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ALL[00:22:19]
RIGHT.[00:22:21]
ALL[00:22:21]
RIGHT.[00:22:21]
THANKS FOR YOUR PATIENCE, EVERYONE.WE ARE GONNA GO AHEAD AND CALL TO ORDER THE MEETING OF LONG BEACH CITY COUNCIL.
[CALL TO ORDER]
COUNCIL MEMBER DUGGAN.[ROLL CALL]
SUPER HERE.WE'RE GONNA GO TO COUNCIL MEMBER THRASH OOK TO LEAD US IN A MOMENT OF SILENCE AND THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE.
[PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE]
TOMORROW I'LL BE CELEBRATING MY ONE YEAR ANNIVERSARY ON THE COUNCIL.AND WORKING WITH ALL OF YOU ESTEEMED COLLEAGUES HERE.
BEFORE WE PROCEED, I WANNA ASK THAT WE TAKE A MOMENT OF SILENCE IN HONOR OF THE VICTIMS OF THE RECENT VERY TRAGIC SHOOTING ON THE BROWN UNIVERSITY CAMPUS, AND THAT ON BONDY BEACH IN AUSTRALIA, WE PAUSE TO REMEMBER THE LIVES LOST, TO HOLD THEIR FAMILIES AND LOVED ONES AND OUR THOUGHTS.
AND TO STAND IN SOLIDARITY WITH COMMUNITIES ACROSS THE WORLD WHO ARE GRIEVING.
PLEASE TAKE A MOMENT OF SILENCE.
WE'LL NOW BEGIN THE PLEDGE OF, OF ALLEGIANCE.
FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO ARE ABLE, PLEASE STAND AND FACE THE FLAG.
I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS, ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.
THANK YOU FOR THOSE COMMENTS, COUNCILWOMAN.
WE'RE GONNA GO AHEAD AND GET STARTED WITH OUR, OUR PRESENTATION OF THE EVENING.
UH, WE HAVE OUR FRIENDS FROM THE PORT OF LONG BEACH IN THE ROOM FOR A SPECIAL OCCASION.
WE ARE RECOGNIZING PORT CEO, MARIO
[ RECOGNIZING PORT OF LONG BEACH CEO MARIO CORDERO]
CORDERO ON HIS INCREDIBLE LEGACY OF SERVICE HERE IN OUR COMMUNITY.AND ON HI ON, UH, THE MILESTONE OF HIS, UH, RECENTLY ANNOUNCED RETIREMENT.
SO IT'S AN HONOR TO RECOGNIZE MARIO MARIO'S BEEN A LEADER WHOSE IMPACT HAS NOT ONLY SHAPED US HERE IN LONG BEACH IN OUR ENVIRONMENT, IN THE PORT, BUT GLOBAL TRADE, ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP, UH, AND HAS REALLY ESTABLISHED LONG BEACH AS AN EXAMPLE ON OF, UH, CLIMATE LEADERSHIP AND AIR QUALITY LEADERSHIP.
AND THROUGH HIS PERSONAL EXAMPLE, UH, HE MODELS WHAT PUBLIC LEADERSHIP CAN LOOK
[00:25:01]
LIKE.MARIO HAS MANY ACCOLADES, BUT ABOVE ALL, HE'S A GOOD PERSON.
HE'S A TRUSTED FRIEND, AND HE'S A TRULY A ONE OF A KIND LEADER.
MARIO WAS, WAS A TRAILBLAZER AS THE FIRST LATINO EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR AT THE PORT OF LONG BEACH.
BUT JUST AS IMPORTANTLY, HE BROKE THE MOLD OF WHAT A PORT LEADER LOOKS LIKE.
HE DIDN'T COME FROM THE CORPORATE SECTOR.
HE DIDN'T COME FROM A VERY SPECIFIC TECHNICAL BACKGROUND.
HE CAME FROM OUR COMMUNITY, A LONGTIME LONG BEACH RESIDENT, A HARBOR COMMISSIONER, AN EDUCATOR, A PUBLIC SERVANT.
MARIO BROUGHT TO THIS ROLE A DEEP UNDERSTANDING OF THE FAMILIES AND THE NEIGHBORHOODS WHO DEPEND ON THE PORT OF LONG BEACH.
THAT PERSPECTIVE SHOWED UP IN REAL WAYS FOR OUR CITY.
UNPRECEDENTED COMMUNITY INVESTMENTS, OUR MITIGATION GRANTS, COMMUNITY MITIGATION, MITIGATION GRANTS INCREASED TO THE HIGHEST LEVELS IN OUR HISTORY.
REINVESTMENT, UH, HIS SUPPORT FOR THE WEST SIDE OF LONG BEACH AND THE WEST SIDE PROMISE, AND A CLEAR PRIORITY ON A FOCUS ON FUTURE WITH YOUTH AND EDUCATION.
HIS LEADERSHIP PROVED THAT ECONOMIC STRENGTH AND COMMUNITY RESPONSIBILITY GO HAND IN HAND.
NEARLY 20 YEARS AGO, MARIO HELPED INTRODUCE AN IDEA THAT CHANGED PORTS AROUND THE WORLD.
THAT'S THE GREEN PORT POLICY HERE IN LONG BEACH.
AND THIS WAS AT A TIME WHEN SUSTAINABILITY WAS NOT THE NORM.
HE INSISTED THAT LONG BEACH COULD LEAD IN THIS SPACE, AND TODAY PORTS AROUND THE WORLD LOOK TOWARD THAT POLICY AND LOOK TO CITY OF LONG BEACH AND THE PORT OF LONG BEACH.
AS THE MODEL FOR CLEAN OPERATIONS, EMISSION REDUCTIONS, AND ZERO EMISSION INNOVATION, HE CAME HOME TO SERVE AS CEO, AND AS CEO, MARIO GUIDED OUR PART, OUR PORT, THROUGH HISTORIC CARGO GROWTH, GLOBAL DISRUPTIONS, AND A PANDEMIC, WHILE SUSTAINING MILLIONS OF JOBS NATIONWIDE AND STRENGTHENING AMERICA'S ROLE IN TRANSPACIFIC TRADE, HIS STEADY COLLABORATIVE LEADERSHIP ENSURED THAT THE PORT OF LONG BEACH DIDN'T JUST SURVIVE, BUT EMERGED AS A LEADER AND EMERGED STRONGER THROUGH THAT CHALLENGE.
THROUGH IT ALL, MARIO NEVER LOST SIGHT OF PUBLIC SERVICE.
HE TAUGHT AT LONG BEACH CITY COLLEGE.
HE CONTRIBUTED TO THE CITY'S ETHICS REFORMS. HE INVESTED DEEPLY IN THE NEXT GENERATION OF LEADERS, ALWAYS LEADING WITH HUMILITY, WITH INTEGRITY, AND WITH PURPOSE.
MARIO'S LEGACY IS CLEAR, GLOBAL IMPACT, ROOTED IN LOCAL VALUES.
HE SHOWED US THAT YOU CAN LEAD BOLDLY, INNOVATIVELY, FEARLESSLY, AND STILL CENTER COMMUNITY IN EVERY DECISION.
SO, MARIO, UH, IT IS AN HONOR AS, AS MAYOR, TO HAVE SERVED WITH YOU.
AND ON BEHALF OF THE CITY OF LONG BEACH, I WANNA THANK YOU FOR YOUR VISION, YOUR PARTNERSHIP, YOUR EXTRAORDINARY SERVICE.
YOU HAVE POSITIONED OUR PORT AND OUR CITY FOR LEADERSHIP, TRANSFORMATIONAL LEADERSHIP IN THE YEARS TO COME.
AND WE CONGRATULATE YOU ON, ON ALL THAT YOU'VE, UH, ACCOMPLISHED, UH, IN YOUR DISTINGUISHED CAREER.
NOW, TONIGHT, WHAT WE'RE GONNA DO, WE'RE GONNA HEAR FROM, UH, A NUMBER OF LEADERS, UH, AND THEN WE'LL ASK YOU TO COME UP, UH, AND SPEAK.
BUT I, AS MAYOR, I WAS ABLE TO GO FIRST.
I WAS ABLE TO GO FIRST, AND I DO HAVE SOMETHING, UH, THAT WE PUT TOGETHER, UH, TO RECOGNIZE YOU.
NOW, THIS, THIS, UH, CELEBRATION WE HAVE HERE AT CITY HALL IS NOT AS SWANKY AS THE, UH, THE PORTS PARTY, UH, RETIREMENT PARTY.
AND UNFORTUNATELY, WE DIDN'T HAVE OPTIONS TO LIGHT UP THE CHAMBERS IN DODGER BLUE.
UH, BUT, UH, BUT WE DO WANNA CELEBRATE AND RECOGNIZE YOU.
SO IF YOU COULD JUST MEET ME DOWN FRONT, UH, I HAVE SOMETHING TO PRESENT.
SO, SO MARIO, YOU KNOW MARIO TRULY FROM THE LONG BEACH COMMUNITY, UH, WHEN YOU CAN SEE PICTURES OF HIM IN HIS FRO AT LONG BEACH STATE AS A STUDENT LEADER AND ACTIVIST, WE WORKED WITH THE HISTORICAL SOCIETY IN LONG BEACH TO REALLY, UH, BRING OUT THE STORY OF HOW YOU WENT FROM A STUDENT LEADER TO A TRANSFORMATIONAL PORT LEADER.
I JUST WANT TO, UH, READ AN EXCERPT FROM THIS PLAQUE THAT WE, WE HOPE THAT YOU'LL, UH, YOU'LL TAKE HOME AND YOU'LL, YOU'LL PUT ON DISPLAY.
UH, BUT WHAT IT REALLY HAS IS STUDENT MARIO LONG BEACH STATE AND, AND THE DISTINGUISHED CEO WE HAVE HERE.
AND IT READS, MARIO CORDERO'S LEADERSHIP HAS LEFT AN INDELIBLE MARK ON THE PORT OF LONG BEACH, THE CITY AND THE NATION.
AS EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF PORT OF LONG BEACH, HE GUIDED ONE OF THE WORLD'S BUSIEST SEAPORTS THROUGH A PERIOD OF HISTORIC TRANSFORMATION, ADVANCES RECORD BREAKING INVESTMENTS IN INFRASTRUCTURE, MODERNIZING PORT OPERATIONS, AND POSITION THE PORT AS A GLOBAL LEADER IN ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP AND INNOVATION.
UNDER HIS LEADERSHIP, THE PORT STRENGTHENED HIS ROLE AS AN ECONOMIC ENGINE, WHILE SETTING NEW STANDARDS FOR CLEAN AIR SUSTAINABILITY AND COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIP.
MARIO BROOK BROWN IS THE FIRST LATINO TO SERVE IN THIS ROLE.
UH, AND MORE THAN THAT, HIS BACKGROUND AND UPBRINGING HELPED BRING
[00:30:01]
A COMMUNITY LENS TO ALL OF HIS WORK.A PROUD PUBLIC SERVANT, A LIFELONG ADVOCATE FOR LONG BEACH.
HIS CAREER REFLECTS A STEADFAST COMMITMENT TO PROGRESS, EQUITY, AND RESPONSIBLE LEADERSHIP, LEAVING A LASTING LEGACY FOR THE WATERFRONT, THE WORKFORCE, AND THE COMMUNITY HE SERVED.
AND HERE THE INSCRIPTION READS FROM ACTIVISM AT CAL STATE LONG BEACH TO LEADING THE PORTLAND FUTURE.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR LIFETIME IN PUBLIC SERVICE THAT LEAVES A LEGACY OF A GREENER CLEANER, MORE EQUITABLE, MORE PROSPEROUS LONG BEACH.
SO NEXT UP, I'M GONNA IN, I'M GONNA INVITE, UH, LET'S GO CITY COUNCIL.
WE'RE GONNA GO TO CITY COUNCIL.
WE'RE GONNA ASK VICE MAYOR YANG TO SPEAK NEXT.
HEY, CONGRATULATIONS, MARIO, ON YOUR RETIREMENT.
I KNOW MARIO, FOR MORE THAN 50 YEARS, THAT PICTURE THAT SAY ALL OF IT, HE'D ALWAYS DRESS WITH A PONCHO AND A BRIEFCASE.
BE WALKING DOWN THE HALLS WITH, UH, WITH THIS GATE.
IT WAS, UH, A CHOLO FROM CLA OR SOMETHING, BUT I WAS A CHOLO FROM EAST LA
I KNEW THAT NEW, NEW YEARS ON THERE.
WELL, THAT HE WAS NOT REALLY MENTIONED ABOUT HIM, IS THAT DURING THE COURSE OF HIS, UH, ILLUSTRIOUS CAREER, HE ALSO SERVED AS PRESIDENT OF LULAC, THE LEAGUE OF UNITED LATIN AMERICAN CITIZENS BACK IN THE, IN THE EIGHTIES, SEVENTIES AND EIGHTIES.
HIS INVOLVEMENT OF COMMUNITY EVENTS WAS FAR WIDE.
MARIO, WHICH IS A VERY LOW, LITTLE LOW FACT, WAS PRESIDENT OF LULAC AT THE TIME THAT LULAC SUED THE CITY, WAS LIKE A DIVERSITY CITY.
AND AS A RESULT OF THAT LAWSUIT, THE CIVIL SERVICE DEPARTMENT CREATED A RECRUITMENT DIVISION TO GET MORE DIVERSITY IN THE EMPLOYEES.
I SERVED AS A RECRUITMENT OFFICER FOR THAT PROGRAM.
AND BECAUSE THE MARIO'S EFFORTS HELPED ME IN MY CAREER TO IMAGINE IN, IN WHAT I DID HERE.
WE, UH, WERE INVITED TO GO TO A LULAC MEETING IN, IN, UH, IN ORANGE COUNTY ONE NIGHT.
AND AFTER THE MEETING, LULAC, UH, MARIO WANTED TO GO HOME, THEY, I'M NOT READY.
HE GOES, WHAT DO YOU MEAN YOU'RE NOT READY? I'M NOT READY.
HOME GOES, NO, YOU'RE GOING WITH ME.
SO I KIDNAPPED HIM, AND WE WENT OUT THAT NIGHT.
AND THAT WAS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO REALLY GET TO KNOW EACH OTHER VERY WELL.
AND THEN WE'LL ALWAYS REMEMBER THAT THAT NIGHT, MARIO.
BUT WE ALSO TALKED ABOUT WHO WOULD'VE TUNK, WHO WOULD'VE UNK THAT TWO LATINO STUDENTS AT CAL STATE LONG BEACH WHO REACH THE, IS THE POWERFUL LEADERSHIP THAT WE DID.
AND, UH, I AM HONORED TO BE HERE TODAY TO OFFER JUST A VERY SMALL TOKEN.
I WAS ALL DONE WITH THE MAYOR, BUT, UH, TO RECOGNIZE YOUR SERVICE TO THE CITY, TO LONG BEACH, TO THE COMMUNITY.
AND I'M SO PROUD OF YOUR SERVICE AND TO SEE YOU DEVELOP AS, AS WE'VE WENT ALONG THROUGH ALL THESE MANY YEARS OF BEING TOGETHER.
BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY, VERY PROUD TO CALL YOUR FRIEND.
I'LL BE BRIEF 'CAUSE I KNOW WE HAVE LOTS OF FOLKS WHO WANNA SAY THINGS.
I WANNA EXPRESS MY SINCERE GRATITUDE TO MR. CORDERO, TO MARIO FOR HIS INCREDIBLE WORK AND SERVICE TO OUR LONG BEACH COMMUNITY, THE REGION AND BEYOND FOR DECADES.
AS MENTIONED, WE'VE TALKED ABOUT HIS ACCOMPLISHMENTS.
[00:35:01]
I THINK HIS BIGGER STORY IS HIS INVOLVEMENT IN OUR COMMUNITY AND HIS FAMILY.SO IN ADDITION TO BEING AN INCREDIBLE LEADER AT MULTIPLE LEVELS, HE IS A MAN OF DEEP FAITH, A MAN WHO LOVES HIS FAMILY.
HE IS A FRIEND AND ROLE MODEL TO SO MANY YOUNG PEOPLE AND US, NOT SO YOUNG PEOPLE AS WELL.
UM, A RABID DODGER FAN, WHICH I APPRECIATE GREATLY, UM, AND A PROUD FIFTH DISTRICT RESIDENT FOR MANY DECADES.
YOU WILL SEE HIM IN COFFEE SHOPS.
YOU WILL SEE HIM FREQUENTING LOCAL BUSINESSES.
SO AS MUCH AS MARIO IS A PERSON WE SEE ON THE GLOBAL STAGE, HE'S THE PERSON WE SEE HAVING BREAKFAST WITH HIS FAMILY.
SO I WANNA THANK YOU FOR THE CONTRIBUTIONS YOU HAVE MADE, BOTH LARGE AND SMALL TO MAKE OUR COMMUNITY A BETTER, SAFER, MORE INCLUSIVE PLACE.
I CAN'T WAIT TO SEE WHAT'S NEXT FOR YOU AND YOUR FAMILY IN THIS, UH, NEXT CHAPTER OF THE INCREDIBLE STORY THAT YOU ARE IN THE MIDDLE OF.
YES, I TOO WANNA ADD MY CONGRATULATIONS ON A JOB WELL DONE AND FOR LEAVING A LONG LASTING LEGACY FOR US TO BUILD ON.
UH, YOU KNOW, I LIKE TO THINK THE CURRENT PORT OF LONG BEACH LOGO HAS BEEN, YOU KNOW, THE, THE COMPROMISE BETWEEN THE LOGO AND THE GREENPORT HAS KIND OF BEEN THIS DUALITY THAT YOU HAVE BEEN IN BEING A REALLY DOWN TO EARTH, UM, PASSIONATE PERSON THAT REALLY WANTS TO MAKE IMPORTANT SOCIAL PAC IMPACT, BUT ALSO KNOW THAT WE GOTTA GET BUSINESS DONE AT THE END OF THE DAY, RIGHT? SO I THINK IN, IN THAT EFFORT IS TRYING TO MAKE SURE THAT, YOU KNOW, IN YOUR ROLE AS STRADDLING THESE DIFFERENT WORLDS, PUTTING COMMUNITY FIRST, BUT KNOWING THAT YOU HAVE TO ALSO BRING COMM BUSINESSES TOGETHER IN DIFFERENT, UM, PLACES.
AND YOU'VE REALLY LED US THROUGH A VARIETY OF CRISIS AND JUST CONTINUE TO BE A MODEL.
EVEN THOUGH YOU'RE RETIRING, I KNOW YOU HAVE A LOT TO DO.
THERE'S PROBABLY A LONG STACK OF BOOK SOMEWHERE IN THE CORNER OF YOUR HOUSE.
YOU HAVEN'T GOTTEN TO MANY LINEUPS OF MOVIES, YOU HAVE IT YET TO WATCH.
BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY, MANY, UH, BUCKET LISTS OF ACTIVITIES TO DO WITH YOUR FRIENDS.
SO I WISH YOU THE BEST ON YOUR NEXT JOURNEY, WHICH IS JUST SPENDING MORE, UH, VALUABLE TIMES WITH YOUR FAMILY AND FRIENDS.
AND OBVIOUSLY, WE'RE ALWAYS GONNA SEE YOU IN A COMMUNITY.
UH, SO TONIGHT WE EXPRESS OUR DEEPEST GRATITUDE TO A LEADER OF MARITIME INDUSTRY AND SUSTAINABILITY.
MARIO CORDERO HAS SERVED THE PORT OF LONG BEACH SINCE 2003, AND FOR 22 YEARS, HE HAS LED THE PORT WITH INTEGRITY AND VISION.
YOU'VE USHERED IN AN ERA OF ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY WITH THE GREEN PORT POLICY.
BECAUSE OF YOUR SUSTAINABILITY WORK, WE NOW HAVE A FRAMEWORK FOR A STRONG AND CLEAN PORT BY REDUCING OUR CAR CARBON EMISSIONS.
MR. CORDERO, YOU HAVE EXPANDED OUR REACH IN INTERNATIONAL TRADE COMMUNITY AND BROUGHT LONG THE LONG BEACH PORT INTO A NEW ERA.
YOU'VE MADE A LASTING IMPACT ON THE PORT, AND YOUR LEGACY WILL BE DEFINITELY MISSED.
UH, SINCE BECOMING THE PORT CEO, YOU HAVE EXEMPLIFIED WHAT IT MEANS TO BE A STRONG LEADER WITH UNWAVERING DEDICATION.
YOU'VE SEEN THE PORT THROUGH MULTIPLE DAYS OF SUPPLY CHAIN DISRUPTIONS.
YET WITH ALL OF THOSE CHALLENGES, YOUR LEADERSHIP HAVE LEFT THE PORT AND THE CITY IN A GREAT POSITION.
FROM THIS PERSPECTIVE OF INFRASTRUCTURE, I WANNA THANK YOU FOR ALL THOSE CONTRIBUTIONS.
OVER THE YEARS YOU WILL BE REMEMBERED FOR YOUR POLICY WORK, UH, THROUGH THE STAFF YOU HAVE NURTURED AND GUIDED AND THROUGH THE EXPANDED GROWTH OF OUR PORT.
BUT IN ADDITION TO THAT, MARIO, I WANNA THANK YOU FOR BEING A ROLE MODEL AND A SOCCER COACH.
YOU KNOW THAT IN THE HARTWELL PARKS, YOU COACHED MY HUSBAND, UH, ON THE SOCCER FIELD, WHO THEN GREW UP TO HAVE HIS OWN SON.
AND BECAUSE OF YOUR ROLE MODEL, NATURE NOW COACHES HIS TEAM ACCORDINGLY.
SO WE INVITE YOU OUT DURING YOUR RETIREMENT TO COME OUT TO THE SOCCER FIELDS AND SEE WHAT'S HAPPENING NOW WITH YOUNG PEOPLE.
WE SEND YOU OFF WITH OUR DEEP APPRECIATION OF YOUR TIME WITH THE CITY, UH, AND WE WISH YOU THE VERY, VERY BEST IN YOUR RETIREMENT AND KNOW THAT IT WILL HAVE IMPACT ON GENERATIONS TO COME.
NEXT IS COUNCIL MEMBERS IN DEJAS.
THIS IS A BITTERSWEET DAY FOR US, MARIO.
UM, IT IS NOT EASY FOR, UM, FOR SOMEONE TO LEAD SUCH A REGIONALLY SERVING ORGANIZATION AND A GLOBAL MODEL LIKE IT, LIKE OUR PORT OF LONG BEACH, MARIO, YOU HAVE TAKEN ON THIS TASK.
[00:40:01]
AND THE WORK YOU HAVE DONE WILL GUIDE US AS A CITY FOR MANY, MANY YEARS TO COME.I PARTICULARLY WANT TO HIGHLIGHT YOUR WORK IN ADVANCING GREENPORT POLICY IN LONG BEACH THAT RECOGNIZES LOCAL IMPACT WORKS TO MITIGATE LOCAL HARM AND SUSTAINS THE PORT AS OUR GLOBAL LEADER.
FOR MANY YEARS, THAT WAS A CHALLENGE, UH, IMPACTING OUR MOST VULNERABLE COMMUNITIES.
AND THROUGH YOUR LEADERSHIP, WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO LAUNCH A VISION FOR A GREENER PORT THAT BECOMES AN EXEMPLARY MODEL FOR OTHER PORT CITIES TO FOLLOW.
I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR STRONG PARTNERSHIP, UM, DURING OUR TIMES, DURING YOUR TIME AS THE CEO OF THE PORT.
UM, YOUR WORK IN EXPANDING THE PORT'S COMMUNITY OUTREACH PROGRAMS HAS DONE A LOT, A LOT OF GOOD TO SUPPORT NEIGHBORHOOD RESILIENCY CITYWIDE.
THANK YOU FOR ALL THAT YOU HAVE DONE AND ALL THAT YOU HAVE LEFT BEHIND.
WE WISH YOU THE ULTIMATE BEST, AND THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR SHARING YOUR BEAUTIFUL FAMILY WITH US.
YOU KNOW, I LOVE EVERY SINGLE ONE OF YOU.
UM, AND JUST THANK YOU FOR THAT.
I ALSO HAVE A CERTIFICATE, NOT AS NICE AS THE MAYORS, BUT, UM, THAT WAS SUPER SPECIAL.
UM, AND I WOULD LIKE TO JUST READ WHAT IT SAYS.
IT SAYS, PRESENTED TO MARIO CORDERO IN RECOGNITION OF YOUR LEADERSHIP AS CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER OF THE PORT OF LONG BEACH.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR PARTNERSHIP IN ADVANCING A GREENPORT POLICY THAT RECOGNIZES LOCAL IMPACT WORKS TO MEDIC, MITIGATE LOCAL HARMS, AND SUSTAINS THE PORT OF LONG BEACH.
AS A GLOBAL LEADER, YOUR WORK IN EXPANDING THE PORTS COMMUNITY OUTREACH PROGRAMS HAS CONTRIBUTED SO MUCH SUPPORT TO NEIGHBORHOOD EFFORTS CITYWIDE.
IT IS MY UTMOST PLEASURE TO PRESENT YOU WITH THIS CERTIFICATE OF RECOGNITION AND CONGRATULATIONS ON YOUR RETIREMENT.
UH, THANK YOU AND CONGRATULATIONS, MARIO.
UM, YOU REALLY DESERVE THIS RECOGNITION TONIGHT, UM, WITH ALL YOUR ACCOMPLISHMENTS.
AND WE TALKED ABOUT THE BIG ITEMS, NOT THE LEAST OF, WHICH IS EVERYTHING YOU DID ON THE GREEN PORT.
I KIND OF FEEL LIKE MEGAN KERR, YOU, YOU NEVER NEGLECTED THE SMALL THINGS, AND THAT'S WHAT REALLY IMPRESSED ME.
UH, TAKING THE TIME TO MEET WITH EACH INDIVIDUAL COUNCIL MEMBER, UH, IS AMAZING.
UM, ATTENDING, UH, A PORSCHE DEALER
AND, UM, I KNOW THIS IS YOUR N MARIO, BUT I WANTED TO COMMEND THE, UH, HARBOR COMMISSION FOR A SECOND.
AND THAT IS, THESE WERE HUGE SHOES TO FILL, AND I THINK YOU FOLKS KNOCKED IT OUTTA THE PARK WITH YOUR SELECTION OF NOAH HAS GABA.
ALL RIGHT, CONGRATS ALL AROUND.
NEXT IS COUNCIL MEMBER DUGGAN MARIO, I'VE GOTTEN TO KNOW YOU OVER THE LAST COUPLE YEARS AND BY EXTENSION YOUR FAMILY.
AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WILL ALWAYS STAND OUT FOR ME IS, UH, YOUR COMMITMENT TO YOUR FAMILY AND HOW THEY COME FIRST.
UM, BUT IN THE BIG PICTURE WHEN IT COMES TO THE PORT, I WILL JUST, UH, THE LEGACY THAT YOU LEAVE BEHIND IS INCREDIBLE.
WE'RE VERY LUCKY TO HAVE HAD YOUR LEADERSHIP IN THE COMMUNITY.
CONGRATULATIONS ON A WELL-DESERVED RETIREMENT.
AND, UM, I ALWAYS KNOW WHEN YOU SPEAK, YOU TALK ABOUT A MISSION REDUCTION AND I THINK OF 92, WAIT, 92, 71.
WELL, I JUST WANT TO SAY CONGRATULATIONS, AND I LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING WHAT YOU CONTINUE TO DO.
AND VIRTUALLY WE HAVE COUNCIL MEMBER ALLEN, SO IF WE CAN UNMUTE HER.
UM, I JUST WANTED TO SAY, UH, MARIO, JUST, JUST THANK YOU SO MUCH.
UM, I WISH I WAS THERE, UH, JUST TO, UH, LOOK YOU AND I, AND JUST TELL YOU THANK YOU.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE, UM, TO OUR COMMUNITY.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE TO OUR COUNTRY.
YOU KNOW, YOU ARE JUST A MAN OF HONOR.
UM, YOU'RE AN AMAZING, UH, LEADER, BUT YOU'RE ALSO AN AMAZING FAMILY, MAN AND HUSBAND AND THEIR AND FRIEND AND NAME.
AND, UH, JUST, I ALSO JUST WANNA ALSO THANK YOU FOR JUST THE TIME THAT YOU INVEST.
[00:45:01]
UM, AND EVERYONE YOU KNOW, AND ESPECIALLY THE TIME THAT YOU'VE INVESTED IN US AS, AS COUNCIL MEMBERS, YOU KNOW, YOU ARE JUST AN EXEMPLARY LEADER AND, UH, I'M JUST SO HAPPY, UH, TO CALL YOU A FRIEND AND, UH, SPENDING SOME TIME WITH WELL DESERVED MISSION TONIGHT.ALRIGHT, SO THAT CONCLUDES THE CITY COUNCIL MEMBER REMARKS.
WE'RE NOW GONNA INVITE UP OUR CITY MANAGER, MO MOCA FOR HIS, HIS, UH, REMARKS AND PRESENTATION.
UH, WOW, WHAT A AMAZING PARTNERSHIP IT'S BEEN.
SO THE COUNCIL'S TALKED A LOT ABOUT, UH, HOW AMAZING YOU ARE INTERNATIONALLY AND, AND, AND RUNNING YOUR ORGANIZATION AND THE GREENPORT POLICY.
AND WHAT I REALLY WANT TO SPEAK TO IS REALLY THE PARTNERSHIP THAT YOU HAVE SHOWN AS A CITY DEPARTMENT TO ALL THE REST OF OUR DEPARTMENTS.
UH, AND TO ME PERSONALLY AND, AND TO APRIL.
SO, UM, YOU'VE GIVEN JUST A LIFETIME OF SERVICE.
SO, UH, YOU HAD YOUR CAREER, UH, WHICH WAS ALWAYS FOCUSED IN COMMUNITY AS WELL, BUT THEN YOU REALLY, UH, SPENT A, A GOOD PORTION OF THAT GIVING BACK TO THE COMMUNITY, UH, IN TERMS OF PUBLIC SERVICE.
AND WE'RE VERY FORTUNATE TO HAVE YOU THERE.
UH, YOU'VE BEEN A PARTNER IN SO MANY WAYS.
I COULD LIST SO MANY DIFFERENT PROJECTS.
UH, BUT, UH, JUST STARTING WITH THIS INCREDIBLE CIVIC CENTER, UH, THIS WENT ALL THE WAY BACK TO THE, THE DAYS THAT YOU WERE ON THE COMMISSION.
UH, AND TRYING TO FIND A WAY TO HAVE THAT CONNECTION WITH THE CITY, UH, WAS REALLY IMPORTANT.
AND THEN, OF COURSE, UH, THE BUILDING, UH, GOT BUILT AND THEN WE MOVED IN TOGETHER AND, UH, FIGURED OUT HOW TO SHARE SO MANY THINGS WITHIN THE CIVIC CENTER COMPLEX.
AND THIS BUILT, THIS WOULD NOT HAVE HAPPENED, UH, WITHOUT THE SUPPORT OF THE PORT.
UH, UH, GETTING THROUGH COVID, UH, IS SOMETHING I'LL ALWAYS REMEMBER.
UH, YOU WERE, UH, IMMEDIATELY SAYING, HOW CAN WE HELP? UH, YOU LENT A LOT OF EMPLOYEES TO COME SIT IN OUR EMERGENCY OPERATION CENTER AND DO ROLES THAT THEY WERE NOT FAMILIAR WITH AND, AND, UH, WORK SIDE BY SIDE WITH OTHER DEPARTMENTS.
UH, AND THAT WAS, UH, UM, INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT.
UH, WHEN IT CAME, UH, TO THE QUEEN MARY, AND WE WERE FACING SOME DIFFICULT DECISIONS.
THE CITY TOOK THE QUEEN MARY BACK AND WE NEEDED TO MAKE SOME IMMEDIATE REPAIRS.
AND WE WORKED TOGETHER AND FOUND AFU, UH, UH, FUNDING SOLUTION THAT WORKED, UH, THAT, UH, UH, WAS, UH, BENEFICIAL TO THE PORT AND BENEFICIAL TO THE CITY.
UH, AND LOOK AT THE RESULTS THERE.
UH, OF COURSE, THERE'S SO MANY COMMUNITY GRANTS, SO MANY PARKS HAVE BEEN BUILT.
SO MANY ORGANIZATIONS, SO MANY NONPROFITS HAVE BEEN HELPED THROUGH THE GREEN PORT PROGRAM.
UH, UM, UH, AND THE COMMITMENT TO THE COMMUNITY, UH, UM, GRANTS PROGRAM.
UH, AND THEN I'LL, I'LL END WITH THE COLORADO LAGOON.
SO THAT IS GONNA BE A HUGE LEGACY, UM, FOR, UH, FOR YOU, FOR THE PORT, FOR THE THE BOARD.
UH, WE WILL BE OPENING THAT NEXT YEAR.
UH, AND THAT IS JUST GONNA BE, UH, FOR THE FIRST TIME IN, UH, BASICALLY A HUNDRED YEARS, IT'LL BE RECONNECTED BACK TO THE OCEAN THE WAY, UH, IT, IT HAD BEEN INTENDED AND BE A ECOLOGICAL, UH, RESOURCE.
SO, UH, AS YOU DID ALL OF THAT, YOU KEPT THE COMMUNITY AS YOU'RE GUIDING LIGHT, UM, BALANCING THE NEEDS OF INDUSTRY WITH THE NEEDS OF OUR COMMUNITY.
AND FOR THAT, I'LL ALWAYS BE GRATEFUL.
SO, ON BEHALF OF ALL OF, UH, THE CITY DEPARTMENTS AND THE EXECUTIVE TEAM, WE WANNA REALLY THANK YOU FOR YOUR PARTNERSHIP.
UH, I HAVE SOMETHING FOR YOU AS WELL.
UM, I HAVE A, UH, UM, HANDMADE BOX THAT I MADE FOR YOU, UH, THAT I, UH, PUT TOGETHER AS KIND OF, UH, UH, AN HONORING OF OUR, OF OUR MAJOR LEADERS.
UH, AND WE DO IT WITH THE HELP OF THE LONG BEACH PUBLIC LIBRARY.
THERE'S AN INSCRIPTION ON THERE WITH A CITY SEAL, AND ALSO, UH, NOTING YOUR TIME, NOT ONLY, UH, WITH, UH, THE, UM, THE HARBOR COMMISSION, BUT ALSO THE MARITIME COMMISSION, AND ALSO AS A CEO FOR THE PAST, UH, SEVEN YEARS.
UH, SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MARIO.
I THINK WE NEED TO SEE THIS BOX.
YEAH, IT CAN BE USED FOR JEWELRY, LAPEL PINS, SOME, DID SOMEBODY SAY HE DOESN'T SMOKE? CIGARS, METALS, COINS, CHALLENGE COINS.
NEXT, BEFORE WE GO TO THE HARPER COMMISSION, WE DO HAVE, UH, A REPRESENTATIVE FROM CONGRESSMAN GARCIA'S OFFICE.
GOOD EVENING, EVERYONE, MAYOR, MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL.
UM, MY NAME IS CHRISTOPHER HERE ON BEHALF OF CONGRESSMAN ROBERT GARCIA, WHO UNFORTUNATELY WAS NOT ABLE TO BE HERE, BUT HE REALLY WANTED ME TO BE HERE FOR THIS MOMENTOUS EVENT.
TONIGHT WE RECOGNIZE AN EXTRAORDINARY PUBLIC SERVANT AND EXCEPTIONAL LEADER WHOSE LEADERSHIP HAS, HAS LEFT A LASTING IMPRINT ON THE PORT OF LONG BEACH.
AND EVERYONE WHO HAS HAD THE PLEASURE AND PRIVILEGE OF WORKING ALONGSIDE HIM FOR YEARS, MARIO HAS GUIDED THE PORT OF LONG BEACH WITH VISION, INTEGRITY,
[00:50:01]
AND ANDROY COMMITMENT TO THE EXCELLENCE OF THE PORT.UNDER HIS LEADERSHIP, THE PORT NOT ONLY GREW IN GLOBAL PROMINENCE, BUT BECAME A NATIONAL MODEL OF INNOVATION, SUSTAINABILITY, AND COLLABORATION.
MARIO LED DURING MOMENTS OF HISTORIC CHALLENGE, AS WE ALL KNOW, BUT AT THE SAME TIME, HE NEVER LOST SIGHT OF THE PORT'S RESPONSIBILITY TO OUR BEAUTIFUL CITY OF LONG BEACH AND THE SURROUNDING COMMUNITIES CHAMPION CHAMPIONING CLEANER AIR, BOLD ENVIRONMENTAL GOALS, AND INCLUSIVE ECONOMIC GROWTH.
AND I THINK WHAT MOST RESONATES WITH ME AND A LOT OF US, IS AS THE SON OF MEXICAN IMMIGRANTS, THE FIRST IN THE FAMILY TO ATTEND COLLEGE, TO THEN LATER BECOMING FEDERAL MARINE TIME COMMISSIONER, HARBOR COMMISSIONER, AND ULTIMATELY THE COO OF THE GREATEST PORT OF IN OUR NATION.
HIS STORY IS ONE OF SERVICE, HUMILITY AND TENACITY.
MARIO, THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE, YOUR LEADERSHIP, AND YOUR LASTING LEGACY.
AND ALL OF US ARE BETTER BECAUSE OF YOU.
AND ON BEHALF OF RANKING MEMBER ROBERT GARCIA AND THE CONSTITUENTS OF CALIFORNIA'S 42ND CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT, WE WOULD LOVE TO PRESENT YOU THIS FLAG THAT WAS FLOWN OVER OUR NATION'S CAPITAL.
NEXT WE WE'RE GONNA HAVE, UH, REPRESENTING THE LONG BEACH HARBOR COMMISSION COMMISSIONER SHARON WEISSMAN.
OH, COMM, COMMIT, VICE CHAIR COMMISSIONER O'NEILL.
WELL, GOOD EVENING, ESTEEMED MAYOR, COUNCIL MEMBERS AND CITY STAFF AND GUESTS.
UM, IT'S REALLY AN HONOR FOR ME TO STAND HERE TO TALK ABOUT A, A DEAR FRIEND, AND ALL OF YOU GUYS HAVE ELABORATED ON MARIO'S EXTRAORDINARY CAREER.
BUT, UH, UNLIKE VICE MAYOR, UH, YANGA, I HAVE NOT KNOWN MARIO 50 YEARS.
I'VE PROBABLY KNOWN HIM ABOUT HALF OF THAT TIME.
BUT THE, THE THING THAT I I VALUE THE MOST ABOUT HIS LEADERSHIP IS WHEN I MET HIM, HE WAS, UM, HE WAS IN THE SAME POSITION I'M IN AS, AS VICE PRESIDENT OF THE HARBOR COMMISSION.
BUT IN THAT ROLE, UH, I WAS A YOUNG LABOR LEADER.
AND, UM, THEY, I WAS TOLD I HAD TO MEET THE PERSON THAT REPRESENTED WORKING PEOPLE AT THE LONG BEACH HARBOR COMMISSION.
AND THAT, I THINK THAT SAID EVERYTHING ABOUT HIM, AS ALL OF YOU HAVE MENTIONED, WHAT HE MEANS TO HIS FAMILY, WHAT HE MEANS TO HIS COMMUNITY.
AND I DON'T THINK WE REALLY UNDERSTAND THE IMPACT OF THE GREENPORT POLICY.
YOU KNOW, THERE ARE NO NATIONAL STANDARDS IN MARITIME, RIGHT? WE, BEING THE GREENEST PORT IN THE COUNTRY, LOSE MARKET SHARE TO OTHER AREAS THAT CAN USE DIRTY TRUCKS, RIGHT? AND AS, AS THAT IS MOVING TOWARD WHAT WE'VE BEEN DOING FOR 20 YEARS, WE ARE SO FAR AHEAD, AND THAT COMES FROM THE VISION OF THIS EXTRAORDINARY LEADER.
SO, ON BEHALF OF MY COLLEAGUES, I DON'T HAVE ANYTHING TO PRESENT.
WE DID THAT AT OUR SWANKY PARTY LAST WEEK.
AND, UM, BUT I JUST WANT TO SAY IT HAS BEEN AN HONOR AND A PRIVILEGE FOR ME TO WORK AS CLOSELY AS I HAVE WITH MARIO FOR THE LAST SIX YEARS.
AND THE ACCOLADES THAT WE ARE BESTOWING ON HIM REALLY DON'T DESCRIBE THE IMPACT THAT THE MAN HAS HAD.
SO, UM, IT'S BEEN A PLEASURE TO WORK WITH YOU, SIR.
AND EVERY ENDING IS A NEW BEGINNING, SO I'M QUITE CONFIDENT IN WHATEVER YOU CHOOSE TO DO FROM THIS POINT ON, YOU WILL BE JUST AS SUCCESSFUL AS YOU HAVE BEEN IN THE ROLES THAT YOU'VE FULFILLED UP TO THIS POINT.
ALRIGHT, WELL, UH, MARIO, YOU HAVE SERVED THIS CITY WITH DISTINCTION.
YOU HAVE ADDRESSED, UH, THE CITY COUNCIL FOR MANY, MANY YEARS, AND NOW WE INVITE YOU FORWARD, UH, IN YOUR FINAL ADJUST TO THE CITY COUNCIL AS CEO, UH, TO THE PORT OF LONG FROM THE PORT OF LONG BEACH.
AND, UH, WE CERTAINLY KNOW THAT YOUR SERVICE TO THE CITY, UH, THIS IS NOT AN END OF YOUR SERVICE TO THE CITY.
UH, AND WE KNOW THAT WE'RE GONNA CONTINUE TO SEE MORE OF YOU AND CELINE AND GLORIA AND YOUR ENTIRE FAN, MOON AND ALL YOUR GRANDSONS.
WE'RE GONNA CONTINUE TO SEE THE CORDEROS CONTINUE THEIR LEGACY OF SERVICE IN THE CITY OF LONG BEACH.
THAT SAID, LET, LET'S, LET'S HEAR FROM OUR CEO.
WELL, THANK YOU SO MUCH, MAYOR CITY COUNCIL, HARBOR COMMISSIONERS AND ALL THAT, UH, TOOK
[00:55:01]
THE TIME NOT ONLY TO BE HERE, BUT THE ACCOLADES THAT YOU'VE GIVEN.BUT LET ME SAY ONE THING, UH, ANY ACCOMPLISHMENTS WERE DONE TOGETHER FROM THE VERY BEGINNING.
UH, IF YOU GO BACK TO THE YEAR 2003 AND WHAT WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO ACHIEVE, THIS GREAT PORT OF LONG BEACH, I THINK IT'S HISTORICAL FOR A LEADING CONTAINER GATEWAY TO MOVE THE CARGO IN THE NUMBERS THAT WE MOVE.
WE MAY HAVE A RECORD YEAR THIS YEAR, SURPRISINGLY, 2024, WE MOVED 9.6 MILLION CONTAINERS, THE SECOND BEST OF ANY PORT IN THE COUNTRY.
AND 2025, IT LOOKS LIKE WE'RE GONNA SUPERSEDE THAT MAYBE 9.8 ANOTHER RECORD YEAR OF OUR HISTORICAL MARKS AT THE PORT OF LONG BEACH.
THAT'S ONLY ACCOMPLISHED BY THE STAFF WE HAVE AT THE PORT OF LONG BEACH, THE POLICY DIRECTED BY THE HARBOR COMMISSION, OUR STAKEHOLDERS IN THE PORT COMPLEX.
SO I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WHILE I LISTEN TO THESE ACCOLADES, I DON'T LOSE SIGHT THAT THIS WAS NOT SOMETHING THAT I DID INDIVIDUALLY.
IT WAS PART OF A COLLABORATIVE EFFORT TOGETHER.
WE MADE THIS A GREEN PORT TOGETHER, WE DISPROVE TO THOSE WHO QUESTIONED IT BACK IN 2003 AS TO WHETHER WE COULD REDUCE EMISSIONS AND MOVE FORWARD IN ENVIRONMENTAL INITIATIVES.
WHETHER THAT WOULD SCARE THE INDUSTRY TO GO TO OTHER PORT GATEWAYS, WILL WE PROVE THOSE PEOPLE WRONG? AND I WILL SAY THIS, THAT WHEN WE TALK ABOUT 92, 71, 98, NO OTHER PORT IN THE COUNTRY OTHER THAN MAYBE LOS ANGELES, OUR PARTNER IN THIS ENDEAVOR HAS ACCOMPLISHED SUCH A RESULT WHILE LOS ANGELES IS THE NUMBER ONE PORT IN CONTAINER VOLUME FOR THE PORT OF LONG BEACH.
I HAVE SAID PREVIOUSLY, THAT'S NOT THE MOST IMPORTANT METRIC FOR US HERE IN LONG BEACH.
THERE ARE TWO OTHER FACTORS THAT MAKE US THE POOR LONG BEACH AND THIS CITY.
NUMBER ONE, NOT ONLY DO WE MOVE CARGO AT A HISTORIC MARK, BUT NUMBER TWO, WE DO IT IN A SUSTAINABLE WAY, THIS LONG ENDEAVOR OF THE GREENPORT DIRECTIVE TO MAKE SURE OUR COMMUNITY AND OUR NEIGHBORHOODS ARE THE BENEFICIARIES OF THIS CARGO.
ONE, THE CLEAN UP THE AIR, CLEAN UP THE WATER, AND ALSO TO GIVE BACK.
SO THOSE THREE METRICS, CARGO, VOLUME, WHAT WE DO TO REDUCE EMISSIONS AND OUR QUEST FOR ZERO AS A CITY AND AS A PORT.
AND THE THIRD, WHAT WE GIVE BACK TO THE COMMUNITY, OUR SUPPORT OF OUR NONPROFITS, OUR COMMUNITY GRANTS, AND THE GREAT HARBOR COMMISSION WE HAVE TODAY, AND THOSE THAT PRECEDED THEM, THAT'S THE STORY FOR THE PEARL LONG BEACH.
IT IS NOT BECAUSE OF AN INDIVIDUAL OF MARIO CORDERO.
I WAS JUST SO BLESSED THAT MAYOR O'NEILL, WHO, UH, APPOINTED ME TO THE HARVARD COMMISSION, AND I'LL GET THIS SLIGHT QUICK STORY, YOU MIGHT, UH, GET A KICK LISTENING TO THIS.
MAYOR O'NEILL IN INTERVIEWED ME.
UH, AND AT THE TIME WHEN I CAME ONTO THE PORT OF LONG BEACH, I WAS NOT WITHIN THE GROUP OF 300 WHO USUALLY GET APPOINTED BACK IN THE DAY TO THE HARBOR COMMISSION.
THANKFULLY, IT'S MUCH DIFFERENT.
BUT MAYOR O' NEIL, IN HER INTERVIEW OF ME, ASKED ME A QUESTION THAT I ALWAYS REMEMBER.
NOT ONLY THE QUESTION, BUT THE ANSWER I GAVE HER.
AND SHE SAID TO ME, MARIO, UH, YOU YOU, YOU REPRESENT UNIONS, DON'T YOU? AND I SAID, WELL, MADAM MAYOR, NO, I REPRESENT EMPLOYERS AND MUNICIPALITIES.
I'M TALKING ABOUT INSURANCE DEFENSE.
UH, AND I THINK THE REASON SHE ASKED THAT QUESTION, BECAUSE YES, I'VE BEEN VERY SUPPORTIVE OF LABOR, ABSOLUTELY FROM DAY ONE.
IT'S IN MY DNA, THE SECOND QUESTION SHE SAID, OR STATEMENT, SHE SAYS, YOU KNOW, THERE'S SOME PEOPLE WHO BELIEVE THAT YOU DON'T HAVE ENOUGH OF A BUSINESS BACKGROUND TO BE ON THE HARBOR COMMISSION.
AND, UH, THEY'RE REALLY, THEY'RE, THEY'RE SOMEWHAT CONCERNED.
AND I SAID, WELL, MADAM MAYOR, I REMEMBER WHEN YOU RAN FOR MAYOR OF THE CITY OF LONG BEACH.
YOU WERE SUPERINTENDENT IN THE, AT LONG BEACH CITY COLLEGE.
YOU HAD NEVER RUN, RAN FOR A POLITICAL OFFICE, AND YOU WERE RUNNING AGAINST TWO INCUMBENT CITY COUNCIL PEOPLE.
AND PEOPLE CRITICIZED YOU, WHAT ARE YOU DOING RUNNING FOR MAYOR WHEN YOU NEVER EVEN HAVE HELD POLITICAL OFFICE? AND IF IT'S THOSE PEOPLE WHO QUESTION YOU, WHO ARE NOW QUESTIONING ME, I'M GONNA PROVE THEM WRONG AS YOU DID THIS GREAT CITY.
SO THIS IS A STORY OF THE PORT OF LONG BEACH, THE OPPORTUNITY, INCLUSIVENESS.
AND I WILL SAY THAT I WOULD LIKE TO THINK THAT THIS IS A PEOPLE'S PORT.
YES, IT'S A VERY IMPORTANT CONTAINER
[01:00:01]
GATEWAY, BUT WE'VE DONE IT, WE'VE ACCOMPLISHED IT TOGETHER IN TERMS OF BRINGING IT GROUNDED, A PORT THAT NOT ONLY MOVES CARGO, BUT THAT IS INVOLVED WITH OUR COMMUNITY AND DOES IT IN A SUSTAINABLE FASHION.AND MAYOR, I REMEMBER WHEN YOU WERE ELECTED AND YOU, UH, ASCENDED TO BEING MAYOR, UH, YOU'D ASKED ME TO GO LUNCH AND YOU WANTED TO PICK MY BRAIN ABOUT THE HARBOR AND THE PORT, AND YOU ASKED ME A QUESTION, WHAT COULD I DO FOR THE PORT? AND I SAID, WELL, MR. MAYOR, WE NEED TO SHOW THE PORT, OUR STAKEHOLDERS, OUR TENANTS, THIS INDUSTRY A LITTLE BIT MORE LOVE.
BECAUSE MANY TIMES IN THIS ADVOCACY OF OUR PEOPLE FOR ENVIRONMENTAL, UH, PERFECTION, WHICH I SUPPORT THAT ADVOCACY, AND I LIKE THESE YOUNG PEOPLE WHO COME AND ADVOCATE BECAUSE THEY BELIEVE THAT THEY'RE DOING SOMETHING FOR THEIR COMMUNITY, BUT SOMETIMES IT GETS LOST IN THE CONVERSATION THAT THIS CITY HAS A GREAT PORT, THE GREATEST PORT IN THE COUNTRY, AND THAT WE SHOULD ADVERTISE THAT MORE.
AND I THINK THAT WE NEED TO GIVE COMFORT TO THE INDUSTRY IN THAT COMPLEX THAT ABSOLUTELY THE CITY COUNCIL SUPPORTS THEM.
THE CITY COUNCIL SUPPORTS COMMERCIAL GROWTH.
SO I WOULD RECOMMEND THAT YOU MEET WITH HIM.
AND SURE ENOUGH, MR. MAYOR, I THINK WITHIN 30 DAYS YOU HELD THOSE MEETINGS WITH THOSE PORT TERMINALS AND THEY GOT BACK TO ME.
YOU DON'T KNOW HOW MUCH, WHAT A DIFFERENCE THAT WAS FOR THEM TO HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO MEET WITH YOU AS MAYOR AND SHOW SOME LOVE TO THE PORT.
SO AS I CONCLUDE MY COMMENTS HERE, I JUST WANNA SAY THAT I THINK GOING FORWARD, WHAT I WOULD ASK IS THAT THE LEGACY HERE IS ABOUT THE PORT OF LONG BEACH AND THE LEGACY FORWARD IN THE FUTURE WILL CONTINUE TO BE ABOUT THE PORT OF LONG BEACH.
AS WE MOVE FORWARD, THE ZERO EMISSION, AND FOR THOSE WHO QUESTION OUR RESOLVED TOWARDS RENEWABLE ENERGY ARE RESOLVED TOWARDS ZERO EMISSION, ALL I HAVE TO SAY TO THEM THAT WE'VE HEARD THAT STORY BEFORE, BACK IN 2003, BACK IN 2005.
AND I COULD TELL YOU WITHOUT A DOUBT, AND I THINK THE COMMISSIONERS WOULD SUPPORT THE FACT WHETHER YOU TRAVEL THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY OR THROUGH THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY, LONG BEACH IS ON THE MAP, UH, WITH THE GREAT THINGS THE CITY HAS DONE, BUT WITH A GREAT PORT, WE HAVE.
SO FOR A CITY OF 496,000, UH, WE HAVE THE GREATEST PORT IN THE NATION IS THE ECONOMIC ENGINE.
NOT JUST FOR COMMERCIAL GROWTH, BUT HOW THAT BENEFITS OUR COMMUNITY.
WE'RE NOT PERFECT, BUT I COULD GUARANTEE YOU ONE THING WE'VE DONE MORE THAN ANY OTHER PORT IN THIS COUNTRY.
SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT THROUGH THE MANY YEARS.
UH, AND I'M SPEAKING TO YOU AS FRIENDS BECAUSE I LIKE TO SAY EVERY ONE OF YOU, I'M A FRIEND.
AND WITH THAT, UH, I CONCLUDE MY COMMENTS.
AND IT'S BEEN A PLEASURE AND AN HONOR TO SERVE AS A CEO AND I WILL CONTINUE TO SUPPORT THE CITY IN THIS HARBOR IN THE DAYS THAT COME.
BECAUSE AGAIN, IT'S THE PART, IT'S THE PASSION.
AND TOGETHER THIS IS THE INTERNATIONAL CITY AND MAYOR, UH, YOU'VE DONE GREAT THINGS IN TERMS OF REALLY BRINGING US IN THAT PROFILE.
WE'RE GETTING READY FOR 2028, UH, AND AGAIN TO HAVE THIS GREAT PORT FOR THE WORLD TO SEE, UH, WHAT THIS MEANS TO THE CITY AND TO THE WORLD AND TO COMMERCIAL GROWTH.
SO WITH THAT, THANK YOU SO MUCH.
ALL RIGHT, LET'S HEAR IT FOR CEO.
MARIO CORDERO, DON'T SIT DOWN YET.
UH, WE'RE GONNA INVITE YOU DOWN WITH THE COUNCIL MEMBER.
FEEL FREE TO INVITE, UH, INVITE YOUR FAMILY OR THE COMMISSIONERS.
WE'RE GOING TO GET ONE PHOTO AND IT'S A LOT OF HARDWARE, SO SOMEONE'S GONNA NEED TO HELP 'EM CARRY SOME OF THAT HARDWARE.
MY WIFE WILL BE HERE, BUT SHE'S AT A CONFERENCE IN, WE HAVE EVERYBODY TAKE A BIG STEP BACK.
[01:05:01]
JUST NEED TO ALRIGHT, EVERYONE IN.LET'S GET THAT FLAG OVER HERE.
ALL RIGHT, WE'RE GONNA GO AHEAD AND CONTINUE THE COUNCIL MEETING.
LET'S NOW, UH, MADAM CITY ATTORNEY, UH, WE'LL HAVE THAT REPORT OUT FROM CLOSED SESSION, PLEASE.
UH, THE CITY COUNCIL MET IN CLOSED SESSION AND THERE IS NO REPORTABLE ACTION THIS EVENING.
ALL RIGHT, WE'RE NOW GONNA GO TO CONSENT CALENDAR ITEMS ONE THROUGH 14, EXCLUDING ITEMS SIX.
IF WE CAN GET A, IS THERE ANY PUBLIC COMMENT ON CONSENT? THERE IS.
IF I CAN GET A VERBAL MOTION IN A SECOND.
ALL RIGHT, IT'S BEEN MOVED IN, SECONDED.
WE'RE GONNA GO TO PUBLIC COMMENT.
UH, I HAVE LAURA ON ITEM SEVEN, DAVE ON ITEM EIGHT.
UH, ROGELIO ON MAR ON ITEM EIGHT.
IF YOU HEARD YOUR NAME, PLEASE MAKE YOUR WAY TO THE FRONT.
ALRIGHT, RIGHT, IS LAURA, DAVE OR ROGELIO HERE? ROGELIO.
SO REGARDING, UM, NUMBER EIGHT, WHEN I LOOKED AT THE AGENDA, I WAS PUZZLED WITH THE FACT THAT, UH, WE'RE SPENDING UPWARDS TO $10 MILLION TO DECOMMISSION A RENEWABLE POWER PLANT.
AND I JUST WANTED TO KNOW HOW THAT HAPPENED.
HOW DID WE GET THERE? THAT'S JUST NOT NORMAL FOR ANY CITY TO PAY THAT MUCH MONEY TO DECOMMISSION A PLANT, WHETHER IT'S A REFINERY OR A POWER PLANT.
SO I'D LIKE TO KNOW AS A RESIDENT OF LONG BEACH, CALIFORNIA, HOW WE GOT TO A $10 MILLION BILL.
OBVIOUSLY, NO ONE'S GONNA ANSWER MY QUESTION THEN.
WELL, IT IS UNACCEPTABLE THAT YOU'VE AGREED TO THIS IN THE FIRST PLACE AS PART OF THE OPERATING AND MAINTENANCE AGREEMENT.
UM, HOPEFULLY THERE'S NOT OTHER AGREEMENTS SUCH AS THIS THAT THE CITY HAS ENTERED UPON BECAUSE IT IS NOT NORMAL.
AGAIN, I'LL REPEAT FOR A CITY TO PAY FOR THE DECOMMISSIONING OF A PLANT.
TWO PHILLIPS 66 REFINERIES JUST SHUT DOWN RECENTLY.
ONE IN THE CITY OF LOS ANGELES IN WILMINGTON, CALIFORNIA, AND ONE IN CARSON, CALIFORNIA.
AND I GUARANTEE THAT THE CITY OF LOS ANGELES, NOR THE CITY OF CARSON ARE PAYING FOR THE DECOMMISSIONING OF EITHER OF THOSE TWO REFINERIES.
THAT IS JUST NOT NORMAL STANDARD PRACTICE.
[CONSENT CALENDAR (1. – 14.)]
THERE ISN'T ANY OTHER DECOMMISSIONING[01:10:01]
BUDGETS THAT HAVE BEEN MADE WITH OTHER COMPANIES.AND THEN WHY WOULD WE BE DECOMMISSIONING A RENEWABLE POWER PLANT IN THE FIRST PLACE? THE PROCESS IS SIMPLE.
THEY THEY CONVERT THAT HEAT ENERGY INTO STEAM.
THE STEAM POWERS A TURBINE, THE TURBINE MAKES POWER.
WHY WOULD BE, WHY WOULD WE EVEN BE DECOM DECOMMISSIONING SOMETHING THAT SOUNDS LIKE GREEN ENERGY, RENEWABLE ENERGY IN THE FIRST PLACE? IS IT A MATTER OF EMISSIONS? WELL, GUESS WHAT WE, THERE'S TECHNOLOGY TO LOWER THE EMISSIONS.
WE JUST TALKED ABOUT THAT WITH THE PORT.
THAT'S WHAT THE GREEN PORT ENERGY IS, IS ALL ABOUT LOWERING EMISSIONS.
THE OTHER THING IS, THIS IS WRITTEN SO VAGUE, SO GENERAL, THAT THESE COSTS, THESE 9.8 MILLION BUDGETED COSTS ARE JUST GOING TO INCREASE.
AND THE REASON WHY IS BECAUSE YOU STILL HAVE TO FIND SOMEONE THAT IS GOING TO DO THE DECOMMISSIONING IN THE FIRST PLACE.
SO IT'S LIKE YOU'RE WRITING OPEN CHECKS THAT IS NOT RESPONSIBLE SPENDING.
MY NAME IS ROGELIO MARTINEZ, 2026 LONG BEACH CITY MAYOR CANDIDATE.
UH, IS LAURA OR DAVE HERE? YEP.
LAURA, I THOUGHT I WAS GONNA BE, UH, TALKING ABOUT ON SOMETHING ELSE.
I THINK YOU SIGNED UP FOR ITEM SEVEN.
YEAH, I DID SIGN UP FOR ITEM SEVEN, BUT YOU CALLED MY NAME.
SO I'VE COME HERE DRESSED UP AS A LION TAMER.
I'VE COME HERE, UH, AS AN ICE AGENT.
I'VE COME HERE, UM, WITH, UH, NO ICE T-SHIRT.
UM, BUT YOU KNOW WHAT, I FINALLY DRESSED UP JUST LIKE YOU GUYS.
LOOK, MARY, I HAVE YOUR HAIR JUST TO SEE IF YOU GUYS WOULD START LISTENING.
SO I WON'T HOLD MY BREATH THOUGH.
SO ICHS LARA HAVE BEEN STAYING AND SLEEPING AT THE RESIDENCE INN ON QUEENSWAY DRIVE.
UM, AND YOU HAVE HEARD MANY VOICES, TENA, THANK YOU.
YOU'VE HEARD MANY OF OUR VOICES, AND WE, AND YOU WILL CONTINUE TO HEAR MANY OF OUR VOICES.
AND TENA, BY THE WAY, I'LL WAIT FOR YOU TO LOOK.
OH, LEMME SHOW YOU WHAT SHE'S DOING, GUYS.
UM, SO YOU HAD ASKED FOR A MOMENT OF SILENCE FOR, UH, THOSE THAT WERE LOST AT BROWN UNIVERSITY FOR THOSE, UM, LIVES LOST AT BONDI BEACH, WHICH YEAH, EXTREMELY SAD.
BUT WHY DON'T YOU ASK, UM, FOR THOSE WHO HAVE LOST THEIR LIVES IN ICE DETENTION CENTERS, WHY DON'T YOU ASK FOR A MOMENT OF SILENCE FOR THEM? DON'T THEY DESERVE IT? I THINK SO.
THERE'S A PETITION GOING AROUND.
UM, SO WHEN YOU'RE READY, TURN AROUND PLEASE.
UM, SO THIS HAS ALREADY HAD OVER 1300 SIGNATURES AND GROWING.
THE PEOPLE ARE SPEAKING, WHEN WILL YOU LISTEN? WHEN WILL YOU LISTEN TO US THAT ARE SAYING, GET THESE THUGS OUT OF LONG BEACH.
MAKE LONG BEACH AN ICE FREE CITY.
WHETHER OR NOT YOU GUYS WANNA DO IT BECAUSE YOUR CONSTITUENTS ARE ASKING FOR IT.
THIS IS GONNA BE GROWING AND MORE PEOPLE WILL BE COMING.
SO BASICALLY A FEW OF THESE THINGS, UH, THERE ARE ASK HERE FOR YOU GUYS, ONE IS, UM, THAT YOU USE THAT THEY DO NOT USE PUBLIC SPACES BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT THEY'RE DOING RIGHT HERE.
YOU GUYS WERE TALKING ABOUT MARIO AND THE CEO GREAT OF THE PORT OF LONG BEACH, BUT MANY OF YOU KNOW THAT THEY GO IN THE MORNING, TALK TO WHOEVER THEY'RE GONNA TALK TO AND SAY, OKAY, YOU KNOW, I'M GONNA DECIDE THAT I'M GOING TO GO TO THIS CITY AND I'M GONNA KIDNAP THESE PEOPLE.
WELL, RIGHT NOW, YOU GUYS HAVE A CHANCE, AND WE'RE NOT GONNA MAKE, WE'RE GONNA MAKE SURE THAT BEFORE YOU GO INTO YOUR BREAK, THAT YOU KNOW THAT THIS IS NOT GONNA STOP.
SO GET READY BECAUSE THERE'S GONNA BE MORE.
DAVE, ARE YOU HERE? ARE YOU SPEAKING? IT'S TIME
[01:15:01]
TO GET UP, DAVE.THANK YOU MR. MAYOR, CITY COUNCIL.
JUST ON ITEM NUMBER EIGHT, I WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT THE CITY WAS, UH, COMMITTED TO THE DECOMMISSIONING OF THE SURFACE FACILITY AND THAT THE $1 MILLION, UH, FOR UH, CONTINUING OPERATION WASN'T, UH, A, UH, RECURRENT THING.
AND THAT THE CITY HAS A PLAN FOR MEETING, UH, THE LONG TERM, UH, KIND OF LEGAL OBLIGATIONS OF SB 1383.
ALRIGHT, WELL THAT CONCLUDES PUBLIC COMMENT ON CONSENT.
UH, MEMBERS, PLEASE CAST YOUR ROLL CALL.
WE'LL NOW GO TO ITEM SIX, PLEASE REPORT FROM CITY MANAGER RECOMMENDATION TO RECEIVE AND APPROVE THE REAPPOINTMENT OF EMILY HOLMAN TO THE GREATER LOS ANGELES COUNTY VECTOR CONTROL DISTRICT'S BOARD OF TRUSTEES FOR A FOUR YEAR TERM, BEGINNING JANUARY 5TH, 2026 CITYWIDE.
ALRIGHT, WE'RE GONNA GO TO COUNCILMAN AU FOR BRIEF COMMENTS.
THANK YOU MAYOR AND MADAM CLERK, I'LL, I'LL MAKE THE MOTION TO APPROVE.
AND SECONDED BY COUNCILWOMAN KERR.
OKAY, THANK YOU FOR, UH, BACKGROUND.
THE GREATER LOS ANGELES COUNTY VECTOR CONTROL DISTRICT HAS JURISDICTION OVER THE SECTION OF LONG BEACH, EAST OF LAKEWOOD BOULEVARD AND NORTH OF PCH.
THAT ENCOMPASSES ABOUT 95% OF COUNCIL DISTRICT FOUR.
SO WE FEEL IT'S APPROPRIATE TO HAVE A CD FOUR RESIDENT, EMILY HOLMAN REPRESENTING US ON THE BOARD.
[6. 25-57186 Recommendation to receive and approve the reappointment of Emily Holman to the Greater Los Angeles County Vector Control District's Board of Trustees, for a four-year term beginning January 5, 2026. (Citywide) Office or Department: City Manager Suggested Action: Approve recommendation. ]
THE AGENDA ITEM STATES THE CITY OF LONG BEACH IS CURRENTLY REPRESENTED ON THE, UH, VECTOR CONTROL, UH, DISTRICT'S BOARD OF TRUSTEES BY EMILY HOLMAN, WHO HAS REPRESENTED LONG BEACH ON THE BOARD SINCE 2017.AN EPIDEMIOLOGIST BY TRAINING.
EMILY HAS EXTENSIVE EXPERIENCE WORKING IN PUBLIC HEALTH AND KNOWLEDGE ABOUT VECTOR-BORNE DISEASES AND IS A LONG BEACH RESIDENT.
UH, EMILY WORKS IN THE AREA OF PUBLIC HEALTH AND PREVIOUSLY WORKED AS THE CITY'S COMMUNICABLE DISEASE CONTROLLER.
UM, I WOULD LIKE TO ADD, UH, MY THOUGHTS HERE.
UH, EMILY LEFT THE LONG BEACH HEALTH DEPARTMENT TO WORK FOR THE US CENTERS FOR DISEASE CONTROL AT THE TIME OF THE COVID-19 OUTBREAK.
SHE'S BEEN AT THE CDC FOR NEARLY FIVE YEARS DOING OUTBREAK, UH, OUTBREAK DETENTION AND RESPONSE.
SHE'S CURRENTLY PURSUING A DOCTORATE AT GEORGE WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY AND HER DISSERTATION TOPIC INVOLVES LOOKING AT LOCAL TRANSMISSION OF DENGUE VIRUS IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA.
ON BEHALF THE FOURTH COUNCIL DISTRICT, WE WOULD LIKE TO THANK EMILY FOR CONTINUING TO SERVE ON THE BOARD AND WE WISH HER THE BEST IN CONTINUING HER ACADEMIC CAREER.
I ASK COUNSEL FOR YOUR SUPPORTING VOTES ON THIS RECOMMENDATION.
UH, WE'VE ALREADY DONE PUBLIC COMMENT.
WE'LL NOW GO TO GENERAL PUBLIC COMMENT.
LET'S QUEUE UP THE SPEAKER LIST.
TRISTAN SORENSON IS FIRST AWAY.
[ 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. ]
MARIA.AARON HOOPS LAST NAME KI FIRST NAME FU UH, NEXT ONE IS FREE PALESTINE AND MICHAEL G.
IF YOU'D LIKE TO RAISE THE PODIUM.
THERE'S A BUTTON THERE ON THE PODIUM IF YOU'D LIKE TO RAISE IT UP.
IT'S A COMPLIMENT TO YOUR HEIGHT.
GOOD EVENING, MAYOR RICHARD SID AND COUNCIL MEMBERS.
I LIVE IN DISTRICT FIVE AND I'M A JUNIOR AT LONG BEACH POLY HIGH SCHOOL.
I'M HERE TODAY TO TRY AND RAISE AWARENESS ABOUT AN ISSUE THAT IS NOT BEING TALKED ABOUT NEARLY ENOUGH.
STARTING WITH MY CITY GOVERNMENT.
I'M SURE EVERYONE IN THIS ROOM IS AT LEAST TO SOME EXTENT, AWARE OF THE RISING USE OF ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE ONE COULD IMAGINE.
WITH THE RISE IN USE OF AI, THERE'S BEEN AN EQUAL AMOUNT OF CONCERNS BEING BROUGHT UP WITH IT AS WELL.
SOME OF THESE ISSUES BEING BROUGHT UP SEMI-FREQUENTLY INCLUDE THE IMPACT OF CHATBOTS AND EDUCATION, THE IMPACT OF AI AND MEDIA AND PRIVACY, OR THE OVER AUTOMATION OF JOBS LEADING TO MASS UNEMPLOYMENT.
I'M HERE TODAY TO FURTHER WARN EVERYONE WHO IS LISTENING, THAT THESE ISSUES ARE BUT ONLY LITTLE PROBLEMS IN A LARGER EXISTENTIAL
[01:20:01]
RISK OF AI.AI COMPANIES ALL OVER THE GLOBE HAVE BEEN AT HARD WORK FOR THE LAST DECADE, ESPECIALLY TO DEVELOP THE SMARTEST POSSIBLE ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE, EVENTUALLY LEADING TO A SUPER INTELLIGENCE THAT CAN SURPASS THE LIMITS OF HUMAN CAPABILITIES.
TODAY, THE RICHEST MEN IN THE WORLD ARE IN TECH INVESTING HUNDREDS OF BILLIONS OF DOLLARS INTO DEVELOPING AN INTELLIGENCE THAT WE DON'T FULLY UNDERSTAND.
X-RAYS HAVE BEEN FURTHER RUNNING A SAFETY TESTS AND THE RESULTS OF THESE STUDIES HAVE PROVEN TO BE THE OPPOSITE OF COMFORTING.
NUMEROUS AI STUDIES HAVE SHOWN THAT SOME AI MODELS ARE WILLING TO BLACKMAIL, KILL, AND EVEN LAUNCH NUCLEAR WEAPONS TO ACCOMPLISH ITS GOALS.
ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE DOES NOT HAVE FEELINGS, MORALS, AND AMBITIONS.
IT'S SIMPLY A REFLECTION OF THE PEOPLE BUILDING IT.
THE PROBLEM WITH THIS IS THAT AI COMPANIES HAVE EVERY INCENTIVE POSSIBLE TO CUT CORNERS WITH THE SAFETY OF AI INSTEAD OF PRIORITIZING SAFETY.
AI ARCHITECTS ARE PRIORITIZING INTELLIGENCE AND ACHIEVING IT AS FAST AS POSSIBLE IN ORDER TO BEAT OTHER AI COMPANIES AND GOVERNMENTS.
AND THE RACE IS SUPER INTELLIGENCE.
A AI WITHOUT THE PROPER SAFETY PRECAUTIONS AND BUILT TO MORALITY IS NOT ONLY A DANGER TO THE PEOPLE IN LONG BEACH ARE, ARE OUR JOBS IN EDUCATION, BUT ALSO A DANGER TO THE HUMAN RACE AS A WHOLE.
ALTHOUGH THERE'S A SMALL HANDFUL OF MEMBERS IN OUR GOVERNMENT TALKING ABOUT THIS RISK.
PEOPLE LIKE THE SENATOR OF VERMONT, BERNIE SANDERS, OUR MEDIA AND GOVERNMENT ARE STILL LARGELY QUIET ON THIS MASSIVE EXISTENTIAL RISK.
MANY AI EXPERTS HAVE STATED THAT BECAUSE OF ABUSE IN BUILDING AI, WE COULD BE FACING MASS SUFFERING.
BUT JUSTICE, LAST WEEK OUR PRESIDENT SIGNED AN EXECUTIVE ORDER PUSHING BACK AGAINST STATES REGULATING AI.
THE FACT THAT NO ONE IS TALKING ABOUT THIS IS NOT ONLY SAD, BUT IT IS TERRIFYING AS A CITY, WE NEED TO STAND UP AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE TO THE RISKS THAT AI BRING AND HELP EDUCATE EACH OTHER ON THIS TOPIC AND HELPS OF ENCOURAGING STEP-BY-STEP FOR OUR STATE AND COUNTRY TO DO THE SAME.
IF ANY OF OUR CITY GOVERNMENT MEMBERS CARE AT ALL ABOUT THE FUTURE OF OUR YOUTH, WHICH INCLUDES YOUR CHILDREN AND GRANDCHILDREN.
I RESPECTFULLY RECOMMEND THAT YOU HELP IN STARTING TO THINK ABOUT A STRATEGY ON HOW TO CONTRIBUTE TO SOLVING THIS PROBLEM ON A CITY LEVEL.
I RECOGNIZE YOUR LAST NAME, MA'AM.
SO THIS GIVES ME HOPE, BY THE WAY.
UM, THIS IS A TIME IN WHICH WE ARE SUPPOSED TO BE JOYOUS AND I JUST FEEL SAD.
I GOT UP THIS MORNING AND I THOUGHT, WHAT CAN I DO ABOUT THIS SADNESS? I PUT ON THE MOST HOPEFUL T-SHIRT I OWN.
AND I DEEPLY BELIEVE IN ALL OF THAT.
I'M ALSO GLAD THAT I LIVE IN A CITY THAT STATES ITS VALUES CLEARLY, BUT NOW IT'S TIME TO ACT AND PUT OUR MONEY WHERE OUR VALUES ARE.
AND I URGE CITY COUNCIL TO ADOPT THE CIVIL AND HUMAN RIGHTS SCREENING POLICY AND DIRECT WHEN THE BUDGET IS BEING DEVELOPED FOR NEXT YEAR, THAT THAT SCREENING POLICY BE CRUCIAL TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF THAT BUDGET.
UM, THAT WILL GIVE ME EVEN MORE HOPE, UM, AND MAYBE GET ME OVER SOME OF THIS EXISTENTIAL SADNESS WE ARE ALL FEELING.
AND, AND NATA, UM, I, YOU KNOW, I KNOW THAT, UM, THE, THE MEMO CAME OUT AND RECOMMENDED THAT THAT WAS THE APPROPRIATE PROCESS AND SO, UH, WE'RE TALKING WITH, UH, THE BOC PROCESS ABOUT WHAT THAT COULD LOOK LIKE.
ALRIGHT, UM, NEXT IS, UH, GINA.
IT'S MY FIRST TIME SPEAKING IN FRONT OF PEOPLE IN A WHILE.
UM, I'M HERE TO LEND MY VOICE FOR THE CAMPAIGN AGAINST SUBSTANTIAL REMODEL EVICTIONS AND, UM, AND ALSO, UM, EVICTIONS OVERALL WHEN IT COMES TO, UM, FREEZING EVICTIONS, ESPECIALLY RIGHT NOW AT THIS TIME OF LIKE ICE RAIDS AND, UM, VERY JUST EMERGENCY THINGS GOING ON AROUND US.
UM, I'VE ALWAYS HAD THIS BELIEF THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, UM, REMODELING IS JUST NOT A JUST CAUSE TO EVICT TENANTS, ESPECIALLY, YOU KNOW, SINCE MOST TENANTS NOWADAYS, WE DON'T, WE CANNOT AFFORD TO PAY WITH IT LIKE THREE TIMES ALMOST OUR, OR OUR, UM, OUR S SALARY.
NO, MOST OF THE PLACES ARE ASKING US TO MAKE THREE TIMES OUR SALARY, UM, FOR THE MONTH.
AND, UM, THEY, THE RENT IS REALLY, REALLY HIGH.
I AM SPEAKING ACTUALLY FROM EXPERIENCE BECAUSE I'M ACTUALLY GOING THROUGH SOMETHING RIGHT NOW.
UH, WE'VE BEEN IN OUR APARTMENT BUILDING FOR ABOUT SEVEN OR SO YEARS, BUT HALF THE TENANTS IN OUR APARTMENT
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BUILDING HAVE BEEN THERE FOR 20 PLUS YEARS.THEY HAVEN'T LOOKED FOR APARTMENTS IN A LONG TIME.
THEY DON'T EVEN KNOW WHERE TO GO.
YOU KNOW, OF COURSE, YOU KNOW, GOOGLE'S RIGHT THERE.
YOU CAN, THEY CAN LOOK IT UP, BUT THAT'S NOT THE POINT.
THEY HAVEN'T HAD TO DO IT IN A LONG TIME.
THEY'VE RAISED THEIR KIDS HERE, YOU KNOW, AND, UM, AND JUST TO GET A REMODELING, SOMETIMES IT'S BEING USED AS A LOOPHOLE AND, YOU KNOW, THOSE THINGS ARE NOT BEING ENFORCED AND MAKING SURE THAT THESE COMPANIES OR THESE, UM, NEW PROPERTY OWNERS ARE, YOU KNOW, DOING EVERYTHING BY HOW THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO.
AND EVEN THEN, UM, YOU KNOW, TO GET EVICTED OVER A, WHAT THEY CALL A SUBSTANTIAL REMODELING, I DON'T THINK IT'S MORALLY RIGHT.
UM, YOU KNOW, IT WHY IT'S NOT A A JUST CAUSE BECAUSE IT'S NOT A FAULT OF OURS THAT THE BUILDING IS BEING SOLD OR IS SOLD.
AND NOW WE HAVE TO LEAVE BECAUSE SOMEONE WANTS TO REMODEL A BUILDING.
WE'RE MORE AND MORE THAN WILLING TO STAY AND CONTINUE TO PAY OUR RENT.
YOU KNOW, WE'VE HAD OUR RENT INCREASES AS, UM, YOU KNOW, AS EVERYONE ELSE DOES, BUT ALSO TO, TO ESSENTIALLY DISPLACE US FOR, FOR, UH, TO LOOK FOR A LOOPHOLE TO DISPLACE PEOPLE.
YOU KNOW, WE'RE TRYING TO LOOK FOR WAYS TO STOP HOMELESSNESS AND INSTEAD WE ARE CONTINUING TO KEEP CERTAIN POLICIES OR, OR EVEN, UM, CLAUSES IN THINGS THAT IT'S ACTUALLY ALLOWING THESE PEOPLE TO DO THINGS THAT ARE NOT OKAY, LIKE DISPLACING PEOPLE.
UM, THE, THE SUBSTANTIAL REMODELING ARE, IT'S JUST, IT'S CAUSING BASICALLY UPENDING PEOPLE'S LIVES.
YOU KNOW? RIGHT NOW I SHOULD BE THINKING MY DAUGHTER IS 10.
SHE'S GONNA BE GOING ON TO MIDDLE SCHOOL.
SHE'S PROGRAM MA'S YOUR TIME CONCLUDED.
UH, MARIA IS NEXT AND AFTER MARIA IS TAMARA.
COMMUNITY MEMBERS AND COUNCIL MEMBERS.
MY NAME IS MARIA, DISTRICT ONE TENANT, AUTONOMOUS TENANT ORGANIZER WITH THE LONG BEACH TENANT UNION AND THE LONG BEACH JUSTICE FUND SELECTION COMMITTEE MEMBER.
IT'S IMPORTANT TO BEGIN BY STATING THAT TODAY IS THE 193RD DAY OF ICE, UH, BEING IN LONG BEACH AND KIDNAPPING OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS, OUR COMMUNITIES CONTINUE TO BE DEVASTATED BY YOUR PERFORMATIVE VIDEOS AND NEARLY COMPLETE INACTION.
I'M HERE BECAUSE AFTER WINNING A UNANIMOUS JURY TRIAL IN APRIL, THIS DIDN'T STOP THE LANDLORD FROM CONTINUING TO TRY TO DISPLACE ME.
AND I'M CURRENTLY IN COURT PROCEEDINGS FOR THE FOURTH EVICTION NOTICE I RECEIVED IN JULY FOR SUBSTANTIAL REMODEL.
IN ADDITION, I AM HERE TO SUPPORT THE SEVENTH STREET RESISTANCE, WHOSE GINA IS A MEMBER OF A 10 UNIT BUILDING WHO HAS RECEIVED 60 DAY NOTICE, ALL OF THEM, INCLUDING THE TENANT ON DIALYSIS, UH, FOR SUBSTANTIAL REMODEL.
THIS SUNDAY WE BIRTHED THEIR TENANT UNION AND WITH THAT, OUR RECOMMITMENT TO END RE EVICTIONS.
IT IS IMPERATIVE THAT YOU, THE CITY ACT ON EVICTIONS, ON SUBSTANTIAL REMODEL, CREATING A NON-PAYMENT THRESHOLD TO PROTECT IMMIGRANT FAMILIES WHO CANNOT PAY RENT.
AND TO FULLY UPDATE OUR JUST COST POLICY THAT CAN NO LONGER BE DELAYED.
WE DEMAND AN EVICTION MORATORIUM ON SUBSTANTIAL REMODEL AND NON-PAYMENT EVICTIONS TO ALLOW OUR FAMILIES A HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS AND THE NEW YEAR.
ESE FAMILIES ARE BEING EVICTED AND DISAPPEARED FROM THE DISAPPEARED AND DISPLACED REPORT BY THE RENT BRIGADE.
IMMIGRANT EARNINGS HAVE FALLEN 62% AND THEY'RE PAYING 91% OF THEIR MONTHLY INCOME TO RENT.
AND MOST RECENT DATA SHOWS THAT 52% OF CORRESPONDENCE ARE CONSIDERING SELF DEPORTING.
AND 16% OF RESPONDENTS HAVE RECEIVED AN EVICTION NOTICE IN THE LAST SIX MONTHS.
THE LONG BEACH TENANT UNION BELIEVES THAT TENANTS SHOULD NOT HAVE TO FIGHT ANY NO-FAULT EVICTIONS WHEN THEY'VE DONE NOTHING WRONG.
SUBSTANTIAL REMODEL EVICTIONS ALLOW LANDLORDS TO CLAIM REPAIRS OR IMPROVEMENTS AS JUSTIFICATIONS TO LEGALLY PUSH TENANTS OUT OF THEIR HOMES.
THIS ALLOWS THEM TO RESET THE UNIT'S RENT TO AN AMOUNT THAT THEY WANT.
THESE PRICES END UP BEING SO HIGH AND PRICING EVEN THE TENANTS THAT WANT TO RETURN OUT.
THIS IS CALLED GENTRIFICATION.
IT GENTRIFY OUR AFFORDABLE NEIGHBORHOODS FOR YEARS.
YOU HAVE HEARD AND SEEN TENANTS ORGANIZED HERE
[01:30:01]
THIS WHOLE YEAR, 2025, ABOUT RENOVATIONS.WE NEED YOU TO USE YOUR POWER AND WE NEED YOU TO ACT NOW.
WE CANNOT CONTINUE TO HEAR THAT BUILDING MORE WILL SOLVE.
BUILDING MORE OR EVEN STOPPING BUILDING OF MULTIMILLIONAIRE HOUSING WILL SAVE US FROM THE INJUSTICE THAT RENT IS.
SO TONIGHT WE HAVE TO MA'AM, YOUR TIME'S CONCLUDED SUBSTANTIAL REMODEL AND CREATE A NONPAYMENT THRESHOLD FOR OUR FAMILIES TO BE ABLE TO HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY.
ALRIGHT, NEXT IS TAMARA AND THEN PAT.
I AM WITH THE LONG BEACH TENANT UNION AND A RESIDENT OF LONG BEACH DISTRICT TWO.
WE CONTINUE TO SEE PEOPLE BECOMING UNHOUSED AND LONGTIME TENANT FAMILIES FACING EVICTIONS THAT DOES NOT SOLVE ANY PROBLEMS AND DOES MULTIPLY CHALLENGES FOR THESE FAMILIES.
WE NEED AN EVICTION FREEZE NOW FOR SUB REMODEL AND NON-PAYMENT TO SUPPORT KEEPING FAMILIES HOUSED DURING THE HOLIDAYS AND NEW YEARS THROUGHOUT 2024 AND UNTIL 2025.
FAMILIES HAVE COME TO SHARE THEIR STORIES AND REGARDLESS OF THE FALSE PROMISES AND, AND ACTION ON YOUR BEHALF, FAMILIES ARE HERE AGAIN TONIGHT, FIGHTING STRONG TO BRING STRONG TENANT PROTECTIONS IN LONG BEACH.
WE HELP YOU HEAR THEM AND DO SOMETHING.
I REPRESENT THE LONG BEACH AREA PEACE NETWORK.
AND I'M HERE TO TALK ABOUT THE FACT THAT SOMETHING WE ALL KNOW, THE BIG ELEPHANT IN THE ROOM, THAT ICE IS TERRORIZING THE RESIDENTS OF OUR CITY.
A COMMUNITY, AS YOU KNOW, IS OUTRAGED AS WE WITNESSED ONE OF OUR ONE AFTER ANOTHER, ONE OF OUR NEIGHBORS BEING KIDNAPPED OFF OUR STREETS AND ESSENTIALLY DISAPPEARED.
WE HAVE ALL SEEN THIS, WHETHER IT BE ON THE MEDIA OR IN PERSON, BUT WHAT WE'RE REALLY EVEN MORE OUTRAGED ABOUT IS WATCHING OUR LONG BEACH POLICE STAND BY WITNESSING THIS SAME SCENARIO, TIME AFTER TIME, WITH THEIR HANDS IN THEIR POCKETS.
WE ARE TOLD THERE'S NOTHING THAT THEY CAN DO, AND WE KNOW THIS IS NOT TRUE.
THE POLICE CAN AND MUST DEMAND A SEARCH WARRANT EACH AND EVERY TIME ICE ENTERS A PRIVATE PLACE, BUT ALSO BEFORE THEY ARREST ANYONE.
YES, THIS IS A SHAMEFUL PRACTICE.
AND IGNORING THE CIVIL RIGHTS OF OUR NEIGHBORS IS A STAIN IN OUR CITY.
WE DEMAND THAT LONG BEACH POLICE BE DIRECTED TO MAN, TO DEMAND A SEARCH WARRANT FROM ICE EACH AND EVERY TIME THEY ARREST SOMEONE.
MAYOR RICHARDSON, WE CALL ON YOU TO USE YOUR INFLUENCE AND YOUR POWER, PLEASE, TO MAKE THIS HAPPEN.
WE KNOW THAT YOU AGREE WITH US THAT ICE HAS NO PLACE IN OUR CITY HERE IN LONG BEACH, AND THAT YOU LOVE OUR COMMUNITY TOO.
WE ASK THAT YOU MEET WITH US IF YOU NEED SOME SUPPORT ON THIS, BUT WE NEED THIS TO HAPPEN NOW AND CALL ON YOU TO HELP US OUT ON THIS.
ALRIGHT, NEXT IS AARON AND THEN, UH, FU.
UH, I'M AARON HOOPS, MEMBER OF DISTRICT TWO.
UH, I'M ACTUALLY HERE FOR A DIFFERENT, UH, REASON THIS TIME AROUND THAN I USUALLY AM.
I'M USUALLY HERE FOR SAFE STREETS, BUT THIS TIME, UH, I'M HERE TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT RANK CHOICE VOTING.
SO, RANK CHOICE VOTING IS A SIMPLE UPGRADE TO HOW WE VOTE, WHERE INSTEAD OF VOTING FOR A SINGLE CANDIDATE, YOU VOTE FOR FIRST CHOICE, SECOND CHOICE, THIRD CHOICE.
AND IT HAS A LOT OF DOWNSTREAM EFFECTS THAT ARE GREAT BOTH FOR OUR CITY, SAVING US MONEY ON ELECTIONS AND FOR OUR COMMUNITY, MAKING ELECTIONS MORE EQUITABLE, MAKING VOICES EASIER TO HEAR.
AND, UM, OVERALL A LOT OF WINS.
UM, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT THE CITY OF LA IS ALSO LOOKING INTO DOING, AND SO IF WE CAN, YOU KNOW, GET THE, THE COUNTY TO PRINT OUR, OUR BALLOTS AND HOP RIGHT ON THE TRAIN, THAT WOULD BE GREAT.
SO, I KNOW THAT A LOT OF PEOPLE HAVE A LOT OF VERY URGENT THINGS TONIGHT, AND I, YOU KNOW, I DON'T WANNA TAKE AWAY FROM ANY OF THAT, BUT I KNOW THAT WE ALSO NEED TO HAVE A LONG-TERM VISION AS WELL.
AND I THINK FRANK CHOICE VOTING SHOULD BE PART OF THAT.
ALRIGHT, FU AND THEN FREE PALESTINE.
THE FULL NAME IS, UH, TODAY I AM HERE AS WHO KITES.
[01:35:01]
SURE YOU GUYS KNOW WHAT THAT MEANS.UH, AND I WAS HERE LAST TIME, BUT I DECIDED TO COME AGAIN IN MY $60 INTERNET COSTUME FOR THE BENEFIT OF THOSE OF YOU WHO WERE NOT HERE FOR WHATEVER REASON.
WHAT I'M HOLDING IS A PETITION THAT, UH, WAS TALKED ABOUT, UH, BY ANOTHER ONE OF OUR SPEAKERS.
AND, UH, IT'S REAL EASY FOR YOU GUYS TO LOOK AT.
UH, IT'S GOT A QR CODE, TAKES A MINUTE TO DO.
SO I WANTED TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT.
IT'S, UM, YOU KNOW, THE, THE $60 COSTUME ANYBODY COULD GET, NO, NO REQUIREMENTS.
UH, DON'T NEED TO BE A LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICER OR ANYTHING, IT'S JUST A COSTUME, BUT IT LOOKS LIKE THE REAL THING.
A FEW WEEKS AGO, A PERSON WAS DETAINED AND DEPORTED VERY QUICKLY, UH, SIMPLY BECAUSE THEY HA UH, BECAUSE THE, UH, UH, KIDNAPPERS WHO, UH, CAUGHT THIS PERSON, UH, WERE WEARING ONE OF THESE COSTUMES.
THIS IS LIKE ABSOLUTELY RIDICULOUS.
NO JUDICIAL WARRANT, NO PROBABLE CAUSE, NO REASONABLE SUSPICION.
THEY DIDN'T EVEN KNOW HIS NAME.
THEY JUST TACKLED HIM AND GOT HIM IN FRONT OF, UH, POLICE OFFICERS.
I SPOKE WITH, UH, SOME OF THE POLICE OFFICERS PRESENT.
UH, NONE OF THEM, UH, KNEW ABOUT IT.
NONE OF THEM WANTED TO SPEAK ABOUT IT.
UH, THEY SHOULD BE ABLE TO SPEAK ABOUT IT.
THEY SHOULD BE ABLE TO STAND UP AND SAY, YES, IF THAT HAPPENS AGAIN, WE ARE GOING TO DO OUR DUTY TO PROTECT AND TO SERVE THE COMMUNITY.
AND WHAT THEY RELY ON IS THE CITY'S, UH, VAL, WHAT IS IT? THE VALUES CLAUSE, WHICH MEANS NOTHING BECAUSE THE THING WAS IN PLACE AND THEY STILL ALLOWED IT TO HAPPEN.
AND IT'S NOT JUST THAT POLICY, IT'S EVERYWHERE.
IT'S AT THE HOME DEPOTS, IT'S AT THE CAR WASHES.
UH, IT'S ON MY STREET WHERE THEY TOOK MY FRIEND LUIS AND DEPORTED HIM LESS THAN 20 HOURS AFTER HE WAS, UH, CAUGHT.
UM, ONE OF OUR, UH, ELECTED OFFICIALS SAID, KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK.
I DON'T KNOW IF THEY MEANT IT WHEN THEY SAID THAT TO ME.
I WASN'T WEARING THE COSTUME AT THAT TIME.
IT WAS, UH, BEING WORN BY, UH, RUBBER DUMMY.
UH, AND, AND I HAVE TO THINK, YOU KNOW, WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THAT RUBBER DUMMY AND AN ICE AGENT? UH, NOTHING.
THEY HAVE NO BRAIN, AND THEY HAVE NO BACKBONE.
PUT, PUT, UH, AS SOMEBODY SAID, PUT YOUR MONEY WHERE YOUR MOUTH IS AND DON'T BE A DUMMY.
UM, I'VE COME MANY TIMES BEFORE YOU AND I LIKE THE FACT THAT WE'RE STILL IN A DEMOCRACY, AND YOU CAN STILL HEAR US, UM, ESPECIALLY WHEN WE'RE EXPERIENCING FASCISM AND RACISM BLATANTLY.
UM, I, I ACTUALLY, UH, WANTED TO SAY THAT I WOULD LIKE TO ASK THE CITY COUNCIL AGENDAS THE RECOMMENDATION OF THE EQUITY AND HUMAN RE RELATIONS COMMISSION AND FORMALLY APPROVE AND ADOPT THE CIVIL HUMAN RIGHTS INVESTMENT SCREENING POLICY.
I JUST HEARD YOU TALK TO NATA REX, AND THANK YOU FOR, UH, GETTING TO WORK ON THAT.
UM, I ALSO WOULD LIKE TO TAKE A CONTINUED MOMENT OF SILENCE FOR THE VICTIMS AND FAMILIES OF THE RECENT MASS SHOOTINGS THAT OCCURRED AT BROWN UNIVERSITY AND BONDY BEACH.
I WOULD ALSO LIKE A MOMENT OF SILENCE FOR THE KIDNAP VICTIMS AND FAMILIES OF THE ICE RAIDS THAT ARE OCCURRING HERE IN LONG BEACH EVERY DAY AND THROUGHOUT THE UNITED STATES.
I WOULD ALSO LIKE A MOMENT OF SILENCE FOR THE MUTILATED AND MANGLED BODIES OF THE INNOCENT CHILDREN, THE ELDERLY, THE DISABLED, AND THE STARVED PEOPLE OF GAZA THAT ARE STILL ENDURING A GENOCIDE THAT IS BEING FUNDED BY OUR TAX DOLLARS.
I KNOW I ASKED FOR A MOMENT OF SILENCE, BUT I ALSO WANT TO ASK, UM, THE CITY OF LONG BEACH TO REINSTATE THE CEASEFIRE, UM, ORDINANCE THAT WAS PASSED, I BELIEVE TWO YEARS AGO NOW, TO THIS DATE HERE IN DECEMBER, BEFORE CHRISTMAS.
[01:41:14]
THANK YOU EVERYBODY.AND, UM, HAPPY HANUKKAH TO ALL MY, UH, JEWISH BROTHERS AND SISTERS AND FREE PALESTINE.
UH, MICHAEL, YOU'RE OUR FINAL SPEAKER.
I'M MICHAEL G AND I'M A MEMBER OF, UH, OR A, A RESIDENT OF DISTRICT FIVE.
UM, SO I TWO, I'M, UH, PLEASED TO HEAR THAT THE HUMAN RIGHTS AND EQUITY SCREENING THAT'S BEEN PASSED THROUGH ANOTHER COMMISSION IS MOVING ITS WAY THROUGH THE PROCESS TO BE AGENDIZED.
UM, I, I KNOW THAT WE DON'T HAVE MANY, UH, YOU KNOW, IT'S THE HOLIDAYS NOW, SO I HOPE, UH, VERY QUICKLY AFTER THAT, IT'S ON THE AGENDA.
I KNOW THAT, UH, YOU KNOW, JUST THROUGH DISCUSSIONS WITH PEOPLE WHO HAVE WORKED REALLY HARD ON THAT AND FROM BEING AT THE COMMISSION MEETING WHERE IT SEEMED LIKE ALL THE HEAVY HITTERS OF THE CITY WERE THERE TO WEIGH IN ABOUT THE FINANCIAL ASPECTS AND ALL THE OTHER THINGS, UM, I KNOW THAT THE BUDGET COMES UP IN JUNE, AND THAT'S WHEN THAT WOULD BE PUT IN PLACE.
I'M GONNA ENCOURAGE YOU NOT TO USE THAT AS A REASON NOT TO AGENDIZE IT AND TALK ABOUT IT AND GET IT ON THE BOOKS BEFOREHAND WHEN THE BUDGET IS HAPPENING.
THAT'S NOT A TIME YOU WANT TO BE DOING EXTRA STUFF TO LIKE, UH, FURTHER COMPLICATE THAT PROCESS.
PUT IT ON THE AGENDA, PLEASE, FIRST THING JANUARY SO THAT WE CAN GET THAT IN THE BOOKS AND GET IT BEHIND US.
SO THEN IT'S ALREADY A MATTER OF COURSE, IN JUNE WHEN ALL THE BUDGETING STUFF HAPPENS.
UM, I ALSO WANTED TO TALK ABOUT THE TWO YEAR ANNIVERSARY OF THE CEASEFIRE PROCLAMATION.
I KNOW IT WAS A REALLY CONTROVERSIAL TIME IN LONG BEACH AND, UH, IT MAY SEEM LIKE A DISTANT MEMORY NOW, WHEN THIS, UH, CHAMBER WAS FILLED FOR SEVEN WEEKS IN A ROW, THE OVERFLOW ROOM WAS FILLED MANY OF THOSE WEEKS AS WELL.
THE FIRE MARSHAL HAD TO BE HERE TO MAKE SURE THE ROOM WAS, UH, NOT FILLED OVER CAPACITY, ALL FILLED WITH PEOPLE MOSTLY WHO WERE WEIGHING IN AND SAYING, WE NEED TO STOP THE GENOCIDE IN GAZA, AND WE NEED TO NOT INVEST IN THINGS THAT ARE CREATING WAR CRIMES.
HUMANITARIAN, UH, CATASTROPHES.
AND LET'S BE HONEST, WE'RE IN LONG BEACH.
THE MILITARY INDUSTRIAL COMPLEX IS HEAVILY ENMESHED IN EVERYTHING LONG BEACH DOES.
WE HAVE A LOT OF, YOU KNOW, I I'M NOT GONNA PRETEND TO BE AN EXPERT ON ALL THAT, BUT I DO KNOW I HEAR FIGHTER JETS DOING TRAININGS OVER MY HOUSE.
I KNOW THAT I DRIVE BY FIRMS THAT ARE MAKING SMALL LITTLE PIECES OF BOMBS.
SO, YOU KNOW, LONG BEACH IS CONNECTED TO THAT.
AND IT'S NOT A DISTANT MEMORY.
THE GENOCIDE IS STILL HAPPENING.
IT'S BEEN HAPPENING AND NEVER STOPPED HAPPENING.
AND WHEN THE CEASEFIRE THAT THEY'RE CALLING A CEASEFIRE HAPPENED, ISRAEL HAS COM, COM COMPLETELY, UH, I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE WORD IS.
NOT, NOT FOLLOWED THE CEASEFIRE OVER AND OVER AND OVER AGAIN.
HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE IN GAZA ARE BEING KILLED ON A, YOU KNOW, LIKE, ROUTINE BASIS.
NOT TO MENTION PEOPLE ARE STILL STARVING AND THE AID IS NOT BEING ALLOWED IN.
SO, I HOPE THAT YOU'LL MAKE A STATEMENT REDOUBLING OUR TWO YEAR ANNIVERSARY OF ASKING FOR A CEASEFIRE.
I KNOW THAT WE'RE JUST THE CITY.
WE'RE NOT LIKE, UH, SIR, YOUR TIME'S CONCLUDED.
PLEASE CEASEFIRE, MAKE A STATEMENT AGAIN.
UH, THANK, THANKS FOR COMING IN AND TALKING WITH US.
WE CONDUCT PUBLIC COMMENT EVERY UH, EVERY COUNCIL MEETING.
UH, IT'S NOT A BACK AND FORTH, SO IF IT SEEMS THE COUNCIL HAS RESPONDED CERTAIN THINGS, WE HEAR EVERYTHING EVERYONE SAYS,
[01:45:01]
UH, AND WE, UH, CONSIDER IT AS WE, UH, MOVE FORWARD.WE'RE GONNA MOVE NOW ON TO ITEM 15, PLEASE.
COMMUNICATION FROM COUNCILWOMAN ZENDEJAS COUNCILWOMAN ALLEN COUNCILWOMAN THRASH OOK RECOMMENDATION TO REFER TO THE CLIMATE ENVIRONMENT AND COASTAL PROTECTION COMMITTEE AND THE CLIMATE RESILIENT AND SUSTAINABLE CITY COMMISSION.
[15. 25-57257 Recommendation to refer to the Climate, Environment, and Coastal Protection Committee and the Climate Resilient and Sustainable City Commission a request to establish a Green Parkways Initiative that sets new standards regulating parkways to address environmental harms and the use of hazardous or impermeable materials and report back to Council with recommendations. Office or Department: Mary Zendejas, Councilwoman, First District; Cindy Allen, Councilwoman, Second District; Tunua Thrash-Ntuk, Councilwoman, Eighth District Suggested Action: Approve recommendation. ]
TO ESTABLISH A GREEN PARKWAYS INITIATIVE THAT SETS NEW STANDARDS REGULATING PARKWAYS TO ADDRESS ENVIRONMENTAL HARMS AND THE USE OF HAZARDOUS OR IMPERMEABLE MATERIALS.AND REPORT BACK TO COUNCIL WITH RECOMMENDATIONS.
WE'RE GONNA GO TO, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER ZENDEJAS, IF WE CAN GET A MOTION AND A SECOND MOTION AND A SECOND.
FIRST I WANNA START OFF BY THANKING THE STRONG COALITION OF SUPPORTERS WHO TOOK THE TIME TO COME UP FOR PUBLIC COMMENT TODAY AND SUBMIT, AND THOSE WHO SUBMITTED MANY LETTERS OF SUPPORT THAT WE HAVE RECEIVED FROM DOWNTOWN TO UPTOWN TO LOS CERRITOS WETLANDS.
IT IS CLEAR THAT THIS REQUEST FOR GREEN PARKWAYS INITIATIVE HAS CITYWIDE SUPPORT.
I ALSO WANT TO THANK MY CO-AUTHORS, COUNCIL MEMBER ALLEN, AN THRASH FOR SIGNING ONTO THIS ITEM.
I WOULD LIKE TO HIGHLIGHT A FEW POINTS TO MY COLLEAGUES.
THE CITY COUNCIL LETTER CONTAINS FOOTNOTES OF REFERENCES SUPPORTING THIS RECOMMENDATION, INCLUDING A CITY SPONSORED PROJECT THAT RESULTED IN A TOOLKIT ON URBAN HEAT ISLAND REDUCTION STRATEGIES.
THIS RES THIS REPORT WAS BASED ON STUDY AREA OF OUR WASHINGTON NEIGHBORHOOD HERE IN THE FIRST DISTRICT.
THE REPORT SERVES AS ONE OF THE BASES FOR THIS RECOMMENDATION BEFORE US TODAY.
NEXT, I WOULD LIKE TO HIGHLIGHT THAT THERE ARE MODELS FOR GREENWAY PARKWAYS, SUCH AS SANTA MONICA AND CULVER CITY.
FINALLY, THIS ITEM REFERS TO THIS MATTER, TO THIS ITEM REFERS THIS MATTER TO TWO BODIES FOR RECOMMENDATION.
THE PURPOSE IS TO ALLOW MAXIMUM INPUT AND DELIBERATION, WHICH I BELIEVE IS AN EXERCISE OF GOOD GOVERNOR.
UH, COUNCIL MEMBER THRASHING TOOK.
UM, SO THE CHANGING EFFECTS OF OUR CLIMATE ARE IMPACTING EVERY ONE OF US AND REQUIRES A SUSTAINED COLLECTIVE EFFORT AT EVERY LEVEL OF GOVERNMENT.
MANY RESIDENTS, UNDERSTANDABLY, FEEL THAT THE SCALE OF THE PROBLEM IS ON, IS OVERWHELMING AND BEYOND THE REACH OF INDIVIDUAL ACTION.
WHILE MEANINGFUL PROGRESS DOES DEPEND ON COORDINATED MUNICIPAL, REGIONAL, AND GLOBAL LEADERSHIP, THERE ARE DELIBERATE STEPS THAT WE CAN TAKE AT THE LOCAL LEVEL TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE.
BEFORE CONTINUING, I TOO WANNA THANK COUNCILWOMAN ZENDEJAS FOR BRINGING THIS FORWARD, ALONG WITH COUNCILWOMAN, UH, ALLEN AS WELL.
AND TO RECOGNIZE THE WASHINGTON NEIGHBORHOOD FOR THEIR CONTINUED ADVOCACY FOR CLEANER, COOLER, AND HEALTHIER ENVIRONMENTS.
THEIR ENGAGEMENT REFLECTS THE KIND OF COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIP THAT STRENGTHENS OUR CLIMATE EFFORTS.
THERE ARE MANY APPROACHES TO CREATING HEALTHIER ENVIRONMENTS, AND ONE OF THE MOST IS INCREASING THE GREENERY THROUGHOUT OUR CITY.
NATURAL LANDSCAPES PLAY A CRITICAL ROLE IN THE HEALTH, RESILIENCE AND OVERALL QUALITY OF OUR NEIGHBORHOODS, PARTICULARLY IN COMMUNITIES EXPERIENCING ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH DISPARITIES AND URBAN HEAT ISLAND CONDITIONS.
AS COUNCILWOMAN AND DEJAS NOTED, HEAT ISLANDS ARE AREAS THAT EXPERIENCE HIGHER TEMPERATURES DUE TO DENSE DEVELOPMENT WITH LIMITED TREE CANOPY AND GREEN SPACE.
SEVERAL PARTS OF OUR CITY, INCLUDING PARTS OF THE NORTH THAT I REPRESENT, FACE EXTREME HEAT AND WOULD BENEFIT FROM THE TARGETED COOLING STRATEGY.
SO WITH THIS ITEM, WE ASK THE CITY TO EXPLORE INCENTIVES AND OPPORTUNITIES THAT ENCOURAGE NATURAL PARKWAYS WITHIN OUR NEIGHBORHOODS.
BY REPLACING ARTIFICIAL MATERIALS WITH FLOWERS, SHRUBS, AND TREES, WE CAN IMPROVE AIR QUALITY, REDUCE SURFACE TEMPERATURES, AND ENHANCE THE CHARACTER OF OUR STREETS.
THIS APPROACH ALIGNS WITH OUR BROADER COMMITMENT TO LOCAL CLIMATE ACTION AND EQUITABLE HEALTH OUTCOMES AS OUTLINED IN THE CITY'S 2022 CLIMATE ACTION AND ADAPTATION PLAN.
IN ADDITION TO THAT FRAMEWORK, WE ALREADY OFFER RESIDENTS FOCUSED, CLIMATE RESILIENT RESOURCES THAT ARE AVAILABLE NOW THROUGH SUCH PROGRAMS AS THE UTILITY DEPARTMENT'S LANDSCAPING PROGRAM, AND THE OFFICE OF CLIMATE ACTION AND SUSTAINABILITY.
WE ALSO RECOGNIZE THAT ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY IS COMPLEX
[01:50:01]
AND REQUIRES CAREFUL CONSIDERATION OF SCIENTIFIC, OPERATIONAL, AND FINANCIAL IMPACTS.THIS ITEM THOUGHTFULLY ACKNOWLEDGES THOSE CONSIDERATIONS BY REQUESTING INPUT FROM TWO KEY ADVISORY BODIES, THE FIRST, THE CLIMATE ENVIRONMENT AND COASTAL PROTECTION COMMITTEE, ALONG WITH THE CLIMATE RESILIENT AND SUSTAINABLE CITY COMMISSION.
THESE GROUPS PROVIDE SPACE FOR THOROUGH ANALYSIS, PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT, AND INFORMED DISCUSSION, ALL OF WHICH ARE ESSENTIAL AS WE CONSIDER REGULATIONS AND INCENTIVES THAT PROMOTE ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH.
EXPLORING WAYS TO LIMIT ARTIFICIAL TURF AND ENCOURAGE NATURAL PARKWAYS IN OUR NEIGHBORHOODS NOT ONLY INCREASES BEAUTIFICATION, BUT ALSO ADDS TO A COOLER, HEALTHIER, AND MORE RESILIENT COMMUNITIES.
AND FOR THESE REASONS, I LOOK FORWARD TO SUPPORTING THIS MOTION.
COUNCIL MEMBER DUGGAN, OR DO YOU GUYS WANNA GO TO PUBLIC COMMENT BEFORE WE GO THROUGH THE REST OF THE, UH, OH, I, I JUST HAVE A QUICK QUESTION.
RIGHT? I WAS GONNA ASK ABOUT FISCAL IMPACT, UM, AND JUST WHAT, UM, MAYBE DIRECTOR KONZ CAN TALK ABOUT THE FISCAL IMPACT OF THIS, UNLESS YOU WERE TAKING THIS TO OTHER COMMITTEES.
IS THAT WHAT WAS BEING DONE TO GET THE FISCAL IMPACT ON THIS? BECAUSE I'D LIKE TO KNOW HOW MUCH STAFF TIME WILL BE TAKEN WITH THIS ITEM.
WELL, UM, I THINK TOM CONTROLS THE COUNCIL LETTER PROCESS.
HE CAN PROBABLY TALK ABOUT THAT SECTION OF THE LETTER.
I WOULD JUST SAY WE NEED TO KNOW WHAT THE OUTCOME IS.
UM, COUNCIL, THE DESIRE IN THAT ITEM AND, AND URBAN HEAT AND THE GOALS ARE, ARE VERY POSITIVE.
UM, I THINK JUST STAFF DOESN'T FULLY UNDERSTAND IF THERE'S A DESIRE TO HAVE ENFORCEMENT OR ADDITIONAL ENFORCEMENT THAT WOULD, THAT WOULD REQUIRE STAFF AND THAT WOULD REQUIRE A, A GENERAL FUND APPROPRIATION TO PAY FOR THAT STAFF.
AND THAT'S UNDERSTANDING AS THIS, AS IT GOES THROUGH THE ORDINANCE PROCESS, WE WOULD ALWAYS COME BACK AND TALK ABOUT IT.
UH, DID NOT HAVE A FISCAL IMPACT IN THE ITEM FOR, UH, TONIGHT.
UM, THAT IS ONE OF THE COUNCIL'S POLICIES IS EITHER TO DO A FISCAL IMPACT OR TO SAY NO FISCAL IMPACT COULD BE CREATED.
AND THAT'S SO IN KEEPING WITH THE POLICY, BUT WE WOULD FULLY EXPECT DURING THE, UM, THE PROCESS AND THE COMMITTEE TO COME BACK.
WE WOULD OUTLINE WHAT THAT WOULD LOOK LIKE.
IF YOU'RE LOOKING AT A HIGH LEVEL OF ENFORCEMENT, WE'D HAVE TO ADD, UM, STAFF.
UM, AND SO, UH, THAT IS NOT SOMETHING WE CURRENTLY HAVE STAFF TO DO DEDICATED TO THIS PURPOSE.
SO WE CAN CERTAINLY EXPLORE THAT AND REPORT BACK.
IF THIS COMES BACK TO COUNSEL, JUST AS A POINT OF CLARIFICATION, ISN'T THERE AN ORDINANCE, UH, THAT INCLUDES NO IMPERMEABLE SURFACES AND FAKE TURF BEING PROHIBITED? UH, YARDS AND PARKWAYS ARE SUPPOSED TO BE LIVE PLANT MATERIAL, UM, DURING THE, THE STATEWIDE DROUGHT THAT WASN'T ENFORCED.
UM, AND WE DON'T HAVE A MECHANISM TO ENFORCE IT TODAY.
BUT BEYOND THAT, I THINK WE'D HAVE TO PROVIDE MORE INFORMATION THROUGH THE AS ITEM WORKED THROUGH THE PROCESS.
I ACTUALLY, UM, HAD MORE TO MY EARLIER COMMENTS, SO I WILL JUST ADD THANK YOU SO MUCH COUNCILWOMAN DUGGAN FOR YOUR QUESTION AND FOR YOUR COMMENT.
UM, COUNCILWOMAN TH INTECH, UM, OVERALL IT IS, IT IS SHOWN THAT PRESERVING GREEN SPACES HELPS COMBAT URBAN HEAT.
AND A HEAT ISLAND IMPACTS AND SUPPORTS OUR ENVIRONMENT, FLOOD MITIGATION EFFORTS AND THE MENTAL AND PHYSICAL WELLBEING OF OUR RESIDENTS.
UM, THOUGH PARKWAYS MAY SEEM TRIVIAL TO SOME, THEY ARE PART OF OUR GREATER AND GREENER, UM, MOVEMENT ACROSS THE NATION THAT SEEKS TO BUILD AND PRESERVE POCKETS OF NATURE, NATURE IN BIG CITIES.
IN LONG BEACH, THOUGH OUR LBCAP INITIATIVES, WE HAVE SET A GOAL OF EXPANDING AND ENHANCING URBAN FOREST COVER CITYWIDE TO COMBAT EXTREME HEAT, AS IS THE MUNICIPAL CODE DOES NOT ALLOW FOR INORGANIC OR HAZARDOUS MATERIALS ON PARKWAYS.
THE MATERIALS THAT IS PARTICULARLY CONCERNING TO OUR DISTRICT IS IMP PERMITTABLE MATERIALS LIKE CONCRETE AND ARTIFICIAL TURF.
ARTIFICIAL TURF SPECIFICALLY HAS BEEN FOUND TO BE HARMFUL IN CONTRIBUTING TO HEAT, NOT HELPING IN THE FLOODING MITIGATION, AND EVEN IN KILLING TREES THAT HAVE BEEN PLANTED.
I ALSO WANT TO RECOGNIZE THAT SOME OF OUR PUBLIC ASSETS DO HAVE, UH, ARTIFICIAL TURPS.
SO THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WE HAVE TO GRAPPLE WITH AS WE CONSIDER
[01:55:01]
REGULATING PARKWAY AND HOLDING OURSELVES TO THE SAME STANDARD.UM, THIS REQUEST BEFORE US TODAY IS, UM, THE BEGINNING OF A DISCUSSION TO REDUCE ENVIRONMENTAL HARM BY SETTING NEW STANDARDS FOR PARKWAYS AND IDENTIFYING INCENTIVES AND FUNDING TO SUPPORT THESE EFFORTS.
I ASK MY COLLEAGUES FOR THE SUPPORT ON THIS ITEM.
UH, THANK YOU COUNCILWOMAN ZENDAY AND, UM, COUNCILWOMAN THRASH AND TOOK, AND ALAN, FOR BRINGING THIS ITEM FORWARD.
I, I DID JUST HAVE, UM, UH, ADDITIONAL THINGS TO CONSIDER WHEN LOOKING AS IT'S BEING BROUGHT FORWARD TO THE COMMISSION BECAUSE, WELL, THE, I THINK THE INTENTION IN DOING, UM, ARTIFICIAL TURF IS SOME LEVEL OF WATER CONSERVATION.
UH, AND I, AND I ALSO JUST MAINTENANCE COSTS, RIGHT? BUT I LOVE TO SEE IF WE CAN CONSIDER COSTS WHERE THERE ARE PROGRAMS THAT, UH, ALLOWS, UH, MAYBE PERMEABLE, UH, YOU KNOW, UH, MATERIALS TO BE UTILIZED IN THE GOALS OF CAPTURING GROUND AND STORMWATER.
UH, JUST SO THAT THERE ARE ADDRESS WE ARE ADDRESSING, YOU KNOW, THE GOAL OF ENSURING THAT WE'RE SOURCING OUR OWN LOCAL WATER, UM, BUT ALSO ENVIRONMENTAL CHALLENGES THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, WE FACE AROUND, UH, YOU KNOW, URBAN HEATING AS WELL AS, UM, OTHER CONSIDERATIONS.
SO, 'CAUSE I THINK THAT, UH, WE WILL NEED TO LOOK FOR WAYS TO INCENTIVIZE, I DON'T THINK DOING A PUNITIVE APPROACH, UH, FINDING IS GONNA WORK, UH, IN THIS MATTER.
I THINK THAT WE NEED TO EXPLORE WHAT ARE THE OTHER KINDS OF FUNDING SOURCE THAT WILL ALLOW US TO ADDRESS MULTIPLE ENVIRONMENTAL BENEFITS THROUGH, THROUGH THIS.
SO THANK YOU FOR, UH, CONSIDERING THIS, UM, LOOKING FORWARD TO SEEING WHAT OUR COMMITTEE AND COMMISSIONS, UM, UH, YOU KNOW, DISCUSS.
UM, I JUST WANNA, UH, JUST SO I START AND, UM, BY THANKING COUNCILWOMAN ZENDEJAS FOR ASKING ME TO SUPPORT THIS ITEM AND, UH, COUNCILWOMAN THRESH AND TOOK FOR ALSO SUPPORTING, UM, BUT SPECIFICALLY COUNCILMAN ZENDEJAS FOR HER LEADERSHIP.
I'M BRINGING THIS FORWARD AND AS, UM, CHAIR OF THE CLIMATE ENVIRONMENT AND COASTAL PROTECTION COMMITTEE, I'M VERY SUPPORTIVE, UM, OF THIS ITEM AND INTERESTED IN SEEING, UM, WHAT THE FUTURE, UH, DISCUSSIONS BRING, UH, FORWARD.
UM, THIS CAN HELP US TAKE A CLOSER LOOK AT HOW OUR PARKWAYS CAN BETTER SUPPORT, UM, URBAN COOLING, ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH, AND ALSO JUST, UH, NEIGHBORHOOD LIVABILITY, ESPECIALLY AS EXTREME HEAT BECOMES MORE AND MORE, UH, FREQUENT.
THIS ITEM IS ABOUT TAKING A CLOSER LOOK AT HOW OUR PARKWAYS CAN BETTER SUPPORT URBAN COOLING, ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH AND NEIGHBORHOOD LIVABILITY, ESPECIALLY, UM, WITH EXTREME HEAT.
UH, AND AS EXTREME HEAT BECOMES EVEN MORE FREQUENT.
ALSO, THIS BUILDS DIRECTLY ON THE CITY'S CLIMATE ACTION AND ADAPTATION PLAN AND THE COOLING AND COOLING LONG BEACH URBAN HEAT ISLAND REDUCTION TOOLKIT, WHICH HIGHLIGHTS PRACTICAL EQUITY FOCUS STRATEGIES TO REDUCE HEAT IMPACTS ON, UM, ON OUR COMMITTEE.
SO I LOOK FORWARD TO HAVING THIS CONVERSATION WITH MY COMMITTEE COLLEAGUES.
AND THANK YOU AGAIN, UM, COUNCILMAN ZAHA FOR BRINGING THIS FORWARD.
WE'RE NOW GONNA GO TO PUBLIC COMMENT.
I HAVE THREE SPEAKERS SIGNED UP.
RYAN WOLFE, MATTHEW KOZINSKI, AND CAROL SERGE.
UH, GOOD EVENING COUNCIL, UM, RYAN WOLF, PRESIDENT OF WILMORE CITY COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION.
UH, FIRST WANTED TO THANK COUNCIL MEMBERS IN DEJAS, UH, ALAN AND THRASH, AND TOOK FOR BRINGING THIS FORWARD.
REALLY APPRECIATE YOU FOR DOING THAT.
UM, WANTED TO NOTE THAT IN OUR COMMUNITY, THIS IS A BIG ISSUE, UH, SINCE THE CITY GOT ITS INFLATION REDUCTION ACT GRANT THAT HAS BEEN RUN THROUGH THE CLIMATE OFFICE, UH, WE HAVE PARTNERED WITH THE CITY TO PLANT OVER 120 TREES IN OUR COMMUNITY.
HOWEVER, WE HAVE LOST MANY TREES THAT ARE PLANTED IN, IN PARKWAYS WITH ARTIFICIAL TURF.
THEY HAVE DIED OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS.
ADDITIONALLY, THE CITY WILL NOT PLANT NEW TREES IN THESE AREAS, AND THIS IS A BIG ISSUE FOR US.
IT'S A DISADVANTAGED COMMUNITY BY THE CITY'S CLASSIFICATION, BY THE STATE'S CLASSIFICATION.
MANY OF OUR NEIGHBORS ARE ELDERLY, LOW INCOME DISABLED WHO DO NOT HAVE AIR CONDITIONING IN THEIR HOMES.
IF THEY DO HAVE AIR CONDITIONING,
[02:00:01]
THE COST OF COOLING IS SUBSTANTIAL.THOSE BUILDINGS WHICH HAVE STREET TREES NEXT TO THEM EXPERIENCE SIGNIFICANTLY COOLER TEMPERATURES, MORE COMFORT FOR THEIR RESIDENTS.
UM, WE ALSO HAVE LOCALIZED FLOODING IN OUR COMMUNITY, AND THOSE PARKWAYS, WHICH ARE COVERED IN ARTIFICIAL TURF, DO NOT ABSORB THAT WATER.
IT ROLLS OFF ONTO OUR STREETS.
THE CITY IS NOW IN A POSITION WHERE IT BRINGS MOBILE PUMPING STATIONS TO OUR STREETS TO ADDRESS THIS, UM, AS WELL, THAT WATER RUNS OFF AND IT GOES INTO THE OCEAN AND POLLUTES AND POLLUTES.
AND THEN LOOKING FORWARD, WE'RE EXPECTING OUR EXTREME HEAT, HEAT DAYS TO TRIPLE MOVING FORWARD IN THIS CITY.
AND IF YOU NEED TO GO BELOW EXTREME HEAT DAYS JUST NOW, EXTREME HEAT IS HERE.
IT'S IMPACTING OUR COMMUNITY VERY SUBSTANTIALLY.
UH, ALSO, OUR CITY RELIES ON GROUNDWATER AND IS A GREAT RESOURCE FOR MUCH OF OUR WATER SUPPLY.
WE NEED MORE PLACES FOR THAT WATER TO SINK BACK INTO OUR, INTO OUR GROUND AND REPLENISH THAT WATER SUPPLY.
BECAUSE WHEN WE LOOK AT BIG PICTURE STUFF, THE COLORADO RIVER, THE STATE WATER PROJECT, NO MATTER WHAT WE DO, THOSE SOURCES ARE GOING TO DECLINE IN THE FUTURE.
LAST, I'LL SAY THIS FROM AN ECONOMIC AND FISCAL PERSPECTIVE.
FROM AN ECONOMIC PERSPECTIVE, WE KNOW THAT STREET TREES INCREASE PROPERTY VALUES.
THEY SAVE ENERGY COSTS FOR PEOPLE.
AND THEN FROM A FISCAL PERSPECTIVE, AGAIN, GOING BACK TO GOING BACK TO, TO, UM, THE VALUE OF PROPERTY THAT'S GONNA INCREASE PROPERTY TAXES, THAT IS ALSO GOING TO IMPROVE THE CONDITION OF OUR WATER UTILITIES.
AND THEN THE FLOODING THAT HAPPENS WITH IT IMPACTS OUR INFRASTRUCTURE.
SO FOR US, IT IS A BIG ISSUE AND IT'S A BIG ISSUE.
TREES ARE BIG FOR US, AND WE NEED THEM MORE IN OUR COMMUNITY, AND WE REALLY LOOK FORWARD, FORWARD TO THIS, THIS INITIATIVE, AND WE'LL BE THERE EVERY STEP OF THE WAY TO SUPPORT IT.
AND THE LAST THING I WOULD SAY IS WE'RE ALSO, AS COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS, WE'RE HERE, WE'RE HERE TO PARTNER WITH THE CITY ON APPROACHING PROPERTY OWNERS WHO HAVE ARTIFICIAL TURF TO HELP THEM, HELP THEM RIP THAT OUT.
UH, AND WE CAN LEVERAGE THE SUSTAINABILITY OFFICE.
WE CAN LEVERAGE THE LONG BEACH UTILITIES NATIVE PARKWAY PROGRAM.
THERE'S RESOURCES, AND WE'RE HERE TO PARTNER WITH YOU.
SO WE APPRECIATE YOU ALL FOR MOVING THIS FORWARD, AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO BEING A PART OF THIS PROCESS AS IT MOVES FORWARD AS WELL.
UH, GOOD EVENING, MR. MAYOR AND MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL.
I'M A RESIDENT OF DISTRICT ONE.
AND, UH, A MEMBER OF THE NORTH PINE NEIGHBORHOOD ALLIANCE AND A MEMBER OF THE BEAUTIFY PINE, UH, COMMUNITY ORGANIZATION THAT HELPS ON PINE AVENUE.
I WANTED TO SHARE WITH YOU A QUICK STORY ABOUT MY INVOLVEMENT WITH THAT ORGANIZATION, WHICH, IF YOU DON'T KNOW, WE WORKED DOWN ON PINE AVENUE AND WE MAINTAINED SOME OF THE, UH, FLOWER BEDS AND, UH, AREAS ALONG THE AVENUE.
AND I'VE BEEN DOING THAT FOR A FEW MONTHS.
AND THE FIRST THING THAT I NOTICED AS PART OF THAT VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITY WAS WHEN WORKING IN THESE BEDS, WHICH NATURAL TURF IS, UH, THAT EVERYBODY COMES UP TO US AND ACTUALLY IS SO APPRECIATIVE OF THE WORK THAT WE'RE DOING BY PLANTING NATURAL, UH, NATIVE PLANTS AND KEEPING THEM MAINTAINED AND ADDING A LITTLE BIT OF GREENERY, SORT THE LIVES.
IF YOU GO AND WALK AROUND LONG BEACH, YOU'LL NOTICE THAT THERE ARE DEAD ZONES IN WHICH THERE'S EITHER NATURAL, OR, I'M SORRY, ARTIFICIAL TURF OR CONCRETE, OR AREAS THAT DON'T HAVE ANY SHADE.
AND IT IS VERY NOTICEABLE WHEN WALKING IN THOSE AREAS.
SO JUST A LITTLE BIT OF THIS, UH, COMMUNITY INITIATIVE HAS BEEN ABLE TO ADD VALUE TO OUR COMMUNITY RESIDENTS.
AND EVERY SINGLE SUNDAY WHEN WE'RE OUT THERE, I CAN'T TELL YOU HOW MANY COUNTLESS PEOPLE HAVE COME UP TO US AND THANKED US FOR THAT.
SO I WANTED TO BRING TO YOU WITH THAT ANECDOTE, BUT A COUPLE OF THINGS THAT I WANTED TO ALSO MENTION ABOUT THIS INITIATIVE THAT WERE SHOCKING TO ME AS A RESIDENT AND AS SOMEBODY WHO, UM, YOU KNOW, WHEN I SAW ARTIFICIAL TURF AROUND, I THOUGHT IT WAS SOMETHING THAT WAS MORE NEUTRAL INSTEAD OF DAMAGING, DAMAGING TO, UH, RESIDENTS IN THE FORM OF THE HEAT THAT IT GIVES OFF.
UH, 140 TO 180 DEGREES IS A, IS A AS HOT AS THIS ARTIFICIAL TURF CAN GET.
I USED TO HAVE AN ENGLISH BULLDOG THAT, UM, WE WOULD TAKE ON WALKS AND I WOULD, YOU KNOW, HER NAME WAS LUCY.
AND WHEN WE'D COME HOME, I'D HAVE TO, YOU KNOW, TREAT HER PAWS BECAUSE THEY'D HAVE BLISTERS ON THEM FROM THE CONCRETE AND ARTIFICIAL TURF.
SO IT'S IMPORTANT TO CONSIDER THAT AS, AS, AS ONE ASPECT OF IT.
ADDITIONALLY, IT, I ALWAYS THOUGHT THAT IT WAS TO PRESERVE, UH, GROUNDWATER.
AND IT'S ACTUALLY DOING THE OPPOSITE.
YOU KNOW, I KNOW THAT, UH, COUNCILWOMAN, UH, SORROW HAD MENTIONED THAT THERE SHOULD BE SOME CONSIDERATION OF ALTERNATIVES, UM, THAT MIGHT BE A LITTLE BIT MORE, UH, BENEFICIAL TO THE GROUNDWATER.
BUT THE FACT OF THE MATTER IS, IS THAT IT'S WASHING AWAY THE GROUNDWATER THAT JUST GOES INTO THE OCEAN.
IT'S NOT ACTUALLY RETAINING IT AT ALL.
AND THIRD, WHICH I KNOW HAS ALREADY BEEN MENTIONED, BUT I'LL REITERATE, IT'S KILLING THE TREES THAT ARE GIVING US THE SHADE.
IT IS A NON-SUSTAINABLE SOLUTION.
THIS IS SOMETHING THAT HAS TO GET REPLACED.
IT'S KILLING THE TREES THAT ARE PROVIDING A SUSTAINABLE SOLUTION FOR US.
AND AS PART OF THAT, UH, YOU KNOW, PUTTING ARTIFICIAL TURF OVER THESE TREES, UM, INCREASES FUNGAL INFECTION AND PREVENTS THE TREES FROM ACTUALLY TAKING ROOT SOMETHING TO CONSIDER, ESPECIALLY
[02:05:01]
AS WE LOOK TOWARDS LONG-TERM SOLUTIONS.I WANT TO END WITH JUST SAYING THAT I DO THINK THAT IT IS SOMETHING THAT WE NEED TO CONSIDER AS A RESIDENT OF A GUIDEBOOK FOR RESIDENTS, YOU KNOW, OF HOW TO BE ABLE TO ACCOMPLISH THIS, UH, THROUGH CREATIVE SOLUTIONS.
GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEMBERS.
MY NAME'S CAROL SERGE, AND I AM THE FOUNDER OF BEAUTIFY PINE, AS MATH MATTHEW JUST MENTIONED.
AND I LOVE THE CITY AND I LOVE WHAT WE DO TO MAKE, MAKE OUR CITY BEAUTIFUL.
AND IF YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT WE DO EVERY SUNDAY, WE GO OUT AT 10 O'CLOCK IN THE MORNING AND WE CLEAN AND BEAUTIFY, UH, PINE AVENUE FROM FOURTH STREET TO SEVENTH.
THERE ARE 16 PLANTERS, AND WE HAVE HAD TO SOURCE WATER AND, AND, YOU KNOW, FIND WAYS, UH, FIND MONEY TO, UH, GET SUPPLIES AND PLANTS.
AND RIGHT NOW IT IS ABSOLUTELY GORGEOUS AND I HOPE YOU CAN ALL TAKE SOME TIME TO DRIVE UP AND SEE THE KIND OF, UH, UH, PROGRESS WE'VE MADE.
BUT THE REASON I'M HERE TONIGHT IS EDUCATION.
I HAD NO IDEA THAT THIS, UH, UH, ARTIFICIAL TURF WAS SOMETHING THAT WAS HAPPENING IN THE CITY AND PLASTICS AND, UH, YOU KNOW, DAMAGE THIS CITY IS BETTER THAN THAT.
AND THIS IS AN EDUCATION WE NEED TO BE ALL EDUCATED ABOUT.
WHAT IS BETTER? HOW CAN WE HAVE BETTER PRO UH, BETTER PRACTICES THAT WILL MAKE OUR CITY BOTH A LEADER GREENER AND HEALTHIER FOR ALL OF US? UM, ALL OF US WANT WHAT'S BETTER.
AND I THINK THAT THE IDEA OF, IS THIS GONNA COST MORE DOLLARS? WELL, HOW MUCH DOES CONCRETE COST? AND I HAVE NO IDEA.
BUT IF THERE ARE ALTERNATIVES TO JUST PUTTING CONCRETE, EVEN ON OUR, UH, DOWNTOWN SIDEWALKS, HOW CAN WE MAKE IT A PERMEABLE ITEM? SOMETHING THAT IS MORE REFLECTIVE OF LIGHT? AND, UH, YOU KNOW, WE DON'T NEED THIS HEAT PROBLEM.
BUT ALSO I LOVE WASHINGTON, UH, THE WASHINGTON COMMUNITY AND THAT, UM, THAT GROUP REALLY DESERVES TO HAVE SOME WORK DONE TO HELP THEM MITIGATE THE, THE HEAT PROBLEM THAT THEY'RE HAVING.
AND, UH, I THINK WE NEED TO REALLY DO SOMETHING FOR THEM.
BUT ANYWAY, WE NEED TO BE EDUCATED.
WE NEED TO KNOW WHAT'S BETTER AND WHY.
AND WE, YOU KNOW, LET, LET'S EDUCATE OURSELVES AND READ THIS AND, AND VOTE ON, ON THIS TO, UH, GO THROUGH.
ALRIGHT, WELL THANKS, UH, CAROL AND THE LEADERS FROM WILMORE AND NORTH PINE.
WE CERTAINLY APPRECIATE YOUR EFFORTS TO KEEP OUR COMMUNITY BEAUTIFUL.
WE'LL TAKE IT BACK BEHIND THE RAIL COUNCIL MEMBER KERR.
YEAH, SO I JUST HAD A QUICK QUESTION AS, UH, WE MOVE FORWARD WITH THE REPORT BACK TO THE COMMITTEE.
UM, WE KNOW THAT THERE IS SOME LANGUAGE ALREADY IN OUR MUNI CODE AROUND, UH, NON-LIVING MATERIALS.
AND WE'RE HEARING, YOU KNOW, THAT THERE ARE IMMEDIATE CONCERNS HAPPENING NOW.
IS THERE A MECHANISM IN PLACE FOR, UM, IMMEDIATE CONCERNS, UH, TO BE ADDRESSED? UM, IN ADDITION, I KNOW YOU'LL BRING OTHER STUFF IN THE REPORT BACK, BUT JUST WONDERING FOR THAT CONCERN OF, OF THE IMMEDIACY OF AN ITEM, IS THERE A MECHANISM IN PLACE FOR ENFORCEMENT? YES.
SO IT SORT OF DEPENDS ON THE PROPERTY COUNCIL MEMBER.
UM, SO BOTH OUR CODE ENFORCEMENT INSPECTORS WITHIN THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT AND THE STREET USE INSPECTORS WITHIN PUBLIC WORKS, UM, DEAL WITH ISSUES RELATED TO COMPLIANCE WITH THE MUNICIPAL CODE, ESPECIALLY OUT, UM, IN THE PUBLIC RIGHT OF WAY IS SORT OF A SHARED SPACE.
'CAUSE IT'S TECHNICALLY PUBLIC RIGHT AWAY, BUT IT'S THE, THE MAINTENANCE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE ADJACENT PROPERTY OWNER.
UM, SO WE DON'T ISSUE PERMITS.
YOU CAN'T AS PART OF A LARGE MULTIFAMILY OR PROJECT THAT REQUIRES PERMITTING PUT IN, UM, ARTIFICIAL TURF IN THE, IN THE PARKWAY.
UM, BUT IF WE'RE TALKING ABOUT A SINGLE FAMILY HOME CONTEXT, UM, THAT WOULD BE A, IF SOMEONE WOULD REPORT THAT TO CODE ENFORCEMENT AND WE'D HAVE TO WORK IT.
I HAVE TO BE HONEST WITH THIS COUNCIL THOUGH, THAT IS NOT A PRIORITY PRESENTLY.
THAT'S SOMETHING WE CAN TALK ABOUT THROUGH THIS, THROUGH THIS PROCESS.
BUT LIFE SAFETY ISSUES, ISSUES RELATED TO, YOU KNOW, CONDITIONS IN A TENANTS UNIT, UH, VACANT BUILDINGS, VACANT STOREFRONTS, THOSE ARE HIGHER PRIORITIES FOR CODE ENFORCEMENT.
SO WHILE THE MECHANISM WOULD BE THERE, UM, THAT THAT'S NOT, THIS IS NOT CURRENTLY A, A PLACE WHERE WE'RE ACTIVELY, UM, GIVING OUT CITATIONS.
I LOOK FORWARD TO THE CONVERSATION AT COMMITTEE.
YOU KNOW, I'LL JUST SAY SOMETIMES,
[02:10:01]
UH, UM, WHEN SOMETIMES A CONVERSATION AND, UM, YOU KNOW, NEIGHBOR TO NEIGHBOR GOES A LONG WAY.SUPPORT FROM THE COUNCIL MEMBER.
IF WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, UH, A MEDIAN, A PARKWAY, RATHER, THAT THE CITY DOESN'T MAINTAIN CITY, TECHNICALLY IT'S PUBLIC PARKWAY, BUT YOU KNOW, THESE FOLKS ARE, YOU KNOW, HAVING THEIR LANDSCAPE OR LANDSCAPE IT OR THEY'RE DOING WHAT THEY DO, YOU KNOW, IT'S VERY DIFFICULT FOR THE CITY TO COME AND SAY, OKAY, WE'RE NOT TAKING CARE OF THIS CITY PROPERTY YOU ARE.
AND THEN WE'RE GONNA TELL YOU, WE'RE GONNA ENFORCE THE LAW ON YOU ON HOW TO DO IT.
SOMETIMES IT MAY BE BETTER AND WE DON'T EVEN HAVE THE ABILITY OR THE STAFF TO GO THROUGH AND DO IT.
BUT PERHAPS GIVEN THE TRACK RECORD OF WILMORE AND NORTH PINE AND THE SUPPORT FROM THE COUNCIL MEMBER AND, YOU KNOW, SOME BOOTS ON THE GROUND SUPPORT, MAYBE IT CAN BE AN EXAMPLE THAT OTHER NEIGHBORHOODS COULD FOLLOW ON A MORE COLLABORATIVE WAY TO GET TO THAT RESULT.
I'M, I'M DOWN TO BRAINSTORM IDEAS.
UH, YOU ALREADY GOT THE SMARTEST GUY AT SCAG OVER THERE ON YOUR COMMITTEE.
SO THERE MAY BE SOME, OR MAYBE EVEN DEMONSTRATION GRANTS OR SOMETHING THAT MAY ALLOW FOR A MORE COLLABORATIVE APPROACH, UH, THAN THE HEAVY HANDED CITY APPROACH IN THIS, IN THIS SPIRIT, WHICH I'M NOT SURE IS GOING TO BE THE, BE THE RIGHT APPROACH AT SCALE.
AND SO, UM, CERTAINLY SUPPORTIVE OF THE COUNCIL MEMBERS TAKING THIS COMMITTEE AND, AND LOOKING AT, UH, WHAT OPTIONS ARE THERE.
BUT I REALLY WANT TO EMPOWER AND ENCOURAGE THE RESIDENTS TO REALLY THINK ABOUT WHAT SUPPORT WE CAN PROVIDE FROM A COLLABORATIVE STANDPOINT TO REALLY SEE THE RES, THE BEHAVIOR CHANGE THAT WE'RE LOOKING, LOOKING FOR.
THE OTHER THING THAT CAME OUT THAT STOOD OUT TO ME WAS THE TREES.
I WASN'T, I I, I DIDN'T KNOW THAT THERE'S AN ADVERSE IMPACT ON TREES FROM, UM, FROM THE, UH, THE TURF.
AND PERHAPS IT MAKES SENSE NOW THAT YOU EXPLAIN IT.
MAYBE THE RUNOFF DOESN'T SUPPORT THE TREES, BUT IF THERE ARE HOTSPOTS RIGHT NOW, WE SHOULD JUST BE FOCUSED, YOU KNOW, IMMEDIATELY ON GETTING MORE TREES OUT THERE.
SO IF THERE'S A NEIGHBORHOOD WHO WANTS MORE TREES AND WE HAVE AVAILABILITY AND ACCESS TO TREES, WE FUNDED IN THE BUDGET, I THINK ONE WAY, UH, IS, YOU KNOW, ONE WAY TO SEE SOME IMMEDIATE RESULTS IS TO PUT A BIGGER EMPHASIS ON GETTING THE TREES OUT THERE.
'CAUSE IT TAKES YEARS FOR THESE TREES TO MATURE.
SO THE SOONER WE START, THE BETTER.
UH, WE'LL NOW GO TO, UH, THE, UH, ROLL CALL VOTE PLEASE.
YOU KNOW, EVERY ONCE IN A WHILE WHEN WE DO ROLL CALL VOTE AND THEY CALL DISTRICT NINE.
PLEASE REPORT FROM FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT RECOMMENDATION TO APPROVE THE FISCAL YEAR 2025 THIRD DEPARTMENTAL AND FUND BUDGET APPROPRIATION ADJUSTMENTS IN ACCORDANCE WITH EXISTING CITY COUNCIL POLICY.
CITYWIDE, IF WE CAN GET A MOVER IN A SECONDER FOR THE ITEM, PLEASE.
WE HAVE REBECCA HERE FROM THE BUDGET OFFICE TO GIVE A BRIEF OVERVIEW.
[16. 25-57195 Recommendation to approve the Fiscal Year 2025 third departmental and fund budget appropriation adjustments in accordance with existing City Council policy. (Citywide) Office or Department: Financial Management Suggested Action: Approve recommendation. ]
IS THE THIRD AND FINAL DEPARTMENT AND FUND BUDGET APPROPRIATION ADJUSTMENT REPORT FOR FISCAL YEAR 2025, WHICH IS THE FISCAL YEAR.STAFF IS CURRENTLY WORKING TOWARDS CLOSING, ENDING SEPTEMBER 30TH, 2025.
PERIODICALLY CHANGES IN REVENUE OR OPERATING CONDITIONS REQUIRE MID-YEAR APPROPRIATION ADJUSTMENTS AND ARE BROUGHT TO THE CITY COUNCIL TO REFLECT TECHNICAL CORRECTIONS AND APPROPRIATION ADJUSTMENTS DUE TO REVENUE OR OPERATING CONDITIONS.
THIS LETTER CONTAINS VARIOUS CITYWIDE BUDGET ADJUSTMENTS, COVERING TECHNICAL ADJUSTMENTS TO ALIGN APPROPRIATION TO GRANT AWARDS AND CORRECTION TO BUDGET ITEMS TO THE APPROPRIATE DEPARTMENTS AND FUND GROUPS AND VARIOUS BUDGET INCREASES FOR DEPARTMENT OPERATIONAL PURPOSES.
SOME EXAMPLES AND HIGHLIGHTS INCLUDE AN INCREASE, UH, OF APPROPRIATIONS IN THE GENERAL GRANTS FUND IN THE LIBRARY ARTS AND CULTURE BY $647,665 FOR MATERIALS AND PROGRAMMING OFFSET BY REVENUE FROM LONG BEACH PUBLIC LIBRARY FOUNDATION, INCREASE APPROPRIATIONS IN THE CAPITAL PROJECTS FUND GROUP AND THE PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT BY $58,801 FOR THE PURCHASE AND INSTALLATION OF EV CHARGERS AT MARK TWAIN LIBRARY.
OFFSET BY REBATES AND INCENTIVES RECEIVED FROM THE ENERGY COALITION'S SOCAL RENZ PUBLIC POWER UP PROGRAM AND INCREASE APPROPRIATIONS IN THE GENERAL FUND GROUP IN THE FIRE DEPARTMENT BY $4,756,644 FOR OVERTIME TRAVEL, LODGING, AND TRANSPORTATION EXPENSES RELATED TO STAFFING ASSISTANCE FOR CALIFORNIA WILDFIRE RESPONSE ANTICIPATED TO FULLY OFFSET BY REVENUE FROM THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA.
AS MENTIONED BEFORE, THE BUDGET ADJUSTMENTS IN THIS ITEM WILL BE INCORPORATED INTO FISCAL YEAR 25 AND THE YEAR IN PERFORMANCE FOR FISCAL
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YEAR 25 IS PLANNED TO BE REPORTED BACK TO CITY COUNCIL IN EARLY 2026.THIS CONCLUDES THE STAFF REPORT AND I'M AVAILABLE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.
IS THERE ANY PUBLIC COMMENT HERE? MEMBERS PLEASE CAST A VOTE OR DISTRICT ONE ROLL CALL.
ITEM 17, PLEASE RECOMMENDATION TO ADOPT THE SPEED SAFETY SYSTEM.
USE POLICY AND SPEED SAFETY SYSTEM IMPACT REPORT FOR THE AUTOMATED SPEED ENFORCEMENT PILOT PROGRAM.
[17. 25-57196 Recommendation to adopt the Speed Safety System Use Policy and Speed Safety System Impact Report for the Automated Speed Enforcement Pilot Program; Adopt resolution authorizing City Manager, or designee, to execute a contract, and all necessary documents including any subsequent amendments, with American Traffic Solutions, Inc. dba Verra Mobility of Mesa, AZ, for the design, installation, maintenance, and data processing of the Automated Speed Enforcement Systems, under the same terms and conditions afforded to the City of Oakland in the amount of $4,860,000, with a 15-percent contingency in the amount of $729,000, for a total contract amount not to exceed $5,589,000, until the City of Oakland’s contract expires on October 1, 2031, with the option to renew for as long as the City of Oakland’s contract is in effect and for so long as automated speed enforcement technology is authorized by the State Legislature, at the discretion of the City Manager; and Increase appropriations in the Capital Projects Fund Group in the Public Works Department by $5,589,000, offset by anticipated revenues from the Automated Speed Enforcement Pilot Program. (Citywide) Office or Department: Public Works Suggested Action: Approve recommendation. ]
A RESOLUTION TO EXECUTE A CONTRACT IN ALL NECESSARY DOCUMENTS WITH AMERICAN TRAFFIC SOLUTIONS FOR THE DESIGN, INSTALLATION, MAINTENANCE AND DATA PROCESSING OF THE AUTOMATED SPEED ENFORCEMENT SYSTEM FOR A TOTAL CONTRACT AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED 5,589,000 CITYWIDE.ALRIGHT, UH, WE'RE GOING TO LOT, OBVIOUSLY LOTS OF ENTHUSIASMS JUMP RIGHT INTO THE STAFF PRESENTATION.
THANK YOU MR. MAYOR, MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL.
SO I'LL TURN THIS OVER TO THE TEAM, UH, TO GO THROUGH, UH, THE DETAILS HERE ON THIS PROGRAM.
BUT THIS HAS OBVIOUSLY BEEN A VERY HIGH PRIORITY FOR THE COUNCIL.
UH, AND, UH, WE'VE BEEN DOING A LOT OF WORK ON THIS.
UH, THIS IS A BRAND NEW PROJECT.
UH, THERE ARE ONLY, I THINK, SIX CITIES IN THE WHOLE STATE OF CALIFORNIA TO GET TO DO THIS.
WE PUSHED REALLY HARD TO BE ONE OF THOSE.
UH, AND WE'RE EXCITED TO BE HERE.
SO, UH, WE HAVE PUT TOGETHER ALL THE PROGRAM MANUALS.
WE'VE REALLY BASED THIS ON DATA.
WE'VE TAKEN, UH, COMMUNITY INPUT AS WELL.
UH, WE'VE DONE A PUBLIC, UM, UH, COMMENT PROGRAM.
UH, AND NOW WE ARE ACTUALLY BRINGING YOU TODAY ALL OF THAT.
SO YOU'RE GONNA HAVE THAT PROGRAM REPORT.
UH, WE'RE ALSO GONNA HAVE, UM, THE ACTUAL CONTRACT TO BE ABLE TO MOVE FORWARD IN A TIMELINE, UH, ON WHEN, UH, THOSE THINGS ARE GOING TO HAPPEN.
SO, UH, WE'RE EXCITED TO, TO ROLL THIS OUT AND, UH, GET SOME DISCUSSION GOING.
GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEMBERS.
WE'RE EXCITED TO BE HERE FOR THIS IMPORTANT MILESTONE.
UH, THE ITEM BEFORE YOU THIS EVENING IS TO ADOPT THE SYSTEMS USE POLICY AND THE SYSTEMS IMPACT REPORT AND APPROVE A CONTRACT TO INSTALL AND MAINTAIN THE EQUIPMENT NECESSARY TO MAKE THIS SYSTEM FUNCTIONAL.
SO WE WILL, WE'LL BREEZE THROUGH 21 SLIDES THAT HIGHLIGHT THE, THE PROGRAM GIVE AN OVERVIEW PROVIDES A, A HOLISTIC, UM, OVERVIEW OF THE PROGRAM ITSELF, INCLUDING THE STATE REQUIREMENTS, THE DEVICE, LOCATIONS, AND THE NEXT STEPS TO IMPLEMENT.
SO THIS IS ONE OF OUR COMPONENTS OF OUR SAFE STREETS LONG BEACH.
UH, OUR FIRST PRIORITY WAS TO DEDICATE STAFF AND FUNDING FOR THE PROGRAM.
WE'VE SINCE DONE THAT, AND NOW WE'RE STARTING TO TACKLE THE PRIORITY NUMBER TWO.
SO THE ONE WE'RE HERE TO DISCUSS TONIGHT IS 2.3, THE AUTOMATED SPEED ENFORCEMENT PROGRAM.
UH, THIS COMPLIMENTS OUR NEIGHBORHOOD, UH, SPEED LIMITS AND NEIGHBORHOOD SPEED REDUCTION PROGRAM, WHICH IT WILL BE A SEPARATE PRESENTATION COMING TO YOU SHORTLY.
AND THEN, UH, ALSO COMPLIMENTS ALL OF, UH, THE WORK THAT WE DO ON OUR HIGH INJURY NETWORK AS PART OF OUR CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM.
SO WHY IS THIS IMPORTANT TO OUR VISION ZERO PROGRAM? UH, REALLY BECAUSE SPEED IS THE LEADING FACTOR IN DETERMINING THE SEVERITY OF INJURIES WITHIN OUR RIGHT OF WAY.
SO WHAT YOU SEE HERE ON THE SLIDE IS THAT AS THE SPEEDING GOES UP, THE LIKELIHOOD OF PEDESTRIAN FATALITIES INCREASES SIGNIFICANTLY.
AND THEN OF COURSE, WE WANNA FOCUS ON THE COMMUNITY BENEFITS.
UH, THE BENEFITS OF THIS PROGRAM INCLUDES, UM, PREVENTION VERSUS PUNISHMENT IS REALLY A, UH, PREVENTION FOCUSED TYPE EFFORT.
UH, SAFER STREETS FOR ALL OF OUR USER GROUPS, UH, TRADITIONAL ENFORCEMENT AND ROAD DESIGN ALONE CAN'T FULLY ADDRESS SPEEDING.
UH, NAMELY IF WE HAVE STREETS OR RIGHT OF WAY WIDTHS THAT ARE DESIGNED TO BE WIDER FOR TRUCKS OR OTHERWISE, UH, IT'S REALLY DIFFICULT TO HELP CALM TRAFFIC.
SO THERE'S A COUPLE RECENT, UH, LEGISLATION EFFORTS THAT HAVE BEEN UNDERWAY, UH, SPECIFIC TO US.
THE FIRST ONE HERE, AB 6 45 ALLOWS US TO INSTALL 18, UH, DEVICES, UH, AT 18 DIFFERENT LOCATIONS THROUGHOUT THE CITY.
UH, THE OTHER TWO ITEMS HERE, UH, REFER TO AND, AND KIND OF AUGMENT THIS PROGRAM AND ALLOW INSTALLATION IN MALIBU AND IN CALTRANS, HOWEVER, NOT, UH, WITHIN CALTRANS WITHIN THE CITY OF LONG BEACH.
THIS IS SPECIFIC TO CALTRANS IN SOME OF THEIR MAINTENANCE AND CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS.
UH, AS MR. MOCA HAD MENTIONED, WE ARE ONE OF SIX PILOT CITIES THAT HAVE BEEN GRANTED THE AUTHORITY TO, UH, IMPLEMENT THIS PROGRAM.
UH, WE'RE EXCITED THAT CURRENTLY ON THIS LIST WE ARE SHOWING
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IN, UH, FOURTH PLACE, IF YOU WILL.AND WE'RE, WE'RE WORKING HARD TO KIND OF LEAPFROG OVER SAN JOSE AND, AND OAKLAND, UH, SPECIFICALLY TO TODAY, WE'RE PIGGYBACKING OFF OF A CONTRACT WITH OAKLAND TO HELP ROLL OUT THIS PROGRAM THAT MUCH FASTER.
SO THE NEXT COUPLE SLIDES, WE'RE GONNA GO THROUGH THE CALIFORNIA VEHICLE CODE REQUIREMENTS.
SO FIRST UP, THE, UH, SAFE, THE SYSTEM IMPACT REPORT, AND THEN SECOND UP THE SYSTEMS USE POLICY.
UH, BOTH OF THESE ARE REFLECTED HERE ON THE SLIDE.
THEY WERE PUBLISHED, UH, BACK IN OCTOBER.
THERE WAS A, UM, AN EFFORT AND COMMUNITY OUTREACH EFFORT UNDERWAY.
UH, WE GATHERED THOSE COMMENTS AND, UM, HA HAVE SINCE INCLUDED THOSE WITHIN THESE TWO DOCUMENTS.
HERE'S A BRIEF OVERVIEW OF WHAT THAT, UH, PUBLIC COMMENT PROCESS LOOKED LIKE.
UH, WE RELEASED ALL THE INFORMATION ON OUR WEBSITE BACK ON OCTOBER 3RD.
WE CLOSED THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD ON THE SEVENTH.
WE CAPTURED ALL OF THAT INFORMATION, INCLUDED IT WITHIN THE REVISED DOCUMENTS.
UH, IN TOTAL WE RECEIVED A, UH, 98 COMMENTS, UH, SPREAD ACROSS BOTH OF THESE DOCUMENTS.
THE CALIFORNIA VEHICLE CODE ALSO MANDATES THE FINES AND DOES HAVE PROVISIONS FOR REDUCED FINES AND OTHER ALTERNATIVES IN LIEU OF, UH, PAYMENTS, UH, WHICH ARE SHOWN HERE ON, ON THIS SLIDE.
AND WE CAN DIVE, UH, MORE DEEPER INTO THE, THE SPECIFICS OF ALL OF THAT.
UH, THE REVENUE ITSELF WILL BE USED SPECIFICALLY TO PAY BACK THE, THE COST TO ROLL OUT THIS PROGRAM AND THEN ANY ADDITIONAL REVENUE THAT, THAT IS ABOVE AND BEYOND THAT WILL BE UTILIZED FOR TRAFFIC COMING THROUGHOUT THE CITY.
ONE OF THE COMMENTS WE DID RECEIVE, UH, AND A NUMBER OF QUESTIONS THAT THE MOBILITY PORTS AND INFRASTRUCTURE COMMITTEE WAS RELATED TO USING THE FUNDS.
UH, NOT NECESSARILY SPECIFICALLY AT THE LOCATION WHERE THESE DEVICES ARE, BUT, BUT CITYWIDE THE VEHICLE CODE ALSO MANDATES THE DEVICE LOCATIONS.
SO, AS NOTED PREVIOUSLY, WE WERE GRANTED, UH, AUTHORITY TO IMPLEMENT THIS PROGRAM AT 18 LOCATIONS.
AND WE'VE SPLIT THOSE INTO, UH, TWO GROUPS OF NINE, WHICH WE'LL GET INTO ON A, ON A, ON A COUPLE, UH, OF THE NEXT SLIDES HERE.
BUT DID WANNA HIGHLIGHT THAT THE LOCATIONS MUST BE WITHIN A SAFETY QUARTER WITHIN A SCHOOL ZONE, OR HAVE RECEIVED MULTIPLE, UH, CALLS FOR, FOR, UH, INCIDENTS.
SO FIRST UP, THE FIRST NINE OR FIRST HALF OF THE 18 WERE BASED ON, UH, REALLY DATA, DATA BACKED ANALYSIS ON THE HIGH INJURY NETWORK, INCLUDING FREQUENCY OF RACING, UH, BEING WITHIN A SCHOOL ZONE, THE CRASH SEVERITY, AND THEN THE FREQUENCY OF FOLKS SPEEDING ON THESE, UM, ON THESE ROADWAYS.
SO THOSE NINE LOCATIONS ARE SHOWN HERE ON THE SLIDE.
AND THE METRICS THAT WERE USED TO PRIORITIZE EACH OF THESE SEGMENTS ARE ALSO NOTED ON THE SLIDE.
THE SECOND HALF OF THE 18, OR THE, THE OTHER NINE LOCATIONS USED A VERY SIMILAR DATA-DRIVEN APPROACH, UH, USING THE SAME PRIORITIZATION EFFORTS AS THE NEED-BASED LOCATIONS.
HOWEVER, IT LAYERED ON A COUPLE OTHER COMPONENTS, INCLUDING WANTING TO MINIMIZE REDUNDANCY ON SIMILAR SEGMENTS, WHICH ALLOWS US TO MAXIMIZE THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THE PROGRAM ITSELF.
UH, WE ALSO LOOKED AT THE OUTLIERS AND SPECIFIC CATEGORIES, AS WELL AS OTHER CONSTRAINTS THAT WE HAVE BASED ON THE RIGHT OF WAY WIDTH OR OTHER GEOMETRIC DESIGN.
THIS SLIDE HERE SHOWS THE NINE, UH, GEOGRAPHIC PRIORITIZATION SEGMENTS AND THEN THE TRENDS CONTRIBUTING TO THAT SELECTION.
THIS SLIDE SHOWS ALL 18 LOCATIONS OVERLAID ON A MAP OF THE CITY.
YOU CAN SEE THERE, UH, BOTH THE NEEDS BASED AND THE GEOGRAPHIC DIVERSITY LOCATIONS ALL ACROSS THE CITY.
SO WHAT DOES THE SPECIFIC INSTALLATION LOOK LIKE? UH, THE, THE INSTALLATION ITSELF WILL INCLUDE SIGNAGE IN ADVANCE OF THE DEVICES, UH, THAT YOU CAN SEE HERE ON THE SCREEN.
YOU'D SEE A TYPICAL, UH, SPEED LIMIT SIGN AS WELL AS SOME SORT OF NOTIFICATION THAT PHOTO ENFORCEMENT IS UP AHEAD.
YOU'D THEN SEE A SPEED FEEDBACK SIGN, UH, WHICH YOU CAN ALSO SEE ON THE SCREEN THAT ADJUSTS, UH, UP OR DOWN DEPENDING ON THE LEVEL OF YOUR SPEED.
AND THEN THE CAMERAS ITSELF WOULD BE POSTED OR POLE MOUNTED AND CAPTURE THE REAR
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LICENSE PLATE OF ANYBODY SPEEDING OVER 11 MILES PER HOUR OVER THE SPEED LIMIT.THAT CITATION DATA IS THEN, UH, CAPTURED AND NOT SHARED WITH ANYBODY.
IT'S, UH, REMAINS CONFIDENTIAL AND NOT SHARED WITH ANY OUTSIDE AGENCIES OR LAW ENFORCEMENT.
THE, THE FIRST YEAR BUDGET, UH, INCLUDING BOTH LABOR AND MATERIALS, IS APPROXIMATELY 835,000 WITH ANNUAL OPERATING COSTS, INCLUDING THE CONTRACT THAT'S BEFORE YOU THIS EVENING, UH, WOULD BE $1.6 MILLION.
UM, I DID WANT TO HIGHLIGHT FOR, FOR THE RECORD HERE THAT THE MATH ON THE SLIDE DOES NEED TO BE ADJUSTED.
THE OVERALL PROGRAM COST, UH, NOTED IS 8.4.
IT WOULD ACTUALLY BE 8,974,000, AND THAT WOULD CAPTURE ALL OF THE FIRST YEAR MATERIAL LABOR AS WELL AS THE FIVE YEAR OPERATING COSTS.
WE DO ANTICIPATE THAT THE REVENUE GENERATED FROM ANY CITATIONS OR FINES WOULD PAY BACK THE, THE PROGRAM.
AND THEN AS NOTED PREVIOUSLY, WE'D SPEND ALL ADDITIONAL AVAILABLE FUNDS ON TRAFFIC CALMING MEASURES WITHIN THE CITY.
SO THIS, THIS PROGRAM ALIGNS VERY CLOSELY WITH OUR VISION ZERO PLAN.
AS NOTED AT THE BEGINNING OF THIS PRESENTATION, UH, DOES USE A DATA-DRIVEN APPROACH TO REDUCE SPEEDING ON OUR HIGH INJURY NETWORK, THEREBY LOWERING THE RISK OF DEATH AND LIFE ALTERING INJU INJURIES, MAKING OUR RIGHT OF WAY SAFER FOR ALL OF OUR USERS.
NEXT COUPLE SLIDES WANNA HIGHLIGHT A FEW OF THE COMMENTS THAT WE'VE RECEIVED AS PART OF THE, UH, PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD, AS WELL AS SOME OF THE MISCONCEPTIONS THAT MAY BE OUT THERE.
UM, THESE SYSTEMS ARE INTENDED TO DETER SPEEDING AND REDUCE THE SPEEDING.
UH, THEY ARE DIFFERENT FROM A RED LIGHT CAMERA.
UH, THE INFORMATION CAPTURED IS LIMITED TO THE DATE, TIME, LOCATION, SPEED, AND THE IMAGE OF THE REAR LICENSE PLATE ONLY.
THAT INFORMATION IS SAVED ONLY AS NECESSARY TO PROCESS ANY CITATIONS OR APPEALS AND NOT SHARED, UH, WITH ANY OTHER OUTSIDE AGENCIES.
UM, A COUPLE OTHER THINGS WE, WE THOUGHT WERE IMPORTANT TO MENTION.
UH, THESE, THE SYSTEM IS DESIGNED TO COMPLEMENT, NOT REPLACE OUR OTHER TRAFFIC SAFETY STRATEGIES THAT WE HAVE OUT THERE, OR OUR TRAFFIC CALMING INITIATIVES.
UM, WE'RE REALLY INTENDING TO PROMOTE THIS AS A, A TRANSPARENT PROGRAM, UH, THAT HELPS ADDRESS AND LOWER SPEEDING FOR ALL COMMUNITY MEMBERS, UM, CONSISTENT AND, AND IMPARTIAL SPEED ENFORCEMENT WITH A 10 MILE PER HOUR BUFFER.
SO AGAIN, YOU'LL ONLY, UH, RECEIVE THESE, THESE FINES IF YOU'RE GOING ABOVE 10 MILES PER HOUR OVER THE SPEED LIMIT.
WE'VE MENTIONED, UH, THE DATA COLLECTION A A COUPLE TIMES NOW.
UH, PROGRAM IS MANAGED BY, BY PUBLIC WORKS AND THE IMAGE IS, UM, IS REALLY INTENDED TO, TO JUST CAPTURE THE REAL LICENSE PLATE.
SO NEXT STEPS, UH, WE'RE COMMITTED TO ROLLING OUT THE PROGRAM OVER THE NEXT 12 MONTHS, UH, ASSUMING ALL GOES WELL.
AND, AND THIS, UH, ITEM IS APPROVED BY, BY THIS BODY THIS EVENING.
WE'LL QUICKLY WORK TO PROCURE THE SPEED, THE SIGNS, THE SPEED FEEDBACK SIGNS THAT ARE NECESSARY TO ROLL THIS ALL OUT.
UH, GET OUR VENDOR ON BOARD TO DEPLOY THE DEVICES, UH, NEXT SPRING.
ACTIVATE THE SYSTEM FOR ITS INITIAL WARNING PERIOD NEXT SUMMER, AND ROLL OUT THE PROGRAM IN FULL, UH, IN, IN FULL CONCEPT NEXT FALL.
THAT CONCLUDES THE STAFF REPORT.
I'M JOINED HERE BY OUR CITY ENGINEER AND CITY TRAFFIC ENGINEER, IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS.
ALRIGHT, WELL, WELL, JOSHUA, HOW MANY, IS THIS YOUR FIRST COUNCIL MEETING AS PUBLIC WORKS DIRECTOR? I BELIEVE THIS IS NUMBER TWO.
WELL, I, I KNOW THE COUNCIL MEMBERS HAVE BEEN, UM, RAISING THIS ISSUE FOR A LONG TIME IN THE PUBLIC.
UM, LOTS OF ENTHUSIASM ABOUT TRAFFIC SAFETY.
VERY STRATEGIC FOR YOU TO BRING THIS PRESENTATION AND THIS, THIS VOTE JUST AS YOU START, AS A NEW PUBLIC WORKS DIRECTOR.
WELL, I KNOW THERE'S A LOT OF ENTHUSIASM HERE ON THE PUBLIC SIDE, THE CITY COUNCIL SIDE, I THINK THE TIMING COULDN'T BE BETTER.
UH, THE TRAFFIC SAFETY, THE INCIDENTS OF, OF, UM, VEHICLE FATALITIES AND INCIDENTS HAVE INCREASED POST PANDEMIC AND ALSO FLUCTUATE WILDLY.
UH, THEY WENT UP IMMEDIATELY PAST THE PANDEMIC, THEN IT WENT DOWN LAST YEAR AND THEN THIS YEAR IT'S WAY UP.
AND, UM, YOU KNOW, AND THIS PILOT PROJECT WE'VE TALKED ABOUT FOR QUITE SOME TIME, UM, LONG BEACH AND SAN JOSE WERE TWO OF THE LA YOU KNOW, TWO CITIES AND MYSELF AND MAYOR MAYHEM WERE TWO
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CITIES THAT ADVOCATED FOR THE STATE LEGISLATION TO OPEN THE DOOR FOR THIS.BUT IT WASN'T NECESSARILY EASY BECAUSE THERE WERE CONCERNS ABOUT A RETURN TO SPEED CAMERAS, UM, CONCERNS ABOUT SURVEILLANCE.
UM, AND, AND WE, WE ALSO, WE CERTAINLY UNDERSTAND THAT NOW GIVEN THE HEIGHTENED SENSITIVITY OF, OF ICE AND ALL OF THOSE THINGS.
UM, BUT A NUMBER OF PROVISIONS WERE, WERE PUT FORWARD THAT CONSIDERED THE EQUITY LENS ON THIS.
UM, AND I APPRE I APPRECIATE IN THE PRESENTATION YOUR USE OF DATA AND HOW WE SELECTED WHICH SITES GIVE US THE MOST COMPLETE PICTURE OF THE IMPACT OF THIS PILOT AS WE CONSIDER FUTURE DECISIONS.
SO THIS IS SOMETHING THAT'S INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT.
I'M GLAD THE ENTIRE CITY WILL WILL BENEFIT, AND THAT WE'RE FINALLY IN A PLACE TO SEE, UH, THIS PROGRAM ROLLOUT IN THE NEW YEAR.
UH, SO THAT SET, WE'LL GO TO THE COUNCIL.
UH, WE'LL START WITH COUNCIL MEMBER KERR.
THANK YOU, DIRECTOR HICKMAN AND YOUR TEAM IN TRAFFIC ENGINEERING.
UH, THIS HAS BEEN, UH, A LONG FOUGHT GETTING TO THIS PLACE.
I WANNA THANK THE MAYOR FOR HIS ADVOCACY AT THE STATE LEVEL TO GET LONG BEACH INCLUDED IN THIS AT THE VERY BEGINNING.
UM, AND I KNOW MY OFFICE, ALONG WITH MANY OF MY COLLEAGUES HAVE BEEN PUSHING AND PUSHING AND PUSHING PUBLIC WORKS FOR A WHILE.
UM, AND WE APPRECIATE YOUR DILIGENCE AND YOU KNEW COMING BACK WITH A REPORT OF SUGGESTED LOCATIONS THAT YOU PROBABLY WEREN'T GONNA MAKE ANYBODY UP HERE HAPPY ABOUT WHERE EXACTLY THEY WERE LOCATED BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT THERE ARE CLEARLY NOT ENOUGH FOR, UM, THE INTERSECTIONS AND THE, THE RIGHT OF WAYS THAT WE KNOW ARE REALLY PROBLEMATIC ACROSS THE CITY.
AS THE MAYOR SAID, UM, THE HUGE GROWTH IN TRAFFIC RELATED FATALITIES THIS YEAR IS DEEPLY SADDENING AND DISTURBING.
AND THIS PILOT GETTING KICKED OFF IS A WAY THAT WE CAN START TO COMBAT THAT HOPEFULLY.
UM, SO I WANNA THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THIS TO THE MPI COMMITTEE BACK IN OCTOBER TO BE ABLE TO KICK OFF THAT 30 DAY WINDOW.
I THINK HAVING THE PUBLIC BE ABLE TO SEE IT, UM, AND READ ABOUT IT AND ASK QUESTIONS AND SUBMIT QUESTIONS, UH, BEFORE IT COMES TO COUNCIL IS A GREAT TOOL, UH, TO BE ABLE TO MOVE SMOOTHLY WHEN WE HAVE AN ITEM LIKE THIS BEFORE US.
I KNOW WE TALKED ABOUT IT PROBABLY MORE THAN A YEAR AGO, ABOUT THE POSSIBILITY OF DOING A PIGGYBACK CONTRACT ONTO ANOTHER MUNICIPALITY AND HOW IMPORTANT THAT IS INTO IMPLEMENTATION.
AND SO FOR FOLKS WHO DON'T UNDERSTAND THAT WE ARE GOING TO USE THE CONTRACT NUMBERS OF ANOTHER CITY THAT DID A PUBLIC PROCESS AND VETTED ORGANIZATIONS AND, UM, COMPANIES THAT PROVIDE THIS, AND IT'S A PARTNER CITY THAT WE DO A LOT OF WORK WITH OAKLAND.
UM, SO THAT EXISTING CONTRACT FOR US TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT HELPS MOVE THIS MUCH MORE QUICKLY THAN IF WE HAD TO DO THAT OPEN PROCESS AGAIN.
SO I WANNA THANK THE CITY MANAGEMENT AND FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT FOR BEING OPEN TO THAT, UM, AND BRINGING THAT TO US HERE TODAY.
UM, I'M CURIOUS IF I JUST HAVE A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS.
YOU MAY OR MAY NOT KNOW THE ANSWERS.
WE KNOW SAN FRANCISCO WAS AHEAD OF THE GAME ON ALL OF US.
THEY HELPED CRAFT THE LEGISLATION, THEY WERE DOING THE WORK BEHIND THE SCENES A LOT LONGER THAN WE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE PART OF IT.
ARE THERE SOME LESSONS LEARNED FROM SAN FRANCISCO BEING THIS MUCH AHEAD OF US, THAT YOU WERE ABLE TO IMPLEMENT INTO THE PROCESS THAT WERE SIGNIFICANT IN WHAT YOU'VE BROUGHT BACK WITH US TODAY? YEAH, GREAT QUESTION AND, AND THANKS FOR THE, UH, THE ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF THE PIGGYBACK.
IT CERTAINLY HELPS US ROLL THIS ALL OUT.
UM, AS FAR AS THE LESSONS LEARNED, YOU KNOW, VERY SIMILAR, THE, WITH SOMEBODY ELSE BEING FIRST OUT THE GATE, IT REALLY HELPED US UNDERSTAND A LITTLE BIT BETTER WHAT GOES WELL, UH, WHAT DO WE MAYBE NEED TO, UM, AUGMENT OR, OR ADJUST.
AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT CAME OUT OF THEIR ROLLOUT, THEY JUST ROLLED IT OUT EARLIER THIS YEAR AND, UH, WE, WE LEARNED THAT HAVING THE ADDITIONAL STAFF OR FOLKS UP FRONT DURING THAT WARNING PERIOD IS REALLY KEY TO KIND OF THE SUCCESS OF, OF THE OVERALL ROLLOUT.
SO IT ALLOWED US TO PIVOT AND ADJUST WHAT WE WERE GONNA DO THERE.
AND IT ALSO, UH, ALLOWED US, SAN FRANCISCO HAS A CONTRACT, UM, THAT DIDN'T HAVE AS MANY OF THE BELLS AND WHISTLES, LET'S SAY, AS OAKLAND DID.
SO THAT'S WHY WE HAD SELECTED, UH, OAKLAND TO PIGGYBACK OFF OF NOT SAN FRANCISCO GAVE US A FEW OF THOSE ADDITIONAL OTHER COMPONENTS THAT WILL HELP US ROLL OUT THIS PROGRAM A LITTLE MORE EFFECTIVELY.
I HAD OTHER QUESTIONS ABOUT IMPLEMENTATION, BUT I SEE YOU INCLUDED THOSE, UH, ON THE SLIDE AHEAD AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO, UM, INFORMATION AS WE START TO DO INSTALLATION.
SO WE KNOW FOLKS, UH, THEY'LL MIGHT SEE PEOPLE OUT IN THE COMMUNITY LOOKING FOR APPROPRIATE LOCATIONS WHERE THEY CAN INSTALL CAMERAS AND ALL OF THOSE THINGS.
UH, BUT WE LOOK FORWARD TO YOU KEEPING US IN THE LOOP AS THINGS PROGRESS TO KEEP OUR RESIDENTS IN THE LOOP.
UH, SECONDER THE MOTION WHO WE HAVE.
UH, SO I TOO WANNA ADD MY GRATITUDE TO PUBLIC WORKS TEAM, THE TRAFFIC, UH, TEAM SPECIFICALLY IN BRINGING THIS FORWARD.
YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT THERE'S JUST A LOT OF
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INTEREST BECAUSE WE DO KNOW, I MEAN, WE'VE ALL EXPERIENCED IT WHEN WE'RE WALKING IN OUR NEIGHBORHOODS, UH, CROSSING THE STREETS, THAT PEOPLE ARE DRIVING FASTER AND EVEN, AND WE'VE TAKEN VARIOUS APPROACH.AND I THINK WHAT MAKES THIS SO, UM, I THINK APPEALING IS THAT IT DOESN'T TAKE A PUNITIVE APPROACH.
IT'S TAKING A PREVENTATIVE AND OPPORTUNITY FOR AWARENESS, UM, IN TERMS OF GETTING A RESPONSE THAT SOMEBODY ELSE IS PAYING ATTENTION TO YOUR ACTION SOMETIMES.
UH, AND THAT KIND OF MAKES YOU, YOU KNOW, HAVE TO RECALIBRATE HOW YOU'RE, YOU, YOU KNOW, HOW SAFE YOU'RE DRIVING AND HOW YOU ARE IN THE ROAD.
AND WHILE I APPRECIATE THE, YOU KNOW, VARIOUS APPROACH TO HOW WE WORKED WITHIN THE CAPACITY OF THE LEGISLATION, UM, IT IS STILL A CHALLENGE IN HOW WE'RE GONNA FIGURE OUT OUR HIGHWAYS.
I'M JUST GONNA KEEP BRINGING IT UP AGAIN UNTIL WE DO FIGURE OUT A LEGISLATIVE FIX FOR PCH, BECAUSE IF, UM, IF THAT WAS NOT, IF WE COULD HAVE INCLUDED, UH, HIGHWAYS, UH, IT WOULD'VE BEEN PCA JUST THE MOST DANGEROUS QUARTER IN MY DISTRICT.
AND SO I THINK THAT THIS IS A START IN THE WAYS THAT WE CAN LOOK AT THROUGHOUT THE DISTRICT, UM, HOW IT WORKS.
UM, AND I HOPE WE CAN CONTINUE TO GATHER DATA ANNUALLY AND BE ABLE TO MAYBE SHARE BACK RESULTS OF HOW IT'S WORKING ONCE IT STARTS.
UH, THE PILOT STARTS, UH, WE ARE ANXIOUS TO FIND TOOLS BECAUSE OUR RESIDENTS WANNA FEEL SAFER THAT THEY CAN WALK THE STREETS.
BECAUSE ONE OF THE MOST TRA I MEAN MANY OF THE MOST TRAGIC STORIES ARE PEOPLE WHO ARE SITTING AT BUS STOPS.
I MEAN, YOU WOULD THINK THAT YOU WOULD BE SAFE IF YOU WEREN'T ON THE ROAD.
AND THAT IS WHERE, UH, PEOPLE ARE TERRIFIED.
UM, YOU KNOW, BEING OUT IN THE COMMUNITY.
AND THAT REALLY SHOULDN'T BE THE CASE.
AND THIS PILOT JUST REALLY IS AN EFFORT ON OUR END TO SHOW THAT WE'RE TAKING ACTION, UM, TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ADDRESS IT AND, AND REACH OUR VISION ZERO PLAN.
I LOOK FORWARD IN ONGOING DIALOGUE ABOUT HOW IT'S GOING.
COUNCIL MEMBER THRASH AND TUCK.
UM, JUST BEFORE I START MY COMMENTS, I JUST WANNA UNDERSCORE, UH, COUNCILWOMAN SORROW'S PERSPECTIVE ON, UH, PCH.
AND I DO HOPE, UM, MR. CITY MANAGER, THAT WE MIGHT ACTUALLY, WE HAVE IT ON OUR AGENDA AT THE STATE LEVEL.
UM, THAT, THAT IS ONE MATTER THAT WE WANT TO BRING UP TO ENSURE THAT THAT HIGHWAY, WHICH RUNS THROUGH OUR CITY, UH, CAN BE CONSIDERED FOR FUTURE, UH, SIGHTING OF THESE, UM, CAMERAS IN THE COMMUNITY.
UM, ALRIGHT, SO LET ME ALSO SHARE MY SENTIMENTS, UH, REGARDING, UH, WITH MY COLLEAGUES HAVE SAID HERE, AND THANKING THE PUBLIC WORKS TEAMS FOR THEIR TECHNICAL EXPERTISE, COORDINATION, AND SUSTAINED EFFORT IN ORDER TO GET US TO THIS MOMENT HERE AT THE COUNCIL.
AUTOMATIC SPEED ENFORCEMENT HAS BEEN A REOCCURRING AND OFTEN COMPLEX ISSUE THIS YEAR, BUT I WANNA THANK THE STAFF FOR ALL OF THE SIGNIFICANT TIME AND ANALYSIS AND INTERAGENCY COORDINATION, UM, THAT WAS NEEDED IN ORDER TO GET HERE.
UM, I ALSO WANNA TAKE THE TIME TO THANK YOU FOR INCLUDING COMMUNITY VOICES.
WE GOT, YOU KNOW, WE HEARD FROM THE COMMUNITY AND WHEN THIS ITEM FIRST WAS PRESENTED TO MY COLLEAGUES AND I ON THE MOBILITY PORTS AND INFRASTRUCTURE COMMITTEE, UH, THAT SURVEY WAS JUST LAUNCHING.
UM, BUT GLAD THAT WE HAVE THE BENEFIT OF COMMUNITY FEEDBACK.
AND THEN I JUST WANNA, UH, LIFT UP, UM, 'CAUSE I THINK, I WANNA MAKE SURE THE PUBLIC IS AWARE THAT THESE QUESTIONS WERE ASKED AND THAT IT IS CLEARLY, UM, IN, UH, OUR PLAN REGARDING HOW WE WILL IMPLEMENT THIS PROGRAM.
SO THIS WILL REQUIRE THAT SOME FOLKS, YOU KNOW, MAY GET A TICKET AND THEIR SUBSTANTIAL, UM, FEES ASSOCIATED WITH THAT.
UM, BUT WE DID, AND WE HAVE MADE SURE THAT THERE ARE SAFEGUARDS, UM, AROUND FIRST THE COLLECTION OF DATA.
'CAUSE THAT'S SOMETHING THAT'S REALLY CRITICAL FOR COMMUNITIES RIGHT NOW.
AND SO, UM, WE'VE ASKED THE QUESTION AND WE'VE BEEN ENSURED THAT THE DATA THAT IS CAPTURED, UM, DOES NOT INCLUDE FACES.
UM, AND THAT IT WILL REMAIN SOLELY WITH PUBLIC WORKS AS THE OPERATOR WITH SOME CLEAR FIREWALLS TO MAKE SURE THAT LAW ENFORCEMENT, UM, IS, UH, NOT INVOLVED IN BEING ABLE TO ACCESS THIS INFORMATION.
AND THAT IS CRITICAL, UM, TO ENSURE TRUST WITH COMMUNITY.
UM, AND THE CITY IS MANDATED WITH THE PILOT WILL BE REPORTING ON AN AGGREGATE BASIS, UM, SO THAT INDIVIDUAL DATA CAN LEVEL, DATA CAN BE REMOVED.
AND THIS WAS SOMETHING WE TALKED ABOUT AT THE COMMITTEE.
UM, YOU KNOW, WE'RE NOT TAKING ANYONE'S INDIVIDUAL INFORMATION AND SHARING THAT OUT INTO THE PUBLIC.
AND THEN AS IT RELATES TO THE, THE COST OF THIS, UM, WHILE THE FEES ARE SET BY THE STATE, UM, WE DO HAVE A COMMUNITY SERVICE DIVERSION OPTION, UH, FOR INDIVIDUALS TO
[02:40:01]
ENSURE THAT THIS ENFORCEMENT DOES NOT DISPROPORTIONATELY IMPACT THOSE WHO MIGHT HAVE INCOME NEEDS OR BARRIERS.SO AS THE PROGRAM ROLLS OUT, WE'LL MAKE SURE THAT WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT IT'S CLEAR AND ACCESSIBLE AND EVERYONE UNDERSTANDS THAT THERE ARE ALTERNATIVES TO BEING ABLE TO COVER THE FEES THAT COULD BE INCURRED AS A RESULT OF, UM, GETTING A TICKET FROM THIS PROGRAM.
SO I THINK THAT, UH, THE OVERALL PILOT IS SOMETHING THAT IS REALLY CRITICAL TO HELP OUR, UH, KEEP OUR, OUR STREET SAFER, OUR SIDEWALK SAFER.
UM, AND WITH THAT, I'VE GOT A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS.
UM, YOU KNOW, GIVEN THAT THESE FINES ARE STANDARDIZED AND FOR SOME FOLKS THEY MIGHT NOT BE HIGH ENOUGH, UM, WHAT ELSE CAN WE DO TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE DETERRING THESE HIGH SPEED OFFENDERS, PARTICULARLY AT THOSE MOST DANGEROUS, UM, INTERSECTIONS? THANK YOU.
UH, THE SPEEDIEST OF THE SPEEDERS ARE DEFINITELY THE FOLKS THAT WE WANT TO FOCUS ON.
UM, THE, THIS PROGRAM IS REQUIRED TO REPORT BACK TO THE STATE LEGISLATURE AFTER THE CONCLUSION OF THE FIVE-YEAR PILOT.
UM, ONE OF THE PROVISIONS THAT IS SPECIFICALLY STATED ABOUT THAT REPORT IS WE HAVE TO REPORT BACK ABOUT HOW MANY REPEAT OFFENDERS THERE HAVE.
SO, UM, WE'LL HAVE TO BALANCE HOW WE AGGREGATE THAT, RIGHT? UM, SO WE'RE NOT IDENTIFYING ANY INDIVIDUALS, BUT THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WE'RE TRACKING.
UM, AND WE ARE ALWAYS WORKING VERY CLOSELY WITH, UM, THE POLICE DEPARTMENT FOR ADDITIONAL ENFORCEMENT, UM, OF SPEEDING.
UM, SO IF THERE ARE HOTSPOTS, UM, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT'S TALKED ABOUT ROUTINELY, UM, WITH OUR FRIENDS AT THE POLICE DEPARTMENT.
UM, WE, UH, ALSO COORDINATE WITH THEM ON OUR HIGH INJURY NETWORK.
SO, UM, THAT'S GOING ON IN ADDITION TO ALL OF THIS.
BUT, UM, YEAH, UH, REPEAT OFFENDERS WILL BE PART OF THE, UM, REPORT.
SO, UM, IT'S ALWAYS GREAT TO HEAR THAT WHEN WE HAVE TO ROLL OUT A PROGRAM LIKE THIS, THAT THERE WILL BE REVENUE TO HELP OFFSET, UM, THE COST OF IMPLEMENTATION.
UM, SO LET'S SEE WHAT HAPPENS IF WE EXCEED THE REVENUE LEVELS OR WHAT IF WE COME UP SHORTFALL, UM, AGAINST THE REVENUE LEVELS.
HAS THE DEPARTMENT CONSIDERED WHAT THE STRATEGY WILL BE IN EITHER CASE? SO WE DID USE SOME CONSERVATIVE ESTIMATES, UM, AGAIN, BASED ON, UH, AS, AS, UH, THE OTHER COUNCILWOMAN HAD HAD ASKED, WHAT HAVE WE LEARNED FROM SAN FRANCISCO THAT HAVE ALREADY ROLLED THIS OUT? AND THEY, WE HAVE SEEN A, A PRETTY LARGE NUMBER OF INITIAL WARNINGS THAT DECREASED WHEN THE CITATION STARTED GETTING ISSUED.
BUT WE, WE DO FEEL PRETTY CONFIDENT AS WE ROLL THIS OUT THAT WE WILL BE ABLE TO PAY BACK THE PROGRAM AS ALL OF THIS ROLLS OUT.
UH, IF THAT CHANGES FOR ANY REASON OVER THE, OVER THE NEXT 12 MONTHS, UH, WE'LL, WE'LL CERTAINLY BRING THAT BACK AND MAKE SURE EVERYBODY'S AWARE OF THAT.
WELL, I IMAGINE THAT MIGHT INCLUDE LOOKING FOR SOME DIFFERENT LOCATIONS TO ENSURE THAT WE ARE, YOU KNOW, CATCHING FOLKS WHO MIGHT NEED TO, UH, SLOW DOWN IN THEIR SPEED ON OUR ROADS.
AND THEN MY FINAL QUESTION IS RELATED TO, UM, UH, HOW WE, ARE YOU ASKING FOR A LITTLE BIT MORE TIME, COUNSEL? YES.
'CAUSE I HAD THE PRIVILEGE OF BEING ABLE TO SUPPORT MY COLLEAGUE AND HER, UM, COMMENT REGARDING PCH.
GO AHEAD AND GET YOUR FINAL QUESTION.
SO THE NEXT QUESTION IS RELATED TO, UH, THE FACT THAT SOME OF THESE ARE NEAR SCHOOLS WHERE WE'RE CITING, UH, SOME OF THOSE CAMERAS.
UM, HAVE WE COORDINATED WITH THE, UH, LONG BEACH UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT TO ENSURE THAT FAMILIES ARE AWARE OF WHAT'S HAPPENING, ESPECIALLY IN AND AROUND, UH, THE SCHOOLS WHERE DROP OFF AND PICK UP MIGHT BE TAKING PLACE? SO THIS PROGRAM IS EXPECTED TO HAVE A PRETTY, UH, INTENSE, UH, COMMUNICATION PROGRAM AND THE LEAD UP TO THE ACTIVATION OF ALL THESE SITES.
UH, NOT ONLY, UM, THROUGH, UM, THE TYPICAL MEDIA AVENUES WE FOLLOW, BUT WITH IN-PERSON SIGNAGE WHERE THE DEVICES ARE GOING.
UM, ENGAGEMENT WITH ALL OF OUR LOCAL STAKEHOLDERS IS PART OF THAT PLAN.
SO, UM, LONG BEACH UNIFIED WILL CERTAINLY BE PART OF THAT PROCESS, BUT, UH, WE'RE NOT STOPPING THERE.
WE'RE TRYING, WE'RE REALLY GONNA BE GETTING THE WORD OUT ON THIS PROGRAM.
YOUR TIME WAS YIELDED ABOUT TWO MINUTES AGO.
UH, COUNCIL MEMBERS IN DEJAS
UH, FIRST OF ALL, DIRECTOR HICKMAN, THANK YOU FOR THAT GREAT PRESENTATION.
AND THANK YOU FOR, TO YOUR, UM, IN TRAFFIC ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT FOR ALL THEIR WORK.
I KNOW THAT I PERSONALLY HAVE BEEN INVOLVED FOR MANY, MANY YEARS, UM, DUE TO MY RESIDENTS REALLY, UH, WANTING SAFE STREETS AND ALSO, UM, YOU KNOW, WANTING TO FIND ALTERNATIVES TO BE ABLE TO, UH, PROVIDE THAT.
I THINK THIS IS A GREAT OPTION.
[02:45:01]
UM, REALLY BRINGS FORWARD SOMETHING THAT WE KNOW IS A PROBLEM IN LONG BEACH.AND SO IT REALLY ADDRESSES THAT.
SO THANK YOU, UH, FOR YOUR HARD WORK ON THIS.
UM, ALSO, I WANTED TO, UM, SAY THANK YOU FOR ALWAYS KEEPING ME IN THE LOOP AS WE GO THROUGH THIS PROCESS.
UM, ALSO, IT WAS VERY IMPORTANT FOR ME TO UPLIFT THE COMMUNITY CONCERN EARLY ON IN THIS PROCESS, LIKE IT WAS MENTIONED BEFORE ABOUT PRIVACY GUIDELINES AND, AND ENSURE THAT NO DATA SHARING WITH ICE, UM, WAS DONE.
UM, MAY STAFF BE ABLE TO SHARE HOW THESE CONCERNS ARE INTENTIONALLY ADDRESSED IN, IN THIS PILOT PROGRAM, PLEASE.
UM, SO THE, AS AS BRIEFLY MENTIONED AS PART OF THE PRESENTATION, THE ONLY DATA THAT IS CAPTURED AS PART OF THIS PROGRAM IS THE REAR LICENSE PLATE FOR ANYBODY THAT'S SPEEDING ABOVE, UH, THE SPEED LIMIT BY 10 MILES PER HOUR OR MORE.
THAT INFORMATION IS THEN CAPTURED, UH, AGAIN, JUST THE REAR LICENSE PLATE THAT'S UTILIZED TO FIGURE OUT WHO THAT VEHICLE, UH, BELONGS TO.
AND THEN THAT PERSON IS ISSUED A, A FINE AS, UH, SHOWN ON THE, ON THAT CHART.
UH, AFTER THAT, AFTER THE FINE'S ISSUED, AFTER THE APPEAL PERIOD IS CONCLUDED THAT THAT INFORMATION IS, IS ONLY SAVED FOR THE REPORTING THAT OUR CITY TRAFFIC ENGINEER HAD NOTED.
UH, AND IT'S NOT SHARED WITH ANYBODY OUTSIDE OF ANY OUTSIDE AGENCIES.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING INTENTIONAL ABOUT THAT.
UM, ALSO, AS WE KNOW, UM, FIRST OF ALL, THANK YOU FOR THE WAY THAT YOU WERE ABLE TO SELECT.
I THINK THAT DOING IT BASED ON DATA IS VERY IMPORTANT.
UM, AND I THINK THAT, UM, BEING ABLE TO PROVIDE DIFFERENT ONES THROUGHOUT THE CITY IS ALSO VERY IMPORTANT.
UM, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I DO WANNA SAY IS THAT IN MY DISTRICT, I KNOW MY RESIDENTS ARE LIKE, WHY NOT IN MY DISTRICT, YOU, I MEAN IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD, AND WHY IN THIS NEIGHBORHOOD? AND WHY IN THAT? UM, COULD YOU JUST SHARE A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT WHERE THE, WHY THE LOCATIONS WERE IDENTIFIED THAT WERE IN THE DISTRICT FOR ME, PLEASE, FOR MY RESIDENTS? SURE.
I'LL TAKE THE, THE FIRST STAB.
IT MAY HAVE TO PUNT OVER TO OUR, TO OUR TEAM.
THAT'S A, A WHOLE LOT SMARTER AND DATA DRIVEN THAN I AM.
AS FAR AS THE, THE PRIORITIZATION, SO WE HAD THE FIRST NINE LOCATIONS WERE BASED ON, UH, A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT FACTORS OF THE SCHOOL ZONE, WHICH WAS MENTIONED A COUPLE TIMES.
UH, WHETHER OR NOT IT WAS ON, UH, THE HIGH INJURY NETWORK FOR BOTH PEDESTRIANS AND VEHICLES, UH, THE NUMBER OF STREET RACING EVENTS, SEVERE AND FATAL CRASHES.
AND THEN THE NUMBER OF FOLKS THAT WHEN OUR TEAM WENT OUT THERE, THEY SAW, UH, A CERTAIN LEVEL OF SPEEDING THAT WAS HAPPENING.
SO THAT WAS ALL REALLY THE FIRST NINE SOLIDLY DATA BASED, UH, ACROSS THE CITY.
THE NEXT NINE FOR A TOTAL OF 18, THOSE WERE THEN DISPERSED OUT.
'CAUSE IN SOME SITUATIONS WE SAW THAT SEGMENTS BACK TO BACK WERE, WERE ACTUALLY, YOU KNOW, PRIORITIZED BASED ON THE DATA, BUT WE REALIZED THAT IT PROBABLY MAKES MORE SENSE TO MAXIMIZE THE APPROACH TO SPREAD THOSE OUT A LITTLE BIT MORE.
GIVE US A LITTLE BIT MORE, UH, GEOGRAPHIC DIVERSITY.
AND THEN THAT'S WHERE THAT, THAT NEXT NINE CAME INTO PLAY.
SO HOW DO WE SPREAD THAT OUT? AND THEN ALSO FOCUS ON THE HIGHER LEVELS OF CONCENTRATION.
SO IF WE GO BACK TO, UM, TO SLIDE 14, WE HAVE THOSE CONCENTRATED TRENDS OF FATAL CRASHES AND, UH, RACING ACTIVITY AMONGST SOME OTHERS.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH, DIRECTOR.
UM, AND THANK YOU TO OUR, OUR GREAT PUBLIC WORKS TEAM.
UM, AND I REALLY APPRECIATE MY MY COUNCIL COLLEAGUES COMMENTS.
'CAUSE I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO NAME THE REALITY, UM, THAT YOU ALL HAVE IDENTIFIED IN THE, UM, IN THE REPORT.
UM, AND I'M VERY MUCH APPRECIATIVE OF THE DATA-DRIVEN APPROACH.
UH, IF YOU ALL SAW MY CHRISTMAS SWEATER TODAY, IT SAYS, THAT WAS NOT VERY DATA-DRIVEN OF YOU.
AND I CAN SAY THAT'S NOT TRUE OF OUR PUBLIC WORKS TEAM 'CAUSE IT WAS DATA-DRIVEN OF YOU.
UM, DATA SHOWS THAT SOME OF, AND I, YOU KNOW, AS A, AS THE COUNCIL MEMBER FOR DISTRICT NINE, YOU KNOW, DATA SHOWED THAT SOME OF THE HIGHEST CONCENTRATIONS FOR RACING AND SPEEDING CALLS ARE IN MY DISTRICT, RIGHT? PART OF THE REASON WHY I BROUGHT THE SPEED RACING ITEM, UM, EARLIER IN THE YEAR, RIGHT? BECAUSE WE RECOGNIZE THAT THAT'S SOMETHING THAT IMPACTS, UM, NORTH LONG BEACH, UM, AND IMPACTS, UH, SPECIFICALLY DISTRICT NINE.
UM, AND SO I REALLY THINK OF THIS SPEED SAFETY PROGRAM AS ANOTHER STEP IN THE SAME PREVENTION FOCUSED APPROACH, UM, THAT WE AS A CITY ARE, ARE EMBARKING UPON.
UM, AND I ALSO APPRECIATED THAT THE PROGRAM IS NOT RIGIDLY DESIGNED.
IT'S MEANT TO BE EVALUATED AND ADJUSTED BASED ON THE REAL RESULTS IT'S GONNA GET.
EACH SPEED SAFETY SYSTEM WILL BE EVALUATED RIGHT WITHIN 18 MONTHS TO DETERMINE WHETHER IT'S ACTUALLY IMPROVING SAFETY ALONG THOSE CORRIDORS.
UM, AND I, I APPRECIATED THAT YOU ALL HIGHLIGHTED THAT THERE ARE ACTUAL MEASURES OF SUCCESS AND CLEAR STANDARDS.
AND SO I WAS JUST HOPING THAT MAYBE YOU COULD, UM,
[02:50:01]
TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT THOSE MEASURES OF SUCCESS, UM, ARE.SO, UM, IN THE CODES, THERE ARE, UM, THREE, UH, THINGS IDENTIFIED FOR, UH, BEING ABLE TO RELOCATE A A CAMERA.
UM, SO YEAH, I'LL READ THEM OUT HERE, RIGHT? AND TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE, THEY'RE EFFECTIVE, THAT THE SYSTEM IS EFFECTIVE.
SO, UM, THERE ARE THREE CRITERIA, UH, A REDUCTION IN THE 85TH PERCENTILE SPEED OF VEHICLES COMPARED TO DATA COLLECTED BEFORE THE SYSTEM WAS IN OPERATION.
UH, A 20% REDUCTION IN VEHICLES THAT EXCEED THE POSTED SPEED LIMIT BY 10 MILES PER HOUR OR MORE COMPARED TO DATA COLLECTED BEFORE THE SYSTEM WAS IN OPERATION.
OR A 20% REDUCTION IN THE NUMBER OF VIOLATORS WHO RECEIVED TWO OR MORE VIOLATIONS AT THE LOCATION SINCE THE SYSTEM BECAME OPERATIONAL.
UM, UNLESS ONE OF THE ABOVE, THOSE THAT I MENTIONED, UH, THOSE THRESHOLDS ARE MET, UH, PUBLIC WORKS WOULD EITHER IMPLEMENT TRAFFIC CALMING MEASURES, UH, OR, UH, RELOCATE THE SYSTEM TO ANOTHER LOCATION.
SO I THINK THAT'S, UH, I, I THINK IT WAS IMPORTANT FOR, UM, MYSELF, MY COUNCIL COLLEAGUES AND FOR THE PUBLIC TO UNDERSTAND, RIGHT? AS WE'RE EVALUATING, IT'S LIKE, OKAY, WELL IF IT'S NOT IMPROVING IN THIS PARTICULAR CORRIDOR, WHAT OTHER TYPE OF MITIGATIONS CAN WE LOOK AT? UM, AND THEN POTENTIALLY, UM, YOU KNOW, REALLOCATING THOSE RESOURCES SOMEWHERE ELSE WHERE THEY WOULD BE EFFECTIVE, RIGHT? WHICH I THINK IS REALLY, WHICH IS REALLY GREAT.
UM, AND SO, YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT FLEXIBILITY IS CRITICAL.
YOU KNOW, ENSURES THE PROGRAM TARGETS DANGEROUS SPEEDING BEHAVIOR, UM, BUT NOT SPECIFIC NEIGHBORHOODS, RIGHT? BECAUSE WE'RE REALLY THINKING ABOUT THE ACTION, UM, THAT WE'RE TRYING TO PREVENT.
UM, AND I THINK THE FLEXIBILITY IS ALSO WHY EQUITY CONCERNS MATTER HERE.
UH, THE GOAL IS, YOU KNOW, IT'S NOT REVENUE OR PUNISHMENT NECESSARILY, BUT THE GOAL IS SPEED REDUCTION, SAFER STREETS.
UH, IF A LOCATION, AGAIN, IS NOT PRODUCING MEANINGFUL SAFETY IMPROVEMENTS, YOU KNOW, IT DOESN'T STAY THERE.
THE PROGRAM IS EXPLICITLY BUILT TO PIVOT TOWARDS AREAS WHERE SPEEDING IS CREATING THE GREATEST RISK OF SERIOUS RISK OF DEATH, RIGHT? UM, AND SO I WANNA ACKNOWLEDGE, BUT I, YOU KNOW, I WANNA ACKNOWLEDGE THE CONCERNS THAT WE HEAR FROM, UH, FROM RESIDENTS.
YOU KNOW, PEOPLE ARE WORRIED ABOUT DATA PRIVACY, ABOUT WHETHER THE PROGRAM, YOU KNOW, UNFAIRLY TARGETS, UH, LOWER INCOME COMMUNITIES, UM, AND WHETHER THIS IS AN EFFECTIVE USE OF PUBLIC RESOURCES.
AND I THINK, YOU KNOW, THOSE CONCERNS ARE VALID AND ARE THINGS THAT WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE UPLIFT AND DISCUSS.
UM, AND I BELIEVE WHEN I READ, READ THROUGH THE REPORT YOU ALL PRESENTED, I FELT LIKE THOSE WERE DIRECTLY ADDRESSED IN HOW THE PILOT IS STRUCTURED.
UM, SPECIFICALLY, YOU KNOW, ON PRIVACY, THE STATE LEGISLATOR STATE LEGISLATION IS VERY STRICT DATA, UM, PROTECTIONS IN PLACE.
AND I THINK YOU MENTIONED SEVERAL OF THOSE IN THE REPORT, RIGHT? UM, ANY PHOTOGRAPHS THAT DO NOT RESULT IN SPEED VIOLATION ARE A AUTOMATICALLY DELETED, UM, WITHIN OR DESTROYED WITHIN FIVE BUSINESS DAYS.
AND EVEN WHEN A VIOLATION DOES OCCUR, DATA RETENTION IS TIME IS TIGHTLY LIMITED UNDER STATE LAW.
IT'S ENCRYPTED, IT'S CONFIDENTIAL, RIGHT? SO WE'RE NOT, WE'RE MAKING SURE THAT PEOPLE'S DATA, THEIR IMAGES OF THEIR CARS, ALL OF THOSE THINGS ARE, ARE, ARE, UM, ARE TIGHTLY CAPPED.
UM, AND THEN, YOU KNOW, THE DATA'S NOT SHARED WITH LAW ENFORCEMENT FOR OR FOR ANY UNRELATED PURPOSE.
THEY'RE NOT SOLD, THEY'RE NOT USED FOR SURVEILLANCE, RIGHT? AND SO, AND I, I THINK WE HAVE TO ACKNOWLEDGE IN THE SPACE THAT WE ARE IN RIGHT NOW, UM, IN OUR COUNTRY, THOSE ARE THINGS THAT ARE LEGITIMATE CONCERNS.
AND SO WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE CONSISTENTLY SPEAKING TO THOSE AND CONSTANTLY REMINDING FOLKS RIGHT AROUND THE GOALS OF, OF THE PROJECT, UM, AND OF THE PROGRAM.
UM, BUT ULTIMATELY TAKEN TOGETHER, I THINK THIS PROGRAM REP REPRESENTS A SHIFT TOWARDS PREVENTION, ACCOUNTABILITY, AND SAFETY.
UM, AND NOT, YOU KNOW, NOT THE IDEA OF OVER POLICING.
UM, AND ALSO REDUCE RELIANCE ON, YOU KNOW, TRAFFIC STOPS TO PRIORITIZES DATA, DATA PRIVACY, UM, AND THEN HOLDS OURSELVES, RIGHT? UM, AS A CITY ACCOUNTABLE FOR DELIVERING MEASURABLE SAFETY OUTCOMES.
SO I'M IN FULL SUPPORT OF THE PILOT.
I'M REALLY LOOKING FORWARD TO SEEING HOW IT'S IMPLEMENTED AND IS ROLLED OUT.
AND, AND MY HOPE IS THAT, UM, WE DON'T HAVE TO HAVE ORS AROUND ALL OF THOSE OUTCOMES, BUT WE CAN HAVE ANDS, UH, AROUND THOSE OUTCOMES AND SEE THOSE THINGS IN ALL OF OUR CORRIDORS.
SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR WORK HERE.
COUNCIL MEMBER, COUNCIL MEMBER, UH, DIRECTOR HICKMAN.
THIS IS A GREAT PROGRAM TIMING FOR YOU BEING IN, THIS IS GREAT, BUT I KNOW YOU'VE BEEN WORKING ON THIS PREVIOUSLY, AND I HAD A TOWN HALL LAST WEEK AND SHARED THIS PROGRAM WITH RESIDENTS.
THEY WERE SO EXCITED ABOUT HEARING THAT THIS PROGRAM IS BEING, UH, IMPLEMENTED.
I'M SO APPRECIATIVE OF THE WORK AND THE ADVOCACY THAT WENT INTO GETTING OUR CITY AS ONE OF THE SIX CITIES IN CALIFORNIA TO HAVE THIS PROGRAM BECAUSE ACCOUNTABILITY AND ENFORCEMENT IS GOING TO CHANGE BEHAVIOR.
AND THAT'S WHAT WE NEED ON THESE CORRIDORS WITH, UM, FATALITIES AND JUST SUCH ERRATIC DRIVING.
SO, UM, I LOVE TO HEAR MY COLLEAGUES TALK ABOUT THE DATA-DRIVEN APPROACH TO WHERE
[02:55:01]
THESE ARE GOING TO BE INSTALLED.AND, UM, I'M, I'M GLAD THAT WE, YOU KNOW, BY NEXT FALL, UH, HOPEFULLY WE WILL HAVE THIS PROGRAM IMPLEMENTED AND RESIDENTS CAN SEE THE DIFFERENCE WITH, UH, SLOWER SPEEDS.
SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR ALL THE WORK THAT WENT INTO THIS.
I'D LIKE TO, UM, I, I APPRECIATE PCH BEING BROUGHT UP.
UM, I HAVE A TWO AND A HALF MILE STRETCH OF PCH THAT WE SHARE WITH THE THIRD DISTRICT, BUT IF YOU'RE TALKING TO THE STATE AND THE RECEPTIVE, I'D LIKE TO ALSO THROW SEVENTH STREET INTO THAT MIX.
I THINK IT'S, UH, UH, STATE ROUTE 22.
UM, WE, WE HAVE QUARTERLY BRIEFINGS WITH CALTRANS.
I GUESS I'VE ATTENDED ABOUT 30 OF THOSE OVER THE YEARS.
I, I, I, I IMAGINE ABOUT 90% OF THOSE MEETINGS THAT WE'VE HAD.
THE TOPIC OF SEVENTH STREET, UM, HAS COME UP OF SOME TYPE OF ISSUE.
AND THERE ARE JURISDICTIONAL PROBLEMS THERE.
AND SPECIFICALLY, I'M TALKING ABOUT BETWEEN EAST CAMPUS DRIVE AND THE SAN GABRIEL RIVER, OR YOU'RE IN THE THIRD DISTRICT, THAT WOULD BE MARGOT AND THE, UH, SAN GABRIEL RIVER.
SO WE, WE SHARE THAT CORRIDOR TOO.
BUT LOTS OF SPEEDING COMPLAINTS THERE.
SO IF YOU GET ANY TRACTION WITH THE STATE, WE'D LIKE THAT ADD ADDED TO IT.
UH, WE HAVE FOUR INDIVIDUALS SIGNED UP FOR THE POLL.
CAN YOU PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME, MS. MEDAL CLERK AARON HOOPS.
ISAAC MARTINEZ, KAREN RE SIDE, AND MICHAEL G.
UH, I'M HERE REPRESENTING CAR LIGHT LONG BEACH.
UH, I'M HERE TO URGE YOU TO VOTE YES ON THIS ITEM WHEN IT COMES TO TRAFFIC VIOLENCE.
2025 HAS BEEN THE DEADLIEST YEAR SINCE BEFORE 1990.
THIS YEAR, 54 PEOPLE HAVE DIED ON OUR STREETS.
LAST YEAR, LONG BEACH EXPERIENCED 36 TRA TRAFFIC FATALITIES AND 2,967 INJURIES.
SPEED WAS THE PRIMARY FACTOR IN 25% OF THESE CRASHES.
MANY PEOPLE IN LONG BEACH ARE WORKING TO MAKE OUR STREETS SAFER, BUT OUR DEATH RATE IS GOING UP.
THERE ARE SOME THINGS THAT THE CITY JUST CAN'T CONTROL, SUCH AS THE HOOD HEIGHT OF VEHICLES, WHICH ARE MORE DEADLY.
HOWEVER, JUST BECAUSE THERE ARE FACTORS OUT OF OUR CONTROL DOESN'T MEAN WE SHOULD GIVE UP.
WE REALLY NEED TO ADDRESS THIS PROBLEM FROM EVERY POSSIBLE ANGLE.
I KNOW THAT A LOT OF PEOPLE IN LONG BEACH, MYSELF INCLUDED, ARE CONCERNED ABOUT THE EQUITY OF CAMERAS IN OUR CITY.
HOWEVER, I NEED TO ADDRESS WHY I THINK THIS PROGRAM IS STILL WORTH PURSUING.
FIRST, TRAFFIC VIOLENCE DISPROPORTIONATELY KILLS THE 30% OF PEOPLE WHO CAN'T DRIVE.
THIS INCLUDES PEOPLE WHO ARE TOO OLD, TOO YOUNG, DISABLED, OR CAN'T AFFORD A CAR.
SECOND, WHAT MAKES AB 6 45 EFFECTIVE IS A THOUGHTFUL BALANCE OF IT STRIKES SLOWING DANGEROUS DRIVERS WHILE AVOIDING EXCESSIVE FINES, REQUIRING EQUITABLE PLACEMENT, UH, PROTECTING PRIVACY AND TRANSPARENCY, AND LIMITING THE USE TO LOCATIONS WHERE SAFETY IMPROVEMENTS ARE TRULY NEEDED.
THE PROGRAM HAS DATA PROTECTIONS BUILT IN INTO ITS IMPLEMENTATION, AS WE HEARD, UH, ESPECIALLY I AM, I AM HAPPY THAT THIS PROGRAM IS RUN BY PUBLIC WORKS IN ALTA POLICE.
THE CITY OF LONG BEACH WAS SELECTED AS ONE OF ONLY SIX CALIFORNIA CITIES FOR THE PILOT PROGRAM OVER TWO YEARS AGO.
SAN FRANCISCO, ANOTHER PILOT CITY, IMPLEMENTED THIS PROGRAM EARLIER THIS YEAR AND HAS SEEN A 72% DROP IN THE SPEEDING IN THEIR MOST DANGEROUS CORRIDORS.
UH, THIS PROGRAM WILL ALSO MAKE OUR CITY SAFER.
UH, THIS VOTE REPRESENTS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN CONTINUED PREVENTABLE TRAGEDIES AND IMMEDIATE ACCIDENT ACTION TO SAVE LIVES.
I AM KAREN RAYSIDE, AND I'M SPEAKING AS A RESIDENT WHO LIVES ON THE INTERSECTION OF PACIFIC AVENUE AND SEVENTH STREET.
THANK YOU, UH, MR. SONO FOR MENTIONING SEVENTH STREET.
THAT'S A MAIN ON RAMP TO THE FREEWAY, AND, UM, THERE USED TO BE ACCIDENTS AT THAT CORNER ALMOST EVERY WEEK.
UM, THE PEOPLE, I'M NOT GONNA QUOTE A BUNCH OF STATISTICS.
WE ALL KNOW THAT TRO DEATHS ARE INCREASING.
THE PEOPLE THAT ARE, UM, INCREASINGLY BEING VICTIMIZED ARE THE OLDER ADULTS.
I AM SUBJECT TO ALMOST EVERY FRIDAY AND SATURDAY NIGHT CARS RACING DOWN PACIFIC AVENUE LOUDLY, UH,
[03:00:01]
TWO, THREE IN THE MORNING.I'M NOT GONNA GET OUTTA BED AND CALL AND WAIT FOR THE POLICE.
UM, THEY HAVE OTHER THINGS TO DO, AND IF THEY CRASH, THEY'LL BE THERE.
UM, WASHINGTON, I'D LIKE YOU TO CONSIDER WASHINGTON MIDDLE SCHOOL IS UNDER CONSTRUCTION.
AND, UM, THE PARENTS I KNOW ARE VERY CONCERNED ABOUT SAFETY OF THE CHILDREN WHEN THE SCHOOL REOPENS.
AND I WOULD LIKE YOU TO ADD OLDER ADULT BUILDINGS.
THERE ARE TWO ON THE, THAT CORRIDOR IN PACIFIC BETWEEN SEVENTH AND PACIFIC COAST HIGHWAY.
THEY CAN'T GET OUT OF THE WAY, UM, AND THEY'RE MORE LIKELY TO BE INJURED.
SO WE WOULD LIKE TO ADD THOSE CONSIDERATIONS TO THE STUDIES.
CAN'T WAIT FOR THIS TO HAPPEN.
AND CAL MATTERS JUST CAME OUT WITH A STUDY A COUPLE WEEKS AGO, AND THEY'RE FOCUSING ON DEATHS.
AND ONE OF THE ISSUES IS DRUNK DRIVERS.
WE HAVE ALL THE BARS ALONG PINE, THEY'RE COMING OFF, USUALLY THEY GO DOWN PACIFIC AVENUE.
THAT'S ANOTHER ISSUE TO GET ON THE FREEWAY.
AND, UM, I'D LIKE YOU TO LOOK AT THE REPORT, UM, BECAUSE THERE'S A LOT OF VALUE ABOUT INFORMATION ABOUT, UM, I'M DISAPPOINTED, REPEAT OFFENDERS, BECAUSE THOSE ARE THE ONES THAT END UP KILLING PEOPLE.
AND, UM, I'M GONNA SAY THEY'RE PROBABLY MOSTLY YOUNG MEN.
WELL, LAST CALL FOR ISAAC MARTINEZ AND MICHAEL G.
IF YOU'RE IN THE AUDIENCE, PLEASE COME TO THE PODIUM.
SEEING NONE, PUBLIC COMMENT IS CONCLUDED.
UH, CAN I GO, UH, ANY MORE COMMENTS FROM THE CITY COUNCIL? NONE.
UH, NOW WE ARE IN, UH, ORDINANCES.
UH, ITEM 18, PLEASE REPORT FROM ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND OPPORTUNITY RECOMMENDATION TO DECLARE ORDINANCE MODIFYING THE ASSESSMENTS TO BE LEVIED WITH BIXBY KNOLL'S
[18. 25-57101 Recommendation to declare ordinance amending Ordinance No. C-6646, modifying the assessments to be levied with the Bixby Knolls Parking and Business Improvement Area, read and adopted as read. (Districts 5, 8) Office or Department: Economic Development and Opportunity Suggested Action: Approve recommendation. ]
PARKING AND BUSINESS IMPROVEMENT AREA, READ AND ADOPTED AS RED DISTRICTS FIVE AND EIGHT.ALRIGHT, CAN I HAVE MOTION AND A SECOND PLEASE? A MOVER MOVED BY DISTRICT FIVE.
ANY PUBLIC COMMENT? NO PUBLIC COMMENT ON THIS ITEM.
ITEM 19, PLEASE REPORT FROM ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND OPPORTUNITY RECOMMENDATION TO DECLARE ORDINANCE MODIFYING THE ASSESSMENTS TO BE LEVIED WITH THE ZARIA PARKING AND BUSINESS IMPROVEMENT AREA, RED AND ADOPTED AS RED DISTRICTS TWO, THREE, AND FOUR.
CAN I HAVE A MOTION PLEASE? AND A SECOND? I'LL FIRST MOVE.
ANY EIGHT POINT COMMENT? THERE'S NO PUBLIC COMMENT ON THIS ITEM.
UH, COUNCIL MEMBERS, WOULD YOU LIKE TO COMMENT ON THAT? UH, BY THE MOVER CUSTOMER LOOKING? MM-HMM
NO COMMENTS? ALRIGHT, VOTE PLEASE.
RECOMMENDATION TO DECLARE ORDINANCE, REPEALING ORDINANCE RELATING TO THE CITY'S TRANSACTION AND USE TAX TO BE ADMINISTERED BY THE CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF TAX AND FEE ADMINISTRATION TO EFFECTUATE THE LANGUAGE FROM COUNTY OF LOS ANGELES.
[20. 25-57294 Recommendation to declare ordinance repealing Ordinance No. ORD-24-0027 which amended Chapter 3.62 of the Long Beach Municipal Code Subsections 3.62.030.A, 3.62.030.B, 3.62.030.C, 3.62.050.A, 3.62.050.B, 3.62.050.C, 3.62.140.B, 3.62.140.C, and 3.62.140.D relating to the City’s transactions and use tax to be administered by the California Department of Tax and Fee Administration to effectuate the language from County of Los Angeles Measure “A”, read the first time and laid over to the next regular meeting of the City Council for final reading. Office or Department: City Attorney Suggested Action: Approve recommendation. ]
A READ THE FIRST TIME AND LAY THE NEXT REGULAR MEETING OF THE CITY COUNCIL FOR FINAL READING.ANY FURTHER COMMENT? THERE IS NO PUBLIC COMMENT.
UH, AND WE GET A MOTION AND A SECOND PLEASE.
MOTION BY DISTRICT NINE AND DISTRICT SIX.
A MOTION BY DISTRICT NINE AND DISTRICT EIGHT.
[03:05:01]
IS THAT CORRECT? THANK YOU.AYE, THERE IS NO PUBLIC COMMENT ON THIS ITEM.
UM, OKAY, WELL, PUBLIC COMMENT NUMBER TWO.
ANYBODY NEED SIGN UP FOR GENERAL COMMENT? GENERAL PUBLIC COMMENT NUMBER TWO, THERE ARE NINE SPEAKERS SIGNED UP.
CAROLYN ESSEX, DAVE, ALIA, MARTINEZ,
[ 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. ]
SATALIA, JUDY, GUADALUPE ROMERO, BRENDAN LIEBERMAN, NANCY SEVENTH STREET RE RESIDENT.IF ANY OF THOSE SPEAKERS CAN COME FORWARD, PLEASE STAND UP TO THE MY, THE PODIUM PLEASE.
UM, I GUESS MAYOR RICHARDSON'S GONE
UM, GOVERNING A CITY LIKE LONG BEACH DURING A PERIOD OF RISING COST AND, UH, VISIBLE HOMELESSNESS AND PUBLIC SAFETY CONCERNS IS, IT'S NOT EASY, I KNOW THAT.
AND I, I WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE COMMITMENT AND RESPONSIBILITY THAT COMES WITH THAT WORK.
I ALSO, UM, WANNA HIGHLIGHT SEVERAL HIGH PROFILE PROJECTS AND OUTCOMES IS COUNCIL AND CITY LEADERSHIP CAN POINT TO AS A REAL PROGRESS.
FIRST ON HOMELESSNESS AND PUBLIC HEALTH.
LONG BEACH HAS CONTINUED TO STRENGTHEN ITS COORDINATED RESPONSE THROUGH, UM, THROUGH MULTI-SERVICE CENTER OUTREACH TEAMS AND HOUSING NAVIGATION.
AND, UM, I WISH I WAS ON THE FIRST, UM, GROUP BECAUSE THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT NEED TO HEAR, UM, WHAT THE CITY ACTUALLY DOES.
I GOT A CHANCE TO CHAT WITH, UM, SOME POLICE OFFICERS LAST WEEK.
UM, AND, AND THAT WAS BECAUSE DR.
JOANIE, YOU HAD PUT UP, UM, UM, A A LIST OF THE, THE COFFEE WITH THE COPS.
AND I WAS ABLE TO ATTEND THAT.
AND I WAS ABLE TO ASK QUESTIONS ABOUT THEIR HOMELESS, UM, UM, INITIATIVES AND HOW THEY WERE DEALING WITH OUR UNHOUSED, UM, RES UH, OUR UNHOUSED NEIGHBORS.
AND, UM, AND I WAS QUITE SATISFIED.
I ALSO WENT OVER TO THE LIBRARY AND TALKED TO THE, UM, PUBLIC SAFETY OFFICER OVER THERE, AND HE TOLD ME ABOUT ALL THE OUTREACH THAT GOES ON THERE.
SO I WOULD, I, I, UM, WANTED TO HEAR FOR MYSELF BECAUSE I KNOW A LOT OF PEOPLE, UM, IT'S LIKE LOW INFORMATION GOING ON AND THEY DON'T KNOW REALLY WHAT THE CITY IS DOING.
I WORKED FOR THE CITY OF LA FOR 18 YEARS, SO I JUST NERD OUT OVER CITY GOVERNMENT STUFF.
AND, UM, BUT I WISH PEOPLE WERE HERE TO, TO, UM, HEAR EXACTLY WHAT THE CITY HAS BEEN DOING THIS YEAR.
I WILL SAY I AM STILL VERY CONCERNED ABOUT MY COMMUNITY AND MY FAMILY AS A DESCENDANT OF ENSLAVED PEOPLE SUBJECTED TO THIS COUNTRY CHATTEL SLAVERY ERA.
AND I WANT TO DEEP DIVE AND ADDRESS THE TRAUMA AND THE MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES BEHIND DEHUMANIZING AN EXCLUSION OF OUR MEN MOSTLY, UM, THAT WE SEE OUT ON THE STREET AND DON'T HAVE JOBS, DON'T HAVE A PLACE TO LIVE, DON'T HAVE HOPE.
AND SO, UM, THAT IS SOMETHING THAT I WANNA DO A DEEP DIVE IN AND FIGURE OUT HOW WE CAN HELP PEOPLE THAT CHRONICALLY REFUSE HELP.
AND, AND SO MARY, THANK YOU SO MUCH, YOU KNOW, FOR RECEIVING MY EMAILS.
AND THANK YOU FOR, UM, INVITING ME TO THE HOLIDAY PARTY.
I HAD A WONDERFUL TIME AND BEING WITH YOU ALL.
AND I JUST WANNA SAY THANK YOU EVERYONE AGAIN FOR YOUR SERVICE AND MERRY CHRISTMAS, UH, FROM THE ESSEX FAMILY AND THE DECORATIONS THIS YEAR ARE EXCELLENT.
THIS IS THE LAST SESSION, AND Y'ALL HAVE A WONDERFUL HOLIDAY AND SEE YOU AT THE MLK PARADE.
MY NAME IS ROGELIO MARTINEZ, 2026 LONG BEACH CITY
[03:10:01]
MAYOR CANDIDATE.AND, UM, SO ON JUNE SE ON JUNE 7TH, 2022, THE 273,598 REGISTERED VOTERS, ONLY 80,321 TURNED OUT TO VOTE.
THAT'S A PARTICIPATION RATE OF 29.36%.
UM, AND OF THAT THERE'S 86,402 AT THAT TIME THAT WERE NOT REGISTERED TO VOTE AS WELL.
SO I COME HERE TO ASK FOR YOUR HELP.
SO YES, I'M RUNNING FOR MAYOR AND I WILL CONFIDENTLY WIN, BUT WHAT I NEED YOUR HELP WITH IS STARTING ON JUNETEENTH.
SO ON JUNETEENTH, UM, I WILL HOST FOR 20 MONDAYS UP UNTIL THE MONDAY PRIOR TO, UH, JUNE 2ND, A WEEKLY TOWN HALL.
IT WILL NOT BE A DEBATE SESSION.
IT'LL BE MORE ABOUT HEARING THE RED, THE PEOPLE OF LONG BEACH, CALIFORNIA, MORE ABOUT THEIR CONCERNS.
SO WHAT I'D LIKE IS I WOULD LIKE TO INVITE EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU, UM, AS CANDIDATES BECAUSE I KNOW THAT SOME OF YOU ARE RUNNING AND AS CURRENT COUNCILMEN AND WOMEN, BECAUSE I KNOW THAT YOU CARE ABOUT YOUR CITY.
SO FOR 20 SESSIONS, I'M INVITING YOU 20 TIMES.
YOU DON'T HAVE TO PARTICIPATE IN EVERY 20 SESSIONS, BUT I'M INVITING YOU, UM, WITH THAT, WHAT AM I DOING? THE INTERIM, UH, FOR THE LAST WEEK I'VE BEEN LIVING AS AN UNHOUSED INDIVIDUAL.
AND THE REASON WHY IS BECAUSE I WANTED TO PUT OUR CITY'S SERVICES TO THE TEST.
SO WHAT I HAVE IN MY HAND RIGHT HERE IS I DID QUALIFY BECAUSE I AM A RETIREE.
I HAVE HERE MY EBT CARD, SO IT HAS MY CASH STIPEND, AND THEN IT HAS MY FOOD STAMPS.
UM, HERE I HAVE MY SEVEN DAY TAP CARD THAT THE METRO HAS PROVIDED.
AND THEN HERE I HAVE MY TEMPORARY MEDI-CAL CARD.
AND THE REASON WHY IS BECAUSE WHAT I'D LIKE TO DO ULTIMATELY IS PROVIDE A DETAILED AND COMPREHENSIVE REPORT ON ALL OF THE FINDINGS.
MEANING I CANNOT FIX ANYTHING WITHOUT IDENTIFYING WHAT'S BROKEN.
BUT THIS IS A SYSTEM THAT IS BROKEN.
WE HAVE TREMENDOUS UNHOUSED, A HOMELESS PEOPLE.
LAST THURSDAY IN BOYLE HEIGHTS, 2,308 PEOPLE WERE CREMATED.
IT WAS THE HIGHEST CREMATION ON RECORD.
MANY OF THOSE WERE HOMELESS, SUFFERING MENTAL ILLNESS.
ONCE AGAIN, MY NAME IS ROGELIO MARTINEZ, YOUR 2026 LONG BEACH CITY MAYOR.
I AM A ESE ALL CITY LOCALIST IN THE BEAUTIFUL HOME OF LONG BEACH.
I AM HERE IN SUPPORT OF THE COMMUNITY AND THE PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN TARGETED BY DEVELOPERS AND PROPERTY OWNERS THROUGH THE SUBSTANTIAL REMODEL LOOPHOLE TECHNIQUE.
I ALSO SENT THE CITY A PUBLIC REQUEST ON HOW THEY ARE IN COMPLIANCE WITH ASSEMBLY BILL 6, 8, 6, WHICH TALKS ON VARIOUS TOPICS.
BUT THE ONE SPECIFICALLY I'M ADDRESSING IS DISPLACEMENT AND TENANT RIGHTS.
THE CITY RESPONDED BACK WITH THE HOUSING ELEMENT IN YOUR HOUSING PLAN.
CHAPTER SIX, PROGRAM 5.2, TENANTS PROTECTION.
THE CITY CONDUCTED AN WHERE IS IT AN INVESTIGATION OR STARTED EXPLORING IN 2021.
EXPLORED THE VISIBILITY, EXPLORE THE FEASIBILITY, ESTABLISHING A RENOVATION ADMINISTRATIVE PROGRAM VERBATIM THE ESTABL.
THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THIS PROGRAM WOULD CONTINUE TO ENSURE THE AVAILABILITY TO CONSTRUCT SUBSTANTIAL REMODELS TO IMPROVE HOUSING QUALITY, PARTICULARLY GIVEN THE AGING HOUSING STOCK IN THE CITY WHILE REMOVING OF SUBSTANTIAL REMODEL FROM THE LIST OF NO FAULT, JUST COST EVICTION AND INCREASING TENANT RELOCATION BENEFITS.
THAT WAS THE END OF THAT EXPLORATION, I GUESS.
SO PART OF THE OBJECTIONS AND TIMELINES DOES TALK ABOUT THE RIGHT OF FIRST REFUSAL, WHICH IS ALSO MENTIONED AS THE RIGHT OF RETURN IN ASSEMBLY.
BILL 6, 8 6, WHICH IS SUGGESTED AS ONE OF THE THINGS YOU GUYS COULD DO TO BE IN COMPLIANCE.
YOU GUYS LIMIT THE RISE OF FIRST REFUSAL, WHICH IS COULD ALSO BE SEEN AS RIGHT OF FIRST RETURN
[03:15:01]
SPECIFICALLY TO CONDOMINIUMS AND INCLUSIONARY HOUSING.THESE NEEDS TO BE EXPANDED THROUGHOUT THE CITY 'CAUSE IT'S AN ALL CITY ISSUE.
LEMME GO HERE IN THE ASSEMBLY.
IT DOES SAY A PUBLIC AGENCY SHALL ADMINISTER ITS PROGRAMS AND ACTIVITIES RELATED TO THE HOUSING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT IN A MATTER TO A FIRMLY FURTHER FAIR HOUSING AND TAKE NO ACTION THAT IS MATERIALLY INCONSISTENT WITH THE OBLIGATION TO A FIRMLY FURTHER FAIR HOUSING.
YOU GUYS HAVE HAD CONFRONTATIONS OF THIS.
IT'S IN THE PAPERWORK, RIGHT? SO THIS COULD BE SEEN OR INTERPRETED AS Y'ALL NOT TAKING ACTION, AS BEING SOMETHING THAT IS MATERIALLY INCONSISTENT WITH YOUR OBLIGATION.
YOU GUYS ARE ALL PUBLIC SERVANTS.
YOUR PRIORITY SHOULD BE AND NOT SHOULD BE IS THE PUBLIC.
IT IS NOT YOUR POLITICAL CAMPAIGN TO GET REELECTED OR YOUR POCKETS.
HELLO, ARTIE, CAN YOU STAND WITH ME PLEASE? MM-HMM
I'M A RESIDENT OF LONG BEACH DISTRICT EIGHT, AND I STAND HERE TODAY WITH MY SON TO SPEAK ON EVICTIONS FOR SUBSTANTIAL REMODEL, CREATING A NON-PAYMENT THRESHOLD TO PROTECT IMMIGRANT FAMILIES WHO CANNOT PAY AND THE FULL UPDATE TO OUR JUST CAUSE POLICY THAT CAN NO LONGER BE DELAYED.
IT IS NOT FAIR THAT RESIDENTS LIKE MYSELF ARE TREATED AS, AS OBSTACLES TO INVESTMENT RATHER THAN RECOGNIZED AS PEOPLE WITH HOMES, FAMILIES AND COMMUNITIES.
HOMES ARE MORE THAN JUST BUILDINGS.
THEY'RE WHERE WE BUILD OUR LIVES AND OUR SAFETY.
YESTERDAY THE OWNER PUT NOTICE ON MY DOOR IMMEDIATELY AFTER ACQUIRING THE PROPERTY, NOTICING ME THAT I HAD 30 DAYS TO VACATE JUST DAYS BEFORE CHRISTMAS PRIOR, THE PRIOR TO THE TRANSFER OF OWNERSHIP.
I WAS REASSURED THAT THINGS WOULD STAY THE SAME, BUT IT'S CLEAR THAT THE OWNER AND PROPERTY MANAGEMENT HAD A PLAN ALL ALONG TO REMOVE FAMILIES AND RAISE RENTS.
I'M A COUNTY WORKER, I COULD NOT SLEEP LAST NIGHT AND I COULD NOT MAKE IT TO WORK BECAUSE OF THE STRESS THIS HAS CAUSED.
I'M ALSO LEARNING THAT THE SAME COMPANY, HEART PROPERTY MANAGEMENT GROUP BASED IN LAKEWOOD THAT SERVED ME THIS NOTICE IS ENGAGING IN THE EXACT SAME PRACTICE AT MANY OTHER BUILDINGS IN LONG BEACH.
BEHIND WE SEND INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE FACING THE SAME SITUATION AND THIS RAISES AN EVEN LARGER, LARGER CONCERN.
WHAT ABOUT THOSE WHO ARE NOT REPRESENTED HERE TODAY? THOSE WHOSE VOICES GO UNHEARD, BUT WHO ARE EXPERIENCING THE SAME DISPLACEMENT.
THIS FURTHER DEMONSTRATE THAT THIS IS IS NOT AN ISOLATED INCIDENT.
IT IS PART OF REOCCURRING PATTERN, A PROPERTY FLIPPING THAT PRIORITIZES PROFIT OVER PEOPLE, DISPLACING FAMILIES, AND DESTABILIZING ENTIRE COMMUNITIES.
THAT INTENT WAS CLEARLY STATED ON THE PROPERTY LISTING, WHICH ADVERTISED A HUGE 40, 40% UPSIDE IN ACTUAL RENT.
IF THIS PATTERN IS ALLOWED TO CONTINUE, THE HARM WILL NOT STOP WITH THE TENANTS AFFECTED TODAY, IT WILL SET A PRESIDENT THAT ENCOURAGES FURTHER DISPLACEMENT, ESCALATING RENTS, AND THE STEADY EROSION OF HOUSING STABILITY FOR WORKING FAMILIES ACROSS THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY.
THE CITY MUST PROTECT TENANTS FROM GREETING COMPANIES THAT TREAT HOMES AS INVESTMENT OPPORTUNITIES RATHER THAN THE PLACES WHERE FAMILIES LIVE.
WE NEED POLICIES TO ENSURE RESIDENTS ARE SAFE FROM SUDDEN AND NOT FOR EVICTIONS, AND THAT OUR HOMES ARE RESPECTED AS HOMES AND NOT AS VEHICLES FOR PROFIT.
MY NAME IS NANCY AND I'M A LONG BEACH RESIDENT SPEAKING ON BEHALF OF MY NEIGHBORS AND MYSELF.
WE ARE RECENTLY TOLD WE MUST VACATE OUR HOMES DUE TO RENOVATIONS.
HOWEVER, AFTER REVIEWING THE PERMITS PULLED FOR OUR BUILDING, THEY DID NOT REQUIRE UNITS TO BE VACATED.
THIS HAS CAUSED UNNECESSARY FEAR AND INSTABILITY FOR LONG-TERM TENANTS WHO ARE SIMPLY TRYING TO STAY HOUSED.
THE CURRENT ORDINANCE ALLOWS LANDLORDS TO CLAIM A SUBSTANTIAL REMODEL WITHOUT INDEPENDENT VERIFICATION.
THAT LOOPHOLE IS BEING USED TO DISPLACE TENANTS EVEN WHEN THE WORK DOES NOT MAKE THE UNIT UNINHABITABLE.
WE ARE ASKING THE CITY TO REQUIRE INDEPENDENT VERIFICATION BEFORE ANY RENOVATION, EVICTION, AND TO TIE DISPLACEMENT, DISPLACEMENT STRICTLY TO PERMIT REQUIREMENTS, NOT LANDLORD INTENT.
WE ALSO ASKED FOR A GUARANTEED RIGHT OF RETURN AT THE SAME RENT AND STRONGER PENALTIES.
WHEN RENT EVICTIONS ARE USED IN BAD FAITH, HOUSING STABILITY SHOULD NOT DEPEND ON ATTENDANCE ABILITY TO NAVIGATE LEGAL LOOPHOLES.
LONG BEACH CAN IMPROVE ITS HOUSING STOCK WITHOUT PUSHING OUT THE VERY PEOPLE WHO MAKE THIS CITY HOME.
PLEASE CLOSE THE RE EVICTION LOOPHOLE AND PROTECT LONG BEACH RESIDENTS FROM UNNECESSARY DISPLACEMENT.
[03:20:02]
THANK YOU.WE, WE HAVE A FEW MORE SPEAKERS, DAVE GUADALUPE, BRENDAN AND SEVENTH STREET RESISTANCE.
UH, THESE ARE THE SEVENTH STREET RESISTANCE.
THEY'RE JUST GONNA INTRODUCE THEMSELVES.
MY NAME IS AMINA AND I'VE BEEN LIVING IN THIS, UH, NEIGHBORHOOD FOR THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS.
AND AS A RESIDENT, I'M HERE TO SUPPORT.
UM, WE HAVE NEW PROPERTY OWNERS WHO, UH, HAVE TOLD US THAT WE HAVE 60 DAYS TO LEAVE THE PROPERTY, WHICH I DON'T FEEL IS RIGHT AND IT'S, AND IT'S CORRECT
AND I WOULD LIKE FOR YOU, UH, FOR US TO, FOR YOU TO SUPPORT US AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE, UM, SO THAT FAMILIES ARE NOT SEPARATED AND WE LIVE, UH, IN A HAPPIER STATE OF MIND.
IF THEIR MAIN PURPOSE IS TO RENOVATE A KITCHEN OR BATHROOM THAT DOESN'T MAKE SENSE FOR US, THAT SHOULD NOT BE HAPPENING.
BEFORE YOU CONTINUE, I DIDN'T SPEAK AS A GROUP OR INDIVIDUALLY.
YEAH, IF, IF THIS IS A GROUP SPEAKING MORE THAN ONE SPEAKER, IT'S ONE SPEAKER THAT WE'RE TIMING.
AGAIN, MY NAME IS IGNACIO AND WE WERE GIVEN 60 DAY NOTICE BY THE NEW PROPERTY OWNERS.
AS A GROUP, YOU HAD YOUR, YOUR CHANCE, SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
SO WE STILL HAVE GUADALUPE ROMERO AND BRENDAN LIEBERMAN AND DAVE SIGNED UP TO SPEAK.
I'M IN COUNCIL DISTRICT NUMBER TWO, RENTER, AND I ALSO COME HERE TO SPEAK AGAINST THE SUBSTANTIAL RENOVATION LOOPHOLE.
THROUGHOUT MY YEARS BEING A RENTER, I HAVE STRUGGLED WITH MANY NEIGHBORS AND TENANTS MORE THAN ONCE WITH SLUMLORDS, WHO NEGLECT THE BUILDING, LET IT GO TO WASTE, AND THEN THEY USE THEIR FAVOR WEAPON AGAINST LONG-TERM TENANTS, WHICH IS SUBSTANTIAL RENOVATIONS.
SO EVEN IF WE'RE PAYING RENT AND DOING EVERYTHING AS OUR DUTY AS TENANTS, THEN THEY PULL OUT THAT LITTLE NUMBER TO ALMOST, IN A WAY PUNISH US FOR THEIR NEGLECT.
I HAVE BEEN TO ZOOM MEETINGS OF THE DIFFERENT KINDS OF ASSOCIATIONS THAT LANDLORDS HAVE WHERE THEY SUPPORT EACH OTHER.
AND I HAVE HEARD THAT FROM THEIR OWN MOUTHS, HOW THIS IS ONE WAY IN WHICH THEY CAN BASICALLY BYPASS ANY SORT OF PROTECTION FOR, UH, TENANTS.
BY YOU'RE SAYING, WE NEED A SUBSTANTIAL RENOVATION.
WHEN IN REALITY ALL THAT THEY'RE DOING IS SAYING, YOU KNOW WHAT? WE DON'T THINK IT'S PROFITABLE TO KEEP THIS LONG TERM TENANTS.
WE'LL JUST SAY THAT WE'RE GONNA RENOVATE IT.
[03:25:01]
MICKEY MOUSE JOB AND INCREASE THE RENT TO MARKET VALUE AND PUSH PEOPLE INTO THE STREETS.WE KNOW HOW BAD THE ISSUE OF HOMELESSNESS IS, AND THAT MOST EVICTIONS ACTUALLY HAPPEN DURING THE WINTER.
IN THE HOLIDAYS, YOU'LL HAVE THE POWER TO TAKE ACTION.
THE CITY OF LA ALREADY DID, AND WE SHOULD NOT FALL BEHIND ON THAT.
HUMAN RIGHT HOUSING IT, HUMAN RIGHTS HOUSING IT A HUMAN RIGHT.
BRENDAN? NO, AGAIN, MRS. I CONTINUED WRITING IT WHILE I'M SPEAKING.
UH, THANK YOU VICE MAYOR AND GOOD EVENING.
UH, CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS, EVERYONE WHO'S STILL HERE.
UM, TWO WEEKS AGO I SPOKE ON, UH, THE CASE TRUMP VERSUS SLAUGHTER.
UH, AND, UH, THE IMPLICATIONS FOR, UH, FEDERAL, UH, AGENCY INDEPENDENCE UNDER THE, UH, UNITARY EXECUTIVE THEORY OF, UH, THE PRESIDENCY THAT IS ANIMATING THE CURRENT SUPREME COURT.
THIS SUPREME COURT'S ARGUMENT FOR RADICAL CHANGES TO THE STRUCTURE OF OUR CONSTITUTION.
IT'S ALREADY A MOUTHFUL, RIGHT? I WISH I'D DONE IT WITH MORE ELOQUENCE AND THE KIND OF ELOQUENCE AND URGENCY THAT WE, UH, WE HEARD ACTUALLY FROM THE, THE LONG BEACH, UH, POLY STUDENT.
UH, EARLIER TO THIS EVENING, WE SPOKE ABOUT THE DANGERS OF AI.
UH, THIS BEING THE LAST CITY COUNCIL MEETING OF THE YEAR.
I THINK WE'RE ALL KIND OF READY FOR 2025 TO BE OVER READY TO HEAD HOME, BE HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS, AND, UH, SEE A NEW YEAR, UH, FINALLY THIS NEW TERMINABLE ONE END.
UH, I THINK IF THERE WAS A SINGLE THEME TO THIS YEAR, UH, IT WOULDN'T BE, UH, HOW BADLY PROJECT 2025 WAS BUNGLED OR THE NASTINESS OF THIS, UH, RECIDIVIST, UH, BAND OF CRIMINALS CURRENTLY DIRECTING THE FEDERAL ADMINISTRATION, OR, UH, NOT EVEN THE SUP UH, SUPINE SUPREME COURT.
I I I REALLY THINK THE, THE, THE, NOT EVEN THE, THE, THE PUSH OF, UH, THE SLATE LATEST BUBBLE IN GENERATIVE AI.
I, I, I THINK THE, THAT THE THEME, THE, THE HUMAN THEME FOR THE HUMAN YEAR, UH, WOULD BE, UH, THE STORY OF 2025, UH, WOULD BE THAT NO ONE REALLY ASKED FOR THIS.
I DON'T THINK ANYONE IN THEIR WILDEST DREAMS HAD A CONCEPTION THAT, UH, THINGS WOULD BE GOING THE WAY THAT THEY ARE.
AND, UH, YOU KNOW, I MEAN, WHEN YOU THINK OF EVERYTHING OUR REGION SPECIFICALLY HAS BEEN THROUGH, UM, FROM DAY ONE, FROM THE FIRES TO THE MILITARY OCCUPATION, TO THESE ICE RAIDS, TO THE, I MEAN, THE RIDICULOUS ECONOMIC STUPIDITY OF TARIFFS, UH, THE WHOLESALE FEVERY AT VARIOUS STAGES OF, UH, CORPORATE DEVELOPMENT IN THIS, UH, COUNTRY.
YOU KNOW, LIKE, I MEAN, THERE'S SO MUCH THIS YEAR THAT'S JUST BEEN KIND OF OVER THE TOP.
UH, I THINK, UH, AND I REALLY HOPE THAT, UH, F FOR ALL OF YOU WHO ARE ACTUALLY DOING SOMETHING TO KEEP THIS, UH, A CITY, KEEP THIS, UH, A COMMUNITY AS WELL AS A PART OF A STATE IN THE COUNTRY, UM, THAT WE NOT ONLY RECOGNIZE THE DANGER, UH, BUT WE, WE UNDERSTAND THAT, THAT, THAT THE, THE, THE TALK OF END TIMES ISN'T JUST BECAUSE IT, IT MAY WELL BE, UH, BUT BECAUSE, UH, CERTAIN DECISIONS END UP BEING KIND OF FINAL AND, UH, IN THE CASE OF AI OR THE PEOPLE PUSHING IT, OR SO YOUR TIME'S CONCLUDED SB 57, FOR INSTANCE, THAT WOULD BE, UH, THANK YOU MR.
THAT CONCLUDES PUBLIC COMMENT.
THANK ANCE BECAUSE WE ARE NOW AT, UH, ANNOUNCEMENTS.
[ANNOUNCEMENTS]
WRONG, WRONG FINGER, UM, COULD OCCUR.UH, THIS WEEKEND I INVITE ALL RESIDENTS TO JOIN CUBO LONG BEACH FOR THEIR EIGHTH ANNUAL LONG BEACH PEARL LANTERN FESTIVAL.
YOU CAN VISIT THE EXPO ART CENTER THIS SATURDAY, DECEMBER 20TH FROM TWO TO 8:00 PM TO ENJOY ACTIVITIES AND ENTERTAINMENT INC.
INCLUDING PERIL MAKING AND CELEBRATE HOLIDAY TRADITIONS WITH THE LOCAL COMMUNITY.
THEN ON SUNDAY, I ENCOURAGE RETURNERS AND NEWCOMERS ALIKE TO JOIN THE BKB A'S LAST CRITICAL MASS BIKE RIDE FOR THE YEAR.
TAKES OFF FROM BEHIND THE PIXIE TOYS ON ATLANTIC AT 11:00 AM ON SUNDAY, DECEMBER 21ST.
[03:30:02]
THIS WEEK'S THEME IS THE UGLY SWEATER, SO WEAR YOUR UGLY SWEATER AND COME RIDE WITH YOUR NEIGHBORS.AND LASTLY, I INVITE YOU ALL TO SAVE THE DATE FOR THIS YEAR'S KWANZAA CELEBRATION WITH THE AFRICAN AMERICAN CULTURAL CENTER OF LONG BEACH.
VISIT THE EXPO ART CENTER ON SATURDAY, DECEMBER 27TH FROM FIVE 30 TO 7:30 PM AND ON SUNDAY DECEMBER 28TH FROM TWO TO 5:00 PM TO CELEBRATE WITH THE COMMUNITY WITH MUSIC, FOOD, ACTIVITIES AND WORKSHOPS.
YOU CAN LEARN MORE@ACCLB.ORG AND I WISH YOU ALL A HAPPY HOLIDAY SEASON AND NEW YEAR.
I WOULD LIKE TO INVITE ALL TO THE LONG BEACH NIGHT WALKS AT THE TERRACE THEATER PLAZA ON THURSDAY, DECEMBER 19TH, STARTING AT 6:00 PM ALSO, MY ANNUAL NORTHEAST VILLAGE TOY GIVEAWAY WILL BE THIS SATURDAY, DECEMBER 20TH FROM 12 TO TWO AT GUM BINDER PARK WITH MY ANNUAL TOY GIVEAWAY.
UM, I WOULD LIKE TO WISH EVERYBODY A VERY, VERY, VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS.
A HAPPY NEW YEAR'S, HAPPY HOLIDAYS, UM, AND JUST WISH EVERYONE A PEACEFUL AND JOYFUL HOLIDAY SEASON.
I KNOW THAT THIS YEAR HAS BEEN TOUGH FOR, UM, FOR ALL OF US.
I HOPE THAT 20 26 6 BRINGS US MUCH, MUCH BETTER, UM, TIMES FOR US, MUCH BRIGHTER DAYS AHEAD FOR US.
THANK YOU SO MUCH, VICE MAYOR.
UM, I DON'T KNOW ABOUT YOU, BUT I HAD A WONDERFUL TIME AT THE DAISY LANE PARADE.
UM, AND IT WAS A WONDERFUL OPPORTUNITY TO, TO HONOR, UH, EMILIANO
SO JUST GLAD TO BE ABLE TO, TO BE THERE TO ENJOY THAT WITH THE COMMUNITY.
BUT THIS PAST WEEKEND WAS ALSO FILLED WITH LIVELY FESTIVITIES AND DISTRICT EIGHT, AND I'D LIKE TO JUST HIGHLIGHT A FEW THINGS AS WE CLOSE OUT THE MEETING.
SO FIRST, THE YMCA FAIRFIELD FAMILY BRANCH AND CROSSROADS CHURCH JOINED FORCES TO SPEARHEAD HOLIDAY CHEER WITH A TOY GIVEAWAY.
IT WAS TRULY A JOY TO SEE SO MANY FAMILIES OUT ENJOYING THE DAY AND SPENDING TIME TOGETHER.
UH, DURING THIS SEASON, IT, THERE WAS GENEROUS SPIRIT THERE ALSO IN THE COMMUNITY FROM THE FAMILY OF FAITH CHRISTIAN CHURCH, UH, WHERE WE HAD AN INCREDIBLE TURNOUT FOR THAT TOY DRIVE AS WELL.
ADDING TO THE FESTIVITIES, ONE OF OUR DEDICATED LOCAL GROUPS, THE NORTH VILLAGE ASSOCIATION TRANSFORMED A CITY LOT INTO A WINTER WONDERLAND FAMILIES RECEIVED THOUGHTFUL GIFTS, TOOK PHOTOS WITH SANTA, AND ENJOYED A SPECIAL DISPLAY OF HISTORIC CARS FROM THE LONG BEACH MODEL T CLUB.
I WANNA THANK ALL OF OUR PARTNERS WHO PARTICIPATED IN ALL OF THESE EVENTS, ESPECIALLY TO THE FIRE DEPARTMENT FOR GRILLING LUNCH AT THE FAMILY OF FAITH, THE TOY GIVEAWAY.
AND TO CLOSE OUT THE WEEKEND, WE MET WITH A CLOSE KNIT SET OF NEIGHBORS IN THE ADAMS COMMUNITY FOR A PRODUCTIVE CONVERSATION FOCUSED ON PUBLIC SAFETY AND LOCAL ACTIVATIONS.
SO LOOKING AHEAD, JUST BEFORE THE HOLIDAY SEASON, UM, CONTINUES TO ROLL ON, WE HAVE A SE SEVERAL SET OF ACTIVITIES THAT WE'LL BE HOSTING AT THE HOUSING DEVELOPMENT KNOWN AS CARLITOS.
WE'LL HOST A HOLIDAY PARTY FOR OUR SENIORS, FIRST OFF, UH, RIGHT AWAY TOMORROW.
AND THEN NEXT WEEK WE'LL HAVE, UM, ANOTHER TOY DRIVE SPECIFICALLY FOR THE CARLITOS FAMILIES.
SO WITH THAT, I'D LIKE TO WISH EVERYONE A WARM AND COZY HOLIDAY SPENT WITH LOVED ONES AND FILLED WITH REST, JOYFUL MOMENTS AND A MEANINGFUL OPPORTUNITY TO CREATE MEMORIES.
IT'S MADE YOU FOR YOUR COLLEGE REGARDING DAYS PARADE AND, AND MY SON, UH, COUNCIL, YOU RICK SOY, UH, UH, THANK YOU VICE MAYOR.
UM, I WILL ALSO SHARE THAT, UH, MY FAMILY ALSO HAD A GREAT TIME AT DISTRICT EIGHTS.
UM, WAS IT THE WINTER? WELL, THAT WINTER WONDERLAND, THAT TOO.
UH, WINTER WONDERLAND
SO, UM, AND THEN YES, UM, I WAS UNABLE TO ATTEND BECAUSE WE HAD, UH, ALSO OUR OWN TOY GIVEAWAY.
SO I WANNA THANK, UH, THE COLLEGE COORDIN NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION IN POOLS OF HOPE, UM, FOR DOING THEIR TOY GIVEAWAY AND FOOD DISTRIBUTION, UM, AS WELL AS THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT FOR ORGANIZING THEIR ANNUAL KWANS
[03:35:01]
EXPERIENCE.UM, AND THEN WE ENDED THE DAY AT THE WONDERFUL DAISY LANE PARADE, UM, AN ANNUAL TRADITION.
UM, MY DAUGHTER HAD TONS OF FUN ON THE BULLHORN, UM, ON THE FIRETRUCK WITH ALL THE SNOW.
SO, UM, GREAT WAY FOR US TO, TO BE TO, TO WRAP UP THE NEW YEAR.
AND SO THANK YOU COUNCIL MEMBER FOR, UM, COUNCIL MEMBER ARANGA, JUST FOR ALL THE WORK THAT YOU DO IN DISTRICT SEVEN AND MAKING SURE THAT THAT EVENT CONTINUES ITS TRADITION.
UM, AND FOR ALSO ALLOWING US TO, TO HONOR YOU AND YOUR FAMILY.
UM, IN THIS TIME, UH, I'D LIKE TO INVITE EVERYONE OUT TO, UH, RAMONA PARK ON, UH, SATURDAY DECEMBER 20TH, UM, FROM 10:00 AM TO 1:00 PM UH, FOR THE COOKIES WITH SANTA EVENT CHILDREN, AGES FIVE TO 12.
WE'RE WELCOME TO ENJOY ARTS AND CRAFTS, CARNIVAL GAMES COOKIE DECORATING A PHOTO WITH SANTA, UM, AND MORE FESTIVE ACTIVITIES.
UM, THE EVENT WILL BE AT RAMONA PARK AT 33 0 1 EAST 65TH STREET.
UM, AND THEN ADDITIONALLY, I INVITE EVERYBODY OUT TO ATTEND A COUPLE OF, UM, OF OUR NEIGHBORHOOD CLEANUPS.
UM, THE COLLINS NEIGHBORHOOD CLEANUP DAY WILL BE ON, ALSO ON SATURDAY, DECEMBER 20TH FROM 8:00 AM TO 12:00 PM JOIN OUR NEIGHBORS IN HELPING MAKE OUR COMMUNITY GREENER AND, AND CLEANER.
A, A DUMPSTER WILL BE LOCATED AT THE CORNER OF KOCH AVENUE AND ARLINGTON STREET FOR DISPOSABLE BULKY ITEMS SUCH AS FURNITURE, RUGS, MATTRESSES, AND APPLIANCES.
SO AS YOU, UH, WELCOME IN THE NEW YEAR.
IF YOU NEED TO GET RID OF SOME STUFF, THIS IS A GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO DO THAT.
UM, ELECT ELECTRONIC WASTE AND HAZARDOUS WASTE WON'T BE ACCEPTED.
THERE ARE OTHER PLACES YOU CAN DONATE THAT.
UH, FOR MORE INFORMATION ON THAT, YOU CAN CONTACT, UM, THE COLLINS NEIGHBORHOOD, UH, ASSOCIATION COLLIN AT COLLINS NLP@GMAIL.COM, OR CALL 5 6 2 9 7 7 8 4 6 5.
AND AS ALWAYS, YOU CAN CONTACT MY OFFICE AT DISTRICT9@LONGBEACH.GOV.
THANK YOU, COUNCIL, EVERY THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS, DR.
SO WITH THE HOLIDAYS COMING AROUND, THERE'S ALWAYS ANOTHER IMPORTANT EVENT THAT COMES IN JANUARY, AND THAT IS THE MLK PARADE AND FESTIVAL.
SO I DO WANNA MAKE SURE PEOPLE, UH, KNOW THAT THE NOMINATION FOR THIS YEAR'S 2020, THIS COMING YEARS, 2026 GRAND MARSHALL, IS, UH, THE DEADLINE'S BEEN EXTENDED TILL TOMORROW AND A DAY.
AND OUR MLK ADVISORY COMMITTEE HAS BEEN HARD AT WORK TO CREATE, UH, FIVE CATEGORY FOR THE NOMINATION OF CIVIC ENGAGEMENT AND SERVICE, COMMUNITY ACHIEVEMENT, SOCIAL JUSTICE, ADVOCACY, PHILANTHROPY, YOUTH RECOGNITION, ARTS, SPORTS, AND CULTURE.
SO ALL ARE WELCOME TO NOMINATE.
UM, WITH THAT, I ALSO WANNA MAKE SURE THAT EVERYONE KNOWS THAT THE 38TH ANNUAL MLK PARADE AND CELEBRATION WILL BE ON JANUARY 17TH, AND IT'LL KICK OFF AT 10:00 AM ON MLK AVENUE IN ANAHEIM.
SO I DID WANNA ALSO JUST CONCLUDE THE, I THINK AS A LAST SPEAKER TO SHARE THAT WE HAVE HEARD THAT CONFLICTS HAVE BEEN OCCURRING GLOBALLY.
UM, AND ONE OF THE ONES THAT I THINK MANY MAY NOT KNOW ABOUT IS THE CONFLICT THAT HAS OCCURRED BETWEEN THAILAND AND CAMBODIA.
AND JUST WANTED TO SHARE THAT HUNDREDS OF CAMBODIAN AMERICANS ACROSS LA COUNTY CAME TOGETHER TO DO A PEACE RALLY THIS PAST SUNDAY.
AND I WANTED TO JUST THANK THE ORGANIZER AND THE MAYOR FOR JOINING TO SUPPORT A CALL FOR PEACE.
UM, THE COMMUNITY HAS, UH, COME TOGETHER, DO THEIR RECENT AIRSTRIKES BY THAILAND, AND THEY'RE CALLING OUT FOR A RECOGNITION OF THE CEASE AGREEMENT THAT WAS MADE, UH, BETWEEN THAILAND, CAMBODIA TO UPHOLD IT ON OCTOBER 26TH, 2025, AND TO CEASE AIRSTRIKES.
AND LASTLY, TO ENSURE THE PROTECTION OF CIVILIANS ON BOTH SIDES, BOTH HIGH AND CAMBODIAN BORDER.
AND THE COMMUNITY WILL CONTINUE TO PROMOTE AND ADVOCATE FOR PEACE BECAUSE THAT IS WHAT, UM, IS NEEDED IN ORDER TO ENSURE THAT NO MORE LIVES ARE, UM, AT RISK.
UM, AT THE MOMENT, HUNDREDS OF AT THOUSANDS ARE BEING DISPLACED AT THIS MOMENT.
SO I WANTED TO SHARE THIS IN CASE PEOPLE WERE NOT AWARE.
UM, AS YOU SEE MORE AND MORE PEACE RALLY THAT WILL OCCUR IN THE COMING UH, DAYS.
UM, MY FINAL COMMENT WOULD BE THAT, UH, THIS IS OUR FINAL CITY COUNCIL MEETING FOR 2025.
I WANNA WISH YOU ALL HAPPY HOLIDAYS.
HAPPY HANUKKAH, HAPPY KWANZA, AND SEE YOU NEXT YEAR.