Sep 16, 2025 City Council - Revised

[00:01:33]

ALRIGHT, WELL, LET'S, UH, IT IS SEPTEMBER 16TH.

WELCOME TO THE MEETING OF LONG BEACH CITY COUNCIL.

WE'RE GONNA CALL THIS MEETING THE ORDER ROLL CALL PLEASE.

COUNCILWOMAN ZENDEJAS.

PRESENT.

COUNCILWOMAN ALLEN.

PRESENT.

COUNCIL MEMBER DUGGAN.

HERE.

COUNCILMAN OW.

COUNCILWOMAN KERR.

HERE.

COUNCILWOMAN SORROW.

PRESENT.

VICE MAYOR URANGA.

PRESENT COUNCILWOMAN THRASH OOK.

HERE.

COUNCIL MEMBER RICK OTI.

HERE.

MAYOR RICHARDSON.

I'M HERE.

WE HAVE A QUORUM.

THANK YOU.

I'M GONNA ASK COUNCIL MEMBER KURT, TO LEAD US IN A MOMENT OF SILENCE AND A PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE.

GOOD EVENING EVERYONE.

[PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE]

SO, UH, THANK YOU EVERYBODY FOR BEING HERE IN PERSON AND ONLINE TO JOIN US.

UM, I'D ASK THAT YOU TAKE A BIG DEEP BREATH AND JOIN ME IN A MOMENT OF SILENCE, PLEASE.

THANK YOU

[00:05:01]

PLEASE STAND IF YOU'RE ABLE AND JOIN US IN THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE.

ALRIGHT, READY, BEGIN.

THANK YOU SO MUCH.

ALRIGHT, THANK YOU.

ALRIGHT, WE HAVE THREE PRESENTATIONS, UH, THIS EVENING.

UM, FIRST LET'S START WITH NATIONAL PREPAREDNESS MONTH, AND WE'RE GONNA INVITE, UH, CITY MANAGER TO, TO LEAD THIS PRESENTATION.

ALL RIGHT.

UH, WE HAVE A NUMBER OF OUR DISASTER MANAGERS IN THE AUDIENCE, AND, UH, LED BY OUR DIRECTOR OF DISASTER PREPAREDNESS EMERGENCY COMMUNICATIONS, MR. REGGIE HARRISON.

ALRIGHT.

ALL RIGHT.

MR. HARRISON, THE MASTER OF DISASTER.

.

THAT'S RIGHT.

.

THAT'S RIGHT.

THANK YOU SO MUCH, MAYOR.

MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL, UM, FOR RECOGNIZING SEPTEMBER NATIONAL PREPAREDNESS MONTH.

IT GIVES US AN OPPORTUNITY TO ENCOURAGE OUR RESIDENTS TO PREPARE FOR NATURAL DISASTER, MANMADE DISASTERS OF ALL KINDS MAJOR, UH, EMERGENCIES.

AND CERTAINLY THIS YEAR WE HAVE FACED A LOT OF MAJOR EMERGENCIES AND, AND DISASTERS, UH, STARTING RIGHT OFF IN JANUARY WITH THOSE HORRENDOUS FIRES IN THE, IN THE LOS ANGELES, UH, AREA.

UNFORTUNATELY, 12 PEOPLE LOST THEIR LIVES IN MULTIPLE STRUCTURES WERE DESTROYED, INCLUDING, INCLUDING HOMES.

THAT ALSO RESULTED IN HUNDREDS OF OUR FIRST RESPONDERS, UH, BEING DEPLOYED THERE IN THAT AREA.

UH, ALONG WITH, FOR THE FIRST TIME, WE DEPLOYED A LITTLE BIT MORE THAN 20 OF OUR NON-SWORN STAFF INTO THAT AREA AS WELL, TO ASSIST OUR NEIGHBORING, UM, CITIES.

AND THEN IN JULY, WE PREPARED FOR A POTENTIAL TSUNAMI .

UH, WE ISSUED ALERT WARNINGS, UH, OF, UH, ADVISORY, UH, WARNINGS TO RESIDENTS THAT LIVED IN THOSE LOW LYING, UH, AREAS OF THE, OF THE CITY, UM, THAT COULD BE MOST, UH, IMPACTED BY A POSSIBILITY OF A TSUNAMI.

UM, I SPOKE WITH SOME OF THE REST, UH, SOME OF THE RESIDENTS AFTERWARDS.

THEY SAID THAT THEY HAD PREPARED, THEY HAD PRACTICED THEIR TSUNAMI WALK AND WAS PREPARED TO EVACUATE, UH, IF NECESSARY.

AND FORTUNATELY, UH, THAT WAS NOT NECESSARY.

AND THEN NOW, CURRENTLY, AND FOR THE LAST FEW WEEKS, WE'VE BEEN EXPERIENCING EXTREME HEAT.

UM, SO MUCH SO THAT WE'VE OPENED OUR COOLING CENTERS, UH, MULTIPLE TIMES TO PROVIDE RELIEF WATER TO OUR RESIDENTS.

AND THEY'VE TAKEN ADVANTAGE OF THAT OPPORTUNITY, UH, TO GET AWAY FROM SOME OF THE HEAT.

UH, PREPAREDNESS MONTH THEME THIS YEAR IS PREPAREDNESS BEGINS AT HOME.

AND SO AS A PART OF THAT, UM, WE HAVE RELAUNCHED OUR READY LONG BEACH, UH, NEIGHBORHOOD PROGRAM, A PROGRAM DESIGNED TO TEACH OUR RESIDENTS TO WORK TOGETHER, NEIGHBORS HELPING NEIGHBORS, ESPECIALLY IN THOSE IMMEDIATE HOURS, UH, AFTER A DISASTER BEFORE FIRST RESPONDERS CAN CAN ARRIVE ON, ON THE SCENE.

UM, AND NEXT MONTH IN OCTOBER, ON OCTOBER THE 12TH, WE BRING BACK OUR READY LONG BEACH PREPAREDNESS EXPO.

THAT'S ON OCTOBER THE 12TH.

WE'RE GONNA BE AT A NEW LOCATION THIS YEAR OVER AT VETERAN STADIUM, AND THERE'S A LOT MORE TO COME ON THAT.

UM, A LOT MORE INFORMATION WE'LL SHARE WITH YOU AS WELL AS, UH, WITH THE PUBLIC.

AND THEN FINALLY, IN OCTOBER, WE'RE GONNA ENCOURAGE ALL OF OUR RESIDENTS TO PARTICIPATE IN THE GREAT SHAKEOUT, UH, EVENT TO PRACTICE, UH, THEIR EARTHQUAKE, UH, PREPAREDNESS DRILLS SINCE THAT'S OCTOBER THE 16TH.

AND THEN AS THE CITY MANAGER NOTED, I AM JOINED BY A LOT OF OUR STAFF THAT WORK IN THE, UM, EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT FIELD ALONG WITH OUR ER, ALONG WITH OUR 9 1 1 COMMUNICATIONS OFFICER, UM, AS WELL.

SO THIS IS OUR TEAM FROM THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT FROM DISASTER PREPAREDNESS.

THIS IS A PART OF OUR TEAM THAT WE HAVE AS OUR, AS AS A AS AS A PART OF, UH, OUR PRIORITIES TO EDUCATE THE PUBLIC WORK WITH OUR CITY STAFF TEAMS AS WELL.

SO, THANK YOU.

THANK YOU, MAYOR.

THANK YOU, UH, MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL FOR ALL OF THE SUPPORT THAT YOU PROVIDE TO US.

ALRIGHT, WELL WE WANT TO THANK YOU AND OUR DIRECTOR, OUR DEPARTMENT OF DISASTER PREPAREDNESS AND THE, YOU KNOW, HEALTH DEPARTMENT, ALL THE DEPARTMENTS THAT PLAY A ROLE, WE WANNA THANK ALL OF YOU.

WE KNOW THAT THERE'S BEEN, YOU KNOW, UNEXPECTED THINGS THAT HAVE TAKEN PLACE OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS, BUT OUR

[ NATIONAL PREPAREDNESS MONTH]

AND SO WE PRAY THAT THOSE DAYS NEVER COME, BUT WE, WE ARE READY WHEN THEY DO.

YEAH.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.

THANK YOU.

THANK YOU.

IT IS TIME FOR LONG BEACH GIVES.

[ LONG BEACH GIVES]

[00:10:03]

UM, AND WE HAVE A BUNCH OF RED SHIRTS.

IT'S LONG BEACH GIVES.

WE CELEBRATE THIS EVERY YEAR AND MICHELLE'S GONNA TELL US, UH, HOW WE'RE DOING THIS YEAR.

SO FAR, WE'VE RAISED OVER ALMOST $700,000, SO THAT'S HOW WE'RE DOING RIGHT NOW.

THAT'S HOW WE'RE DOING.

UM, THANK YOU MAYOR, COUNCIL MEMBERS, STAFF, AND ALL OF THE COMMUNITY HERE.

WE ARE BACK.

LONG BEACH GIVES US BACK FOR ITS SEVENTH YEAR, AND A LOT OF THE NONPROFITS HAVE JOINED US HERE TODAY.

UM, THIS IS THE LARGEST COLLABORATION OF NONPROFITS WE HAVE IN THE CITY.

WE RAISE FUNDS EACH YEAR.

THIS WILL BE OUR SEVENTH YEAR FOR ALL OF THE AMAZING PROGRAMS THAT ARE HAPPENING IN EACH AND EVERY DISTRICT IN EVERY NEIGHBORHOOD ACROSS THIS CITY.

THIS YEAR WE ARE BREAKING RECORDS ALREADY.

WE HAVE 290 NONPROFITS PARTICIPATING.

IT'S OUR BIGGEST YEAR YET.

LET'S HEAR IT FOR THE NONPROFITS.

UM, IN THE PAST.

AND YOU CAN SEE THE DIFFERENT CATEGORY AREAS.

WE'RE HITTING 16 CATEGORY AREAS, WHICH REALLY COVERS EVERYTHING IN NONPROFIT DOES IN THE COMMUNITY, BUT TO DATE, LONG BEACH GIVES, HAS HELPED RAISE $10 MILLION FOR PROGRAMMING IN LONG BEACH IN THE COMMUNITY.

SO LET'S HEAR THAT FOR THE NONPROFITS AND ALL THE HARD WORK THEY'RE PUTTING IN.

SO SEPTEMBER IS THE MONTH TO CELEBRATE NONPROFITS.

WE'RE EXCITED TO HEAR THE CITY RELAUNCHING THE EMPLOYEE GIVING PROGRAM SO THEY CAN CONTINUE TO SUPPORT NONPROFITS YEAR ROUND.

AND WE ARE JUST HERE TO SHOW OUR LOVE FOR ALL OF THE NONPROFITS.

SO WITH THAT, I'M GONNA PASS IT OFF TO OUR CAMPAIGN MANAGER, CARRIE ELDRIDGE, TO TALK A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THE CAMPAIGN.

THANK YOU.

THANK YOU, MICHELLE.

GOOD EVENING, MAYOR.

COUNCIL MEMBERS, UH, FIRST OF ALL, THANK YOU FOR GIVING US THE SPACE AND THE TIME TO TALK ABOUT OUR NONPROFITS AND EVERYTHING THEY DO FOR OUR AMAZING CITY.

THIS YEAR, LONG BEACH GIVES, HAS RECEIVED MORE SUPPORT FROM CITY COUNCIL THAN IT EVER HAS IN THE PAST.

HALF OF YOU ACTUALLY SUPPORTED FINANCIALLY LONG BEACH GIVES TO EXIST FOR THE NONPROFITS TO USE.

SO THANK YOU.

AND I RECEIVE YOUR GUYS' WEEKLY EMAILS EVERY WEEK.

I READ THEM, I SEE YOU GUYS SHOUTING OUT TO YOUR NONPROFITS.

I SEE YOU SHARING THEIR STORIES.

I APPRECIATE YOU.

THE NONPROFITS APPRECIATE YOU.

IT IS A REALLY SPECIAL RELATIONSHIP THAT YOU GUYS DO HAVE.

SO, UM, AS MICHELLE STOLE MY MOMENT ON THIS ONE, THIS YEAR, WE DO HAVE 291 NONPROFITS, WHICH IS A RECORD NUMBER OF NONPROFITS FOR ANY GIVEN YEAR OF LONG BEACH.

GIVES.

IT IS AMAZING OPPORTUNITY FOR THESE NONPROFITS TO BRING UNRESTRICTED FUNDS TO THEIR NONPROFIT, ESPECIALLY IN THIS TIME WHEN FUNDING IS SO UP IN THE AIR.

IF WHEN FUNDING, NO ONE IS SURE WHERE THE FUNDING WILL COME FROM, IF IT WILL COME, THE GENERAL PUBLIC WILL ALWAYS BE THERE, AND THE SUPPORTERS OF OUR NONPROFITS WILL ALWAYS BE THERE.

AND LONG BEACH GIVES GIVES THEM THAT OPPORTUNITY TO COMMUNICATE WITH THOSE PEOPLE.

IT'S NOT JUST THE FUNDRAISER THOUGH, IT'S ALSO AN OPPORTUNITY FOR THE NONPROFITS TO INTERACT WITH EACH OTHER, TO CONNECT WITH EACH OTHER.

I'VE SEEN IT MORE THIS YEAR THAN ANY OTHER YEAR.

THE COLLABORATION BETWEEN NONPROFITS COMING TOGETHER TO DO EVENTS COMING TOGETHER TO BETTER SERVE THEIR COMMUNITY HAS BEEN AMAZING AS WELL AS THE COLLABORATION BETWEEN NONPROFITS AND BUSINESSES.

UM, THIS YEAR WE HAVE QUITE A MOMENTUM GOING AND THIS COLLABORATION GROWING WITH LOCAL BUSINESSES, NONPROFITS HAVE BEEN COMING TOGETHER, CREATING PARTNERSHIPS THAT STRENGTHEN THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY.

IN FACT, BECAUSE OF LONG BEACH GIVES, YOU WILL SEE TODAY, TOMORROW, AND THURSDAY, MANY EVENTS HAPPENING AT LOCAL BUSINESSES TO SUPPORT THE NONPROFITS.

THEY'RE KIND OF BECOMING ONE AND THE SAME, WHICH IS ABSOLUTELY BEAUTIFUL TO SEE.

UM, AND AT CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS, YOU GUYS HOLD A REALLY SPECIAL PLACE.

YOU'RE KIND OF THE COMING TOGETHER GROUND WHERE THE NONPROFITS, THE FOR-PROFITS AND THE COMMUNITY ALL COME INTO ONE PLACE.

AND SO YOU GUYS DO AN AMAZING JOB OF SPREADING THE WORD BETWEEN THE THREE.

YOU'RE, YOU'RE A VERY SPECIAL INSTITUTION AND I JUST WANNA SAY, WE APPRECIATE YOU.

WE APPRECIATE WHAT YOU DO FOR OUR CITY, AND THANK YOU FOR MAKING LONG BEACH, NOT JUST A PLACE WHERE WE LIVE, BUT A PLACE WHERE WE REALLY, REALLY LOVE.

SO THANK YOU AND I WANNA PASS IT OFF JUST FOR A MINUTE TO EVERETT, WHO IS THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF BOSS, SO HE CAN JUST MENTION HOW LONG BEACH GIVES AFFECTS HIS ORGANIZATION.

THANK YOU ALL.

UH, THANK YOU, UH, MR. MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS.

UH, MY NAME IS EVERETT GLENN AND I'M THE FOUNDER AND LEADER OF BOSS, WHICH STANDS FOR THE BUSINESS OF STUDENT SUCCESS.

UM, IN THE SEVEN YEARS THAT WE HAVE BEEN IN EXISTENCE, UH, WE HAVE PRODUCED, UH, IMPACT THAT INCLUDES, UH, OUTPERFORM OF ALL THE BOYS IN LONG BEACH UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT AND EVERY METRIC THAT THEY TRACK.

UH, WE HAVE GRADUATED 70, 79 BOYS AND 77 OF THOSE GUYS ARE IN COLLEGE, UH, INCLUDING, UH, INCLUDING THE SON OF YOUR EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS LEADER, IAN HARRISON, REGGIE HARRISON, ,

[00:15:01]

THEN NOT ONLY THE BOYS IN LONG BEACH UNIFIED, BUT ALSO L-A-U-S-D.

RIGHT.

WE'VE PRODUCED THREE POSSE SCHOLARS, WE'VE GOT FOUR SEMI-FINALISTS PENDING RIGHT NOW.

AND ALL OF THIS IMPACT HAS BEEN FUELED BY THE $500,000 THAT WE'VE RAISED THROUGH LONG BEACH GIVES.

AND WE LOVE THIS ORGANIZATION AND WE'RE SO GLAD THAT YOU THANK YOU SO MUCH.

ALL RIGHT, THANK YOU.

THAT WELL, THANK YOU MICHELLE.

AND LET'S HEAR IT FOR OUR NON-PROFITS HERE IN THE CITY OF LONG BEACH.

LONG BEACH GIVES.

ALRIGHT, WE'RE GONNA GATHER ALL OF YOU DOWN FRONT AND WE'RE GONNA TAKE A PICTURE TO CELEBRATE THIS YEAR'S LONG BEACH GIFTS.

STAND UP IN THE PHOTO OR YOU WANT DOWN? UH, YEAH, I'LL STAND UP IF YOU CAN.

OKAY, I'LL GET IT FOR YOU.

TELL MY BOSS NO, SHE PRESSURE.

OH, MY GUESS YOU GOTTA COMPRESS GETTING COZY.

I'M COMING IN COZY A LITTLE BIT.

I'M COMING IN.

I'M COMING IN.

OKAY.

1, 2, 3.

NO, THEY WON'T.

WHAT? OH, IT WON'T.

THERE YOU GO.

I GOT ONE.

.

THANK YOU.

SO, OH YEAH, I MADE KRISTEN.

ALL RIGHT.

IN OUR LAST PRESENTATION, HISPANIC HERITAGE MONTH, WE'RE GONNA, UH, GO TO VICE MAYOR

[ HISPANIC HERITAGE MONTH]

THANK YOU MAYOR.

AS MANY, AND YOU KNOW, HIS MANY HERITAGE MONTH IS FROM SEPTEMBER 16TH THROUGH OCTOBER 15TH.

SO THERE ARE NOW A LOT OF EVENTS AROUND THE, IN THE CITY, THE LIBRARIES REGARDING OUR HERITAGE AND REGARDING THE IMPACT THAT LATINOS HAVE, NOT ONLY IN LA COUNTY AND LONG BEACH, BUT IN THE REGION AND IN IN THE COUNTRY IN GENERAL.

EARLIER TODAY, WE HAD A CEREMONY OUT AT THE PLAZA AND WE TALKED ABOUT OUR CHURCH GENERAL AFFAIRS.

WE KNOW THAT AS LATINOS, NO MATTER WHAT YOU LOOK LIKE, IF YOU LOOK LIKE LATINO, YOU'RE GONNA BE TARGETED.

SO WE ARE TRYING TO DO THE BEST WE CAN AS A CITY GOVERNMENT TO PROTECT OUR CITIZENS.

REGARDLESS OF YOUR STATUS IN THIS COUNTRY, ANYBODY WHO'S HERE WANTS TO BE HERE AND DESERVES TO STAY HERE.

SO, WITH THAT, I WANNA PASS IT ALONG.

THANK YOU.

GO AHEAD.

GO AHEAD.

GO AHEAD.

THANK YOU.

I KNOW LATINO EMPLOYEE ASSOCI ORGANIZATION.

LEO, UH, THE PRESIDENT IS JOY.

COST IS HERE.

JOY, YOU THE PODIUM.

WELL, BEFORE WE YIELD THE FLOOR, I WANT TO GIVE COUNCILWOMAN AND DEJAS A MOMENT TO, TO GIVE REMARKS.

OH, SORRY.

THANK YOU.

THANK YOU VICE MAYOR.

THANK YOU MAYOR.

AND I JUST WANNA SAY THANK YOU TO LEO.

I MEAN, WE'VE BEEN HERE BEFORE MANY TIMES AND WE CONTINUE TO BE HERE.

THANK YOU FOR PROVIDING A SAFE SPACE FOR OUR LATINO, LATINO EMPLOYEES TO BE ABLE TO COME AND CELEBRATE LATINO, UM, LATINONESS, UM, TO DATE DURING HISPANIC HERITAGE MONTH.

AND SO I'M JUST SO VERY PROUD TO HAVE SUCH A GREAT ORGANIZATION, BE PART OF THE CITY.

THANK YOU FOR ALL YOU DO FOR OUR COMMUNITY.

ALRIGHT,

[00:20:01]

AND JOY IS LEADING THE CHARGE.

YES.

ALRIGHT, FINALLY.

JUST KIDDING, .

ALRIGHT, SO, GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL.

MY NAME IS JOY CONTRERAS AND I'M HONORED TO SERVE AS THE PRESIDENT OF THE LATINO EMPLOYEES ORGANIZATION OR LEO.

AND IN MY PROFESSIONAL ROLE, I SERVE AS THE PUBLIC INFORMATION OFFICER FOR LONG BEACH UTILITIES DEPARTMENT, WHERE WE SERVICE WATER, SEWER, AND NATURAL GAS SERVICES ON BEHALF OF LEO.

IT IS A PRIVILEGE TO JOIN YOU TONIGHT AND WE CELEBRATE NATIONAL HISPANIC HERITAGE MONTH AND SHARE NOT ONLY THE MILESTONES WE ACHIEVED OVER THE PAST YEAR, BUT ALSO THE EXCITING FUTURE THAT WE ARE BUILDING TOGETHER.

BEFORE WE BEGIN, WE MUST ACKNOWLEDGE THE DEEP PAIN AND FEAR THAT RECENT FEDERAL IMMIGRATION RAIDS HAVE BROUGHT TO OUR BELOVED COMMUNITY.

THE MOMENT WE HEARD THAT ICE ACTIVITY WAS HAPPENING IN LONG BEACH, LEO IMMEDIATELY MOBILIZED SHARING RESOURCES, GUIDANCE, AND REASSURANCE SO THAT OUR RESIDENTS AND ALLIES HAD THE INFORMATION THEY NEEDED TO STAY SAFE AND SUPPORTED.

AS.

AND ON A PERSONAL NOTE, AS SOMEONE WHO IS A PROUD DAUGHTER OF UNDOCUMENTED IMMIGRANTS, THIS ISSUE REALLY HITS HOME.

THIS IS WHO WE ARE, A NETWORK THAT SHOWS UP FOR ONE ANOTHER WHEN IT MATTERS MOST.

SO THIS MONTH HOLDS A MUCH SPECIAL AND DIFFERENT MEANING THIS TIME AROUND.

IT IS MORE THAN A COMMEMORATION.

IT IS AN ACT OF RESISTANCE AND RESILIENCE.

WE HONOR OUR ANCESTORS WHO ENDURED STRUGGLE AND HARDSHIPS.

WE COULD STAND HERE TODAY.

THEIR COURAGE AND PERSEVERANCE LIVES ON EVERY, EVERY DAY AND IN EVERY STORY THAT WE SHARE WITH YOU.

AND EVERY STEP WE FORWARD, FORWARD, WE TAKE.

SO TODAY'S CELEBRATION, THANKS TO VICE MAYOR ROBERTO, ROBERTO YANGA AND COUNCILWOMAN MARRIES IN DEJAS IS, IS AN EXAMPLE OF JUST THAT.

UH, NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.

NATIONAL HISPANIC HERITAGE MONTH, I GUESS I PRESS IT.

THERE YOU GO.

HAS OBSERVED IN SEPTEMBER THROUGH OCTOBER AND IS CELEBRATES THE INDEPENDENCE ON SEVERAL LATIN AMERICAN NATIONS AND SHINES A LIGHT ON COUNTLESS CONTRIBUTIONS OF HISPANIC AND LATINO COMMUNITIES.

FROM HUMAN AND CIVIL RIGHTS, ADVOCACY TO HISTORY AND CULTURE, TO POLITICAL LEADERSHIP, SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, AND THE ARTS, OUR COMMUNITY'S IMPRINT IS EVERYWHERE.

STRENGTHENING THE VERY FABRIC OF THIS NATION AND IN THE CITY, LEO PROUDLY EMBRACES THAT FULL DIVERSITY OF LATINA.

WHETHER YOU IDENTIFY AS HISPANIC, LATINO, LATINA, LATIN, OR LATINX, EVERY IDENTITY IS VALID AND CELEBRATED.

THIS MONTH.

ALSO UPLIFTS THE VOICES OF AFRO LATINOS INDIGENOUS PEOPLES, AND OUR LGBTQIA PLUS FAMILY, REMINDING US THAT DIVERSITY IS OUR GREATEST STRENGTH AND NOT SOMETHING TO HIDE FROM THOSE WHO ARE TEMPORARILY IN POWER.

AND LONG BEACH.

PEOPLE OF LATIN AMERICAN ORIGIN MAKE UP NEARLY 44% OF THAT POPULATION.

AND ORGANIZATIONS LIKE LEO ENSURE THAT THIS VIBRANT COMMUNITY IS NOT ONLY REPRESENTED, BUT ALSO EMPOWERED WITHIN LOCAL GOVERNMENT.

AS YOU CAN SEE FROM MY SEVERAL BOARD MEMBERS BEHIND ME, SINCE OUR FOUNDING IN TWO, 2010, LEO HAS WELCOMED ALL CITY EMPLOYEES.

YES, WE'RE NAMED THE LATINO EMPLOYEE ORGANIZATION, BUT WE WELCOME EVERYBODY.

SO REGARDLESS OF YOUR BACKGROUND, TO JOIN US ON A MISSION OF CONNECTION AND ADVOCACY.

THROUGH COLLABORATION WITH OTHER AFFINITY GROUPS, WE BUILD BRIDGES ACROSS DEPARTMENTS, CREATE OPPORTUNITIES TO LEARN, CELEBRATE, AND GROW TOGETHER.

TODAY OUR LEADERSHIP TEAM, AS YOU COULD SEE, INCLUDES 16 DEDICATED BOARD MEMBERS FROM DEPARTMENT SPANNING THE CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE, FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES, HR, AND MORE.

SO TOGETHER WE FOCUS ON COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, SCHOLARSHIPS, FUNDRAISING, AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT.

THESE FOUR PILLARS ARE THE, ARE WHAT GUIDES US IN EVERYTHING THAT WE DO TO REACH NEW HEIGHTS YEAR AFTER YEAR.

IT IS NOW MY HONOR TO INTRODUCE YOU TO OUR VICE PRESIDENT, MS. SUSIE GONZALEZ, WHO WILL SHARE SOME OF LEO'S MOST INSPIRING ACCOMPLISHMENTS.

THANK YOU, JOY.

THANK YOU JOY FOR ALSO BEING VULNERABLE.

I WILL SHARE, YOU KNOW, WE, UH, IT IS A SCARY TIME, BUT, UH, UNITY COMMUNITY BRINGS US TOGETHER.

AND AGAIN, DURING THESE TIMES, PEOPLE ASK, ARE YOU GUYS GONNA SHY AWAY FROM HAVING YOUR EVENTS? WE WILL SAY, DOESN'T ERASE OUR CULTURE.

SO UNITY AND BEING TOGETHER IS IMPORTANT.

UM, BUT I SHOULD START BY SAYING, GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL.

[00:25:01]

I ALSO, IN MY PROFESSIONAL ROLE HERE WITH THE CITY, I AM A HR OFFICER OF THE ORGANIZATIONAL DEVELOPMENT DIVISION.

SINCE OUR LAST PRESENTATION, LEO HAS BEEN BUSIER THAN EVER, CREATING SPACES OF CELEBRATION, EMPOWERMENT, AND OPPORTUNITY FOR OUR COMMUNITY.

LAST FALL, WE BEGAN WITH OUR ANNUAL DE LOS MUTOS ART ALTAR AT CITY HALL, A CHERISH TRADITION THAT HONORS OUR LOVED ONES WHO HAVE PASSED AND KEEPS THEIR MEMORIES ALIVE.

THANKS TO COUNCILWOMAN MARRIES IN THE HASS, WE PROUDLY SERVED AS COMMUNITY GRAND MARSHALS IN THE DE LOS MUTOS PARADE, A CELEBRATION OF CULTURE, REMEMBRANCE, AND UNITY.

WHILE THE CELEBRATION MAY BE POSTPONED THIS YEAR, WHICH WE ARE SADDENED TO HEAR, UH, BUT WE UNDERSTAND CELEBRATION, UH, WILL CONTINUE BY FOR ALL OF US BY BEING TOGETHER.

UH, EVEN DURING THESE, UH, UNPRECEDENTED TIMES, OUR BELOVED TRAU 5K WALK AND RUN RETURNED ITS FOURTH YEAR RAISING A REMARKABLE $20,000 IN SCHOLARSHIPS FOR LONG BEACH STUDENTS.

THIS EVENT NOT ONLY SUPPORTS EDUCATION, BUT ALSO BRINGS OUR CITY TOGETHER IN FUN AND PURPOSE.

OOPS, I WENT TOO FAST.

UH, THIS YEAR WE EXPANDED OUR REACH AT THE 2025 MANAGEMENT RETREAT AND THE EMPLOYEE RESOURCE FAIR DURING PUBLIC SERVICE RECOGNITION WEEK, CONNECTING WITH EMPLOYEE CITYWIDE AND INVITING THEM TO JOIN A NETWORK THAT IS AS SUPPORTIVE.

AND IT IS ALSO FUN.

THANKS TO OUR GENEROUS DONATIONS, WE RECEIVED, UH, WE WERE ABLE TO AWARD SCHOLARSHIPS TO EIGHT EXTRAORDINARY LONG BEACH YOUTH PURSUING THEIR DREAMS AT CAL STATE LONG BEACH AND LONG BEACH CITY COLLEGE CELEBRATING, OOPS, SORRY, COORDINATION TODAY, CELEBRATING THEIR ACHIEVEMENTS AT THE PORT OF LONG BEACH HARBORS VIEW TERRACE.

UM, THIS YEAR WE DO INVITE YOU ALL TO JOIN US AGAIN LATER THIS MONTH TO AWARD A ANOTHER ROUND OF WELL-DESERVED SCHOLARSHIPS TO LONG BEACH STUDENTS.

WE ALSO PARTNERED WITH MAYOR REX RICHARDSON AND THE CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE TO HOST AN UNFORGETTABLE DODGER NIGHT, BRINGING OVER 700 EMPLOYEES TO SHOW OFF THEIR CITY PRIDE.

OUR IMPACT IN THE COMMITTEE CAN ALSO BE FOUND AT THE AQUARIUM OF THE PACIFIC BAJA SPLASH CULTURAL FESTIVAL.

WE'VE BECOME A REGULAR SITE AT THEIR YEARLY CELEBRATION, AND NOT TO TOOT OUR OWN HORN, BUT OUR TABLE IS THE MOST POPULAR WITH THE ARTS AND CRAFTS.

LOOKING AHEAD, WE INVITE YOU TO JOIN US AGAIN ON SUNDAY AT THE AQUARIUM OF PACIFIC.

SO FEEL FREE TO REACH OUT TO US.

WE WILL BE THERE.

OR JUST SHOW UP.

WE WILL HAVE A TABLE FULL LIKELY SURROUNDED BY KIDS.

WE HAVE TOOL FULL TABLES, .

ALL RIGHT.

AND ALSO MOST IMPORTANTLY, MARK YOUR CALENDARS FOR SATURDAY, OCTOBER 18TH AT THE BEACH.

LEO IS HOSTING ITS FIFTH ANNUAL CHURRO 5K WITH THE GOAL TO BREAK FUNDRAISING RECORDS.

ONCE AGAIN, UH, TO WRAP UP OUR PRESENTATION, I DEFINITELY WILL TURN IT BACK TO OUR PRESIDENT, EV LEO JOY.

MM-HMM .

YES.

THANK YOU SUSIE.

AND PLEASE SAVE THOSE DATES FOR THIS WEEKEND, OCTOBER 18TH, AND THEN COMING SOON TO A CIVIC CENTER PLAZA.

NEAR, I'D LIKE TO CLOSE WITH THE WORDS OF CESAR CHAVEZ, WHO REMINDS US PRESERVATION OF ONE'S OWN CULTURE DOES NOT REQUIRE CONTEMPT OR DISRESPECT FOR OTHER CULTURES.

SO LEO STANDS IN THAT SPIRIT HONORING THE PAST, CELEBRATING THE PRESENT, AND BUILDING A FUTURE WHERE EVERY VOICE IS HEARD AND VALUED.

SO WE INVITE YOU TO FOLLOW US, JOIN US, AND BE PART OF THIS MOVEMENT.

SO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME AND SUPPORTING A LONG BEACH WHERE ALL COMMUNITIES CAN THRIVE.

THANK YOU SO MUCH.

ALRIGHT.

ALRIGHT.

JUST A FEW COMMENTS AND THEN WE'RE GONNA GATHER UP FOR A, A PHOTO TO RECOGNIZE THIS.

UH, FIRST OF ALL, UM, CHURROS AND, AND FIVE KS, THEY DON'T MATCH, BUT SOMEHOW Y'ALL MAKE IT WORK.

THAT'S, THAT'S PRETTY, THAT'S PRETTY INNOVATIVE.

I'M ON BOARD FOR THAT.

VICE MAYOR COUNCILWOMAN, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR CONTINUING, UH, THIS IMPORTANT, UM, RECOGNITION.

IT'S A LITTLE, YOU KNOW, IT'S, IT'S, UH, LET'S SEE.

UM, YOU KNOW WHAT, YEAH.

SO HOW MANY OF YOU LED VICE MAYOR? IS THIS YOUR, YOUR 11TH ONE THAT YOU'VE LED ON THE COUNCIL, THE STANDARD S THIS MONTH? YOU'VE BEEN LEADING THIS A LONG TIME.

TIME AND, AND, AND IT GETS BETTER AND BETTER EVERY, EVERY YEAR.

AND, UH, COUNCILWOMAN AND DEJAS, YOU KNOW, THANK YOU FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP TOO.

I ALSO WANNA THANK YOU BOTH FOR YOUR COMMENTARY AND YOUR LEADERSHIP IN THIS, THIS DIFFICULT MOMENT.

UM, YOU, YOU ALL ARE, ARE COMMUNICATING, YOU'RE SHOWING REAL LEADERSHIP AND YOU'RE MAKING HARD CHOICES IN THIS MOMENT.

AND COUNCILWOMAN, I KNOW THAT WAS A VERY DIFFICULT CHOICE YOU HAD TO MAKE

[00:30:01]

YOU KNOW HOW MUCH I LOVE THIS EVENT, BUT, BUT I I, I LOVE OUR COMMUNITY EVEN MORE.

AND SO I, I SUPPORT YOU IN THAT DECISION.

I KNOW IT WAS A HARD DECISION FOR YOU AND YOUR TEAM, BUT WE SUPPORT IT.

AND LIKE LEO SAID, WE UNDERSTAND, WE UNDERSTAND THE DECISIONS YOU HAD TO MAKE, UM, UH, TO LEO.

UM, YOU KNOW, I WANNA JUST OFFER YOU JUST SOME, SOME ENCOURAGEMENT RIGHT NOW.

YOU KNOW, AS PUBLIC EMPLOYEES, YOU MAKE A CHOICE TO SERVE.

YOU ARE PUBLIC SERVANTS AND SOMETIMES WE DON'T KNOW WHAT THAT ALL COMES WITH.

SOMETIMES THE BAG IS MIXED AND WE DON'T KNOW WHAT WE'RE GONNA DRAW.

BUT, UM, YOU KNOW, IN THIS MOMENT, WE COULD NOT DO THE WORK THAT WE DO IN OUR COMMUNITY WOULD NOT HAVE THE SECURITY AND INTEGRITY THAT, THAT IT HAS AND UNITY IT HAS IF IT WEREN'T FOR OUR EMPLOYEES.

JUST LOOKING AT THE DEPARTMENTS YOU ALL REPRESENT AND THE ROLE YOU ALL PLAY FROM ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, THE ROLE THEY'RE PLAYING WITH, YOU KNOW, OUR SMALL BUSINESSES WHO ARE UNDER ATTACK RIGHT NOW, RIGHT TO OUR CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE, OUR CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE, OUR PUBLIC HEALTH DEPARTMENT, WHO'S GETTING ATTACKED ON MULTIPLE SIDES.

I COULD SEE HOW SOMEONE WOULD SAY, HEY, LET SOMEONE ELSE STEP UP AND DO IT.

I'M GONNA DO, DO SOMETHING ELSE.

BUT YOU CONTINUE TO SHOW UP AND YOU DO SO IN A WAY THAT INSPIRES ME AS MAYOR, IT INSPIRES OUR CITY COUNCIL.

AND WE JUST WANT TO ENCOURAGE YOU TO KEEP GOING.

WE CANNOT DO ANY OF THIS WITHOUT YOU.

NOW, IT'S A DIFFICULT TIME THAT WE'RE GOING THROUGH, BUT WE'VE BEEN THROUGH DIFFICULT TIMES BEFORE.

AND YOU KNOW, THE ONE COMMON DENOMINATOR IN EVERY STRUGGLE THAT WE'VE GONE THROUGH IN THIS COUNTRY IS SOLIDARITY AND UNITY.

AND THAT'S WHAT WE AS LEADERS HAVE TO DEMONSTRATE IN THIS MOMENT.

BECAUSE THE MOMENT WE DON'T, WE'RE DOING THEIR JOB FOR THEM, RIGHT? AND WE'RE NOT GONNA MAKE THEIR JOBS ANY EASIER.

WE'RE GONNA CONTINUE TO WORK, WE'RE GONNA INNOVATE, WE'RE GONNA FIND EVERY LEGAL OPTION.

WE'RE GONNA CONTINUE TO PROVIDE RESOURCES TO OUR COMMUNITY.

WE'RE GONNA KEEP UP, KEEP SHOWING UP TO WORK EVERY SINGLE DAY, UH, TO PROTECT OUR COMMUNITIES BECAUSE THAT'S A PART OF PUBLIC SERVICE.

IT IS A CHOICE HERE IN THE CITY OF LONG BEACH, AND WE'RE GONNA STAND ON OUR VALUES.

SO I WANNA THANK YOU FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP.

UM, I WILL ALSO SAY DODGER KNIGHT WAS FIRE THIS YEAR.

DODGER KNIGHT WAS PRETTY FIRE.

AND, UH, THEY SAID THAT WE BEAT, WE HAD THE SAME NIGHT AS THE CITY OF LA AND WE BEAT THEM.

THEY HAD LIKE HALF THE PEOPLE WE HAD.

THEY DID.

FUN FACT.

SO THEY'RE LOOKING FOR, IF YOU ALL DIDN'T COME TO OUR CITY OF LONG BEACH NIGHT AT DODGER STADIUM, UM, IT'S INCREDIBLE EXPERIENCE.

AND WE GOT A LOT OF CAMERA LOVE TOO.

DID YOU SEE THAT? THEY KEPT PUTTING ON OUR SECTION, OUR WHOLE SECTION, OUR WHOLE SECTION MM-HMM .

SO WE, NEXT YEAR WE WANNA DOUBLE IT.

WE GOT HOW MANY THIS YEAR? YEAH, WE GOT OVER 700.

SO IT WAS LIKE CLOSE, CLOSER TO 800 TICKETS.

WELL, THE GOOD NEWS IS YOU CAN JUMP RIGHT ON THE A LINE.

ALL RIGHT, WE CAN, I'LL JUMP, I'LL JUMP ON IT WITH YOU.

WE'LL JUMP RIGHT ON THE A LINE AND WE'LL GO CATCH, UH, CATCH CATCH THE GAME.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

UH, WE'LL GATHER UP FOR A QUICK PHOTO AND A CERTIFICATE UP, DOWN, MIDDLE, MIDDLE.

WE COULD HAVE BEEN IN THERE.

THEY'RE ON.

I KNOW.

I THOUGHT THEY'RE ALL ON ONE SIDE.

I KNOW.

BALANCE OURSELVES OUT.

YEAH.

I DON'T WANNA LOOK LIKE I'M AGE STRAPP OR BEING NOSY.

ALL RIGHT, MADAM CLERK, LET'S HAVE OUR REPORT OFF FROM CLOSED SESSION, PLEASE.

I MEAN, MADAM CITY ATTORNEY, FORGIVE ME, MADAM CITY ATTORNEY REPORT OFF FROM CLOSED SESSION.

THANK YOU, MAYOR.

WE HAVE NO REPORT FROM CLOSED SESSION.

THAT'S THE BEST KIND OF REPORT.

LET'S, LET'S TAKE UP CONSENT CALENDAR, PLEASE.

[CONSENT CALENDAR (1. – 16.)]

IS THERE A SECOND? OKAY, IT'S BEEN MOVED.

AND SECOND.

ANY PUBLIC COMMENT ON CONSENT? NO PUBLIC COMMENT.

MEMBERS, PLEASE CAST YOUR VOTE.

COUNCIL WINNER, YOU AND I.

MOTION IS CARRIED.

THANK YOU.

GENERAL PUBLIC COMMENT NUMBER ONE.

[00:35:07]

I SEE THREE

[ 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. ]

WHEN YOU HEAR YOUR NAME, PLEASE COME FORWARD.

YOU HAVE THREE MINUTES.

KAREN RESIDE, LOU ROSEN AND LOURDES DIXON.

GOOD EVENING MAYOR.

CITY STAFF, CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS.

I'M KIERAN REID.

I'M THE PRESIDENT OF THE LONG BEACH GRAY PANTHERS.

UM, TODAY ALSO HAPPENS TO BE NATIONAL VOTER REGISTRATION DAY.

UH, WE WERE OUT REGISTERING VOTERS AT HERITAGE GARDENS ALL THE TODAY, AND WE BROUGHT PIZZA SO THAT, AND WE HAD A BAN.

SENIORS HAD A GREAT PARTY AND WE WANNA ENCOURAGE WITH ALL THE ISSUES THAT WE'RE GOING THROUGH, IT IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN IT HAS BEEN IN THE PAST THAT EVERYBODY REGISTERS TO VOTE THAT IS ELIGIBLE, AND THEN ACTUALLY VOTES EDUCATE YOURSELF ON THE ISSUES AND PROTECT OUR COMMUNITY.

AND THE WONDERFUL THINGS THAT OUR MAYOR IS DOING AND OUR CITY COUNCIL IS DOING.

WE'RE GONNA ABOUT TO ENTER A NEW ERA FOR OLDER ADULTS.

AND, UM, IT'S NOT TRUE THAT ALL OLDER ADULTS VOTE LOW INCOME, OLDER ADULTS DO NOT REGISTER TO VOTE BECAUSE THEY FEEL HOPELESS, THEY FEEL DISCOUNTED.

AND WE'RE TRYING TO CORRECT THOSE IMPRESSIONS.

THEY ARE SO HAPPY WITH MEASURE A MAYOR.

WE HOPE YOU'LL COME BY AND SAY THANK YOU TO THEM.

AND, UM, THEIR EYES LIGHT UP WHEN WE TELL THEM THAT THEIR POSTCARDS AND THEIR EFFORTS HELPED RAISE OVER A BILLION DOLLARS FOR LA COUNTY.

SO THEY CAN HARDLY WAIT TO SEE HOW THAT MONEY IS SPENT.

AND THEY, UM, ARE REALLY GRATEFUL AND FEEL HEARD FOR THE FIRST TIME.

UM, THE CITY GAVE ME URBAN FOREST SURVEYS AND I GOT OVER A HUNDRED, UM, SURVEYS FROM OLDER ADULTS IN THREE DAYS.

SO THEY'RE FEELING HEARD, THEY'RE FEELING LISTENED TO.

THANK YOU FOR THAT.

WE DO HAVE A LOT MORE WORK TO DO AND I WANNA THANK REGGIE HARRISON.

LAST YEAR HE PRODUCED, UM, OVER A HUNDRED, UM, EMERGENCY PREPARATION KITS FOR OUR OLDER ADULTS, AND HE'S AGREED TO DO THAT AGAIN THIS YEAR.

UM, WE WERE ABLE TO DISTRIBUTE THEM, SO WE JUST WANNA THANK YOU FOR ALL THE GREAT WORK THAT'S BEING DONE AND LOOKING FORWARD TO THE YEAR UPCOMING.

THANK YOU.

ALRIGHT, THANK YOU.

NEXT IS LOU ROSEN.

HELLO.

GOOD EVENING COUNCIL.

MY NAME IS LOU ROSEN.

FIRST THINGS FIRST, I WOULD LIKE TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE TWO YOUNG BLACK MEN WHO WERE LYNCHED AND FOUND HANGING FROM TREES IN MISSISSIPPI THIS MORNING.

TREY REED AND CORY TKIS SAY THEIR NAMES.

I LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING OUR MAYOR PUBLICLY ACKNOWLEDGE THE PUBLIC VIOLENCE COMMITTED AGAINST THESE YOUNG MEN IN THE SAME MANNER THAT HE ACKNOWLEDGED THE SHOOTING OF CHARLIE KIRK LAST WEEK.

NOW I'D LIKE TO TALK ABOUT THE PO POLITICAL VIOLENCE BEING COMMITTED IN OUR CITY TODAY.

THE TERROR OF ICE KIDNAPPINGS, WHICH MOST RECENTLY CLAIMED FIVE MEMBERS OF OUR COMMUNITY AT BIXBY KNOLL'S CAR WASH THIS PAST SATURDAY.

THE CITY HAS CLAIMED IN THE PAST THAT THERE'S NOTHING THAT CAN BE DONE ABOUT THESE KIDNAPPINGS, AND THIS IS A FEDERAL ISSUE, BUT ALSO MAYOR RICHARDSON SAID TODAY, THANKFULLY, THAT WE WOULD EXPLORE EVERY LEGAL OPTION.

I'VE COME HERE TODAY TO ADVOCATE FOR A LEGAL OPTION THAT CAN ABSOLUTELY BE ENACTED TO ALLEVIATE THIS TERROR, AND THAT IS TO PASS AN EMERGENCY EVICTION MORATORIUM IN THE CITY, SIMILAR TO THE ONE THAT WAS PASSED WHEN COVID FIRST STRUCK, THE US SUPREME COURT HAS DECLARED THAT IT IS ENTIRELY LAWFUL FOR ICE AGENTS TO DISCRIMINATE BASED ON RACE, LANGUAGE SPOKEN AND OCCUPATION.

THIS CREATES AN ENVIRONMENT WHERE WORKERS IN WORKPLACES THAT ARE HIGH RISK FOR RAIDS MUST CHOOSE BETWEEN PLACING THEMSELVES AT RISK FOR KIDNAPPINGS AT WORK, OR LOSING WAGES AND RISKING HOMELESSNESS FOR THEMSELVES AND THEIR FAMILIES, WHICH PLACES THEM EVEN FURTHER AT RISK FOR CRIMINAL ACTION AND ICE HARASSMENT, ESPECIALLY AFTER THE SUPREME COURT DECISION IN GRANTS PASSED VERSUS JOHNSON, AN EVICTION MORATORIUM WILL FREE OUR IMMIGRANT COMMUNITIES FROM THIS HOBSON'S CHOICE AND ALLOW EROS STREET VENDORS, CAR WASH WORKERS, AND ALL WORKERS AT HIGH RISK WORKPLACES TO STAY HOME TO EFFECTIVELY PROTECT THEMSELVES.

THERE ARE OTHER ACTIONS THAT WE WOULD LOVE TO SEE THE CITY TAKE AS WELL TO FIGHT BACK AGAINST ICE.

THE RESIDENTS IN ON QUEENSWAY DRIVE IS CURRENTLY HOUSING ICE AGENTS.

I BELIEVE IT'S THE MORAL RESPONSIBILITY OF THE CITY TO PUT PRESSURE ON THE HOTEL TO END THIS CONTRACT WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY AND PRIORITIZE THE LONG BEACH COMMUNITY OVER THEIR PROFITS.

HOWEVER, AN EVICTION MORATORIUM WILL UNDOUBTEDLY BE THE MOST EFFECTIVE RELEASE FOR OUR IMMIGRANT COMMUNITIES IN THIS MOMENT, BOTH FROM ICE AND FROM PREDATORY HOUSING CORPORATIONS FROM OUTSIDE

[00:40:01]

I IMPLORE YOU TO CONSIDER THIS ACTION AND TO PROVIDE FINANCIAL RELIEF FOR ANY LANDLORD OR SMALL BUSINESS OWNER WHO CAN EFFECTIVELY PROVIDE, UH, PROVE FINANCIAL BURDEN AS A RESULT OF THE MORATORIUM.

THIS IS A BIG ASK.

THIS IS ALSO AN UNPRECEDENTED TIME FOR OUR COUNTRY AND OUR CITY.

AS WE SEE THESE KIDNAPPINGS INCREASE, IT IS UNEQUIVOCALLY AN EMERGENCY UNLIKE ANYTHING OUR CITY HAS SEEN BEFORE.

AND WE MUST BE PREPARED TO TAKE DRASTIC ACTION JUST LIKE WE DID WHEN COVID STRUCK.

THANK YOU.

ALRIGHT, THANK YOU.

NEXT IS LOURDES DIXON , MAYOR RE.

GOOD EVENING MAYOR.

UH, RICK RICHARDSON AND CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS, GOOD TO MEET YOU AND GOOD, GOOD TO GREET YOU.

I'M HERE IN REFERENCE TO THE FOOD STREET VENDORS THAT KEEP INCREASING WHO ARE OPERATING WITHOUT PERMITS, NOR OF PROVISION FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF FOOD AND AGRICULTURE AQUARIUM WAY.

AND THIS IS IN THE AQUARIUM WAY, THE THE PACIFIC BETWEEN HOOTERS AND THE AQUARIUM OF PACIFIC.

DURING MY LAST COMMENT, I HAD MENTIONED TO YOU ABOUT A WOMAN THAT OWNS THREE BENDING ICE CREAM TRUCKS WHO HAS SENT OVER A MEMBER, A GANG MEMBER TO THREATEN MY SON AS WELL AS A STREET VENDOR.

AND THERE IS PROOF OF THAT.

AND THEN THERE'S ANOTHER STREET VENDOR OF, UH, TACO.

HE ALWAYS PLACES, UH, HIS, UH, BUSINESS IN THE RED ZONE AND WHERE THE FIRE HYDRANT IS LOCATED, RESTAURANT IN FRONT OF, UH, BUNGEE JUMPERS.

AND, AND NEXT TO THE BUBBLE GUM ACROSS FROM, UH, RESTAURANT, WE HAVE TO CALL THE POLICE.

AND HE DOES HAVE FOUR CITATIONS FROM OTHER PEOPLE THAT HAVE ALSO HAVE COMPLAINED.

ALL THE, UH, 30 MINUTE, UH, LOADING AND LOADING STONE IS, UH, INVADED THE LOADING AND LOADING STONE WITH APPROXIMATELY SIX TO SEVEN FOOT TRUCKS, BENDING TRUCKS.

AND I HAVE TO UNLOAD IN THE RED ZONE IN FRONT OF, UH, THE BUNGEE JUMPERS.

YES, LOS HARVARD RESTORE AND THE OWNER OF, UH, HARVARD BREEZE STORES.

UH, HE ALSO INSULTS ME AND TELLS ME THAT I'M THE ONE THAT HAS THE ISSUES THAT I SHOULD NOT BE, UH, PARKING THAT AREA SINCE IT'S IN REDSTONE.

AND I'VE TOLD THEM NOT TO YELL AT ME AND TO TALK TO THE OTHER PEOPLE WHO ARE, AND IT'S VERY HARD TO UNLOAD BECAUSE IT'S REALLY FULL OF, UH, STREET VENDORS, UH, FIRE LINE, NO PARKING, IN MY OPINION.

UH, THE ISSUE, UH, OR THE PROBLEM WOULD BE RESOLVED IF YOU, IF YOU WERE TO PAINT OVER, UH, THAT AREA IN RED, BECAUSE THE COLOR IS NOT TOO, NOT TOO RED.

THE STOMACH CLARIA IS IT, IT'S FADING AWAY.

AND THE OTHER, THE, THE, THE SAME LADY WITH THE ICE CREAM TRUCK, SHE'S ALWAYS IN RED AND PEOPLE LANDING STORE AND SHE'S ALWAYS, UH, THE LADY WITH THE THREE BENDING, UH, ICE CREAM TRUCKS IS ALWAYS IN RED ZONE, IN, IN UBA AND IN THE CURB PARKING OPINION, THEY SHOULD, UH, REPAINT THAT AREA, THE LOADING STONE.

AND THAT'S MY OPINION.

THIS IS BECOMING A VERY

[00:45:01]

BUT ALSO THE OTHER PEOPLE IN THE RESTAURANTS ARE COMPLAINING AS WELL.

THIS SITUATION HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR THE LAST EIGHT MONTHS OR SO, OR MORE, ALSO LOS LOS.

AND I'M ALSO GETTING SICK.

MY, UH, THROAT HAS BEEN HURTING OR, UH, FEELING UNCOMFORTABLE BECAUSE OF THE, DUE TO THE FUMES SINCE THEY'RE THERE SINCE THE VERY EARLY MORNING UNTIL THE NIGHT.

AND I'M VERY CLOSE TO THOSE FUMES.

I APPRECIATE YOUR HELP AND LIKE I MENTIONED BEFORE, I'M NOT AGAINST THEM.

THEY CAN WORK WHEREVER THEY WANT.

THE LONG BEACH AREA IS PRETTY LARGE, RA LAS AND THIS MONTH I PAID $8,000 IN INSURANCE AND I AM NOT, UH, BENEFITING OR MAKING ANY REVENUE BECAUSE THIS SITUATION IS AFFECTING ALL THE STREET VENDORS AND EVERYBODY THAT WORKS IN THAT AREA.

YEAH, WE, WE, WE, YES, ALL THE AREA THAT, UH, WE COVER AND WE HELP OUT.

UH, IT'S AFFECTING ALL OF OUR, OUR BUSINESS.

AND I HOPE THAT YOU CONTINUE, UH, PROCURING MY SITUATION.

MA'AM, YOUR TIMES CONCLUDED.

THANK YOU.

YOU WANT INTERPRET THE LAST PIECE? YES, MIKE.

AND THEN VERY, VERY MUCH.

EVERYTHING IS PRETTY, UH, DIRTY AND UNBEARABLE.

THANK YOU.

ALRIGHT, WELL THAT CONCLUDES GENERAL PUBLIC COMMENT.

UH, WE'LL NOW GO TO ITEM 17 COMMISSION APPOINTMENTS,

[17. 25-56456 Recommendation to receive Charter Commission appointments and reappointments approved by the Government Operations and Efficiency Committee pursuant to Section 509 of the City Charter and Section 2.03.065 of the Long Beach Municipal Code; and Receive Charter Commission appointments approved by the Government Operations and Efficiency Committee pursuant to Section 2401 of the City Charter.       Office or Department: Kristina Duggan, Councilmember, Third District, Chair, Government Operations and Efficiency Committee         Suggested Action: Approve recommendation. ]

RECOMMENDATION TO RECEIVE CHARTER COMMISSION APPOINTMENTS AND REAPPOINTMENTS APPROVED BY GOVERNMENT OPERATIONS AND EFFICIENCY COMMITTEE.

ALL RIGHT, WELL TONIGHT WE'RE, UH, WE ARE BRINGING FORWARD A NUMBER OF, UH, EXCEPTIONALLY QUALIFIED MEMBERS TO SERVE ON SOME OF OUR CITY'S KEY CHARTER COMMISSIONS.

UH, I'LL SHARE A LITTLE BIT ABOUT SOME OF, UH, MY RECOMMENDATIONS, AND THEN WE'RE GONNA ASK OUR CITY AUDITOR, UH, TO INTRODUCE THEIRS.

DO, DO YOU WANNA DO THAT FROM THERE OR DO THAT FROM HERE? LET'S FIGURE OUT WHERE YOU'RE GONNA DO THAT FROM.

UH, WE'RE GONNA ASK, UH, OUR CITY AUDITOR TO, UH, MAKE SOME RECOMMENDATIONS AND THEN, UH, AND THEN WE'LL, WE'LL MOVE FORWARD.

SO HERE WE ARE.

ALRIGHT.

FIRST ON OUR POLICE OVERSIGHT COMMISSION, WE WANNA WELCOME EDGAR CAMPBELL.

WHERE'S EDGAR? THERE HE IS.

ALL RIGHT, EDGAR.

THERE HE IS.

WE WANNA WELCOME EDGAR CAMBER.

CAM CAMPBELL, A DISTRICT TWO RESIDENT, A DEDICATED, UH, LAW ENFORCEMENT PROFESSIONAL WITH 35 YEARS OF SERVICE FROM THE BAY AREA.

UH, GREW UP IN NEWARK, HE ATTENDED CAL STATE HAYWARD MINORED IN CRIMINAL JUSTICE.

HE MOVED TO LONG BEACH AND JOINED THE LAW OFFICES OF THE LA COUNTY ALTERNATE PUBLIC DEFENDER AS AN INVESTIGATOR, A ROLE THAT HE HELD FOR THE PAST DECADE.

UH, HE AND HIS WIFE SYLVIA, WHO, UH, WHO WAS RECENTLY APPOINTED TO THE LONG BEACH COMMISSION ON EL AGING.

SO WE HAVE A COUPLE THAT IS STEPPING UP TO SERVE THE CITY ON TWO REALLY IMPORTANT COMMISSIONS.

UM, THEY'RE ACT VERY ACTIVELY, THEY'RE ACTIVELY NEIGHBOR.

THEY'RE ACTIVE IN THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD.

THERE IT IS.

SO THEY VOL VOLUNTEER WITH THE ROSE PARK NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION, THE ART THEATER, AND, AND ENJOY CONNECTING WITH RESIDENTS THROUGHOUT LONG BEACH.

EDGAR, WELCOME.

NICE TO, NICE TO SEE YOU IN, IN PERSON.

WE HAD A GREAT CONVERSATION.

SO WELCOME.

ALRIGHT, THANK YOU.

NEXT ON THE UTILITIES COMMISSION.

WAIT A MINUTE.

HOW DID THIS GET ON HERE? AL AUSTIN AT LARGE DISTRICT EIGHT.

WE WANNA WELCOME BACK COUNCILMAN AL AUSTIN, WHO REPRESENTED THE EIGHTH DISTRICT FOR HOW MANY, HOW MANY YEARS WAS IT? 12 YEARS ON THE EIGHTH COUNCIL DISTRICT AND HE HASN'T HAD ENOUGH.

HE IS BACK.

NOT ENOUGH.

UH, HE MOVED TO LONG BEACH MANY YEARS AGO AS AN AEROSPACE WORKER.

UH, WE WORKED FOR A DECADE ALSO STUDYING ORGANIZATIONAL PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION,

[00:50:01]

UM, HE CONTRIBUTED TO, AS A COUNCIL MEMBER.

HE CONTRIBUTED THE GATEWAY CITIES, UH, COUNCIL OF GOVERNMENTS, UH, WORKING ON INITIATIVES LIKE THE I 17 CORRIDOR.

HE ALSO SERVED ON THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS FOR THE LEAGUE OF CALIFORNIA CITIES, UH, WAS APPOINTED BY THE CALIFORNIA SECRETARY FOR NATURAL RESOURCES SERVE ON A TWO YEAR WORKING GROUP TO DEVELOP THE LOWER LOS ANGELES RIVER REVITALIZATION.

UH, SOME OF HIS PROJECTS AS A COUNCIL MEMBER INCLUDE MARKET STREET IMPROVEMENTS AND FIRE STATION NINE AND, UH, LITTLE AMERICAN BUSINESS.

HOW, HOW, OH, WE DON'T KNOW ABOUT THAT ONE.

UH, RETAIL AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CREATION OF THE DAVID.

SEE DAVID MOLINA, MOLINA PARK, DAVENPORT PARK, UH, DE FOREST PARK WETLANDS.

UH, WELCOME BACK TO, UH, THE CITY OF LONG BEACH.

LOOK FORWARD TO YOUR SERVICE WITH UTILITIES COMMISSION AND NEXT ON OUR ETHICS COMMISSION.

THAT'S RIGHT, THANK YOU.

NEXT ON OUR ETHICS COMMISSION IS JESSICA GILLETTE.

UH, JESSICA IS RECEIVING A PROMOTION SOMETIMES WHEN, UH, WE HAVE SUPERSTAR COMMISSIONERS, THEY GET A PHONE CALL FROM MAYOR AND SAY, WOULD YOU LIKE TO PROMOTE TO A NEW COMMISSION? SO WE HAD A GREAT CONVERSATION, UH, AND WE ARE SO PROUD THAT SHE HAS VOLUNTEERED TO STEP UP AND SERVE ON OUR ETHICS COMMISSION.

SHE'S AN ATTORNEY WITH 23 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE IN ADVISING PUBLIC AND PRIVATE ENTITIES ON MATTERS OF GENERAL MUNICIPAL LAW, CONFLICTS OF INTEREST, ETHICS AND EMPLOYMENT LAW AND INVESTIGATIONS, ALL THE THINGS THAT WE NEED SOME EXPERTISE ON IN OUR ETHICS COMMISSION.

SO WE ARE VERY EXCITED, UH, TO HAVE YOU SERVE ON THAT COMMISSION.

JESSICA'S DEEPLY COMMITTED TO CIVIC ENGAGEMENT AND COMMUNITY SERVICE.

SHE SERVED AS AN EQUITY AND HUMAN RELATIONS COMMISSIONER FOR THE CITY OF LONG BEACH AND SERVES ON THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF THE ASSOCIATION OF CORPORATE COUNCIL, SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA CHAPTER.

SHE ALSO CONTRIBUTES TO THE ADVISORY COUNCIL OF CABRILLO HIGH SCHOOL'S ACADEMY OF LAW AND JUSTICE, SUPPORTING A PATHWAY TO A MORE INCLUSIVE LEGAL PROFESSION.

JESSICA'S PASSIONATE ABOUT PRESERVING AND UPLIFTING FILIPINO AMERICAN HISTORY AND CULTURE.

SHE LED THE RELOCATION OF THE LANDING OF THE FIRST FILIPINOS MONUMENT IN THE CITY OF MORRO BAY, AND WAS INSTRUMENTAL IN CELEBR IN ESTABLISHING THE CITY OF LONG BEACH FILIPINO AMERICAN HISTORY MONTH CELEBRATION, NOW RECOGNIZED, AND WE PARTNER ON THAT AS A, WHEN I WAS A COUNCIL MEMBER.

UH, SO IS NOW RECOGNIZED AS AN ANNUAL CITY EVENT.

UH, SHE ALSO FOUNDED THE LONG BEACH FILIPINO INE X ACTION NETWORK, A COALITION TO STRENGTHEN OPPORTUNITIES AND REPRESENTATION FOR THE FILIPINO AMERICAN COMMUNITY.

JESSICA BRINGS HER PROFESSIONAL EXPERTISE, CULTURAL ADVOCACY, AND COMMITMENT TO EQUITY IN SERVICE OF HER COMMUNITY.

SO PLEASE WELCOME, UH, JESSICA GILLETTE.

AND, UM, WE HAVE ONE REAPPOINTMENT, UH, RAUL NOVE, UH, APPOINTED TO A SECOND TERM ON OUR CITY'S ETHICS COMMISSION, UH, TO CONCLUDE IN 2029.

THANK YOU RAUL, FOR YOUR CONTINUED SERVICE TO LONG BEACH.

AND NOW WE WANT TO INVITE LAURA DOWD, OUR CITY AUDITOR, TO TALK ABOUT HER APPOINTMENTS TO THE VERY SAME COMMISSION THERE.

UM, CAN I HAVE THE PICTURES UP THERE? GREAT.

YEAH, THEY'RE UP.

PERFECT.

UM, I'M VERY PLEASED TO INTRODUCE AND RECOMMEND, UH, ROBERT GILL.

HE IS AN ACCOMPLISHED PROFESSIONAL WITH A BACKGROUND IN BOTH PRIVATE INDUSTRY AND GOVERNMENT AGENCIES SPANNING ACCOUNTING, INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY AND CYBERSECURITY.

HE HAS SERVED IN KEY ROLES LEADING COMPLIANCE AND ETHICS THROUGHOUT HIS CAREER.

HE APPLIED HIS EXPERTISE TO SAFEGUARD FINANCIAL INTERESTS, ENHANCE CYBERSECURITY AND STREAMLINE BUSINESS PROCESSES FOR GREATER EFFICIENCY AND ACCESSIBILITY.

ADDITIONALLY, HE HAS BEEN ACTIVE IN A WIDE RANGE OF PUBLIC SERVICE IN LONG BEACH.

FROM 2014 TO 2019, HE SERVED ON THE BOARD OF THE LONG BEACH MANAGEMENT ASSOCIATION TWICE AS PRESIDENT IN 2017 AND 2019 AS A LONGTIME NEIGHBORHOOD LEADER.