH, THIS NEW DIRECTION FOR LIBRARY ARTS AND CULTURE DEPARTMENT AFFIRMS, UM, OUR PLACE AS A PLACE OF LITERACY, CULTURE AND CREATIVITY. AND WE THANK YOU FOR THIS VISION IN THE FUTURE. THANKS, GRISELDA. NEXT, UH, REVEREND JENNIFER. GOOD EVENING, UH, HONORABLE MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEMBERS. I AM CLERGY IN COMMUNITY AT FIRST CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH OF LONG BEACH LOCATED IN DISTRICT ONE AND I'M HERE TO SUPPORT THE ALLOCATION OF $2 MILLION FOR THE TENANT RIGHT TO COUNCIL PROGRAM. $400,000 FOR THE LONG BEACH COMMUNITY LAND TRUST AND A STRUCTURAL $2.2 MILLION FOR THE LONG BEACH JUSTICE FUND. MY FAITH INSTRUCTS ME TO CARE FOR THE VULNERABLE WHERE I WORK AND LIVE. YESTERDAY ANOTHER CAR WASH WAS RATED THE THIRD IN TWO WEEKS AS ONE EMPLOYEE SAID THIS IS THE NEW NORM. IF THIS IS THE NEW NORM, THEN THE CITY HAS AN OPPORTUNITY TO RESPOND WITH A BUDGET AND LEGISLATION THAT WILL SUPPORT THOSE IN OUR COMMUNITY WHO FACE FEAR GOING TO WORK EVERY DAY AND FOR THE FAMILIES WHO ARE LEFT TO CARRY ON A BUDGET REFLECTS THE VALUES OF A COMMUNITY. AND I ENCOURAGE YOU TO BE A MODEL FOR THE LOS ANGELES BASIN AND COMMUNITIES NATIONWIDE IN CARING FOR OUR NEIGHBORS. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. THANK YOU. NEXT IS FRED. NEXT IS FRED KUSHNER, THEN MARIA R THANK YOU FOR GIVING US THE OPPORTUNITY. AND I SPENT SATURDAY AT A LEADERSHIP RETREAT FOR THE CHURCH, THE UNITARIAN CHURCH OF LONG BEACH, WHERE 21 OF THEM US WITH MANY OPINIONS. BUT ONE THING WE WERE UNITED ON, WE WANTED MEASURE A TO BE IMPLEMENTED AND I DON'T HAVE ANY WRECKS AND OTHER PEOPLE RE LEAVING THAT, BUT I SPENT ALMOST THREE MONTHS, FIVE, SIX DAYS CANVASSING FOR MEASURE A AND EVERYBODY I KNOW WANTED SOMETHING BETTER. ALMOST EVERYBODY. AND I KNOW WHAT IT'S LIKE NOT TO BE HOUSED. I KNOW WHAT ALL THE THINGS THAT REVEREND JENNIFER SAID I'M FOR. I KNOW WHAT IT'S LIKE TO GO TO A COURTROOM AND NOT BE REPRESENTATIVE. THAT IS A VERY LONELY TIE. SO WE NEED THESE THINGS AND I APPRECIATE THE WORK THAT EVERYBODY'S DOING. 'CAUSE HOUSING IS A HUMAN RIGHT. LEGAL REPRESENTATION IN A COURT. YOU NEED IT. OTHERWISE YOU FEEL LIKE I SAID VERY ALONE. THANK YOU. ALRIGHT, THANK YOU. NEXT IS MARIA R THEN SKY FIELD. HELLO. GOOD EVENING COUNCIL. I'M FROM DISTRICT SIX. I'M HERE TO DEMAND YOU GUYS TO INVEST IN THE $2.2 MILLION FOR THE LONG BEACH JUSTICE FUND. THE RECENT ICE RATES HITTING OUR CITY JUST A FEW WEEKS AGO AT THE TWO CAR WASHES AND THE STAGING ATTEMPTS OF ANOTHER ONE, LITERALLY YESTERDAY ON LABOR DAY AT HOME DEPOT SHOULD DEMONSTRATE THE IMPORTANCE AND THE NEED OF THIS INVESTMENT. THE LONG BEACH JUSTICE FUND WILL PROVIDE SERVICES TO AVOID REMOVAL PROCEEDINGS THROUGH YOU ORT VISAS AND MOST IMPORTANTLY IT WOULD PROVIDE LEGAL REPRESENTATION. THIS REPRESENTATION CAN BE THE CRUCIAL POINT, STAYING WITH LOVED ONES OR FACING DEPORTATION. I DON'T WANT EYES TO BE PRESENT IN MY CITY NO MORE. IT NEEDS TO STOP AND WE KNOW IT WILL NOT UNLESS THERE'S ACTION. THE MOMENT AND SILENCES AND THE ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF WHAT'S HAPPENING IS NOT ENOUGH ANYMORE. THE COUNCIL HAS A DUTY TO PROTECT THE PEOPLE IN THE CITY IS WHY YOU GUYS ARE UP THERE. DO THE RIGHT THING AND INVEST IN THE COMMUNITY. WE WANT THE $2.2 MILLION IN FUNDING. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER PLEASE. SKY AFTER SKY IS IRMA. HELLO. I'M NOT GONNA WASTE YOUR TIME. I WANT YOU TO LISTEN TO YOUR COMMUNITY. WE WANT 2.2 FOR THE JUSTICE FUND, 2 MILLION FOR EVICTION DEFENSE AND 400 K FOR THE COMMUNITY LAND TRUST. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. NEXT IS IRMA. AFTER IRMA IS LOU, IS IRMA HERE? UM, OKAY. IF NO, IRMA THEN LOU IS NEXT. ARE YOU LOU? OH, YOU IRMA. YEAH. OKAY. IRMA, YOU'RE UP. THANK YOU. WHEN I STARTED. OKAY. GOOD AFTERNOON, CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS. MY NAME IS I FERRERA. I'M PART OF THE GROUP OF LONG BEACH FOR JUST ECONOMY, LIVING IN LONG BEACH, UH, DISTRICT ONE AND NINE FOR ALMOST 30 [01:00:01] YEARS. TODAY I'D LIKE TO REMIND YOU THAT OVER 30,000 UNDOCUMENTED RESIDENTS LIVE IN LONG BEACH AND MANY OF THEM, EVEN THOUGH POSSESS A MIGRATORY STATUS, ARE LIVING IN FEAR OF BEING SEPARATED FROM THEIR FAMILIES. WE'VE BEEN OBSERVING HOW THE ICE AGENTS ARE CONSTANTLY FRIGHTENED THE COMMUNITY. WE'VE BEEN OBSERVING HOW THE ICE AGENTS ARE CONSTANTLY FRAMED THE COMMUNITY. EVER SINCE UH, 2018, THE JUSTICE FUND HAS PLAYED A FUNDAMENTAL PART, UH, IN ASSISTING THE COMMUNITY WITH DIFFERENT MIGRATORY PROCESSES AND DEPORTATION CASES SO THAT WE DON'T HAVE TO GO THROUGH THIS ALONE. ALSO, MANY OF THESE PEOPLE ARE, UH, BEING EVICTED AND ARE CONFRONTED WITH HOMELESSNESS LONG BEACH. THEREFORE, I'M HERE TO ADVOCATE, UH, THAT YOU VOTE IN FAVOR TO ALLOCATE 2.2 MILLION FOR THE JUSTICE FUND, $2 MILLION FOR EVICTION DEFENSE AND 400 K FOR THE COMMUNITY LAND TRUST. HENCE, AS A MIGRANT COMMUNITY, WE ARE IN NEED OF LEGAL ASSISTANCE AND THE OPPORTUNITY OF LIVING WITHOUT FEAR. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. ALRIGHT, UH, NEXT IS LOU, THEN BECKY. HI, MY NAME IS LOU ROSEN. I'M HERE BECAUSE I'M TRULY PERPLEXED THE CITY IS NOT CHOSEN TO FUND THE LONG BEACH JUSTICE FUND IN THE YEAR WHEN WE NEED IT MOST. IF THE CITY DOESN'T TAKE ADVANTAGE TO GIVE THE JUSTICE FUND THE 2.2 MILLION THAT THE COMMUNITY IS CLEARLY ASKING FOR, IT'S A SLAP IN THE FACE TO THE IMMIGRANT COMMUNITY AND IT'S A SIGN THAT THE CITY DOES NOT INTEND TO TAKE ANY MEANINGFUL ACTION TO PROTECT OUR CITY FROM THE TERROR OF ICE. I'D LIKE TO BRING EVERYONE'S ATTENTION TO A QUOTE FROM OUR MAYOR FROM A SOCIAL MEDIA POST ON JULY 24TH OF THIS YEAR WHEN A MAN WAS KIDNAPPED BY UNIDENTIFIED MASKED AGENTS. JUST A FEW BLOCKS FROM HERE WHILE A A BUDGET PRESENTATION WAS TAKING PLACE. QUOTE, THE CITY WILL CONTINUE TO LEVERAGE ALL OF THE TOOLS AVAILABLE TO US, INCLUDING AFFIRMATIVE LITIGATION AND PUBLIC RECORDS REQUESTS TO PROTECT OUR RESIDENTS AGAINST BLATANT VIOLATIONS OF THEIR CIVIL AND AND CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS. YOU HAVE YOUR CHANCE RIGHT NOW, YOU HAVE $3 BILLION. LEVERAGE AS MANY TOOLS AS YOU LIKE. 2.2 MILLION FOR THE JUSTICE FUND. 400 K FOR THE COMMUNITY LAND TRUST. 2 MILLION FOR THE EVICTION DEFENSE FUND. THANK YOU. ALRIGHT, NEXT IS BECKY, THEN MARK. GOOD EVENING. I'M BECKY DENISON WITH LEGAL AID FOUNDATION. WE PROVIDE COMPREHENSIVE LEGAL SERVICES OUT OF FOUR SITES HERE IN LONG BEACH, REPRESENTING LOW INCOME RESIDENTS ACROSS THE CITY. I ALSO WANT TO HIGHLIGHT THE DEEP NEED FOR THE COMMUNITY'S DEMANDS FOR $400,000 FOR THE COMMUNITY LAND TRUST. $2 MILLION TO IMPLEMENT THE RIGHT TO COUNSEL AND $2.2 MILLION FOR THE HOUSING JUSTICE. I'M SORRY FOR THE IMMIGRANT JUSTICE FUND. UM, WE SEE THE DEEP NEED FOR THESE PROGRAMS EVERY SINGLE DAY. THOSE TWO ISSUES ARE THE MAIN REASON THAT ANYONE WALKS INTO LEGAL AID STORES AND WE'RE, WE JUST HAVE TO SEE EXPANSION IN THOSE PROGRAMS AS THE MULTIPLE CRISES CONTINUE. I WANNA RAISE ONE ISSUE SPECIFIC TO THE $2 MILLION THAT IS NEEDED IN NEW FUNDS FOR THE EVICTION DEFENSE PROGRAM. THE CURRENT BUDGET IS CITING ROLLOVER FUNDS THAT WILL NOT EXIST AND ONLY IS AT 1.5 MILLION, WHICH WOULD ACTUALLY MAKE THE PROGRAM CONTRACT IN THIS TIME THAT WE'RE GETTING NEW MEASURE A FUNDS AND THE NEED IS GREATER THAN EVER. SO WE HOPE THAT YOU'LL SUPPORT ALL OF THE COMMUNITY'S DEMANDS. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. NEXT IS MARK DAVIDSON. AND ALLEN. GOOD EVENING COUNCIL MEMBERS AND MAYOR RICHARDSON. UM, MY NAME IS MARK DAVIDSON AND I SERVE ON THE ARTS COUNCIL, UH, FOR LONG BEACH BOARD OF DIRECTORS. UM, BRINGING LIBRARIES ARTS CULTURAL TOGETHER REFLECTS THE DEEP CONNECTION BETWEEN LITERACY AND CREATIVITY. WE APPRECIATE THE CITY'S COMMITMENT THIS YEAR, WHICH FULLY FUNDS ARTS FOR LONG BEACH. OUR WORK COMPLIMENTS THIS NEW FRAMEWORK BY CONNECTING LOCAL ARTISTS AND CULTURAL ORGANIZATIONS DIRECTLY WITH COMMUNITIES. AND WE ARE EXCITED TO PLAY A KEY ROLE IN THIS NEW VISION. AS THE DEPARTMENT'S ROADMAP BEGINS, WE ENCOURAGE YOU TO CONTINUE INVESTING IN ARTS IN FUTURE BUDGETS SO THAT LITERACY CULTURE [01:05:01] AND CREATIVITY REMAIN LINKED AND CENTRAL TO LONG BEACH'S GROWTH. THANK YOU. ALRIGHT, THANK YOU. UH, NEXT IS ALAN AND KAT. ARE YOU KAT? I'M KAT SANTA CRUZ KAT, ARE YOU ALAN? OKAY. HELLO, I'M AN LBCC ALUMNUS STUDENT AT CAL STATE LONG BEACH AND LONG BEACH FOR JUST ECONOMY BASE MEMBER. I'M HERE TO ASK YOU TO SUPPORT THE ALLOCATION OF 2 MILLION FOR THE TENANT RIGHTS TO COUNCIL PROGRAM AND $400,000 FOR THE LONG BEACH COMMUNITY LAND TRUST, WHICH WE WORKING CLASS RESIDENTS OF LONG BEACH NEED BECAUSE WE NEED TO FIGHT DISPLACEMENT AND WE NEED LONG-TERM AFFORDABLE HOUSING. WE VOTED TO PASS MEASURE A BECAUSE WE WANT AND NEED HOUSING SECURITY FOR OURSELVES, OUR FAMILIES, AND OUR NEIGHBORS. WE WANT AND NEED SOLUTIONS TO HOMELESSNESS THAT TACKLE THE ROOT CAUSES, THE IMPOSSIBLE COST OF LIVING, AND THE SEEMINGLY OMNIPOTENT POWERS OF LANDLORDS AND BIG REAL ESTATE. I'M A FULL-TIME STUDENT AND I WORK 30 HOURS A WEEK AND I LIVE PAYCHECK TO PAYCHECK WITHOUT THIS BUDGET. IF MY LANDLORD DECIDES TO SELL THE BUILDING AND WE ARE EVICTED ILLEGALLY, I WILL BE HOMELESS. THIS BUDGET FOR ME, AND I'M SURE MY PEERS AND OTHERS IN THIS ROOM IS ALL TOO REAL. PLEASE SUPPORT THE BUDGET THAT THE COMMUNITY IS DEMANDING. ALRIGHT, THANK YOU. NEXT IS KAT SANTA CRUZ. AND THEN FERNANDO, HI THERE. UM, IT'S A PLEASURE TO SEE YOU ALL. IT'S MY FIRST TIME HERE. I'M A STAY AT HOME MOM. I QUIT MY JOB LAST YEAR. I USED TO WORK AT NIGHT AND THEN I WAS WITH MY DAUGHTER DURING THE DAY. SO I'M HERE TO TALK ABOUT THE LONG BEACH PUBLIC LIBRARY FUND. IT IS SO IMPORTANT. I HAD POSTPARTUM ANXIETY AND MAN, IT WAS ROUGH. I WAS WORKING AT NIGHT WITH HER DURING THE DAY AND THERE WASN'T A LOT OF SAFE FREE PLACES YOU COULD GO. SO WHEN WE MOVED TO DOWNTOWN LONG BEACH, IT WAS A NEW AREA. SOMETIMES PEOPLE LOOKED AT US LIKE, WHOA, YOU'RE MOVING THERE. UH, BUT WE DID AND WE LOVE IT. AND ONE OF THE BIGGEST PART PARTS OF IT IS OUR MAIN LIBRARY AND ESPECIALLY OUR CIVICALLY ENGAGED POPULATION DOWN HERE, INCLUDING I HEAR YOUR VOICE EVERY DAY WHEN I PARK MY CAR. REX RICHARDSON AND MARY ZEN HESS. WE LOVE YOUR EVENTS. SINCE THEN, I STARTED NOT JUST A MOM CLUB, IT'S A GROUP FOR WOMEN LIVING IN DOWNTOWN LONG BEACH, BUT ANYBODY INVOLVED IN THEIR CHILDREN'S LIVES AND THESE LIBRARIES AND ALL OF THE THINGS THAT THESE FUNDS ARE GOING TO ARE REALLY IMPORTANT. AND THE ONE PERSON WHO ASKED ME IF I WAS OKAY WHEN I WAS IN POSTPARTUM ANXIETY WAS A LIBRARIAN. HIS NAME WAS ERIC AND HE WAS AT THE LONG BEACH PUBLIC LIBRARY. THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANKS FOR YOUR TESTIMONY. ALL RIGHT, NEXT IS FERNANDO RY NUNEZ. GOOD EVENING MAYOR AND COUNCIL. MY NAME IS PDO COMMUNITY LAWYER WITH RA. UM, AND BEFORE YOU ALL TODAY AGAIN TO ASK FOR 2.2 MILLION IN NEW CITY DOLLARS TO SUPPORT THE LONG BEACH JUSTICE FUND. UM, IF WE TRULY WANT TO PROTECT OUR AMERICAN COMMUNITY FROM FAMILY SEPARATIONS, UH, AND IN HUMANE FEDERAL PRACTICES, THE MINIMUM TO MEET THIS ASK IS TO ENSURE FOLKS WHO NEED LEGAL SUPPORT CAN GET IT FOR FREE. UM, OTHERWISE LONG BEACH IS TRULY A LEGAL DESERT. THERE'S NO ACCESS TO, UM, UH, FREE LEGAL SUPPORT AND FOR A LOT OF OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS IN ORDER TO GET THEIR OWN PRIVATE ATTORNEYS JUST BEYOND THEIR FINANCIAL MEANS. AND SO IT'S TRULY ESSENTIAL THAT THE CITY, UM, INCREASES FUNDS TO LONG BEACH JUSTICE FUND. THE LONGER WE WAIT, THE MORE LONG BEACH IMMIGRANT FAMILIES ARE GOING TO CONTINUE TO BE IMPACTED WITHOUT INCREASING THE LONG BEACH JUSTICE FUND'S CAPACITY TO MEET THEIR GROWING NEED. UM, AND ALSO SHARING MY SUPPORT FOR AN ALLOCATION OF TWO POINT, UH, 2 MILLION FOR THE TENANT RIGHT TO COUNCIL PROGRAM AND 400,000 FOR THE LONG BEACH COMMUNITY LAND TRUST. THANK YOU ALL. THANK YOU. NEXT IS CRYSTAL, THEN SHANNON. HELLO. GOOD EVENING. UM, I'M HERE TO SUPPORT FOR THE 2 MILLION JUSTICE FUND TO HELP THE VULNERABLE, WHICH IS THE UNDOCUMENTED RIGHT NOW. UM, THE ICE RATES CONTINUE WITHIN THE CITY. UM, I'VE BEEN IN TOUCH WITH A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT ARE AFFECTED BY IT. UM, IN SHORT, I'M JUST HERE TO SUPPORT. OKAY, THANK YOU. THANK YOU. NEXT IS SHANNON AND THEN DENISE. HI, I AM SHANNON PASKY. I LIVE IN MEGAN KERZ, UH, DISTRICT IN CAL HEIGHTS. CRYSTAL AND I ARE NEIGHBORS. UM, I'M HERE TO SPEAK UP ABOUT THE LONG BEACH JUSTICE FUND. UM, I, THE, I JUST WANNA SPEAK TO THE THINGS THAT HAVEN'T BEEN SPOKEN ABOUT YET. I, I APPRECIATE YOUR WORDS THAT YOU'VE COME OUT MAYOR AND SAID THAT THESE RAIDS ARE ILLEGAL, THEY'RE IMMORAL. APPRECIATE THAT. I HAVEN'T HEARD THAT FROM OTHER COUNCIL MEMBERS, BUT MAYBE, YOU KNOW, MAYBE I HAVEN'T SEEN IT, BUT I WOULD LOVE TO HEAR THAT FROM OTHER COUNCIL MEMBERS. UM, I WANNA SPEAK TO THE ECONOMIC IMPACTS THAT ARE FELT BY SMALL BUSINESSES DUE TO THESE RAIDS. CRYSTAL AND I DID SOME CANVASSING IN NEIGHBORHOODS, UH, UP ALONG ANAHEIM, DOWN PACIFIC. AND WE TALKED TO THOSE SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS AND THEY WERE VERY UPSET ABOUT THE LACK OF BUSINESS THAT THE, IT'S, I SEE [01:10:01] SOME OF YOU SHAKING YOUR HEADS, YOU KNOW, THAT SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS, IT'S WENT, YOU KNOW, YOU CAN HAVE A BAD MONTH OR TWO AND THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN. SO, UM, I THINK IT'S VERY IMPORTANT THAT WE PUT OUR MONEY WHERE OUR MOUTH IS AND AND SUPPORT, UM, WORKING FAMILIES. IT'S VERY IRONIC THAT ON LABOR DAY YOUR TIME THERE WAS JUST SOME CAR WASH WORKERS WHO WERE STOLEN. THESE ARE WORKING FAMILIES. MA'AM, YOUR TIME'S CONCLUDED. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. ALRIGHT, DENISE AND THEN ROMEO, DENISE, ROMEO AND PACELLI. HELLO, MY NAME IS DENISE. I AM COMMUNITY ORGANIZER WITH . UM, OVER THE COURSE OF THIS BUDGET SEASON, WE'VE HAD DOZENS OF COMMUNITY MEMBERS COME TO THIS PODIUM UNDER REQUEST THAT THIS COUNCIL FUND THE PROGRAM'S MOST IMPORTANT TO THEM. UM, WE HOPE YOU'VE HEARD THE REQUEST AND WE'LL ALLOCATE 2.2 MILLION IN NEW INSTRUCTIONAL MONEY TO THE LONG BEACH JUSTICE FUND. 400,000 TO THE COMMUNITY LAND TRUST, AND 2 MILLION FOR THE TENANTS RIGHT TO COUNCIL PROGRAM. UM, I ALSO WANNA ASK THAT YOU GIVE THE BLACK INFANT HEALTH PROGRAM THE FULL 450,000 THAT THEY NEED TO CONTINUE THEIR ESSENTIAL WORK. THANK YOU SO MUCH. BEFORE YOU BEGIN, I'M GONNA CALL THE NEXT BATCH OF SPEAKERS. SO AFTER ROMEO AND PACELLI, VENICE MAG NAKAZAWA, UH, ERIC GARCIA, ANDRE DONATO, JOSH DELEON, AND ANNA MENEZ MICHELLE ROMO, JOHN ER, EWER, UM, UH, MARIA DOLORES AND, AND GANO. UM, CARLA TRX, GREGORY JOHNSON, ALLISON RUSOF, SEAN RILEY, UH, UH, WHIZ, UH, AWES, AWES ROMO, UH, DIANA NORMAN CHRISTIAN, PETER S MING, UM, CHARLIE WYNN, MAXWELL, JOY MOORE, ARIEL WILSON, AND JENNIFER DRO. IF YOU HEARD YOUR NAME, PLEASE LINE UP. MARIO, YOU'RE UP. I MEAN, ROMEO, YOU'RE UP. THANK YOU. OKAY. GOOD EVENING. THANK YOU. UM, ROMEO, HEB BROWN, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR WITH THE FILIPINO MIGRANT CENTER, PRIMARILY SERVING, UM, RESIDENTS IN DISTRICT SEVEN. UH, FIRST ALSO WANT TO THANK, UM, THE COUNCIL AND THE MAYOR FOR, UM, TAKING INTO ACCOUNT THE, THE SUGGESTION FROM A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO SO THAT WAY COMMUNITY CAN, UM, PROVIDE THEIR COMMENT EARLIER, UM, INSTEAD OF HAVING TO SIT THROUGH ALL THE, THE BUDGET, UM, PRESENTATIONS. UM, AND SO WE HOPE THAT YOU'LL CONTINUE TO LISTEN TO THE C'S CALLS AND OUR CALLS, UH, FOR 2.2 MILLION FOR THE JUSTICE FUND, AS WELL AS, UH, UM, 2 MILLION FOR THE EVICTION DEFENSE AND 400,000 FOR PERMANENT AFFORDABLE HOUSING THROUGH THE COMMUNITY LAND TRUST. UM, ALL OF THESE ARE, UH, VERY MUCH NEEDED RIGHT NOW AT THIS TIME, AND, UH, WE HOPE THAT, YOU KNOW, THROUGH YOUR ACTIONS, UM, YOU KNOW, IN VOTING FOR THE BUDGET, THAT, UM, IT'LL REALLY STAND WITH THE PEOPLE OF LONG BEACH. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MAX. PERFECT. GOOD EVENING, EVERYONE. UM, AND ALSO, UH, MAYOR RICHARDSON. THANK YOU FOR PRONOUNCING MY NAME CORRECTLY. IT HAPPENS RARELY . UM, SOMETIMES IT'S A STRUGGLE, BUT I DO TRY. BUT THANK YOU . UM, I AM HERE AS A RESIDENT OF CD FOUR TO TALK ABOUT THE LONG BEACH JUSTICE FUND. THE INVESTMENT IN THE LONG BEACH JUSTICE FUND WOULD PROVIDE SERVICES THAT HELP RESIDENTS AVOID REMOVAL PROCEEDINGS ENTIRELY THROUGH PROGRAMS LIKE YOU. ANDT VISAS FOR CRIME AND TRAFFICKING VICTIMS. AS A SERVICE PROVIDER THAT WORKED ON U VISAS, UM, FOR SEVERAL YEARS, I CAN TELL YOU FROM MY OWN PERSONAL EXPERIENCE HOW LIFE-CHANGING AND LIFESAVING THIS SERVICE, THIS IMMIGRATION RELIEF SERVICES, UH, THE FUND HAS PROVEN ITS WORTH NOW, IT NEEDS SUSTAINABLE FUNDING TO MATCH THE SCALE, UH, THE SCALE OF NEED. WE NEED 2.2 MILLION IN NEW STRUCTURAL FUNDING FOR THE LONG BEACH JUSTICE FUND TO CONTINUE TO SERVE FAMILIES THROUGHOUT LONG BEACH. THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER, PLEASE. HELLO, MY NAME IS MEGUMI AND I WANTED TO ASK YOU ALL, HAVE YOU EVER FEARED FOR YOUR LIFE OR FOR THE FEAR OF SEPARATION FROM YOUR FAMILY ON YOUR WAY TO WORK HERE OR ON YOUR WAY TO SCHOOL OR ON YOUR WAY TO THE DOCTOR? THIS IS WHAT OUR IMMIGRANT NEIGHBORS ARE EXPERIENCING EVERY SINGLE DAY AND JUST THE TRAUMA THAT IS CAUSED BY THIS FAMILY SEPARATION, CHILDREN WHO ARE BEING ABDUCTED AT SCHOOL OR AS THEY'RE WALKING THEIR DOGS SIMPLY FOR THE COLOR OF THEIR SKIN OR THEIR IMMIGRATION STATUS. SO I REALLY URGE YOU ALL TO SUPPORT THE 2.2 MILLION, UM, FUNDING FOR THE LONG BEACH JUSTICE FUND TO SUPPORT THE LEGAL SUPPORT FOR THESE FAMILIES AS THEY'RE EXPERIENCING SIGNIFICANT TRAUMA AND TERROR FROM ICE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER, PLEASE. HEY, UM, MY NAME'S ERIC GARCIA AND [01:15:01] I'M FROM, OR, AND I'M READING THIS ON BEHALF OF, UH, OUR EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, GABRIEL HERNANDEZ. UH, SHE COULDN'T BE HERE. OUR COMMUNITIES ARE BEING TERRORIZED. UH, JUST THIS PAST WEEKEND, IMMIGRATION ENFORCEMENT RATED CAR WASHES IN LONG BEACH AND AT LEAST TWO COMMUNITY MEMBERS WERE TAKEN. YOU MAY NOT FEEL THE DIRECT IMPACT OF THESE ACTIONS, BUT FOR PEOPLE LIKE US TO HIT TO THE CORE, UH, THAT'S WHY WE'RE HERE BECAUSE OUR LIVES AND OUR FAMILIES ARE BEING TAKEN. WE APPRECIATE THE EFFORTS YOU'VE MADE SO FAR, BUT WE MUST BE CLEAR THAT THEY'RE NOT ENOUGH OF THE ONE POINT, UH, 1.8 MILLION YOU'VE REFERENCED FOR THE LONG BEACH JUSTICE FUND. THE MAJORITY IS ACTUALLY CARRY OVER FROM LAST YEAR AND IS ONLY NOW HOPEFULLY BEING CONTRACTED OUT. UH, DUE TO A LOT OF VARIOUS DELAYS, UH, IN REALITY, ONLY 600,000 IS NEW FUNDING, AND THAT IS BEING OUT ALLOCATED. AND SO THE SHORTFALL OF 1.6 MILLION FROM OUR COMMUNITIES IS, UH, IS REALLY THE REQUEST HERE AS A COALITION, OUR BUDGET, OUR FUTURE, WE'VE COME TOGETHER BECAUSE THIS BUDGET ISN'T JUST ABOUT NUMBERS, IT'S ABOUT OUR FUTURE AND OUR SURVIVAL. OVER 4,000 COMMUNITY MEMBERS HAVE SENT LETTERS, WHICH WE SUBMITTED TO THE RECORD, UM, AND THESE VOICES SHOULDN'T BE IGNORED. 2.2 MILLION FOR THE JUSTICE FUND, 2 MILLION FOR EVICTION DEFENSE, AND 400,000 TO THE LONG, UH, TO THE COMMUNITY LAND TRUST. THANK YOU. ALRIGHT, THANK YOU. UH, ANDRE, AND THEN JOSH. GOOD NE, GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS ANDREA. I'M THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF LIBRE OR 60% OF LONG BEACH BORDER SUPPORT AND MEASURE A WITH THE CLEAR EXPECTATION THAT IT WILL HELP PREVENT HOMELESSNESS, EXPAND AFFORDABLE HOUSING. WE ARE GRATEFUL THAT THE CITY HAS BEGUN TO FULFILL THAT PROMISE THROUGH INVESTMENTS IN THE IN PROGRAMS LIKE THE RIGHT TO COUNCIL AND LONG-TERM HOUSING, UH, HOUSING PRESERVATION THROUGH COMMUNITY LAND TRUST. THESE INCENTIVE INITIATIVES ARE ALREADY MAKING AN IMPACT AS EXPECTED BY NATIONAL REPORTS AROUND THEIR, AROUND THE RIGHT TO COUNCIL. EVICTIONS IN LONG BEACH HAVE DECLINED, WHICH IN TURN HAS REDUCED HOMELESSNESS THANKS TO US, TO THE SUPPORT OF LONG BEACH CITY AND THE COUNTY OF LOS ANGELES. THE RIGHT TO COUNCIL PROGRAM ALONE HAS ASSISTED MORE THAN 4,500 PEOPLE. THE DATA PROVES THE PROGRAM IS WORKING. HOWEVER, WE ARE NOW DEEPLY CONCERNED THAT THE FUTURE OF, OF ITS FUTURE GROWTH, WHEN THE COUNTY SHIFTED ITS FOCUS TO UNINCORPORATED AREAS OF LA LONG BEACH SHARE OF THE PROGRAM FUNDING WAS SIGNIFICANTLY REDUCED. WITHOUT ADDITIONAL RESOURCES, THE PROGRAM CANNOT SUSTAIN THE LEVELS OF SUCCESS WE HAVE SEEN. IT IS NOW UP TO THE CITY OF LONG BEACH TO HONOR ITS COMMITMENTS TO THE VOTERS. WE ORDER TO ALLOCATE $2 MILLION FOR MEASURE A REVENUES TO THE RIGHT TO COUNCIL PROGRAM. THIS INVESTMENT WILL NOT ONLY CON, MA'AM, YOUR TIME'S CONCLUDED. THANK YOU. ALRIGHT, NEXT IS JOSH, THEN ANNA. MY NAME IS JOSH DE LEON. I'M LEAD ORGANIZER FOR LONG BEACH FOR JUST ECONOMY AND LANE AND A LONG BEACH RESIDENT BORN AND RAISED. AND TODAY I RISE WITH OUR PARTNERS AT ORLE LIBRE AND THE OUR BUDGET, OUR FUTURE COALITION TO REPRESENT NOT JUST MY ORGANIZATION, BUT OUR COMBINED BASE OF WORKERS, RENTERS, AND IMMIGRANTS WHO MAKE UP THE MAJORITY IN OUR BEAUTIFUL CITY. THIS INCLUDES THE OVER 4,500 COMMUNITY MEMBERS WHO HAVE SIGNED ONTO THIS LETTER, AND THAT INCLUDES THE COMMUNITY MEMBERS WHO COULD NOT BE HERE TODAY. EVERY PERSON I GREW UP WITH WHO COULD NOT STAY IN LONG BEACH DUE TO UNAFFORDABILITY AND RISING RENTS, EVERY IMMIGRANT NEIGHBOR WHO CAN'T BE HERE BECAUSE THEY'RE AFRAID TO LEAVE THEIR HOMES AND ALL THOSE WHO HAVE ALREADY BEEN RIPPED FROM OUR COMMUNITY, WE ARE CALLING FOR $2.2 MILLION IN STRUCTURAL FUNDING FOR THE JUSTICE FUND. 2 MILLION FOR TENANT RIGHT TO COUNCIL, AND 400,000 FOR THE COMMUNITY LAND TRUST. THESE TOGETHER ACCOUNT FOR 0.29%, 0.26% AND 0.05% OF THE PROPOSED GENERAL FUND EXPENDITURES FOR FY 26 COMBINED ONLY 0.6%. IN THIS MOMENT WHERE COMMUNITY IS HARMED BY DISPLACEMENT, DETENTION, DEPORTATION, WHAT ARE WE DOING TO PROTECT OUR PEOPLE? WHAT ARE WE SPENDING TO PROTECT OUR PEOPLE? TAKE THESE PROGRAMS AND INVEST IN THEM. THANK YOU. ALRIGHT, THANK YOU. NEXT IS ANNA, THEN MICHELLE. GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS ANNA MENDEZ AND I'M THE OPERATION SPECIALIST FOR ORLE. YOU, YOU ALL KNOW THAT WHAT IS BEING OFFERED RIGHT NOW IS ABSOLUTELY NOT ENOUGH FOR THE NEEDS OF OUR COMMUNITY. YOU KNOW THAT FAMILIES ARE BEING SEPARATED, EVICTED, AND THERE ARE TRULY NO RESOURCES EXCEPT THE COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS WHO ARE OUT HERE SPEAKING ON BEHALF OF OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS. I URGE YOU TO DO THE RIGHT THING AND CHOOSE TO INVEST AND PROTECT YOUR RESIDENTS. WE NEED 2.2 MILLION FOR THE LONG BEACH JUSTICE FUND. WE NEED 2 MILLION FOR EVICTION DEFENSE, AND WE NEED 400,000 FOR THE LONG BEACH COMMUNITY LAND TRUST. SHOUT OUT TO RE LIBRE LONG BEACH FOR A JUST ECONOMY AND ALL THE OTHER ORGANIZATIONS OUT HERE TOGETHER. WE ARE SO POWERFUL. THANK YOU. NEXT IS MICHELLE AFTER JOHN. MICHELLE IS JOHN. [01:20:01] GOOD EVENING MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEMBERS. MY NAME IS MICHELLE AND I'M A MEMBER OF THE LONG BEACH COMMUNITY LAND AND TRUST. I'M SPEAKING TO YOU TODAY BECAUSE OUR COMMUNITY IS IN A HOUSING CRISIS. OVER THE PAST DECADES, RENTS HAVE RISEN 20% CITYWIDE, DISPLACING FAMILIES AND PUSHING THEM OUT OF THE CITY THEY CALL HOME. WITH THE AVERAGE HOME PRICE NOW OVER 850,000. THE DREAM OF HOME OWNER OWNERSHIP IS MORE AND MORE OUT OF REACH FOR MOST RESIDENTS. WE HAVE A SOLUTION, THOUGH I URGE YOU TO INVEST 400,000 IN LONG BEACH COMMUNITY LAND TRUST. THIS INVESTMENT WILL DIRECTLY CREATE PERMANENT, AFFORDABLE HOME OWNERSHIP OPPORTUNITIES FOR FAMILIES WHO HAVE BEEN HISTORICALLY LOCKED OUT OF THE MARKET. IT'S AN INVESTMENT TO THE LONG BEACH STABILITY AND DIVERSITY OF OUR COMMUNITY. I ALSO ASK FOR YOUR SUPPORT SO THAT THEY APPROVE 2 MILLION IN DEFENSE OF RIGHTS OF TENANTS. BECAUSE AS OF, YOU KNOW, 'CAUSE BECAUSE AS YOU KNOW, A LOT OF THE PEOPLE ARE RUNNING OUT OF, ARE RUNNING OUT OF HUSBANDS AND DO NOT HAVE MONEY TO PAY RENT. THEY WANT TO EVICT THEM, WHICH IS NOT FAIR BECAUSE APART FROM THEM LOSING FAMILY MEMBERS, THEY ARE NOW AT THE RISK OF LOSING THE PLACE WHERE THEY LIVE. MA'AM, YOUR TIME'S CONCLUDED. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND CONSIDERATION. WE REALLY NEED YOUR SUPPORT. ALL RIGHT, THANK YOU. I KNOW WHEN I SAID JOHN, THERE WAS SOME CONFUSION IN THE AUDIENCE. I'M GONNA SPELL THIS LAST NAME. IT COULD BE, IT COULD BE THAT THE CLERK MADE A MISTAKE ENTERING IT IS J-O-H-N-K-E-I-S-U-E-R. IT COULD BE KEISLER, BUT THE L IS MISSING FROM THE U I'M DOING MY BEST HERE. SO THERE'S A JOHN KEISLER HERE. COME ON UP. JOHN AND SEAN. UH, BACK THERE. THOUGHT IT WAS HIM. UH, THANK YOU, UH, MAYOR, MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL. MY NAME IS JOHN KEISLER. I'M A LOCAL SMALL BUSINESS OWNER, UH, WITH OUR OFFICES AT WORLD TRADE CENTER. UM, I JUST WANTED TO, UM, THANK YOU, UH, FOR ALL OF THE SERVICE, UH, AND THE LEADERSHIP, THIS COUNCIL, UH, THESE FINE CITY STAFF AND, UM, THE BUDGET RECOMMENDATIONS, WHICH, UH, SUGGESTS THAT THERE'S GONNA BE AN INVESTMENT IN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND SMALL BUSINESS SUPPORT, UH, RETENTION AND EXPANSION. UM, UH, READING THROUGH THAT BUDGET, THIS IS ONE OF THE STRONGEST BUDGETS I'VE SEEN IN PROBABLY 20 YEARS. UM, RECOMMENDING RESOURCES FOR SMALL BUSINESSES. THEY CREATE, UH, JOBS, BUT THEY ALSO GENERATE SALES TAX. ONE OF OUR BIGGEST REVENUES FOR THE CITY, WHICH HELPS PAY FOR SO MANY OF THESE OTHER SERVICES. SO EVERY DOLLAR SPENT ON ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND SMALL BUSINESS SUPPORT LEADS TO MORE SALES TAX PRODUCTION AND HELPS TO PAY FOR MANY OF THESE RESOURCES THAT WE RELY ON. SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP. THANK YOU FOR STEPPING UP, UH, LEADING YOUR COMMUNITY AND ALSO BEING HERE FOR THE CITY OF LONG BEACH. ALL RIGHT, THANKS JOHN. ALRIGHT, NEXT IS MARIA, AND THEN CARLA RENO ROMERO. UNO. GOOD AFTERNOON EVERYBODY. UH, MY NAME IS MARIA DOLORES SANGUINO. I'M A MEMBER OF THE ORGANIZATION, ORLE AND DISTRICT ONE. WE'RE IN NEED OF BOTH LEADERSHIP, LEADERSHIP ORIGINATING FROM THE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS. THIS MEANS ALLOCATING 2.2 MILLION FOR THE JUSTICE FUND OF LONG BEACH. YOU CANNOT BE TRANSFERRING FUNDS FROM PREVIOUS YEARS. THERE SHOULDN'T BE ANY BUREAUCRATIC DELAYS. LONG BEACH. WE NEED OF A REAL INVESTMENT FOR THE PROTECTION OF OUR FAMILIES, NEIGHBORS, AND FRIENDS. PLEASE INVEST TODAY IN THE JUSTICE FUND OF LONG BEACH, LONG BEACH. I'M ALSO HERE TO SUPPORT THE ALLOCATION OF $2 MILLION FOR THE EVICTION DEFENSE PROGRAM AND 400 K FOR THE COMMUNITY LAND TRUST OF LONG BEACH. UH, OF LONG BEACH, BOTH CONTRIBUTE TO THE, UH, PREVENTION OF EVICTIONS AND THE CREATION OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING IN THE LONG RUN. WE ALL HAVE THE RIGHT OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING, THE RIGHT OF A DIGNIFIED [01:25:01] AND RESPECTABLE LIFE. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR TAKING IN CONSIDERATION MY PETITIONS. GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS CARLA TRUAX. I AM A PUBLIC HEALTH EDUCATION SPECIALIST. I'M A LONG BEACH RESIDENT AND A MEMBER OF THE COMMUNITY LAND TRUST. UM, I'M HERE TO ASK THAT THE REQUEST IS FULLY FUNDED, THE 400,000. UM, ALSO ECHO THE, THE CALLS FOR THE LONG BEACH JUSTICE FUND TO BE FULLY FUNDED AND THE TENANT RIGHT TO COUNCIL PROGRAM. UM, BACK TO THE COMMUNITY LAND TRUST. IT'S REALLY A UNIQUE, INNOVATIVE SOLUTION TO HOUSING. IT'S REALLY DISTINCT FROM OTHER, OTHER EFFORTS THAT ARE GOING ON. UM, YOU MAY KNOW ABOUT THE OTHER LAND LAND TRUSTS THAT ARE HAPPENING IN THE CITY OF LA COUNTY. SO, UM, YEAH, LONG, LONG BEACH IS IN GOOD COMPANY. UM, FUNDING, FULLY FUNDING THIS PROGRAM, UH, AND MAKING SURE THERE'S A REALLY COMMUNITY DRIVEN PROCESS AND THAT PROCESS TAKES TIME AND STAFF. SO, UM, YEAH, I, I REALLY URGE YOU TO, TO SUPPORT THESE REQUESTS. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. OH, GREGORY, FOLLOWED BY ALLISON GREGORY JOHNSON, FOLLOWED BY ALLISON . GOOD AFTERNOON. MY NAME IS GREGORY JOHNSON. I'M AN ARTS CULTURE AND MEDIA ENTREPRENEUR BASED HERE IN LONG BEACH. I'M ALSO A BOARD MEMBER OF THE ARTS COUNCIL FOR LONG BEACH, AND I'M HERE ON THEIR BEHALF. FIRST OF ALL, THANK YOU ALL FOR HONORING MY LIFE PARTNER, RHONDA. LOVE IT IS VERY MUCH GREATLY APPRECIATED. I NEEDED TO SAY THAT. NOW, LEMME GET TO THE BUSINESS AT HAND. UH, THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONTINUED STRUCTURAL SUPPORT OF THE ARTS COUNCIL IN THIS YEAR'S BUDGET. THAT INVESTMENT ALLOWS US TO CONTINUE, UH, ACTIVATING THE ARTS AND NEIGHBORHOODS AND COMMUNITIES ACROSS OUR CITY, ENGAGING YOUTH, UH, SUPPORTING, HEALING, UH, THROUGH AND CREATE THROUGH CREATIVITY. NOW AS THIS NEW DEPARTMENT IS, UH, FORMING HERE, WE UH, DEFINITELY, UM, WANTED TO LET YOU KNOW THAT WE ARE EXCITED ABOUT THE OPPORTUNITIES THAT IT MAY CREATE. UH, IT IS A VERY INTERESTING DYNAMIC TO, UH, INTEGRATE ARTS AND CULTURE WITHIN THE LIBRARY SYSTEM. UH, WE'RE STANDING FORWARD, UH, HERE WITH YOU, UH, TO DEVELOP THE NEW OPPORTUNITIES TO SEIZE THE DAY AND CONTINUE OUR LEADERSHIP IN ARTS AND CULTURE ACROSS THE STATE. THANK YOU. AND ACROSS OUR CITY, PEACE AND BLESSINGS. THANK YOU. UH, I UNDERSTAND THAT ALLISON ALREADY SPOKE. NEXT TIME IS SEAN RILEY, FOLLOWED BY MY WEEKS ROMO. GOOD EVENING COUNCIL. UM, I'M SEAN RILEY WITH THE LONG BEACH PUBLIC LIBRARY FOUNDATION, CURRENTLY THE PRESIDENT, UM, I'M HERE TO SPEAK ON THE, UH, LIBRARY ARTS COUNCIL BUDGET. UM, FIRST AND FOREMOST, THE IMPACT OF THE FOUNDATION. THE FOUNDATION CONTRIBUTES MORE THAN $1 MILLION ANNUALLY TO THE LIBRARY, SUPPORTING VITAL PROGRAMS TO BENEFIT THE COMMUNITY, SUCH AS LITERACY PROGRAMS, EDUCATION WORKSHOPS, AND FAMILY LEARNING CENTERS AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT ACTIVITIES WE'RE, UH, REQUESTING THAT THE FOUR HOURS FOR FEE FREE PARKING BE ADDED BACK INTO THE BUDGET. UM, THIS WOULD INCREASE ACCESSIBILITY AND ENCOURAGE MORE COMMUNITY MEMBERS TO VISIT AND THE UTILIZE THE LIBRARY SERVICES. THIS SHOULD NOT COME OUT OF THE LIBRARY'S BUDGET. CONTINUED EMPHASIS ON LIBRARY SAFETY. IT IS CRITICAL AND IMPORTANT TO MAINTAIN SAFE AND ENVIRONMENT IN LIBRARIES SO THAT THEY CAN REMAIN WELCOMING SPACES TO ALL. AND THEN FINALLY, WE'RE REQUESTING 5 MILLION FROM MEASURE A FUNDS. THE 5 MILLION INVESTMENT IS CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT FUNDS TO BE UTILIZED FOR ENHANCING THE LIBRARY'S INFRASTRUCTURE. SPECIFIC PROJECTS FOR UPGRADES PLANNED MAY INCLUDE TECHNOLOGICAL UPDATES AND BUILDING. THANK YOU RENOVATIONS. TRAVIS, THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. THANK YOU, DIANA. GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS AOU ROMO GONZALEZ, UH, DISTRICT ONE RESIDENT ORGANIZING DIRECTOR FOR CALIFORNIANS FOR JUSTICE. WE BUILD POWER WITH YOUTH, SO OUR WORKING CLASS AND IMMIGRANT COMMUNITIES CAN THRIVE. BUT RIGHT NOW, THAT STABILITY IS UNDER ATTACK. JUST YESTERDAY, ICE ACTIVITY INSTILLED FEAR ACROSS OUR CITY. OUR MAYOR SAID HE'D FIGHT BACK FULLY FUNDING THE LONG BEACH JUSTICE FUND IS HOW WE DO THAT. THESE CRISES ARE CONNECTED. EVICTIONS DISRUPT EDUCATION, DEPORTATIONS, TEAR APART OUR FAMILIES AND WORKFORCE. WE NEED REAL INVESTMENT IN THE PEOPLE WHO MAKE THIS CITY RUN. THAT MEANS 2 MILLION FOR TENANT RIGHT TO COUNCIL, 400,000 FOR THE COMMUNITY LAND TRUST, AND 2.2 MILLION IN NEW STRUCTURAL MONEY FOR THE JUSTICE FUND, NOT LEFTOVER DOLLARS. [01:30:01] THIS IS A DEMAND FOR A CITY WHERE EVERYONE CAN LIVE AND WORK WITHOUT FEAR FUND THESE PROGRAMS FULLY. THANK YOU. ALRIGHT, THANK YOU. UH, MAD NORMAN, FOLLOWED BY CHRISTIAN NORMAN. GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS. MY NAME IS DIANA NORMAN, RESIDENT OF DISTRICT TWO. I'M HERE IN FRONT OF YOU TODAY, NOT ONLY, UH, FOR A FINANCIAL PETITION, BUT ALSO FOR A HUMANE PETITION. THIS IS ABOUT THE JUSTICE FUND OF LONG BEACH AND THE URGENT NEED OF THE APPROVAL OF $2.2 MILLION CONSTANT EVERY DAY IN OUR CITY. IMMIGRANT FAMILIES ARE LIVING IN CONSTANT FEAR. WHEN SOMEONE IS BEING DETAINED BY IMMIGRATION WITHOUT ACCESS TO LEGAL REPRESENTATION, THE ODDS ARE AGAINST THEM. MORE THAN 70% OF THOSE THAT HAVE, UH, TO CONFRONT A DEPORTATION CASE, WE THOUGHT LEGAL REPRESENTATION LOSE THEIR CASE. THE JUSTICE FUND OF LONG BEACH HAS DEMONSTRATED TO BE A LIFESAVER. EVEN THOUGH THERE'S BEEN LIMITED RESOURCES, THEY'VE BEEN ABLE TO URATE FAMILIES. THIS IS NOT ONLY AN INVESTMENT, IT'S A COMMITMENT TO THE VALUES THAT REPRESENT OUR CITY. EQUITY, COMPASSION, AND JUSTICE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU CHRISTIAN PAINTER. GOOD EVENING. I COME BEFORE YOU, NOT ONLY AS AN ADVOCATE, BUT ALSO AS A WITNESS, A WITNESS TO FEAR, RESILIENCE, AND A COMMUNITY HOLDING ITS GROUND WHILE UNDER SIEGE. TONIGHT, I URGE YOU TO APPROVE A $2.2 MILLION FOR THE LONG BEACH JUSTICE FUND. THIS IS NOT CHARITY, THIS IS NOT OPTIONAL. THIS ISN'T NECESSARY. A RESPONSE TO THE REALITY THAT OUR FEDERAL GOVERNMENT HAS CHOSEN CRUELTY OVER COMPASSION AND CONTROL OVER CARE. WE ARE WATCHING ICE AGENTS SWEEP THROUGH THE NEIGHBORHOODS IN BROAD DAYLIGHT, TEARING UP PARENTS FROM THEIR CHILDREN AND FLOODING OUR STREETS WITH FEAR. WHEN PROTESTORS ARE BRANDED AS INSURRECTIONISTS, THAT IS NOT JUST AN RHETORIC. IT IS GROUNDWORK FOR INVOKING THE INSURRECTION ACT AND NORMALIZING THE USE OF MILITARY FORCE AGAINST OUR OWN NEIGHBORHOODS. THIS IS COORDINATED, THIS IS DELIBERATE, AND IT SENDS A CHILLING MESSAGE THAT IMMIGRANTS, COMMUNITIES OF COLOR AND MARGINALIZED ARE DISPOSABLE. THIS IS NOT JUST ABUSE OF POWER, IT IS A DIRECT ASSAULT ON HUMAN DIGNITY. SO WHAT DO WE DO WHEN OUR FEDERAL GOVERNMENT CHOOSES PROSECUTION OR, UH, PROTECTION? WE, UH, WHEN THOSE SO TO UPHOLD JUSTICE BECOME THE ARCHITECTS OF HARM, WE RESPOND. WE ORGANIZE, WE PROTECT EACH OTHER, AND WE INVEST IN LOCAL SOLUTIONS AND SAFEGUARD. SIR, YOUR TIME'S CONCLUDED. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU, UH, PETER, ALL BY CHARLIE. HI, MY NAME IS PETER ENSMINGER. I AM THE DIRECTOR OF DEVELOPMENT AT ACCELERATE HOUSING GROUP, A LONG BEACH BASED DEVELOPER OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING. IT WAS GREAT TO SEE MAYOR RICHARDSON AND COUNCIL MEMBER SUPER NA, THE GRAND OPENING OF OUR 26.2 PROJECT LAST YEAR. UM, I'M ALSO A MEMBER OF THE ADJUNCT FACULTY AT THE UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA WHERE I TEACH A GRADUATE SCHOOL. IT'S CLASS ABOUT AFFORDABLE HOUSING POLICY AND DEVELOPMENT. I'M NOT HERE ON BEHALF OF EITHER EMPLOYER, BUT IN MY PERSONAL CAPACITY AS A, AS A RESIDENT OF DISTRICT TWO AND A MEMBER OF THE LONG BEACH COMMUNITY LAND TRUST. UM, I'M ALSO HERE LIKE MANY OF US, TO SUPPORT THE 2 MILLION FOR TENANT RIGHT TO COUNCIL PROGRAM. $400,000 FOR THE L-B-C-L-T AND 2.2 MILLION FOR THE LONG BEACH JUSTICE FUND. THE RESEARCH IS CLEAR. THE CHEAPEST WAY TO ADDRESS HOMELESSNESS IS TO PREVENT PEOPLE FROM FALLING INTO HOMELESSNESS IN THE FIRST PLACE. FOR $2 MILLION, YOU COULD BUY ABOUT FOUR NEW UNITS OF PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING FOR THE SAME INVESTMENT. AND A TENANT RIGHT TO COUNSEL YOU CAN PREVENT HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE FROM FALLING INTO HOMELESSNESS. UM, ONCE AGAIN, I URGE YOU TO SUPPORT THE COMMUNITY IN THESE ASKS. THANK YOU. [01:35:02] THANK YOU. HELLO, CHARLIE. OH MY MAXWELL. HELLO MAYOR AND COUNCIL. MY NAME IS CHARLIE AND I'M A PROUD RENTER IN DISTRICT FIVE. HI, MEGAN . UM, I'M A MEMBER OF THE LONG BEACH COMMUNITY LAND TRUST AS WELL. UM, I'M ALSO A SMALL BUSINESS OWNER IN LONG BEACH AND I'M EMPLOYED BY ANOTHER SMALL BUSINESS IN THE DOWNTOWN EAST VILLAGE ARTS DISTRICT. UM, I MEET A LOT OF PEOPLE THROUGH MY WORK AND OFTEN I HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO LEARN HOW OTHERS HAVE MADE THEIR WAY TO LONG BEACH AND LIKE MYSELF. WHY THEY CHOOSE TO STAY HERE FOR ALL THE AMAZING EVERYTHING THAT LONG BEACH HAS TO OFFER. I OFTEN CHAT WITH MY CUSTOMERS ABOUT THE NEIGHBORHOODS THAT THEY CALL HOME AND THE HOMES THAT THEY MAKE THERE. THOUGH EACH CUSTOMER'S STORY IS DIFFERENT, THE RUNNING THEME IS USUALLY THE SAME. RESIDENTS HAVE A DEEP SENSE OF PRIDE TO LIVE HERE, EVEN IF THEY AREN'T HOUSED AS WELL OR AS SECURELY AS THEY WISH. WITH THAT IN MIND AND KNOWING THAT IT WILL BENEFIT THE SAFETY AND SECURITY OF HOUSING IN LONG BEACH, I URGE YOU TO UP THIS YEAR'S INVESTMENT IN THE COMMUNITY LAND TRUST TO $400,000. THIS IS THE BARE MINIMUM THAT THE PROUD CITIZENS OF LONG BEACH DESERVE. WHO WISH TO STAY HERE DESERVE. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. THANK YOU MAXWELL. FOLLOW MY ARIEL. HI. GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL. MY NAME IS MAXWELL JOY AND I COME TO YOU AS A HUMBLE REPRESENTATIVE FROM LONG BEACH'S FIRST COMMUNITY LAND TRUST. I'M THE MEMBERSHIP COMMUNITY LEAD. I'M HERE TO GIVE PUBLIC COMMENT REGARDING THE ALLOCATION OF POP FUNDS. I BELIEVE NOT ALLOCATING ANOTHER 200,000 FOR THE CLT WILL DO A GRAVE DISSERVICE TO LONG BEACH AND OUR LOW INCOME COMMUNITIES. I AM A PERSON OF COLOR. I'M A DISABLED PERSON. I'M ALSO A TRANS PERSON WHO IS LOW INCOME AND I DREAM OF HOME OWNERSHIP. ONE DAY I DREAM OF OWNING A HOME RIGHT HERE IN LONG BEACH. CLTS SUPPORT LOW INCOME FAMILIES OF COLOR BY CREATING LONG, LONG-TERM AFFORDABLE HOUSING OPPORTUNITIES AND PATHWAYS TOWARDS HOME OWNERSHIP. PLEASE GIVE OUR ONLY AVENUE TO HAVING HOME OWNERSHIP A CHANCE AND GIVE 400,000 TO THE CLT. THANK YOU. OKAY. UH, JENNIFER, FOLLOW MY AUSTIN. OH, I'M SORRY. YOU KNOW WHAT? YOU SKIPPED ME. ARE YOU ARIEL? YEAH. OKAY. JUST A MINUTE. I'M GONNA READ THE LAST 10 AND THEN WE'RE GONNA CALL YOU ALL UP. OKAY. THANKS VICE MAYOR. APPRECIATE IT. OKAY. AFTER THIS GROUP HERE IS AUSTIN MATOYA, CASS, PA ABBA JAY JIMENEZ, JAZZ TABAR, UH, ANNA MARCIA, UH, ISIS DAVIS ALMA CASTRO, ZAINAB VIVIAN SHAMA BETHANIA, AND TIM ROBERTS. ALRIGHT, ARIEL, YOU'RE UP. HELLO EVERYONE. MY NAME IS ARIEL AND I AM A MEMBER OF THE BLACK NEIGHBORHOOD TENANT COUNCIL. I'M HERE TODAY TO SUPPORT THE ALLOCATION OF $2 MILLION TO THE TENANT, RIGHT TO COUNCIL PROGRAM AND 400 K TO THE LONG BEACH COMMUNITY LAND TRUST, BOTH WHICH PLAY A ROLE IN PREVENTING DISPLACEMENT AND CREATING LONG-TERM AFFORDABLE HOUSING. I ALSO WANT TO VOICE SUPPORT OF 2.2 MILLION FOR THE LONG BEACH JUSTICE FUND. I AM A RESIDENT AND I WORK IN DISTRICT ONE AS A MALE CARRIER. SO I SEE FIRSTHAND, UM, THE HOMELESS PEOPLE AND THE POPULATION HAS JUST INCREASED TREMENDOUSLY. UM, I'M DELIVERING THEIR MAIL ONE DAY TO THEIR HOME AND THE NEXT I'M SEEING THEM ON THE STREET. IT'S VERY DISHEARTENING AND, UM, I REALLY HOPE THAT YOU GUYS WILL DO THE RIGHT THING. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. ALRIGHT, JENNIFER. GOOD EVENING, MAYOR COUNCIL PEOPLE. UM, I'M HERE ON BEHALF OF THE ARTS COUNCIL FOR LONG BEACH. I SERVE ON THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS, AND I'LL MAKE THIS SHORT BECAUSE I KNOW WE HAVE . WE'RE WE'LL BE HERE FOR A LONG TIME. UH, FIRST AND FOREMOST, I'D LIKE TO THANK YOU FOR FULLY FUNDING ARTS LB, UM, IN THIS YEAR'S BUDGET, UM, THAT COMMITMENT PROVES TO US, UM, THAT YOU'RE INTERESTED IN STRENGTHENING, UM, OUR CITY'S CREATIVE ECONOMY. AND WHAT DO I MEAN BY CREATIVE ECONOMY. IT'S NOT JUST THE BEAUTIFUL MURALS THAT WE SEE ALL OVER TOWN OR SOME OF THE PERFORMANCES THAT, THAT WE HAVE THE PRIVILEGE OF, OF SEEING, BUT IT ALSO MEANS JOBS OUTSIDE OF THOSE PARTICULAR, UH, INDUSTRIES, SUPPORTING INDUSTRIES AROUND THE COMMUNITY. AND WITH THE OLYMPICS COMING UP AND IN LIGHT OF SOME OF THESE LARGE EVENTS, IT'S A PERFECT TIME TO, UH, CONTINUE TO SUPPORT THE ARTS IN LONG BEACH. UM, WE GENERATE JOBS. WE BEING THE ARTS COMMUNITY, BRING IN OUTSIDE GRANTS AND WE ACTIVATE PUBLIC SPACES. UM, THE OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE, [01:40:01] UH, APPRECIATES, UH, STABILITY AND IMPROVING THE, UH, CREATIVE ECONOMY, AS I MENTIONED, AND AS THE LIBRARY ARTS AND CULTURE DEPARTMENT EXPANDS ARTS ALBEE'S ROLE IN FUELING THIS CREATIVE ECONOMY AS A CORNERSTONE INCLUDED, SHOULD REMAIN A PRIORITY. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU. ALRIGHT, AUSTIN. ALL RIGHT. GOOD EVENING, HONORABLE MAYOR, MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL. MY NAME IS AUSTIN RA. I'M WITH THE DOWNTOWN LONG BEACH ALLIANCE, BUT I'M ALSO SPEAKING ON BEHALF OF THE COUNCIL OF BUSINESS ASSOCIATIONS, UH, WHICH REPRESENT ALL THE BUSINESS IMPROVEMENT DISTRICTS IN THE CITY OF LONG BEACH. UM, WE ARE HERE IN SUPPORT OF, UH, THE BUDGET PROPOSAL FOR THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT. UH, WHAT IS BEING INVESTED AND CALLED OUT WITHIN THAT, UH, BUDGET, UH, SHOWS A TRUE INVESTMENT IN SMALL BUSINESS. UM, WE'VE TALKED ABOUT SMALL BUSINESS REBOUND AND THE NE NECESSITY TO, TO CONTINUE THE MOMENTUM FOR BUSINESSES AS THEY COME OUT. COVID AND RECOVERY, THE ITEMS LISTED WITHIN THAT PACKAGE SHOWCASE, UH, THOSE EFFORTS. UH, WE ALSO WANT TO THANK THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT FOR BEING AN INCREDIBLE PARTNER THROUGHOUT THE YEAR. TO CONTINUE ON WITH THE VIP, THE VISUAL IMPROVEMENT GRANTS, AS OUR BUSINESSES ARE BEING HARMED BY PUBLIC SAFETY AND PROPERTY DAMAGE, THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT IS THERE WITHIN 24 48 HOURS TO HELP PROVIDE RESOURCES AND SERVICES FOR THEM. SO THEY'VE BEEN AN INCREDIBLE PARTNER TO OUR SMALL BUSINESS COMMUNITY. THANK YOU. ALRIGHT, THANK YOU. NEXT IS CASS. HELLO, I'M CASS. A FOUR YEAR RENTER IN DISTRICT TWO. UM, WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BE A SANCTUARY CITY? IT SHOULD MEAN INCLUDING, IT SHOULD INCLUDE DENYING COOPERATION WITH ICE RATHER THAN INACTION AND ACTIVELY REDUCING THE FEAR OF OUR UNDOCUMENTED NEIGHBORS FROM DEPORTATION AND SEPARATION FROM THEIR FAMILIES. THE LONG BEACH CITY COUNCIL CAN AND SHOULD DO THIS BY ENSURING IMMIGRANT FAMILIES IN OUR CITY HAVE ACCESS TO RELIABLE AND STABLE LIFE-CHANGING RESOURCES AND SERVICES. TO MEET THE GROWING NEED, LONG BEACH MUST INVEST 2.2 MILLION IN NEW STRUCTURAL, NEW STRUCTURAL FUNDING TO THE JUSTICE FUND TO PROVIDE LEGAL SUPPORT TO UNDOCUMENTED RE RESIDENTS. WE NEED BOLD LEADERSHIP FROM ALL OF YOU, MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS. NO ROLLOVER MONEY FROM PREVIOUS YEARS, NO BUREAUCRATIC DELAYS. WE NEED A TRUE INVESTMENT FOR THE PROTECTION OF OUR FAMILIES, OUR NEIGHBORS, AND FRIENDS. UM, AND THE ATTACKS ON IMMIGRANTS ARE JUST THE BEGINNING. AND THIS IS ONE CONCRETE WAY TO SUPPORT LOCAL FAMILIES DURING THIS ESCALATING CRISIS. WE WANT TO HEAR YOU. WE WANNA BE ABLE TO SAY THANKS FOR FULLY FUNDING THIS AS WELL. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. NEXT IS PA PAU. THANK YOU. HELLO, MY NAME IS PAO BOD. I'M A RESIDENT OF DISTRICT EIGHT. I'M PART OF THE DIRECT SERVICES AND ORGANIZING COMMITTEE WITH THE FILIPINO MIGRANT CENTER, AND I'M ALSO AN ORGANIZER WITH GABRIELA SOUTH BAY. IT'S A FILIPINO WOMEN'S ORGANIZATION. I'M HERE ON BEHALF OF THE FILIPINO IMMIGRANT COMMUNITY IN LONG BEACH AND ALL MIGRANTS WHOSE RIGHTS HAVE BEEN VIOLATED. WE'VE BEEN WORKING DIRECTLY WITH A RESIDENT FROM DISTRICT ONE THROUGH THE LONG BEACH JUSTICE FUND, WHO STILL HAS NIGHTMARES FROM WHEN HER BROTHER WAS ATTAINED BY ICE IN JUNE. DESPITE HIM HAVING A GREEN CARD AND FULLY SERVING HIS SENTENCE, ICE PRETENDED TO BE HIS PAROLE OFFICER ON THE PHONE IN ORDER TO LURE HIM OUT AND KIDNAP HIM WITH SUPPORT FROM LBPD WHO GAVE HIS INFO TO ICE TO ALLOW THEM TO DETAIN HIM. THAT ISN'T RIGHT. AND WE DESERVE BETTER LONG BEACH NEEDS PROTECTION AND IT NEEDS PRO PEOPLE LEADERSHIP. WE URGE THE CITY TO PASS THE LONG BEACH JUSTICE FUND TO ALLOCATE 2.2 MILLION IN STRUCTURAL FUNDING TO MEET THE NEEDS OF IMMIGRANTS SO WE CAN GET ACCESSIBLE LEGAL SUPPORT AND BRING OUR LOVED ONES HOME. WE ALSO NEED 2 MILLION FOR EVICTION DEFENSE AND 400,000 FOR THE PERMANENT, UM, AFFORDABLE HOUSING THROUGH THE COMMUNITY LAND TRUST. UH, WE CAN'T KEEP WAITING AND WE NEED YOU ALL TO TAKE ASHTON NOW. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. NEXT IS JAY JIMENEZ. AFTER JAY JIMENEZ IS JAZZ. HI, MY NAME IS JAY. I'M A MEMBER OF THE DIRECT SERVICES AND ORGANIZING TEAM AT FILIPINO MIGRANT CENTER, AND I'M A RESIDENT OF DISTRICT ONE AND HAD GROWN UP IN DISTRICT SEVEN FOR ALL OF MY LIFE. PRIOR, AS A MEMBER OF THE DIRECT SERVICES TEAM FOR THE PAST YEAR, I'VE BEEN ABLE TO HEAR FROM COMMUNITY WEEK BY WEEK, ESPECIALLY IN THE WEST SIDE OF LONG BEACH, WHERE THERE IS THE LARGEST CONCENTRATION OF WORKING CLASS FILIPINOS IN THE CITY. MANY HAVE EXPRESSED TO US THEIR CONCERNS FOR NEEDING REGULAR ACCESS TO NUTRITIOUS CULTURALLY, CULTURALLY RELEVANT AND AFFORDABLE FOOD. DIFFICULTY IN FINDING PRO BONO LEGAL ASSISTANCE FOR MIGRANTS, SEEKING PROTECTIONS AND SUPPORT AND GENERALLY FEELING UNSAFE WHEN TRAVELING IN THE STREETS. THERE'S A NEED TO DIRECTLY INVEST IN THE HEALTH AND SAFETY OF OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS WITH SOME THAT HAVE ALREADY BEEN IN THE WEST SIDE FOR 20 TO 30 YEARS, AND MANY WHO HAVE EXPRESSED FEAR OF THE HEIGHTENED PRESENCE OF ICE IN THE CITY. I'M HERE TO URGE THE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL TO ALLOCATE $2.2 MILLION IN NEW STRUCTURAL FUNDING FOR THE JUSTICE FUND IN ADDITION TO 2.2 MILLION FOR, UH, THE EVICTION DEF, OR SORRY FOR 2 MILLION FOR EVICTION DEFENSE, AND 400,000 FOR PERMANENT AFFORDABLE HOUSING THROUGH THE COMMUNITY LAND TRUST. UH, I ALSO, IT'S IMPORTANT FOR THE CITY COUNCIL TO LISTEN TO THE NEEDS OF THE COMMUNITY AND ALLOCATE FOR THE DIRECT DEMANDS [01:45:01] IN THE CITY BUDGET, OR ELSE INCLUDED YOU RISK LOSING THE DIVERSE COMMUNITY YOU ARE PROUD THEIR LIVES. THANK YOU. NEXT IS JAZZ AFTER JAZZ. THIS IS ANNA. HI, MY NAME IS JA TABAR AND I'M A MEMBER OF AN BAY AND LONG BEACH, A FILIPINO YOUTH AND STUDENT ORGANIZATION, AND ALSO A DISTRICT ONE RESIDENT. I'M A LONG TIME VOLUNTEER FOR THE FILIPINO MIGRANT CENTER AND WE'VE BEEN ON THE GROUND EVERY WEEK TALKING TO OUR COMMUNITY, MANY OF THEM AFRAID AND UNAWARE OF WHEN THEY MIGHT BE THE ONES FACING ATTACKS FROM ICE. WE'RE ALREADY SEEING, UM, WITH OUR COMMUNITY THE NEED AND LIMITATIONS OF THE CURRENT BUDGET FOR THE JUSTICE FUND, ESPECIALLY THOSE WHO NEED LEGAL RESOURCES AND CONNECTIONS NECESSARY TO ADDRESS THE INTENSIFYING NEED OF OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS WHO ARE BEING ATTACKED BY ICE. WITH LITTLE PROTECTIONS AND SUPPORT FROM OUR OWN CITY. PROTECTING THE MOST VULNERABLE COMMUNITY MEMBERS AND LISTENING, UH, TO THE DEMANDS OF ORGANIZERS AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS ON THE GROUND MUST BE A PRIORITY OF THE CITY. WE CALL FOR THE ALLOCATION OF 2.2 MILLION IN NEW STRUCTURAL FUNDING FOR THE JUSTICE FUND, 2 MILLION FOR EVICTION DEFENSE, AND 400,000 FOR PERMANENT AFFORDABLE HOUSING THROUGH C THE COMMUNITY LAND TRUST. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. NEXT IS ANA, THEN ISIS. ANA MARCIA. GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS ANNA. I'M A MEMBER OF OR STUDIO IN EL LONG BEACH CITY COLLEGE. I LIVE IN DISTRICT SEVEN AND I STUDY, I'M A STUDENT AT LONG BEACH CITY COLLEGE. I ASKED FOR THE APPROVAL OF $2.2 MILLION FOR THE JUSTICE FUND FOR OUR CITY. THANK YOU FOR LISTENING. THANK YOU ISIS. AND ALMA. HI, UH, MY NAME IS ISIS. I AM A RENTER IN DISTRICT ONE. UH, I'M HERE TODAY WITH LIBRE TO SUPPORT THE ALLOCATION OF 2 MILLION FOR THE TENANT RIGHT TO COUNCIL PROGRAM AND 400,000 FOR THE LONG BEACH COMMUNITY LAND TRUST. UM, WITHIN THE LAST YEAR, I EXPERIENCED HOUSING AND SECURITY DUE TO INTIMIDATING TACTICS AND PREDATORY PRACTICES BY MANAGEMENT. UM, I CONTACTED STAY HOUSED LA AND RECEIVED GENERAL LEGAL ADVICE AND VITAL INFORMATION TO HELP ME MAINTAIN SAFE HOUSING. I WHOLEHEARTEDLY SUPPORT THESE SERVICES STAY AVAILABLE TO OUR COMMUNITY. I'M ALSO FORCING SUPPORT FOR $2.2 MILLION FOR THE LONG BEACH JUSTICE FUND. WE HAVE A DUTY AND AN OBLIGATION TO SUPPORT AND PROTECT OUR COMMUNITIES EVERY DAY. MORE OF OUR UNDOCUMENTED MIGRANT NEIGHBORS AND FAMILY MEMBERS ARE BEING TERRORIZED AND DISAPPEARED BY ICE. AND THESE FUNDS ARE NEEDED TO SUPPORT RESIDENTS TO, TO AVOID TRAUMATIC SEPARATION. UM, AND ALSO TO ECHO A, UH, PREVIOUS GENERAL COMMENT, UH, FREE PALESTINE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. NEXT IS ALMA AFTER ALMA ZAINAB. HELLO. GOOD EVENING. I AM A SECOND DISTRICT RESIDENT AND A VERY SMALL BUSINESS OWNER. I'M HERE TODAY AS A BOARD MEMBER WITH THE ARTS COUNCIL OF LONG BEACH. WE'RE EXCITED TO SEE THE STRUCTURAL ENHANCEMENT THAT THE CITY IS MAKING TO ENSURE THAT THERE'S A PLACE DEDICATED STAFF TO CONTINUE THE SUPPORT OF THE ARTS IN LONG BEACH. AND JUST LOOKING THROUGH THIS LIST, I KNOW THE ARTS COUNCIL IS VERY INVOLVED IN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT. WE HAVE THE REGISTRY TOOL, WHICH WILL BE CRITICAL AS WE EXPAND OUR EFFORTS TO SUPPORT OUR LOCAL ARTISTS MUSICIANS. AND WE HEAVILY WORK WITH PUBLIC WORKS AND THE PARKS RECREATION MARINE DEPARTMENT TO ENSURE THAT THERE'S ART EDUCATION AND THAT OUR MURALS ARE MAINTAINED AND TREATED AS ASSETS FOR OUR CITY. SO WE CONTINUE. SO WE LOOK FORWARD TO CONTINUING THIS PARTNERSHIP AND, UM, THANK YOU. AND WE'LL BE IN TOUCH. THANK YOU. UH, ZAY NAB AND THEN AFTER ZAY, NAB IS VIVIAN. GREETINGS EVERYONE. I'M PROBABLY GONNA RUN OUTTA TIME, SO I'M GONNA SPEAK REALLY QUICKLY. THANKS FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK UP, BOTH AS A TENANT AND A LANDLORD. I'M A RESIDENT HERE IN LONG BEACH. I LIVE IN SIXTH DISTRICT AND I HAVE A BUSINESS IN SECOND DISTRICT AND I'M ALL, ALL OVER THE CITY TRYING TO ORGANIZE. SO THANK YOU FOR LISTENING TODAY. UM, I'M IN STANDING IN SOLIDARITY WITH THE JUSTICE FUND FOR THE, UM, FOR THE, UH, TENANTS. I MEAN, I'M SORRY, THE JUSTICE FUND FOR THE IMMIGRANTS, THE TENANTS RIGHTS, AND THERE'S SO MANY PEOPLE WHO NEED SO MUCH, UM, AND THE, UH, LAND TRUST FOR SURE. SO I HOPE THAT YOU REQUEST THE 2 MILLION FOR TENANTS RIGHTS, [01:50:01] 400,000 FOR THE LAND TRUST AND THE, UM, JUSTICE FUND. UM, I'M SURE YOU'VE HEARD IT OVER AND OVER AGAIN. STANDING UP HERE MAKES ME NERVOUS, SO I'M GONNA GET TO IT. AS A LANDLORD, I UNDERSTAND, I HEAR MANY OF THE STORIES FROM PEOPLE WHO HAVE HORRIBLE ISSUES WITH, UM, BEING ILLEGALLY EVICTED. I AM INCLUDED IN THAT. I DIDN'T HAVE ANYONE TO STAND UP FOR ME AND I LOST. IT WAS LIKE A MOUSE FIGHTING A HAMMER. TIMES INCLUDED. PLEASE, PLEASE, UM, PASS THESE BUDGETS FOR THE PEOPLE. THANK YOU. ALRIGHT, THANK YOU VIVIAN. AND THEN BENIA, MAYOR RICHARDSON, CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS, CITY STAFF, AND PUBLIC. UM, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR HOLDING THIS PUBLIC HEARING, ESPECIALLY ON THE BUDGET BECAUSE YOU KNOW, I'M WITH THE, I'M VIVIAN SHIMOYAMA. I AM A, A RESIDENT OF DISTRICT ONE. I'M A SMALL BUSINESS OWNER. I'M THE CEO OF THE LONG BEACH ACCELERATOR, WHICH IS A STARTUP TECH ACCELERATOR. AND THE FUNDING THAT'S BEING GIVEN TO THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AREA IS REALLY MUCH NEEDED. UM, THERE ARE SO MANY SERVICES, WHETHER IT RANGES FROM SMALL BUSINESS TO BUSINESS ATTRACTION, BUSINESS RETENTION, TO EVEN WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT IT, THE WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT SIDE OF SKILLED WORKERS. SO I THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT THAT NOT ONLY WE KEEP INCREASING THAT FUNDING TO ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, BUT KEEP ENHANCING IT THROUGH THE WORK AND THE PARTNERSHIPS WITHIN OUR COMMUNITIES. AND SO I JUST WANNA THANK THE CITY FOR REALLY INVESTING IN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT. THANK YOU. ALRIGHT, NEXT SPEAKER BEYA, AND THEN TIM. HELLO, I'M BEYA. I'M A DISTRICT RUN ONE RESIDENT. UM, I'M HERE TO ADVOCATE FOR 2.2 MILLION FOR THE LONG BEACH JUSTICE FUND. 2 MILLION FOR EVICTION PROTECTION FOR TENANTS AND THE COMMUNITY LAND TRUST FUNDING. I WANNA ENCOURAGE THE CITY TO THINK OF THE TIMES WE'RE IN AS AN EMERGENCY. LIKE COVID. YOU HAVE PEOPLE WHO ARE CONFINED TO THEIR HOMES FOR FEAR OF THEIR SAFETY DUE TO ICE. LIKE COVID, THEIR SAFETY IS AT RISK IF THEY LEAVE THEIR HOMES. BUT THIS TIME THE THREAT COMES FROM THE PSYCH PSYCHOLOGICALLY UNFIT, RACIST, OCCUPYING THE HIGHEST LEVELS OF THE HIGHEST AND MOST, MOST LETHAL LEVELS OF OUR FEDERAL GOVERNMENT. I WANNA DRAW YOUR ATTENTION, NOT JUST TO THE ICE RAIDS IN LONG BEACH OVER THE WEEKEND, BUT ALSO THE FACT THAT DHS ATTEMPTED TO DEPORT ALMOST 700 CHILDREN IN THE DEAD OF NIGHT WHEN MOST OF US WERE ASLEEP OVER THE HOLIDAY WEEKEND. NOT ONLY DOES THIS ADMINISTRATION FLYOUT THE LAW, IT IS AN INTENTION. IT IS INTENTIONALLY CRUEL TO THE MOST VULNERABLE AMONG US. THIS IS NOT ONLY THIS IS ONLY GOING TO GET WORSE NOW THAT ICE HAS A MASSIVE BUDGET. LIVES ARE ON THE LINE. MY FATHER WAS A WORLD WAR II COMBAT VETERAN, AND I KNOW HOW THESE EVENTS PLAY OUT. UNLESS WE STAND UP NOW, WE'RE LIVING THROUGH EXTRAORDINARY TIMES AND WE MUST RESPOND EXTRAORDINARILY. THANK YOU. ALRIGHT, TIM. GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEMBERS. MY NAME IS TIM ROBERTS, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF RANCHO LOS ALAMITOS, JOINED BY MY COLLEAGUE ALISON RUSOF. IN THE PAST TWO YEARS ALONE, UM, COMBINED THE FREE TO VISIT RANCHOS HAVE WELCOMED 90,000 VISITORS, SERVED OVER 13,000 LONG BEACH STUDENTS, MOSTLY FROM TITLE ONE SCHOOLS, AND HOSTED 2000 STUDENTS IN INDIGENOUS PROGRAMS. WITH OUR TONGVA CULTURE COLLECTIVE PARTNERS. WE'VE RAISED PRIVATE FUNDS TO COVER MORE THAN 75% OF STUDENT TRANSPORTATION COSTS. WHILE OUR VOLUNTEERS HAVE CONTRIBUTED 78,000 HOURS, VALUED AT OVER TWO AND A HALF MILLION DOLLARS ALONGSIDE OUR PROCE PROFESSIONAL STAFF TO DELIVER OVER 90 FREE PUBLIC PROGRAMS IN 2026, RANCHO LOS ALAMITOS FOUNDATION CELEBRATES 40 YEARS OF PARTNERSHIP WITH THE CITY. WE ARE GRATEFUL FOR YOUR STEWARDSHIP AS LEGAL OWNERS OF THE RANCHOS, BUT WHILE THE COST OF LIVING IN LONG BEACH HAS RISEN MORE THAN 30% OVER THE LAST DECADE, OUR MANAGEMENT FEE FROM THE CITY HAS REMAINED STAGNANT. WHETHER YOU RESPECTFULLY ASK THAT YOU CONSIDER AN INCREASE TO THIS YEAR'S BUDGET FOR SUPPORT OF YOUR RANCHOS. THANK YOU. ALRIGHT, WELL, THANK YOU FOR YOUR, YOUR PUBLIC COMMENT, YOUR TESTIMONY, ALL OF YOU. SO TONIGHT WE'RE GONNA HAVE FIVE PRESENTATIONS. THESE DEPARTMENTS ARE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, PARKS, RECREATION, MARINE PUBLIC WORKS LIBRARIES. AND IT, UH, I KNOW THERE WAS PUBLIC COMMENT NOT RELATED TO THOSE, THOSE DEPARTMENTS, UH, BUT WE, WE THANK ALL YOUR PUBLIC COMMENT AS, AS IT IS JUST A FEW THINGS, UH, THAT HAVE COME UP. UM, WE APPRECIATE THE, UH, THE ARTS COUNCIL COMMENTS. THOSE ARE ALIGNED WITH THE PRESENTATION TONIGHT FOR LIBRARIES. SOME OF THE RANCHO STUFF IS THERE AS WELL. SOME OF THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PIECES ON THE IMMIGRANT RIGHTS PIECE. UH, WE HEAR YOU. THERE'S, YOU KNOW, THIS WON'T BE DISCUSSED TONIGHT. UM, KEEP PAYING ATTENTION TO BUDGET OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE. THERE'S, UH, WE HEAR YOU LOUD AND CLEAR. THERE WAS REQUESTS FOR 2.2. UH, THE GOOD NEWS IS YOU'RE STARTING FROM A PRETTY GOOD PLACE. THERE'S 2.5 MILLION THAT'S DEDICATED TO IMMIGRANT COMMUNITIES IN THE BUDGET. CURRENTLY, THERE'S ABOUT 800,000 THAT'S ROLLED OVER FROM LAST YEAR TO GET TO THAT 2.5 MILLION. WE'VE DONE THAT EVERY YEAR. IF THERE'S, IF THERE'S AN AMOUNT OF MONEY LEFT OVER AT THE END OF THE YEAR, YOU HAVE TO ROLL IT FORWARD. OTHERWISE IT GETS SWEPT INTO THE GENERAL FUND. SO WHEN WE SAY NO ROLLOVER, THE ALTERNATIVE WITHOUT ROLLING OVER THE DOLLARS IS SWEEPING INTO THE GENERAL FUND FOR ALL OF THOSE PURPOSES. SO, ROLLING IT IN [01:55:01] ENSURES THAT THOSE DOLLARS ARE PROTECTED. IN TERMS OF, UM, SOME OF THE KNOW YOUR RIGHTS, YOU KNOW, SOME OF THE, UM, UH, EVICTION, THERE'S A LOT OF EVICTION DOLLARS IN THIS BUDGET ALREADY. THERE'S 1.5 DIRECTLY FOR NIGHT, RIGHT? FOR, UM, UH, RIGHT TO COUNCIL. WITHIN THAT IS SOME ROLLOVER. THAT ROLLOVER NUMBER MAY, MAY CHANGE 'CAUSE IT'S BEING SPENT. CURRENTLY WHAT'S BEING PROPOSED WILL BE THE NET NUMBER. SO EVEN IF THAT ROLLOVER NUMBER HAS GONE DOWN, IT'S GONNA BE THE NET NUMBER. SO THAT NUMBER IS THERE. IF THE COUNCIL CHOOSES TO GO HIGHER, THAT'S THE DELIBERATION. THAT'S THE DISCUSSION. UM, AND THEN I THINK THERE WAS, UH, SOME, UH, I FORGET ALL THE OTHER, I TRIED TO ADDRESS SOME OF THOSE, THE ISSUES. BUT NEXT WEEK, UH, BUDGET OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE IS WHERE YOU CAN CONTINUE TO HAVE, UH, THOSE DISCUSSIONS. BUT TONIGHT WE'RE FOCUSING ON THESE FIVE, UH, PRESENTATIONS. SO, UH, STAFF, WHO ARE WE GOING WITH FIRST? ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, PARKS AND PUBLIC WORKS? UH, I THINK PUBLIC WORKS IS UP FIRST AND THEN, UH, FOLLOWED BY, UM, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT. AND THEN, UM, AND THEN PARKS AND REC. OKAY. AND THEN WE'LL TAKE A BREAK AND AFTER THAT WE'LL TAKE A, WE'LL DO THE QUESTIONS FROM COUNCIL, THEN WE'LL TAKE A BREAK AND DO THE ADDITIONAL TWO DEPARTMENTS. YES, THAT'S THE PLAN. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. WE WELCOME UP THE PUBLIC WORKS TEAM. SO WE HAVE, UH, OUR DIRECTOR ERIC LOPEZ AND HIS LAST MAJOR PRESENTATION, UH, TO THE, UH, CITY COUNCIL. AND, UH, FOLLOWED BY, UH, DEPUTY DIRECTOR, UH, JOSH HICKMAN, AND ALSO JONATHAN BOLEN, OUR, UH, BUDGET MANAGER FOR PUBLIC WORKS. SO I WILL TURN THAT, UH, OVER TO THE TEAM. THANK YOU, MR. CITY MANAGER, MAYOR, MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL. UH, WE ARE, UH, HAPPY TO PRESENT OUR FISCAL YEAR 26, UH, PROPOSED BUDGET. THIS IS JUST AN OVERVIEW. UH, WE'RE GONNA HIGHLIGHT, UH, CERTAIN AREAS. UM, IF YOU WANTED TO BE HERE ALL NIGHT, WE CAN TALK ABOUT, UH, THE, ALL THE WONDERFUL THINGS WE DO, UH, TO, UH, HELP MAKE THE CITY A BETTER PLACE, UH, TO LIVE, WORK, AND, AND PLAY. BUT WE DON'T. SO WE'RE GONNA TRY TO GET THIS DONE IN 10 MINUTES. UH, 10 MINUTES OR UNDER. UH, SO HERE WE GO. UM, SOME, SOME OF OUR KEY SERVICES, UH, ARE, WE GO THROUGH THIS EVERY YEAR. THIS IS NOT ALL OF OUR SERVICES. UH, WE WOULD HAVE OVER A HUNDRED PAGE, UH, SLIDE DECK IF WE WOULD TALK ABOUT EVERYTHING WE DO. UH, BUT, YOU KNOW, WE TRY, WE TRY TO FOCUS ON, UM, ON, UH, ENSURING THAT, THAT WE, UH, HELP SUPPORT A HEALTHY AND SUSTAINABLE CITY ENVIRONMENT. UM, WE, WE DO A LOT OF WORK UNDER STORMWATER MANAGEMENT, UH, UH, TRANSPORTATION SAFETY, INCLUDING OUR CROSSING GUARD PROGRAM. UH, STREET SWEEPING, UH, LIVABILITY INFRASTRUCTURE AND PROGRAMS. A LOT OF, UH, CLEAN, UH, LONG BEACH INITIATIVES. UH, AND THEN OBVIOUSLY, UH, REFUSE AND WASTE DIVERSION HAS BEEN A BIG PART OF, UH, OF OUR, OF OUR DEPARTMENT, UH, FOR, FOR YEARS. UH, WE ALSO LOOK TO, UH, GET, UM, DELIVER, UH, ALL OF THE PROJECTS WE'VE COMMITTED TO. UH, THE ELEVATE, UH, 28 INFRASTRUCTURE INVESTMENT PLAN IS THE LARGEST INVESTORS PLAN, UH, EVER. AND IT TAKES STAFF, IT TAKES PEOPLE, IT TAKES ENGINEERS, IT TAKES PROJECT MANAGERS AND ANALYSTS TO DELIVER ALL OF THOSE PROJECTS. SO, UH, A LOT OF THOSE POSITIONS, UH, SOME ARE BUDGETED AND OPERATING. SOME ARE BUDGETED IN, IN OUR, UH, ONE TIME CAPITAL, UH, BUDGETS. UH, BUT IT REALLY IS A WHOLE TEAM, UH, THAT IS, UH, DELIVERING THOSE. AND THEN OBVIOUSLY, ALL THE WORK ON THEIR MAINTENANCE AND REHAB OF OUR, UH, CITY INFRASTRUCTURE, UH, STREETS, UH, SIDEWALKS, FACILITIES, UH, STREET LIGHTS, SIGNAGE. UH, THERE'S JUST A LOT OF ASSETS, UH, THAT WE, UH, OVERSEE. HERE'S THE, UH, EXISTING SNAPSHOT OF OUR ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE. UH, WE DO HAVE SOME PROPOSED CHANGES, UH, THAT WE'RE GONNA TALK ABOUT, UH, SHORTLY. UH, BUT THIS IS, THIS IS HOW WE'VE EVOLVED IN THE LAST FIVE YEARS. UM, AS, AS I'VE BEEN YOUR DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS. UM, AND WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO, UH, MAKE THIS, UH, ORGANIZATION A LOT MORE EFFICIENT AND EFFECTIVE. YOU KNOW, AS WE'VE DELIVERED ON THE CORE SERVICES OF THE DEPARTMENT. I'M NOT GONNA GO THROUGH ALL THE ACCOMPLISHMENTS WHERE I'M GONNA HIGHLIGHT SOME, YOU KNOW, THERE'S, THERE'S A WHOLE LOT OF, UH, STREETS THAT WE HAVE, UH, HAVE, UH, IMPROVED. UM, IN, IN, IN THE PAST YEAR, WE HAVE 81.2 LANE MILES OF ARTERIAL RESIDENTIAL STREET REPAIRS. A BUNCH OF ALLEYS, A LOT OF COMPLETE STREET PROJECTS, UH, 24 MILES, UH, TOTAL. UM, WE ARE DOING MORE IN-HOUSE WORK, UH, FOR KRAKEN SLURRY SEAL THAN WE'VE EVER HAVE. WE'VE SEALED OVER 6.6 MILLION SQUARE FEET OF ASPHALT. UM, AND THEN WE'VE DONE A LOT OF SIDEWALK REPAIRS AND A DA COMPLIANCE WORK, UH, THROUGH, UH, THROUGHOUT THE YEAR, TAKEN ALL TOGETHER, THIS IS HOW WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO INCREASE OUR CITY'S PAVEMENT CONDITION INDEX, UH, RATING. UH, WHEN YOU, UH, WHEN WE TALK ABOUT, WELL, WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO INVEST IN OUR STREETS? AND, AND, YOU KNOW, REALLY, YOU KNOW, WITH, WITH OUR, WITH THE LATEST ASSESSMENT THAT WE DID, WE'VE SEEN SOME MAJOR, MAJOR INCREASES. UM, WE TOTAL, WE COMPLETED 20, 35 PROJECTS. UH, WE HAVE A WHOLE LIST HERE WE CAN COME BACK AND TALK ABOUT. BUT, UH, [02:00:01] THESE ARE PROJECTS ACROSS OUR DIFFERENT BUREAUS AT, UH, NOT JUST STREET IMPROVEMENTS, UH, BUT ALSO FACILITY IMPROVEMENTS, LIBRARY IMPROVEMENTS, PARKS IMPROVEMENTS, IMPROVEMENTS TO OUR PUBLIC SAFETY FACILITIES. UH, AND THESE ARE THE ONES WE'VE COMPLETED. THERE'S, UH, THERE'S, UH, QUITE A BIT MORE THAT'S ALSO IN PROGRESS RIGHT NOW. ONE OF THE AREAS WE WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT IS OUR STREET AND RIGHT OF WAY MAINTENANCE PROGRAM. I TALKED ABOUT THE KRAKEN SLURRY CO EFFORTS, UH, BUT WE'VE ALSO HAVE BEEN BUILDING UP OUR CONCRETE CREWS. UH, AND WE'VE BEEN, UH, DOING MORE IN-HOUSE, UH, TO ADDRESS SOME OF THE, UH, SIDEWALK REPAIR NEEDS, UH, THAT, THAT WE HAVE WITHIN OUR CITY, UH, WITH THE CONCRETE CREW AS WE STAFF UP. UH, WE HAVE COMPLETED 15 HIGH PRIORITY, UH, LOCATIONS, AND WE HAVE 10 MORE PROGRAMMED TO COMPLETE BY THE, UH, BY OCTOBER. UH, AND THE CONCRETE TEAM IS ONLY GONNA BE ABLE TO DO MORE AND MORE AND MORE AS WE FULLY STAFF UP AND, AND, UH, AND GET THAT, UH, TEAM TRAINED AND, AND WORKING AT FULL, FULL SCALE. UH, THE ORGANICS ROLLOUT, WE'LL TALK A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THAT, BUT WE ARE FULLY UNDERWAY WITH THE STATE MANDATES. UH, WE ARE ALREADY PICKING UP 4 MILLION POUNDS OF ORGANICS AND DIVERTING THEM FROM LANDFILLS. UH, WE HAVE BEGAN OUR COMMUNITY OUTREACH, BUT OUR BIG PART OF OUR OUTREACH IS ALSO STARTING IN SEPTEMBER. UH, WE, WE BROUGHT IN A, A CONTRACTS, UH, TO COUNCIL FOR APPROVAL RECENTLY, UH, TO PARTNER WITH COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS TO HELP OUT, HELP US WITH ALL THE OUTREACH, UH, THAT, THAT IS REQUIRED FOR THAT TRANSITION. SO, JUST WANTED TO SHOW SOME PICTURES HERE OF OUR IN-HOUSE, UH, MAINTENANCE WORK, UH, THAT WE ARE, UH, ABLE TO DO, UH, WITH OUR, WITH OUR, WITH OUR STAFF. ONE OF THE AR OTHER AREAS WE WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT IS TRAFFIC ENGINEERING AND SAFETY. UH, WE HAVE, UH, SOME, UH, VISION ZERO AND SAFETY HIGHLIGHTS, UH, AND WE'LL BE PREPARED TO, UM, TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU MAY HAVE. BUT THIS IS A TEAM THAT WE'VE BEEN INVESTING MORE IN. WE'VE, WE'VE, UH, HAD ADDED POSITIONS, UH, TO OUR VISION ZERO TEAMS. WE FILL THOSE POSITIONS. UH, WE HAVE, UH, OUR STAFF THAT'S DOING MORE WORK IN THIS AREA. UM, AND I THINK YOU'RE GONNA SEE A LOT MORE VISIBILITY WITH, WITH, UH, TRAFFIC SAFETY AND, UH, AND WITH VISION ZERO AS WE COMPLETE A LOT OF THE PROJECTS AND INITIATIVES THAT THAT, THAT WE HAVE GOING ON. UH, SO, UH, THE STAFF IS SEEING MORE REQUESTS FOR TRAFFIC STUDIES THAN WE HAVE IN THE PAST. UH, WE WERE LOOKING AT THE DATA AND SOME DISTRICTS HAVE SEEN OVER A HUNDRED PERCENT INCREASE IN THE NUMBER OF REQUESTS, UH, IN THE LAST TWO TO THREE YEARS ALONE. SO WE ARE ADJUSTING TO THAT. WE ARE, UH, TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO BE, UH, MORE RESPONSIVE. AND WITH OUR STAFF ON BOARD, I KNOW WE'RE GONNA BE ABLE TO, WE'RE GONNA, WE PLAN ON STARTING, UH, MORE, UH, DETAILED CONVERSATIONS, UH, TO ENSURE THAT ALL OF OUR, UH, COUNCIL MEMBERS AND THE PUBLIC ARE AWARE OF EVERYTHING WE'RE DOING TO ADDRESS, UH, THE TRAFFIC, UH, ENGINEERING AND SAFETY NEEDS OF, OF OUR CITY. UH, ANOTHER, UH, IMPORTANT NOTE THAT WE JUST WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT WAS FOR OUR PUB PUBLIC SERVICE BUREAU. UH, WE HAVE HAD SOME MAJOR TURN TURNOVER IN, UH, IN THIS TEAM. UH, WE DID, UH, PARTNER WITH ERNEST AND YOUNG TO COMPLETE A WORKFORCE REVIEW, TO ELECT LOOK AT OPERATIONAL PROCESSES AND IDENTIFY IMPROVEMENTS AND EFFICIENCIES. WE'RE, UH, IN THE PROCESS OF STANDARDIZING SOME FINANCIAL PRACTICES WITHIN OUR, THIS, UH, TEAM. AND WE'RE LOOKING AT ENGAGING OUR EMPLOYEES AND MAKING SURE THAT THERE'S A HIGH LEVEL OF SATISFACTION AND STAFF, UH, RETENTION. VERY SIMILAR EFFORT OF WHAT WE DID WITH OUR ENVIRONMENTAL SERVICES BUREAU A COUPLE YEARS AGO. IT WAS THAT SAME TEAM FROM ERNEST AND YOUNG THAT HELPED US. THEY'RE BACK HELPING US, UH, LOOK, UH, AT THIS CREW AND HELP US, UH, IDENTIFY AND IMPLEMENT IMPROVEMENTS TO, TO, UH, SOME OF OUR, UH, FIELD OPERATIONS IN THE PUBLIC SERVICE BUREAU. SO WE'RE REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THAT. UH, VACANCIES, WE'VE MADE A LOT OF IMPROVEMENTS IN PUBLIC WORKS OVER THE LAST, UH, COUPLE YEARS IN, IN OUR VACANCY, UH, RATES. AND, UH, WE ALWAYS HAVE TO PRIORITIZE. UM, AND WE, WE ARE NOW STARTING TO SEE THE FRUITS OF SOME OF THE CHANGES THAT THE, THAT THE, THE CITY HAS APPROVED, UH, FOR IN, IN THIS AREA OF HIRING AND RETENTION. UM, BUT YOU KNOW WHAT, WHEN WE ARE ABLE TO BRING OUR MAINTENANCE ASSISTANCE VACANCY RATE FROM 26% TO ZERO, THAT IS HUGE. AND THAT IS HOW WORK GETS DONE. UM, UH, WHEN OUR REFUSE OPERATORS, UH, WAS AT 32, BROUGHT IT DOWN TO 14% VACANCY, THAT NEEDS TO BE AT ZERO. BUT THERE'S A LOT OF TURNOVER. UM, THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF PROMOTIONS TOO. AND AS YOU PROMOTE PEOPLE IN IN HOUSE, YOU HAVE TO BACKFILL THOSE DECISIONS, UH, TO, UH, TO, UH, ALLOW THE WORK TO CONTINUE. UH, AND THEN, UH, YOU'LL SEE THE REST THERE OF, OF, OF THE VACANCIES. ONE, OUR HIGHEST VACANCY RATE IS WITH SCHOOL GUARDS. THAT IS ONE OF THE TOUGHEST POSITION TO RECRUIT FOR RETAIN. UM, AND SO WE HAVE ACTUALLY SOME CREATIVE IDEAS IN THIS BUDGET TO, UH, TO TRY TO HELP, UH, ADDRESS SOME OF THOSE CHALLENGES, UH, WITH, WITH THE SCHOOL GUARDS THAT WE'LL TALK ABOUT A LITTLE BIT MORE. AND THEN OUR PEOPLE AND CULTURE TEAM, YOU KNOW, I THINK IT'S A MODEL. UH, OUR TEAM AND PE [02:05:01] PEOPLE AND CULTURE DIVISION AND OUR BUSINESS OPERATIONS, UH, BUREAU HAS BEEN DOING SOME AMAZING WORK. UH, AND HERE'S A SNAPSHOT OF SOME OF THE SUCCESSES IN FISCAL YEAR 25. UH, WE ARE DOING BETTER IN RECRUITMENT. WE ARE DOING BETTER IN RETENTION. WE ARE DOING BETTER IN TRAINING OUR WORKFORCE TO TAKE ON THE, UH, THE, THE SUPERVISORY AND HIGHER LEVEL RESPONSIBILITIES WITHIN OUR, WITHIN OUR DEPARTMENT. AND I'M VERY, VERY, VERY PROUD OF THAT. SO WE HAVE SOME OF, SOME OF, SOME OF THOSE SUCCESSES HERE AND THE PRIORITIES, UH, LISTED HERE, UH, AS, AS WELL. SO I'M GONNA TURN IT OVER, UH, TO, UH, JOSH HICKMAN, OUR DEPUTY DIRECTOR, AND HE'S GONNA TAKE US THROUGH THE REST OF THE PRESENTATION. JOSH. ALRIGHT, THANKS ERIC. AND GOOD EVENING VICE MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEMBERS. UM, I DO HAVE A, I HAVE TO SAY THAT WITH ONE MINUTE LEFT TO MEET OUR 10 MINUTE COMMITMENT. UH, NOT GONNA QUITE MAKE IT, BUT, UH, I'M GONNA GO THROUGH THIS AS SUCCINCTLY AS POSSIBLE HERE. SO, UH, WHAT YOU SEE HERE ARE OUR FY 26 PROPOSED BUDGET INCLUDES FOUR KEY HIGHLIGHTED AREAS. UH, TWO OF THEM ARE ON THIS SLIDE. SO INTEGRATING OUR SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT OPERATIONS INTO THE, THE NEWLY RENAMED ENERGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL SERVICES DEPARTMENT WILL ALLOW THE TEAM TO STREAMLINE AND BE A BIT MORE EFFICIENT. THAT'S GOING TO LEAVE A NUMBER OF FOLKS STILL WITHIN PUBLIC WORKS AND THAT ENVIRONMENTAL SERVICES BUREAU WILL GET REPURPOSED AND RECONFIGURED INTO THE TRANSPORTATION SERVICES BUREAU. THAT TEAM WILL CONTINUE TO FOCUS ON PARKING OPERATIONS, MOBILITY, UH, OUR PARKING ENFORCEMENT, AND THEN THAT SAFETY PILOT PROGRAM THAT ERIC HAD MENTIONED IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE CONVERSION OF THE SCHOOL GUARDS TO PCCS. THE OTHER TWO HIGHLIGHTED AREAS IN OUR FY 26 PROPOSAL IS STABILIZATION OF THE CLEAN TEAM. WE'RE GONNA STRUCTURALLY FUND THE CLEAN TEAM, ALLOWING THE DIVISION TO CONTINUE PROVIDING THOSE CRITICAL SERVICES THAT, THAT THE COMMUNITY HAS BECOME USED TO, AND A STAFF AUGMENTATION TO HELP ADDRESS SOME OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS OUTLINED WITHIN THE CIP AUDIT, UH, WHICH WE TALKED ABOUT, UM, AT LENGTH AT THE BOC MEETING. SO I WON'T JUMP INTO ALL THE DETAILS ON THIS SLIDE, BUT THE TAKEAWAY HERE IS THAT PUBLIC WORKS HAS GROWN OVER THE LAST FIVE YEARS. WE'VE GROWN BY ABOUT 200, UH, BUDGETED POSITIONS AND ENERGY RESOURCES AS PART OF THE LB UTILITIES MERGER, UH, REDUCED. SO WHAT WE'RE DOING NOW IS PART OF THIS PROPOSAL IS HELP LEVELING THAT BACK OUT. SO 200 OR SO 180, UH, FTES OR BUDGET POSITIONS WOULD MOVE FROM PUBLIC WORKS TO ENERGY RESOURCES OF THE NEW ENVIRONMENTAL AND ENERGY RESOURCE DEPARTMENT. THIS IS A SNAPSHOT OF WHAT THAT ORG CHART WILL LOOK LIKE. AND THE NEW PROPOSED, UM, ENERGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL RESOURCES DEPARTMENT, YOU CAN SEE THE ORANGE REFLECTS THE CHANGES OVERVIEW OF, UH, THAT, UH, TRANSFER AND REALLY A SNAPSHOT, APPROXIMATELY 180 BUDGETED POSITIONS AND 70 MILLION IN EXPENDITURES WOULD TRANSFER OVER TO THE, THE ENERGY, THE EES DEPARTMENT. OF COURSE, IT'S GONNA TAKE SOME CHA CHANGE MANAGEMENT AND WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO WORK WITH THE TEAMS TO TRANSFER THAT ACCORDINGLY. AND WE'RE GONNA BE USING OUR BEST PRACTICES AND CONTINUING ON ALL THE HARD WORK THAT ERIC HAD MENTIONED WITH OUR PEOPLE AND CULTURE TEAM. SO THAT CREATES THE TRANSPORTATION SERVICES BUREAU. SO AGAIN, OUR ENVIRONMENTAL SERVICES BUREAU WOULD RE-PIVOT, UH, OVER TO OUR TRANSPORTATION SERVICES BUREAU, CONTINUING TO FOCUS ON ALL THESE MAIN ITEMS, INCLUDING CUSTOMER RELATIONS, PARKING, MOBILITY, STREET SWEEPING, AND PARKING CONTROL, AND REALLY ALLOW A LOT OF THE COORDINATION, THE LAST MILE, UH, TRANSPORTATION, LOGISTICS, PARKING STRATEGY TO MULTIMODAL, UH, MOBILITY OPTIONS. SO ERIC TOUCHED ON THIS BRIEFLY. UH, ONE, ONE MAIN ITEM THAT, THAT WE WANTED TO CALL OUT SPECIFICALLY IS THE CROSSING GUARD SAFE STREETS PILOT PROGRAM. DUE TO THAT NATURE OF BEING A VERY DIFFICULT POSITION TO FILL, UH, IT'S A PART-TIME ROLE HERE IN THE CITY AND IT'S REALLY DIFFICULT TO RETAIN THESE EMPLOYEES. WE'RE LOOKING AT A NEW PILOT PROGRAM TO CONVERT SOME OF OUR EXISTING BUDGETED POSITIONS TO PARKING CONTROL CHECKERS. AND THAT WILL HELP ALLOW, UH, ALLOW THE TEAMS TO DO A LITTLE BIT BETTER JOB IN AND AROUND THE SCHOOLS WITH, UH, THE ENFORCEMENT OF ALL OF OUR DIFFERENT PARKING REGULATIONS. THE OTHER ITEM WE WANTED TO CALL OUT SPECIFICALLY IS OUR EXPANDED CLEAN TEAM. SO WE'RE LOOKING AT, UH, MAKING THIS STRUCTURAL AND ADDING AN ADDITIONAL EIGHT MAS THAT WILL HELP CONTINUE TO ADDRESS ALL OF THE, ALL OF THE CLEAN TEAM COMPONENTS WITHIN THE RIGHT OF WAY, GRAFFITI REMOVAL, PRESSURE WASHING, ENCAMPMENT, CLEANUPS, UH, WEED ABATEMENT, AND OTHER BEAUTIFICATION EFFORTS. THIS IS WHAT THE NEW ORG CHART WOULD LOOK LIKE. YOU CAN SEE THE ORANGE IS PRETTY MUCH WITHIN THE TRANSPORTATION SERVICES BUREAU, AND WE'VE ALSO MADE SOME CHANGES AND MOVED OUR COMMUNITY INFORMATION OFFICER AND THE COMMUNITY RELATIONS [02:10:01] TEAM UP TO THE DIRECTOR'S OFFICE TO REALLY ENHANCE OUR OVERALL COMMUNICATION CITYWIDE. OF COURSE, THIS DOESN'T COME WITHOUT CHALLENGES. WE CONSIDER, UH, CONTINUE TO EXPERIENCE THEM THAT WITH WITHIN THE DEPARTMENT COUPLE JUST WANTED TO CALL OUT, COST OF GOODS AND SERVICES CONTINUE TO RISE AND OUR INFRASTRUCTURE NEEDS AND OUR UNFOUNDED LIABILITIES ALSO CONTINUE TO RISE. IN ADDITION TO THESE OTHER BULLET POINTS ON THE SCREEN, UH, HOWEVER, THERE ARE A NUMBER OF OPPORTUNITIES WITHIN THE DEPARTMENT AND JUST WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT AND LEAVE YOU WITH SOME OF THESE KEY ITEMS OF THE ELEVATE 28 INFRASTRUCTURE PLAN. UH, OVER A BILLION DOLLARS AS PART OF OUR, UH, FY 26 CIP BUDGET, WE'RE LEVERAGING THOSE CIP DOLLARS FOR EVEN MORE FUNDING. WE'VE BEEN REALLY, UM, WE'VE REALLY BEEN ABLE TO, TO GET A LOT OF GRANTS AS PART OF OUR LEVERAGING OF THE FUNDS THAT WE DO HAVE. WE'VE BEEN ALSO BEEN ABLE TO SPEND DOWN A LOT OF THE MONEY, UH, A LOT OF THE BOND REQUIREMENTS ALLOWING US TO MEET OUR OBLIGATIONS THERE. OUR IN-HOUSE STAFF, ERIC HAD TOUCHED ON THIS ALREADY, THEY CONTINUE TO DO A GREAT JOB, UH, BRINGING STUFF IN-HOUSE. IT ALLOWS US TO REALLY ENHANCE OUR PCI SCORE FOR THE FIRST TIME IN, IN MANY, MANY YEARS, FROM 56 TO A 61. SO WE STILL HAVE WORK TO DO, BUT WE'RE SHOWING A MARKED IMPROVEMENT. UH, AND THEN FINALLY OUR FY 26 PROPOSED BUDGET. IT ALLOWS US TO, UH, REALIGN WHAT WE'RE DOING, ALLOWS US TO FOCUS, ALLOWS US TO BE A LITTLE BIT MORE EFFICIENT AND DOES NOT ADD ANY INCREASE TO THE GENERAL FUND OR TIDELAND FUNDS. THAT CONCLUDES OUR PRESENTATION AND WE'RE AVAILABLE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS. ALRIGHT, THANK YOU. UH, MR. MONICA? YES. UH, WE'LL GO RIGHT INTO PARKS OR I'M SORRY, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT RIGHT NEXT. AND THEN, UH, AFTER THAT PARKS THE REC MARINE. AND THEN WE'LL TAKE A BREAK AND I'M SURE THERE'S GONNA BE LOTS OF QUESTIONS ON THESE PRESENTATIONS AND WE'LL GO THROUGH THAT WITH THE COUNCIL. THANK YOU. GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL. BEAU MARTINEZ, DIRECTOR OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT. I WANNA THANK YOU ALL FOR GIVING US AN OPPORTUNITY TO PRESENT TO YOU OUR FI 26 BUDGET, AS WELL AS OUR FY 25 ACCOMPLISHMENTS. THE DEPARTMENT CONSISTS OF FIVE FABULOUS BUREAUS THAT REPRESENTS 83 FULL-TIME EMPLOYEES THAT MAKE UP THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DREAM TEAM. THESE INCLUDE BUSINESS OPERATIONS, BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT, REAL ESTATE DEVELOPMENT, WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT, AND THE WATERFRONT DEVELOPMENT. IN ADDITION TO OUR STAFF, IT TAKES COLLABORATION WITH MANY OF OUR PUBLIC PRIVATE SECTOR PARTNERSHIPS, AND I KNOW PEOPLE KNOW THEM BY BP THREE, BUT I LIKE TO CALL 'EM P FOUR BECAUSE WITHOUT A P THREE, YOU NEED THOSE PEOPLE TO MAKE IT ALL HAPPEN. IN ADDITION TO THAT, WE ALSO RELY A LOT ON OUR LARGER CITY TEAM MEMBERS OF THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION AND THE LONG BEACH WORKFORCE INNOVATION NETWORK BOARD TO HELP US GET OUR WORK DONE. SMALL BUSINESS IS BIG BUSINESS, AND THEY'RE THE HEARTBEAT OF OUR CITY. THEY FUEL THE LOCAL ECONOMY, THEY CREATE JOBS, AND THEY BUILD FAMILY WEALTH. OVER THE PAST YEAR, OUR BUSINESS CARE TEAM HAS PROVIDED MORE, UH, SUPPORTS MORE THAN 900 BUSINESSES CITYWIDE. OUR BUSINESS NAVIGATORS PROVIDED 2000 HOURS OF ONE-ON-ONE COACHING TO OVER 330 BUSINESSES. THE SMALL BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT CENTER PROVIDED OVER 2,500 HOURS OF ONE-ON-ONE COACHING TO 811 BUSINESSES, AND PROVIDED OVER 100 WORKSHOPS WITH OVER 1200 ATTENDEES IN COLLABORATION WITH THE LONG BEACH ECONOMIC PARTNERSHIP AND VISIT LONG BEACH, WE HELD A SECOND ANNUAL LONG BEACH SITE SELECTOR CONFERENCE BRINGING TO BRINGING TOGETHER BUSINESS LEADERS, POLICY MAKERS, AND SITE SELECTION SPECIALISTS TO DRIVE BUSINESS INVESTMENTS AND JOBS THROUGHOUT LONG BEACH. WE ALSO COMPLETED BUSINESS WALKS IN DISTRICT SEVEN, EIGHT, AND NINE TO SHARE RESOURCES, BUILD RELATIONSHIPS WITH OUR BUSINESSES AROUND CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES, AND MOST IMPORTANTLY, TO THANK THEM FOR THEIR INVESTMENT IN LONG BEACH. OUR DEDICATED RAPID RESPONSE TEAM HELPED OVER MORE THAN 120 BUSINESSES CITYWIDE TO NAVIGATE RECOVERY AND ACCESS SUPPORT. WE'RE NOT JUST OFFERING CITY PROGRAMS, WE'RE SHOWING BUSINESSES THAT THEIR CITY SEES AND STANDS WITH THEM. THIS INCLUDES OUR WORK THROUGHOUT THE CITY AND NEIGHBORHOOD MARKETPLACE AREAS AS AT BUSINESSES SUCH AS DISTRICT ONE, PETERSON LIGHTING DISTRICT TWO GOOD TIMES, CAFE DISTRICT THREE DAILY PERKS, DISTRICT FOUR, NAILS FOUR, UH, SEASON DISTRICT FIVE GYMS AND JEWELS, DISTRICT SIX BEND CELLULARS, DISTRICT SEVEN ANGELS TRUCK REPAIR, DISTRICT EIGHT MARKETING, THE FORMER V UH, VON SPACE, DISTRICT NINE, ROBERT EARL'S BARBECUE. THESE ARE JUST MANY EXAMPLES OF HOW WE'RE WORKING WITH OUR SMALL BUSINESS COMMUNITY TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY GROW AND PROSPER AND SUCCEED IN OUR CITY. THIS [02:15:01] WEEK, WE ARE PROUDLY AWARDING $220,000 TO 24 SMALL BUSINESSES WHO COMPLETED A GO BOOTCAMP IN OUR AWARD AWARD-WINNING LONG BEACH, UM, LEVEL UP PROGRAM. AND AS WE THINK ABOUT SUCCESSFUL CITIES OF THE 21ST CENTURY, THEY NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT THEIR FOLKS ON TALENT RETENTION, TALENT RECRUITMENT, AND GROWING OUR OWN. AND WE ARE ALL DOING THIS IN LONG BEACH. WE'RE ACCOMPLISHING THIS BY MAKING SURE WE FOCUS ON PROGRAMS SUCH AS THE CALIFORNIA VOLUNTEERS YOUTH CORPS, WHERE WE FUNDED SEVERAL YOUTH INITIATIVES, BUT MOST NOTABLY THE LONG BEACH PUBLIC SERVICE CORPS. THIS PROGRAM OFFERED PAID INTERNSHIPS TO OVER 200 YOUTH. MORE THAN HALF OF THOSE YOUTH ARE NOW PURSUING OPPORTUNITIES IN PUBLIC SERVICE. WE COMPLETED THE SECOND COHORT OF THE INNOVATIVE SPACE SPEECH CAMP, PROVIDING 40 LOCAL YOUTH WITH HANDS-ON LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES WITH LEADING AEROSPACE COMPANIES AND EDUCATION INSTITUTIONS. OUR PARTNERS INCLUDE M FOUR ENGINEERING, AMP, AIR GARVEY SPACECRAFT, VAST RUBBER CRAFT, C-S-U-L-B-L-B-C-C, EDGE AND AND ROCKET LAB. WE ENROLLED MORE THAN 1000 YOUTH AND PAID INTERNSHIPS THROUGHOUT THE THE CITY WITH PROGRAMS SUCH AS THE THE LONG BEACH FIRE CORPS URBAN PLANNING INTERNSHIP, AND THE LONG BEACH DEPARTMENT POLICE ACADEMY. WE ALSO HOSTED FOUR SUCCESSFUL JOB FAIRS WITH 70 EMPLOYERS AND OVER 450 JOB SEEKERS, INCLUDING VETERANS AND THOSE WITH JUSTICE INVOLVED BACKGROUNDS. OVER THE PAST YEAR, WE PROVIDED OVER $1 MILLION IN WORKFORCE INNOVATION AND OPPORTUNITY ACT FUNDING FOR TRAINING, WHICH, WHICH RESULTED IN 40 CERTIFICATIONS TO 750 LONG BEACH JOB SEEKERS. NOW, I WOULD LIKE TO SHARE A BRIEF VIDEO ON WHY OUR WORK IS SO IMPORTANT AND THE POSITIVE IMPACT IT HAS ON OUR CITY. MY EXPERIENCE WORKING IN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT HAS REALLY CHANGED MY PERSPECTIVE. AS SOMEONE WHO WAS BORN AND RAISED IN LONG BEACH, I KIND OF DIDN'T REALLY EXPLORE MUCH OUTSIDE OF MY LITTLE BUBBLE OF THE CITY. IT'S REALLY EXCITING SEEING WHAT THINGS LONG BEACH HAS TO OFFER IN THE NEXT COMING YEARS. REALLY FULFILLING FOR ME IS HELPING A YOUNG PERSON FIND THEIR PATH. WE CAN EXPOSE THEM TO DIFFERENT INDUSTRIES THAT WE HAVE LOCALLY IN LONG BEACH, SUCH AS PUBLIC SERVICE AND TO AEROSPACE. AND A LOT OF YOUNG PEOPLE BENEFIT FROM IT, AND I HEAR IT EVERY DAY THROUGH THEIR APPRECIATION FOR ALL OF OUR SERVICES OF HELP. LONG BEACH IS HELPING THE BUSINESS TO EXPAND. PREVIOUSLY, WE WERE JUST CLIENT SERVING, AND SO WHILE WE'RE DOING THAT, WE'VE ALSO BEEN ABLE TO HIRE ADDITIONAL HELP TO SERVE MORE PEOPLE. THIS LEVEL PROGRAM IS REALLY GREAT. THEY HELPED ME REVAMP MY BUSINESS PLAN TO TARGET THE AUDIENCE THAT I NEED TO TARGET THE MOST TO MAKE THE BIG DIFFERENCE IN LONG BEACH BEACH. GREAT CITIES START WITH GREAT PLACES, GREAT PEOPLE, AND BIG INVESTMENTS. AND THIS IS HOW WE'RE TELLING OUR STORY. FROM NORTH LONG BEACH TO THE WEST SIDE TO MIDTOWN, TO EAST LONG BEACH, TO THE TO THE DOWNTOWN AND OUR WORLD CLASS WATERFRONT THAT BELONGS TO EVERYONE IN THE ENTIRE CITY. WE ARE DIVERSIFYING OUR CITY REVENUE STREAMS AND LEVERAGING CITY OWNED ASSETS TO CONTINUE TO DELIVER, DELIVER BEST IN CLASS CITY SERVICES AND AMENITIES. THROUGH RISE REVENUE, INNOVATION AND STRATEGIC ENHANCEMENTS, WE HAVE CONTINUED TO INVEST IN THE BERRY IMPROVEMENTS SUCH AS THE NEW ARCHIVE MUSEUM, FIRE LIFE SAFETY UPGRADES, A NEW SUN DECK, A DA LIFT, AND AN ELEVATE AND ELEVATOR UPGRADES. WE DEVELOP A SITE PLAN AND SECURE AND OPERATOR FOR OUR NEW OUTDOOR LONG BEACH AMPHITHEATER. WE HAVE LEVELED UP OUR COMMUNICATIONS EFFORTS WITH STRATEGIC MARKETING, MEDIA RELATIONS, AND DIGITAL ENGAGEMENT. WE HAVE ISSUED ALMOST, ALMOST 40 CITY PRESS RELEASES. WE'VE BOOSTED OUR NEWSLETTER TO OVER 34,000 SUB SUBSCRIBERS. WE, WE'VE, UH, HIGHLIGHTED MORE THAN 105 BUSINESSES AS PART OF OUR SMALL BUSINESS SPOTLIGHT SERIES THROUGHOUT THE CITY AND MULCH AND SO MUCH MORE. AS PART OF TELLING OUR STORY, WE'RE EXCITED TO ANNOUNCE OUR REBRANDING TO LONG BEACH DEPARTMENT OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND OPPORTUNITY. THIS IDENTITY STRONGLY ALIGNS WITH OUR MISSION BY CREATING EQUITABLE OPPORTUNITIES FOR WORKERS, ENTREPRENEURS, AND INVESTORS. OUR NEW LOGO IS MORE THAN JUST AN ILLUSTRATION, THE SYMBOL A BOX PUSHING, PUSHING BEYOND ITS BOUNDARIES, A VISUAL PROMISE OF PROGRESS, A FUTURE DEFINED BY BOLD THINKING AND INNOVATION AS PART OF THE CITY'S ONGOING COMMITMENT TO INCLUSIVE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND NEIGHBORHOOD REVITALIZATION. THE PROPOSED BUDGET INCLUDES TARGETED INVESTMENTS IN NEIGHBORHOOD MARKETPLACES ACROSS THE CITY, AS WELL AS CITYWIDE INITIATIVES [02:20:01] FUNDED BY $8.7 MILLION IN PROCEEDS FROM SUCCESSOR AGENCY LAND SALES, DELIBERATELY DESIGNED BY THE CITY COUNCIL FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, BOTH CITYWIDE AND SPECIFIC AREAS. THIS EFFORT RE AIMS TO REINVEST PAST PUBLIC ASSETS INTO LONG BEACH'S ECONOMIC FUTURE. THESE ONE-TIME FUNDS ARE BEING RECOMMENDED TO BE A ALLOCATED INTO A SERIES OF EXISTING AND NEW PROGRAMS THAT WILL HELP STIMULATE BUSINESS GROWTH, REVITALIZE OUR COMMERCIAL CORRIDORS, ACTIVATE PUBLIC SPACES AND SUPPORT NEIGHBORHOOD RECOVERY, THE ENTIRE CITY OVER THE NEXT SEVERAL YEARS, FUNDED BY SALES PROCEEDS FROM SUCCESSOR AGENCY PROPERTIES. THE SMALL BUSINESS REBOUND INITIATIVE SEEKS TO DEVELOP AND EXPAND INNOVATIVE STRATEGIES THAT HELP RECRUIT, RETAIN AND REFORCE OUR SMALL BUSINESS COMMUNITY. THE CITY OF LONG BEACH CONTINUES TO TAKE BOLD STEPS TO BOLSTER ITS SMALL BUSINESS COMMUNITY AND PROVIDE LOCAL ENTREPRENEURS WITH RAVE SUPPORT. THESE INCLUDE $100,000 TO CONTINUE AND EXPAND THE LEGACY BUSINESS PROGRAM, 100,000 TO CONTINUE THE VISUAL IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM, 230,000 TO CONTINUE THE LEVEL UP ALB PROGRAM, 150,000 TO CONTINUE THE INCLUSIVE BUSINESS NAVIGATORS PROGRAM, 500,000 TO INCREASE THE CAPACITY OF THEIR GROW LONG BEACH REVOLVING LOAN FUND, WHICH WOULD BE A THREE TO ONE MATCH BY GROW AMERICA 600, I MEAN 60,000 TO CONTINUE THE VACANCY TO VIBRANCY PROGRAM, A HUNDRED THOUSAND TO CREATE THE SAFE AND SECURE PROGRAM. WITH AN ADDITIONAL 50,000 INVESTMENT FROM, UM, JANICE HAN'S OFFICE SUPERVISOR, HAN'S OFFICE, WE HAVE CONTINUED TO OPERATIONALIZE THE RISE DIVISION, FOCUSING ON LEVERAGING CITY OWNED ASSETS TO CREATE A WORLD CLASS WATERFRONT THAT PROMOTES BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT, TOURISM, MUSIC AND ENTERTAINMENT, REVENUES AND ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY. WE COMPLETED THE DEMOLITION OF THREE BUILDINGS ON CITY OWNED PARCELS TO POSITION THEM FOR RESALE FUTURE REDEVELOPMENT AND ACTIVATION FROM MIDTOWN TO NORTH LONG BEACH. WE'VE ALSO COMPLETED A NUMBER OF SIGNIFICANT REAL ESTATE TRANSACTIONS, INCLUDING A LEASE EXTENSION FOR THE REVITALIZATION OF SHORELINE VILLAGE. LIFTED DEVELOPMENT RESTRICTIONS ON THE LONG BEACH MARKETPLACE OFFICE PARK, WHICH WILL BRING 390 NEW RESIDENTIAL UNITS. WE ALSO DID AT LEASE FOR AN ESTABLISHMENT OF AN EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION CENTER ON THE WEST SIDE. AS WE LOOK TO FISCAL YEAR 26, WE WILL CONTINUE TO FOCUS ON MAXIMIZING THE CITY'S REAL ESTATE ASSETS. LOOK FOR NEW OPPORTUNITIES FOR IN INVESTMENTS IN STRATEGIC AND ECONOMIC GROWTH FROM EVERY CORNER OF OUR CITY. WE WILL CONTINUE TO BUILD ON THE MOMENTUM OF THE GROW LONG BEACH INITIATIVE. LEVERAGE OUR SIX TARGETED SECTORS AND INITIATIVES TO BUILD AN ECONOMY WHERE EVERYONE THRIVES. IT'S ALL HAPPENING HERE IN LONG BEACH. OVER THE PAST YEAR ALONE, SEVERAL BUSINESSES AND COMPANIES HAVE OPENED THEIR DOORS, OUR EXPANDED OPERATIONS HERE IN OUR CITY. THIS INCLUDES FORD MOTOR COMPANY, VAST SPACE ORBITAL OPERATIONS SLATE, CRITICAL LOOP, TRUE ANOMALY. NOVA WORKS, AMP AIR JET ZERO CABBIE CLOTHING, KIMLEY HORN SPACE BA I MEAN SPORTS BASEMENT, NOT SPACE BASEMENT. JUST TO NAME A FEW. THE AWARD-WINNING PORT OF LONG BEACH. THE BUSINESS PORT IN AMERICA CONTINUES TO THRIVE AS OUR INTERNATIONAL GATEWAY. WITH RECORD-BREAKING CARGO MOVEMENT. WE CELEBRATED THE GRAND OPENING OF THE NEW FAIRMONT BREAKERS AND CITY CENTER HOTELS. WE'RE DRAWING HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF VISITORS TO THE CITY FOR MUSIC AND ENTERTAINMENT EXPERIENCES, INCLUDING THE 50TH ANNIVERSARY, THE INTERNATIONAL GRAND PRIX OF LONG BEACH. THIS YEAR, THE VANS WARPED TOWARDS, BROUGHT OVER 85,000 PEOPLE BOTH DAYS. THE PRIDE PARADE, THE DAY TRIP FESTIVAL, THE UPTOWN JAZZ FESTIVAL, WHICH HELD HAD ITS MOST, UH, PARTICIPANTS THIS YEAR, AND MANY BUSINESS IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT ACTIVATIONS EVENTS THROUGHOUT THE CITY. WE KNOW THAT THERE'S OUR CHALLENGES AHEAD, AND AS WE THINK ABOUT FY 26, WE'RE FACING SOME ECONOMIC UNCERTAINTIES THAT WILL CLOSELY MONITOR. THIS INCLUDES SHIFTS IN FEDERAL BUDGET, PRIORITIES THAT MAY IMPACT PROGRAMS AND SERVICES, TERRORISTS AND GLOBAL TRADE PRESSURES, INTEREST RATES, PERSISTENT INFLATION AND ECONOMIC SLOWDOWN, AS WELL AS LA LABOR MARKET CONDITIONS. WE WILL CONTINUE TO EXPLORE CREATIVE WAYS FROM MOVING AWAY FROM OIL RELIANCE BY OFFSETTING OIL REVENUES. WITH NEW REVENUE GENERATING OPPORTUNITIES, WE WILL CONTINUE TO CHAMPION OUR SMALL BUSINESS AND OPPORTUNITIES AS WE THINK ABOUT OPPORTUNITIES GOING FORWARD. WE WILL C CREATE VIBRANT AND THRIVING BUSINESS AND INDUSTRY HUBS THROUGHOUT THE CITY. WE WILL LEVERAGE PUBLIC, PRIVATE SECTOR PARTNERSHIPS AND PEOPLE. WE WILL CONTINUE TO PLAN FOR THE 2028 OLYMPICS AND PARALYMPIC GAMES. SO [02:25:01] LONG BEACH CAN SHINE ON THE WORLD STAGE. WE WILL FOCUS ON BUSINESS ATTRACTION FROM A NEW AND EXPANDING BUSINESS AND INDUSTRY TO LONG BY BRINGING NEW BUSINESS AND INDUSTRY TO LONG BEACH, BOTH DOMESTICALLY AND INTERNATIONALLY. WE ARE GROWING IN A THRIVING, WE ARE A GROWING AND THRIVING INTERNATIONAL CITY. A TAPESTRY OF PEOPLE AND CULTURE WITH UNIQUE, AUTHENTIC, AND COMMERCIAL CORRIDORS. A VIBRANT AND COOL DOWNTOWN. A WATERFRONT THAT IS PART OF NOT ONLY THE CITY, BUT THE GLOBAL MARKETPLACE AND DIVERSE NEIGHBORHOODS. AND NOW I'D LIKE TO SHARE ANOTHER VIDEO ON WHY LONG BEACH. IN CONCLUSION, I WANT TO THANK YOU BARRON CITY COUNCIL FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP AND YOUR VISION AND FOR CHAMPIONING ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT. I'D ALSO LIKE TO THANK OUR CITY MANAGER, TOM MOCA AND THE DEDICATED CITY DEPARTMENTS FOR YOUR PARTNERSHIP AND COLLABORATION, FOR HELPING GETTING OUR WORK DONE AND TO OUR MANY OF OUR PUBLIC PRIVATE SECTOR PARTNERS THAT ARE HERE WITH US TONIGHT WHO HAVE SPOKEN AND ARE WATCHING ON TELEVISION AND TO MY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DREAM TEAM, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND OPPORTUNITY DREAM TEAM, PLEASE STAND UP AND THANK YOU. THIS CONCLUDES MY PRESENTATION. OKAY, MS. MAYOR, WE HAVE ONE MORE TO GO AND THEN WE'LL GET TO A QUESTION. SO WE WILL BRING UP OUR PARKS, RECREATION, AND MARINE TEAM. ALL RIGHT. GOOD EVENING, HONORABLE MAYOR AND MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL. ON BEHALF OF THE OVER 1000 DEDICATED PARKS, RECREATION, MARINE AND ANIMAL CARE SERVICES EMPLOYEES, IT IS MY PLEASURE TO PRESENT THE DEPARTMENT'S $88 MILLION 2026 PROPOSED BUDGET. BEFORE OUR DIVING INTO THE PROPOSED BUDGET, I'D LIKE TO SPEND JUST A FEW MOMENTS ADDRESSING OUR KEY SERVICES. OBVIOUSLY THIS IS NOT EVERYTHING WE DO, BUT A SNAPSHOT OF SOME OF THE REALLY IMPORTANT THINGS THAT WE HANDLE ON A DAILY BASIS. AS YOU KNOW, WE'RE A LARGE DIVERSE SERVICE PROVIDING DEPARTMENT THAT IS FOCUSED ON IMPLEMENTING OUR STRATEGIC PLAN, WHICH PRIORITIZES PARK EQUITY COMMUNITY IDENTIFIED GOALS, VALUES, AND ACTIONS TO GUIDE DECISION MAKING. WE ARE COMMITTED TO PROVIDING A VIBRANT PARK SYSTEM WHERE EVERYONE CAN THRIVE. WE CARRY OUT COMPASSION SAVES AT OUR ANIMAL SHELTER AND ENSURE OUR MARINE FACILITIES AND WATERWAYS ARE SAFE AND WELL MAINTAINED FOR EVERYONE'S ENJOYMENT. AND LASTLY, WE PRIORITIZE DEVELOPING STRONG PARTNERSHIPS AND COLLABORATIONS TO BRING EVEN GREATER OPPORTUNITIES TO THE LONG BEACH COMMUNITY. OUR DEPARTMENT REALLY OFFERS A LOT. WE REACH EVERY CORNER OF THE 9 0 8 AND OUR TEAM TAKES GREAT PRIDE IN SERVING THE COMMUNITY THROUGH THE ACTIVATION AND MAINTENANCE OF THE NUMEROUS PARKS, PLACES, AND OPEN SPACES IDENTIFIED ON THIS SLIDE ACROSS THE ENTIRE DEPARTMENT. WE HAD A VERY PRODUCTIVE 2025, AND THE NEXT FEW SLIDES WILL HIGHLIGHT SOME OF THOSE ACCOMPLISHMENTS. WE IMPLEMENTED VARIOUS OPERATIONAL EFFICIENCY AND PRODUCTIVITY IMPROVEMENTS. WE CONSOLIDATED THE PARK PLANNING AND PARTNERSHIPS BUREAU WITHIN THE BUSINESS OPERATIONS BUREAU TO STREAMLINE OPERATIONS, PROVIDING A DEEPER BENCH OF RESOURCES TO FURTHER SUPPORT THE ADMINISTRATION OF PARTNERSHIPS, GRANTS, AND CAPITAL PROJECTS, COORDINATION ACTIVITIES. AS PART OF THIS REORG, WE ARE ABLE TO EXECUTE A NEW MASTER AGREEMENT AND ACHIEVE GOOD STANDING STATUS WITH THE LOS ANGELES COUNTY REGIONAL PARK AND OPEN SPACE DISTRICT, WHICH IS GOING TO OPEN THE DOOR FOR FUTURE CAPITAL FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES AND ANIMAL CARE SERVICES. IN ADDITION TO IMPLEMENTING A NEW PET PET LICENSING SOFTWARE, WHICH WILL GREATLY IMPROVE OUR CUSTOMER'S USER EXPERIENCE, WHILE ALSO INCREASING LICENSING COMPLIANCE AND REVENUE, [02:30:01] WE CONTINUE TO FOSTER PARTNERSHIPS TO BOLSTER SPAY AND NEUTER EFFORTS, REDUCING ANIMAL OVERPOPULATION AND THE NEGATIVE IMPACTS THAT COME ALONG WITH THAT. AND SPEAKING OF RELATIONSHIPS, OUR PARTNERSHIPS ARE ESSENTIAL FOR US TO PROVIDE SERVICES TO THE COMMUNITY. WE COLLABORATE WITH DOZENS OF COMMUNITY GROUPS AND NONPROFITS, AS WELL AS OTHER CITY DEPARTMENTS WHO ALL PLAY A ROLE IN PROMOTING COMMUNITY HEALTH, SAFETY, AND QUALITY OF LIFE. WE START EACH DAY, HOWEVER, BY FOCUSING ON OUR CORE PROGRAMS AND SERVICES. IN 2025, NEARLY 200,000 YOUTH TEENS AND OLDER ADULTS PARTICIPATED IN OUR PROGRAMS AT 37 OF OUR PARK SITES. THESE ARE PROGRAMS SUCH AS BE SAFE AFTERSCHOOL PROGRAMMING, YOUTH SPORTS, AND TEEN AND SENIOR ACTIVITIES. ADDITIONALLY, WE PROVIDED OVER 45,000 FREE MEALS TO YOUTH THROUGH THE SUMMER FOOD PROGRAM WHEN L WHEN L-B-U-S-D IS NOT IN SESSION, AND NEARLY 70,000 MEALS TO OLDER ADULTS ACROSS OUR SENIOR CENTERS TO RAMP UP HIRING FOR OUR SUMMER, UH, PROGRAMMING SEASON, WE HOSTED A SERIES OF JOB FAIRS RESULTING IN HIRING OF OVER 100 NEW STAFF. THE DEPARTMENT IS AN IMPORTANT WORKFORCE ENGINE FOR THE COMMUNITY, PROVIDING MANY PARTICULARLY YOUNG PEOPLE WITH THEIR FIRST JOB. WE ARE PROUD TO BE THAT FIRST BULLET ON THEIR RESUME. AND BY THE END OF THE YEAR AT OUR ANIMAL SHELTER, WE WILL HAVE FOUND CLOSE TO 1400 ANIMALS LOVING HOMES THROUGH OUR ADOPTION PROGRAM. THESE ACHIEVEMENTS AND MANY OTHERS COULD NOT HAVE BEEN REALIZED WITHOUT THE HARD WORK OF OUR ELBA STAFF, PARTNERS AND VOLUNTEERS. THE MAINTENANCE OF OUR PARKS AND BEACHES IS AN IMPORTANT COMPONENT OF PROVIDING SAFE AND WELCOMING SPACES EACH DAY. OUR MAINTENANCE TEAMS WORK TIRELESSLY TO KEEP OUR COMMUNITY ASSETS CLEAN AND GREEN. IT'S EXCITING WHEN WE'RE ABLE TO ADD NEW TOOLS SUCH AS THE JELLYFISH BOT, WHICH IS PICTURED ON THIS SLIDE, UM, WHICH IS AN IN WATER REMOTE CONTROL DEBRIS COLLECTING DEVICE, WHICH HAS HELPED AID OUR BEACH MAINTENANCE TEAM IN REMOVING AROUND 1600 TONS OF TRASH AND DEBRIS FROM OUR BEACHES AND WATERWAYS. ADDITIONALLY, IN COLLABORATION WITH OUR CITY PARTNERS, WE ARE ABLE TO ADDRESS 700 HOMELESS ENCAMPMENT CLEANUPS, HELPING TO RETURN THOSE SITES TO PUBLIC USE. I'M HAPPY TO REPORT THAT. UM, WE'VE HAD CONTINUED SUCCESS WITH OUR PARK AMBASSADOR PROGRAM, WHICH HAS REDUCED PARK RESTROOM VANDALISM CALLS FOR SERVICE AND COST FOR REPAIRS BY NEARLY 50%. WE ALSO CONTINUE TO ADVANCE OUR SUSTAINABILITY EFFORTS THROUGH SUCCESSFUL IMPLEMENTATION OF SOLAR TECHNOLOGY, AND WE'RE HAPPY TO SEE THE ADVANCEMENT OF SO MANY PARK CAPITAL PROJECTS, UH, HAPPENING THROUGHOUT 2025. THIS SLIDE HIGHLIGHTS JUST A FEW, AND I KNOW PUBLIC WORKS COVERED A FEW IN THEIR PRESENTATION. UM, BUT WE ARE REALLY EXCITED FOR ALL OF THE, UH, EFFORTS GOING INTO THIS. WE THINK OUR, UH, PARTNERS IN PUBLIC WORKS FOR THEIR LEADERSHIP IN DELIVERING THESE IMPORTANT ASSETS SETS. SO WE LOOK FORWARD TO CONTINUING THIS GREAT WORK NEXT YEAR. WHILE LIMITED RESOURCES HAVE CONSTRAINED OUR ABILITY TO OFFER MANY NEW PROGRAMS AND SERVICES, WE ARE EXCITED TO BE ABLE TO STRATEGICALLY INVEST IN EXISTING OPERATIONS THAT GENERATE A REAL IMPACT FOR THE COMMUNITY. BUILDING ON THE SUCCESS OF THE EVENING PARK AMBASSADOR PROGRAM, WE ARE LOOKING TO EXPAND THAT PROGRAM TO THE MORNING HOURS. THE EVENING CREWS WILL STILL LOCK THE 54 FREESTANDING RESTROOMS AND FIVE MINI PARKS EACH NIGHT, ADDRESS MAINTENANCE NEEDS IN THE PARK IN NEARBY FACILITIES, AND PROVIDE ADDITIONAL EYES AND EARS FOR MISUSE OF OUR PARK ASSETS. WE ARE NOW PROPOSING TO ADD A MORNING CREW TO OPEN, CLEAN, AND STOCK THE RESTROOMS IN THE EARLY HOURS BEFORE THE PUBLIC ARRIVES. THIS MORNING WORK WAS PREVIOUSLY PERFORMED VIA CONTRACT, BUT WE'RE LOOKING AT REPLACING THAT WITH NEW CITY TEAMS TO BRING 100% OF RESTROOM MAINTENANCE IN-HOUSE. THIS CHANGE WILL ALLOW OUR DEPARTMENT TO BETTER, TO HAVE BETTER CONTROL OVER THE FREQUENCY, QUALITY, AND RESPONSIVENESS TO OUR RESTROOM MAINTENANCE NEEDS. WE CONSIDER THIS A GAME CHANGER FOR OUR PARK MAINTENANCE OPERATIONS, AND WHILE OUR PARK AMBASSADORS HAVE HELPED DECREASE VANDALISM IN OUR RESTROOMS, WE ARE STILL HIT DAILY WITH VANDALISM THROUGHOUT OUR PARK SYSTEM. TO ADDRESS THIS, THE DEPARTMENT IS PROPOSING AN ADDITIONAL $60,000 [02:35:01] IN STRUCTURAL FUNDING TO ADDRESS THESE REPAIRS WE'RE TAKING. EVERY CHANCE WE GET LITTLE BY LITTLE TO BUILD UP THIS IMPORTANT MAINTENANCE BUDGET, THE DEPARTMENT WILL ONCE AGAIN RECEIVE ONE TIME FUNDING OF $325,000 FOR HOMELESS ENCAMPMENT CLEANUP ACTIVITIES IN THE PARKS, WHICH WE PERFORM COMPASSIONATELY. AND IN COLLABORATION WITH OUR CITY PARTNERS, WE'LL ALSO RECEIVE, RECEIVE STRUCTURAL FUNDING FOR SPORTS FIELD LIGHTING AND ARTIFICIAL TURF MAINTENANCE TO ENHANCE SAFETY AND LONGEVITY OF THESE POPULAR AND HEAVILY USED ASSETS. AND IN FY 26, WE'RE EXCITED TO INVEST IN OUR BEACH AND MARINE ASSETS, NOTABLY PROVIDING A STRUCTURAL MAINTENANCE BUDGET TO ADDRESS THE COLORADO LAGOON. FOLLOWING THE OPEN CHANNEL PROJECT, OUR REVAMPED MASTER JOINT USE AGREEMENT WITH THE SCHOOL DISTRICT WILL BRING GREAT BENEFIT TO THE COMMUNITY BY EXPANDING EACH AGENCY'S AVAILABILITY OF NEEDED ATHLETIC FIELDS, SPORTS COURTS, AND MORE. NEW REVENUE FROM THIS AGREEMENT WILL ALLOW THE DEPARTMENT TO ADD NEEDED STAFFING TO ADDRESS FIELD PERMIT MONITORING AND COMPLIANCE. IT WILL ALSO PROVIDE, UH, FOR ADDITIONAL AQUATICS PERSONNEL, UH, FOR ENHANCED SAFETY AND SUPERVISION AT OUR COMMUNITY. POOLS LOCATED AT SILVERADO PARK AND MARTIN LUTHER KING JR. PARK. AND WE'RE INVESTING IN OUR OLDER ADULT POPULATION BY STRUCTURALLY FUNDING OUR SENIOR FIELD TROOPS BUDGET, WHICH WAS PREVIOUSLY FUNDED WITH ONE-TIME RESOURCES. OUR SENIOR PROGRAMMING PROVIDES VITAL RESOURCES FOR OUR OLDER ADULT POPULATION AND FOR OUR ANIMAL CARE TEAM. STRUCTURAL FUNDING HAS BEEN IDENTIFIED TO ENSURE LBAS IS WELL POSITIONED AND PREPARED TO TAKE ON ADDITIONAL OPERATIONAL RESPONSIBILITIES SHOULD THEY BE NEEDED IN THE NEAR FUTURE, RESULTING FROM LEGAL PROCEEDINGS. WE ARE ALSO PROPOSING A STRUCTURAL ENHANCEMENT OF $95,000 TO FURTHER SUPPORT ONGOING SPAY AND NEUTER ACTIVITIES. THIS IS A REALLY IMPORTANT STRATEGIC INVESTMENT IN THAT IT WILL NOT ONLY ADDRESS SOME OF OUR CURRENT NEEDS FOR SPAY AND NEUTER ACTIVITIES, BUT IT WILL HELP US AVOID FUTURE COSTS DOWN THE ROAD RESULTING FROM ANIMAL OVERPOPULATION. AND AS ALWAYS, WE WILL CONTINUE TO FOCUS ON INNOVATIVE PARTNERSHIPS AND VOLUNTEERISM FOR THE, TO ENCOURAGE THE BEST OUTCOMES FOR ANIMALS IN OUR CARE. EVEN WITH THESE MANY PROPOSED INVESTMENTS NEXT FISCAL YEAR, THERE ARE STILL CHALLENGES. COST ESCALATION MAKES IT DIFFICULT TO KEEP PACE WITH PROVIDING AWARD-WINNING PROGRAMS WITHOUT BUDGET ENHANCEMENTS. FOR EXAMPLE, THE MUNICIPAL BAN PROGRAM, ALTHOUGH NO BUDGET REDUCTIONS ARE PROPOSED THIS YEAR, HAS NOT RECEIVED BUDGET SUPPORT TO ADDRESS THE ONGOING INCREASES IN PROGRAM COSTS. STRUCTURALLY, BUDGET BUDGETED AT $300,000, NONE OF WHICH IS FROM THE GENERAL FUND. THE TRUE COST TO RUN THE PROGRAM IS CLOSER TO $600,000. OUR ONE-TIME FUNDS WERE, UH, NEEDED TO DELIVER THE 2025, UH, SEASON. THE DEPARTMENT WILL WORK HARD, BUT NEED ASSISTANCE IN GENERATING REVENUE THROUGH FUNDRAISING AND SPONSORSHIPS IN ORDER TO KEEP THE CURRENT SIX WEEK CONCERT SERIES FORMAT. AND UNFORTUNATELY, OUR AFTERSCHOOL PROGRAM BUDGET DOES NOT INCLUDE FUNDING TO MAINTAIN THREE PARK SITES THAT WE HAVE BEEN UTILIZING ONE-TIME RESOURCES TO PROVIDE. WHILE THESE SITES WERE ACTUALLY ELIMINATED BACK IN 2018, THERE WERE BROUGHT BACK TEMPORARILY DURING COVID THROUGH THIS YEAR WITH ONE-TIME RESOURCES. WE ARE UNABLE TO ABSORB THESE COSTS WITHOUT NEGATIVELY IMPACTING OTHER PROGRAMS. ANOTHER ONGOING CHALLENGE IS DEFERRED MAINTENANCE OF OUR BUILDINGS AND STRUCTURES EACH YEAR. THIS IS NOT ADDRESSED. THE COST TO REPAIR THEM ONLY GETS HIGHER. WE ARE EXCITED, HOWEVER, THAT SOME OF THESE NEEDS ARE ADDRESSED IN THE ELEVATE 28 PLAN. AND ALTHOUGH SOME INVESTMENTS ARE PROPOSED IN FY 26 FOR VANDALISM AND HOMELESS ENCAMPMENT CLEANUPS, WE ARE CONTINUE TO BE CHALLENGED AND OUR ABILITY TO PROVIDE CLEAN AND WELCOMING SPACES ARE IMPACTED WHILE ALSO DIVERTING STAFF AWAY FROM THEIR DAILY RESPONSIBILITIES. WE EMBRACE THESE CHALLENGES AND WE'LL WORK HARD TO TURN THEM INTO OPPORTUNITIES. WE WILL CONTINUE TO UTILIZE OUR COMMUNITY DRIVEN STRATEGIC PLAN AS A TOOL TO HELP GUIDE FUTURE DECISIONS, STAFF RECRUITMENT, RETENTION, AND TRAINING ALL PROVIDE OPPORTUNITIES TO FURTHER INNOVATE AND FOSTER A GREAT A GROWTH MINDSET IN OUR ORGANIZATION. AND I SHOULD POINT OUT, UM, WE ARE VERY EXCITED [02:40:01] TO SAY THAT WE HAVE A 12% VACANCY RATE. JUST A FEW YEARS AGO, WE WERE HOVERING AROUND 20%, BUT THROUGH THE HARD WORK OF OUR TEAM AND HUMAN RESOURCES, WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO GET THAT DOWN TO 12%. SO VERY EXCITED ABOUT THAT. GRANTS AND ONGOING PARTNERSHIPS WILL CONTINUE TO BE ESSENTIAL IN FILLING FUTURE FUNDING GAPS. AND THE REORG THAT I MENTIONED EARLIER WILL POSITION US WELL TO CAPITALIZE ON THAT. AND THEN OF COURSE, THE 2028 OLYMPICS, UH, GAMES AND PARALYMPIC GAMES WILL BE AN AWESOME OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO HIGHLIGHT NOT ONLY OUR PROGRAMS, SERVICES AND AMENITIES, BUT OBVIOUSLY THE CITY AS A WHOLE. SO ENGAGING WITH THE COMMUNITY TO VISIT A PARK, TAKE A WALK ON THE BEACH, JOIN A RECREATION PROGRAM, ENROLL IN A CLASS, ADOPT A PET, IS WHAT MOTIVATES YOUR PARKS, RECREATION, MARINE AND ANIMAL CARE SERVICES TEAM, HONORABLE MAYOR AND MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL, THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONTINUED INVESTMENT IN OUR DEPARTMENT. AND THAT CONCLUDES MY PRESENTATION. ALRIGHT, THANK YOU MR. MAYOR. SO WE KNOW THERE'S A LOT THERE, BUT, UH, REALLY THAT'S WHAT, UH, WE GET TO WITH THE COUNCIL QUESTIONS. SO WE KNOW THERE'S GONNA BE QUESTIONS. WE GOT THE WHOLE BUDGET TEAM HERE TO BE ABLE TO GO THROUGH, UM, ALL OF THESE IN IN EITHER MORE DETAIL. WE CAN TALK ABOUT WHAT'S IN THE BUDGET BOOK. WE CAN TALK ABOUT SOME OF THE ACCOMPLISHMENTS AND SOME OF THE CHALLENGES. SO, UH, WE TURN IT BACK OVER TO YOU AND WE'RE READY TO ANSWER QUESTIONS. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. WELL, I'LL JUST SAY THIS, THESE THREE DEPARTMENTS, PARKS, PUBLIC WORKS AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PROBABLY RECEIVE THE MAJORITY OF THE ATTENTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL IN TERMS OF, UH, CONCERNS, NEIGHBORHOOD CONCERNS. WE NEED THIS FIXED. WE NEED THIS SIDEWALK. YOU KNOW, WE, YOU KNOW, WE WANT TO TALK ABOUT OUR PARK. AN EVENT IS HAPPENING IN OUR PARK, THE CONDITION OF A PARK, UH, AND, AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AS WELL, WHICH HAD A VERY SMALL TEAM JUST A FEW YEARS AGO. AND NOW THEY PLAYS SUCH A BIG ROLE IN, UM, SORT OF THE, UH, THE, THE PHASE. OUR CITY IS THE GROWTH PHASE OUR CITY IS IN RIGHT NOW. SO I JUST WANNA TAKE A MOMENT AND PERSONALLY AS MAYOR, THANK AND RECOGNIZE THOSE THREE DEPARTMENTS JUST FOR, UM, YOU KNOW, YOUR LEADERSHIP AND CONTINUING TO, TO CHART AHEAD ON SOME VERY BIG PRIORITIES, UM, AND MOVING OUR CITY FORWARD DESPITE THE FACT THAT LIKE THE LAST FIVE YEARS HAS NOT HAVE NOT BEEN EASY POST PANDEMIC FOR ANY OF THESE DEPARTMENTS. AND DESPITE THAT, YOU ALL CONTINUE, UH, TO BE EXCELLENT, TO BE ABSOLUTELY EX EXCELLENT. UM, JUST A FEW NOTES, UH, ERIC, UH, SO, YOU KNOW, IT'S BITTERSWEET 'CAUSE I KNOW THAT'S YOUR LAST BUDGET PRESENTATION FOR US. UM, YOU KNOW, I'M, I'M HOPING THAT YOU'LL BE BACK SOMEDAY, YOU KNOW, UM, BUT YOU AND YOUR TEAM ARE JUST INCREDIBLE AND EXCELLENT. YOU'VE BUILT UP A GOOD TEAM OF, UH, LIEUTENANTS AROUND YOU. AND SO, YOU KNOW, I'M CONFIDENT, UM, THIS TEAM CAN CONTINUE TO OPERATE AT THE LEVEL OF EXCELLENCE THAT'S REQUIRED BY THIS CITY. WE KNOW THAT, UM, DESPITE THE CHALLENGES, YOU'VE, WE'VE IMPROVED OUR PAVING CONDITION INDEX AND FACILITIES IN OUR CITY. AND THERE'S MUCH MORE TO DO BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, I WOULD LOVE TO SEE A CITY WHERE EVERY STREET IS AT 100%. UM, UH, PCI AND WE CAN TALK PCI, MOST PEOPLE MAY NOT KNOW WHAT PCI MEANS, BUT WE WISHING YOU A HUNDRED PERCENT PCI IS A GOOD THING IN THIS CITY. IT'S PAVEMENT CONDITION INDEX. UH, BUT IT'S GONNA REQUIRE INVESTMENT AND IT'S GONNA REQUIRE, YOU KNOW, HARD WORK. ALSO, JUST, YOU KNOW, UM, THE MAINTENANCE WORK THAT YOUR TEAM HAS DONE, JUST INCREDIBLE. JUST THE POTHOLE, THE EVERY YEAR BREAKING RECORD NUMBERS AND POTHOLES AND MAINTENANCE WORK, AND THE DEDICATED STAFF WHO ARE EXCITED AND MOTIVATED TO GET OUT AND DO THAT. I JUST WANNA THANK YOU. THE CULTURE, UM, THE LEADERSHIP, THE RANK AND FILE FOR WHAT YOU'RE DOING. UH, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT. WE SPENT A LOT OF TIME TOGETHER. UM, A LOT OF YOU, YOU ALL, UH, YOU PROBABLY HEAR FROM THE MAYOR A WHOLE LOT. WE MEET ALMOST, I THINK MONTHLY IS THE FORMAL MEETINGS. BUT WE TALK ALL THE TIME BECAUSE WE'RE PUTTING A LOT, WE'RE WE'RE PUTTING A LOT OF PRESSURE ON YOU BECAUSE WE HAVE TO SHAPE, UM, A NEW, UH, ECONOMY FOR OUR CITY. AND THE WAY WE GENERATE REVENUE TO PROVIDE THE SERVICES OUR RESIDENTS CARE ON CARE ABOUT IS BY HAVING A STRONG LOCAL ECONOMY. AND SO WE'RE BEING VERY HANDS-ON IN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT. WE'RE MAKING CHOICES, MAKING INVESTMENTS, AND YOU ALL ARE, ARE DOING EXACTLY WHAT WE NEED YOU TO DO. I WAS JUST COMMENTING, UM, TO SOME OF THE STAFF, YOU KNOW, UM, YOU KNOW, BACK THERE EARLIER ABOUT JUST HOW EXCELLENT, UH, THE LEVEL UP PROGRAM IS. I KNOW IT'S GREAT WHEN I START HEARING ABOUT IT FROM OTHERS, AND PEOPLE ARE ORGANICALLY INQUIRING ABOUT THE LEVEL UP PROGRAM. SO JUST IN TWO CYCLES, YOU MADE A REAL IMPACT. UM, THIS OVER THE WEEKEND, I, I WAS WITH YOU AT PACIFIC AT LONG BEACH LB WIN, WE CHANGED THAT NAME. UM, WE WERE TOGETHER FOR THE RETREAT FOR THE THIRD COHORT OF LONG BEACH PUBLIC SERVICE CORPS. I I CAN TELL YOU, THERE IS NO CITY THAT'S DOING IT THE WAY THAT WE'RE DOING IT AND PREPARING, RECRUITING, AND INSPIRING ENTIRE GENERATIONS OF, YOU KNOW, PUBLIC SECTOR [02:45:01] EMPLOYEES. LIKE FOLKS ARE SAYING, I WANNA BE A CITY MANAGER SOMEDAY. RIGHT? YOU KNOW, I MEAN, IT'S, IT'S, IT'S PRETTY, IT'S PRETTY INCREDIBLE, UH, WHAT WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO DEVELOP OVER THE LAST THREE YEARS. SO I WANNA THANK YOU FOR ALL THE WORK AT CULTIVATING THE WORKFORCE AND, AND, UH, UH, BUILDING OUT THE TALENT THAT WE NEED. AND ALSO, YES, ON VIDEOS, DURING THE PRESENTATION, YES, , YES, YES ON VIDEOS SHORT, BUT FIRE, WE HAVE TO TELL THE RESIDENTS WHAT WE'RE ACTUALLY DOING IN OUR CITY. IT MAKES IT EVERYONE'S JOB A WHOLE LOT EASIER WHEN WE TELL THE STORY. AND SO, GOOD WORK. WHO WAS, WAS THAT CHELSEA? WHO DID THAT? WHO'S IN CHARGE OF THAT TEAM EFFORT? GOOD ANSWER. GREAT ANSWER. MORE OF THAT, MORE OF THAT. WE LOVED IT. UM, AND OBVIOUSLY, YOU KNOW, PARKS, RECREATION, UH, MARINE, UM, ANIMAL CARE, YOU ALL RECEIVE A, A LOT OF ATTENTION FROM THE RESIDENTS, AND YOU HAVE BEEN EXCELLENT. AND STEVE, UM, YOU KNOW, YOU, YOU, YOU'RE ALWAYS THERE HOLDING IT DOWN. SO WHEN STEVE'S REPORTING THE NUMBERS AND TALKING ABOUT THE VACANCY RATE HAS GONE DOWN, YOU KNOW, 'CAUSE STEVE IS HOLDING IT DOWN IN, UH, PARKS AND RECREATION. CONTINUE THE EXCELLENT SERVICE. UM, AND WE'LL CONTINUE TO UPLIFT YOU, HIGHLIGHT YOU AND SUPPORT YOU AS YOU, YOU AND YOUR DEPARTMENT, YOUR INCREDIBLE TEAM, YOUR LEADERSHIP, YOU KNOW, GLADYS AND EVERYONE, UM, AS WE CONTINUE TO DO OUR WORK HERE. SO THOSE ARE MY COMMENTS. ALL COMPLIMENTS. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. UH, YOU ARE THE ONES WHO, WHO YOUR DEPARTMENTS ARE THE ONES THAT ARE ATTRACTING BUSINESSES, ATTRACTING RESIDENTS, AND MAKING, MAKING SURE THAT FOLKS HAVE PRIDE IN THE COMMUNITIES WE LIVE IN. SO THANK YOU SO MUCH. WE'RE GONNA GO TO THE COUNCIL, UM, UH, WHO MADE THE MOTION? LET'S SEE. ALL RIGHT, COUNCIL MEMBER RICK OTI. UH, THANK YOU, MAYOR. WELL, SINCE HE GAVE YOU ALL YOUR COMPLIMENTS, I CAN ASK YOU ALL THE HARD QUESTIONS, RIGHT? SO YOU GOT IT ALL THE WAY. UM, BUT NO, UH, SINCE PARKS IS HERE, WE'LL JUST START WITH YOU ALL. UM, AND SO I, I ACTUALLY JUST WANNA ECHO, UM, MUCH OF WHAT, UH, THE MAYOR SAID, UM, AROUND THE WORK THAT YOU DO IN PARKS, UM, YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY HIGHLY VISIBLE ASSET THAT EVERYONE USES, RIGHT? AND SO WE GET A LOT OF QUESTIONS AND INQUIRIES AND, AND CONCERNS AND ALL OF THAT. AND YOU ALL FEEL BOTH VERY WELL, UH, YOU'RE VERY RESPONSIVE. AND, UM, I, I JUST VERY MUCH APPRECIATE, UM, THE ABILITY TO COLLABORATE WITH YOU ALL, TALK ABOUT IMPROVEMENTS AND ENHANCEMENTS TO OUR PARKS IN OUR OPEN SPACE. UM, AND THEN ALSO, UM, HAVING THE ABILITY TO KIND OF, YOU KNOW, SPITBALL IDEAS WITH YOU ALL AROUND OTHER THINGS THAT WE CAN DO TO ENGAGE OUR COMMUNITY. AND SO THANK YOU FOR THE WORK THAT YOU DO. UM, I LITERALLY JUST HAD A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS. UM, AND SO ONE OF THEM WAS, UM, I KNOW THAT WE DO A LOT AROUND CLEANING UP OUR BEACHES AND OUR MARINAS AROUND THE DEBRIS THAT COMES FROM THE, UH, THE LA RIVER. UM, AND OBVIOUSLY THAT'S NOT FREE . SO, UM, IS THERE, ARE THERE ANY COUNTY OR STATE GRANTS? DO WE AS A CITY GET ANY FUNDING FOR ALL THE WORK THAT WE DO RELATED TO THAT DEBRIS REMOVAL, MUCH OF WHICH DOESN'T ACTUALLY COME FROM LONG BEACH? THANKS FOR THE QUESTION. COUNCIL MEMBER. THERE WAS A PERIOD OF TIME WHERE WE DID GET SOME DEDICATED FUNDING FROM THE COUNTY. I THINK THAT WAS CLOSE TO 500,000 A YEAR. UH, UNFORTUNATELY WE NO LONGER RECEIVE THAT, UH, FUNDING. SO THIS IS REALLY KIND OF, UH, COMING FROM, UH, OUR CITY RESOURCES. NOW I KNOW THAT OUR, UM, CITY, UH, INTERGOVERNMENTAL DEPARTMENT, UH, TEAM IS LOOKING AT EXPLORING DIFFERENT OPPORTUNITIES TO SEE ARE THERE COST SHARING OPPORTUNITIES OR OTHER SCENARIOS THAT COULD HELP LESSEN THE BURDEN ON LONG BEACH? OKAY. YEAH. I, I, I MEAN, I WOULD SAY AS A COUNCIL MEMBER AS WELL, I WOULD LIKE US TO EXPLORE OPPORTUNITIES FOR GETTING SOME OF THAT COST RECOVERY RATE AS MUCH SINCE WE'RE DOING A LOT OF WORK, UM, IN RESPONSE TO DEBRIS THAT WE'RE GETTING FROM OTHER AREAS. UM, AND WE'RE THINKING ABOUT OUR GENERAL FUND, THE IMPACTS TO IT. SO THAT'S SOMETHING THAT I DEFINITELY SUPPORT. UM, I SAW, I JUST, I I, I SAW A SIGNIFICANT DECREASE IN OVERTIME EXPENDITURES, UH, BETWEEN FISCAL YEAR 24 AND FISCAL YEAR 26. AND I WAS JUST HOPING THAT MAYBE YOU ALL CAN TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE FACTORS RELATED TO, TO WHY THAT WAS. AND SOME OF THAT MAY BE THE, THE CHANGE IN THE VACANCY RATE THAT YOU MENTIONED, THAT WOULD BE THE SINGLE BIGGEST DRIVER, UH, FOR THAT REDUCTION WOULD BE FILLING THOSE POSITIONS. BECAUSE WHEN WE DON'T HAVE THOSE POSITIONS FILLED, THAT IS WHEN WE NEED TO UTILIZE OVER TIME. AND SO, UM, FORTUNATE TO BE ABLE TO FILL THOSE POSITIONS. UH, QUITE HONESTLY, IT WAS HELPFUL THAT WE DID NOT HAVE A LOT OF SIGNIFICANT STORMS HAPPENING, UH, BECAUSE THAT, WHEN WE TRY TO MAINTAIN OUR BEACHES, UM, DURING STORM SEASON CAN REQUIRE A LOT OF OVERTIME. AND SO IN PRIOR YEARS, WE'VE HAD A NUMBER OF BIG STORMS WHERE WE'VE HAD TO ADDRESS THAT. FORTUNATELY, THIS PAST YEAR HASN'T BEEN AS SIGNIFICANT. EXCELLENT. UM, AND THEN THE LAST QUESTION IS ABOUT THE PARK AMBASSADORS PROGRAM WAS REALLY HAPPY TO HEAR ABOUT US, UM, BRINGING THAT IN HOUSE, UM, AND HAVING THEM TAKE CARE OF THE KIND OF THAT MORNING SHIFT. UM, BUT COULD YOU GIMME A LITTLE BIT OF A HISTORY, UM, 'CAUSE I ADMITTEDLY, AND I, I THINK I TOLD YOU THIS IN OUR BRIEFING, I THOUGHT OUR PARK AMBASSADOR PROGRAM COVERED BOTH MORNING AND AFTERNOON. SO IT WASN'T UNTIL WE DID OUR BRIEFING THAT I REALIZED THAT IT WAS ONLY THE EVENING FOR PARK AMBASSADORS. WE ACTUALLY CONTRACTED OUT THE MORNING. SO YOU GIMME A LITTLE BIT OF HISTORY ON WHY OUR PARK AMBASSADOR PROGRAM WAS ROLLED OUT INITIALLY JUST TO DO THE EVENING PORTION. UM, [02:50:01] AND WE HAD A CONTRACTOR DO THE MORNING. SO PRIOR TO THE EVENING PARK AMBASSADOR PROGRAM, OUR PARK RESTROOMS WERE OPEN ALL NIGHT. AND AS YOU CAN IMAGINE, NOT A LOT OF GOOD THINGS HAPPENED IN PARK RESTROOMS IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT. A LOT OF VANDALISM, UH, OCCURRED IN THE RESTROOMS. WE WERE REPLACING SINKS, TOILETS OVER AND OVER AGAIN IN THE SAME RESTROOMS. AND SO WE STARTED THE PARK AMBASSADOR PROGRAM TO GO OUT AND ACTUALLY LOCK THOSE RESTROOMS AT NIGHT BECAUSE THEY WERE PREVIOUSLY LEFT OPEN IN THE MORNING. THE CONTRACT THAT I SPOKE OF, THAT CONTRACTOR WOULD THEN OPEN THE RESTROOMS FOR US AND CLEAN AND STOCK THE RESTROOMS, UH, FOR USE DURING THE DAY. NOW WHAT WE'RE DOING IS WE'RE TRYING TO BRING THAT ALL IN-HOUSE. SO THE MORNING, UH, SHIFT, IF YOU WILL, UM, WILL GIVE US GREATER FLEXIBILITY TO BE ABLE TO RESPOND TO NEEDS AT THE RESTROOM. MAYBE WHEN WE AREN'T THERE OR WE'VE ALREADY VISITED, IT'LL GIVE US THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE A LITTLE BIT MORE NIMBLE, UH, THAN WE WERE WITH, UH, HAVING A CONTRACT. UNDERSTOOD. AND SO, AND SO, AND THEN JUST TO CLARIFY, SO BEFORE WE HAD THE PARK AMBASSADORS LOCKING IT, THERE WAS OBVIOUSLY NO NEED TO OPEN THEM IN THE MORNING 'CAUSE THEY WERE ALREADY OPEN. UH, BUT ONE OF OUR, WAS IT ONE OF OUR PARK STAFF AT THE TIME THOUGH, WHERE THEY WOULD GO IN THERE AND THEN SERVICE THEM IN THE MORNING OR THEY WEREN'T ALWAYS SERVICED IN THE MORNING? SO THIS WAS ALL DONE BY THAT CONTRACT. UM, SO EVEN BEFORE THEY WERE ASKED, THE CONTRACTOR WAS ASKED TO OPEN THE RESTROOMS. ONCE WE BEGAN LOCKING THEM, THEY WERE STILL, UH, COMING OUT AND CLEANING AND STOCKING THOSE RESTROOMS IN THE MORNING. UNDERSTOOD. THEY WERE SERVING TWICE A DAY. AND THEN WHEN WE BROUGHT ON OUR TEAMS, WE MOVED THEM TO THE MORNING, AND THEN WE DID OUR TEAMS IN THE AFTERNOON JUST FROM A, A, A SHIFT PERSPECTIVE. SO NOW WE'RE VISITING THE, UM, THE RESTROOMS MUCH MORE FREQUENTLY. SO THEY WERE ONLY GETTING ABOUT TWO TIMES A DAY. THEY'RE NOW GET UP TO FOUR. AND THEN WE'RE ALSO OPENING. AND SO WITH THE CONTRACT COST GOING UP, IT JUST MAKES SENSE NOW THAT THE COST OF THE CONTRACTOR IS GONNA BE EQUAL TO, UH, WHAT WE COULD DO WITH OUR OWN CREWS. AND SO THEN IT MAKES, MAKES SENSE TO BRING THAT ALL IN-HOUSE. UNDERSTOOD. EXCELLENT. UM, AND THEN MY NEXT SET OF QUESTIONS WILL BE FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT. AND REALLY IT'S JUST, UM, ONE COMMENT AND ONE QUESTION. WELL, THANK YOU. UH, IS IT, IS IT, DID WE CALL YOU OFFICIALLY DREAM TEAM? IS THAT, WHAT, IS THAT THE TERM? THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND OPPORTUNITY DREAM TEAM, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITY DREAM TEAM. UH, MAYOR, ARE YOU GONNA COME UP WITH AN ACRONYM FOR THAT OF SOME SORTS? OKAY. OKAY. EXCELLENT. UM, SO I JUST WANTED TO ECHO WHAT THE MAYOR SAID AROUND THE LEVEL OF, UM, THE LEVEL OF LONG BEACH PROGRAM. UM, I GOT THE OPPORTUNITY TO GO WITH YOU ALL, UM, WHEN WE WENT TO VISIT THE BUSINESSES THAT WERE PART OF IT IN THE NINTH DISTRICT. UM, AND IT WAS FANTASTIC TO SEE JUST HOW EXCITED THEY WERE, NOT JUST REALLY ABOUT THE MONEY, ALTHOUGH THEY ENJOYED THE, THE, THE $10,000 RIGHT. THAT YOU'RE, YOU'RE GIVING THEM. UM, BUT I THINK, UH, THE BIGGEST THING THAT THEY REALLY, UM, WERE IMPRESSED WITH WAS JUST THE INVESTMENT IN THEM AS A BUSINESS, RIGHT? UM, THE PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND GROWTH, UM, THE COACHING THAT YOU ALL DID. UM, AND SO EVERY TIME, AND JUST KNOW, EVEN WHEN I WENT TO TALK TO THEM WITHOUT YOU ALL, THEY TOLD ME THIS SO THEY WEREN'T JUST SAYING IT BECAUSE YOU WERE THERE, UM, WAS BASICALLY JUST HOW GREAT THE PROGRAM WAS, UM, AND HOW MUCH OF A BENEFIT THEY GOT AND THE FACT THAT THEY ACTUALLY GOT THE OPPORTUNITY TO NETWORK WITH OTHER BUSINESSES AS WELL AND PARTNER, UM, IN WAYS THEY WOULDN'T HAVE GOT THE OPPORTUNITY TO. SO JUST REALLY JUST AN EXEMPLAR, EXCELLENT EXEMPLAR OF THE WORK THAT YOU ALL ARE DOING IN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT. SO, THANK YOU. UM, AND SO I REALLY JUST HAVE ONE QUESTION, WHICH IS, I KNOW IN THE BUDGET IT TALKED ABOUT OUR, MY FAVORITE, UH, TOPIC, WHICH IS THE NEIGHBORHOOD MARKETPLACE PROFILES. UM, AND THIS, UH, UH, LISTS THEM AS COMING SOON. SO YOU CAN TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THOSE. AND THEN WHAT SHOULD WE EXPECT, UM, THIS, THIS FISCAL YEAR OR THIS COMING FISCAL YEAR? UH, MAYOR COUNCIL, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER RICK SOTE. SO WE ARE CURRENTLY WORKING WITH, UH, UH, A, A CONSULTANT TO DEVELOP A NEIGHBOR MARKETPLACE PROFILES. AND THEY'LL REALLY LOOK AT, LOOK AT THEM AS REAL ESTATE MARKETING BROCHURES FOR THE CITY AND OUR COMMERCIAL CORRIDORS. AND SO THAT'S IN PROCESS. SO WHAT THEY'RE GONNA DO IS THEY'RE GONNA TELL A STORY, THEY'RE GONNA GIVE YOU MARKETING DEMOGRAPHIC INFORMATION. THEY'RE GONNA TELL YOU WHAT'S SPECIAL AND UNIQUE WITHIN THOSE COMMERCIAL CORRIDORS AND AREAS WITHIN EACH RESPECTIVE DISTRICT, THROUGHOUT THE CITY. AND WE'RE HOPING TO FINISH THOSE, UH, PROFILES BY THE FALL OF THIS YEAR. AND THEN THE GOAL IS TO FINISH UP THE FIRST 26 PROFILES AND THEN, UH, MOVE FORWARD WITH THE FUTURE, UM, OPPORTUNITIES AND FUTURE COMMERCIAL CORRIDOR. SO THINK ABOUT FALL, WINTER OF THIS YEAR TO HAVE THEM COMPLETED. OKAY. EXCELLENT. UH, THAT WAS MY LAST QUESTION, AND THEN I HAD A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS FOR, UM, PUB PUBLIC WORKS. MAYBE WE NEED SOME MORE CHAIRS OR SOMETHING FOR YOU ALL, BECAUSE I FEEL LIKE NOW YOU'RE ALL GONNA DO LIKE THIS ROTATING THING WITH EVERY COUNCIL MEMBER. WE HELP YOU GET YOUR STEPS IN. [02:55:07] WELL, I WANTED TO MAKE SURE I HAD SOME GOOD QUESTIONS FOR YOU, ERIC. YOU KNOW, WE DON'T WANT, IT'S, IT'S, IT'S LIKE A, IT'S LIKE A GOING AWAY PRESENT, RIGHT? . UM, SO A COUPLE OF THINGS. SO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I REALLY APPRECIATE AROUND HOW YOU HAVE LED THE PUBLIC WORKS TEAM AND THE BUDGET, UM, IS THAT YOU REALLY THINK ABOUT HOW TO USING YOUR BUDGET CAN TO, TO RESHAPE YOUR DEPARTMENT AND REALLY FOCUS ON YOUR PRIORITIES. AND IT'S SOMETHING I REALLY APPRECIATE. UM, AND SO, YOU KNOW, REALLY HIGHLIGHTING THE FACT, THE, THE GOALS YOU'VE HAD AROUND BRINGING STAFF IN HOUSE FIRST WITH THE CRACK, THE CRACK OF STORY TEAM, RIGHT? AND THEN NOW TALKING ABOUT OUR CLEAN TEAM AND HAVING THEM STRUCTURALLY FUNDED, RIGHT? MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE REALLY ABLE TO UTILIZE OUR, OUR, OUR DOLLARS WISELY, RIGHT? UM, TO SUPPORT SERVICES AND GET, YOU KNOW, THE MOST OF OUR DOLLAR. AND SO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR REALLY THINKING THROUGH THAT AND HEARING US AS I THINK AS COUNCIL, COUNCIL MEMBERS IN THE COMMUNITY, UH, AROUND WHAT OUR PRIORITIES ARE. UM, AND SO AGAIN, YOU KNOW, JUST USING THAT TO TRANSFORM THE DEPARTMENT, I THINK IS FANTASTIC. UM, ONE THING I DO WANNA UPLIFT, AND I KNOW WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THIS, UM, A LOT, AND I, YOU MENTIONED IT I THINK IN SLIDE EIGHT, WHERE YOU TALKED ABOUT THE WORK THAT YOU ALL ARE DOING AROUND, UM, EXPANDING THE TRAFFIC ENGINEERING TEAM, UH, BEING MORE RESPONSIVE. AND I THINK YOU'VE HEARD FROM ME AS A COUNCIL MEMBER IN MY OFFICE, A LOT AROUND, UM, THE CONCERNS MY RESIDENTS HAVE AROUND TRAFFIC ENGINEERING, YOU KNOW, RESPONSIVENESS ABILITY TO, TO, TO GIVE US UPDATES ON THE REQUEST THAT WE'RE MAKING. UM, IT'S, IT'S SOMETHING THAT I HEAR OVER AND OVER AND OVER AGAIN. UM, AND SO CAN YOU TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT TRAFFIC ENGINEERING, THE INVESTMENT YOU'RE DOING IN STAFFING AND KIND OF, AND ALSO A LITTLE BIT ABOUT HOW THAT STAFFING IS GONNA HELP WITH REPORTING OUT TO COUNCIL OFFICES AND REPORTING OUT TO RESIDENTS AROUND WHERE OUR PRO OUR REQUESTS ARE, ARE AT ABSO? ABSOLUTELY. UH, SO IN THE LAST YEAR, WE HAVE 14 NEW STAFF MEMBERS, 14 NEW STAFF MEMBERS THAT SUPPORT, UH, TRAFFIC ENGINEERING AND VISION ZERO IMPLEMENTATION PROJECTS. SO THAT INCLUDES A PROJECT MANAGEMENT OFFICER, A SENIOR TRAFFIC ENGINEER, A SENIOR CIVIL ENGINEER, CAPITAL PROJECTS COORDINATORS, TWO CIVIL ENGINEERS, TRANSPORTATION PLANNERS, TWO OF THEM FOUR, TRAFFIC ENGINEERING AIDES, SOME ASSOCIATES AND TECHNICIANS. UM, THOSE ARE JUST AN EXAMPLE OF NEW MEMBERS TO THE TEAM. I THINK. UH, YOU HAVE STARTED SEEING, UH, WHAT YOU CAN DO WHEN YOU HAVE THE, UH, THE, UH, THE, THE DEDICATED STAFF, UH, HERE AND WORKING. UH, WE'VE, UH, RECENTLY HAVE BRIEFED ALL THE COUNCIL OFFICES ON OUR SPEED ENFORCEMENT PROGRAM. AND, UH, WE BROUGHT IN A LOT OF OUR NEW TEAM MEMBERS, UH, TO GET TO, UH, BE PART OF THAT BRIEFING. AND WE TOOK A SNAPSHOT OF EVERY SINGLE PART OF THIS CITY. AND WE TALKED ABOUT, UH, UH, PROBLEM AREAS. WE TALKED ABOUT POTENTIAL LOCATIONS, WE TALKED ABOUT, UH, WHAT THE REQUIREMENTS FROM STATE LAW FOR THAT PROGRAM. YOU CAN EXPECT MORE OF THAT FROM THIS TEAM. SO, UH, ONE OF THE AREAS THAT WE'VE BEEN, UH, LOOKING AT, YOU KNOW, NOW, UH, SPEED ENFORCEMENT I THINK IS A PRIORITY FOR EVERYBODY. WE GOTTA DO, WE GOTTA SLOW PEOPLE DOWN AND WE HAVE TO USE, UH, ALL THE NEW TOOLS THAT THE STATE HAS PROVIDED US UNDER, UNDER THE RECENT AUTHORITY. UH, SO AS THAT COMES IN, UH, WE'RE ALSO GONNA SEE MORE REVENUES THAT THAT PROGRAM'S GONNA CREATE THAT'S GONNA ALLOW US TO DO MORE TRAFFIC SAFETY IMPROVEMENTS AS ANY, ANY FUNDING THAT COMES IN THROUGH SPEED ENFORCEMENT HAS TO BE REINVESTED IN TRAFFIC CALMING. UH, SO IT'S GONNA CREATE, I THINK, A LOOP AND, AND, AND A RESOURCE, UH, TO BE ABLE TO DO MORE. SO, YOU KNOW, SO WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD. WE HAVE SOME MORE TRAFFIC, UH, ENGINEERS HERE, UH, TODAY. UH, WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO, UH, BEING ABLE TO, UH, TAKE A CLOSER LOOK AT EVERY PART OF THE CITY, UH, LOOK AT THE PROBLEM AREAS. UM, I WILL SAY THE FOCUS WILL BE ON THE HIGH INJURY NETWORK. OUR FOCUS HAS TO BE ON THE HIGH INJURY NETWORK. WHERE ARE THERE A LOT OF ACCIDENTS, PEOPLE, CARS, BICYCLES, UM, AND THOSE, THAT AREA, UH, HAS TO GET ADDRESSED FIRST, AND THEN WE CAN SPREAD OUT TO OTHER AREAS OF, OF THE CITY. BUT THAT'S WHAT VISION ZERO IS ALL ABOUT, RIGHT? REDUCING, AVOIDING TRAFFIC FATALITIES. AND TO DO THAT, YOU GOTTA FOCUS WHERE ALL THE PROBLEMS ARE FIRST. AND WE'RE, WE'RE WORKING HARD ON THAT. SO, SO, UH, I THINK YOU'LL SEE, YOU'LL SEE MORE OF OUR, UH, NEIGHBORHOOD SAFETY PROGRAM. UH, YOU'LL GET TO, YOU KNOW, WE'RE INTRODUCING OUR NEW ENGINEERS AT COMMUNITY MEETINGS. UH, WE'RE, UH, TRYING TO BE MORE, UM, MORE, UM, GET OUT THERE TO DIFFERENT MEETINGS, UH, TO BE ABLE TO INTRODUCE THESE TEAM MEMBERS AND BE ABLE TO, YOU KNOW, UH, FOLLOW THE WORK. SO, OKAY. NO, THANK YOU FOR THAT. YEAH. I THINK, UH, I THINK THAT'S GONNA BE EXCELLENT, RIGHT? FOR US TO BE RESPONSIVE. UM, AND THEN I THINK YOU MENTIONED THAT ONE OF THE STAFF MEMBERS YOU BROUGHT ON WAS SOMEBODY WHO DOES PROJECT MANAGEMENT YES. UM, AS PART OF THAT TEAM. AND SO, YEAH, ONE OF MY, I THINK ONE OF MY PERSONAL ASKS IS I'M NOT SURE HOW INTERNALLY, RIGHT NOW, PUBLIC WORKS AND TRAFFIC ENGINEERING DOES THEIR, THEIR PROJECT MANAGEMENT. BUT IF THERE IS A WAY FOR THEM TO COMMUNICATE MORE EFFECTIVELY WITH THE COUNCIL OFFICES SO THAT WE CAN COMMUNICATE TO OUR RESIDENTS, THAT WOULD BE GREATLY APPRECIATED. 'CAUSE THEN I CAN LET THEM KNOW, LIKE, YOU KNOW, [03:00:01] AND I, WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THIS, RIGHT? YES. LIKE, I LOVE PUBLIC WORKS, BUT, YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES I'M WAITING TWO YEARS, ONE, TWO YEARS, RIGHT? FOR RESPONSES MM-HMM . ON SOME, SOME REQUESTS THAT, YOU KNOW, THAT HAVE BEEN SINCE BEFORE I WAS A COUNCIL MEMBER, RIGHT? YEAH. AND SO I WANNA BE ABLE TO BE AS RESPONSIVE TO MY RESIDENTS, RIGHT? AND I KNOW, YOU KNOW, THAT I HOLD, UH, PUBLIC WORKS TO A HIGH STANDARD, BUT THAT'S BECAUSE I KNOW WHAT YOU ARE CAPABLE OF. YEAH. UM, AND SO HELP US HELP YOU, RIGHT. UM, BE PROACTIVE. YES. UM, YOU KNOW, FOCUS ON WHAT'S MOST IMPORTANT, AND THEN ALSO, UH, RESPONSIVE TO OUR RESIDENTS. YES. BUT AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR YOUR WORK. YOU GUYS DO NOT HAVE A, YOU, YOU ALL DO NOT HAVE A EASY JOB. AND, AND I RECOGNIZE THAT. UM, AND SO AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMITMENT TO OUR CITY FOR THE WORK THAT YOU DO, UM, AND FOR YOUR KIND OF JUST OUS WORK, RIGHT? EVEN, EVEN THOUGH YOU GUYS GET A LOT OF CRITICISM, BUT IT, IT'S, IT'S GREAT WORK THAT YOU DO. AND I'M VERY SUPPORTIVE. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU, MR. CLERK. WHERE'S OUR TIMER? LET'S, LET'S DO IT LIKE WE DID LAST TIME. 10 MINUTES. LET'S TRY AND GET IT ALL IN, BUT WE GOTTA HAVE THE TIMER. CAN YOU DO, CAN YOU PUT THE BIG ONE? LET'S DO THE BIG ONE. ALRIGHT. COUNCIL MEMBERS AND DEJAS. AND I DIDN'T TAKE THAT LONG. I JUST WANNA LET YOU KNOW IT WASN'T, IT WASN'T EVEN FOR YOU. I'M JUST, I DIDN'T SEE THE TIMER. UH, UHHUH. YEAH. YEAH. OKAY. YOU DID GREAT. DOC CHAIR. YOU DID GREAT. COUNCIL MEMBERS OF DEJAS, THANK YOU. AND THANK YOU CHAIR FOR ALL THOSE QUESTIONS. YOU COVERED SOME OF THE QUESTIONS THAT I HAD AS WELL. UM, UH, FOR PUBLIC WORKS, I JUST WANNA SAY THANK YOU ERIC FOR, UM, DIRECTOR LOPEZ FOR ALL THE INCREDIBLE WORK THAT YOU'VE DONE THROUGHOUT THE YEARS IN, IN THIS POSITION AND OTHER POSITIONS BEFORE THAT. BUT I THINK YOU'VE REALLY SHINED THROUGH THIS POSITION, AND SO I'M VERY THANKFUL FOR THAT. UM, I KNOW THAT THERE, THE PUBLIC WORKS ENCOMPASSES SO MUCH OF THE CITY AND SO MANY OF THE THINGS THAT ARE VISIBLE TO OUR RESIDENTS, AND I THINK THAT THAT'S ALSO VERY IMPORTANT. UM, I DID WANNA ASK A BRIEF QUESTION ABOUT, UM, ABOUT OUR, THE NEW SCHOOL AND NEIGHBORHOOD SAFETY PILOT PROGRAM. CAN YOU TALK A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THAT? AND ALSO, I'M ASSUMING THAT WE'RE IN COLLABORATIONS WITH THE DISTRICT, WITH LONG BEACH UNIFIED DISTRICT. IF YOU COULD TELL ME A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT, WHAT THAT'S GONNA LOOK LIKE. YES. UH, SO I MENTIONED DURING MY PRESENTATION THAT THE, UH, CROSSING GUARDS, UH, POSITION IS ONE OF THE HARDEST POSITIONS TO KEEP FILLED AND TO RETAIN STAFF. IT, IT IS HISTORICALLY HAS BEEN A PART-TIME POSITION. SO WE ARE PROPOSING A PILOT, A NEW MODEL. UH, WHAT IF WE HAVE FULL-TIME PARKING CONTROL CHECKERS THAT CAN HELP PERFORM, UH, SOME OF THOSE DUTIES DURING THAT TIME WHEN KIDS NEED TO GET SAFELY TO SCHOOL? AND YOU HAD TO CROSS SOME REALLY BIG ROADWAYS. WE KNOW THE LOCATIONS OF NEED. UH, WE'RE IN COMMUNICATION WITH THE SCHOOL DISTRICTS. UH, THE, UH, THE, THE HISTORIC PROBLEM HAS BEEN WE DON'T HAVE ENOUGH PEOPLE AND, UH, AND WE CAN'T KEEP THE GOOD PEOPLE THAT WE HAVE. AND SO, WITH WHAT, WHAT WE'RE HOPING THIS MODEL CAN HELP DO IS BE MORE SUCCESSFUL IN ATTRACTING, RETAINING, AND, AND INCREASING OUR CAPACITY OF NOT JUST THE CROSSING GUARDS, BUT ALSO WITHIN THE NEIGHBORHOOD. LIKE, THERE ARE OTHER ISSUES, OTHER NEEDS, YOU KNOW, I, I HEAR FROM SOME SCHOOLS, UH, THROUGHOUT THE CITY ABOUT, YOU KNOW, UM, CAN WE, CAN WE DO MORE ON OUR CROSSWALKS? CAN YOU REVIEW ALL OF OUR SIGNS? YOU KNOW, THERE ARE SOME TREES THAT ARE CAUSING SOME ISSUES. YOU KNOW, WE CAN USE OUR STAFF TO HELP IDENTIFY SOME OF THESE ISSUES PROACTIVELY TO BE ABLE TO MAKE OUR, UH, NEIGHBORHOODS, UH, SAFER AND, AND, AND MORE ENJOYABLE. SO WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO SEE WHAT THIS BRINGS. IS THIS A PILOT? THIS IS EXPERIMENTAL. WE HAVEN'T SEEN THIS BEFORE. UH, WE, WE HAD TO PUT IN THE WORK WITH OUR DIFFERENT, WITH OUR PARTNERS AND OUR LABOR GROUPS. UH, BUT WE THINK THAT THIS HAS THE OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO DO MORE IN THIS SPACE AND WORK WITH OUR PARTNERS, UH, TO ADDRESS SOME OF THE CRITICAL NEEDS THAT WE HAVE, ESPECIALLY AROUND OUR SCHOOLS. THANK, THANK YOU, DIRECTOR. I THINK THAT'S FANTASTIC. AND I AM OFFERING UP MY OFFICE TO, IN WHATEVER WAY WE CAN HELP TO MAKE SURE THAT THIS IS A SUCCESSFUL PILOT PROGRAM AND THAT SOMETHING REALLY GOOD COMES OUT OF IT. SO THANK YOU FOR THAT. I WILL BE MOVING ON TO ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT. UM, THANK YOU SO MUCH, UM, DIRECTOR BEAU FOR JUST AMAZING WORK THAT YOU'VE BEEN DOING. I THINK IT'S JUST WONDERFUL HOW YOU ARE ABLE TO SPREAD YOURSELF THROUGHOUT THE WHOLE CITY. I KNOW I ALWAYS, UM, GO TO YOU FOR MANY THINGS BECAUSE OF THE, THE AREA THAT I REPRESENT, ESPECIALLY DOWNTOWN LONG BEACH. I JUST WANNA SAY THANK YOU FOR ALL THE [03:05:01] WORK THAT YOU'VE DONE IN DOWNTOWN LONG BEACH AS WELL. CAN YOU, UM, SHARE WITH OUR AUDIENCE A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT OUR INCLUSIVE BUSINESS NAVIGATOR PROGRAM AND ITS SUCCESS IN THIS PAST FISCAL YEAR? THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBERS AND DEJAS FOR THE KIND WORDS. AND IT REALLY TAKES A GREAT TEAM AND GREAT STAFF AND ALL THE PARTNERSHIPS TO MAKE THIS WORK HAPPEN. UM, SO THE INCLUSIVE BUSINESS NAVIGATOR PROGRAM IS A REALLY GREAT PROGRAM. SO WHAT WE DO IS WE PARTNER UP WITH SOME NONPROFITS LIKE CENTRAL CHA, THE APRIL PARKER FOUNDATION, RIGHTSOURCE AND U UH, U UNITED, THE CAMBODIAN COMMUNITY. AND SO WHAT THEY DO IS THEY GO OUT AND OUTREACH WITH A LOT OF OUR IMMIGRANT AND PEOPLE OF COLOR BUSINESSES AND PROVIDE A LOT OF ONE-ON-ONE COUNSELING. THEY PROVIDE COACHING, THEY PROVIDE ADVOCACY WORK, AND MOST IMPORTANTLY, IT'S A GREAT PARTNERSHIP BECAUSE A LOT OF TIMES THE BUSINESSES IN THE COMMUNITY DON'T WANNA COME TO GOVERNMENT FIRST, BUT THEY'LL GO TO A TRUSTED PARTNER LIKE NONPROFITS TO HELP US GET OUR WORK DONE AND SHARE ALL THE GREAT RESOURCES FROM A SMALL BUSINESS PERSPECTIVE TO HELP THEM GROW AND PROSPER. THANK YOU. UM, ALSO, I KNOW THAT YOU'VE BEEN DOING GREAT WORK WITH THE SAFE AND SECURE GRANT PROGRAM AND THE VACANCY TO VIBRANCY PROGRAM. CAN YOU ELABORATE A LITTLE BIT MORE ON THAT, PLEASE? UM, YES, AND THE VACANCY TO VIBRANCY PROGRAM, AND I'M GONNA HAVE TO GIVE IT A NOD TO COUNCIL MEMBER RICK OTI. 'CAUSE AS WE ARE ALL TALKING ABOUT WHAT CAN WE CALL THIS COAL PROGRAM AND WHAT ARE ALL THE OTHER THINGS THAT SERVICES THAT FALL UNDER IT. AND SO WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT VACANCY, VIBRANCY, THINK ABOUT THE VISUAL IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM. THINK ABOUT OUR BID FUNDING AS IF WE LOOK TO, YOU KNOW, DO MORE ACTIVATION EVENTS THROUGHOUT THE CITY. UM, BUT THE NEXT EVOLUTION OF THIS IS ALSO WHAT WE CALL SAFE AS NCU. AND RIGHT NOW WE'RE DOING SOME BEST PRACTICE RESEARCH, AND THIS IS REALLY AN OPPORTUNITY TO BE MORE PROACTIVE VERSUS REACTIVE AROUND, UH, BUSINESS, UH, SAFETY AS WELL AS IMPROVEMENTS. SO THINK ABOUT OPPORTUNITIES TO, YOU KNOW, ENHANCE BUSINESSES FROM A SAFETY PERSPECTIVE. WE CAN USE TED AND WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT. SO MAYBE IT'S, YOU KNOW, REINFORCE CLASS, MAYBE IT'S CAMERAS, POINT OF SALE SYSTEMS, AND SO ON. AND SO, ONCE WE COMPLETE THIS BEST PRACTICE, THEN WE CAN DO AS A, DEVELOP A PROGRAM SIMILAR TO VIP, BUT ON A PROACTIVE STANCE AND REALLY LOOK TO, UH, PARTNER WITH EACH AND EVERY DISTRICTS THROUGHOUT THE CITY TO, TO PUSH THE PROGRAM FORWARD. AND I KNOW ON A SMALLER SCALE, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER, UM, UH, DUGGAN HAS ACTUALLY DONE THAT, YOU KNOW, WITHIN HER DISTRICT. AND SO THERE'S DEFINITELY SOME OPPORTUNITY TO REALLY ENHANCE, UH, THE PROGRAM AS WE MOVE FORWARD. YES, THANK YOU, DIRECTOR. I THINK THAT THAT'S VERY, VERY IMPORTANT. UM, I THINK THAT WHEN, YOU KNOW, OUR, OUR BUSINESSES FEEL SAFE, UM, SO DO THE CUSTOMERS. AND SO I AM VERY HAPPY TO SEE THIS PROGRAM MOVING FORWARD. THANK YOU. UM, PARKS AND RECS, THANK YOU FOR ALL THE PROGRAMMING THAT, THAT YOU PROVIDE TO ALL OF OUR, UM, RESIDENTS, WHETHER IT MAY BE CLASSES FOR SENIORS OR WHETHER IT MAY BE SUMMER PROGRAMS FOR, FOR OUR CHILDREN THAT ARE NOT IN SCHOOL DURING THE SUMMER OR THE MEALS THAT YOU PROVIDE. I THINK THAT'S SO ESSENTIAL AND IT REALLY REFLECTS, UM, WHO WE ARE AS A CITY. SO THANK YOU FOR ALL THAT. UM, GREAT WORK. ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I'M REALLY LOOKING FORWARD TO IS WORKING WITH, UM, WITH PARK PARKS RECS AND MARINES TO, UM, BRING FORTH THE CHICANO LATINO CULTURAL CENTER, UM, ALSO OUR, OUR MECAL HERE BY CESAR CHAVEZ PARK. AND SO I'M REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THAT. SO THANK YOU FOR THAT. AND THANK YOU FOR SHARING THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE AMBASSADOR PROGRAM THAT IS HAPPENING, UM, AT THE PARKS AND HOW, UM, CRIME HAS AND VANDALISM HAS BEEN REDUCED BY 50%. THAT'S REALLY IMPRESSIVE. SO I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE TO HIGHLIGHT THAT AND HIGHLIGHT THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING ABLE TO DO THAT. AND IT'S ALL, UM, LIKE IT WAS SAID BEFORE, IT'S A COLLABORATION OF A TEAM EFFORT. BUT THANK YOU AGAIN FOR, FOR ALL THAT YOU DO. THANK YOU THERE, YOU GUYS, MEMBER COUNCIL MEMBER SORROW. THANK YOU. SO I'M GOING TO, UM, KIND OF FOCUS ON MAYBE ONE CENTRAL THING FOR EACH OF THE DIRECTORS, UM, JUST BECAUSE I KNOW THAT WE ALL SEE YOU MONTHLY AS WELL. SO, UM, BUT, BUT I WANNA DEFINITELY, UM, YOU KNOW, THANK YOU THREE AND STEVE FOR STEPPING IN AS THE INTERIM DIRECTOR OF PARKS AND REC, ANIMAL MARINES AND ANIMAL SERVICES. UM, IT'S, UH, I THINK YOU ALL HAVE BEEN IN THIS ROLE BECAUSE YOU LIKE TO SOME LEVEL CHALLENGES, RIGHT? I THINK THAT GOING INTO THIS, IT WASN'T GOING TO BE KIND OF ALWAYS EASY. AND THAT'S WHAT I REALLY APPRECIATE ABOUT ALL OF YOUR LEADERSHIP AS WELL AS THE TEAM MEMBERS WHO ARE PART OF THE DEPARTMENT EVERY DAY. I AM SURE [03:10:01] IS NEVER A DULL, UH, WHICH IS WHAT MAKES THE WORK EXCITING, RIGHT? SO I REALLY WANNA JUST, YOU KNOW, START WITH PUBLIC WORKS JUST BECAUSE ERIC, YOU KNOW, WITH YOU MAYBE, I THINK AGAIN, THIS BEING YOUR LAST BUDGET HEARING, BUT ALSO, UH, JUST WANTED TO THANK YOU ALL YOU FOR YOUR MANY YEARS OF SERVICES BEYOND JUST THE FIVE YEARS AS THE DIRECTOR. RIGHT? SO I, I WANNA, UH, EXPRESS MY APPRECIATION AROUND JUST SOME OF THE RESTRUCTURING THAT'S BEING DONE. THE SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT OPERATION, BEING TRANSFERRED TO ENERGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL SERVICES MAKES A LOT OF SENSE TO ME, ESPECIALLY WITH ORGANIC WASTE. YOU KNOW, BIOMASS BA BASICALLY TRYING TO TURN THAT TO ENERGY, RIGHT? UH, MAKES SENSE. AND ALSO CREATING THE TRANSPORTATION SERVICE BUREAU, UM, I THINK HAS BEEN LONG OVERDUE JUST BECAUSE OF THE AMOUNT OF WORK THAT GOES INTO MANAGING, YOU KNOW, MAKING OUR STREETS SAFE IN ADDITION TO MAKING SURE THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, WE'RE MONITORING OUR PARKING. PEOPLE ARE SURPRISED WHEN I ALWAYS TELL 'EM, MY RESIDENTS THAT PARKING ENFORCEMENT IS NOT IN, YOU KNOW, THE POLICE DEPARTMENT'S ACTUALLY PUBLIC WORKS, RIGHT? UM, SO I JUST WANTED TO, UM, SHARE OVERALL, LIKE, I APPRECIATE JUST THINKING AS THE DEPARTMENT GROWS, HOW DO WE BECOME MORE EFFICIENT WITH LITTLE RESOURCES? IS HOW, HOW DO YOU SEE THIS RESTRUCTURING AND CONSOLIDATION TO SOME LEVEL AND, AND PUTTING IT IN AN IN TO A DIFFERENT DEPARTMENT'S GONNA INCREASE OR IMPROVE TRANSPARENCY, UH, AS WELL AS IF, WELL MORE THAN ANYTHING, EFFICIENCY, UH, WITHOUT SERVICE GAPS, UM, AS WELL DURING THIS, UH, YES. COUNCIL MEMBER. SO WE'VE, UM, WE'VE THOUGHT REALLY CAREFULLY ABOUT, UH, ABOUT THIS, THIS MERGER. AND, UM, YOU KNOW, WHEN, WHEN AN OPERATION REACHES THAT POINT WHERE, YOU KNOW, IT'S, IT'S OVER 200 STAFF, IT'S, UH, IT, IT, IT, IT REALLY, YOU KNOW, OUTGROWS THE CURRENT, UH, ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE. THEN YOU HAVE TO THINK ABOUT, OKAY, WHAT'S, WHAT'S NEXT? YOU KNOW, THE, THERE'S, UH, OTHER, OTHER DEPARTMENTS HAVE GROWN OUT OF, UH, UH, UH, OUT OF OUR DEPARTMENTS, UH, BEFORE, AND, UH, AND IT HAPPENS AS, AS THEY GROW AND, AND PRIORITIES SHIFT. SO I, I'M ACTUALLY EXCITED THAT YOU KNOW, THIS TEAM THAT HAS COME A LONG WAY IN THE LAST, UH, TWO YEARS. AND IT'S A REALLY STRONG, CAPABLE TEAM. YOU KNOW, THEY'RE GONNA GET THE OPPORTUNITY TO GET MORE TIME FROM THEIR DIRECTOR. UH, YOU KNOW, WHEN, WHEN, WHEN YOU, WHEN I'M MANAGING A DEPARTMENT OF 700 STAFF AND WE HAVE SIX BUREAUS, AND I'M BEING PULLED, UH, IN, UH, HUNDREDS OF DIFFERENT DIRECTIONS BECAUSE WE HAVE SO MANY PRIORITIES, UH, THAT INVOLVE PUBLIC WORKS. YOU KNOW, I, I TRY TO GIVE ALL OF MY TEAMS AS MUCH AS TIME AS I CAN, BUT I KNOW I'VE SHORT, SHORT CHANGED SOME TEAMS. AND SO THIS TEAM, IN THIS STRUCTURE, THEY'RE GONNA GET MORE, MORE, MORE TIME AND MORE OPPORTUNITIES TO ENGAGE WITH THE DEPARTMENT HEAD AND CONTINUE TO ADDRESS THE, THE CHALLENGES AND TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE OPPORTUNITIES, UH, IN THE RECYCLING AND, UH, SOLID, UH, SOLID WASTE AND ORGANICS COLLECTION SPACE. THIS IS AN AREA THAT'S EVOLVING EVERY SINGLE DAY. THIS IS AN AREA THAT THERE'S REGIONAL COORDINATION AND COLLABORATION, AND WE HAVE TO FIGURE OUT WHERE OUR TRASH IS GONNA GO. WE PRODUCE A WHOLE LOT OF TRASH, NOT JUST AS A CITY, AS A REGION, AS A STATE, AND LANDFILLS ARE, ARE BECOMING MORE CHALLENGED. SO I AM, UH, I KNOW BOB DOW AND HIS ENTIRE TEAM AND ALL OF OUR, UH, ALL OF OUR, OUR TEAM MEMBERS IN ESB ARE, ARE GONNA REALLY, UH, BE BETTER SET UP FOR SUCCESS IN THIS NEW STRUCTURE. SO MORE EFFICIENT, MORE EFFECTIVE, MORE PRODUCTIVE, MORE SUPPORT FROM, UH, THE, THE MANAGEMENT STRUCTURE. UM, WE'RE, WE'RE EXPECTING THOSE THINGS AND ULTIMATELY BETTER SERVICES FOR OUR RESIDENT. RIGHT? THAT'S AT A LOWER COST. THAT IS, THAT IS AT A LOWER COST TOO, RIGHT? SO THAT'S WONDERFUL TO HEAR AND IN A TIME WHEN WE REALLY NEED TO FIGURE OUT HOW DO WE BECOME EFFICIENT WITH THE LESS DOLLARS AS WELL. SO THANK YOU FOR SHARING THAT OVERVIEW. UM, I ALSO WANTED, UH, I'M GONNA MOVE ON TO, UM, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT. I THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, DID YOU NOT JUST UNVEIL YOUR NEW LOGO TOO WITH YOUR NEW NAME? IS THAT NOT YOUR LOGO? YES, IT'S OUR NEW LOGO WITH THE NEW NAME. OH, WELL, CONGRATULATIONS. THAT WAS SO SUBTLE. WHAT, CAN YOU JUST GIVE US A LITTLE STORY ABOUT THIS LOGO, LIKE IN THIS, WITH THIS NEW NAME? YOU KNOW, I WOULD GIVE IT AN INJUSTICE IF I DID IT, BUT I'M GONNA BRING CHELSEA UP TO TALK A LITTLE ABOUT THE NEW LOGO. 'CAUSE SHE WAS, UH, THE BRAINS BEHIND IT. I ONLY HAVE FOUR MORE MINUTES, SO PLEASE HURRY. . SORRY. THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER. UM, OUR LOGO, UH, LET'S SEE HERE. HERE WE ARE, . WE'RE VERY [03:15:01] PROUD OF OUR NEW REBRANDING AND RENAMING. IT'S BEEN A YEAR, UM, IN THE WORKS AND WE WORKED WITH A, A AGENCY HERE IN THE REGION TO COMPLETE THAT. AND A LITTLE BIT ABOUT IT. I'LL SHARE, OH, WE GOTTA FIND IT. THERE YOU GO. HERE. WHAT WE HAD SHARED HERE WAS THAT, UM, THE SYMBOL IS A BOX PUSHING BEYOND ITS BOUNDARIES, A VISUAL PROMISE OF PROGRESS, AND A FUTURE DEFINED BY BOLD THINKING. WONDERFUL. WELL, I, I THINK I WANTED TO JUST PUT THAT ON THE SPOTLIGHT BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, WITH A NEW NAME, NEW LOGO, IT'S ALSO NEW VISION OR, YOU KNOW, NEXT LEVEL VISION. AND THAT KIND OF GOES INTO MY QUESTIONNAIRE AROUND, I THINK IT WAS ASKED EARLIER ABOUT VI VIBRANCY TO VACANCY, TO VIBRANCY. UM, I DID WANT TO MAYBE THINK ABOUT OR, UM, DISCUSS A LITTLE BIT ABOUT HOW WE COULD WITH THE MARKETING, UH, PROFILE AND, AND, AND HOW WE APPROACH THESE VACANCY. 'CAUSE THIS PROBLEM HAS BEEN LONGSTANDING. I MEAN, WE'VE HAD VACANCY EVEN BEFORE COVID, RIGHT? IN SOME PLACES, SUCH AS AREAS IN MY DISTRICT. THERE'S CORRIDORS WHERE BUILDINGS ARE VACANT. SO I'M JUST CURIOUS AND I I, I WANT US TO MAYBE THINK OUT OF THE BOX TOO IS ARE THERE KIND OF LIKE WHOEVER'S OUT THERE THAT DOES APP, IT WOULD BE GREAT IF WE COULD HAVE LIKE A BUSINESS MATCHMAKER BECAUSE THESE DAYS PEOPLE CAN'T AFFORD RENT. SO, YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE GREAT EXAMPLE I'VE SEEN IS A BUSINESS THAT WORKS DURING THE DAY, LIKE A BREAKFAST PLACE THAT OPENS FROM 8:00 AM TO 1:00 PM AND THEN YOU COULD HAVE A LUNCH DINNER PLACE, RIGHT? AND THEN A COCKTAIL PLACE, RIGHT? I DON'T KNOW HOW HOW THAT WORKS, BUT I THINK IN OUR TIME, IN OUR PERIOD AROUND THE COST OF MARK JUST RENT, HOW DO WE APPROACH SOMETHING LIKE THAT WITH THIS? HOW CAN WE BUILD ON THAT KIND OF IDEA WITH THIS MARKET ANALYSIS WHERE YOU CAN RENT YOUR PLACE PART OF THE DAY, YOU KNOW, FOR A MONTH OR SOMETHING, OR CERTAIN LEASE. I DON'T KNOW. I JUST FEEL LIKE WE NEED TO DO SOMETHING DIFFERENT AND BE CREATIVE WITH THE WAY THAT SPACES GET LEASED BECAUSE WE DON'T ALSO LIVE THE SAME WAY. SOME PEOPLE RENT ROOMS, YOU KNOW, WHY CAN'T WE RENT A SPACE OR TIMES IN A BUSINESS SPACE? UM, SO JUST THOUGHT I'D THROW THAT OUT THERE. 'CAUSE I'M JUST, I FEEL LIKE WE TALK ABOUT THE SAME ISSUE OVER AND OVER AND RATHER THAN THINKING ABOUT WAYS PUNITIVE APPROACH, HOW CAN WE REWARD PEOPLE OR INCENTIVIZE THEM, RIGHT? UH, COUNCIL MEMBER SORROW. THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE CAN DEFINITELY LOOK AT, UM, FROM A VACANCY TO VIBRANCY PERSPECTIVE. AND WE REALLY ARE TAKING A MULTI-PRONGED APPROACH. SO WE'VE GOT THE REAL ESTATE, UM, UH, VACANCY MAP THAT WE ARE PITCHING AND USING OUT THERE. UM, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE NEIGHBORHOOD TO MARKETPLACE PROFILES. WE'RE ALSO DOING A LOT WITH OUR BUSINESS IMPROVEMENT DISTRICTS AROUND ACTIVATIONS. UM, WHERE, AND I THINK, YOU KNOW, THE NEXT STEP IS TO REALLY LOOK AT, YOU KNOW, WORKING MAYBE WITH, YOU KNOW, COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT TO SEE WHAT OPTIONS ARE OUT THERE FROM A BEST PRACTICE PERSPECTIVE TO SEE HOW WE CONTINUE TO ACTIVATE OUR EXISTING BUSINESSES. AND, YOU KNOW, LIKE YOU SAID, MAYBE THEY CAN BE A LITTLE BIT ENTREPRENEURIAL. YOU KNOW, YOU SERVE BREAKFAST AT COFFEE IN THE MORNING AND MAYBE YOU HAVE, YOU KNOW, SOME TYPE OF ACTIVATION IN THE EVENING TIME. AND SO THOSE ARE ALL THINGS THAT WE CAN, THAT MAY CONSIDER. AND I KNOW A LOT OF OUR SMALL BUSINESSES ALREADY DOING THAT. YOU'VE GOT, YOU CAN PROBABLY LOOK AT IT IN OUR OWN BACKYARD. YEAH. AND, AND I'M NOT SAYING THAT WE AS A CITY SHOULD BE IMPLEMENTING, BUT I THINK IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE COULD UPLIFT AND ENCOURAGE. UM, JUST LIKE THE, YOU KNOW, NEXT LEVEL PROGRAM, YOU KNOW, HAS BEEN GREAT BECAUSE IT ALLOWS BUSINESSES TO INTERACT WITH EACH OTHER, BUT, AND I THINK THAT BUSINESSES ALWAYS SAY THEY WANT MORE OF THAT. SO THAT'S WHY I WAS JUST THINKING, WELL, I DON'T KNOW IF THERE'S AN APP THAT ALLOWS BUSINESSES TO KIND OF LIKE, FIGURE OUT HOW TO BETTER PARTNER, UM, WORK TOGETHER TO, YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES THAT ONLY HAPPENS WHEN YOU HAVE RELATIONSHIP WITH EACH OTHER, RIGHT? AND, UM, AND YOU'RE SO CAUGHT UP IN TRYING TO RUN YOUR BUSINESS THAT YOU DON'T OFTEN HAVE TIME TO DO THOSE THINGS. YEAH. AND WE'VE GOT A LOT OF GREAT PARTNERSHIPS WITH THE SBDC, THE BUSINESS NAVIGATORS, YOU KNOW, VISIT LONG BEACH AND THEY'VE DONE A GREAT JOB WITH LEVEL UP AND REALLY, UH, FOCUSING ON HOW TO TEACH BUSINESSES TO NOT ONLY FOCUS ON YOUR BRICKS AND MORTAR, BUT ALSO DO MORE ONLINE. AND SO THEY'VE DONE A LOT AROUND, UH, MAKING SURE YOU CAN LEVERAGE YOUR SOCIAL MEDIA AS WELL AS THE INTERNET OF THINGS TO MAKE MORE SALES FOR YOUR BUSINESS. GREAT, THANK YOU. UM, ONE MORE QUESTION, VICE MAYOR, BUT, UM, IT'S NOT GONNA BE LONG. IT'S FOR STEVE. UH, I THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, PARK, I'M GONNA GIVE THE FULL NAME. PARK, PARK REX MARINE AND ANIMAL SERVICES HAVE JUST, YOU KNOW, THE, THE TEAM HAS DONE AN AMAZING JOB TO HELP REALLY ADDRESS SO MANY CHALLENGES OVER THE YEAR AROUND THE IN-HOUSE, UM, AND THE, NOT JUST VANDALISM, BUT UM, HAVING THEM BE THERE AND HOW DO WE APPROACH IT IN A WAY WITH OTHER DEPARTMENTS, RIGHT? INTER DEPARTMENTALLY. SO MY QUESTION FOR YOU IS, IT CONTINUES TO BE A CHALLENGE. IT'S GOTTEN BETTER, BUT, UM, IT, YOU KNOW, YES, THE PARK AMBASSADOR PROGRAM HAS BEEN GREAT, BUT WHAT ARE OTHER THINGS, [03:20:01] GIVEN THAT WE'RE HEADING INTO BUDGET CHALLENGES THAT CAN BE DONE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE CONTINUE TO ADDRESS THIS? THANK YOU FOR THE QUESTION, COUNCIL MEMBER. UM, THERE ARE A NUMBER OF THINGS THAT WE CAN DO. UH, WE LOOK AT PARK ACTIVATION AS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT. UH, MAKING SURE THAT WHEN PEOPLE SEE A PARK, THEY SEE PEOPLE IN IT ENJOYING THEMSELVES BECAUSE THAT GIVES, YOU KNOW, THAT THAT FEELING OF THIS IS A GREAT PLACE TO BE. THIS IS SOMEPLACE I WANNA BE, AND THIS IS SOMEPLACE WHERE I WANNA HOLD AN EVENT, UH, LIKE A BIRTHDAY PARTY OR WHAT HAVE YOU. AND SO, UH, WE REALLY LOOK TO ACTIVATE, UH, THE PARKS. AND PART OF DOING THAT IS WORKING WITH THE COMMUNITY. WE HAVE A LOT OF COMMUNITY GROUPS, FRIENDS GROUPS, UH, FRIENDS OF, YOU KNOW, PARTICULAR PARK THAT WE TRY TO WORK WITH TO TRY TO GET MORE ACTIVITIES, EVENTS, AND EYES ON THE PARK. GREAT. YEAH. SO WE, WE WANNA OFF, WE USED TO GIVE GRANTS TO PEOPLE TO DO THIS , IS THERE GONNA BE ANY AVAILABLE COMING UP FOR, 'CAUSE I'VE BEEN ASKED BY DIFFERENT GROUPS IF THERE'LL BE GRANT OPPORTUNITIES TO ACTIVATE THESE SPACES. SO WE DON'T NECESSARILY HAVE A, A GRANT PROGRAM FOR THAT. BUT WE DO BUILD RELATIONSHIPS WITH THESE COMMUNITY GROUPS, PARTICULARLY OUR FRIENDS OF GROUPS. AND WE HAVE PROCESSES IN PLACE WHERE WE TRY TO MAKE SURE THAT WE COST IS NOT A BARRIER TO ENTRY. SO WE HAVE A FEE WAIVER PROGRAM. IF SOMEBODY WANTS TO HOLD AN EVENT, UH, IN A PARK, UH, THEY PAY FOR THE PERMIT, BUT THEY CAN HAVE A WAIVER, UH, FOR THAT, UH, PERMIT COST. AND SO WE TRY TO MAKE THINGS AS EASY AS POSSIBLE FOR PEOPLE TO BE ABLE TO DO ACTIVITIES IN OUR PARKS. THANK YOU, STEVE. I APPRECIATE THAT. I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT PEOPLE KNOW THAT THERE ARE WAIVERS IF ITS COST IS GONNA BE A BARRIER. SO THAT'S WHY I LOVE OUR PARK SO MUCH. SO THANK YOU FOR MAKING SURE TO SHARE THAT COUNCIL MEMBER, MEMBER. YOU SAY YOU WERE GONNA ASK ONE QUESTION. YOU ASKED TWO . I KNOW THAT WAS A, HOW'S THAT COUNTING FIVE QUESTIONS. I'M NOT COUNTING, I'M NOT COUNTING THAT FIVE. I'M NOT COUNTING, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER. UH, OOH, WHAT HAPPENED HERE? I LOST IT. IT'S ME. COUNCIL KER. YES. YES. UM, THANK YOU MR. VICE MAYOR. UH, THANK YOU TO CITY STAFF FOR THE PRESENTATIONS. UM, LOTS OF KUDOS HAVE BEEN GIVEN AND I WILL, I WILL CONTINUE THAT, BUT BE BRIEF SO WE CAN GET TO THE QUESTIONS. BUT I WANNA THANK THE THREE OF YOU, UM, AND ACTING DIRECTOR SCOTT FOR STEPPING IN, UH, FOR DIRECTOR DENNIS WHO RETIRED. YOU'VE BUILT REALLY INCREDIBLE TEAMS. AS I LOOK AROUND WITH THE PEOPLE THAT OUR OFFICE INTERACTS WITH ON A REGULAR BASIS WITH YOUR TEAMS, UM, YOU'VE BUILT REALLY INCREDIBLE TEAMS AROUND YOU TO BE RESPONSIVE. SO I WANT TO THANK YOU ALL FOR THAT. UM, I'LL START WITH DIRECTOR LOPEZ. UM, WE TALK A LOT. I THINK THE THING ABOUT ESPECIALLY PUBLIC WORKS AND, AND PRM AND ANIMAL CARE ESPECIALLY, IS OUR STREETS AND SIDEWALKS AND OUR INFRASTRUCTURE ARE THE WAY THAT MOST OF OUR CITIZENS DIRECTLY INTERACT WITH THE CITY. IT'S THEIR EXPERIENCE OF THE CITY AND WHETHER THEY HAVE A GOOD DAY OR A BAD DAY COULD BE DEPENDENT ON SOMETHING THAT THEY ENCOUNTER EITHER IN A PARK OR ON A STREET OR ON A SIDEWALK. UM, AND SO I THINK THAT'S THE REASON I THINK DR. RICKS OTI SAID IT REALLY WELL OF, WE HAVE HIGH EXPECTATIONS BECAUSE WE KNOW YOUR TEAMS ARE CAPABLE OF RISING TO THE OCCASION AND REALLY HEARING OUR RESIDENTS AND WHAT THEY NEED. I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR THAT. UM, SO PUBLIC WORKS. UM, I APPRECIATE THE RESTRUCTURING EFFORTS AND THE LOOKING TO BEING EFFICIENT WITH DOLLARS, BUT ALSO EFFICIENT WITH STAFF TIME. UH, WE KNOW THAT IF WE COULD HIRE A WHOLE BUNCH MORE PEOPLE, WE WOULD. 'CAUSE THERE'S A LOT OF WORK TO DO. AND SO LOOKING AT THE WAY THAT THE STRUCTURE IMPACTS THE WORK, I THINK IS REALLY SMART. YOU DON'T DO IT FOR STRUCTURE'S SAKE. YOU DO IT FOR, UM, EFFICIENCY OF THE WORK, AND I THINK THAT'S IMPORTANT. UM, SO OBVIOUSLY IMPROVING STREETS, SIDEWALKS, UH, MAKING NEIGHBORHOODS SAFE THROUGH TRAFFIC MEASURES, TRAFFIC CALMING, UM, KEEPING THE STREETS CLEAN, MAINTAINING URBAN FORESTS, EVERY, ALL OF THOSE THINGS PEOPLE INTERACT WITH EVERY SINGLE DAY. UM, AND SO I WANNA THANK YOU FOR THE WORK THAT YOU CONTINUE TO DO. PUBLIC WORKS DOES, I WILL SAY, UM, DIRECTOR LOPEZ CLOSING OUT BIXBY WESTIN BEFORE YOU LEAVE. I HOPE THAT WAS LIKE A BIG MARK, MARK OF ACHIEVEMENT. I THINK THAT'S BEEN A 10 YEAR EFFORT TO CHECK OFF. SO THANK YOU FOR THAT. BUT I WANNA THANK YOU FOR THE CONTINUED EFFORTS IN TERMS OF CLEANLINESS, GRAFFITI ABATEMENT, ENCAMPMENT, CLEANUPS, ALL OF THOSE THINGS AGAIN THAT PEOPLE SEE ON THE REGULAR, UM, THAT FORM THEIR OPINION OF HOW THE CITY'S DOING OR NOT THAT DAY IN THEIR LIFE. UM, SO I WAS HAPPY TO SEE THAT THE CLEAN TEAM IS STRUCTURALLY FUNDED. IT'S BEEN A WILD SUCCESS, I THINK. AND THAT TEAM HAS BEEN SO RESPONSIVE, UM, IN ANSWERING THE CALL AND SAY, HEY, WE'VE GOT A THING THAT WAS JUST DUMPED. THANK YOU FOR PICKING IT UP. UH, SO THAT IS IMPORTANT. [03:25:01] UM, GRAFFITI ABATEMENT. I WILL SAY ALOUD, I HOPE THERE ARE NO CUTS TO THAT BECAUSE AGAIN, YOUR RESPONSE AND PRMS RESPONSE TO GRAFFITI, BOTH IN THE PUBLIC RIGHT OF WAY AND IN OUR PARKS, IS REALLY CRITICAL TO PEOPLE'S FEELING OF SAFETY. SO I JUST WANTED TO CONFIRM THAT THERE AREN'T ANY CUTS TO GRAFFITI ABATEMENT IN THE PUBLIC WORKS BUDGET. I WAS LOOKING NO CUTS. BUT THAT SERVICE, LIKE SOME, A LOT OF OUR OTHER SERVICES ARE GETTING A LOT MORE EXPENSIVE. OKAY, YEAR OVER YEAR. WE'RE ALSO SEEING MORE GRAFFITI, UH, THAT WE HAVE TO ADDRESS EVERY SINGLE YEAR. THERE'S A DOUBLE DIGIT INCREASE. SO WHEN YOU TAKE ON THE IFL INFLATIONARY, UH, COST PRESSURES PLUS THE INCREASE IN SERVICES AND WITH A BUDGET THAT'S PRETTY MUCH THE SAME, UM, IT BECOMES, FEELS LIKE THAT REALLY CHALLENGING. SO THAT IS AN AREA WHERE I THINK WE, WE, WE CAN HAVE, UH, ADDITIONAL CONVERSATIONS, BUT IT'S, IT'S JUST ONE PROGRAM I'M SEEING, UH, SIMILAR, UH, PRESSURES IN IN FUEL COSTS AND ELECTRICITY COSTS, OTHER UTILITIES, WATER COSTS. UM, THERE ARE UPWARD PRESSURES ON A LOT OF OUR, OUR BUDGETS, BUT NO, WE ARE NOT PROPOSING ANY CUTS. UH, WE ARE THOUGH ACTIVELY MANAGING TO OUR BUDGETS. WE'VE BEEN ASKED TO DO A SALARY SAVINGS TARGET THIS YEAR. WE ARE GONNA MEET OUR SALARY SAVINGS TARGET. WE ARE LOOKING AT NEXT YEAR, POTENTIALLY HAVING TO TIGHTEN OUR BELTS. AND THE WAY YOU DO THAT IS BY CONTROLLING COSTS, ESPECIALLY OVER TIME. SO IT'S, IT, IT IS, IT IS A CHALLENGE. EVEN THOUGH WE'RE NOT DOING ANY CUTS, IT IS A CHALLENGE STAYING WITHIN OUR BUDGETS WHEN WE'RE SEEING INCREASED PRESSURES ON, UH, EVERYDAY, UH, COST OF SERVICES LIKE GRAFFITI ABATEMENT. THANK YOU. UM, AND JUST A COUPLE THINGS TO THROW OUT THAT I KNOW THAT YOU'VE WORKED ON IN THE PAST. WE KNOW THE PCI INDEX HAS GONE UP. WE KNOW THAT DISTRICT FIVE HAS THE GREATEST NUMBER OF POOR AND VERY POOR STREETS IN THE CITY. UM, SO WHILE WE APPRECIATE ALL OF THE SLURRY CEILING AT ALL OF THOSE MINOR REPAIRS, WE DO LOOK FORWARD TO THE NEXT ABILITY TO PLAN FORWARD FOR SOME OF THOSE RECONSTRUCTION OF STREETS. SO I'M JUST THROWING THAT OUT THERE AS A, AS A PRIMARY CONCERN. AND THE OTHER THING IS, UH, BOTH PRM AND PUBLIC WORK. SO I WANNA THANK YOU FOR YOUR COLLABORATION ON THINGS LIKE WILLOW SPRINGS PARK AND THE TRAILHEAD PROJECT, UM, WHICH INTERSECT. UM, SO WORKING WITH NONPROFITS LIKE RMC TO GET GRANT FUNDING, BUT PUBLIC WORKS IS GONNA DO THAT PROJECT FOR US, BUT IT ALSO RESIDES WITHIN A PARK. SO I WANNA THANK YOU FOR, UH, WORKING TOGETHER TO TRY AND MAKE THAT HAPPEN. SO WE LOOK FORWARD TO THAT AS WELL. I'M LOOKING AT MY CLOCK. UM, AND I DO WANNA ACKNOWLEDGE, UM, FOR ALL OF THE GREAT WORK THAT YOU DO, I THINK YOU'VE TOLD US THAT THERE'S A $1.8 BILLION BACKLOG IN INFRASTRUCTURE REPAIR WORK IN THE CITY. SO AS WE BUDGET FORWARD AS BEST WE CAN, WE KNOW THAT THE NEED ALWAYS OUTWEIGHS, UH, THE DOLLARS TO DO THE WORK. UH, THANK YOU COUNCILMAN ZENDEJAS FOR ASKING ABOUT THE SCHOOL GUARD PROGRAM. I'M REALLY INTERESTED TO SEE WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE. LIKE I WANNA, LIKE, WHAT ARE THEY GONNA DO? LIKE, ARE THEY GONNA BE A CROSSING GUARD FOR A WHILE AND THEN WRITE TICKETS FOR ALL THOSE PEOPLE WHO DOUBLE PARK? LIKE I'M, I'M FASCINATED TO SEE HOW THAT PILOT PROGRAM DEVELOPS AND LOOK FORWARD TO SUPPORTING IN ANY WAY THAT YOU THINK THAT OUR OFFICE CAN HELP YOU WITH THAT. UM, SINCE I TALKED ABOUT PARKS, I'LL GO TO PRM UH, REALLY QUICKLY. UM, YOU'VE MENTIONED ALL OF THE GREAT WORK THAT YOU'VE DONE. YOU TALKED A LOT ABOUT VANDALISM IS IMPORTANT. I WAS, UM, TELLING THE MAYOR THAT WE'VE HAD A SINK IN ONE OF OUR PARKS REPLACED 10 TIMES IN THE LAST YEAR. WHY PEOPLE LIKE TO DESTROY SINKS IN PARKS. I'M NOT EXACTLY SURE. UM, BUT WE KNOW THAT THAT'S UNSUSTAINABLE, BUT WE ALSO KNOW IT'S UNSUSTAINABLE TO NOT HAVE A SINK IN A PARK. UM, SO AS WE BALANCE THOSE CHALLENGES, I APPRECIATE, UM, THE BRINGING IN OF BRINGING THAT IN-HOUSE IN THE MORNINGS AS A WAY TO HAVE OUR OWN EYES ON WHAT'S HAPPENING TO BE ABLE TO ADDRESS THAT. UM, AND I KNOW YOU TALKED ABOUT A 50% DROP, UM, BUT CAN YOU TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT, YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT A LINE ITEM. I KNOW IT'S NOT, UM, A LARGE AMOUNT, BUT THE, THE VANDALISM LINE ITEM THAT YOU'RE LOOKING TO ADD. COULD YOU TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT? SURE. THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER. UM, SO WE ARE LOOKING TO ADD $60,000 IN STRUCTURAL FUNDING TO ADDRESS, UH, MAINTENANCE NEEDS RESULTING FROM VANDALISM. THAT DOES NOT SEEM LIKE A LOT, BUT AS WE GET THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE ABLE TO SOCK AWAY A LITTLE BIT OF WHETHER IT'S NEW REVENUE OR, UM, YOU KNOW, ABILITY TO MOVE BUDGETS FROM ONE AREA TO THE OTHER, WE WANNA BE ABLE TO BUILD UP THAT BUDGET. UH, YOU KNOW, EACH YEAR WE'RE LOOKING AT ABOUT $600,000 WORTH OF, UH, VANDALISM COSTS WITHIN OUR RESTROOMS. UH, AND THAT'S IN ADDITION TO PROBABLY CLOSE TO ANOTHER 400,000 OF OTHER RELATED COSTS, CUT FENCING, UM, DAMAGE TO SOME OF OUR AMENITIES, PLAYGROUND REPAIRS. THEY ALL HAVE AN IMPACT ON OUR BUDGET. AND SO EVERY CHANCE WE GET, WE'RE GONNA TRY TO PUT MORE AND MORE MONEY INTO THAT BUDGET. THANK YOU. AND COUNCIL MEMBER, THIS IS AN AREA WHERE JUST BECAUSE THE BUDGET IS ONE THING, IT DOESN'T MEAN THAT IS WE, WE STOP WHEN WE GET TO THAT AMOUNT. THAT'S, THAT'S WHAT WE PAY THEM TO DO, IS TO MANAGE. AND IF WE [03:30:01] HAVE BATHROOMS THAT CAN'T OPERATE BECAUSE OF MAINTENANCE, THEY HAVE TO FIND THE MONEY TO DO THAT. BUT ANY LITTLE AMOUNT WHERE YOU HAVE THOSE MAINTENANCE BUDGETS, YOU DRAW ON THOSE FIRST. AND THEN WE MAKE DECISIONS. AND, AND I GET INVOLVED AS WELL WHEN WE WORK WITH BUDGET. UH, AND THEN WHEN WE NEED TO, WE COME TO YOU IF WE REALLY CAN'T MANAGE IT. BUT, UH, BUDGETS ARE PLANNING TOOLS. THEY ARE SOMEWHAT FLEXIBLE AS LONG AS THEY'RE STAYING WITHIN THEIR APARTMENT. 'CAUSE THEY, THEY HAVE TO MANAGE THOSE THINGS. SO I WANNA RECOGNIZE THAT YOU DID BRING THAT FORWARD ABOUT, UH, YOU KNOW, A BATHROOM AND GETTING, YOU KNOW, VANDALIZED 10 TIMES AND THAT HAPPENS AND THAT'S THE STUFF THAT THEY'RE DEALING WITH EVERY DAY. SO THIS LITTLE 60,000 THEY'RE ABLE TO FIND IS REALLY GONNA HELP. YEAH. THANK YOU FOR THAT. UM, YOU MENTIONED, UH, EVENTS. SO WHEN PEOPLE GET A PERMIT, POTENTIALLY THERE'S A FEE WAIVER. UM, BUT WE KNOW, AND THEN SOME OF OUR LARGER PARKS THAT WE HAVE LARGE EVENTS THAT AREN'T PERMITTED SOMETIMES, UM, THAT ARE A LOT OF WEAR AND TEAR. SO IF SOMEONE'S PUTTING UP A TENT AND THERE'S A HUNDRED PEOPLE THERE AND THEY'VE, THEY'VE BROUGHT ALL OF THESE THINGS UNPERMITTED. UM, I KNOW THAT AT THE MOMENT, BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE PARK RANGERS ANYMORE, AND WE DO HAVE PARK AMBASSADORS, WE ARE LIMITED ON THE ENFORCEMENT ABILITY OF APPROACHING SOMEONE AND ASKING THEM IF THEY HAVE, UM, A PERMIT. IF, IF WHAT THEY'RE DOING IS OUTSIDE THE SCOPE OF AN, YOU KNOW, AN AVERAGE FAMILY KIND OF PICNIC OR GATHERING OF REGULAR SIZE. UM, SO I WANTED TO THROW OUT THERE FOR LONG-TERM PLANNING OF, OF MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE KEEPING OUR PARKS SAFE AND WELL ATTENDED TO IN, IN THAT ENFORCEMENT PIECE AS WELL. WE, IT'S LIKE, WE DON'T WANNA GO AFTER PEOPLE, BUT IF, YOU KNOW, ONE AREA IS HAVING CONSISTENTLY PARTIES OF A HUNDRED EVERY SINGLE WEEK, AND WE DON'T HAVE THE ABILITY TO GO IN AND SAY, YOU SEEM TO BE HERE EVERY WEEK, WHAT'S GOING ON? SO THAT ENFORCEMENT PIECE IS REALLY DIFFICULT AND IT'S NOT NECESSARILY THE JOB OF PD. THEY'RE BUSY DOING OTHER THINGS. SO, UM, I WOULD LOVE FOR US AS WE CONTINUE THE CONVERSATION, TO LOOK AT WAYS IN ADDITION TO THE PARK AMBASSADORS, THAT WE CAN DO A LITTLE BIT MORE OF THAT ENFORCEMENT PROTECTION OF SOME OF OUR BIGGER SPACES. MORE OF A COMMENT THAN A, THAN A QUESTION. I THINK WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THAT. AND THEN BO, DIRECTOR MARTINEZ, SORRY, NOT BO. UH, THANK YOU FOR ALL THAT YOUR TEAM IS DOING. I WANT TO THANK, UM, I WANNA THANK THE, THE RAPID RESPONSE TEAM THAT GOES OUT TO BUSINESSES THAT HAVE BEEN IMPACTED BY VARIOUS KINDS OF EVENTS AND, AND WHAT THAT MEANS TO THEM PERSONALLY FOR SOMEONE TO GO OUT, UM, IN ADDITION TO OUR OFFICE OR EVEN SOMETIMES BEFORE OUR OFFICE, TO BE ABLE TO GET OUT THERE. I KNOW WE'VE ALERTED YOUR DEPARTMENT A COUPLE OF TIMES OF SOME BUSINESSES THAT HAVE EITHER BEEN VANDALIZED OR SUSTAINED DAMAGE AND, AND YOUR TEAM HAS BEEN SUPER RESPONSIVE TO GET OUT THERE AND REALLY JUST LISTEN TO BUSINESS OWNERS, UM, AND BRING THAT TO THE TABLE. SO I WANT TO THANK YOU SPECIFICALLY FOR THAT, UM, WORK. AND THAT'S MY TIME. I'LL SEE IF I'LL QUEUE UP. BUT THANK YOU, UH, FOR YOUR TEAM. THANK YOU. COUNCILMAN ROWLING. UH, THANK YOU MAYOR. UM, I'LL START WITH, UM, DIRECTOR LOPEZ AND JUST SAY, YOU KNOW, THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATION. UM, THANK YOU FOR BEING, UH, SUCH A STRONG LEADER HERE IN LONG BEACH AND YOUR DEPARTMENT. UM, YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE THE ABILITY JUST TO BUILD STRONG RELATIONSHIPS. UM, YOU TAKE RESPONSIBILITY, YOU, UM, EMPOWER OTHERS TO, TO, TO DO THEIR BEST. AND I'M REALLY GOING TO MISS YOU. SO I, UM, I HOPE YOU FIND YOUR WAY, UM, BACK, UH, TO LONG BEACH. UM, I ALSO, UM, YOU KNOW, YOU'VE ALSO DONE A GREAT JOB AT BUILDING YOUR TEAM AND, AND THEY DESERVE SO MANY KUDOS. MY COUNCIL COLLEAGUES HAVE ALREADY ASKED AND, AND, UH, ASK A LOT OF QUESTIONS. AND, UM, I, UM, I JUST, I'M REALLY APPRECIATIVE OF THEIR HARD WORK, UM, FROM REPAIRING THOUSANDS OF POTHOLES, UM, AND, UM, TRIMMING TREES. I MEAN, THAT STUFF MATTERS. I KNOW, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE ALWAYS ASK, WHAT DOES CITY PEOPLE, WHAT DOES CITY COUNCIL PEOPLE DO? AND I'M LIKE, YOU KNOW WHAT? THEY, IT'S, THEY WANT THEIR TRASH PICKED UP. THEY WANT THEIR TREE, YOU KNOW, THEIR SIDEWALKS FIXED. I MEAN, THIS IS LIKE, THIS IS, IT'S NOT, UM, IT'S SIMPLE, BUT IT'S NOT SIMPLE. I KNOW HOW MUCH WORK YOU GUYS DO AND YOU, YOU REALLY HELP US. UM, AND, AND OUR JOBS AS CITY COUNCIL. UM, I'M REALLY EXCITED TO SEE THE PERMANENT FUNDING, UH, FOR THE CLEAN TEAM. UM, 'CAUSE THAT'S, THAT'S CRITICAL, UM, FOR US AS WELL. UM, I, UM, I ALSO WANT TO HIGHLIGHT THE DEPARTMENT'S COMMITMENT TO VISION ZERO. AND SO I HEAR THAT A LOT, YOU KNOW, UM, IN, UH, DISTRICT TWO ALONG OCEAN AND SEVENTH STREET AND ALL OF THAT. AND I KNOW, YOU KNOW ALL THIS. SO, UM, I JUST, UH, I JUST, UM, I JUST REALLY APPRECIATE THAT 'CAUSE, 'CAUSE LONG BEACH IS SAFER AND MORE SUSTAINABLE, UM, AND, UM, FOR ALL THE WORK THAT YOUR DEPARTMENT DOES. SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH, UM, DIRECTOR, UH, BO, UH, MARTINEZ. THANK YOU. GOOD TO SEE YOU. UM, THANK YOU FOR YOUR, UM, PRESENTATION. UM, I WANT [03:35:01] TO, UM, ESPECIALLY ACKNOWLEDGE YOU ON ALL YOUR SUPPORT, UM, FOR SMALL BUSINESSES. YOU'RE JUST AN INCREDIBLE DIRECTOR AS WELL. AND, UM, PROGRAMS LIKE BIS CARE, UH, YOU KNOW, CONTINUE TO BE A LIFELINE LIKE YOU TALKED ABOUT IN CONNECTING LOCAL ENTREPRENEURS WITH GRANTS AND LOANS AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE. UM, I'M EXCITED ABOUT, UM, THE FY 26 BUDGET. I'M EXCITED ABOUT THE NEW AND CONTINUED, UM, OPPORTUNITIES FOR SMALL BUSINESSES. SO THE SAFE AND SECURE GRANTS, UM, THE VISUAL IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM AND, UM, THE LEVEL UP. YOU KNOW, I, UM, I GOTTA GO OUT WITH YOUR TEAM AND WE, WHEN WE DID THE LEVEL UP PRESENTATIONS, I HAVE TO SAY, YOUR TEAM IS INCREDIBLE. THEY REALLY ARE. THEY, ARE THEY HERE? YEAH, THEY'RE, THEY ARE. YOU GUYS ARE AMAZING. I ENJOYED SPENDING THAT TIME WITH YOU. UM, I KNOW WE WENT TO, UM, CALIFORNIA LOCKSMITH, THE BEDPOST AND FIRM HANDS, WHICH ARE SOME REALLY GREAT BUSINESSES THAT, UM, WERE TRULY IMPACTED BY THE WORK AND THE EDUCATION THAT THEY GOT. YOU GUYS ARE MAKING A BIG, BIG DIFFERENCE IN A WAY THAT SOMETIMES I THINK PEOPLE DON'T EVEN UNDERSTAND OR KNOW THE IMPACT THAT YOU'RE HAVING ON OUR SMALL BUSINESSES. SO, HUGE CUE, KUDOS TO EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU THAT WORK. 'CAUSE I KNOW, UH, YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE A LEADER, BUT IT'S A TEAM THAT'S MAKING THIS HAPPEN. SO, THANK YOU GUYS. UM, AND, UM, THEN, UH, PARKS, UM, MARINE AND RECREATION, UM, ACTING DIRECTOR. SCOTT, I KNOW YOU, UH, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR PRESENTATION. UM, THE EXPANSION OF THE PARK AMBASSADOR PROGRAM, UM, IS REALLY IMPORTANT. AND, UM, I MEAN, THIS IS, THIS IS HUGE. UM, BECAUSE I THINK ANY, ALL OF US HAVE PARKS AND IN OUR DISTRICTS AND, AND WOW. I MEAN, IT'S, IT'S A BIG COMPLAINT ABOUT THE RESTROOM. SO, SO THAT'S, THAT'S HUGE. UM, ALSO, THE JELLYFISH BOT HAS ALREADY REMOVED LIKE 15, DID YOU SAY 1500 POUNDS? THAT IS CORRECT. 1500 POUNDS, WHICH IS PART OF THE 1600 TONS OF DEBRIS THAT WE'VE REMOVED FROM WATERWAYS AND BEACHES THIS PAST YEAR. YEAH, IT'S, IT'S AN INCREDIBLE DIFFERENCE. JUST FROM THE TIME, YOU KNOW, UM, UH, THAT I'VE BEEN REDISTRICTED AND, AND WHERE I, WHERE I MOVED, I'VE, I GET A LOOK AT THIS. I HAVE A FIRSTHAND, UM, 'CAUSE I'M, I'M LIVING RIGHT THERE WHERE, AND I JUST SEE HOW MUCH A DIFFERENCE IT'S BEEN IN THE LAST COUPLE YEARS. IT'S REALLY INCREDIBLE. UM, THE AMOUNT OF DEBRIS AND JUST THE DIFFERENCE. AND I ALSO HEAR IT FROM A TOURIST AND, AND, AND, UH, IN RESIDENTS. SO JUST, UM, AND I KNOW I TOLD BRENT A LOT, SO YOU'RE GONNA HEAR IT FROM ME. I CAN'T SAY THANK YOU ENOUGH TO ALL THE, ALL THE GUYS THAT ARE OUT THERE KEEPING THAT CLEAN. UM, THAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT. AND THEN I ALSO, UM, JUST LASTLY, AND, UM, I'LL BE DONE, BUT I WANNA, UM, WHAT MAY, WHAT COUNCILMAN KERR WAS TALKING ABOUT, THE UNPERMITTED EVENTS, IT'S REALLY A PROBLEM. UM, IN MY DISTRICT TOO, DOWN BY THE LOT IN , THEY JUST, THEY, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE JUST SHOW UP AND HAVE PARTIES AND IN FULL ON CONCERTS. AND I, WE JUST, I DON'T KNOW HOW WE'RE GOING TO, UH, START DEALING WITH THAT. 'CAUSE IT'S NOT FAIR TO ALL THE FOLKS WHO GO THROUGH THE PROCESS WHO GET PERMITS AND DO IT. RIGHT? AND SO, AND THEN OTHERS JUST CONTINUE TO, TO GET AWAY WITH IT. SO IT'S, IT'S, IT'S PROBABLY THE SAME PROBLEM THAT WE'RE HAVING. SO, ANY ATTENTION, UM, AND I KNOW I TALKED TO TOM, UH, ABOUT THIS QUITE OFTEN, SO I, I, I KNOW, UM, YOU ALREADY HEARD ABOUT THAT, BUT JUST THANK YOU, ALL THREE OF YOU FOR YOUR AMAZING LEADERSHIP AND, UH, REALLY PROUD THAT YOU GUYS, UM, ARE, UH, THE JOBS THAT YOU'RE DOING. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT, THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER THS AND TU. THANK YOU SO MUCH. UM, THANK YOU COLLEAGUES FOR, UH, ALL OF THAT DISCUSSION HERE. UM, SO FOR THIS EVENING, I WILL START WITH DIRECTOR, UH, LOPEZ. UM, YOU ABSOLUTELY HAVE HEARD IT FROM SEVERAL OF MY COLLEAGUES HERE ON THE DAIS. YOU WILL BE MISSED. I WANNA THANK YOU IN THE SHORT TIME THAT I'VE HAD A CHANCE TO WORK WITH YOU AS A COUNCIL MEMBER FOR ALL OF YOUR ENTHUSIASM AND WILLINGNESS TO GET OUT THERE AND BE IN COMMUNITY. UM, YOU KNOW, LOOKING AT THE STREETS, TRYING TO HELP US FIGURE OUT WHAT WE CAN DO TO MAKE IT SMOOTHER AND SAFER FOR ALL OF OUR RESIDENTS. UM, AND I TOO HOPE THAT WE FIND A WAY TO, UM, HAVE YOU CIRCLE BACK AROUND, UM, AND REJOIN THE LONG BEACH FAMILY. SO I WANNA THANK YOU FOR YOUR THOROUGH PRESENTATION. UM, AND AS I'VE NOTED, UH, IN MY SHORT TIME, UH, BEING ON THIS DAIS, I KNOW AND SEE HOW IMPORTANT PUBLIC WORKS IS, UH, YOU PLAY SUCH A VITAL ROLE IN KEEPING OUR CITY RUNNING, UM, AND MAKING SURE THAT YOUR STRATEGIC PLANNING FOR LONG-TERM ISSUES. SO WITH THAT GRATITUDE IN MIND, UM, I DO HAVE A COUPLE OF JUST THINGS THAT MAYBE WE CAN TALK ABOUT WHILE WE'RE HERE. UM, SO I AM QUITE IMPRESSED WITH THE NUMBER OF HOMELESS ENCAMPMENTS THAT YOU'VE CLEANED UP MORE THAN 2,800 OF THEM JUST IN THIS LAST, UH, FISCAL YEAR. UM, YOU ARE RESPONDING TO MORE THAN 110,000 ILLEGAL DUMPING REPORTS, UM, JUST IN THIS LAST YEAR. SO, YOU KNOW, KUDOS TO THE TEAM [03:40:01] FOR ALL OF THAT. UH, WORK, AS WAS NOTED EARLIER, UH, WE TALKED A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE PCI SCORE AND HOW IT ROSE FROM 56 TO 61, AND WHAT AN ACCOMPLISHMENT, UM, THAT IS. NOT THAT YOU HAVE TO GIVE ME ALL OF THE STRATEGIES, BUT MIGHT YOU HAVE, YOU KNOW, A COUPLE THAT YOU MIGHT ATTRIBUTE TO HOW WE GOT TO THAT POINT. UM, AND RECOGNIZING AND UNDERSTANDING THAT, AS YOU'VE NOTED, THE COST OF GOODS AND SERVICES CONTINUES TO GO UP. SO WE WANNA CONTINUE ON THAT PATH. AND SO ANY ADVICE ON HOW WE MIGHT DO THAT? YES, THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER. UM, FIRST, THE PRIMARY WAY WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO ACCOMPLISH, UH, IMPROVING THE CONDITIONS OF OUR OVERALL STREET NETWORK, UH, HERE IN LONG BEACH IS BECAUSE OF THE HARD WORK OF OUR STAFF. SO I'M GONNA ASK THE PUBLIC WORK STAFF TO PLEASE STAND UP. YAY. I WANT THE COUNCIL TO SEE EVERYBODY THAT'S HERE FOR THE PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT. UM, YOUR TIME AMONG GUYS, I KNOW YOU'RE TIRED, I KNOW IT'S LATE. BUT THE, THESE ARE THE DEDICATED ENGINEERS, PROJECT MANAGERS, SUPERVISORS, DIVISION OFFICERS, TRAFFIC ENGINEERS, EVERYBODY WITHIN OUR PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT THAT WORKS REALLY HARD ON THINGS LIKE IMPROVING OUR STREET NETWORK, MAKING IT SAFER EVERY SINGLE DAY. UM, I THINK ONE OF THE STATS THAT I'M REALLY PROUD OF, UH, THIS, THIS PAST YEAR, YOU KNOW, AS, UH, AS WE LOOK AT KIND OF WHAT WE'VE ACCOMPLISHED IS I THINK FOR THE FIRST TIME WE'VE SPENT MONEY OUT THE DOOR ON, ON INFRASTRUCTURE IMPROVEMENTS, UH, WITH STREETS BEING A BIG PART OF IT, OVER, UH, ABOUT $200 MILLION IN CONSTRUCTION INVESTMENT THAT IS DIRECTLY RELATED TO, UH, MEASURE A ELEVATE 28. UM, IT IS, UH, THE WORK OF YEARS OF BUILDING UP THE, THE, THE DEPARTMENT AND THE ORGANIZATION TO BE ABLE TO, UH, MEET THE PRIORITIES THAT ARE SET, UH, BY THIS COUNCIL AND, AND MAKE A REAL IMPACT. AND THAT'S HOW WE WERE ABLE TO IMPROVE OUR PA UH, CONDITION INDEX. YOU KNOW, WE PLANNED FOR IT, WE WORKED THAT PLAN. UH, WE HIRED THE STAFF, TRAINED THE STAFF, AND WE PARTNERED WITH OUR PRIVATE SECTOR PARTNERS AND OUR COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS, AND WE HAVE MADE A, A MEASURABLE IMPACT. SO THIS IS WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU INVEST IN YOUR CITY. THIS IS WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU'RE STRATEGIC IN THOSE INVESTMENTS. UH, SO, UM, I'M, I'M GONNA GIVE ALL THE CREDIT TO THE TEAM. YOU KNOW, WE HAVE OUR PLANNERS, WE HAVE OUR ENGINEERS, WE HAVE OUR, OUR, UH, INSPECTORS, WE HAVE OUR DOERS OUT IN THE FIELD. UH, AND IT REALLY TAKES THAT ENTIRE, UH, COORDINATION AND COLLABORATION TO, UH, TO BE ABLE TO ACHIEVE MAJOR MILESTONES. LIKE, THANK YOU INCREASING YOUR PCI SCORE BY FIVE POINTS. THAT IS UNHEARD OF, RIGHT? UNLESS YOU'RE SPENDING A WHOLE LOT OF MONEY, AND THIS COUNCIL HAS ALLOWED US TO SPEND A WHOLE LOT OF MONEY ON OUR STREETS NOW, TO KEEP GOING IS GONNA BE THE CHALLENGE, RIGHT? TO KEEP INCREASING, TO GET EVERY STREET, UH, EVERY, TO ADDRESS EVERY BAD OR VERY BAD STREET. THAT IS, THAT IS A, A CHALLENGE THAT WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO HELPING TACKLE AND HELP ANSWER THE QUESTIONS. HOW CAN WE DO MORE? UH, OUR IN-HOUSE PROGRAMS IS A BIG PART OF HOW YOU CAN DO MORE OUR PARTNERSHIPS WITH, WITH, UH, WITH, UH, WITH OUR, UH, PRIVATE SECTOR PARTNERS, IS ANOTHER, UH, AREA WHERE I THINK WE CAN DO MORE THAT WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO, UH, TO, TO, TO CONTINUING TO INNOVATE IN THE SPACE AND, UH, AND BUILD A, A, A BETTER, SAFER, UH, CITY. THANK YOU DIRECTOR, AND THANK YOU FOR THAT BLUEPRINT. UM, MY NEXT QUESTION, UM, LIKE MANY OF MY COLLEAGUES, I AM QUITE INTERESTED IN THE SCHOOL GUARDS PROGRAM. UM, SO I'M DELIGHTED TO SEE THE INNOVATION THAT WE'VE TAKEN IN ORDER TO EXPAND THE DUTIES TO ALLOW FOR A MORE ATTRACTIVE OPPORTUNITY AND YET FULFILL AN IMPORTANT ACTIVITY. NOT ONLY THE MAIN ACTIVITY, BUT OTHER THINGS THAT NEED TO BE DONE. I'M SPECIFICALLY INTERESTED IN SEEING HOW I CAN SUPPORT AND HOW WE CAN MAKE SURE THAT NORTH LONG BEACH RESIDENTS ARE AWARE. I HAVE TO ADMIT, I TOOK THE TIME TO GO TO THE WEBSITE TO SEE IF I COULD FIND THE JOB, UM, SO THAT I COULD MAKE SURE THAT MY COMMUNITY WAS AWARE OF WHAT WAS HAPPENING IN THE DIRECTION WE'RE GOING. UM, IT WASN'T SO EASILY IDENTIFIABLE. SO WHAT CAN WE DO TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE PARTNERING WITH YOU TO IDENTIFY, UM, SOME KEY CANDIDATES FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY AND GET OUR VACANCY RATE DOWN, UH, FROM 32%, UH, MAYBE EVEN CUT IN HALF OR MORE. YOU CAN START BY OUR PROVING OUR REQUEST AS PART OF THIS BUDGET AND GIVING US THAT AUTHORITY TO HANDLE. YOU KNOW, I WANNA, I WANNA GIVE, UH, UH, RECOGNITION TO, UH, DON HENDERSON WHO, UH, HELPED, UH, HELPED US KIND OF CREATE THIS PILOT, UH, MODEL. OH, THE BRILLIANCE IN THE AUDIENCE IS HERE REGARDING WHO CAME UP WITH THAT IDEA. YEAH. SO, DON, YOU WANNA WAVE? WONDERFUL. YEAH, THERE YOU GO. THANK YOU SO MUCH, . UM, AND, UH, REALLY, SHE'S, UH, SHE'S BEEN, UH, HELPING TO, UM, TO, UH, HELPING US DEVELOP KIND OF THIS MODEL AND, UH, AND WHAT IT CAN LOOK LIKE. THOSE, A LOT OF THOSE PIECES STILL, UH, ARE GONNA BE WORKED OUT. SO WE'RE EXCITED THAT YOU'RE EXCITED. THAT'S THE FIRST STEP. IF YOU'RE EXCITED AND WE HAVE THAT SUPPORT, THEN [03:45:01] WE CAN, WE CAN TAKE THAT AND WE CONTINUE, UH, BUILDING UPON IT. OKAY. WE STILL GOTTA DO OUR, WE HAVE TO WORK WITH OUR LABOR PARTNERS. WE HAVE TO, UH, UH, WORK WITH OUR, UH, CURRENT CROSSING GUARDS. WE HAVE TO DEVELOP A LOT OF THE PARAMETERS OF, OF, OF HOW WE'RE GOING TO, UH, TO IMPLEMENT IT. UH, BUT THE FIRST STEP IS OBVIOUSLY GETTING YOUR SUPPORT AND, BUT WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO THAT. OKAY. WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO FINDING BETTER WAYS TO IMPROVE, UH, UH, UH, THAT, THAT PROGRAM AND MAKE OUR STREETS SAFER. AND COUNCIL MEMBER, THE REASON YOU CAN'T FIND IT YET IS, UM, YOU HAVE NOT AUTHORIZED IT YET. SO THAT'S WHERE WE'RE STARTING. UM, BUT, UH, YOU CAN APPLY FOR CROSSING GUARD RIGHT NOW, SO IF YOU KNOW ANYONE, PLEASE REFER THEM. UM, IT IS A, YOU KNOW, IT DOESN'T, IT'S NOT A FULL-TIME JOB. AND SO WE ARE LOOKING FOR PEOPLE THAT ARE ABLE TO DO SOME PART-TIME WORK, AND THEN WE'LL KEEP YOU IN THE LOOP. I'M HEARING A LOT OF INTEREST FROM THE COUNCIL AS THIS PROGRAM'S DEVELOPED. IT'S GONNA START SMALL AS A PILOT, AND THEN IF THIS IS SUCCESSFUL, WE CAN, YOU CAN CONVERT THOSE TO MORE FULL-TIME POSITIONS, AND WE'RE HOPING THERE'LL BE REVENUE AND, AND BUILD THIS OUT AND BE A REALLY SUCCESSFUL MODEL. SO MORE TO THAT, TO, UH, TO COME. BUT IT WILL TAKE SEVERAL MONTHS, UH, TO GET THERE. OKAY. UM, MY NEXT ONE'S I'LL TURN JUST REALLY INTO COMMENTS 'CAUSE I WANNA UNDERSCORE THEY'RE STILL FOR YOU. UM, DIRECTOR LOPEZ. UM, I JUST WANNA UNDERSCORE A COUPLE OF ITEMS THAT I THINK ARE REALLY IMPORTANT. UM, SO YOUR DEPARTMENT IS VERY BIG, UM, AND IT'S GOT A LOT OF DIFFERENT ACTIVITIES IN IT. UM, SO I'M REALLY PLEASED TO SEE A PEOPLE AND CULTURE DIVISION, UH, SPROUTING UP. I THINK THAT THAT IS ABSOLUTELY CRITICAL, NOT ONLY FOR RETENTION, UM, BUT FOR CULTURE OF DEPARTMENT, UH, WITHIN OUR CITY FAMILY. UM, AND I'M GOING TO BE VERY INTERESTED IN SEEING WHAT'S HAPPENING WITH THAT ERNST AND YOUNG, UM, STUDY AND REPORT THAT THEY'RE CONDUCTING TO DO A WORKFORCE REVIEW AND ANALYSIS AND PROVIDING, UM, ANY, UH, RECOMMENDATIONS THAT THEY MIGHT HAVE ACCORDINGLY. UM, BECAUSE I THINK THAT THAT WILL JUST BE IMPORTANT TO CONTINUING TO HAVE THE SUCCESSES THAT YOU'VE DESCRIBED HERE REGARDING OUR PCI AND OTHER ACTIVITIES. UM, SO THANK YOU FOR THAT. UM, AND THEN, UH, I WILL, I HAVE, UH, OTHERS TO CHAT WITH, SO I'LL, I'LL CONTINUE AND THEN I'LL QUEUE BACK UP. UM, SO, UH, DIRECTOR MARTINEZ, I WANNA THANK YOU AS WELL, UM, FOR YOUR PRESENTATION. UM, IT'S BEEN NOTED ALREADY, UH, THAT, YOU KNOW, YOU'VE GOT A WIDE SET OF ACTIVITIES THAT YOU'VE GOT TO ACCOMPLISH AND A COUPLE AND KEY, UH, ROLES. UM, YOU'VE ALSO GOTTA HELP US DIVERSIFY OUR REVENUE STREAMS, UM, TO MAKING SURE THAT AS WE, YOU KNOW, HAVE TRANSFORMATION IN TERMS OF HOW WE RECEIVE OUR REVENUE, UM, THAT YOU'RE A PART OF, UM, SETTING THAT VISION AND SETTING THOSE RESOURCES IN MOTION. UM, IF THE MAYOR ALLOWS ME TO CONTINUE TO ASK YOU YOUR QUESTIONS, WHICH I HAVE TWO, UM, THEN I'LL GO AHEAD, TAKE CARE OF YOUR QUESTIONS. OKAY. THANK YOU, SIR. BECAUSE WE STILL GOT TWO PRESENTATIONS AFTER THIS. I'D LIKE TO, THEN I'LL GO AHEAD AND, AND KEEP MOVING FORWARD. UM, SO SPECIFICALLY IN THINKING ABOUT ALL THESE EXCITING LARGE SCALE DEVELOPMENTS THAT WE HAVE, UH, PLANNED FOR OUR WATERFRONT AND OTHER PARTS OF OUR DOWNTOWN, OUR AMPHITHEATER, UM, YOU KNOW, THAT I'M HIGHLY INTERESTED IN MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE KEEPING OUR EYE ON WHAT SMALL BUSINESSES WILL BE ABLE TO DO AND HELPING US TO BRING THOSE, UH, PROJECTS FORWARD. SO JUST GIVE ME SOME SENSE AS TO WHETHER WE ARE MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE KEEPING OUR EYES ON HOW SMALL BUSINESSES IN OUR COMMUNITY WILL BE BENEFITING FROM THESE LARGE, UH, PROJECTS. YEAH. AND SO, UM, HOW SMALL BUSINESS WILL BENEFIT, YOU KNOW, WE'RE CONTINUING TO WORK WITH A LOT OF THE LARGER PROJECTS TO MAKE SURE THAT IF WE'RE DOING A CONCERT AND WE'RE WORKING WITH THE PROMOTERS, THAT THEY PROVIDE SMALL BUSINESS PROCUREMENT OPPORTUNITIES TO LOCAL LONG BEACH BUSINESSES. THAT'S AN EXAMPLE THERE. AS WE THINK ABOUT THE LONG BEACH AMPHITHEATER PROJECT, WHEN WE OPEN IT UP, WE'RE GONNA BE FINALIZING AN AGREEMENT WITH LEGENDS GLOBAL, AND PART OF THAT AGREEMENT WILL BE MAKING SURE THAT OUR LONG BEACH BUSINESSES ARE ABLE TO NOT ONLY ACCESS A FACILITY, BUT ALSO BE PART OF, YOU KNOW, THE ONGOING ACTIVATION OF IT. AND SO THOSE ARE TWO EXAMPLES OF WHERE WE CAN WORK WITH, YOU KNOW, OUR SMALL BUSINESS COMMUNITY. AND AS WE THINK ABOUT THE, UM, UPCOMING OLYMPICS, YOU KNOW, WE'RE GONNA HAVE A REALLY BIG PLACE ON MAKING SURE THAT OUR SMALL BUSINESSES ARE ABLE TO ACCESS ALL THEIR PROCUREMENT OPPORTUNITIES, WHETHER IT'S DOING BUSINESS WITH THE OLYMPICS, OR OPENING UP A BUSINESS, OR MAKING SURE THEY LEVERAGE THEIR BUSINESS FOR THE OLYMPICS. THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE'RE GONNA BE FOCUSING ON NOW AND GOING FORWARD. AND SO, AS THE CITY MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL HAVE MENTIONED MANY, MANY TIMES, IS THAT NOT ONLY YOU GUYS ARE CHAMPIONS OF SMALL BUSINESS, BUT AS I CONTINUE TO SAY, SMALL BUSINESS IS BIG BUSINESS INTO THE CITY OF LONG BEACH. OKAY, WELL, I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE A STRONG POLICY AROUND THAT ACCORDINGLY. YES, AND WE'LL CONTINUE TO FOCUS ON THAT AS WE THINK ABOUT THE LARGER PROJECTS AND HOW, UH, SMALL BUSINESSES ARE ENGAGED IN NOT ONLY THE PROJECTS, BUT ALSO BE A PART OF THEM. AND I CAN JUST QUICKLY ECHO ALL THE THINGS THAT MY OTHER COLLEAGUES DESCRIBED IN TERMS OF THE TEAM, UM, GETTING OUT THERE, YOU KNOW, EVERY DAY, WALKING THE STREETS, ENGAGING WITH OUR SMALL BUSINESSES DIRECTLY, AND HELPING THEM KNOW AND UNDERSTAND THAT THEIR CITY, UM, IS ON THEIR SIDE AND SUPPORTING THEM. SO I'LL MOVE ON TO, UH, DIRECTOR SCOTT. [03:50:01] UM, WE WANNA THANK YOU FOR STEPPING INTO THIS ROLE AND SERVING OUR CITY, UM, SO APTLY, UM, WE KNOW THAT YOU'VE GOT A COMMITMENT TO ENSURE THAT THE 3000 ACRES OF PUBLIC LAND ARE CARED FOR, UH, WELL HERE IN OUR CITY. UM, AND APPRECIATE ALL THE STATISTICS THAT YOU SHARED IN TERMS OF REMOVING ENCAMPMENTS, HANDLING VANDALISM, AND SERVING MORE THAN 115,000, UH, YOUTH AND SENIORS IN OUR COMMUNITY. UM, WITH, WITH THAT IN MIND, I HAVE A FEW QUESTIONS FOR YOU. SEVERAL OF WHICH ARE MOSTLY RELATED TO PARK ACTIVITY IN THE NORTH, AND I UNDERSTAND IF WE CAN'T GET ALL THOSE ANSWERED, BUT I DO WANNA HELP YOU UNDERSTAND WHERE SOME OF MY PRIORITIES ARE. UM, WHEN IT COMES TO, UM, ENSURING EQUITABLE ACCESS TO FREE AND LOW, LOW COST PROGRAMMING, UM, THAT IS ABSOLUTELY CRITICAL IN, IN OUR DISTRICT, UM, AND SPECIFICALLY IN THE NORTH PART OF THE CITY. UM, SHEER PARK, FOR EXAMPLE, HAS BEEN HOME TO SEVERAL AFTERSCHOOL PROGRAMS. I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE HOW THE DEPARTMENT IS GOING TO ENSURE THAT WE CONTINUE TO HAVE THOSE ONGOING AFTERSCHOOL PROGRAMMING OPTIONS FOR YOUTH IN OUR COMMUNITIES. SO THANK YOU FOR THAT, UH, QUESTION. COUNCIL MEMBER AND, AND AS A DEPARTMENT, WE PROVIDE A NUMBER OF FREE OR LOW COST, UH, PROGRAMS, UH, IN OUR PARKS. THOSE COULD BE AFTER SCHOOL PROGRAMMING OR PROGRAMMING AT OUR TEEN CENTERS. UH, WE HAVE BE SAFE PROGRAMMING DURING THE 10 WEEKS OF SUMMER, UH, WHICH EXTENDS THE HOURS OF THE COMMUNITY CENTERS AN ADDITIONAL THREE HOURS EACH NIGHT. WE HAVE YOUTH SPORTS, UH, OFFERED THROUGHOUT OUR, UM, PARK SITES. AND SO WE TRY TO REALLY PROVIDE AS MUCH, UH, FREE, UH, PROGRAMMING AS POSSIBLE. AGAIN, AS I SAID EARLIER, WE DON'T WANT COST TO BE A BARRIER TO ENTRY, AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT'S VERY IMPORTANT TO US. UH, YOU MENTIONED AFTERSCHOOL PROGRAMMING, UM, AND, UH, I DO WANT TO SAY THAT FOR SHEER PARK, THAT WAS ONE OF THE THREE PARKS, UH, THAT, UH, HAD THE AFTERSCHOOL PROGRAMMING BUDGET ELIMINATED BACK IN 2018. AND THE THOUGHT AT THAT TIME WAS, IT WAS HISTORICALLY LOWER ATTENDED, PROBABLY BECAUSE THERE WERE OTHER, UM, OFFERINGS NEARBY THE PARK, SUCH AS THE YMCA, SUCH AS THE BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB RIGHT ACROSS THE STREET. WE WERE ABLE TO BRING THAT BACK FOR A FEW YEARS DURING COVID. UH, IT WAS REALLY OUR GOAL TO TRY TO OPEN UP AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE TO HELP PEOPLE GET BACK TO NORMAL. UM, SO THAT WAS ONE OF THE PARKS THAT WE DID HAVE SOME ONE-TIME FUNDING TO KEEP OPEN. UNFORTUNATELY, IN 2026 FISCAL YEAR, WE DO NOT HAVE THAT FUNDING, UH, FOR SPECIFICALLY SHEAR PARK STILL OFFERED AT COOLIDGE PARK. UM, BUT THAT IS ONE THAT IS NOT, UM, FUNDED FOR THE CURRENT YEAR, FOR THE UPCOMING YEAR. OKAY. THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THAT TO OUR ATTENTION. UM, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I'M HOPEFUL IS THAT, UH, ANY OF THE FAMILIES WHO WILL NOT BE ABLE TO UTILIZE THOSE SERVICES, UH, WILL BE MADE AWARE OF OTHER RESOURCES AND HOPEFULLY SEATS CAN BE MADE AVAILABLE FOR THEM AT THE OTHER PROGRAMS, UH, WHERE THEY MIGHT BE ABLE TO SUP, UH, GET SUPPORT. SO I'D LOVE TO MAKE SURE THAT THOSE FAMILIES ARE AWARE OF THOSE OPTIONS AND CAN SECURE SEATS ACCORDINGLY. ABSOLUTELY. AND THANK YOU FOR THAT. WE ACTUALLY REACHED OUT TO, UH, PARTICIPANTS WHO PARTICIPATED LAST YEAR, AND ANYBODY WHO SHOWED INTEREST IN PARTICIPATING THIS YEAR, WE HAVE REACHED OUT TO, UH, THOSE FAMILIES TO LET THEM KNOW OF OTHER OFFERINGS NEARBY. OKAY, THANK YOU. UM, SPEAKING OF COOLIDGE PARK, THIS IS MY LAST QUESTION. IT'S YOUR LAST QUESTION. LAST QUESTION, YES, THAT'S CORRECT. ALRIGHT, GO FOR IT. UM, SO SPEAKING OF COOLIDGE PARK, UM, YOU NOTE THAT DEFERRED MAINTENANCE IS LISTED AS A CHALLENGE, UM, WHICH FACILITIES ARE CONSIDERED MOST AT RISK? UM, WHEN I THINK ABOUT, AND LOOK AT THE WAY THAT COOLIDGE PARK WAS DESIGNED, UM, IT NO LONGER FITS WITH WHAT WE WOULD CONSIDER TO BE A MODERN PARK. IT ABUTS, UM, A MAJOR HIGHWAY. UM, IT DOES NOT HAVE, UH, SOUND OR AIR QUALITY BARRIERS, UH, FOR YOUTH WHO ARE USING THAT PARTICULAR FACILITY. UM, SO WHAT, WHAT MIGHT BE SOME OF THE LONG-TERM FUNDING STRATEGIES FOR A FACILITY LIKE THAT ONE? SO CERTAINLY THERE ARE CHALLENGES, UH, WITH THAT PARK, PARTICULARLY WITH THE OLDER, UH, ASSETS THAT WE HAVE THERE. AND SO THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WE WOULD NEED TO WORK WITH LIKE OUR PUBLIC WORKS PARTNERS AND THE CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE TO TRY TO IDENTIFY, UH, RESOURCES TO HELP REINVEST IN THAT PARK. CERTAINLY SOMETHING THAT WE SUPPORT AND WOULD LOVE TO HAVE AND DEFINITELY WELCOME THOSE FUTURE CONVERSATIONS. WONDERFUL, THANK YOU. AND OVER THE LAST COUPLE YEARS, WE'VE BEEN SUCCESSFUL IN, UH, APPLYING FOR SOME OF THE PORT MITIGATION GRANT PROGRAMS, ESPECIALLY FOR PARKS THAT ARE RIGHT NEAR FREEWAY ASSETS, UM, AS THERE'S A DIRECT NEXUS THERE. AND SO WE HAVE BEEN MAKE, UH, BEEN ABLE TO MAKE SOME IMPROVEMENTS LIKE IN HUDSON AND SOME [03:55:01] OTHERS. AND SO THIS MIGHT BE A GOOD CANDIDATE FOR US TO TAKE A LOOK AT. I THINK SO. THANK YOU SO MUCH, UH, MAYOR, THANK YOU FOR EXTENDING MY TIME. I YOU GOT IT, THANK YOU. ALRIGHT, COUNCIL MEMBER. SUPER. NOW YOU GOTTA MAKE UP SOME TIME HERE. YOU GOT IT, MAYOR. ALRIGHT. UM, SO THANKS TO OUR THREE DIRECTORS FOR THEIR PRESENTATIONS TONIGHT. AND I'D ALSO LIKE TO THANK ALL THE STAFF. I RECOGNIZE A LOT OF STAFF FROM OTHER DEPARTMENTS HERE TONIGHT. AND, UH, YOUR REWARD IS THAT I WILL NOT TAKE MY FULL 10 MINUTES. UM, AND I JUST WANNA SINGLE OUT, UM, ERIC LOPEZ, UM, JUST FOR BEING HERE TONIGHT. UM, THE FACT THAT RATHER THAN WRITE OFF INTO THE SUNSET, YOU STAYED HERE FOR THIS MILESTONE EVENT, UH, DID NOT GO UNNOTICED. SO THANK YOU FOR THAT. UM, AND I'LL JUST STAY WITH, UH, PUBLIC WORKS. UM, IT'S BEEN A HOT TOPIC, SO I'LL, I'LL TALK ABOUT THE SCHOOL GUARDS AND, UM, I, I THINK MY TIE IN WOULD BE THE, THE MASSIVE CONSTRUCTION PROJECT WE HAVE GOING ON ON STUDEBAKER AND THAT WHERE YOU WANT THAT KIND OF PEDESTRIAN SAFETY IS IN A CONSTRUCTION ZONE. AND WE HAVE THAT COMING UP. WE HAVE, UM, UM, SCHOOLS BOTH IN THE FIFTH DISTRICT AND THE FOURTH, UM, TINCTURE ELEMENT, OUR TINCHER K EIGHT. UM, AND THAT COVERS THAT INTERSECTION OF ATHERTON AND STUDEBAKER NOW. UM, I THINK THE PILOT PROGRAM IS, UH, BRILLIANT, ESPECIALLY FOR THE FOURTH DISTRICT. SO THANK YOU DON. UH, KUDOS TO YOU FOR, UH, COMING UP WITH THAT IDEA. UM, WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT THE CROSSING GUARDS THAT WE NEED THERE AND THE PREFERENTIAL PARKING DISTRICTS WITH DISTRICT FOUR HAS A FEW OF THOSE, AND I THINK IF 10 TINCHER ELEMENTARY ADJACENT TO THE LA MARINA NEIGHBORHOOD THAT, WELL, ANY NEIGHBORHOOD THAT'S ADJACENT TO CAL STATE LONG BEACH HAS, UM, UH, PARKING IMPACTS. THERE'S A NEWS FLASH FOR YOU. UM, AND EVERY STREET ALONG ATHERTON THAT INTERSECTS A ATHERTON FROM EAST OF PALO VERDE TO WEST OF BELLFLOWER IS A PREFERENTIAL PARKING STREET. I THINK THERE ARE 13 OF THEM. SO THE NEED IS THERE. SO I THINK THE IDEA, UM, AS I SAID, JUST BRILLIANT TO COME UP WITH IT THAT, UM, WE COULD TURN THESE POSITIONS INTO FULL-TIME AND REALLY PUT 'EM TO GOOD USE. UM, I'LL MOVE ON TO PARKS AND REC AND, UM, UH, INTERIM DIRECTOR SCOTT, I APPRECIATE, UM, UH, YOU JUMPING IN HERE AS YOU'VE DONE BEFORE. I'VE BEEN IN OFFICE FOR 10 YEARS AND, UH, YOU'VE, YOU'VE SERVED IN THIS CAPACITY MULTIPLE TIMES, SO WE ALWAYS APPRECIATE THAT. UM, AND THE, UH, TWO ITEMS THAT I, UM, PRESENTED TODAY TO THE BUDGET OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE HAD TO DO WITH THE MUNICIPAL BAND. AND OUR ASK IS THAT WE FUND THE BAND FOR THE 26 SEASON, SO IT FITS RIGHT INTO THIS. AND THEN AFTER THAT, UM, THE COMMITMENT OUR OFFICE WILL MAKE IS A NEW, VERY ROBUST, UH, PRIVATE FUNDRAISING CAMPAIGN. SO WE'LL LOOK AT, UH, A NEW WAY OF GETTING THAT BAND, UM, UH, FUNDED, UH, MOVING FORWARD. UM, ALSO, I HAD MENTIONED THE EL NATURE CENTER. UM, WE'RE LOOKING FOR, UM, UH, JUST UNDER $12,000 IMPROVEMENT TO FIX THE, UH, AIR CONDITIONING SYSTEM THERE. AND I, I THINK WHAT I SHOULD SHARE TODAY IS, IS THE NEED THERE AT THE NATURE CENTER. SO BOTH YOU HAVE VISITORS, YOU HAVE EMPLOYEES WHO COULD USE IT, BUT WE ALSO HAVE CRITTERS THERE WHO, UM, DON'T DO WELL IF THERE'S NO AIR CONDITIONING. AND THIS IS, UH, IF INCLUDES REPTILES AND INSECTS. SO WE WANT TO PROTECT THEM. AND THE OTHER THING THAT YOU MAY NOT REALIZE IS THAT, UM, UM, FOLKS WHO USE THE NATURE CENTER, ESPECIALLY IN A HOT DAY, THAT, UM, THEY MAY OVERDO IT ON THE TRAILS AND THEY NEED TO GET BACK TO A PLACE WHERE THEY CAN RECOVER. AND THAT, UH, NATURE CENTER BUILDING, I THINK BUILT IN 1969, AS I POINTED OUT TO SOMEONE TODAY, THAT BUILDING IS OLDER THAN OUR OLD, UM, UH, CITY HALL. UM, AND, UH, IT REALLY NEEDS SOME TENDER LOVING CARE. I'M IN OFFICE FOR THREE MORE YEARS AND I'LL CERTAINLY DEDICATE, UM, MY TIME AND ENERGY TO, UH, MAKING THAT NATURE CENTER. UM, THE CENTER THAT IT DESERVES TO BE IS AN ABSOLUTE JEWEL, UH, FOR OUR CITY. AND, UM, I'M COMMITTED TO RESPECTING IT. THANK YOU. ALRIGHT, THANK YOU COUNCIL MEMBER DUGGAN. ALRIGHT. WE'VE MADE IT THROUGH A BIG PART OF THE EVENING. UM, THANK YOU EACH OF YOU FOR THE PRESENTATIONS TONIGHT. AND FIRST OF ALL, UH, DIRECTOR LOPEZ, YOU'VE DONE AN AMAZING JOB. I'M SO PROUD TO HAVE KNOWN YOU WHEN YOU WERE A PROJECT MANAGER 12, 13 YEARS AGO. AND HERE YOU ARE RUNNING THE, THE BIGGEST DEPARTMENT THAT, THAT WE HAVE, YOU DO A LOT FOR OUR CITY. AND, UM, SO I WANNA CONGRATULATE YOU ON YOUR LEADERSHIP TO HELP, [04:00:01] UM, MOVE OUR SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT TO THE ENERGY AND ENVIRONMENT, OUR ENVIRONMENTAL RESOURCES. I THINK THAT THAT IS GOING TO HELP EACH OF THESE DEPARTMENTS. AND, UH, BOB DOW HAS SUCH, UH, AN EXPERTISE IN ENERGY AND IS GOING TO, I'M, I'M REALLY HAPPY TO SEE THAT THAT IS ONE OF THE SEPARATIONS THAT HAVE BEEN MADE. I THINK IT'S GOOD FOR OUR BUDGET, IT'S GOOD FOR, UM, SERVICING OUR CITY. UH, I'M ALSO REALLY GLAD TO SEE THE STRUCTURAL FUNDING, THE MOVE TOWARDS IT FOR THE CLEAN TEAM, CRITICAL FOR OUR CITY TO HELP KEEP, KEEP IT CLEAN. THIS ISN'T SOMETHING THAT WE SHOULD EXPECT, UM, OUR RESIDENTS TO TAKE CARE OF IN OUR BUSINESSES, ALTHOUGH I THINK THAT THEY DO HELP. WE NEED THE CLEAN TEAM, AND THIS IS, IT'S A DIRE NEED TO HAVE THEM AS PART OF STRUCTURALLY UH, BEING FUNDED. SO, UM, LOOKING AT THE PUBLIC WORKS BUDGET, UM, ONE OF THE CONCERNS THAT I HAVE, AND I HAD BROUGHT THIS UP LAST YEAR AND ASKED FOR FUNDING FOR IT IS, UH, ABOUT TRAFFIC SAFETY. AND, UM, I SEE, AND I'M CONCERNED THAT IT WASN'T REFLECTED AS A PRIORITY IN THIS YEAR'S BUDGET, EVEN THOUGH TRAFFIC SAFETY WAS ADDED AS A PRIORITY IN THIS YEAR'S COUNCIL PRIORITY SETTING SESSION. UM, NOW, COUNCIL MEMBER RICKS ODY, SHE ASKED SOME QUESTIONS ABOUT TRAFFIC SAFETY. UM, AND I UNDERSTAND A BIT ABOUT IT, BUT IT'S CONCERNING TO ME THAT WE'RE CITING METRICS RELATED TO THE PROCESS AND NOT THE OUTCOMES THAT MAKE OUR STREET SAFER. I'LL GIVE YOU AN EXAMPLE. UH, IT SAYS THAT THE TEAM EVALUATED 173 LOCAL STREETS, BUT IT DOESN'T SAY HOW MANY TRAFFIC SAFETY IMPROVEMENTS WERE ACTUALLY IMPLEMENTED. I UNDERSTAND YOU'VE TRIED TO FILL THE VACANCIES, UM, YOU'VE GOT 14 NEW PEOPLE, BUT WE SHOULD BE LOOKING AT OUTCOMES. UM, I WANNA GIVE YOU AN EXAMPLE. WE HAVE BEEN ASKING FOR IMPROVEMENTS AND THEY'RE QUICK BUILD THREE OF THEM SINCE THE SUMMER OF 2023. WE'VE EVEN HAD RESIDENTS SIGN PETITIONS IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD SHOWING THE SUPPORT, BUT WE STILL DON'T HAVE TRAFFIC STUDIES COMPLETED FOR MOST OF THESE REQUESTS, AND I DON'T THINK IT SHOULD TAKE YEARS TO GET A STUDY TO TELL WHETHER OR NOT A STREET IS SAFE OR NOT. AND WE HAVE THE OPTIONS OF QUICK BUILDS. UM, IN ADDITION, WE TALK ABOUT HOW MONEY IS INVESTED IN TRAFFIC SAFETY, BUT AGAIN, THIS IS RELATED TO PROCESS AND NOT THE OUTCOME. SO I'D LIKE TO SEE US FOCUS OUR EVALUATIONS OF TRAFFIC SAFETY, UM, ON WHETHER OR NOT OUR STREETS ARE ACTUALLY SAFER. THE METRIC THAT WAS SET IN 2016 WAS AN EVALUATION OF TRAFFIC FATALITIES. WE SAID WE WOULD ACHIEVE VISION ZERO BY 2026, THAT IS NEXT YEAR, BUT WE ARE TRENDING WITH TRAFFIC OR WITH FATALITIES, TRAFFIC FATALITIES IN THE WRONG DIRECTION. UM, WHAT CHANGES HAVE BEEN MADE, UH, TO PRIORITIZE TRAFFIC SAFETY SINCE OUR LAST CITY COUNCIL OR COUNCIL PRIORITY SETTING SESSION AND WHAT'S BEING DONE IN THIS AREA? VERY GOOD. UH, QUESTION, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER BURN, I'D LOVE TO, UH, GO INTO, INTO, INTO THIS TOPIC IN, IN MORE DETAIL. UM, YOU KNOW, I THINK SINCE WE DID OUR VISION ZERO, UH, PLAN, THE WORLD HAS CHANGED, RIGHT? NOBODY ANTICIPATED THE, THE CHANGES OF 2020S AND THE PANDEMIC AND, YOU KNOW, ALL THE SHIFTS IN, IN TRAFFIC ENFORCEMENT AND PEOPLE TAKING MORE OR DRIVING AND, UH, WITH A LOT HIGHER RISK IN, IN THE LAST FEW YEARS, UH, COMING OUTTA THE PANDEMIC A LOT FASTER. UM, THERE'S, THERE'S TRENDS THAT WE HAVE BEEN, UH, EVALUATING AND THEN WE WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO, UH, ADJUST OUR, OBVIOUSLY OUR TARGETS, OUR GOALS, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, THE WORLD HAS CHANGED, UH, SINCE, SINCE WE DID THAT, THAT ORIGINAL PLAN. BUT, YOU KNOW, THE, THE QUESTION OF, YOU KNOW, CONCRETE, UH, IMPROVEMENTS AND STEPS, YOU KNOW, WE, WE ARE, UM, WE ARE WORKING TO TRY TO, UH, BETTER ALIGN OUR TRAFFIC ENGINEERS AND THE, UH, WORK ORDERS THAT COME OUT OF THAT, UH, OUT OF THAT TEAM WITH THE WORK THAT HAPPENS OUT IN THE FIELD. YOU KNOW, THAT IS, THAT IS AN AREA THAT IS, UH, AN AREA OF CHALLENGE THAT WE'VE ACKNOWLEDGED AND THAT WE'VE BEEN WORKING TO INVEST ON. YOU KNOW, WE'VE BEEN, UH, WE'VE ADDED SOME, [04:05:01] UH, UH, PROJECT MANAGER POSITIONS INTO THAT, THOSE TEAMS, UH, WHERE, UH, WE'RE LOOKING AT STRATEGIES, UH, TO, UH, INCORPORATE, UH, YOU KNOW, SOME OF, UH, MORE DIRECT SUPPORT FROM OUR ENGINEERING BUREAU TEAM AND OUR TRAFFIC SAFETY TEAM, UH, WITHIN THAT TEAM. UM, WE HAVE THE STAFF NOW, THE VISION ZERO STAFF, THE TRANSPORTATION PLANNERS. WE DIDN'T HAVE THAT A YEAR AGO. YOU KNOW, IT'S, IT'S, UH, IT IS, IT IS UNFORTUNATE THAT IT TOOK SO LONG FOR US TO HIRE, BUT THAT'S THE SYSTEM WE HAD UNTIL THE CITY CHANGED THAT SYSTEM JUST LAST YEAR. SO NOW, NOW THAT IT'S, IT IS, WE'RE SEEING THE FRUITS OF, OF BEING ABLE TO HIRE FASTER, BEING ABLE TO BRING STAFF IN, BE ABLE TO TRAIN THEM, YOU KNOW, BEING ABLE TO, UH, FOCUS MORE, UH, ON, ON THESE EFFORTS. WE'RE ALSO, UH, STARTING TO, UH, BENEFIT FROM OUR, UH, CREATION OF OUR TRANSPORTATION PROJECT MANAGEMENT BUREAU. UH, SO THAT'S THE, THAT'S THE BUREAU THAT MU HABIB MANAGES FOR US. YOU'RE SEEING A LOT OF MORE PROJECTS COMING OUT OF THAT TEAM, AND YOU'RE GONNA SEE, UH, UH, CONTINUE TO SEE A LOT OF MORE PROJECTS COMING OUT OF THAT TEAM, INCLUDING VISION ZERO AND, UH, TRANSPORTATION SAFETY TYPES PROJECTS. YES, THEY'RE NOW STAFFED UP, THEY'RE NOW TRAINED, THEY'RE NOW, YOU KNOW, UH, UH, ABLE TO, TO, UH, TO, TO DO MORE, YOU KNOW, TO ADDRESS THE BACKLOG OF STUFF. BUT, BUT I AM GONNA SAY THAT THE FOCUS WILL BE IN THE HIGH INJURY NETWORK. WE DO GET A LOT OF REQUESTS TO EVALUATE, UH, UH, UH, TRAFFIC, UH, ISSUES IN AREAS THAT ARE OUTSIDE THE HIGH INJURY NETWORK. AND, UH, MY TEAM HAS BEEN TASKED WITH PRIORITIZING THE HIGH INJURY NETWORK. SO I THINK THAT'S PART OF WHERE WE CAN DO A BETTER JOB, UH, COMMUNICATING, YOU KNOW, WHAT AREAS ARE THE PRIORITIES AND WHY, YOU KNOW, WHERE PEOPLE ARE GETTING HURT, WHERE PEOPLE ARE SPEEDING, WHERE THERE ARE MORE ACCIDENTS. YOU KNOW, WE TRACK THAT DATA AND, AND THAT'S, THAT, THAT'S, THAT'S WHERE WE FOCUS ON. BUT, YOU KNOW, WHILE, UH, PROGRESS HAS PROBABLY BEEN A LITTLE SLOWER THAN, THAN, THAN SOME FOLKS, UH, WOULD LIKE TO SEE. UH, WE ARE MAKING PROGRESS AND THE TEAMS ARE, ARE WORKING HARD TO DO MORE IN THIS SPACE AND THAT DO, UH, WITH, WITH A NEW WORLD ORDER WHEN IT COMES TO TRAFFIC ENFORCEMENT, IT'S LIKE, WHO, WHO THOUGHT PUBLIC WORKS WOULD GET TRAFFIC ENFORCEMENT RESPONSIBILITIES? BUT WE JUST GOT THAT FROM THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA AND WE ARE, UH, WORKING HARD TO GET THAT PROGRAM OFF THE GROUND. THE GOOD THING ABOUT THAT PROGRAM IS THAT ALL THAT REVENUE THAT COMES FROM THERE WILL BE REINVESTED BACK INTO OUR COMMUNITIES TO MAKE OUR STREETS SAFER. UH, SO IT'S, IT'S, IT'S BEEN A TRANSFER. UH, THE, THE, THE WHOLE INDUSTRY HAS TRANSFORMED, BUT WE ARE, WE ARE TRYING OUR BEST. WE HAVE SOME GOOD STAFF MEMBERS. UH, THAT TEAM IS PRETTY STABLE. UM, YOU'VE MET THEM WHEN WE, WHEN WE BRIEFED YOU ON SPEED, UH, ENFORCEMENT, UH, DEVICES. AND, UH, WE'RE, WE'RE REALLY LOOKING FORWARD TO, TO, UH, TO DOING MORE IN THIS SPACE. WE KNOW IT'S A PRIORITY AND IT IS DEFINITELY A PRIORITY FOR PUBLIC WORKS. UNDOUBTEDLY, IT IS A PRIORITY. I DIDN'T POINT IT OUT IN THE KEY SERVICES, BUT THAT DOESN'T MEAN IT'S NOT A PRIORITY. IT IS A TOP PRIORITY FOR US. WHAT IS THE TIMING ON THE SPEED ENFORCEMENT? DID, DID YOU ALREADY GIVE THAT? I APOLOGIZE IF I MISSED THE TIMING ON IT. NO, NO, I, I DON'T MIND, UH, TALKING ABOUT IT. SO, WE, WE, UH, BRIEFED ALL OF THE COUNCIL OFFICES ON THE, ON, ON THE NEXT STEPS AND, AND THE LOCATIONS. WE, UH, HAVE TO, BY LAW COME BACK TO THE FULL COUNCIL WITH A PRESENTATION AND ALL THE DOCUMENTS THAT ARE ESTABLISHED. THE PROGRAM, UH, THAT IS, UH, THAT IS GONNA HAPPEN AFTER WE DO A PRESENTATION AT THE, UH, PORT MOBILITY AND INFRASTRUCTURE COMMITTEE. UH, THAT, UH, THE COMMITTEE HAS ASKED TO, UH, TO, UH, TO, FOR US TO, UH, TO, TO PROVIDE AN UPDATE THERE. SO THAT'LL HAPPEN FIRST. THEN THE FULL CITY COUNCIL WILL COME AND, AND WILL PRESENT, UH, FOR APPROVAL OF ALL OF THE PROGRAM ELEMENTS ARE REQUIRED BY THE STATE. AT THAT POINT, WITH YOUR APPROVAL, WE WILL NEED, WE WILL BE ABLE TO ENTER THE PROCUREMENT PHASE. WE ARE LOOKING AT STRATEGIES TO EXPEDITE THE PROCUREMENT PHASE, UH, UH, POTENTIAL PIGGYBACKING, UH, WITH ONE OF THE OTHER CONTRACTS THAT, UH, THAT, UH, THAT CITIES HAVE BID TO, TO SAVE US SOME TIME. SO, ASSUMING WE'RE ABLE TO PIGGYBACK, WE ARE LOOKING AT GETTING THESE DEVICES OUT AND, AND INSTALLED, UH, FIRST QUARTER OF, UH, 2026. GREAT. THAT'S, THAT'S WHAT I WAS LOOKING FOR. YEAH. THANK YOU. UM, I WILL, UH, HAVE TO QUEUE UP AGAIN. THANK YOU VICE MAYOR YANGA. THANK YOU, MAYOR. I WASN'T GONNA SAY RECEIVING THE MESSAGE, BUT LAST, BUT, BUT, UH, I DON'T HAVE ANY QUESTIONS REALLY. I THINK THAT MY, MY COLLEAGUES HAVE DONE A VERY THOROUGH AND EXCELLENT JOB AND ASKING OTHER RELEVANT QUESTIONS THAT ARE INVITED AT THE MET. SO I WANNA THANK THIS OPPORTUNITY TO SAY THANK YOU, MR. LOPEZ, FOR YOUR SERVICE. I THINK [04:10:01] I MET YOU WHEN YOU WERE A MANAGEMENT ASSISTANT BACK IN THE DAY. SO I'VE SEEN YOU GROW TO BECOME THE DIRECTOR OF THIS PROGRAM, WHICH IS LIKE, KUDOS TO YOU AND YOUR ABILITIES TO MOVE ON FORWARD. MR. SCOTT, I DID THE SAME THING. I MET YOU WHEN YOU WERE A MANAGEMENT ASSISTANT, WERE YOU NOT? OH, MY, HOW OLD? I'M OLD. BUT, UH, THANK YOU FOR STEPPING UP AND BEING THE, THIS ACTING DIRECTOR FOR NOW, AND, UH, WISH YOU WELL, WISH YOU LUCK IN YOUR CONTINUED SERVICE. AND MR. MARTINEZ, YOU GIVE IN A TIME WHERE WE WERE MUCH IN NEED FOR BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT. YOU HAVE DEVELOPMENT, AND THEN YOU MADE A, A BREATH OF FRESH AIR WITH A LOT OF FRESH IDEAS AND NEW WAYS OF MOVING THE CITY FORWARD INTO THE FUTURE. BUT I DO HAVE A TWO-PART QUESTION HERE. DEPENDS ABOUT . YOU HAVE TWO VACANCIES, ONE ONLY WORKS WHEN PARKING, RECREATION. WHY ARE WE, YEAH, RECRUITMENT IS ALREADY UNDERWAY. UH, WE SHOULD BE SENDING YOU THE, UM, AND THE WORLD, THE, UH, RECRUITMENT BROCHURES, I THINK IN THE NEXT WEEK OR SO. UM, AND, UH, WITH GOALS TO BE ABLE TO HIRE BY THE END OF THE YEAR. SO, UH, WE FAST TRACKED THIS. UH, WE'VE ALREADY GOT THE RECRUITING FIRM ON BOARD. UH, I'LL BE CHATTING WITH EACH OF YOU ABOUT, UH, KIND OF WHAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR IN OUR, IN OUR NEW TEAMS AND STUFF AND OUR NEW DIRECTORS AND, UH, UH, LOOKING TO BRING PEOPLE ON RIGHT AWAY. UH, OBVIOUSLY STEVE HAS JUMPED RIGHT IN AS ACTING DIRECTOR, AND, UH, JOSH HICKMAN IS, UH, GONNA BE OUR ACTING DIRECTOR AS WELL. HE IS ALSO VERY, VERY INVOLVED ALREADY, UH, AND KNOWS THE DEPARTMENT REALLY WELL. SO, UH, WE WILL MISS, UH, BOTH BRENT AND ERIC, BUT, UH, VERY CONFIDENT THAT THE TEAM CAN CONTINUE THE WORK. THANK YOU, MR. MAKER. ALL RIGHT. SEVEN MINUTES, EIGHT MINUTES LEFT ON THE CLOCK. COUNCIL MEMBER KERR. YES. UH, THANK YOU. UH, THANK YOU COUNCILMAN DUGGAN FOR BRINGING UP THE TRAFFIC STUDIES. UM, SO I DECIDED TO QUEUE BACK UP EVEN THOUGH I USED MY 10 MINUTES. UM, SO, UH, DIRECTOR LOPEZ, I WANNA THANK YOU. I KNOW THAT, UM, THE STABILITY WITHIN THE TRAFFIC TEAM HAS BEEN A PRIORITY FOR YOU. UM, AND WE'RE THERE, THANKFULLY I SEE THEM, THEM, MOST OF THEM IN THE BACK THERE, AND I WAS REALLY GRATEFUL. AND I KNOW WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THE PILOT PROGRAM AND WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO THAT. NOW THAT ALL THE COUNCIL MEMBERS ARE BRIEFED, WE'LL PLAN THE MOBILITY MEETING SO THAT WE CAN SUNSHINE WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE BEFORE IT COMES TO COUNCIL SO THAT THE PUBLIC REALLY HAS AN OPPORTUNITY, UM, TO SEE IT AND, AND TALK ABOUT IT BEFORE IT COMES TO COUNCIL SO THAT THEY CAN BE INFORMED FOR THAT PRESENTATION. UM, BUT YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT THE CONCENTRATION ON THE HIGH INJURY NETWORK, WHICH I THINK IS REALLY CRITICAL, BUT I KNOW THAT FOR A LONG TIME, UM, WE HAVE, WE HAVE, I KNOW OUR OFFICE HAS REQUESTED TRAFFIC STUDIES ON NON ARTERIALS, UM, ON SMALLER STREETS BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT IT ISN'T JUST ABOUT THE HIGH INJURY NETWORK ON THE ARTERIALS, THAT FOR MANY OF OUR COMMUNITIES, ESPECIALLY THOSE WHERE WE HAVE SCHOOLS NESTLED INTO NEIGHBORHOODS, UM, THAT WE HAVE SMALLER STREETS, NOT SMALL STREETS, BUT SMALLER STREETS THAN ARTERIALS, UM, THAT DO HAVE THOSE SAME ISSUES AROUND SPEEDING. AND SO OF THE TRAFFIC STUDIES, I THINK IT'S, IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT THAT WE'VE DONE THE WORK AROUND THE HIGH INJURY NETWORK FOR THE PILOT PROGRAM, BUT I THINK FOR OUR COMMUNITIES, IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE DO HONOR THAT REQUEST FOR TRAFFIC STUDIES IN THOSE SMALLER NEIGHBORHOODS, UM, AND SEE WHAT MITIGATION EFFORTS ARE NEEDED. AND WE KNOW THAT SOMETIMES MUCH TO THE DISAPPOINTMENT OF NEIGHBORHOODS IN OUR OFFICE AT TIMES AS WELL, THERE AREN'T, IT ISN'T CALLED FOR MITIGATION THAT WE JUST NEED PEOPLE TO DRIVE BETTER. UM, BUT COULD YOU TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT, UM, HOW OUR NEIGHBORHOOD STREETS AS WELL AS IN TERMS OF TRAFFIC STUDIES AND NOT JUST HOW THAT RELATES TO, UM, ARTERIALS AND THE PILOT STUDY? AND I SEE PAUL'S BACK THERE TOO, IF WE NEED HIM. ABSOLUTELY. I ASKED HIM TO COME UP. UH, SO, UH, 'CAUSE I WANT 'EM TO TALK ABOUT THE NEIGHBORHOOD SAFETY PROGRAM AND ALL THE WORK AROUND SCHOOLS AND ALL THE WORK, UH, TO REDUCE SPEED LIMITS IN, UH, SOME OF THESE AREAS THAT ARE NOT JUST WITHIN THE, UH, HIGH INJURY NETWORK. UH, THERE'S A LOT OF WORK THAT'S BEEN HAPPENING. SO, UH, PAUL, THANKS ERIC. UH, YEAH, HAPPY TO TALK ABOUT OUR NEIGHBORHOOD TRAFFIC CALMING PROGRAM. WE'VE SPENT A LOT OF TIME, LIKE, LIKE ERIC MEN, ERIC MENTIONED STAFFING UP, UH, WE HIRED, I THINK NINE NEW EMPLOYEES FOR MY DIVISION OVER THE LAST YEAR. SO THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF COACHING AND TRAINING AND ACCLIMATING GOING ON, BUT ALSO PARALLEL TO THAT, WE'VE BEEN UPDATING OUR STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES TO BETTER ALIGN WITH THE RACIAL EQUITY AND RECONCILIATION INITIATIVE AND HAVE A DATA-DRIVEN APPROACH TO HOW WE'RE RESPONDING TO THESE REQUESTS. SO, UH, WE DO HAVE KIND OF A TWO-PRONGED APPROACH TO TRAFFIC SAFETY. ERIC'S BEEN TALKING A LOT ABOUT OUR HIGH INJURY NETWORK. WE ALSO HAVE THE NEIGHBORHOOD TRAFFIC CALMING PRIORITY INDEX, AND AS OF LAST WEEK, WE FINALIZED OUR TOP 20 CORRIDOR OR TOP 20 NEIGHBORHOOD STREETS FOR TRAFFIC CALMING. SO WE WILL BE, UH, WRAPPING UP THE, UM, TRAFFIC STUDIES ON THOSE SEGMENTS, UH, THIS FALL, UH, AND REPORTING BACK ON THE, UM, PROPER DEVICES, UH, FOR TREATING THOSE CORRIDORS. BUT AGAIN, I MENTIONED THIS IS A, A DATA-DRIVEN APPROACH, SO [04:15:01] WE'VE COLLECTED A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF TRAFFIC SAFETY INFORMATION OVER THE PAST COUPLE MONTHS. UH, AND THAT'S GONNA HAVE OTHER FRINGE BENEFITS THERE. SO, UH, I EXPECT, EXPECT TO SEE ME AND MY TEAM AT A NUMBER OF COUNCIL MEETINGS, UH, IN THE NEXT COUPLE MONTHS, TALKING ABOUT REDUCED SPEED LIMITS IN A BUNCH OF THESE NEIGHBORHOODS, UH, AROUND PLAYGROUNDS AS WELL. UM, SO YEAH, WE'RE ABOUT TO SEE THE FRUIT OF ALL OF THAT EFFORT, UH, AND THAT'S GONNA MANIFEST IN A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT WAYS. BUT, UM, SPEED LIMIT REDUCTIONS, NEIGHBORHOOD TRAFFIC, CALMING, UM, THAT'S ALL, UH, ABOUT TO, UH, BE VERY VISIBLE. SO, AND IF I MAY ADD, UH, IT WAS JUST A COUPLE YEARS AGO THAT THE STATE REVISED THE LAW TO ALLOW US TO REDUCE SPEED LIMITS WITHIN CERTAIN CORRIDORS. AND AS SOON AS THAT LAW, UH, UH, PAST, UH, WE ACTUALLY BROUGHT, UH, TO THIS BODY A HUNDRED LOCATIONS IN ONE COUNCIL, UH, LETTER ONE COUNCIL AREAS TO REDUCE SPEED LIMITS WITH THE NEW AUTHORITY THAT WE HAD. SO I THINK THERE'S 25 PAW COMING NEXT IN, IN AREAS NEAR SCHOOLS AND OTHER SENSITIVE RECEPTORS. YEAH, SO WE'RE CONTINUING, CONTINUING TO LEVERAGE, UH, WHAT WE SEE AS OPPORTUNITIES IN THE VEHICLE CODE. AND, UH, YEAH, WE'RE, WE'RE LOOKING AT CLOSER TO 50, UM, NEIGHBORHOOD, UM, STREETS, UH, LATER THIS YEAR. SO, YEAH. THANK YOU. THAT'S ALL. THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER DUGGAN. ALRIGHT, UM, I'M GONNA JUMP TO, UM, NEW DIRECTOR SCOTT. CONGRATULATIONS, AND I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU. THANKS FOR YOUR PRESENTATION. I WANNA UNDERSTAND MORE ABOUT PARKS MAINTENANCE BUDGET. I THINK WE DO A GREAT JOB WITH ALL OF OUR PARKS, OUR GRASSY AREAS, OUR PLAYGROUNDS, BUT WE'RE ALL TRANSITIONING TO MORE LOW WATER, UM, NATIVE PLANTS, AND THEY REQUIRE A DIFFERENT MAINTENANCE TYPE. FOR EXAMPLE, WE'VE PLANTED NATIVE PLANTS. THERE WAS A WHOLE PLAN IN THE RED CAR, GREEN BELT. IT WAS A BEAUTIFUL PLAN. UH, AS THE YEARS PROGRESSED, THE PLANTS DIED, THE GRASS GREW, AND NOW THE MAINTENANCE IS MOWING THE GRASS. INSTEAD OF HAVING THESE, UH, NATIVE PLANTS, UH, WE'RE ADDING MORE, WE'RE PUSHING MORE NATIVE GARDENS IN DIFFERENT GREEN BELTS, AND I'M WORRIED WE'RE GONNA SEE THAT SAME ISSUE. SO AS WE REMOVE GRASS FROM NATIVE, UH, AND, AND ENTER NATIVE GARDENS, UM, WHAT'S OUR MAINTENANCE SCHEDULE LOOK LIKE? DO WE HAVE CONTRACTS THAT ARE SUPPORTED BY OUR BUDGET? AND HOW DOES IT REFLECT THIS NEW NEED WITH NATIVE GARDENS? UH, THANK YOU FOR THE QUESTION, COUNCIL MEMBER. SO AT A HIGH LEVEL, UM, WE HAVE MAINTENANCE, UH, GROUNDS, LANDSCAPE MAINTENANCE CONTRACTS THAT MANAGE, UH, OUR PARKS. THOSE ARE TRADITIONALLY THE, THE, THE MOW AND BLOW OF THE WORLD. UH, WE DO ALSO THOUGH HAVE SPECIALTY, UH, CONTRACTS, UM, LIKE WITH THE LOS, UH, CERRITOS, UH, STEWARDS THAT HELP US WITH SOME OF THE ENVIRONMENTALLY SENSITIVE AREAS. AND SO THAT IS, UH, SOMETHING THAT WE DO PARTICULARLY LIKE ALONG THE BLUFF IN, UH, SOME OF OUR NATURE PRESERVES AND, UM, COMING SOON TO THE, UH, OPEN CHANNEL, UH, COLORADO LAGOON. UM, I THINK WHAT'S GONNA BE IMPORTANT FOR US MOVING FORWARD IS DURING THE DESIGN OF THE PARKS, MAKING SURE THAT WE FULLY ARE FULLY ENGAGED WITH HOW WE ARE GOING TO MAINTAIN THE PARKS MOVING FORWARD. IF IT IS GOING TO BE MORE KIND OF NATIVE VEGETATION, UM, NOT THE TRADITIONAL, YOU KNOW, UH, CUTTING OF THE GRASS, WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THEN THAT WE ARE REFLECTING THAT IN OUR BUDGET, UM, REQUESTS. AND SO THAT'S GONNA BE SOMETHING WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO TAKE FORWARD ON A CASE BY CASE BASIS, UH, DEPENDING ON, UH, WHAT THIS NEW PARK ASSET IS GOING TO LOOK LIKE. ALRIGHT. ALRIGHT, THANK YOU. UM, I ALSO WANNA ASK ABOUT THE MARINA FUND. WHEN WE REFINANCED THE MARINA BOND AND OPENED IT TO, UH, BE USED FOR TIDELANDS PURPOSES, THERE WAS A POOL OF CASH THAT WAS INTENDED TO REPLACE MARINA BATHROOMS, DOCKS, AND OTHER CAPITAL NEEDS. CAN YOU WALK ME THROUGH HOW THAT CASH RESERVE HAS BEEN ALLOCATED IN THE MARINES CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PLAN? SO, YES, UH, THANK YOU FOR THAT COUNCIL MEMBER. UM, OUR, UH, MARINE, UH, BUREAU IN COLLABORATION WITH THE TIDELANDS CAPITAL TEAM IN, UH, PUBLIC WORKS HAVE IDENTIFIED A FIVE YEAR, UH, CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PLAN THAT WILL UTILIZE THOSE FUNDS THAT HAVE BEEN, UH, IN, UH, THE MARINA FUND FOR CAPITAL PURPOSES. AND SO WE HAVE A PLAN TO UPGRADE OUR, UM, MARINA RESTROOMS, UH, BOTH FOR THE PUBLIC AND FOR, UH, OUR BOAT OWNERS. WE HAVE [04:20:01] PLANS FOR IMPROVEMENTS, UH, IN THE MARINAS, UH, BOTH AMENITY IMPROVEMENTS LIKE, UM, UH, SECURITY CAMERAS, UH, FOR SAFETY IMPROVEMENTS TO, UH, KIND OF THE ACCESS TO THE DOCKS. SO THAT PLAN INCORPORATES WHAT WE HAVE HAD, UH, AVAILABLE TO US WITH CAPITAL IN TERMS OF CAPITAL FUNDING. AND YOU'LL PROBABLY NOTICE COUNCIL MEMBER, IF YOU REMEMBER BACK, UH, WHEN WE WERE TALKING ABOUT THAT IT WAS OVER $30 MILLION OF THIS LONGER RANGE PLAN, UH, ONLY ABOUT $8 MILLION WAS ADDED TO THIS YEAR'S CIP. WE ADD THE DOLLARS THAT WE HAVE A SPECIFIC PLAN FOR THAT WE KNOW WE'RE GONNA SPEND IN THAT YEAR, WE CAN ALWAYS GO BACK AND ADD TO THAT. SO AS THAT'S A HUGE AMOUNT OF CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT, UH, THAT NOW THE MARINA IS GONNA BE WORKING WITH TIDELANDS TO ACTUALLY DO THOSE PROJECTS AND IMPLEMENT THOSE, THOSE CAN BE ADDED IN SO THAT MONEY IS STILL THERE. UM, AND THEN IT GETS MOVED INTO THE CIP AS WE'RE READY, UH, TO DO THE PROJECTS. GREAT, THANK YOU. UH, FINAL COMMENT. I ECHO COUNCILMAN SUPER NAS, UM, REQUEST ON THE MUNI BAND. UH, I'D LIKE TO SEE THAT FUNDED AND THEN, UH, SUPPORT A DIFFERENT FUNDRAISING PLAN FOR THAT GAP. UM, DIRECTOR MARTINEZ, UH, THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION TONIGHT. I HAVE JUST A FEW QUESTIONS ABOUT THE TIDELANDS OPERATING BUDGET ALLOCATED TO THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT. SO IN THE PAST TWO YEARS, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT SPENDING IN THE TIDELANDS OPERATING FUND HAS GROWN FROM A PROJECTED DEFICIT OF 2.6 MILLION IN 2024 TO 5.3 MILLION IN THIS YEAR'S PROPOSED BUDGET. AND WE'RE RELYING ON ECONOMIC ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT. YOUR YOUR POINT IS TO HELP REPLACE OIL REVENUE IN THE TIDELANDS FUND, BUT IT SEEMS LIKE WE'RE GOING IN THE WRONG DIRECTION. SO I'D LIKE TO JUST HEAR WHAT'S GOING ON IN THE TIDELANDS OPERATING FUND AND WHAT WE'RE DOING WITH THAT. SO, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER DOUG AND I CAN TALK ABOUT A MORE, UH, SOME OF A PROACTIVE APPROACHES THAT WE'RE GONNA BE LOOKING TO REPLACE, UM, SOME OF OUR OIL, UH, REVENUES. AND THAT CAN INCLUDE LOOKING AT PARKING DISTRICTS, ADVERTISING DISTRICTS, REVENUE GENERATING BUSINESSES FROM RETAIL TO HOTELS, INCREASED VISITOR SPENDING BY DOING MORE SPECIAL EVENTS, FESTIVALS, CONCERTS, UM, LOOKING AT HOW WE CONTINUE TO PLACE, UH, DO PLACEMAKING INVESTMENTS IN OUR CITY FACILITIES. FROM THE CONVENTION CENTER TO, UM, OUR ARENA, WE WERE GONNA BE LOOKING AT SPONSORSHIPS AND NAMING RIGHTS. WE'RE GONNA LOOK AT, YOU KNOW, FOCUSING ON THE PORT OF LONG BEACH AND LOOK AT BRINGING IN NEW, UH, BUSINESS AND INNOVATION THAT WILL CREATE MORE JOBS IN THE COMMUNITY. SO THOSE ARE JUST SEVERAL EXAMPLES THAT WE'LL BE LOOKING AT TO OFFSET OIL REVENUES THAT ARE DIMINISHING AND LOOKING FOR NEW OPPORTUNITIES TO, UH, RAISE NEW REVENUE THROUGHOUT THE CITY. AND JOHNNY, I DUNNO IF THERE'S SOMETHING THAT YOU ALSO WANNA ELABORATE AS FAR AS THE, THE, UH, UH, THAILANDS FUND. SURE. ACTUALLY. SO, UM, BEAU MARTINEZ WAS ABLE TO COVER MOST OF OUR, OUR OPPORTUNITIES AS WE MOVE FORWARD. AND SO I'LL JUST EXPRESS SOME OF THE CHALLENGES WE'VE EXPERIENCED. SO, UM, UH, SOME OF THE UNANTICIPATED, UH, EXPENSES, OPERATIONAL EXPENSES AS BOTH THE, UH, THE CONVENTION CENTER AND, UM, AND, UH, THE QUEEN MARY PROPERTY REALLY HAD TO DEAL WITH, UH, MEASURE, UH, RW AND THE ASSOCIATED, UH, WAGE ORDINANCE AT THE CONVENTION CENTER. SO THOSE, THOSE HAVE JUST HAD SOME, UH, SOME IMMEDIATE, UH, OPERATIONAL IMPACTS. UH, WE, BOTH, OUR OPERATORS AT BOTH THE CONVENTION CENTER AND QUEEN MARY ARE LOOKING FOR OPPORTUNITIES TO OFFSET SOME OF THAT REVENUE. SO THEY'RE BEING CREATIVE IN CREATING, UH, NEW REVENUE STREAMS AT BOTH THOSE ASSETS. SO WE HOPE THOSE WILL COME TO FRUITION, UH, IN, IN OUT YEARS. BUT, UM, UH, THE, THOSE, BOTH, THOSE ORDINANCE HAD A SORT OF IMMEDIATE IMPACT ON BOTH OPERATIONS, AND THAT'S WHY WE TRENDED TO A LARGER DEFICIT IN, UH, 2026, OUR PROJECTED DEFICIT. THAT, THAT, THAT WAS PART OF IT. IT WAS COM COMPOUNDED BY THE FACT THAT THERE WERE UNION CONTRACTS THAT CAME UP AT THE SAME TIME AS THOSE ORDINANCE, UH, WERE PROPOSED. SO, UM, BUT, YOU KNOW, UH, AGAIN, UH, BOTH OPERATORS, UH, ARE TASKED WITH TRYING TO CREATE, UH, NEW REVENUE O OPPORTUNITIES IN THE FUTURE. THE AMPHITHEATER REPRESENTS SOME REALLY NICE OPPORTUNITIES FOR NEW REVENUE GENERATION FOR AT THE QUEEN MARY, UM, AT THE, THE, THE CONVENTION CENTER. WE THINK THERE'S ALSO OPPORTUNITIES, UH, IN TERMS OF, OF ADVERTISING, UH, THAT WE'LL HAVE TO GO THROUGH. UM, SOME ADVERTISING ORDINANCE CHANGES, UH, IF THAT'S A, A DIRECTION THE COUNCIL WANTS TO GO THROUGH. UH, BUT THEY, BUT THEY ARE ALSO TASKED WITH TRYING TO, UH, LOOK FOR WAYS TO OFFSET THOSE ADDITIONAL EXPENSES. SO, YOU KNOW, I'M VERY SUPPORTIVE OF THE WORK THAT ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DOES. I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE DON'T CONTINUE TO SEE DEFICIT IN TIDELANDS OPERATIONS WHEN WE'RE STRUGGLING ALREADY. SO I LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING, UM, THE WAYS THAT WE CAN [04:25:01] REPLACE OUR OIL REVENUE. UM, 'CAUSE WE'RE GOING TO NEED IT. YEAH. UH, WE, WE ABSOLUTELY AGREE. AND SO THIS NEXT YEAR WE ARE GONNA NEED TO PUT A LOT OF THOUGHT INTO HOW DO WE STABILIZE TIDELANDS AS WELL AS HOW DO WE STABILIZE THE GENERAL FUND. SO NEXT YEAR I THINK WE HAVE VERY CLEAR THE GENERAL FUNDS FACING A VERY LARGE DEFICIT THAT WE'RE GONNA NEED TO CLOSE. AND, UH, TIDELANDS IS STARTING TO GO INTO DEFICIT AS WELL. SO, UH, WE DO HAVE IT STABILIZED FOR THIS YEAR. IT'LL GIVE US SOME TIME. WE'RE LOOKING FROM EVERYTHING FROM ADDITIONAL OPPORTUNITIES TO WORK WITH THE PORT, UH, THE AMPHITHEATER. THAT'S WHY THE COUNCIL REALLY FAST TRACKED THAT THAT DOES SHOW THAT IT MAKES MONEY. AND SO WE WANT TO BE ABLE TO BRING THAT ON SOONER THAN RATHER THAN LATER SO WE CAN START SUPPORTING SOME OF THE GENERAL FUND. WE'VE OBVIOUSLY GOT THE, UH, IRONS IN THE FIRE UP IN THE STATE TO SEE IF THEY CAN HELP US WITH THE, THE FUNDING THAT THE, THE COUNCIL TALKED ABOUT AS WELL. AND THEN, UH, WE DID BRING ON OUR BRAND NEW, UM, UH, WATERFRONT DEVELOPMENT TEAM. SO THAT DID, UH, UH, TAKE SOME DOLLARS. WE BROUGHT ON ABOUT A TEAM OF, I THINK FOUR TO FIVE LAST YEAR, UH, AND, UH, RUN BY ERIC ROMERO. AND SO THEY'RE REALLY DESIGNED TO HELP LOOK FOR THOSE REVENUE OPPORTUNITIES, UH, ALL ALONG THE COAST, NOT JUST IN THE DOWNTOWN AREA, BUT WHERE ARE WE LOOKING, UH, THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE COAST TO, TO GENERATE THAT REVENUE. GREAT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. I LIKE TO HEAR IT'S ALONG THE ENTIRE COAST. ALL RIGHT. WELL THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR COMMENTS. UH, THANK YOU ALL. YOU CAN GO HOME NOW. UM, WE ARE GONNA TAKE A RECESS AND COME BACK TO, UH, COME BACK TO OUR FINAL TWO DEPARTMENTS, FIVE MINUTES COUNCIL MEMBERS, WE'RE GONNA RECONVENE AT NINE 30. [04:35:46] ALL [04:35:47] RIGHT, MADAM CLERK, LET'S RECONVENE THE CITY COUNCIL MEETING. ROLL CALL PLEASE. COUNCILWOMAN ZENES. COUNCILWOMAN ZENDEJAS. PRESENT. COUNCILWOMAN ALLEN. PRESENT COUNCILWOMAN KERR. HERE. COUNCILWOMAN SORROW. PRESENT. COUNCIL MEMBER? UH, NO. HERE. VICE AIR URANGA. COUNCILWOMAN THRASH OOK. HERE. COUNCIL MEMBER RICK SOTE. HERE. MAYOR RICHARDSON. I'M HERE. WE HAVE A QUORUM. THANK YOU. WELCOME TO LONG BEACH PUBLIC LIBRARY. AFTER HOURS, THEY'VE BEEN WORKING SINCE 8:00 AM THE NIGHT SHIFT. ALL RIGHT. LIBRARIES AFTER DARK. LIBRARIES AFTER DARK. LET'S GO. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MR. MAYOR. WE ARE READY FOR OUR PRESENTATION ON LIBRARIES, ARTS AND CULTURES. SO I'LL TURN IT OVER TO KATHY. GOOD EVENING, HONORABLE COUNCIL AND MAYOR. UH, MY NAME IS KATHY DE LEON AND I'M THE DIRECTOR OF THE DEPARTMENT OF LIBRARY ARTS AND CULTURE. AND I'M PLEASED TO BE HERE TODAY TO SHARE OUR FISCAL YEAR 2026 BUDGET PRESENTATION. EVERY DAY WE WELCOME OVER 3000 VISITORS INTO OUR LIBRARIES. ALL OF THEM COME TO US FOR DIFFERENT REASONS. FOR ONE, IT MIGHT BE A NEW BOOK BECAUSE THEIR KIDDO IS NEWLY OBSESSED WITH SOCCER STAR LEON MESSI. FOR ANOTHER, IT'S BECAUSE THEIR PRINTER DIED AT HOME AND THEY NEED A RESUME TO TAKE TO A JOB INTERVIEW FOR ONE OF OUR SENIORS. THE LIBRARY IS A FRIENDLY FACE, A PLACE TO ENGAGE IN CONVERSATION AND PICK UP A FRESH, LARGE PRINT TITLE FOR OUR COMMUNITIES UNHOUSED. AND EVEN SOME OF OUR TEENS, SADLY, IT'S BECAUSE THEY FEEL THEY HAVE NO OTHER PLACE TO GO THAT'S SAFE. LONG BEACH PUBLIC LIBRARY STANDS PROUDLY AS A PLACE OF INCLUSION, WELCOMING AND COMMUNITY. WHAT I LOVE SO MUCH ABOUT OUR CITY IS THAT THE LIBRARY ISN'T SEEN AS A NICE TO HAVE. IT'S SEEN AS A MUST HAVE. SO LAST OCTOBER 1ST, WE CHANGED OUR NAME FROM LIBRARY SERVICES TO LIBRARY ARTS AND CULTURE, AND THIS YEAR WE'VE BEEN EXPLORING WHAT THAT MEANS. WE WORKED WITH TWO CONSULTANTS THIS YEAR, ONE ON CULTURAL AFFAIRS AND ONE ON STRATEGIC PLANNING. AND THIS YEAR OF GROWTH STAKEHOLDER INTERVIEWS AND INTROSPECTION HAS TAUGHT US SOMETHING IMPORTANT. WE ARE STILL THE SAME LIBRARY SERVICES YOU KNOW AND LOVE, BUT WITH MORE TO OFFER. THIS IS OUR NEW MISSION AND VISION THAT YOU'LL SEE HERE ON THE SCREEN, WHICH WE WILL UNVEIL FORMALLY NEXT MONTH AS A PART OF OUR 2025 AND 2030 STRATEGIC PLAN. EACH OF OUR LOCATIONS IS A LITERACY AND CULTURAL HUB, AND WE PROVIDE EXPERIENCES AND LITERATURE THAT APPEAL TO PEOPLE OF ALL AGES FROM ALL DIFFERENT BACKGROUNDS. LIBRARIES ARE A PLACE WHERE PEOPLE COME TO AND CREATE COMMUNITY. BRINGING TOGETHER COMMUNITY AND EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES ARE KEY FOR US. WE TAUGHT 160 FAMILIES ABOUT CHILDREN'S HEALTH THROUGH OUR DIVE INTO PARENTING WORKSHOPS AND HELPED 20 ADULTS EARN THEIR DIPLOMA THROUGH CAREER ONLINE HIGH SCHOOL. WE CELEBRATED PRESCHOOLERS WHO READ A THOUSAND BOOKS BEFORE KINDERGARTEN AND PRESENTED THE THIRD ANNUAL YOUTH POET LAUREATE AWARD TO A JUNIOR FROM MCBRIDE HIGH SCHOOL, AS WELL AS NAMED FOUR YOUTH POET AMBASSADORS. WE EMPOWERED 170 MIDDLE SCHOOLERS AT SEED CREATIVE CITY LAB CAMP THIS SUMMER AND OPENED THE FILIPINO AMERICAN CULTURAL HERITAGE COLLECTION AT THE BRETT HART LIBRARY. ONE OF THE HEART LIBRARIES LONGTIME PATRONS WHOSE STAFF CALLED TITA GARINA TOLD THE LIBRARY STAFF THAT IN ALL HER YEARS OF LIVING ON THE WEST SIDE, SHE NEVER THOUGHT SHE'D SEE HERSELF TRULY REFLECTED IN THE BOOKS ON THE SHELVES AT HER LOCAL LIBRARY. ANOTHER GENTLEMAN AS A COLLECTIONS UNVEILING REMARKED. FINALLY, WE HAVE A PLACE TO CALL HOME. STATEMENTS LIKE THESE REMIND US THAT AT THE END OF THE DAY, BE BEING RESPONSIVE TO OUR COMMUNITIES MATTERS, AND THAT IT'S IMPORTANT TO CREATE SPACES THAT REFLECT THE HERITAGE AND EXPERIENCES OF THOSE THAT MAKE LONG BEACH WONDERFUL. [04:40:03] PROVIDING ACCESS AND CONNECTION COMES IN MANY DIFFERENT FORMS. AFTER A 16 MONTH RENOVATION IN WHICH WE LISTENED TO AND INCORPORATED FEEDBACK FROM MANY, MANY COMMUNITY MEMBERS AND LIBRARY USERS, WE FINALLY REOPENED BAYSHORE LIBRARY TO THE PUBLIC. WE ARE CURRENTLY TRANSFORMING THE MICHELLE OBAMA LIBRARY OUTDOOR SPACE INTO A SUSTAINABLE GREEN SPACE THAT SHOULD BE FINISHED WITHIN THE NEXT TWO MONTHS. AND IT WILL BE A BEAUTIFUL PLACE WHERE RESIDENTS CAN LEARN, GROW, AND GATHER. WE FOCUS ON UPGRADING CRITICAL TECHNOLOGY FOR OUR LIBRARY RESOURCES. WE EXPANDED DIGITAL ACCESS, ADDING 150,000 EBOOKS IN LANGUAGES OTHER THAN ENGLISH, AND MIGRATED MORE THAN 2 MILLION RECORDS WHILE UPGRADING OUR ILS OR INTEGRATED LIBRARY SYSTEM, WHICH THE PUBLIC LIBRARY CATALOG, WHICH IS THE PUBLIC LIBRARY CATALOG AND DIGITAL INTERFACE. WITH THE ROLLOUT OF OUR NEW NAME, WE ARE CONSTANTLY IMAGINING WHAT WE CAN BE IN THE FUTURE. WE KICKED OFF THIS PERIOD OF REFLECTION WITH OUR VERY FIRST LBPL ANNUAL REPORT, AND I WILL PROUDLY LAUNCH OUR STRATEGIC PLAN IN A MONTH OR SO. SO HERE ARE SOME, UM, NUMBERS FOR YOU TO TAKE A LOOK AT. UM, WE'VE HAD SOME LOFTY GOALS AND I FEEL LIKE THIS YEAR WE'VE DONE A REALLY GREAT JOB OF REACHING AND ASPIRING TO BE BETTER THIS PAST YEAR. AS YOU CAN SEE FROM THIS SLIDE, WE'VE SEEN SOME SIGNIFICANT INCREASES IN THE NUMBER OF RESOURCES UTILIZED AND LIBRARY ATTENDANCE. THIS GROWTH CAN BE ATTRIBUTED TO OUR FACILITIES BEING FULLY OPEN, CONTINUING TO DEVELOP CULTURALLY RELEVANT PROGRAM OFFERINGS AND COLLECTIONS, AND MAKING INNOVATION INNOVATIVE CHANGES TO INTERNAL PROCESSES THAT HAVE DECREASED WAIT TIMES FOR HIGH DEMAND BOOKS. AND OF COURSE, ALL OF THIS IS POSSIBLE BECAUSE OUR STAFF IS TRULY AMAZING AS OUR, AS ARE OUR ADVOCATES, LIKE OUR LIBRARY PATRONS, THE FRIENDS OF THE LIBRARY AND OUR FOUNDATION UNDERGOING OUR DEPARTMENT NAME CHANGE TO BECOME LIBRARY ARTS AND CULTURE WAS A MONUMENTAL SHIFT FOR US AND ONE THAT WE NEEDED HELP DEFINING. EARLIER THIS CALENDAR YEAR, WE WORK WITH A CONSULTANT TO COMPLETE A SIX MONTH STUDY DEFINING LIBRARY'S ROLE WITHIN THE CITY'S CULTURAL AFFAIRS ECOSYSTEM, MAPPING OUT ITS FUTURE STRATEGIC GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT, TAKING A GRADUAL APPROACH. WE ARE PROUD TO ADD A NEW DIVISION TO OUR DEPARTMENT IN FY 26, A CULTURAL AFFAIRS DIVISION HOUSED WITHIN OUR EXECUTIVE BUREAU. THE DIVISION IS STARTING OFF SLOWLY WITH A CULTURAL AFFAIRS OFFICER AND A CLERK TYPIST THREE AND THE ROLES WILL DEVELOP AND IMPLEMENT OUR NEW SCOPE OF WORK RELATED TO CULTURAL CENTERS AND SUPPORT FOR THE ARTS. THEY WILL BUILD RELATIONSHIPS WITH CULTURAL CENTERS AND THE ARTS COUNCIL, MAKE CONNECTIONS WITH COMMUNITY CULTURAL LEADERSHIP. AND IN A FEW SHORT YEARS, IF ALL GOES ACCORDING TO PLAN, WE'LL GROW INTO A BUREAU THAT WILL CENTRALIZE SUPPORT FOR ALL OF THE CITY'S ART AND CULTURE INITIATIVES. I'D LIKE TO REITERATE THE, IN THAT THE INTENTION OF THE NEW DIVISION IS NOT TO TAKE OVER THE WORK OF THE ARTS COUNCIL FOR LONG BEACH, BUT RATHER TO BECOME THE CITY'S ARM TO MORE FORMALLY SUPPORT ITS WORK. ADDITIONALLY, THIS STAFFING EXPANSION DOES NOT COME AT THE EXPENSE OF LIBRARY'S BASED GENERAL FUND BUDGET. FUNDING FOR THE DIVISION WILL COME FROM SPECIAL ADVERTISING AND PROMOTIONS FUNDS, OR SAP FUNDS. THE FY 26 BUDGET WILL AL ALSO HELP US BUILD CAPACITY TO CONTINUE TO FOCUS ON ONE OF OUR CORE VALUES OF PROMOTING LIFELONG LEARNING. WE WILL STRUCTURALLY MAINTAIN OUR SIX DAYS OF SERVICE AT BAYSHORE BURNETT AND HEART LIBRARIES, KEEPING THESE THREE LIBRARIES OPEN ON MONDAYS IN ADDITION TO THE ALREADY STRUCTURALLY FUNDED HOURS AT BOTH EL DORADO AND MICHELLE OBAMA LIBRARY. SO THAT'S A TOTAL OF KEEPING OUR FIVE SIX DAY LIBRARIES. WE WILL INCREASE OUR BUDGET TO STRUCTURALLY SUSTAIN THE YOUTH POET LAUREATE PROGRAM. AND WE HEARD LOUD AND CLEAR AT COMMUNITY BUDGET MEETINGS THAT MORE ADULT PROGRAMMING IS NEEDED. AND SO WE'RE WORKING ON THAT. SO OUR CHALLENGES SADLY, HAVE NOT CHANGED THAT MUCH FROM LAST YEAR. STAFF AND PATRON SAFETY AT ALL LOCATIONS REMAIN OUR BIGGEST PRIORITY AND ALSO AN OBSTACLE THAT PERSISTS WHILE WE ARE BEGINNING TO SEE SOMEWHAT OF A POSITIVE SHIFT. THANKS TO THE ADDITION OF OUR DEPARTMENT SAFETY OFFICER AND FULL-TIME SOCIAL WORKER IN FY 25. EVERY SAFETY INCIDENT NEGATIVELY AFFECTS RESIDENTS' PERCEPTION OF LIBRARIES AND INCREASES LIBRARIANS BURNOUT AND STRESS LEVELS, AND THEREFORE THEIR ABILITY TO SERVE THE PUBLIC. OUR FACILITIES ARE AGING AND DEFERRED MAINTENANCE IS TAKING ITS TOLL. THE ADDITION OF A GENERAL MAINTENANCE ASSISTANCE AND FY 25 WAS HELPFUL, BUT THIS YEAR WE'VE WRESTLED WITH SOME LARGE UNFORESEEN BUILDING DAMAGE THAT RESULTED IN EXTENDED LIBRARY CLOSURES, WATER AND MOLD INTRUSION BOOK DAMAGE AND LOSS OF [04:45:01] SERVICES AND PROGRAMS. THIS PAST SUMMER, DURING A WEEK OF EXTREMELY HIGH HEAT, FOUR HVAC SYSTEMS BROKE DOWN ALL AT ONCE, RESULTING IN, UH, LIBRARY CLOSURES. BOTTOM LINE AGING FACILITIES IMPACT THE COMMUNITY'S ABILITY TO ACCESS VALUED RESOURCES. THE UNPRECEDENTED CUTS TO FEDERAL FUNDING HAVE IMPACTED LIBRARY, ALTHOUGH NOT AS DIRECTLY AS OTHER DEPARTMENTS. WE HAVE NOT LOST ANY DIRECT GRANTS, BUT CUTS TO OUR PASS THROUGH FUNDING FROM THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA HAS RESULTED IN THE ELIMINATION OF LIBRARY TRAINING AND DEEP FINANCIAL GAPS IN OUR ENGLISH AS A SECOND LANGUAGE AND ADULT LITERACY PROGRAMS. WE ALSO RECENTLY FOUND OUT, LIKE TODAY FOUND OUT THAT OUR DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION FUNDING FOR SEED CAMP HAS BEEN CUT FOR NEXT YEAR. THE LACK OF FUNDING TO THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT WILL TRICKLE DOWN TO US AND WILL LIMIT THE OUTREACH SERVICES AND SUPPORT THAT WE GIVE TO PATRONS THAT ARE UNHOUSED AND OR EXPERIENCING MENTAL HEALTH CRISES. THAT BEING SAID, WE ARE VERY MUCH LOOKING FORWARD TO THIS COMING YEAR'S OPPORTUNITIES. THE CULTURAL AFFAIRS WORK IS EXCITING AND HAS SUCH GREAT POTENTIAL AND WILL ALLOW US TO EXPAND OUR NETWORK AND OUTREACH OPPORTUNITIES. AS PREVIOUSLY MENTIONED, WE ARE INTENSIFYING OUR EFFORTS TO CREATE MORE PROGRAMS AND WORKSHOPS FOR ADULTS AND SENIORS. AND LASTLY, OUR NEWLY CREATED STRATEGIC PLAN HONES IN ON THE VALUES OF BELONGING, REPRESENTATION, AND LIFELONG LEARNING. AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO IMPLEMENTING THE PLAN BEGINNING IN THE FIRST QUARTER OF THE YEAR. SO THANK YOU COUNCIL AND MAYOR FOR CONSISTENTLY SHOWING LONG BEACH THAT PUBLIC LIBRARIES MATTER. THAT CONCLUDES MY PRESENTATION, AND I AM HA HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU MAY HAVE AFTER T'S PRESENTATION. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. TOLD YOU ALL RIGHT. WE WILL TURN NOW TO TECHNOLOGY AND INNOVATION, UH, AND THEN WE'LL BE BACK TO ANSWER QUESTIONS. THANK YOU. GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL. I'M LEAH ERICKSON, DIRECTOR OF TECHNOLOGY AND INNOVATION, AND I APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO PRESENT THE PROPOSED FISCAL YEAR 2026 BUDGET FOR TID OR ALSO KNOWN AS THE TECHNOLOGY AND INNOVATION DEPARTMENT. WHEN CITY COUNCIL APPROVED THE TID 28, THE CITY'S IT STRATEGIC ROADMAP, WE ESTABLISHED OUR VISION TO BE THE HEART OF A CONNECTED, SECURE AND FUTURE READY LONG BEACH. AT THE HIGHEST LEVEL, TID PROVIDES A FOUNDATION FOR ALL OF THE CITY'S OPERATIONS. WE DELIVER A FAST AND RELIABLE COMMUNICATIONS INFRASTRUCTURE, SUPPORT WORKFORCE PRODUCTIVITY WITH COST EFFECTIVE TECHNOLOGY SOLUTIONS, SAFEGUARD THE CONFIDENTIALITY, INTEGRITY, AND AVAILABILITY OF THE CITY'S INFORMATION AND NETWORKS, AND PARTNER WITH DEPARTMENTS TO DELIVER AN INNOVATIVE SOLUTIONS THAT MAKE CITY GOVERNMENT MORE TRANSPARENT AND ACCESSIBLE TO OUR COMMUNITY. IT'S IMPORTANT TO EMPHASIZE THAT TECHNOLOGY IS NOT JUST A COST DRIVER FOR OUR CITY. IT'S TRULY AN INVESTMENT. THE DOLLARS WE PUT INTO SECURE NETWORKS, MODERN SYSTEMS AND DIGITAL SERVICES INCREASES EFFICIENCY, SAVE CITY STAFF TIME PROTECTS THE CITY FROM CYBER THREATS AND HELPS OTHER DEPARTMENTS SUCCEED IN THEIR MISSIONS. OUR SUCCESS IS THE CITY'S SUCCESS. TID IS A FULL SERVICE TECHNOLOGY ORGANIZATION. TID HAS FIVE MAIN BUREAUS PLUS THE EXECUTIVE OFFICE. I'LL NOW GO THROUGH THE KEY SERVICES FOR EACH BUREAU. THE EXECUTIVE OFFICE SETS VISION AND STRATEGIES AND LEADS SEVERAL INITIATIVES INCLUDING CYBERSECURITY, CIVIC INNOVATION, TECHNOLOGY PLANNING AND PARTNERSHIPS AND SMART CITY WORK AND DIGITAL INCLUSION. THE BUSINESS OPERATIONS BUREAU SUPPORTS THE DEPARTMENT INTERNALLY WITH FINANCE, HR, TRAINING, AND COMMUNICATIONS. THE DIGITAL SERVICES BUREAU MANAGES EMAIL WEB COLLABORATION TOOLS, DATA, GIS AND MOST DEPARTMENTAL APPLICATIONS INCLUDING RESIDENT FACING APPLICATIONS. THE, THE, UH, ENTERPRISE INFORMATION SERVICES BUREAU RUNS CORE CITYWIDE SYSTEMS LIKE FINANCE, HR, PAYROLL, UTILITIES, AND PERMITTING. THE INFRASTRUCTURE SERVICES BUREAU MANAGES OUR NETWORKS AND CORRESPONDING EQUIPMENT FOR PHONES, DATA ACCESS CONTROLS AND SECURITY CAMERAS, RADIO INFRASTRUCTURE AND EQUIPMENT AND DATA CENTERS, INCLUDING SERVERS AND STORAGE. AND THE TECHNOLOGY ENGAGEMENT AND SUPPORT BUREAU DELIVERS DIRECT SUPPORT THROUGH THE TID HELP DESK AND MANAGES COMPUTING DEVICES, MOBILE DEVICES, PRINTERS, REAPER GRAPHICS, MAIL ROOM AND VIDEO COMMUNICATIONS, AND SPECIAL EVENT SUPPORT THROUGH LBTV. TOGETHER, THESE TEAMS KEEP CRITICAL SYSTEMS AVAILABLE TO OUR WORKFORCE IN THE PUBLIC EVERY SINGLE DAY. AND THE DEMANDS ON THESE TEAMS CONTINUE TO [04:50:01] GROW. CITY SERVICES ARE INCREASINGLY DIGITAL RESIDENTS EXPECT MULTICHANNEL SERVICE AND COMPLIANCE REQUIREMENTS ARE EXPANDING. THIS MEANS THE ROLE OF TID IS NOT SHRINKING AND IT'S EXPANDING YEAR AFTER YEAR. THIS PAST YEAR, I'M PROUD TO SHARE SEVERAL HIGHLIGHTS. FIRST IN COM, CUSTOMER AND COMMUNITY ACCESS. WE WON FIRST PLACE IN THE CENTER FOR DIGITAL GOVERNMENT'S TOP DIGITAL CITIES RANKING FOR THE FOURTH YEAR IN A ROW. THIS IS UNPRECEDENTED IN THE HISTORY OF THE AWARDS FOR ANY CITY. WE WERE RECOGNIZED NATIONALLY AS A VIGI VISIONARY, DIGITAL INCLUSION, VISIONARY, DIGITAL INCLUSION TRAILBLAZER BY THE NATIONAL DIGITAL INCLUSION ALLIANCE. WE LAUNCHED THE SECOND COHORT OF THE LONG BEACH COLLABORATORY, OR LB COLAB WHERE RESIDENTS CAN DESIGN CO-DESIGN TECH SOLUTIONS AND BUILD CAREER SKILLS. OUR DATA LEARNING COMMUNITY GREW TO NEARLY 600 STAFF OR 10% OF CITY STAFF BOOSTING DATA LITERACY AND ANALYST SKILLS. THE GOAL LAUNCH BEACH APP PROCESSED 42,000 REQUESTS, A 7% INCREASE WITH IMPROVED CONSTITUENT COMMUNICATION. WE HELD DATA PRIVACY WORK. STU WORKSHOPS UPDATED OUR GENERATIVE AI GUIDANCE AND TRAINED STAFF AND RESPONSIBLE AI USE, AND WE DEPLOYED DEPLOYED NEW C CYBERSECURITY CYBERSECURITY TOOLS TO REDUCE RISK EXPOSURE. SECOND IN COMMUNICATIONS INFRASTRUCTURE, WE COMPLETED DESIGN OF THE CITYWIDE FIBER NETWORK INFRASTRUCTURE INITIATIVE, WHICH IS CURRENTLY OUT TO BID. AND THIS WILL BRING FIBER BACKBONE WITHIN TWO MILES OF ANY LOCATION IN THE CITY. WE UPGRADED NETWORK SERVICES AND ADDED 265 CAMERAS AT PARKS AND COMMUNITY CENTERS, IMPROVING BOTH CONNECTIVITY AND SAFETY. THE CITY'S CAMERA SYSTEM IS NOW EXPANDED TO OVER 2,800 CAMERAS WITH AROUND A 1% FAILURE RATE. WE SUCCESSFULLY TRANSITIONED OUR LEGACY MAINFRAME COMPUTING ENVIRONMENT TO A CLOUD SOLUTION AND BEGAN MIGRATING DISAS DISASTER RECOVERY TO THE CLOUD FOR RESILIENCE. AND WE IMPLEMENTED OVER THE AIR RADIO PROGRAMMING FOR FIRE AND POLICE, ELIMINATING MANUAL UPDATES AND IMPROVING EFFICIENCY. THIRD, IN WORKFORCE PRODUCTIVITY, WE REDUCED OUR VACANCY RATE FROM 29 POINT 21.9% IN JULY, 2024 TO 15.2% THIS MONTH, A BIG IMPROVEMENT IN STAFFING ABILITY AND STABILITY. WE REPLACED NEARLY 950 COMPUTERS AND PREPARED SYSTEMS FOR WINDOWS 11. WE LAUNCHED A NEW CITYWIDE 10 ENTRY PROJECT MOVING AWAY FROM PAPER TIME SHEETS. WE BEGAN ROLLOUT OF LB, BUILDS THE CITY'S NEW PERMITTING AND LICENSING PLATFORM, AND WE RESOLVED 2040 5,000 TECHNOLOGY SERVICE REQUESTS, INCLUDING 19,000 CALLS TO OUR HELP DESK. WE STARTED PLANNING FOR NEXT, NEXT GENERATION CALL TAKING AND SELF-SERVICE TECHNOLOGIES TO MODERNIZE CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE. AND WE CONTINUE TO DEPLOY NEW AUTOMATED WORKFLOWS INCLUDING A DIGITAL COLLATERAL EMPLOYMENT FORM. THESE ACCOMPLISHMENTS DEMONSTRATE THAT STRATEGIC TECHNOLOGY INVESTMENTS PAY OFF, THAT MAKE SERVICES FASTER, SAFER, AND EASIER FOR RESIDENTS, WHILE ALSO SAVING STAFF STAFF TIME AND IMPROVING EFFICIENCY. NOW LET'S TURN TO THE NUMBERS. THE TOTAL PROPOSED TECHNOLOGY AND INNOVATION BUDGET FOR FY 26 IS 90.4 MILLION WITH BUDGETED FTES, TOTALING 208.5 FTE OF OUR TOTAL BUDGET, 77 MILLION IS OUR ANNUAL OPERATING BUDGET. THIS BUDGET PAYS FOR ALL OF OUR BUDGETED POSITIONS, SOFTWARE CONTRACTS, EQUIPMENT COSTS, AND OTHER INTERDEPARTMENTAL TRANSFERS, ALLOWING US TO SUPPORT THE CITYWIDE TECHNOLOGY NEEDS OF OUR PARTNER DEPARTMENTS. IT'S IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTAND HOW TID SERVICES ARE FUNDED. OUR OPERATIONS ARE IN AN INTERNAL SERVICE FUND, WHICH MEANS WE PROVIDE GOOD AND SERVICES TO OTHER CITY DEPARTMENTS ON A COST REIMBURSEMENT BASIS. OUR EXPENSES ARE ALLOCATED OUT THROUGH OUR MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING OR MOU, AND THE FUND RECEIVES REVENUE FROM PARTNER DEPARTMENTS. THE T-I-D-M-O-U IS ACTUALLY COMPRISED OF 13 SEPARATE MOUS AS LISTED ON THE SLIDE. THESE MOUS ARE CALCULATED VARIOUS WAYS, INCLUDING BASED ON INVENTORY, A WEIGHTED AVERAGE OF T'S BUDGET AND FDS, OR SOME ARE BASED ON ACTUALS. IT DIFFERS BASED ON THE MOU AND THE SERVICE PROVIDED AND TO WHICH DEPARTMENTS THEY'RE PROVIDED TO. AFTER THE CITY MANAGER BUDGET DECISIONS ARE MADE, WE BEGIN CALCULATING THE MOU AND WE INCLUDE ANY SALARY INCREASES THAT WERE FACTORED INTO BASE BUDGET UNDER UNCONTROLLABLE VENDOR COST AND PROPOSED CM DECISIONS. ALL OF THESE COSTS HAVE AN IMPACT ON THE TOTAL BUDGET THAT IS ALLOCATED VIA THE, VIA THE MOU. AS A GENERAL RULE OF THUMB, AS LABOR AND TECHNOLOGY COSTS CONTINUE TO INCREASE, THE IMPACT TO OUR PARTNER DEPARTMENTS WILL INCREASE AS WELL, AS WELL AS THE BUDGET ALLOCATED TO OUR PARTNER DEPARTMENTS TO PAY FOR THESE TECHNOLOGY COSTS. ALSO, AS MORE AND MORE DEPARTMENTS INCREASE THEIR STAFFING, INCORPORATE TECHNOLOGY INTO THEIR OPERATIONS, MORE SUPPORT IS REQUIRED BY TID AND COST INCREASE, UM, LEMME GO BACK. UM, IN FY 26 A-T-I-D-M-O-U IMPACTS TO THE GENERAL FUND IS 52%. IN OTHER WORDS, FOR EVERY DOLLAR TID EXPENSE, 52 CENTS COMES FROM THE GENERAL [04:55:01] FUND DEPARTMENTS. UM, BUT I DO WANNA STRESS THAT TECHNOLOGY INVESTMENTS GENERATE LONG-TERM VALUE BY STRENGTHENING CYBERSECURITY, IMPROVING CUSTOMER SER SERVICE AND ENABLING INNOVATION. THIS IS DEMONSTRATED BY THE MANY DEPARTMENTS WHO PRESENTED THEIR BUDGETS TO CITY COUNCIL THIS WEEK AND IN PAST WEEKS, WHO REFERENCED TECHNOLOGY IN THEIR ACCOMPLISHMENTS, CHALLENGES, AND OR OPPORTUNITIES. OKAY. FOR FY 26, OUR PRIORITIES ARE CLEAR THAT WE NEED TO STRENGTHEN CYBERSECURITY AND ENSURE COMPLIANCE WITH GROWING STATE AND FEDERAL REQUIREMENTS. SO IN ORDER TO PROTECT SENSITIVE CITY DATA, MODERNIZE IT INFRASTRUCTURE, AND ENSURE COMPLIANCE WITH CYBERSECURITY REGULATIONS, WE DO INCLUDE INVESTMENTS IN TECHNOLOGY, SOFT AND SOFTWARE, INCLUDING 375,000 TO PROCURE SOFTWARE TO SUPPORT DATA PRIVACY, 250,000 OF WHICH IS FOR ONETIME IMPLEMENTATION COSTS. AND 150,000 ONETIME FOR CYBERSECURITY CONSULTANT FOR TOOL DEVELOPMENT AND POLICY IMPLEMENTATION, AS WELL AS 500,000 FOR ONE-TIME STAFFING TO ENSURE DEVICES ARE IN COMPLIANT WITH SECURITY CONFIGURATIONS FOR THE MOBILE DEVICE MANAGEMENT SOFTWARE. WE'RE ALSO ADDING POSITIONS TO STRENGTHEN AND IMPLEMENT CYBERSECURITY INITIATIVES, INCLUDING A POSITION TO THE MOBILE DEVICE TEAM TO MANAGE DEVICE REPLACEMENTS TO ENSURE THEY'RE SUPPORTED, UM, SOFTWARE VERSIONS, A POSITION TO THE DESKTOP SUPPORT TEAM TO ENSURE ALL DESKTOP SOFTWARE IS UPDATED AND PATCHED. AND A POSITION THE DATA NETWORK TEAM TO SUPPORT AND REFRESH AGED NETWORK EQUIPMENT AROUND THE CITY. UH, NEXT WE'RE ALSO WORKING TO MEET DEMAND FOR THE TECHNOLOGY SERVICES ACROSS THE CITY BY IMPROVING PROJECT DELIVERY COORDINATION AND SUPPORT. THIS INCLUDES CREATING A NEW PROJECT MANAGEMENT OFFICE TO MANAGE TECHNOLOGY PROJECTS AND ADDRESS A LOT OF THE KEY CHALLENGES IDENTIFIED IN OUR TID 28 STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT. AND THIS INCLUDES ADDING THREE POSITIONS, UPGRADING ONE POSITION TO A PROJECT MANAGEMENT OFFICER, AND MOVING TWO POSITIONS INTO THE NEW PMO. WE ALSO ARE ADDING A POSITION TO MANAGE PRINTER SUPPORT AND NEW PRINTER REQUESTS AND ADDING A POSITION AS DEDICATED SUPPORT TO THE HR DEPARTMENT. I DO WANNA NOTE THAT THE DEMAND FOR OUR TECHNOLOGY SERVICES DOES CONTINUE TO GROW AND OUR BUDGET RESOURCES CANNOT MEET ALL THE DEPARTMENT NEEDS AS RELIANCE ON TECHNOLOGY INCREASES. BUT AT THE SAME TIME, WE ARE WORKING TO BE FISCALLY PRUDENT AND WE WERE OFFSET. WE HAVE OFFSET MOST OF OUR NEW ADDITIONS THROUGH SAVINGS FROM RENEGOTIATION AND REDUCED CONTRACTS, AS WELL AS RETOOLING SYSTEMS TO LOWER COSTS. TAD ALSO CONTINUES TO FACE CHALLENGES. FIRST CHALLENGES RELATED TO CAPACITY, COMPLIANCE AND EQUITY. WE HAVE CHALLENGES MA BALANCING THE DAY-TO-DAY OPERATIONS WITH HIGH IMPACT PROJECT STRETCHING, WHICH STRETCHES OUR STAFF AND DIVERTS OUR FOCUS. THE COMPLIANCE DEMANDS AND DATA PRIVACY LAWS CONTINUE TO EVOLVE AND, AND, AND THAT THAT IS A REQUIREMENT TO ADDRESS FUNDING FOR DIGITAL INCLUSION. AND CIVIC INNOVATION IS LIMITED AND INCONSISTENT, WHICH GREATLY MINIMIZES THE TRANSFORMATIVE IMPACT THESE PROGRAMS CAN HAVE ON THE CITY. AND OUTDATED HIRING PROCESSES AND CHECK CLASSIFICATIONS MAKES IT DIFFICULT TO RECRUIT AND RETAIN TALENT IN A COMPETITIVE MAR MARKET. SECOND, CHALLENGES RELATED TO MODERNIZATION, INFRASTRUCTURE AND ALIGNMENT. WE NEED TO SECURE FUNDING TO IMPLEMENT TID 28. THE CITY'S IT STRATEGIC PLAN. THIS PLAN INCLUDES ASSESSMENTS THAT WILL OPTIMIZE STAFFING SYSTEMS, PROJECT INTAKE, AND MODERNIZE OUR TECHNOLOGY INFRASTRUCTURES AND SYSTEM CYBER THREATS ARE RISING IN SCALE AND SOPHISTICATION AND THEY TARGET MUNICIPAL OPERATIONS AND RESIDENT AND EMPLOYEE DATA EVERY DAY. MUCH OF OUR INFRASTRUCTURE OUTSIDE THE CIVIC CENTER REMAINS OUTDATED AND UNSUPPORTED, INCREASING RISKS OF FAILURE AND CYBERSECURITY THREATS. AND WE CONTINUE TO MAINTAIN OUR HR PAYROLL BUDGET LEGACY SYSTEMS WITH LIMITED VENDOR SUPPORT AND STAFFING. THIS IS NOT SUSTAINABLE AND PRESENTS A RISK, A HUGE RISK TO THE CITY. THESE CHALLENGES UNDERSCORE WHY CONSISTENT INVESTMENT IN TECHNOLOGY IS ESSENTIAL. FALLING BEHIND IN IT MEANS FALLING BEHIND IN SERVICE DELIVERY, SECURITY AND EFFICIENCY. DESPITE THESE CHALLENGES, WE SEE TREMENDOUS OPPORTUNITIES, WHICH ARE ALL PART OF TID 28 AND ARE IN PLANNING PHASES OR ALREADY IN PROCESS. AND THE CATEGORY OF GOVERNANCE, RESILIENCE, AND INNOVATION. WE'RE IN THE PROCESS OF ESTABLISHING IT GOVERNANCE THAT WILL HELP US PRIORITIZE PROJECTS AND ALIGN INVESTMENTS WITH CITYWIDE GOALS AND CITY COUNCIL PRIORITIES. WE ARE INVESTING IN A CLOUD-BASED DISASTER RECOVERY AND INFRASTRUCTURE MONETIZATION WILL ULTIMATELY STRENGTHEN OUR RESILIENCE. INVESTMENTS IN FOUNDATIONAL TECHNOLOGY INFRASTRUCTURE ARE IN PLAY, ARE IN PROCESS TO SUPPORT MAJOR EVENTS LIKE THE 2028 OLYMPICS. AND THIS WILL HAVE A LASTING BENEFIT TO THE COMMUNITY AND OPERATIONS. AND WE ARE CONTINUING THE RESPONSIBLE DEPLOYMENT OF AI AUTOMATION AND ANALYTICS, WHICH DRIVE EFFICIENCY AND IMPROVED SERVICE DELIVERY. IN THE CATEGORY OF TALENT, EQUITY AND DIGITAL EXPERIENCE, WE'RE STREAMLINING HIRING AND MODERN CLASSIFICATIONS, WHICH WILL HELP US TO [05:00:01] ATTRACT AND RETAIN TOP TALENT. WE'RE CONTINUING PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT, WHICH WILL GROW BOTH TID STAFF AND CITYWIDE EMPLOYEE DIGITAL SKILLS AND EVEN RESIDENT DIGITAL SKILLS. WE'RE EXPANDING DIGITAL EQUITY PROGRAMS LIKE THE LB CO LAB, DIGITAL SKILL DEVELOPMENT AND DEVICE ACCESS, WHICH WILL BRIDGE GAPS IN OUR COMMUNITY. AND WE'RE COMMITTED TO IMPROVING THE USABILITY AND ACCESSIBILITY OF OUR CORE SYSTEMS FROM THE CITY'S WEBSITE TO UTILITY BILLING. ULTIMATELY, WHEN TID SUCCEEDS, THE CITY SUCCEEDS, OUR ROLE IS TO ENSURE EVERY DEPARTMENT HAS THE TECHNOLOGY FOUNDATION THEY NEED TO SERVE RESIDENTS EFFECTIVELY. IN CLOSING, TID PLAYS A CENTRAL ROLE IN SUPPORTING EVERY DEPARTMENT IN ADVANCING LONG BEACH'S VISION FOR 2030 AND BEYOND. OUR FY 26 BUDGET, INVEST IN SECURITY AND SERVICE DELIVERY WHILE WE CONTINUE TO FOCUS ON DIGITAL EQUITY AND INNOVATION. TECHNOLOGY IS AN INVESTMENT IN OUR CITY'S FUTURE, NOT JUST ALIGN ITEM COST. AND WITH YOUR SUPPORT WILL CONTINUE TO DELIVER TECHNOLOGY THAT MAKES CITY GOVERNMENT MORE EFFECTIVE, EFFICIENT, AND RESPONSIVE TO OUR COMMUNITY. I'M JOINED HERE BY MEMBERS OF MY TEAM THAT ARE HERE AND AVAILABLE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS AND I WOULD LIKE TO THANK YOU AGAIN FOR YOUR TIME AND CONSIDERATION. ALRIGHT. OKAY. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. IF WE CAN BRING BOTH DIRECTORS UP SO WE CAN, YOU KNOW, GO THROUGH THESE QUESTIONS. OKAY. GO BACK. YOU WANT ME STAY? IT'S OKAY. ALRIGHT. THANK YOU. FIRST OF ALL, THANKS FOR YOUR PATIENCE. IT'S 10:00 PM WE'RE GONNA TRY TO BE EFFICIENT, EFFICIENT AS WE CAN. UM, UH, ALL COMPLIMENTS, UH, FROM, FROM ME. I WANNA THANK YOU, UH, LIBRARY SERVICES DEPARTMENT FOR EMBRACING THE CHANGES AND BEING VERY CLEAR WITH THE PUBLIC BECAUSE I GET THESE QUESTIONS AS WELL. HEY, ARE WE ABLE TO INTEGRATE ARTS WITHOUT STEPPING ON THE TOES OF THE ARTS COUNCIL? ARE WE ABLE TO EMBRACE CULTURE WITHOUT TAKING ATTENTION AWAY FROM CORE SERVICES AND LIBRARIES? SO THANK YOU FOR BEING VERY INTENTIONAL WITH SELECTING THE WAY YOU TALKED ABOUT AND FRAMED IT AND EMBRACED IT BECAUSE IT DOES. UM, THESE ARE FAIR QUESTIONS TO ASK, BUT IT ALSO IS THE RIGHT DIRECTION FOR THE DEPARTMENT, FOR OUR CITY, AND WE FULLY SUPPORT IT. AND, UM, AND WITH, UH, IT, I KNOW YOU DON'T OFTEN, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE NOT OFTEN INVITED TO GIVE THE BUDGET PRESENTATION, SORRY, IT'S AT 10:00 PM WE, WE HAD A COUNCIL MEETING THAT WE DIDN'T HAVE QUORUM FOR, SO IT SORT OF FORCED THIS, UH, CERTAIN SITUATION. BUT I'M GLAD THAT YOU WERE ABLE TO PRESENT. UM, YOU KNOW, WHEN I THINK OF YOUR DEPARTMENT, IT'S EITHER SOMETHING, IT'S TWO WAYS. EITHER ONE, THERE'S A TECHNOLOGICAL NEED THAT WE NEED AND YOUR, YOUR STAFF, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE EXCELLENT SERVICE. THEY PROVIDE THAT SERVICE. OR WHEN I THINK ABOUT WHERE CITIES ARE HEADING AND ARE WE USING DATA TO OPTIMIZE OUR SYSTEMS AND ARE WE, HOW ARE WE USING, USING DATA, UM, HOW ARE WE USING DATA AND EMERGING TECHNOLOGY TO DELIVER BETTER SERVICES OR TO COMMUNICATE WITH OUR RESIDENTS IN A BETTER WAY? UH, THE SERVICES THAT WE DO COMMIT, COMMUNICATE. AND I KNOW THAT THERE ARE RESOURCES OUT THERE LIKE WHAT WORKS CITIES WE'RE A PART OF THAT. AND OTHER, YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW, BLOOMBERG NETWORKS AND OTHER THINGS THAT WE'RE, WE'RE, WE'RE A PART OF. HOW ARE WE ENGAGING CURRENTLY, UM, WITH WHAT WORKS CITIES OR ANY OTHER, UH, SORT OF NATIONAL, UH, ORGANIZATIONS THAT REALLY BENCHMARK HOW WE'RE COMPARING TO OTHER CITIES. HOW ARE WE ENGAGING TODAY? UH, THANK YOU FOR THAT QUESTION. UH, MAYOR, SO WE DID ACHIEVE, UH, WHAT WORKS CITY SILVER CERTIFICATION, RIGHT? A FEW YEARS BACK. AND, AND WE'RE IN THE PROCESS OF DOING ANNUAL ASSESSMENTS AND WE'RE WORKING THROUGH THE ASSESSMENT PROCESS FOR THIS YEAR. AND THAT TOOL IS, IS A VERY, VERY HELPFUL TOOL TO ASSESS WHERE WE ARE WITH, WITH, UH, MEETING THE DIFFERENT CRITERIA. THERE'S DIFFERENT LEVELS, SILVER, GOLD, AND PLATINUM. UM, BE, BUT TO BE, TO BE CANDID, YOU KNOW, WE, WE, THE, THE CRITERIA HAD CHANGED. AND SO THERE'S A LITTLE BIT OF EXTRA WORK THAT NEEDS TO BE DONE AND TO ACHIEVING. THAT'S RECERTIFICATION PROCESS. AND, AND WE ARE, UH, WORKING TO, UH, LOOK AT OUR TEAM, LOOK AT THE, THE DATA REQUIREMENTS THAT ARE IN PLACE AND TO PROVE WHERE WE ARE ABLE TO DOCUMENT THAT WE ARE DOING THE WORK AND THEN LOOK AT THE AREAS OR GAPS WHERE WE NEED KNOW, WE NEED TO MAKE MORE INVESTMENTS AND CHANGES TO OUR PROCESSES, OUR TEAMS, OUR FUNCTIONS, RIGHT? AND, YOU KNOW, I, I THINK DATA DATA'S ALWAYS GOOD AND IMPORTANT, BUT YOU, YOU KNOW, I THINK PEOPLE GO AFTER DATA AND TECHNOLOGY AND INNOVATION FOR, FOR BUZZWORDS SAKE. WHAT I'M REALLY INTERESTED IN IS DELIVERING BETTER SERVICES AND UNDERSTANDING, UM, FROM A QUALITY STANDPOINT, UH, HOW OUR RESIDENTS FEEL ABOUT THE SERVICES WE DELIVER. AND ALSO WHEN A CORE SERVICE IS PROVIDED, LOTS OF TIMES PEOPLE JUST ASSUME IT AUTOMATICALLY HAPPENED. YOUR TRASH AUTOMATICALLY [05:05:01] WAS COLLECTED. I WOULD LOVE TO GET TO A POINT, WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THIS BEFORE, TO WHERE WE'RE ABLE TO LEVERAGE THE CUSTOMER DATA THAT WE HAVE TO TELL SOMEONE YOUR TRASH WAS COLLECTED, THANK YOU FOR BEING A CUSTOMER. IT WAS COLLECTED BY GEORGE AND WE'LL BE BACK SAME TIME NEXT WEEK. OR LET'S SAY IT WASN'T COLLECTED 'CAUSE THEY DIDN'T HAVE THEIR TRASH CAN OUT ON SIGN AND THEY'RE MAD AT THE CITY, BUT GUESS WHAT? IT WAS THEIR FAULT. WELL, HERE'S, WE'LL BE BACK NEXT WEEK. IT'S GEORGE. IT'S NOT REALLY GEORGE, RIGHT? GEORGE. WE'RE NOT ASKING OUR STAFF TO SEND INDIVIDUAL EMAILS, BUT WE CAN LEVERAGE DATA AND THE ROUTES THAT WE'RE DRIVING TO BE ABLE TO BE ABLE TO, YOU KNOW, COMMUNICATE DIRECTLY WITH OUR RESIDENTS AND REMIND THEM THAT HUMANS ARE ACTUALLY DOING THIS WORK. AND IT TAKES TIME AND YOU CAN DO YOUR PART BY ROLLING YOUR TRASH CAN OUT ON TIME OR WHATEVER. SO, SO I THINK THAT'S WHERE WE WANT TO GET TO AND I KNOW A NUMBER OF CITIES ARE EXPLORING THAT. UM, SO, YOU KNOW, I'M NOT GONNA ASK YOU FOR ANYTHING TONIGHT 'CAUSE IT'S, IT IS VERY LATE. BUT I DO WANT TO JUST CONTINUE TO THINK ABOUT WAYS WE CAN CONTINUE TO INNOVATE AND HOW WE DELIVER OUR SERVICES. BUT THANK YOU VERY MUCH. WE'RE GONNA GO BACK TO THE COUNCIL, COUNCIL MEMBER, UM, RICK SODE. THANK YOU MAYOR. THANK YOU FOR THOSE COMMENTS. UM, AND THANK YOU BOTH FOR, UH, PRESENTING. UM, I JUST HAD A LITTLE BIT OF CAFFEINE, SO I'M READY TO GO. SO, UH, I JUST HAVE, BUT I DON'T HAVE A TON OF QUESTIONS, BUT I'LL, I'LL START WITH, UH, TECHNOLOGY AND INNOVATION. UM, THANK YOU SO MUCH, UH, DIRECTOR ERICKSON FOR THE PRESENTATION. UM, IMMEDIATELY I THINK WE ALL KNOW ABOUT TECHNOLOGY AND INNOVATION, RIGHT? LIKE WE ALL KNOW THAT WE NEED IT, RIGHT? OR SOMEBODY LIKE SOMETHING ISSUE WITH THEIR LAPTOP OR, YOU KNOW, WHATEVER HAVE YOU. UM, BUT I THINK IT'S ALSO REALLY IMPORTANT 'CAUSE I DON'T KNOW THAT I REALIZED THAT TID WAS AS LARGE OF A DEPARTMENT, IT WAS, RIGHT? I THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT FOR PEOPLE TO UNDERSTAND LIKE ALL THE DIFFERENT BUREAUS, THE WORK THAT YOU DO, RIGHT? UM, IT'S BEYOND JUST, YOU KNOW, UH, UH, MY LAPTOP SUPPORT . UM, AND SO I THINK, LIKE I SAID, SO AGAIN, THIS IS WHY I WAS REALLY INTERESTED, UM, IN YOUR PRESENTATION AND HEARING ABOUT THE WORK THAT YOU DO, RIGHT? UM, AND GIVING A PLATFORM POTENTIAL, YOU KNOW, TO DEPARTMENTS THAT DON'T OFTEN GET A CHANCE TO, TO REALLY PRESENT THE TOTALITY OF WHAT THEY DO, UM, BEFORE COUNCIL. AND SO THANK YOU FOR BEING THOROUGH AND PRESENTING A FULL PICTURE OF THE IMPACT OF YOUR DEPARTMENT. UM, I HAVE A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS, BUT I'M GONNA PRIMARILY LIVE ON, UM, SLIDE 71, UH, WHICH IS THE ONE TALKING ABOUT THE MOUS. AND THE REASON I TALK ABOUT THAT IS I THINK FOR MYSELF, I'LL SPEAK FOR MYSELF, BUT ALSO I HAVE HAD, UM, CONVERSATIONS WITH, UM, A NUMBER OF DEPARTMENTS AND I THINK MOST PEOPLE DON'T REALLY UNDERSTAND THE MOU PROCESS, RIGHT? LIKE THEY DON'T UNDERSTAND LIKE HOW THOSE THINGS ARE BUILT AND CHARGED, LIKE WHERE THAT FUNDING COMES FROM, RIGHT? AND BECAUSE YOU'RE AN INTERNAL DEPARTMENT, AND SO YOU DON'T GET A DIRECT ALLOCATION FROM OUR CITY BUDGET LIKE MANY OF THE OTHER DEPARTMENTS, RIGHT? THAT FUNDING COMES, WE GIVE MONEY TO THE DEPARTMENT AND THEN THAT FUNDING COMES BACK TO YOU IN THE FORM OF THESE MOUS. UM, BUT I THINK WHEN WE THINK ABOUT THE MOUS, AND WE ALSO THINK ABOUT LIKE THE DEBT SERVICE FUND, UM, JUST KIND OF GIVING US A PICTURE OF HOW, UM, TID IS FUNDED AND THEN HOW YOU USE DEBT SERVICE, THE DEBT SERVICE FUND TO THEN SUPPORT SOME OF THE INFRASTRUCTURE NEEDS. SO I THINK MY QUESTION IS PROBABLY TWO PARTS, WHICH IS CAN YOU TALK ABOUT THE DEBT SERVICE FUND AND HOW THAT WORKS, UM, TO SUPPORT THE WORK OF TID. UM, AND THEN ADDITIONALLY, COULD YOU MAYBE EVEN LIKE GIVE ME AN EXEMPLAR OF LIKE ONE OF THE MOUS, BECAUSE I'VE EVEN ASKED LIKE, HEY, CAN YOU EXPLAIN HOW THE MOU WORKS TO SAY FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT OR ANOTHER ENTITY? AND ADMITTEDLY, THE ANSWER I TYPICALLY GET IS IT'S COMPLICATED COUNCIL MEMBER. AND IT'S LIKE, WELL, YES, BUT I DO A LOT OF, I DO A LOT OF WORK WITH NUMBERS, SO TRY ME LIKE I'M OKAY, OKAY. LIKE YOU CAN DO THE COMPLICATED. AND I WANNA KNOW, SO I'D LIKE TO DIG A LITTLE BIT INTO THE DETAILS HERE AROUND WHAT DOES THAT DEBT SERVICE FUND AND THEN LIKE MAYBE AN EXAMPLE OF HOW ONE OF THESE MOUS ACTUALLY WORKS. UH, C CERTAINLY A COUNCIL MEMBER. SO THE, I'LL, LET ME JUST TAKE ONE STEP BACK ABOUT THE, THE MOUS, LIKE IN THE, THE TID BUDGET, I ACTUALLY CAME FROM THE BUDGET OFFICE. AND WHEN I CAME OVER TO TIDI FOUND A DEPARTMENT THAT HAD TRULY BEEN UNDER INVESTED IN, BUT WE WERE POISED TO DO IN A LOT OF INVESTMENTS. AND YOU MIGHT'VE HEARD THE TERM CRITICAL NEEDS IN INVESTMENT OR CRITICAL NEEDS IN TECHNOLOGY. AND WHAT THAT WAS, WAS THAT WAS THE FIRST TIME THAT GENERALLY WE STARTED REALLY INVESTING IN A LONG-TERM SU SUSTAINABLE INFRASTRUCTURE IMPROVEMENTS, INCLUDING A NEW DATA CENTER, UH, NEW RADIO INFRASTRUCTURE, THE FIBER NETWORK THAT I MENTIONED EARLIER, UH, IN OTHER EQUIPMENT, YOU KNOW, LIKE THROUGHOUT CITY HALL AND SOME, UM, WIFI IMPROVEMENTS, ET CETERA. SO THE DEBT SERVICE FUND CAME OUT OF THAT PROCESS WHERE WE ACTUALLY STARTED ISSUING DEBT FOR THIS EQUIPMENT. AND THE WHAT'S GOOD ABOUT THAT IS ONCE YOU MAKE THAT INVESTMENT, YOU PAY OFF THE DEBT EVERY YEAR, AND THEN THAT DEBT SERVICE IS THERE AVAILABLE TO REFRESH THE EQUIPMENT. SO WE WON'T FACE THAT SITUATION WHERE WE WERE, UH, WHEN I CAME HERE, YOU KNOW, TO THIS DEPARTMENT WHERE THERE WAS UNDER INVESTMENT IN TECHNOLOGY AND, UH, NO FUNDING SOURCE FOR THAT INVESTMENT. [05:10:01] NOW, ONE THING IS, THAT WAS A GREAT START, BUT YOU'LL SEE THAT TID 28 PLAN THAT CITY COUNCIL APPROVED A FEW MONTHS BACK SHOWED THAT THERE WAS STILL MORE INVESTMENT NEEDED. AND THAT'S BECAUSE A LOT OF THAT FOCUS WENT ON THIS NEW BUILDING, CITY HALL. THERE WASN'T AS MUCH FOCUS ON THE OTHER FACILITIES. AND YOU HEARD THE PRESENTATION BY THE PUBLIC WORKS DIRECTOR ABOUT, YOU KNOW, FACILITY CONDITIONED INDEXES AND OTHER THINGS. WE HAVE A CONCEPT CALLED BUILD ONCE WHERE WE, HEY, WHEN WE'RE MAKING AN IMPROVEMENT TO A BUILDING, WE WANNA PUT IN THE TECHNOLOGY, THE STATE-OF-THE-ART TECHNOLOGY, ET CETERA. BUT SOMETIMES THE BUDGETS FOR THOSE PROJECTS NEED TO FOCUS ON REGULATORY, LIKE COMPLIANCE ISSUES LIKE HVAC OR LEAKY ROOFS, OTHER THINGS. SO, UH, SO WE DO HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF A TROUBLE AND A GAP, YOU KNOW, BE, UH, BETWEEN WHAT THE VISION IS FOR ALL THE CITY FACILITIES AND THE REALITY. AND THAT'S WHY TID 28 ENVISION EVEN MORE FUNDING AND INVESTMENTS TO START HANDLING MORE OF THE CITY FACILITIES. BUT THAT'S HOW LIKE THE DEBT SERVICE FUND WORKS. IT, IT'S USED TO FUND THE EQUIPMENT, YOU KNOW, IN THE INFRASTRUCTURE, THAT TECHNOLOGY INFRASTRUCTURE, UH, THAT WE, WE ISSUE DEBT AND THEN WE USE THE DEBT SERVICE TO PAY IT OFF. AND TECHNICALLY, YOU KNOW, IF YOU WANNA GET INTO THE WEEDS, IT'S BUDGETED TWICE . SO YOU'LL SEE THE 12 MILLION IS THE DEBT SERVICES CO COST. BUT YOU'LL LOOK AT ONE, THERE WAS A YEAR WHERE OUR BUDGET WENT UP WAY, WAY HIGH BETWEEN YEAR OVER YEAR. AND I WAS LIKE, WHAT HAPPENED THERE? AND I ASKED OUR BUSINESS OPERATIONS BUREAU MANAGER AND SHE SAID, OH, FOR ACCOUNTING REASONS, WE BUDGETED IT TWICE. WE BUDGETED IN THE DEBT SERVICE PART OF OUR BUDGET AND WE BUDGET IN OUR OPERATING BUDGET. THERE'S A LOT OF OUR BUDGET THAT'S A LOT OF PASS THROUGH SPENDING. THERE'S THE THINGS THAT ARE BUILT INTO THE MOU AND THEN THERE'S THINGS THAT ARE DISCHARGED OFF TO DEPARTMENTS. SO, AND BECAUSE OF INTERNAL SERVICE FUND ACCOUNTING, UH, IF SOMEONE ORDERS A SPECIALTY ITEM, LIKE A SPECIALTY LICENSE FOR A SOFTWARE SUBSCRIPTION, WE BUY IT, WE CHARGE IT TO THE DEPARTMENT, REVENUE COMES IN, SO THE BUDGET HITS US, IT HITS THE DEPARTMENTAL BUDGET, AND THE REVENUE COMES IN AS REVENUE. SO I DIDN'T WANNA GET TOO MUCH INTO THE WEEDS ON THAT, BUT OH, NO, I APPRECIATE THE WEEDS. YEAH, I'M ENJOYING THE WEEDS. YEAH. AND LET ME PICK A, LET ME PICK AN MOU. SO THE MOBILE DEVICE, MOU, UM, WE ACTUALLY HAVE THIS DESCRIPTION ON OUR INTRANET SITE, BUT, UM, IT INCLUDES ACQUIRING, DEPLOYING, REPLACING AND MAINTAINING ALL CITY MOBILE DEVICES, INCLUDING FLIP FLOWS, IPADS, IPADS. ACTUALLY, I'M NOT GONNA READ ALL OF THIS STUFF, BUT ALSO INCLUDES MAINTAINING MOBILE DEVICE ASSET INVENTORY, RESPONDING TO AND RESOLVING ISSUES, MAINTAINING VENDOR HARDWARE AND SUPPORT AND WORKING WITH SERVICE PROVIDERS. AND THE ALLOCATION IS DETERMINED BY EACH DEPARTMENT'S SHARE OF CELL PHONES, SMART DEVICE AND MIFI INVENTORY, AS WELL AS THEIR PROPORTIONATE SHARE OF THE SERVICE COSTS. AND THE DEVICE QUANTITIES AND REGULAR OPERATING COSTS HAVE BEEN UPDATED FROM PREVIOUS FISCAL YEARS. SO THAT'S LIKE AN EXAMPLE OF THAT. MOU, THE HR PAYROLL EMPLOYEE. CAN WE, SORRY, CAN WE STOP THERE FOR A SECOND? YEP. SO FOR THAT ONE, SO I'M JUST GONNA MAKE IT SIMPLE. SO LET'S SAY WE, THE CITY HAD THREE DEPARTMENTS, RIGHT? AND DEPARTMENT A, DEPARTMENT B, DEPARTMENT C. SO DEPARTMENT A HAS 12 DEVICES, DEPARTMENT B HAS 24, AND THEN DEPARTMENT C HAS 36, RIGHT? SO IF YOU JUST ADDED IT TOGETHER, THAT'S WHAT, 72. AND SO BASICALLY THE IDEA IS THAT 50% OF THE COST WOULD GO TO DEPARTMENT C, RIGHT? BECAUSE THEY HAVE HALF OF THE DEVICES AND THEN SO FAR, CORRECT. SO THAT'S, SO AN MOU LIKE THAT WOULD LEGITIMATELY JUST BE KIND OF LIKE A WEIGHTED AVERAGE OF LIKE HOW MUCH THE TOTAL IS. YES. OKAY. YEAH. AND THEN THERE'S OTHER MOUS THOUGH THAT WE USE, LIKE HEADCOUNT AND BUDGET SIZE AS PROXIES FOR THE LEVEL AND COMPLEXITY, YOU KNOW, OF THE COST. SO FOR EXAMPLE, THE, UM, THE EMPLOYEE, UM, HEALTH AND, SORRY, THE HR PAYROLL, SORRY, FINANCIAL HR SYSTEMS, MOU. SO THAT ONE IS ALL OF OUR HR AND PAYROLL SYSTEMS, INCLUDING THE LEGACY SYSTEMS AS WELL AS OUR NEW FINANCIAL SYSTEM. AND I WON'T LIST ALL THE DIFFERENT SERVICES THAT ARE RELATED TO THAT MOU, BUT THE MOU EXPENSE IS BASED ON A BLENDED PERCENTAGE, WHICH GIVES EQUAL WEIGHT 50 50 TO DEPARTMENT SHARE OF CITYWIDE BUDGET AND FTE COUNTS. SO, UM, THE BLENDED PERCENTAGE PROVIDES AN AMOUNT BY DEPARTMENT, WHICH IS SPREAD AMONGST FUNDS BASED ON THE NUMBER OF FTES BY FUND. OKAY, REPEAT THAT ONE MORE TIME. OKAY. SO THEY, THE EXPENSES ARE ALLOCATED BASED ON A BLENDED PERCENTAGE, WHICH GIVES EQUAL WEIGHT 50% TO EACH DEPARTMENT SHARE OF CITYWIDE BUDGET AND 50 50% TO THEIR FTE COUNT. AND WE EXCLUDE CAPITAL DEBT SERVICE AND OTHER SELECT FUNDS ARE EXCLUDED. THE BLENDED PERCENTAGE THEN PROVIDES AN AMOUNT BY DEPARTMENT, AND THEN THAT AMOUNT IS THEN SPREAD AMONGST THE FUNDS OF THAT DEPARTMENT BASED ON THE NUMBER OF FTES BY FUND. OKAY. SO I'M GONNA REPEAT BACK TO WHAT YOU JUST SAID TO ME. SO, UH, SO THE IDEA IS BASICALLY SAYING THAT, LIKE, IT, IT'S, SO THE, THE COST OF THE DEPARTMENT IS A HUNDRED PERCENT, BUT IT'S A BLENDED PERCENTAGE. SO HALF OF THAT 50% IS BASICALLY LIKE AN, LIKE A, LIKE AN AVERAGE ACROSS ALL THE, THE DEPARTMENTS. SO THEY ALL PAY, THE 50% OF IT IS THE SAME AMOUNT ACROSS ALL THE DEPARTMENTS, AND THEN THE OTHER 50% IS BASED ON THEIR FTE. SO IF THEY HAVE MORE FTES THAN THEY PAY, THE OTHER 50% IS HIGHER. [05:15:01] SO IT'S LIKE, SO SAY YOU ARE LIKE, UH, SAY THE LEGISLATIVE DEPARTMENT BUDGET IS, I'M JUST MAKING UP NUMBERS. OH, NO, THAT'S FINE. YOU KNOW, 2% OF THE TOTAL CITYWIDE BUDGET, BUT YOUR, YOUR HEAD COUNT IS 3%. YOU KNOW, YOUR FT E IS 3% OF THE TOTAL CITYWIDE BUDGET. THEN YOUR SHARE WOULD BE 2.5%. 'CAUSE YOU TAKE THE TWO AND THE THREE, AND YOU DIVIDE IT, YOU KNOW, TWO POINT HALF PERCENT OF THIS COST. OKAY. AND I'D BE HAPPY TO DO A DEEP DIVE WITH YOU. OH YEAH, NO, NO, I WOULD LOVE THIS. WE'RE LIKE NERDING OUT HERE. I'D LOVE DEEP DIVE. UM, SO THEN THAT FOLLOW UP QUESTION TO THAT WOULD BE FOR, FOR THE DIFFERENT ALLOCATIONS. SO ONE IS HOW DO WE DETERMINE THAT BASED ON THE DEPARTMENT? LIKE, WHICH TYPE OF M LIKE WHEN YOU COME WITH THESE M MOOS, LIKE WHY IS THERE A DIFFERENCE, UH, DEPENDING ON THE ACTIVITY. UM, AND THEN TWO, HOW OFTEN DO WE REVISIT THESE MOUS? RIGHT? AS, AS OBVIOUSLY DEPARTMENTS CHANGE, ALLOCATIONS, CHANGE, FTES CHANGE NEEDS CHANGE. YEAH. SO THE, THE CALCULATIONS ARE DONE EVERY YEAR BASED ON THE HEAD COUNT, THE BUDGET, THE INVENTORIES, ALL OF THOSE, THE ACTUAL, THE METHODOLOGIES FOR EACH MOU DO MOU IS NOT REALLY CHANGED OFTEN, BUT SOMETIMES WE, WE DO LOOK AT IT. UM, BUT ONE OF THE PROJECTS IN TID 28 IS TO REVISE THE MOU PROCESS. WE RECOGNIZE THAT IT'S EXCEEDINGLY COMPLICATED, BUT THAT THERE'S A BETTER WAYS TO DO IT. AND SO WE DO HAVE A PROJECT IN TID 28 TO REVISE AND REVAMP OUR MOU PROCESS, UM, HO HOLISTICALLY. SO THAT'S SOMETHING THAT IS ON OUR TO-DO LIST TO DO THAT WITH THE CONSULTANTS' HELP. ALRIGHT. EXCELLENT. THANK YOU. I'LL REQ UP. THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER KERR. OKAY. WAS THAT OH, COUNCIL MEMBERS IN DEJAS? YES. THANK YOU. UM, LIBRARIES, ARTS AND CULTURE. WHAT A BEAUTIFUL WAY TO CAPTURE, UM, MORE OF WHAT OUR LIBRARIES DO HERE FOR OUR CITY OF LONG BEACH AND WHAT THEY OFFER. I WAS VERY PROUD TO SUBMIT A MEMO TO OUR BUDGET OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE ASKING FOR ADDITIONAL FUNDING FOR OUR LIBRARIES IN SPECIFIC, A COUPLE MONTHS AGO I TOOK A LIBRARY TOURS, UM, TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE LIBRARIES THROUGHOUT OUR CITY. AND I SAW FIRSTHAND, UM, ALL THE NEEDS THAT OUR LIBRARIES HAD. SO I REALLY DO APPRECIATE ALL THE HARD WORK FROM ALL OF THE LIBRARIANS AND STAFF THAT I MET THROUGHOUT THE CITY, UM, AND ALL THE THINGS THAT THEY DO WITH THE RESOURCES THAT THEY HAVE. SO, UM, WHICH IS VERY CREATIVE. UM, I WILL NEVER GET TIRED OF SAYING THAT OUR LIBRARIES ARE LIFE CHANGING SAFE HUBS FOR SO MANY AS, UH, WE HEARD TESTIMONY OF THAT ALSO EARLIER TODAY. LIBRARIES PLAY A VERY IMPORTANT, UM, ROLE AND OFFER OUR RESIDENTS AND VISITORS ALIKE SOMETHING SO UNIQUE AND SOMETHING THAT THAT BRINGS THEM, KEEPS BRINGING THEM BACK. SO THANK YOU DIRECTOR DE LEON FOR ALL THE WORK YOU AND YOUR STAFF DO IN OUR LIBRARIES. UM, I'M REALLY EXCITED FOR, TO SEE WHAT IS GOING TO BE COMING OUT OF THE CHICANO LA THE LATINO CULTURAL CENTER THAT IS UNDER YOUR UMBRELLA NOW. UM, AND I ALSO AM VERY PLEASED TO LEARN ABOUT THE CULTURAL FAIR OFFICER THAT WILL SUPPORT THE CITYWIDE CULTURAL CENTERS. UM, MAY, MAY YOU SPEAK A LITTLE BIT MORE ON THAT ROLE. SURE. COUNCIL MEMBER, AND THANK YOU FOR THE PRAISE. WE REALLY APPRECIATE IT. WE, WE WORK HARD AND WE LOVE WHAT WE DO. UH, SO THE CULTURAL AFFAIRS DIVISION, UM, IS REALLY, UM, IT IS A BIG UNDERTAKING. AND WHEN WE FIRST STARTED TO THINK ABOUT WHAT THAT MEANT, WE, YOU KNOW, THAT COULD MEAN A LOT OF THINGS, RIGHT? AND SO WE WORKED CLOSELY WITH LORD CONSULTING TO REALLY SORT OF DEFINE THAT AND, AND REALLY UNDERSTAND WHERE WE COULD FIT IN AND HOW WE COULD BEST SUPPORT. AND I THINK WHAT WE FOUND OUT IS THAT THE DEPARTMENT COULD PLAY A ROLE. UH, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT CAME OUT OF THE STUDY WAS A GREAT, UM, LIKE A, A MAP LIKE A TREE OF ALL OF THE DEPARTMENTS THAT TOUCH ARTS AND CULTURE AND DO WORK IN THAT SPACE. AND THE REALITY IS, IS THAT THERE'S A LOT OF ROOTS AND A LOT OF DIFFERENT BRANCHES AND A LOT OF DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS DOING A LOT OF DIFFERENT THINGS. AND SO THE IDEA IS THAT, UH, THE CULTURAL AFFAIRS DIVISION WITHIN LIBRARY ARTS AND CULTURE COULD UNIFY THAT STRUCTURE AND BASICALLY STREAMLINE SOME OF THOSE THINGS SO THAT, YOU KNOW, WHEN THERE IS AN ARTS AND CULTURE NEED, WHEN THERE'S A DIFFERENT NONPROFIT THAT NEEDS SOMETHING, THAT THERE'S NOT FIVE OR SIX DIFFERENT DOORS TO GO THROUGH THAT THERE'S ONE. AND SO WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO PLAYING THAT ROLE WITHIN THE CITY, BUT IT'S GONNA TAKE SOME TIME THERE. THE STUDY [05:20:01] IS PRETTY AMBITIOUS. UH, SO WE'RE STARTING SMALL WITH AN OFFICER AND A CLERK TYPIST, BUT I THINK WE'LL GET THERE IN A FEW YEARS. WONDERFUL. THANK YOU. LOOKING FORWARD TO THAT DIRECTOR ERICKSON, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THAT PRESENTATION AND FOR ALWAYS KEEP KEEPING US IN MIND OF THINGS THAT ARE TO COME AND THAT ARE BETTER FOR THE CITY. ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I ABSOLUTELY, UM, ADMIRE IS YOU, YOU, YOUR TEAM KEEPING US SAFE. I THINK THAT THAT'S ONE OF OUR BIGGEST PRIORITIES, UM, YOU KNOW, WITH TECHNOLOGY. UM, MAY YOU SHARE A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT YOUR EFFORTS AND YOUR TEAM, WHAT YOUR TEAM DOES TO ENSURE CONFIDENTIALITY AND PROTECTION OF PRIVATE INFORMATION THAT IS USED, UM, BY THE CITY. UM, YES, COUNCIL WOMEN'S IN DEJAS, THAT IS DEFINITELY A TOP PRIORITY. AND, AND THERE'S ACTUALLY A VARIETY OF TOOLS AND PRODUCTS. WE'VE BEEN INVESTING IN CYBERSECURITY FOR YEARS, AND WE'VE, UM, WE'VE HAD, UM, AND QUITE FRANKLY, EVEN JUST THE EQUIPMENT INVESTMENTS THAT I MENTIONED, YOU KNOW, THAT FOR THE CITY HALL, THAT IN, UM, IS A WAY OF KEEPING SYSTEMS SAFE IF THEY'RE ON SUPPORTED VERSIONS. UM, IF WE HAVE, UH, UM, REPLACEMENT CYCLES THAT ARE KEPT UP TO DATE, THOSE ARE WAYS WE KEEP OUR SYSTEMS SAFE. YOU KNOW, THEY'RE PATCHED UP UPDATED, WE DO VULNERABILITY SCANNING, UM, TO MAKE SURE WE ARE FINDING ANY, YOU KNOW, UN OUT OF DATE SUPPORT, UH, SOFTWARES OR, OR SUBSCRIPTIONS OR OTHER THINGS THAT ARE, ARE, HAVE, UH, UM, VULNERABILITIES, YOU KNOW, AND, UM, YOU KNOW, THE PATCHES THAT NEED TO BE DONE. AND ONE THING I WAS GONNA MENTION TOO IS, YOU KNOW, THE BIGGEST, UH, WHAT'S THE WORD, THE BIGGEST DEFENSE AGAINST THOSE KIND OF THREATS IS ACTUALLY OUR WORKFORCE. AND SO CYBERSECURITY INVESTMENTS REALLY HAVE TO BE ALSO FOCUSED ON THE, THE EMPLOYEE EDUCATION AND TRAINING. AND SO YOU'LL, YOU'LL HAVE NOTICED, AND SOME OF YOU MIGHT NOTICE SUSPICIOUS EMAILS IN YOUR ACCOUNTS. AND SO WE'VE DONE THINGS LIKE REPORT PHISH BUTTON MM-HMM . WE ALSO HAVE ANNUAL CYBERSECURITY TRAINING. WE ALSO HAVE ROUTINE PHISHING, YOU KNOW, THAT WE DO SO THAT EMPLOYEES WHO ARE, UM, SO WE'RE TRYING TO TEST EMPLOYEES' KNOWLEDGE AND MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE ACTUALLY, YOU KNOW, NOT FALLING FOR THESE OUT OF, UM, THESE, THESE EMAILS. BUT WE ALSO HAVE TWO DIFFERENT LAYERS OF DEFENSE ON OUR EMAILS AS AS WELL. BUT I DON'T WANNA GET INTO TOO MANY DETAILS ON OUR SPECIFIC PROTECTION ACTIVITIES BECAUSE WE'RE IN AN OPEN SESSION. SO IF WE WANTED TO GO INTO A LITTLE BIT MORE DETAIL, THEN I HAVE MY CYBERSECURITY OFFICER AND WE CAN GET INTO A CLOSED SESSION TO TALK A LITTLE BIT MORE DETAILS ABOUT ALL OF OUR DIFFERENT ACTIVITIES THAT WE HAVE IN PLACE. THANK YOU, DIRECTOR. REALLY APPRECIATE IT. THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER KERR. YES. UH, THANK YOU BOTH, UH, FOR HANGING IN THERE AND BEING HERE. UM, DIRECTOR DE LEON, THANK YOU TO YOU AND YOUR TEAM FOR ALL YOU DO. I KNOW WE TALKED IN THE BACK BRIEFLY THAT IF YOU KNEW YOU COULD DO VIDEOS, I WOULD THINK THAT THE LIBRARY TEAM WOULD COME UP WITH THE BEST VIDEOS. SO MAYBE THAT'S A GOAL FOR NEXT YEAR. I AGREE. TIME LIMIT, THOUGH. SAME TIME LIMIT, . UM, SO I JUST WANNA THANK YOU AND THE TEAM ACROSS THE LIBRARY SYSTEM FOR THE INCREDIBLE WORK THAT THEY DO EVERY DAY TO SUPPORT RESIDENTS OF EVERY SINGLE AGE ABILITY, UM, INCOME BRACKET IN EVERYDAY LIFE. THAT IT'S, THE LIBRARIES ARE SO MUCH MORE THAN JUST WHAT, UM, PEOPLE THINK HISTORICALLY OF LIBRARIES. AND I KNOW WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE NEW CULTURAL AFFAIRS DIVISION, BUT THE REALITY IS THAT THE LIBRARY TEAM FOR DECADES PROBABLY, UM, HAS BEEN DOING CULTURAL AND ARTS WORK WITHIN THE LIBRARY SYSTEM ALREADY. WE HAVE SPECIAL COLLECTIONS. WE HAVE A BRAND NEW SPECIAL COLLECTION AT BRET HART, BUT WE HAVE HISTORICAL SPECIAL COLLECTIONS ACROSS OUR LIBRARIES, WHICH SHOWS THAT THE COMMUNITY THAT WORKS WITHIN OUR LIBRARIES HAS ALWAYS BEEN TRYING TO BRING ARTS AND CULTURE INTO A SYSTEM, UM, IN THE WAYS THAT ARE BEST SUPPORTED. AND I WANNA THANK YOU FOR THAT. UM, AND THANK ALL OF THE INDIVIDUAL TEAM MEMBERS WHO ARE BRINGING THEIR OWN IDEAS TO THE COMMUNITIES THAT THEY SERVE. BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT EVERY LIBRARY SERVES DIFFERENT COMMUNITIES. THEY'RE ALL UNIQUE AND SPECIAL. THEY ALL HAVE LOTS OF THINGS IN COMMON, BUT THE WAYS IN WHICH THEY DO THEIR WORK IS, IS AS SPECIAL AS THE PEOPLE WHO WORK THERE. SO THANK YOU TO ALL OF THEM FOR DOING THAT WORK. UM, I WAS HAPPY TO SIGN ON TO COUNCILWOMAN ZENDAYA'S MEMO TO THE, TO THE BUDGET OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE. I'M JUST, CAN I ASK, WE KNOW THERE'S A LOT OF CONVERSATION ABOUT WHAT THE ASKS ARE FROM VARIOUS DEPARTMENTS, UM, AND WE'VE BEEN TALKING A LOT ABOUT PARKING AT MAIN LIBRARY. COULD, COULD THE CITY MANAGER CLARIFY WHAT EXACTLY THAT CURRENT SITUATION IS? SO WE'RE ALL OPERATING FROM THE SAME SPACE OF WHAT'S ACTUALLY HAPPENING RIGHT NOW IF WE WERE TO CONSIDER CHANGES? SURE. I'LL START AND, UH, AND KATHY CAN JUMP IN, BUT, UM, FOR A LONG TIME WE HAVE RECOGNIZED THAT, YOU KNOW, [05:25:01] WE WANT TO, UH, PROVIDE A LOWER PARKING RATE FOR THOSE GOING TO THE LIBRARY. SO CURRENTLY WHEN YOU COME TO CITY HALL, THAT IS NOT SUBSIDIZED. THAT IS PART OF WHAT YOU PAY AND YOU COME IN HERE. WE DO KEEP IT AFFORDABLE, UH, BUT WE'VE ALWAYS SUBSIDIZED, UM, THE LIBRARY. AND SO THERE IS A CURRENT REBATE PROGRAM. UH, SO RIGHT NOW, ANYONE COMING INTO OUR STRUCTURE PAYS, UH, THE FIRST 30 MINUTES ARE FREE. SO IF YOU'RE JUST COMING TO DROP SOMETHING AT CITY HALL, IF YOU'RE COMING TO DROP SOMETHING AT THE LIBRARY THAT'S FREE, UH, AFTER THAT IT'S TH IT'S, UH, $2 EVERY 30 MINUTES, UM, FOR THE NORMAL RATE. AND SO IF YOU WERE, FOR EXAMPLE, TO COME, UH, TO CITY HALL FOR THREE HOURS, THAT WOULD BE ABOUT AN $8, UM, UH, PAYMENT THAT YOU WOULD MAKE, UH, THAT SAME AMOUNT. THE LIBRARY IS $2, SO IT'S $2 FOR THREE HOURS. SO THAT IS LIKE THE SET RATE THAT WE PROVIDE. SO THAT'S ABOUT A, UM, 80%, IF I DO MY MATH RIGHT, REDUCTION, UM, UH, UH, OR SUBSIDIZED RATE. AND DOES THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN WHAT THE, THE ACTUAL RATE WOULD BE AND WHAT THE LIBRARY RATE IS, IS THAT COME OUT OF THE LIBRARY BUDGET OR IS IT JUST NOT? I BELIEVE THERE ARE CHARGES THAT GO TO THE LIBRARY BUDGET AND THEY HAVE A $20,000 RANGE OR SOMETHING ALONG THOSE LINES. UH, BUT, UM, JUST FROM A FUND PERSPECTIVE, WE FUND THAT CIVIC CENTER GARAGE IN THIS WHOLE AREA OUT OF THE CIVIC CENTER FUND. AND SO IT IS A SEPARATE FUND THAN, THAN THE GENERAL FUND. IT'S TO ACCOUNT FOR THE COSTS THAT IT TAKES TO RUN A LIBRARY IN A CITY HALL, BUT THOSE CHARGES NEED TO COME FROM SOMEWHERE. SO THE FUNDING COMES FROM SOMEWHERE SO SIMILAR TO TID IT GETS ALLOCATED OUT TO ALL THE DEPARTMENTS, MOST OF WHICH ARE IN GENERAL OR HERE ARE IN GENERAL FUND. AND SO, UM, IF WE MAKE CHANGES TO THE CIVIC CENTER FUND, WE ARE GONNA NEED A GENERAL FUND SUBSIDY TO BE ABLE TO, TO PAY FOR THAT. OKAY. UH, THANK YOU. I APPRECIATE THAT. UM, AND DIRECTOR DEONE, YOU TALKED A LITTLE BIT ABOUT IT, THE NEW CULTURAL AFFAIRS DIVISION AND THE TWO POSITION, ARE THEY GOING TO BE HOUSED AT BILLIE JEAN KING? YES, THAT'S THE INTENTION. OKAY. AND I THINK I, I'M GLAD THAT THOSE POSITIONS ARE BEING SUPPORTED BECAUSE I, I SHARE THE CONCERN OF SOME COMMUNITY MEMBERS OF, ARE WE GOING TO BE ASKING OUR, OUR LIBRARY STAFF TO DO TOO MUCH AND THINGS THAT ARE WAY OUTSIDE OF THEIR SCOPE. WE KNOW THAT WE HAVE INCREDIBLE ARTS AND CULTURAL ORGANIZATIONS WITHIN THE CITY, AND THE GOAL IS TO BUILD UP THOSE RELATIONSHIPS. AND I ASSUME THAT A LOT OF THAT RELATIONSHIP BUILDING ON THE BIGGER SCALE WOULD BE DONE BY THESE TWO STAFF MEMBERS. IS THAT CORRECT? YES, ABSOLUTELY. SO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I'VE DEFINITELY LEARNED THROUGH THIS STUDY IS THAT I THOUGHT I KNEW ARTS AND CULTURE, AND THEN WHEN I GOT INTO THE WEEDS OF THE STUDY AND STARTED TO HAVE CONVERSATIONS WITH THE CONSULTANTS AND JUST THEIR EXPERTISE IN THAT AREA, THERE'S A LOT I REALIZED WE DIDN'T KNOW. AND SO, UM, WE REALLY NEED, IN ORDER FOR THE DIVISION TO BE SUCCESSFUL, WE NEED AN SMEA SUBJECT MATTER EXPERT, SOMEONE WHO COMPLETELY UNDERSTANDS THE ARTS AND CULTURAL WORLD, THEIR FUNDING BASES, THEIR DIFFERENT AGENCIES THAT AFFECT THEM NATIONALLY AND LOCALLY AND AT THE STATE LEVEL. UM, IT'S, IT'S A COMPLETELY DIFFERENT WORLD. AND AGAIN, WE'RE EXCITED TO BE A PART OF IT, BUT WE DEFINITELY NEED THAT EXPERTISE. AND COUNCIL MEMBER, THIS IS ONE OF THE COMMITMENTS I MADE AS CITY MANAGER WHEN WE FIRST PROPOSED LIBRARY ARTS AND CULTURE LAST YEAR, UM, AND SAID, WE'RE GONNA SPEND SOME TIME ON THE IMPLEMENTATION. ONE OF THE THINGS WE HEARD LOUD AND CLEAR FROM THE FOUNDATION, FROM THE FRIENDS, FROM, UM, KATHY AND HER TEAM, WAS THAT WE DON'T JUST PUT THIS TOGETHER AND ASK OUR CURRENT LIBRARIANS TO DO MORE WITH LESS. SO THEY'RE ALREADY VERY STRESSED. THEY'RE ALREADY DOING A LOT OF LIBRARY WORK, YOU POINTED OUT VERY CORRECTLY. THEY ARE DOING A LOT OF CULTURAL WORK. AND SO THAT WILL CONTINUE. BUT ANYONE DEDICATED REALLY TO THAT CULTURAL NEEDED TO BE EXTRA NEW POSITIONS THAT DIDN'T TAKE AWAY FROM THE LIBRARY. SO THAT'S THE PROPOSAL THAT YOU HAVE IN FRONT OF YOU. UH, WE ARE USING OUR CITYWIDE, UM, UM, UH, SPECIAL ADVERTISING AND PROMOTIONS BECAUSE THIS FALLS INTO THAT ARTS CATEGORY AND CULTURAL PROGRAMMING, SO THEY CAN DO THAT WORK, UM, WITH THAT NEW FUNDING SOURCE. AND THAT'S A, A NEW INNOVATION IN THIS BUDGET. THANK YOU. AND I APPRECIATE THAT BECAUSE I DON'T THINK I'VE EVER WALKED INTO ONE OF OUR LIBRARIES WHERE SOMEONE ISN'T BUSY DOING AT LEAST ONE OR TWO THINGS AT A TIME. AND SO I THINK IT'S CRITICAL THAT WE MAINTAIN THE WORK THAT THAT CURRENT STAFF IS DOING AND HAVING SOMEONE WHO CAN DO JUSTICE TO, UM, THE SUBJECT MATTER, AS YOU SAID. SO, UH, THANK YOU FOR THAT. AND THEN I KNOW THERE WAS AN ASK TONIGHT ABOUT STRUCTURAL, OR NOT STRUCTURAL. WELL, THERE WAS STRUCTURAL FUNDING, BUT ALSO, UM, FACILITIES. UH, WE KNOW THAT WE JUST OPENED BAYSHORE. UH, WE, DANA IN DISTRICT FIVE WAS ONE OF THOSE EMERGENCY UNPLANNED FOR, UH, MAINTENANCE ISSUES THAT WAS REALLY CRITICAL TO THE COLLECTIONS AND TO MAKING SURE WE COULD STAY OPEN. SO I APPRECIATE THE CITY MANAGER FINDING FUNDING FOR THAT, BUT I'M ALWAYS IN FAVOR OF FINDING EXTRA FUNDING FOR, UM, OUR LIBRARY FACILITY. SO THANK YOU FOR THAT. AND THANK YOU DIRECTOR DE LEON. UM, AND THANK YOU TID FOR YOUR PRESENTATION. I KNOW YOU GUYS HAVE BEEN BUSY THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS, AND NOT JUST WITH CYBERSECURITY, BUT EVEN REMEMBERING THAT, UM, THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT, UH, NEW SYSTEM GOT PUT IN AND ALL OF THE YEARS PLAN OF UPGRADING OUR SYSTEM. SO THANK YOU FOR THAT. AND I, I SHARE THE, THE MAYOR'S SENTIMENTS THAT, UM, AND WHEN WE TALK ABOUT INNOVATION, I THINK IT CAN BE [05:30:01] MISCONSTRUED OF, OH, LET'S TRY COOL NEW THINGS THAT ARE WAY OUT THERE. AND MY IDEA OF INNOVATION IS HOW DO WE MORE EFFICIENTLY SERVE, UM, OUR CONSTITUENTS HERE IN LONG BEACH WITH BETTER TECHNOLOGY? SO, UH, I WAS HEARTENED TO HEAR THAT, THAT YOU SHARE THAT AND THAT YOU'RE CONSTANTLY WORKING ON THAT. SO THANK YOU. THANK YOU. COUNCILMAN ALLEN. THANK YOU, MAYOR. UM, ALSO I WANNA SAY THANK YOU TO DIRECTOR DEION, UM, UH, FOR YOU, TO YOU AND TO YOUR TEAM FOR ALL THE INCREDIBLE WORK THAT YOU GUYS WERE ABLE TO ACCOMPLISH THIS PAST YEAR. UM, I'M PLEASED TO SEE THE, UM, THE LIBRARY EVENTS THAT HONOR, UH, LATIN AMERICAN HERITAGE AND, UH, BLACK HISTORY MONTH PRIDE AND JUST SO MANY, UM, HISTORICALLY MARGINALIZED, UM, GROUPS. AND I THINK THIS IS, UH, OBVIOUSLY VERY IMPORTANT IN A TIME WHERE SO MANY OF THOSE VOICES ARE BEING SILENCED OR TRYING TO BE SILENCED. SO I DO APPRECIATE THAT. UM, I'M PLEASED THAT THE FUNDING, UM, HAS BEEN ADDED TO PRESERVE SIX DAYS, SIX DAY A WEEK SERVICES THAT IS HUGE ACROSS MULTIPLE LIBRARIES AND THIS CITY. UM, IT'S JUST ONE THING ON A NEGATIVE. IT'S, IT'S SAD FOR ME THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT SECURITY AND, AND JUST THE PROBLEMS THAT WE HAVE ON OUR LIBRARIES. YOU KNOW, I THINK ABOUT, UM, YOU KNOW, WHEN I WAS A KID GROWING UP HERE AND, AND GOING TO LIBRARIES, I DON'T THINK I EVER EVEN CROSSED MY MIND ABOUT BEING UNSAFE. AND I WORRY ABOUT LIKE, HOW MANY KIDS DON'T GO OR FOLKS ARE NOT GOING TO THE LIBRARY BECAUSE OF THOSE ISSUES. AND I KNOW WE'VE DONE A GOOD JOB AT ADDRESSING IT, BUT IT'S JUST A SAD STATE OF AFFAIR THAT WE HAVE TO WORRY AND FUND AND TALK ABOUT SECURITY IN OUR LIBRARIES AND SECURITY OF YOUR STAFF IN THE LIBRARIES. IT'S JUST A SAD, SAD STATE OF AFFAIRS. SO, UM, AND THEN, UM, WITH REGARDS TO, UH, TO, TO PARKING, YOU KNOW, I, UM, YOU KNOW, ALWAYS SUPPORT. I WANNA GET PEOPLE AT THE LIBRARY AND, UM, AND, UH, I THINK, YOU KNOW, LOWERING THE RATE OR ANYTHING THAT WE CAN DO, I JUST ALWAYS WORRY ABOUT THE UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES OF HAVING FREE PARKING AND EVERYONE COMING TO CITY HALL AND USING THE FACILITY AND GOING AND GETTING VALIDATED. I THINK THERE'S JUST UN UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES THAT COME WITH THAT. SO JUST THINGS I THINK WE HAVE TO DISCUSS AS, AS, AS A COUNCIL. UM, UM, BUT, UM, YOU SAID THAT, UM, I SEE IT ON PAGE, UM, 58, THAT YOUR, UH, PATRON VISITS ARE UP 13.7, UH, PERCENT. AND SO HOW DO YOU GUYS TRACK PEOPLE WHO COME IN AND OUTTA THE LIBRARY? ARE YOU JUST COUNTING ONCE THEY COME IN, OR HOW, HOW DOES THAT WORK? WE HAVE AUTOMATED DOOR COUNTERS OKAY. AT EACH OF OUR FACILITIES. YEAH. THAT'S HOW YOU DO IT. ALRIGHT, WELL, THANK YOU VERY MUCH. AND AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR HARD WORK. UM, AND THEN I WANT TO ALSO THANK, UH, DIRECTOR LEAH ERICKSON AND FOR YOUR TEAM FOR, UH, KEEPING US IN THE FOREFRONT AND BEING A LEADING DIGITAL CITY. HOW MANY TIMES HAVE YOU WON THAT AWARD? SO, I BELIEVE IT'S BEEN 14 YEARS TOTAL, BUT FOUR YEARS, UM, AS THE NUMBER ONE CITY, WHICH IS UNPRECEDENTED IN THE HISTORY OF THE AWARDS. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. JUST SAYING IT'S MY, IT'S A TEAM EFFORT. IT'S A CITYWIDE EFFORT TOO. IT'S ALL THE PARTNER DEPARTMENTS AS WELL. WELL, WELL, THAT'S GOOD. I, I JUST, YOU GUYS DO AN INCREDIBLE JOB AND I THINK, UM, EVEN ALL OF YOUR PEERS AND EVERYONE IN THE INDUSTRY LIKE SEES HOW GREAT YOU ARE. UM, AND, UH, I'M GLAD THAT IT SOUNDS LIKE YOU'RE ADDING SOME MORE POSITIONS. IT'S JUST A LOT OF WORK TO MAINTAIN, UM, TECHNOLOGY AND SECURITY AND ALL OF THAT. SO, UH, JUST FANTASTIC WORK. CONGRATULATIONS AND THANK YOU. THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER SORROW. YES, THANK YOU, MAYOR. UM, THANK YOU. I'LL START WITH, UH, DIRECTOR DE LEON. UM, SO WE WANNA THANK YOU FOR BEING INTENTIONAL ABOUT MAKING SURE TO ASK QUESTION ABOUT RESOURCES IN ORDER TO ADD ARTS AND CULTURE. I THINK IT'S, AND, AND I THINK THAT A LOT OF PEOPLE FELT, OKAY, THAT MAKES SENSE BECAUSE YOU ALL, YOU DO A LOT OF THE ARTS AND CULTURE PROGRAMMING WHEN WE HAVE, YOU KNOW, ASIAN PACIFIC ISLANDER HERITAGE MONTH OR BLACK HISTORY MONTH, OR EVEN LATINO, HIS HISTORY MONTH, RIGHT. OR HIS, YOU KNOW, ANYWAY, UM, I'M NOT GONNA GO THROUGH THE DIFFERENT NAMES, BUT, UM, I THINK YOU UNDERSTAND WHAT I MEAN, UH, IS THAT YOU ALL IN SOME LEVEL SUBJECT MATTER EXPERTS ON A VARIETY OF PROGRAMMING. AND I REALLY AM EXCITED ABOUT THE PLAN. THAT WAS AT LEAST A STUDY THAT WAS DONE TO CARVE OUT WHAT THE SCOPE OF WORK WOULD LOOK LIKE FOR THESE POSITION BECAUSE I, I THINK THAT THIS IS A GREAT TIME AND WE ARE ABLE TO JUST MANAGE EXPECTATION BECAUSE WE, YOU KNOW, EVERYONE'S GONNA WANNA KNOW, WELL WHAT IS THIS, UH, TO STAFF MEMBER, UM, COMING ON BOARD GONNA DO? UH, FOR ME, I, I, I THINK THAT'S GREAT TO HAVE CONVERSATION MAYBE WHEN THEY COME ON BOARD OR WHENEVER, UM, IT MAKES SENSE JUST SO THAT THEY CAN HEAR WHAT THE EXPECTATIONS ARE AND THEN CLARIFY THEM. UM, I SEE IT AS [05:35:01] SOMEBODY, AS YOU SHARED, SO SUBJECT MATTER EXPERT, WHEN I NEED TO DO SOME KIND OF PROGRAMMING IN THE COMMUNITY, WHO CAN WE GO TO? 'CAUSE WE KIND OF REINVENT THE WHEEL SOMETIMES. WE GO TO THE SAME GROUP, WE GO TO THE SAME PERSON. I GET CALLED TOO, LIKE, HEY, CAN YOU RECOMMEND A CAMBODIAN DANCE GROUP? AND I'M LIKE, SURE, BUT I WISH WE HAD A LIST. SO THEN IT'S JUST NOT JUST SOMEBODY I KNOW, THERE MIGHT BE ANOTHER GROUP, RIGHT? SO IT'S A LOT OF THE, OR EVEN WITH MLK PARADE, UM, AND CELEBRATION, RIGHT? SO I SEE IT AS AN OPPORTUNITY TO EXPAND AND BUILD ON AND STRENGTHEN THE EXISTING PROGRAMS THAT WE EVEN DO AS A CITY. UM, AND HOW CAN WE DO IT BETTER AND MORE CONNECTED ACROSS AND EVEN BUILT IN MAYBE INTER DEPARTMENTALLY, UM, THE HISTORICAL PART, UM, WITH ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, RIGHT? UH, WE TALK ABOUT THE CREATIVE ECONOMY AND HOW DO WE BETTER PARTNER THE CULTURAL ARTS EXPERT WITH ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT TO CREATE EXPERIENCES IN QUARTER THAT NEEDS TO BE REVITALIZED, LIKE MY DISTRICT AND OTHERS AS WELL. BUT I'M, YOU KNOW, WANNA REFER TO SOME OF THE EXISTING ASSETS WE HAVE AND I FEEL LIKE I HAVE TO SOMETIMES REINVENT THE WHEEL OR I HAVE TO TALK TO DIFFERENT EXPERTS. SO IT'D BE GREAT TO HAVE THAT IN-HOUSE. UM, SO I DON'T REALLY HAVE QUESTION MORE JUST WANTING TO PROVIDE COMMENTS OF EXCITEMENT AND JUST APPRECIATION OF YOUR LEADERSHIP AS WELL AS ALL THE HARD WORK THAT THE LIBRARY TEAM DOES AND THE TALENT THAT EXISTS IN THE LIBRARY TEAM IS AMAZING. UM, SO, AND, AND JUST THE HEART, I MEAN, WE'VE HAD SOME CHALLENGES WITH SECURITY WITH MARK TWAIN LIBRARY, UM, AND APPRECIATE THE CONVERSATION WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO PROBLEM SOLVE THROUGH ALL OF THAT. SO, UM, ANYWAY, I WILL ASK YOU A QUESTION 'CAUSE I DO WANNA HEAR FROM YOU, UM, WHAT YOUR ANTICIPATION IS WHEN THESE TWO, YOU KNOW, STAFF MEMBER ARE HIRED, UM, HOW DO YOU FORESEE BRINGING THEM ON BOARD? SO DEFINITELY WE'LL HAVE A LOT OF CONVERSATIONS JUST ABOUT KIND OF WHAT WAS MAPPED OUT IN THE STUDY. UH, REALLY JUST SORT OF ALIGNING TO WORKING CLOSELY WITH THE CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE AND, AND ALSO, YOU KNOW, THAT'S REALLY WHAT'S HAPPENING ACROSS THE CITY IS THAT A LOT OF DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS, THE DCMS INCLUDED, THE DEPUTY CITY MANAGERS ALL HAVE A HAND IN A LOT OF DIFFERENT PROJECTS. SO IT'S GONNA BE, YOU KNOW, REALLY DOING A SURVEY OF A LOT OF THE WORK THAT'S ALREADY HAPPENING AND THEN REALLY JUST KIND OF BEING A BIT MORE STRATEGIC ABOUT HOW WE CAN BETTER SUPPORT SOME OF THAT WORK. SO, YOU KNOW, SOME OF THOSE PROJECTS ARE ALREADY COMING OUR WAY. UM, IT'S LIKE I SAID, IT'S EXCITING WORK, BUT IT'S DEFINITELY TIME CONSUMING AND YOU, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE TO DO RIGHT BY OUR COMMUNITIES, RIGHT? AND SO IN ORDER TO DO THAT, UM, YOU HAVE TO TAKE A CERTAIN LEVEL OF CARE. YOU CAN'T RUSH CERTAIN THINGS. YOU HAVE TO HAVE A LOT OF CONVERSATIONS AND REALLY UNDERSTAND THE DYNAMICS THAT ARE GOING ON IN ORDER TO DO IT RIGHT. SO A LOT OF PART, A BIG PART OF IT IS GONNA BE BUILDING RELATIONSHIPS AND, UM, JUST STARTING THERE AND BUILDING TRUST WITH COMMUNITY. SO YEAH, APPRECIATE THAT RESPONSE. AND IT REALLY DOES TAKE TIME TO BUILD A RELATIONSHIP AND, UM, AND BUILD A TRUST. SO THANK YOU FOR MAKING SURE TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THAT'S IMPORTANT TO SLOW DOWN TO, TO GET IT DONE. RIGHT. UM, DIRECTOR ERICKSON, THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATION. I APPRECIATE THE OVERVIEW AND EVEN GETTING INTO THE WEEDS AROUND THE CALCULATION. UM, BEING, BEING A BIO MAJOR, I DON'T MIND IT , BUT I DO HAVE JUST A GENERAL QUESTION BECAUSE, UH, IT'S REALLY HARD WITH TECHNOLOGY BECAUSE IT'S A EVER MOVING, UM, UH, PROCESS THAT CAN GET REALLY EXPENSIVE. SO WE KNOW THAT AI IS PRESENT AND THAT AT SOME POINT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO FORECAST WHAT LEVEL OF TECHNOLOGY WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO INCORPORATE. SO HOW DO YOU DO THAT AS FAR AS FORECASTING THE, THE COST IS GONNA TAKE TO INCORPORATE AI BASED ON SOME OF THE THINGS THE MAYOR WANTS, LIKE, YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW, READING TRASH CAN. UM, THAT'S QUESTION ONE. THE OTHER IS , UH, YOU KNOW, SCANNING IT OR SOMETHING, RIGHT? HAVING THAT, UM, IS HOW DO YOU BALANCE THE INNOVATION WITH SECURITY, RIGHT? IT GETS COSTLY AS YOU INNOVATE. IF YOU IMPLEMENT THESE NEWER TECHNOLOGY WITH, WITH AI REQUIRES MORE SECURITY, PROTECT, UH, PRIVACY. SO THAT'S TWO QUESTIONS. I CAN REPEAT IT AGAIN, BUT, UH, YES, COUNCIL MEMBER, UH, WE ARE DEFINITELY CAUGHT, I WOULD SAY RESPONSIBLY DEPLOYING AI OR, OR TACKLING AI. SO WITH AI, WE ARE LOOKING AT, WE FIRST ISSUED INTERIM GUIDANCE TO ALL OF OUR EMPLOYEES ON HOW TO RESPONSIBLY USE AI, WHAT TO DO OR WHAT NOT TO DO. WHAT WE'RE FINDING IS AI IS BEING BUILT INTO A LOT OF THE DIFFERENT PLATFORMS AND SERVICES THAT WE ALREADY PRE OR CURRENTLY HAVE. LIKE FOR EXAMPLE, MICROSOFT HAS AI AVAILABLE NOW IN ITS TOOLS PILOT. YEAH. AND ONE OF THE THINGS WE'VE, WE'VE DONE IN GENERAL WHEN WE'RE EXPLORING EMERGING TECHNOLOGIES, TECHNOLOGIES IS THAT WE DO PILOTS AND WE DO PILOT PROGRAMS AND OTHER THINGS TO TEST [05:40:01] IT. AND WE MAKE SURE ON THE FRONT END THAT WE'RE LIKE CONSIDERING THE, WHAT ARE THE MEASURES OF SUCCESS FOR A PILOT, UM, YOU KNOW, WHEN IS, UH, YOU KNOW, AND THEN EVALUATING THE COST OF A PILOT, THINGS LIKE THAT THERE. THE, UM, ONE EXAMPLE WAS WE WERE TESTING ASK LB ON OUR WEBSITE. WHEN WE ORIGINALLY DID THAT PILOT, IT WAS NOT ACTUALLY GONNA BE AN AI GENERATED CONTENT. IT WAS, IT WAS ACTUALLY GONNA BE BASED ON LIKE, YOU KNOW, A PRE PRE-POPULATED ANSWERS TO FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS. BUT DURING THE PILOT, AI WAS, WAS USED AS THE UNDERLYING TOOL AND WE EVALUATED IT. AND THEN BASED ON THAT PILOT, WE DECIDED WE, IT HAS A LOT OF PROMISE AND WE'RE GONNA BE EXPLORING IT AS PART OF THE FUTURE WEBSITE REDESIGN PROJECT, YOU KNOW, THAT THAT'S THERE. UH, SO IN TERMS OF, YOU KNOW, ENSURING THE SECURITY AND EVERYTHING, ONE OF THE, WE ACTUALLY ALSO ARE IN THE PROCESS OF DRAFTING AN AI STRATEGY. AND ONE OF THOSE IS TO ENSURE WE HAVE PROPER AI GOVERNANCE. WE ARE IN THE PROCESS OF DEVELOPING AN AI POLICY USING AN IMPLEMENTATION COMMITTEE OF INTERNAL CITY EMPLOYEES. AND IT'S GONNA LOOK INTO PROCUREMENT, UH, PROCUREMENT PROCESSES, CONTRACTS, CONTRACTUAL LANGUAGE, AS WELL AS OF STAFFING, YOU KNOW, REQUIREMENTS OF ALL THE EMPLOYEES AND DEPARTMENTS AND HOW THEY USE AI. AND SO AS PART OF THAT, WE WANNA, WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT THERE'S AS MUCH TRANSPARENCY AS POSSIBLE. WE'RE GONNA ASK OUR, THE VENDORS TO DEVELOP AI FACT SHEETS SO WE UNDERSTAND, UM, WE'RE, BY THE WAY, A MEMBER OF THE GOV AI COALITION THAT WAS, IT'S LED BY THE CITY OF SAN JOSE AND ACTUALLY ONE OF OUR TEAM MEMBERS IS ON THE BOARD OF THAT ORGANIZATION. AND WE'RE GONNA USE ALL OF THE TOOLS AND POLICIES THEY HAVE IN PLACE TO ENSURE THAT WE'RE REALLY TRULY IMPLEMENTING AI RESPONSIBLY. BUT WE'RE ALSO UNLOCKING THE POWER OF AI BECAUSE AI REALLY IS ABLE TO TRANSFORM CITY OPERATIONS IF USED RESPONSIBLY. AND WE INTEND TO USE IT AS A TOOL TO AUGMENT OUR CITY WORKFORCE, AI HUMANS IN THE LOOP AND NOT TO REPLACE HUMANS. YEAH. JUST WONDERING ON THE COST OF THAT, DOES IT, IS IT, I MEAN, IT, THAT'S PART OF WHAT YOU CAME WITH US LAST TIME, RIGHT? THERE WAS A PRESENTATION ON, UM, BUT IS IS THAT LIKE, HOW DO YOU BILL IN THAT FORECASTING A COST INTO THE BUDGET, RIGHT? BECAUSE THEY'RE LIKE, WE'RE HEADING INTO DEFICIT. SO HOW DO WE MANAGE THAT? THAT'S, THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION. SO ONE OF THE THINGS WE ENVISION WITH OUR PILOTS IS TO SEE IF WE CAN FIND RETURNS ON THOSE INVESTMENTS WITH OUR, WITH THE USE OF AI, YOU KNOW, TO MAKE IT SUCCESSFUL. AND IN THIS CASE IT MIGHT BE SAVING CITY STAFF TIME. THAT AND THAT STAFF TIME COULD BE USED TO FREED UP TO DO HIGHER VALUE TASKS AND MAYBE AVOID ADDING ADDITIONAL POSITIONS, BUT NOT NECESSARILY REPLACING CURRENT POSITIONS. 'CAUSE THERE'S JUST SO MANY DEMANDS AND SO MANY NEEDS ACROSS ALL THE DEPARTMENTS. UM, SO THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS RIGHT NOW WE DON'T ACTUALLY CURRENTLY FORECAST, FOR EXAMPLE, GIVING EVERYONE A CO UH, CHAT, GPT LICENSE OR A COPILOT LICENSE. 'CAUSE WE DON'T HAVE THE FUNDS FOR THAT. BUT WE'RE GONNA BE TESTING IT THROUGH PILOTS AND IDENTIFYING WHERE IT MAKES THE MOST SENSE TO, TO, TO INVEST IN THOSE TOOLS. THANK YOU. UM, THAT WAS REALLY HELPFUL AND INSIGHTFUL IN HOW, HOW WE'RE LOOKING TO MANAGE THE COST OF BEING INNOVATIVE AS WELL. I CAN PROCEED. THANK YOU SO MUCH. UM, SO, UH, DIRECTOR ERICSSON, UH, FIRST OF ALL, I HOPE YOU'RE AS EXCITED AS WE ARE REGARDING YOUR PRESENTATION AND YOU BEING ABLE TO BE HERE AND GIVE, UM, THIS, UH, PRESENTATION REGARDING TID. UM, I WAS HAPPY TO INCLUDE IN MY NOTES AND, UM, I'M SO GLAD THAT MY COLLEAGUES HAVE CONTINUED TO LIFT UP THAT YOU HAVE, UH, DONE THE IMPOSSIBLE OF HAVING, UH, WON THE TOP DIGITAL CITIES FOUR YEARS IN A ROW, UM, AS THE TOP CITY. THAT IS AN AMAZING ACCOMPLISHMENT AND ONE THAT SPEAKS TO YOU AND YOUR TEAM'S DEDICATION TO ENSURING THAT OUR CITY, UM, STAYS ON TOP. UM, I WANNA THANK YOU FOR WALKING THROUGH, UH, SOME OF THE QUESTIONS THAT MY COLLEAGUES HAVE ASKED SPECIFICALLY AROUND THE MOU. UM, IT IS, IT DOES, YOU KNOW, I, I WROTE DOWN A FORMULA 'CAUSE I WAS LIKE, OKAY, SHE'S SPEWING OUT FORMULAS NOW, UM, TO MAKE SURE I KNEW WHAT THAT WAS. UM, AND I THINK THAT THERE'S PROBABLY EVEN MORE DETAILS IN THERE AS IT RELATES TO THE 13 MOU AREAS AND SORT OF HOW THOSE HAVE DIFFERENT COST STRUCTURES AND HOW THAT'S SUPPLIED THEN TO THE OVERALL FORMULA THAT HELPS US UNDERSTAND WHAT EACH DEPARTMENT THEN CONTRIBUTES TO THE WORK THAT YOU'RE DOING. BUT THANK YOU FOR THAT. UM, SO THE ITEMS THAT I'M GONNA SHARE OR TALK ABOUT TODAY ARE REALLY RELATED TO A SET OF RECOMMENDATIONS CONVERSATION THAT I HOPE TO BE ABLE TO HAVE, UM, REGARDING YOUR DEPARTMENT. SO I, UM, AM PLEASED TO NOTE THAT THERE HAS BEEN AN INCREASE IN PROCESS SERVICES USING THE GO LONG BEACH APP. I CERTAINLY KNOW THAT MY DISTRICT RESIDENTS USE IT QUITE A LOT, SPECIFICALLY OUR NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION LEADERS. AND THEY HAVE FOUND THE TOOL TO BE HIGHLY HELPFUL AND IN A CONVENIENT WAY TO BE ABLE TO COMMUNICATE WITH OUR PUBLIC, UH, [05:45:01] WORKS DEPARTMENT. UM, ONE OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS THAT I HAVE THERE IS I'D LOVE TO SEE A CUSTOMER ADVISORY EXPERIENCE, UM, WHERE WE IDENTIFY SOME OF OUR, UH, FREQUENT USERS, UM, AND REALLY WALK WITH THEM TO UNDERSTAND HOW THEY USE IT, UM, WHAT THEIR FEEDBACK IS AND BE ABLE TO USE THAT INFORMATION TO CONTINUE TO ITERATE, IMPROVE ON THAT TECHNOLOGY. UM, THE SECOND, UH, AREA THAT I JUST WANTED TO SPEND A LITTLE TIME ON IS ONE THAT YOU'VE COME BEFORE THIS COUNCIL ON, AND YOU'VE TALKED ABOUT IT HERE, WE'VE TALKED ABOUT IT IN CLOSED SESSION. UM, IT'S REALLY, REALLY CRITICAL, UM, THAT WE'VE FOCUSED ON THE VULNERABILITIES OF CYBER ATTACKS, UH, AS A CITY. UM, AND IT HAS BEEN MY GOAL TO, YOU KNOW, WANT TO KNOW AND TO ENSURE THAT YOU HAVE ALL THE RESOURCES THAT YOU BELIEVE ARE NECESSARY IN ORDER TO ACHIEVE THAT. UM, HERE WE UNDERSTAND THAT YOU MAY NOT BE ABLE TO PROVIDE AN OPEN SESSION, ALL OF THE DETAILS IN TERMS OF WHAT WE'RE DOING, UH, TO PROTECT OURSELVES AND OUR DATA, BUT MY RECOMMENDATION WOULD BE THAT ON SOME PERIODIC BASIS, BE IT ANNUAL OR YOU KNOW, WE'LL, YOU CAN WORK WITH THE CITY MANAGER, DETERMINE WHAT'S APPROPRIATE. THERE MIGHT BE AN OPPORTUNITY TO COME TO CLOSED SESSION TO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE AN UPDATE TO THE COUNCIL REGARDING, UH, HOW WE'RE DOING IN THE AREA OF, UH, CYBERSECURITY. YOU'LL RECALL THAT I'VE ALSO ASKED, MAKING SURE THAT WE ARE IN CONNECTION WITH, YOU KNOW, KEY SMES AND OTHER JURISDICTIONS, AND SO THAT WE'RE ABLE TO, YOU KNOW, MAKE SURE WE'RE CUTTING EDGE AS WELL. AND THEN THE FINAL AREA I WANTED TO, UM, HIT ON, YOU ACTUALLY STARTED WITH MY LAST COLLEAGUE HERE AND TALKING ABOUT THE AI POLICY. SO THE PROMISE OF AI IS QUITE EXCITING IN TERMS OF EFFICIENCIES AND WHAT CAN GET DONE AND HOW WE CAN CONNECT WITH, UM, OUR, OUR RESIDENTS AND GET CITY SERVICES, UH, TOGETHER. BUT WE ALSO KNOW THAT THERE'S LEVELS OF VULNERABILITY TO THAT. UM, AND SO I'M PLEASED TO HEAR THAT WE ARE WORKING ON AN AI POLICY, UM, AND PLEASED TO HEAR THAT THERE ARE SOME AI PILOTS. AND AGAIN, UM, I THINK THAT THAT MIGHT BE A WONDERFUL OPPORTUNITY TO BE ABLE TO HAVE A CLOSED SESSION CONVERSATION REGARDING WHERE WE'RE GOING SO THAT WE CAN ALSO HAVE A VALUES CONVERSATION ABOUT HOW AI IS ABLE TO ASSIST WITH, YOU KNOW, OUR WORK AND OUR ACTIVITIES. UM, SO I'LL STOP THERE. UH, I'VE, I, AND CONGRATULATE YOU AND HAVE YOU HAD ANYTHING TO SAY YOU'RE WELCOME TO OTHERWISE JUST GO AHEAD AND BASK IN THE, UH, THE GLORY OF, OF YOUR ACCOMPLISHMENTS. UH, THANK YOU SO MUCH COUNCIL MEMBER AND FOR SURE YOUR, FOR YOUR RECOMMENDATIONS. WE ARE DEFINITELY INTENDING TO, WE HAVE A CIVIC USER RESEARCH, UH, PROGRAM. SO WE'RE DEFINITELY USING, UH, WE INTEND TO USE CIVIC, OUR, OUR RESIDENTS TO HELP US INFORM REDESIGN OF OUR GO LONG BEACH APP. SO I CAN SAY THAT, AND WE'LL DEFINITELY HEAR YOU ON THE, A CLOSED SESSION. AND I, I THINK WE ARE DUE FOR A CLOSED SESSION, SO, YOU KNOW, I'LL WORK WITH THE CITY MANAGER ON THAT FOR CYBERSECURITY, UM, AS WELL AS, UM, WE CAN TALK ABOUT THE AI IMPLICATIONS RELATED TO CYBERSECURITY IN, IN THAT AS WELL. AND I, I BELIEVE I DIDN'T WRITE DOWN THE THIRD ONE. WHAT WAS THAT? WAS IT THAT THAT WAS IT, THE THIRD? THE OTHER ONE WAS, IT WAS JUST RELATED TO CYBER ATTACKS AND CLOSED SESSION. OH, YEAH, I WAS GONNA MENTION, UM, WE'RE PLEASED TO HOST THE CENTER FOR DIGITAL GOVERNMENT IS, UH, BRINGING THEIR FIRST INAUGURAL PUBLIC SECTOR CYBERSECURITY SUMMIT FOR SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA HERE IN LONG BEACH. WONDERFUL. IN NOVEMBER. WONDERFUL. AND WE'RE HOSTING THAT. WONDERFUL. SO WE'RE HELPING CONVENE PEOPLE FROM ACROSS THE REGION AS FAR DOWN AS SAN DIEGO RELATED TO CYBERSECURITY. SO WE'RE DEFINITELY INVOLVED. OKAY, EXCELLENT. WE CERTAINLY WOULD LOVE TO BE ABLE TO MAKE SOME RECOMMENDATIONS FOR RESIDENTS WHO COULD BE PART OF THAT CONSUMER ADVISORY. PLEASE KEEP US POSTED. DEFINITELY. UM, SO THANK YOU SO MUCH. I'LL NOW MOVE TO, UH, DIRECTOR DE LEON. UM, WE, YOU KNOW, WE WANNA THANK YOU FOR YOUR, UH, CONTINUED ENTHUSIASM FOR THIS EVENING ALL ABOUT LIBRARIES AND WHAT THEIR POSSIBILITIES ARE, UH, FOR, UH, OUR RESIDENTS OF ALL AGES. UM, PEOPLE HAVE ACCESS TO BOOKS, MOVIES, IN, IN THE INTERNET AND MUSIC. UM, AND ONE OF THE TOPICS THAT WE'VE SPENT A LOT OF TIME ON TONIGHT, AND IT'S ALSO ON MY AGENDA, IS THE CULTURAL AND EDUCATIONAL TOUCHSTONES, UM, THAT OUR LIBRARIES OFFER. SO, UM, LET ME JUST DIVE RIGHT INTO TALKING ABOUT THE LIBRARY ARTS AND CULTURAL PROGRAM. UM, YOU'VE NOTED IT, YOU KNOW, YOU TALKED ABOUT THE CLICKER AND KNOWING HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE COMING THROUGH. IT'S FANTASTIC TO SEE A 43 PLUS PERCENT INCREASE IN CULTURAL PROGRAM ATTENDEES. THE PUBLIC IS REALLY RESPONDING, NOT ONLY ARE MY COLLEAGUES, BUT THE PUBLIC AS WELL, UM, AROUND ATTENDING THESE KINDS OF EVENTS. UM, I TOO, I JUST WANNA TAKE A MOMENT TO, UM, MAKE SURE THAT I'M SNAPPING AND CLAPPING AND CONGRATULATING YOU ON OPENING THE FILIPINO AMERICAN CULTURAL HERITAGE PROGRAM COLLECTION AT THE BRET HEART LIBRARY. SO MANY OF OUR CULTURAL COMMUNITIES HAVE THESE NOOKS AND PLACES WITHIN [05:50:01] OUR LIBRARIES ACROSS THE CITY, IN CASE ANYONE DIDN'T KNOW. WE'LL MAKE SURE WE, YOU KNOW, WE WANNA MAKE SURE YOU ADVERTISE ALL OF THOSE IN ALL THE VARIOUS COMMUNITIES WHO HAVE LIBRARY COLLECTIONS WITHIN, UM, OUR SYSTEM. SO THAT IS, UH, VERY EXCITING. UM, I AM ALSO PLEASED, UM, THAT YOU ALL ARE GOING TO BE INVESTING IN STAFF, UH, SUPPORT IN THIS AREA. UM, AND ONE OF THE THINGS, I MEAN, YOU KNOW, DIRECTOR DE UH, DELEON, I'VE WORKED WITH YOU, UM, TO ENSURE THAT THERE ARE CULTURAL ARTIFACTS WITHIN OUR LIBRARIES FOR SEVERAL ORGANIZATIONS THAT I'M A PART OF THAT ARE IN THE AFRICAN AMERICAN COMMUNITY. UM, AND SO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I WOULD LIKE FOR YOU TO, TO TAKE A LOOK AT AND CONSIDER, I NOTICED THAT THIS, UH, CULTURAL AFFAIRS DIVISION, UM, PM OR SME WOULD BE WORKING WITH MEASURE B ORGANIZATIONS AS WELL AS THE LONG BEACH ARTS COUNCIL. I HAVE TO ADMIT, BOTH OF THE ORGANIZATIONS THAT I'M A PART OF PROBABLY DON'T WORK WITH EITHER ONE OF THESE ORGANIZATIONS. SO I'D REALLY LIKE TO FIGURE OUT HOW DO WE CRAFT A WAY TO HELP, UM, WIDER AUDIENCES OF CULTURAL ORGANIZATIONS KNOW AND UNDERSTAND WHAT OPTIONS THEY MIGHT HAVE TO BE ABLE TO DISPLAY, UM, THEIR CULTURAL, UM, HERITAGE WITHIN OUR LIBRARIES. UM, AS YOU KNOW, I'VE BEEN PROUD FOR THE LAST FEW YEARS TO HAVE BEEN ABLE TO FEATURE ALPHA KAPPA ALPHA SORORITY INCORPORATED, UH, WITHIN OUR MICHELLE OBAMA LIBRARY IN THE NORTH PART OF OUR CITY, UM, AS A WAY TO SHARE HOW IMPORTANT IT IS THAT SERVICE AND LEADERSHIP, UM, TAKES PLACE WITHIN OUR COMMUNITY. UM, AND ITS CONNECTION TO THE DIVINE NINE AFRICAN AMERICAN, UH, SORORITIES AND FRATERNITIES, UH, WITHIN OUR COUNTRY AND CERTAINLY WITHIN OUR REGION. SO THAT TO ME IS AN EXAMPLE OF AN ORGANIZATION THAT I THINK IS A WONDERFUL CULTURAL DISPLAY, UM, BUT MAY NOT NECESSARILY BE CONNECTED TO ONE OF THESE TWO ENTITIES. SO I HOPE THAT WE'LL FIND A WAY TO MAKE THAT CONNECTION. YEAH. SO, UM, YES, ABSOLUTELY THE FOCUS WILL BE, UM, THERE IS GONNA BE A LOT OF TIME SPENT ON THE ARTS COUNCIL RELATIONSHIP AND ALSO OUR MEASURE B ORGANIZATIONS, BUT WE ABSOLUTELY RECOGNIZE THAT THERE ARE SO MANY OTHER NONPROFIT GROUPS AND JUST COMMUNITY GROUPS AND CULTURAL GROUPS THAT, YOU KNOW, REALLY WE WANT TO BRING INTO THE LIBRARY WE WANT TO HIGHLIGHT AND WE WANNA PARTNER WITH. SO WE'RE LOOKING DEFINITELY FORWARD TO THAT. UM, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I'M, I'M REALLY EXCITED ABOUT IS DEVELOPING A, A BIT MORE POLICY AROUND HOW WE DO THAT BECAUSE, UH, THE REALITY IS, IS WE DO GET APPROACHED, UM, BY MANY GROUPS LIKE, HEY, CAN I DO THIS EXHIBIT OR THAT EXHIBIT? AND WE WANT TO BE INCLUSIVE, BUT SOMETIMES THERE DO HAVE TO BE SORT OF, YOU KNOW, LIKE THERE HAVE TO BE BOUNDARIES OR, OR, YOU KNOW, SET OF MANAGING EXPECTATIONS. SO I THINK, UM, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT OUR CULTURAL AFFAIRS OFFICER IS GONNA REALLY BE ABLE TO HELP US WITH IS FIGURING OUT WHAT THOSE BOUNDARIES AND POLICIES LOOK LIKE. SO YEAH. WOULD YOU KINDLY DEFINE THE MEASURE B ORGANIZATIONS? DO YOU HAPPEN TO KNOW WHO THEY ARE? UH, I DON'T HAVE A COMPREHENSIVE LIST. OKAY. WITH ME. UH, THERE ARE MANY, TOM UNDERST KNOW WHO THEY ARE, , WHO PULL IT OUT IN THE GIMME A MINUTE. THEY'RE IN HERE. SO THIS, THEY WERE ACTUALLY SET AS PART OF, UM, THE COUNCIL DELIBERATION WHEN WE DID MEASURE B AND THE COUNCIL, UM, UH, DELIBERATED WHO THEY ARE, AND THEN KIND OF PLACED A MORATORIUM ON, YOU KNOW, WHO SHOULD BE ADDED TO THAT LIST FOR A WHILE. SO I CAN GET YOU THAT IN A MINUTE. OKAY, SOUNDS GOOD. I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE THE PUBLIC WAS AWARE IN CASE THEY WERE CONNECTED TO ANY OF THOSE ORGANIZATIONS. UM, SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR, UH, YOUR REPORT. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT, COUNCIL MEMBER OTTI. UM, THANK YOU. UH, I JUST HAD QUESTIONS FOR OUR WONDERFUL, UH, LIBRARY DIRECTOR AND IT REALLY WAS JUST TWO, UM, POINTS OF JUST CLARIFICATION, UM, IN YOUR PRESENTATION. AND AGAIN, UM, I LOVE OUR LIBRARIES. I GO TO MICHELLE OBAMA LIBRARY A LOT. VERY EXCITED ABOUT OUR NEW GARDEN AND MY, AND JUST, YOU KNOW, MY RESIDENTS ARE LIKE, LIKE ALL ON SOCIAL MEDIA, LIKE, DID YOU SEE THE FENCE? DID YOU SEE, DID YOU SEE WHAT THEY'RE DOING? IT'S GONNA BE GREAT. SO ANYWAY, I KNOW IT TOOK US A LITTLE BIT TO GET THERE, BUT WE'RE HERE . UM, ONE QUESTION OR LIKE TWO, ACTUALLY TWO RELATED QUESTIONS. SO I KNOW YOU MENTIONED THE STRATEGIC PLAN, AND SO DID I HEAR YOU RIGHT, THE STRATEGIC PLAN FOR 20 25, 20 30? IT HAS BEEN RELEASED OR IT WILL BE RELEASED? WILL BE RELEASED. OKAY. WE'RE WORKING ON IT. WE'RE PUTTING THE FINAL TOUCHES ON IT. OKAY. DO YOU HAVE A ESTIMATED TIMELINE? WE SHOULD BE ROLLING IT OUT PROBABLY IN THE NEXT FOUR TO SIX WEEKS. THERE'S JUST A, IT'S UNDERGONE FINAL REVIEW, UM, WITH THE CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE. WE'RE IN A GOOD PLACE. IT'S REALLY JUST AT THE GRAPHIC DESIGN AND I OWE THEM A LETTER, UH, AN INTRODUCTION, FOR THE PLAN THAT I NEED TO WORK ON. SO WE'RE GETTING THERE. WELL, UH, PERHAPS YOU CAN SPEAK, UH, AND WORK WITH OUR WONDERFUL TID MAYBE AI CAN HELP YOU OR I'LL WRITE YOUR LETTER . UH, AND THEN ON SLIDE 59 UNDER THE [05:55:01] CULTURAL AFFAIRS DIVISION, UM, YOU MENTIONED ON THE LAST BULLET POINT YOU SAID DIVISION CREATION AND FUTURE GROWTH BASED UPON A RECOMMENDATION OF THE SIX MONTH CULTURAL AFFAIRS STUDY. CAN YOU TALK ABOUT THE CULTURAL AFFAIRS STUDY? SURE. SO THAT'S THE STUDY THAT WAS, UM, IT, THE BUDGET FOR THAT WAS ALLOCATED IN FY 25. AND SO WITH THAT, WE, UM, DID AN RFP AND WE CONS. WE ENDED UP, UH, CONTRACTING WITH LORD CULTURAL RESOURCES. UM, THERE'RE A GLOBAL FIRM THAT, UH, WORKS IN THE ARTS AND CULTURAL SPACE AND THEY BASICALLY DID ABOUT A HUNDRED STAKEHOLDER INTERVIEWS. UH, THEY REACHED OUT TO, THEY HELD SEVERAL, UM, COMMUNITY MEETINGS, UH, A LOT OF, UH, IN-DEPTH FOCUS GROUP WORK WITH A LOT OF THE DIFFERENT CULTURAL AND ARTS ORGANIZATIONS AND ALSO WITH LIBRARY ADVOCATES AROUND THE CITY TO KIND OF UNDERSTAND WHAT THE PRIORITIES WERE, WHERE PEOPLE, YOU KNOW, WHAT PEOPLE WERE FEELING ABOUT THE CITY'S RELATIONSHIP TO ARTS AND CULTURE. AND SO WITH THAT, UM, THEY ALSO DID A, UM, COMPARISON WITH I BELIEVE NINE OTHER CITIES, UH, THAT HAVE, UH, CONJOINED LIBRARY ARTS AND CULTURE DEPARTMENTS AND SORT OF LOOKED AT BEST PRACTICES ACROSS THE BOARD. SO THEY LOOKED AT US COMPARED TO GLENDALE, CALIFORNIA AS ONE OF THOSE. AURORA, COLORADO WAS ANOTHER ONE, UH, WHERE, UH, THEY COMBINED ARTS AND CULTURE AND WORK WITH LIBRARIES TO KIND OF DO THAT WORK. AND SO THEY LOOKED AT DIFFERENT STAFFING MODELS, THEY LOOKED AT FUNDING STRUCTURES, UH, DIFFERENT, YOU KNOW, TAX MEASURES THAT SOME OTHER PLACES USED TO SUPPORT THAT WORK. SO, UH, THEY PROVIDED A SET OF RECOMMENDATIONS THAT WE'RE GONNA WORK OFF OF, UH, OVER THE NEXT FEW YEARS TO SEE WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE. IS THAT CULTURAL FAIR STUDY THAT'S SOMETHING THAT'S BEEN RELEASED TO THE PUBLIC, OR IS THAT AN INTERNAL DOCUMENT? UH, IT WAS RELEASED IN A MEMO A FEW WEEKS AGO, SO, AND THEN IT WAS, UH, YEAH, IT'S A, IT'S ABOUT A 70 PAGE STUDY THAT CAME OUT. OKAY. AND THEN LAST QUESTION IS, UM, NOW IS THAT STUDY THEN BEING USED TO INFORM THE STRATEGIC PLAN, DO THOSE TWO THINGS WORK TOGETHER? ARE THEY KIND OF IN SILOS? LIKE CAN YOU TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT? THERE IS SOME CROSSOVER AND RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THEM. UH, BOTH CONSULTANTS, THEY, IT'S TWO SEPARATE CONSULTANTS, BUT BOTH CONSULTANTS WERE AWARE THAT THE WORK WAS HAPPENING AND SO EACH MAKES REFERENCE TO EACH OTHER, IF THAT MAKES SENSE. IT'S NOT SUPER SYNERGISTIC BECAUSE THEY, AGAIN, IT'S TWO SEPARATE CONSULTANTS AND THE SCOPE WAS DIFFERENT. UM, BUT THERE IS, UH, I BELIEVE REFERENCE MADE TO EACH OF THE, LIKE THE DIFFERENT EXPANSION OF SCOPE OF WORK, UH, WITHIN EACH DOCUMENT. OKAY. THANK YOU FOR THAT. ALRIGHT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. GOODNIGHT. YOU CAN ALL GO BACK, WE DON'T NEED TO VOTE ON THIS. AND THEN IF YOU WANT TO DO THE MEASURE B, UM, SO WE DON'T HAVE TO COME BACK IN WRITING WITH THAT, IF WE COULD DO THAT RIGHT NOW. SO, UM, THERE ARE, THERE ARE UM, THE THREE ORGANIZATIONS, THE CULTURAL ONES THAT RECEIVE A, UM, A DEFINED AMOUNT FOR THE AFRICAN AMERICAN CULTURAL CENTER, LATINO CULTURAL CENTER IN CAMBODIAN, UH, AMERICAN CULTURAL CENTER. AND THEN, UM, THE, THEN WE HAVE OTHER ORGANIZATIONS THAT GET FUNDING BASED ON ACTUAL MEASURE B REVENUE. SO 'CAUSE IT GOES UP AND DOWN AND THEN IT'S SPLIT AND, AND OUT ON A QUARTERLY BASIS DONE BY THE ARTS COUNCIL. AND THAT'S THE LONG BEACH OPERA SOUTH COAST CORAL, UM, UH, THE UM, OR CORRAL, THE, THE BEACH SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA, THE LONG BEACH PLAYHOUSE. LONG BEACH CAMARADERIE SINGERS, UH, MUSICAL ANGELICA, UM, INTERNATIONAL CITY THEATER, MUSICAL THEATER, WEST LONG BEACH MUSEUM OF ART AND MUSEUM OF LATIN AMERICAN ART. ALRIGHT, THANK YOU. ALRIGHT, WELL THAT CONCLUDES, UH, TONIGHT'S BUDGET HEARING. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. LET'S BEGIN THE CITY COUNCIL MEETING NOW TO VOTE. NO, WE DON'T NEED TO VOTE TO CONTINUE THAT. WE DON'T NEED TO VOTE, RIGHT? NO, WE WE HAVEN'T BEEN CLOSING IT. YOU'RE JUST CONTINUING SO YOU'RE NOT VOTING. SO WE DON'T NEED VOTING TO DO ANYTHING. WELL, YOU'LL HAVE A MOTION OF SECOND, SO YOU DO HAVE TO OKAY. ALL RIGHT. ALL IN FAVOR OR PUSH THE BUTTON? . IT WAS VERY UN LIKE WHAT IF WE DON'T WANT TO CONTINUE THE BUDGET HEARING? WHAT DO WE WANT? JUST, JUST TO BE OVER DONE. JUST BE DONE. BUDGET ADOPTED MOTION IS CARRIED. ALL RIGHT. MOTION CARRIED. GREAT, THANK YOU. ITEM SEVEN, ITEM 21. PLEASE REPORT FROM HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES RECOMMENDATION [21. 25-56196 Recommendation to adopt resolution authorizing City Manager, or designee, to execute contracts, and any necessary documents including any necessary subsequent amendments, with 1736 Family Crisis Center, of Los Angeles, CA; Catholic Charities of Los Angeles, of Los Angeles, CA; Goodwill, Southern Los Angeles County, of Long Beach, CA; Harbor Interfaith Services, Inc., of San Pedro, CA; Interval House, of Long Beach, CA; Lutheran Social Services of Southern California, of Orange, CA; Mental Health America of Los Angeles, of Long Beach, CA; PATH, of Los Angeles, CA; The Children’s Clinic ‘Serving Children and Their Families,’ of Long Beach, CA; and United States Veterans Initiative, of Los Angeles, CA, for providing operations and supportive services for the Continuum of Care funded programs that support adults, youth, and families with minor children experiencing homelessness in the City of Long Beach, in a total annual aggregate amount not to exceed $7,662,008, from July 1, 2025, through June 30, 2026, with the option to renew for one additional one-year period, at the discretion of City Manager; and Increase appropriations in the Health Fund Group in the Health and Human Services Department by $10,842,557, offset by grant revenue. (Citywide) Levine Act: Yes       Office or Department: Health and Human Services         Suggested Action: Approve recommendation. ] TO ADOPT RESOLUTION TO EXECUTE CONTRACTS AND ANY NECESSARY DOCUMENTS, INCLUDING ANY NECESSARY SUBSEQUENT AMENDMENTS WITH VARIOUS CONTRACTORS FOR PROVIDING OPERATIONS AND SUPPORTIVE SERVICES FOR THE CONTINUUM OF CARE FUNDED PROGRAMS THAT SUPPORT ADULTS, YOUTH, AND FAMILIES WITH MINOR CHILDREN EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS IN THE CITY OF LONG BEACH AND A TOTAL ANNUAL AGGREGATE AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $7,662,008 CITYWIDE. THANK YOU. WE'RE FORTUNATE TO HAVE OUR OWN CONTINUUM OF CARE IN THE CITY [06:00:01] OF LONG BEACH. IS THERE ANY PUBLIC COMMENT? MEMBERS PLEASE CAST YOUR VOTE. MOTION IS CARRIED. 22. PLEASE REPORT FROM LONG BEACH AIRPORT RECOMMENDATION [22. 25-56197 Recommendation to adopt Specifications No. RFP-AP-23-287 and award a contract to Paradies - Long Beach II, LLC, of Atlanta, GA, for the operation of pre-security concessions located in the Meeters and Greeters Plaza and the Historic Terminal at Long Beach Airport, for a period of 14 years, and authorize City Manager, or designee, to execute all documents necessary to enter into the contract, including any necessary subsequent amendments; and Authorize City Manager, or designee, to execute all documents necessary to amend Contract No. 32791 with Paradies Long Beach II, LLC, of Atlanta, GA, for the operation of post-security food and beverage concessions at the Long Beach Airport and Contract No. 32846 with Paradies Long Beach, LLC, of Atlanta, GA, for the operation of post-security gift/news/retail concessions at the Long Beach Airport, to extend the terms of the contracts through November 30, 2039. (District 5)       Office or Department: Long Beach Airport         Suggested Action: Approve recommendation. ] TO ADOPT SPECIFICATIONS AND AWARD A CONTRACT TO PARITIES LONG BEACH. TWO FOR THE OPERATION OF PRE-SECURITY CONCESSIONS LOCATED IN THE METERS AND GREETERS PLAZA IN THE HISTORIC TERMINAL AT LONG BEACH AIRPORT. AND TO EXECUTE ALL DOCUMENTS NECESSARY TO ENTER INTO THE CONTRACT, INCLUDING ANY NECESSARY SUBSEQUENT AMENDMENTS AND EXECUTE ALL DOCUMENTS NECESSARY TO AMEND A CONTRACT WITH PARA PARODIES LONG BEACH TWO FOR THE OPERATION OF POST SECURITY FOOD AND BEVERAGE CONCESSIONS AT THE LONG BEACH AIRPORT AND CONTRACT WITH PARODIES LONG BEACH FOR THE OPERATION OF POST SECURITY GIFTS. NEWS, RETAIL CONCESSION AT THE LONG BEACH AIRPORT DISTRICT FIVE. ALL RIGHT, GREAT. THANK YOU. IT'S LATE. WE APPRECIATE IT. THIS IS GOOD STUFF. AND THIS IS THE PRE PRE-SECURITY CONCESSION, THE NEW AREA. RIGHT. GREAT. WE LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING RENDERINGS AND PHOTOS AND ALL THAT. THANK YOU SO MUCH. IS THERE ANY PUBLIC COMMENT HERE? THANK YOU. MEMBERS, PLEASE CAST YOUR VOTE. MOTION IS CARRIED. HAVE A GOOD NIGHT DIRECTOR. UH, ITEM 23, PLEASE REPORT FROM PUBLIC WORKS RECOMMENDATION TO ADOPT PLANS [23. 25-56198 Recommendation to adopt Plans and Specifications No. R-7213 and award a contract to K.F.Y. United Mechanical Contractors Inc. dba United Mechanical Contractors of Simi Valley, CA for the Multi Service Center Energy Efficiency Upgrade Project, in an amount of $1,858,000, authorize a 20 percent contingency in the amount of $371,600, for a total contract amount not to exceed $2,229,600; and authorize City Manager, or designee, to execute all documents necessary to enter into the contract, including any necessary amendments. (District 1)       Office or Department: Public Works         Suggested Action: Approve recommendation. ] AND SPECIFICATIONS AND AWARD A CONTRACT TO KFY UNITED MECHANICAL CONTRACTORS FOR THE MULTI-SERVICE CENTER ENERGY EFFICIENCY UPGRADE PROJECT FOR A TOTAL CONTRACT AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED 2,229,600 DISTRICT ONE. IS THERE ANY PUBLIC COMMENT? NO PUBLIC COMMENT MEMBERS PLEASE CAST YOUR VOTE. MOTION IS CARRIED. ALRIGHT. UH, 24. PLEASE REPORT FROM HARBOR RECOMMENDATION TO DECLARE ORDINANCE [24. 25-56260 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 and adopted as read. (District 7)       Office or Department: Harbor         Suggested Action: Approve recommendation. ] TO APPROVE, CONFIRM AND RATIFY ORDINANCES 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. RED AND ADOPTED AS RED DISTRICT SEVEN. IT'S A GREAT PROJECT. FULL SUPPORT IS ANY PUBLIC COMMENT. MEMBERS, PLEASE CAST YOUR VOTE. MOTION IS CARRIED. GENERAL PUBLIC COMMENT NUMBER TWO, PLEASE. [ PUBLIC COMMENT: IMMEDIATELY PRIOR TO ADJOURNMENT Opportunity is given to those members of the public who have not addressed the City Council on non-agenda items. Each speaker is limited to three minutes unless extended by the City Council. ] WE SEE FOUR PEOPLE SIGNED UP. I WILL CALL THEIR NAMES, BUT I DON'T THINK THEY'RE HERE. UH, LORDES? NO. GREG VIS LOURDES DIXON. JOSE NAVARRO AND CJ EMILY? NO. I ONLY SEE FOUR AND EMILY THERE. FIVE. OH AND EMILY. MUCH NOT SO MUCH. ALL RIGHT. MOVING ALONG. UH, CLOSING ANNOUNCEMENTS IN ADJOURNMENT. [ANNOUNCEMENTS] ALL RIGHT. CUE ON UP FOLKS. COUNCIL MEMBER KERR. YES. THANK YOU MR. MAYOR. THIS SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 6TH, IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE CONSERVATION CORPS OF PUBLIC WORKS AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT, OUR OFFICE IS HOSTING OUR FIFTH DISTRICT DUMP DAY ACROSS THE FIFTH DISTRICT. SO FROM 8:00 AM TO 12 NOON, RESIDENTS ARE INVITED TO VISIT WARDLOW PARK, PAN AM PARK, OR THE CORNER OF ROOSEVELT IN CERRITOS NEAR HUGHES MIDDLE SCHOOL TO DROP OFF UNWANTED HOUSEHOLD ITEMS. IT'S A GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO GET RID OF BULKY ITEMS THAT DON'T FIT IN YOUR BIN FURNITURE, MATTRESSES, E-WASTE, DISPOSE OF THEM FOR FREE HELP KEEP THEM OFF OF OUR STREETS, ALLEYS, AND WATERWAYS. UH, LOOK FOR MORE INFORMATION AT OUR DISTRICT WEBSITE AND ALSO I'D LIKE TO REMIND FOLKS OUR NEXT DISTRICT FIVE COMMUNITY MEETING IS THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 25TH, 6:00 PM AT WARDLOW PARK COMMUNITY CENTER, FEATURING CITY MANAGER TOM MOCA. SO WE HOPE TO SEE YOU THERE AND FINALLY INVITE YOU TO RE RESIDENTS TO VISIT THE HANGAR AT LBX THIS WEEKEND FOR FIELD GOAL POPUP SEP ON SATURDAY SEPTEMBER 6TH FROM 12 TO NOON. ALWAYS GOOD THINGS HAPPENING AT LBX. WE'LL SEE YOU OUT THERE. ALL RIGHT, THANK YOU COUNCILMAN RICK. SO, UM, I'M SURE YOU'RE ALL HAPPY TO KNOW THAT ON TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 9TH AT 1:00 PM THE BUDGET OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE, WILL WE HOLDING ITS FINAL MEETING, UM, THE COM WHERE THE COMMITTEE WILL SHARE THE RECOMMENDATION COMMITTEE WAS SHARED RECOMMENDATIONS ON THE FISCAL YEAR 26 POST BUDGET. I INVITE YOU TO COME US TO HEAR THE RECOMMENDATIONS AND SEE HOW COMMUNITY FEEDBACK HAS HELPED FORM THIS YEAR'S BUDGET DISCUSSIONS. UM, ANNOUNCEMENTS. UM, I'D LIKE TO INVITE EVERYBODY OUT TO ATTEND THE NEXT DISTRICT NINE WALK UPTOWN ON FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 5TH FROM FIVE 30 TO SIX 30. THIS EVENT IS A COMMUNITY WALKING GROUP CONNECTING NEIGHBORS HIGHLIGHT MOBILITY AND LEARN TO REPORT LOCAL CONCERNS WITH THE GO LONG BEACH APP. THIS EVENT WILL TAKE PLACE IN FRONT OF THE STAR KING ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, 1 4 5 EAST ARTESIA BOULEVARD. FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT MY OFFICE. I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO INVITE EVERYONE OUT TO THE COUNCIL DISTRICT NINE PORT OF LONG BEACH GREENPORT TOUR ON THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 11TH FROM SIX TO 7:30 PM AGAIN, THIS EVENT WILL FEATURE AN INFORMATIVE BOAT TOUR HIGHLIGHTING THE PORT OF LONG BEACH'S INNOVATIVE GREEN INITIATIVES AND SUSTAINABILITY EFFORTS. I'D LIKE TO INVITE EVERYBODY OUT ALSO TO ATTEND THE DEFOREST PARK [06:05:01] NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION TEEN SUMMIT ON SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 12TH FROM 9:30 AM TO 2:00 PM THIS EVENT WILL PROVIDE HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS WITH VALUABLE RESOURCES, INFORMATION, AND INSPIRATION TO PURSUE HIGHER EDUCATION AND PREPARE FOR THE WORKFORCE. I BELIEVE THEY'LL ALSO BE DOING, UM, A SESSION ON, UM, ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE. THE TEEN SUMMIT WILL TAKE PLACE AT THE MICHELLE OBAMA LIBRARY, 58 70 ATLANTIC AVENUE. UH, AND FINALLY, I WOULD LIKE TO INVITE, UM, YOU ALL TO ATTEND THE COUNCIL DISTRICT NINE LEAD. OUR LEARN AND POWER ADVOCATE DEVELOP UPTOWN ACADEMY ON SATURDAY, OCTOBER 4TH FROM NINE 30 TO 2:00 PM THIS EVENT IS DESIGNED TO EMPOWER COMMUNITY MEMBERS BY OFFERING RESOURCES, INSIGHTS, AND TOOLS TO BECOME EFFECTIVE ADVOCATES FOR THEIR NEIGHBORHOODS. THIS EVENT WILL BE AT LO, WILL BE HELD AT THE DORIS TOPSY ELBERT, UM, COMMUNITY CENTER, LOCATED AT 63 0 1 MYRTLE AVENUE. FOR MORE INFORMATION, UM, PLEASE CONTACT OUR OFFICE AT 5 6 2 5 7 0 6 1 3 7 OR DISTRICT9@LONGBEACH.GOV. THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN ROWLEY. UM, YES. UM, I'D LIKE TO CLOSE AN HONOR OF LONG BEACH RESIDENT AND BUSINESS OWNER OF FLORIDA MARIA CHAVARRIA, WHO SADLY PASSED AWAY FROM BREAST CANCER TWO DAYS AGO. UM, I KNOW SHE WAS A GREAT FRIEND AND A SUPPORTER OF MANY. SHE WAS JUST A KIND AND GREAT PERSON ALL AROUND. UM, SHE SURVIVED BY HER DAUGHTER, HER SON ANDREW, HER SISTER, WHO WAS ALSO A CITY EMPLOYEE, ANGELA CHAVARRIA. UM, OUR CONDOLENCES AND PRAYERS GO OUT TO HER FAMILY AND FRIENDS, AND I KNOW THAT SHE WILL BE GREATLY MISSED. ALL RIGHT, THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER SORROW? YES. SO I AM SHARING ADVANCE, UH, TO SAVE THE DATE FOR THE 38TH ANNUAL MARTIN LUTHER KING JR. PARADE AND CELEBRATION. AND THIS YEAR'S THEME IS RISE UP, STAND UP FOR HIS DREAM. AND WE JUST HAD OUR ADVISE MLK PARADE, UH, SORRY, CELEBRATION ADVISORY, SORRY, PARADE AND CELEBRATION ADVISORY COMMITTEE MEET, UM, A FEW WEEKS AGO TO INCLUDE COMMUNITY FEEDBACK ON THE EVENT. THANK YOU. THAT'S GREAT. LOOKING FORWARD TO IT. COUNCIL MEMBER THRASH AND TOOK, THANK YOU SO MUCH. I JUST WANNA TAKE A MOMENT TO THANK ALL THOSE WHO CAME OUT TO THE BACKPACK GIVEAWAY PAC TO SCHOOL EVENT ON AUGUST 23RD IN DISTRICT EIGHT, WE HAD OVER A THOUSAND YOUNG PEOPLE AND FAMILIES OUT. I WANNA THANK THE CITY FAMILY FOR ALL OF THEIR SUPPORT. UH, SO MANY DEPARTMENTS WERE THERE TO MAKE SURE THAT THERE WERE RESOURCES, UH, FOR OUR COMMUNITY AS WELL AS NOURISHMENT, UM, AND FUN. SO NOW THAT EVERYBODY'S BACK TO SCHOOL, UH, WE HOPE THAT THEY'RE HAVING A GREAT TIME. AND THEN WE WANNA THANK, UH, THE ELM AVENUE ASSOCIATION THAT HAS GOTTEN VERY ACTIVE, UM, IN DISTRICT EIGHT. UH, THEY HAD I THINK OVER A HUNDRED RESIDENTS OUT FOR THE BLOCK PARTY THIS WEEKEND. UM, THAT INCLUDED A WATER BALLOON FIGHT AMONG OTHER THINGS. SO, UH, JUST SOME GOOD OLD FASHIONED FUN IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND EXCITED TO SEE THEM CONTINUE TO GROW. HAVE A GOOD EVENING. ALRIGHT, WELL THANK YOU VERY MUCH AND THE BACKPACK GIVEAWAY WAS, WAS AWESOME. CONGRATULATIONS. THANKS FOR COMING OUT, MAYOR TO BE BE THERE. ABSOLUTELY APPRECIATE IT. YOU KNOW WHAT, I WAS IN LIKE ALL YOUR DISTRICTS THESE LAST COUPLE WEEKS AT YOUR BLOCK PARTIES AND YOUR BACKPACK GIVEAWAYS. YOU GUYS KEEP KILLING IT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. UH, WE'LL BE BACK NEXT WEEK. HAVE A GOOD NIGHT MEETING. [ADJOURNMENT] ADJOURN. * 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.