* This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting. [00:07:20] IF [00:07:21] THERE ARE ANY MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC IN ZOOM THAT WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK ON THE CONSENT CALENDAR, ITEMS ON THE AGENDA OR SECOND PUBLIC COMMENT, PLEASE USE THE RAISE HAND FEATURE. IF DIALING IN, PLEASE PRESS STAR NINE NOW. [00:20:47] ALL [00:20:48] RIGHT, [00:20:49] WE'RE GONNA GO AHEAD AND GET STARTED. TODAY IS TUESDAY, AUGUST 18TH. WELCOME TO THE MEETING OF THE LONG BEACH CITY COUNCIL. [CALL TO ORDER] UH, ROLL CALL. VOTE PLEASE. UH, ROLL CALL PLEASE. COUNCILWOMAN INDE HESS. COUNCILWOMAN [ROLL CALL] ALLEN PRESENT. COUNCIL MEMBER DUGGAN. HERE. COUNCILMAN SUPERMAN. HERE. COUNCILWOMAN KERR. PRESENT COUNCILWOMAN SORROW. PRESENT VICE MAYOR URANGA. COUNCIL MEMBER RICKS OTI. HERE. MAYOR RICHARDSON. I AM HERE. WE HAVE A QUORUM. THANK YOU. I'M GONNA ASK COUNCIL MEMBER SORROW TO LEAD US IN A MOMENT OF SILENCE AND THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE. [PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE] LET'S TAKE A MOMENT TO THINK ABOUT THOSE WE LOVE THAT WE'VE LOST RECENTLY, OR THOSE WHO ARE GOING THROUGH A DIFFICULT TIME. THANK YOU. WHEN YOU'RE READY, PLEASE RISE TO SALUTE OUR FLAG. IF YOU'RE ABLE TO RIGHT HAND OVER YOUR HEART AND BEGIN. I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS, ONE NATION UNDER GOD IN THE VISIBLE NEW LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL. ALL RIGHT, THANK YOU, COUNCILWOMAN. SO IT'S AUGUST 18TH, IT'S MY 43RD BIRTHDAY, AND THIS IS MY BIRTHDAY PARTY. WELCOME. WELCOME. THIS IS OUR BIRTHDAY PARTY. TONIGHT WE HAVE, UH, TWO PRESENTATIONS THIS EVENING. ONE IS NEIGHBORHOOD LEADERSHIP, UH, CLASS OF 2026, LET'S HEAR FOR THE NEIGHBORHOOD LEADERSHIP PROGRAM, AND WE HAVE SISTER CITIES HERE IN THE HOUSE, AND THEN WE'RE GETTING RIGHT INTO THE BUDGET. SO THE PRESENTATION IS AROUND FIVE MINUTES. LET'S JUMP RIGHT IN. UH, LET'S START WITH NEIGHBORHOOD LEADERSHIP PROGRAM. PLEASE COME FORWARD. [ Neighborhood Leadership Class of 2026] GOOD EVENING, HONORABLE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS. I AM VERY, UH, UH, PLEASED WITH THE OPPORTUNITY TO PRESENT THE 2026 GRADUATING CLASS OF COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT'S NEIGHBORHOOD LEADERSHIP PROGRAM. THIS IS AN EXTRA SPECIAL YEAR FOR US BECAUSE WE ARE GRADUATING THE 900TH MEMBER OF NEIGHBORHOOD LEADERSHIP PROGRAM SINCE 1992. THERE ARE 23 RESIDENTS TONIGHT WHO ARE GRADUATING, WHO HAVE DEDICATED THE LAST FIVE MONTHS OF THEIR LIFE, UH, TO GETTING TO KNOW EACH OTHER AND THE CITY, LEARNING TO WORK TOGETHER AND COMPLETING PROJECTS ALONG THE ANAHEIM CORRIDOR. THIS, AS THIS PROGRAM YEAR ENDS, WE ARE VERY EXCITED FOR THE FUTURE AND TO, TO CREATE AN EVEN STRONGER AND MORE INCLUSIVE PROGRAM. WITH THAT, I WOULD LIKE TO INTRODUCE, UH, CANDACE LAOS VAL DE PENA, WHO WAS CHOSEN BY HER CLASS TONIGHT TO REPRESENT THEM. THANK YOU. GOOD AFTERNOON, HONORABLE MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEMBERS. MY NAME IS CANDACE LEOS DER PENA. I'M A MEMBER OF NLP CLASS OF 2026. I'M HERE TODAY TO SHARE HOW PROGRAMS LIKE NLP BENEFIT RESIDENTS AND STRENGTHEN THE CITY OF LONG BEACH AS A WHOLE. THROUGH MY INVOLVEMENT IN LONG BEACH, I HAVE SEEN SOMETHING VERY CLEARLY. THE CITY UNDERSTANDS THE VALUE OF INVESTING IN ITS COMMUNITY MEMBERS. PROGRAMS LIKE NLP DEVELOP LEADERS AND THOSE LEADERS MULTIPLY THE WORK NEEDED TO IMPROVE OUR NEIGHBORHOODS AND OUR CITY. THROUGHOUT THIS PROGRAM, PARTICIPANTS DEVELOP SKILLS IN RELATIONSHIP BUILDING, PUBLIC SPEAKING, COMMUNITY ORGANIZING, GRANT WRITING, AND PROJECT PLANNING. MOST IMPORTANTLY, WE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO PUT THOSE SKILLS INTO ACTION. OUR COMMUNITY PROJECTS BROUGHT RESOURCES, CONNECTIONS, AND [00:25:01] CARE TO RESIDENTS ACROSS LONG BEACH. FOR EXAMPLE, THE EAST ANAHEIM CAREER FAIR CONNECTED RESIDENTS WITH EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES, WORKFORCE TRAINING AND SUPPORT SERVICES FROM LOCAL EMPLOYERS AND COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS. BLOOM'S BINS, BOOKS AND BINS WAS A FAMILY FRIENDLY GREEN FAIR THAT PROVIDED GARDENING KITS, SUSTAINABILITY EDUCATION, COMPOSTING AND WEIGHT REDUCTION SERVICES, RESOURCES, A BOOK EXCHANGE AND BILINGUAL STORY TIME. THE NEIGHBORHOOD COMMUNITY CLEANUP BROUGHT RESIDENTS AND COMMUNITY PARTNERS TOGETHER TO REMOVE LITTER, COORDINATE GRAFFITI ABATEMENT, AND BEAUTIFY. THE WASHINGTON NEIGHBORHOOD RISE THROUGH LEARNING CONNECTED RESIDENTS WITH EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES, SCHOLARSHIPS, TRADE SCHOOL PROGRAMS, INTERNSHIPS AND ENROLLMENT GUIDANCE. THESE PROJECTS ADDRESSED DIFFERENT NEEDS, BUT THEY ALL HAD ONE THING IN COMMON. THEY WERE CREATED BY COMMUNITY MEMBERS FOR THE COMMUNITY. WHAT HAS IMPRESSED ME MOST ABOUT THE CITY OF LONG BEACH IS ITS DIVERSITY. THE PEOPLE I HAVE MET THROUGH THIS PROGRAM ARE TALENTED, PASSIONATE, AND EAGER TO GIVE BACK TO THEIR NEIGHBORHOODS. THEY REPRESENT THE STRENGTH AND POTENTIAL THAT EXISTS THROUGHOUT THE CITY. WHEN YOU INVEST IN COMMUNITY MEMBERS, THEY INVEST BACK INTO THE CITY THEY LOVE. THAT IS WHY I HOPE THIS IMPACTFUL AND IMMERSIVE PROGRAM CONTINUES FOR MANY YEARS TO COME. I ALSO HOPE EACH OF YOU HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO MEET THE INCREDIBLE RESIDENTS WHO ARE WORKING EVERY DAY TO MAKE THEIR NEIGHBORHOODS AND LONG BEACH STRONGER. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND FOR YOUR CONTINUED INVESTMENT IN OUR COMMUNITIES AND HAPPY BIRTHDAY MAYOR. ALRIGHT, WELL, UH, UH, CONGRATULATIONS TO THE CLASS OF 2026 AND TO THE ALUMNI WHO ARE HERE, THANK YOU FOR CONTINUE TO SUPPORT THE PROGRAM. WE DO HAVE A PROCLAMATION. WE'RE GONNA INVITE THE CLASS FORWARD TO TAKE A QUICK PHOTO. WOO. THANK YOU. GOOD TO SEE YOU. THANK YOU. WELL, THANK YOU. CONGRATULATIONS. GO AHEAD SIR. GUESS SHE AND I ARE TAKING PHOTOS. CAN WE TAKE PHOTO FOR YOU? IF YOU DON'T MIND. YOU WANT HELP AS MANY AS YOU CAN. I'M TAKING HERE TODAY, SO I'M TAKING ANYBODY ELSE MORE PHOTO TAKERS. OKAY. ME FIRST. THANK YOU. ALRIGHT. RIGHT HERE. 1, 2, 3. NEXT ONE MORE. SORRY. ONE TWO N UP. THANK YOU. CONGRATULATIONS. READY TO GO. GOOD JOB, RENEE. CONGRATS. BYE. DONE. CONGRATULATIONS. ALWAYS APPRECIATE IT. AWESOME. ALL RIGHT, WELL, THANK YOU. UH, NEIGHBORHOOD LEADERSHIP PROGRAM. AS YOU, UH, LEAVE, UH, LET'S KEEP THE CHATTER DOWN SO WE CAN MOVE RIGHT INTO OUR NEXT PRESENTATION. NEXT UP, UH, WE [00:30:01] HAVE LEADERSHIP HERE FROM OUR SISTER CITIES OF LONG BEACH ASSOCIATION. UH, SUSAN, COME ON DOWN. [ Sister Cities of Long Beach] MR. MAYOR, COUNCIL MEMBERS TODAY WE RECOGNIZE AN OUTSTANDING GROUP OF YOUNG PEOPLE, MIDDLE SCHOOL AND THROUGH COLLEGE WHO STEP ASIDE THEIR COMFORT ZONE THROUGH ART, DIGITAL PEN PAL, INTERNATIONAL FRIENDSHIP AMBASSADOR AND CULTURAL CULTURAL EXCHANGE, UH, PROGRAMS, ADVANCING OUR MISSION OF BUILDING UNDERSTANDING AND FRIENDSHIP ACROSS BORDERS THAT MISSIONS TAKE PLACE. TAKE PARTNERSHIP, MAYOR AND COUNCIL, THANK YOU FOR HELPING TO FUND SOME OF THIS PROGRAM AND OPEN DOORS FOR OUR STUDENTS, HELPING RAISE GENERATION OF LONG BEACH RESIDENTS WHO SEE THE WORLD AS SOMETHING TO ENGAGE WITH, NOT FAIR TO OUR HONOREES. WHAT YOU HAVE ACCOMPLISHED IS WORTH CELEBRATING TODAY, BUT LET BE A BEGINNING. CARRY THIS CURIOSITY AND THIS FRIENDSHIPS FORWARD. THE WORLD NEEDS MORE PEOPLE LIKE YOU. CONGRATULATIONS AND THANK YOU SO MUCH, MAYORS. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, RICHARD, PLEASE, UM, I'M GONNA DO A, A QUICK SLIDESHOW. I DID IT AT HOME FAST AND IT WAS FIVE MINUTES, SO CROSS MY FINGERS, UH, UH, CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS AND, UH, MR. MAYOR, HAPPY BIRTHDAY. UH, THANK YOU FOR LETTING US, UH, PRESENT AGAIN THIS YEAR. WE WANNA BRING YOU UP TO DATE ON WHAT WE'RE DOING AS WE, UH, ARE DEVELOPING OUR PLANS FOR, UH, OUR SISTER CITY PROGRAM WITH LA 28 AND THE OLYMPICS. WE'RE VERY EXCITED ABOUT THAT, BUT TODAY WE'RE GONNA TALK ABOUT THE DRIVE THAT WE'VE MADE IN ORDER TO BUILD TOWARD THAT MOMENTUM. UM, WE, UH, ARE BUILDING GLOBAL CONNECTIONS, INSPIRING THE NEXT GENERATION, OH, BEFORE I GO ON, I SHOULD INTRODUCE, THIS IS CIAN CHARLES. WE DEVELOPED A PROGRAM THIS YEAR CALLED THE INTERNATIONAL FRIENDSHIP AMBASSADORS. CIAN WAS ONE OF THOSE STUDENTS FROM THAT, SHE SAYS A GRADUATE STUDENT AT CAL STATE. SHE CREATED A 30 MINUTE DOCUMENTARY ABOUT THE HISTORY OF SISTER CITIES IN LONG BEACH WITH REGARD TO OUR CHINESE SISTER CITY CHIG. NOW SHE'S GONNA SAY A FEW WORDS IN A FEW MINUTES. SO, UM, SO YOU CAN SEE FROM THE SLIDE, WE CREATE OPPORTUNITIES FOR YOUNG PEOPLE. WE'VE BEEN DOING THIS IN LONG BEACH FOR 63 YEARS. OUR MISSION IS NOT JUST SIMPLY, UH, DEVELOPED ABOUT INTERNATIONAL RELATIONSHIPS, UH, BETWEEN CITIES. IT'S ABOUT CREATING OPPORTUNITIES FOR LONG BEACH RESIDENTS, PARTICULARLY YOUNG PEOPLE, TO EXPERIENCE THOSE RELATIONSHIPS PERSONALLY. THIS YEAR WE FOCUSED HEAVILY ON OUR GLOBAL YOUTH CULTURAL AND EDUCATION INITIATIVE. IT'S GOT FIVE PARTS TO IT, ONE OF WHICH WAS THIS INTERNATIONAL FRIENDSHIP AMBASSADOR PROGRAM THROUGH CAL STATE. NEXT SLIDE. WE'RE CON, EXCUSE ME, CONNECTING LONG BEACH STUDENTS TO THE WORLD. OUR YOUTH INITIATIVE IS DESIGNED TO INTRODUCE STUDENTS TO THE WORLD AT DIFFERENT STAGES OF THEIR EDUCATION. WE HAVE KIDS STARTING IN MIDDLE, UH, ELEMENTARY AND MIDDLE SCHOOL WITH AN ART PROJECT HAVING TO DO WITH CULTURAL ARTS. THEN THEY, UH, MOVE ON TO, UH, UH, UM, MIDDLE SCHOOL, AGAIN, CULTURAL ACTIVITIES. THEN HIGH SCHOOL FOR OUR DIGITAL PEN PAL PROGRAM, AND THEN THE INTERNATIONAL FRIENDSHIP AMBASSADORS FOR COLLEGE STUDENTS. ULTIMATELY, OUR GOAL IS TO DEVELOP GLOBALLY AWARE LONG BEACH RESIDENTS WHO ARE ALSO ENGAGED IN OUR OWN COMMUNITY. AND IT'S BASICALLY FROM ELEMENTARY SCHOOL TO COLLEGE. LAST YEAR WE HAD, UH, 11 STUDENTS FROM THIS IFA PROGRAM. THEY PARTICIPATED FOR EIGHT MONTHS, EIGHT PROJECTS, ONE SHARED OMISSION. THIS BECOMES THE CONTINUUM OF OPPORTUNITIES BEFORE YOU, YOU HAVE IN FRONT OF YOU OUR ANNUAL REPORT. IT WAS PRODUCED BY ONE OF THESE STUDENTS, COMPLETELY A FRESHMAN AT CAL STATE. RICHARD GONZALEZ. CAN I ASK YOU TO STAND? HE DID THAT WHOLE ANNUAL REPORT BY HIMSELF AND FRANKLY, I THINK IT'S WAY BETTER THAN THE ONE I DID A COUPLE YEARS AGO. THANK YOU VICTOR . UH, ALSO, YEAH, THERE YOU GO. ALSO BEFORE YOU, YOU HAVE THE LUNAR NEW YEAR ART BOOK, UH, ALSO PRODUCED BY CAL STATE STUDENTS AND, UM, UH, WHERE MIDDLE OF LONG BEACH MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENTS, AS WELL AS HIGH SCHOOL AND CHING DOW STUDENTS FROM CHINA SUBMIT ART. IT'S, UH, JUDGED BY LOCAL PROFESSIONAL ARTISTS IN LONG BEACH, AND THEN IT'S PUT IT TO THIS BOOK SHARED IN CHINA AND HERE IN LONG BEACH. NEXT SLIDE. WE'RE ALREADY ON, OH, THIS IS THE RIGHT SLIDE HERE. UH, SO THE, OH, IT'S YOUR TURN. YES. THANK YOU. HELLO, MY NAME IS SI CHARLES. [00:35:01] I AM A GRADUATE STUDENT AT CAL STATE LONG BEACH, AND I'LL BE PRESENTING THE NEXT SLIDE FOR US. HAPPY BIRTHDAY, MY EX RICHARDSON. SO LET'S TALK ABOUT THE 11 C-S-U-L-B STUDENTS THAT HAD EIGHT MONTHS, EIGHT PROJECTS, BUT ONE SHARED DREAM. AND I, IN ONE OF THEIR STORIES, THE INAUGURAL IFA COHORT CONSISTED OF 11 DIFFERENT C-S-U-L-B STUDENTS, AND THE PROGRAM RAN ALL THE WAY FROM OCTOBER OF 2025 TWO, MAY OF 2026. THE STUDENTS WERE SELECTED BASED ON THEIR INTERESTS AND WERE MATCHED WITH PROJECTS THAT THEY CAN MEANINGLY CONTRIBUTE TO. THIS BECAME PART OF THE 63RD YEAR TRADITION OF THE GLOBAL FRIENDSHIP THAT HELPED WITH BRIDGING CHINA TO CALIFORNIA. NOW LET'S TALK ABOUT THE REAL PROJECTS, THE REAL RESPONSIBILITY AND THE REAL IMPACT. SO THE STUDENTS ALSO WORKED ON, AS SUSAN WAS STATING, THE LONG BEACH CHING DAO STUDENT ART BOOK, AS WELL AS THE ANNUAL REPORTS HELPING WITH EVENTS, THE WEBSITE CONTENT THAT WAS POSTED ON SISTER CITIES, THE CHING DOO DOCUMENTARY THAT I HAD. THE PHENOMENAL OPPORTUNITY OF PRODUCING, HOSTING, AND WRITING THE DIGITAL GLOBAL PEN PAL PROGRAM, AND EVEN HELPING WITH, UM, THE LONG BEACH CHING DOO STUDENT ART BOOK AND GRANT WRITING FOR SISTER CITIES. SO THE STUDENTS WERE CONTRIBUTING WHILE THEY WERE LEARNING, AND THIS IS WHY THIS PROJECT WAS VERY IMPACTFUL FOR US. DID YOU DO 'EM BOTH? I DID. OKAY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU SO MUCH. UM, SO WE'RE ALMOST DONE, UM, TURNING GLOBAL CONNECTIONS INTO CAREER SKILLS. WE'RE REALLY EXCITED BECAUSE A NUMBER OF THE KIDS THAT HAVE WORKED WITH US NOW HAVE PROFESSIONAL CAREERS. UH, THE STUDENTS DEVELOPED MORE THAN AN UNDERSTANDING. UH, THEY, UM, THROUGH THE EVENTS, THEY LEARNED HOW TO WELCOME GUESTS, PROVIDE CUSTOMER SERVICE, ANSWERED QUESTIONS, EXPLAINED WHO WE ARE. UH, THEY MET GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS, UH, UM, COUNCILS, GENERAL LEADERS AT INTERNATIONAL PARTNERS. UH, THEY DEVELOPED DIGITAL AND CREATIVE SKILLS THROUGH THEIR PROJECT, LEARNED HOW TO WORK ACROSS CULTURES WITH PEOPLE FROM DIFFERENT BACKGROUNDS. AND THESE ARE PRACTICAL EXPERIENCES THAT MANY COLLEGE STUDENTS DON'T GET, UH, UNTIL MUCH LATER IN THEIR CAREERS. UH, OUR RELATIONSHIPS WITH LONG BEACH CITY COLLEGE AND CAL STATE ARE STELLAR AND WE'RE VERY BLESSED WITH THAT NEXT SLIDE. AND THEN THE, UH, PROGRAM ENDED IN, UM, UH, JUNE, MAY, AND THEN IN JUNE, THE KIDS WENT TO CHINA, UH, AND HAD A CHANCE TO MEET SOME OF THE STUDENTS THAT THEY, THEY STAYED IN THE DORM, THEY MET OTHER CHINESE KIDS. UM, AND THEY REALLY BEGAN TO DEVELOP THESE FRIENDSHIPS, WHICH IS WHAT IT'S ALL ABOUT. OF COURSE, WHAT I REALLY WANT IS FOR THESE KIDS TO TAKE OVER SISTER CITIES. THEY'RE THE ONES THAT ARE GONNA BE SITTING HERE IN A FEW YEARS AND TELLING YOU WHAT'S BEEN GOING ON. THAT'S THE SUSTAINABILITY OF THE PROGRAM AND THE SUSTAINABILITY OF LONG BEACH AS A GLOBALLY, UH, UH, VITAL CITY. UM, UH, LET ME SEE DUE TO, OKAY, SO COMMUNITY IMPACT. WE OFTEN TALK ABOUT INTERNATIONAL EXCHANGE AS THOUGH ITS PRIMARY PURPOSE IS TO TEACH STUDENTS ABOUT ANOTHER COUNTRY. UM, BUT THERE'S MUCH LARGER IMPACT. UH, THEY LEARN TO LISTEN AND COMMUNICATE WITH SOMEONE WHOSE EXPERIENCES MAY BE VERY DIFFERENT FROM THEIR OWN. AND OUR IFA STUDENTS ARE NOW IN A POSITION TO HELP CREATE THOSE SAME EXPERIENCES FOR YOUNGER LONG BEACH STUDENTS. THEY'VE DECIDED TO CREATE A SISTER CITIES OF LONG BEACH CLUB ON THE CAMPUS OF CAL STATE, AND WE'RE WORKING WITH THE NEW VICE PROVOST, UH, DR. HUNG TO MAKE THAT HAPPEN. UH, NEXT ONE. UH, SO ONE OF THE MOST ENCOURAGING OUTFIT COMES IS THEIR INTEREST IN CONTINUING TO BE INVOLVED. THIS TELLS US THAT THE PROGRAM WASN'T SIMPLY SOMETHING THEY COMPLETED FOR SCHOOL. THEY DEVELOPED A CONNECTION TO THE MISSION. THAT'S THE LONG-TERM OPPORTUNITY WE'RE SEEING HERE, CREATING A PIPELINE OF YOUNG PEOPLE WHO UNDERSTAND BOTH THE IMPORTANCE OF INTERNATIONAL RELATIONSHIPS AND THE IMPORTANCE OF THEIR OWN COMMUNITY. WE WANT THESE KIDS TO SEE SISTER CITIES AS SOMETHING THEY CAN CONTINUE TO BE A PART OF AS VOLUNTEERS, PROFESSIONALS, COMMUNITY LEADERS, AND POTENTIALLY FUTURE ORGANIZATIONAL LEADERS. SO, GLOBAL LEADERS FOR LONG BEACH ONE, UM, UH, I DO, FIRST OF ALL, I NEED TO THANK JULIE AND OMAR AND SAVANNAH FOR THEIR HARD WORK ON THIS PRESENTATION. AND, UM, THEY HAVE JUST BEEN SO, UH, VITAL IN MAKING US BE ABLE TO SHARE WITH YOU WHERE WE ARE AND WHERE WE'RE HEADED. AND, UH, I THINK THAT'S IT FOR NOW. THANK YOU. OKAY. ALRIGHT. WELL, I'M SORRY. SAY WHAT? OH, NOTHING. THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR PRESENTATION. SISTER C IS A GREAT ORGANIZATION AND WHAT'S IMPORTANT TO KNOW, SO MUCH WORK PRODUCT COMES OUT FROM THIS ORGANIZATION THAT'S ENTIRELY VOLUNTEER DRIVEN. [00:40:01] SO SUSAN AND JULIE AND ALL THE VOLUNTEERS, THANK YOU FOR STEPPING UP AND IT'S INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT BECAUSE IT'S ONE OF OUR LONGEST STANDING CIVIC ORGANIZATIONS IN THE CITY. UH, SO WHAT ARE WE, 63 YEARS NOW? OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH OUR OLDEST SISTER CITY IN YO CHI. YES. UH, AND IT'S GREAT TO SEE NEW PROGRAMS COME ONLINE. UM, I, I GOTTA SEE THE DOCUMENTARY. IS THAT THE ONE YOU INTERVIEWED ME FOR? YES, IT WAS. OKAY. I GOTTA SEE THE FINAL PRODUCT. YEAH, WE WOULD REALLY LIKE ALL OF YOU TO SEE THIS DOCUMENTARY. IT'S AMAZING. IT WAS HER FIRST EFFORT AT DOING A DOCUMENTARY 30 MINUTES LONG AND IT'S FABULOUS. ALRIGHT, WELL CONGRATULATIONS. THANK YOU. AND, UH, WISHING YOU MANY MORE YEARS OF SUCCESS WITH SISTER CITIES HERE FOR THE SISTER CITIES ASSOCIATION. THANK ALL RIGHT. NOW WE'RE GET GONNA GET TO THE AGENDA. LET'S QUEUE UP THE CONSENT CALENDAR, PLEASE. SO THERE'S A, YEAH, WE CAN DO A PHOTO. LET'S DO THE PHOTO. SURE. WHOOPSY, DAISY, SORRY. THANKS SAM AS I RUN OVER. [CONSENT CALENDAR (1. – 13.)] OKAY. SO THERE'S A REQUEST TO, UH, WITHDRAW ITEM 12 FROM THE, UH, CONSENT CALENDAR. SO WE'RE GONNA TAKE A MOTION FOR CONSENT CALENDAR ITEMS ONE THROUGH 13. I SEE THERE'S SOME PUBLIC COMMENT. SO LET'S MINISTER PUBLIC COMMENT ON CONSENT. THERE'S ONE PUBLIC COMMENT ON CONSENT. SAM WISE, GAJI IS A DIAL IN CALLER, WILL YOU PLEASE UNMUTE YOURSELF? YOUR TIME BEGINS. CAN YOU HEAR ME? YES. PERFECT. UH, SO FIRST OF ALL, I JUST WANNA SAY HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ALL OF OUR IMMIGRANT NEIGHBORS THAT GOT STOLEN FROM US BECAUSE ICE AGENTS WERE ALLOWED TO RAVAGE OUR CITY BY THE COUNCIL AND BY THE LONG BEACH PD. BUT I'LL GO AHEAD AND, UH, GET BACK TO THE ITEM THAT I SIGNED IN FOR, WHICH IS ITEM EIGHT. OBVIOUSLY I'M ALL FOR MORE BUDGET SO THAT, UH, LOW LOW TO MODERATE PEOPLE INCOME, PEOPLE CAN HAVE MORE ACCESS TO HEALTHCARE. I THINK, UH, MY ONLY REAL COMMENT IS WHY IS IT SO LOW AN INCREASE OF A LITTLE OVER $95,000? LIKE REALLY, LIKE WHY 95? LIKE WHY NOT? WHY NOT A FULL MILLION? BECAUSE THIS SEEMS LIKE KIND OF AN IMPORTANT THING. YOU KNOW, HEALTHCARE IS IMPORTANT. PEOPLE NEED TO BE ABLE TO TAKE CARE OF THEMSELVES OBVIOUSLY. SO YEAH, LIKE $95,226 PER YEAR FOR THREE YEARS. LIKE, SO YEAH, WHY SO LITTLE? YOU COULD ADD $284,000, $1,774 AND YOU WOULD BARELY BE REACHING TOM MOCA'S ANNUAL BUDGET. SO YEAH, IT'S LIKE, WHY, WHY IS THIS INCREASE SO SMALL THAT, THAT'S KIND OF ODD TO ME. BUT, YOU KNOW, THANK GOODNESS THAT THE CITY COUNCIL IS ABLE TO HAVE ALL THESE PHOTO OPS SO THAT THEY CAN TAKE CREDIT FOR THINGS THAT THE COMMON PEOPLE OF LONG BEACH ARE DOING. IT'S GREAT THAT THAT'S, THAT'S A PRIORITY FOR THIS COUNCIL. AND THAT'S ALL I REALLY HAVE TO SAY. THAT CONCLUDES PUBLIC COMMENT FOR CONSENT. ALRIGHT, SO LET'S, UH, TAKE [00:45:01] THE VOTE ON ITEMS ONE THROUGH 13 MINUS ITEM 12. MOTION IS CARRIED. THANK YOU. 12. THE REQUEST IS TO WITHDRAW IT COMPLETELY, RIGHT? NO, TO, I'M GOING TO, UM, AMEND, I'M GONNA AMEND THE MOTION. OKAY, WELL LET'S, UH, LET'S QUEUE UP. I LET'S READ ITEM 12 PLEASE. ITEM 12 IS A REPORT FROM TECHNOLOGY AND INNOVATION RECOMMENDATION TO ALLOCATE PUBLIC EDUCATION AND GOVERNMENT FEE REVENUE. [12. 26-55764 Recommendation to authorize City Manager, or designee, to allocate Public, Education, and Government (PEG) fee revenue equally among the three categories of cable access providers, each receiving one-third of the total available; and Increase appropriations in the General Services Fund Group in the Technology and Innovation Department by $489,729, offset by PEG fee revenue. (Citywide)       Office or Department: Technology and Innovation         Suggested Action: Approve recommendation. ] EQUALLY AMONG THE THREE CATEGORIES OF CABLE ACCESS PROVIDERS EACH RECEIVING ONE THIRD OF THE TOTAL AVAILABLE AND INCREASED APPROPRIATIONS BY 489,729 OFFSET BY PEG FEE REVENUE CITYWIDE. THANK YOU. I DON'T NEED A STAFF REPORT, SO IF YOU JUST WANT TO ENTER YOUR AMENDMENT IN. YEAH. SO, UM, UH, THE MOTION WILL BE, UM, NO LONGER A, UM, NO LONGER THE RECOMMENDATION THAT'S ON THE FLOOR. UH, WE ARE GOING TO CHANGE THE MOTION TO HAVE STAFF TO DO, GO BACK AND DO SOME ADDITIONAL RESEARCH ON THIS ITEM REGARDING THE FUNDING SPLIT, UH, THE PROJECTED NEEDS OF EACH AGENCY AND FUND BALANCES FROM PREVIOUS YEARS, UM, AS, AND BRING THE BIDEN BACK, UH, WHEN STAFF HAS DONE THAT RESEARCH AND READY. GREAT. UH, UNDERSTOOD. YEAH. THIS IS MONEY THAT, UH, WE'VE TRADITIONALLY SPLIT UP ONE THIRD, ONE THIRD, ONE THIRD TO PUBLIC EDUCATION AND GOVERNMENT, BUT I THINK THERE'S BEEN SOME QUESTIONS ABOUT KIND OF WHAT ARE THE EMERGING NEEDS AND HOW MUCH DOES EACH AGENCY HAVE. SO IT'S, UH, SOMETHING WE'RE HAPPY TO LOOK INTO AND, UH, COME BACK WHEN WE'RE READY. YEAH. GREAT. ALRIGHT, MEMBERS, PLEASE CAST YOUR VOTE. MOTION IS CARRIED. ALRIGHT, NOW WE'RE GONNA GO INTO OUR BUDGET HEARING. UH, SO LET'S GO AHEAD AND START WITH THE BUDGET. WE HAVE THREE DEPARTMENTS TO GET TO TODAY. WE'RE GONNA, UH, PICK UP WITH THE POLICE. WE'RE GONNA START WITH THE POLICE DEPARTMENT THAT WAS SCHEDULED FOR LAST YEAR, NEEDED TO BE CONTINUED LAST WEEK, [14. 26-55766 Recommendation to conduct a Budget Hearing to receive and discuss an overview of the Proposed Fiscal Year 2027 Budget for Police, Health and Human Services, and Community Development departments. (Citywide)       Office or Department: Financial Management         Suggested Action: Approve recommendation. ] NEEDED TO BE CONTINUED TO THIS WEEK. UH, AND WE'RE ALSO GONNA HEAR ABOUT, HEAR FROM THE HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES DEPARTMENT AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT. SO LET'S START WITH, UH, OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT PLEASE. UH, WE NEED TO, UH, MAKE SURE WE'RE NOT DISTURBING THE MEETING. THAT'S, THAT CONSTITUTES A DISTURBANCE FROM THE LADY WITH THE FINGER. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, TOM. PLEASE PROCEED. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MR. MAYOR. SO YES, WE WILL START WITH OUR, UH, POLICE DEPARTMENT, UH, AND I WILL TURN IT OVER TO POLICE CHIEF, CHIEF WALLY ISH. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. UH, MR. MOKA AND, AND ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER, UH, APRIL WALKER. UH, GOOD EVENING MAYOR AND, AND COUNCIL MEMBERS. UH, I I DO WANNA START BY, UH, SHARING MY APPRECIATION AND, AND GRATITUDE FOR YOUR FLEXIBILITY AND ALLOWING, UH, US TO POSTPONE OUR PRESENTATION LAST WEEK SO I COULD BE HERE TONIGHT TO PRESENT. SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THAT. UM, AS WE BEGIN TONIGHT'S PRESENTATION, I WANNA ACKNOWLEDGE THAT WE UNDERSTAND THE CITY OF LONG BEACH IS FACING SUBSTANTIAL FINANCIAL CONSTRAINTS THIS YEAR AND THAT DIFFICULT CHOICES ARE BEING MADE IN ORDER TO ENSURE THE LONG-TERM FINANCIAL STABILITY OF OUR CITY. AS SUCH, THE POLICE DEPARTMENT WAS TASKED WITH IMPLEMENTING BUDGET CUTS THAT WOULD RESULT IN A NEARLY 19 AND A HALF MILLION DOLLARS BUDGET REDUCTION, SURPASSING ANY OTHER WE'VE MADE IN RECENT MEMORY. THIS TRANSLATES INTO THE MOST CHALLENGING AND DIFFICULT PD BUDGET PROPOSAL I'VE EVER HAD TO BRING FORWARD. BUT THIS IS A SHARED FINANCIAL REALITY THAT WE HAVE WORKED CLOSELY WITH THE CITY TO RESPONSIBLY ADDRESS. WORKING THROUGH A BUDGET TARGET OF THIS MAGNITUDE REQUIRED US TO REPRIORITIZE SERVICES WITHOUT COMPROMISING OUR CORE VALUES AND MAINTAINING OUR ALIGNMENT WITH THE PRIORITIES OF OUR CITY, WHICH FOR THE POLICE DEPARTMENT MEANS KEEPING OUR COMMUNITY SAFE. OUR CORE, OUR CORE VALUES ARE GUIDING PRINCIPLES FOR THE WORK WE DO AND THE DECISIONS WE MAKE. NOT JUST OPERATIONAL DECISIONS, BUT ADMINISTRATIVE AND FINANCIAL DECISIONS AS WELL. EVERY RECOMMENDATION WE'RE PRESENTING WAS DEVELOPED WITH IMMENSE THOUGHT AND CONSIDERATION AND THE WEIGHT OF THESE CUTS WILL HAVE AN IMPACT ON OUR DEPARTMENT AND OUR EMPLOYEES, BUT ALSO SERVICE DELIVERY TO OUR COMMUNITY AND PARTNER CITY DEPARTMENTS EVEN. SO, I HAVE TO COMMEND MY OUTSTANDING EXECUTIVE LEADERSHIP TEAM AND COMMAND STAFF, EXCUSE ME, AND COMMAND STAFF FOR BUILDING A PRAGMATIC AND STRATEGIC BUDGET PROPOSAL. OUR BUDGET IS FOCUSED ON CORE FUNCTIONALITY AND DURING THIS PROCESS WE FOCUSED ON PRIORITIZING VICTIMS OF VIOLENT CRIME AND THE MOST VULNERABLE MEMBERS OF OUR COMMUNITY. AND IN ORDER TO CONTINUE TO BUILD ON OUR PROGRESS AND PUBLIC SAFETY, A RENEWED FOCUS ON PRIORITY SERVICES WAS REQUIRED. AND TO MEET A SAVINGS TARGET OF THIS SIZE, WE STRUCTURED OUR BUDGET PROPOSAL AROUND FOUR KEY POLICING AREAS, ONE EMERGENCY RESPONSE AND CALLS FOR SERVICE, PRIORITIZING OUR FOUNDATIONAL DUTY OF IMMEDIATE PATROL RESPONSE CAPABILITIES ALONG WITH PROACTIVE [00:50:01] SAFETY MEASURES CONCERNING HEIGHTENED RISKS SURROUNDING THE PROTECTION OF CRITICAL INFRASTRUCTURE SUCH AS OUR PORT AIRPORT AND NUMEROUS ENTERTAINMENT AREAS. TWO, CRIMINAL INVESTIGATIONS, ANALYTICS AND VICTIM SUPPORT, FOCUSING ON PRIORITY CASE CLEARANCES AS WELL AS ROBUST AND INCREASED CRIME ANALYSIS. THREE, OPERATIONAL SUPPORT TECHNOLOGY AND TRAINING. SUPPLEMENTING STAFFING REDUCTIONS THROUGH THE ETHICAL AND LAWFUL USE OF CURRENT AND EMERGING TECHNOLOGIES AND REAFFIRMING OUR COMMITMENT AND INVESTMENTS IN PROFESSIONAL AND ESSENTIAL TRAINING. ALIGNED WITH THE VISION OF LBPD FOR COMMUNITY OUTREACH PARTNERSHIPS AND ENGAGEMENT SERVICES FOCUSED ON STRENGTHENING PUBLIC TRUST AND PARTNERSHIPS, SUPPORTING PROGRAMS TO IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF LIFE FOR EVERYONE IN OUR CITY. MAINTAINING A LEVEL OF SERVICE IN THESE FOUR KEY SERVICE AREAS REMAINS A PRIORITY AND IS ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY IN ORDER FOR THE POLICE DEPARTMENT TO BE OPERATIONALLY EFFECTIVE. CLEARLY DEFINING OUR KEY AREAS SUPPORTS OUR SAFETY EFFORTS AND ALLOWS THE POLICE DEPARTMENT TO EFFICIENTLY RESPOND TO THE MANY CALLS FOR SERVICE WE RECEIVE EACH DAY. IN FISCAL YEAR 25, OUR OFFICERS RESPONDED OVER 187,000 DISPATCH CALLS FOR SERVICE AVERAGING OVER 512 CALLS EACH DAY. THIS IS IN ADDITION TO OUR PROACTIVE POLICING, SAFE MANAGEMENT OF PUBLIC GATHERINGS, ADDRESSING QUALITY OF LIFE COMPLAINTS AND INCREASED STAFFING REQUESTS FOR A GROWING NUMBER OF SPECIAL EVENTS. AND DESPITE WORKLOAD AND STAFFING CHALLENGES, THE SWORN AND PROFESSIONAL STAFF OF THE LONG BEACH POLICE DEPARTMENT CONTINUE TO MAKE A PROFOUND AND POSITIVE IMPACT ON CRIME AND SAFETY IN LONG BEACH. AND WE'RE MAKING THIS POSITIVE IMPACT WHILE OUR SWORN OFFICERS FROM THROUGHOUT THE DEPARTMENT CONTINUE WORKING MANDATORY OVERTIME SHIFTS TO MAINTAIN BASE STAFFING, STAFFING LEVELS, AND PATROL, ALLOWING US TO HAVE AN AVERAGE RESPONSE. TIME TO PRIORITY ONE. CALLS ARE MOST URGENT, LIFE-THREATENING EMERGENCIES OF 5.6 MINUTES WHILE HIGHER THAN IN PREVIOUS YEARS. THIS RESPONSE REMAINS WELL WITHIN THE OPTIMAL NATIONAL RANGE FOR MAJOR CITY POLICE DEPARTMENTS AND JUST LIKE SO MANY OTHER MAJOR CITY POLICE DEPARTMENTS, THE SERVICE REQUESTS CONTINUE TO GROW, BUT OUR FOCUS REMAINS CLEAR. REDUCE CRIME, PROTECT OUR COMMUNITY, AND MAKE THE MOST EFFECTIVE USE OF EVERY RESOURCE AVAILABLE TO US SO WE CAN CONTINUE KEEPING LONG BEACH SAFE, WHICH IS EXACTLY WHAT OUR EMPLOYEES HAVE DONE. IN 2025, WE EXPERIENCED A 17.4% REDUCTION IN OVERALL CRIME. PROPERTY CRIME DECREASED BY 23.6% COMPARED TO THE SAME PERIOD IN 2024. MURDERS DECREASED 2020 3.7%. SHOOTINGS DECREASED 36% AND ROBBERIES DECREASED BY NEARLY 19%. AND AS OUR COUNTRY CONTINUES TO GRAPPLE WITH AN INCREASE IN THE ACCESSIBILITY OF FIREARMS, OUR POLICE OFFICERS HAVE RECOVERED MORE THAN NINE HUNDREDS OUT OF THE HANDS OF INDIVIDUALS AND OFF OF OUR STREETS. AND WHILE WE OFTEN TALK ABOUT HOW CRIME STATS ARE ONLY A PIECE OF THE STORY, WHICH THEY ARE, THE FACT REMAINS, THIS IS WHAT FOCUSED STRATEGIC POLICING LOOKS LIKE A POLICE DEPARTMENT WITH A GUIDING PHILOSOPHY BUILT AROUND ENFORCEMENT EDUCATION AND ENGAGEMENT. FOR EXAMPLE, OUR HIGH CRIME FOCUS TEAM MADE 311 FELONY ARRESTS AND SEIZED 132 ILLEGAL FIREARMS, BUT THEY ALSO PARTICIPATED IN OVER 95 COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT EVENTS DEMONSTRATING HOW WE APPROACH POLICING THROUGH VISIBILITY, ACCESSIBILITY, AND APPROACHABILITY. OUR NEIGHBORHOOD SAFETY BIKE TEAM HAS WORKED THROUGHOUT THE CITY IN EVERY DIVISION FROM NEIGHBORHOOD EVENTS AT HOUGHTON PARK TO COMMUNITY PARADES IN BELMONT SHORE. THEIR DUTIES SHIFT ON A MOMENT'S NOTICE, AND THEY'VE DONE AN UNBELIEVABLE JOB OF AMPLIFYING OUR COMMUNITY POLICING EFFORTS. NSBT LOGGED MORE THAN 1700 COMMUNITY OUTREACH RESPONSES AND OVER 800 BUSINESS VISITS. LAST YEAR. FY 25 SAW THE LAUNCH OF OUR FIRST EVER RECRUIT READINESS PROGRAM, ALLOWING US TO HIRE AND PREPARE RECRUITS FOR ACADEMY CLASS 100 A CLASS, AS YOU ALL KNOW, GRADUATED THIS YEAR AS THE LARGEST CLASS IN OUR HISTORY WITH 85 NEW POLICE OFFICERS. IN ADDITION, WE CONTINUED OUR WORK ON MODERNIZING THE POLICE DEPARTMENT. WE LAUNCHED OUR REALTIME CRIME CENTER, WHICH SUPPORTED OVER 665 INCIDENTS IN 2025. BECAUSE OF THE RTCC, WE WERE ABLE TO QUICKLY PROVIDE INFORMATION AND INTELLIGENCE TO OFFICERS ON THE STREET SUPPORTING A, A SAFER RESPONSE TO LARGE SCALE EVENTS, INCLUDING PROTEST RELATED TRAFFIC DISRUPTIONS AND LARGE VIOLENT GATHERINGS, SOMETIMES KNOWN AS TAKEOVERS, AS LEADING POLICE DEPARTMENT, WE'RE ALSO DEDICATED TO [00:55:01] SUPPORTING YOUNG PEOPLE IN OUR CITY. THAT'S WHY OUR YOUTH AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT DIVISION DOUBLED OUR REACH BY HOSTING TWO FIVE DAY YOUTH LEADERSHIP ACADEMIES, A CO-ED ACADEMY, AS WELL AS OUR FIRST EVER FEMALE LEADERSHIP ACADEMY, WHICH BROUGHT LEADERSHIP TRAINING TO 50 YOUNG WOMEN AT JORDAN HIGH SCHOOL, BRINGING US ONE STEP CLOSER TO CLOSING THE GAP ON GENDER DISPARITIES IN PUBLIC SAFETY. WE'RE ALSO PROUD TO HOST MANY CITYWIDE EVENTS THAT CONNECT RESIDENTS, STUDENTS AND POLICE DEPARTMENT EMPLOYEES. OUR EXPLORERS AND CADETS HAVE LED THE WAY IN THESE EFFORTS, VOLUNTEERING MORE THAN 20 HOURS A MONTH FOR PARK ACTIVATIONS AND PUBLIC SAFETY DAYS, WHICH PROVIDED WORKSHOPS AND CAREER PANELS TO OVER 2,700 STUDENTS. COMMUNITY POLICING BEGINS WITH THESE YOUNG PEOPLE AND WE REMAIN COMMITTED TO MENTORING AND EMPOWERING OUR YOUTH. THIS YEAR'S PROPOSED BUDGET INCLUDES 19.3 MILLION IN STRATEGIC REDUCTIONS, RESULTING IN THE ELIMINATION OF 63.47 FULL-TIME POSITIONS. THAT'S 54 SWORN POLICE OFFICERS AND 9.47 PROFESSIONAL STAFF AND NEARLY 2.7 MILLION IN NON-STAFF REDUCTIONS. WE MET THE SAVINGS TARGET BY REALLOCATING RESOURCES TO PROTECT CORE PRIORITIES, SPECIFICALLY EMERGENCY RESPONSE AND CALLS FOR SERVICE. SERVICE PRIORITY, INVESTIGATIVE FUNCTIONS, AND ESSENTIAL ADMINISTRATIVE OPERATIONS. WE FOCUSED OUR COST REDUCTIONS ON VACANT POSITIONS TO HELP MINIMIZE THE IMPACT ON OUR PD STAFF WHO WORK SO HARD TO SERVE OUR COMMUNITY. THIS BUDGET REFLECTS DELIBERATE TARGETED DECISIONS RATHER THAN BLANKET ACROSS THE BOARD. POLICE CUTS. OUR PROPOSED BUDGET REDUCTIONS ALSO INCLUDE REDUCTIONS IN OUR ADMINISTRATIVE BUREAUS. IN BUSINESS OPERATIONS, WE'RE REDUCING AN ASSISTANT ADMIN ANALYST AND A CLERK TYPIST WHO SUPPORT THE PROCESSING OF THE PAYMENTS PURCHASES AND CONTRACTS THAT KEEP OFFICERS EQUIPPED IN OUR FACILITIES RUNNING. WE'RE ALSO PROPOSING THE ELIMINATION OF THE RECENTLY ADDED POLICE OFFICER POSITION FROM OUR WELLNESS DIVISION. A DIFFICULT REDUCTION AT A TIME WHEN EMPLOYEE HEALTH AND WELLNESS WELLNESS REMAINS A TOP CONCERN. IN THE STRATEGIC INITIATIVES BUREAU, WE'RE PROPOSING THE REDUCTION OF ONE ASSISTANT ADMIN ANALYST, AND A PART-TIME INTERN IN THE OFFICE OF CONSTITUTIONAL POLICING POSITION, SUPPORTING POLICY DEVELOPMENT AND OVERSIGHT. WE'RE ALSO RECOMMENDING MOVING FUNDING FOR AN ANALYST POSITION TO FUND A PARALEGAL IN THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE TO HELP MANAGE THE MORE COMPLEX LEGAL REQUESTS AND SUBPOENAS THE DEPARTMENT RECEIVES. LASTLY, WE'RE REALIGNING THE INFORMATION MANAGEMENT DIVISION DOWNGRADING AND ADMINISTRATIVE AID TO A CLERK TYPIST AND ELIMINATING STAFF ON THE AFTER MIDNIGHT SHIFT TO BETTER MATCH SUPERVISORY CAPACITY. IN SUPPORT BUREAU, WE'RE ELIMINATING FOUR POLICE OFFICER AND 1.78 PROFESSIONAL STAFF POSITIONS. THIS INCLUDES ONE OFFICER FROM OUR SWAT CANINE UNIT, A SPECIALIZED TOOL WHICH SUPPORTS PATROL OFFICERS DURING HIGH RISK SITUATIONS. ONE OFFICER FROM OUR BASIC ACADEMY STAFF AND ONE SERGEANT AND ONE OFFICER FROM OUR INNOVATIVE TRAINING UNIT WE'RE TRANSFERRING FUNDING FROM THE REMOVAL OF ONE CLINICIAN IN THE JAIL TO PARTIALLY OFFSET THE CRITICALLY IMPORTANT SERGEANT POSITION OVERSEEING POLICE OFFICERS ASSIGNED TO OUR MENTAL EVALUATION AND QUALITY OF LIFE TEAMS WE'RE WE'RE MOVING OUR EMPLOYEE DEVELOPMENT UNIT TO THE DRAIN TRAINING DIVISION. IN ELIMINATING A PARTIAL INVESTIGATOR POSITION, WE WERE ALSO ABLE TO REALLOCATE FOUR SPECIAL SERVICE OFFICERS ON OUR JAIL TRANSPORT TEAM FROM THE GENERAL FUND TO MEASURE A. KEEPING THIS UNIT IN TACT ALLOWS US TO FREE UP OFFICERS ON THE STREET TO HANDLE CALLS FOR SERVICE IN THE COMMUNITY SERVICES BUREAU. THE PROPOSED BUDGET REDUCES 15 SWORN AND NINE PROFESSIONAL STAFF POSITIONS, REDUCING EIGHT VACANT COMMUNITY SERVICES ASSISTANT POSITIONS, WHICH RESPOND TO LOWER PRIORITY CALLS. AGAIN, FREEING UP POLICE OFFICERS TO FOCUS ON EMERGENCY RESPONSE AND HIGHER PRIORITY DISPATCHES. WE'RE PROPOSING THE REDUCTION OF SIX VACANT POLICE OFFICER POSITIONS FROM OUR MOTOR DETAIL, SHIFTING ADDITIONAL TRAFFIC ENFORCEMENT EFFORTS TO REMAINING MOTOR OFFICERS AND TASKING PATROL WITH ADDITIONAL TRAFFIC ENFORCEMENT DUTIES. WE'RE INCLUDING THE REDUCTION OF ONE SERGEANT AND SIX POLICE OFFICERS FROM THE QUALITY OF LIFE DETAIL REQUIRING ENHANCED COORDINATION, PLANNING AND PRIORITIZING AMONG ALL CITY DEPARTMENTS INVOLVED IN SUPPORTING EFFORTS TO ADDRESS HOMELESSNESS. PATROL OFFICERS WILL CONTINUE TO RESPOND AND ASSIST ON CALLS INVOLVING CRIMINAL ACTIVITY AND VIOLENCE REGARDLESS OF AN INDIVIDUAL'S HOUSING STATUS. IN THE PD SPECIAL EVENTS DETAIL WHERE PROPOSING THE REDUCTION OF AN OFFICER AND [01:00:01] A CLERK TYPIST AND REALLOCATING ONE OFFICER OUT OF THE GENERAL FUND. THESE POSITIONS SUPPORT, COORDINATION, SCHEDULING, AND STAFFING FOR THE MANY EVENTS HELD IN OUR CITY. AND AS WE NEAR COMPLETION OF HIRING FOR CLASS 1 0 1, WE'RE INCLUDING THE REDUCTION OF ONE POLICE LIEUTENANT LIEUTENANT TASKED WITH OVERSEEING AND MANAGING OUR BACKGROUNDS AND RECRUITMENT UNIT. AND LASTLY, NCSB, WERE REALLOCATING 13 VACANT POSITIONS IN ORDER TO STRUCTURALLY FUND THE HIGH CRIME FOCUS TEAM, WHICH HAS BEEN FUNDED IN PRIOR YEARS WITH ONE-TIME DOLLARS FOR THE INVESTIGATIONS BUREAU, WE'RE PROPOSING THE REDUCTION OF 22 SWORN POSITIONS IN AN INCREASE OF 7.76 PROFESSIONAL STAFF TO MEET THE TARGET. WE FOCUSED ON THE CONSOLIDATION OF VARIOUS INVESTIGATIVE FUNCTIONS, INCLUDING COMBINING DETAILS, MOVING FINANCIAL CRIMES TO PROPERTY CRIME SECTION ALONG WITH BURGLARY AND AUTO THEFT, ELIMINATING 16 VACANT DETECTIVE POSITIONS IN TWO VACANT SERGEANT POSITIONS. WHEN FULLY STAFFED, THESE POSITIONS CONTRIBUTE TO CASELOAD CASELOAD MANAGEMENT AND VICTIM RESOLUTION. WITH LESS DETECTIVES. THE INVESTIGATIONS BUREAU WILL HAVE TO MANAGE INCREASED CASE LOADS, RESULTING IN HIGHER INVESTIGATIVE THRESHOLDS AND DELAYS IN SOLVING CASES. WE PRESERVED IN OUR ENHANCING OUR SEX CRIMES CAPABILITY BY REALLOCATING FOUR OFFICERS FROM OTHER DETAILS AND STRUCTURALLY ADDING SSOS. PREVIOUSLY FUNDED BY SALARY SAVINGS TO SUPPORT THE MANDATED SEXUAL OFFENDER REGISTRANT'S OFFICE. WE'RE ELIMINATING THE SEPARATE COMPUTER CRIMES DETAIL, SPLITTING THE DUTIES BETWEEN FOUR NEW INTELLIGENCE ANALYSTS AND DETECTIVES. WE'RE ALSO CONVERTING THREE POSITIONS TO ASSISTANT ADMIN ANALYST CLASSIFICATIONS AND ELIMINATING ONE CLERICAL POSITION IN JUVENILE RECORDS IN THE PATROL BUREAU. WE'RE REDUCING 17 POLICE OFFICER IN TWO PROFESSIONAL STAFF POSITIONS, PUTTING PRESSURE ON AN ALREADY STRAINED WORKFORCE AND POTENTIALLY IMPACTING RESPONSE TIMES. THE REDUCTION REFLECTS 17 FEWER P UH PATROL OFFICERS ACROSS ALL FOUR DIVISIONS, MEANING WE'LL BE CLOSER TO BASE OR MINIMUM STAFFING LEVELS IN EVERY DIVISION. REDUCING OUR ABILITY TO BACKFILL PATROL SHIFTS WHEN OFFICERS ARE INJURED IN TRAINING OR ON LEAVE. THE OTHER REDUCTION IS OF TWO ADMINISTRATIVE POSITIONS, SUPPORTING OPERATIONS AND LOGISTICS AND PATROL DIVISIONS INSTEAD OF ONE POSITION PER DIVISION, EACH OF THE REMAINING PERSONNEL WILL SUPPORT TWO DIVISIONS. ALTHOUGH WE'LL EXPERIENCE REDUCTIONS IN EACH DIVISION, THE BUDGET DOES INCLUDE A TARGETED RESTORATION OF ONE SERGEANT AND FOUR OFFICERS. TWO PATROL DEDICATED TO EMERGENCY RESPONSE CALLS FOR SERVICE AND PROACTIVE POLICING IN TIDELANDS AREAS SUCH AS THE PIKE, THE CONVENTION CENTER, THE QUEEN MARY, OUR BEACHES AND BAYS, INCLUDING THE COLORADO LAGOON AND MARINE STADIUM BEYOND POSITIONS. THIS BUDGET REDUCES GENERAL FUND OVERTIME BY 2.68 MILLION, A 25% REDUCTION ACROSS ALL NON-CONTRACT DIVISIONS. THIS OVERTIME HAS HISTORICALLY ALLOWED US TO BACKFILL STAFFING GAPS AND REDUCE CRITICAL INVESTIGATIVE BACKLOGS. EVEN IN A REDUCTION YEAR, A RESPONSIBLE BUDGET MUST LOOK FORWARD. THIS BUDGET INCLUDES ONE-TIME INVESTMENTS TO ENSURE WE'RE PREPARED FOR WHAT'S COMING FIRST, 7 MILLION IN ONE-TIME FUNDS TO OPERATE. POLICE RECRUIT A CLA ACADEMY CLASS 1 0 1. AS YOU KNOW, ACADEMY CLASSES ARE NEEDED ANNUALLY TO KEEP PACE WITH ATTRITION AND OFFICERS HIRED THROUGH CLASS 1 0 1 WILL BE FULLY TRAINED AND DEPLOYABLE BY SUMMER OF 2028 WHEN OUR CITY WILL BE HOSTING SEVERAL OLYMPIC EVENTS. SECOND 5 MILLION AND ONE-TIME GRANT FUNDING TO REPLACE ONE OF THE HELICOPTERS USED BY OUR AIR SUPPORT UNIT. AIR SUPPORT IS A FALSE FORCE MULTIPLIER AND A VALUABLE TOOL FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT. WE CURRENTLY HAVE TWO HELICOPTERS, WHICH ARE NOW 23 YEARS OLD. THIRD, THE MAYOR'S PROPOSAL INCLUDES INVESTING 795,000 AND POLICE OFFICER OVERTIME FOR A VARIETY OF SPECIALIZED SERVICES. THIS BUDGET PRIORITIZES CRITICAL POLICE FACILITIES AND FORENSIC CAPACITY BY INCLUDING FUNDING FOR DEBT SERVICE ON BONDS FOR THREE PRIORITY PROJECTS. OUR CRIME LAB AT 1 25 ELM, OUR DNA LABORATORY AND CRITICAL HVAC REPAIRS AT THE EAST DIVISION PATROL SUBSTATION. THE CHALLENGES THE POLICE DEPARTMENT FACES ARE THOSE OF THE ENTIRE CITY WORKFORCE, INCREASING DEMANDS AND EXPECTATIONS AND DECLINING RESOURCES. THE FIRST CHALLENGE IS WORKFORCE SUSTAINABILITY. THE POLICE DEPARTMENT WILL BE OPERATING AT OUR LOWEST BUDGETED STAFFING IN THREE DECADES. THE SECOND IS RISING REGIONAL DEMANDS. LONG BEACH HAS BECOME A REGIONAL ENTERTAINMENT HUB [01:05:01] WITH MORE LARGE SCALE EVENTS EVERY YEAR, INCLUDING THE UPCOMING OLYMPIC GAMES. THE THIRD IS MANDATES AND MODERNIZATION, INCLUDING NEW LEGISLATIVE REQUIREMENTS CONTRIBUTING TO INCREASED WORKLOADS AND RESPONSIBILITIES. AT THE SAME TIME, MUCH OF OUR CORE TECHNOLOGY NEEDS NEED TO BE UPDATED AND WILL REQUIRE SIGNIFICANT INVESTMENTS. OUR PERSONNEL CONTINUE LOOKING FOR WAYS FORWARD IN EXPLORING OPPORTUNITIES DURING THESE DIFFICULT TIMES. OUR NEW ACADEMY AND FUTURE DNA LAB WILL POSITION US AS A REGIONAL LEADER IN THE PROFESSION. OUR DRONE PILOT PROGRAM AND EXPANDED TECHNOLOGY IN THE REAL-TIME CRIME CENTER WILL SUPPLEMENT A LEANER DEPARTMENT AND SUPPORT OUR ABILITY TO WORK SMARTER AND RESPOND FASTER. AND SECURING NEW CAD AND RMS SYSTEMS REMAINS A TOP TECHNOLOGY PRIORITY. OUR EXPANDING YOUTH PROGRAMS CONTINUE TO STRENGTHEN TRUST AND BUILD THE NEXT GENERATION OF PUBLIC SERVANTS AT THE SAME TIME. THIS IS HOW WE PROTECT PUBLIC SAFETY IN A FISCALLY CONSTRAINED TIME BY LEADING STRATEGICALLY. WHILE THE PROPOSED CUTS ARE SIGNIFICANT, THE LBPD IS COMPRISED OF DETERMINED AND DEDICATED POLICE OFFICERS AND PROFESSIONAL STAFF WHO WILL CONTINUE DOING TOMORROW. EXACTLY WHAT WE'RE DOING TODAY, KEEPING LONG BEACH SAFE AND MOVING OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT FORWARD. THANK YOU. BUREAU CHIEF JOSE MURRAY AND I ARE AVAILABLE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS. ALRIGHT, THANK YOU. WE'RE GONNA HOLD THE QUESTION UNTIL AFTER PUBLIC COMMENT, BUT THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATION. UH, AND STANDBY FOR THE NEXT PRESENTATION. SO NEXT UP, MR. MAYOR AND MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL. WE HAVE OUR HEALTH DEPARTMENT. SO, UH, AS THEY'RE COMING UP, UM, HEALTH WILL ACTUALLY COVER A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT AREAS. THEY HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF GENERAL FUND, BUT UH, THEY'VE HAD SOME, UH, MAJOR STRUCTURAL ISSUES IN THEIR HEALTH FUND THAT THEY WENT THROUGH. AND THEN THERE'S ALSO BEEN SOME RESTORATIONS AS MEASURE ER CAME IN. UH, THEY ALSO NEED TO TALK ABOUT SOME HOMELESSNESS AND, AND ALSO SOME OF THE, UH, YOU KNOW, THE GRANT FUNDED PROGRAMS, UH, THAT THEY'VE BEEN AFFECTED AT BY THE FEDERAL LEVEL AS WELL. SO WE HAVE A A LOT TO SHARE THERE. WE WILL TURN IT OVER WHEN THEY'RE READY TO ALISON KING, OUR, UH, HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES DIRECTOR. ALRIGHT, HAPPY BIRTHDAY MAYOR. THANK YOU. YOU KNOW, I, I KNOW, I KNOW A HEALTH DEPARTMENT'S GOING THROUGH A LOT WITH ALL THIS PRESSURE, SO, UH, LOTS OF INTEREST TO HEAR HOW YOU'RE HANDLING THESE, UH, THESE, A LOT OF THESE EXTERNAL PRESSURES. THANK YOU SO MUCH. GOOD AFTERNOON, CITY COUNCIL, CITY MANAGER AND MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY. THANK YOU FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY TO PRESENT THE FISCAL YEAR 2027 PROPOSED BUDGET FOR THE LONG BEACH DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES. TODAY WE WILL FOCUS ON THE IMPACT THIS DEPARTMENT HAS EVERY DAY, THE CHANGING FINANCIAL ENVIRONMENT AFFECTING THAT WORK AND THE ACTIONS WE'RE TAKING TO REMAIN STRONG. WHILE OUR FUNDING LANDSCAPE IS CHANGING, OUR COMMITMENT REMAINS THE SAME. PROTECT HEALTH, SUPPORT, STABLE STABILITY, USE RESOURCES RESPONSIBLY AND PRESERVE THE SERVICES. LONG BEACH DEPENDS ON OUR PROGRAMS AND SERVICES SPAN THE LIFE COURSE FROM HEALTHY BEGINNINGS FOR, FOR CHILDREN AND FAMILIES, PROTECTING YOUTH THROUGH IMMUNIZATION AND COMMUNITY-BASED PREVENTION AND HELPING ADULTS AND OLDER ADULTS STAY HEALTHY, HOUSED AND CONNECTED. BUT OUR WORK IS ABOUT MORE THAN PREVENTION. IT'S ABOUT PROTECTING LONG BEACH BEFORE A CHALLENGE BECOMES A CRISIS. WE DELIVER THE CORE PUBLIC HEALTH FUNCTIONS THAT THE CITY DEPENDS ON, OFTEN, QUIETLY, AND OFTEN BEFORE ANYONE ELSE SEES THE PROBLEM. THAT'S THE VALUE OF A LOCAL HEALTH DEPARTMENT. WE'RE CLOSE ENOUGH TO UNDERSTAND COMMUNITY NEEDS, FLEXIBLE ENOUGH TO RESPOND AND CONNECTED ENOUGH TO BRING TOGETHER PARTNERS, RESOURCES AND SERVICES IN WAYS THAT PROTECT LONG BEACH RESIDENTS THROUGHOUT THEIR LIVES. OUR DEPARTMENT DOES NOT JUST MANAGE MANDATED PROGRAMS. WE PROTECT ACCESS, COORDINATE RESPONSES, DETECT THREATS EARLY AND STEP IN BEFORE PREVENTABLE PROBLEMS BECOME EMERGENCIES WITHOUT THE HYPER-LOCAL CAPACITIES. WE ARE FORTUNATE TO HAVE RESIDENTS WITH FACE MORE BARRIERS. THE COUNTY SYSTEM WOULD CARRY MORE PRESSURE AND MANY RISKS WOULD REMAIN UNSEEN UNTIL THEY BECAME MORE COSTLY AND DIFFICULT TO ADDRESS. THESE IMAGES DEMONSTRATE THE RANGE OF THAT WORK. CLINICS, OUTREACH, EMERGENCY RESPONSE, ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH, HOUSING PREVENTION, YOUTH PROGRAMS, AND COMMUNITY EDUCATION. OUR STAFF CONTINUE DELIVERING THESE SERVICES THROUGH A YEAR OF EXTRAORDINARY FUNDING UNCERTAINTY AND MUCH OF THE IMPACT HAPPENS BEFORE THE PUBLIC EVER SEES IT. IDENTIFYING DISEASE BEFORE IT SPREADS, INSPECTING FOOD BEFORE SOMEONE BECOMES ILL, CONNECTING SOMEONE TO HOUSING BEFORE THEY BECOME HOMELESS, OR HELPING A RESIDENT BEFORE A HEALTH CONCERN BECOMES AN EMERGENCY. THAT'S THE EVERYDAY WORK OF PROTECTING LONG BEACH. [01:10:02] OUR ACCOMPLISHMENTS THIS YEAR SHOW WHAT A HIGH FUNCTIONING PUBLIC HEALTH DEPARTMENT CAN DO WHEN IT'S BUILT TO OPTIMIZE RESOURCES AND DELIVER RESULTS. THE HEALTH FUND STUDY CONFIRMED THAT WE DELIVER OUR MANDATED RESPONSIBILITIES EFFICIENTLY, FREQUENTLY EXCEED THOSE REQUIREMENTS, AND THAT WE ARE IN ALIGNMENT WITH NATIONAL ACCREDITATION STANDARDS. THE NUMBERS ON THIS SLIDE REPRESENT THOUSANDS OF CLINICAL VISITS, FOOD INSPECTIONS, DISEASE INVESTIGATIONS, PREVENTION ACTIVITIES, HOUSING SUPPORT, INTERACTIONS, AND RESIDENTS SERVED. WE ALSO RESPONDED TO EMERGING THREATS, A RESPONSIBILITY THAT SOMETIMES IS INVISIBLE TO THE RESIDENTS AND TAKES THE FORM OF AN OUTBREAK THAT NEVER HAPPENS, A DISEASE THAT NEVER SPREADS, OR A TRAVELER WHO NEVER BECOMES A PUBLIC HEALTH CRISIS. THIS YEAR OUR TEAM CONDUCTED SURVEILLANCE FOR SEVERAL COMMUNICABLE DISEASES AND SYNDROMES, INCLUDING ANTHRAX, BOTULISM, EBOLA, DENGUE, WEST NILE, VIRUS IMPACTS, ET CETERA. OUR SURVEILLANCE AND RAPID RESPONSE CAPACITY IS WHAT KEEPS ISOLATED EXPOSURES FROM BECOMING AN OUTBREAK. WITH EVERY MEASLES CASE THAT DOES NOT SPREAD. THERE ARE NO SOCIAL MEDIA REELS THAT PROMOTE THESE WINS LIKE THERE ARE FOR A RIBBON CUTTING OR A SPECIAL EVENT OR A SATISFACTION SURVEY. THERE ARE OUTBREAKS THAT DIDN'T HAPPEN WITHOUT PUBLIC HEALTH CAPACITY. WE REMOVED THE EARLY WARNING SYSTEM THAT ALLOWS US TO ADDRESS THREATS BEFORE IT'S TOO LATE. LET'S MOVE ON. THE GENERAL FUND PROVIDES THE CORE INFRASTRUCTURE THAT ALLOWS US TO BRING ADDITIONAL RESOURCES INTO LONG BEACH. IN FISCAL YEAR 25, THAT FOUNDATION HELPED THE DEPARTMENT LEVERAGE APPROXIMATELY $253 MILLION IN OUTSIDE RESOURCES FOR OUR COMMUNITY FOR ROUGHLY EVERY DOLLAR IN GENERAL FUND SUPPORT, THE DEPARTMENT WAS ABLE TO LEVERAGE APPROXIMATELY $11 THROUGH GRANTS, PARTNERSHIP FEES, AND OTHER FUNDING SOURCES. THAT'S THE MULTIPLIER EFFECT OF HAVING A HEALTH DEPARTMENT. THE GENERAL FUND HELPS CREATE THE INFRASTRUCTURE THAT MAKES OUTSTANDING OUTSIDE FUNDING POSSIBLE. WE NEED STAFF WHO CAN COMPETE FOR GRANTS, MANAGE COMPLEX FUNDING AGREEMENTS, MAINTAIN THE STAFFING AND SYSTEMS REQUIRED BY FUNDERS AND BUILD PARTNERSHIPS. THIS IS WHY STABILIZING THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT MATTERS. WHEN LOCAL INFRASTRUCTURE IS WEAKENED, WE DO NOT JUST LOSE LOCAL DOLLARS. WE RISK LOSING THE ABILITY TO BRING IN AND RESPONSIBLY MANAGE FOR LARGER OUTSIDE INVESTMENTS. SUSTAINING THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT IS ONE OF THE WAYS LONG BEACH TURNS A LITTLE INTO A LOT FOR RESIDENTS. THAT IMPACT IS WHY THE FISCAL CHALLENGES AHEAD MATTER. OUR TASK IN FISCAL YEAR 27 IS TO RESPOND TO A FUNDAMENTALLY CHANGED FUNDING ENVIRONMENT WHILE PROTECTING THE PUBLIC HEALTH INFRASTRUCTURE. LONG BEACH RELIES ON. THERE ARE A NUMBER OF FISCAL CHALLENGES THAT BROUGHT US TO THIS MOMENT. THE DEPARTMENT HAS EXPERIENCED APPROXIMATELY $15 MILLION IN GRANT CANCELLATIONS, REDUCTIONS, AND NON-RENEWALS. WHILE THE COST OF DELIVERING PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICES HAS CONTINUED TO RISE FROM PERSONNEL AND TECHNOLOGY TO THE OVERHEAD REQUIRED TO OPERATE SAFE ACCOUNTABLE PROGRAMS, THE CHALLENGES OVER THE LAST YEAR ARE A RESULT OF A FUNDING STRUCTURE THAT WAS IMPACTED BY REDUCTIONS, DRIVEN BY FEDERAL POLICY, COMBINED WITH CHANGES AT EVERY LEVEL OF GOVERNMENT, AS WELL AS GRANTS THAT DO NOT NECESSARILY GROW WITH THE TRUE COST OF THE WORK. TO ADDRESS FISCAL CHALLENGES THAT WE CONTINUE TO HAVE AND REDUCE THE GENERAL FUND DEFICIT, THE DEPARTMENT MUST REDUCE OUR COSTS. THE ADJUSTMENTS PROPOSED TO DURING THIS BUDGET PROCESS ARE AIMED TO STABILIZE THE LOCAL PUBLIC HEALTH INFRASTRUCTURE THAT PROTECTS LONG BEACH EVERY DAY. THREE STRUCTURAL PRESSURES HELP EXPLAIN THE HEALTH FUND DEFICIT, OVERHEAD TECHNOLOGY AND PERSONNEL. THE CITY'S CURRENT INDIRECT COST METHODOLOGY METHODOLOGY CHARGES APPROXIMATELY 18%. WHILE MANY OF THE GRANTS THAT FUND OUR PROGRAMS REIMBURSE ONLY ABOUT 10% OF THE 10%, THE CITY RETAINS 4% IS TO OFFSET OVERHEAD IN OTHER CITY DEPARTMENTS, AND THE REMAINING 6% IS RETAINED FOR THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT'S OWN ADMINISTRATIVE OVERHEAD COST IN THE HEALTH FUND, WHICH TOTALS ROUGHLY $5 MILLION ANNUALLY. TECHNOLOGY PRESENTS A SIMILAR CHALLENGE. THE SYSTEMS AND INFRASTRUCTURE REQUIRED TO OPERATE A MODERN HEALTH DEPARTMENT ARE ESSENTIAL, BUT MANY GRANTS EITHER [01:15:01] DO NOT ALLOW THOSE COSTS OR DO NOT REIMBURSE THEM ADEQUATELY LEAVING APPROXIMATELY $4.5 MILLION IN ANNUAL TECHNOLOGY COSTS TO BE ABSORBED ELSEWHERE. FOR FISCAL YEAR 27, THE CITY IS HELPING ADDRESS THESE PRESSURES BY PARTIALLY OR FULLY COVERING SIGNIFICANT PORTIONS OF OUR OVERHEAD AND TECHNOLOGY. MOU COST THAT SUPPORT IS IMPORTANT BECAUSE IT ALLOWS US TO AVOID TRYING TO SOLVE THE ENTIRE DEFICIT THROUGH THESE FIXED COSTS, BUT IT ALSO MEANS THE REMAINING AREA WHERE WE CAN MEANINGFULLY REDUCE EXPENDITURES THIS YEAR IS PERSONNEL. AS GRANTS EXPIRE, DECLINE OR FAIL TO KEEP PACE WITH LABOR COST POSITIONS INCREASINGLY EXCEED THE FUNDING AVAILABLE TO SUPPORT THEM. THAT IS WHY PERSONNEL REDUCTIONS ARE THE PRIMARY FOCUS OF OUR FISCAL YEAR 27 SAVING STRATEGY. MANY OF THESE POSITIONS ARE CREATED TO DELIVER EXTERNALLY FUNDED SERVICES. THE CHALLENGES THAT THE FUNDING ENVIRONMENT HAS CHANGED, OUR RESPONSIBILITY NOW IS TO BRING THE ORGANIZATION BACK INTO ALIGNMENT WHILE PROTECTING THE STRONGEST POSSIBLE FOUNDATION FOR THE FUTURE. TEMPORARY FUNDING PRESENTS ANOTHER CHALLENGE. THE FUNDING MAY END EVEN WHEN THE COMMUNITY NEED DOES NOT. IN FISCAL YEAR 26 1 TIME RESOURCES SUPPORTED THE COMMUNITY CRISIS RESPONSE AND THE COMPLAINT RESPONSE TEAM BOTH ALLOCATION SUNSET SEPTEMBER 30TH FOR COMMUNITY CRISIS RESPONSE. WE HAVE IDENTIFIED MEASURE A FUNDING TO CONTINUE PROGRAMMING IN FISCAL YEAR 27, WHILE ALSO PURSUING A FEDERAL EARMARK AND OTHER FUNDING SOURCES TO SUPPORT LONGER TERM SUSTAINABILITY. FOR THE COMPLAINT RESPONSE TEAM, THERE IS NOT AN ONGOING FUNDING SOURCE IDENTIFIED FOR FISCAL YEAR 27 AND THAT PROGRAMMING WILL SUNSET. THIS IS THE BROADER CHALLENGE WE FACE WITH TEMPORARY RESOURCES. WHEN THEY END, WE MUST DETERMINE WHAT CAN BE SUSTAINED, WHAT CAN BE FUNDED DIFFERENTLY, AND WHAT UNFORTUNATELY CANNOT. THAT DYNAMIC BECOMES CLEARER WHEN WE LOOK AT CORE PUBLIC HEALTH OVER TIME. CORE PUBLIC HEALTH INCLUDES STATE REQUIRED RESPONSIBILITIES LIKE COMMUNICABLE DISEASE, SURVEILLANCE AND CONTROL. TUBERCULOSIS AND STI CONTROL PUBLIC HEALTH LABORATORY SERVICES, MATERNAL AND CHILD HEALTH, ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH, AND PUBLIC HEALTH NURSING. THESE ARE FUNCTIONS. LONG BEACH IS RESPONSIBLE FOR MAINTAINING REGARDLESS OF HOW INDIVIDUAL GRANTS CHANGE FROM 2020 TO 2025. EXPENDITURES GREW FROM ROUGHLY $26 MILLION TO $79 MILLION WHILE REVENUES REACHED APPROXIMATELY 68 MILLION. MEANWHILE, REALIGNMENT, ONE OF OUR MOST STABLE FUNDING SOURCES REMAINED RELATIVELY FLAT. STATE GRANT FUNDING GREW, BUT MUCH OF THAT GROWTH WAS TEMPORARY RESTRICTED TO SPECIFIC USES OR INSUFFICIENT TO COVER THE INFRASTRUCTURE NEEDED TO DELIVER THE PROGRAMS. A GRANT MAY FUND A NURSE OR AN OUTREACH INITIATIVE, BUT IT OFTEN DOES NOT FULLY SUPPORT THE TECHNOLOGY, THE SUPERVISION, FACILITIES, FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT, AND ADMINISTRATIVE SYSTEMS THAT MAKE THAT WORK POSSIBLE. THE HEALTH FUND STUDY HIGHLIGHTED THE NEED FOR MULTI-YEAR FORECASTING, STRONGER ALIGNMENT OF COST TO FUNDING SOURCES AND EARLIER PLANNING FOR GRANT SUNSETS. THIS BUDGET FOCUSES ON THAT ONGOING WORK, MAKING THE BEST USE OF EVERY AVAILABLE FUNDING SOURCE WHILE PROTECTING THE CORE PUBLIC HEALTH RESPONSIBILITIES. LONG BEACH IS REQUIRED TO PROVIDE THE GENERAL FUND TREND TELLS A RELATED STORY. THE SHARP GROWTH BEGINNING IN 2020 REFLECTS EXTRAORDINARY CIRCUMSTANCES AND INTENTIONAL CITY INVESTMENTS. THE PANDEMIC RESPONSES CARES ACT FUNDING LONG BEACH RECOVERY ACT PROGRAMS. ONE-TIME SUPPORT, EXPANDED HOMELESSNESS RESPONSE AND THE TRANSITION OF PANDEMIC FUNDED ACTIVITIES. AFTER FEDERAL RESOURCES ENDED, OUR STAFF BUILT SYSTEMS QUICKLY. OPEN SERVICES SUPPORTED SHELTER AND OUTREACH OPERATIONS AND CARRIED PROGRAMS THAT PROTECTED LIVES AND HELPED STABILIZE THE COMMUNITY. AS ONE-TIME, RESOURCES HAVE ENDED AND FEDERAL POLICY CONTINUES TO COMPLICATE FUNDING STREAMS. THE UNDERLYING NEED HAS DISAPPEARED. THAT'S THE DIFFICULT TRANSITION REFLECTED IN THIS BUDGET. OUR RESPONSIBILITY NOW IS TO DISTINGUISH WHAT MUST BE SUSTAINED, WHAT CAN BE FUNDED DIFFERENTLY, AND WHAT MUST BE REDUCED. THE MAYOR'S RECOMMENDATIONS HELP RESTORE CRITICAL CAPACITY, BUT THE UNDERLYING LESSON REMAINS. WE MUST BE DELIVERED ABOUT HOW TEMPORARY FUNDING IS USED AND WHAT HAPPENS WHEN IT ENDS WITH THOSE PRESSURES IN MIND. OUR FISCAL YEAR 27 APPROACH IS A STABILIZATION PLAN. ALIGNING COSTS WITH SUSTAINABLE FUNDING WHILE PROTECTING CORE SERVICES WHENEVER POSSIBLE. FOR FISCAL YEAR 27, THE GENERAL FUND SAVINGS TARGET IS APPROXIMATELY $716,000 [01:20:02] AND THE HEALTH FUND SAVINGS TARGET IS 9 MILLION. OUR STRATEGY USES FOUR PATHWAYS, REDUCE, REALIGN, CONSOLIDATE, AND MAXIMIZE REVENUE REDUCTIONS, LOWER COST WHERE FUNDING IS NO LONGER AVAILABLE. REALIGNMENTS MOVE ELIGIBLE COST TO THE APPROPRIATE GRANTS FEES OR PROGRAMS. CONSOLIDATION REDUCES DUPLICATION AND HELPS LEADERSHIP A SMALLER AND CHALLENGING SERVICE PORTFOLIO. MAXIMIZING REVENUE ENSURES THAT WE PURSUE GRANTS FEES, COST RECOVERY, AND PARTNERSHIPS BEFORE TURNING TO THE GENERAL FUND. THE MAYOR'S RECOMMENDATIONS SOFTEN THE IMPACT BY RESTORING PRIORITY REDUCTIONS THROUGH MEASURE ER. THAT'S A CRITICAL BRIDGE, BUT IT DOES NOT REPLACE THE NEED FOR THIS BROADER STRATEGY. THE GOAL IS TO LEAVE THE DEPARTMENT BETTER ABLE TO WITHSTAND FUTURE FUNDING CHANGES. THERE ARE TWO CH TYPES OF CHANGES IN THIS BUDGET. BUDGETARY CHANGES AFFECT THE ANNUAL BUDGET AND CREATE YEAR OVER YEAR SAVINGS BY PERMANENTLY REMOVING BUDGETED POSITIONS OR APPROPRIATIONS. OPERATIONAL CHANGES MAY NOT ALWAYS REDUCE THE ADOPTED STRUCTURAL BUDGET, BUT THEY REDUCE ACTUAL COST IN FISCAL YEAR 27. IN EFFECT DAY-TO-DAY OPERATIONS, BOTH CATEGORIES MATTER. A POSITION MAY BE VACANT, GRANT FUNDED, NON-STRUCTURAL, OR UNBUDGETED, BUT THE WORK ATTACHED TO THAT POSITION IS STILL REAL. WHEN THE POSITION IS REDUCED OR REALLOCATED, EXISTING STAFF OFTEN ABSORB THE DUTIES, SERVICE TIMELINES MAY LENGTHEN AND OPERATIONAL FLEXIBILITY MAY DECLINE. WE'VE WORKED TO MAKE THESE DECISIONS CAREFULLY LOOKING FIRST FOR VACANCIES, REALIGNMENTS FEE SUPPORTED ACTIVITIES, AND BETTER COST ALLOCATION WHERE FIELD POSITIONS ARE AFFECTED. WE RECOGNIZE THE HUMAN IMPACT. OUR GOAL IS TO BE HONEST ABOUT THOSE IMPACTS WHILE ALSO DEMONSTRATING THAT THE DECISIONS ARE DELIBERATE DATA-INFORMED AND NECESSARY TO KEEP THE ORGANIZATION VIABLE. THE MAYOR'S RECOMMENDATIONS RESTORE SOME OF THE POSITIONS THAT WERE PREVIOUSLY PROPOSED FOR REDUCTION AND THE APPENDIX NOTES WHERE THOSE CHANGES OCCURRED. STILL, THIS FRAMEWORK HELPS EXPLAIN HOW THE DEPARTMENT IS RESPONDING RESPONSIBLY, REDUCING COST WHERE NECESSARY, ALIGNING EXPENSES WITH AVAILABLE FUNDING AND PRESERVING SERVICES WHENEVER POSSIBLE. THE DEPARTMENT IS ADAPTING TWO PRIMARY WAYS, REDUCING SERVICES AND CAPACITY, WHERE FUNDING NO LONGER SUPPORTS THE CURRENT STRUCTURE AND REALIGNING FUNDING AND FUNCTIONS TO BETTER MATCH RESOURCES TO RESPONSIBILITIES. SOME COMMUNITY CLINICAL HOMELESSNESS, OUTREACH, AND ADMINISTRATIVE CAPACITY WILL BE REDUCED. THE MAYOR'S RECOMMENDATIONS RESTORE SEVERAL IMPORTANT FUNCTIONS, BUT ONE DEPARTMENT WILL STILL OPERATE, BUT THE DEPARTMENT WILL STILL OPERATE MORE LEANLY. ON THE REALIGNMENT SIDE, WE'RE SHIFTING ELIGIBLE COSTS TO GRANTS AND FEES, TRANSFERRING CERTAIN FUNCTIONS TO MORE APPROPRIATE DEPARTMENTS AND REALIGNING PROGRAMS WITHIN EXISTING BUREAUS. THESE ARE NOT JUST BUDGET MANEUVERS, THEY ARE ORGANIZATIONAL CHANGES DESIGNED TO PRESERVE CORE PUBLIC HEALTH FUNCTIONS WHILE MAKING SUCH SURE THAT EACH PROGRAM IS SUPPORTED BY THE MOST APPROPRIATE FUNDING SOURCE. WE ARE RESTRUCTURING THE DEPARTMENT, INCLUDING REALIGNING COMMUNITY HEALTH PROGRAMS INTO EXISTING BUREAUS TO REDUCE DUPLICATION AND BETTER MATCH ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE TO OUR CURRENT SERVICE PORTFOLIO. WE'RE ALSO MAXIMIZING AVAILABLE RESOURCES BY MOVING ELIGIBLE COST TO GRANTS, IMPROVING FEE RECOVERY, PURSUING OUTSIDE FUNDING, AND ALIGNING STAFFING WITH SUSTAINABLE REVENUES. THESE ACTIONS REFLECT THE HEALTH FUND STUDIES DIRECTION TO CREATE A CLEARER ORGANIZATION AND A MORE DISCIPLINED FUNDING MODEL THAT CAN ADAPT AS OUTSIDE RESOURCES CHANGE. ONE OF THE CLEAREST RECOMMENDATIONS FROM THE HEALTH FUND STUDY, ASIDE FROM OPTIMIZING AVAILABLE REVENUES, WAS TO ENSURE THAT FEE SUPPORTED SERVICES ARE RECOVERING THE APPROPRIATE COST OF PROVIDING THOSE SERVICES. ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH IS AN EXAMPLE OF HOW WE ARE PUTTING THAT RECOMMENDATION INTO PRACTICE. ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH PERFORMS MANDATED REGULATORY WORK EVERY DAY, FOOD FACILITY INSPECTIONS, PERMITTING PLAN REVIEW, POOL AND SPA OVERSIGHT, AND OTHER SERVICES THAT PROTECT, PROTECT RESIDENTS AND BUSINESSES ALIKE. BUT THE FEES SUPPORTING THOSE ACTIVITIES HAVE NOT KEPT PACE WITH THE ACTUAL COST OF PROVIDING THEM. IN FISCAL YEAR 26, THAT LEAVES AN ESTIMATED $1.4 MILLION GAP BETWEEN ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH REVENUES AND EXPENDITURES. THE PROPOSED ADJUSTMENTS MOVE ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH TO FULL COST RECOVERY IN FISCAL YEAR 27. THE INCREASES ARE BASED ON THE ACTUAL COST OF EACH SERVICE RATHER THAN A UNIFORM PERCENTAGE. SOME PERMITS INCREASE WHILE OTHERS WILL REMAIN UNCHANGED. FULL COST RECOVERY IN [01:25:01] THIS AREA ALLOWS US TO APPROPRIATELY FUND THE SERVICE PROVIDED, REDUCE PRESSURE ON THE HEALTH FUND AND PROTECT LIMITED PUBLIC RESOURCES FOR THE SERVICES THAT CANNOT SUPPORT THEMSELVES THROUGH FEES BEYOND THE IMMEDIATE FISCAL YEAR REDUCTIONS. WE'RE ALSO PLANNING FOR THE FUNDING CHANGES AHEAD SO THAT TODAY'S SOLUTIONS DON'T BECOME TOMORROW'S STRUCTURAL GAPS EVEN IN A DIFFICULT YEAR. FISCAL YEAR 27 MAINTAINS IMPORTANT MEASURE US SUPPORTED YOUTH PROGRAMMING. THE YOUTH DEVELOPMENT COORDINATOR PROVIDES DEDICATED STAFFING TO COORDINATE YOUTH DEVELOPMENT INITIATIVES. THE YOUTH SUMMIT CONTINUES AN ANNUAL OPPORTUNITY TO CONNECT YOUNG PEOPLE WITH LEADERSHIP RESOURCES AND CIVIC ENGAGEMENT. THESE INVESTMENTS MATTER BECAUSE YOUTH DEVELOPMENT IS PREVENTION, CONNECTION, LEADERSHIP, MENTORSHIP AND BELONGING ARE PART OF A BROADER COMMUNITY SAFETY STRATEGY. THE MAYOR'S RECOMMENDATIONS REINFORCE THIS DIRECTION BY PROTECTING AND ENHANCING YOUTH AND VIOLENCE PREVENTION INVESTMENTS. THE GOAL IS TO EMPOWER YOUTH WHILE KEEPING THE SCALE OF THE PROGRAMS ALIGNED WITH AVAILABLE RESOURCES. HOMELESS SERVICES REMAINS FINANCIALLY STABLE THROUGH THE NEXT FISCAL YEAR, BUT THE OUTLOOK CHANGES SIGNIFICANTLY. IN FISCAL YEAR 28. TOTAL AVAILABLE FUNDING IS PROJECTED TO GROW FROM APPROXIMATELY 42.5 MILLION IN FISCAL YEAR 25 TO 53.1 MILLION IN FISCAL YEAR 27, THEN DECLINED TO APPROXIMATELY 37.3 MILLION IN FISCAL YEAR 28. THAT PROJECTED DECLINE IS DRIVEN LARGELY BY GRANT EXPIRATIONS REQUIRED SPEND DOWN AND ANTICIPATED FEDERAL REDUCTIONS AND COUNTY FUNDING CHANGES. FEDERAL FUNDING IS PROJECTED TO DECLINE BY MORE THAN 10 MILLION BETWEEN FISCAL YEARS 27 AND 28. THIS CONTEXT IS IMPORTANT BECAUSE HOMELESS SERVICES OFTEN RELIES ON LARGE TIME LIMITED AWARDS. A SINGLE YEAR CAN LOOK STRONG WHILE THE OUT YEAR RISK IS ALREADY VISIBLE. THE MAYOR'S RECOMMENDATIONS HELP SUSTAIN CORE HOMELESSNESS PROGRAMMING IN FISCAL YEAR 27 THROUGH STATE AND COUNTY RESOURCES, INCLUDING HAP LA CASA AND COUNTY MEASURE A. BUT THE DEPARTMENT MUST CONTINUE PLANNING FOR THE CLIFF AHEAD SO THAT OUTREACH, SHELTER, HOUSING, NAVIGATION, AND CRISIS RESPONSES ARE NOT DESTABILIZED. LATER. COUNTY MEASURE A REMAINS A MAJOR SOURCE OF FISCAL YEAR 27 HOMELESS SERVICES FUNDING APPROXIMATELY $3.9 MILLION IN COMPREHENSIVE HOMELESS SERVICES FUNDING AND ABOUT 5 MILLION FROM THE LOCAL SOLUTIONS FUND. FOR A TOTAL MEASURE, A FUNDING OF ROUGHLY $8.9 MILLION. THESE RESOURCES ARE CRITICAL. THEY SUPPORT TIME LIMITED RENTAL SUBSIDIES, HOUSING NAVIGATION, HOUSING LOCATION SERVICES, STREET OUTREACH, INTERIM HOUSING OPERATIONS, YEAR-ROUND SHELTER, HMIS COUNTY, I'M SORRY, COMMUNITY CRISIS RESPONSE AND MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES. AS THE MAYOR'S RECOMMENDATIONS MENTIONED, THESE STATE AND COUNTY RESOURCES ALLOW THE CITY TO SOFTEN THE IMPACT OF CUTS TO THE HOMELESSNESS RESPONSE SYSTEM WITHOUT ADDING NEW GENERAL FUND COMMITMENTS. AT THE SAME TIME, THERE ARE FURTHER CHALLENGES AHEAD. MEASURE A FUNDING IS EXPECTED TO SIGNIFICANTLY DECLINE IN 28 PROJECTED LOWER COUNTY REVENUE RECEIPTS DUE TO NEW AND EXPANDED COST OBLIGATIONS AT THE COUNTY LEVEL, COUPLED WITH THE LOSS OR REDUCTION OF FUNDING SOURCES ALONG WITH SUBSTANTIALLY REDUCED MEASURE. A CONTINUUM OF CARE FUNDING MEANS THE FISCAL YEAR 27 ALLOCATION IS INTENDED AS ONE-TIME TRANSITION FUNDING RATHER THAN ONGOING SOURCE FOR HOMELESS SERVICES BUREAU OPERATIONS. THIS MEANS WE MUST USE CURRENT RESOURCES CAREFULLY FOCUS ON OUTCOMES, AND CONTINUE WORKING WITH REGIONAL PARTNERS TO SUSTAIN THE LOCAL HOMELESSNESS RESPONSE SYSTEM. DESPITE THESE CHALLENGES, WE ALSO HAVE MEANINGFUL OPPORTUNITIES TO BRING IN NEW RESOURCES AND USE THEM MORE STRATEGICALLY TO PROTECT SERVICES AND STRENGTHEN LONG-TERM SUSTAINABILITY. WE CONTINUE TO PURSUE OUTSIDE FUNDING TO SUSTAIN SERVICES, STRENGTHEN PROGRAMS, AND REDUCE PRESSURE ON LOCAL FUNDS. CURRENT OPPORTUNITIES TOTAL APPROXIMATELY 8.5 MILLION, INCLUDING 4.5 MILLION SELECTED FOR THE LONG BEACH CANNABIS SAFETY PROGRAM, AND 4 MILLION IN PENDING FUNDING FOR COMMUNITY CRISIS RESPONSE AND EARLY CHILDHOOD MENTAL HEALTH PROGRAMMING. THESE OPPORTUNITIES SHOW THE INITIATIVE OF OUR STAFF AND THE IMPORTANCE OF MAINTAINING THE INFRASTRUCTURE NEEDED TO COMPETE FOR AND MANAGE GRANTS. BUT OUR APPROACH TO GRANTS IS BECOMING MORE DISCIPLINED, CONSISTENT WITH THE HEALTH FUND STUDY, WE'RE LOOKING NOT ONLY AT WHETHER A GRANT SUPPORTS AN IMPORTANT PROGRAM, BUT WHETHER IT COVERS THE TRUE COST OF IMPLEMENTATION, WHETHER IT REQUIRES A MATCH, AND WHAT HAPPENS WHEN IT ENDS. THE GOAL IS TO BRING RESOURCES HOME WHILE PROTECTING LONG-TERM SUSTAINABILITY. MEASURE. ER IS ONE OF THE MOST SIGNIFICANT [01:30:01] OPPORTUNITIES TO STABILIZE PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICES IN THIS BUDGET. IT WAS APPROVED COUNTYWIDE BY VOTERS IN JUNE, 2026. COLLECTIONS BEGAN OCTOBER ONE AND THE MEASURE SUNSETS IN 2031 AS THE MAYOR'S RECOMMENDATIONS DESCRIBE MEASURE ER IS A TOOL TO PRESERVE PUBLIC HEALTH IN THE FACE OF FEDERAL CUTS WITH PRELIMINARY ESTIMATES INDICATING LONG BEACH COULD RECEIVE APPROXIMATELY SEVEN TO 8 MILLION. WE'RE WORKING WITH THE COUNTY TO CONFIRM ALLOCATIONS AND THE TIMING AND WITH PASADENA TO ESTABLISH HOW THE 1% ALLOCATION FOR THE TWO INDEPENDENT LOCAL HEALTH JURISDICTIONS WILL BE DIVIDED. THE RECOMMENDED APPROACH IS PHASED AND DISCIPLINED 1.7 MILLION TO RESTORE 12 FISCAL YEAR 27 POSITIONS, 3.2 MILLION TO SUSTAIN 14.1 FTES FACING UPCOMING FUNDING LOSSES. 2 MILLION FOR TARGETED PUBLIC HEALTH ENHANCEMENTS AND 1.1 MILLION FOR GRANT MATCH AND PROTECTION OF MANDATED SERVICES. THIS IS MEANINGFUL RELIEF, BUT MEASURE ER IS INTENTIONALLY A BRIDGE AND NOT A PERMANENT SOLUTION. THE FIVE YEAR WINDOW GIVES US TIME TO PROTECT CRITICAL CAPACITY WHILE CONTINUING THE STRUCTURAL REFORMS NEEDED FOR LONG-TERM HEALTH FUND SUSTAINABILITY. THE FINANCIAL ENVIRONMENT IS CHANGING, BUT OUR COMMITMENT TO LONG BEACH REMAINS STRONG. PROTECTING CORE SERVICES MEANS PRIORITIZING THE ESSENTIAL PUBLIC HEALTH FUNCTIONS THAT ONLY A LO LOCAL HEALTH DEPARTMENT CAN PROVIDE. DISEASE, SURVEILLANCE, CLINICAL CARE, EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS, ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH, AND CONNECTION TO SERVICES. MAXIMIZING RESOURCES MEANS CONTINUING TO PURSUE GRANTS, PARTNERSHIPS, FEE REVENUE, COST RECOVERY, AND VOTER APPROVED. TOOLS LIKE MEASURE ARE ADAPTING RESPONSIBLY MEANS ALIGNING PROGRAM, STAFFING AND RESOURCES WITH AVAILABLE AND SUSTAINABLE FUNDING. PLANNING FOR THE FUTURE MEANS USING THE HEALTH FUND STUDY AND MEASURE ER TOGETHER AS THE ROADMAP THE OTHER AS A BRIDGE. I WANNA CLOSE BY RECOGNIZING THE PEOPLE BEHIND THIS BUDGET. THIS HAS BEEN A HARD YEAR. OUR EMPLOYEES HAVE FACED UNCERTAINTY, ABSORBED ADDITIONAL WORK, RESPONDED TO EMERGING THREATS, SUPPORTED RESIDENTS THROUGH CRISIS, AND THEY'VE CONTINUED SHOWING UP WITH PROFESSIONALISM AND COMPASSION AND I THANK YOU FOR THAT. THE REDUCTIONS PRESENTED TODAY ARE DIFFICULT, BUT THEY SHOULD NOT OBSCURE WHAT THIS DEPARTMENT MEANS TO LONG BEACH. WHEN OUR STAFF COME TO WORK, DISEASES ARE IDENTIFIED AND CONTAINED. FOOD IS SAFER. FAMILIES RECEIVE CARE AND NUTRITION RESIDENTS REMAIN HOUSED. YOUNG PEOPLE HAVE OPPORTUNITIES. OLDER ADULTS STAY CONNECTED AND PEOPLE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS CAN EXPERIENCE A COORDINATED LOCAL SYSTEM. MUCH OF OUR IMPACT IS MEASURED BY WHAT DOES NOT HAPPEN. THE OUTBREAK THAT DOES NOT SPREAD THE FAMILY, THAT DOES NOT LOSE HOUSING, THE CRISIS, THAT DOES NOT BECOME AN EMERGENCY. WE HAVE USED THE HEALTH FUND STUDY TO MAKE RESPONSIBLE DECISIONS FOR THE FUTURE. WE ARE ALIGNING COSTS, STRENGTHENING ACCOUNTABILITY, AND PROTECTING OUR LONG-TERM MISSION. THIS IS A RESILIENT ORGANIZATION BUILT BY DEDICATED PUBLIC SERVANTS AND WE ARE PROUD TO SERVE LONG BEACH. THANK YOU. ALRIGHT, WELL THANK YOU, UH, ALLISON AND YOUR INCREDIBLE TEAM FOR THAT PRESENTATION. UH, IT'S MORE THAN JUST, HEY, YOU KNOW, WE'RE GETTING CUTS, SO HERE ARE MY CUTS. IT'S, I I CERTAINLY SEE THE THINKING BEHIND THE LONG-TERM PLAN TO MAKE THE DEPARTMENT SUSTAINABLE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. UH, AND WE'LL TEE UP THE NEXT PRESENTATION. ALL RIGHT, THANK YOU MAYOR. AND MR. UH, MR. MAYOR, MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL. SO WE HAVE ONE MORE TO GO. UH, THIS WILL BE A LITTLE BIT SHORTER THAN THE OTHERS. THOSE WERE TWO HUGE OPERATING DEPARTMENTS WITH LOTS OF REDUCTIONS. UM, CD IS ALSO A BIG DEPARTMENT AND HAS SOME THINGS TO SHARE. UM, HAS SOME DIFFERENT TYPES OF REDUCTIONS, A LITTLE BIT IN THE GENERAL FUND, BUT ALSO SOME, UH, CDBG THAT WE NEED TO, UM, TALK TO YOU ABOUT AS WELL. SO, UH, I WILL TURN IT OVER TO CHRISTOPHER KUNZ, THE DIRECTOR, WHEN HE'S READY TO GET STARTED. ALL RIGHT, UH, THANK YOU MR. MAYOR AND MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL. I AM HERE WITH APRIL APODACA, OUR, UM, ADMINISTRATIVE AND FINANCIAL SERVICES OFFICER, AND SOMEWHERE ON THIS TABLE IS THE CLICKER. OH, THANK YOU. UM, SO WE'RE PLEASED TO PRESENT THE ANNUAL BUDGET FOR THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT. UH, SO YOU KNOW US, BUT AS A REMINDER, WE ARE THE DEPARTMENT, UM, THAT BUILDS AND SUSTAINS A SAFE, RESILIENT, AND EQUITABLE LONG BEACH. WE DO THAT, UM, BY REGULATING AND FINANCING ACTIVITY THAT OCCURS [01:35:01] ON PRIVATE PROPERTY ALL THROUGHOUT, UM, THE CITY. WE OVERSEE PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT BOTH THROUGH OUR PLANNING AND BUILDING PROCESS. WE PLAN FOR AND HELP ENVISION THE CITY'S FUTURE. I THINK COUNCIL MEMBERS AND THE PUBLIC ARE, ARE VERY FAMILIAR WITH THE WORK, UM, THAT WE DO WITH COMMUNITY AND PRIVATE PROPERTY OWNERS. YOU MAY NOT BE AWARE, WE ALSO SERVE AN INTERNAL SERVICE FUNCTION, WHICH IS HELPING OUR SISTER DEPARTMENTS, UM, REALLY LOOK AT WHERE THEY ARE AND THEN HOW THEY GET. SO IT COULD BE A PERMITTING CHALLENGE AT A PARK. IT COULD BE PARTNERING WITH PUBLIC WORKS, IT COULD BE HELPING, UM, LIBRARY, UH, LAUNCH UP THEIR, UM, CULTURAL, UM, SEGMENT. UM, WE, WE SERVE THAT KIND OF INTERNAL, UM, SERVICE AS WELL. WE FACILITATE AND STREAMLINE THE DEVELOPMENT PROCESS. WE ARE A LENDER AND INVESTOR IN AFFORDABLE HOUSING. UM, WE ASSURE THAT THE, THE CITY REMAINS CLEAN, SAFE, AND BEAUTIFUL THROUGH OUR CODE ENFORCEMENT. UM, AND WE SUPPORT COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT PROGRAMS, INCLUDING NEIGHBORHOOD LEADERSHIP THAT WE SALUTED EARLIER THIS EVENING, AND THAT WILL CONTINUE ON INTO THE FUTURE. UM, SO WE HAD SOME BIG, UH, ACCOMPLISHMENTS LAST YEAR AND OVER RECENT YEARS, UM, YOU KNOW, APPROVING 5,000, UH, NEW HOMES OVER THE LAST COUPLE YEARS. IT'S NOT JUST A GOOD HEADLINE NUMBER I I WOULD MENTION. UM, WHEN I CAME TO THE CITY 11 YEARS AGO, WE WERE DOING 100, 200, 300 UNITS A YEAR. WE'VE REALLY RAMPED UP, UM, HOUSING PRODUCTION, BUT DONE SO IN A WAY THAT REFLECTS, UH, COMMUNITY NEEDS AND COMMUNITY STANDARDS, UM, AND WE SHOULD ALL BE PROUD OF THOSE OUTCOMES. UM, WE'VE ADVANCED MAJOR HOUSING POLICY, UH, WITH THE SUPPORT OF, UM, THIS COUNCIL ADOPTING CHANGES TO OUR DENSITY BONUS ORDINANCE ACROSS THE STREET, APPROVING OUR, UM, MID-BLOCK PROJECT, UH, WHICH IS IN PLAN CHECK AND WE'LL BE GOING INTO CONSTRUCTION SOON. WE'VE, UH, HAD INCREDIBLE SUCCESS AT SECURING NEW STATE FUNDING FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING. SO, UH, AS OTHER FUNDING HAS DRIED UP, OUR GREATEST AREA OF SUCCESS HAS BEEN, UM, SECURING FUNDING, WHETHER IT'S OUR A DU PROGRAM, WHICH WE'LL RELAUNCH IN A COUPLE MONTHS, GAINING MILLIONS OF DOLLARS THROUGH PRO HOUSING AND HOUSING TRUST FUND PROGRAMS, AND BEING ABLE TO LEVERAGE NEW LA CASA MONEY, UH, TO EXPAND WHAT WE FUND, UM, ACROSS THE CITY IN TERMS OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING. WE ALSO, UH, DO WORK DIRECTLY IN NEIGHBORHOODS. SO WE ADMINISTER MORE THAN $10 MILLION IN FEDERAL FUNDS. THAT'S CDBG, HOME AND ESG. UM, WE WORK, UH, NOT ONLY ON OUR OWN PROGRAMS, BUT AS A FACILITATOR, THOSE DOLLARS MAKE THEIR WAY INTO HEALTH DEPARTMENT PROGRAMS, UH, AND PUBLIC WORKS PROGRAMS AND PRM PROGRAMS AS WELL. UM, WE HELP NEIGHBORHOOD GROUPS THRIVE, UM, AWARDING DIFFERENT GRANTS. WE'VE ADVANCED WEST SIDE PROMISE, WHICH WE MADE STRUCTURAL LAST YEAR, AND WE HAVE A WHOLE NIGHT MARKET PROGRAM, UM, THAT STARTS UP VERY SOON ON THE WEST SIDE. UM, AND THEN WE DID SOMETHING CALLED CRIME PREVENTION THROUGH ENVIRONMENTAL DESIGN, WHICH IS, UM, THINKING ABOUT THROUGH LIGHTING AND DESIGN, HOW CAN WE CREATE FEWER OPPORTUNITIES, UM, FOR, FOR CRIME, UM, AND THEN MAKING SURE THAT WE TRAIN NOT JUST OURSELVES, UM, BUT OUR PARTNERS AND OTHER DEPARTMENTS SO THAT THEY'RE FAMILIAR. UM, OUR CODE ENFORCEMENT STAFF DOES INCREDIBLE WORK, UH, INCLUDING MORE THAN 66,700 INSPECTIONS OVER THE COURSE OF THE YEAR, INCLUDING RENTAL HOUSING INSPECTIONS THAT ASSURE THAT EVERY RESIDENT HAS, UH, DIGNITY AND A SAFE, UH, PLACE TO LIVE. WE REVIEW SHORT-TERM RENTALS ACROSS THE CITY, UM, AND WE ADDRESS BLIGHT, UH, ON FORECLOSED VACANT AND PROBLEM PROPERTIES. WE DO SO WITH AN EQUITY LENS. WE TRAIN OUR STAFF AND OTHERS ON RACIAL EQUITY. WE HAVE PUT TOGETHER OUR COMMUNITY CONNECTOR PROGRAM TO MAKE SURE THAT THOSE, UH, TRADITIONALLY LEFT OUT OF THE CONVERSATION FROM DISADVANTAGED COMMUNITIES ARE PART OF, UH, OUR PROCESS AND PART OF CIVIC ENGAGEMENT HERE IN THE CITY. UM, WE'VE DONE REZONING CODE AMENDMENTS, UM, FROM THE COAST TO THE NORTH, FROM EAST TO WEST AND CENTRAL LONG BEACH. UM, AND IT'S ALL DONE BY PEOPLE. IT'S NOT DONE BY AI, IT'S NOT DONE BY MACHINES. UM, ALL OF THE WORK OF THIS DEPARTMENT IS DONE BY PEOPLE. WE ANSWERED MORE THAN 16,000 PHONE CALLS AND IT WASN'T ANSWERED, UM, BY RECORDING. IT WAS A, YOU GOT TO TALK TO AN ACTUAL PERSON AND THEY HELPED YOU WITH YOUR ISSUE. UM, WE COMPLETED MORE THAN 2,611 PLAN REVIEWS. EACH ONE WAS IMPORTANT. WHETHER IT'S A LARGE NEW APARTMENT BUILDING HERE DOWNTOWN OR JUST SOMEONE'S KITCHEN AND BATH MODEL, IT'S IMPORTANT TO THEM AND WE TRY TO VALUE EACH ONE OF THOSE, UH, EXPERIENCES. AND WE'RE, WE'RE INVESTING [01:40:01] IN INVESTING TENS OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS INTO BETTER PERMIT SOFTWARE, UM, THAT THE FIRST PHASE WILL LAUNCH, UH, NEXT CALENDAR YEAR. SO COUNCIL'S VERY FAMILIAR WITH THE GENERAL FUND AND THE, THE CHALLENGES WE HAVE THIS YEAR IN THE GENERAL FUND. ALLISON JUST TOLD YOU ABOUT CHALLENGES IN THE HEALTH FUND TO REALLY UNDERSTAND BUDGETING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT. YOU HAVE TO UNDERSTAND WE WORK OFF OF MANY FUNDS, UM, AND WE FACE A NUMBER OF CHALLENGES WITH EACH FUND. SO THE DEVELOPMENT SERVICES FUND IS THE FUND WHERE, UM, PLANNING AND BUILDING FEES ARE PAID INTO. AND THEN WE PAY OUR STAFF ASSOCIATED WITH, UM, THE REVIEW OF, UH, PERMITS, ENTITLEMENTS, UM, THAT TYPE OF WORK OUT OF THAT FUND THAT IS A FUND THAT WHEN I WAS HERE BEFORE YOU A YEAR AGO, UM, WAS IN A LITTLE BIT OF TROUBLE WAS CASHFLOW NEGATIVE, BUT WE HAD RESERVES AND WITH COUNCIL SUPPORT, WE ADJUSTED OUR FEE STRUCTURE. UM, WE'RE NOW CASHFLOW POSITIVE AND REBUILDING THE RESERVES WITHIN THE DEVELOPMENT SERVICES FUND, BUT THAT FUND CAN ONLY BE USED, UM, FOR WORK TO REVIEW OR FACILITATE A PHYSICAL CONSTRUCTION, SOMETHING PEOPLE ULTIMATELY PAY A BUILDING PERMIT FOR. SO THEN WE HAVE THE SUCCESSOR AGENCY FUND. UM, IT'S A LITTLE BIT MISLEADING BECAUSE MONEY COMES IN AND THEN IT COMES IMMEDIATELY OUT. UM, THIS IS A, A HOLDOVER FROM REDEVELOPMENT, WHICH, UH, CLOSED MORE THAN 10 YEARS AGO. UM, BUT BASICALLY THAT COMES IN, IT PAYS WHAT ARE CALLED ENFORCEABLE OBLIGATIONS AND THE COST OF OUR ACCOUNTING AND IT FLOWS BACK OUT. SAME THING WITH SUCCESSOR AGENCY DEBT SERVICE. THE TAX INCREMENT FLOWS IN, IT PAYS THE BOND DEBT AND IT FLOWS RIGHT BACK OUT. UM, SO WE HAVE GRANT FUNDS, UM, CD AND GENERAL GRANT FUNDS, AND THOSE HAVE DECLINED OVER THE YEARS, UM, DUE TO FUNDS AVAILABLE. UM, AND THEN WE HAVE OUR HOUSING FUND, WHICH CAN PAY FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND THE FOLKS THAT ADMINISTER THOSE AFFORDABLE HOUSING PROGRAMS. AND THEN WE HAVE A SMALL AMOUNT OF GENERAL FUND SUPPORT. IT PRIMARILY PAYS FOR CODE ENFORCEMENT AND IT PAYS FOR A LIMITED AMOUNT OF NEIGHBORHOOD SERVICES. SO WHAT ARE WE DOING TO MEET OUR OBLIGATIONS? UH, WE HAVE TO ADDRESS EACH ONE OF THESE, UM, FUNDS. THE DEVELOPMENT SERVICES FUND BECAUSE OF CHANGES MADE LAST YEAR, IS IN GOOD SHAPE. UM, SO WE ARE CONTINUING TO MONITORING MONITOR THAT FUND, UM, PHASING IN OUR FEE CHANGES AND WE EXPECT, UM, THE FUND BALANCE TO CONTINUE TO BE HEALTHY. SUCCESSOR AGENCY. UH, WE ARE VERY CONSTRAINED BY THE STATE AND WE FOLLOW THOSE RULES AND THAT THAT FUND REMAINS, UM, CD AND GENERAL GRANTS. SO THIS IS WHERE OUR MONEY COMES FROM, THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT AS WELL AS FROM OTHER SOURCES, UM, SUCH AS LA CASA. SO WHILE LA CASA IS A VERY GOOD NEWS STORY AND THAT'S HOW WE'RE ABLE TO FUND MORE AFFORDABLE HOUSING DEVELOPMENT ON THE HUD SIDE, UM, OUR GRANTS HAVE DECLINED 17% SINCE 2020, BUT THAT DOESN'T TELL YOU THE FULL STORY BECAUSE OUR EXPENSES HAVE GONE UP EVERY YEAR. UM, BOTH LABOR AND INDIRECT EXPENSES AND COST AND MATERIALS. SO THE SPENDING POWER OF WHAT WE RECEIVE IN CDBG IN PARTICULAR HAS REALLY ERODED QUITE DRAMATICALLY OVER THE LAST SIX YEARS. THAT IS WHERE WE HAVE REDUCTIONS IN THIS PROGRAM AND WE'RE REDESIGNING, UH, PROGRAMS TO BE ABLE TO MEET THE NEED TO DELIVER THEM AT A LOWER COST BUT AT A SAME LEVEL OF ENRICHMENT AND BENEFIT TO THE COMMUNITY. UM, AND THEN WE'VE HAD GREAT SUCCESS WITH STATE HOUSING DOLLARS AND BEING ABLE TO BRING IN CAL HOME AND OTHER DOLLARS, UM, TO UH, CONTINUE OUR JOURNEY FOR PRODUCING AFFORDABLE HOUSING. BUT WE DO SEE OUR COST RISE EVERY YEAR AS WELL. UM, AND THEN GENERAL FUND, WE'LL TALK ABOUT, UM, CHANGES IN CODE ENFORCEMENT AND NEIGHBORHOOD SERVICES TO MEET OUR OBLIGATION TO REDUCE IN GENERAL FUND. UM, SO WHAT ARE OUR CHANGES? WE DO HAVE, UM, WITHIN THE DEVELOPMENT SERVICES FUND, AN UPGRADE OF A COMBINATION BUILDING INSPECTOR TO A SENIOR MECHANICAL INSPECTOR THAT JUST HELPS MEET THE NEED OF THE ACTUAL INSPECTIONS, UM, THAT WE'RE BEING REQUESTED. UM, NOISE ENFORCEMENT, WHICH PREVIOUSLY LIVED IN THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT, WILL TRANSFER TO OUR CODE ENFORCEMENT GROUP. WE THINK I AND ALLISON BOTH THINK THAT THAT'LL BE POSITIVE AND IT'LL BRING MORE TYPES OF ENFORCEMENT UNDER ONE ROOF, UM, WHERE CODE ENFORCEMENT CAN HANDLE THE WHOLE OF THE CASE. UM, AND WE'RE ASKING FOR APPROPRIATION TO INCREASE THE BUDGET FOR OUR YEAR TWO LA CASA FUNDS, WHICH WAS REVIEWED ALREADY BY COUNCIL IN A DIFFERENT, UH, COUNCIL ITEM. SO WE DO HAVE TO MAKE REDUCTIONS TO MEET OUR TARGETS. UM, SO REDUCTIONS IN SPECIAL, UM, FUNDS INCLUDE, [01:45:01] UM, MAKING HARD CHOICES. SO WE HAVE A BUREAU MANAGER IN OUR HOUSING AND NEIGHBORHOOD SERVICES, UM, GROUP THAT WAS THAT RETIRED. WE WILL NOT BE REFILLING THAT POSITION. INSTEAD, WE'LL BE ALIGNING IN UNDER TWO OFFICERS. WE'LL BE ELIMINATING EIGHT POSITIONS, UH, IN TOTAL, SEVEN IN HOUSING AND NEIGHBORHOOD SERVICES AND ONE IN CODE ENFORCEMENT. UH, MOST OF THESE POSITIONS, UM, ARE VACANT, BUT NOT ALL. SO, UH, IN CODE ENFORCEMENT IT'S A NET LOSS OF A CBI. IT WILL INCREASE BACKLOG TIME TO RESOLVE CODE ENFORCEMENT CASES. WE AIM FOR 120 DAYS TO RESOLVE A CASE. UM, IN PREVIOUS YEARS WE WERE BETWEEN 80 AND 85%. WE EXPECT TO HIT 75% WITH THE PROPOSED STAFFING LEVEL IN NEIGHBORHOOD RESOURCES. THIS IS NOT JUST A STORY OF THE GENERAL FUND, THIS IS ALSO ABOUT CDBG, UM, AND IT WILL REDUCE OUR ABILITY TO DO CERTAIN, UM, PROGRAMMING, BUT IT WILL PRESERVE THE NEIGHBORHOOD LEADERSHIP PROGRAM WE'VE HEARD FROM COUNCIL AND THE COMMUNITY. THAT'S IMPORTANT. UM, AND WE WILL RUN THAT UH, PROGRAM, UH, MORE EFFICIENTLY BUT WITH THE SAME LEVEL OF ENRICHMENT FOR THE COMMUNITY. UM, SO IN TERMS OF NEIGHBORHOOD LEADERSHIP, THERE WILL BE, UH, WORKSHOPS THROUGHOUT THE YEAR. WE WILL INVITE PEOPLE TO ATTEND EVERY SINGLE ONE. IF YOU ATTEND ALL OR MOST, YOU WILL GRADUATE FROM THE PROGRAM. UM, AND THEN WE WILL ALSO BE PARTNERING WITH STAFF AND OTHER RESOURCES ACROSS, UM, THE DEPARTMENT, UM, TO SHARE THAT WORKLOAD AND TO BUILD SUSTAINED COMMUNITY PARTICIPATION BUT IN A DIFFERENT STAFFING MODEL, UM, THAN WE HAD PREVIOUSLY. SO WE ALSO HAVE TO CONTINUE, UM, OUR SEARCH FOR FUNDS AND REVENUE. UH, SO WE'LL CON WE, WE ARE NUMBER ONE, WE ARE THE BEST AT USING LA CASA DOLLARS, UH, AS QUICKLY AS THEY CAN GET THEM OVER TO US AND WE WANT TO USE THAT TO LEVERAGE, UM, FUTURE REQUEST. WE'VE ALSO BEEN VERY SUCCESSFUL IN SECURING STATE HCD HOUSING DOLLARS. UM, WE WANT TO CONTINUE TO WORK ON SOFTWARE MODERNIZATION AND MAKING SURE THAT DEVELOPMENT POLICIES, UM, SUPPORT LONG-TERM REVENUE FOR THE CITY, BALANCING DEVELOPMENT GOALS WITH HIGH QUALITY, UM, DEVELOPMENT AND SIGNATURE PROJECTS AROUND THE CITY. AND WE WANT TO CONTINUE, UM, TO WORK ON HOW WE SUPPORT CODE ENFORCEMENT. CODE ENFORCEMENT DOES ESSENTIAL WORK IN OUR COMMUNITIES. WE UNDERSTAND THE NEED FOR THE REDUCTIONS IN THIS, UM, BUDGET, BUT WANNA WORK WITH COUNCIL OVER THE NEXT YEAR, UM, TO IDENTIFY WAYS TO FURTHER IMPROVE CODE ENFORCEMENT AS WELL AS TO EXAMINE FEES AND OTHER MODELS TO STRENGTHEN COST RECOVERY, UM, SO THAT WE CAN STABILIZE STAFFING AND BECOME LESS DEPENDENT ON THE GENERAL FUND OVER TIME. SO WITH THAT, UH, WE ARE EXCITED, UM, TO WELCOME UP THE OTHER DEPARTMENTS AND I'LL TAKE YOUR QUESTIONS. ALRIGHT, WELL THANK YOU MR. KUNTZ FOR YOUR PRESENTATION. UM, WE'RE GONNA GO RIGHT INTO PUBLIC COMMENT. WE HAVE ABOUT 23 PEOPLE SIGNED UP TO SPEAK. SO WE'RE GONNA DO THAT FIRST AND THEN WE'LL DO COUNCIL DELIBERATION. SO I'M GONNA PASS IT TO THE CLERK TO ADMINISTER PUBLIC COMMENT. I'LL READ THE NAMES OF THE INDIVIDUALS WHO'VE REQUESTED TO SPEAK. PLEASE FORGIVE ME IN ADVANCE IF I MISPRONOUNCE YOUR NAME, WHEN YOUR NAME IS CALLED. PLEASE COME FORWARD AND LINE UP AT THE PODIUM. THE FIRST 10 SPEAKERS ARE GARRETT DE YOUNG, CONNIE, LUCY, DALE ELLI, KING MAGALIA, MELLE ROBINSON, BIANCA JAMIL, CAMPBELL, DARYL AND ERIN FOLEY. IF YOU CAN LINE UP YOUR TIME BEGINS. THANK YOU. GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND COUNCIL. MY NAME IS GARRETT DE YOUNG AND I'M THE PRESIDENT OF THE LONG BEACH POLICE OFFICERS ASSOCIATION. I RECOGNIZE THE SIGNIFICANT CHALLENGE THE CITY FACES IN ADDRESSING THIS YEAR'S BUDGET DEFICIT. THAT SAID, I FEEL OBLIGATED TO SPEAK ON BEHALF OF MY MEMBERS AND THE COMMUNITY WE SERVE. TASKING CHIEF EISH WITH CUTTING $19 MILLION FROM THE ALREADY STRETCHED PD. BUDGET IS UNREASONABLE AND IRRESPONSIBLE. THE RAMIFICATIONS OF CUTTING 54 SWORN POLICE POSITIONS WILL HAVE DES DEVASTATING IMPACTS, MEANING FEWER COPS TO WORK PATROL ANSWER 9 1 1 CALLS AND INVESTIGATE SERIOUS CRIMES. THE ELIMINATION OF THESE POSITIONS WILL RISK LIVES BY INCREASING RESPONSE TIMES AND LIMITING INVESTIGATIONS. THE PROPOSED CUTS ARE THE MOST SEVERE THE POLICE DEPARTMENT HAS FACED IN DECADES SURPASSING THE REDUCTIONS IMPLEMENTED DURING FY 21 COVID AND THE POLICE REFORM ERA. THE DIFFERENCE TODAY IS THAT THE COMMUNITY IS CALLING FOR MORE OFFICERS ON THE STREET, NOT LESS. THIS REDUCTION WILL PUT THE DEPARTMENT AT THE LOWEST NUMBER OF BUDGETED [01:50:01] POSITIONS IN OVER 30 YEARS. THE CITY'S POPULATION AND NUMBER OF EVENTS CONTINUE TO GROW EACH YEAR, YET THE POLICE DEPARTMENT IS SHRINKING. PROVIDING PUBLIC SAFETY IS A CORE DUTY OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT. I URGE YOU TO REALIGN THE BUDGET PRIORITIES TO EMBRACE THAT CORE DUTY BEGINNING WITH RESTORATION TO PATROL POSITIONS. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER PLEASE. SWEET. UH, HI. HELLO EVERYONE. UH, MY NAME IS CONNIE HENDERSON LEVY. UH, I'M AN ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH SPECIALIST WITH THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT AND I'M A PROUD SHOP STEWARD WITH IAM. UH, I HAVE WORKED WITH THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT FOR A MAJORITY OF MY PROFESSIONAL LIFE AND BEING ABLE TO SERVE THE CITIZENS OF MY CITY IS AN ABSOLUTE HONOR AND A PRIVILEGE. I AM UP HERE TODAY TO ADDRESS THE PROPOSED LAYOFFS AS WELL AS URGE FOR A FAIR AND COMPETITIVE CONTRACT. THE CITY MANAGER'S PROPOSAL SPECIFICALLY MENTIONS IN, UM, INCREASING HEALTH PERMIT FEES WHILE LAYING OFF THE ANALYSTS IN OUR DEPARTMENT WHO ARE ABLE TO WORK WITH BUSINESS OWNERS TO COLLECT THOSE FEES. THE PROPOSED LAYOFFS WILL PUT ADDITIONAL STRAIN ON ALREADY OVERWORKED AND OVERWHELMED STAFF. ADD TO THAT WE ARE OBVIOUSLY UNAPPRECIATED AS THE CITY CONTINUES TO DENY MUCH NEEDED ECONOMIC PROPOSALS TO PROVIDE FAIR AND COMPETITIVE PAY TO ITS EMPLOYEES, INCLUDING SKILL PAYS AND COST OF LIVING ADJUSTMENTS. IT'S A BAD LOOK TO LAY OFF AND PUSH OUT THE EMPLOYEES THAT KEEP THE CITY RUNNING TWO YEARS BEFORE WE ARE EXPECTED TO BE ON THE GLOBAL STAGE FOR THE 2028 OLYMPICS. MY CALL TO ACTION IS TWOFOLD. ONE, PLEASE CONSIDER THE FULL BREADTH OF EFFECTS THAT THESE LAYOFFS WILL CAUSE, NOT ONLY TO YOUR EMPLOYEES, BUT ALSO TO THE CITIZENS WHO ARE ULTIMATELY GOING TO BE AFFECTED WITH LOSS OF SERVICES. AND TWO, NEGOTIATE A FAIR CONTRACT THAT WILL SUPPORT THE BOOTS ON THE GROUND WHO KEEP THE CITY RUNNING AND ALLOW THEM NOT ONLY TO LIVE, BUT TO THRIVE IN THE CITY THAT WE ALL LOVE. THANK YOU GUYS. THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER PLEASE. GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS LUCY DALE. I LIVE IN DISTRICT SIX. I'M A PUBLIC HEALTH NURSE WITH THE CITY'S HEALTH DEPARTMENT. FOR OVER THREE YEARS, MY WORK HAS MEANT KNOCKING ON DOORS TO CARE FOR OUR MOST VULNERABLE NEIGHBORS, THOSE WHO ARE ELDERLY, DISABLED, OR STRUGGLING WITH CHRONIC ILLNESS AT HOME. I'M URGING YOU NOT TO LAY OFF CITY EMPLOYEES. WHEN WE CUT THESE POSITIONS, WE AREN'T JUST CUTTING LINE ITEMS. WE ARE DISMANTLING THE SAFETY NET THAT KEEPS OUR COMMUNITY HEALTHY. CITY STAFF PLAY A CRITICAL ROLE IN KEEPING LONG BEACH LIVABLE FOR EVERYONE, RICH OR POOR, FROM HOME VISITATION PROGRAMS, FAMILY PROGRAMS, HEALTH AND FITNESS, FOOD SAFETY, ACCESS TO THE ARTS, LITERATURE, EVEN JUST PROVIDING SERVICES THAT ACT AS THIRD SPACES FOR THE COMMUNITY. THE CITY NEEDS US. OUR RESIDENTS NEED US. PLEASE DO NOT SACRIFICE PUBLIC HEALTH SAVINGS AT THE EXPENSE OF HUMAN LIVES. KEEP OUR TEAM WHOLE SO WE CAN CONTINUE SERVING THIS COMMUNITY. THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER, PLEASE. HELLO, MY NAME IS BIANCA PADILLA AND MY FAMILY AND I RESIDE IN THE BEAUTIFUL CITY NINE. I'M A CITY EMPLOYEE AND MEMBER OF IAM. LOCAL 1930 CITY MANAGEMENT HAS PROPOSED A BUDGET THAT WILL CUT HUNDREDS OF JOBS, JOBS THAT ARE ESSENTIAL TO THE WELLBEING OF OUR COMMUNITY. OUR UNION IS ALSO IN NEGOTIATIONS WITH THE CITY AS CAN BE EXPECTED. THE BUDGET CRISIS IS BEING USED TO SHORTCHANGE OUR UNION, A UNION THAT REPRESENTS THE LARGEST BODY OF CITY EMPLOYEES, A UNION WITH OVER 45% OF ITS MEMBERSHIP BEING LONG BEACH RESIDENTS. OUR REQUESTS HAVE BEEN MET WITH LITTLE SUPPORT AND THE CITY NOW DEMANDS THAT IAM ACCEPTS A PROPOSAL CLOSING CITY SERVICES BETWEEN THE CHRISTMAS AND NEW YEAR'S HOLIDAY. NON-ESSENTIAL EMPLOYEES WHOM THEY HAVE NOT IDENTIFIED WOULD NOT BE PAID FOR THIS PERIOD UNLESS WE USE PTO THAT WE HAVE EARNED. THE COMMUNITY WILL NOT RECEIVE SERVICES DURING THIS PERIOD EITHER. THIS PROPOSAL HAS NO END DATE. AND WITH AN ECONOMIC FORECAST THAT THE CITY SUGGESTS COULD IMPROVE IN AS LITTLE AS SIX MONTHS, THAT COULD MEAN THE CITY WOULD POCKET MONEY OFF THE BACKS OF ITS EMPLOYEES FOREVER. MAYOR RICHARDSON HAD SAID THAT EMPLOYEES DESERVE A CITY WITH A STABLE FINANCIAL FUTURE. WE WHO MAKE THE CITY FUNCTION ALSO DESERVE A STABLE FINANCIAL FUTURE. WE DESERVE JOB SECURITY. THE COMMUNITY DESERVES A CITY GOVERNMENT THAT IS EQUITABLE TO ITS EMPLOYEES AND COMMUNITY, NOT JUST BUSINESSES. DO NOT PUT THIS ON OUR BACKS. THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER, ELLI KING. MAGALIA MELLE, IF YOU CAN LINE UP. YES, GOOD EVENING. UM, CITY MAYOR, HAPPY BIRTHDAY. UM, COUNCIL MEMBERS. MY NAME IS ELLI KING AND I'M IN THE LONG BEACH COMMUNITY LAND TRUST HOUSING STEWARDSHIP, UH, COORDINATOR. [01:55:01] I'M HERE SPEAKING TODAY IN SUPPORT OF THE CITY'S CONTINUED COMMITMENT OF $200,000 FOR CAPACITY BUILDING FOUNDING FOR THE LONG BEACH COMMUNITY. LAND TRUST THROUGH COUNT, UH, COUNTY MEASURE A, UH, WITH THE ECONOMIC SITUATION IN OUR CITY. AFFORDABLE HOUSING IS A PRIORITY. WE HAVE A HUGE MEMBER OF RESIDENTS SUFFERING FROM HOUSE AND HOUSING INSTABILITY, INCREASING RENT STRUGGLES, PAYING THEIR BILLS, AND SOME EVEN FACING EVICTION AND HOMELESSNESS. IT IS IMPORTANT TO ME AND FOR THE LONG BEACH COMMUNITY LAND TRUST MEMBERS AND OUR COMMUNITY TO CONTINUE OUR COLLABORATION WITH THE CITY AS A PRIORITY IN OUR NEIGHBORHOODS AND TO BRING HELP TO THOSE IN NEED. THE LONG BEACH COMMUNITY LAND TRUST IMPACT IS GROWING AS MORE AFFORDABLE HOUSING OPPORTUNITIES MOVE FORWARD. WE ARE A GROWING, UH, COMMUNITY OF OVER 130 MEMBERS, WORKING DEEPLY WITH LONG BEACH RESIDENTS, BUILDING LONG-TERM AND MEANINGFUL RELATIONSHIPS, AND SUPPORTING OUR COMMUNITIES TO STAY ROOTED IN PLACE AND THRIVE. MANY THANKS TO THE CITY PARTNERSHIPS THROUGH THIS PROCESS. MEANING, MEANING THIS FUNDING IS ESSENTIAL TO BUILDING ON THE PROGRESS WE HAVE ALREADY MADE IN ADVANCING PERMANENTLY AFFORDABLE COMMUNITY OWNED HOUSING AND LONG BEACH. WE ALSO SUPPORT 2.2 MILLION IN COUNTY MEASURE A FOUNDING FOR TENANT RIGHTS TO COUNSEL, WHICH CONNECT YOUR TIMES CONCLUDED. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER, PLEASE START THIS. GOOD AFTERNOON. MY NAME IS AND FIRST OF ALL, HAPPY BIRTHDAY MAYOR AND I AM HERE TO BE GIVING MY PUBLIC COMMENT JORA COMMUNITY. I'M HERE TO SUPPORT THE LONG BEACH COMMUNITY LAND TRUST OR SO THAT ALONG WITH YOUR HELP, ALL OF US WHO ARE LOW INCOME CAN HAVE ACCESS TO AFFORDABLE PERMANENT HOUSING. I ASKED FOR THE CITY'S SUPPORT SO THAT THEY KEEP THE 200 AND K $200,000 PROMISE FOR FUNDING SO THAT THEY CAN CONTINUE WITH THEIR EFFORTS AND BE ABLE TO SUPPORT THOSE IN NEED. AND I'M ALSO IN SUPPORT OF A TWO DO, UH, $2 MILLION TOWARDS THE TENANT'S RIGHTS TO COUNCIL AND A $3 MILLION TOWARDS THE JUSTICE FUND. THAT'S IT. THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER PLEASE. GOOD EVENING, MAYOR. HAPPY BIRTHDAY. GOOD EVENING TO OUR CITY COUNCIL LEADERS. UH, MY NAME IS MIA, SHE ROBINSON. I AM A RESIDENT OF DISTRICT EIGHT. I'M HERE TO SPEAK TO ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF THE CLT. IT IS VERY MUCH NEEDED. I AM A RESIDENT WHO IS ALSO FACING, UM, HOUSE HOUSELESSNESS DUE TO EXTREME MEDICAL COSTS. UM, THE FUNDING FROM RENT RELIEF PROGRAM HAS NOT CONTACTED ME TO SUPPORT ME. SO WE NEED MORE PROGRAMS LIKE CLT TO SUPPORT AND HELP KEEP US HOUSED. HOUSING IS A HUMAN RIGHT. THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER, PLEASE HAVE WE READ OFF THE NEXT 10. THE NEXT SPEAKER IS JAMILLE CAMPBELL DAROLD, AARON FOLEY, CYNTHIA TORRES, ELMER GONZALEZ, GABBY ACOSTA, CHU ORU, RORY AND NAZI. IF YOU CAN LINE UP AT THE LECTERN. THANK YOU, SIR. YOU CAN PROCEED. THANK YOU, SIR. UM, MY NAME IS JAMIL CAMPBELL. I GUESS YOU'D DESCRIBE ME AS A MUSICIAN AND A HOMELESS ADVOCATE. UM, I MYSELF SPENT ABOUT EIGHT, UH, EIGHT YEARS OF MY LIFE HOMELESS ON THE STREETS OF LONG BEACH. AND I WANTED TO EMPHASIZE THE IMPORTANCE OF THE IMPORTANCE OF A TEAM CALLED THE QUALITY OF LIFE TEAM. IF YOU'RE NOT FAMILIAR WITH IT, UH, PART OF OUR LONG BEACH POLICE DEPARTMENT, I WOULD PROBABLY STILL BE HOMELESS OR POSSIBLY DEAD. HONESTLY, IF IT WEREN'T FOR TWO POLICE OFFICERS THAT ADVOCATED FOR ME AND SAID, YOUNG MAN, YOUR LIFE IS WORTH SAVING. UM, [02:00:04] I LOST MY HOME IN 2008 AND UNFORTUNATELY TURNED TO LIQUOR, WHICH MADE MATTERS EVEN WORSE. AND BEFORE YOU KNOW IT, I WAS LIVING IN A TENT. AND ONE MORNING I WOKE UP AND I SAID, I CAN'T DO THIS ANYMORE. I SAID TO MYSELF, AND, UM, TWO, BY THE GRACE OF GOD, TWO OFFICERS WERE STANDING RIGHT THERE IN FRONT OF MY TENT. MY FIRST CONCERN IS, OH MY GOD, I'M ABOUT TO GO TO JAIL. BUT INSTEAD, ONE OF THOSE OFFICERS CRAWLED IN THAT TENT. LIKE I SAY, THESE ARE PART OF THE QUALITY OF LIFE TEAM. HE CRAWLED IN THAT TENT AND HE GRABBED MY HAND AND HE SAID, ARE YOU DONE? ARE YOU READY TO HELP YOURSELF? AND I SAID, YES. AND HE TOOK ME TO TREATMENT THAT DAY AND IT'S EIGHT, ALMOST NINE YEARS LATER AND I'M SOBER. HAPPY AND HOMED THANKS TO THOSE TWO OFFICERS. SIR, YOUR TIME'S CONCLUDED FOR YOUR PUBLIC COMMENT. I NEED TO KNOW THAT IT'S IMPORTANT. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TESTIMONY, SIR. NEXT, GOOD EVENING, MAYOR CITY COUNCIL. MY NAME IS DARYL. I'M A RESIDENT OF COUNCIL DISTRICT EIGHT, AND I'M SPEAKING TODAY IN SUPPORT OF CONTINUING THE CITY'S COMMITMENT TO $200,000 FOR CAPACITY BUILDING FUNDING FOR THE LONG BEACH COMMUNITY LAND TRUST. AND I WANNA THANK YOU FOR YOUR PREVIOUS SUPPORT, UH, THROUGH COUNTY MEASURE A. SO AS WE KNOW THAT'S SEPARATE FROM THE CITY'S GENERAL FUND, UH, THIS INVESTMENT WILL, IF IT'S CONTINUED, WILL ALLOW US TO SUSTAIN THE PROGRESS WE'VE MADE IN ADVANCING PERMANENTLY AFFORDABLE COMMUNITY OWNED HOUSING IN LONG BEACH. AND, UH, AS A PERSONAL NOTE, UM, SOME OF YOU KNOW ME THAT I'VE, MY LIFESTYLE MIGHT HAVE SEEN GLAMOROUS, BUT IN THE PAST YEARS AGO, UM, LIVING IN A DIFFERENT PART OF LONG BEACH, OUR FAMILY WAS, UH, WELL, WE RECEIVED NOTICE OF AN ILLEGAL RENT, UH, INCREASE. AND A LOT OF PEOPLE HAVE RECEIVED SIMILAR THINGS AND THEY HAVE ACCEPTED WHAT SEEMS INEVITABLE. BUT IN OUR CASE, WE DIDN'T ACCEPT WHAT SEEMED INEVITABLE AND WE WERE ABLE TO, UM, AVOID THAT UNFAIR RENT INCREASE. SO I CAN ONLY IMAGINE WHERE WE WOULD BE HAD WE NOT BEEN ABLE TO KEEP, UH, AFFORDABLE RENT AT THE TIME. AND NOW WE'VE BECOME HOMEOWNERS SINCE THEN, BUT JUST BARELY. UM, SO, UH, AS FAR AS, UH, THE CLT YOU'VE HEARD, UH, ABOUT IT ALREADY. UM, OUR MEMBERSHIP IS GROWING AND THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO ARE WILLING TO WILLING AND ABLE TO SUPPORT THIS WORK. UM, WE'RE ALSO ASKING FOR 2.2 MILLION IN SUPPORT FOR THE COUNTY MEASURE A FOR A TENANT RIGHT TO COUNCIL. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU. HELLO, MY NAME IS ERIN AND I'M A RESIDENT IN DISTRICT ONE AND A MEMBER OF LONG BEACH RESIDENTS EMPOWERED. I'M HERE TO ASK FOR STRONG ACTION TO BE TAKEN TO ADDRESS THE HOUSING CRISIS. LONG BEACH HAS BEEN EXPERIENCING. EVICTION IS ONE OF THE BIGGEST DRIVERS OF HOMELESSNESS. TRAGICALLY SO MANY OF OUR NEIGHBORS THAT HAVE GIVEN SO MUCH TO OUR COMMUNITY AND THE CULTURE OF LONG BEACH ARE BEING PUSHED OUT. WE ASK THAT YOU PRIORITIZE PREVENTION BY AT LEAST HELPING FOLKS TO HAVE THE DIGNITY OF LEGAL REPRESENTATION. WHEN DEALING WITH STRESSFUL, CONFUSING COMPLEX EVICTIONS, IT TRULY MAKES A HUGE DIFFERENCE. RENTERS WITH LEGAL REP REPRESENTATION ARE FAR MORE LIKELY TO RECEIVE FAIR FAVORABLE OUTCOMES LIKE SETTLEMENTS, NEGOTIATED AGREEMENTS OR CASE DISMISSALS. I CANNOT STRESS THAT ENOUGH. LEGAL REPRESENTATION MAKES A HUGE DIFFERENCE IN LEVELING THE PLAYING FIELD. IN 2025, THE CITY ALLOCATED 1.2 MILLION AND AT THAT LEVEL INVESTMENT 190 HOUSEHOLDS RECEIVED FULL SCOPE REPRESENTATION THROUGH THE STATE HOUSE LA PROGRAM, WHICH IS GREAT, BUT IT'S A DROP IN THE BUCKET THAT EQUATES TO ONLY 9% OF ALL UNLAWFUL DETAINER CASES. THERE'S SO MUCH MORE NEED. ON A POSITIVE NOTE, WITH THE EXPANSION OF THE RIGHT TO COUNSEL PROGRAM, UNLAWFUL DETAINER FILINGS DROPPED FROM 3,200 IN 2023 TO 2100 IN 2025. AND OUR ORGANIZATION AND OUR NEIGHBORS WANT THIS TREND TO CONTINUE. WE THANK YOU FOR PROPOSING 1.6 MILLION FOR THIS PROGRAM, BUT THESE FUNDS UNFORTUNATELY DO NOT ACCOUNT FOR SETTLEMENT ASSISTANCE, WHICH IS CRITICAL IN HELPING TENANTS STAY IN THEIR HOMES. WE'RE ASKING FOR 2.2 MILLION OF MEASURE A FUNDS FOR RIGHT TO COUNSEL AND 20 200,000 IN MEASURE A FUNDING FOR THE LONG BEACH COMMUNITY. YOUR TIME'S CONCLUDED. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. HELLO, MY NAME IS CYNTHIA TORRES AND I'M HERE WITH LONG BEACH RESIDENTS EMPOWERED. I WANT TO START BY POINTING OUT THAT RIGHT TO COUNSEL IS THE MOST COST EFFECTIVE WAY OF PREVENTING HOMELESSNESS BECAUSE IT KEEPS PEOPLE IN THEIR HOMES BEFORE HOMELESSNESS BECOMES AN ISSUE. IF SOMEONE WHO IS ALREADY GOING THROUGH A STRESSFUL SITU SITUATION IS TASKED WITH DEALING WITH THE COURT SYSTEM ON THEIR OWN, IT IS INCREDIBLY EASY TO GET OVERWHELMED OR MAKE MISTAKES THAT CAN SERIOUSLY AFFECT THE OUTCOME OF THEIR HOUSING. HOWEVER, HAVING [02:05:01] SOMEONE THERE WHO UNDERSTANDS THE PROCESS HELPS MAKE SURE PEOPLE ARE ACTUALLY HEARD AND TREATED FAIRLY. FOR YEARS, LIBRE HAS BEEN SUPPORTING PEOPLE AND THANKS TO RIGHT TO COUNSEL, EVICTION RIGHTS AND LONG BEACH HAVE DECREASED SIGNIFICANTLY. OUR COMMUNITY ABSOLUTELY NEEDS THIS RESOURCE TODAY. WE ARE NOT ONLY ASKING FOR A STRONG INVESTMENT OF 2.2 MILLION FOR A RIGHT TO COUNCIL, BUT WE ARE ALSO ASKING THAT WE INVEST IN LONG-TERM SOCIAL HOUSING SOLUTIONS LIKE CLTS WITH 200,000 AND MEASURE A FUNDING FOR THE LONG BEACH CLT. AT THE END OF THE DAY, JUSTICE SHOULDN'T DEPEND ON HOW MUCH MONEY YOU HAVE OR WHETHER OR NOT YOU CAN AFFORD A LAWYER BECAUSE EVERYONE DESERVES A FAIR CHANCE AT SAFE AND AFFORDABLE HOUSING. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. MY NAME IS ELMER DAVID GONZALEZ, AND I'M A SPECIAL SERVICE OFFICER WORKING HERE IN THE JAIL, THE CITY OF LONG BEACH. I'M HERE TONIGHT AS A CITY EMPLOYEE AND AN IA MEMBER AND A HUSBAND. I WANT TO PUT A HUMAN FACE TO THE BUDGET DECISIONS BEING DISCUSSED BECAUSE BEHIND EVERY POSITION BEING CONSIDERED FOR REDUCTION IS A PERSON, A FAMILY, AND YEARS OF SERVICE TO THE CITY. MY WIFE HAS WORKED FOR THE CITY FOR OVER 13 YEARS. 11 OF THOSE YEARS SHE SERVED AS A CLERK TYPIST THREE AND CONFIDENTIAL SECRETARY, SUPPORTING SENIOR COMMAND STAFF, COORDINATING, SCHEDULING, AND HELPING OPERATE ONE OF THE CITY'S BUSIEST, BUSIEST PATROL DIVISIONS. IN DECEMBER, 2024, SHE EARNED A PROMOTION TO ADMINISTRATIVE AID TWO, AFTER COMPETING THROUGH A TESTING AND INTERVIEW PROCESS, SHE EARNED THAT POSITION. TODAY SHE WORKS IN A LOGISTICS AND SUPPORT WHILE ALSO HELPING WITH COMMUNITY EVENTS LIKE COFFEE WITH THE COP PARK ACTIVATIONS AND NATIONAL NIGHT OUT. NOW AFTER 13 YEARS OF SERVICE AND WORKING HER WAY THROUGH THE CITY, HER POSITION HAS BEEN IDENTIFIED FOR REDUCTION BECAUSE OF THE BUDGET. THIS CREATES TREMENDOUS UNCERTAINTY FOR OUR FAMILY. WE BOTH WORKED FOR THE CITY AND OUR PLAN WAS TO BUILD OUR CAREERS HERE AND RETIRE FROM THE CITY. AND MY WIFE IS NOT ALONE. SHE'S ONE OF MANY IM MEMBERS FACING THE SAME UNCERTAINTY. WE UNDERSTAND THE CITY HAS DIFFICULTY DECISIONS TO MAKE, BUT PLEASE REMEMBER, THESE ARE NOT JUST POSITIONS ON A SPREADSHEET. THEY ARE PEOPLES CAREERS, FAMILIES, AND RETIREMENT PLANS. WE ASK THAT YOU REMEMBER THESE PEOPLE BEHIND THE THE DECISIONS THAT YOU MAKE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. HI, GOOD AFTERNOON. MY NAME IS GA ACOSTA AND I'M THE EARLY CHILDHOOD PROGRAM SPECIALIST, CURRENTLY SUPPORTING THE EARLY CHILDHOOD STRATEGIC PLAN AS PROGRAM, AS WELL AS THE EARLY CHILDHOOD MENTAL HEALTH PROGRAM. I'M ALSO A LONG BEACH RESIDENT AND A UNION MEMBER. UM, I'M HERE TO ASK FOR YOUR SUPPORT AND THANK YOU MAYOR FOR YOUR RECOMMENDATION IN PRESERVING THE EARLY CHILDHOOD PROGRAM. UH, WITH MEASURE, UH, EA, UH, EXCUSE ME, ER, UM, ENSURING THAT THE EARLY CHILDHOOD PROGRAM REMAINS BUILT INTO THE CITY'S GENERAL BUDGET IS NECESSARY FOR OUR EARLY CHILDHOOD PROFESSIONALS, OUR MIXED DELIVERY SYSTEM, C, CHILDCARE PROVIDERS AND CBOS WHO SUPPORT FAMILIES, YOUNG CHILDREN, AND YOUNG CHILDREN. THE EARLY CHILDHOOD STRATEGIC PROGRAM WAS THE ONLY CRUCIAL LINK TO OUR EARLY CHILDHOOD C CHILDCARE LEARNING AND CARE PROGRAMS. PLEASE REMEMBER THAT THIS WAS THE ONLY PROGRAM REALLY CONNECTING OUR EARLY CHILDHOOD PROVIDERS AND FAMILIES TO THESE CRUCIAL SERVICES DURING THAT PANDEMIC. UM, I ALSO HAVE TO REMIND THAT SUSTAINING THIS PROGRAM ALSO ENSURES THAT THE CELEBRATION OF THE YOUNG CHILD, WHICH IS LONG BEACH'S LARGEST RESOURCE FAIR FOR FAMILIES WITH CHILDREN PRENATAL THROUGH AGE EIGHT IS ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT EVENTS WHERE FAMILIES CAN GET NOT ONLY FREE RESOURCES, BUT FREE ACCESS TO VITAL EARLY INTERVENTION SERVICES. IT IS CRUCIAL TO OUR FAMILIES, OUR CHILDREN, OUR COMMUNITY, AND OUR EARLY CHILDHOOD PROFESSIONALS THAT THIS IS SUSTAINED. THANK YOU. YOUR COMMENTS, I'D LIKE TO CALL THE NEXT SPEAKERS IF I COULD GET CHU RORY NAZI, LILY DE NATALIE HERNANDEZ, AIO GARCIA, MARIA LOPEZ, IVAN GARCIA AND SOPHIE CHOI TO LINE UP AT THE LECTERN. THANK YOU. GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEMBERS. MY NAME IS CHU RATAN. I'M AN ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH SPECIALIST WITH LONG BEACH HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES AND A DISTRICT FIVE RESIDENT. LAST YEAR I WAS DIRECTLY IMPACTED BY THE CITY'S LAYOFFS DUE TO FUNDING CUTS. TODAY I AM HERE TO ADVOCATE FOR MY COWORKERS WHO ARE NOW FACING THE SAME UNCERTAINTY LIKE MYSELF, MANY, OUR LONG BEACH HEALTH DEPARTMENT STAFF AND LONG BEACH CITY RESIDENTS. I UNDERSTAND THE CITY HAS DIFFICULT FINANCIAL DECISIONS TO MAKE, BUT CUTTING POSITIONS WITH A CHAINSAW INSTEAD OF A SCALPEL HAS SERIOUS CONSEQUENCES FOR OUR WORKFORCE AND OUR COMMUNITY. WHEN THESE POSITIONS ARE ELIMINATED, THE WORK DOESN'T DISAPPEAR. [02:10:01] IT GETS PLACED ON AN ALREADY STRETCH WORKFORCE, INCREASING WORKLOAD AND POTENTIALLY AFFECTING THE QUALITY AND TIMELESSNESS TIMELESSNESS OF SERVICE TO RESIDENTS. THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT HAS TALKED ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF STABILIZING THE DEPARTMENT AND ITS WORK, ITS WORK, ITS WORKFORCE. IF STABILIZATION IS TRULY THE GOAL, WE NEED TO PROTECT THE POSITIONS THAT WE KEEP, THAT KEEP OUR OPERATIONS FUNCTIONING, NOT CONTINUE CUTTING THE PEOPLE WHO SUPPORT THAT WORK. I RESPECTFUL. I RESPECTFULLY ASK THE COUNCIL TO SUPPORT FAIR UNION NEGOTIATIONS, PROTECT CITY JOBS, AND INVEST IN THE EMPLOYEES WHO SERVE LONG BEACH EVERY DAY. AS WE PRE PREPARE FOR THE OLYMPICS IN TWO YEARS, LONG BEACH SHOULD BE STRAIGHTENING, NOT WICKENING, OUR WORKFORCE AND PUBLIC HEALTH INFRASTRUCTURE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. HELLO, MY NAME IS RORY. I'M A RESIDENT OF COUNCIL DISTRICT ONE. UH, TODAY THERE ARE PEOPLE HERE WHO INSIST THAT PUBLIC SAFETY WOULD BE IMPACTED BY REDUCTION IN FUNDING FOR THE POLICE. I AM HERE TO PUSH BACK AGAINST THAT IDEA AND AMPLIFY THE IDEA THAT REAL PUBLIC SAFETY CAN ONLY BE ACHIEVED BY ENSURING ACCESS TO NOT ONLY SAFE HOUSING, BUT ALSO INVESTMENTS IN COMMUNITY SUCH AS THE HEALTHCARE THAT WE ARE TALKING ABOUT HERE TODAY. NEGOTIATIONS WITH THE CITY WORKERS. ALL OF THESE THINGS WORK TOGETHER TO LIFT PEOPLE OUT OF POVERTY. AND THAT IS WHAT REALLY DRIVES DOWN CRIME RATES AS THEY WERE QUOTING, THEY THAT CRIME RATES HAVE GONE DOWN IN THE PAST COUPLE OF YEARS. THAT IS TRUE ACROSS THE COUNTRY, NOT JUST TO LONG BEACH AND LONG BEACH POLICE CANNOT TAKE CREDIT FOR THAT. THAT HAS HAPPENED BECAUSE OF INVESTMENTS IN COMMUNITY AND I, SO I AM HERE TO ASK FOR $2.2 MILLION IN COUNTY MEASURE A FUNDING FOR THE COUNTY TENANT RIGHT TO COUNCIL PROGRAM, $200,000 IN COUNT MEASURE A FUNDING FOR THE COMMUNITY LAND TRUST, AND $3 MILLION FOR THE JUSTICE FUND FOR IMMIGRANTS. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER PLEASE. GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEMBERS. I'M NAZI WITH THE LONG BEACH COMMUNITY LAND TRUST. I'M HERE TO REQUEST THAT THE CITY CONTINUE ITS INVESTMENT OF $200,000 IN COUNTY MEASURE A FUNDING FOR THE LONG BEACH CLT COUNTY MEASURE A FUNDS STAND SEPARATE FROM THE CITY'S GENERAL FUND AND SUPPORT THE CITY'S AFFORDABLE HOUSING GOALS. WE APPRECIATE THE CITY'S SUPPORT AND INVESTMENT IN THE CLT THUS FAR AND LOOK FORWARD TO OPPORTUNITIES TO BUILD ON THE PROGRESS WE'VE MADE TOGETHER IN JUST OVER TWO YEARS. AT THE LONG BEACH CLT, WE'VE SECURED MILLIONS OF DOLLARS IN PERMANENT FUNDING SOURCES FOR COMMUNITY LAND TRUST WORK EXPANDED OUR COMMUNITY ROOTED REAL ESTATE CAPACITY, GROWN TO MORE THAN 130 MEMBERS AND ARE MOVING FORWARD WITH COMMUNITY LED HOUSING ACQUISITIONS. CONTINUED CAPACITY BUILDING SUPPORT WILL POSITION US TO PARTICIPATE IN PROGRAMS LIKE THE UPCOMING LACOSTA CLT PROGRAM AND ANTICIPATED STATEWIDE CAP PROGRAM LEVERAGED MILLIONS OF DOLLARS IN EXTERNAL FUNDING AND MOVE QUICKLY TO SECURE AT-RISK HOUSING AND KEEP OUR COMMUNITIES ROOTED IN PLACE. OUR GROWING CAPACITY SUPPORTS OUR COLLECTIVE GOALS AROUND ANTI DISPLACEMENT PATHWAYS TO HOME OWNERSHIP AND EQUITABLE DEVELOPMENT. TOGETHER THIS WORK HELPS CREATE MORE STABLE AND THRIVING NEIGHBORHOODS, STRONGER RESIDENT CONNECTIONS, AND DEEPER LONG-TERM HOUSING SECURITY FOR COMMUNITIES ACROSS LONG BEACH. WE ALSO HOPE, UH, WISH TO SUPPORT THE, UH, COMMUNITY BUDGET. ASK TODAY FOR 2.2 MILLION FOR A RIGHT TO COUNSEL AND $3 MILLION FOR THE JUSTICE FUND. THANK YOU SO MUCH. WOO. THANK YOU. EVENING MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL. DEANNA KNOWLES, RESIDENT OF DISTRICT NINE SENIOR ORGANIZER WITH THE ELAINE ON THE LONG BEACH TEAM. FIRST OFF, THANK YOU MAYOR REX RICHARDSON FOR THE $1.6 MILLION RECOMMENDATION FOR THE RIGHT TO COUNCIL PROGRAM. I KNOW AND FULLY UNDERSTAND THE CITY IS UNDER IMMENSE PRESSURE TO BALANCE ITS DEFICIT, BUT WE CANNOT AFFORD TO NOT FULLY FUND A CRITICAL SERVICE LIKE RIGHT TO COUNCIL. COUPLED WITH RENTAL ASSISTANCE, HOMELESSNESS HAS RISEN BY 3.7% WITH EVICTIONS BEING ONE OF THE TOP CONTRIBUTORS. WITHOUT CRITICAL SERVICES LIKE RIGHT TO COUNSEL WITH RENTAL SETTLEMENT, WE CAN AND WILL SEE A RISE IN THIS NUMBER. WE ASK THAT YOU ADD 800 K FROM COUNTY MEASURE A FUNDS THROUGH LA CASA TO FUND RIGHT TO COUNSEL, TO ACCOUNT FOR RENTAL ASSISTANCE TO HELP TENANTS WITH OUTSTANDING RENT DEBTS, BRINGING THIS TOTAL AS TO $2.2 MILLION. WE'RE ALSO HERE IN SUPPORT OF THE JUSTICE FUND FOR $3 MILLION 200 K FOR OUR COMMUNITY LAND TRUST. AND I'M ALSO HERE IN SOLIDARITY WITH OUR I AM 1930 WORKERS AND OUR LIBRARIANS AND OUR SANITATION WORKERS. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANKS, SPEAKER, PLEASE. HELLO, MY NAME IS KIANA CLARK, PEACE ON YOUTUBE AND I AM BEGGING FOR MERCY FOR CITY HALL. I HAVE EXPERIENCED A LOT OF POLICE BRUTALITY AND CRIMINAL ACTIVITY FROM GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS. I WOULD LIKE YOU TO LOOK AT THIS YOUTUBE CHANNEL AND RESCUE [02:15:01] ME FROM BEING TERRORIZED BY LAW ENFORCEMENT AND ALYSSA. UH, MAJOR AMOUNT OF GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS BEING DEFRAUDED OUT OF FUNDS AND NUMEROUS OTHER CRIMES. THAT'S THE ONLY THING THAT I'M SEEKING TODAY. PLEASE LOOK AT THIS FOR YOUTUBE CHANNEL AGAIN, I WAS NOT, UM, PREPARED TO MAKE A SPEECH KIANA CLARK PIECE ON YOUTUBE. I HAVE BEEN DENIED LAW ENFORCEMENT FOR YEARS. MY KIDS TAKEN IN CORRUPTION, ALL KIND OF FRAUD BY GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS REPEATEDLY UNADDRESSED. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. GOOD EVENING. UH, CITY COUNCIL. UH, I WAS GONNA SAY CITY MANAGER. UH, MY NAME IS ELIHU GARCIA AND I'M THE RESIDENT OF EIGHTH DISTRICT AND PRESIDENT OF THE LOCAL 1930. I UNDERSTAND THAT THE CITY IS FACING DIFFICULT BUDGET DECISIONS AND THAT WE MUST LOOK FOR RESPONSIBLE WAY TO REDUCE COSTS AND IDENTIFY SAVINGS. HOWEVER, AS WE CONSIDER THESE REDUCTIONS, YOU CONSIDER THESE REDUCTIONS. I BELIEVE IT'S EQUALLY IMPORTANT THAT WE CAREFULLY CONSIDER THE LONG-TERM IMPACT OF NOT UTILIZING FUNDS THAT HAVE BEEN ALREADY ALLOCATED TO SUPPORT OUR RESIDENTS. WHEN FUNDING IS AVAILABLE FOR HOUSING PROGRAMS AND SERVICES, WE SHOULD TAKE, WE SHOULD MAKE EVERY EFFORT TO FULLY UTILIZE THESE RESOURCES FOR THEIR INTENDED PURPOSE. I IF ALLOCATED FUNDS ARE CONSISTENTLY LEFT UNUSED, THERE'S A RISK THAT THE FUTURE FUNDING LEVELS WOULD BE REDUCED AND THAT RESOURCES WOULD BE REDIRECTED ELSEWHERE. ONCE THOSE FUNDS ARE LOST, IT MAY BE DIFFICULT TO RESTORE THEM WHEN THE NEED IN OUR COMMUNITY CONTINUES TO GROW. THIS IS ESPECIALLY IMPORTANT DURING TIMES WHEN RESIDENTS ARE ALREADY EXPERIENCING SIGNIFICANT HOUSING CHALLENGES. THE HOUSING AUTHORITIES RESOURCES IS DIRECTLY ASSISTING SOME OF THE LONG BEACH MOST VULNERABLE RESIDENTS. AND REDUCTION IN AVAILABLE FUNDINGS CAN ULTIMATELY MEAN FEWER OPPORTUNITIES FOR PROVIDING HOUSING ASSISTANCE, FUTURE FEWER HOUSING HOUSEHOLDS SERVED, AND GREAT PRESSURE ON OTHER CITY RESOURCES. WHERE AM I AT? OH, I RECOGNIZE THAT DIFFICULT CHOICES HAVE BEEN MADE DURING THE BUDGET CRISIS. HOWEVER, I RESPECTFULLY ASK THAT WE DISTINGUISH BETWEEN ELIMINATING UNNECESSARY SPENDING AND REDUCING OR FAILING TO UTILIZE FUNDING THAT IS SPECIAL, SPECIFICALLY AVAILABLE TO PROVIDE ESSENTIAL SERVICE. YOUR TIME'S CONCLUDED, SIR. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. HELLO, MY NAME IS NATALIE HERNANDEZ AND I'M HERE AS A PART OF A SMALL RESEARCH GROUP OF LATINAS PARTICIPATING IN THE STATEWIDE HISPANICS ORGANIZED FOR POLITICAL EQUALITY LEADERSHIP INSTITUTE. WE ARE HERE TO UPLIFT THE NEED TO MAINTAIN FUNDING FOR LATINA AND UH, BLACK WOMEN FOR MATERNAL HEALTH AND WORKFORCE PROGRAMS IN THE LONG BEACH BUDGET. BASED ON PAST RESEARCH SURVEYS FROM HOPE ONE IN FOUR BLACK WOMEN AND 26% OF LATINAS FIND IT DIFFICULT TO ACCESS O-B-G-Y-N CARE. AND MORE THAN HALF OF THESE WOMEN REPORT SOME LEVEL OF UNFAIR OR ADVERSE TREATMENT DURING MATERNITY CITY OF LONG BEACH CAN HELP THESE GAPS IN SERVICE BY USING MEASURE ER FUNDING TO RESTORE PUBLIC HEALTH FUNDING FOR POSITIONS IN THE MATERNAL CHILD AND ADOLESCENT HEALTH PROGRAMS AND THE NURSES SERVINGS DIVISION. IN 2025, THE MATERNAL CHILD AND ADOLESCENT HEALTH PROGRAM AND THE NURSE FAMILY PARTNERSHIP SERVED 148 INDIVIDUALS WITH 50% IDENTIFYING AS LATINA AND EIGHT TO 10% IDENTIFYING AS BLACK. THESE SERVICES BENEFIT DIVERSE POPULATIONS, VULNERABLE AND THE UNHOUSED. WE ALSO SUPPORT THE RECOMMENDATION FOR WORKFORCE AND ORGANIZATIONAL DEVELOPMENT IN THE PUBLIC HEALTH DEPARTMENT PROMOTING INTERNSHIPS AND MENTORSHIPS AS PART OF THE SOLUTION TO IMPROVE THE MATERNAL CARE EXPERIENCE AND TO INCREASE VISIBILITY AND ACCESSIBILITY FOR BLACK WOMEN AND FOR LATINAS TO ENTER THE FIELDS OF DOCTORS, NURSES, AND BIRTHING CARE PROVIDERS. THANK YOU FOR THE CONSIDERATION AND PAST CONVERSATIONS ON THIS TOPIC WITH COUNCIL WOMEN RICK'S ODI AND THE PUBLIC HEALTH DEPARTMENT. THANK YOU. UH, GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND COUNCIL. MY NAME IS SOPHIE CHOI AND I AM A CITY EMPLOYEE AND UNION MEMBER. I WOULD LIKE TO RESPECTFULLY BUT STRONGLY EXPRESS MY DISAGREEMENT WITH THE PROPOSAL TO CATCH THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT BUDGET. I UNDERSTAND THE CITY IS FACING FINANCIAL ISSUES. HOWEVER, WE MUST ALSO RECOGNIZE THAT OUR EMPLOYEES ARE ONE OF THE CITY MOST VALUABLE RESOURCES. CITY EMPLOYEES ARE THE PEOPLE WHO SERVE OUR RESIDENTS. THE PUBLIC SOLVE PROBLEMS AND MAINTAIN ESSENTIAL SERVICES TO KEEP THE CITY RUNNING EVERY DAY. THEY'RE NOT SIMPLY A LINE ITEM EXPENSE. THEY ARE AN INVESTMENT IN THE CITY'S SUCCESS. REDUCING THE C REDUCING THE EMPLOYEE'S BUDGET MAY CREATE A SHORT TERM SAVINGS, BUT IT CAN LEAD TO LOWER MORALE, REDUCED PRODUCTIVITY AND LOSS OF EXPERIENCE AND TALENTED EMPLOYEES. UM, ONCE THE, ONCE THE KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE ARE GONE, REPLACING TRAIN NEW EMPLOYEES CAN COST THE CITY FOUR MORE IN THE LONG RUN. BEFORE CUTTING, UH, EMPLOYEES, I BELIEVE WE SHOULD LOOK FOR OTHER OPPORTUNITIES TO REDUCE THE EXPENSES SUCH AS IMPROVING EFFICIENCY, ELIMINATING UNNECESSARY SPENDING, REVIEWING THIRD PARTY VENDOR CONTRACTS AND EVALUATE MANAGEMENT POSITION. UH, PHYSICAL RESPONSIBILITY IS IMPORTANT, [02:20:01] BUT WE SHOULD NOT BALANCE THE BUDGET BY WEAKENING THE EMPLOYEES WHO DELIVER THE SERVICES OUR COMMUNITY DEPENDS ON. FOR THIS REASON, I RESPECTFULLY ASK THAT WE CONSIDER CUTTING THE EMPLOYEE BUDGET. PROTECTING OUR EMPLOYEE TODAY MEANS PROTECTING CITY'S ABILITY TO SERVE OUR RESIDENTS TOMORROW. OUR PEOPLE ARE OUR GREATEST RESOURCE AND INVESTING THEM IN THEM IS INVESTING IN THE FUTURE OF OUR CITY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. GOOD AFTERNOON. MY NAME IS LILY PIERA. I AM A RENTER IN DISTRICT ONE AND OUTREACH AND ORGANIZING DIRECTOR WITH LIBRE. I'M HERE ASKING, UM, THE COUNCIL TO CONTINUE TO PRIORITIZE TENANT RIGHT TO COUNCIL, UM, IN THE CITY BUDGET. WE NEED $2.2 MILLION IN MEASURE A FUNDS TO KEEP THE PROGRAM FUNDED. AND THAT INCLUDES SETTLEMENT ASSISTANCE. THIS WILL MEET THE NEED OF THE MOMENT. TENANT REPRESENTATION AND RENTAL ASSISTANCE ARE SYMBIOTIC. TENANT LAWYERS HELP TENANTS GET RENTAL ASSISTANCE BY HELPING THEM APPLY, ENSURING LANDLORDS DON'T TURN IT DOWN. AND ENSURING THE COURT CAN EVICT TENANTS WHILE THE RENTAL ASSISTANCE APPLICATION IS BEING PROCESSED. WE NEED BOTH SIDES OF THIS, UM, COIN TO MAKE SURE THAT THE RENTAL ASSISTANCE IS ACTUALLY BEING EFFECTIVE. TENANT LAWYERS AND ORGANIZATIONS LIKE LIBRE ALSO HELP TENANTS STAND UP FOR THEIR RIGHTS, MAKE SURE THAT THEIR RIGHTS AND PROTECTIONS ARE ENFORCED, UM, FOR THINGS OUTSIDE OF DIRECT EVICTION. SO THINGS LIKE HABITABILITY ISSUES AND HARASSMENT, UM, RIGHT TO COUNSEL IS HAVING AN IMPACT AND IT'S CHEAPER TO KEEP PEOPLE HOUSED THAN TO REHOME THEM ONCE THEY'VE ALREADY FALLEN INTO HOMELESSNESS. LET'S PROTECT OUR INVESTMENT IN PROGRAMS AT WORK WHILE SAVING THE CITY MONEY. THANK YOU. GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR CITY COUNCIL. MY NAME IS IVAN. I AM A HUMBLE RESIDENT OF DISTRICT SIX. UH, TODAY I AM HERE TO APPEAL TO YOU ALL TO CONTINUE THE GOOD WORK WE HAVE DONE IN LONG BEACH THROUGH THE COMMUNITY LAND TRUST. UH, WE'VE DONE SOME REALLY GREAT WORK AND THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE WANT TO CONTINUE TO DRAW TO CON, TO BUILD ON BECAUSE A LOT OF FOLKS IN LONG BEACH ARE FACING HOUSING INSECURITY AND IF WE CAN FIND A WAY TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY STAY HOUSED, THAT WOULD BE SOMETHING THAT WOULD KEEP COMMUNITIES KNIT TOGETHER, ESPECIALLY IN THESE TIMES WITH THE OLYMPICS COMING UP AND FOLKS FACING DISPLACEMENT. SO I WOULD LIKE TO ADVOCATE FOR YOU ALL TO, UH, USE THE $200,000 FOR THE LONG BEACH COMMUNITY LAND TRUST. AND IN ADDITION TO THAT, I WOULD LIKE TO ALSO APPEAL TO YOU ALL FOR THE 2.2 MILLION FOR THE TENANT RIGHT TO COUNCIL BECAUSE THOSE TWO GO HAND IN HAND. IF WE CAN KEEP PEOPLE HOUSED IN ANY WAY WE CAN, THAT WOULD ONLY SERVE TO STRENGTHEN THE CITY OF LONG BEACH AND NOT WEAKEN IT THE WAY WE HAVE, WE SEE IT ALREADY. WITH THAT BEING SAID, UH, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME AND HAVE A GOOD AFTERNOON. THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER PLEASE. HELLO, COMMUNITY AND COUNCIL. I'M MARIA, DISTRICT ONE, TENANT AND RESIDENT FOR 30 YEARS SELECTION COMMITTEE MEMBER FOR THE LONG BEACH JUSTICE FUND AND MOST PROUDLY AUTONOMOUS TENANT ORGANIZER WITH THE LONG BEACH TENANTS UNION. I AM HERE AS A PLAY INESE TENANT WITH A FOUR STATUS FACING THE SEVENTH ATTEMPT TO DISPLACE ME FROM MY CHILDHOOD HOME OF 29 YEARS BY DR. FLE THAT WORKS AT HARBOR COMMUNITY CLINIC AND SEEKS TO SERVE LOW INCOME COMMUNITIES OF COLOR LIKE MYSELF WHILE HE RELENTLESSLY AND UNREASONABLY PUSHES ME OUT OF MY HOME USING SUBSTANTIAL REMODEL IN THE MOST DANGEROUS TIME FOR PEOPLE LIKE ME AND ALL FOR A HIGHER RENT AMOUNT. IT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT TODAY IS THE DAY 432 OF ICE KIDNAPPINGS THAT CONTINUE TO RISE. AND THE PLEA FOR BOLD LEADERSHIP TO MAKE IT THROUGH THIS MOMENT IS LOUDER THAN EVER. AND YET STILL UNMET ING RIGHTS AND TENANT RIGHTS GO HAND IN HAND LIKE DEPORTATIONS AND EVICTIONS. I STRONGLY STATE THAT THE ONLY THING THAT KEEPS OUR FAMILIES HOUSED IS STRONG PERMANENT TENANT PROTECTIONS LIKE REMOVING SUBSTANTIAL REMODEL, CREATING A NONPAYMENT THRESHOLD AND CODIFYING RIGHT TO COUNSEL. THESE ARE THE POLICIES THAT ATTORNEYS USE IN THE COURTROOMS THAT TO KEEP PEOPLE HOUSED. AND WHEN THOSE DON'T EXIST, THE COUNCIL REPRESENTING YOU CAN ONLY DO SO MUCH. I'M HERE TO OFFER MY FULL SUPPORT FOR THE LONG BEACH JUSTICE FUND AT 3,200,000 FOR THE CLT AND 202.2 MILLION. YOUR TIME'S CONCLUDED. THESE ARE LEGAL SERVICES THAT ARE LIFE SAVING AND LIFE CHANGING. [02:25:01] AND I HOPE TODAY ON YOUR BIRTHDAY YOU CAN REFLECT ON THE WAYS YOU HAVE NOT MET COMMUNITY NEEDS AND THE WAYS YOU CAN CHANGE TO MS. LOPEZ, YOUR TIME'S CONCLUDED. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT, WELL THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR PUBLIC COMMENT. UH, WE'RE GONNA TAKE IT BACK, UH, BEHIND THE RAIL FOR COUNCIL DELIBERATION. THANK YOU, UH, TO OUR THREE DEPARTMENT HEADS, UH, FOR YOUR PRESENTATION. UH, YOU HAVE A TASK ON YOUR HANDS THIS YEAR. CONTINUE TO FOCUS ON OUR PRIORITIES, SAFETY, THE DEVELOPMENT OF OUR CITY AND THE PUBLIC HEALTH OF OUR CITY. ALL THREE HAVE ITS OWN UNIQUE CHALLENGES. OUR BUDGET IS NOT, YOU KNOW, IT'S VERY COMPLEX. EACH OF YOU HAVE DIFFERENT FUNDING STREAMS, UH, AND SO WE CERTAINLY SAW THAT CARE AND ATTENTION IN YOUR PRESENTATIONS. I JUST HAVE A FEW COMMENTS AND THEN WE'RE GONNA GO TO THE COUNCIL. SO, UH, ON, SO I GUESS WE'LL START, UM, CHRISTOPHER, UH, ON NEIGHBORHOOD LEADERSHIP PROGRAM, I HEAR A LOT ABOUT JUST, UH, THE CONCERNS ABOUT THE CUTS AND UM, POTENTIALLY RESTRUCTURING THE PROGRAM. THERE'S A THOUGHT THAT I HAVE IN A QUESTION. SO THE THOUGHT IS THE NEIGHBORHOOD LEADERSHIP PROGRAM. LET'S NOT FORGET WHAT IT'S ABOUT. AND THIS IS TO THE PARTICIPANTS IN THE LEADERSHIP PROGRAM. UH, THE ALUMNI OF THE PROGRAM, IT'S ABOUT PUBLIC SERVICE AND VOLUNTEERISM. AND WE'VE BUILT IT UP TO, I THINK THEY SAID HOW MANY HUNDREDS, 700 HAVE GRADUATED FROM THE 900 MORE THAN 900 PROGRAM. WE'RE A DIFFERENT PROGRAM, A DIFFERENT ALUMNI BASED THAN WE WERE BEFORE. AND WE CAN GET THROUGH A CHANGE IN THE STRUCTURE OF THE PROGRAM. BUT I DO THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT CERTAIN ELEMENTS OF THE PROGRAM MAY SORT OF ARE CONSISTENT. SO IF IT'S A COHORT MODEL WHERE PEOPLE ARE ABLE TO GO THROUGH A PROGRAM AND BE A PART OF A CLASS AND HAVE THAT UH, SORT OF ACKNOWLEDGEMENT THAT THEY EARNED, UM, UH, THEY EARNED IT, RIGHT? THEY WENT THROUGH THE PROCESS, THEY EARNED IT, AND NOW THEY'RE A PART OF THIS ALUMNI NETWORK. IS THAT GONNA BE MAINTAINED THROUGH THIS PROCESS? YES, ABSOLUTELY. SO WE DO HAVE SOME INITIAL IDEAS, BUT UM, MEGAN SORENSEN AND MYSELF ARE STILL WORKING THROUGH THE FINAL DESIGN OF NEXT YEAR'S PROGRAM PRECISELY BECAUSE WE'RE DOING, UM, SURVEY AND INTERVIEWS AND FOCUS GROUPS WITH THE ALUMNI. UM, BECAUSE THEY KNOW THE PROGRAM, THEY'VE BEEN THROUGH THE PROGRAM AND WE WANT THEM TO HELP SHAPE HOW THE PROGRAM EVOLVES. THERE WILL STILL BE A CLASS, THERE WILL STILL BE SUBSTANTIVE LEARNING. YOU WILL STILL GAIN TOOLS TO START A NEIGHBORHOOD ORGANIZATIONS STRENGTHEN YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD ORGANIZATION ADVOCATE, UM, FOR YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD AND PARTICIPATE, UM, IN VOLUNTEERISM AND PARTNERING WITH THE CITY. SO I THINK THAT THE PROGRAM IS GOING TO BE DIFFERENT. IT IS IT GONNA HAVE A DIFFERENT DOLLAR FIGURE IN TERMS OF COST, BUT IT'S GONNA HAVE THE SAME POSITIVE OUTCOMES. AND ACTUALLY, UM, THIS, THIS TIME OF DIFFICULTY IS ALSO AN OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO GET CREATIVE AND REALLY MAKE THE PROGRAM THE BEST THAT IT CAN BE. UM, AND DO THAT NOT JUST WITH CITY STAFF WITH THEIR EXPENSIVE HEALTHCARE AND PENSIONS, BUT WITH US HARDWORKING STAFF, BUT ALSO WITH OUR 900 ALUMNI AND WITH COMMUNITY PARTNERS AND, AND UM, NEIGHBORHOOD ORGANIZATIONS. SO TOGETHER WE CAN MAKE IT THE BEST PROGRAM POSSIBLE. SO I WOULD, I WOULD JUST SAY THAT, YOU KNOW, I CERTAINLY APPRECIATE OUR EMPLOYEES AND THEN THEIR STAFF AND THEIR BENEFITS, BUT I ALSO SAY THAT I APPRECIATE, UH, THE FACT THAT WE HAVE THIS ALUMNI BASE. YOU ALSO HAVE A LEGISLATIVE DEPARTMENT WITH A NUMBER OF FOLKS WHOSE WORK IS IN THE COMMUNITY. IF THERE'S A RESTORATION, THERE'S MY, MY FEELING, IF THERE'S A RESTORATION, PUT IT TOWARD A SERVICE. THE COMMUNITY IS COUNTING ON QUALITY OF LIFE OFFICERS, THINGS LIKE THAT. AND I THINK WE CAN FIND A WAY TO ENRICH THIS PROGRAM, WHICH IS VERY DIFFERENT BECAUSE IT'S CDBG, FEDERAL FUNDING THAT WE RECEIVE LESS OF IT THAN WE USED TO UNDER THIS ADMINISTRATION. SO I THINK THIS IS A CHALLENGE THAT I'M WILLING TO, TO SORT OF WORK ON. I WANNA MAKE SURE THEY DO HAVE THINGS LIKE, LIKE WE CAN HELP THEM WITH, UM, THEIR GRADUATION CEREMONY. WE DON'T HAVE TO RENT A BIG HOTEL BALLROOM. WE CAN SAVE MONEY IN THOSE AREAS BY PARTNERING WITH COMMUNITY, PARTNERING WITH THE COUNCIL OFFICES AND THE MAYOR'S OFFICE, UH, TO BE MORE EFFICIENT AND THEN FOCUS ON, UH, HIGHER PRIORITY RESTORATIONS. 'CAUSE WE HAVE TO MAKE CHOICES. SO THAT, THAT'S THE ONE THING I WOULD SAY ABOUT NEIGHBORHOOD LEADERSHIP PROGRAM. I HAVE NO DOUBT THAT WE'RE GONNA CONTINUE THAT PROGRAM. UH, IT IS GONNA REQUIRE A BIGGER SPIRIT OF VOLUNTEERISM WITH, WITH OUR ALUMNI BASE OF 900 IN TERMS OF SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WERE BROUGHT UP TODAY. UH, COMMUNITY LAND TRUST RIGHT TO COUNCIL. UM, TWO YEARS AGO WE SHIFTED A LOT OF THAT OUT OF THE GENERAL FUND BECAUSE VOTERS ADOPTED LA COUNTY MEASURE A AND WE GOT BUSY AND WENT TO THE BOARD OF LA CASA AND WE CREATED ONGOING DEDICATED FUNDING AND MEASURE A TO SUPPORT MANY OF THE PROGRAMS PEOPLE ARE TALKING ABOUT RIGHT TO COUNCIL, COMMUNITY LAND TRUST, [02:30:01] UH, AND UM, AND RENTAL ASSISTANCE. NOW I THINK WHAT'S IMPORTANT TO KNOW IS THAT THOSE DOLLARS ARE NOT IN JEOPARDY. THOSE DOLLARS ARE NOT BEING CUT. IT'S JUST A MATTER OF, UH, MAKING SURE WE ADJUST EVERY YEAR AND FUND IT AT THE RIGHT AMOUNTS. IT'S ONGOING FUNDING. IT'S NOT EXPERIENCING A DEFICIT. IT'S ON A DIFFERENT CYCLE THOUGH. WE APPROVE A PLAN IN APRIL TO SEND TO THE REGIONAL AGENCY THAT PROVIDES US THE FUNDING FOR THIS. SO THERE'S NO DEADLINE TO GET THOSE. NU IF IT'S, 'CAUSE I THINK WE FUNDED 1.6 MILLION IN, UM, THE, UH, RIGHT TO COUNSEL AND THE COMMUNITY REQUEST IS 2.2 WITH SETTLEMENT ASSISTANCE INCLUDED. THOSE NUMBERS CAN BE ADJUSTED, BUT IT IS FUNDED CURRENTLY UNDER THE EIGHT, THE THE DIFFERENT FISCAL YEAR SCHEDULE. AND SO I HAVE NO DOUBT AS LONG AS IT STAYS WITHIN THE 10 POINT, YOU KNOW, THE 10, $11 MILLION BUDGET OF MEASURE A, WE CAN ACHIEVE SOME OF THESE PRIORITIES. SO I THINK WE JUST HAVE TO WORK WITH STAFF TO REALLY FINE TUNE THE NUMBERS. I THINK CONTINUING TO INVEST IN COMMUNITY LAND TRUST IS IMPORTANT. I ALSO KNOW LA CASA HAS ADDITIONAL DOLLARS IN COMMUNITY LAND TRUST AND WE NEED TO BE LEVERAGING OTHER THINGS TO SUPPORT THE NEXT STEP FOR THE LAND TRUST. SO THAT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT THAT'S NOT REALLY, THERE'S NO, THERE'S NOT, THERE'S NOT A DEADLINE TO ADOPT IN THIS BUDGET BECAUSE IT'S ON A DIFFERENT TIMETABLE, BUT WE DO WANNA MAKE SURE WE GET THOSE NUMBERS TOGETHER. UM, CHIEF THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATION. HIRING'S BEEN OUR BIG FOCUS. WE KNOW THAT WE HAVE BEEN DEALING WITH SIGNIFICANT VACANCIES SINCE COMING OUT OF COVID AND WE HAD AS HIGH AS 26% VACANCIES. SO IF YOU HAD 797 UH, FILL POSITIONS AND YOU'RE DEALING WITH 26% VACANCY, MY MATH, YOU'RE AT 500, YOU KNOW, MID FIVE HUNDREDS IN TERMS OF STAFFED DEPLOYABLE OFFICERS. AND THEN WE CUT, PRIOR TO THIS BUDGET, WE CUT THE VACANCY RATE DOWN BY HALF, WHICH SHOULD HAVE BROUGHT OUR NUMBER OF DEPLOYABLE OFFICERS TO AROUND 600, A LITTLE HIGHER, LITTLE NORTH, EXCUSE ME, A LITTLE, LITTLE HIGHER THAN RIGHT AT AROUND THE 700 NUMBER. SO WE WENT FROM ABOUT SIX 50 TO ABOUT 700, THE NUMBER OF DEPLOYABLE OFFICERS. I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT, YES, WE WATCH THE NUMBER OF FIELD POSITIONS. PEOPLE HAVE DONE THAT FOR AS MANY YEARS AS I'VE EVER PAID ATTENTION TO CITY HALL, THE NUMBER OF FIELD POSITIONS. I THINK THAT'S IMPORTANT, BUT WE SHOULD ALSO BE PAYING ATTENTION TO HOW MANY DEPLOYABLE OFFICERS THAT WE HAVE YEAR OVER YEAR. BECAUSE IF WE'VE DONE, I'VE SPOKEN AT FIVE ACADEMIES SINCE I'VE BEEN MAYOR OF THE LAST THREE AND A HALF YEARS, LOTS OF HIRING YOUR TEAM'S DONE AN INCREDIBLE JOB AT STAFFING UP AND I KNOW WE'RE, WE'VE GOT THE NE THE NEXT ACADEMY IN THIS UPCOMING BUDGET. SO WE'RE GONNA CONTINUE. SO MY QUESTION FOR YOU IS, CAN YOU SHED SOME LIGHT ON THE NUMBER OF FIELD DEPLOYABLE OFFICERS WE'VE HAD OVER THE PAST FEW YEARS BECAUSE THAT NUMBER HAS GROWN AND HOW MANY DO WE ANTICIPATE GROWING WITH THE UPCOMING ACADEMY BETWEEN NOW AND 2028? SO THAT'S MY QUESTION FOR YOU. YEAH, THANK YOU MAYOR. THE, UH, SO, YOU KNOW, THE PAST THREE YEARS, I THINK WE WERE STEADY AT ABOUT 8 24, UM, OF OUR BUDGETED STRENGTH. AND WE WENT DOWN TO 7 97 IN FY 26. UM, AND SO THIS, THIS, UM, THAT WAS SOME GROWTH THOUGH BECAUSE IN THE COVID YEARS WE STARTED GOING DOWN. AND SO THROUGH THAT HIRING AND ACADEMY CLASSES THAT YOU MENTIONED, WE WERE ABLE TO FILL THOSE VACANCIES THAT WE HAD. AND SO THE BUDGETED STRENGTH IS THE DEPLOYABLE OFFICERS I LOOK AT. AND YOU, I ALSO HAVE TO TAKE INTO ACCOUNT AT ANY GIVEN TIME WE MAY HAVE OFFICERS ON MILITARY LEAVE, ATTRITION, VACANCY RATES, UM, AND UH, UH, UH, IODS. SO, UH, ENTERED ON DUTY TYPE STUFF. SO THE, THE, UH, MEDICAL LEAVE. SO WITH THIS CLASS, WITH CLASS 1 0 1, UH, WE'RE HOPING TO HIRE 70 OFFICERS THAT WILL, THAT WILL DEFINITELY HELP FILL THOSE VACANCIES WE HAVE AND BRING US TO OUR, OUR TOTAL BUDGETED STRENGTH. I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE, WE FINE TUNE THOSE NUMBERS. WE UNDERSTAND SURE, HOW MANY POSITIONS WE'RE BUDGETING, BUT HOW LARGE IS OUR, OUR WORKFORCE YEAR OVER YEAR. WE'VE HIRED MORE, WE HAVE MORE POLICE OFFICERS TODAY THAN WE HAD THREE AND FOUR YEARS AGO COMING OUT OF COVID. AND WE'RE CONTINUING TO HIRE. AND THEN THAT ALLOWS US TO UNDERSTAND WHAT THE WORKFORCE IS. NOW YOU RUN OPERATIONS AND THAT'S IN OUR CHARTER OPERATIONS, IN YOUR SIZE, BUT IN YOUR SIDE OF THE HOUSE. BUT IT'S IMPORTANT FOR US TO KNOW HOW MANY PEOPLE WE'RE ACTUALLY TALKING ABOUT AND DEALING WITH. NOW IN TERMS OF THIS BUDGET, WE DON'T WANNA SEE, I KNOW THAT THE VACANCIES PROVIDE FLEXIBILITY TO YOU, UH, MR. MR. CHIEF AND THE OPERATIONS THAT YOU THAT REQUIRE THAT YOU NEED TO, TO LEVERAGE IN ORDER TO KEEP THE DEPARTMENT SAFE. AND WE'VE SEEN THE WAY YOU'VE STEPPED UP ON HIGH CRIME FOCUS TEAM AND YOU'RE STRUCTURALLY FUNDING THAT. SO WE CERTAINLY WANT TO MAKE SURE WE CONTINUE TO HAVE THAT FLEXIBILITY. THERE ARE SOME, UH, RESTORATIONS HERE. UM, HALF THE UP, GETTING THE QUALITY OF LIFE BACK UP TO HALF, DEDICATING SOME ONE TIMES TO SUPPORT QUALITY OF LIFE IF IT HAS THE FLEX, DO WEEKENDS, DO CLEANUPS, THOSE SORTS OF THINGS. ADDING, UH, RESTORING SOME OF THE PATROL AND SHIFTING SOME [02:35:01] TO TIGHTS. THOSE ARE ALL IMPORTANT, UH, FOR US TO BE ABLE TO TALK ABOUT SO WE UNDERSTAND WHAT TRULY OUR PRIORITIES AS WE MOVE FORWARD. SO IF ADDITIONAL, YOU KNOW, IF YOU WAVE A MAGIC WAND, MR. CHIEF, AND YOU WERE ABLE TO SAY WHAT IS THE MOST IMPORTANT THING BEYOND WHAT THE MAYOR'S ALREADY RECOMMENDING, WHAT WOULD BE THE TOP PRIORITY FOR YOU IN TERMS OF RESTORATIONS? THANKS, MAYOR. I DO APPRECIATE THAT QUESTION. MY PRIORITY IS OPERATIONALIZING THE BUDGET. I HAVE TO FILL PATROL POSITIONS. PATROL IS THE FOUNDATION OF WHAT WE DO, RIGHT? ONCE I FILL THOSE PATROL VACANCIES, I START LOOKING AT ANCILLARY FUNCTIONS WITHIN THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, BUT WITHOUT PATROL, YOU DON'T HAVE A FOUNDATION TO STAND ON. UNDERSTOOD. THANK YOU. WELL, TO YOU AND YOUR TEAM, YOU'VE DONE AN INCREDIBLE JOB THESE LAST YEARS COMING OUTTA COVID TO SEE FOUR OR FIVE YEARS OF, OF, UM, YOU KNOW, CONSISTENT HIRING WHEN OTHER DEPARTMENTS ARE HA STILL HAVEN'T FIGURED IT OUT YET. AND TO SEE THE NUMBERS THAT YOU'RE DRIVING THROUGH THE CRIME, HIGH CRIME FOCUS TEAM, THE COMMUNITY BASED APPROACH, THANK YOU SO MUCH BECAUSE WE ARE SEEING THE DATA THAT WE WANT TO SEE THAT SIGNIFICANT SPIKE IN VIOLENT CRIME, PROPERTY CRIME POST COVID IS GOING DOWN NATIONALLY AND RIGHT HERE IN THE CITY OF LONG BEACH. THANK YOU SO MUCH ON HEALTH. UM, ALLISON, THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATION. IT WAS CERTAINLY, UM, UH, UH, I THOUGHT YOU DID A GREAT JOB REALLY FRAMING THE CHALLENGES FROM YOUR COMPLEX FUNDING, UH, UH, SOLUTIONS AND, UH, THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, EVERYTHING THAT'S IMPACTING YOU DESPITE THAT, YOU'RE COMMITTED TO MAKING SURE WE HAVE A HEALTH DEPARTMENT BECAUSE THERE COULD BE, WE ARE IN A POSITION WHERE THIS IS, THESE ARE THE DAYS WHERE THERE WILL BE PRESSURE TO SAY, WELL, DO WE HAVE TO HAVE OUR OWN HEALTH DEPARTMENT GIVING THE COMMITMENT FROM OTHER LEVELS OF GOVERNMENT ARE NOT THERE. AND I'M GLAD YOU'RE STANDING TALL AND SAYING, LOOK, WE'RE GONNA CONTINUE TO HAVE A HEALTH DEPARTMENT. WE SAVE LIVES AND WE SAVE RESOURCES BECAUSE OF THINGS THAT DON'T HAPPEN. PUBLIC HEALTH IS OUR CITY'S IMMUNE SYSTEM. IT IS INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT. NOW, MEASURE ER WAS A LIFELINE. IT WAS NOT BY ACCIDENT. I WANT TO THANK THE CITY COUNCIL FOR TAKING A POSITION, BEING ONE OF ONLY TWO CITIES IN LA COUNTY TO ENDORSE LA COUNTY MEASURE ER. WHEN MOST OTHER CITIES SAID NO, WE UNDERSTOOD THAT IF ER DID NOT PASS AND THE IMPACTS WITH HR ONE WOULD SHUT DOWN PRIMARY CARE FOR MANY OF THE CITIES SURROUNDING US. AND FOLKS WOULD END UP, DEPENDING ON OUR LOCAL EMERGENCY ROOMS AND HOSPITALS, WHICH WOULD IMPACT OUR QUALITY OF LIFE. BUT UNIQUELY, IT BENEFITS LONG BEACH AS A PUBLIC HEALTH JURISDICTION, WE HAVE THESE DEDICATED RESOURCES. SO, SO IT TOOK STEPS FOR US TO GET THERE. I ALSO WANNA RECOGNIZE IAM BECAUSE WE TALKED EARLY ON THAT WE NEEDED DEDICATED SOURCES OF REVENUE FOR OUR HEALTH DEPARTMENT. AND BECAUSE WE PARTNERED AND ADVOCATED, AND IAM STEPPED UP, IT WASN'T A SUPER HUGE MARGIN, BUT WE WON. WE WON. AND NOW WE HAVE $8 MILLION OF STRUCTURAL FUNDING OVER FIVE YEARS TO RESTORE SERVICES AND TO FOCUS ON CORE PUBLIC HEALTH IN OUR DEPARTMENT. I SAY ALL THAT TO SAY THAT CAN'T BE IT, THOUGH, WITHIN THIS PLAN OVER THESE NEXT FEW YEARS, WHILE WE HAVE MEASURE ER, WE HAVE TO PREPARE FOR WHAT IS NEXT. WE HAVE AN UNCERTAIN FEDERAL LANDSCAPE ON PUBLIC HEALTH. WE DON'T HAVE THE SUPPORT THAT WE USED TO IN THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT. AND WE KNOW THAT THE, THE FINANCIAL SITUATION OF STATE HAS BEEN UNSTABLE AS WELL, WHICH MAKES IT DIFFICULT WHEN MUCH OF OUR FUNDING IS STABLE. SO WE HAVE TO CONTINUE TO THINK OF MEASURE, ER TYPE SOLUTIONS. FRANKLY, IF WE'RE GONNA HAVE A LONG, UH, HEALTH DEPARTMENT IN THE LONG TERM, THERE OUGHT TO BE A DEDICATED REVENUE SOURCE FOR PUBLIC HEALTH IN OUR CITY. IF WE TRULY FOLK LIKE CARE ABOUT PUBLIC HEALTH, WHICH MEANS AT SOME POINT IN THE NEXT FIVE YEARS, THE COMMUNITY AND THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT NEED TO COME UP WITH A FUNDING SOURCE THAT TAKES PRESSURE OFF THE GENERAL FUND AND MAKES SURE THAT PUBLIC HEALTH IS A FUNDED PRIORITY. THAT MAY MEAN GO GOING TO VOTERS. IT MAY MEAN DOING SOMETHING DIFFERENT WITH THE STATE, BUT WE HAVE TO FIGURE OUT A WAY TO GET, GET THE HEALTH FUND A FUNDING SOURCE. 'CAUSE A HEALTH FUND HAS NO PERMANENT FUNDING SOURCE. SO WE'LL GET THROUGH THIS DIFFICULT YEAR. WE WILL HAVE A HEALTH DEPARTMENT. WE HAVE TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO STRUCTURALLY FUND IT. AND THAT'S TOM. THOSE ARE THE, SOME OF THE THINGS WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO THINK ABOUT WITH ALL OF OUR, IF THIS IMPORTANT PUBLIC, PUBLIC SAFETY, EMERGENCY RESPONSE AND HEALTH. WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO FIGURE THAT OUT. UM, LAST THING I'LL JUST SAY IS, YOU KNOW WHAT I SAID A LOT. THAT'S ENOUGH. I'M DONE. UH, WE'RE GONNA GO TO THE CITY COUNCIL. WE'RE GONNA START WITH, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER RICK SODE. THANK YOU MAYOR. UM, AND THANK YOU TO ALL OF OUR DEPARTMENT DIRECTORS, UH, IN, I MEAN, IT'S NEVER EASY COMING UP IN FRONT OF US AND PRESENTING YOUR BUDGETS, THE CHALLENGES, THE TRIUMPHS, ALL THE THINGS IN THE MIDDLE. UM, OBVIOUSLY IN A YEAR AND SUCH AS THAT WE'RE DEALING WITH RIGHT NOW. UM, THIS IS EVEN MORE CHALLENGING, RIGHT? UH, TO BE ABLE TO, TO BALANCE, UH, WHAT IS A DIFFICULT FINANCIAL PICTURE WITH THE NEEDS OF YOUR DEPARTMENTS, THE NEEDS OF COMMUNITY, UM, AND MAKING SURE THAT YOU'RE ABLE TO DO YOUR BEST TO SUSTAIN THE THINGS THAT WE CONSIDER TO BE PRIORITIES. AND SO, UM, I COMMEND YOU FOR WHAT IS, UH, SOMETIMES I THINK AN IMPOSSIBLE [02:40:01] TASK. UH, AND SO I WANT TO, UM, CHIEF, I JUST WANTED TO TO START WITH YOU. UM, UH, WELL, A COUPLE OF THINGS JUST IS THAT I, THAT I NOTICED THAT I, I REALLY APPRECIATED WAS, UM, I NOTICED THE, THE FOCUS ON THE HIGH CURRENT FOCUS TEAM, RIGHT? UM, MAKING SURE THAT'S NO LONGER KIND OF ONE TIME FUNDED AND REALLY FIGURING OUT THE WAY TO STRUCTURALLY, UH, TO FUND THAT. UM, 'CAUSE I THINK YOU PRESENTED SOME REALLY CLEAR METRICS AROUND THE IMPACT THAT THAT PARTICULAR TEAM HAS HAD, UM, AND ADDRESSING SOME OF THE CONCERNS YOU'VE HEARD FROM COMMUNITY AS WELL AS COUNCIL. SO I WANNA COMMEND YOU FOR THAT. UM, I ALSO NOTICED WHEN YOU TALKED ABOUT YOUR KEY MEASURES, RIGHT? YOUR COMMITMENT TO MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE, WE ARE STAFFING PATROL EFFECTIVELY SO WE CAN MAINTAIN THOSE RESPONSE TIMES, RIGHT? THAT ARE UNDER THAT SIX MINUTE MARK. UM, THAT, YOU KNOW, THAT PEOPLE THAT PEOPLE RELY ON. I WON'T NAME SOME OF THE CITIES, BUT YOU KNOW, WE'VE SEEN SOME CITIES TAKE SOME REALLY HEAVY IMPACTS TO THEIR PD BUDGETS THAT HAVE MADE RESPONSE TIMES, THINGS THAT WE WOULD NEVER WANNA SEE, UM, IN THE CITY OF LONG BEACH. UM, I ALSO, YOU KNOW, AS WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, I GOT A CHANCE TO THIS, THIS WEEKEND AT, UH, AN EVENT FROM MY NEIGHBORHOOD. ONE OF MY NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATIONS DID LUNCH WITH A COP AND I GOT TO MEET, UH, A COUPLE OF THE NEW RECRUITS THAT ARE OUT THERE DOING FIELD TRAINING, UM, THAT ARE SUPER EXCITED, RIGHT? REALLY ENGAGE, UH, ENJOYING THEIR FIELD TRAINING, LEARNING A TON. UM, AND THEY, ACROSS THE BOARD, I HAVE HEARD RAVE REVIEWS ABOUT THAT RECRUIT READINESS PROGRAM, RIGHT? AND HOW THAT HAS REALLY ALLOWED US TO MAINTAIN, UM, THOSE RECRUITS NOW THAT ARE IN FIELD TRAINING, REDUCE THE AMOUNT OF KIND OF DROPOUT RIGHT? AS PEOPLE COME AT TRANSITION OUT OF THE, OF THE ACADEMY. UM, AND SO AS WE MOVE FORWARD, I WOULD LOVE TO FIGURE OUT FOR WAYS FOR US TO BE ABLE TO MAINTAIN THAT PROGRAM. 'CAUSE I CAN, I CAN ALREADY SEE THAT IT'S PAYING, UH, UH, DIVIDENDS. UH, ADDITIONALLY, I KNOW SOMETIMES WHEN PEOPLE LOOK AT THE WAY YOU, THE CHOICES, YOU AS A, YOU AS A LEADER HAVE TO MAKE CHOICES AROUND REALLY DIFFICULT CUTS, RIGHT? AND WHAT YOU CONSIDER TO BE, UH, YOUR PRIORITIES. AND SO I SAW A BUDGET THAT WAS TARGETED, THAT WAS INTENTIONAL, RIGHT? THAT WAS THOUGHTFUL AROUND WHAT HAPPENED AND PRIORITIZING WHAT WE CONSIDER TO BE, YOU KNOW, THE, THE HIGHEST AND BEST SEATS OF DOLLARS, EVEN IF THAT MEANS THINGS THAT WE REALLY WANT TO DO BUT AREN'T ABLE TO DO RIGHT NOW. RIGHT? LIKE, I KNOW YOU MADE DIFFICULT CHOICES AROUND THE INVESTIGATION TEAM. I KNOW YOU MADE DIFFICULT CHOICES AROUND QUALITY OF LIFE. I KNOW YOU MADE DIFFICULT CHOICES AROUND OUR, OUR, OUR BIKE TEAMS, RIGHT? UM, AND SO I APPRECIATE THAT AND I APPRECIATE THAT THOUGHTFULNESS. UM, I JUST HAD A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS FOR YOU. UM, AS WE, AS WE KIND OF MOVE FORWARD, AND I KNOW WE, I THINK IN YOUR PRESENTATION, YOU, YOU KIND OF, YOU ADDRESSED THE QUALITY OF LIFE QUESTION I HAD. AND SO THE LAST TWO QUESTIONS WERE JUST, I KNOW WHEN PEOPLE LOOK AT A BUDGET LIKE THIS, YOU KNOW, AS WE, UH, HAVE BEEN WORKING TO STAFF UP, WE'VE BEEN RELYING ON OVERTIME AND I THINK EVERYBODY KNOWS THAT, RIGHT? UM, TO, TO PLUG THOSE HOLES WHEN WE THINK ABOUT OPERATIONAL NEEDS, ET CETERA. UM, AND SO MY QUESTION IS, GIVEN THAT IN FISCAL YEAR 25, THE ACTUAL OVERTIME WAS $48.2 MILLION THAT WE USED FOR THIS, FOR, UM, FOR THE CITY. UM, AND THIS YEAR FOR, UH, FOR FISCAL YEAR 27, WE ARE PROJECTING TO NOT EXCEED 16.8, WHICH IS CONSIDERABLY LESS, RIGHT? SO CAN YOU TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE SPECIFIC OPERATIONAL CHANGES WE'RE GONNA USE TO ENSURE THAT WE DON'T GO OVER THAT OVERTIME BUDGET? YES. COUNCIL MEMBER. SO THAT, THAT OVERTIME WAS USED TO BACKFILL PATROL POSITIONS. AND SO, UH, NOW THAT, UH, WE DON'T HAVE THAT LEVEL OF OVERTIME, UM, WE WON'T BE ABLE TO FILL THOSE, BACKFILL THOSE POSITIONS AT THE SAME LEVEL IN THE SAME BUFFER THAT WE HAD BEFORE TO MAINTAIN OUR BASE, UH, STAFFING LEVELS IN PATROL. SO, UM, IT'S MONITORED THROUGH OUR SCHEDULING AND THROUGH OVERSIGHT IN OUR PATROL BUREAU. UH, DO YOU ANTICIPATE THAT, UM, OBVIOUSLY IT'S GONNA BE SOME TIME BEFORE THAT THAT NEW COHORT OF RECRUITS HOPING ABOUT 70 OF THEM WILL BE READY TO BE DEPLOYED AND, YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY SEVERAL MONTHS, UM, WILL THAT ESTIMATED 70 HELP, UH, HELP OUR ABILITY TO BACKFILL PATROL AND THEN TO FILL THOSE, THOSE, THOSE SLOTS? I'M SORRY, THOSE 70? UH, THE GOAL IS TO HAVE THAT CLASS. THE REASON WE'RE PUSHING SO HARD IS TO HAVE THAT CLASS DEPLOYABLE BY THE 2028 OLYMPICS. AND SO IF WE, IF WE KEEP MOVING FORWARD THE WAY WE ARE, UH, AND WE GRADUATE WITH 70, IT TAKES ABOUT 18 TO 24 MONTHS FROM DATE OF HIRE BEFORE THEY ARE DEPLOYABLE. THEY WON'T NECESSARILY, HE, UH, ASSIST WITH BACKFILLING PATROL, BUT WHAT THEY WILL DO IS ADD TO THE, TO THE CURRENT PATROL STAFFING BY FILLING VACANCIES. AND WHEN WE BUILD UP THAT PATROL STAFFING AND WE FILL THOSE VACANCIES, WE'RE ABLE TO ADD A LEVEL OF, OF, UM, A CUSHION, UH, TO ALLOW US TO START FILLING IN SOME OF THE ANCILLARY POSITIONS THAT WE HAVE, UH, AND, AND MOVE PEOPLE FROM PATROL INTO OTHER POSITIONS THAT ARE CRITICAL AND VITAL IN, IN POLICE OPERATIONS. EXCELLENT. AND THEN, UH, LAST TWO QUESTIONS. ONE IS, UH, IN THIS PARTICULAR BUDGET YOU ARE PROPOSING, UM, THAT WE, THERE IS FUNDING THEN TO DO AN ADDITIONAL RECRUITMENT CLASS AS WELL, UH, IN THE COMING YEAR. SO WE WILL CONTINUE TO ADDRESS THOSE, THOSE VACANCIES? YES, THAT'S CORRECT. WE'RE LOOKING, THAT'S CLASS 1 0 1 IS, IS WHAT WE'RE PROPOSING THE 7 MILLION FOR CLASS 1 0 1. EXCELLENT. UM, AND THEN LAST QUESTION IS, SO LAST YEAR IN THE BUDGET WE [02:45:01] TALKED ABOUT THE, WE USED THE PROP H OIL PRODUCTION TAX REVENUE, UM, AS ONE, UH, OF ONE OF OUR FUNDING SOURCES. NOW I KNOW THAT THAT HAS, UH, STA FUNDING HAS SUNSETTED, UH, LAST YEAR. BUT MY QUESTION IS, IS THERE ANY, IS THERE A BALANCE STILL THERE? ARE THERE ANY FUNDS THAT WE'RE ABLE TO USE TO COVER SOME OF THE EXPENSES FOR, FOR PD IN 20 AND FISCAL YEAR 27? YES, AND I ACTUALLY HAVE THAT NUMBER COUNCIL MEMBER, SO JUST GIMME A MINUTE. 'CAUSE I, I AM OLD AND I NEED MY GLASSES TO READ IT. 1.275 MILLION IN PROP AGE FUNDS STILL AVAILABLE FOR US. UM, AND THEN HAS, OH, AND IT DIDN'T SUNSET AND OH, IT DIDN'T SUNSET, OKAY. IT DID NOT, IT WASN'T IN THIS YEAR'S, UH, I DIDN'T SEE IT IN THIS YEAR'S BUDGET, UM, AS A BUDGETED, UH, LINE ITEM ALLOCATION, BUT MAYBE I MISSED IT. I HAVE A RIDE ALONG WHO'S GOING TO ANSWER THAT FOR YOU? ? I'M SORRY. PHONE A FRIEND. WE ONLY, WE DON'T HAVE REVENUE IN THE PD BUDGET FOR PROP H. WE ONLY HAVE THE EXPENSE. I, YOU MAY BE THINKING ABOUT, OH, MEASURE H MAY HAVE SUNSET, WHICH IS A COUNTY, NOT PROP H WHICH IS THE, UH, POLICE AND FIRE OIL PRODUCTION TAX. OH, OKAY. OKAY. THANK YOU FOR THAT. AND PROP H HAS BEEN IN THEIR BUDGET FOR PROBABLY 15 YEARS. UM, UH, BUT IT IS A DECLINING REVENUE SOURCE IN THAT IT'S A PER BARREL TAX, AND EVERY YEAR WE TAKE FEWER BARRELS OUT OF THE, OUT OF THE GROUND. SO IT TENDS TO, TO SHRINK DOWN A LITTLE BIT. I THINK LAST YEAR THERE WAS A LITTLE BIT OF EXTRA BALANCE, AND SO THAT WAS WHAT WE LOOKED TO, TO PROGRAM. OKAY. AND SO THAT THIS YEAR, THAT EXTRA BALANCE ISN'T THERE. AND SO IT'S NOT AVAILABLE TO PROGRAM. I, I BELIEVE SO. SO WE'LL DOUBLE CHECK THAT. AND IF THAT'S DIFFERENT, WE'LL INCLUDE THAT IN ONE OF THE RESPONSES BACK TO YOU. EXCELLENT. OKAY. UM, THANK YOU CHIEF. UM, OH, DIRECTOR KING. UM, I JUST WANNA COMMEND YOU, , SHE PUTS HER HEAD DOWN. UM, THAT WAS AN EXCELLENT PRESENTATION. INCREDIBLY COMPREHENSIVE, RIGHT? SO GREAT KUDOS TO YOU AND YOUR TEAM. UM, YOU DELIVERED WHAT I THINK IS PROBABLY ONE OF THE HARDEST BUDGETS, PRESENTATIONS WE'RE GONNA HEAR, UH, THIS CYCLE, UM, WITH ELOQUENCE, RIGHT? AND I THINK, AND IT'S CONSIDERABLE COMPASSION FOR WHAT IS HAPPENING IN OUR HEALTH DEPARTMENT. AND I REALLY JUST WANNA UPLIFT. I KNOW A LOT OF PEOPLE LOOK AT THIS AND THEY SAY, YOU KNOW, WE'RE DOING FUNDING CUTS TO THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT, BUT WE REALLY HAVE TO RECOGNIZE THAT WE ARE IN UNPRECEDENTED TERRITORY WITH A, UM, AN ADMINISTRATION THAT REALLY JUST DOES NOT VALUE, UM, THE WORK OF OUR HEALTH DEPARTMENT. AND I THINK YOU SAID IT CORRECTLY WHEN YOU SAID THE VALUE OF OUR HEALTH DEPARTMENT IS THE THINGS THAT WE DON'T SEE. THE THINGS THAT DON'T HAPPEN, THE STUFF THAT DOESN'T HIT THE, UM, HIT THE NEW CYCLE, RIGHT? THE PANDEMICS THAT DON'T HAPPEN, THE EPIDEMICS THAT DON'T HAPPEN, UH, THE FOLKS THAT STAY HOUSED, RIGHT? AND SO THAT'S JUST SOMETHING THAT, IT'S, THAT IT'S THE, UH, AND, AND STATISTICS, WE CALL IT MISSING DATA, RIGHT? IT'S THE, IT'S THE DATA THAT WE DON'T SEE, BUT WE KNOW THAT IT'S HAPPENING. UM, AND SO I JUST WANNA THANK YOU. I THINK YOU LAID OUT AN EXCELLENT, LIKE, PICTURE OF WHERE WE ARE, WHERE WE NEED TO GO, RIGHT? AND HOW WE'RE THINKING ABOUT, UH, REALLY FOCUSING BASED ON THOSE RECOMMENDATIONS FROM THAT HEALTH FUND STUDY, UM, ON WHAT ARE OUR CORE SERVICES AND HOW WE'RE GONNA FUND THEM. UM, IF YOU DIDN'T GET A CHANCE TO, THIS IS A, A SLIGHTLY SHAMELESS PLUG, BUT IF YOU HAVEN'T GOTTEN A CHANCE TO WATCH THE BOC UH, PRESENTATION, WHERE WE HAD THE FOLKS WHO PUT TOGETHER THE HEALTH FUND STUDY, THEY DID AN EXCELLENT PRESENTATION, REALLY WALKING THROUGH, UM, HISTORICALLY WHERE WE'RE AT, UM, WITH OUR HEALTH FUND, UM, THE CHALLENGES THAT IT'S FACED, AND THEN THE RECOMMENDATIONS NECESSARY, UM, TO REALLY RIGHTSIZE IT. SO, UM, THANK YOU FOR THAT. UM, I ALSO WANT TO UPLIFT THAT, THAT HEALTH FUND STUDY, UM, THOSE FOLKS HAD NOTHING BUT ACCOLADES FOR OUR HEALTH DEPARTMENT, HOW IT'S RUN THE SERVICES WE DO, THEY LEGITIMATELY CALLED IT A MODEL, UM, HEALTH DEPARTMENT FOR THE WAY IT IS RUN THE SERVICES, RIGHT? SO LIKE, I JUST, I JUST REALLY WANNA UPLIFT AND WHAT I KNOW IS A REALLY HARD YEAR, UM, THE WORK OF OUR HEALTH DEPARTMENT. YOU ALL KNOW THE EPIDEMIOLOGIST THAT I, YOU KNOW, I, I TELL YOU ALL THE TIME, BUT I JUST, I JUST REALLY WANNA GIVE YOU KUDOS. UM, DIRECTOR KING. UM, SO I ONLY HAD A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS. UH, SO ONE OF THEM IS, UM, GIVEN THE SIGNIFICANT REDUCTIONS IN THE LA COUNTY MEASURE A, THE CONTINUUM OF CARE FUNDING, UM, I KNOW THAT ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE'RE GONNA BE LOSING IS, UH, ONE OF OUR MOBILE ACCESS CENTERS AND THEN ONE OF OUR SHUTTLES. UH, SO WOULD IT BE, SO QUESTION TO YOU IS, WOULD IT BE FEASIBLE TO PARTNER WITH A MEDICAL PROVIDER OR ANOTHER, MAYBE PRINCE, PERHAPS NONPROFIT, TO OPERATE THAT SECOND MOBILE ACCESS CENTER AND KEEP IT OPERATIONAL FOR THE COMMUNITY? WE CURRENTLY DO PARTNER WITH, UH, A KETO LABS, UM, TCC AND OTHERS. AND IT CERTAINLY IS SOMETHING THAT WE CAN EXPLORE. UM, WE'LL WORK WITH, YOU KNOW, FLEET TO DETERMINE HOW WE COULD GIFT THAT SO THAT SOMEONE ELSE COULD PERHAPS EXPAND SERVICES. SO WE CAN CERTAINLY EXPLORE THAT OPPORTUNITY. EXCELLENT. UH, SECOND QUESTION IS, UM, AND THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE TALKED ABOUT WHEN WE HAD THAT PRESENTATION AT BOC RELATED TO THE, THE HEALTH FUND STUDY. UM, BUT I'M, I'M CONCERNED ABOUT CHANGES TO OUR ADMIN STAFF THAT WOULD IMPACT OUR, OUR ABILITY TO INVOICE PROCESSING AND GRANT REVIEWS. 'CAUSE ONE OF THE THINGS THE HEALTH FUND [02:50:01] STUDY, UH, UPLIFTED, RIGHT, WAS THAT ADMINISTRATIVE ASPECT OF THE COST RECOVERY NEEDED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE REALLY FUNDING OUR SERVICES. UM, AND SO WHAT ARE OUR RECOMMENDATIONS OF HOW WE STILL ACHIEVE THAT GOAL IN THE MIDST OF HAVING STAFF HAVING TO ABSORB ADDITIONAL DUTIES? WE WERE ABLE WITH THE MAYOR'S RECOMMENDATIONS TO RESTORE SOME OF THOSE POSITIONS. BUT WE HAVE ALSO ADDED AN ENHANCEMENT THROUGH MEASURE ER, THROUGH THE MAYOR'S RECOMMENDATION. THAT INCLUDES A MEDI-CAL, UH, ADMINISTRATIVE ACTIVITIES COORDINATOR, WHERE WE BELIEVE THAT WE HAVE THE GREATEST OPPORTUNITY, UH, TO GENERATE SOME REVENUE FOR THE DEPARTMENT BY BEING ABLE TO GET REIMBURSEMENT THROUGH THE SERVICES THAT WE ALREADY INDEED DO OFFER, BUT HAVE NOT HAD THE CAPACITY TO EXPAND IN A WAY THAT IS REALLY BEEN ABLE TO SUSTAIN OR, UM, BUILD UPON THOSE REVENUES. SO WE HAVE ADDED THAT POSITION AS WELL AS, UM, THE MAYOR'S RECOMMENDATION, UH, ATTEMPTS TO RESTORE, UM, UH, A BILLING, UH, CLERK FOR THAT AREA. EXCELLENT. THANK YOU SO MUCH. AND THAT'S ALL THE QUESTIONS I HAD. UM, AND THEN, UH, DIRECTOR KUNTZ, UM, THANK YOU AGAIN FOR, YOU KNOW, I, YOU KNOW, SO FORMER PLANNING COMMISSIONER, I ALWAYS HAVE A SPECIAL PLACE IN MY HEART FOR, UH, COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT. UM, AND I JUST WANNA UPLIFT SLIDE FIVE WHERE YOU TALKED ABOUT THE FACT THAT YOUR DEPARTMENT DID 40,000 INSPECTIONS, UM, LAST YEAR, RIGHT? SO I THINK SOMETIMES WHEN PEOPLE ARE JUST, YOU KNOW, WHEN WE GET, YOU KNOW, CONCERNS OR COMPLAINTS AND PEOPLE, YOU KNOW, YOU ALL ARE DOING A LOT. I JUST WANT YOU . I JUST WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT YOU ARE SEEN. UM, AND THE QUESTIONS I ESSENTIALLY HAD WERE MOSTLY ABOUT CODE ENFORCEMENT AND NEIGHBORHOOD LEADERSHIP PROGRAM, WHICH YOU ADDRESSED IN YOUR PRESENTATION, AND THE MAYOR ADDRESSED IN HIS COMMENTS AS WELL. UM, AND SO AGAIN, UH, I JUST WANNA UPLIFT YOU AND THE WORK THAT YOU DO. UM, I RECOGNIZE THE, THE CHALLENGE OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD LEADERSHIP PROGRAM, RIGHT? AND US REALLY TAKING A DIVE TO MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE STILL COMMITTED TO THOSE SAME OUTCOMES, EVEN IF THE, THE STRUCTURE AND INFRASTRUCTURE OF THE NLP PROGRAM LOOKS DIFFERENT. AND I THINK I'LL SPEAK FOR, I'LL SPEAK FOR MYSELF, UM, IN SAYING THAT I, YOU KNOW, I'M ALSO COMMITTED TO MAKING SURE THAT I'M WORKING WITH YOUR TEAM. UM, I KNOW THAT, YOU KNOW, AS PART OF THAT, UM, AS PART OF YOUR BUDGET, YOU EVEN TALK ABOUT THE FACT THAT IT'S LIKE, HEY, WE'RE GONNA TRY THIS FOR ONE YEAR. WE'RE GONNA ASSESS THE IMPACTS, AND THEN IT'S FLEXIBLE, RIGHT? LIKE, WE'RE NOT SAYING THAT THIS IS THE, THIS IS, THIS IS IT FOR THE, THE, THE, THE PROGRAM INFRASTRUCTURE AND THE STRUCTURE OF IT, RIGHT? WE'RE GONNA TRY THIS, SEE HOW IT WORKS, AND THEN WE CAN, WE CAN BE COMMITTED TO MAKING CHANGES, UM, AS WE MOVE FORWARD. UM, AND, UH, AND I ALSO APPRECIATE THE, THE, UM, COMMITMENT TO, AS WE'RE DEALING WITH THE BUDGET REDUCTIONS AROUND CODE ENFORCEMENT, ET CETERA, THAT STILL THAT COMMITMENT TO TRY TO, TO KEEPING THE SAME LEVEL OF EFFECTIVENESS, UM, IN THE WORK THAT YOU'RE DOING. SO AGAIN, THANK YOU SO MUCH. ALRIGHT, THANK YOU. WE'LL, NOW GO TO VICE MAYOR, YOUR HONOR. UH, THANK YOU MAYOR. AND I WANT TO THANK, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER RICK, SO FOR HER QUESTIONS AS WELL, AS WELL AS THE THREE DEPARTMENT HEADS ARE HERE THIS EVENING. YOU KNOW, IT'S, IT'S NOT AN EASY TASK. AND I KNOW YOU'VE BEEN BUSY FOR THE PAST, WHAT, PAST YEAR OR SO, NOT ONLY DEALING WITH WHAT WE GOT NOW, BUT PROJECTIONS. AND I'M SURE THAT AFTER THIS BUNION CYCLE IS DONE, YOU'RE GONNA GO BACK TO THE DRAWING BOARD AND MAKE MORE PROJECTIONS ABOUT WHAT'S GOING ON FOR THE NEXT SUBSEQUENT YEARS. ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I, THAT, UH, THAT I WANNA SAY THAT I DON'T HAVE ANY SPECIFIC QUESTIONS, I DON'T WANNA GET INTO THE MINUTIAE OF YOUR DEPARTMENTS. I LEAVE THAT UP TO YOU. THAT'S YOUR JOB. YOUR JOB IS TO DEAL WITH THE, WITH THE MINUTIAE, TO COME BACK WITH RECOMMENDATIONS, WITH, UH, IDEAS AS TO HOW TO SAVE MONEY AND HOW TO MAKE THEM THE CITY WORK MORE EFFECTIVELY. BUT I AM CONCERNED, AND YOU KNOW, WHY I'M CONCERNED ABOUT PEOPLE, BECAUSE THAT'S WHO WE ARE. I'M CONCERNED ABOUT OUR EMPLOYEES. I'M CONCERNED ABOUT OUR CITIZENS, OUR, OUR, OUR, OUR, OUR CONSTITUENTS WHO DESERVE THE SERVICES, ALL THE SERVICES THEY CAN BOTTOM AGAIN. AND I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT THEY RECEIVE THE BOTTOM EVENTS AGAIN. AND WE'RE BEING CHALLENGED. OBVIOUSLY, TAX RATES ARE NOT AS WE WANT. WE'D LIKE TO SEE THEM. FEDERAL CUTS ARE BEING MADE, WE'RE LOSING MONEY. SO WE HAVE TO FIND AND LOOK AT WAYS OF HOW WE CAN NOT ONLY RAISE MORE, MORE FUNDS, BUT TO KEEP OUR PEOPLE FUNCTIONING, TO KEEP OUR REGION MORE EMPLOYED, TO KEEP OUR CONSTITUENTS HAPPY WITH THE SERVICES THEY'RE RECEIVING. SO, I DON'T HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, PER SE [02:55:01] JUST TO MAKE THAT STATEMENT, BECAUSE I KNOW THAT YOUR JOB IS TOUGH, BUT GUESS WHAT? WE HAVE A JOB AS WELL, BECAUSE WE ARE YOUR BOSS. WE HAVE TO LOOK AND EVALUATE WHERE YOU'RE AT AND WHAT YOU'RE DOING. AND WE, AND LITTLE BIT TAKES AHEAD, IT'S US, AND WE TAKE THE END, WE GET A REPORT CARD EVERY FOUR YEARS. WE GET A REPORT CARD, ALTERNATE YEARS, BUT WE GET A REPORT CARD. YOU LEADERS SEE ME HERE IN FOUR YEARS OR NOT BASED ON HOW I FUNCTION AS A, AS A A, NOT POLITICIAN, BUT AS A, AS A, AS A LEGISLATOR, AND BEING ABLE TO OVERVIEW, TO OVERSEE, EXCUSE ME, OVERSEE OUR STAFF AND HOW WELL A JOB THEY'RE DOING. SO THIS, THIS IS MORE, THIS IS MY, MY LAST BUDGET. THIS IS A TOUGH ONE. I HAVEN'T SEEN THESE KINDS OF CUTS IN IN YEARS FOR THE FIRST TIME EVER. I'VE HEARD BUDGET CUTS IN THE POLICE DEPARTMENT IN YEARS PAST. I'M ALWAYS HEARD, SEEN EMPLOYEES. NOW I AM ENGINEERS. EVERYBODY COMPLAINING, YOU'RE AFFECTING US, BUT YOU'RE NOT AFFECTING THE, THE POLICE DEPARTMENT. WELL, IT'S A NEW, NEW, A NEW DAY. THE POLICE DEPARTMENT IS ALSO EXPERIENCING SOME CUTS THAT ARE GONNA BE, UH, CRUCIAL TO THEM. AND I'M GLAD THAT THEY'RE FOCUSED GOING TO BE ON PATROL, BECAUSE THAT'S, THAT'S OUR BREAD AND BUTTER, THAT'S OUR BREAD AND BUTTER FOR, FOR, FOR THE, THE POLICE OFFICERS WE HIRE, AS WELL AS THE SERVICES THAT ARE, THAT OUR CONSTITUENTS RECEIVE. AS WELL AS, YOU KNOW, WHEN IT COMES TO LIKE HEALTH, WE KNOW THAT BIG JOBS THAT YOU HAVE ISMI, YOU KNOW, TRACKING, TRACKING, UH, DISEASES, UH, KEEPING PEOPLE HEALTHY, KEEPING OUR, OUR DEPARTMENT HEALTHY. BUT AGAIN, WE'RE LOSING FUNDING FROM THE FED THAT'LL KEEP US GOING STRONG. SO WE HAVE TO LOOK AT, ALTHOUGH INNOVATIVE WAYS OF BEING ABLE TO MAINTAIN THAT DEPARTMENT. ONE OF THE WAYS WE JUST, AND I WANNA THANK THE CONSTITUENTS FOR PROMOTING, FOR MEASURING YARD. YOU'RE RIGHT, MAYOR, MORE CITIES WEREN'T AGAINST THAN WERE FOREIGN, RIGHT? BUT, BUT WE WERE SUCCESSFUL IN GETTING THAT MEASURE FAST. AND IT'S LIKE A, YOU KNOW, IT'S, UH, IT'S UH, UH, WHAT DID YOU CALL IT? A, UH, UM, ANYWAY, , IT, IT'S A, IT'S A LIFE PLAN. THERE YOU GO. IT'S A LIFE PLAN THAT WE KNOW WAS THROWN OUT, UH, TO THE CITY, ESPECIALLY FOR US AND PASADENA, WHAT THE OTHER CITY THAT, THAT PASADENA SUPPORTED. YEAH, LONG BEACH OR PASADENA LONG BEACH. THOSE TWO CITIES ARE GONNA BE ABLE TO SUSTAIN AND KEEP THEIR HEALTH DEPARTMENTS, UH, MAYBE, MAYBE THEM ON THE BUDGET ON A STRING, BUT IT'S GONNA BE FUNCTIONAL AND FUNCTIONING. AND THAT'S THE BEST PART. AND WHEN IT COMES TO COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT, YOU KNOW, YOU GUYS DO A FANTASTIC JOB WITH, YOU KNOW, INSPECTIONS, UH, DOING, GOING, DOING YOUR JOB, AND MAKING THE SURE THAT BUILDING DEVELOPMENT THAT WE HAVE IN THE CITY IS, UH, NOT ONLY ON TIME AND ON THE BUDGET, BUT ALSO FEASIBLE FOR THE CITY TO, TO, TO FUNCTION AS BEST WE CAN. SO I'M GONNA END UP THERE BECAUSE LIKE I SAY, I'M NOT GET INTO THE MUA ALL LET MY COLLEAGUES DO THAT. THEY, THEY'RE GOOD AT IT, MUCH MORE BETTER THAN ME. BUT I DO WANNA KNOW THAT MY, UH, MY CONCERNS ARE WITH PEOPLE. AND THAT'S WHERE I HOPE THAT YOU, WHEN YOU EVALUATE YOUR, YOUR, YOUR BUDGETS AND YOU GO BACK AFTER WHEN THIS BUDGET SEASON IS DONE, THAT, THAT WE ARE ABLE TO RESTORE SOME POSITIONS. WE'RE GONNA BE ABLE TO RESTORE SERVICES THAT WE'LL HAVE A BETTER CITY IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF YEARS. I'LL BE GONE. BUT YOU'RE GONNA BE HERE AND YOUR JOBS IS GONNA BE IMPORTANT AND YOUR JOBS WILL BE IMPORTANT. AND I HOPE THAT YOU AS ONE GUY ARE UP TO THE TASK OF KEEPING THE CITY FUNCTIONING AND KEEPING, KEEP CONCERNED, KEEPING IT UP. WELL, ONE MORE TIME. I JUST THOUGHT ABOUT RIGHT NOW, WHAT THING ABOUT POLICE, YOU KNOW, YOU, I WAS HERE WHEN THE POLICE DEPARTMENT [03:00:01] WENT DOWN, YOU KNOW, IN, IN, IN, UH, HIRES. THEY WERE, THEY WERE RIGHT AROUND 500 OR SO, AND WE WERE THE CITY COUNCIL WHEN THE MEETING, WHEN WE SHOULD CONTRACT THEM, POLICE DEPARTMENT OUT. AND THE EAST SMALL BEACH WAS THE ONE THAT WAS BEING, UH, BEING ING AT CONTRACTING OUT TO THE SHERIFFS IN THE, IN THE, IN THE, AND AT THAT TIME, FORTUNATELY, BY FIVE TO FOUR, OH, WE KEPT THE POLICE DEPARTMENT FIVE TO FOUR. THAT'S HOW CLOSE IT WAS TO LOSING PART OF OUR DEPARTMENT. I DON'T WANNA SEE THAT AGAIN. SO CHIEF, YOU GOTTA TASK, YOU'RE BEING TASKED TO HOPEFULLY MAINTAIN SERVICE LEVELS THAT WE DON'T GET TO THAT, TO THAT LEVEL, AGAIN, TO WHERE WE HAVE TO RECONSIDER OR CONSIDER COUNTRY NOW, SAY WITH ALLISON AND THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT. WE WANNA KEEP OUR HEALTH DEPARTMENT, WE WANNA KEEP IT HEALTHY AND PROVIDES AN IMPORTANT FUNCTION FOR THE CITY. AND OF COURSE, GOOD DEVELOPMENT. WE KEEP WORKING ON WAYS TO BRING IN MORE RE MY VOICE IS RUNNING OFF, BUT THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE, AND, UH, I HOPE THAT WE ARE ABLE TO ADDRESS A LOT OF THESE ISSUES WITH THE NEXT COUPLE OF MEETINGS. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT, THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER SORROW. YES, THANK YOU. UH, I, I WANNA, UM, ADD TO WHAT MY COLLEAGUES HERE SAID, UH, COUNCILWOMAN RICK ODI, WHO DID A GREAT JOB IN SETTING UP THE CONVERSATION TODAY, AS WELL AS, UH, VICE MAYOR ANG, I, I, I, I, YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT WE ARE ALL HERE BECAUSE WE REALLY CARE ABOUT OUR CITY AND OUR COMMUNITY DIRECTORS. UM, CHIEF, I KNOW THAT IT'S BEEN A REALLY CHALLENGING TASK AT HAND VERSUS WHERE IT WAS TWO, THREE YEARS AGO WHEN WE HAD A SURPLUS, WHERE WE HAD THE ABILITY TO DREAM WHAT WE WANT TO BILL, UH, FOR EACH OF THE DEPARTMENT THAT YOU RUN AND NOW TASKED WITH FACING THE CHALLENGE OF HAVING TO REALLY NARROW DOWN AND FOCUS WHAT WE NEED TO DO TO PRIORITIZE, UH, THE HEART OF WHAT YOUR DEPARTMENT DO, BUT ALSO MAKING SURE THAT WE PUT EMPLOYEES AND PEOPLE FIRST, PEOPLE OVERALL, AND, UH, THOSE WHO RECEIVE OUR SERVICE AND THOSE WHO DO THE WORK. AND I KNOW THAT THAT IS IN FRONT OF ALL OF OUR DIRECTORS. UM, MINE, WHEN WE, WE THINK ABOUT NOT ONLY WHEN, UH, WE WANNA HIRE, BUT ALSO WHEN WE HAVE TO ALSO CONSIDER CONSOLIDATING OR UNFORTUNATELY CONSIDERING REDUCTION. AND I DO KNOW THAT WE'RE DOING IT THOUGHTFULLY, WHICH IS WHY WE'RE HAVING THESE REALLY LONG MEETING AND CONVERSATION, BECAUSE WE REALLY ALL CARE, AND IT'S VERY DIFFICULT FOR US TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO PROCESS THIS, THIS, THAT WE'RE GOING THROUGH. SO WITH THAT SAID, I I, I DON'T WANNA GO TOO MUCH INTO DETAILS OF ALL OF THESE RESTRUCTURING, BUT I ALSO WANNA SAY THAT, UH, CHIEF, YOU HAVE, YOU KNOW, EVERYBODY KNOWS THAT PUBLIC SAFETY HAS THE LARGEST BUDGET, BUT ALSO AT THE SAME TIME, WHEN IT COMES DOWN TO WHEN WE HAVE TO DO REDUCTION, YOU HAVE THE LARGEST REDUCTION YOU HAVE TO DO. SO YOU HAVE THAT AT HAND. AND I, I, I THINK OVERALL, THERE'S A, THE THREE DEPARTMENT WHO PRESENTED TODAY, IT'S ABOUT, IN THE END OF THE DAY, COMMUNITY IN THE WAYS THAT THE DEPARTMENT ADDRESSES THE NEEDS. AND SO, I'M, I, I'D LIKE TO HEAR FROM EACH OF YOU ABOUT THE OPPORTUNITY AROUND, WHILE WE'RE REDUCING STAFF AND CERTAIN PROGRAMMING, WHERE ARE THE OPPORTUNITIES THAT WE CAN WORK MORE IN DEPARTMENTALLY OR WITH CLOSER WITH COMMUNITY? BECAUSE CHIEF, I HEARD YOU SAY THAT WHEN THE CRIME RATES AND HOMICIDES REDUCED, IT WASN'T ONLY JUST ONE DEPARTMENT, IT WAS A COLLECTIVE EFFORT. IT WAS THROUGH WORKING WITH COMMUNITY. SO I'M CURIOUS TO HEAR FROM EACH OF YOU, DESPITE THE CHALLENGE AT HAND, WHAT ARE SOME OPPORTUNITY THAT WE CAN TAKE TO MAYBE WORK A LITTLE BIT CLOSER WITH EACH OTHER, TO LEAN ON WHAT YOU MAY HAVE TO CUT, BUT WHAT OTHER DEPARTMENTS ARE GOOD AT IN ORDER TO REDUCE CRIME, IN ORDER TO ENHANCE NEIGHBORHOOD STRENGTH AS WELL AS PUBLIC SAFETY AS WELL. WOULD YOU LIKE TO START WITH ME, KELSEY? YES. YES. YES. . THANK YOU. UH, I WAS GONNA OPEN TO THE TURNS, BUT GO AHEAD. YEAH, SO I THINK THAT, UH, THE, THE GOOD NEWS IS THAT WE HAVE A, A PRETTY GOOD ROADMAP IN TERMS OF INTERDEPARTMENTAL TEAMS AND COLLABORATION, AND, AND WE WORK VERY CLOSELY TOGETHER. UM, UH, THE OPPORTUNITY IS TO CONTINUE, AT LEAST FOR THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, IS CONTINUE PUSHING PROGRESS, CONTINUE BELIEVING IN OUR MISSION AND OUR VISION, WHICH [03:05:01] IS ABOUT COLLABORATION AND PARTNERSHIPS. AND I, I SAID IT WHEN I BECAME CHIEF, AND I, I BELIEVED IT THE DAY I STARTED. AND THAT'S THAT PUBLIC SAFETY IS A SHARED RESPONSIBILITY. EVEN THE POLICE DEPARTMENT'S ROLE. UM, UH, WE NEED HELP. AND SO CONNECTING WITH OUR RESIDENTS, BEING PART OF THE COMMUNITY, UH, ENGAGING IN MEANINGFUL DIALOGUE, TALKING TO OUR OTHER CITY DEPARTMENTS ON, ON WAYS WE CAN LEVERAGE, UH, EACH OTHER, UH, IS IMPORTANT. NOW, LAW ENFORCEMENT'S A LITTLE DIFFERENT BECAUSE I CAN'T GO TO THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT AND ASK ALLISON KING TO GO OUT AND MAKE AN ARREST, BUT I CAN WORK WITH ALLISON KING ON VIOLENCE PREVENTION AND INTERVENTION AND LOOKING AT WAYS WHERE WE CAN MAYBE CREATE PATHWAYS FOR PEOPLE WHO WOULD OTHERWISE BE ENTERED INTO THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM. AND THAT'S WHAT WE DO. SO I THINK STRENGTHENING THE RELATIONSHIPS AND BONDS THAT WE HAVE AS A CITY, UH, BETWEEN DEPARTMENTS, UM, ALREADY, UH, WE ALREADY HAVE A FOUNDATION FOR THAT. AND, AND I BELIEVE JUST CONTINUING ON THAT PATH, UM, IS, IS A WAY WE CAN ADDRESS THIS, THIS FISCAL CONSTRAINT WE'RE LOOKING AT THIS YEAR. DIRECTOR KING, WE'LL JUST GO IN ORDER. , I CAN ONLY ECHO WHAT THE CHIEF HAS SAID. I WORK WITH BOTH OF THESE GENTLEMEN ALL THE TIME, AND WE WORK COLLABORATIVELY WITH EVERY DEPARTMENT WHEN IT COMES TO HOMELESSNESS. ONE OF THE BEST MODELS I THINK THAT WE'VE EVER SEEN IS WHEN THE, UM, HOMELESS EMERGENCY WAS DECLARED. AND WE WORKED AS A CITY, UH, COLLECTIVELY WITH EVERY DEPARTMENT, WHETHER IT WAS LIBRARY AND, YOU KNOW, THE STAFF THAT WE PROVIDE TO SUPPORT THERE WITH PEOPLE WHO DO OUTREACH AND INTAKE THERE. UM, WHETHER IT IS WITH, UM, CD WHERE CHRISTOPHER HAS SO WILLINGLY AGREED TO TAKE ON, UH, NOISE ABATEMENT FOR US, WHERE IT CAN HAVE GREATER ENFORCEMENT OPPORTUNITY. WE ARE A DEPARTMENT WHO WORKS IN PARTNERSHIP WITH MANY OF THE LOCAL NONPROFITS AS WELL AS THE HEALTH CLINICS IN THE AREA. AND WE WILL HAVE TO CONTINUE TO RELY ON THEM AS WE SEE THE IMPACTS OF HR ONE AND, UH, ADDITIONAL LOSS OF FUNDING. WE ARE VERY GRATEFUL FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO RESTORE SOME OF WHAT HAS BEEN LOST, UM, USING MEASURE ER. UM, BUT IT WILL BE A COLLECTIVE EFFORT WITH COMMUNITY IN PARTNERSHIP FOR VIOLENCE PREVENTION. UM, YOU KNOW, AS I SAY, WE WORK WITH, UM, THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WHO REALLY CAME TO OUR RESCUE WHEN WE HAD A RECENT, UM, OIL SPILL, AND ONE OF, OF THEIR OFFICERS WAS ABLE TO SUPPORT US ON A WEEKEND. WE HAVE THAT BLUEPRINT ALREADY. WE JUST NEED TO KEEP CROSSING THE BRIDGE. YEAH, AND I HAVE THE, THE PRIVILEGE, UM, TO WORK WITH THE CHIEF AND TO WORK WITH ALLISON, UM, ON A DAILY BASIS. SO I WOULD SAY IT'S NOT ABOUT INVENTING SOMETHING BRAND NEW, IT'S ABOUT BUILDING ON, UM, WHAT WE DO ALL THE TIME. SO EVERYONE MAY NOT KNOW, BUT WE OFTENTIMES RECEIVE REFERRALS EITHER FROM PATROL OFFICERS OR FROM SOCIETAL CRIMES ABOUT THINGS THAT MAY NOT BE A CRIME AND THAT YOU CAN GO ARREST SOMEONE, BUT ARE A COMMUNITY, UH, CONCERN AND, AND, UM, ARE A BREACH OF, UM, COMMUNITY VALUES. AND OUR CODE ENFORCEMENT TEAM TAKES OVER, AND WE MIGHT ADDRESS THAT PROBLEM IN A DIFFERENT WAY. WE MAY NOT BE ABLE TO GET AT THE ILLEGAL ACTIVITY THROUGH THE FRONT DOOR, UM, BUT WE, UM, LOOK AT THE STRUCTURE AND, UH, DEAL WITH STRUCTURAL ISSUES, DEAL WITH, UH, WORK WITHOUT PERMITS OR WEEDS OR ADVERTISING. UM, AND THE OUTCOME IS WHAT THE COMMUNITY'S LOOKING FOR. IT'S A SOLUTION TO THAT, UH, COMMUNITY PROBLEM. UM, SO WE WORK WITH HEALTH ON A DAILY BASIS. YOU KNOW, HOUSING IS IN COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT, HOMELESSNESS, UM, IS IN THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT. WE HAVE TO WORK HAND IN HAND. UM, WE HANDLE CERTAIN, UM, FINANCIAL ASPECTS OF, OF FEDERAL DOLLARS, AND THEN THEY CARRY OUT PROGRAMS. I THINK THE TRANSFER OF THE NOISE PROGRAM, UM, WILL WORK OUT WELL. SO THOSE ARE ON A DAILY BASIS, AND I THINK WE JUST BUILD ON THOSE RELATIONSHIPS. BUT I WOULD SAY, UH, WITH THE BACKGROUND AS A PLANNER AND, AND THE DEPARTMENT THAT HOUSES THE PLANNERS, IT'S ALSO ABOUT THE BIG PICTURE AND THE VISION FOR THE FUTURE OF WHAT WE WANT LONG BEACH TO BE. SO, UM, AND YOU KNOW, WE ENVISION A, A CITY WHERE HOUSING IS BROADLY AVAILABLE, UM, AND IT'S AFFORDABLE TO PEOPLE AT ALL, UM, STEPS ON THE SOCIAL LADDER, UM, AND THAT PEOPLE THRIVE IN OUR CITY AND, AND AS A RESULT, UM, ARE LESS, UH, DESPERATE AND LESS LIKELY TO BECOME UNHOUSED, LESS LIKELY TO TURN TO CRIME. UM, I ENVISION A MEDIUM TERM WHERE WE ADDRESS A LOT OF OUR NUISANCE ISSUES THROUGH ZONING CHANGES WHERE WE HAVE FEWER LIQUOR STORES, WHERE WE HAVE FEWER PROBLEM [03:10:01] LAND USES, AND THAT THOSE ARE UPSTREAM SOLUTIONS, BOTH TO CRIMINAL ACTIVITY AND TO, UM, PEOPLE FALLING INTO HOMELESSNESS. I ENVISION A WORLD WHERE WE HAVE BUILT ON WHAT'S GREAT TODAY, BUT HAVE A, A MUCH MORE VIBRANT WATERFRONT AND OUR WELCOMING TOURIST FROM AROUND THE WORLD, AND THAT'S PROVIDING THE ECONOMIC DOLLARS, UM, TO FUND THE EXPANSION OF THE POLICE DEPARTMENT AND THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT, AND EVEN A COUPLE PLANNERS OVER IN COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT. SO I THINK ALL OF THAT WORK, UM, TIES TOGETHER AND I'M REALLY PROUD OF THE WORK WE'VE DONE AND, AND WHAT WE WILL DO IN THE, THE DAYS AHEAD. YEAH, AND I, I KNOW I'M, OVER TIME, I HAVE A FEW MORE QUESTIONS, BUT I THINK THAT I'LL, YOU KNOW, SEND THEM HOPEFULLY TO OVERSIGHT THE BUDGET OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE. BUT I, I REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR RESPONSE BECAUSE I THINK MORE THAN EVER, AS WE'VE SEEN WHEN WE GO THROUGH CRISIS, THAT WE ALL LEAN ON EACH OTHER AND THAT WE ALL COMMUNICATE, IT'S A, IT'S A HARD TIME AND IT'S A DIFFERENT ENVIRONMENT WE'VE BEEN IN. AND I THINK THAT THE, OUR CITY HAS BEEN RESILIENT. OUR LEADERSHIP HAS BEEN RESILIENT, UM, IN THE CITY, OUR STAFF AND I ASK THAT WE ALL HAVE AN OPEN MIND IN TERMS OF HAVING CONVERSATION. WE UNDERSTAND HOW IMPORTANT PEOPLE IS. THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT OUR DIRECTORS JUST SHARED, IS THAT IT'S ABOUT COLLABORATION. AND SO I JUST WANNA EMPHASIZE THAT THIS IS A ONGOING PROCESS AND STEP WE NEED TO NECESSARILY, WE HAVE TO TAKE RIGHT NOW. BUT THINGS COULD CHANGE DOWN THE LINE AGAIN, JUST AS THINGS CHANGED A FEW YEARS AGO WHEN WE HAD SURPLUS TO BE ABLE TO DO THINGS WE NEVER THOUGHT WE COULD. SO I JUST WANTED TO PUT THINGS IN PERSPECTIVE IN, IN THIS CONVERSATION BECAUSE IT HAS, IT HAS BEEN AN CHALLENGING BUDGET PROCESS, BUT THERE'S ALSO OPPORTUNITIES, UH, AND WE CAN BE CREATIVE AS WELL. SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER DUGGAN. ALL RIGHT. UM, THANK YOU CHIEF AND DIRECTORS. IT WAS GOOD TO HEAR. I LIKE THE LINE OF QUESTIONING, HEARING ABOUT HOW YOU HELP EACH OTHER INTER DEPARTMENTALLY CROSS, CROSS COLLABORATIVELY. UM, SO CHIEF, I'M GOING TO START WITH YOU. UM, YOU HAD A SEEMINGLY IMPOSSIBLE TASK WITH CLOSE TO $20 MILLION YOU HAD TO CUT. UM, THIS COUNCIL HAS SPENT A LOT OF TIME OVER THE PAST FEW WEEKS TALKING ABOUT RESPONSE TIMES, INCLUDING EVEN DURING OUR, UH, DISCUSSION ABOUT THE ANNUAL COMPREHENSIVE FINANCIAL REPORT. RESPONSE TIMES ALSO SEEM TO BE, THEY ARE ONE OF THE TOP PRIORITIES WE HEAR FROM RESIDENTS DURING THE BUDGET PROCESS. THE SCALE OF WHAT THIS DEPARTMENT HANDLES IS INCREDIBLE. 187,000, UM, CALLS PER YEAR, OVER 500 PER DAY. IT'S HARD TO IMAGINE THAT, UM, ON PRIORITY ONE CALLS AVERAGE RESPONSE TIME IS ABOUT 5.6 MINUTES. WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THIS BEFORE. UM, BUT I DO UNDERSTAND FROM THE PRESENTATION THAT'S WITHIN THE NATIONAL RANGE OF FIVE TO SIX MINUTES, I HAVE RAISED BEFORE THAT THIS IS A MINUTE SLOWER THAN IT WAS FIVE YEARS AGO FOR PRIORITY ONE. AND I THINK WE NEED TO BE HONEST ABOUT THAT TREND AND UNDERSTAND WHAT'S DRIVING IT. AT THE SAME TIME, WE ARE MAKING GREAT PROGRESS IN STAFFING. CLASS 100 ARE SOON TO BE ADDED TO OUR OFFICERS AND OUR STAFFING NUMBERS, AND I'M VERY GLAD TO SEE THAT WE HAVE THE 7 MILLION FROM MEASURE A FOR CLASS, UM, OR ACADEMY 1 0 1. THIS IS THE INVESTMENT IN OUR FUTURE, AND I THINK WE HAVE BEEN WORKING THROUGH YEARS OF NOT HAVING ACADEMIES, WHICH REDUCED OUR STAFFING AND WE REALLY HAD TO CATCH UP. UH, AND WE'RE STILL WORKING ON THAT SUCCESSFULLY. SO I LIKE TO SEE THE REBUILDING OF STAFF. I ALSO UNDERSTAND THAT, UM, I, I GUESS THAT'S WHY I THINK THE COUNCIL NEEDS TO UNDERSTAND WHAT THE IMPACTS ARE GOING TO BE BEFORE WE ADOPT THIS BUDGET BECAUSE THE REDUCTIONS ARE SO DIFFICULT, UM, WITHOUT IMPACTING SERVICE. SO I WANNA GO TO THE MINIMUM BASED STAFFING LEVELS. ON THE NIGHT THE PROVOST BUDGET WAS RELEASED, I ASKED FOR AN ANALYSIS OF THOSE REDUCTIONS FOR PRIORITY ONE, PRIORITY TWO, AND PRIORITY THREE RESPONSE TIMES. THE AUGUST 14TH MEMO STATES THAT PRIORITY TWO CALLS, UH, CURRENTLY AVERAGE ABOUT 40 MINUTES, AND PRIORITY THREE APPROXIMATELY 50 MINUTES. THESE ARE PRETTY SIGNIFICANT WEIGHTS, [03:15:01] UM, FOR RESIDENTS. AND I WILL SAY OUR COUNCIL OFFICE RECEIVES JUST A, JUST A MOMENT. COUNCIL MEMBER THERE. IT SEEMS TO BE SOME REALLY NA, UM, NOISY RINGLING OF PAPER OVER THERE. IS IT ME OR I? BLOOD PRESSURE? THAT'S KEITH. I KNOW, BUT THE RINGLING OF THE PAPER, YOU JUST, I'M SORRY. PICKED IT UP. AND, UM, MADAM ATTORNEY, IS THAT A, IS, IS THAT A NO, THERE'S DISTURBANCE. THERE'S NO FOOD ALLOWED IN THE CHAMBER. IF YOU CAN TAKE YOUR SNACKS AND EXIT THE CHAMBER, THERE'S NO FOOD ALLOWED IN THE CHAMBER, OR JUST EAT IT QUIETLY AND THAT'LL BE FINE. SO, SO THANK YOU FOR THAT, UH, ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF THE DISTURBANCE. THANK YOU. OR DISRUPTION RATHER. THANKS, MAYOR. THANK YOU. UM, OUR OFFICE DOES RECEIVE CALLS FROM RESIDENTS WHO SAY THEY'VE CONTACTED DISPATCH AND NO OFFICER EVER ARRIVED. USUALLY WHEN WE DIG INTO IT, IT'S JUST THAT THE OFFICER HASN'T ARRIVED FOR HOURS AND A PERSON ISN'T WAITING, UH, FOR TWO OR THREE HOURS FOR THAT RESPONSE FROM THE OFFICER. THE MEMO FROM THE 14TH ACKNOWLEDGES THAT THE PROPOSED REDUCTIONS TO PATROL AND COMMUNITY SERVICE ASSISTANT POSITIONS WILL INCREASE THESE RESPONSE TIMES. AND I THINK THAT'S IMPORTANT FOR COUNCIL AND THE PUBLIC TO UNDERSTAND REDUCING COMMUNITY SERVICE ASSISTANT POSITIONS WILL CONTRIBUTE TO INCREASED PRIORITY TWO AND PRIORITY THREE RESPONSE TIMES BECAUSE PATROL OFFICERS ARE GOING TO HAVE TO ABSORB MORE OF THOSE CALLS. A APPRO, APPROXIMATELY HOW MANY ADDITIONAL CALLS WILL SHIFT TO PATROL OFFICERS? BECAUSE COMMUNITY SERVICE ASSISTANT, WERE, WE'RE TAKING REDUCTIONS WITH THE CSAS. YEAH, SO THE CSAS CURRENTLY HANDLE ABOUT 11,000 CALLS A YEAR. AND SO WITH THOSE 11,000 CALLS, THAT'S OUR BUDGETED NUMBER. WE'RE NOT CUTTING FROM THE CURRENT CADRE OF CSAS, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT VACANT POSITIONS. AND SO, UM, THE, THE VACANT POSITIONS WE'RE PART OF OUR, UH, DESIRE TO EXPAND THE CSA PROGRAM TO REDUCE THE RESPONSE TIMES FOR THOSE PRIORITY TWO AND THREE CALLS. AND NOW WE'LL JUST BE IN A POSITION WHERE WE'RE NOT EXPANDING THAT PROGRAM. AND COUNCIL MEMBER. THAT WAS MORE OF AN ENHANCEMENT THAT COUNCIL LOOKED AT LAST YEAR, IS TO TRY TO GET THOSE CALLS DOWN TO SAY IF WE HAVE VACANCY SAVINGS SOMEWHERE ELSE, CAN WE BRING ON SOME CSAS TO HELP WITH THAT CALL VOLUME? SO THOSE EIGHT WERE ADDED LAST YEAR, BUT GIVEN THE FINANCIAL SITUATION, WE WOULD NOT BE FILLING THOSE EIGHT AND THEY WOULD BE REDUCED. THANK YOU FOR THE CLARIFICATION. UH, THE PRESENTATION STATES THAT OFFICERS WORKED OVER 14,000 ADDITIONAL HOURS IN 2025 TO FILL PATROL ASSIGNMENTS AND MAINTAIN BASED STAFFING. THE PROPOSED BUDGET IS GOING TO ELIMINATE 13 VACANT PATROL POSITIONS AFTER THE MAYOR'S RECOMMENDATIONS AND REDUCE GENERAL FUND OVERTIME BY 2.68 MILLION. THAT MEMO STATES THAT THESE REDUCTIONS ARE GOING TO LIMIT THE DEPARTMENT'S ABILITY TO DEPLOY OFFICERS ABOVE MINIMUM BASE LEVEL STAFF STAFFING. HOW OFTEN DO YOU EXPECT OUR PATROL DIVISIONS TO OPERATE AT MINIMUM STAFFING UNDER THIS BUDGET COMPARED WITH TODAY? SO THERE'S A REDUCTION IN, IN OUR BUDGET, THAT MEANS THERE WILL BE A REDUCTION IN OUR ABILITY TO MAINTAIN BASE STAFFING. AND SO, UH, WHAT I CAN TELL YOU IS, UM, OUR STRATEGY FOR STAFFING IS TO STAFF ABOVE THE, THE EXPECTED BASE STAFFING LEVELS TO ACCOUNT FOR, UH, OFFICERS WHO ARE OFF ON MEDICAL LEAVE, OFFICERS WHO CALL IN SICK OR HAVE EMERGENCIES FOR VACATIONS. AND SO NOW THIS YEAR, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO REDUCE THAT BUFFER THAT ALLOWS US TO BE IN A POSITION WHERE WE DON'T GO BELOW BASE STAFFING. SO THERE ARE A LOT OF VARIABLES IN THAT. UM, BUT UH, THE REALITY IS WE WON'T HAVE, UH, THE AMOUNT OF OFFICERS TO ENSURE THAT WE'RE AT THAT BASE STAFFING LEVEL. SO THERE IS A POSSIBILITY IT COULD GO BELOW THAT. ALRIGHT. RIGHT NOW YOU ALWAYS TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION HAVING MORE OFFICERS FOR THOSE WHO ARE SICK AND DON'T SHOW UP, BUT IN THE UPCOMING BUDGET, WE WOULDN'T HAVE THAT LUXURY. CORRECT. ALRIGHT, UM, I'M GONNA JUMP TO, UM, INVESTIGATIONS. UM, AND THE PROPOSED REDUCTIONS TO THAT BUREAU. THE AUGUST 14 MEMO STATES THAT THE DETECTIVE REDUCTIONS WILL HAVE A SIGNIFICANT IMPACT ON THE DEPARTMENT'S ABILITY TO INVESTIGATE PROPERTY CRIME AND WILL RESULT IN FEWER CASES BEING SOLVED. IT ALSO STATES THAT THE DEPARTMENT WILL EVALUATE FILING THRESHOLDS FOR AN INVESTIGATION TO TAKE PLACE AND EXTEND INVESTIGATION TIMELINES. THAT IS SIGNIFICANT SERVICE IMPACTS FOR RESIDENTS. AND I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO BE UPFRONT WITH VICTIMS IN SITUATIONS WHERE NO INVESTIGATION IS GOING TO TAKE PLACE. WHAT [03:20:01] DOES THE POLICE DEPARTMENT TELL A VICTIM WHEN WE KNOW THERE'S NOT GOING TO BE AN INVESTIGATION DUE TO LACK OF RESOURCES? WELL, WHAT WE DO ON THE FRONT END IS EXPLAIN, UH, THE PROCESS. AND SO IF THERE IS A, A THRESHOLD THAT NEEDS TO BE MET, AND TYPICALLY WE'RE TALKING ABOUT PROPERTY CRIMES ARE FINANCIAL CRIMES BECAUSE CRIMES INVOLVING PEOPLE ARE INVESTIGATED. AND SO WE PRIORITIZE OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS AND OUR VULNERABLE POPULATIONS AND ENSURE THAT WE'RE INVESTIGATING THOSE CRIMES INVOL INVOLVING INJURY OR LOSS OF LIFE. UH, IN TERMS OF THE OTHER CRIMES THAT, THAT, UM, THAT WE INVESTIGATE, IF THEY DO NOT MEET THE, THE FILING OR, OR INVESTIGATIVE THRESHOLDS, THEN WE COMMUNICATE THAT EARLY ON AND PROVIDE RESOURCES AND INFORMATION TO VICTIMS EXPLAINING, UH, WHAT THEY CAN DO IF THEY ARE A VICTIM OF A CRIME THAT DOESN'T MEET THE THRESHOLD FOR FILING OR INVESTIGATION BECAUSE OF THE CASELOAD THAT WE'RE CURRENTLY MANAGED. BUT WITH THESE REDUCTIONS, THAT'S GONNA BE SIGNIFICANTLY, UH, LESS INVESTIGATIONS FOR PROPERTY CRIMES, ET CETERA. ALRIGHT, I WANNA ASK ABOUT OUR QUALITY OF LIFE OFFICERS. UM, DURING RIDEALONGS WITH OUTREACH TEAMS, WE'VE HEARD ABOUT TIMES WHEN OUTREACH WORKERS WILL NOT GO DOWN AN ALLEY OR APPROACH AN ENCAMPMENT BECAUSE THEY DON'T FEEL IT'S SAFE, SO THEY WANNA WAIT FOR A QUALITY OF LIFE OFFICER. UM, I THINK WHEN OUR COMMUNITIES TALK ABOUT HOMELESSNESS, THEY HAVE COMPASSION FOR PEOPLE WHO NEED A HELPING HAND, BUT THEY'RE ALSO FRUSTRATED WITH AN ENCAMPMENT THAT INCLUDES DRUGS, CRIMINAL ACTIVITY, UM, OR CONDITIONS THAT MAKE IT UNSAFE OR PERCEIVED UNSAFE IN A PARK OR AT THE LIBRARY OR WALKING TO SCHOOL. SO OUR QUALITY OF LIFE OFFICERS ARE OFTEN THE ONES WHO STEP INTO THOSE HIGHER RISK SITUATIONS SO THAT, SO THAT THE RESPONSIBILITY DOESN'T FALL ON PATROL. I AM SO GLAD THAT THE MAYOR RESTORED TWO QUALITY OF LIFE OFFICERS, BUT I WANNA UNDERSTAND WHAT THE REMAINING REDUCTIONS MEAN. OPERATIONALLY, THE NUMBERS SHOW THESE OFFICERS DO A VERY SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF WORK. SO WITH THESE CUTS, HOW ARE WE GOING TO ENGAGE WITH ENCAMPMENTS WHERE OUR OUTREACH TEAMS DON'T FEEL SAFE GOING IN? AND DOES THE RESPONSIBILITY JUST FALL BACK INTO ONTO PATROL? YEAH, SO I'LL START WITH THE, THE, THE FACT THAT QUALITY OF LIFE OFFICERS ARE POLICE OFFICERS AND THEY DO WHAT POLICE OFFICERS DO. AND SO WHEN I AND MY TEAM LOOK AT A BUDGET LIKE THIS, UM, WE PRIORITIZE OUR SERVICE. WE DON'T COMPROMISE OUR SERVICE. AND SO, UH, IT'S GOING TO TAKE COMMUNICATION, WHICH WE'VE ALREADY BEGUN WITH OUR PARTNERS, UM, ARTICULATING THE NEED FOR AN OFFICER RESPONSE. JUST BECAUSE THERE'S A THREAT OR A DANGER DOESN'T MEAN IT HAS TO BE A QUALITY OF LIFE OFFICER. SO A LOT OF THOSE DUTIES WILL FALL UPON PATROL OFFICERS, UH, FOR OUR PRIORITY LOCATIONS, UM, AND STRONGER COORDINATION, COLLABORATION, SCHEDULING, AND OUTREACH WITH ALL OF THE DEPARTMENTS INVOLVED IN, IN, UH, THE HOMELESS, UH, RESPONSE FROM THE CITY. UH, SO THESE QUALITY OF LIFE OFFICERS I AM VERY PROUD OF. AND ACTUALLY THAT STARTED WHEN I WAS IN PATROL AND WE CONSOLIDATED AND BUILT UP THE QUALITY OF LIFE TEAM. AND I BELIEVE VERY STRONGLY IN THEIR, IN THE WORK THAT THEY DO, THEY ARE STILL GOING TO BE OFFICERS THAT ARE PUBLIC FACING ON THE STREET WORKING WITHIN PATROL. SO, UM, THIS IS ABOUT COMMUNICATION AND UNDERSTANDING OF HOW WE CAN RESPOND AND PRIORITIZE THE SERVICES THAT, UH, SO MANY OF OUR, OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS AND OUR CITY PARTNERS RELY ON. UM, BUT THERE IS A CUT, AND WITH A CUT THERE IS A SERVICE IMPACT. AND, UH, WE ACTUALLY STARTED THAT A LITTLE BIT THIS YEAR AS WE HAD TO FIND WAYS WITHIN ALL DEPARTMENTS TO SAVE SOME DOLLARS IN OUR 3% REDUCTIONS. UH, UM, WHILE WE HAD THE QUALITY OF LIFE OFFICERS, THEY DIDN'T HAVE AS MUCH OVERTIME AND SO WE MADE SOME ADJUSTMENTS WORKING WITH PUBLIC WORKS AND, UH, HOMELESS OUTREACH WORKERS AND FOUND THAT, UM, INSTEAD OF SENDING AN A QUALITY OF LIFE OFFICER ON EVERY SINGLE CALL THAT THEY GO ON, UH, WE STARTED HAVING THEM GO AND THEN CALL FOR THE QUALITY OF LIFE OFFICER WHEN THEY NEED IT. AND, UH, SO FAR IT'S BEEN TRACKING IN ABOUT EIGHT TO 10% OF THOSE CALLS IS WHERE THEY NEED A QUALITY OF LIFE OFFICER AND THE OTHERS, UH, THROUGH TRAINING, THROUGH COMPASSION, THROUGH JUST WORKING WITH THE PERSON THAT'S THERE, UH, AN OFFICER IS NOT NEEDED. SO, UM, AND THEN WHEN QUALITY OF LIFE WAS NOT AVAILABLE, THEN THEY WERE ABLE TO CALL ON PATROL AND, UH, POLICE DEPARTMENT HELPED, UH, GET SOMEBODY THERE. SO, UH, IT IS A DIFFERENT MODEL. IT DOES MEAN THAT SOMETIMES OUR, OUR TEAMS NEED TO LOOK AT A SITUATION AND BACK OFF. UM, UH, BUT IT WAS NEVER BEING IGNORED. IT WAS JUST BEING RESCHEDULED FOR ANOTHER TIME. GREAT. THANK YOU FOR THAT. UM, SO I AM, I'M GLAD TO SEE ONE SERGEANT AND FOUR OFFICERS BEING ADDED TO THE TIDELANDS AREA AS A UNIT. I THINK THAT THAT IS A REALLY GOOD, UM, OPERATIONAL CHANGE THAT'S BEING [03:25:01] MADE. OUR BEACHES, MARINAS, ALL THESE SPECIAL EVENTS AND ALL THESE PUBLIC ACCESSES, UH, THEY REQUIRE THESE OFFICERS. AND BECAUSE THE POSITIONS WOULD BE FUNDED THROUGH THE RESTRICTED TIDELANDS OPERATING FUND, I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE A PRACTICAL WAY TO KEEP THE FUNDING COMPLIANT. THE AUGUST 14 MEMO STATES THAT THE PATROL AREA WILL COVER PORTIONS OF BOTH THE SOUTH AND EAST PATROL DIVISIONS, INCLUDING HARBOR DISTRICTS, BEACHES, MARINA PIKE CONVENTION CENTER AREA, SHORELINE BAY, QUEEN MARY, COLORADO LAGOON AND MARINE STADIUM. I UNDERSTAND THE SOUTH AND EAST DIVISIONS ARE ON DIFFERENT RADIO FREQUENCIES. SO CAN YOU WALK ME THROUGH HOW THEIR RESPONSE WILL WORK BETWEEN DIVISIONS WHEN THEY'RE DISPATCHED? YEAH, SO THIS IS STILL SOMETHING THAT WE'RE FINALIZING. UH, THIS IS A NEW, UM, PROGRAM, BUT THIS IS A PATROL SUPPLEMENT. UH, THIS IS TO HELP US WITH PATROL, UH, RESPONSES AND DOING SO IN THE TIDELANDS COVERED AREA. SO WE'RE STILL WORKING ON HOW WE WILL OPERATIONALIZE THAT RESTORATION. UM, UH, BUT WE HAVE A VARIETY OF DIFFERENT OPTIONS THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT. AND SO WHETHER IT IS, UH, SEPARATE CHANNELS FOR EAST AND SOUTH DIVISION LIKE WE RUN NOW, UM, OR IF WE OVERLAY THE TIDELANDS AS A GEOGRAPHIC, UH, PATROL BEAT, UM, THOSE ARE THINGS THAT WE'RE STILL WORKING THROUGH AS AN EXECUTIVE TEAM AND WHEN WE FINALIZE THOSE PLANS, WE'LL BE SURE TO SHARE THOSE WITH THE COMMUNITY AND OUR COUNCIL MEMBERS. GREAT. BECAUSE I SUPPORT ADDING THESE OFFICERS, I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE A SYSTEM THAT ALLOWS THEM TO DO THEIR JOB WHERE WE'RE STILL MAKING SURE RESTRICTED TIDELANDS DOLLARS ARE NOT USED TO SUBSIDIZE GENERAL FUND GENERAL MUNICIPAL SERVICES. SO THANK YOU. THANK YOU. WILL ADD TO THAT, WE DO TAKE THAT ACCOUNTING SERIOUSLY AND REALIZE THAT SOMETIMES OFFICERS THAT ARE CHARGING TO TIDELANDS WILL BE ASKED TO GO DO OTHER THINGS. THOSE ARE THINGS THAT WE PICK UP ON THE TI ON THE TIME CARD. WE'RE ABLE TO DO SPECIAL PROJECTS CODES AND SAY, NO, THAT TIME THAT THAT OFFICER WAS OUT OF THE TIDELANDS, THEY'RE GONNA NEED TO CHARGE GENERAL FUND. AND SO, UM, UH, WE'LL BE ABLE TO TO TRACK THAT THAT WAS IN THE RESPONSE AS WELL, SO THAT WE'RE NOT, UH, VIOLATING THE HIGHLANDS TRUST. GREAT, THANK YOU. I'M GONNA QUEUE UP AGAIN FOR, UH, COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT AND HEALTH. THANK YOU. COUNCILMAN CARR? YES, THANK YOU. UM, TO THE DEPARTMENT HEADS, UM, LEADERS STAFF FOR BEING HERE TONIGHT, THIS IS AN UNUSUAL GROUPING THAT WAS BY, YOU KNOW, BY HAPPENSTANCE LAST WEEK, THESE THREE DEPARTMENTS TOGETHER. BUT I THINK, UM, AS MY COLLEAGUES HAVE SAID, AND AS ALL OF YOU HAVE SAID, IT HAS REALLY DEMONSTRATED THE WAY THIS CITY PULLS RESOURCES TOGETHER TO ADDRESS OVERLAPPING NEEDS THROUGHOUT THE COMMUNITY. UM, I DON'T THINK THERE COULD HAVE BEEN A BETTER TRIO OF DEPARTMENTS TO TALK ABOUT PUBLIC SAFETY, KEEPING OUR COMMUNITY SAFE AND CLEAN, STRUCTURALLY HEALTHY, ALL OF THOSE THINGS, UM, ARE OVERLAPPING. SO I APPRECIATE THE WAYS, UM, THAT YOU'VE ALL ACKNOWLEDGED THAT YOU COUNT ON EACH OTHER AND LEAN ON EACH OTHER. UM, BECAUSE OFTENTIMES WHEN WE HEAR A BUDGET FROM A DEPARTMENT, UM, WE FORGET ABOUT THE CONCENTRIC CIRCLES OF FOLKS THAT YOU'RE SERVING TOGETHER. SO THANK YOU FOR DEMONSTRATING THAT SO BEAUTIFULLY. UM, MY COLLEAGUES HAVE ASKED A LOT OF GREAT QUESTIONS ALREADY. UM, AND FOR REDUNDANCY, I'M NOT GOING TO REPEAT THEM, SO I'M JUST GONNA ASK A COUPLE QUESTIONS FOR CLARIFICATION. AGAIN, NOT NECESSARILY FOR TONIGHT, BUT IN THE REPORT BACK THAT MIGHT BE HELPFUL FOR US AS WE CONTINUE TO CONSIDER THE BUDGET. UH, WE TALKED A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE MAC AND DR. RICKS ODI TALKED ABOUT POTENTIALLY SOME PARTNERSHIPS. SO ELIMINATING THAT. UM, SECOND MOBILE ACCESS CENTER, WE KNOW THAT THAT SECOND ONE TENDED TO GO TO PLACES THAT, UM, ARE MORE SPORADICALLY IMPACTED BY FOLKS EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS. UH, WE KNOW THERE IS A CONCENTRATION IN CERTAIN PARTS OF OUR CITY, UM, BUT THE SECOND UNIT REALLY DID GO OUT KIND OF BEYOND THOSE, UM, SPACES WHERE TRADITIONALLY WE ENCOUNTER FOLKS. UH, WE KNOW THAT ON THE EAST SIDE OF THE CITY, UM, WE HAVE RIVERBEDS ON BOTH SIDES OF DISTRICT FIVE AND WE KNOW THAT THEY'VE BEEN REALLY RESPONSIVE, UH, IN THE HARTWELL PARK AREA, TALKING WITH FOLKS ALONG THE SAN GABRIEL RIVER BED AS WELL IN THE IMPACTS THERE. SO WE KNOW THAT AS THAT FACES REDUCTIONS AND AS YOU ALL DEMONSTRATED THAT OTHER DEPARTMENTS WILL ALSO SEE IMPACTS OF THAT, WE KNOW THAT OUR LIBRARIES TEND TO PICK UP THE SLACK OF PEOPLE LOOKING FOR RESOURCES AS WELL, ESPECIALLY ON THAT, UM, EAST SIDE OF TOWN. SO IN THE REPORT BACK, IF YOU COULD TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT THE, UM, PRIORITIZATION OF DEPLOYMENT OF THE EXISTING AND THE REMAINING MAC WOULD BE TO ADDRESS, NOT JUST NOT ONLY THE PLACES WHERE WE, UM, HAVE TYPICAL ENCOUNTERING OF FOLKS WHO ARE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS, UM, BUT THOSE PLACES THAT WE KNOW ARE MORE SITUATIONAL BUT ALSO DEEPLY IMPACTED. SO I DON'T KNOW IF YOU HAVE ANY THOUGHTS ON THAT TONIGHT. IF YOU DON'T, UM, DIRECTOR THAT'S OKAY AS WELL. [03:30:01] WELL, WHAT I CAN SAY IS THAT WE ARE GOING TO BE AS DATA INFORMED IN TERMS OF WHERE WE GO AND WE ARE ALWAYS RESPONSIVE TO, UM, THE REQUESTS THAT COME THROUGH, UM, TO SUPPORT WHEREVER IS NEEDED. AND YES, THERE MAY BE SOME DELAYS IN RESPONSE TIME BECAUSE WE HAVE ONE FEWER MAC OUT THERE. UM, AND WE ARE GOING TO SEE SOME REDUCTION IN FUNDING AROUND OUTREACH IN GENERAL IN THE COMING YEAR. UM, BUT WE HOPE TO GET AHEAD OF, OF SOME OF THE UPSTREAM APP, UH, OPPORTUNITIES. BUT CERTAINLY WE WILL BE DATA INFORMED IN THAT AND WE WILL REPORT BACK ON IT. AND I'LL ADD, UM, AS WELL, SO EX EXACTLY AS THE DIRECTOR MENTIONED, BUT MAC IS ONE OF OUR SEVERAL UNITS THAT WE HAVE TO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE SUPPORT. SO, UM, IT BECAME VERY POPULAR DURING THE HOMELESSNESS EMERGENCY. UH, BUT REMEMBER THAT IS, UH, BASICALLY A FIXED LOCATION WHERE YOU TRY TO BRING PEOPLE IN AND IT'S A VEHICLE AND IT'S GOT, UH, MORE RESOURCES. BUT WE ALSO STILL HAVE OUR NORMAL OUTREACH, UH, WORKERS. AND SO THOSE ARE STILL HERE. WE ARE SEEING SOME REDUCTIONS. WE HAVE OUR REGULAR OUTREACH WORKERS, WE HAVE OUR REACH TEAM, WHICH ALSO HAS THE NURSING COMPONENT. UH, WE HAVE OUR QUALITY OF LIFE OFFICERS WHO DO THAT WORK AS WELL. WE HAVE OUR MET OFFICERS WHO OFTEN ENGAGE WITH PEOPLE AS WELL AND KNOW HOW TO CONNECT. WE HAVE OUR COMMUNITY CRISIS RESPONSE TEAM, UH, AS WELL. AND THEN WE HAVE THE MAC. AND SO, UH, IT IS GONNA BE A LITTLE DIFFERENT. WE'LL HAVE TO DECIDE WHERE THAT MAC NEEDS TO BE AND, AND UH, BALANCE IT WITH THE OTHER SERVICES. AND I TRUST WITH THE COMMUNICATION DEMONSTRATED HERE THAT YOU'LL BE TALKING TO ALL OF OUR DEPARTMENTS OF WAYS THAT THEY CAN ACCESS THOSE SERVICES POTENTIALLY THROUGH, UM, NEW LINES OF COMMUNICATION OR DIFFERENT FOLKS TO TALK TO, TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT THEIR NEEDS ARE BEING MET AS WELL. UM, AND THIS IS JUST FOR CONSIDERATION. WE KNOW, UM, YOU KNOW, THE LIFELINE THAT MEASURE ER GIVES US JUST FOR FIVE YEARS TO DO THIS WORK. AND SO IF IN A RESPONSE BACK WE COULD TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT, UM, HOW YOU ARE STAGGERING. I KNOW YOU TALKED ABOUT A LITTLE BIT IN THE REPORT AND HOW YOU WILL, UM, IMPLEMENT IT AS IT COMES IN. MY QUESTION WILL BE THEN IF THE MONIES, I KNOW WE'RE STILL IN NEGOTIATION, UM, BUT IF THOSE MONIES DON'T MEET WHAT WE THINK WE'RE BUDGETING, THEY COME IN LESS THAN PROJECTED, UH, WHERE WE WILL, UM, STOP RESTORATIONS OR JUST, JUST HAVING A REALLY CLEAR PICTURE THAT WE'RE SPENDING THAT MONEY, WE'RE NOT OVERSPENDING THAT MONEY BEFORE WE, WE KNOW WHAT IT ACTUALLY LOOKS LIKE. WE WILL BE MEETING WITH HEALTH DEPUTIES FROM THE COUNTY AS WELL AS PASADENA TO ESTABLISH A METRIC BY WHICH WE WILL EVALUATE FUNDS AS THEY COME IN AND THEN TRY TO PROJECT WHAT WILL ACTUALLY BE RECEIVED. BUT WE WILL ADJUST ACCORDINGLY AND WE WILL ABSOLUTELY HAVE, UM, REPORTING RESPONSIBILITY THAT WILL BE OVERSEEN BY A COMMISSION. UM, BUT MUCH OF THAT IS STILL, UM, IN, IN THE WORKS AND WE HOPE TO KNOW MORE. WE PRESENT NEXT TUESDAY AT BOC, WHICH WILL BE AFTER THIS MEETING. SO I HOPE TO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE YOU MORE ANSWERS AT THAT TIME. GREAT, THANK YOU. AND I KNOW YOU TOUCHED UPON THIS AND I WANNA THANK YOU FOR BEING SO, UM, KIND OF BALANCING THE LINE OF OPTIMISTIC AND REALISTIC ABOUT WHAT THE FUTURE OF THE DEPARTMENT IS OVER THE NEXT COUPLE OF YEARS IN TERMS OF THE ABILITY, UH, TO DO PROGRAMMING. I KNOW WE TALK ABOUT GRANT FUNDING AND WHAT GRANTS DON'T COVER OFTEN OF THE ADMINISTRATIVE, THE TECHNOLOGY, THE FACILITIES. UM, FIVE YEARS FEELS LIKE A LONG TIME SOMETIMES AND OTHER TIMES WE KNOW THAT THAT IS HERE BEFORE WE KNOW IT AND SO I WOULD HOPE THAT IN OUR PROJECTIONS OF HOW WE ARE ALLOTTING MONEY THAT WE DO HAVE, THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT WAYS THAT WE, IF WE NEED TO CONTINUE TO APPLY FOR GRANTS, HOW WE'RE BUILDING THE FUNDING FOR PEOPLE TO DO THAT WORK FOR US INTO OUR BUDGETS, SO THAT IT'S NOT UP TO THE PERSON WHO IS GRANT FUNDED TO FIGURE OUT HOW THEY'RE FUNDING THEIR NEXT COUPLE OF YEARS. WE KNOW THAT'S PART OF IT, UM, BUT WOULD ASK FOR CONSIDERATION ON THAT AS WELL. BUT THANK YOU SO MUCH TO YOUR TEAM, UM, AND FOR A REALLY, UM, THOUGHTFUL, HONEST PRESENTATION IN FRONT OF US TONIGHT. UH, DIRECTOR KUNTZ, THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE. UM, MOST OF MY QUESTIONS HAVE ALREADY BEEN ANSWERED. YOU TALKED ABOUT CDBG FUNDING, HOW THAT CONTINUES, UM, AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL TO DECREASE, UM, WITH NO, I DON'T THINK WE HAVE ANY EXPECTATIONS IN FRONT OF US ABOUT WHAT'S GONNA CONTINUE TO HAPPEN AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL. UM, EXPECTING ANYTHING CONSISTENT I THINK WOULD BE A MISTAKE ON OUR PART FROM A BUDGETING PERSPECTIVE. SO, UM, I APPRECIATE THE WAYS THAT YOU ARE LOOKING AT THAT WITH THE EXPECTATION, UM, THAT IT MAY CONTINUE IN THE SAME TREND. YOU DID TALK A LOT ABOUT CODE ENFORCEMENT, AND WE KNOW THAT THAT'S ONE OF THE WAYS THAT YOU WORK WITH YOUR PARTNERS THERE TO KEEP OUR COMMUNITY SAFE STRUCTURALLY, UM, TO KEEP THINGS CLEAN, UM, TO KEEP THINGS IN A WAY THAT DON'T ATTRACT ADDITIONAL BLIGHT AND ALL OF THOSE THINGS. SO, JUST A TWO PART QUESTION, IF YOU HAVE THOUGHTS ON IT. ALSO, IN A REPORT BACK, IF YOU'RE NOT READY TONIGHT, UM, YOU'VE [03:35:01] TALKED A LITTLE BIT ABOUT IT, BUT TALK AGAIN ABOUT HOW CODE ENFORCEMENT CUTS ARE GONNA IMPACT SERVICES AND WHAT ARE THE WAYS WE CAN IMPROVE WORK WITHIN OUR NEIGHBORHOODS? SURE. SO CODE ENFORCEMENT, AS YOU KNOW, HAS A VERY IMPORTANT, UM, ROLE IN IN COMMUNITY. UM, EVERY MONTH WHEN I BRIEF, UH, DIFFERENT COUNCIL OFFICES, OPEN CODE ENFORCEMENT CASES, AND CODE ENFORCEMENT MATTERS ARE A BIG PART OF THAT DISCUSSION. SO, UM, YOU KNOW, WHAT WILL HAPPEN IS THE, THE CUTS TO CODE ENFORCEMENT ARE VACANT POSITIONS. SO THO THOSE ARE NOT, UM, REDUCTION IN FORCE OR LAYOFF, UM, BUT THEY DO IMPACT OUR ABILITY TO PROVIDE SERVICE. SO, UH, WE WERE AT A COMMUNITY BUDGET MEETING AND THE VICE MAYOR'S DISTRICT AND TOM SAID TO THE AUDIENCE, YOU KNOW, BUDGETS ARE BUDGETS, BUT THAT'S DIFFERENT THAN YOUR OPERATIONS DAY TO DAY. SO HOW IT WORKS IN CODE ENFORCEMENT. UM, WE HAVE HAD VACANT POSITIONS WHICH CREATE SALARY SAVINGS, WHICH WE USE, UH, TO PAY OVERTIME. SO AS WE HAVE FEWER VACANT POSITIONS, UM, WHICH HAS HAPPENED BECAUSE OF THESE CUTS, BUT ALSO BECAUSE WE'VE HAD GREAT SUCCESS IN HIRING AND, AND WE'VE LOWERED OUR VACANCY RATE. SO, UM, THAT DECREASES OUR ABILITY TO PAY OVERTIME. WE DO SEND CODE ENFORCEMENT STAFF OUT, UM, ON NIGHTS AND WEEKENDS AND OTHER OFF TIMES, UM, AS NEEDED, AND WE PAY THEM OVER TIME. SO WE WILL CONTINUE TO DO THAT. WE WILL DO, UM, WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE, BUT IT, IT LOWERS OUR FLEXIBILITY THERE. SO THE OTHER THING THAT'LL HAPPEN IS, UH, WE RESPOND TO CODE ENFORCEMENT CASES BASED ON SEVERITY, NOT BASED ON KIND OF THE ORDER IN WHICH WE RECEIVE THEM. SO, UM, IF SOMEONE ON THE WEEKEND BUILDS A BALCONY AND IT HAS NO RAILING, AND SOMEONE COULD WALK OUT THERE AND WALK OFF THE END OF THE BALCONY AND BREAK THEIR NECK, WE'RE GONNA BE THERE IMMEDIATELY WITHIN HOURS OF, UH, RECEIVING THAT COMPLAINT. UM, IF THERE'S TOXIC MATERIALS, UM, RELEASED, WHICH WE'VE CAUGHT BEFORE, AND WE GO OUT AND FIRE GOES OUT WITH US, UM, IF THERE IS AN IMMINENT LIFE SAFETY ISSUE, IF WE RECEIVE A REFERRAL FROM PD, WE GO OUT IMMEDIATELY, AND THAT WON'T CHANGE. WITH THESE, WHAT WILL CHANGE IS OUR LOWEST PRIORITY, UM, CALLS. SO, UM, UH, WE RECEIVE COMPLAINTS ABOUT OVERGROWN PLANTS OR WEEDS OR BUSHES. UM, WE RECEIVE CALLS ABOUT TRASH CANS. WE RECEIVE CALLS ABOUT, UM, VEHICLES PARKED IN A DRIVEWAY. I MEAN, WE DO RESPOND TO THOSE, BUT THAT'S OUR, OUR LOWEST LEVEL. UM, AND WE RESPOND BASICALLY WHEN STAFFING IS AVAILABLE, AND THAT ALREADY CAN TAKE MONTHS, HONESTLY. UM, WE HAVE A BACKLOG OF ABOUT 1000 LOW LEVEL CASES, BUT THE GOOD NEWS IS WE GET TO ALL OF THE HIGH LEVEL CASES. UM, BUT GETTING TO THE LOW LEVEL CASES MATTERS TOO. I THINK WE ALL KNOW FROM MARRIAGE OR RELATIONSHIPS, WHEN YOU ASK SOMEONE TO DO SOMETHING AND THEY DON'T DO IT, IT'S INFURIATING, RIGHT? SO PEOPLE ARE ASKING US TO GO OUT, UM, AND LOOK AT A SITUATION AND WE NEED TO FOLLOW UP. WE NEED TO DO THAT. BUT, UM, THESE, THESE CUTS WILL HAVE AN IMPACT AND WE WILL GET TO ALL OF OUR CASES, BUT IT WILL TAKE US LONGER. AND WHERE PEOPLE WILL HEAR IT IS ON THOSE LOWEST LEVEL CASES. SO, UH, WHERE WE CAN ALL HELP IS CODE ENFORCEMENT IS THERE TO HELP PEOPLE, BUT IT IS NOT A MECHANISM FOR WORKING OUT, UM, NEIGHBOR PERSONAL DISPUTES. UM, WHEN PEOPLE FILE FRIVOLOUS COMPLAINTS OR, UM, THAT DOESN'T HELP US. 'CAUSE WE DO EVENTUALLY FOLLOW UP ON EVERY COMPLAINT. UM, I WOULD REALLY ASK FOLKS TO, UM, JUST BE GOOD HUMAN BEINGS AND BRING US IN, UM, WHEN THEY REALLY NEED HELP, UM, FROM AN ENFORCEMENT STANDPOINT, FROM THE CITY. UM, AND THEN ANYTHING COMMUNITIES CAN DO AS A COMMUNITY GROUP, UM, RANGING FROM CLEANUPS AND COMMUNITY EVENTS TO HELPING THAT NEIGHBOR, UM, INSTEAD OF JUST CRITICIZING THAT NEIGHBOR THAT MAYBE HAS A STRUGGLE OR CAN'T TRIM THEIR, THEIR HEDGES. UM, THAT ALL JUST HELPS US HAVE BEGGAR NEIGHBORHOODS AND ALSO HELPS OUR CODE ENFORCEMENT STAFF RESPOND TO THOSE MORE SERIOUS COMPLAINTS AND, AND NOT, UH, KEEP SOME MORE LOW LEVEL OR FRIVOLOUS ONES. THANK YOU. AND, UM, I WANNA THANK MY COLLEAGUES ON THE BOC THIS AFTERNOON, UH, FOR TALKING A LITTLE BIT ABOUT, UM, CONTINUING THE NEIGHBORHOOD SERVICE GRANTS. UM, I DON'T NEED AN ANSWER FROM YOU RIGHT NOW, DIRECTOR KOONS, BUT IN THE REPORT BACK, UM, WE KNOW THAT IT ISN'T JUST A LACK OF FUNDS. WE KNOW THAT THE POSITION THAT ADMINISTRATE ADMINISTRATES, THAT PROGRAM IS BEING ELIMINATED. IF YOU COULD JUST PUT A LITTLE BIT OF AN EXPLANATION IN THE MEMO BACK TO US AS COUNCIL SO THAT WE CAN SHARE THAT WITH THOSE FOLKS WHO ARE, ARE ASKING US THE QUESTION ABOUT THOSE NEIGHBORHOOD GRANTS, UM, AND THAT IT ISN'T JUST THAT SINGULAR LINE ITEM, BUT THAT IT, IT SOUNDS LIKE IT'S CONNECTED, UM, FROM LISTENING IN ON THE BOC MEETING TO OTHER THINGS THAT ARE HAPPENING WITHIN YOUR DEPARTMENT. SO IF YOU COULD JUST CLARIFY THAT WE'RE WORKING ON A, UM, A WRITTEN RESPONSE. GREAT. AND WE KNOW THAT PROGRAMS LIKE THAT ADVANCE IMPORTANT, UM, COUNCIL AND CITY GOALS, UM, IT'S ALSO A HIGH ADMINISTRATIVE BURDEN, [03:40:01] SO WE'RE GONNA PROVIDE YOU ALL THE INFORMATION AND THE WRITTEN REPORT BACK. PERFECT. THANK YOU. AND I JUST HAVE ONE QUICK QUESTION TO THE CHIEF AND I, UM, I WANNA THANK ALL OF THE STAFF WHO ARE HERE TONIGHT FROM PEOPLE WHO ARE DOING THE WORK IN THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT TO OUR COMMAND STAFF WHO ARE SITTING HERE, UM, OUR DEVELOPMENT SERVICES, COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT FOLKS WHO ARE SITTING HERE. THANK YOU FOR, UM, BEING PRESENT TO REMIND US ABOUT THE WORK THAT YOU DO EVERY DAY. IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT TO ME THAT I SEE YOUR FACE, UM, WHILE WE HAVE THESE DISCUSSIONS, UM, BECAUSE IT WEIGHS HEAVY ON US, THE THINGS THAT ARE IN FRONT OF US. BUT I WANNA THANK ALL OF YOU FOR BEING HERE. UM, CHIEF MUCH HAS BEEN SAID, ENOUGH HAS BEEN SAID. I JUST THINK I JUST WANTED TO ASK ONE QUESTION ON CLARIFICATION. UM, ON PAGE 15 AND 16, YOU TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT SOME OF THE THINGS, UM, THAT ARE THE ONE-TIME BUDGET HIGHLIGHTS, UM, AIR SUPPORT, THE DNA AND THE CRIME LAB. SO I THINK IN LIGHT OF THE CONCERNS AROUND WHERE WE MAY BE CONSOLIDATING, UM, OTHER PIECES, CAN YOU TALK JUST A LITTLE BIT ABOUT, UM, WHY THE THINGS ON PAGE 15 AND 16, UM, ARE IMPORTANT ADDITIONS CONNECTED TO POSSIBLY, UM, THE REDUCTIONS THAT MAY BE HAPPENING? YES, COUNCIL MEMBER, THOSE ARE, ARE NON, NON, UH, PERSONNEL ENHANCEMENTS. THOSE ARE, ARE ASSETS THAT, THAT, UH, INCREASE OUR ABILITY TO OPERATE EFFECTIVELY, UH, IN LEANER TIMES. LIKE, LIKE NOW. UM, THE DNA LAB, THE CRIME LAB, UH, THOSE ARE THINGS WHERE THOSE INVESTMENTS, UM, HELP US, UH, BECOME MORE EFFICIENT AND MORE EFFECTIVE IN WHAT WE DO. UH, THEY ALSO PRESENT OPPORTUNITIES FOR US TO LOOK AT, UH, BEING A REGIONAL LEADER AND CONTRACTING OUT SERVICES THAT, UH, NOW, FOR EXAMPLE, WITH THE DNA LAB, WE HAVE TO WAIT IN LINE WITH THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT FOR ANALYSIS. UM, INVESTING IN THESE, UH, CRITICAL INFRASTRUCTURE NEEDS FOR THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, UH, HELPS OUR DEPARTMENT LEVERAGE A REDUCTION IN, UH, IN PERSONNEL AND USE TECHNOLOGY AND, UH, OTHER AREAS TO, TO HELP SUPPLEMENT THAT. THANK YOU. THANKS, ALL THREE OF YOU. THANK YOU. NEXT. COUNCILMAN SUBINA. OKAY. I'D, I'D FIRST LIKE TO THANK, UH, EVERYONE WHO'S HERE TONIGHT WHO PARTICIPATED IN PUBLIC COMMENT, REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR INPUT AND THE FACT THAT YOU STAYED SO LATE. UH, IN PARTICULAR, I, I'D LIKE TO, UM, THANK THE GENTLEMAN WHO HAD BEEN EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS WHO TALKED ABOUT THE IMPACTS THAT THE, UH, QUALITY LIFE TEAM HAD ON HIS LIFE AND REALLY APPRECIATE HIS TESTIMONY TONIGHT. UM, OUR OFFICE HAS THE SAME FEELING ABOUT QUALITY LIFE OFFICERS, AND, UH, WE HAVE MULTIPLE STORIES LIKE THE GENTLEMAN SHARED TONIGHT. AND, UM, CHIEF, I, I THINK AFTER ALL THIS DISCUSSION, WHAT YOU SAID FIRST JUST STRUCK ME, AND THAT WAS THAT WITH THE REDUCTION QUALITY OF LIFE OFFICERS, YOU'D BE DEPENDING ON OTHER DEPARTMENTS. THOSE WERE YOUR WORDS. AND THAT CAUGHT ME BECAUSE I DON'T THINK ANY OTHER DEPARTMENT DOES WHAT THE QUALITY OF LIFE OFFICERS DO. AND THE REASON WE KNOW THAT IS ADDITION TO THEIR RESPONSIBILITY, THEY HAVE SUCH A HIGH LEVEL OF ACCOUNTABILITY THAT WE GET REPORTS BACK TO OUR OFFICE ON SUCCESSES THEY'VE HAD OR FAILURES. AND WE FIND OUT ABOUT INDIVIDUALS OR IN, HANG ON, I'LL, I'LL PAUSE WHAT'S GOING ON? SORRY, WE HAD A, I IT'S OKAY. CONTINUE. UM, BUT THEY, UH, WE GET IMPACT THAT TELLS US HOW THEY'VE RESOLVED ISSUES AND ENCAMPMENTS OR INDIVIDUALS, AND WE DON'T GET THAT FROM OTHER DEPARTMENTS. SO THAT'S WHY I'M SUCH A BIG FAN OF THE QUALITY OF LIFE OFFICERS, AND I DON'T WANT TO SEE ANY REDUCTION THERE AT ALL. THE CITY MANAGER JUST ALSO SAID, UM, WORDS ABOUT, YOU KNOW, DIFFERENT GROUPS CAN GO OUT ON THEIR OWN IF THERE'S A PROBLEM THEY CAN CALL FOR HELP. UM, I THINK I'VE ALWAYS MAINTAINED THAT I WOULD NEVER, EVER WANT TO PLACE ANY CIVILIAN EMPLOYEE OF THIS CITY IN HARM'S WAY NO MATTER WHAT. I I'M SURE YOU FEEL THE SAME WAY. AND I THINK THAT THE IDEA YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT COMMUNICATION, BOY, DO WE HAVE TO ENHANCE THAT, UH, BE IT A, A FOOD SAFETY INSPECTOR OUT THERE, UM, OUR HOMELESS SERVICES TEAM OR, UH, UH, A CODE INSPECTOR. UM, I, I JUST THINK IF WE HAVE A REDUCTION IN, IN POLICE STAFF THAT WE REALLY HAVE TO, UH, ENHANCE, UM, COMMUNICATIONS ALSO, UM, I THINK YOU JUST BARELY TOUCHED ON THE OLYMPICS COMING UP. THIS IS PROBABLY NOT THE VENUE TO GET INTO THAT DISCUSSION TONIGHT, UH, BUT I NOTICED THAT THE FIRE COMMAND STAFF IS HERE AND THE CHIEF, UH, FIRE CHIEF IS HERE. SO WHAT I'D LIKE TO DO, I, I HAPPEN TO CHAIR OF THE PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE, AND SO I'D LIKE TO COMMIT TO HAVING A PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE MEETING DEDICATED TO THE OLYMPICS, UM, NEXT MONTH, IF, UH, WE CAN DO THAT, WE'LL, WE'LL GET, UH, THAT INFORMATION OUT TO YOU. UM, A COUPLE OF MY COLLEAGUES HERE HAVE MENTIONED THE, UM, MOBILE [03:45:01] ACCESS CENTER, AND THIS IS WHAT I TALK ABOUT. I, I'M JUST TALKING ABOUT THE FOURTH COUNCIL DISTRICT, AND WE HAD, UH, THE MAC IN OUR DISTRICT, MAYBE THE FIRST MONTH OR SO OF ITS EXISTENCE, AND IT HASN'T BEEN BACK SINCE. SO, UM, FOURTH, FOURTH COUNCIL DISTRICT DOES NOT MEET THE CRITERIA FOR THE MAC TO BE IN, IN, IN THAT DISTRICT. SO THAT'S WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT THINGS NECESSARILY. UM, NOT EVERYTHING WORKING OR, UM, THERE ARE SO MANY THINGS THAT QUALITY OF LIFE OFFICERS DO THAT THAT'S OUR ONLY RESOURCE, AND WE DON'T HAVE A LOT, UH, OTHER THAN THAT. SO, UM, I WANTED TO MENTION THAT. UH, ALSO I'M, I'M VERY STRUCK WITH THE HERE AND NOW AND WHATNOT, BUT, UH, DIRECTOR KING MENTIONED THAT WE'RE, WE'RE, UM, THE FUNDING WILL, WILL REDUCE DRASTICALLY IN 2028. AND, UM, I'LL, I, I'M GONNA BE HERE IN 2028. I'M, I DON'T HAVE TO LEAVE UNTIL DECEMBER. SO, UM, WE'D REALLY, UH, I THINK WE REALLY NEED TO WORK ON THAT NUMBER AND, AND FUTURE PLANNING TOO FOR THAT. UM, AND, UH, DIRECTOR KING MENTIONED, UM, I THINK YOUR WORDS WERE PROTECTING LONG BEACH, AND I THINK WHAT YOU MEANT BY THAT WAS PROTECTING THE RESIDENTS OF LONG BEACH. THAT'S, THAT'S YOUR JOB ULTIMATELY. AND I THINK THAT, UH, ANY, ANY TIME WE DIMINISH THESE SERVICES OR SAY, UH, HEALTH INSPECTIONS AND WHATNOT, UM, THAT, UH, REALLY MARGINALIZES WHAT YOU, WHAT YOU CAN THERE. UM, I THINK THEN, UM, I, I JUST, I HAVEN'T TALKED TO CHRISTOPHER KOONS ABOUT THIS BEFORE, BUT, UM, IT JUST STRUCK ME THAT, AND WE TALK ABOUT ALL THE NEW HOUSING INITIATIVES AND WHATNOT FOR OUR DISTRICT, WHAT WE DON'T REALLY DISCUSS, BUT ONE OF THE, YOU KNOW, THE BIGGEST ISSUES IN OUR DISTRICT ARE THE IMPACTS, THE NEIGHBORHOODS WHERE, WHERE THESE, UM, UH, NEW NEW HOUSE HOUSING INITIATIVES ARE HAPPENING. AND SO WHAT I'D LIKE TO SUGGEST IS, IS THAT WE DO SOME TYPE OF STUDY OF THAT. IT'D BE GREAT IF WE GOT THE STATE TO PAY FOR IT. UM, BUT I KNOW HAVING WORKED ON COMMUNITY HOSPITAL, THAT YOUR DEPARTMENT IS INVOLVED A LOT WITH STATE AGENCIES. MY CONSTITUENTS DEAL WITH STATE ELECTED OFFICIALS, AND, UM, I, I THINK WE, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE'LL HAVE TO ADDRESS, UH, SOONER RATHER THAN LATER. AND THIS ISN'T MY IDEA. I HAVE TO GIVE CREDIT TO A FORMER COUNCIL MEMBER WHO IS SO STRUCK WITH THE CRACKER BOX PHENOMENON THAT HE DEVELOPED THE SAME TYPE OF STUDY. AND THAT WAS, UH, COUNCILMAN ALLEN TAL. SO THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. UM, AND OUR LAST, BEFORE WE GO TO A SECOND ROUND COUNCIL MEMBER ALLEN, UH, THANK YOU, MAYOR. UM, I JUST WANNA SAY THANK YOU TO ALL THREE OF YOU THAT ARE HERE TONIGHT. UM, YOU ALL ARE SPECTACULAR IN YOUR OWN RIGHT, YOUR DEPARTMENT HEADS, AND, UM, AND I CONCUR WITH YOU, UM, COUNCILWOMAN CUR. IT'S SO GREAT TO SEE ALL OF YOU HERE IN YOUR FACES. UM, JUST THANK YOU, UM, FOR ALL THAT YOU DO IN YOUR OWN WAYS, UM, FOR THIS CITY. UM, CHIEF, I'M GONNA START WITH YOU. UM, SO YEAH, JUST, JUST THANK YOU AGAIN FOR ALL THE HARD WORK YOU DO IN YOUR DEPARTMENT. UM, YOU KNOW, PUBLIC SAFETY DOES HAVE THE LARGEST BUDGET, BUT PUBLIC SAFETY ALSO HAS THE LARGEST RESPONSIBILITY. UM, I WANNA THANK EVERYONE WHO'S WORKED REALLY HARD, UH, TO ADDRESS ALL THE VACANCIES AND, UM, AND TO STRENGTHEN THE RECRUITMENT AND STRENGTHEN THE RETENTION. UM, I SURE HOPE THAT WE CAN KEEP THAT MOMENTUM GOING, UM, YOU KNOW, DESPITE THE REDUCTIONS THAT WE ARE FACING, UM, BECAUSE WE KNOW HOW HARD IT IS TO REBUILD, UM, AND TO, UM, TO REPLACE THOSE. SO I SURE HOPE THAT THAT CONTINUES. AND IT SOUNDS LIKE, IT SOUNDS LIKE IT IS. UM, I AM CONCERNED ABOUT THE, UH, REDUCTIONS, UM, IN PATROL, UM, BECAUSE WHEN SOMEONE CALLS 9 1 1, THEY EXPECT, UM, A RESPONSE. AND I WANNA UNDERSTAND WHAT THESE REDUCTIONS COULD MEAN TO DAY-TO-DAY SERVICE, YOU KNOW, IN OUR NEIGHBORHOODS, UM, THEIR RELATIONSHIP BUILDING MATTERS, UM, AND I KNOW OUR OFFICERS ARE BEING ASKED TO BALANCE CALLS FOR SERVICE AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, UM, WITH THE INCREASING DEMANDS ON THE DEPARTMENT. UM, SO I DO HAVE A COUPLE, JUST A COUPLE QUICK QUESTIONS. UM, YOU KNOW, THE POA PRESIDENT, UH, GARRETT DID HAVE A COUPLE CONCERNS, AND I WAS JUST WONDERING IF YOU COULD, COULD JUST ADDRESS SOME OF THOSE. UM, AND I THINK WE'VE ASKED THAT BEFORE, AND I KNOW I'VE SAID THIS IN THE BOC MEETING TOO. WE'RE ALL CONCERNED ABOUT THE OLYMPICS, SO MAYBE THAT'S SOMETHING THAT, UM, COUNCIL, UH, IS GONNA ADDRESS IN HIS MEETING. SO I LOOK FORWARD TO HEARING LIKE HOW THAT'S GONNA BE AFFECTED. BUT, UM, HE DID, UH, THE POA PRESIDENT DID ADDRESS, LIKE, YOU KNOW, HOW DO WE, UH, EXPECT RESPONSE TIMES FOR CALLS FOR SERVICE TO CHANGE AS A RESULT OF THE STAFFING OR [03:50:01] OVERTIME REDUCTION. SO THOSE ARE SOME OF THE THINGS HE SAID IN HIS COMMENTS. COULD YOU ADDRESS THAT, PLEASE? YES. UH, THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER. SO, UH, THERE'S A REDUCTION IN STAFFING. THERE'S GOING TO BE SERVICE IMPACTS. AND MY RESPONSIBILITY NOW IS, IS TO PRIORITIZE AND MAINTAIN THOSE CORE SERVICES THAT WE HAVE, INCLUDING PATROL. AND SO, UH, WHEN YOU HAVE LESS PERSONNEL TO RESPOND TO CALLS, YOU HAVE TO FIND OTHER WAYS TO HANDLE THOSE THINGS. AND, UM, YOU KNOW, OUR OFFICERS FOR OVER TWO YEARS HAVE BEEN WORKING MANDATORY OVERTIME SHIFTS, SO WE COULD MAINTAIN THAT BASE STAFFING, THAT BUFFER AND BASE STAFFING AND MAINTAIN THOSE, THOSE PRIORITY ONE RESPONSE TIMES THAT WE TALKED ABOUT EARLIER. UH, SO LEVERAGING TECHNOLOGY AND OTHER MECHANISMS TO HELP US RESPOND TO CALLS, LOOKING AT, UH, ACQUIRING AND UTILIZING, UH, NEW AND CURRENT TECHNOLOGY IN A WAY THAT'S ETHICAL AND LAWFUL TO SUPPORT WHAT WE DO IS CRITICAL. UH, BUT THAT COSTS MONEY AS WELL. THOSE THINGS AREN'T FREE, AND THERE'S OPERATIONS AND MAINTENANCE COSTS AND BACKEND WORK THAT HAS TO GO INTO THAT. SO I THINK REALLY TAKING A, A, UH, A PRAGMATIC APPROACH AT, AT, UH, HOW WE PROVIDE SERVICE TO OUR COMMUNITY IS WHAT THIS BUDGET IS ABOUT FOR US, AND UNDERSTANDING THAT WE MAY NEED TO CHANGE THE WAY WE DO THINGS AND, UH, UM, BUT MAINTAINING THOSE CORE PRIORITY FUNCTIONS, UH, IS, IS MY TOP PRIORITY. AND THEN, UH, WHICH DIVISION OR WATCHES, UM, WE'LL LOSE OFFICERS WITH THE PROPOSED REDUCTION TO PATROL. IT'LL BE AN EQUAL NUMBER OF OFFICERS FROM EVERY DIVISION COUNCIL MEMBER. OKAY. UM, ARE THERE ANY, UH, ARE THERE CERTAIN TYPES OF CALLS OR SERVICES WHERE RESIDENTS ARE MOST LIKELY TO SEE THE IMPACT FROM THESE REDUCTIONS? THE GOAL IS TO MAINTAIN THE FIVE TO SIX MINUTE EMERGENCY RESPONSE TIME. THOSE ARE THE MOST SERIOUS CALLS. SO IF WE DO SEE AN IMPACT, UH, I ANTICIPATE THOSE IMPACTS WILL BE IN LOWER LEVEL CALLS, REPORT CALLS, AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE. AND SO WE'LL REALLY NEED TO EMPHASIZE THE, THE, UH, RESOURCES WE HAVE TO FILE ONLINE TO FILE WITH CSAS, UM, UH, TO UTILIZE THE OTHER MECHANISMS WE HAVE IN THE DEPARTMENT, UH, TO HELP PROVIDE THAT LEVEL OF SERVICE TO OUR COMMUNITY. OKAY. THANK YOU, CHIEF. UM, OKAY. I'M GONNA GO TO, UM, TO DIRECTOR KING. UM, I THINK, UM, THAT IT'S REALLY HELPED TO PUT IN PERSPECTIVE NOT ONLY HOW MUCH WORK THAT YOUR DEPARTMENT HAS, HAS THAT DOES AND IS DONE AND IS DOING, UM, BUT HOW COMPLICATED THE FUNDING, UM, BEHIND THESE SERVICES CAN BE. UM, I KNOW THE MAYOR TALKED IN THE BEGINNING OF THIS BUDGET ABOUT, ABOUT, ABOUT, UM, HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES, AND HE WAS JUST SPOT ON. SO I CONCUR WITH, WITH ALL THAT, THAT HE SAID EARLY ON. SO I'M NOT GONNA REPEAT ANY OF THAT. UM, I DO REALLY APPRECIATE HOW HARD THE DEPARTMENT HAS WORKED TO LIMIT ITS RELIANCE, UM, ON THE GENERAL FUND DOLLARS AND LEVERAGE OUTSIDE, UH, RESOURCES. UM, THE PRESENTATION SHOWED THAT FY 28, THAT EVERY, FOR EVERY $1 IN THE GENERAL FUND SUPPORTED AND HELPED LEVERAGE ABOUT $11 IN GRANTS. UM, AND MANY OF THOSE DOLLARS, HOWEVER THEY'RE RESTRICTED OR TEMPORARY. UM, AND WHEN WE LOOK AT WHERE THE DEPARTMENT'S EXPENSES ACTUALLY GO, I THINK WE, IT WAS VERY CLEAR THAT ABOUT 64% OF IT GOES TO SALARIES AND BENEFITS. UH, SO WHEN FUNDING DECLINES, THERE'S ONLY SO MUCH WE CAN DO, UM, TO REDUCE, UM, THOSE, UH, THERE'S ONLY SO MUCH THAT WE CAN DO TO, UM, UH, AND WHEN IT COMES TO IMPACTING THE STAFF AND THE SERVICES THAT WE PROVIDE. UM, SO MY QUESTION TO YOU IS THIS, UM, I'M GLAD TO SEE THAT THE DEPARTMENT IS CONTINUING, UM, TO PURSUE NEW OPPORTUNITIES RATHER THAN RELYING ON THE GENERAL FUND. UM, BUT I DO HAVE A QUESTION. WHAT THE FUNDING LOSSES THAT WE'VE ALREADY SEEN COMING AND, AND FY, UH, 28 AND BEYOND? UM, MY ONLY QUESTION TO YOU, IS THERE ANYTHING THAT CONCERNS YOU THE MOST? I, I THINK IT ALL CONCERNS ME, BUT THERE'S NO DOUBT THAT THE CORE PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICES ARE, UM, A REAL CHALLENGE BECAUSE THEY ARE SOMETIMES NOT THE ONES THAT HAVE AVAILABLE GRANT FUNDING SUCH AS TUBERCULOSIS, SUCH AS OUR COMMUNICABLE DISEASE AND INVESTIGATION. AND THIS OPPORTUNITY WITH MEASURE ER DOES INDEED PROVIDE US, UH, A, A REAL CHANCE TO ENHANCE THOSE IN A WAY THAT OUR PREPAREDNESS, UH, CAN REALLY SUPPORT SOMETHING SUCH AS A COVID-19 IF IT WERE TO HAVE HAPPEN AGAIN. UH, SO THAT, THAT OF COURSE DOES CONCERN ME, BUT HAVING THIS DOES STAVE THAT OFF FOR A WHILE. UM, UH, OBVIOUSLY THERE IS ALSO THE CHALLENGE THAT WE FACE WITH HOMELESS DOLLARS, UM, THAT ARE SHIFTING BECAUSE OF FEDERAL AND [03:55:01] STATE CHANGES. UM, AND, YOU KNOW, WE ARE ALWAYS, UH, TRYING TO GET AHEAD OF IT. WE'VE REALLY UPPED OUR SHELTERS AND THERE HAS BEEN THE FEDERAL EMPHASIS OR DE-EMPHASIS ON PERMANENT SUPPORTING HOUSES HOUSING, WHICH IS WHERE WE HAVE PLACED OUR GREATEST EMPHASIS. UM, IT WAS, AGAIN, RECALLED THE, THE CLC NOFO THAT COULD HAVE PUT THAT AT RISK. AND JUST BEING IN A PLACE OF UNCERTAINTY ABOUT WHERE THAT IS HEADED AND WHERE IT IS GOING, UM, DOES INDEED CONCERN ME. BUT THIS CUSHION THAT WE HAVE PROVIDED FOR CORE PUBLIC HEALTH, AGAIN, DOES INDEED HELP. UM, AND IN THE MEANTIME, WE WILL SHIFT, ADJUST, AND BE AS FLEXIBLE AS WE CAN. BUT THE IMPORTANT THING FOR US IS TO RIGHTSIZE OUR SERVICES WITH THE FUNDING THAT WE HAVE AND TO CONTINUE TO VET OUR GRANTS, UM, FOR FULL IMPACT AS WE STATED EARLIER. SO THOSE ARE THE THINGS THAT WE CAN DO, UM, BUT THE CONCERN IS STILL REAL. WELL, THANK YOU, DIRECTOR KING. I HAVE SO MUCH RESPECT FOR YOU AND THE WORK THAT YOU AND YOUR TEAM DO, SO THANK YOU. UM, OKAY. SO, UM, COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT, UH, I'M ALMOST DONE. UM, SO THANK YOU TO, UH, DIRECTOR KING FOR YOUR PRESENTATION, AND, UM, YOU GUYS DO SO MUCH GREAT WORK. SO I'M NOT GONNA REPEAT EVERYTHING THAT MY COLLEAGUES HAVE ALREADY SAID. UM, I LIKE WITH CODE ENFORCEMENT TAKING ON THE NOISE, UH, ENFORCEMENT SEEMS LIKE A NATURAL FIT. AND SINCE THE TEAM ALREADY HANDLES SO MANY OF THOSE ISSUES, UM, THAT JUST SEEMS LIKE THAT'S GONNA WORK OUT. UM, I ALSO APPRECIATE THAT YOU HAD TALKED ABOUT, UM, THAT THE DEPARTMENT CONTINUES TO LOOK FOR NEW FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES, UM, PARTICULARLY FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND RENT PROTECTIONS, WHICH ARE REALLY IMPORTANT. UM, I THINK THE ADDITIONAL 10.7 MILLION ON LA CASA FUNDING GIVES US ANOTHER TOOL, UM, TO SUPPORT HOUSING PRODUCTION AND ESPECIALLY RESIDENTS THAT ARE STRUGGLING. SO THAT'S ALL REALLY GOOD. UM, SO, UH, THANK YOU FOR ALL THE WORK, UM, THAT YOU ARE DOING. THE QUESTION I HAD FOR YOU, YOU ALREADY ANSWERED, BUT AGAIN, APPRECIATE YOU, RESPECT YOU AND THANK YOU AND YOUR TEAM FOR ALL THE HARD WORK THAT YOU DO. THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER. COUNCIL MEMBER, UH, DUGAN GAN. ALRIGHT, THANKS, VICE MAYOR. UM, DIRECTOR KUNZ. UH, I JUST WANTED TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT, UM, WELL, WE ALL KNOW THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BECAUSE YOUR OPERATIONS ARE SUPPORTED THROUGH GRANTS AND FEES. SO A SIGNIFICANT PORTION OF THE COSTS ARE PROVIDING, UH, PROVIDING SERVICES, UH, IS RECOVERED, WHICH I THINK IS GOOD FOR YOUR DEPARTMENT. THE ONE CHANGE THAT HAS BEEN MADE IN YOUR DEPARTMENT IS THE MOVING NOISE ABATEMENT ENFORCEMENT FROM THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT INTO COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT. UM, WE REGULARLY HEAR FROM RESIDENTS ABOUT SITUATIONS WHERE CODE ENFORCEMENT, SHORT-TERM RENTALS AND NOISE COMPLAINTS ARE OVERLAPPING. SO HAVING THOSE ENFORCEMENT FUNCTIONS HOUSED WITHIN THE SAME DEPARTMENT SEEMS LIKE A GREAT OPPORTUNITY AND A COORDINATED APPROACH. CAN YOU WALK US THROUGH HOW THE TRANSFER OF NOISE ENFORCEMENT WILL WORK AND WHETHER RESIDENTS SHOULD EXPECT ANY CHANGES IN HOW COMPLAINTS ARE SUBMITTED, INVESTIGATED, OR ENFORCED? AND THE SECOND PART TO THAT IS, IS YOUR TEAM BEING TRAINED ON DECIBEL READERS? GREAT, THANK YOU FOR THE QUESTION. COUNCIL MEMBERS. SO, UM, THERE WILL BE CHANGES OVER TIME, BUT IN THE SHORT RUN, WHETHER THE COMPLAINT COMES INTO THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT, EVEN AFTER THE SERVICE IS TRANSFERRED OR COMES INTO COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT, WE'RE, WE'RE GONNA TRANSFER THAT INFORMATION BACK AND FORTH. WE'RE NOT GONNA SEND, UM, THE COMPLAINANT AWAY. SO THE, THERE'S MULTIPLE FRONT DOORS, UM, FOR FOLKS. THEY EVENTUALLY, UM, ALL COMPLAINTS WILL COME THROUGH, UM, LONG BEACH CODE AND, UH, THROUGH THE WEBSITE OR THROUGH, UM, GO LONG BEACH, AND THEY WILL MAKE OUR WAY TO CODE ENFORCEMENT. UM, WE ARE BEING TRAINED WHILE THIS TRANSITION, YOU KNOW, WON'T OCCUR UNTIL OCTOBER 1ST, WE'VE DONE THE INVENTORY OF THE EQUIPMENT. WE'VE HAD SEVERAL, UM, MEETINGS BETWEEN HEALTH STAFF AND CODE ENFORCEMENT STAFF, UM, TO GET, UH, ALL THE PROCEDURES CORRECT AND TRANSFER OVER. UM, SO ON OCTOBER 1ST, UM, YOU KNOW, WE WILL BE RESPONDING TO THOSE CALLS. WE ALSO HAVE TO HIRE SOMEONE. SO THIS POSITION'S CURRENTLY VACANT. UM, SO WHAT I WOULD SAY IS [04:00:01] WE APPRECIATE EVERYONE'S PATIENCE OVER TIME. THIS IS GONNA BE A SUPER EFFECTIVE PROGRAM. IT MAY NOT BE EVERYTHING WE WANT IT TO BE ON OCTOBER 1ST, BUT WHAT WILL HAPPEN OVER TIME IS INSTEAD OF THERE BEING REFERRALS BACK AND FORTH BETWEEN HEALTH, THIS PART IS NOISE. THIS PART IS SHORT TERM RENTALS. THIS PART IS A STANDARD CODE ENFORCEMENT CASE. UM, EVERYTHING WOULD BE HANDLED BY A SINGLE, UM, INSPECTOR WITHIN CODE ENFORCEMENT. THEY WOULD HANDLE THE WHOLE OF THE CASE AND WORK WITH BOTH THE COMPLAINING PARTY, UM, AND THE, UH, INDIVIDUAL PROPERTY OWNER, UM, TO FIND A RESOLUTION. SO OUR GOAL IS USUALLY TO, TO BRING SOMEONE INTO COMPLIANCE. IT'S NOT, UM, TO FIND PEOPLE. SO FIRST WE HAVE A CONVERSATION WITH FOLKS. WHAT IS THE REASON FOR THE NOISE? CAN WE MAKE A CHANGE? CAN WE CHANGE THE HOURS OF A BUSINESS'S OPERATION? CAN WE CLOSE THE BACK DOOR? SOMETIMES IT'S SIMPLE. IF IT'S NOT SIMPLE AND WE CAN'T GAIN COMPLIANCE, UM, THEN WE ISSUE A CITATION, AND THEN WE GO BACK ON A, ON A REGULAR PERIOD, ABOUT 21 TO 30 DAYS TO SEE IF THEY'RE IN COMPLIANCE AFTER THAT. AND IF THEY'RE NOT, THERE'S ESCALATING, UM, FINES AND PENALTIES. UM, SO THE PROCESS IS GONNA BE PRETTY, UM, SIMILAR, JUST MORE INTEGRATED, UM, THAN IT IS TODAY. AND IT, THE DIFFERENCE, UM, SHOULDN'T BE NOTICEABLE TO RESIDENTS. UM, IF ANYTHING, IT'LL, IT'LL, UM, BE A LITTLE MORE RESPONSIVE THAN BEFORE. WONDERFUL. I THINK IT'S GREAT THAT IT CAN BE, REPORTS CAN BE MADE THROUGH GO LONG BEACH, THE WEBSITE, AND THEN IT RELIEVES HEALTH OF, UM, ONE OTHER, UH, DEPARTMENT THAT THEY HAVE TO DEAL WITH. UM, I WANNA ASK YOU ABOUT THE LB BUILDS AND THE NEW PERMITTING AND LICENSING SYSTEM. I UNDERSTAND THAT THE FIRST THREE PHASES ARE EXPECTED. THE FIRST OF THE THREE PHASES, WE'LL GET GOING BY THE END OF 2026. UH, I WISH THAT WERE TRUE. SO THAT WAS THE ORIGINAL SCHEDULE. BUT, UM, THAT WORK IS BEHIND SCHEDULE. SO THAT WILL BE DELIVERED IN, UH, SUMMER TO FALL OF 2027. UM, BUT MYSELF AND FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT, YOU KNOW, UH, THE, THE VENDOR IS EATING THE COST OF THAT DELAY, AND WE'RE MAKING SURE THE CITY IS MADE WHOLE AND THAT WE GET THE PRODUCT THAT WE ASKED FOR. UM, SO THE VENDOR IS, IS WORKING WITH US. THERE HAS BEEN A DELAY THAT'S NOT REALLY EXTRAORDINARY. WHEN WE DELIVERED LB COAST, IT WAS SUBJECT TO MANY, MANY DELAYS. UM, AND THE CITIES OF LOS ANGELES, HONOLULU AND OTHERS WHO ARE DOING SIMILAR BUILDS, UM, ARE ALL EXPERIENCING DELAYS. IT TURNS OUT IT'S VERY COMPLICATED TO BUILD A SYSTEM WITH, UH, 200 USERS AND THOUSANDS OF CUSTOMERS, BUT ONCE IT IS DELIVERED, IT'S GONNA GREATLY IMPROVE, UM, SERVICE BOTH INTERNALLY AS WELL AS FOR OUR EXTERNAL CUSTOMERS. IT'LL GIVE TRONG AND JOSEPH A. LITTLE BREAK. THEY'RE SO RESPONSIVE, BUT THIS WILL BE A MUCH MORE EFFICIENT WAY, UM, A WAY TO, UH, MAKE YOUR, YOUR DEPARTMENT EFFICIENT. UM, SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR WORK AND YOUR PRESENTATION TONIGHT. UM, SO DIRECTOR KING, I JUST WANT TO HIGHLIGHT THE WORK THAT YOU DO AS WELL AS ERICA VALENCIA DACI. UM, YOU TOOK UP OVER THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT AT A VERY DIFFICULT TIME, AND YOU HAVE SHOWN PERSONAL INTEREST AND, UM, PAIN WHEN YOU HAVE TO DEAL WITH ALL OF THESE ISSUES. AND THE IMPACTS, I KNOW ARE DIFFICULT TO TAKE FOR YOU PERSONALLY. SO I LOVE THAT BECAUSE I THINK IT'S A GOOD SIGN OF A LEADER. GREAT LEADER. SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR WORK. UM, I HAVE TWO QUESTIONS FOR YOU. UM, ONE IS ABOUT THE COMMUNITY CRISIS RESPONSE TEAM. SO, AS YOU KNOW, I DID A RIDE ALONG WITH THE TEAM AND I BELIEVE IN WHAT THEY WORK ON AND WHAT WE ARE TRYING TO ACCOMPLISH WITH THIS TEAM. I WANT TO UNDERSTAND HOW WE CAN GET THIS TEAM TO RESPOND TO MORE CALLS. THE PROPOSED BUDGET'S GOING TO TRANSITION THE PROGRAM FROM ONE TIME FUNDING TO CITY MEASURE A FUNDING, AND THAT IS INTENDED TO SUPPORT PUBLIC SAFETY AND INFRASTRUCTURE. IF WE'RE GOING TO USE MEASURE A FUNDING, HOW CAN WE GET THIS TEAM TO TAKE A GREATER LOAD OFF OF POLICE AND FIRE? THIS IS ACTUALLY COUNTY MEASURE A. OH, IT IS COUNTY MEASURE A? YES. OKAY. THIS IS COUNTY MEASURE A. YEAH, THAT'S RIGHT. IT WOULDN'T BE CITY. OH. AND WE, WE ARE FUNDING IT ABOUT 25% COUNTY MEASURE A. WE HAVE AN EARMARK THAT IS COMING. [04:05:01] UM, AND THEN WE HAVE 6% ON A, A BOARD OF CORRECTIONS GRANT THAT IS FUNDING CCR. OKAY. THANK YOU. UH, THANKS FOR THAT CLARIFICATION. YEAH, AND THAT IS SOMETHING WE'RE LOOKING AT THIS YEAR, IS NOW WE STARTED WITH THE PILOT, THEN WE WENT, YOU KNOW, SMALL, AND THEN WE WENT TO DOWNTOWN, THEN IT WENT CITYWIDE. UH, THEY'RE NOW OPERATING CITYWIDE AND WE'RE LOOKING TO NOW BUMP UP THEIR CALL VOLUME TOO. SO HOW DO WE GET MORE CALLS TO THEM? UH, THEY, THEY DO NEED TO BE SCREENED THROUGH DISPATCH TO MAKE SURE THAT THEIR CALLS THAT ARE APPROPRIATE FOR THEM TO GO ON. UM, BUT HOW DO WE GET MORE OF THAT CONNECTIVITY, REALIZING WE'RE GONNA HAVE NOT AS MANY OFFICERS, NOT AS MANY OUTREACH WORKERS, UH, BUT THIS TEAM IS STILL THERE AND OPERATING MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY. GREAT. THANK YOU AGAIN FOR THE CLARIFICATION. UM, THE, THE LAST QUESTION I HAVE FOR YOU DIRECTOR IS, UM, CONTROLS ON OUR HOMELESS SPENDING, ESPECIALLY FOR NONPROFIT PROVIDERS, HAVE BEEN A MAJOR AREA OF FOCUS AND OBVIOUSLY A, A CONCERN. SO I KNOW WE'VE SPENT A LOT OF TIME, A LOT OF TIME STRENGTHENING THE SAFEGUARDS TO ENSURE WE'RE GETTING THE MOST OUT OF OUR CONTRACTORS, AND THAT THESE DOLLARS ARE BEING USED EFFECTIVELY. CAN YOU WALK US THROUGH WHAT SAFEGUARDS HAVE BEEN PUT IN PLACE TO MAKE SURE WE'RE GETTING THE MOST OUT OF THE BUDGETED MONEY FOR HOMELESSNESS? SOME OF WHAT WE HAVE DONE HAS BEEN TO WORK VERY CLOSELY WITH OUR CITY AUDITOR'S OFFICE, WHO HAS PROVIDED US WITH A REPORT. WE HAVE, UM, INCREASED OUR STAFFING TO BE ABLE TO ENSURE THAT MONITORING OF THESE PROVIDERS DOES INDEED TAKE PLACE. UM, WE WILL BE REVAMPING, UH, CONTRACTS TO ADDRESS SOME OF THE CONCERNS THAT HAVE COME UP, UM, THAT WERE LESS OBVIOUS, BUT HAVE BEEN IDENTIFIED. AND WE ARE PUTTING SAFEGUARDS, UM, AND GUARDRAILS IN, UH, TO TRY AND ADDRESS SOME OF THOSE THINGS. UM, WE CONTINUE TO SEE, UH, CHALLENGES THAT COME UP WITH PROVIDERS ALL ACROSS THE COUNTY AND THE NATION. AND AS WE SEE SOME OF WHAT HAS BEEN PRESENTED, UH, WE ARE ADDRESSING THOSE, WHETHER IT IS GETTING MORE INFORMATION ABOUT LEADERS AND, YOU KNOW, TRULY DIGGING DOWN INTO WHO IT IS THAT WE'RE WORKING WITH, AND ENSURING THAT THE OVERSIGHT, UH, THAT IS NECESSARY IS IN PLACE. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THAT'S THE END OF MY QUESTIONING. THANK YOU. UH, WELL JUST, WE'RE AT THIS POINT. MIGHT AS WELL JUST GO AHEAD AND THROW IT OUT THERE. ANY ADDITIONAL COMMENTS FROM THE COUNCIL? NONE. OKAY. THAT COMPLETES OUR HEARING TODAY. BEFORE I CLOSE IT OUT, I WANNA THANK THE PUBLIC FOR BEING HERE THIS EVENING FOR PROVIDING THEIR VERY IMPORTANT INPUT. I ALSO WANT TO THANK STAFF. I KNOW A LOT OF YOU HERE ARE TO SUPPORT YOUR, YOUR DEPARTMENT HEADS, BUT YOU'RE HERE ON YOUR OWN TIME. I WANNA THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE AS WELL. ME, NO FURTHER COMMENT. LET'S TAKE A VOTE. MOTION IS CARRIED. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. NEXT ITEM, PLEASE. UH, WE HAVE NOT TAKEN NON, UH, NON AGENDA PUBLIC COMMENT. THE FIRST NON-AGENDA, PUBLIC COMMENT. OH, I'M SORRY. YOU WANNA TAKE THAT FIRST? UH, IF WE CAN DO THAT. I THINK WE DID. NO, WE DID. WE DID. OKAY. OKAY. TIME FOR NON AGENDA ITEMS. YEAH. HERE, NUMBER ONE, RIGHT. [ PUBLIC COMMENT: Obtain speaker card from the City Clerk Opportunity to address the City Council (on non-agenda items) is available to the first 10 individuals, combined across in-person and remote participation, who submit a request to speak beginning 15 minutes before the meeting starts. Each speaker is allowed up to three minutes to provide comments. ] SO WE DO HAVE 10 SPEAKERS FOR NON AGENDA, PUBLIC COMMENT. I WILL READ THE SPEAKER'S NAMES WHEN YOUR NAME HAS BEEN READ. PLEASE COME FORWARD AND LINE THEM AT THE LECTERN. IF YOU'RE JOINING VIA ZOOM, PLEASE USE THE RAISE HAND FUNCTION. IF DIALING IN, PLEASE USE STAR NINE TO RAISE YOUR HAND WHEN IT'S YOUR TURN TO SPEAK. PLEASE USE STAR SIX IF YOU ARE DIALING IN OR UNMUTE YOURSELF IF YOU ARE ON ZOOM. OUR FIRST SPEAKER IS CAROLYN ESSEX. IF YOU CAN UNMUTE YOURSELF, SHOULD BE DOWN THE STREET. HI. I WAS GETTING READY TO TAKE OFF, BUT I'LL GO AHEAD. SORRY. UM, UM, GOOD EVENING, UM, EVERYONE AND, UM, AND HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO MAYOR RICHARDSON. MY NAME IS CAROLYN ESSEX. I'M A DISTRICT ONE RESIDENT AND THE, UH, 69TH ASSEMBLY DISTRICT COMMUNITY LEADER WITH THE STATEWIDE ORGANIZATION COALITION FOR JUSTICE AND EQUITABLE CALIFORNIA. [04:10:01] WE ARE POLICY ADVOCATES AND CURRENTLY CONDUCTING COMMUNITY GENEALOGY LABS TO HELP AMERICAN FREEMEN AND OTHERS TRACE AND DOCUMENT THEIR LINEAGE. UM, I WANT TO WISH EVERYONE WELL THROUGHOUT THIS BUDGET PROCESS. I BELIEVE THAT AFTER HEARING FROM RESIDENTS, EMPLOYEES, AND DEPARTMENT HEADS, YOU WILL SEEK THE RIGHT SOLUTIONS FOR THE CITY AND THEIR RESIDENTS. UM, LAST NIGHT AT THE BUDGET OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE, I DIDN'T GET TO COMPLETE MY REMARKS. UM, SO, UM, AND, AND I, LIKE EVERYONE HAVE BEEN TRYING TO UNRAVEL THIS RUBBER BAND BALL CALLED THE LONG BEACH CITY BUDGET. UM, I TALKED ABOUT, UM, MAXIMUM PRESERVATION, TRANSPARENCY, UM, STEWARDSHIP AND ACCOUNTABILITY. UM, AND, AND SO THIS IS MY ASK. UH, BEFORE ASKING RESIDENTS TO ACCEPT FEWER POLICE AND FIREFIGHTERS AND FEWER LIBRARY HOURS REDUCE PUBLIC WORKS CAPACITY OR WEAKER PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICES, PLEASE DEMONSTRATE THAT WE AS A CITY HAVE EXHAUSTED EVERY REASONABLE, LAWFUL AND SUSTAINABLE ALTERNATIVE, UM, UH, OPTIMIZE AND MEASURE PRESERVE AND MAKE THE HARD DECISIONS IF NECESSARY. UH, THAT'S MY ASK AND REVIEW EVERY APPROPRIATE FUNDING SOURCE, WHETHER IT BE A GRANT, UH, REIMBURSEMENT OPPORTUNITY, OPERATIONAL EFFICIENCIES, UM, AND EVERY FEASIBLE REOCCURRING REVENUE STRATEGY. ALL THESE THINGS I KNOW YOU GUYS ARE PUTTING ON THE TABLE. AND I JUST, UM, WANT TO LET EVERYONE KNOW THAT, THAT WE DO HAVE ALTERNATIVES. AND I HOPE THE CITY IS, IS SEEKING ALL OF THEM. AND I KNOW THAT YOU ARE. SO YOU CAN CONFIDENTLY SAY THAT YOU DID YOUR DUE DILIGENCE AND THESE ARE YOUR PROFESSIONAL RECOMMENDATIONS. I THINK RESIDENTS NEED THAT CLARITY RIGHT NOW. THERE'S A TREMENDOUS, TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF ANXIETY AND CONTROVERSY, AND I BELIEVE CLARIFYING EASILY ACCESSIBLE INFORMATION CAN HELP, UH, PUT EVERYONE ON THE SAME PAGE. SO MY REQUEST IS SIMPLE. CONTINUE TO BE MINDFUL AND THANK YOU. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK FROM HOME. I REALLY APPRECIATE, UM, UH, THE PORTAL THAT IS, UH, UH, GIVEN TO US. SO THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENT. CAN THE FOLLOWING SPEAKERS PLEASE LINE UP AT THE LECTERN? ANTHONY HOLMES, MARIA NA, LUCY DALE, SAM WISE, GAJI, LONG BEACH TENANTS UNION, ERROL PARKER, TED ZELMER JR. AND FREE PALESTINE. IF YOU CAN LINE UP AT THE LECTERN, ANTHONY HOLMES. AH, THIS WAS A LONG NIGHT. UM, I CAME TO SPEAK ABOUT THE HR PRESENTATION FROM LAST WEEK. UM, CHRISTINA. CHRISTINA, YOU TOLD BRYCE TYLER DAD, YOU KNOW WHAT HE DO, SO YOU DIDN'T HAVE NOTHING TO ASK HIM. I JUST WANNA KNOW, DO YOU GO HOME WITH HIM? DO YOU KNOW WHAT I DO? UM, BRYCE TAYLOR, WE, UM, WE CALL HIM THE FOUL COMPLAINTS. HE DON'T FOLLOW UP. HE HAS SET A COMPLAINT, HAVE A MEETING WITH ME, BUT WON'T FOLLOW UP. THERE'S NEVER NO FOLLOW UP. AND FOR THE EEO, Y'ALL WANT TO CUT SOME, SOME, SOME THINGS. CUT THE EEO TO MANAGE THAT WHOLE DEPARTMENT. IT'S A BUNCH OF RACES IN THERE. AND YOU KNOW, WE GOT THE ANTI-BLACKNESS, LATINO BASIL CANTU. WE HAVE THE WHITE SUPREMACIST PROTECTOR, ROBERT FIDO. AND WE HAVE THE RFIA BLACK GUY THAT'S PREJUDICE TOWARDS HIS OWN PEOPLE. AND WE HAVE GEORGE DIGGS, THAT'S THE SUPERINTENDENT, THAT'S PRESIDENT, THAT'S BLACK, THAT'S PRESIDENTS PREJUDICE TOWARDS HIS OWN PEOPLE. NOW, RECENTLY, ALL OF THEM DONE TEAMED UP ON ME, LIED ON ME, AND THIS IS A CONVICTED FELON. LEE ADAMS USED TO BE A WORKER. NOW HE'S A RFI. HE'S DOING EVERYTHING THAT MANAGEMENT IS TELLING HIM TO DO, SENDING LYING EMAILS ON ME, LYING AND SAYING I'M THREATENING HIM. LITTLE DID HE KNOW I HAD THREE EYEWITNESSES AND A FOURTH ANONYMOUS EYE WITNESS THAT WITNESSED THE WHOLE THING. UM, SO TUA, SHE BROUGHT, SHE BROUGHT FORTH THE MOTION. FEBRUARY 3RD, SHE HAD 120 DAYS TO GET BACK TO THE PUBLIC. AND ALL THE WORKERS THAT 120 DAYS WAS UP. JUNE 12TH. SHE ASKED BRYCE TAYLOR, DID HE HAVE AN UPDATE? BRYCE TAYLOR HAD NOTHING FOR HER. BRYCE TYLER HAD NOTHING FOR HER. SO AGAIN, WE NEED Y'ALL TO HOLD THE DEPARTMENT HEADS ACCOUNTABLE. WE TALK, YOU TALK ABOUT A CRISIS, SUE LEON, WHEN IT'S A CRISIS, EVERYONE COME TOGETHER. WELL, IT'S A BLACK CRISIS THAT'S GOING, THAT'S GOING ON IN THE CITY OF LONG BEACH WHEN IT COMES TO BLACK WORKERS. SO I EXPECT [04:15:01] YOU TO GET BEHIND THAT TOO. AND YOU GUYS SHOW A LOT OF INTEREST AND PROACTIVE WHEN IT COMES TO THE POLICE DEPARTMENT. BE PROACTIVE WITH THE REFUSE DEPARTMENT. PROTECT BLACK WORKERS, AND TO MY PALESTINE FRIENDS THAT'S HERE THAT COME EVERY WEEK AND SUPPORT BLACK WORKERS. THAT WOMAN IS JUST NOT SAYING PROTECT BLACK WORKERS JUST TO BE SAYING IT 'CAUSE IT'S COOL. OR ANTHONY HOLMES IS SAYING THAT. SHE'S SAYING IT FROM HER GUT, HER HEART. SO THIS IS MY FLOWERS TO YOU PROTECT BLACK WORKERS AND PROTECT PALESTINE FREE PALESTINE. AND EVERY TIME YOU COME UP HERE, IF YOU GOTTA SAY THE SAME THING, FREE PALESTINE. FREE PALESTINE, UNTIL THEY GET IT. YOU KEEP SAYING THAT S**T. AND FREE BLACK PROTECT BLACK WORKERS. AGAIN, I NEED ALL BLACK LEADERSHIPS TO STAND UP. LIKE I SAID, I'M GONNA HOLD Y'ALL ACCOUNTABLE. BLACK LEADERSHIP FOR THE NEXT FOUR YEARS. ARE YOU REELECTED OFFICIALS? YEP. PROTECT BLACK WORKERS. NEXT SPEAKER, PLEASE. MARIA NA SCHUSTER. LUCY, DALE. GOOD EVENING. UH, MY NAME IS NATH SCHUSTER. I'M A PROUD I AM MEMBER AS WELL AS A SHOP STEWARD FOR THE, I AM WORKING OUT OF THE HOUSING AUTHORITY. I WAS GOING TO WISH REX A HAPPY BIRTHDAY, BUT I SEE HE SKIPPED OUT ON THE PUBLIC COMMENTS AGAIN LIKE HE DID LAST WEEK. VERY TELLY. SO TONIGHT I'M GONNA TALK ABOUT FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY AND TRANSPARENCY AND THE LACK OF IT WITHIN THE CITY COUNCIL. 4.8 MILLION TO 7.3 MILLION. THAT'S WHAT THE BUDGET WENT OVER FOR THE AMPHITHEATER. A TEMPORARY AMPHITHEATER. I KNOW YOU GUYS KEEP LIKING TALKING ABOUT IT. OH, IT'S THAILAND FUNDS. IT'S NOT GENERAL FUNDS. IT'S STILL A MISMANAGEMENT OF FUNDS. THE PROJECT WAS ORIGINALLY SCHEDULED FOR 14 MILLION, THEN IT WENT TO 16.5 AND BEFORE CONSTRUCTION BEGAN, YOU GUYS RAISED IT UP TO 21.3 MILLION. THIS WAS THE MAYOR'S PET PROJECT REMINDER. YOU WORK FOR THE RESIDENTS, NOT FOR THE MAYOR. YOU WORK FOR US. I'M A, I'M A CITY EMPLOYEE. I'M ALSO A RESIDENT. AND I VOTE AND I PLAN ON MAKING SURE THAT WE VOTE WISELY NEXT TIME. 'CAUSE THIS HAS NOT BEEN A WISE CHOICE HERE. BY THE TIME THIS PROJECT MAKES MONEY TO PAY FOR ITSELF, IT'LL BE AT LEAST EIGHT YEARS. THE AMPHITHEATER IS ONLY GOOD FOR 10 YEARS. IT'S TEMPORARY. MAKE IT MAKE SENSE. IT DOESN'T MAKE SENSE FINANCIALLY. $790,000 FOR A FENCE AROUND THE LIBRARY. IT WASN'T EVEN BID OUT. YOU GUYS WENT WITH ONE CONTRACTOR YOU'VE ALREADY USED. YOU DIDN'T ASK FOR LOWER BIDS. RECORDS SHOW THAT ONLY 418,000 WAS USED FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF THIS FENCE. WHAT HAPPENED TO THE OTHER 300 PLUS THOUSAND? THE MEDIA'S STILL WAITING TO FIND OUT ABOUT THAT. I KNOW THEY'VE MADE A REQUEST FOR THAT INFORMATION. SO WE'LL SEE WHERE THAT GOES. A PROPOSED $50 MILLION LOAN FROM WELLS FARGO FOR PROJECTS AND EQUIPMENT. THAT'S WHAT YOU GUYS ARE FLOATING AROUND RIGHT NOW. I KNOW IT STILL HASN'T BEEN PUT FORWARD. WE'RE BLEEDING MONEY. AND YOU GUYS ARE GONNA ASK FOR A LOAN FOR $50 MILLION WHERE YOU'RE GONNA PUT UP TWO PARKING LOTS AND THE S SILVERADO PARK POOL UP IS COLLATERAL. WHY DOES THE WEST SIDE KEEP TAKING HITS? WHY DOES NORTH SIDE KEEP TAKING HITS? WHAT? THERE'S NO PROPERTY IN THE EAST SIDE, NO PROPERTY BY THE SHORE. AGAIN, HIT THE MOST FINANCIALLY IMPACTED AREAS FOR YOUR MISMANAGEMENT. YOU'RE NOT EVEN ASKING FOR THE MONEY TO RESTORE PROGRAMS OR SAVE STAFF. IT'S FOR PROJECTS AND EQUIPMENT. WHAT DOES THAT MEAN? WHAT PROJECTS? WHAT EQUIPMENT? ALSO THE COLORADO LAGOON, THAT'S OVER BUDGET AS WELL. BY AT LEAST $4 MILLION BY THE TIME IT'S DONE, IT'S GONNA BE AT LEAST $35 MILLION. WHERE ARE THE GATEKEEPERS? WHERE ARE THE AUDITORS? WHERE'S THE FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY? BUT YET YOU WANT THE EMPLOYEES AND THE CITY RESIDENTS TO TAKE THE HIT FOR YOUR MISMANAGEMENT. YEARS OF MISMANAGEMENT. ENOUGH IS ENOUGH. WE'RE GONNA VOTE. WE'RE GONNA VOTE YOU ALL OUT. OH YEAH. FREE PALESTINE. YEAH. HI AGAIN. MY NAME IS LUCY DALE. I LIVE IN DISTRICT SIX, PUBLIC HEALTH NURSE WITH CITY OF LONG BEACH. UM, ONE THING, I I, AGAIN, I'M SPEAKING A SECOND TIME BECAUSE I WANNA, UH, TALK ABOUT ON THURSDAY, AUGUST 6TH AT 10 30 IN THE MORNING AM WHILE I WAS SITTING AT MY DESK IN THE MAIN HEALTH BUILDING, TWO MEN STOLE THE CADILLAC CONVERTER FROM MY CAR IN THE CITY PARKING LOT. AS YOU CAN IMAGINE, I LEFT IN SHOCK. I WAS WORKING INSIDE A CITY OWNED BUILDING THAT EMPLOYEES SECURITY GUARDS, YET MY VEHICLE WAS VANDALIZED IN PLAIN SIGHT. CURRENTLY, ONE OUTSOURCE GUARD COVERS THE ENTIRE PERIMETER OF THE MAIN HEALTH FACILITY. BOTTOM LINE, THAT IS NOT ENOUGH BEYOND THE FINANCIAL BURDEN OF REPAIRING MY CAR. THIS INCIDENT HIGHLIGHTS A DEEPER ISSUE. CITY EMPLOYEES DO NOT FEEL SAFE OR VALUED AT THEIR OWN WORKPLACE. WE SERVE THIS COMMUNITY EVERY DAY AND WE DESERVE TO, TO BASIC PROTECTION AND RETURN. COUNSEL, WHAT CONCRETE STEPS ARE YOU TAKING TO IMPROVE THE SAFETY OF YOUR CITY EMPLOYEES AND TO SHOW THAT IN FACT, YOU VALUE US. OH, AND [04:20:01] NEXT SPEAKER. ALL RIGHT, I WANNA BRING THIS UP WITH ME. I'M NOT PART OF THIS UNION, BUT I THINK IT'S VERY IMPORTANT THAT TIME IS GIVEN TO THE PEOPLE OF THE WORKING CLASS BECAUSE YOU GUYS ARE PIECE OF THE S**T. UM, I'D LIKE TO SAY GOOD EVENING TO THE PUBLIC WHO STAYED, UH, DESPITE CITY COUNCIL, BLESS YOU, UH, DESPITE CITY COUNCIL'S B***H ASS TAKING A LONG TIME TO THANK EACH OTHER FOR STUPIDITY. YOU'RE ALL WHITE SUPREMACIST YOU F*****G PIECES OF S**T. YOU F**K YOU TWO. THAT'S THE BEAUTIFUL PART ABOUT THE FIRST AMENDMENT. I CAN SAY F**K YOU. I CAN SAY F**K YOU TOM MOCA YOU F*****G WHITE SUPREMACIST PIECE OF S**T. AND YOU, WHO'S SHAKING YOUR HEAD TOO? THE PUBLIC DOESN'T BELIEVE YOU. YOU, WE KNOW WHAT YOU'RE DOING WITH OUR F*****G PUBLIC F*****G DOLLARS. YOU'RE SPENDING IT ON YOURSELVES. YOU'RE SPENDING IT ON THE POLICE TO PROTECT YOUR PROPERTY. THE POLICE ARE MODERN DAY SLAVE CATCHERS. YOU GUYS SHOULD KNOW THAT. AND UM, WHAT I WANTED TO ACTUALLY START TODAY IS, IS TALK ABOUT THE MASS MASSACRE IN GAZA AT THE BEACH. ISRAEL KILLS SIX INJURES 14. MEANWHILE, HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF PALESTINIANS HAVE BEEN MURDERED AND 20,000 CHILDREN HAVE BEEN MURDERED BY THE GENOCIDAL STATE OF ISRAEL. THIS IS THE SAME ISRAEL THAT Y'ALL ARE BUYING S**T FROM AND EXTENDING OUR CONTRACTS. THE CITY CONTRACTS WITH LEXUS, LEXISNEXIS, GENERAL DYNAMICS, INFORMATION TECHNOLOGIES GOV INC. AND CTW, GOVERNMENT CONNECTION. UM, ALL OF THESE STILL, AGAIN, I'VE MENTIONED THIS TO YOU FOR I DON'T KNOW, ABOUT A YEAR NOW. THESE COMPANIES, INCLUDING ANDRE, HAVE TIES WITH ISRAEL THAT'S COMMITTING A GENOCIDE. YOU CAN KEEP LOOKING AROUND DR. SOLI SORO AND DR. JONI WHO HAVE DOCTORS IN FRONT OF YOUR NAMES. EVEN THOUGH I PROBABLY TRUST DR. SEUSS BETTER THAN YOU. TWO F*****G PIECES OF S**T. F**K YOU. YOU DON'T EARN ANYBODY'S RESPECT HERE BECAUSE YOU'RE F*****G LYING TO THE PUBLIC AND YOU'RE MISSED F*****G HANDLING OUR TAX DOLLARS. PROTECT BLACK WORKERS FREE PALESTINE. F**K ISRAEL. F**K ICE. F**K YOU REX AND YOUR STUPID ASS BIRTHDAY THAT YOU DON'T F*****G DESERVE. HE'S NOT EVEN HERE. HE'S CELEBRATING, I'M SURE. AND, UM, LET'S, UH, LET'S DO, LET'S LISTEN TO OUR UNIONS. LET'S LISTEN TO OUR COMMUNITY. LET'S FUND THINGS LIKE THE LIBRARY AND PARKS AND THINGS THAT ACTUALLY MAKE A COMMUNITY MORE HABITABLE, NOT JUST FOR WHITE PEOPLE OR, YOU KNOW, ONCE AGAIN, I HAVE TO PROBABLY TELL YOU GUYS BECAUSE THERE'S SOME NON-WHITES UP HERE. UM, WHITE SUPREMACY IS NOT. IT'S NOT, UH, YOU DON'T HAVE TO BE A WHITE TO BE A WHITE SUPREMACIST. YOU ALL ARE PARTICIPATING IN WHITE SUPREMACY. F**K YOU TRYING TO SAY THAT THE TAX DOLLARS ARE BEING SPENT FEDERALLY. THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS. YOUR TIME'S CONCLUDED. F**K YOU, F**K YOU, YOUR TIME'S CONCLUDED. NEXT I HAVE SAM WISE, GAJI MARIA, LONG BEACH TENANTS UNION, ERROL PARKER AND TED ZELMER, IF YOU CAN LINE UP AT THE LECTERN, DO BETTER BY IMMIGRANT COMMUNITY, DO BETTER YOU PIECES OF S**T. THANK YOU. THANK YOU MA'AM. YOU TIMES CONCLUDED. IF YOU CAN LET THE REST OF THE SPEAKER THANK YOU VERY MUCH AT THE LECTERN. BYE. THANK YOU. BEFORE WE START, THE THREE MINUTES I DELIVERED, LET'S START WITH, UH, MY TRIP RECENTLY TO ALASKA, THE OLD KING CRAB SKIPPER UP THERE. I CAME BACK WITH SOME TECHNOLOGY, SHARED IT WITH KELLY AND TODD AND THE GUYS AT THE, UH, RUN THE SHOW. AND WITH SWELL SHIELDS, YOU HAVE IT IN FRONT OF YOU. I WAS INVITED TO PIER F YESTERDAY BY THE OIL BOYS AND WITH PACIFIC TUG AND BARGE, THERE'S BARGES AVAILABLE TO NOW CREATE SWELL SHIELDS. THAT'S SIMPLE TECHNOLOGY THAT WE PLACE OUT THERE TO BLOCK THE WAVES FROM DESTROYING ALL THE PROPERTY ON THE PENINSULA RIGHT NOW AS WE SPEAK. THERE'S THAT. YOU GOT ANOTHER PHOTOGRAPH HERE WHERE I SHARED THERE'S SECOND STREET LAST WEEK. THE WATER ALL THE WAY UP ON SECOND STREET WITH HIGH TIDES. THEY'RE NOT KINGS, THEY'RE HIGH. WE'RE [04:25:01] SUFFERING FROM SEA RISE AND WHICH IS SOON TO TAKE OVER. AND WE'RE GONNA BE LOSING MARINE STADIUM, OLYMPIC VENUE. THE WATER'S BEEN ALL THE WAY TO OUR SIDEWALK DAILY. IT'S TIME TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT. OTHER TECHNOLOGY WOULD BE LOCKS LIKE YOU HAVE UP IN ALASKA WHERE YOU CONTROL THE WATER INSIDE OUR MARINA, WHICH NEEDS BE. AND IF WE DON'T, WE HAVE 11 MILES OF COASTAL PROPERTY RIGHT DOWN IN BELMONT SHORE IN OUR ALAMEDAS BAY MARINA. THAT'S A LOT OF PROPERTY THAT'S GONNA BE SOON UNDER WATER AND DAMAGED BIG TIME FROM GLOBAL SEA RISE. THE CALIFORNIA COAST COMMISSION HAS DONE NOTHING TO CLEAN UP THE OIL YARDS THAT ARE SURROUNDING OUR COMMUNITY DOWN THERE RIGHT NOW. AND I GOT A PHOTOGRAPH LAST WEEK THOUGH OCEAN WAS ALL THE WAY WITHIN A FOOT OF GOING INTO THEIR OIL YARDS. ONCE THAT OCCURS, WE'RE GONNA HAVE AN ECOLOGICAL DISASTER. SO I DON'T WANNA TAKE UP MUCH TIME. IT'S BEEN A LONG EVENING TO SAY THE LEAST. SO YOU HAVE THIS AS A INTERESTING CONCEPT. YOU'VE GOT THE PHOTOGRAPH OF WHAT WE HAD TO GO THROUGH THE OTHER NIGHT AND IT'S NOT GETTING ANY BETTER. WE'RE LOSING OUR VENUE. AND THEN YOU HAVE THIS REGARDING THE SWELL FIELDS. WE'VE DIDN'T BRING THE DESIGN BACK FROM ALASKA, BUT WE HAVE A NEW ONE COMING. THIS IS QUICK, EASY AND COST EFFECTIVE TO SIMPLY BLOCK THE WAVES FROM COMING IN AND DESTROYING THE BELMONT PENINSULA. ANYWAY, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1. I GOTTA GET HOME. GET SOME SLEEP. , IT'S BEEN A LONG ONE, GUYS. THANKS. THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS. THANK YOU. I'LL JOIN YOU LATER. DID THAT MAKE SENSE? YEAH, YEAH. THERE'S A THANK YOU VERY MUCH. SPEAKER. THERE IS A, ANOTHER SPEAKER IN OUR ZOOM, SAM WISE GAJI, CAN YOU PLEASE UNMUTE YOURSELF IF YOU CAN HIT STAR SIX TO UNMUTE. OH, SORRY. CAN YOU HEAR ME? YES. THANK YOU. YOUR TIME BEGINS NOW. OKAY. YEAH. UM, SO FREE PALESTINE UNTIL PALESTINE IS FREE. AND, UH, REALLY FIRST PUBLIC COMMENT. FOUR HOURS INTO A MEETING, ARE YOU SERIOUS? CITY COUNCIL? THAT, THAT'S F*****G RIDICULOUS. AND, UM, ORRAN, IF YOU'RE GOING TO THANK PEOPLE FOR BEING HERE ON THEIR OWN TIME, THEN THANK THE ENTIRE PUBLIC. 'CAUSE THIS IS LITERALLY ALL OF US HERE ON OUR OWN TIME. SO YEAH. SAM, WHY IS GAJI HERE? SO WHY ARE YOU LETTING ANDREW INDUSTRIES A DISGUSTING WEAPONS MANUFACTURING COMPANY BUILD IN DOUGLAS PARK BY THE LONG BEACH AIRPORT? YOU THINK I CARRIED MR. FRODO ON MY BACK THROUGH THE FIERY LANDSCAPE OF MORTAR ALL THE WAY TO MOUNT DOOM TO PUT UP WITH THIS S**T? NO SIR. IT SHOULDN'T BE CALLED ANDRE. IT SHOULD BE CALLED NASAL AKA SOUR ON THE DARK COURT'S. MOST TERRIBLE SERVANTS, SINCE WE'RE TALKING ABOUT HORRIBLE DEMONIC WEAPONS THAT BRING TERROR FROM ABOVE. NASAL IS A MUCH MORE SUITABLE NAME THAN ANDRO. UH, WHY ARE THE PUBLIC RESTROOMS THAT THE PIKE OUTLET CLOSED AT 7:00 PM ON A SATURDAY? THAT DOESN'T SOUND VERY VIBE CITY TO ME. UM, ONE PUBLIC RESTROOM NEAR THE ACRIM OF THE PACIFIC AND YOU CAN'T EVEN KEEP IT CLEAN. YOU CAN'T USE LIKE SOME OF THE TIDE FUND FOR THAT OR SOMETHING. UH, WE STILL NEED MORE TRANSPARENCY ON ALL THOSE FUNDS THAT ARE NOT THE GENERAL FUND. BY THE WAY, I KEEP HEARING PEOPLE ON THIS COUNCIL AND ALL THESE PRESENTATIONS BRING UP PUBLIC SAFETY. SO I JUST WANNA REMIND THE CITY COUNCIL PUBLIC SAFETY IS NOT SYNONYMOUS WITH POLICE OFFICERS. YOU ALL SEEM TO BE A BIT CONFUSED ABOUT THAT. UM, PREVENTING HOMELESSNESS AND INCREASING HEALTHCARE ARE MUCH MORE IMPORTANT FOR INCREASING AND MAINTAINING PUBLIC SAFETY THAN POLICING. LOOK IT UP. THERE'S STUDIES ALSO INCREASING FEMALE LEADERSHIP IN THE CITY SHOULD NOT JUST BE ADDING MORE FEMALE COPS. THAT'S NOT FEMINISM. THAT'S FEM FASCISM. AND, UH, JONI RICKS BODE STOP USING THIS BOOGEYMAN IDEA THAT DECREASED POLICE BUDGETS ARE A PROBLEM. IT'S NOT, NOT IN THIS CITY, NOT IN ANY CITY. IT'S THE OPPOSITE. ANY CITY SPENDING TOO MUCH MONEY ON ITS COPS IS NEGLECTING PUBLIC NEEDS. CLEAN THE TOILETS IN THE CITY. THAT'S HONESTLY MORE NEEDED AND THAT WE NEED SOME MONEY TO FIX THAT SCREEN. LOOKS F*****G RIDICULOUS. LIKE MAYBE THE POLICE CAN FIX IT OR TOM MODICA CAN DONATE SOME CRUMBS FROM HIS $380,000 ANNUAL SALARY TO FIX THE DAMN SCREEN. AND AGAIN, YOUR JOB ORANG IS TO SERVE THE F*****G [04:30:01] PUBLIC. NOT GIVE ALL OUR MONEY TO COPS AND WEAPONS MANUFACTURERS AND COMPANIES THAT SUPPORT ICE. AND IT'S CERTAINLY NOT TO TELL ME NOT TO USE SO MANY F*****G FBOS, BUT JUST DO YOUR F*****G JOB OR SHUT THE F**K UP AND STOP WASTING OUR TIME WITH YOUR F*****G USELESS DRIBBLE. SO IN CLOSING, I RESPECT NONE OF YOU. IF YOU WANT MY RESPECT, F*****G EARN IT. BUCK ICE. BUCK ISRAEL FREE PALESTINE. THERE ARE THREE SPEAKERS LEFT. IF THEY'RE IN THE AUDIENCE, CAN YOU PLEASE LINE UP THE LECTERN? MARIA LONG BEACH TENANTS UNION AND ERROL PARKER, SEEING THEY'RE NOT IN THE AUDIENCE. THAT CONCLUDES PUBLIC COMMENT. CALL MY NAME, YOUR SECOND PUBLIC COMMENT THAT THIS IS THE FIRST NON AGENDA PUBLIC COMMENT. WE HAVE NOT REACHED. SECOND PUBLIC COMMENT. THANK YOU. ALRIGHT, THANK YOU. UH, FYII THANKS TO PUBLIC. NEXT ITEM PLEASE. ITEM 15, REPORT FROM FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT RECOMMENDATION TO ADOPT SPECIFICATIONS AND AWARD A CONTRACT TO COURTESY CHEVROLET CENTER, FRONTIER FORD FLEET VEHICLE SOURCE AND WINNER CHEVROLET FOR THE [15. 26-55767 Recommendation to adopt Specifications No. ITB FM-26-720 and award a contract to Courtesy Chevrolet Center, of San Diego, CA, FFBH Motors, LLC dba Frontier Ford, of Irving, TX, Slate Automotive, LLC, of Troy, MI, Fleet Vehicle Source, Inc. dba US Fleet Source, of West Covina, CA, and Winner Chevrolet, Inc., of Sacramento, CA, for the purchase of and delivery of light- and medium-duty vehicles, in an annual aggregate amount not to exceed $12,155,000, for a period of two years, with the option to renew for three additional one-year periods, at the discretion of the City Manager; authorize City Manager, or designee, to execute all documents necessary to enter into these contracts, including any amendments; and Authorize City Manager, or designee, when applicable, to execute a lease-purchase agreement, or lease-purchase agreements (“Agreement”) as the case may be, and related financing documents with Banc of America Public Capital Corp, of San Francisco, CA, for the financing of light- and medium-duty vehicles, payable over a 5-, 7-, or 10-year period at an interest rate to be determined when the agreement is executed. (Citywide)       Office or Department: Financial Management         Suggested Action: Approve recommendation. ] PURCHASE OF AND DELIVERY OF LIGHT AND MEDIUM DUTY VEHICLES IN AN ANNUAL AGGREGATE AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED TWELVE MILLION TWELVE MILLION ONE HUNDRED FIFTY FIVE THOUSAND. EXECUTE ALL DOCUMENTS NECESSARY TO ENTER INTO THESE CONTRACTS, INCLUDING ANY AMENDMENTS WHEN APPLICABLE, EXECUTE A LEASE PURCHASE AGREEMENT AND RELATED FINANCING DOCUMENTS WITH BANK OF AMERICA PUBLIC CAPITAL CORP FOR THE FINANCING OF LIGHT AND MEDIUM DUTY VEHICLES CITYWIDE. OKAY, THANK YOU. UH, THERE'S NO REPORT ON THIS. ALRIGHT, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER , ANY COMMENTS? UH, NO COMMENTS. COUNCIL MEMBER MAYOR . NO, THERE IS NO PUBLIC COMMENT ON THIS ITEM. MOTION IS CARRIED. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. UH, ITEM 16, REPORT FROM PUBLIC WORKS, PARKS, RECREATION AND MARINE RECOMMENDATION TO ADOPT PLANS AND SPECIFICATIONS AND AWARD A CONTRACT TO ENVIRONMENTAL CONSTRUCTION FOR THE CONSTRUCTION [16. 26-55768 Recommendation to adopt Plans and Specifications No. R-7293 and award a contract to Environmental Construction, Inc., of Woodland Hills, CA, for the construction of the Houghton Park Playground Project, in the amount of $2,494,260, for the Base Bid, and authorize a 10 percent contingency in the amount of $249,426, for a total contract amount not to exceed $2,743,686; and, authorize City Manager, or designee, to execute all documents necessary to enter into the contract, including any necessary subsequent amendments. (District 9)       Office or Department: Public Works; Parks, Recreation and Marine         Suggested Action: Approve recommendation. ] OF THE HOUGHTON PARK PLAYGROUND PROJECT FOR A TOTAL CONTRACT AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED 2,743,686 AND EXECUTE ALL DOCUMENTS NECESSARY TO ENTER INTO THE CONTRACT, INCLUDING ANY NECESSARY SUBSEQUENT AMENDMENTS. DISTRICT NINE. OKAY, THIS ITEM HAS OUR, HAS A STAFF REPORT? THAT'S CORRECT. WE DO HAVE A BRIEF STAFF REPORT IF YOU'D LIKE TO HEAR IT. GO AHEAD. MAKE IT BRIEF. ALRIGHT. ALRIGHT. WELL THANK YOU VICE MAYOR AND MAYORS AND MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL. WE'RE EXCITED TO BE HERE TONIGHT FOR AN IMPORTANT MILESTONE FOR AN IMPORTANT PROJECT. SO, UH, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE PROJECT LOCATED AT, UH, 6,300 MYRTLE AVE. THE HOUGHTON PARK PLAYGROUND. IT WAS LAST RENOVATED BACK IN 1995, SO OVER 30 YEARS AGO. WE'RE EXCITED TO, UM, INVEST IN REPLACING THE EXISTING PLAY EQUIPMENT, THE INCLUSIVE PLAY FEATURES, AND IMPROVING SOME OF THE SAFETY SURFACE. UH, WE'RE ALSO, AS PART OF THIS PROJECT, GONNA BE INSTALLING MULTIPLE DESIGNATED PLAY ZONES. UH, THIS SLIDE REPRESENTS THE OVERARCHING PROJECT GOALS TO ENHANCE RECREATION, IMPROVE ACCESSIBILITY, AND OFFER ENRICHING EXPERIENCES AND ACTIVITIES FOR A VARIETY OF AGES. WE'RE GONNA BE INSTALLING SOME UNIQUE FEATURES INCLUDING DANCE CHIMES, SOUND CUSHIONS, AND TUNE DRUMS. UH, THESE ARE ALL PROPOSED TO BE A PART OF THE PROJECT AND THEY'RE GOING TO ENHANCE THE SOUND GARDEN AND MUSIC CULTURE OF THE PARK AND SURROUNDING AREAS, UH, INCLUDED WITHIN THE DESIGN. AS YOU CAN SEE HERE ON THE SCREEN, IS A WIGO SWING THAT'S ACCESSIBLE FOR A NUMBER OF FOLKS WITH MOBILITY DEVICES. SHOWN HERE IS A RENDERING OF THE PROPOSED PLAYGROUND, INCLUDING THE SWING SET, UM, THE EXISTING SOUND GARDEN AND PLAY FEATURES FOR THE FIVE TO 12 AGE CATEGORY. WE ALSO HAVE A NATURE EXPLORATION AREA, UM, WITH, THAT'LL BE INCLUDED IN THE PROJECT ALONG WITH NEW FENCING FOR THE YOUNGER KIDS FROM TWO TO FIVE. AND SHOWN HERE IS A RENDERING OF THAT, UH, TWO TO FIVE AGED GROUP PLAY AREA AND NATURAL EXPLORATION. THE PROJECT IN THE FACILITY ALSO INCLUDES A CENTRAL STAGE THAT WILL BE, UM, INCLUDE MUSIC ETCHINGS AND, UH, JUST ALLOW MORE PLAY AND IMAGINATIVE SPACES FOR CHILDREN TO ENJOY. [04:35:01] I'LL PAUSE ON THE IMAGE FOR A MINUTE 'CAUSE THEY'RE ALWAYS EXCITING. A COUPLE MORE FEATURES THAT'LL BE INCLUDED WITHIN THE PROJECT. THE SOUND GARDEN FEATURES THAT ARE EXISTING. AND, UM, THERE'S SOME WALL, UH, SEATS THAT ARE, THAT ARE SHOWN HERE ON THE SLIDE AS WELL. SO THE PROJECT IS, IS CURRENTLY FUNDED WITH $4.2 MILLION AND WE ARE GONNA BE SPENDING THAT ON THE CONSTRUCTION BID THAT'S BEFORE YOU THIS EVENING, THE 2.7, UH, AS WELL AS THE SOFT COST AND PROJECT DELIVERY COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH THE DESIGN ENGINEERING INSPECTION AND PERMITTING FOR TOTAL PROJECT COST OF JUST OVER $4.2 MILLION. UM, ASSUMING ALL GOES WELL HERE THIS EVENING, UH, WILL BE QUICKLY MOVING FORWARD WITH GETTING THE CONTRACTOR ON BOARD AND MOBILIZING TOWARDS THE END OF THIS YEAR PENDING WEATHER, UM, GETTING THE, UH, CONSTRUCTION STARTED. SO WE'LL GET THE CREWS ALL MOBILIZED AND WE'LL BE WRAPPING UP CONSTRUCTION, UH, IN SUMMER OF 2027. THAT CONCLUDES STAFF REPORT AND I'M AVAILABLE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS. THANK YOU. UH, COUNCIL MEMBER UNI. UH, THANK YOU CHAIR, VICE MAYOR. UM, YEAH, I JUST WANTED TO SAY, UH, YOU KNOW, WE REALLY HAVE THE HONOR OF MOVING FORWARD WITH A PROJECT THAT IS A TRUE CELEBRATORY WIN FOR, UH, COMMUNITY ADVOCACY AND INCLUSION HERE IN NORTH LONG BEACH. SO THANK YOU SO MUCH. UM, UH, DIRECTOR, UM, 'CAUSE THIS IS REALLY IMPORTANT TO MY COMMUNITY. UM, I WANNA SPECIFICALLY ACKNOWLEDGE THOUGH THE RESIDENTS OF DISTRICT NINE AND THE CITIZENS ADVISORY COMMISSION ON DISABILITIES, UM, THEIR PERSISTENT ADVOCACY AND VISION HAS BEEN INSTRUMENTAL IN SHAPING, UH, THIS PARTICULAR PROJECT. UM, I WANNA THANK THEM FOR THEIR DEDICATION TO MAKING THIS AN EXEMPLAR OF WHAT WE REALLY WANT TO BE IN AN INCLUSIVE PLAYGROUND. UM, THANKS ALSO TO THE RESIDENTS WHO SHOWED UP TO THE COMMUNITY MEETINGS IN 2023 AND 2024. UM, AS WE, THEY, WE REALLY WORKED HARD, UM, AS CITY STAFF TO TAKE IN THEIR FEEDBACK, UH, AND MAKE SURE THAT WE WERE DESIGNING A PROJECT AND A PLAYGROUND THAT WERE FLEX, UM, A LOT OF UNIVERSAL ELEMENTS, UM, ENSURING THAT WE HAVE THE PARK THAT EVERYBODY DESERVES. UH, THIS PROJECT REPRESENTS OUR FUNDAMENTAL COMMITMENT TO EVERY CHILD AND FAMILY IN NORTH LONG BEACH, INVESTING IN SAFE, ACCESSIBLE, AND CULTURALLY VIOLENT PUBLIC SPACES THAT REFLECT WHO WE ARE AND WHO WE ASPIRE TO BE. UM, THERE'S A SIGNIFICANT INVESTMENT IN DISTRICT NINE, AND I WANNA ACKNOWLEDGE, I ALSO WANNA ACKNOWLEDGE, UH, OUR MAYOR, UM, WHO MADE OUR PARKS AND PLAYGROUNDS A PRIORITY IN HIS TENURE AS COUNCIL MEMBER AS WELL. UM, IT TAKES A LONG TIME, UH, TO ACCUMULATE THE FUNDING NEEDED TO MAKE THESE TYPES OF PROJECTS HAPPEN. AND SO SOMETIMES THOSE THINGS EXTEND INTO MULTIPLE TENURES, UM, TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE DELIVERING FOR THE COMMUNITY. UM, AND SO I JUST SAY LET'S CONTINUE TO ENSURE THAT CHILDREN AND FAMILIES OF DISTRICT NINE SEE THEMSELVES REFLECTED IN EVERY SWING, EVERY SLIDE, AND EVERY NOTE OF MUSIC THAT FILLS THIS NEW . UM, WE OWE TO THEM TO DELIVER THIS PROJECT WITH EXCELLENCE AND URGENCY. UM, AND THEN, YOU KNOW, THIS IS A LONG OVERDUE RENOVATION, BUT IT'S GONNA PROVIDE A REALLY LASTING LEGACY, I THINK, IN THE COMMUNITY. AND SO I'M REALLY EXCITED. I KNOW MY RESIDENTS ARE SUPER EXCITED THEY'VE BEEN ASKING ABOUT THIS, SO, UM, THIS WAS A BIG DEAL FOR, FOR MY RESIDENTS, AND I WANNA MAKE SURE I LIFTED IT UP. UM, I ONLY HAD ONE, UH, QUESTION FOR YOU, UH, DIRECTOR HICKMAN. AND I KNOW WE WENT THROUGH THE SLIDE, BUT JUST CAN YOU JUST BE CLEAR, CONSIDER, IN FACT, WE'RE IN KIND OF, AND WE'RE IN A BUDGET YEAR, RIGHT? I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE PEOPLE UNDERSTAND THE FUNDING BUCKETS THAT ARE USED FOR A PROJECT LIKE THIS. YES, GOOD QUESTION. SO, UM, I KNOW IT'S A VERY DIFFICULT BUDGET SEASON AND DIFFICULT BUDGET CYCLE, AND WE'RE, AND WE'RE ALL TRYING TO BALANCE THE, THE REALITIES OF THE GENERAL FUND. UM, WHAT YOU SEE HERE ON, ON THIS SLIDE REPRESENTS, UH, CAPITAL FUNDING SOURCES THAT NEED TO BE SPENT ON, UH, CAPITAL PROJECTS, INCLUDING THE, UM, THE GRANT THAT WE'VE RECEIVED, WHICH IS SPECIFIC FOR THIS PROJECT PARK, IMPACT FEES FOR PARK IMPROVEMENTS, UM, MEASURE A, AND, AND THEN WE ALSO HAVE THE, UM, R-P-O-S-D, WHICH IS SPECIFIC TO, UH, PARKS AND OPEN SPACE. EXCELLENT. THANK YOU SO MUCH. UM, AND CONGRATULATIONS TO US IN DISTRICT NINE. THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER KERR. YEAH, JUST CONGRATULATIONS, UH, TO DISTRICT NINE RESIDENTS. IT'S EXCITING TIMES. OKAY. GLAD TO SEE THAT WE'RE, UH, CONTINUING TO BUILD NEW PARKS, NEW PLAYGROUNDS THROUGHOUT THE CITY. GOOD JOB. ANY MORE COMMENT? THERE'S NO PUBLIC COMMENT ON THIS ITEM. OKAY. THANK YOU. BE NO MORE COMMENT. LET UH, TAKE A MOMENT. COUNCILWOMAN SORO. THANK YOU. MOTION IS CARRIED. THANK YOU. NEXT ITEM, PLEASE REPORT FROM CITY MANAGER, CITY ATTORNEY RECOMMENDATION TO DECLARE ORDINANCE AMENDING TITLE 10 OF THE LONG BEACH MUNICIPAL CODE TO UPDATE DEFINITIONS [04:40:01] RELATED TO [17. 26-55742 Recommendation to declare ordinance amending Title 10 of the Long Beach Municipal Code (LBMC) to update definitions related to electric bicycles, prohibit Class 3 electric bicycles on sidewalks, delete outdated bicycle-related provisions, and make related cleanup changes, read and adopted as read. (Citywide)       Office or Department: City Manager; City Attorney         Suggested Action: Approve recommendation. ] ELECTRIC BICYCLES. PROHIBIT CLASS THREE ELECTRIC BICYCLES ON SIDEWALKS, DELETE OUTDATED BICYCLE RELATED PROVISIONS, AND MAKE RELATED CLEANUP CHANGES. RED AND ADOPTED AS RED CITYWIDE. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. UH, COUNCIL MEMBER, MEMBER RICK, NO COMMENTS IN SUPPORT. COUNCIL MEMBER, I DEFER THE NINTH DISTRICT ON THIS. ANY PUBLIC COMMENT? THERE IS NO PUBLIC COMMENT ON THE ITEM. AGAIN, BE NO COMMENT. TAKE A ALL MOTION IS CARRIED. THANK YOU. UH, WE ARE THE SECOND PUBLIC COMMENT. NO, SORRY. 17. [ PUBLIC COMMENT: Immediately prior to adjournment Opportunity is given to those members of the public who have not addressed the City Council on non-agenda items. Each speaker is limited to three minutes unless extended by the City Council. ] WE JUST DID, WE JUST DID 17. WE ARE IN SECOND PUBLIC COMMENT. OKAY. THAT WAS RIGHT. YES. SO WE HAVE YOU, YOU, YOU HESITATED, YOU FOOLED ME. I'M SORRY. I WAS PULLING UP THE SPEAKER LIST. WE HAVE SEVEN PEOPLE SIGNED UP FOR SECOND PUBLIC COMMENT, AND WHEN I CALL YOUR NAME, IF YOU COULD PLEASE LINE UP AT THE LECTERN LAMBERT JR. ZAB, RODNEY RIPPY, AVA COL, UM, COLLINS, DENISE COLLINS, AND KENYA CLARK. OKAY. YOUR TIME BEGINS. ALRIGHT. GOOD EVENING. UH, WE'RE MAYOR RICHARDSON, WHEREVER YOU ARE, GOD BLESS YOU. CONTINUED SUCCESS ALSO TO THE VICE MAYOR AND TO THE CITY COUNCIL AND ALL THIS CONSTITUENTS. I'M RODNEY ALLEN, RIPPY, ACTOR, PRODUCER, AND RESIDENT. I WAS BORN AND RAISED IN THE CITY OF LONG BEACH, ACTUALLY. I WAS IN THE FIFTH DISTRICT, GREW UP RIGHT ON THE WEST SIDE. I HAVE, UH, LIVED HERE, GREW UP EDUCATED HERE AT CAL STATE DOMINGUEZ HILLS, GOT MY DEGREE IN MARKETING, AND NOW I'VE LAUNCHED THE RIPPY FOUNDATION. AND SO I'M GONNA WORK WITH AT-RISK YOUTH, SENIOR CITIZENS AND VETERANS. I LOVE TO PARTNER UP WITH THE CITY OF LOS ANGELES. I GOT SOME INCREDIBLE, UH, PLANS ON OCTOBER 3RD. I'M HAVING A MAJOR JOB EVENT, A JOB FAIR AND CAREER EXPO IN HOLLYWOOD. AND THE CITY OF LONG BEACH IS INVITED. ALL THE CITY DEPARTMENTS ARE INVITED. THE CITY OF LOS ANGELES HAS COMMITTED 36 DIVISIONS TO COME AND HIRE OR EITHER TRAIN TO HIRE PEOPLE. RIGHT NOW WHAT THE CITY NEEDS, THE CITY OF LONG BEACH. THEY NEED JOBS. PEOPLE NEED JOBS. AS YOU KNOW, THEY'RE CUTTING BACK AND OUR ADMINISTRATION'S NOT PLAYING AROUND. I'M SOUNDING THE ALARM. I'M TELLING EVERYBODY DON'T THINK IT'S GONNA GET BETTER, GET A JOB. I'M ALSO VERY EXCITED TO SAY I'M ALSO WORKING WITH PEOPLE WITH TECHNOLOGY. I'M WORKING WITH A GENTLEMAN NAMED JAMES ANDREW LUNA, TAILORED TO THE STARS. HE ACTUALLY HAS THE LEGALLY BLIND CLOTHING AND PRODUCTS. WE HAVE A PROJECT THAT WILL MAKE THE VISION IMPAIRED LIFE BETTER AS CONSUMERS. I'M WITH EDUCATORS, THE HIDDEN PIONEERS. WE HAVE A DIRECT CONNECTION TO NASA AND SO I'D LIKE TO ALSO PUT THAT IN SOME OF THE PARKS AND SOME OF THE COMMUNITY. I'D LIKE TO ALSO INVITE EVERYONE TO ON THE 28TH TO A FREE FAMILY NIGHT AT THE DOWNEY SPACE CENTER. AND THAT'S, UH, FREE FAMILY NIGHT. WE BRING FAMILIES, EDUCATORS AND EVERYONE THERE AND THE YOUTH TO GET INVOLVED IN STREAM SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, RESEARCH, ENGINEERING, THE ARTS AND MATH. AND I'M ALSO THE DIRECTOR OF MARKETING FOR THE EIGHTH ANNUAL LOS ANGELES ITALIAN FESTIVAL. AND SO I'M VERY HONORED TO BE HERE WITH THEM. ACTUALLY, MY COLLEAGUES BEHIND ME, SHE'S GONNA FOLLOW UP. BUT I JUST WANT TO SAY I HAVE SOME GREAT OPPORTUNITIES AND I WANT THE RIPPY FOUNDATION. I'M ACTUALLY LOOKING FOR A HOME. I'D LIKE TO BE ABLE TO MOVE, UH, MY FOUNDATION INTO LONG BEACH, WHERE I WAS BORN, IF IT'S POSSIBLE. IF NOT, HAVE A DIVISION HERE. LASTLY, I'M LOOKING AT BEING ABLE TO BRING A INCUBATOR. I HAVE TECHNOLOGY THAT WILL MAKE LONG BEACH SAFER. I HAVE THINGS THAT WILL GIVE A 15 MINUTE WARNING TO THE CITY OF LOS ANGELES IN, IN AN EARTHQUAKE SITUATION. WE CAN LET THE CITY KNOW 15 MINUTES AHEAD OF TIME. I HAVE TECHNOLOGY IN LIGHTING THAT WILL SAVE THE CITY A LOT IN ENERGY. THAT'S IT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. BEFORE YOU LEAVE, ARE THE SAME RONNIE ISLAND REPEAT THAT I GREW UP WITH? YES, SIR. OKAY, THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER, PLEASE. WHOA, COMMERCIALS, BON LONG BEACH . I AM CELEBRITY CHEF [04:45:01] EVA. I AM THE FOUNDER AND OFFICIAL CHEF OF THE LOS ANGELES ITALIAN FESTIVAL. AND I'M HERE TODAY TO INVITE THE CITY OF LONG BEACH TO, UM, ATTEND THE EIGHTH ANNUAL LA ITALIAN FESTIVAL THAT RODNEY JUST MENTIONED. UM, IT'S TAKING PLACE OCTOBER 4TH. IT'S IN HOLLYWOOD. AND FOR INFORMATION YOU COULD GO TO, UH, LA ITALIAN FESTIVAL.COM. WE'RE KICKING OFF ITALIAN HERITAGE MONTH, UH, WITH A DAY OF FOOD, FAMILY AND FUN. AND, UM, I LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING EVERYBODY THERE FOR A PARTY, ITALIAN STYLE. AND, UM, WE ARE STILL ACCEPTING, UH, VENDORS. WE'RE, UM, SEEKING SPONSORS. AND I'M GONNA SAY IT RIGHT NOW. ANYBODY WHO WANTS TO SPONSOR OUR FESTIVAL FOR $20,000, I WILL COME TO YOUR HOUSE AND FIX YOU THE BEST ITALIAN MEAL YOU'VE EVER HAD. SO I HOPE TO SEE YOU ALL THERE. CHOW. OH, AND ONE OTHER THING. OH, I'M JUST GONNA LET IT ALL, ALL THE CITY COUNCIL, I'M GONNA SEND EVERYBODY AN EMAIL. WE'LL MAKE SURE WE SEND YOU SOME INFORMATION, AND YOU DO HAVE A FILE ABOUT BOTH PROJECTS. GOD BLESS YOU ALL. HEY, THANK YOU. WHEN THE INVITATION NEXT SPEAKER, PLEASE, PLEASE MY TIME. START NOW. OKAY. UM, YOU'LL SEE, EXCUSE ME, I'M A LITTLE NERVOUS. UM, MY NAME IS DENISE COLLINS AND I AM A, UM, RESIDENT DIS DISTRICT SEVEN. AND I KIND OF JUST WANTED TO PUT A I A HUMAN FACE ON WHAT WAS TALKED ABOUT EARLIER IN TERMS OF HOMELESSNESS AND SO FORTH. UM, I, IN APRIL OF 2025, UM, MY RENT WAS GOING TO GO UP FOR A, UM, A, AN APARTMENT THAT HAD NO BEDROOMS. SO YOU ALREADY KNOW HOW HIGH THE RENT WAS. IT WAS GONNA BE RAISED TO 1325 FOR A STUDIO APARTMENT. I, AS A DISABLED SENIOR, WAS ABLE TO FIND A VERY NICE APARTMENT, UM, WITH, UH, FOR SENIOR 62 AND OVER BECAUSE OF THE HUD CUTBACKS. FROM WHAT I UNDERSTAND, MY MARKET RENT WILL HAVE GONE FROM NINE 50 AS IT IS NOW TO OVER $1,800. I'VE BEEN HOMELESS BEFORE. I LIVED IN MY CAR WITH MY DOG, ACTUALLY, MY CAT THAT THINKS HE'S A DOG. UM, IT WASN'T A PLEASANT EXPERIENCE AND I WASN'T THIS AGE THEN. AND I SAY ALL THIS TO SAY THAT I COULD BE HOMELESS AGAIN, AND IT SCARES ME. IT TERRIFIES ME. UM, SO I, I'VE BEEN LISTENING SINCE I GOT HERE ABOUT THE BUDGET AND SO FORTH. UM, NOT REALLY, UM, VERSED IN, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF WHAT'S GOING ON. THIS IS MY FIRST CITY COUNCIL MEETING HERE SINCE I'VE BEEN HERE FOR 14 YEARS. BUT I DO WANNA SAY THAT IF THERE'S ANY WAY THAT YOU CAN, UM, MAKE SURE THAT THERE'S MONEY IN THE BUDGET THAT IS ABLE TO HELP PEOPLE LIKE ME, I'LL BE 65 AT THE END OF THE YEAR. I'M NOT ABLE TO RETIRE. I DO HAVE A WONDERFUL JOB WORKING FOR THE BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB, WHICH I LOVE. UM, I'M VERY BLESSED TO BE ABLE TO HAVE A JOB THAT I LOVE AND I DON'T DREAD GOING TO WORK EVERY DAY. AND I KNOW I MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN KIDS' LIFE, BUT I WONDER HOW THAT WOULD AFFECT ME IF I ENDED UP BEING HOMELESS BECAUSE OF THE BUDGET CUTS OR, OR WHATEVER IS GOING ON. SO, AS I SAID, I JUST WANTED TO PUT KIND OF A, A HUMAN FACE TO WHAT YOU ALL HAVE TO DO. I KNOW IT'S A DIFFICULT JOB. I WOULDN'T HAVE IT FOR ANYTHING IN THE WORLD, BUT, UM, IF YOU COULD JUST LOOK AT PEOPLE LIKE ME THAT ARE DISABLED, SENIOR, AND REALLY WOULDN'T HAVE ANYWHERE ELSE TO GO IF I WAS MADE HOMELESS BECAUSE I CAN'T AFFORD $1,800 OR MORE A MONTH RENT, IT WOULD MEAN THE WORLD TO ME. SO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR LISTENING AND HAVE A GOOD EVENING. THANK YOU. IF YOU NEED TO SPEAK WITH SOMEONE, YOU MAY SPEAK WITH, UH, A HUNDRED OVER HERE. OVER HERE. YEAH, DENISE. OVER HERE WE'VE GOT OUR DEPUTY CITY MANAGER WHO, UH, WHO, UM, KNOWS A LOT ABOUT THE PROGRAMS THAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT. SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR TESTIMONY TODAY. OKAY. THANK YOU. MAY SPEAKING. DENISE, MY NAME IS KEANA CLARK AND I, THIS IS, UM, UH, UH, A PROTEST TO GET THE RIGHTS THAT I [04:50:01] WAS SUPPOSED TO BE AWARDED BY THIS COUNTRY. UM, I HAVE BEEN GOING THROUGH A CONSPIRACY TO VIOLATE MY RIGHTS OF YEARS, AND IT'S JUST REALLY BEEN UNADDRESSED. AND IF SHE WAS SPEAKING OF HOMELESSNESS, I AM FORCED INTO HOMELESSNESS. I HAVE TO GO SLEEP OUTSIDE. I'VE BEGGED AND PLEADED FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT. THERE ARE AIDING AND ABETTING THE DOMESTIC VIOLENCE CRISIS I'M INVOLVED IN FOR HELP. I'M BLACKBALLED FROM ALL DOMESTIC VIOLENCE ORGANIZATIONS, STATE TO STATE. I HAVE ALMOST 30 SOMETHING ARRESTS TO MY NAME. AND, UM, I'VE BEEN DEPRIVED OF CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS TO GO TO COURT, AND A LOT OF THAT IS UPLOADED TO THE YOUTUBE. THERE'S THIS MASSIVE PAPER TRAIL THAT'S REPEATEDLY IGNORED. SO I JUST WANTED TO KNOW, UH, AS A PROTEST HERE IN LONG BEACH, I FLED FROM TEXAS. I WAS BLACKBALLED IN TEXAS AND I FLED HERE. AND IT'S JUST THE SAME PATTERN REPEATING ITSELF. I HAVE BEEN ASSAULTED AND LAW ALL LAW ENFORCEMENT DOES IS COVER FOR ALL ABUSE, WHICH IS UPLOADED TO THE YOUTUBE CHANNEL THAT I GAVE YOU. AND SINCE I HAVE WENT THROUGH ALL THIS INSANITY, I HAVE TO GO SLEEP OUTSIDE RIGHT NOW. BLACK BALL, THERE'S MY LUGGAGE. EACH TIME I GET MY OWN LIVING ENVIRONMENT, THERE'S A KIDNAPPING BY FALSE ARREST TO TAKE EVERYTHING THAT I HAVE. AND LIKE I SAID, IT'S REPEATEDLY UNADDRESSED. I'M BEGGING AND PLEADING FOR ALL THE BLIND EYES THAT I'VE HAD TO DRAW ALL THESE YEARS TO END. IT IS ILLEGAL AND NOTHING HAS REPEATEDLY BEEN DONE. THANK YOU. AND THE YOUTUBE CHANNEL. K-E-Y-A-N-A, KIANA CLARK, C-L-A-R-K-P-P-E-A-C-E. THANK YOU. OKAY. GOOD. YOU WANT SAY GIVE US, YOU WANNA SPEAK TO SOMEBODY BECAUSE DON'T WAIT. YOU LEFT. OKAY. YOU MY, YOUR RIGHT. AND WE DO HAVE ONE PUBLIC COMMENT. SPEAKER IN ZOOM. ELIZABETH, IF YOU CAN UNMUTE YOURSELF. HI. SORRY. YOUR TIME BEGINS NOW. CAN YOU HEAR ME? YES. YOUR TIME BEGINS NOW. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS ELIZABETH LIO. I'M A LIBRARIAN AND RESIDENT OF DISTRICT SEVEN. AND I'M HERE WELL, DIGITALLY TO TALK ONCE AGAIN, UM, ABOUT THE PROPOSED CITY LAYOFFS AND THE IMPACT THAT THEY'RE GONNA HAVE ON OUR LIBRARIES AND OUR COMMUNITY. REDUCING LIBRARY HOURS DOES NOT SIMPLY REMAIN REMOVING EXTRA POSITIONS. IT MEANS ASKING THE EMPLOYEES WHO REMAIN TO DO MORE WITH LESS. THE NEEDS OF OUR COMMUNITY HAVE NOT GONE DOWN, BUT WE WILL NOW BE EXPECTED TO MEET THOSE NEEDS. WITH FEWER STAFF, FEWER HOURS AND LESS SUPPORT, THE COMMUNITY IS PAYING ATTENTION. TWO WEEKS AGO, OUR PATRON EMILY CAME BEFORE THE COUNCIL, AND HER HEARTFELT STATEMENT HAS RECEIVED MORE THAN 110,000 LIKES ON TIKTOK ALONE. THAT RESPONSE SHOWS HOW DEEPLY PEOPLE CARE ABOUT THEIR LIBRARIES, BUT IT ALSO SHOWS HOW IMPORTANT IT IS FOR US TO HAVE SAFE THIRD SPACES FOR ALL OF OUR RESIDENTS, INCLUDING THE YOUNG, THE OLD, AND THE UNHOUSED. I ALSO WANNA CONNECT THIS TO THE CONTRACT NEGOTIATIONS CURRENTLY TAKING PLACE BETWEEN THE CITY AND IAM. NOT ONLY DO YOU WANNA REDUCE LIBRARY SERVICES DOWN TO FIVE DAYS AND YOU, BUT YOU WANTED TO LAY OFF WORKERS. AND NOW THE CITY HAS PROPOSED A CITYWIDE ONE WEEK UNPAID LEAVE. NOT ONLY DOES THIS TAKE ONE QUARTER OF THE EMPLOYEE'S TAKE HOME PAY IN DECEMBER, BUT IT ALSO TAKES AWAY ALMOST ALL CITY SERVICES FOR THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE HERE. THIS ISN'T, UM, AND THIS ISN'T PROPOSED FOR JUST ONE YEAR, BUT INDEFINITELY, CITY EMPLOYEES ARE ASKING FOR A FAIR CONTRACT AND FOR EQUITY IN OUR WAGES, MANY LONG BEACH EMPLOYEES ARE PAID LESS THAN WORKERS DOING COMPARABLE JOBS IN SURROUNDING AREAS. IF THE CITY WANTS TO RECRUIT AND RETAIN EXPERIENCED EMPLOYEES, WE NEED TO BE COMPENSATED, UH, COMPETITIVELY. LIBRARY STAFF ALREADY DEAL WITH SO MUCH DAILY. WE PLAN AND RUN WORKSHOPS. WE STAFF SERVICE DESKS, WE ENFORCE RULES, AND MANY OF US ARE GETTING BURNT OUT. HAVING TO TRY TO BALANCE OUR ACTUAL JOBS WITH WHAT OUR COMMUNITY MEANS. WE ARE NOT ASKING FOR SOMETHING UNREASONABLE. THE CITY HAS RECOGNIZED THE NEED FOR EQUITY ADJUSTMENTS IN PREVIOUS IAM CONTRACTS. WE ARE ASKING FOR THAT SAME RECOGNITION. NOW, YOU CANNOT CONTINUALLY REDUCE STAFFING, INCREASING WORKLOADS IN REDUCED SERVICES, WHILE EXPECTING EMPLOYEES TO MAINTAIN THE SAME LEVEL OF SERVICE FOR THE PUBLIC. AND THEY DESERVE THAT. OUR WORKFORCE IS NOT JUST A LINE ITEM IN A BUDGET. THESE ARE PEOPLE WHO LIVE HERE WHO SERVE OUR COMMUNITY AND HAVE DEDICATED YEARS OF THEIR LIVES TO THE CITY OF LONG BEACH. WE'RE JUST ASKING FOR A FAIR CONTRACT. WE WANT EQUITY IN OUR PAY, AND WE WANNA CONTINUE PROVIDING THE SERVICES LONG BEACH RESIDENTS DESERVE. PLEASE PROTECT LIBRARY FUNDING, PRESERVE CITY JOBS, AND WORK WITH THE A A M TOWARDS A FAIR CONTRACT. WE DON'T JUST WANT TO LIVE IN THE CITY, BUT WE WANNA THRIVE, BUT AT THIS POINT, WE CAN BARELY EVEN SURVIVE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS AS A REMAINDER. UH, NEXT TUESDAY, AUGUST 25TH, WE HAVE A BUDGET OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE STARTING AT 12. WE ALSO HAVE ANOTHER BUDGET COMMITTEE, BUDGET OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE ON SEPTEMBER 1ST, STARTING AT ONE. NOW WE'RE AT, UH, ANNOUNCEMENTS. [ANNOUNCEMENTS] ANY ANNOUNCEMENTS? [04:55:01] T UH, THANK YOU VICE MAYOR AND CHAIR. UM, I WANNA THANK ALL THE FAMILIES AND VOLUNTEERS AND SPONSORS, INCLUDING THE POOLS OF HOPE LONG BEACH PORT, UM, THE PORT OF LONG BEACH AND THE LONG BEACH COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT, UH, WHO MADE THE COLLEGE SQUARE NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATIONS BACK TO SCHOOL SUPPLIES GIVEAWAY ON SATURDAY. A SUCCESS. UH, YOUR PARTICIPATION HELPED ENSURE OUR STUDENTS START THE YEAR PREPARED AND SUPPORTED. UM, I WANNA INVITE EVERYBODY OUT TO JOIN THE STAR KING NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION FOR THEIR COMMUNITY CONNECTION EVENT AND BLOCK PARTY ON SATURDAY, AUGUST 22ND FROM 12:00 PM TO 5:00 PM UM, LOCATED AT 68 0 1 MURAL STREET. COME OUT AND MEET YOUR NEIGHBORS. ENJOY SOME FREE FOODS, CRAFTS AND GAMES. UH, FOR MORE INFORMATION, YOU CAN CONTACT RAUL NARIO AT 5 6 2 5 0 7 89 90, OR STAR KING NA@GMAIL.COM. AND, UM, AS MY COLLEAGUE SAID, I'D LIKE TO INVITE EVERYBODY OUT TO CONTINUE TO PARTICIPATE IN THE, UH, THE BUDGET HEARINGS AND THE BUDGET OVERSIGHT PROCESS. AND AGAIN, OUR NEXT MEETING IS TUESDAY, AUGUST 25TH AT 12:00 PM TO CONTINUE THE CONVERSATION. THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER KERR. YES, THANK YOU MR. VICE MAYOR. THIS WEEK I INVITE, UH, YOU TO JOIN MY TEAM AND I AT OUR NEXT DISTRICT FIVE COMMUNITY MEETING. IT'S GONNA BE THIS THURSDAY, AUGUST 20TH AT 6:00 PM AT THE EXPO ART CENTER AT 4 3 2 1 ATLANTIC AVENUE. WE'LL BE JOINED BY THE LONG BEACH UTILITIES DEPARTMENT AND THE DEPARTMENT OF DISASTER PREPAREDNESS AND EMERGENCY COMMUNICATION TO TALK ABOUT TOPICS INCLUDING THE PROPOSED UTILITY RATE INCREASES, UTILITY BILL ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS, AND EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS TIPS THAT ON FRIDAY, AUGUST 21ST, I INVITE EVERYONE TO ATTEND THE FOURTH ANNUAL DISCOVER LBCC COMMUNITY CONCERT FROM FIVE TO 8:00 PM AT THE LIBERAL ARTS CAMPUS ON THE LAWN, UH, IN FRONT OF THE BUILDING THERE. JOIN US FOR A FREE COMMUNITY CONCERT, ENJOY FOOD TRUCKS, INFORMATION BOOTHS, AND DISCOVER ALL THAT LBCC HAS TO OFFER. AND THEN ON SATURDAY, YOU CAN JOIN THE LAKEWOOD VILLAGE NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION FOR THEIR FREE ANNUAL SUMMER CONCERT IN THE PARK AT PAN AM PARK FROM FOUR TO 7:00 PM WITH MUSIC, FOOD, AND COMMUNITY. AS WE HEAD INTO THE FINAL WEEKS OF SUMMER. WE LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING YOU OUT IN THE COMMUNITY. THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER SOL? YES. SO WE, AS WE'RE GOING BACK TO SCHOOL, THERE'S TWO EVENT IN DISTRICT SIX. ONE IS NEW HOPE ACADEMIES BACK TO SCHOOL GIVEAWAY EVENT ON FRIDAY, AUGUST 21ST FROM 12:00 PM TO 4:00 PM AT MLK PARK. AND ON SATURDAY WE HAVE OUR LOCAL HEARTS FOUNDATION THAT'S GONNA DO THEIR AMAZING BACK TO SCHOOL GIVEAWAY, UH, ON SATURDAY, AUGUST 22ND FROM 10:00 AM TO 2:00 PM AND WE'LL ALSO BE, MY OFFICE WILL BE HOSTING A CLEANUP WITH LOCAL HEARTS ON SATURDAY, UH, AS WELL IN THE MOR UH, ON AUGUST 22ND FROM 10:00 AM TO 2:00 PM AT MACARTHUR PARK. OKAY, THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBERS. ANY ADDITIONAL COMMENTS FOR THE CAUSE? NONE. THIS MEETING. HE'S ADJOURNED. THANK YOU. HAVE A GOOD EVENING. * This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting.