May 05, 2026 City Council - Revised

JUST A REMINDER THAT TODAY IS SIN THE BIBLE.

IT IS A TRADITIONAL MEXICAN AMERICAN CHICANO, UH, DAY OF RECOGNITION.

AND I WANT YOU TO KEEP IN MIND THAT OUR DIVERSITY IS OUR STRENGTH.

[PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE]

BEND IN SILENCE, PLEASE.

IF YOU ARE ABLE, AND THANKS ME A LITTLE, IT TAKES ME A LITTLE MORE TIME.

PUT YOUR HEAD WITH YOUR HEART.

READY TO BEGIN OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.

LIBERTY.

THANK YOU ALL.

THANK YOU VICE MAYOR FOR LEADING THAT.

UH, COUNCIL MEMBERS, THERE ARE FLOWERS HERE.

UH, IT IS NOT FOR CINCO DE MAYO.

THOSE FLOWERS ARE BECAUSE MOTHER'S DAY IS COMING.

UH, SO TO OUR MOTHER AND MOTHER FIGURES ON THE CITY COUNCIL, THANK YOU FOR ALL THAT YOU DO, AND WISHING YOU A GREAT MOTHER'S DAY.

SORRY, ROBERTO.

THAT'S RIGHT.

THANK YOU SO MUCH, MAYOR.

SORRY, ROBERTO.

SORRY, DARREL.

IT'S NOT YOUR BIRTHDAY, UH, BUT WE WISH THE VERY BEST TO YOUR, YOUR, YOUR, YOUR LOVELY SPOUSES.

OUR DAY IS COMING TO JUNE.

THAT'S RIGHT.

WHICH IS A MUCH EASIER HOLIDAY.

I WOULD SAY FATHER'S DAY.

MUCH EASIER.

WE JUST WANT, WE JUST WANNA GO FISHING OR BE LEFT ALONE, YOU KNOW WHAT I'M SAYING? UM, UH, BUT, BUT, UH, BUT, UM, COUNCILWOMAN SORROW COULD NOT BE HERE TODAY.

SHE HAD FAMILY CIRCUMSTANCE WAS IMPORTANT.

SO OUR THOUGHTS ARE WITH HER.

UH, THIS EVENING WE HAVE TWO PRESENTATIONS.

UH, WE'RE GONNA START, WE'RE GONNA HAVE TWO PRESENTATIONS, THEN WE'RE GONNA GO TO CONSENT, GENERAL PUBLIC COMMENT, AND THEN WE'RE GONNA GO THROUGH THE AGENDA.

UM, SO OUR FIRST PRESENTATION, SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA EDISON SCHOLAR AWARD.

WE'RE GONNA GO TO COUNCIL MEMBER SUPERMAN TO RECOGNIZE, UH, TONIGHT'S SCHOLAR.

THE SCHOLARSHIPS RECOGNIZED ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT, LEADERSHIP AND COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT.

THANK YOU, MAYOR RICHARDSON.

AND THIS PRESENTATION ACTUALLY REFERENCES TWO FORMER MAYORS OF LONG BEACH, UH, MAYOR BOB FOSTER, WHO IS THE, UH, CEO OF EDISON AND MAYOR UNIDO, FOR WHOM, UH, SATO ACADEMY IS NAMED.

FOR THE PAST 21 YEARS, SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA EDISON HAS AWARDED MORE THAN $22 MILLION TO 850 STUDENTS THROUGH THEIR SCE EDISON SCHOLAR PROGRAM.

EACH YEAR.

THIS PROGRAM AWARDS 30 HIGH SCHOOL SENIORS ACROSS THEIR SERVICE TERRITORY WITH $50,000 STEM SCHOLARSHIPS.

[00:15:01]

THIS YEAR, JUST ONE STUDENT FROM LONG BEACH WAS NAMED AN SCE SCHOLAR.

THIS STUDENT IS CALEB NEIL, A SENIOR AT SDO ACADEMY OF MATH AND

[ 2026 Southern California Edison Scholar Award Recognition]

SCIENCE IN COUNCIL DISTRICT FOUR CALEB'S SUBMISSION.

YEAH, LET'S HEAR IT FOR CALEB.

LET CALEB'S SUBMISSION TO THE SCE SCHOLARS PROGRAM DISCUSS HOW HE ORGANIZED ROBOTICS WORKSHOPS TO HONOR AND UNITE SENSORY SKILLS.

HE ALSO INTRODUCED A PROGRAMMABLE 3D PRINTED TRUCK KIT THAT EMPOWERS SENSES THROUGH GUIDED CREATION.

IN HIS FREE TIME, CALEB, DJS MUSIC MENTORS, STUDENTS IN MATH AND SCIENCE PROJECTS, AND HE WORKS TO CREATE AN ENGAGING AND MEMORABLE ENVIRONMENT WHERE STUDENTS FEEL VALUED, HEARD, AND INSPIRED.

CALEB IS HERE WITH HIS FAMILY AND WITH ADRIAN GARCIA, THE GOVERNMENT RELATIONS MANAGER FOR SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA EDISON AND CALEB AND FAMILY.

AND ADRIAN, WE'D BE HONORED IF YOU WOULD, UH, STEP UP TO THE LECTERN HERE AND, UH, SHARE A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE SCHOLARSHIP.

HOLD THAT UP.

UM, BEING A, A ONE ON THREE AT THE LONG BEACH UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT.

YES, MAYOR COUNCIL, IT'S HONOR, HONOR TO BE HERE, UH, BEFORE YOU.

UM, MY NAME IS ADRIAN GARCIA.

I'M THE GOVERNMENT RELATIONS MANAGER, UH, WITH SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA EDISON.

UM, ONE OF THE NEATEST PARTS OF MY JOB IS THIS, WHEN YOU REWARD A STUDENT, UH, FOR THEIR ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT, NOT JUST, UH, IN SCHOOL, BUT ALSO, UM, THE BODY OF WORK, RIGHT? NOT JUST SCHOOL, BUT ALSO WHAT, UH, THEY DO IN THE COMMUNITY.

AND OUR EDISON SCHOLAR PROGRAM, UH, LOOKS FOR THOSE TALENTED INDIVIDUALS THAT STAND OUT, UM, AND PROVIDE THEM THIS SCHOLARSHIP THAT, UM, GIVES THEM THAT BRIDGE RIGHT TO, TO, TO, TO SUCCEED IN SCHOOL FINANCIALLY, UH, TO, TO GET THAT MONEY FINANCIALLY AND SUCCEED IN SCHOOL.

SO ONE LESS, UH, YOU KNOW, STRESS, RIGHT? WHICH IS, WHICH IS THE COST OF SCHOOL, AND WHICH ARE VERY PROUD TO, UH, AWARD CALEB.

UH, HE WAS ONE OF, UH, HUNDREDS OF APPLICANTS THAT, THAT, THAT APPLIED FOR THIS, UH, SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM.

AND HE STOOD OUT, UH, AMONG, AMONG ABOUT A HUNDRED.

SO, UH, WE GIVE ABOUT 30 EACH YEAR, UH, SCHOLARSHIP AWARDS THROUGHOUT OUR SERVICE TERRITORY, UH, TOTALING, TOTALING APPROXIMATELY, UH, A MILLION DOLLARS.

UM, AND, UH, WE ARE, UH, GLAD THAT CALEB HAS BEEN THE SUCCESSFUL WINNER OF THE SCHOLARSHIP.

UM, NOT THE FIRST OF SDO.

WE, I THINK WE HAD A PAST WINNER A COUPLE YEARS AGO.

UH, SO THERE'S A LOT OF TALENT IN, IN THE CITY, IN THE CITY OF LONG BEACH, IN PARTICULAR SDO ACADEMY.

SO WITH THAD, CALEB, CONGRATULATIONS, UH, ON BEING, UH, A WINNER.

I HOPE, UH, COME BACK PROFESSIONAL AND YOU COME AND JOIN US, OR IF NOT, UH, YOU KNOW, UH, BE A PROFESSIONAL AND BE A COMMUNITY STEWARD AND, AND GIVE BACK HOPEFULLY ONE DAY.

UH, THANK YOU SO MUCH AGAIN.

I APPRECIATE IT, MAYOR AND COUNCIL FOR YOUR TIME.

AND I'LL, UH, TURN OVER TO CAMPUS SAFETY WORDS.

ALRIGHT, CALEB, COME ON UP.

HELLO EVERYONE.

MY NAME IS CALEB KNO.

I LIKE TO SAY IT'S AN HONOR.

NOT ONLY THAT, BUT IT'S ALSO A PLEASURE TO READ THE SLEEP, TO RECEIVE THE SCHOLARSHIP, AND IT REALLY IS HELPFUL.

DON'T GET ME WRONG, , IT GOES DIRECTLY TO THE SCHOOL, SAVES ME A LITTLE BIT OF SOME MONEY.

AND REGARDLESS, I'LL BE, UM, USING THE FUNDING AND OTHER SCHOLARSHIPS I'LL BE RECEIVING SOON AND BE ABLE TO PUT THAT MONEY TO MY PROJECTS THAT I'LL BE CONTINUING MAKING AT MY SCHOOL THAT I GO TO AT WORCESTER POLYTECHNIC INSTITUTION.

I'M HOPING TO CREATE A CLUB THERE AND BE ABLE TO CREATE MORE OF A HONOR TEAM WHERE NOT ONLY THAT I BE WORKING, CREATING MORE PROJECTS AND MORE EXCITING, ENGAGING, UM, PEOPLE.

I'M ALSO HOPING THAT I COULD REALLY MAKE AN IMPACT IN THE NEURO DIVERSION COMMUNITY AND HOPEFULLY IN THE FUTURE I COULD GET MORE EXPERIENCE FROM OTHER, UH, INTERNSHIPS I GO TO AND APPLY THAT INTO THAT SAME, UH, PROGRAM OR CLUB AND BE ABLE TO SCALE IT INTO MORE OF A BIGGER, UM, I'D SAY COMPANY AND TRY TO MAKE IT LOOK MOST OF IT.

I LOVE WHAT I DO AND I'M HOPING TO CONTINUE IN THE NEXT, WHO KNOWS WHEN, .

ALRIGHT, WELL, WE, WE CERTAINLY, MOM, YOU HAVE SOMETHING TO SAY, COME ON DOWN.

OH, I JUST WANNA SAY, COME ON UP.

YOU KNOW, HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY, YOU KNOW, I'M MOM, UM, HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY TO YOU.

AND, UM, WOW, WE'VE COME A LONG WAY WITH CALEB.

YOU KNOW, WHEN, YOU KNOW, HE WAS YOUNG, YOU KNOW, LITTLE CALEB DIDN'T SPEAK UNTIL HE WAS ABOUT FIVE OR SIX, YOU KNOW, WE WENT FROM,

[00:20:01]

YOU KNOW, WE'VE COME, WE WENT TO, HAD TO GO AND SWITCH TO A, A BEHAVIORAL SCHOOL AT COLE AND POWELL.

AND THEN FROM THERE WE WENT TO MARSHALL.

AND THEN FOR MARSHALL, WE WERE ABLE TO SKIM DOWN SOME OF THE AIDES AND SOME OF THE SPECIAL EDUCATION CLASSES.

AND THEN WE HAD TO FIGHT TO GET INTO SDO WHERE WE HAD TO WRITE LETTERS BECAUSE HE, UM, NEEDED TO TAKE, UM, AN ALGEBRA TWO CLASS.

SO WE HAD TO DO THAT WHILE HE WAS GOING TO MARSHALL.

AND WE TOOK A ALGEBRA TWO CLASS AT ORANGE COUNTY CO COMMUNITY COLLEGE VIA, UM, THE INTERNET, THE WEB.

AND SO WE'VE COME A LONG WAY, THEN WE HAD TO PETITION TO GET INTO SDO, WE GOT INTO SDO AND HERE WE ARE NOW.

YOU KNOW, AND IT'S BEEN A ROAD AND A JOURNEY, AND I, UM, WOULDN'T GIVE IT, YOU KNOW, UP FOR NOTHING IN THE WORLD.

HE'S A GREAT KID AND I'M SO HONORED AND SO SHOCKED WHEN WE CAME TO ACCEPT THIS NICE, UM, SCHOLARSHIP FROM EDISON, IT BLEW MY MIND.

I'M SITTING UP THERE, MOUTH DROPPED, AND I'M LIKE, OH MY GOODNESS.

DIDN'T HAVE A CLUE.

AND IT JUST SHOWS WHAT HARD WORK AND DEDICATION WILL DO.

YOU, YOU KNOW, AND IT DOESN'T MATTER WHAT DISABILITIES AND STRUGGLES YOU HAVE, IF YOU HAVE A HEART AND A DRIVE, YOU CAN DO ANYTHING YOU WANT.

AND I CAN HONESTLY SAY HE IS THAT PERSON TO DO THAT.

AND I'M REALLY PROUD OF HIM.

AND THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR HAVING US BE HERE TODAY.

I'M VERY HONORED.

ALRIGHT, WELL, WE WANNA CONGRATULATE, UH, YOU, UH, CALEB, YOUR MOM, THE FAMILY.

WE KNOW THAT THERE ARE A LOT OF, UH, UH, CRACKS TO SLIP THROUGH.

AND BECAUSE YOU HAD A SAFETY NET AND SUPPORT NET WITH YOUR MOM, YOU ARE ACHIEVING THIS GOAL OF GOING TO COLLEGE.

AND BECAUSE OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA EDISON RECOGNIZING YOUR HARD WORK, YOU HAVE $50,000 TO HELP YOU BE SUCCESSFUL, UH, IN YOUR ENDEAVORS.

BUT I CAN TELL YOU, I CAN TELL YOU RIGHT NOW, UH, HE MIGHT NOT HAVE HAD MUCH TO SAY WHEN HE WAS YOUNG, BUT HE'S GOT A WHOLE LOT TO SAY NOW, RIGHT? SO WE WE'RE GONNA BE WATCHING YOU, WE ARE PROUD.

WE WANT OUR YOUNG PEOPLE IN LONG BEACH COMING OUT OF OUR LONG BEACH SCHOOLS TO GO OFF AND ACHIEVE THEIR HIGHEST AND BEST POTENTIAL.

WE KNOW YOU CAN ACHIEVE GREAT THINGS DESPITE THE STATISTICS, WHAT THE STATISTICS MAY HAVE SAID OF WHERE YOU WERE SUPPOSED TO GO BASED ON THOSE STATISTICS.

WE, WE, WE, WE, WE'D REJECT THAT, RIGHT? WE'RE GONNA GO AND CLAIM EVERYTHING, UH, THAT YOU WANT IN YOUR FUTURE.

SO CONGRATULATIONS TO YOU AND THANK YOU SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA EDISON, WE HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF A RECOGNITION FOR YOU, SO WE'RE GONNA COME DOWN AND TAKE A PHOTO.

OH, THANK YOU.

WE NOT ONLY CELEBRATING CINCO DE

OUR NEXT PRESENTATION IS SMALL BUSINESS WEEK LEGACY AND GREEN BUSINESS RECOGNITION PROGRAM.

WE'RE GONNA INVITE UP OUR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT, UH, JULIAN OR BO, HOW ABOUT BO? BO MARTINEZ.

GOOD EVENING, UH, MAYOR, MEMBERS OF CITY COUNCIL, UM, TONIGHT ARE

[00:25:01]

[ Small Business Week Legacy and Green Business Recognition]

MAYO, BUT WE ALSO ARE CELEBRATING SMALL BUSINESS WEEK AND WHAT WE KNOW TO BE TRUE HERE IN THE CITY OF LONG BEACH.

AS FAR AS SMALL BUSINESS WEEK, THAT SMALL BUSINESS IS BIG BUSINESS IN THE CITY OF LONG BEACH.

AND UNDER YOUR LEADERSHIP, THE CITY HAS BUILT A STRONG AND COMPREHENSIVE PORTFOLIO OF SMALL BUSINESS PROGRAMS DESIGNED TO ENSURE THAT ENTREPRENEURS AND SMALL BUSINESSES THROUGHOUT OUR COMMUNITY HAVE ACCESS TO THE RESEARCH, RESOURCES, SUPPORT, AND OPPORTUNITIES WITH THE OPPORTUNITY TO GROW, SUCCEED, AND THRIVE.

THIS EVENING, WE ARE HONORED TO HIGHLIGHT TWO IMPACTFUL SMALL BUSINESS PROGRAMS AS PART OF THE CITY OF LONG BEACH, THE GREEN BUSINESS PROGRAM, AND THE LEGACY BUSINESS PROGRAM, WHICH TOGETHER ALL THESE BUSINESSES REPRESENT OVER 500 YEARS OF SERVICE TO OUR COMMUNITY, INVESTMENT AND COMMITMENT TO OUR GREAT CITY.

WE ARE ALSO PROUD TO SUPPORT AND CELEBRATE THESE BUSINESSES THAT WE CONTINUE TO SHAPE THE CHARACTER RESILIENCE AND ECONOMIC VITALITY OF OUR COOL COMMERCIAL CORRIDORS AND UNIQUE NEIGHBORHOOD MARKETPLACES THROUGHOUT THE CITY.

AND WITH THAT, I'D LIKE TO INVITE UP JULIAN SUNDA, WHO'S GOING TO, UH, PROVIDE A POWERPOINT PRESENTATION, AND THEN WE'LL CONTINUE ON WITH THE PROGRAM.

THANK YOU, MAYOR.

COUNCIL.

UM, GOOD.

UH, EVENING, JUST A FOLLOW UP QUICKLY ON WHAT BO SAID.

I'M GONNA PROVIDE A QUICK PRESENTATION AND I'LL INVITE, UH, MY COLLEAGUES, UH, ALEX AND, UH, SAM TO COME AND GIVE YOU A LITTLE MORE INFORMATION ON EACH OF THE PROGRAMS. AND THEY'RE PART OF THE BIZ CARE TEAM.

SO THEY WORK WITH BUSINESSES DAY IN, DAY OUT.

THEY GO TO THEIR STOREFRONT AND MEET WITH THEM TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY GET CONNECTED TO THE RESOURCES THAT THEY NEED.

UH, AND THESE, OF COURSE, AS BOB MENTIONED, ARE TWO, UH, VERY IMPORTANT PROGRAMS THAT WE HAVE HERE THAT OUR BUSINESSES, YOU KNOW, CAN RECEIVE THAT AND REALLY IMPORTANT DESIGNATION THAT THEN UNLOCKS RESOURCES, UM, FOR THEM.

SO THE LEGACY BUSINESS PROGRAM, YOU KNOW, IS AN I PARTNERSHIP HERE.

UM, THE CITY, UH, ADOPTED THE PROGRAM, AND, UH, WHAT IT DOES, IT REALLY JUST, IT, UM, HONORS THE LONGSTANDING BUSINESSES, YOU KNOW, THAT HELP MAKE THE CORRIDORS, YOU KNOW, UNIQUE HERE IN LONG BEACH, UH, AND MAKE SURE THAT THEY HAVE THAT UNIQUE IDENTITY, UH, WHERE OUR VISITORS AND OUR RESIDENTS CAN ENJOY, YOU KNOW, AND SPEND, YOU KNOW, HOPEFULLY SPEND THEIR MONEY HERE AND MAKE SURE THAT THEY, YOU KNOW, SUPPORT OUR BUSINESSES, SUPPORT OUR JOBS THAT ARE HERE, UM, AND ENJOY, YOU KNOW, JUST THE, THE SERVICES AND GOODS THAT OUR, OUR ENTREPRENEURS, UH, AND SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS HAVE HERE.

SO THIS WHOLE, YOU KNOW, PROGRAM REALLY HELPS TO PRESERVE THAT NEIGHBORHOOD, THAT UNIQUENESS AND SUPPORTING THE PROGRAMS. IT ADAPTS AND IT GROWS TO REMAIN COMPETITIVE, RIGHT? TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR BUSINESSES REMAIN COMPETITIVE, ESPECIALLY AT A TIME LIKE TODAY WHERE WE'RE SEEING THE, YOU KNOW, THE MATERIAL SUPPLIES, LABOR REALLY INCREASING A LOT DUE TO LARGER JUST MACRO FORCES.

IT'S EVEN MORE IMPORTANT TO, UH, SUPPORT OUR SMALL BUSINESSES SO THAT THEY CAN CONTINUE TO THRIVE AND MAKE, YOU KNOW, THE CITY, UH, WHAT IT IS TODAY.

REAL QUICK, SOME CRITERIA ON THE LEGACY BUSINESS PROGRAM.

SO THEY MUST BE LOCATED IN LONG BEACH, OF COURSE.

UH, AND THEY HAVE TO MEET WHAT WE CALL JUST A LONGEVITY AND AN IMPACT CRITERIA.

SO THE BUSINESS HAS TO BE IN EXISTENCE FOR AT MINIMUM 10 YEARS AND MEET TO A UNIQUE CRITERIA.

NOW, THOSE CRITERIA CAN BE, UM, HAVING A CONTRIBUTED, LIKE A HISTORICAL LEGACY TO THE COMMUNITY THAT THEY'RE IN, HAVING A UNIQUE OR, UH, DESIGN OR LIKE A PHYSICAL, LIKE A PHYSICAL BUILDING OR SOMETHING ALONG THOSE LINES.

OR ALSO HAVING A CULTURAL OR COMMUNITY, UM, SIGNIFICANCE TO THAT, TO THE, THE, THE CORRIDOR.

UM, AND THEN LASTLY, THE LAST CRITERIA COULD BE SOMETHING ALONG, UM, AN EQUITY IMPACT, RIGHT? SO BEING OWNED BY A MINORITY, UH, COMMUNITY OWNER.

UM, AND THEN THE OTHER, UM, WAY TO QUALIFY IS THAT'S ONE WAY THAT 10 YEARS OR TWO CRITERIA.

AND THE SECOND, UH, WAY IS IF THEY'VE BEEN IN BUSINESS FOR 25 YEARS, THEY JUST NEED TO ONLY MEET ONE OF THOSE CRITERIA.

SO, YOU KNOW, WE WANTED TO PROVIDE TWO ROBUST WAYS FOR BUSINESS TO QUALIFY SO THEY COULD GET THAT DESIGNATION HERE AND BE CELEBRATED.

UH, TONIGHT.

THE SECOND PROGRAM WE'LL TOUCH ON REALLY QUICKLY IS THE GREEN BUSINESS PROGRAM.

SO, UM, THIS ONE'S, UM, ALSO BEEN, YOU KNOW, IN, UH, WAS A FEW YEARS AGO, VERY ACTIVE, AND DURING COVID WE, UH, YOU KNOW, IT WENT DORMANT, SO WE BROUGHT IT BACK A COUPLE YEARS AGO.

SO WE'RE HAPPY TO SEE THIS ONE.

UH, HERE AGAIN, OF COURSE, SUSTAINABILITY IS VERY IMPORTANT, AND WE'RE IN A COMMUNITY THAT REALLY DOES VALUE SUSTAINABILITY, ENVIRONMENT, ENVIRONMENTAL, ENVIRONMENTALISM, EXCUSE ME.

SO IT'S, UH, VERY, UH, GLAD TO SEE THIS, UH, PROGRAM COME BACK.

SO HERE, THIS ONE, WHAT IT DOES, THE PROGRAM, IT OFFERS A FREE CERTIFICATION THROUGH THE CALIFORNIA GREEN BUSINESS NETWORK.

IT ESTABLISHES A RECOGNIZED STATEWIDE STANDARD FOR THE SUSTAINABILITY OF BUSINESS PRACTICES.

AND IT ALSO PROVIDES, UH, HANDS-ON SUPPORT FROM THE LOCAL CO UH, FROM LOCAL COORDINATION TO IMPLEMENT PRACTICES THAT THEN CHANGE THE, UH, BUSINESS INTO A MORE SUSTAINABLE PRACTICES.

UH, AND THEN IT ALSO, OF COURSE, UH, IN TURN HELPS TO RE, UH, THE BUSINESS TO REDUCE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT AND TO IMPROVE THE OPERATION AND EFFICIENCY HIGH LEVEL REQUIREMENTS OF THIS ONE.

UH, YOU ALSO HAVE TO BE, UH, LOCATED HERE IN LONG BEACH.

YOU HAVE TO COMPLETE, UH,

[00:30:01]

WHAT'S CALLED A SUSTAINABILITY ASSESSMENT.

SO THAT'S LOOKING AT YOUR ENERGY USE, FOR EXAMPLE, YOUR MATERIALS USE, AND SEE HOW YOU CAN IDENTIFY TO REDUCE THE, YOU KNOW, THE, THE, UM, THE ENERGY USE, FOR EXAMPLE, OR THE WATER, UH, RECYCLING REDUCTION LIKE THAT.

UM, AFTER THAT WE'LL IMPLEMENT THE REQUIRED GREEN BUSINESS PRACTICES THAT ARE IDENTIFIED THROUGH THE ASSESSMENT.

AND THEN LASTLY, UM, YOU GET CERTIFICATION FOR THREE YEARS.

SO EVERY THREE YEARS THE BUSINESS COMES BACK TO GET RECERTIFIED.

SO JUST A QUICK OVERVIEW RIGHT THERE.

I, AND YOU'LL HAVE, UM, AND ALEX JUST QUICKLY TALK ABOUT, UM, A LITTLE MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE PROGRAMS. THANK YOU, JULIAN, FOR THE INTRODUCTION.

UH, HI EVERYONE.

GOOD EVENING, MAYOR RICHARDSON.

AND COUNCIL, MY NAME IS SAMANTHA RIVAS AND I AM THE LEGACY BUSINESS COORDINATOR.

CAN YOU GUYS HEAR ME OR IS THERE A BIT OF AN ECHO? OKAY, PERFECT.

UH, TODAY WE'RE PROUD TO WELCOME 22 BUSINESSES INTO THE LEGACY BUSINESS PROGRAM.

EACH ONE A VITAL PART OF OUR COMMUNITY STORY.

THOSE BUSINESSES ARE BAJA SONORA, COLLEGE PLANNING OF GREATER LONG BEACH EL FINE FEATHERS, KOMBUCHA, RECREATIONAL COFFEE, REGIONAL PHYSICIANS MEDICAL GROUP, RICARDO'S NURSERY SUR KOREAN BARBECUE AND TOFU HOUSE, THE RESTAURANT, THE CAJUN CRAB, USED WORK CLOTHES, AHI PERUVIAN CUISINE, LONG BEACH WOODWINDS, MOCAS DELI SALON, INDA SEVEN HAIR STUDIO, SHANNON'S ON PINE ST.

MARY PHARMACY, THE FALCON NORTH, TOM'S TROPICAL FISH, TOXIC TOAST RECORDS.

AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST, TO THE ROOT SUPPLY AND ACCESSORIES.

WITH THIS LATEST COHORT, LONG BEACH IS NOW HOME TO 81 LEGACY BUSINESSES, EACH ONE CARRYING FORWARD THE HISTORY, IDENTITY, AND HEART OF OUR COMMUNITY.

LET'S GIVE A WARM ROUND OF APPLAUSE TO THESE INCREDIBLE BUSINESSES.

I WILL NOW PASS IT ON TO OUR GREEN BUSINESS PROGRAM.

GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR RICHARDSON AND COUNCIL MEMBERS.

AS MENTIONED, THE GREEN BUSINESS PROGRAM RECOGNIZES BUSINESSES COMMITTED TO SUSTAINABLE PRACTICES.

THE IMPACT OF THIS PROGRAM SPEAKS FOR ITSELF ACROSS CALIFORNIA CERTIFIED GREEN BUSINESSES HAVE COLLECTIVELY SAVED 107 MILLION GALLONS OF WATER CONSERVED.

91 MILLION KILOWATT HOURS OF ENERGY REDUCED 307,000 METRIC TONS OF GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS AND DIVERTED 12,432 TONS OF WASTE FROM OUR LANDFILLS.

ALL AMONG THE 490 BUSINESSES RECOGNIZED STATEWIDE, LONG BEACH BUSINESSES ARE PROUD CONTRIBUTORS TO EVERY ONE OF THOSE NUMBERS.

TODAY WE CELEBRATE TWO GROUPS, BUSINESSES NEWLY CERTIFIED THIS YEAR, AND THOSE WHO HAVE DEMONSTRATED THEIR CONTINUED COMMITMENT THROUGH RE-CERTIFICATION.

SO PLEASE JOIN ME NOW IN CONGRATULATING THE FOLLOWING LONG BEACH BUSINESSES ON ACHIEVING GREEN BUSINESS CERTIFICATION FOR THE FIRST TIME.

MEOW F 11, FIRE AND LIFE SAFETY, HOLLOWAY, R AND D, GOLDEN RACE STUDIO BENEVOLENT BOCH ASTRA PRODUCTION GROUP P UM, P, ENTERPRISE CONSULTING SERVICES.

THESE BUSINESSES HAVE COMPLETED A RIGOROUS REVIEW OF THEIR OPERATIONS AND MADE MEANINGFUL CHANGES TO REDUCE THEIR ENVIRONMENTAL FOOTPRINT.

LONG BEACH IS BETTER BECAUSE OF THEIR LEADERSHIP.

WE ALSO RECOGNIZE THE BUSINESSES THAT HAVE MAINTAINED THEIR CERTIFICATION, PROVING THAT SUSTAINABILITY IS AN ONGOING COMMITMENT, NOT JUST A ONETIME ACHIEVEMENT.

THESE BUSINESSES INCLUDE ROCKWELL PROCESS CONSULTING, BYO, LONG BEACH AND VIRON ARCHITECTURE, FEELGOOD SALSA, LONG BEACH FLEET SERVICES, SEVEN HAIR STUDIO, ALITA BURKE, MERCANTILE COOKIES BY DESIGN.

AND ETHICALLY, YOUR CONTINUED DEDICATION SETS A POWERFUL EXAMPLE FOR THE ENTIRE LONG BEACH BUSINESS COMMUNITY.

DO ALL OF OUR CERTIFIED AND RECERTIFIED BUSINESSES.

HAVE SOME GREAT LEGACY BUSINESSES FROM JOE JOSS, THE VIP RECORDS, AND NOW 22 MORE.

YOUR DEDICATION TO SERVING OUR COMMUNITY AND THE ENVIRONMENT ARE DEEPLY APPRECIATED.

NOW, AT THIS TIME, I'D LIKE TO INVITE ALL OF OUR RECOGNIZED GREEN AND LEGACY BUSINESSES TO COME FORWARD AND JOIN MAYOR RICHARDSON AND COUNCIL MEMBERS FOR A GROUP PHOTO.

PLEASE MAKE YOUR WAY TO THE FRONT SO WE CAN HONOR YOUR HARD WORK AND DEDICATION TOGETHER.

ALRIGHT, WELL, AS THEY COME FORWARD, WE JUST WANNA RECOGNIZE THE HARD WORK OF OUR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT TEAM, LEGACY BUSINESS PROGRAM'S, INCREDIBLE PROGRAM.

[00:35:01]

AND OUR GREEN BUSINESS PROGRAM IS DOING SUCH INCREDIBLE JOB MAKING SURE WE CONTINUE TO MAINTAIN OUR COMMITMENTS TO OUR ENVIRONMENT.

SO CONGRATULATIONS, COME ON BACK BEHIND THE RAIL AND WE'LL JOIN YOU AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE FIT BETWEEN THE FLAGS, HOW CAN HAPPEN.

ALL RIGHT, WE'RE NOW GONNA GO TO CONSENT CALENDAR ITEMS ONE THROUGH 27, WE'RE GONNA PULL ITEM 14, UH, FOR A SEPARATE MOTION ON THAT.

SO I, ITEMS ONE THROUGH 27 MINUS ITEM 14, IS THERE A PUBLIC COMMENT ON, ON CONSENT? YES, WE HAVE SIX SPEAKERS SIGNED UP ON CONSENT.

GO AHEAD AND FACILITATE PUBLIC COMMENT, PLEASE, IF YOU CAN PLEASE STAND UP AT THE PODIUM.

THERE'S L TATIANA WILLIAMS, SEYMOUR SURVEILLANCE, FB ITEM 25, GRAY ITEM 25.

AND RUBY ARRINGTON, IF YOU CAN PLEASE LINE UP AT THE PODIUM, UH, MR. MAYOR TO CLARIFY.

NUMBER 14 IS WITHDRAWN AND WE'LL BRING THAT BACK NEXT WEEK.

FANTASTIC.

WE CAN GET OUR SPEAKERS, IF YOU HEARD YOUR NAME, PLEASE COME FORWARD.

FIRST SPEAKERS L AND THEN TATIANA WILLIAMS. IF YOU, IF YOU HEARD YOUR NAME WHATSOEVER, JUST STEP FORWARD.

[00:40:03]

OH, OKAY.

ANYONE WHO HEARD YOUR NAME.

GOOD EVENING, MAYOR.

UH, REX RICHARDSON, EXCUSE ME.

AND COUNCIL, UM, LAST WEEK, UH, WHAT IS YOUR NAME? MY NAME IS, UM, EXCUSE ME, MY NAME IS RUBY ARRINGTON.

OKAY, THANK YOU RUBY.

YOU'RE WELCOME.

LAST WEEK, I, I WAS IN THE MEETING.

I ATTENDED THE MEETING AND IT, IT INSPIRED ME TO READ THE BYLAWS AND THE LAWS THAT GOVERN OUR MEETINGS.

AND THEY WERE SIMPLY, UM, NOT ONLY WERE THEY NOT HONORED, BUT I DON'T THINK THAT THE OUTBURST HAD READ THE, READ THE BYLAWS OR THE LAWS THAT GOVERN THESE MEETINGS.

AND AS TAXPAYERS, THESE MEETINGS ARE NOT FREE.

THEY'RE THINGS THAT EACH AND EVERY ONE OF US COULD BE DOING.

AND FOR ME, TIME IS MORE VALUABLE THAN MONEY.

I COULD BE MAKING MONEY RIGHT NOW, BUT MY TIME HERE IS SO VALUABLE FOR MY ANCESTORS, FOR THE COMMUNITY.

AND I WAS, EM, IWI CAN'T EVEN SAY I WAS EMBARRASSED BECAUSE I WAS NOT REARED LIKE THAT, BUT TO HAVE OUTBURST LIKE THEY WERE, WERE SIMPLY, SIMPLY SIMPLY NOT LONG BEACH.

I'VE LIVED ALL OVER THE UNITED STATES.

I'VE BEEN IN SITUATIONS THAT I CAN'T EVEN, THEY SOUND LIKE THE MOVIES, BUT THIS IS NOT CALIFORNIA.

CALIFORNIA'S THE LAND OF OPPORTUNITY.

YOU MAY NOT, LET'S DIG DEEP HERE.

A SLAVE OWNER WAS RACIST, BUT HE BUILT HISTORICAL BLACK COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES FOR HIS CHILDREN.

YES, HE WAS A RACIST, BUT HE BUILT COLLEGES TO EDUCATE HIS CHILDREN.

FAST FORWARD TODAY, WE HAVE HISTORICAL BLACK COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES BECAUSE OF SLAVE OWNERS WANTING TO EDUCATE THEIR CHILDREN.

SO JUST BECAUSE YOU MAY NOT LIKE SOMEONE, JUST BECAUSE IT'S A PERSONAL PROBLEM, THIS IS A PLACE OF BUSINESS, I WOULD HOPE THAT WE HONOR THAT.

AND ALSO KNOWING THAT A TEACHER WOULD HAVE AN OUTBURST HERE, KNOWING THAT MY FATHER BEFORE BECOMING A DOCTOR WAS A PRINCIPAL.

MY MOTHER WAS A TEACHER.

THEY TOOK THEIR STUDENTS TO MEETINGS.

YOU CANNOT BRING YOUR STUDENT TO A MEETING WITH SOMEONE CURSING OUT THE COUNCIL AND THE MAYOR.

IT IS SIMPLY SOMETHING THAT I DON'T WANNA SEE HAPPEN AGAIN.

AND AS A TAXPAYER, I WILL FIGHT FOR IT TO STOP.

OH GOSH.

SO, UM, I FIRST WANNA SAY SHAME TO MARY ZENDEJAS.

I WANNA SAY SHAME TO C CINDY ELLEN.

I WANNA SAY SHAME RESPONSE FROM HER TO CHRISTINA DUGGAN.

I WANNA SAY SHAME TO DARRYL SOUP.

NA, I WANNA SAY SHAME TO MEGAN KERR.

SHAME, I WANNA SAY SHAME TO REX RICHARDSON.

SHAME.

AND EVEN THOUGH SHE'S NOT HERE, I'M GONNA SAY SHAME TO DR.

SULI.

I'M GONNA SAY SHAME TO ROBERTO RANGA.

I'M GONNA SAY SHAME TO YOU, ESPECIALLY UA AND YOU DR.

JONI, WITH THAT SMIRK, SHAME, SHAME, SHAME.

AND YOU KNOW WHAT, THE REASON I SAY SHAME IS YOU GUYS DISGUST ME.

YOU'RE LAUGHING, YOU THINK IT'S FUNNY, YOU'RE A MOM.

BUT LET ME TELL YOU SOMETHING, DO YOU CARE ABOUT, YOU'RE NOT EVEN SUPPOSED TO BE TALKING.

OKAY? SO ANYHOW, SO THIS PERSON, COME ON NOW.

THIS PERSON THAT JUST SPOKE RIGHT NOW, GUESS WHAT, HONEY? WE HAVE WHAT'S CALLED THE FIRST AMENDMENT.

UH, PLEASE ADDRESS THE CHAIR.

I THINK WE STILL HAVE IT.

YOU HAVE A COUPLE MINUTES.

ADDRESS THE CHAIR.

WHAT I THINK, YOU KNOW, WHAT I'M ADDRESSING HOME ADDRESSING.

SO WITH THAT SAID, IF YOU DO NOT LIKE WHEN PEOPLE COME HERE AND TALK S**T TO THESE PEOPLE WHO DO S**T FOR US, THEN MAYBE YOU SHOULDN'T COME.

THEY DON'T RESPECT US.

SECOND WARNING, THEY DON'T CARE ABOUT US.

PLEASE ADDRESS THE CHAIR.

OKAY? I'M ADDRESSING WHO I'M ADDRESSING.

THAT'S THE PROCESS.

OKAY? THANK YOU.

I'M ADDRESSING WHO I'M ADDRESSING AND YOU'RE VERY WELCOME.

THE POINT IS, IS THAT PEOPLE COME HERE, THEY TELL YOU WHAT'S ON THEIR MINDS, AND THEY'RE YOUR CONSTITUENTS.

A LOT OF YOU GUYS ARE ON YOUR PHONES LAUGHING, SMIRKING THINKING, THIS IS FUNNY.

THIS IS NOT A F*****G GAME.

SHAME, SHAME, SHAME, SHAME, SHAME, SHAME, SHAME, SHAME, SHAME, SHAME, SHAME, SHAME, SHAME, SHAME, SHAME, SHAME, SHAME,

[00:45:01]

SHAME, SHAME.

AND YOU GUYS THINK THAT YOU KNOW YOUR SEATS, YOU GUYS ARE GONNA KEEP 'EM.

AND YOU MAY KEEP 'EM THIS TIME, BUT LEMME TELL YOU SOMETHING, PEOPLE ARE COMING AFTER THOSE SEATS THAT ARE REALLY GONNA DO SOMETHING.

AND IT'S ABSOLUTELY DISGUSTING HOW YOU GUYS JUST ARE COMPLICIT WITH WHATEVER REX WANTS.

ALRIGHT, NEXT SPEAKER, PLEASE.

YOU GUYS HAVE NO VOICE.

AND IT'S, AND YOU KNOW, WE'RE SUPPOSED TO BE THE VOICE.

WHAT ITEM ARE YOU SPEAKING TO? YOU GUYS IN WHICH CALENDAR ITEM WE'RE SPEAKING TO GUYS.

NO, I'M, NO, I STILL HAVE TIME.

YOU DON'T RESPECT.

YEAH, YOU'RE DONE.

ACTUALLY I DO.

UNLESS YOU SPEAK TO A CONSENT CALENDAR ITEM.

THIS IS NOT GENERAL PUBLIC COMMENT.

OH, ACTUALLY I, SO YOU NEED TO NAME IT, PLEASE.

SO I HAVE WHAT, 30 LESS THAN 30 SECONDS.

SO BEFORE YOU GUYS DECIDE ON 21, WE DON'T WANT OUR MEDICAL RECORDS TO BE SHARED WITH ANYONE.

OH, WE DO NOT HERE.

HELL NO, WE DO NOT.

THAT'S VIOLATION OF OUR, OUR .

ABSOLUTELY.

YOU KNOW WHAT? WE ALREADY HAVE PALANTIR COMING AFTER US.

WE ALREADY HAVE ALL THESE SURVEILLANCE STATE COMING AFTER US.

WE NEED FOR YOU GUYS TO HELP.

AND IF YOU'RE NOT, THEN GET THE F**K OUT.

SHAME, SHAME, SHAME, SHAME, SHAME.

SO, JUST A REMINDER, THIS IS NOT GENERAL PUBLIC COMMENT, THIS IS PUBLIC COMMENT.

YOU SHOULD HAVE REMINDED THE FIRST PERSON THAT CAME UP BECAUSE SHE DIDN'T SPEAK ABOUT ANY OF THE CONSENT ITEM.

SO JUST SAYING.

YEP.

UH, CAN YOU PUT ME BACK TO THREE, PLEASE? NOPE, YOU ALREADY STARTED.

LET'S GO.

ALRIGHT, NEXT SPEAKER, PLEASE.

HOW DO YOU SLEEP AT NIGHT? THE, I'M TALKING, I'M SPEAKING ABOUT AGENDA ITEM 25.

HOW DO YOU SLEEP AT NIGHT KNOWING THAT GENERAL DYNAMICS HOLDS CONTRACTS WITH DHS AND HOLDS ONE OF THE BIGGEST CONTRACTS WITH ICE, THE SAME ICE THAT HAS BEEN KIDNAPPING, MURDERING, RAPING OUR BROTHERS, MOTHERS, FATHERS, SISTERS, AND EVERYONE OF OUR FAMILY MEMBERS THAT WE HOLD DEAR, SHAME, SHAME.

HOW DO YOU SLEEP AT NIGHT KNOWING THAT GENERAL DYNAMICS IS THE WORLD'S SIXTH LARGEST WEAPONS MANUFACTURER AND A MAJOR SUPPLIER OF WEAPONS USED IN THE GENOCIDE OF THE PALESTINIAN PEOPLE AND GAZA AND THE WEST BANK? SHAME.

HOW DO YOU SLEEP AT NIGHT KNOWING THAT YOU, OUR DISHONORABLE MAYOR HAVE EXECUTED CONTRACTS WITH LEXI NEXUS, CW GOVERNMENT, LLC AND GOV CONNECTION, LLC, MORE COMPANIES WITH TIES TO TRUMP'S DHS SHAME.

I THINK THE ANSWER TO MY QUESTION IS COMFORTABLE.

YOU SLEEP COMFORTABLY KNOWING THESE COMPANIES ARE KIDNAPPING, MURDERING, RAPING, AND SURVEILLING US SO LONG AS YOU LOOK, AS YOU GET TO LOOK COOL IN FRONT OF OUR NAZI OPPRESSORS THAT HAVE BEEN KIDNAPPING, MURDERING, RAPING, AND SURVEILLING US FOR CENTURIES.

YOU DISHONORABLE, YOU DISHONORABLE MAYOR, ARE YET AGAIN ON THE WRONG SIDE OF HISTORY.

AND BELIEVE ME, THAT THE TRUTH WILL ALWAYS PREVAIL AND YOU WILL BE HAUNTED BY IT FOREVER.

YOU WILL BE SHA YOU HAVE SHAMED US ALL IN LONG BEACH FOR BEING OUR MAYOR AND YOU AND YOU HAVE DEFINITELY SHAMED, UH, YOUR ANCESTORS THAT ALL LOOK DOWN UPON YOU WITH DISGUST AND HORROR.

I HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF TIME LEFT.

I DON'T NEED TO SCHOOL THIS INDIVIDUAL HERE.

FIRST AMENDMENT RIGHT.

WE ALL KNOW WE NEED IT.

WE, THIS, THIS IS OUR FIRST AMENDMENT RIGHT, IS TO SPEAK.

I MYSELF, AS A US CITIZEN WILL NEVER, NO MATTER HOW MANY F*****G UNIVERSITIES AND SCHOOLS THAT THESE NAZIS AND OPPRESSORS HAVE BUILT, I WILL NEVER, NEVER GIVE THEM CREDIT FOR THE S**T THAT THEY HAVE DONE TO US FOR F*****G CENTURIES.

BROWN AND BLACK PEOPLE.

SHAME ON YOU, YOUNG LADY.

SHAME ON YOU.

I DON'T NEED TO TELL YOU THIS.

YOU KNOW THIS ALREADY.

YOUR ANCESTORS ARE ASHAMED OF YOU.

START DOING THE RIGHT THING.

YOU WILL BE, UH, I DON'T KNOW.

HOPEFULLY YOU'LL BE SAVED THIS TIME AROUND IN THIS EXPERIENCE OF HUMAN LIFE.

BUT PLEASE DO THE RIGHT THING.

UH, F**K YOU AND SHAME ON YOU.

FREE PALESTINE, F**K ICE.

AND YOU'RE A HORRIBLE MARERE.

YOU GUYS SHOULD ALL BE ASHAMED OF YOURSELVES.

FREE PALESTINE.

UH, I HONESTLY CAN'T BELIEVE THAT THE COUNCIL IS CONSIDERING ANOTHER CONTRACT WITH GENERAL DYNAMICS.

IT INCORPORATED AFTER VOTING TO INCREASE THE CURRENT CONTRACT JUST A FEW MONTHS AGO.

WE KEEP REPEATING THAT.

WE WANT OUR TAX DOLLARS TO REFLECT OUR VALUES AND MOST OF US DO NOT SUPPORT THE CURRENT DHS ADMINISTRATION OR ICE.

SO WHY, WHY ARE WE PAYING FOR A CONTRACT WITH GENERAL DYNAMICS? IT A COMPANY THAT HOLDS A $9.6 MILLION CONTRACT WITH ICE FOR QUOTE UNQUOTE BACKGROUND INVESTIGATIVE SERVICES.

WE DON'T WANNA WASTE

[00:50:01]

ANY MONEY ON ICE OR THE ENTITIES THAT ENABLE THEIR ATROCITIES.

THESE PEOPLE AREN'T ACTING ALONE.

THEY'RE USING INFORMATION AND TOOLS FROM GENERAL DYNAMICS AND COMPANIES LIKE THEM TO KIDNAP OUR NEIGHBORS AND ENACT A REIGN OF TERROR ACROSS OUR ENTIRE COUNTRY.

LONG BEACH RAPID RESPONSE STILL GETS ALERTS ABOUT ICE SIGHTINGS.

AND NOW YOU WANNA USE OUR MONEY TO DO BUSINESS WITH THE FIRM THAT HOLDS ONE OF THE LARGEST CONTRACTS WITH ICE AND IS PROPPING THEM UP.

IT'S HONESTLY A HUGE SLAP IN THE FACE TO THE COMMUNITY THAT HAD TO EXPERIENCE ICE TEARING PEOPLE OFF THE STREETS, RIPPING FAMILIES APART, THESE MASS GOONS CONVOYING IN AND OUT OF TERMINAL ISLAND, THAT THAT COMMUNITY IS ABOUT TO HAVE EVEN MORE OF THEIR MONEY SPENT TO PAY FOR THESE OFFENSES.

AND IF GENERAL DYNAMICS IS INVOLVED WITH ICE, THEN I CAN ONLY IMAGINE WHAT KIND OF BACKGROUND INVESTIGATIVE SERVICES THEY'LL BE ENACTING ON LONG BEACH RESIDENTS.

WE ALREADY HAVE A MASS SURVEILLANCE PROBLEM.

FLOCK CAMERAS ARE ALL OVER THE CITY, EVERY MEETING.

YOU GUYS LET THAT HAPPEN EVERY MEETING THIS COUNCIL SEEMS TO BE PUSHING US FURTHER AND FURTHER INTO A POLICE STATE WHICH TRACKS SINCE THE COUNCIL ALSO KEEPS INCREASING THE LONG BEACH PD BUDGET.

ASIDE FROM ICE GENERAL DYNAMICS IS ALSO THE SIXTH LARGEST WEAPONS MANUFACTURER.

WEAPONS THAT HAVE BEEN USED IN THE PALESTINIAN GENOCIDE.

CONTRACTS LIKE THIS ARE THE REASON WHY WE NEED TO ADOPT THE CIVIL AND HUMAN RIGHTS SCREENING POLICY.

WE DON'T WANT OUR TAXPAYER MONEY TO BE USED THIS WAY, AND I'LL YIELD THE REST OF MY TIME.

AND OUR FINAL SPEAKER, PLEASE.

GREETINGS MAYOR REX AND, UH, THE COUNCIL.

I'M MICHAEL.

I LIVE IN DISTRICT FIVE AND I'M, I'M SPEAKING TODAY ON CONSENT CALENDAR.

ITEM 25 AND 26.

UH, 26.

I JUST, YOU KNOW, I, I SAW THAT IT'S TO SPEND MONEY ON SOME LIKE HOSTILE VEHICLE MITIGATION EFFORTS AND, UH, IT JUST MADE ME WONDER LIKE, WHY WASN'T THAT ALREADY FACTORED INTO THE POLICE BUDGET? IT'S BEEN SWELLING, AS THE LAST SPEAKER HAS SAID, FROM 2020, UH, IT WAS AROUND 260 MILLION ALL THE WAY UP TO WHAT'S PROJECTED NEXT YEAR TO BE.

IT LOOKS LIKE $383 MILLION.

OF COURSE THAT ISN'T, UH, SOLIDIFIED YET, BUT LAST YEAR IT WAS $338 MILLION.

SO I'M WONDERING IF WE FEEL LIKE THAT'S THE BEST USE OF OVER 40% OF OUR CITY'S BUDGET.

UM, VIOLENT CRIME HAS BEEN DOWN DRAMATICALLY OVER THE LAST 20 YEARS IN LONG BEACH.

I KNOW PROPERTY CRIME FLUCTUATES AND HAS GONE UP A LITTLE BIT, BUT THAT KIND OF MAKES SENSE WHEN THE AFFORDABILITY CRISIS THAT OUR CITY SEEMS TO BE ENTRENCHED IN CREATING AND, AND CONTINUING IT TRACKS THAT PEOPLE WOULD BE STEALING SOME STUFF.

LOOK AT HIM, HE'S TALKING TO YOU GUYS.

SO I JUST, I JUST CAN'T BELIEVE THAT WITH THIS BLOATED BUDGET NOW AT THE END OF THE BUDGET, WE STILL HAVE TO GIVE THE PD MORE MONEY FOR MORE STUFF.

IT JUST SEEMS LIKE AT WHAT POINT ARE WE GONNA SAY NO? WE'VE GOT, IT SOUNDS LIKE TOM, AN $80 MILLION, UH, SHORTFALL IN OUR BUDGET.

YEAH, OUR POLICE BUDGET HAS GONE UP OVER $80 MILLION JUST IN THE LAST FIVE YEARS.

SO I THINK, I THINK I FOUND IT GUYS JUST REDUCED THE POLICE BUDGET BACK TO WHAT IT WAS IN 2020 AND BOOM, END OF, END OF DE SPENDING.

UH, NOW THE GENERAL DYNAMICS ISSUE.

I I CAN'T BELIEVE THAT AFTER MARCH, YOU ALREADY GAVE THIS MONEY TO A HORRIBLE COMPANY.

LAST WEEK I WAS HERE TALKING ABOUT ANDEL, WHO YOU WERE BRAGGING ABOUT BRINGING INTO THE CITY MERCHANTS OF DEATH.

AI, DRONES, SUBMARINES THAT ARE PROBABLY GONNA BLOW UP SOME SHIPS IN, UH, THE STRAIGHT OF WHOM OR SOMETHING.

UH, I JUST, I, I HAVE TO COME EVERY WEEK JUST TO REMIND YOU THAT WE ARE SUPPOSED TO PUT OUR MONEY WHERE OUR VALUES ARE, THE LONG BEACH JUSTICE FUND, THE VALUES ACT, ALL OF THESE NICE THINGS THAT WE SAY.

I THOUGHT I WAS, I'M TALKING TO THE DEUS, I THINK, RIGHT? YEAH.

JUST CHECKING.

I I JUST DON'T UNDERSTAND HOW YOU JUST KEEP DOUBLING DOWN ON SIDING WITH FASCISM.

IS THERE CORONA, WE HAD A SIGN UP THAT YOU GUYS PUT A NICE BANNER THAT SAID LONG BEACH OUT OF ICE.

MARY, YOU SAID F**K ICE RIGHT HERE.

AND HERE WE ARE SIGNING OVER MORE OF OUR CITY'S MONEY TO THE COMPANY THAT'S GIVING THEM ALL THEIR INFORMATION AND MAKING IT POSSIBLE TO TRACK OUR RESIDENTS.

SHAME ON ALL OF YOU.

DO BETTER DO.

ALRIGHT, MEMBERS, PLEASE CAST YOUR VOTE ON CONSENT.

[00:55:01]

WITHDRAWN WITH WITHDRAWN.

AND AGAIN, UH, ITEM 14, PLEASE DON'T INTERRUPT THE PROCEEDINGS OF THE COUNCIL MEETING.

THANK YOU SO MUCH.

UH, SO ITEM 14 AGAIN IS LAID OVER TO THE MAY 12TH MEETING.

WE DO NEED.

ALL RIGHT, NOW WE'RE GONNA GO TO GENERAL PUBLIC COMMENT.

WE DO NEED TO TAKE A VOTE ON ITEM 14 TO LAY IT OVER TO A DATE.

WE NEED TO TAKE A VOTE AND WE'D LIKE TO JUST WITHDRAW IT, NOT LAY IT OVER.

WE'RE GONNA PUT AN ITEM BACK ON SUPPLEMENTAL ON FRIDAY.

WE DON'T TO VOTE, WE'RE GONNA WITHDRAW.

FANTASTIC.

ALRIGHT, AND THEN WE'LL NOW GO TO GENERAL PUBLIC COMMENT NUMBER ONE, OPENING PUBLIC COMMENT.

LET'S QUEUE THAT UP.

ALRIGHT, WE HAVE 10 MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC SIGNED UP TO SPEAK.

WHEN I READ YOUR NAME, PLEASE COME TO THE FRONT AND LET'S BEGIN.

CRYSTAL ALLEN, CAROLYN, ESSEX, MARQUISE, ANTHONY HOLMES, TENANTS RISE, TENANT PROTECTIONS NOW, ANDREA RAMON, UH, ROMERO, REVEREND JONATHAN MITCHELL, MARIA MEZA, AND DAVE SHUKLA.

MAYOR RICHARDSON AND MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL.

MY NAME IS CRYSTAL AND I COME HERE AS A 24 YEAR CITY EMPLOYEE.

I OCI ISOLATE IT BACK ON, BACK AND FORTH ON WHETHER OR NOT I SHOULD SPEAK THIS EVENING BECAUSE WHY WOULD SOMEONE DRAG THEMSELVES ALL THE WAY DOWN HERE IN FRONT OF THEIR EMPLOYER, POTENTIALLY RISKING THEIR JOB FRIENDS AND REPUTATION? WELL, MAYBE BECAUSE TWO OUT OF THE THREE THINGS HAVE ALREADY HAPPENED WITHIN THE LAST THREE MONTHS, IT FEELS LIKE WITH THE OTHER MANAGERS WHAT THEY'RE DOING.

THE THIRD ONE IS GONNA HAPPEN TOO.

IT FEELS LIKE THEY'RE TRYING TO, TO TAKE MY JOB AWAY FROM ME.

I WAS ACTUALLY AT THIS PODIUM SIX YEARS AGO, I IN JANUARY OF 2020.

IT WAS ACTUALLY THE CIVIL SERVICE COMMISSION.

I WAS WRONGFULLY TRANSFERRED AT THE TIME AND ALL OF MY FINANCIAL RESPONSIBILITIES, UH, WERE STRIPPED.

SO IT WAS ACTUALLY RETALIATION.

THEN THE INCOMING MANAGER AT THE TIME, HE TRANSFERRED ME, UM, HE TRANSFERRED ME IN 2020.

HE RETIRED IN 2021.

BY 2022 I WAS BACK TRANSFERRED.

SO BASICALLY I WAS JUST OUT OF HIS HAIR.

THE THE REASON THAT WAS GIVEN WAS BEST INTEREST OF THE CITY OR, AND, OR QUOTE, BUDGETARY REASONS, NOT WITHSTANDING THE IMPACT ON ME AS A NEW MOM.

I WOULD NEVER MINIMIZE THE STRESS OF COVID COVID, BUT FOR THE VERY FIRST TIME I FELT SAFE AT HOME, AWAY FROM THOSE PEOPLE.

THIS JANUARY, I WAS FORCED TO COME BACK INTO THE OFFICE A HUNDRED PERCENT.

WITHOUT AN EXPLANATION, I WAS THE ONLY EMPLOYEE IN THE ENTIRE BUREAU.

AND THAT WAS GIVEN A MEMO AND THE ONLY ADMIN STAFF IN THE ENTIRE DEPARTMENT.

UM, AND LO AND BEHOLD, THAT SAME MANAGER CAME OUT OF RETIREMENT AND IS UNDER ME.

AND THAT IS WHY THAT PRECIPITATED ME COMING INTO THE OFFICE.

IT WAS JUST TOO MUCH AUTONOMY FOR, FOR ME.

HE HAS A PERSONAL ISSUE WITH ME AND I EXPLAINED THIS MULTIPLE TIMES AND, UM, SO TALK ABOUT BEING PROTECTED.

WITHIN THE LAST SIX YEARS, I HAVE NOT HAD ONE THING IN MY PERSONNEL FILE.

I'VE PASSED TWO PROMOTIONAL EXAMS, PURSUED MY OUTSIDE COLLATERAL EMPLOYMENT.

AND SINCE LAST YEAR I HAVE BEEN RUNNING MY PROGRAM 100% BY MYSELF WITHOUT STAFF.

LIFE FOR ME WAS RELATIVELY BEAUTIFUL.

WITHIN THE LAST THREE MONTHS, I'VE LOST 10 POUNDS DUE TO WORK.

STRESS, HEADACHES, WORK BY WORK LIFE BALANCE IS GONE.

I'M ONE EEO CASE AND FOR DISCRIMINATION, RETALIATION AND HARASSMENT, TWO GRIEVANCES IN MY FIRST UNAUTHORIZED LEAVE IN 24 YEARS FOR A NORMAL OFFICE OCCURRENCE.

AND LASTLY, MY SECOND STEP FOR A GRIEVANCE FOR AN LOR, A LETTER OF REPRIMAND FOR CALLING AN HR STAFF.

THE B WORD LIAR.

EXACTLY.

THAT IS A FLAT OUT LIE.

I HAVE A 6-YEAR-OLD DAUGHTER AND SHE SAYS, MOM, YOU SAID THE S WORD THAT SAYS THAT STANDS FOR STUPID.

I HEARD RECENTLY ON A PODCAST WHAT WE DON'T NAME, WE NORMALIZE.

AND I'M HERE, I'M NAMING IT.

AND EVERYONE WHO CHOOSES TO REMAIN NEVER FINDS YOU.

THANKS, CRYSTAL.

ALL RIGHT, NEXT IS CAROLYN.

LET ME SET UP MY PROPS HERE.

CAN YOU HEAR ME? YEAH.

EVERYONE HEAR ME? YEP.

'CAUSE LAST TIME I WE'RE, OKAY.

THIS IS CALLED A LOT OF US IN COMPLETELY DIVEST FROM GENOCIDE, LONG BEACH.

STOP AT NOTHING LESS THAN VICTORY.

WOO.

GREETINGS MAYOR RICHARDSON IN CITY OF LONG BEACH.

MY NAME IS CAROLYN ESSEX AND I CARE ABOUT YOU.

I COME TO THIS CHAMBER ALMOST EVERY TUESDAY AND I WATCH WHAT HAPPENS HERE.

THE PRESENTATIONS, THE PHOTOS, THE RECOGNITIONS, THESE

[ 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. ]

[01:00:01]

MOMENTS MATTER.

THEY MATTER TO FAMILIES.

THEY CREATE MEMORIES.

THEY MODEL WHAT SUCCESS LOOKS LIKE, WHAT ACCEPTANCE LOOKS LIKE, WHAT BELONGING FEELS LIKE.

THIS IS THE STAGE WHERE A CHILD LEARNS.

THIS IS WHO IS SEEN, THIS IS WHO IS VALUED.

AND THOSE LISTENS STAY.

THEY SHAPE WHAT A CHILD BELIEVES IS POSSIBLE.

BUT I'LL BE HONEST ABOUT WHAT I SEE AS A DESCENDANT OF PEOPLE WHO ARE SUBJECTED TO WILLFUL DISCRIMINATION IN THIS COUNTRY AND OTHER ATROCITIES, VIOLENT ATROCITIES.

I DON'T JUST SEE CELEBRATION.

I SEE ABSENCE BECAUSE TOO OFTEN I DON'T SEE THE FULL COMMUNITY REFLECTED IN THESE RECOGNITIONS.

AND WHEN PEOPLE ARE NOT SEEN CONSISTENTLY, THEY INTERNALIZE THAT.

AND THE OUTCOMES, THE LIVED EXPERIENCE, IT'S A PUNCH IN THE GUT EVERY DAY.

IT'S A HEARTBREAK FOR BLACK MEN, ESPECIALLY.

I KNOW BECAUSE I'M A SISTER, I'M A DAUGHTER, I'M A MOTHER, A WIFE OF A BLACK MAN.

AND IF I'M BEING HONEST, IF LONG BEACH WERE A MOVIE, IT WOULD WIN AN ACADEMY AWARD BEST PERFORMANCE BY A CITY THAT LOOKS INCLUSIVE BUT DOESN'T DELIVER EQUITABLE OUTCOMES.

SO LET'S MOVE BEYOND THE MOMENT AND LOOK AT THE DATA.

YOU'LL SEE A DIFFERENT STORY.

BLACK WORKERS MADE UP 14.9% OF THE CITY WORKFORCE IN 2011.

TODAY IN 2026, THAT NUMBER IS 11.6%, DESPITE OVERALL WORKFORCE GROWTH.

THAT'S A 3.3 POINT DECLINE OVER 15 YEARS WHILE THE TOTAL WORKFORCE INCREASED BY MORE THAN 1200 POSITIONS.

THAT'S NOT PROGRESS, THAT'S REGRESSION.

AND IT DOESN'T STOP THERE.

BLACK WORKERS ARE OVERREPRESENTED IN LOWER WAGE POSITIONS MAKING UP 16.2% OF JOBS UNDER 60%.

TELL ME, UH, BUT THE HIGHER SALARY BANS THAT REPARATIONS DROP SHARPLY.

SO LET ME GO OFF TO THE END.

YOU ALL HAVE THIS ON WITH YOU.

AND LET ME JUST SAY THIS BECAUSE, UH, A, AN A STANDING AND EQUITY AUDIT PROCESS IS, IS A MUST BECAUSE EQUITY IS NOT A STATEMENT, IT'S A RESULT.

AND RIGHT NOW THE RESULTS ARE TELLING US A LOT OF US ARE STILL NOT BEING FULLY SEEN.

WE BEGIN EVERY MEETING WITH THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE, LIBERTY, AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.

SO THE QUESTION IS SIMPLE.

ARE WE LIVING THAT? BECAUSE IF WE'RE NOT, THEN IT'S NOT A PLEDGE, IT'S A PERFORMANCE.

YOUR TIME'S CONCLUDED.

ALL RIGHT, THANK YOU.

I GOT YOU.

THANK YOU, CAROLYN.

ALL RIGHT, NEXT IS MARQUISE MARQUIS MARQUI.

CAN YOU HEAR ME? LAST WEEK ON APRIL 29TH, YOU SUPREME COURT RENDERED A DECISION THAT IN EFFECT, GUT SECTION TWO OF THE 1965 VOTING RIGHTS ACT.

MORE TO THE POINT.

SECTION TWO, OUTLAW STATES FROM TAKING ANY ACTIONS TO PREVENT ELIGIBLE VOTERS FROM VOTING OR DIMINISHED VOTES ON ACCOUNT OF COLOR OR RACE.

THIS FOLLOWS A LONG PATTERN OF ACTIONS TAKEN BY THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION AND ITS ALLIES TO ERODE THE GAINS OF THE CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT AND RECONSTRUCTION.

ALL EVIDENCE POINTS TO THE EFFORT TO REIMPOSE THE MANDATES OF AN APARTHEID STATE OR JIM CROW.

TWO POINT JIM CROW 2.0.

LONG BEACH WOULD BE AN IDEAL LOCATION FOR THE RESURGENCE OF SUCH A POLITICAL PROJECT WITH ITS HISTORY OF ACTIVE WHITE SUPREMACIST ORGANIZATIONS, INCLUDING THE KKK AND ITS PROCE PROXIMITY TO CITIES SUCH AS HUNTINGTON BEACH, KNOWN FOR REACTION, KNOWN FOR ITS REACTIONARY POLITICS AND HARBORING WHITE SUPREMACIST ORGANIZATIONS.

AND THE SUPPOSEDLY LIBERAL STATE OF CALIFORNIA BLACK PEOPLE ARE FIGHTING FOR SURVIVAL, FIGHTING TO REMAIN AMID ATMOSPHERE OF ANTI-BLACKNESS, EVIDENCED BY HISTORICAL HOUSING SEGREGATION PATTERNS THAT PERSIST IN LONG BEACH.

HOUSING DISCRIMINATION, HOUSING QUALITY ISSUES, HOUSING UNAFFORDABILITY, POLICE BRUTALITY, AND GENERAL SAFETY CONCERNS ACROSS THE CITY.

LASTLY, BLACK WORKERS IN THE CITY OF LONG BEACH CONTINUE TO BE DISREGARDED, DISRESPECTED AND MARGINALIZED WE'RE UNDERREPRESENTED IN MANAGERIAL AND SUPERVISORY ROLES.

MM-HMM .

AND CONCERNS BROUGHT UP BY BLACK WORKERS WORKING FOR THE CITY ARE REGULARLY IGNORED.

THERE IS NO UNITED STATES, NO AMERICA, NOPE.

NO DEMOCRACY, NO MODERN WORLD ECONOMY WITHOUT BLACK WORKERS PROVIDING THEIR LABOR, INGENUITY AND CREATIVITY.

WE ARE THE FOUNDATION AND MUST BE GIVEN OUR JUST DUE.

YEP.

WE'RE HERE TO LET YOU KNOW OF OUR INTENT TO SUSTAIN THE STRUGGLE TO LET YOU KNOW WE ARE, WE'RE A FORCE.

WE'RE HERE TO MAKE SURE OUR DEMANDS ARE KNOWN AND SHOW MOVEMENT AS A DISCIPLINE, ORGANIZED AND UNIFIED FRONT.

AND WE'LL

[01:05:01]

ALRIGHT, NEXT IS ANTHONY HOLMES.

ANTHONY HOLMES IS NEXT AFTER ANTHONY.

HIS TENANTS RISE.

YOU PROTECT BLACK WORKERS, PROTECT BLACK WORKERS, BLACK WORKERS.

I DIDN'T START SPEAKING YET, REX.

I DIDN'T SAY ONE WORD ON THE MICROPHONE.

UH, YOU DON'T GET TO COME UP.

I DIDN'T SAY DIDN'T SET UP A WHOLE SITUATION.

DIDN'T MICRO THE PHONE.

WHY? YOU START MY TIME.

COME ON, LET ME, LET ME GET MY STUFF OFF MAN.

LET'S GIVE HIM 15 SECONDS.

BUT NAH, I SHOULD START.

I DIDN'T START SPEAKING YET.

YOU TALKING RIGHT NOW.

I'M TALKING NOW.

BUT START IT ON AT THREE.

I THIS IS YOUR CHOICE.

YOU CAN KEEP WASTING TIME.

IF YOU NEED EXTRA TIME AT THE END.

I'LL LET YOU KEEP GOING A LITTLE WHILE, MAN.

START OVER.

I DIDN'T NAH, I DIDN'T COME WAY DOWN HERE FOR NOTHING.

YOU CAN'T, THE LONGER YOU KEEP GOING, THE LONGER THIS IS GONNA GO.

IF YOU NEED TO FINISH AT THE END, I'LL GIVE YOU SOME EXTRA TIME AT THE END.

MAN, F**K ALL THAT.

I DIDN'T COME DOWN HERE FOR NOTHING.

START MY TIME.

I NEVER START TALKING ON THE MIC.

YOU DO THIS B******T ALL THE TIME.

F*****G COWARD ASS.

GIVE IT.

I DON'T EVEN WANT TO TALK NOW.

F*****G WHITE AS THE YOU WAS THE B***H.

THE NEXT SPEAKER, STRAIGHT B***H IS TENNIS RISE AS AND THESE ARE THE BLACK WORKERS OF LONG BEACH.

PROTECT BLACK WORKERS, PROTECT BLACK WORKERS, RESPECT BLACK WORKERS, RESPECT BLACK WORKERS.

IS TENANTS RISE OR TENANT PROTECTION.

NOW HERE, 'CAUSE WE'RE GONNA GO TO THE NEXT ONE, IF NOT TENANTS RISE OR TENANTS PROTECTION.

NOW I WANNA START BY UPLIFTING THE DEMANDS OF THE DIGNITY NOT DELAY CAMPAIGN, FIGHTING AGAINST THE EXACT RETALIATION THAT THEY JUST WATCHED HAPPEN IN FRONT OF ALL OF US.

BUT THAT'S WHAT'S HAPPENING IN THE BACK ROOMS THAT THEY TRY TO BRING TO LIGHT THAT YOU IGNORE, WE WATCHED YOU IGNORE AND DEMAND, UH, IGNORE THEIR DEMANDS AND IT'S ABSOLUTELY UNACCEPTABLE.

AND BLACK WORKERS DESERVE BETTER.

BLACK AND BROWN SOLIDARITY IS OUR NORTH STAR.

TODAY I'M HERE TO TALK ABOUT OUR HOUSING CRISIS.

AND AS BLM GRASSROOTS HAS POINTED OUT IN A RECENT SOCIAL MEDIA STATEMENT, IT IS BLACK PEOPLE WHO ARE MOST IMPACTED BY HOMELESSNESS IN THE CITY.

AND IN KNOWING THAT RISING COSTS ARE A LEADING REASON OF REASON OF HOMELESSNESS IN LONG BEACH, IT MAKES BLACK WORKER PROTECTION EVEN MORE VITAL.

IF THEY'RE NOT PROTECTED AT WORK, THEY ARE NOT PROTECTED IN THEIR HOMES.

MM-HMM.

THE SECOND LEADING CAUSE OF HOMELESSNESS IN THE CITY IS EVICTIONS.

AND I'D LIKE TO TALK ABOUT MY FRIEND MARIA, WHO CONTINUES TO FIGHT TO REMAIN IN HER CHILDHOOD HOME OF 30 YEARS SINCE 2023.

DR.

FIA KINA BAY HAS BEEN ATTEMPTING TO EVICT MARIA.

HE'S FAILED MULTIPLE EVICTION ATTEMPTS, EVEN GOING SO FAR AS FORCING A JURY TRIAL WHERE HE CLAIMED SHE DIDN'T PAY THE RENT EVEN THOUGH THERE WAS VIDEO FOOTAGE SHOWING THAT SHE DID TRY TO PAY THE JURY IN THAT CASE RULED IN MARIA'S FAVOR, STATING THAT DR.

AINA BAY HAD REFUSED HER PAYMENT, HE REFUSED HER PAYMENT AND THEN TRIED TO EVICT HER FOR NON-PAYMENT.

MARIA WON.

BUT AT WHAT COST MONTHS AND MONTHS OF COURT HEARINGS, INSTABILITY, LACK OF PEACE.

EVICTIONS ARE VIOLENCE.

RESEARCH SHOWS THAT EVICTIONS ARE ASSOCIATED WITH A HIGHER RISK OF DEATH.

THERE ARE STRONG DETERMINANTS OF HEALTH WITH EFFECTS THAT CAN LAST FOR YEARS.

AND IT'S ALMOST IRONIC THAT A DOCTOR, DR.

FEMI AINA BAY, WHO WORKS AT HARBOR COMMUNITY HEALTH CENTERS TO BE SPECIFIC, IS THE DRIVING DETERMINANT OF MARIA'S DEGRADING HEALTH.

NOW, DR.

AINA BAY HAS ADDED AGAIN AND FOR THE FIFTH TIME, IS ATTEMPTING TO EVICT MARIA NOW FOR SUBSTANTIAL REMODEL.

THIS IS THE REALITY OF TENANTS IN LONG BEACH, WHERE LANDLORDS GET UNLIMITED CHANCES TO KICK PEOPLE OUTTA THEIR HOMES AND DESTABILIZE OUR NEIGHBORHOODS.

AND SHE SHARED HER STORY WITH YOU FROM THE BEGINNING.

SINCE 2023, YOU HAVE BEEN WITNESSES.

WE HAVE TOLD YOU THAT HER STORY IS PART OF A LARGER PATTERN OF LANDLORDS USING SUBSTANTIAL REMODEL EVICTIONS TO UNDERMINE RENT CONTROL AND SKYROCKET THE RENT AND THAT RENT EVICTIONS TARGET NATURALLY OCCURRING AFFORDABLE HOUSING.

I WONDER WHAT IT'S LIKE TO HAVE THE POWER TO LITERALLY SAVE SOMEONE'S LIFE AND SIT THERE AND DO NOTHING.

AFTER THAT IS REVEREND JONATHAN MITCHELL.

I WANNA CLOSE BY REMINDING YOU THAT YOUR FAILURE TO ABOLISH SUBSTANTIAL REMODEL EVICTIONS IS IN VIOLATION OF YOUR OWN HOUSING ELEMENT.

HERE'S A QUOTE FROM ACTION 5.2 0.2 OF THE HOUSING ELEMENT.

THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THIS PROGRAM WOULD MITIGATE ANY NEGATIVE IMPACTS TO TENANTS THROUGH THE REMOVAL OF SUBSTANTIAL REMODELS FROM THE LIST OF NO FAULT, UH, JUST CAUSE EVICTIONS THROUGH THE REMOVAL AND IN THE HOUSING ELEMENT YOU COMMITTED TO ABOLISHING SUBSTANTIAL REMODELS BY 2022.

IT'S NOW 2026 AND MARIA AND HUNDREDS OF OTHER TENANTS CONTINUE TO EXPERIENCE TRAUMA DISPLACEMENT AND EXTREME HEALTH CONSEQUENCES BECAUSE OF YOUR FAILURE TO ASK

[01:10:01]

ACT.

ASK CHRIS KONZ, WHO I'M SURE WILL TELL YOU THAT FAILURE TO COMPLY WITH YOUR HOUSING ELEMENT WILL EXPOSE THE CITY TO LIABILITY AND DECERTIFICATION OF THE ELEMENT WILL HALT YOUR PRECIOUS BUILDING DEVELOPMENT.

IF YOU DON'T WANNA HEAR FROM ME, I HAVE A FEELING YOU'LL HEAR FROM THE STATE DEPARTMENT VERY SOON.

NEXT IS ANDREA ROMERO.

GOOD EVENING MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS.

MY NAME IS ANDREA ROMERO AND I'M A WORKER AT THE LONG BEACH CONVENTION CENTER AND A MEMBER OF UNITE HERE.

11.

I'M SPEAKING TODAY BECAUSE TWO OF OUR MEMBERS HAVE COME FORWARD WITH COMPLAINTS ALLEGING SEX BASED HARASSMENT, INCLUDING HARMFUL TREATMENT OF PREGNANT WORKERS AND A PATTERN OF DISRESPECT TOWARD WOMEN.

UM, MS. JULIAN, UM, PEREZ COMPLAINT ALLEGES THAT SHE AT TIMES URINATED ON HERSELF TO AVOID UPSETTING THE EXECUTIVE CHEF WHO ALLEGEDLY TIMED HER RESTROOM BREAKS WHILE SHE WAS PREGNANT.

ACCORDING TO THE COMPLAINT OF ANOTHER WORKER, UH, OF ANOTHER COWORKER, VANESSA WANER, UM, THE EXECUTIVE CHEF TOLD HER DURING WORK HOURS THAT HE HATES WOMEN AND VIEWED ALL WOMEN AS MONEY HUNGRY LIARS.

WOW.

IT TAKES COURAGE TO SPEAK UP.

WHEN WORKERS, UM, RAISE THESE KINDS OF CONCERNS.

THEY, THEY DESERVE TO BE HEARD.

WE ALL WANT A WORKPLACE WHERE PEOPLE ARE TREATED FAIRLY, WHERE WOMEN ARE RESPECTED, AND WHERE, WHERE NO ONE HAS TO CHOOSE BETWEEN THEIR HEALTH AND THEIR JOB.

WE ARE STANDING TOGETHER TO ASK FOR THOSE BASIC PROTECTIONS.

REVEREND JONATHAN MITCHELL.

REVEREND MITCHELL.

AFTER REVEREND MITCHELL IS MARIA MEZA.

GOOD EVENING MAYOR AND, AND CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS.

MY NAME IS

[01:15:01]

I'M A PASTOR AND I'M CURRENTLY ACTIVE AT ST.

LUKE'S EPISCOPAL CHURCH IN DISTRICT ONE.

I'M ALSO A MEMBER OF CLU CLERGY UNITED FOR CLERGY AND LA UNITED FOR ECONOMIC JUSTICE.

I'M STANDING IN SOLIDARITY TONIGHT WITH THE COURAGEOUS WORKERS AT THE LONG BEACH YACHT CLUB WHO'VE COME FORWARD ALLEGING SEX-BASED HARASSMENT.

UM, WITH THESE TWO WOMEN, JULIANNE PEREZ AND VANESSA WANER, WHO DARED TO FILE COMPLAINTS WITH THE CALIFORNIA CIVIL RIGHTS DEPARTMENT.

WHAT THESE COMPLAINTS ALLEGE A SUPERVISOR WHO ALLEGEDLY TARGETED PREGNANT WOMEN, FILMED THEIR, TIMED THEIR BATHROOM BREAKS AND MADE OPENLY HOSTILE STATEMENTS ABOUT WOMEN IN THE WORKPLACE.

THIS DESCRIBES THE FAILURE OF BASIC HUMAN DIGNITY AND THE ALLEGATION THAT THE MANAGEMENT FAILED TO RESPOND APPROPRIATELY, WHICH IS ILLEGAL OVER MULTIPLE YEARS.

IT MAKES IT WORSE.

WORSE.

AS A PERSON OF FAITH, MY FAITH TEACHES ME THE EQUAL WORTH AND DIGNITY OF EVERY HUMAN BEING BEFORE GOD.

MY FAITH TEACHES ME THAT I NEED TO STAND WITH THOSE IN OUR SOCIETY, THAT IN THE MOST DISENFRANCHISED AND VULNERABLE, UM, I WOULD HATE TO THINK THAT WE LIVE IN A SOCIETY THAT STIGMATIZES PREGNANCY AND CHILDBIRTH.

AND THE IRONY, IT IS JUST BEFORE MOTHER'S DAY.

UM, NO WOMAN SHOULD HAVE TO CHOOSE BETWEEN HER HEALTH, HER PREGNANCY, AND HER JOB.

WE STAND WITH THESE WORKERS, WE BELIEVE THEM, AND AS I, UM, WORK WITH, UM, WORKERS AS PART OF CLUE, I AM OFTEN HORRIFIED BY THE STORIES OF ABUSIVE AND UNSAFE WORKING PLACES THAT I HEAR.

AND MANY OF THESE WORKERS ARE HERE WITH US IN THE SEATS TONIGHT.

I, I, I ASKED, I URGE THE CITY COUNCIL TO DO EVERYTHING IN YOUR POWER TO PROTECT THE RIGHTS OF WORKERS IN THE CITY.

AND, UM, HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY.

RIGHT.

UH, WE HAVE MARIA AND THEN DAVE.

HELLO, MY NAME IS MARIA MESA, ORGANIZER WITH UNITE HERE, LOCAL 11.

UM, I REPRESENT THE WORKERS AT THE, UH, LONG BEACH AT CLUB, WHICH, UH, SEATS ON PUBLIC LAND LIST FROM THE, UH, CITY OF LONG BEACH.

I WANT TO LET YOU KNOW THAT TWO WOMEN WHO WORK AT THE CLUB HAVE FILED COMPLAINTS WITH THE CALIFORNIA CIVIL RIGHTS DEPARTMENT ALLEGING SEX BASIC HARASSMENT THEY ENDURED WILL WORKING THERE IN HER COMPLAINT.

MRS. PEREZ LEGS THAT THE EXECUTIVE GE CHEF HARASSMENT ACROSS TO PRE TWO PREGNANCIES CAUSED IT ON HER TO SUFFER AND ITY ATTACKS, STOMACH PAINS AND NIGHTMARES.

SHE FURTHER LEGS THAT SHE ALL THE TIMES URATE ON HERSELF TO AVOID UPSETTING THE EXECUTIVE CHEF WHO ALLEGEDLY TIME HER RESTROOM BREAKS WHILE SHE WAS PREGNANT.

MS. WENER, A FORMER MANAGER AT THE JU CLUB AS FILED A COMPLAINT, ALL ALLEGED SEX BASIC HARASSMENT SHE ENDURED THROUGH HER TIMES THERE.

ACCORDING TO THE COMPLAINT, THE EXECUTIVE CHEF TOLD MRS. WEINER DURING WORK HOURS THAT HE HATES WOMEN.

AND WITH ALL WOMANS AT MONEY HUNGRY LIARS ON A SEPARATE OCCASION, THE COMPLAINT ALLEGED THAT THE EXECUTIVE CHEF TOLD EMPLOYEES AT THE JUT CLUB KITCHEN THAT WOMENS GET PREGNANT BECAUSE THEY ARE LAZY AND DO DON'T WANT TO WORK.

WE HUGE YOU ENSURE THAT THE WORKERS ON THIS PUBLIC LAND ARE PROTECTED FROM HARASSMENT AND TREAT WITH DIGNITY SIGNS.

THIS IS THE AMOUNT OF MOTHERS FACT YOU HAVE MENTIONED SEVERAL TIMES.

WE HOPE YOU WILL TAKE ACTION TO ENSURE THAT JUSTICE IS SERVED FOR THIS WORKERS WOMAN WHO ARE MOTHERS AT THE JU CLUB.

ALRIGHT, THANK YOU DAVE.

IS THAT THE SPOT WE GAVE A 90 YEAR LEASE TO A COUPLE WEEKS AGO? OH YEAH.

YEP.

PLEASE DON'T INTERRUPT THE MEETING.

EASTERN STANDARD TIME, THE SUPREME COURT LED BY JUSTICE JOHN ROBERTS, I GUTTED SECTION TWO OF THE VOTING RIGHTS ACT OF 1965.

LES.

WEDNESDAY NIGHT AT 7:20 PM

[01:20:01]

THE BILLIONAIRE CAPTURED RIGHT WING SIX TO THREE RULING IN LOUISIANA VERSUS KALAY EFFECTIVELY ENDED THE SECOND RECONSTRUCTION IN THE UNITED STATES.

AS JUSTICE KAGAN WROTE IN HER DISSENT THE COURT'S PROJECT TO DESTROY THE VOTING RIGHTS ACT IS NOW COMPLETE.

SHE CONTINUED THE VOTING ACT, RIGHTS ACT IS, OR NOW MORE ACCURATELY WAS ONE OF THE MOST CONSEQUENTIAL, EFFICACIOUS, AND AMPLY JUSTIFIED EXERCISES OF FEDERAL LEGISLATIVE POWER IN OUR NATION'S HISTORY.

IT WAS BORN OF THE LITERAL BLOOD OF UNION SOLDIERS AND CIVIL RIGHTS MARSHES.

AND IT HAS BEEN REPEATEDLY AND OVERWHELMINGLY REAUTHORIZED BY THE PEOPLE'S REPRESENTED IN CONGRESS.

ONLY THEY HAVE THE RIGHT TO SAY IT IS NO LONGER NEEDED, NOT THE MEMBERS OF THIS COURT.

NONETHELESS, IN THE DAYS SINCE ALABAMA, TENNESSEE, LOUISIANA, GEORGIA, MISSISSIPPI, AND FLORIDA HAVE ALL RUSHED TO MOVE TO REDISTRICT AHEAD OF THE 2026 AND 2028 ELECTIONS.

REPORTING IN THE HILL IN THE NEW YORK TIMES HAVE ESTIMATED THAT 12 TO 19 CONGRESSIONAL SEATS COULD BE LOST IN AN AREAS DOMINATED BY NON-WHITE POPULATIONS AND VOTERS.

LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, THE ROBERTS COURT HAS TAKEN OFF ITS MASK.

THE ROBERTS COURT NO LONGER HAS ANY LEGITIMACY.

THESE STATES HAVE THE LARGEST NUMBERS OF NON-WHITE VOTERS.

PEOPLE WHO LITERALLY HAD NO REPRESENTATION IN CONGRESS UNTIL 1965.

THE REPUBLICAN PARTY THAT THE ROBERTS COURT JUST GAVE A FREE PASS TO RACIALLY DISCRIMINATE WITH IS NO LONGER THE PARTY OF LINCOLN OR TEDDY ROOSEVELT.

THEIR ACTIONS PLAINLY SHOW THE INTENT NON-WHITE VOTERS DON'T COUNT.

NOT TO THEM.

THE REPUBLICAN PARTY NO LONGER HAS ANY LEGITIMACY.

THEY HAVE NO PLATFORM, NO SOLUTIONS, NO IDEAS.

THEY ARE POLITICALLY IMPOTENT TO THE PROBLEMS WE FACE IN THE 21ST CENTURY.

IN FACT, THEY ARE THE PERPETRATORS WORLDWIDE OF SOME OF THEM.

NOW, AS A PREVIOUS SPEAKER ON THE VOTING RIGHTS ACT, UH, GUTTING NOTED LONG BEACH COULD WELL BECOME A LABORATORY FOR FURTHER DISCRIMINATION GIVEN ITS HISTORY AND GIVEN ITS PROMINENCE, NOT ONLY IN THE ECONOMY, NA, NATIONALLY, BUT WORLDWIDE, IT IS NOW ON EACH OF YOU CONGRESS, UH, COUNCIL MEMBERS AND MR. MAYOR AS OUR ELECTED OF REPRESENTATIVES TO BE VIGILANT, TO CONTINUE TO PROMOTE FAIRNESS, EQUITY, AND REPRESENTATION FOR ALL.

AND THIS COUNTRY NEEDS A THIRD RECONSTRUCTION.

IT NEEDS TO FULFILL THE PROMISE OF DEMOCRACY, EQUALITY, AND FAIRNESS FOR ALL.

US THROUGH THIS, UH, THIS ITEM PLEASE.

ALRIGHT, THAT CONCLUDES, UH, GENERAL PUBLIC COMMENT.

WE'RE NOW GONNA GO TO ITEM 32.

REPORT FROM HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES RECOMMENDATION TO EXECUTE ALL NECESSARY DOCUMENTS, INCLUDING ANY AMENDMENTS TO THE AWARD AMOUNT WITH CENTERS FOR DISEASE CONTROL AND PREVENTION TO ACCEPT AND EXPEND FUNDING IN THE AMOUNT OF 713,955 CITYWIDE.

ALRIGHT, MR. MO, WALK

[32. 26-54942 Recommendation to authorize City Manager, or designee, to execute all necessary documents and any subsequent amendments, including any amendments to the award amount, with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), to accept and expend funding in the amount of $713,955, to enhance public health infrastructure for the period of December 1, 2025 through November 30, 2026; and Increase appropriations in the Health Fund Group in the Health and Human Services Department by $713,955, offset by grant revenue. (Citywide) Office or Department: Health and Human Services Suggested Action: Approve recommendation. ]

YES, WE DO HAVE A SHORT PRESENTATION FROM OUR DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES.

GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL.

MY NAME IS ERICA VALENCIA DCI AND I'M THE DEPUTY, THE DIRECTOR OF THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT IN 2022, THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT RECEIVED A GRANT FROM THE CDC CALLED THE PUBLIC HEALTH INFRASTRUCTURE GRANT, AND THAT'S WHY I'M HERE TODAY.

THIS GRANT HAS TWO COMPONENTS, A ONE AND A TWO.

THE FIRST IS A FIVE-YEAR WORKFORCE INVESTMENT AND THE SECOND IS A NON-COMPETING AND ANNUAL APPLICATION THAT WE SUBMIT EACH YEAR.

WE ARE HERE TODAY TO ACCEPT THOSE NON-COMPETING A TWO FUNDS IN THE AMOUNT OF $713,000 FOR THE FOURTH YEAR OF THE GRANT.

DECEMBER 1ST THROUGH NOVEMBER 30TH, 2026.

THE FIG GRANT WAS INTENTIONALLY CREATED TO FILL CRITICAL GAPS IN PUBLIC HEALTH INFRASTRUCTURE BY SUPPORTING POSITIONS THAT ARE ESSENTIAL TO OUR OPERATION, BUT ARE TRADITIONALLY DIFFICULT TO FUND, SUCH AS FINANCE ANALYSTS, HUMAN RESOURCES, DATA AND DATA MODERNIZATION, AND WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT STAFF CDC STRUCTURED THIS GRANT WITH MAXIMUM FLEXIBILITY TO STRENGTHEN THE FOUNDATIONS OF PUBLIC HEALTH INFRASTRUCTURE.

AND SO THIS FUNDING REALLY ENABLES US TO EXAMINE HOW OUR SYSTEMS WORK, IDENTIFY WHERE THEY FALL SHORT AND BUILD NEW, MORE INNOVATIVE WAYS TO DELIVER SERVICES AND SUPPORT OUR COMMUNITIES.

IT ALSO HELPS TO ALLEVIATE THE STRAIN ON THE HEALTH OPERATING FUND SINCE MANY OF THE POSITIONS ARE NOT COVERED BY PROGRAMMATIC GRANTS.

EXAMPLES OF WHAT WE'VE ACHIEVED SO FAR INCLUDE STREAMLINING AND AUTOMATING FINANCIAL TRAINING AND PROCESSES, MODERNIZING OUR DATA COLLECTION AND STORAGE, AND IMPLEMENTING STRATEGIC PLANNING AND LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT AND TRAINING.

AND MY FAVORITE IS, UM, BUILDING UP THE FUTURE GENERATIONS OF PUBLIC

[01:25:01]

HEALTH PROFESSIONALS.

WHEN THE FIRST WAVE OF EXECUTIVE ORDERS WERE ISSUED, THE IMPLEMENTATION AND STABILITY OF THIS FUNDING FACED SIGNIFICANT BARRIERS AND PLACED ADDITIONAL STRAIN ON AN ALREADY LIMITED PUBLIC HEALTH INFRASTRUCTURE.

IN DECEMBER OF 2025, SEVERAL CDC EMPLOYEES WERE TERMINATED, INCLUDING OUR PROJECT OFFICER JUST AFTER THE PROLONGED SHUTDOWN.

SHE HAD BEEN A KEY PARTNER IN OUR WORK AND LOSING THAT SUPPORT CREATED ANOTHER LAYER OF INSTABILITY.

SINCE EARLY 2026, WE'VE ALSO EXPERIENCED MULTIPLE WAYS, WAVES OF PAUSING OR TERMINATING OF THIS GRANT ALTOGETHER.

ON JANUARY 23RD OF THIS YEAR, WE RECEIVED NOTIFICATION TO PAUSE ALL ACTIVITIES AND EXPENSES ASSOCIATED WITH THIS GRANT, AND THE VERY NEXT DAY, JANUARY 24TH, THAT PAUSE WAS RESCINDED AND THE GRANT RESUMED.

THEN ON FEBRUARY 11TH, WE WERE NOTIFIED THAT THE GRANT WAS BEING TERMINATED.

TWO DAYS LATER, ON FEBRUARY 13TH, A COURT ISSUED TEMPORARY RESTRAINING ORDER, TRO AND OUR NOTICE OF AWARD WAS REISSUED ON FEBRUARY 26TH.

THE NOTICE OF AWARD WAS REISSUED AGAIN, THIS TIME WITH THE TRO.

AND FINALLY ON MARCH 30TH, THE NOTICE OF AWARD WAS REISSUED ONE LAST TIME.

NOW, UNDER A PRELIMINARY INJUNCTION, ALTHOUGH A PRELIMINARY INJUNCTION IS CURRENTLY ALLOWING US TO CONTINUE WITH OUR AWARDED FUNDING, THE UNCERTAINTY HAS BEEN CONSTANT.

ON TOP OF ALL OF THIS, THE SCOPE OF WORK THAT HAD BEEN ALREADY APPROVED IS BEING QUESTIONED, WHICH ADDS MORE ADMINISTRATIVE BURDEN AS WE DRAW DOWN OUR FUNDING.

THE RESULTS OF THESE CHANGES HAS ADDED A STRAIN ON OUR PUBLIC HEALTH INFRASTRUCTURE THROUGH HOURS OF STAFF TIME NAVIGATING THE CHANGES, SEVERAL WAVES OF CONTINGENCY PLANNING, INTERNAL CRISIS COMMUNICATION, ACTIVATION OF OUR FEDERAL DELEGATION, AND SO ON.

DESPITE THESE CHANGES, HOWEVER, FIG REMAINS CRITICAL TO OUR INFRASTRUCTURE.

IT SUPPORTS ESSENTIAL POSITIONS AND EFFORTS THAT KEEP OUR PUBLIC HEALTH SYSTEM FUNCTIONING, AND WE CONTINUE TO PERSEVERE BECAUSE THE WORK AND THE COMMUNITIES WE SERVE CANNOT AFFORD FOR THIS PROGRESS TO STALL.

WE RECOMMEND THAT THE CITY COUNCIL APPROVE THIS ITEM SO THAT WE CAN CONTINUE THIS CRITICAL WORK.

THAT CONCLUDES OUR PRESENTATION.

ALRIGHT, SO, UH, SO WHAT'S THE SITUATION WITH THIS GRANT AND THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, TOM? YEAH, SO THAT'S A LONG, COMPLICATED STORY, BUT, UH, WE AWARDED IT THEN IT WAS RESCINDED.

WE SUED AND WE GOT IT BACK.

SO WE, UM, UH, WE HAD A SIGNED CONTRACT IN PLACE.

UH, THIS ALLOWS US TO CONTINUE THAT, UH, FOR A LITTLE BIT LONGER.

UH, THAT MAY STILL CHANGE UNDER APPEAL, UH, BUT THIS IS JUST ONE OF MANY EXAMPLES THAT WE'RE SEEING WHERE WE ARE LOSING SIGNIFICANT HEALTH DEPARTMENT FUNDING, UH, UH, FROM FEDERAL POLICY CHANGES.

SO THIS IS ONE OF ABOUT HOW MUCH MONEY IN QUESTION FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.

I THINK CURRENTLY IT'S ABOUT 17, $18 MILLION THAT WE'VE LOST.

UM, AND ABOUT 44, UM, POSITIONS THAT WE'RE ASSOCIATED WITH THAT WORK, UH, UH, SERVING THE COMMUNITY AND HOW MUCH ACROSS ALL THE DEPARTMENTS IS IN QUESTION.

UH, WE KEEP A RUNNING TALLY OF WHETHER IT'S, UH, BEEN, UH, DENIED OR BEEN DELAYED OR UNCERTAIN.

UH, THE LAST TIME I LOOKED AT THAT WAS IN THE 300 PLUS MILLION, IF I REMEMBER, 3 30, 3 40.

CRAZY.

THAT'S NOT NORMAL, RIGHT? OH, THAT IS DEFINITELY NOT NORMAL.

ALRIGHT, THANK YOU SO MUCH.

SO MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL, UM, YOU KNOW, I THINK THIS IS AN EXAMPLE THAT WE WANT TO ACCEPT THIS.

WE DON'T EVEN KNOW IF IT'S GONNA BE APPEALED, UH, BUT OUR HEALTH DEPARTMENT IS CERTAINLY UNDER ATTACK IN THIS MOMENT.

UM, WE'RE GONNA, UH, TAKE IT BEHIND THE RAIL, VICE MAYOR, YANGA, ANYTHING, UH, JUST TO SEE THAT, UH, AMERICA, TO SEE THAT STAFF IS ON TOP OF IT AND KEEP UP YOUR TENACITY.

UH, COUNCIL MEMBER THS TOOK.

THANK YOU, MAYOR.

UH, I WANNA ECHO THAT AS WELL.

I WANNA CONGRATULATE OUR TEAM ON CONTINUING TO PURSUE, UH, THESE RESOURCES.

UH, WE KNOW HOW IMPORTANT IT IS THAT WE, WE HAVE A THRIVING PUBLIC HEALTH, UH, SYSTEM.

UM, AND WE KNOW THAT THIS PARTICULAR SET OF WORK, UH, EXPOSED SOME OF THE GAPS THAT WE HAD DURING THE PANDEMIC.

AND SO, ONE JUST QUICK QUESTION THAT I HAVE IS THAT AS WE LOOK AT HOW TO, UH, UTILIZE THESE RESOURCES, WILL WE BE ALLOWED, UH, TO USE THEM A LITTLE MORE BROADLY? UM, AND LOOKING AT OUR VARIOUS PUBLIC HEALTH INITIATIVES AND NEEDS.

UM, NOW THAT WE'RE OUT OF THE PANDEMIC, THE, UM, THIS PARTICULAR GRANT ALLOWS FOR US TO PAY FOR THINGS THAT AREN'T TRADITIONALLY FUNDED BY PROGRAMMATIC TYPE OF GRANTS.

SO WE WILL CONTINUE TO MAINTAIN, MAINTAIN THAT STANDARD AND, AND CONTINUE TO PROVIDE FUNDING FOR THINGS LIKE ADMINISTRATIVE ANALYSTS, RESOURCE, UH, HUMAN RESOURCES AND DATA ANALYSTS.

COUNCIL MEMBER KERR.

AND THANK YOU FOR THE TEAM ON THEIR CONTINUED PERSISTENCE AND HARD WORK.

I JUST HAD A QUESTION.

SO, UH, WE KNOW THAT THE ADMINISTRATION COULD POSSIBLY APPEAL THIS, AND WE GO RIGHT

[01:30:01]

BACK.

I'M WONDERING IF, UM, AS WE DRAW DOWN THE MONEY, SPEND THE MONEY ON THESE REALLY IMPORTANT PROGRAMS IN OUR CITY, IF IT GETS TURNED OVER ON APPEAL, WOULD WE HAVE TO THEN REPAY ANY MON SPENT THAT WE'VE DRAWN DOWN? MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT WE WOULDN'T, BECAUSE THEY WOULD HAVE TO, UM, IT WOULD HAVE TO BE OFFICIALLY TERMINATED.

AND SO WHAT WE DO AS A DEPARTMENT IS THAT WE DRAW DOWN OUR FUNDING AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE.

AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE.

WE'VE NEVER LEFT A SINGLE PENNY ON THE TABLE FOR THIS GRANT.

AND WHEN THIS FIRST HAPPENED, UM, LAST YEAR, UH, WE, WE WERE NOT GETTING THE INDICATION WE'D HAVE TO REPAY THREE YEARS OF FUNDING, BUT WE WOULD HAVE TO VERY QUICKLY MAKE ACTIONS TO STOP SPENDING, WHICH MEANS, YOU KNOW, THE, THE EMPLOYEES DOING THIS WORK WOULD NO LONGER BE ON THE PAYROLL.

AND SO, UH, THAT IS OUR UNDERSTANDING IS THAT IT WOULD BE GOING FORWARD.

SO WE'RE GONNA DRAW IT DOWN QUICKLY AND PUT IT TO GOOD USE IN OUR COMMUNITY.

ABSOLUTELY.

THANK YOU, LEE.

OKAY, WE'LL GO TO PUBLIC COMMENT.

DAVE SHUKLA AND RUBY ARRINGTON.

THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR.

UH, COUNCIL MEMBERS, THIS IS, UH, A GREAT EXAMPLE OF HOW GOVERNMENT CAN AND SHOULD WORK.

UM, IT, THE STORY, IT LONG AND COMPLICATED AS IT IS POLITICIZED, AS IT IS, UH, ISN'T AS IMPORTANT AS THE FACT THAT THIS BODY CONTINUES TO TRY AND DO THE RIGHT THING BY ITS RESIDENTS.

IT CONTINUES TO TRY AND FIND SOLUTIONS THAT WORK FOR ALL OF OUR RESIDENTS.

AND I APPRECIATE NOT ONLY THE CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE AND THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT, BUT THE CITY COUNCIL FOR THEIR TENACITY.

AND RUBY, I'LL KEEP MY COMMENTS QUICK.

UM, THANK YOU FOR IN ENLIGHT US ON THIS AND I WILL DEEP DIVE MORE AND I'M CURIOUS TO KNOW MORE ABOUT IT.

BUT THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.

CHALLENGES WITH, UH, MEDI MEDI-CAL, UH, WE'RE SEEING REAL PRESSURE BE PLACED ON OUR CLINICS IN OUR COMMUNITIES AND OUR PUBLIC HEALTH DEPARTMENT IN TWO WAYS.

ALRIGHT, MEMBERS, PLEASE CAST YOUR VOTE.

COUNCILWOMAN DUG COUNCIL DAR.

WE'LL GO TO ITEM 29, COMMUNICATION FROM MAYOR RICHARDSON.

RECOMMENDATION TO REQUEST CITY COUNCIL TAKE AN OFFICIAL POSITION IN SUPPORT OF MEASURE ER, THE ESSENTIAL HEATH HEALTHCARE RESTORATION ACT FOR LOS ANGELES COUNTY.

ALRIGHT, WELL THANK YOU, UH, TO THE MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL, UM, BRINGING THIS FORWARD BECAUSE, UH, THIS IS AN INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT MOMENT, UH, THAT'S HAPPENING IN OUR COMMUNITY RIGHT NOW BASED ON HR ONE

[29. 26-54984 Recommendation to request City Council take an official position in support of Measure ER, the Essential Healthcare Restoration Act for Los Angeles County. Office or Department: Rex Richardson, Mayor Suggested Action: Approve recommendation. ]

ONE, UM, CHANGES IN THE WAY MEDI-CAL IS FUNDED.

REDUCED ELIGIBILITY, UH, WILL TAKE A LOT OF THE MEMBERS OF OUR COMMUNITY WHO COUNT ON, UH, WHAT, UH, ASSISTANCE WE DO HAVE ON HEALTHCARE, AND IT PUSHES THEM OUT OF THE SYSTEM.

AND WHEN THEY DON'T HAVE PRIMARY CARE, IT WILL FORCE MORE INDIVIDUALS TO DEPEND ON OUR ALREADY OVERBURDENED EMERGENCY SYSTEMS. THIS IS NOT JUST LONG BEACH, THIS IS ACROSS THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA.

WE KNOW THAT OUR ENTIRE REGION DOES NOT HAVE ENOUGH ACUTE CARE AND EMERGENCY ROOMS TO SUSTAIN THIS CHALLENGE, EVEN THE CITY SURROUNDING LONG BEACH COUNT ON THEIR CLINICS.

AND WHEN THESE CLINICS ARE IMPACTED AND CLOSED DOWN, IT WILL CREATE A DIRE SITUATION AT OUR LOCAL EMERGENCY ROOMS IN LONG BEACH ACROSS OUR REGION.

WE ALSO KNOW THAT WE ARE A PUBLIC HEALTH DEPARTMENT, UH, CITY WITH A PUBLIC HEALTH DEPARTMENT, ONE OF ONLY THREE IN THE ENTIRE STATE.

SO THE CHALLENGES WITH HR ONE AND, UH, THE REDUCED FUNDING AND UNCERTAINTY FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT HAS PLACED ADDITIONAL STRAIN UNIQUELY ON THE CITY OF LONG BEACH.

WE KNOW HOW IMPORTANT OUR HEALTH DEPARTMENT IS GIVEN ALL THAT WE'VE GONE THROUGH OVER THE PAST SIX YEARS.

IT'S OUR IMMUNE SYSTEM FOR OUR CITY.

IT'S OUR FIRST LINE OF DEFENSE TO PROTECT THE PUBLIC HEALTH OF OUR CITY.

AND UNDER THIS CURRENT ADMINISTRATION, UH, WE KNOW THAT WE HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO COUNT ON THE RESOURCES TO PROVIDE THOSE PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICES TO OUR CITY.

THIS

[01:35:01]

IS NOT A GAME.

THIS IS INCREDIBLY SERIOUS.

AND IN THE NEXT SIX MONTHS, WE'RE GOING TO BEGIN TO SEE REAL IMPACTS FROM HR ONE IMPACT OUR COMMUNITIES, COMMUNITIES ACROSS OUR STATE, OUR BEGINNING TO ORGANIZE AND FIGURE OUT WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO.

WE CAN NO LONGER COUNT ON THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT TO PROVIDE THIS LEVEL OF A SAFETY NET IN OUR COMMUNITIES, AND WE HAVE TO TAKE ACTION LOCALLY.

WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY MEASURE ER WAS PUT FORWARD BY THE COUNTY OF LOS ANGELES AS AN EMERGENCY MEASURE TO PROVIDE SPORT SUPPORT TO OUR LOCAL CLINICS AND OUR JURISDICTIONS WITH HEALTH DEPARTMENTS, WHICH IS THE COUNTY OF LOS ANGELES AND ONLY TWO CITIES IN THE COUNTY, LONG BEACH AND PASADENA.

THIS MEASURE, UH, THIS IS A TEMPORARY SALES TAX MEASURE THAT WILL SUPPORT AND BE A STOP GAP TO HELP US BUILD A OUR LOCAL SAFETY NET.

I WILL TELL YOU, WE ARE EXPERIENCING A DEFICIT IN OUR CITY.

MUCH OF IT IS DRIVEN CURRENTLY BY IMPACT STORE HEALTH DEPARTMENT FUNDING THAT IS NO LONGER THERE THAT WE CAN NO LONGER COUNT ON.

IF THIS MEASURE PASSES, THERE IS DE A DEDICATED ALLOCATION FOR THE CITY OF LONG BEACH AND THE CITY OF PASADENA.

OUR CITY IS DIFFERENT THAN THE OTHER 86 JURISDICTIONS ACROSS THE COUNTY BECAUSE WE, WE ARE UNIQUELY A PUBLIC HEALTH JURISDICTION.

AND THIS WILL HELP US.

THERE IS A $10 MILLION ALLOCATION ANNUALLY IN THIS FUND DEDICATED TO THESE TWO CITIES THAT WILL BE DIVIDED PROPORTIONATELY BY POPULATION.

SO LONG BEACH WILL RECEIVE ABOUT 8 MILLION.

PASADENA WILL RECEIVE ABOUT 2 MILLION EVERY YEAR.

THAT WILL GO A LONG WAY TO HELP IMPROVE AND PROTECT AND BLOCK THE CUTS IN OUR HEALTH DEPARTMENT.

BUT MOST IMPORTANTLY, THE FAMILIES IN LONG BEACH.

AND WE HAVE A SIGNIFICANT NUMBER OF FAMILIES, 120,000 FAMILIES AND RESIDENTS IN LONG BEACH DEPEND ON MEDI-CAL, AND THEY ARE GOING TO EXPERIENCE SIGNIFICANT CHALLENGES IF WE DON'T TAKE ACTION.

SO I AM RECOMMENDING THAT THE CITY OF LONG BEACH TAKE A FORMAL POSITION OF SUPPORT ON THIS MEASURE.

UH, THIS, UH, THIS HAS BEEN CHAMPIONED BY MANY OF THE CLINICS, UH, ST.

JOHN'S, MANY OF THE WORKERS OF OUR PUBLIC HEALTH DEPARTMENTS AND THE COUNTY AND IN THE CITIES, SEIU MACHINISTS, IAM, UH, BECAUSE THERE'S A DI DIRECT IMPACT TO OUR WORKFORCE AND ALSO GROUPS THAT WE COUNT ON, LIKE PLANNED PARENTHOOD, PLANNED PARENTHOOD, A NUMBER OF OTHERS.

SO I BELIEVE THAT AS, AS A CITY OF LONG BEACH, WE SHOULD STAND UP AND SUPPORT THIS MEASURE.

WE, WE WILL, YOU KNOW, OUR, AGAIN, WE ARE VERY DIFFERENT THAN THE REST OF THE CITIES IN THE COUNTY AS A PUBLIC HEALTH JURISDICTION, WHICH MEANS WE SOMETIMES HAVE TO SHOW LEADERSHIP AND BEHAVE DIFFERENTLY.

BUT WE ALSO KNOW THAT IF THINGS GO SIDEWAYS, THE REST OF THE REGION, THIS SOUTHERN COUNT, THIS SORT OF SOUTH COUNTY GATEWAY CITIES REGION WILL COUNT OFF LONG BEACH TO COVER THE WEIGHT OF THE ENTIRE REGION.

SO WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT TAXPAYERS ACROSS THE REGION ARE HELPING SUPPORT LONG BEACH BECAUSE WE PLAY SUCH A VITAL ROLE IN THE HEALTHCARE CONTINUUM.

SO THAT SAID, UM, I RECOMMEND AN I VOTE.

WE'RE GONNA GO TO, UH, PUBLIC COMMENT AND THEN WE'LL GO THROUGH THE COUNCIL, UH, DELIBERATION.

WE HAVE SEVEN MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC SIGNED UP TO SPEAK.

WHEN I READ YOUR NAME, PLEASE COME FORWARD.

ELISA NICHOLAS, UH, CLAUDIA POWELL, DAVE SHUKLA, LILIANA MARTINEZ.

SYLVIA BETTENCOURT.

AND SASHI AND SASHI.

PEOPLE WILL NOT BE ABLE TO ACCESS THE CARE, AND THAT WILL AFFECT EVERY SINGLE ONE OF US.

THANK YOU MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEMBERS.

IT'S SO GOOD TO SEE ALL OF YOU.

I'M DR.

ELISA NICHOLAS.

I'M A PEDIATRICIAN AND CEO OF TCC FAMILY HEALTH, ALSO KNOWN AS THE CHILDREN'S CLINIC.

I'VE BEEN INVOLVED IN THIS PROCESS FROM THE VERY BEGINNING.

THIS IS AN INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT, UM, BALLOT MEASURE.

IT'S, WE URGE YOU ALL TO VOTE YES ON THIS AND TO SPREAD THE WORD AMONG FAMILY AND FRIENDS.

UM, WE HAVE 450 EMPLOYEES.

WE SERVE 40,000 OF THOSE 120,000 IN THIS COMMUNITY.

WE'VE BEEN HERE SINCE 1939.

UM, AND WE SERVE ALL AGES, UM, AND DO ALL, ALL THE HEALTHCARE.

AND LILY WILL TALK ABOUT ALL THE OTHER THINGS ABOUT FOOD AND HOUSING, AND WE PROVIDE THE CARE AT THE MULTI-SERVICE CENTER AND IN OUR VAN.

AND WE'RE NOW THERE THREE DAYS A WEEK WITH OUR VAN, EVEN THOUGH IT IS CLOSED AND BEING RENOVATED.

AND THAT WASN'T COVERED IN THE LONG BEACH POST ARTICLE.

SO, UM, YOU KNOW, THIS IS SO IMPORTANT.

UM, WE RECOGNIZE THE IMPORTANCE OF THE PUBLIC HEALTH DEPARTMENT.

IT WAS IMPERATIVE THAT THEY PUT THAT IN THIS GRANT.

I'M ALSO A COMMISSIONER ON THE LA COUNTY, UM, HEALTH AND HEALTH SERVICES COMMISSION FOR JANIS HANS DISTRICT.

AND THEY WILL BE GETTING MONEY ALSO IN THE LA COUNTY PUBLIC HEALTH DEPARTMENT.

UM, WE KNOW WHAT WILL HAPPEN IF THESE, UH, FUNDING DOESN'T COME.

PEOPLE WILL HAVE TO CUT THEIR SERVICES.

WE WILL HAVE TO LAY OFF PEOPLE, AND

[01:40:01]

WHEN YOU'RE IN A CAR CRASH AND YOU'RE ON THE HARBOR FREEWAY, YOU'RE GONNA GO TO THE NEAREST HOSPITAL.

AND IT DOESN'T MATTER IF YOU'RE WEALTHY OR POOR, THAT HOSPITAL'S GONNA BE MUCH MORE CROWDED.

AND I THINK ALL OF US HAVE SEEN THAT, WHO HAVE GONE TO HOSPITALS RECENTLY.

THIS WILL MAKE IT MUCH, MUCH WORSE.

SO I REALLY RESPECT AND LOVE WORKING WITH THE CITY AND WITH THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT, AND WE WANNA SEE ALL OF US THRIVING.

SO I THANK YOU.

AND PLEASE, UM, I WROTE A LONG NOTE TOO, BUT THANK YOU AND HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY AND HAPPY CINCO DE MAYO, SO THANK YOU.

NEXT IS CLAUDIA POWELL.

AFTER CLAUDIA IS DAVE.

GOOD AFTERNOON.

MY NAME IS CLAUDIA POWELL.

I AM THE VICE PRESIDENT OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS, UH, FOR PLANNED PARENTHOOD ADVOCACY PROJECT, LOS ANGELES COUNTY.

UH, I'M HERE BECAUSE I REALLY CARE ABOUT THE COMMUNITY.

UH, I CARE ABOUT THE SAFETY.

UM, PLANNED PARENTHOOD HEALTH CENTERS ALREADY, UH, FELT THE, UM, THE IMPACT OF HR ONE, UH, THIS YEAR SINCE SEPTEMBER, WE WERE NOT ABLE TO BILL FOR THE SERVICES THAT WE PROVIDE, UH, FOR THE MEDICAL SERVICES, THE PREVENTIVE SERVICES, LIKE STD TESTING, UH, CANCER SCREENING.

UM, DUE TO THE HR ONE BILL, UH, WE KNOW THAT 80% OF OUR SERVICES, UH, ARE PROVIDED, UH, TO PATIENTS THAT, UM, RECEIVE, UH, MEDICAL.

UH, WE HAVE 23 HEALTH CENTERS THROUGHOUT LOS ANGELES COUNTY, INCLUDING ONE OVER HERE IN, UM, IN LONG BEACH.

UH, WE KNOW THAT, UH, ER ONE WILL BE, UH, ALLEVIATE, UH, TEMPORARILY, UM, IS A MEASURE FOR FIVE YEARS WILL, UM, RAISE REVENUE TO MITIGATE THE, UH, FEDERAL CUTS THAT, UH, WILL BE DEVASTATED NOT ONLY FOR, UH, FOR CLINICS, BUT FOR HOSPITALS, FOR PUBLIC HEALTH PROGRAMS, UH, FOR SERVICES THAT BENEFIT, UM, ALSO, UH, LONG BEACH.

UM, THAT'S WHY WE ARE HERE TODAY IN SUPPORT OF THIS MEASURE.

UM, WE KNOW THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, WHEN PEOPLE ARE SICK, UH, THEY RELY ON MEDICAL SERVICES AND WE ARE NOT.

WHEN THEY ARE NOT AVAILABLE, THEY, THEY, YOU KNOW, THEY GO WITHOUT SERVICES.

WE KNOW WHAT IS THAT LOOK LIKE? UH, THROUGH THE PANDEMIC, WE SAW HOW AN EFFECTIVE WAS WHEN PEOPLE DON'T GET THE SERVICES THAT THEY NEED.

SO WE ARE, UM, WE'RE HOPING THAT YOU CAN SUPPORT THIS MEASURE.

WE'RE HOPING THAT WE PROTECT THE, UM, THE SAFETY NET, UH, FOR OUR COMMUNITIES.

AND, UM, WE HOPE THAT YOU CAN VOTE YES AND, UH, SUPPORTING THIS MEASURE.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME.

THANK YOU, DAVE.

AFTER DAVE IS LILIANA, UH, THANK YOU MR. MAYOR, CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS, MY NAME IS DAVE SHUKLA.

I'M A THIRD DISTRICT RESIDENT.

I'D LIKE TO THANK YOU, UH, VERY MUCH FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP, UH, ON THIS ITEM.

UH, AND JUST LIKE WITH THE, THE PREVIOUS ITEM, IT, IT SPEAKS TO THE KIND OF SKEWED PRIORITIES OF THE FEDERAL ADMINISTRATION, THE IMPACTS THAT IT'S HAVING ON EVERYDAY ORDINARY PEOPLE, NEEDLESS SUFFERING AND CRUELTY SO THAT WE CAN ENRICH BILLIONAIRES AND WE CAN ENRICH HARM MAKERS AND WE CAN ENRICH, UH, YOU KNOW, UH, PEOPLE THAT, UH, LOOK AT EVERY PROBLEM LIKE A NAIL.

UH, AND THEY, THEY ARE THE HAMMER.

UH, I'D LIKE TO STAY, I, I, I'D JUST LIKE TO, TO TO, TO SAY, YOU KNOW, THAT, UH, LA COUNTY CAN AND SHOULD IN THE YEARS TO COME FIND AND DEMONSTRATE A BETTER WAY, NOT JUST TO THIS COUNTRY, BUT TO THE WORLD.

AND THIS IS ONE OF THE WAYS TO DO IT.

A FEW YEARS AGO ARE NOW GONNA BE LEFT UNINSURED DEPENDING ON THE SAFETY NET.

NEXT IS LILIANA MARTINEZ.

GOOD EVENING.

MY NAME IS LILLY MARTINEZ.

I'M THE DIRECTOR OF HEALTH EDUCATION AND OUTREACH FOR TCC FAMILY HEALTH.

AND WE'D LIKE TO ENCOURAGE YOU ALL TO SUPPORT MEASURE ER, UM, TO SUPPORT THE SAFETY NET IN LA COUNTY.

UM, THERE WASN'T JUST BUDGET CUTS THROUGH HR ONE, THROUGH THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION ON A FEDERAL LEVEL.

THERE WAS ALSO BUDGET CUTS THROUGH THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA, UM, BECAUSE WE WERE SHORT ON MONEY FOR MEDI-CAL TO ENSURE THOSE THAT PREVIOUSLY DIDN'T QUALIFY, BECAUSE THEY'RE SOMEWHERE ALONG THE SPECTRUM ON THIS COMPLICATED TIMELINE TO, UH, RECEIVE THEIR US RESIDENCY OR CITIZENSHIP.

SO, UM, WE USED TO COVER THOSE FAMILIES THAT DIDN'T MEET SATISFACTORY IMMIGRATION STATUS THROUGH SOMETHING CALLED MY HEALTH LA, WHICH WAS A PARTIAL COVERAGE FOR PRIMARY AND PREVENTIVE SERVICES.

UM, THEN THE STATE DECIDED THAT WE COULD COVER THOSE PEOPLE THROUGH, UM, MEDI-CAL, AND NOW THEY'RE GONNA BE KICKED OFF AGAIN.

UH, ALL THOSE FAMILIES THAT RECENTLY RECEIVED, UM, MEDI-CAL

[01:45:01]

AND I WANTED TO DESCRIBE A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT WE DO AS A PUBLIC HEALTH SYSTEM, AS A SAFETY NET AND AS COMMUNITY HEALTH CENTERS, WE DON'T JUST ADDRESS YOUR PHYSICAL HEALTH, WE ALSO ADDRESS ALL THOSE NONCLINICAL SOCIAL DRIVERS OF HEALTH.

UM, LIKE HOUSING.

WE PROVIDE, UM, FREE HOUSING SUPPORT AND NAVIGATION CONNECTIONS TO FREE, UM, UH, LEGAL SERVICES THROUGH LAWYERS THAT WORK WITH OUR CLINICS.

WE PROVIDE SUPPORT WITH FOOD ACCESS.

OUR CLINIC, FOR EXAMPLE, HAS THREE FREE FARMER'S MARKETS WHERE PATIENTS WITH DIABETES, HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE, CHOLESTEROL, AND OTHER THINGS THAT ARE DIET INFLUENCE GET FREE FRESH PRODUCE FROM US SO THAT THEY CAN HAVE ACCESS TO, UM, FOOD AS MEDICINE.

UM, WE ALSO PROVIDE ENROLLMENT SUPPORT BECAUSE SOMETIMES PEOPLE DON'T HAVE TRANSPORTATION TO GET TO THE DPSS OFFICE TO ENROLL OR RENEW THEIR MEDI-CAL OR FOOD STAMPS, OR GET ACCESS TO OTHER PUBLIC BENEFITS.

WE DO ALL THESE SERVICES FREE OF CHARGE FOR COMMUNITY MEMBERS AT, YOU KNOW, 13 ACCESS POINTS ACROSS OUR COMMUNITY.

UM, AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION TO THIS VERY IMPORTANT MATTER AND WE URGE YOU ALL TO, UM, VOTE YES IN SUPPORT OF MEASURE ER.

THANKS SO MUCH.

UH, LET'S SEE, SASHI, I HAVE ONE PERSON AHEAD OF YOU.

SYLVIA.

IS SYLVIA HERE? OH, SORRY.

UH, SYLVIA HAD TO LEAVE.

OKAY, GREAT.

SASHI, YOU'RE FINE.

YOU'RE CLOSING US OUT.

BRING US HOME, SASHI.

ALL RIGHT, THANK YOU, MAYOR.

UM, GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEMBERS AND CITY MANAGER.

WELL, HE'S NOT HERE AT THE MOMENT.

UH, MY NAME IS SASHA MORRIN.

I'M A BUSINESS REP FOR LOCAL 1930 CITY EMPLOYEES.

UH, THAT'S 3,700 OF THE CITY'S ROUGHLY 6,200 EMPLOYEES.

BUT I'M, UH, HERE SPEAKING IN SUPPORT OF MEASURE ER, I'M, FOR THE LAST TWO OR THREE YEARS, WE'VE SEEN A LOT OF GRANTS EXPIRE IN THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT, WHICH HAS IMPACTED OR CAUSED THE LOSS OF MANY OF THESE SERVICES THAT YOU'VE HEARD THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT MANAGEMENT TALK ABOUT.

SO I APPRECIATE THEM BEING HERE AND TALKING ABOUT HOW ADVOCATING, HOW IMPORTANT THOSE ARE.

UH, THE LOSS OF THOSE SERVICES IMPACTS NOT JUST THE COMMUNITY, BUT THE LABOR FORCE.

IT'S BEEN SOMEWHERE OVER A HUNDRED POSITIONS, UH, THAT WERE LOST IN THAT DEPARTMENT.

UH, WE DID, THE CITY WAS, WAS SUPERB, THOUGH WE WORKED TO FILL VACANCIES ACROSS OTHER DEPARTMENTS, BUT IT'S A CONTINUOUS LOSS.

AND NOW WE HAVE A CRIMINAL IN THE WHITE HOUSE WHO IS, UH, CUTTING FUNDING FOR AMERICA AS HE TRIES TO DESTROY IT.

SO THIS IS, IT'S, THIS IS A REALLY EASY, UH, MEASURE, UH, TO SUPPORT.

WE, UH, WE HOPE THAT, THAT YOU SEE THE, THE, UH, THE EASY LOGIC TO SUPPORT IT.

IT'LL HELP MAINTAIN SOME OF THESE PROGRAMS, MAINTAIN THE, UH, THE EMPLOYMENT FORCE THAT IS SKILLED IN DELIVERING THESE SERVICES.

AND WITH THAT, I CLOSE.

I WANNA THANK YOU SO MUCH.

I WANNA RECOGNIZE, UM, ULTIMATE HEALTH SERVICES SEIU, LOCAL 7 2 1 COMMUNITY CLINIC ASSOCIATION OF LA COUNTY AND TCC FAMILY HEALTH FOR THEIR LETTERS OF SUPPORT, WHICH ARE BEING, UM, DISTRIBUTED TO THE COUNCIL MOMENTARILY.

UM, FOR SOME REASON ON THE SCREEN, OH, THERE IT IS.

COUNCIL MEMBER THRASH TOOK.

CAN DECIDE NOT TO JUST IDLY STAND BY AND ACCEPT THESE UNNECESSARY LOSS OF LIFE AND LOSS OF RESPONSIBILITY THAT OUR FEDERAL GOVERNMENT HAS ABANDONED ALL RESIDENTS BECAUSE OF THE SHIFT WE EVEN HEARD TONIGHT THAT OUR OWN HEALTH DEPARTMENT IS EXPERIENCING A NET LOSS THAT'S APPROXIMATELY MORE THAN 18 MILLION AS NOTED BY OUR CITY MANAGER.

UH, THANK YOU MAYOR, AND THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THIS RECOMMENDATION FORWARD FOR THE COUNCIL, UH, TO CONSIDER.

UM, SO COLLEAGUES, AS WE BEGIN TONIGHT, UM, I WANNA TALK ABOUT THE FACT THAT WE AREN'T JUST VOTING TO ENACT ATTACKS.

UH, WE'RE VOTING ON WHETHER OUR COUNCIL SHOULD TAKE AN OFFICIAL POSITION IN SUPPORT OF THE COUNTY'S MEASURE ER.

BY TAKING THIS MOTION.

I BELIEVE WE ARE TAKING A STAND.

AND RIGHT NOW, LONG BEACH MUST STAND TO PROTECT THE LIVES, LIVES OF OUR RESIDENTS.

WE'RE CURRENTLY FACING A CRISIS.

THE DEVASTATING FEDERAL CUTS, AS WAS NOTED BY A MAYOR FROM HR ONE, DEMONSTRATE A PROFOUND AND DANGEROUS DISINTEREST IN THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT IN PROTECTING THE HEALTH AND WELLBEING OF EVERYDAY PEOPLE.

THE RAMIFICATIONS OF THIS LEGISLATION ARE NOT JUST THEORETICAL, THESE ARE CATASTROPHIC HEALTHCARE SYSTEMS AND THE ABILITY FOR MANY OF THE ORGANIZATIONS WHO CAME HERE TONIGHT TO BE ABLE TO DELIVER THOSE CRITICAL SERVICES TO OUR COMMUNITY.

IF WE DO NOTHING, WE KNOW THAT THOUSANDS OF OUR MOST VULNERABLE NEIGHBORS WILL LOSE THEIR HEALTH INSURANCE OVERNIGHT.

AND WE'RE LOOKING AT DANGEROUSLY LONG LINES TO RECEIVE BASIC SERVICES.

WE SEE THAT, UH, OUR EMERGENCY ROOMS COULD ALSO HAVE EXTENDED MULTI-HOUR WAIT TIMES AND AMASS EXODUS OF OUR FRONTLINE WORKERS WHO PROVIDE THIS IMPORTANT SERVICE IN OUR COMMUNITY, UH, MAY GIVE UP AND DECIDE TO LEAVE THESE CAREERS.

SO HERE IN LONG BEACH, WE

[01:50:01]

THAT MEANS THAT WE'VE CLOSED SEVERAL PROGRAMS ACROSS THE CITY THAT WE KNOW SEVERAL OF OUR POPULATIONS DESPERATELY NEED THIS TERRIFYING REALITY, UH, IS NOT SOMETHING WE'VE EVEN FELT THE FULL BRUNT OF THE CUTS AT THIS TIME.

AND WE BELIEVE WE'RE JUST SEEING THE FIRST WAVE AND LOCAL STABILIZATION WITH THE RESOURCES WE HAVE RIGHT NOW ARE SIMPLY NOT ENOUGH.

SO IN SPEAKING WITH RESIDENTS, I KNOW THAT WE ARE ASKING THAT WE CONSIDER A HALF-CENT COUNTYWIDE SALES TAX INCREASE AT THE BALLOT BOX.

AND IT'S QUITE A MONUMENTAL ASK GIVEN THAT WE KNOW THAT FAMILIES ARE HURTING, THEY'RE MANAGING RAZOR THIN BUDGETS, GAS PRICES, GROCERY PRICES, SUSTAINED INFLATION.

DON'T FORGET ABOUT THAT.

BUT THE COLLAPSE OF OUR HEALTHCARE SYSTEM AND CLINICS SEVERELY IMPACTS OUR ABILITY TO ENSURE OUR COMMUNITY'S WELLBEING AND OUR ECONOMY IN THE LONG RUN.

SO SUPPORTING ER IS NECESSARY AND IT'S NECESSARY TO STABILIZE OUR HEALTHCARE SAFETY NET.

THAT BEING SAID, UH, PLEASE NOTE, AND IT WAS STATED, MAYOR, YOU, I OUTLINED THE FACT THAT THIS WILL BE DIVIDED UP AMONG THE COUNTY BASED ON POPULATION.

SO WE'LL BE MAKING SURE THAT LONG BEACH GETS ITS FAIR SHARE TO PROVIDE THESE SERVICES.

SO IF WE TAKE A POSITION TO SUPPORT, I BELIEVE THAT WE'LL ALSO BE MAKING SURE THAT WE HAVE THE HIGHEST STANDARDS OF A FINANCIAL ACCOUNTABILITY AT THE COUNTY LEVEL AS WELL.

AND FOR THAT REASON, I CAST MY VOTE IN SUPPORT OF THIS ITEM.

COUNCIL MEMBER, UH, RICK SODI.

UH, THANK YOU MAYOR.

UM, AND THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THIS FORWARD.

UH, AGAIN, UM, I'M JUST GONNA QUICKLY ECHO, UH, SOME OF THE THINGS YOU HEARD FROM THE MAYOR AND COUNCILMAN THRES AND TOOK, I THOUGHT BROUGHT UP SOME SALIENT POINTS.

YOU ALL KNOW MY BACKGROUND IS IN PUBLIC HEALTH, AND SO, UM, MY PUBLIC HEALTH COLLEAGUES HAVE ALL BEEN DISCUSSING THE IMPACTS OF HR ONE FOR QUITE SOME TIME, RIGHT? AND THEN NOW THINKING ABOUT HOW ARE WE MAKING OUR COMMUNITIES RESILIENT IN THE WAYS THAT WE POSSIBLY CAN? UH, BECAUSE PUBLIC HEALTH IS IN A SILO, RIGHT? SO WHEN WE THINK ABOUT THE IMPACTS TO OUR HEALTHCARE SYSTEM, TO OUR EMERGENCY ROOMS, UM, I THINK ABOUT THE IMPACTS TO FAMILIES.

I THINK ABOUT FOLKS WHO DON'T GET HEALTHCARE AND THEN NOW THEY CAN'T GO TO WORK, THEY CAN'T ORDER A LIVING, THEY GET EVICTED, THEY CAN'T TAKE THEIR KIDS TO SCHOOL, RIGHT? ALL OF THESE, NONE OF THESE THINGS SIT IN SILOS.

UH, WHEN WE THINK ABOUT THE IMPACTS TO, UM, JUST THE EVERYDAY, EVERYDAY PERSON.

UM, AND SO WHILE WE CAN'T, AND WE'RE NOT GONNA BE ABLE TO HELP EVERY SINGLE PERSON, RIGHT? AS THEY'RE FALLING THROUGH THE CRACKS RELATED TO A FEDERAL GOVERNMENT THAT CLEARLY DOES NOT CARE OR HAVE ANY CONCERN OR REGARD, UM, FOR THE LEAST OF THESE AND THE FOLKS IN OUR, IN OUR COMMUNITIES, WE CAN DO WHAT WE CAN, RIGHT? AND SO THAT'S WHAT ITEMS LIKE THIS ARE ABOUT.

THAT'S WHAT INITIATIVES LIKE THIS ARE ABOUT.

UM, IS WHAT CAN WE DO? UM, NOT GIVING UP, NOT THROWING UP OUR HANDS, NOT SAYING, HEY, UH, WE'RE JUST GONNA HAVE TO WAIT A COUPLE OF YEARS UNTIL THE ADMINISTRATION CHANGES.

WE FIGHT AND WE CONTINUE TO WORK TOGETHER TO COME UP WITH SOLUTIONS AND THINGS THAT, UM, WAYS THAT WE CAN SUPPORT, UM, AND FIGHT AND ADVOCATE FOR OUR COMMUNITIES.

AND SO THAT'S WHY I'M IN FULL SUPPORT.

I THINK THIS GOES TO CD THREE FIRST TO SPEAK, RIGHT? THIS IS RECOMMENDATION, THIS COMES BACK FROM YOUR COMMITTEE.

COUNCIL MEMBER ALLEN? YES.

UH, THANK YOU MAYOR.

UM, I, I'M NOT ABLE TO SUPPORT THIS.

UM, I KNOW THAT, UM, I UNDERSTAND THE IMPORTANCE OF THESE SERVICES, BUT NOT ON THE BACK OF TAXPAYERS.

AND, UM, I KNOW FOLKS IN MY DISTRICT ARE, ARE STRUGGLING TO PAY RENT.

UM, WE JUST SAW TODAY THAT GAS PRICES WENT NORTH OF $6 A GALLON.

AND I DON'T THINK TAXPAYERS SHOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR FOOTING THE BILL FOR FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.

UM, I LIKE OUR PREVIOUS ITEM WHERE WE SUED THE GOVERNMENT.

WE GOT THESE SERVICES.

I UNDERSTAND HOW IMPORTANT AND VITAL THESE SERVICES ARE, BUT AGAIN, UM, FOLKS ARE STRUGGLING TO PUT FOOD ON THEIR TABLE AND TO ASK 'EM TO PAY ANOTHER HALF A CENT, UH, TAX INCREASE.

UM, THEY JUST CAN'T.

THEY JUST CAN'T AFFORD IT.

AND, UM, WITH ALL DUE RESPECT, I JUST, I DON'T SUPPORT THE CITY TAKING A POSITION ON THIS.

I JUST THINK THAT WE LEAVE IT IN THE HANDS OF THE, UH, VOTER AND LET THEM DECIDE.

AND, UM, I JUST REALLY HOPE THAT WE CAN FIND, UM, OTHER WAYS TO SAVE THESE SERVICES, UM, BEYOND A SALES, UH, TAX INCREASE.

ALRIGHT, MEMBERS, PLEASE CAST YOUR VOTE.

[01:55:01]

ALRIGHT, WE'RE GONNA CONTINUE ON.

UH, ITEM NUMBER 30, PLEASE.

COMMUNICATION FROM COUNCIL MEMBER DUGGAN, CHAIR OF THE GOVERNMENT OPERATIONS AND EFFICIENCY COMMITTEE.

RECOMMENDATION TO APPROVE NAMING OF THE CENTRAL FACILITY CENTER AT MARTIN LUTHER KING PARK TO THE DALE E CLINTON RESOURCE CENTER IN ACCORDANCE WITH CITY OF LONG BEACH ADMINISTRATIVE REGULATION AR EIGHT DASH SEVEN FACILITY NAMING PROCESS AND THE SUPPORT OF THE PARKS AND RECREATION COMMISSION.

ALRIGHT,

[30. 26-54976 Recommendation to approve naming of the Central Facilities Center at Martin Luther King Park to the "Dale E. Clinton Resource Center", in accordance with City of Long Beach Administrative Regulation AR 8-7 facility naming process and the support of the Parks and Recreation Commission. Office or Department: Kristina Duggan, Councilmember, Third District, Chair, Government Operations and Efficiency Committee Suggested Action: Approve recommendation. ]

ALRIGHT, COUNCIL MEMBER DUN, IT DOES SUPPORTIVE OF THIS.

UH, IS MR. CLINTON HERE? ALRIGHT, PLEASE COME FORWARD.

PUBLIC COMMENT.

GOOD EVENING, COUNCIL MAYOR.

UM, ON BEHALF OF MY MOTHER DALE CLINTON, I AM HERE TO GIVE THANKS.

FIRST OF ALL, I WOULD LIKE TO THANK MY LORD AND SAVIOR JESUS TO CHRIST FROM WHOM ALL BLESSINGS FLOW.

AND THIS IS DEFINITELY A BLESSING, UH, FOR PROVIDING ME THE OPPORTUNITY TO STAND BEFORE YOU REGARDING THIS PARTICULAR MATTER.

SECONDLY, I'D LIKE TO THANK THE MAYOR, CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS, ESPECIALLY CITY DISTRICT COUNCIL MEMBER SORROW AND HER STAFF, ESPECIALLY CHUCK AND JANAE, PARKS AND REC COMMISSION, AND THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES FOR PROVIDING MY MOTHER WITH THIS MONUMENTAL RECOGNITION AND HONOR, RECOGNIZING HER LIFE'S WORK OF CHRIST-LIKE SERVANTHOOD TO THE CITY OF LONG BEACH AND BEYOND FOR 60 PLUS YEARS THEREABOUT.

I ALSO WANT TO THANK THE COMMITTEE THAT HAS WORKED DILIGENTLY TO MAKE THIS A REALITY.

AND ALL THOSE THAT SIGNED THE VARIOUS PETITIONS AND SUPPORTERS OF THIS EFFORT.

UM, SOME OF THE COMMITTEE MEMBERS WERE GONNA COME, BUT THEY WEREN'T ABLE TO.

AND EARL PARKER WAS GOING TO SAY A FEW WORDS, BUT HE HAD ANOTHER, UM, ITEM, UM, THAT HE HAD TO DEAL WITH.

UM, SO AGAIN, UH, THANK YOU FOR THE SIGNIFICANT ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF RENAMING THE CENTRAL FACILITY CENTER AT KING PARK THAT, UM, WE'VE ALL HAVE VISITED AND USED SINCE 1974 IN HER HONOR.

AND, UM, SHE WILL BE AT THE NAMING RECOGNITION CELEBRATION WHENEVER WE DO THAT.

UM, SHE'S DOING WELL.

SHE'LL BE 99 NEXT MONTH AND, UM, AND ALL IS WELL.

SO AGAIN, WE JUST WANTED TO COME AND THANK YOU, UH, FOR RECOGNIZING HER.

ALRIGHT, WELL, UH, MR. CLINTON, UH, IT'S GOOD TO SEE YOU.

PLEASE GIVE OUR VERY BEST, UH, TO MS. CLINTON.

SHE IS, UH, CERTAINLY A CHERISHED MEMBER OF OUR COMMUNITY AND I LOVE TALKING WITH HER ON THE PHONE.

UH, SO SEND OUR VERY BEST.

WE ARE HONORED TO CAST THIS VOTE TONIGHT, UH, TO MAKE THIS HISTORY.

UH, BUT A NUMBER OF THE COUNCIL MEMBERS, UH, HAVE A FEW THINGS THAT THEY WANNA STATE.

WE'RE GONNA START ACTUALLY WITH COUNCIL MEMBER TI WHO HAS A STATEMENT FROM, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER SOLI, WHO COULDN'T BE HERE TONIGHT.

YES.

I'D LIKE TO READ A STATEMENT ON BEHALF OF, UH, COUNCILWOMAN DR.

SOLI SORROW.

UH, GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND COLLEAGUES.

THE MOMENT HAS TRULY BEEN A JOURNEY AND I'M PROUD TO STAND HERE TODAY AS WE TAKE THIS FINAL STEP TO OFFICIALLY NAME THE CENTRAL FACILITY CENTER AS THE MARTIN AT THE MARTIN LUTHER KING PARK AS THE DALE E CLINTON RESOURCE CENTER.

THIS EFFORT STARTED WITH THE COMMUNITY RESIDENTS, LEADERS, AND ADVOCATES MADE IT CLEAR THAT THEY WANTED TO SEE MS. DALE E CLINTON'S LEGACY RECOGNIZED IN A PERMANENT AND MEANINGFUL WAY.

THEY PULL, THEY PUT THE CALL OUT AND I WAS HONORED TO ANSWER THE CALL AND HELP MOVE THIS FORWARD.

OVER THE PAST MONTHS, WE HAVE WORKED THROUGH THE FULL PROCESS ALONGSIDE THE PARKS AND RECREATION COM COMMISSION IN ALIGNMENT WITH OUR CITY'S POLICIES TO GET US TO THIS POINT.

AND NOW WITH THIS VOTE, WE ARE MAKING IT OFFICIAL.

MS. CLINTON'S IMPACT ON LONG BEACH IS PROFOUND FROM HER LEADERSHIP AND CIVIL RIGHTS AND COMMUNITY ADVOCACY TO HER DIRECT ROLE IN RE IN SHAPING THIS VERY FACILITY.

HER WORK HAS TOUCHED GENERATIONS.

NAMING THIS RESOURCE CENTER IN HER HONOR ENSURES THAT HER LEGACY IS REMEMBERED AND MOST IMPORTANTLY CONTINUES TO INSPIRE EVERYONE WHO WALKS THROUGH THOSE DOORS.

I ALSO WANNA NOTE THAT I HAVE SUBMITTED AN UPDATED BIOGRAPHY INTO THE RECORD TO ENSURE THAT WHEN THE CITY INSTALLS PLACARDS AT THIS SITE, THEY FULLY REFLECT JUST HOW REMARKABLE MS. CLINTON IS AND THE DEPTH OF HER CONTRIBUTION TO OUR COMMUNITY.

THANK YOU COUNCILWOMAN.

DR.

SOLI SORO.

UH, LET'S SEE, UH, VICE MAYOR ANG UH, THANK YOU.

I JUST WANNA NOTE THAT, UH, MS. LINNEY IS A MEMBER OF THE, IN THE RESIDENT OF THE SEVENTH DISTRICT.

I'VE KNOWN HER FOR A LONG TIME.

SHE USED TO BE MY BOSS WHEN I WAS WORKING AT THE, UH, CIVIL SERVICE COMMISSION.

SHE WAS A CIVIL SERVICE COMMISSIONER.

SO MORE THAN HAPPY TO SUPPORT THIS ITEM.

COUNCIL MEMBER THRASS TOOK, I JUST WANNA ADD MY THOUGHTS AS WELL.

MOTHER DALE CLINTON HAS HAD A PROFOUND IMPACT, NOT ONLY ON OUR CITY, UM,

[02:00:01]

BUT OUR COUNTRY AS WELL.

AND I LOOK FORWARD TO VOTING IN FAVOR TONIGHT.

ALRIGHT, THANK YOU SO MUCH.

MEMBERS, PLEASE CAST YOUR VOTE.

ITEM 31, CONGRATULATIONS.

COMMUNICATION, ONE.

COMMUNICATION FROM COUNCIL MEMBER DUGGAN, CHAIR OF GOVERNMENT OPERATIONS AND EFFICIENCY COMMITTEE.

RECOMMENDATION TO APPROVE NAMING THE LOS ALTOS PARK PLAZA PARK TO PARK A STATE'S COMMUNITY PARK IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CITY OF LONG BEACH ADMINISTRATIVE REGULATION AND THE SUPPORT OF THE PARKS AND RECREATION COMMISSION.

ALL RIGHT, COUNCIL MEMBER DUGGAN, AGAIN, VERY SUPPORTIVE OF THIS.

[31. 26-54977 Recommendation to approve naming of the Los Altos Plaza Park to "Park Estates Community Park", in accordance with City of Long Beach Administrative Regulation AR 8-7 facility naming process and the support of the Parks and Recreation Commission. Office or Department: Kristina Duggan, Councilmember, Third District, Chair, Government Operations and Efficiency Committee Suggested Action: Approve recommendation. ]

COUNCIL MEMBER RICK SOTE, ALSO SUPPORT.

AND COUNCIL MEMBER NAR IS IN THIS SENIOR DISTRICT.

YES IT IS.

I ALSO SUPPORT IT.

THANK YOU TO, UH, ALL, ALL THE PEOPLE THAT MADE THIS POSSIBLE.

FANTASTIC.

SMOOTH AND EASY.

ANY PUBLIC COMMENT? NO PUBLIC COMMENT ON THIS ITEM.

MEMBERS, PLEASE CAST YOUR VOTE.

A NUMBER OF, UH, THREE MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC SIGNED UP TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM.

ITEM 28, REPORT FROM PUBLIC WORKS.

RECOMMENDATION TO ADOPT SPECIFICATIONS AND AWARD A CONTRACT TO CSI PATROL SERVICE FOR THE PROVISION OF SECURITY SERVICES AND AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED 175,000 AND AUTHORIZED TO EXECUTE ALL DOCUMENTS NECESSARY TO ENTER INTO THE CONTRACT DISTRICT THREE.

ALRIGHT, WE HAVE

[28. 26-54812 Recommendation to adopt Specifications No. RFP PW-25-656 and award a contract to CSI Patrol Service, Inc., of Long Beach, CA, for the provision of security services, in an amount not to exceed $175,000, for an initial term of six months, with the option to renew for up to two additional six-month periods, each renewal in an additional amount not to exceed $175,000, at the discretion of the City Manager; and, authorize City Manager, or designee, to execute all documents necessary to enter into the contract, including any necessary subsequent amendments. (District 3) Office or Department: Public Works Suggested Action: Approve recommendation. ]

UH, MICHAEL ANDERSON.

BRIAN COCHRAN, UH, AND HABIB IN.

HI, I AM MIKE ANDERSON.

I LIVE IN BELMONT CHORE.

UH, THANK YOU FOR HEARING ME.

UM, I AM HERE TO PROTEST AGAINST THE RESIGNING OF THE CSI CONTRACT.

UM, AS TAXPAYERS AND RESIDENTS, WE HAVE LESS THAN A HANDFUL OF CONTROL POINTS TO CONTROL THE LATE NIGHT ACTIVITY THAT'S HAPPENING IN BELMONT SHORE.

AND THIS IS ONE OF THEM.

IT'S VERY IMPORTANT THAT WE MAKE MAXIMUM USE OF OUR TAX DOLLARS TO GET AS MUCH OUT OF THAT SECURITY COMPANY AS WE CAN.

AND, AND I'M NOT GONNA COMPLAIN ABOUT THEIR LACK OF EFFECTIVENESS, BUT I WOULD LIKE TO SAY, I WOULD LIKE TO SEE A RESTRUCTURE OF THE PROPOSAL IN THE CONTRACT TO ALLOW, UH, SOME TEETH IN THE SECURITY PEOPLE TO ACTUALLY DO SOMETHING.

BECAUSE RIGHT NOW ALL THEY CAN DO IS EVIDENCE THINGS AND REPORT AND WHO THEY'RE REPORTING TO.

WE'RE NOT ALWAYS SURE AND A LOT OF THE THINGS AREN'T CONSEQUENTIAL ENOUGH TO TAKE ACTION ON THEM SO THE CONTRACT DOESN'T HAVE TEETH.

AND WE SAW THAT JUST RECENTLY WITH THE VIDEO, IF YOU HAVEN'T SEEN IT.

I KNOW CHRISTINA HAS IT OF PARTY GIRLS IN THE BACK OF THE CSI TRUCK DANCING WITHOUT REPERCUSSION.

AND, AND WE'RE PAYING, OUR TAXPAYERS ARE PAYING FOR THE SECURITY AND, AND THESE WOMEN WERE INTOXICATED.

THEY WERE BEING CHEERED ON BY THE CROWD.

IT'S NOT A DETERRENT FOR THE KIND OF ACTION THAT WE WANT TO SEE LATE AT NIGHT.

AND A RESIDENTIAL COMMUNITY.

UM, IN ADDITION TO THAT, UM, THE PARKING LOTS STILL AREN'T, AREN'T BEING CLEANED UP, THEY'RE STILL NOISY.

UM, AND THERE'S STILL SEX HAPPENING IN THE PARKING LOTS AND THOSE THINGS AREN'T BEING DETERRED BY THE CONTRACT.

UM, SO I THINK WE'VE NEED A MORE EFFECTIVE PROCESS.

PART OF THAT EFFECTIVE PROCESS SHOULD BE THE GOVERNANCE OF THE CONTRACT.

AND I KNOW THE CITY OWNS IT, BUT THERE ARE TWO GROUPS WITHIN BELMONT SHORE BASICALLY RUN BY THE FOUR BUSINESSES THAT HAVE THE LATE NIGHT BARS.

AND THEY HAVE NO INCENTIVE REALLY TO STOP PEOPLE FROM COMING TO THE SHORE.

THEY WANT THEM TO HAVE A GOOD TIME, YET THEY'RE IN CONTROL OF THE SECURITY COMPANY THAT ISN'T EFFECTIVE.

IT'S LIKE THE FOX GUARDING THE HENHOUSE, RIGHT? WE'VE GOT A BAD PROCESS THERE.

AND THE CITY AUDITOR SHOULD BE ALL OVER THAT PROCESS.

THE THIRD THING THAT'S INEFFECTIVE ABOUT THE CONTRACT IS THE TRANSPARENCY.

UM, THE COMPANY IS REQUIRED TO REPORT EVERY DAY THEIR FINDINGS FROM THE EVENING BEFORE THAT COMES INTO THE CITY.

AND IT GOES TO THOSE TWO COMMITTEES, I BELIEVE.

I'M NOT SURE ABOUT THAT.

THE CITY DOESN'T KEEP THE DOCUMENTATION.

WE DID A PRA ON THAT ACTIVITY, COULDN'T GET IT.

WE WERE TOLD BY THE CITY THEY DON'T KEEP IT.

SO HOW DO WE KNOW IF THE MONEY WE'RE DOLING OUT IS EFFECTIVE? I WOULD TELL YOU BECAUSE YOUR TIME'S CONCLUDED.

THANK YOU SO MUCH.

ALRIGHT, UH,

[02:05:01]

OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS BRIAN.

AFTER BRIAN IS ABI, GOOD EVENING HONORABLE MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEMBERS.

I WANNA START WITH WHAT I THINK ARE SOME PRINCIPLES OF AGREEMENT THAT WE ALL SHARE IN GOVERNMENT AND IN OUR LIVES TOGETHER, WHICH IS TRANSPARENCY, ETHICS, OVERSIGHT, RESPONSIBILITY, AND SOME MEASURES THAT ATTACH TO THIS, RIGHT? WE WANNA BE ABLE TO MONITOR THEM AND MAKE THEM EFFECTIVE.

SO WITH THIS CONTRACT, WE WERE HERE TWO WEEKS AGO AND YOU SAW THE EVIDENCE.

WE, MIKE JUST TALKED ABOUT THAT.

AND WHAT WE SEE IN THIS ATTACHMENT TO THE ITEM TONIGHT IS JUST A TERM CHANGE.

IT JUST WENT FROM A YEAR WITH RENEWABLES TO SIX MONTHS WITH RENEWABLES.

SAME TERMS TENDS TO BENEFIT THE, UH, THE PARTY THAT'S, UH, GONNA GET THE CONTRACT.

BUT I TRIED TO PUT SOME TEETH INTO THIS A YEAR AGO.

I DID TWO PRA REQUESTS IN APRIL AND IN MARCH AND MAY OF LAST YEAR.

AND THE ANSWER IS THAT WHEN I SOUGHT THE DATA, THE LOGS, THE INFORMATION RELATED TO CSI'S PERFORMANCE TO DATE, THE CITY'S ANSWER TO THAT WAS REGARDING THE RECORDS REQUEST FOR SECURITY DOCUMENTATION RELATED TO INCIDENT DATA.

WE CURRENTLY DO NOT HAVE THAT TYPE OF INFORMATION ON RECORD.

THAT'S THE ANSWER AFTER A YEAR OF A CONTRACT THAT WAS PUT IN UNDER EMERGENCY CIRCUMSTANCES.

MONEY.

AND THIS COMES FROM OUR PARKING METER REVENUE.

OUR COMMUNITY IS BEING PILLAGED BY THE PARKING COMMISSION THAT REPRESENTS THE COMMUNITY OSTENSIBLY, BUT DOES NOTHING TO TURN THAT AROUND AND MAKE IT EFFECTIVE FOR US.

THAT BODY HAS NOT MET SINCE JANUARY.

THERE HAVE BEEN NO MEETINGS OF THE BAUMONT SHORE PARKING COMMISSION IN FEBRUARY, MARCH AND APRIL.

THERE'S NOTHING SCHEDULED FOR MAY AT THIS JUNCTURE.

NICE, NICE.

THE OVERSIGHT OF THE CONTRACT ITSELF SEEMS TO DO FROM THE PRA ITSELF SEEMS TO INDICATE THAT JUST TWO PARTIES HAVE ANY INPUT ABOUT THE CONTRACT AND HOW IT'S OVERSEEN.

ONE IS MATT PETERSON, THE CHAIR OF THE PARKING COMMISSION, WHO IS ALSO THE HEAD OF THE ELMONT SHORE BUSINESS ASSOCIATION, AND THE PARTNER IN LEGENDS, ONE OF THE MOST DEFENSIVE OF THE PARTIES THAT ARE THE BARS THAT ARE PROBLEMATIC IN THE COMMUNITY.

ISN'T THAT NOT WRONG? THERE'S A MEASURE IN HERE.

THIS IS THE RFP THAT WENT OUT FOR THIS NEXT ROUND OF THE CONTRACT.

AND THERE'S A POINT WHEN IT SPECIFIES, AND I'LL PULL IT UP AND I THINK YOU HAVE ACCESS TO IT.

THEY PUT METRICS INTO THIS THAT HAVE MORE TEETH OSTENSIBLY.

AGAIN, ONE OF THEM IS SAFETY, WHICH IS TO MEASURE COMMUNITY PERCEPTION OF THE SAFETY AND VISIBILITY OF CSI'S PERFORMANCE, HOW THEY'RE GOING TO MEASURE IT.

COMPLAINT AND ACCOMMODATION TRACKING FROM THE CITY AND THE BELMONT SHORE PARKING COMMISSION DURING MONTHLY MEETINGS.

IF THEY'RE NOT HAVING MEETINGS TO DO THAT IN THE FIRST PLACE, HOW CAN THERE BE ANY MEASURE OF THAT EFFECTIVENESS THAT'S ABSURD.

IN A CLIMATE WHERE WE'RE ALL CONCERNED ABOUT FRAUD, YOU'RE BEING SCRUTINIZED FOR THINGS ABOUT WHERE OUR SPENDING'S GOING.

THIS IS A 250,350,000 X AMOUNT CONTRACT THAT IS BENEFITING ONE COMPANY THAT BARELY MET, MATCHED THE CRITERIA ONLY BENEFIT BY BEING A LOCAL BUSINESS THAT DID IT AND HAS NO OVERSIGHT FROM THIS.

CHRISTINA AND COUNCIL MEMBERS, ARE YOU SATISFIED THAT YOU GOT ANY DATA THAT WOULD PUT SOME TEETH IN THIS AND MAKE IT MEANINGFUL? PLEASE DO NOT DO IT NOW.

DO NOT MAKE THIS A SIX MONTH CONTRACT.

IT IS NOT WORTH IT TO THE COMMUNITY.

THANK YOU HABIB IN STOP WASTING OUR MONEY.

HABIB IN.

ALRIGHT, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER DUGGAN.

ALRIGHT, UH, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

UM, I KNOW THE PAST WEEK THE CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE HAS WORKED ON THIS.

UM, CSI HAS FOR THE PAST FIVE YEARS AND THROUGH THE PARKING COMMISSION, BEEN CONTRACTED FOR PRIVATE SECURITY IN THE BELMONT SHORE BUSINESS ASSOCIATION AREA.

THEIR ROLE HAS BEEN TO SERVE AS EYES AND EARS EVIDENCE IN REPORT TO PROVIDE A VISIBLE PRESENCE TO DETER PROPERTY CRIME AND REPORT PUBLIC SAFETY ISSUES.

THIS WAS ESPECIALLY IMPORTANT DURING THE PANDEMIC WHEN BUSINESSES WERE CLOSED.

ACTIVITY WAS ON, ON SECOND STREET WAS INCREASED, INCREASED PROPERTY TIME, PROPERTY CRIME.

THI THIS SECURITY HELPED TO DETER THAT.

TODAY BELMONT SHORE IS BUSY AGAIN.

WE'RE FACING A DIFFERENT SET OF CHALLENGES.

THOUGH THIS SECURITY CONTRACT WAS NEVER ATTEN INTENDED TO ADDRESS FIGHTS OR INTOXICATION ISSUES.

WITH THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE BELMONT SHORE DINING AND COASTAL DISTRICT, WHICH JUST CAME ABOUT A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO, WE NOW HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO REASSESS HOW THIS FUNDING CAN BE USED FOR THE GREATEST IMPACT.

THIS UPDATED CONTRACT WILL GIVE THE CITY SIX MONTHS TO EVALUATE THE PROGRAM ALONGSIDE THE BROADER DISCUSSION.

IT GIVES US THE CITY THE FLEXIBILITY TO REALLOCATE THE FUNDING IN A WAY THAT BETTER MATCHES CURRENT

[02:10:01]

NEEDS.

I WOULD ALSO ASK THAT THE CITY MANAGER EXPLORE OPTIONS TO PROVIDE ADDITIONAL TRANSPARENCY OF THE WORK OF THE SECURITY TEAM AND REPORTING, UH, CITY MANAGER MOCA.

CAN YOU JUST EXPLAIN THE PURPOSE OF THIS CONTRACT AGAIN WITH REGARD TO WHAT THEIR DUTIES ARE? CSI? UM, SO I ACTUALLY HAVE JOSH TALK ABOUT THE DUTIES AND THE SCOPE.

I DO WANNA SAY THAT THIS IS A DIFFERENT ITEM THAN THE ONE THAT WAS IN FRONT OF YOU LAST WEEK.

SO LAST WEEK WAS, UM, TAKING THE RECOMMENDATION FROM THE PARKING COMMISSION DOING A FIVE YEAR CONTRACT WITH THIS GROUP AT A MUCH HIGHER LEVEL.

UH, YOU ASKED US TO RE-LOOK AT THIS AND COME BACK, WHICH WE HAVE, UH, WE ARE, UM, UH, RECOMMENDING THIS SIX MONTH BECAUSE IF WE DON'T DO SOMETHING, THOSE, ALL THOSE SERVICES STOP IMMEDIATELY AND IT WOULD TAKE US TIME TO GO THROUGH A BIDDING PROCESS.

SO THIS GIVES US SOME TIME TO DO WHAT THE COUNCIL HAS ASKED US TO LOOK AT, TO, UH, WORK ON THE BELMONT SHORE PLAN AND SEE WHAT THE BEST USE OF, OF THOSE DOLLARS ARE.

UM, WHICH COULD INCLUDE SOME SECURITY, COULD INCLUDE OTHER TYPES OF, OF, UM, UH, METHODS AS WELL.

I'LL TURN TO JOSH TO HAVE HIM, UH, TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT, UH, WHAT THE SCOPE OF THE CONTRACT IS.

YEAH, GOOD EVENING.

GOOD QUESTIONS.

UM, SO AS FAR AS THE SCOPE OF THE CONTRACT ITSELF, IT REALLY IS THE EYES AND THE EARS OUT THERE ALONG SECOND STREET AND OUR PARKING LOTS ADJACENT TO OR IN PARALLEL WITH SECOND STREET, MAKING SURE THAT, UM, FOLKS THAT ARE OUT THERE ARE DOING THE RIGHT THINGS.

IF THEY'RE NOT, UH, THESE FOLKS ARE ABLE TO, THE CSI GROUP IS ABLE TO CALL IN, UH, NON-EMERGENCY OR EMERGENCY PD TO HELP SUPPORT AS NECESSARY TO, UH, ADDRESS ANY SITUATIONS THAT ARE OUT THERE.

AND AS FAR AS THE, THE COMMENTS FOR TRANSPARENCY AND SOME TEETH, UH, THIS CONTRACT DOES GIVE US A LITTLE BIT MORE, UH, TEETH IN REPORTING SOME OF THE SHIFT REPORTS.

WE'LL BE GETTING THOSE, UH, REGULARLY.

WE'LL BE GETTING OBSERVATION REPORTS AND AS WELL AS DATA ON COMMUNITY INTERACTIONS.

I HAVE NO MORE QUESTIONS ON THAT.

I LIKE THIS APPROACH.

SIX MONTHS ALLOWS YOU THE TIME TO GET BACK TO IT AND, UM, REEVALUATE, COME BACK WITH WHAT THE LONG-TERM PLAN IS.

MAKES SENSE TO ME.

VICE MAYOR YANGA, UH, FOR ALL OF THE PURPOSES AND WE'RE STATED, MY COUNCIL MEMBER NUGGET AND THE MAYOR I SUPPORT.

DEFINITION OF MOBILE FOOD FACILITIES AND THEIR OPERATION ON PRIVATE PROPERTY TO SUPPORT PROPOSED CHANGES TO TITLE V.

COUNCIL MEMBER KERR.

YEAH, THANK YOU.

I JUST HAD A CLARIFICATION QUESTION.

SO, UM, THIS IS BEING PAID OUTTA THE PARKING COMMISSION VERSUS THE BID, AND I KNOW IN OTHER PARTS OF THE CITY WHERE WE HAVE BIDS, UM, IT'S PAID OUT OF THAT FUNDING.

COULD YOU TALK ABOUT WHY IT'S PAID OUT OF, UM, PARKING COMMISSION AND NOT THE BID DOLLARS? YEAH.

UM, THE SECOND STREET BID IS, UH, VERY DIFFERENTLY, UM, SET UP THAN SOME OF THE OTHERS.

IT HAS, UH, REALLY NOT VERY MANY RESOURCES.

THEY HAVE A VERY SMALL AMOUNT THAT GOES TO THE BID.

THE MAJORITY OF THE DOLLARS ARE ACTUALLY CITY DOLLARS THAT ARE, UM, FUNDED BY PARKING METERS.

SO THIS WAS ONE OF OUR VERY FIRST PARKING METERS THAT WE SET UP.

UH, THOSE DOLLARS THEN, UM, PER COUNCIL POLICY GO BACK, UH, TOWARDS, UH, UH, ACTIVITIES ALONG, UM, ALONG THE PARKING CORRIDOR.

AND SO, UH, IT IS RECOMMENDED BY THE PARKING COMMISSION.

THEY DON'T HAVE FULL AUTHORITY OVER IT.

UM, THE, YOU KNOW, MANAGEMENT AND THEN THROUGH THE COUNCIL HAS THE AUTHORITY TO PROGRAM THOSE DOLLARS.

UH, BUT THEY DO HOLD MEETINGS.

THEY DO, UM, YOU KNOW, HAVE A PUBLIC INPUT PROCESS INTO THAT.

BUT, AND THEN THE BID WORKS WITH THEM, BUT THESE DOLLARS DO NOT FLOW THROUGH THE BID.

UM, UH, WE'VE DONE PUBLIC COMMENT.

MEMBERS, PLEASE CAST YOUR VOTE.

SO WE'RE GONNA DO PUBLIC COM.

WE'RE GONNA CALL ITEMS THIRTY THREE, THIRTY FOUR AND 35.

LET'S READ THEM TOGETHER.

AND WE'RE GONNA DO, UH, ONE PUBLIC COMMENT ON ALL THREE SINCE THEY'RE RELATED AND DO THREE SEPARATE VOTES.

SO ITEMS 33, 34 AND 35, PLEASE REPORT FROM CITY MANAGER COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT RECOMMENDATION TO DECLARE ORDINANCE AMENDING TITLE V, TITLE VII, AND TITLE 10 OF THE LONG BEACH MUNICIPAL CODE, ALL RELATING TO MOBILE FOOD FACILITIES, RED AND ADOPTED AS RED CITYWIDE RECOMMENDATION, DECLARE ORDINANCE APPROVING A ZONING CODE AMENDMENT AND ADOPT THE PROPOSED FINDINGS RELATED THERETO RELATED TO THE DEFINITION OF MOBILE FOOD FACILITIES AND THEIR OPERATION ON PRIVATE PROPERTY TO SUPPORT PROPOSED CHANGES TO TITLE V AND TITLE VII.

RED AND ADOPTED IS RED CITYWIDE RECOMMENDATION TO DECLARE ORDINANCE AMENDING TITLE 22 RELATED TO THE

[33. 26-54816 Recommendation to declare ordinance amending Title 5, Title 8 and Title 10 of the Long Beach Municipal Code by repealing and replacing Chapters 5.37, 5.51, 8.40, 8.44, 8.45, 10.22, and 10.24 all relating to mobile food facilities, read and adopted as read. (Citywide) Office or Department: City Manager; Community Development Suggested Action: Approve recommendation. ]

AND TITLE EIGHT, RED AND ADOPTED IS RED CITYWIDE.

RIGHT.

WE'LL GO TO PUBLIC COMMENT.

I SEE, UH, SEYMOUR TACOS AND ANTHONY BRYSON.

YEAH, YOU GOT ME.

YOU GOT ME ON THAT ONE.

SEYMOUR TACOS.

ALRIGHT,

[02:15:01]

GO AHEAD SEYMOUR.

JUSTICE SEYMOUR TACOS, UH, SEYMOUR SUPPORT FOR OUR, UH, FOOD VENDORS.

UH, I'M, I TRIED TO FIGURE OUT WHAT ALL THREE OF THESE WERE ABOUT, AND THE MAIN THING I WAS TRYING TO UNDERSTAND IS, IS THIS SOMETHING THAT'S GONNA RESTRICT FOOD VENDOR, UH, RIGHTS ALONG SHORE SHORELINE DRIVE OR EXPAND THEM? AND, YOU KNOW, ONLY BECAUSE I TALKED TO ONE OF THE CITY ATTORNEYS, I'M SORRY I DIDN'T GET YOUR NAME.

UH, HE SAID THAT THIS IS TRYING TO INCREASE THE OPERATING HOURS WHERE TRUCKS CAN STAY AND, AND SELL.

SO IF THAT'S THE CASE, UH, I'M IN SUPPORT OF THIS.

AND I THINK, UH, THAT AREA NEEDS PLACES WHERE PEOPLE CAN GO TO GET QUICK FOOD.

UH, THE SIT DOWN RESTAURANTS AROUND THERE ARE VERY TOURISTY.

AND AS SOMEONE THAT BRINGS MY DAUGHTER DOWN THERE ALL THE TIME, THOSE TACO TRUCKS ARE WHERE WE GO.

AND IT'S, UH, A GREAT TIME.

I DON'T REALLY WANNA BRING MY DAUGHTER TO HOOTERS.

SO, UH, I KNOW THAT THERE WERE PEOPLE HERE FROM MORE OF LIKE THE RESTAURANT GROUP, UH, OPPOSING THIS, UH, A COUPLE MEETINGS AGO AGO.

UH, I JUST REALLY WOULD APPRECIATE THOSE FOOD VENDORS BEING ABLE TO OPERATE, UH, WITHOUT AS MUCH RESTRICTION AND WITHOUT AS MUCH, UH, RED TAPE.

THANKS.

THANK YOU, ANTHONY.

HELLO, COUNSEL.

UH, I'M ANTHONY BRYSON, OF COURSE, RUNNING FOR DISTRICT ONE.

UM, BUT, UH, I'M COMING TO YOU AS A CHEF.

UH, IN MY PERSONAL LIFE.

I'M A RESTAURANT MANAGER.

UH, I'M A CHEF AND I REALLY LIKE THIS INITIATIVE.

UM, WHAT WE NEED IS TO SUPPORT MORE SMALL BUSINESSES HERE IN THE CITY.

UH, THE PIKE IS NOT A DESTINATION LOCATION.

IT DOESN'T HAVE ALL THE PLACES TO BRING THE PEOPLE.

UH, SO A GOOD ADDITIVE IS THESE FOOD TRUCKS.

AND I KNOW WHAT IT'S LIKE TO WANT TO START YOUR OWN COMPANY AND START YOUR OWN RESTAURANT AND NOT HAVE THE CAPITAL TO GET A BRICK AND MORTAR.

SO I THINK THAT'S THE RIGHT INCENTIVE THAT THE CITY'S TAKING TO HELP SUPPORT THOSE MOBILE TRUCKS AND THEIR BUSINESSES.

I KNOW THAT LONG BEACH HAS ALREADY TOOK AN INITIATIVE TO, UH, LET PEOPLE RUN BUSINESSES OUTTA THEIR HOMES.

SO I THINK THIS IS ON TRACK FOR, UH, SUPPORTING THE SMALL BUSINESSES HERE IN LONG BEACH.

AND, UH, GOOD JOB, AT LEAST WITH THIS TODAY.

I KNOW THAT TODAY WE, YOU KNOW, BIG DAY ON HOW THE MONEY'S BEING SPENT AND, UH, I'M GLAD TO SEE THAT, YOU KNOW, THROUGH IT ALL.

THERE WAS AT LEAST ONE GOOD, UH, AD ACTION TAKING PLACE TODAY.

UH, UH, AND ER WAS GOOD TOO.

SO, BUT A, A BIG QUESTION I WOULD HAVE REGARDING THIS AND, AND EVERYTHING TODAY IS, UM, YOU KNOW, WHY, WHY IS IT THAT WE WANT TO USE TAXPAYER MONEY TO FUND HEALTHCARE, BUT THEN WE USE MONEY THAT COMES FROM PARKING TO FUND CSI? IT JUST DOESN'T REALLY MAKE SENSE.

I FEEL LIKE AS A CITY, WE SHOULD BE DOING WHATEVER WE CAN WITH THE MONEY THAT WE OCCUR TO PROTECT OUR RESIDENTS.

UM, SO THAT'S SOMETHING THAT YOU GUYS CAN ALL CONSIDER.

I KNOW LIKE A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE GONNA BE CHANGING OUT SOON.

HOPEFULLY.

MARY, I'LL HAVE YOUR SEAT.

UH, HOPEFULLY BRIAN WILL BE SITTING THERE IN CHRISTINA'S SEAT.

UM, I KNOW THAT CINDY ALLEN, YOUR FRIEND IS RUNNING TOO, BUT I'M GONNA BEAT HER ALSO.

SO I JUST, UM, REALLY WANT TO GET USED TO TALKING TO YOU GUYS BECAUSE IT'S ALL ABOUT BUILDING COALITION.

AND, UM, WHEN I'M REPRESENTING LONG BEACH, I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT I'M USING THE MONEY THAT WE ARE OCCURRING FOR THE RESIDENTS AND NOT FOR PSEUDO POLICE, UM, WHO ARE JUST GONNA CONTINUE PERPETUATING VIOLENCE IN OUR CITY.

SO YEAH, THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.

THANK YOU FOR LISTENING TO ME RAMBLE.

UM, AND YEAH, VOTE FOR ANTHONY BRYSON.

WOO.

ALRIGHT, SO WE HAVE THREE VOTES.

LET'S QUEUE UP THE FIRST VOTE PLEASE.

[34. 26-54817 Recommendation to declare ordinance approving a Zoning Code Amendment (ZCA25-002), and adopt the proposed findings related thereto, to amend Long Beach Municipal Code (LBMC) Chapters 21.15, 21.32, 21.33, 21.35, 21.45, 21.51, 21.52, and 21.53 of Title 21 (Zoning) related to the definition of mobile food facilities (i.e. mobile food trucks) and their operation on private property to support proposed changes to Title 5 (Regulations of Businesses, Trades and Professions) and Title 8 (Health and Safety) of the LBMC, read and adopted as read. (Citywide) Office or Department: City Manager; Community Development Suggested Action: Approve recommendation. ]

IN 35, COUNT COUNCILWOMAN.

BRIAN COCHRAN, HANA HAM ROSE BROCK.

[02:20:01]

ALL

[35. 26-54818 Recommendation to declare ordinance amending Chapters 22.15 and 22.25 of Title 22 (Transitional Zoning Code: Zone in Specified Areas) related to the definition of mobile food facilities (i.e. mobile food trucks) and their operation on private property to support proposed changes to Title 5 (Regulations of Businesses, Trades and Professions) and Title 8 (Health and Safety) of the LBMC, read and adopted as read. (Citywide) Office or Department: City Manager; Community Development Suggested Action: Approve recommendation. ]

RIGHT, THANK YOU.

OKAY, SO NOW WE'LL GO TO OUR CLOSING PUBLIC COMMENT.

A NUMBER OF FOLKS HAVE SIGNED UP TO SPEAK.

I'LL READ YOUR NAME, PLEASE COME FORWARD.

LORDES DIXON BARRICK STE.

UH, CAPTAIN TED ZELMER.

DAVID WILSON.

DO RIGHT BY LB GRAY.

AND CHUCK, IF YOU HEARD YOUR NAME, PLEASE MAKE YOUR WAY TO THE FRONT.

[ 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. ]

IF YOU HEARD YOUR NAME, PLEASE.

YOU MAKE YOUR WAY TO THE FRONT.

ALL RIGHT, LORDES, MR. MAYOR REX.

GOOD EVENING, MR. MAYOR REX.

AND COUNCIL MEMBERS, MEMBERS, MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL, NOVAR.

MY NAME IS LA NAVARRO DIXON, AND AS YOU ARE AWARE, IT'S BEEN A YEAR WITH THIS ISSUE AS FAR AS THE FOOD TRUCK, VENDORS OF FOOD.

YES.

IN THE LAST MEETING WE TALKED ABOUT, UH, IN THE MONTH OF APRIL, UH, GRACE AND HER, HER TEAM, UH, WE TALKED ABOUT, UH, SOME OF THE REGULATIONS WHEN ALL THESE, UH, STARTED BEING IN PLACE, ALL THESE RULES AND NEW REGULATIONS AND CODES STARTED BEING IN PLACE.

MM-HMM .

UH, DEPART DEPARTMENT.

YES, IN REFERENCE TO, UH, SANITARY ISSUES AND THE WAY THAT THEY, UH, MANEUVER, UH, THEIR TRUCKS AND, UH, THE FOOD, UH, FOOD USE.

YES.

AS FAR AS ALSO THE PARKING, UH, ISSUE, THEY LEAVE THEIR PRIVATE, UH, VEHICLES, UH, PARKED IN DIFFERENT AREAS AND THE FOOD VENDORS, UM, AND PARTICULARLY AT NIGHT AND AND DAY.

AND THEY ARE TAKING UP, UP THEIR SPACES, UH, TO LATER ON PLACE THEIR, UH, TRUCK, UH, VEN VENDING TRUCKS, UH, WHICH THEY SELL FOOD AND, UH, CLOSE TO THEIR CARS.

PINE AVENUE LOVE FACTORY COMMENT.

UH, ON, ON, ON THE SIDE OF PINE AVENUE, ON BY THE LOVE FACTORY, THEY PARK, UH, THEIR VEHICLES, VANS, UH, AND CARS.

THERE'S APPROXIMATELY SIX OR FIVE OR SIX IN THE CORNER OF THE NIKE STORE.

THE COM ALSO MORE VEHICLES OF, UH, UH, FOOD VENDING TRUCKS.

MAKE SURE THAT THEY, UH, TAKE CARE OF THOSE, UH, AREAS.

MARIO HERNANDEZ DE LA PARKING LOT AND ROJA, A SIDE COMMENT.

UH, MANY OF THE VENDORS THAT SELL, UH, ICE CREAM, UH, FOR EXAMPLE, UH, MR. MARIO HERNANDEZ AND HER AND HIS WIFE, THEY STILL CONTINUE ON PARKING AND SELLING, UH, CLOSE TO THE AQUARIUM IN THE RED LINE BY THE PIERPOINT LANDING PUBLIC.

THE ISSUE AS FAR AS, UH, THE PUBLIC RESTROOMS NEXT TO THE, UH, BUNGEE JUMPERS IN FRONT OF THE BUBBLE GUM, THE RESTROOMS CONTINUE BEING CLOSED.

CIA, I ASK THAT YOU PLEASE PLACE, UH, SECURITY CAMERAS IN BOTH EXTERIOR SIDES OF THE RESTROOMS IN THE MAIN, UH, STREET OF THE AQUARIUM SINCE AT NIGHT.

THERE'S MANY THINGS THAT TAKE PLACE.

I ASK FOR YOUR HELP.

I'M NOT AGAINST THE STREET VENDORS, BUT THEY SHOULD HAVE THEIR OWN SPACE.

BUT WE PAY A LOT OF INCOME TAXES AND, UH, REGULATIONS AND EVERYTHING.

AND THE THINGS THAT THEY DO NOT OBLIGE OR

[02:25:01]

ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR, THE CITY OF LONG BEACH, LIKE I MENTIONED BEFORE, IS PRETTY BIG.

THEY CAN ALLOCATE OR ASSIGN DIFFERENT BENDING POINTS TO MANY OF THEM BECAUSE THE RESTAURANT OWNERS, THEY ALSO HAVE COMPLAINED MORE THAN A YEAR FOR THE MANY LOSSES THAT THEY ARE SUFFERING.

AND I WOULD LIKE MARIO HERNANDEZ, AND I WOULD LIKE FOR THIS GENTLEMAN HERE, UH, PRESENT HERE TO, UH, KNOW THAT I'VE BEEN, UH, THREATENED BY THE MR. MARIO HERNANDEZ.

NOT ONLY ONCE, BUT MANY TIMES, AND ALSO SOME OTHER VENDORS HAVE BEEN THREATENED.

THAT HAS NEVER HAPPENED UNTIL THEY HAVE BEEN THERE RECENTLY.

WITHIN A YEAR OR MORE, THERE'S MORE VENDORS COMING UP, COMING IN FROM OTHER CITIES, AND IT'S, THE SITUATION IS GETTING WORSE.

MS. CLO, IT'S BEEN CLOSE TO MORE THAN A YEAR THAT I MENTIONED THIS TO YOU, AND I HAVE NEVER BEEN ASSISTED.

I VOTED FOR YOU, MR. MAYOR, AND I VOTED FOR MR. MAYOR.

HONESTLY, I FEEL VERY DISILLUSIONED AND DISAPPOINTED.

AND GOOD NIGHT.

GOOD, YES.

UH, GOOD EVENING, COUNSEL.

MY NAME IS BARRY STE.

I AM A RESIDENT OF DISTRICT TWO.

AND, UM, I'M HERE, UM, BECAUSE I'M A MEMBER OF THE BOARD OF SOCIAL JUSTICE AND OUTREACH AT FIRST CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH IN LONG BEACH, DOWNTOWN ON CEDAR STREET, CEDAR AVENUE.

AND, UH, WE PARTNER WITH MANY SOCIAL JUSTICE GROUPS, INCLUDING CLUE.

AND SO I WANTED TO CIRCLE BACK TO THE, UH, ISSUES WITH THE YACHT CLUB.

I'M NEW TO LONG BEACH.

I'VE JUST, UH, UNDER TWO YEARS RESIDENT HERE.

UM, AND I HAVE A QUESTION.

DOES THE CITY OWN THE LAND ON WHICH THE YACHT CLUB SITS? YES.

SO, UM, I GUESS WHAT I'M HERE TO SAY IS I, I'D LIKE TO ENCOURAGE, UH, THAT CITY COUNCIL LAUNCH AN INVESTIGATION, A FORMAL INVESTIGATION OF WHAT'S GOING ON, UH, WITH THAT CHEF AND WITH THAT MANAGEMENT, BECAUSE IT'S DISGUSTING.

UH, WHAT I'VE HEARD AND WHAT I UNDERSTAND.

AND, AND THERE ARE MANY PEOPLE THAT ARE NOTICING WHAT'S GOING ON THERE.

AND IF WE ARE, UM, AS A CITY ALLOWING THIS YACHT CLUB TO OPERATE AN OPPRESSIVE ENVIRONMENT FOR ITS WORKERS, MANY OF WHOM HAVE WORKED THERE FOR DECADES, UM, THEY DEMAND JUSTICE AND ESPECIALLY THE WOMEN, UH, OR HAVING THINGS LIKE THEIR BATHROOM BREAKS, TIMED SHAME ON THEM, SHAME ON THEM FOR DOING THAT.

SO, UM, I'D LOVE TO HEAR WHAT YOU MIGHT DO, UH, TO SUPPORT THESE WORKERS WHO, WHO SPEND A LOT OF TIME WAITING ON PEOPLE AND, AND CARING FOR THE FACILITIES IN THE YACHT CLUB.

IF YOU'RE MEMBERS OF THE YACHT CLUB, WHY DON'T YOU GO IN THERE AND HAVE A DISCUSSION WITH THE MANAGEMENT? I WOULD LOVE TO SEE YOU DO THAT.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME BEFORE I START, THANK YOU NICK, SPEAKER, YOU GUYS HAVE SOME LITERATURE I LEFT YOU.

I DELIVERED.

WE'LL BE PASSING THAT OUT RIGHT NOW, SIR.

WE HAVE DESIGNED, I'M WORKING WITH THEM DIRECTLY AND WITH, THERE'S OUR MARINE STADIUM WATER COMING UP, AND OUR NEIGHBORS ARE AT RISK AS WELL.

SO I WANT TO THANK CHRISTINA DUGGAN FOR LAST WEEK PROPOSING WHAT'S IN OUR MISSION STATEMENT WITH THE LIGHTHOUSE BUNCH, OUR CENTER PARAGRAPH.

AS A LOCAL BUSINESS TO BUSINESS NETWORK.

THE LIGHTHOUSE BUNCH MISSION IS TO CREATE A PLATFORM WITH OUR COMMUNITY AND LONG BEACH POLICE DEPARTMENT, SO AS TO SHARE FIRSTHAND PHOTOS AND INFORMATION WHEN CRIMES ARE OCCURRING.

GOOD JOB.

I'VE BEEN DIRECTED HERE BY TODD LELAND COREY FORRESTER, AND I WAS THIS WEEKEND WITH THEM ALL AND CHIEF JAKE KELIN.

THEY'VE ASKED ME TO ATTEND THIS MEETING.

AND THE REASON BEING IS BECAUSE WE ARE NOW SUFFERING FROM SEA RISE, I'VE CONTACTED CINDY ALLEN TO PUT IT ON THE AGENDA.

GET RID OF THE WORD CLIMATE CHANGE.

SEA RISE IS NOW AN ISSUE, AND OUR LOCAL VENUE FOR THE OLYMPICS IS SOON AT RISK.

I'VE BEEN DIRECTED HERE BY TODD, BY COREY, AND BY JAKE.

TO GET THIS ON THE AGENDA AND TO CREATE SOME SOLUTIONS, WHICH

[02:30:01]

AND WE HAVE ABOUT NINE MILES OF COASTAL WATERFRONT THERE IN OUR JURISDICTION DOWN THERE.

BUILDING CEMENT WALLS AROUND IT ALL IS NOT GONNA GET THE JOB DONE.

WE HAVE A SOLUTION THAT WE PACKAGED UP COST EFFECTIVE TO IMMEDIATELY ADDRESS THINGS AND PROTECT OUR COASTAL PROPERTY.

WITH THAT BEING SAID, SAILING IS IN THE OLYMPICS.

MAYOR REX RICHARDSON ENCOURAGED ME AND WE DESIGNED A BICYCLE THAT SAILS DOWN THE BEACH NOW AND THE PRO, THE PROGRAM IS CALLED SIDEWALKS TO THE SEA.

WE TEACH THE KIDS HOW TO SAIL THEIR BICYCLES AT BIGSBY PARK, TAKE 'EM ON DOWN TO THE BIKE PATH, AND WE SAIL 'EM ALL THE WAY DOWN TO THE LEEWAY SAILING CENTER FOR PARK REC AND MARINE.

THIS IS FOR THE OLYMPICS CATAMARANS IN THE OLYMPICS.

I JUST GOT BACK FROM FLORIDA WITH ALL THE BIG GUYS, MY BROTHER COACHING THEM AND ALL THAT.

AND THE FLATTER THE CATAMARAN IS, THE FASTER IT IS, THE TALLER YOU ARE.

THE FLATTERED IS, I'M PANNING FOR GOLDEN THE HOOD.

THERE YOU GO.

SO THERE YOU HAVE IT.

SEA RISE ISSUES NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED IMMEDIATELY.

TODD LELAND, CORY FORSTER AND JAKE HEFLIN AND I ARE WORKING ON THOSE MATTERS DIRECTLY.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE, CAPTAIN TED AT THANK YOU.

THE NEXT SPEAKER PLEASE.

HOW YOU DOING? UH, MY NAME'S DAVID WILSON.

UM, NEW TO THE CITY.

I'M ACTUALLY FROM MISSISSIPPI.

AND UH, I JUST WANNA SAY TO EVERYBODY IN THE ROOM, I'M FEELING ALL THE TENSIONS FROM BEING ON THE COUNCIL, PEOPLE BEING IN THE COMMUNITY, EVEN THE OFFICERS ON THE SIDE.

OBVIOUSLY TENSIONS ARE HIGH, FUNDS ARE LOW, AND UH, THERE NEEDS TO BE A LOT OF, UH, CHANGE MADE, UH, TO KEEP NOT ONLY THE PEOPLE HAPPY, BUT THE BOARD HAPPY.

ALSO, JUST LIKE EVERYONE WHO'S EMPLOYED, UH, JUST REALLY WANT TO KIND OF JUST POINT OUT TO THE TWO THINGS THAT I NOTICED TONIGHT.

UM, I REALLY DO THINK THAT EVERYBODY NEEDS TO KEEP A STUDENT MENTALITY.

UH, WE'RE HERE TO LISTEN ON BOTH SIDES BECAUSE THERE'S A LOT OF THINGS THAT NEED TO BE SAID, A LOT OF THINGS THAT NEED TO BE HEARD.

AND I DON'T THINK, UM, EITHER SIDE RIGHT NOW IS PLAYING THE LISTENING PART.

UH, I FEEL LIKE THERE'S A LOT OF IMPORTANT THINGS BEING SPOKEN ON TONIGHT, UM, FROM PALANTIR TO SEA RISE, TO, YOU KNOW, PROPERTY, EVERYTHING IS IMPORTANT.

UM, ALL THE PEOPLE ARE IMPORTANT AND WE'RE HERE TO ALL REPRESENT SOME PORTION OF THAT.

UM, I DO BELIEVE THAT IT IS OUR DUTY TO FIND SOLUTIONS.

IT IS OUR DUTY TO COME TOGETHER AND BE CREATIVE AND TO, YOU KNOW, SUPPORT EACH OTHER IN THIS ENDEAVOR OF LIFE.

UH, I DO THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, WITH THE CURRENT CHANGES IN THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, OBVIOUSLY THERE'S NO POWER IN THAT AND WE HAVE TO REACT OFF OF THOSE PLAYS.

DHS IS NOW BACK IN PLAY AS OF THE FIRST, THAT CHANGES A WHOLE LOT.

SO WE'VE BEEN OPERATING WITHOUT A LOT OF DHS, SO THAT'S KIND OF EASED UP THE PRESSURE IN SOME AREAS.

BUT I DO THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO JUST REMEMBER, UH, KEEP THAT STUDENT MENTALITY, EVERYBODY IN THE ROOM BECAUSE RESPECT IS OBVIOUSLY THE NUMBER ONE THING, BUT FOR THE THINGS THAT YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND OR YOU MAY NOT FULLY GRASP, DON'T SCOFF, DON'T DISRESPECT, CURSING, ALL THOSE THINGS ARE OUT OF PLACE HERE.

WE SHOULD TRY TO COME TOGETHER TO LEARN, FIGURE OUT THE PROBLEM AND COME UP WITH, YOU KNOW, SOLUTIONS TOGETHER.

UM, BUT I DO THINK THAT, UH, ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT THINGS HERE IS DEFINITELY PROPERTY.

UH, I DON'T THINK THAT PAYING FOR EYES AND EARS IS A GOOD USE OF TAX DOLLARS WHEN OBVIOUSLY YOU HAVE PEOPLE WHO ARE THE EYES AND EARS COMING HERE WITH COMPLAINTS AND PROBLEMS AND ISSUES.

UM, OBVIOUSLY THE MOST, UH, OR THE BIGGEST PART OF YOUR, UH, BUDGET COMES FROM PROPERTY TAX.

SO I THINK, UH, TAKING THE INITIATIVE TO PRIORITIZE PROPERTIES AND THE PEOPLE THAT ARE HERE, LIVING IN THEM SHOULD BE THE MAIN GOAL.

SO I JUST WANT TO SAY TO EVERYBODY HERE BEFORE I HEAD ON OUT, IS JUST KEEP THAT STUDENT MENTALITY.

LET'S COME TOGETHER AND WORK TOGETHER AND NOT, YOU KNOW, NITPICK AND JUST REALLY JUST, I DON'T EVEN KNOW HOW TO CALL IT, BUT I DON'T KNOW.

COUNTRY IN THE COUNTRY IS PRETTY MUCH JUST LIKE THE PECKING ORDER.

WE DON'T NEED THAT.

LIKE, LET'S COME TOGETHER AND FIGURE IT OUT.

GOOD.

HI, I'M HANNAH HAM ROSE BROCK, AND I'M THE VICE PRESIDENT OF ADVOCACY FOR NATIONAL COUNCIL OF JEWISH LONG BEACH, UM, OF JEWISH WOMEN IN LONG BEACH ORANGE COUNTY.

[02:35:07]

I'M ALSO MEMBER OF TEMPLE ISRAEL SOCIAL ACTION COMMITTEE AND ALSO CLUE CLERGY, UM, AND LAIA, UNITED FOR ECONOMIC JUSTICE.

I'M HERE BECAUSE OF THE TWO WOMEN WHO WORK IN THE LONG BEACH YACHT CLUB, WHO HAVE, UH, FILED WITH, UM, COMPLAINTS WITH THE CALIFORNIA CIVIL RIGHTS DEPARTMENT ALLEGING SEX, SEX BASED, UH, HARASSMENT, INCLUDING THE ALLEGED MISTREATMENT OF A PREGNANT WORKERS BY A SUPERVISOR OVER MULTIPLE YEARS.

UM, I LISTENED TO THESE WOMEN TALK ABOUT THIS AND IT WAS HEARTRENDING.

UM, THE ONE WOMAN ENDED UP HAVING TO TAKE WORK OFF WITH HER FIRST PREGNANCY AND WAS HAVING DIFFICULTY DEALING WITH IT THE SECOND TIME, WHICH HAS AN, UH, AN ECONOMIC IMPACT ON HER.

UM, I TALKED TO SOME MEMBERS AND THEY ALL SAY, YOU KNOW, WE LOVE THE WORKERS, BUT WE, WE HATE THE UNION.

IT'S THE UNION THAT'S CAUSING THIS PROBLEM.

SO I ASKED WHEN THE UNION WAS FORMED, AND IT WAS, UH, 20 YEARS AGO.

SO IT ISN'T A UNION PROBLEM, IT'S UH, IT'S A MANAGEMENT PROBLEM.

THEY HIRED THIS NEW FELLOW, I THINK THEY SAID ABOUT TWO YEARS AGO, AND HE HIRED THE CHEF.

AND THEY BOTH SEEM TO EXPRESS THAT THEY HAVE A LOT OF POWER AND THEY DON'T HAVE TO PUT UP WITH THESE PEOPLE.

AND , I'D BEEN A UNION REP AT KAISER FOR 44 YEARS AND WE HAD A CONTRACT AND WE MADE SURE IT GOT ADHERED TO.

AND I DON'T THINK THAT'S WHAT'S GOING ON HERE.

WHEN A PRIVATE BUSINESS OPERATES ON PUBLIC PROPERTY, Y'ALL HAVE SOME RESPONSIBILITY ABOUT THAT, AND YOU HAVE TO HOLD THE BUSINESS ON THE LAND TO BASIC STANDARDS OF DIGNITY AND ACCOUNTABILITY.

AND THAT'S WHAT I'M HERE ASKING FOR.

UM, THIS WEEKEND, WE ARE GONNA BE CELEBRATING MOTHERS AND HONORING THE IMPORTANT ROLE OF MOTHERS IN OUR FAMILY, OUR WORKPLACE, AND OUR COMMUNITY.

HOWEVER, MOTHERS STILL FACE DISCRIMINATION IN THE WORKPLACE AND IN SOCIETY.

AS A CITY, WE CAN SHOW TRUE HONOR TO OUR MOTHERS BY LISTENING TO THEM AND BY REINFORCING LOSS TO PROTECT THEM FROM HARM.

I URGE THIS BODY TO TAKE THESE ALLEGATIONS OF THESE TWO MOTHERS, SERIOUSLY, PLEASE.

AND, AND TO ENSURE THAT THE TERMS OF THE YACHT CLUB LEASE REFLECT THOSE OBLIGATIONS FOR THESE WOMEN AND FOR EVERY WORKER WHO COMES AFTER THEM.

THANK YOU FOR LISTENING.

IN HONOR OF MOTHER'S DAY, I WOULD LIKE TO, UM, SPEAK FOR THE MOTHERS THAT CANNOT SPEAK FOR THEMSELVES.

AND GAZA.

THESE ARE QUOTES FROM PALESTINIAN MOTHERS SPEAKING ABOUT THE HORRORS THAT THEY DEAL AND FACE AS MOTHERS.

THIS IS A QUOTE, I CARRIED HIM FOR NINE MONTHS, AND IN A MOMENT HE WAS GONE.

HOW DOES A MOTHER SURVIVE THAT? THERE IS NO WORD BIG ENOUGH FOR THIS PAIN.

I BURIED MY CHILD WITH MY OWN HANDS.

EVERY NIGHT I TELL MY CHILDREN TO SLEEP CLOSE TO ME.

SO IF WE DIE, WE DIE TOGETHER.

I TRY TO SMILE IN FRONT OF THEM, BUT INSIDE I AM SHAKING ALL THE TIME WE ARE MOTHERS.

EVEN IN WAR, WE WAKE UP AND TRY TO MAKE LIFE FEEL NORMAL FOR OUR CHILDREN.

I TEACH MY CHILDREN TO HOPE EVEN WHEN THE SKY IS FULL OF FEAR.

WE DON'T JUST WORRY ABOUT BOMBS, WE WORRY ABOUT WATER, BREAD, AND HOW TO KEEP OUR CHILDREN ALIVE ONE MORE DAY.

BEING A MOTHER HERE MEANS BEING STRONG EVERY SECOND, EVEN WHEN YOU FEEL LIKE YOU ARE BREAKING.

THESE ARE WORDS FROM MOTHERS FROM, FOR A PREVENTABLE SITUATION.

OUR TAX DOLLARS ARE FUNDING THIS GENOCIDE IN PALESTINE, AND EACH DAY GO, THAT GOES BY WITHOUT THE CITY COUNCIL.

SPEAKING ABOUT GAZA IS EACH DAY THAT LONG BEACH HAS TO DEAL WITH POTENTIALLY THESE TYPES OF QUOTES FROM MOTHERS IN LONG BEACH, BECAUSE WHAT'S HAPPENING IN GAZA IS A BLUEPRINT TO WHAT'S HAPPENING HERE.

THE INFRASTRUCTURE, THE HEALTH, THE EDUCATION, AND THE HOUSING

[02:40:03]

BOMBED AWAY GONE.

THERE'S NO EDUCATION, THERE'S NO HEALTH, THERE'S NO HOUSING.

THIS IS IN GAZA.

THIS IS WHAT'S BEING SET UP TO HAPPEN HERE.

AND I KNOW IT'S, I'M NOT A DOOMSDAY PERSON, BUT Y'ALL TALKING ABOUT CREATING A SALES TAX FOR US TO PAY SO THAT, BECAUSE THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT DOESN'T WANNA PAY OUR HEALTH WORKERS.

SO WHY AREN'T WE DOING SOMETHING ABOUT IT? WHY ARE WE PUTTING ALL OF OUR MONEY IN, IN, UH, MILITARY SURVEILLANCE, UM, KIDNAPPING MOTHERS DAUGHTERS, AND WHY, WHY ARE WE DOING THIS IN LONG BEACH? GAZA IS A BLUEPRINT AND ALL THE MOTHERS THAT ARE HERE THAT HAVE THESE FLOWERS, I MEAN, I HOPE TO GOD THAT YOU DON'T SAY THESE WORDS THAT I JUST SPOKE OF.

FREE PALESTINE.

UH, NEXT SPEAKER, WE HAVE NEXT SPEAKER.

I HAVE THE GRAY AND THEN CHUNK.

UH, PART OF THE REASON WE COME BACK TO THESE MEETINGS WEEK AFTER WEEK IS TO MAKE NOTE OF WHAT HAPPENS HERE.

AND WE ARE DEFINITELY MAKING NOTE OF HOW OFTEN THE RULES OF PUBLIC COMMENTS ARE ONLY STRICTLY ENFORCED WHEN APPLIED TO SPEAKERS THAT ARE NOT HERE JUST TO STROKE EGOS AND TELL THE COUNCIL WHAT A GREAT JOB THEY'RE DOING.

I'VE SEEN THAT CLOCK RESTARTED A BUNCH OF TIMES WHEN IT STARTED TOO SOON, AND I'VE SEEN IT PAUSED WHEN ONE OF THOSE EGO STROKERS GETS INTERRUPTED FOR EVEN A MOMENT.

BUT SUCH GRACE IS NOT GIVEN FOR SPEAKERS LIKE THE YOUNG GENTLEMAN TONIGHT THAT WAS ABOUT TO MAKE A POWERFUL STATEMENT THAT LIKELY DIDN'T ALIGN WITH THE COUNCIL'S ACTIONS AND WHO HAD A WEALTH OF SUPPORT FROM HIS PEERS.

IT WOULD'VE COST THIS MEETING SECONDS IF THE CLOCK HAD BEEN RESTARTED WHEN THE GENTLEMAN ASKED, TOOK MORE TIME TO ARGUE WITH HIM ABOUT IT.

AND JUST TWO WEEKS AGO, THE SAME COUNCIL SPENT TWO HOURS ASKING THE SAME QUESTIONS OVER AND OVER ABOUT A SINGLE AGENDA ITEM IN AN ATTEMPT TO EXHAUST THE ATTENDEES STILL WAITING TO SPEAK ON THEIR ITEMS. AND IF A RESIDENT OF THIS CITY SHOWS ENOUGH DEDICATION TO SHOW UP, NOT ONLY FOR THE FIRST PUBLIC COMMENT, BUT TO STAY FOR THE SECOND, THAT PERSEVERANCE SHOULD BE REWARDED, NOT BESMIRCHED.

IT'D BE DIFFERENT IF THERE WERE 10 NEW COMMENTERS LINED UP TO SPEAK, BUT IT WAS LATE AND THERE WAS ONLY ONE SPEAKER SIGN UP, WHICH WAS ME.

AND I WOULD NOT HAVE MINDED SOMEONE SPEAKING BEFORE ME, BUT THE MAYOR AND THE COUNCIL SEEMED TO TAKE GLEE IN SHUTTING DOWN THE VOICES OF CRITICISM, WHICH SEEMS A LITTLE EGOTISTICAL.

I JUST THINK THERE'S A LITTLE BIT MORE WIGGLE ROOM, UH, WHERE THESE COMMENTS ARE THAT COULD BE APPLIED AND IT WOULD GO A LONG WAY TO MAKING US ALL FEEL HEARD.

BUT ANYWAY, ICE RAIDS ARE STILL HAPPENING.

THE GENOCIDE AND PALESTINE IS STILL HAPPENING, BUT FOR SOME REASON, THIS COUNCIL KEEPS PASSING CONTRACT AFTER CONTRACT WITH BUSINESS AFTER BUSINESS THAT SUPPORTS WEAPONS MANUFACTURER, MASS SURVEILLANCE ICE, AND THE DHS SHAME ALLOCATING OUR TAX DOLLARS FOR THINGS WE DON'T SUPPORT.

SO YOU SHOULDN'T REALLY BE SURPRISED WHEN WE SHOW UP HERE WITH A CHIP ON OUR SHOULDERS.

AND FOR THE RECORD, OUR TAXER TAXES SHOULD BE USED FOR HEALTHCARE AND HOUSING, NOT WEAPONS MANUFACTURING AND COMPANIES LIKE GENERAL DYNAMICS OR ANDEL, WE'RE NOT GONNA JUST QUIETLY, UH, LET ANDEL SET UP SHOP IN OUR BACKYARD.

WE DON'T CARE IF WEAPONS AREN'T PHYSICALLY MANUFACTURED HERE.

LETTING THAT COMPANY SET UP ANY BASIS OF OPERATION HERE GOES AGAINST HUMANITARIAN VALUES.

AND THIS IS AGAIN, WHY WE KEEP BRINGING UP THE CIVIL AND HUMAN HUMAN RIGHTS SCREENING POLICY TO KEEP OUR MONEY FROM BEING USED.

THIS WAY.

WE WILL CONTINUE TO RESIST ANY ACTIONS OF THIS COUNCIL THAT SUPPORTS WASTING OUR TAXPAYER MONEY ON OVER-POLICING IN THE COMMUNITY AND WAR CRIMES ABROAD.

SO DO BETTER AND YOU'LL BE HEARING FROM US.

OUR FINAL SPEAKERS.

HELLO? OH, THERE WE GO.

OH, WELL MAYBE SOMEONE CAN GRAB THAT LATER, BUT YOU CAN STILL SEE IT.

UM, OH, THANK YOU.

CAREFUL.

I GOT IN TROUBLE FOR THAT EARLIER .

UH, ALRIGHT.

HI, UM, MY NAME'S CHARLIE.

I'M IN DISTRICT FIVE.

I'M A RENTER.

I ALSO WORK IN THE EAST VILLAGE.

UM, OH, THANK YOU.

I I CAN HOLD IT.