[00:03:23]
UH, I WOULD LIKE TO CALL TO ORDER THE BUDGET OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE MEETING TO, UH, TO ORDER FOR TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 1ST, 2026.
CLERK, WOULD YOU PLEASE CALL THE ROLE COUNCILMAN ALLEN? I AM PRESENT VICE CHAIR URANGA.
UH, CAN YOU PLEASE READ THE FIRST ITEM, ITEM? WHEN IS THE RECOMMENDATION TO APPROVE THE MINUTES FOR THE BUDGET OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE MEETING OF TUESDAY, AUGUST 25TH, 2026.
[CALL TO ORDER]
ALL RIGHT.UH, ANY COMMENTS? COUNCILWOMAN ALLEN? UM,
[ROLL CALL]
I DON'T HAVE ANY EITHER, SO WE CAN GO TO PUBLIC COMMENT AT THIS TIME.IF ANY MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM, PLEASE LINE UP AT THE PODIUM.
SEEING NO PUBLIC COMMENT, UH, WE CAN MOVE TO, UH, UH, A VOTE TO APPROVE THE RECOMMENDATION.
[1. 26-55923 Recommendation to approve the minutes for the Budget Oversight Committee meeting of Tuesday, August 25, 2026. Suggested Action: Approve recommendation. ]
YEAH.ITEM TWO IS A RECOMMENDATION TO RECEIVE AND FILE PRESENTATION ON THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND OPPORTUNITY DEPARTMENT.
AND I SEE OUR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT TEAM.
I SEE WE FIRST SENTENCE, UH, SECOND.
UM, AND I KNOW YOU ALL, UH, WE HAVE A PACKED BUDGET HEARING SCHEDULE.
AND SO, UM, WE MADE THE DECISION, JUST SO EVERYBODY KNOWS, TO HAVE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITY PRESENT HERE FOR BUDGET OVERSIGHT, RIGHT? SO WE CAN MAKE SURE THAT WE COULD HAVE A ROBUST DISCUSSION, UM, AND GIVE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT THE TIME, THE TEAM, THE TIME THAT THEY NEED TO, TO
[00:05:01]
PRESENT TO US THEIR BUDGET FOR THIS YEAR.SO, WHENEVER YOU ARE READY, PLEASE, UH, PLEASE START.
[2. 26-55924 Recommendation to receive and file a presentation on the Economic Development and Opportunity Department. Suggested Action: Approve recommendation. ]
GOOD AFTERNOON.BOCC CHAIR AND COMMITTEE MEMBERS.
I'M THE DIRECTOR OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITY DEPARTMENT, AND I'M PLEASED TO PROVIDE YOU AN UPDATE ON THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITY, FY PROPOSED BUDGET.
THE DEPARTMENT CONSISTS OF FIVE FABULOUS BUREAUS THAT REPRESENT 83 FULL-TIME EMPLOYEES THAT MAKE UP THE EDO DREAM TEAM.
THAT INCLUDES BUSINESS OPERATIONS, WHICH INCLUDE THE EXECUTIVE OFFICE, FINANCIAL AND GRAD ADMINISTRATION, COMMUNICATIONS, AS WELL AS PERSONNEL.
THE SECOND ONE IS THE, UH, BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT BUREAU, WHICH OVERSEES SMALL BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT, BUSINESS RETENTION, EXPANSION AND ATTRACTION BUSINESS, RAPID RESPONSE TO BUSINESS ENGAGEMENT AND OUTREACH, AND OUR BUSINESS IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT PROGRAM AS WELL, WELL AS OUR REVOLVING LOAN FUND PROGRAM.
THE THIRD AREA IS OUR REAL ESTATE DEVELOPMENT BUREAU.
THE REAL ESTATE DEVELOPMENT BUREAU FOCUSES ON PROPERTY MANAGEMENT, ACQUISITIONS AND DISPOSITIONS CONCESSION, AS WELL AS LEASE AGREEMENTS.
LOOKS LIKE WE GOT A SQUARE THERE RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF OUR PRESENTATION, BUT I'LL CONTINUE TO GO FORWARD.
UM, OTHER, UH, THE OTHER BUREAU IS OUR WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT, ALSO KNOWN AS LONG BEACH WORKFORCE INNOVATION NETWORK.
AND WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT AND TALENT, SUCCESSFUL CITIES OF THE FUTURE WILL FOCUS ON TALENT RETENTION, TALENT RECRUITMENT, AS WELL AS GROWING OUR OWN.
THIS WILL HAPPEN BY WORKING IN PARTNERSHIP WITH OUR EDUCATIONAL PARTNERS FROM LONG BEACH UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT, LONG BEACH CITY COLLEGE, CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY, LONG BEACH, LABOR UNIONS, BUSINESS AND INDUSTRY.
OUR FIFTH BUREAU IS WATERFRONT DEVELOPMENT.
THE WATERFRONT DEVELOPMENT FOCUS WILL, UH, LOOK AT HOW WE LEVERAGE CITY OWNED ASSETS FROM THE QUEEN MARY, THE FF, AND M BANK, AMPHITHEATER OF LONG BEACH, THE PIKE SHORELINE VILLAGE CONVENTION CENTER, ALL THE WAY TO ALAMEDA BAY TO LIVE, TO DELIVER A WORLD CLASS WATERFRONT.
IN ADDITION TO THEIR, TO OUR STAFF, IT TAKES COLLABORATION WITH MANY OF OUR PUBLIC AND PRIVATE SECTOR PARTNERS, INCLUDING THE LARGER CITY TEAM MEMBERS OF THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION, THE LONG BEACH WORK, LONG BEACH WORKFORCE INNOVATION NETWORK BOARD TO HELP GET OUR WORK DONE.
NOW IT'S TIME TO SHARE OUR ACCOMPLISHMENTS.
WE OPENED UP THE F AND M BANK AMPHITHEATER OF LONG BEACH THIS YEAR IN RECORD TIME WITH A TOTAL OF 19 AMAZING SHOWS FOR OUR INAUGURAL SEASON.
THE LONG BEACH CONVENTION ENTERTAINMENT CENTER IS EXPECTED TO WELCOME MORE THAN 1 MILLION ATTENDEES FOR CONFERENCES, CONVENTIONS, ENTERTAINMENT, AND TRADE SHOWS.
AND I WANNA GIVE A SPECIAL SHOUT OUT TO VISIT LONG BEACH, MEET LONG BEACH, AS WELL AS LEGEND GLOBAL, WHO HELP MANAGE AND OPERATE.
UM, OUR, OUR, NOT ONLY OUR, UH, AMPHITHEATER, NOT ONLY OUR AMPHITHEATER, BUT ALSO OUR CONVENTION CENTER.
THE QUEEN MARY HELD MANY MAJOR SIGNATURE EVENTS FROM NEW YEAR'S EVE, JULY 4TH, DARK HARBOR WEDDINGS CONFERENCES, AS WELL AS COMMUNITY ACTIVATIONS.
WE ESTABLISHED THE CITYWIDE ADVERTISING COMMITTEE WITH A FOCUS ON IDENTIFYING CITY PROPERTY AND FACILITIES TO EXPLORE NEW POTENTIAL REVENUE AND ADVER ADVERTISING OPPORTUNITIES IN THE CITY.
WE LAUNCHED THE VIBE CITY BRAND.
IT'S A NEW TOURISM AND DESTINATION BRANDING CAMPAIGN THAT WAS COMPLETED IN PARTNERSHIP WITH MEET LONG BEACH.
WE ARE CONVINCING ON THE CITYWIDE ENTERTAINMENT STRATEGIC PLAN WITH THE FOLKS ON MUSIC, ENTERTAINMENT, TOURISM BY IDENTIFYING POLICIES, PROGRAMS, PLACEMAKING INITIATIVES, AS WELL AS PARTNERSHIPS.
WE COMPLETED THE WEST SIDE LONG BEACH ECONOMIC MARKET STUDY, AND NOW IMPLEMENTATION WILL BEGIN.
CONTINUING ON, WE CONTINUE THE LONG BEACH PUBLIC PUBLIC SERVICE CORE PROGRAM.
52 FELLOWS COMPLETED THEIR PROGRAM IN FY 26 AND 30 MORE PLANNED TO BEGIN THIS SUN SEPTEMBER, OUR AWARD-WINNING SPACE SPEECH CAMP.
WE COMPLETED OUR THIRD CAMP FOR YOUTH AND YOUNG ADULTS TO EXPOSE THEM TO, TO CAREERS IN AEROSPACE AND AVIATION INDUSTRIES.
WE PROVIDED SERVICES TO MORE THAN 4,000 RESIDENTS THROUGH OUR LONG BEACH WORKFORCE INNOVATION ADULT AND YOUTH CAREER SERVICES CENTERS.
OUR BUSINESS RAPID RAPID RESPONSE TEAM SUPPORTED OVER 85 BUSINESSES ACROSS THE CITY FOR PROPERTY DAMAGE, VANDALISM, AND OTHER UNEXPECTED BUSINESS CHALLENGES.
WE ENGAGED MORE THAN A HUNDRED FIVE, A HUNDRED EIGHTY FIVE BUSINESSES THROUGH OUTREACH, INCLUDING SIX BUSINESS WALKS THROUGHOUT OUR CITY COUNCIL, DISTRICTS THROUGHOUT THE CITY, AND ONE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ROUNDTABLE.
THE BIZ CARE TEAM ASSISTED MORE THAN 1100 BUSINESSES TO ACCESS CITY RESOURCES AND SERVICES.
THE BIZ CARE TEAM ALSO VISITED MORE THAN 1000 LOCAL BUSINESSES, PROVIDING IN-PERSON TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE.
[00:10:01]
COMMUNITY EVENTS, OUR LEVEL UP LONG BEACH PROGRAM, EXTREME BUSINESS MAKEOVER, WE DELIVERED AN EIGHT WEEK SMALL BUSINESS TRAINING PROGRAM FOCUSED ON BUSINESS PLANNING, MARKETING, AND PROCUREMENT, AND WE AWARDED OVER $205,000 TO 25 SMALL BUSINESSES.THE KNOW YOUR RIGHTS PROGRAM REACHED OVER 1300 BUSINESSES AND PROVIDED 378 1 0 1 CONSULTATIONS TO BUSINESSES BEING IMPACTED BY THE IMMIGRATION ENFORCEMENT.
MORE ACCOMPLISHMENTS WE HELD UPTOWN DEVELOPMENT DAY.
WE LISTED PROPERTIES, HELD PUBLIC MEETINGS, AND TOURED 11 PROPERTIES ALONG WITH THE ATLANTIC AVENUE CORRIDOR IN NORTH LONG BEACH, ALSO KNOWN AS UPTOWN.
THE NEXT STEP IS TO MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS TO CITY COUNCIL, TO SELECT DEVELOPERS TO DEVELOP, BUILD, AND ACTIVATE THE CORRIDORS FOR YEARS TO COME.
WE WELCOME THE LONG BEACH COAST BASEBALL TEAM, THEIR INAUGURAL SEASON AT BLAIR FIELD.
WE COMPLETED 24 NEIGHBORHOOD MARKETPLACE PROFILES TO MARKET AND PROMOTE OUR UNIQUE, COOL AND AUTHENTIC COMMERCIAL CORRIDORS.
WE COMPLETED OUR FIRST EDO 2025 ANNUAL REPORT TO CELEBRATE ALL OUR ACCOMPLISHMENTS.
WE COMPLETED STARTING A BUSINESS GUIDE IN LONG BEACH TO WORK WITH ENTREPRENEURS AND THOSE LOOKING TO START THE BUSINESS, MOST IMPORTANTLY, TO HELP THEM TO SUCCEED ON DAY ONE, WE COMPLETED THE CITY LANDLORD CONSENT FOR THE SALE OF THE LONG BEACH TOWN CENTER AND THE PIKE OUTLETS LEASEHOLDS.
WE LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH THE OWNERS TO ENHANCE THESE TWO REGIONAL ENTERTAINMENT AND SHOPPING CENTER DAYS, SHOPPING CENTERS FOR DECADES TO COME.
WE COMPLETED THE SALE OF THE FORMER LONG BEACH ARMORY FOR A NEW AFFORDABLE SENIOR HOUSING DEVELOPMENT PROJECT.
WE HAVE CONTINUED TO ELEVATE AND TELL THE LONG BEACH STORY WITH OVER 5 MILLION ENGAGEMENTS ONLINE THROUGH OUR SOCIAL MEDIA CHANNELS, NEWSLETTER, PRESS RELEASES, AND SMALL BUSINESS SPOTLIGHTS THROUGHOUT THE CITY.
AND WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT THE CITY OF LONG BEACH, IT TRULY IS OUR TIME TO SHINE OUR FY 27 FOCUS AND PROPOSAL REDUCTIONS INCLUDE THE ELIMINATION OF TWO BUDGETED POSITIONS IN OUR REAL ESTATE AND WATERFRONT DEVELOPMENT BUREAUS AS PART OF OUR GENERAL FUND TARGET RE REDUCTION STRATEGY.
WE ALSO REALLOCATED FROM THE EXECUTIVE OFFICE AND BUSINESS OPERATION BUREAUS TO BETTER LINE WITH AVAILABLE RESOURCES AND OPERATIONAL REQUIREMENTS.
THIS APPROACH ALLOWED US TO MEET SAVINGS TARGETS WHILE MINIMIZING IMPACTS TO FILL POSITIONS AND SERVICE LEVELS.
THE PROPOSED ELIMINATIONS LESSON, OUR OVERALL CAPACITY TO DELIVER VARIOUS REAL ESTATE DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS, LEASE ADMINISTRATION NEGOTIATIONS, AND SPECIAL PROJECTS INTENDED TO GENERATE NEW REVENUE FOR OUR CITY.
EXISTING STAFF WILL CONTINUE TO SHOW THEIR HIGHER WORKLOAD AND WORK REQUESTS WILL BE PRIORITIZED ACCORDINGLY.
ONE TIME FUNDING IN THE AMOUNT OF $100,000 FROM THE SPECIAL ADVERTISING PROMOTION FUND GROUP TO IMPLEMENT COMMUNICATION AND MARKETING STRATEGIES TO SUPPORT BUSINESS RETENTION, EXPANSION AND INTERACTION, AND CONTINUE TO TELL ALL THE GREAT LONG BEACH STORIES.
WE WILL CONTINUE TO DELIVER ON THE GROW LONG BEACH ECONOMIC BLUEPRINT BY LEVERAGING PUBLIC AND PRIVATE SECTOR PARTNERS, INCLUDING THE PORT OF LONG BEACH, OUR EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS, NONPROFITS AND FOUNDATIONS, REGIONAL AND STATE AND FEDERAL PARTNERS TO DRIVE MORE BUSINESS ADVANCEMENTS AND JOBS TO OUR WORLD CLASS CITY.
WE WILL CONTINUE TO LOOK FOR OPPORTUNITIES TO DIVERSIFY OUR ECONOMY, OUR CITY REVENUE STREAMS TO DELIVER EXCELLENT COMMUNITY SERVICES FOR OUR RESIDENTS, BUSINESS AND VISITORS.
AND WE WILL CONTINUE TO BUSINESS.
AND LONG BEACH HAS A MAGNET FOR 21ST CENTURY TALENT WHERE BUSINESS AND INDUSTRIES AND RESIDENTS WILL THRIVE IN IN FY 27.
WE WILL CONTINUE OUR WORK ON THE SMALL BUSINESS REBOUND INITIATIVE TO DEVELOP AND EXPAND INNOVATIVE STRATEGIES AND PROGRAMS THAT HELP RECRUIT, RETAIN, AND REINFORCE OUR LOCAL SMALL BUSINESS COMMUNITY.
THIS INCLUDES OUR LEGACY BUSINESS PROGRAM THAT RECOGNIZED 22 NEWLY CERTIFIED LEGACY BUSINESSES, BRINGING THE PROGRAM TOTAL TO 81 BUSINESSES THROUGHOUT THE CITY.
THE INCLUSIVE BUSINESS NAVIGATORS PROGRAM SUPPORTED 681 BUSINESSES, HOSTED 91 WORKSHOPS WITH OVER 787 ATTENDEES, AND PROVIDED 2300 HOURS OF ONE-ON-ONE TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE.
THE REVOLVING LOAN FUND ISSUED SIX LOANS, TOTALING 427,000.
WE DISTRIBUTED ONE-TIME FUNDS TO OUR AMAZING BUSINESS IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT PARTNERS THROUGHOUT THE CITY FOR
[00:15:01]
CLEAN AND SAFE SPECIAL EVENTS AND ACTIVATIONS.WE ALL KNOW THAT SMALL BUSINESS IS BIG BUSINESS.
THEY'RE THE BACKBONE TO OUR LOCAL ECONOMY.
THEY CREATE JOBS, THEY BUILD WEALTH, AND THEY ARE WHAT MAKES OUR CITY SO SPECIAL, COOL, UNIQUE AND AUTHENTIC.
NONE OF THIS WORK HAPPENS IN A VACUUM.
WE ARE ALL CITY BUILDERS HERE.
WE ARE COMMITTED TO CREATING AN ECONOMY AND A CITY WHERE EVERYONE THRIVES.
THE FY BUDGET PRESENTS SEVERAL CHALLENGES, NOT ONLY TO OUR DEPARTMENT, BUT UH, MANY OF OUR CITY DEPARTMENTS AND TO OUR COMMUNITY CITYWIDE, INCLUDING THE EXPIRATION OF FORMER REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY, ONE-TIME FUNDING AND FY 26 AND FY 27.
THESE RESOURCES HAVE SUPPORTED MANY OF OUR AWARD-WINNING AND NATIONALLY RECOGNIZED SMALL BUSINESS PROGRAMS THAT OUR CITY TEAM HAS WORKED SO HARD TO DEVELOP AND I IMPLEMENT TO HELP OUR BUSINESSES GROW AND SUCCEED.
AS WE LOOK BEYOND FY 27, WE WILL NEED TO IDENTIFY SUSTAINABLE FUNDING SOURCES AND PARTNERSHIPS TO CONTINUE THESE IMPORTANT PROGRAMS AND BUILD ON THEIR SUCCESS.
CONTINUING ON IN FY 27, THE AMPHITHEATER IS EXPECTED TO HOST A FULL CONCERT SEASON WITH AN ESTIMATED 35 SHOWS.
THIS WILL PRODUCE POSITIVE FINANCIAL RESULTS FOR THE VENUE, AND IT WILL GENERATE INDIRECT ECONOMIC ECONOMIC BENEFITS TO THE LOCAL ECONOMY THROUGH INCREASED SALES, TAX, TRANSIT, OCC OCCUPANCY, TAX, PARKING, REVENUE, AND MOST IMPORTANTLY, VISITORS TO OUR LOCAL BUSINESSES.
IN ADDITION, ENHANCEMENTS TO WAY FINDING SIGNAGE, TRANSPORTATION, AND MOBILITY AMENITIES ARE ANTICIPATED TO INCREASE VISITOR, VISITOR, UH, VISITATIONS AND IMPROVE THE CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE.
AT THE QUEEN MARY DISTRICT, WE LOOK TO COMPLETE THE ADVERTISING CODE UPDATE PROJECT AND PARTNER WITH THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT THAT WILL CREATE NEW OPPORTUNITIES TO GENERATE REVENUE THROUGH ADVERTISING ON SELECT PROPERTIES IN THE CITY.
AND LEADING UP TO THE LA 28 OLYMPIC AND PARALYMPIC GAMES, WE LOOK FORWARD TO BEING ON THE GLOBAL STAGE, WELCOMING VISITORS AND POSITIONING THE CITY TO LEVERAGE THE LA 28 GAMES FOR FUTURE DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES, INVESTMENTS AND JOBS ALONG THE WATERFRONT.
FY 27 WILL BE A CHALLENGING TRANSITION, NOT ONLY FOR THE CITY, BUT FOR OUR COMMUNITY.
HAS RESOURCES DECLINE WHILE THE DEMAND FOR SERVICES GROW HIGHER.
HIGHER FINANCING COSTS ARE SLOWING DOWN.
INVESTMENTS IN DEVELOPMENT, NOT ONLY THE CITY, BUT ACROSS THE COUNTRY.
VACANT COMMERCIAL AND RETAIL SPACES, OFFICE AND RETAIL SPACES WILL CONTINUE TO IMPACT OUR DOWNTOWN.
THIS MAY REQUIRE US TO THINK OUT OF BOX, REPOSITION, VACANT SPACE INTO OTHER USES, FOR EXAMPLE, OFFICE TO RESIDENTIAL, RETAIL TO NON-RETAIL USES.
AND AS A, UH, OUR COMMITTEE CHAIRS ALWAYS SAYS, HOW DO WE TAKE VACANCY TO VIBRANCY? WE WILL CONTINUE NAVIGATING CHANGING TRADE CONDITIONS.
WE'LL IMPACT THAT WILL UNPACK PROJECT COST AND INVESTMENT DECISIONS.
WE WILL CONTINUE TO ADDRESS THE TALENT GAPS AND LABOR SHORTAGES THAT IMPACT OUR SMALL BUSINESS TO BIG BUSINESS, INCLUDING IMPACTS ON IMMIGRATION.
WE'LL CONTINUE TO BUILD A MORE AFFORDABLE AND ATTAINABLE HOUSING FOR OUR CITY AND OUR RESIDENTS, AND WE WILL CONTINUE TO PREPARE FOR REDUCED AND CHANGING FEDERAL, STATE, AND COUNTY RESOURCES.
AND WE WILL MONITOR THAT AS WE MOVE FORWARD.
SMALL BUSINESS WILL CONTINUE TO FACE CHALLENGES WITH ACCESS TO CAPITAL MANAGING, RISING LABOR COSTS, COMPETITION AND OPERATING COSTS.
CITY STAFF STAFFING CAPACITY WILL CONTINUE TO REMAIN CONSTRAINED WHILE ADDRESSING BUDGET CHALLENGES.
ONE-TIME FUNDING IS ENDING PUTTING MANY OF OUR SMALL BUSINESS PROGRAMS AT RISK, UNLESS WE GO AFTER AND FIND OTHER FUNDING THAT IS IDENTIFIED IN THE FY 28 BUDGETS.
FUTURE BUDGETS, OUR FOCUS WILL BE TO CONTINUE DELIVERING COMMUNITY SERVICES AND PROGRAMS, LEVERAGING PARTNERSHIPS, AND CONTINUE TO SUPPORT OUR BUSINESS WORKERS AND JOBS AND ECONOMIC GROWTH IN THE CITY.
AS WE LOOK FORWARD, OUR GOAL IS TO CONTINUE TO SUPPORT ENTREPRENEURS AND SMALL BUSINESSES WITH ACCESS TO CAPITAL THROUGH SOCIAL MEDIA AND MARKETING AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE SO THEY CAN GROW AND PROSPER.
WE WILL CONTINUE TO FOCUS ON GROW LONG BEACH BY ATTRACTING BUSINESS INVESTMENTS AND JOBS TO OUR TARGET INDUSTRY SECTORS WHERE IT'S, WHETHER IT'S AEROSPACE AND AVIATION, TRANSPORTATION, LOGISTICS
[00:20:01]
AND SUPPLY CHAIN, HEALTHCARE AND WELLNESS, ALL THE WAY DOWN TO OUR SMALL BUSINESSES.WE WILL CONTINUE TO FOCUS ON TALENT BY BUILDING A WORKFORCE PIPELINE AND OPPORTUNITIES ALIGNED WITH OUR BUSINESS AND INDUSTRY NEEDS, AS WELL AS EDUCATION.
WE WILL LEVERAGE THE LA 28 GAMES FOR ECONOMIC TOURISM OPPORTUNITIES LEADING UP TO DURING AND AFTER THE GAME.
WE WILL MAXIMIZE CITY OWNED ASSETS TO DRIVE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND INVESTMENT THROUGHOUT OUR CITY, AND WE WILL LOOK TO CREATE NEW REVENUE STREAMS TO SUPPORT CITY PRIORITY AND COMMUNITY SERVICES AND AMENITIES.
AND WE WILL CONTINUE TO LEVERAGE PUBLIC AND PRIVATE PARTNERSHIPS, BUT MOST IMPORTANTLY, THE PEOPLE THAT MAKE IT HAPPEN.
WE WILL CONTINUE TO FOCUS ON PROACTIVE BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT TO DRIVE BUSINESS AND INVESTMENTS AND JOBS IN LONG BEACH.
WE WILL CONTINUE TO TELL THE LONG BEACH STORY FROM EVERY ROOFTOP ACROSS OUR CITY.
WE WILL CONTINUE TO DRIVE VISITORS THROUGH MUSIC, ENTERTAINMENT, AND ACTIVATIONS THROUGHOUT OUR CITY.
WE WILL LEVERAGE RESOURCES AND PART WITH THE FOUNDATIONS AND OTHERS.
WE WILL CONTINUE TO LEVERAGE AI TOOLS TO BOOST REVENUE AND OPERATIONS FOR OUR LOCAL BUSINESSES, AND WE WILL CONTINUE TO TRAIN SPACE SPEECH HAS THE NATIONS PREMIER INNOVATION ECOSYSTEM FOR GENERATIONS TO COME.
IN CONCLUSION, I WOULD LIKE TO THANK OUR AMAZING EDO DREAM TEAM FOR ALL THEIR HARD WORK, THEIR DEDICATION AND COMMITMENT TO BUILDING A BETTER LONG BEACH, PLEASE STAND AND TO OUR AMAZING CITY TEAM, OUR PUBLIC AND PRIVATE SECTOR PARTNERS, THANK YOU FOR UNLOCKING OPPORTUNITY, DRIVING STRATEGIC AND INCLUSIVE GROWTH, EMPOWERING LONG BEACH FOR GENERATIONS TO COME.
THIS CONCLUDES MY PRESENTATION AND HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THAT PRESENTATION.
UM, BOWEN TEAM, AND AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR THE, THE, THE EXCELLENT WORK ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DOES, SORRY, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITY.
UM, AND THEN ALSO, I KNOW THAT YOU ALL, I JUST WANTED TO SAY, I KNOW YOU ALL GET, UM, CREATIVE WITH THE RESOURCES THAT YOU HAVE, RIGHT? IN ORDER TO REALLY BE NIMBLE ABOUT THE WORK THAT YOU DO IN OUR SAFE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, BUT ALSO TO SUPPORT SMALL BUSINESSES TO FACILITATE THE WORK WE'RE DOING IN REAL ESTATE, RIGHT? THERE'S JUST KIND OF SO MANY DIFFERENT THINGS THAT YOU AND YOUR TEAM HAVE, UM, THAT YOUR, YOUR, YOUR HANDS TOUCH.
AND SO I JUST WANNA, UH, THANK YOU AND THANK YOU FOR HIGHLIGHTING THAT IN THE MIDST OF THE CHALLENGES.
UM, I DO HAVE SOME QUESTIONS, BUT I WANNA DEFER TO MY COMMITTEE, UH, COLLEAGUES FIRST, UM, UH, COUNCILWOMAN ALLEN.
ALRIGHT, WELL, UH, THANK YOU CHAIR.
UM, AND JUST A REALLY, JUST A SINCERE THANK YOU, DIRECTOR BO AND ALSO TO ALL YOU, THE TEAM THAT'S HERE TODAY.
UM, I REALLY APPRECIATE, UM, ALL THE WORK THAT YOU DIRECTOR AND THAT THE TEAM DOES.
IT'S SO GOOD TO SEE ALL OF YOU.
UM, I, YOU KNOW, I, UM, SEE YOUR TEAM ON THE GROUND, UM, QUITE OFTEN AND I'VE HAD THE PRIVILEGE OF BEING OUT THERE WITH YOUR TEAM MEMBERS AND, AND, UH, TALKING, UH, TO THE LOCAL BUSINESSES.
AND I, I FEEL LIKE THAT YOUR TEAM REALLY UNDERSTANDS WHAT THEY NEED AND THEY HAVE A GOOD PULSE ON WHAT'S HAPPENING OUT THERE.
UH, SO, SO JUST BIG KUDOS TO ALL OF YOU THAT ARE SO ENGAGED.
UM, I REALLY SEE, UM, HOW IMPORTANT LIKE, SMALL, UH, THESE PROGRAMS LIKE THE, UH, THE VISUAL IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM ARE TO SMALL BUSINESSES AND THE LEGACY BUSINESS PROGRAM.
UM, AND I HOPE THAT THAT CONTINUES, UM, THROUGH FY 27.
UH, PEOPLE ARE REALLY PROUD OF THAT.
IT'S A BIG DEAL, UH, IN OUR CITY.
SO, UH, THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR WORK WITH THAT BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, THESE TYPE OF PROGRAMS DIRECTLY, UH, SUPPORT, UM, THE RECOGNITION OF BUSINESSES AND, UM, ALSO, UH, REALLY HELP TO STRENGTHEN THOSE CORRIDORS.
UM, AND YOU KNOW, I THINK WE, I'D BE REMISS TO SAY THAT, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE THESE BUSINESSES THAT CONTINUE TO, UH, FACE, YOU KNOW, CHALLENGES AND, UM, THEY'RE, THEY HAVE, THEY STILL HAVE ISSUES, UM, UH, WITH ACCESS TO CAPITAL AND RISING COSTS.
AND AS YOU SPOKE OF COMMERCIAL, UH, VACANCIES.
SO I DO APPRECIATE THE DEPARTMENT'S CONTINUED, UH, PRIOR PRIORITIZATION OF THOSE BUSINESS RETENTION AND, AND JUST WAYS THAT WE CAN, UM, SUPPORT, UM, THOSE SMALL BUSINESSES.
[00:25:01]
I DO HAVE A COUPLE QUESTIONS.UM, SO ON SLIDE 11, YOU DID TALK ABOUT THE 35 SHOWS AND THE PROJECTED REVENUE.
DO WE HAVE ANY IDEA OF LIKE, WHAT, WHAT THAT PROJECTED REVENUE WOULD BE FOR, FOR THOSE, FOR THOSE SHOWS? OKAY.
YEAH, I'M, I'M, I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER.
UM, SO FOR A FIRST FULL SEASON FY 27, WE HAD ORIGINALLY PROJECTED, UH, JUST OVER $2 MILLION NET PROFIT.
AND SO THAT IS STILL, UM, OUR, UH, OUR EXPECTATION OR, AND OUR ANTICIPATION, ALTHOUGH WE HAVE NOT YET RECEIVED THEIR, UH, UPDATED FY 27 BUDGET.
UM, AND THEN ON PAGE 12, YOU TALKED ABOUT, UM, THE LABOR MARKET SHORTAGES.
SO IT SEEMS LIKE TO ME, AS PEOPLE ARE, ARE LOSING THEIR JOBS, THERE WOULD BE MORE PEOPLE IN THE LABOR MARKET, BUT YOU WERE SAYING THAT THERE'S STILL SHORTAGES.
CAN YOU EXPLAIN A LITTLE BIT MORE WHAT A FURTHER EXPLANATION ON WHAT THAT MEANS? UM, YES.
COMMITTEE, UH, COMMITTEE, UH, PERSONNEL.
UH, COMMITTEE ALLEN, UM, YES, SORRY TO GET THAT MIXED UP, BUT
UM, WHETHER, YOU KNOW, IT'S THROUGH SURVEY.
OUR ONE-ON-ONE MEETINGS WITH THEM THROUGH OUR BUSINESS WALKS IS ONE, THEY'VE TOLD US THAT ACCESS TO CAPITAL IS VERY IMPORTANT TO THEM.
THEY ALSO TOLD US THAT SOCIAL MEDIA AND MARKETING IS VERY IMPORTANT TO THEM AS WELL, BECAUSE HOW DO WE GET NOT ONLY PEOPLE TO OUR PLACE OF BUSINESS, BUT ALSO HOW TO, CAN WE LEVERAGE IT ONLINE TO BUILD OUR BUSINESS? AND THEN THE THIRD YEAR THEY TOLD US IS STAFFING CHALLENGES.
UM, BECAUSE WITH THE, UH, PAST AND CURRENT ENFORCEMENT, UH, IMMIGRATION ENFORCEMENT, UM, A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE AFRAID TO COME INTO WORK.
UM, IT'S REALLY CREATED A SHORTAGE OF, OF PEOPLE THAT ARE AVAILABLE TO WORK IN THE COMMUNITY.
AND THREE, YOU KNOW, I THINK OVERALL IMMIGRATION POLICIES PLAYING A BIG IMPACT ON NOT ONLY OUR CITY BUT CITIES ACROSS THE COUNTRY.
AND SO I THINK WE NEED TO CONTINUE TO MONITOR THIS AND CONTINUE TO FOCUS ON HOW WE NOT ONLY RETAIN EXISTING TALENT, BUT HOW DO WE GROW OUR OWN FOR, FOR OUR, OUR FAR BUSINESS AND INDUSTRY AS WELL AS OUR SMALL BUSINESSES.
THANK YOU SO MUCH, UH, FOR ANSWERING MY QUESTION, DIRECTOR.
UH, AND MY LAST QUESTION AND THEN, UH, CHAIR WILL BRING THIS RIGHT BACK TO YOU.
UM, WHERE ARE WE AT WITH THE CITY ADVERTISING AND THE AGREEMENT COMPLETED WITH THE CONSULTANT SUPERLATIVE GROUP? SO, UM, RIGHT NOW WE, UM, ARE IN THE PROCESS OF PUTTING, PUTTING TOGETHER A SCOPE OF WORK AND WORKING OUT THE BUDGET.
AND THEN THE NEXT STEP IS TO, UH, WORK WITH THEM, UH, AS FAR AS, UH, IMPLEMENTING THE SCOPE OF WORK AND LOOKING AT ADVERTISING OPPORTUNITIES, UM, IN THE CITY AS WELL AS SELECT PROPERTIES AT, IN THE CITY.
AND THEN WHAT WE'LL DO IS, UH, REPORT BACK, UH, THROUGH THE CITY MANAGER AND ONTO, UH, CITY COUNCIL.
BUT, UH, RIGHT NOW WE'RE IN THE EARLY STAGES OF, UH, THAT THAT PROJECT.
WELL I'M EXCITED FOR THAT PROGRAM TO GET STARTED.
ALRIGHT, WELL THANK YOU DIRECTOR.
AND, UH, THAT'S ALL MY QUESTIONS.
CHAIR, VICE MAYOR RANGA, DID YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? YEAH, I, A FEW ITEMS TO SAY.
UM, FIRST OF ALL, THANK YOU MO UH, FOR THE LAST, UH, WHAT, HOW LONG YOU BEEN HERE NOW? I, MY APOLOGIES.
HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN HERE? I'VE BEEN HERE FOUR YEARS NOW AND IT'S BEEN AN AMAZING FOUR YEARS.
IT HAS, I MEAN, I REALLY HAVE NOTICED A BIG DIFFERENCE IN LONG BEACH SINCE YOU'VE BEEN HERE.
WE HAVE THE AMPHITHEATER, WE HAVE PROGRAMS HERE THAT ARE, UH, WELL ON THE WAY AND, UH, ARE ALMOST A, UH, EQUATING TO, THIS IS LONG BEACH.
SO, AND OF COURSE THE BRANDING, THE BRANDING IS, IS, IS AWESOME.
UM, I MEAN THAT, THIS IS MY LAST BUDGET AND, UH, AND, UH, SOMEWHAT BITTERSWEET OF BEING HERE, UH, AT THIS TIME.
THERE ARE PROGRAMS ON PAGE 11, NO PAGE 10, THEN YOU NOTICE THAT, UH, YOU, YOU, UH, YOU POINT OUT ONE OF 'EM OBVIOUSLY WAS THE ONE THAT, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER ALLEN POINTED OUT THE, UH, LEGACY PROGRAM.
WOULD LOVE TO SEE THAT CONTINUE.
BUT I SEE IT'S, IT'S, UH, TARGETED FOR DISCONTINUANCE IN 27 HERE.
THE ONE THAT'S CLOSER TO ME IS THE, UH, IS THE, UH, LONG BEACH ECONOMIC PARTNERSHIP.
UH, I HAD A BIG, UH, UH, INFLUENCE SAY IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF THAT PROGRAM BACK IN A FEW YEARS AGO.
UH, I, I, UH, I CONTRIBUTED THE INITIAL, UM, FUNDING FOR IT TO CREATE IT AND NOW IT'S MADE FOR, FOR END FUNDING.
CAN YOU DESCRIBE WHAT'S GOING ON WITH THAT PROGRAM? IS IT, IS IT FUNDING? IS IT, IS IT, UH, FUNDRAISING? WHAT IS IT THAT'S GOING ON WITH THAT PROGRAM? UH, COUNCIL MEMBER YANGA, UM, SO WE ARE, UH, CURRENTLY WORKING WITH, UH, LONG BEACH ANO BEACH PARTNERSHIP, WHICH IS REBRANDED TO INVEST LONG BEACH.
[00:30:01]
ARE PROVIDING, UH, TWO YEARS OF FUNDING AND LONG IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE PORT OF LONG BEACH AS WELL AS OUR, UM, LONG BEACH AIRPORT.AND SO WE NOT ONLY HAVE REWORKED THEIR SCOPE OF WORK, BUT WE ALSO HIRED A NEW CEO, WHICH IS COURTNEY RUSSELL.
AND SO ONE OF THE BIG JOBS THAT HE'S GONNA HAVE GOING FORWARD IS TO LOOK AT HOW HE CAN LEVERAGE THE SITTING FUNDING, THE PORT OF LONG BEACH FUNDING, AS WELL AS THE AIRPORT FUNDING WITH THE, WITH PRIVATE BUSINESS AND INDUSTRY.
AND SO HE'S PUT TOGETHER A PRETTY, UH, ROBUST PROGRAM, UH, NOT ONLY TO MARKET TO THOSE BUSINESSES, BUT TO GET A RETURN ON THE INVESTMENT.
AND SO HE'S GOT A WHOLE STRATEGY TO RECRUIT BUSINESSES, TO PAY MEMBERSHIP TO BELONG TO THE ORGANIZATION, AS WELL AS, UH, CONTINUE TO FOCUS ON BUSINESS RETENTION, EXPANSION AND ATTRACTION, AND AS WELL AS MARKETING PROMOTING THE CITY NOT ONLY NATIONALLY BUT AS WELL AS INTERNATIONALLY.
SO IT'S A PRETTY BIG SCOPE OF WORK, BUT WE'RE CONFIDENT WITH UNDER HIS LEADERSHIP AND THE PARTNERSHIP WE HAVE WITH BUSINESS INDUSTRY THAT IT WILL BE SUCCESSFUL FOR MANY YEARS TO COME.
LEMME SEE, I GOT THIS STRAIGHT.
YOU'RE REBRANDING LONG BEACH ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, LONG BEACH ECONOMIC PARTNERSHIP TO LONG BEACH INVESTMENT COMPANY.
SO WHAT DOES THAT DO FOR YOU, FOR THIS? WE REALLY SEE THIS ORGANIZ YOU CONTINUE.
IS IT LIKE A, UH, EVOLUTION, I GUESS, IF YOU WILL, QUESTION? YEAH.
AND IT, IT'S, IT'S AN EVOLUTION OF THE ORGANIZATION AND REALLY POSITIONING THEM TO FOCUS ON, YOU KNOW, NOT ONLY NATIONAL BUT ALSO GLOBAL ON THE GLOBAL STATION.
IT'S REALLY TO LOOK AT HOW IT DRIVES INVESTMENT JOBS AS WELL AS BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT TO OUR CITY AND CONTINUING TO TELL OUR STORY.
AND SO IT'S GREAT TO HAVE A, A OUTSIDE ORG ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ORGANIZATION BECAUSE THERE'S A LOT OF THINGS THAT, YOU KNOW, THEY CAN DO WITH BUSINESS INDUSTRY THAT WE CAN DO AS A CITY.
AND SO WHAT'S IMPORTANT IS THAT IT'S, IT'S REALLY FOCUSED ON HOW WE CONTINUE TO, TO BUILD A BETTER LONG BEACH.
WELL OBVIOUSLY I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THAT PROGRAM CONTINUE IN ONE FORM OR ANOTHER BECAUSE I THINK IT'S VERY IMPORTANT FOR US.
AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE'RE GONNA BE FOCUSING ON 'CAUSE AS I SAID EARLIER ON, IS THAT, YOU KNOW, I REALLY WANT THEM TO GO OUT THERE AND PUSH US THEMSELVES FOR SUCCESSION.
PART OF THAT SUCCESS IS MAKING SURE THAT THEY LEVERAGE THE OPPORTUNITY OF THE BUSINESS INDUSTRY SO THAT WAY THEY CAN DRIVE A SELF-SUSTAINABLE FUNDING MODEL GOING FORWARD.
ALSO, YOU HAVE ANOTHER PROGRAM THERE, IT'S CALLED, UH, RAPID RESPONSE.
CAN YOU DESCRIBE THAT? WHAT AND WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO DISCONTINUE IN? SO THE BUSINESS RAPID RESPONSE TEAM HAS BEEN VERY IMPORTANT TO OUR BUSINESSES THROUGHOUT THE CITY, CITY, ESPECIALLY OUR SMALL BUSINESSES.
AND THEY'VE HAD MANY CHALLENGES FROM VANDALISM TO BREAK-INS TO UNEXPECTED CHALLENGES, LIKE A CAR RUNNING INTO THEIR STOREFRONT.
UM, SO THEY'VE BEEN ABLE TO GO OUT THERE AND MEET WITH THEIR BUSINESSES WITHIN 24 TO 48 HOURS, EVEN SOMETIMES THE SAME DAY, TO NOT ONLY SHARE CITY RESOURCES AND INFORMATION, BUT ALSO TO HELP THEM THROUGH THEIR DIFFICULT CHALLENGES.
AND SO I CAN TELL YOU THAT THIS PROGRAM IS, UH, A VERY WELCOMING PROGRAM TO OUR BUSINESS COMMUNITY.
'CAUSE IT SHOWS THAT NOT ONLY DOES THE CITY CARE ABOUT YOUR BUSINESS, BUT WE'RE A PARTNER IN YOUR BUSINESS.
AND I THINK THAT TELLS A, A BIG STORY, YOU KNOW, FOR OUR CITY.
AND I CAN TELL YOU THAT WE'VE HAD OTHER CITIES ACROSS THE COUNTRY THAT HAVE CALLED US A LOT OF, ON OUR SMALL BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS, AND A LOT OF THEM HAVE BEEN PES BEST PRACTICES, AND SOME OF THEM ACTUALLY HAVE BEEN IMPLEMENTED AT OTHER COMMUNITIES.
AND SO I'M VERY PROUD TO SAY THAT WE BUILT A VERY, UH, ROBUST SMALL BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM HERE IN THE CITY OF LONG BEACH.
YOU ALSO MENTIONED ON PAGE 15, ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE AND AUTOMATION, BIG CONCERN WITH THAT.
UH, CAN YOU EXPLAIN HOW, WHAT, WHAT DO YOU MEAN BY FOCUSING ON ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE AND AUTOMATION? YEAH, SO ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE IS RELATIVELY NEW.
UM, I CAN TELL YOU THAT WE HELD A WORKSHOP AT OUR LONG BEACH WORKFORCE INNOVATION NETWORK ADULT SERVICES CENTER, AND WE HAD OVER 300 BUSINESSES SHOW UP SO THAT THEY CAN NOT ONLY LEARN, WE EDUCATE THEM AND WE CAN LEARN, TEACH THEM HOW TO LEVERAGE THAT TOOL, WHETHER IT'S TO LOOK AT THEIR BUSINESS OPERATIONS, TO LOOK AT HOW THEY CAN MARKET THEIR BUSINESS TO ALL THE WAY DOWN TO, YOU KNOW, HOW DO I USE IT FOR, YOU KNOW, ACCOUNTING AND OTHER THINGS.
AND SO IT'S REALLY A TOOL I THINK THAT OUR SMALL BUSINESS COMMUNITY CAN LEARN TO LEVERAGE.
BUT AT THE SAME TIME, I THINK IT'S STILL EVOLVING.
THERE'S STILL A LOT OF WORK THAT NEEDS TO BE DONE ON WHAT TYPE OF A RESOURCE IT COULD BE TO HELP OUR BUSINESSES, BUT ALSO MAKING SURE THAT IT DOESN'T HURT OUR BUSINESS OR OUR COMMUNITY.
UM, I THINK, I THINK, I THINK THAT'S ALL I HAVE FOR NOW.
UH, THANKS TO MY TEAM MEMBERS FOR THEIR EXCELLENT QUESTIONS.
UM, YEAH, I THINK, I MEAN, I THINK THE CONVERSATION WE'RE ESSENTIALLY HAVING RIGHT HERE IS THAT WE RECOGNIZE, YOU KNOW, YOU ALL ARE DOING A LOT WITH LIMITED RESOURCES THAT ARE ALREADY LIMITED.
AND NOW AS WE'RE WE'RE TRANSITIONING INTO A, A, A DIFFICULT BUDGET SEASON, RIGHT? LIKE REALLY THINKING
[00:35:01]
ABOUT STRATEGICALLY WHAT YOU ALL CAN CONTINUE, UM, I THINK, UH, BOW AND YOUR STAFF, YOU ALL RECOGNIZE, YOU KNOW, WITH THE RDA FUND SUNSET, RIGHT? LIKE WE'RE JUST, WE'RE TRYING TO DETERMINE HOW WE CAN STILL BE NIMBLE, STILL SUPPORT OUR COMMUNITY, RIGHT? STILL CAN STILL SUPPORT THESE PROGRAMS, RIGHT? THAT HAVE BEEN SUCCESSFUL, RIGHT.UM, AND, UH, CONTINUE TO, TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE BEING INNOVATIVE, RIGHT? AND SO I THINK THAT'S PART OF THE CONVERSATION WE'RE HAVING HERE.
UM, AND SO I REALLY APPRECIATED, UM, THE SLIDES YOU HAD AROUND THE CHALLENGES AND SERVICE IMPACTS AS WELL AS LIKE THE OPPORTUNITIES, RIGHT? LIKE GIVING US KIND OF A CEREBRAL PICTURE OF LIKE, YOU KNOW, WHAT IS HAPPENING AT THE MACRO LEVEL, WHAT'S HAPPENING, YOU KNOW, INTERNALLY HERE IN THE CITY.
UM, BUT ALSO THINKING ABOUT WHAT OUR OPPORTUNITIES ARE, RIGHT? SO I THINK, YOU KNOW, EVEN THOUGH EVEN IN A YEAR WHERE WE ARE, UM, YOU KNOW, HAVING TO DO SOME REDUCTIONS THINKING, YOU KNOW, REDUCTIONS ARE FOREVER.
SO THE IDEA BEING IS THAT HOW DO YOU NAVIGATE THIS APPROPRIATELY? AND THEN THINK ABOUT ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THAT, HOW DO WE MAINTAIN OUR MOMENTUM, UM, IN WAYS THAT ALLOW US TO BE EFFECTIVE AND THEN CONTINUE TO GROW SOME OF OUR PROGRAMS. AND SO I THOUGHT YOU DID A REALLY GREAT JOB OF, OF PRESENTING THAT, THAT VISION.
UM, AND I, UH, THANK YOU COUNCIL MEMBER, UH, RANGA FOR KIND OF DIGGING IN A LITTLE BIT INTO SOME OF THE, SOME OF THOSE ELEMENTS I THINK THAT ARE JUST KIND OF PROGRAMS THAT WE ALL VALUE AND WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE CAN CONTINUE, UH, WE CAN CONTINUE TO DO RIGHT, THAT ARE SPECIFIC AND NICHE TO ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITY.
UM, I JUST HAD A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS ON THE SLIDES 13 AND 14 THAT I WANTED TO, TO BRING UP.
AND MOST OF IT IS JUST CLARIFICATION FOR ME, BUT THEN ALSO JUST FOR THE PUBLIC SO PEOPLE UNDERSTAND WHAT WE'RE REFERRING TO.
SO ON SLIDE 13, YOU MENTIONED SOMETHING I THINK IS KIND OF INTERESTING, WHICH IS GROWING EMPLOYER EXPECTATIONS FOR CUSTOMIZED WORKFORCE SOLUTIONS AS ONE OF OUR, UM, CHALLENGES AND SERVICE IMPACTS.
WHAT DOES GROWING EMPLOYER EXPECTATIONS FOR CUSTOMIZED WORKFORCE SOLUTIONS, WHAT DOES THAT MEAN? YES, I'M GONNA HAVE OUR, UH, WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT AND EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR FOR LONG BEACH WORKFORCE INNOVATION NETWORK COME UP AND, UH, HELP ANSWER THAT QUESTION BECAUSE THERE'S A LOT OF DIFFERENT TOOLS AND RESOURCES AVAILABLE TO, TO DO THAT.
UH, THANK YOU, UH, BO UH, GOOD AFTERNOON.
UM, YEAH, SO WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, UH, WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE PATHWAYS THAT WE CAN CREATE.
SO WE WORK IN COLLABORATION WITH, UH, A LOT OF OUR PARTNERS, WHETHER IT'S COMMUNITY-BASED ORGANIZATIONS OR OUR EDUCATION SYSTEMS, C-S-U-L-B, LBCC, AND L-B-U-S-D TO IDENTIFY PATHWAYS THAT CAN BE CREATED FOR THOSE BUSINESSES.
SO WHETHER IT'S HELPING THEM THROUGH THAT OR WHETHER IT'S IDENTIFYING, UM, SPECIFIC TRAINING PROGRAMS OR CERTIFICATIONS OR DIFFERENT THINGS THAT ORGANIZATIONS NEED THESE INDIVIDUALS TO HAVE, AND MAKING THOSE AVAILABLE FOR THE PARTICIPANTS TO BE ABLE TO GET AND THEN BE ABLE TO, UM, APPLY TO THEIR EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES.
SO CAN YOU, JUST TO MAKE IT A LITTLE BIT MORE CONCRETE, UM, DIRECTOR, CAN YOU SAY, OR CAN YOU GIVE US AN EXAMPLE MAYBE OF LIKE ONE OR TWO PROGRAMS LIKE OVER THE LAST, KIND OF, OVER THE LAST FISCAL YEAR, UH, THAT YOU ALL HAVE PRIORITIZED IN WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT? YEAH.
WE'VE GOT SOME REALLY GREAT PROGRAMS THAT HAVE BECOME NOT ONLY LOCAL, BUT NATIONALLY BEST PRACTICE.
AND I MENTIONED THEM IN THE, UH, PRESENTATION IS SPACE SPEECH CAMP.
WELL, WE RECOGNIZE THAT, YOU KNOW, THE AEROSPACE AND AVIATION, UM, ECOSYSTEM CONTINUES TO GROW HERE IN LONG BEACH AND IT'S BECOME ONE OF THE FASTEST GROWING IN THE COUNTRY.
AND SO WHAT WE HEARD FROM OUR BUSINESS AND INDUSTRY IS LIKE, WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE GETTING, YOU KNOW, OUR YOUTH AND YOUNG ADULTS TRAINED AS WELL AS GETTING THEM SKILLS SO THAT WAY THEY CAN TAKE THOSE OPPORTUNITIES AND JOBS IN THAT AEROSPACE AND AVIATION INDUSTRY.
A SECOND ONE IS THAT WE'VE HEARD ALSO IS THAT, YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW, IT'S NOT JUST THE PRIVATE SECTOR, BUT IT'S ALSO THE PUBLIC SECTOR.
AND SO WE CREATED THE LONG BEACH PATHWAYS TO PUBLIC SERVICE.
AND AS I MENTIONED IN THE, UH, IN THE PRESENTATIONS THAT WE JUST COMPLETED, OUR SECOND COHORT WE'RE 52, UH, YOUTH AND YOUNG ADULTS.
YOU KNOW, WE'RE ABLE TO GO THROUGH A FELLOWSHIP, GAIN THAT PUBLIC EXPOSURE, AND I CAN TELL YOU THAT MANY OF THEM ACTUALLY HAVE COME TO NOT ONLY WORK FOR LONG BEACH, BUT US OTHER, UH, GOVERNMENT ENTITIES, UH, THROUGHOUT THE REGION.
AND SO THAT'S ANOTHER BEST PRACTICE.
AND THEN A THIRD ONE IS THE CREATIVE CORE, WHICH WE JUST RECENTLY LAUNCHED, AND THAT'S GONNA PROVIDE OPPORTUNITIES FOR YOUTH AND YOUNG ADULTS TO GET EXPOSURE AND MUSIC AND ENTERTAINMENT INDUSTRY.
SO WE'LL CONTINUE TO LOOK FOR OPPORTUNITIES TO PARTNER WITH BUSINESS AND INDUSTRY.
I KNOW THAT HIGH MAINE TEAM CONTINUE TO LOOK AT IT FROM A HEALTHCARE AND WELLNESS PERSPECTIVE.
'CAUSE WE ALSO KNOW THAT THERE'S A CHALLENGE IN LABOR AND HEALTHCARE, AND WE CONTINUE TO HEAR FROM OUR SMALL BUSINESSES RIGHT, ABOUT THE CHALLENGES OF RETAINING AND RECRUITING EMPLOYEES FOR THEIR RESPECTIVE BUSINESSES.
WE'RE ALL, AS YOU MENTIONED, WE'RE ALWAYS, ALWAYS THINKING OF INNOVATIVE AND WE'RE ALSO THINKING CREATIVELY, BUT WE'RE ALSO THINKING OF HOW WE CAN LEVERAGE OTHER FUNDING RESOURCES ALONG WITH FOUNDATIONS.
[00:40:01]
THAT.UM, AND THEN, UM, ON THE OPPORTUNITY SLIDE FOR SLIDE, UH, SLIDE 14, UM, CAN YOU JUST EXPLAIN WHAT P FOUR IS? SO EVERYBODY KNOWS, WELL, YOU KNOW, EVERYONE KNOWS P THREE, IT'S PUBLIC PRIVATE PARTNERSHIPS.
I LIKE TO TAKE IT A STEP FURTHER BECAUSE PUBLIC PRIVATE PARTNERSHIPS DON'T WORK WITHOUT PEOPLE.
THE PEOPLE REALLY MAKE IT HAPPINESS.
SO THAT'S WHY I LIKE TO CALL IT P FOUR BECAUSE IF YOU DON'T HAVE THE PEOPLE TO MAKE IT HAPPEN, THEN THE PARTNERSHIP WON'T MOVE FORWARD.
UM, AND THEN, UM, RELATED TO THE CONVERSATION WE'RE HAVING AROUND, UM, LIKE REDUCTIONS AND KIND OF LIKE STATE AND FEDERAL DOLLARS IN HERE, YOU, YOU SAID AS AN OPPORTUNITY WAS DIVERSIFYING REVENUE STREAMS. AND SO AS WE THINK ABOUT, YOU KNOW, SOME OF THE PROGRAMS THAT POTENTIALLY EVEN MIGHT SUNSET, YOU KNOW, NEXT YEAR, US WANTING TO CONTINUE THOSE, WHEN YOU THINK MOVING FORWARD AND LIKE FOR FISCAL YEAR 28, FISCAL YEAR 29, AND WE THINK ABOUT THE POTENTIAL REVENUE STREAMS TO MAYBE TO, TO KEEP SOME OF THOSE THINGS GOING, WHAT'S YOUR VISION DIRECTOR ON WHERE WE'RE LOOKING FOR OPPORTUNITIES FOR FUNDING FOR SOME OF THESE PROGRAMS? UM, I THINK, YOU KNOW, IT STARTS WITH, UH, PLACEMAKING AND CONNECTING PEOPLE TO GREAT PLACES.
AND ONE GREAT EXAMPLE WAS THE F AND M BANK AMPHITHEATER OF LONG BEACH.
YOU KNOW, IT WAS A BIG VISION THAT WE HAD AND WE FELT BY BUILDING THAT AMPHITHEATER CAN DRIVE MORE, UH, VISITORS NOT ONLY TO DOWNTOWN, BUT THROUGHOUT THE CITY, IT WILL DRIVE ADDITIONAL REVENUE TO THE CITY FROM SALES TAX TO, UH, TOT TO PARKING AND SO ON.
THE SECOND AREAS WE'RE LOOKING AT IS, UH, ADVERTISING OPPORTUNITIES.
UM, I CAN TELL YOU THAT WE ARE WORKING IN PARTNERSHIP WITH, UH, IKES MARK CITIES RIGHT NOW AT A KIOSK PROGRAM, WHICH WILL GENERATE NEW REVENUE TO THE CITY, BUT ALSO SERVE AS A, UH, A COMMUNITY, UH, PLACEMAKING, UM, OPPORTUNITY AS WELL TO TALK, TELL ABOUT OUR STORY AS WELL AS SHARE COMMUNITY SERVICES.
AND SO THAT'S GONNA BE AN ADDITIONAL REVENUE OPPORTUNITY.
'CAUSE WHEN THEY PLACE THESE KIOSKS, YOU KNOW, THROUGHOUT THE CITY, IT'LL DRIVE NOT ONLY REVENUE, BUT ALSO SPONSORSHIPS AND HELP TELL OUR STORY AND MARKET OUR CITY.
AND SO THAT'S A REVENUE GENERATING OPPORTUNITY.
ANOTHER ONE WE'RE LOOKING AT IS, YOU KNOW, CONTINUE TO FOCUS ON BUSINESS ATTRACTION AND EXPANSION.
UM, BECAUSE I THINK THE MORE BUSINESS WE ATTRACT, WHETHER IT'S A SMALL BUSINESS TO BIG BUSINESS, THEY DRIVE SALES TAX, THEY DRIVE PEOPLE AS WELL AS, YOU KNOW, THE ANCHOR IN A LOT OF OUR SHOPPING CENTERS.
SO THAT'S GONNA BE VERY IMPORTANT GOING FORWARD.
IN ADDITION TO THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, WE'RE ALSO LOOKING AT, YOU KNOW, ADVERTISING OPPORTUNITIES ON, AT CITY OWNED FACILITIES.
AND I, I THINK MENTIONED EARLIER WAS A SUPER, SUPER RELATIVE, UM, AS PART OF THE PART OF THAT PROGRAM.
AND SO, UM, THAT'S SOMETHING WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT AS WELL AS, YOU KNOW, THE CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE AND HOW WE MOVE THAT FORWARD.
AND WE'RE GONNA DO IT IN A VERY STRATEGIC WAY 'CAUSE WE DON'T WANNA ADVERTISING ALL THE CITY, WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE LEVERAGE THE MOST, UH, PROMINENT SPACES THAT WILL DRIVE REVENUE AND I, AND AT THE, AT THE SAME TIME, WE'RE GONNA CONTINUE TO LOOK OUTSIDE OF THE BOX AND WE'VE GOT INVESTED IN OURSELVES.
AND A GREAT EXAMPLE IS SOMETHING THAT WE'RE WORKING ON.
IT'S CALLED THE, UH, ENHANCED INFRASTRUCTURE FINANCING DISTRICTS.
IT'S A NEW REDEVELOPMENT TOOL THROUGH THE STATE IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE CITY AND THE COUNTY OF LA.
AND SO THAT'S A DISTRICT WE'RE LOOKING TO CREATE WHERE WE ACTUALLY TAKE FUTURE TAX INCREMENT FINANCING WITHOUT RAISING ANY PROPERTY TAXES AND USING IT TO REINVEST IN PUBLIC INFRASTRUCTURE.
AND SO THAT'S SOME ANOTHER PROGRAM THAT WE'RE BRINGING FORWARD AND WE'RE ALWAYS OPEN TO IDEAS.
SO WHETHER YOU'RE, YOU KNOW, WORKING WITH THE CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE OR ELECTED OFFICIALS OR OUT THERE IN THE COMMUNITY, TALK TO US BECAUSE AT THE END OF DAY IT'S VERY IMPORTANT NOT ONLY TO DIVERSIFY OUR REVENUE STREAM, BUT TO CONTINUE TO DIVERSIFY OUR BUSINESS AND INDUSTRY AS WELL.
AND THERE'S ONE FOLLOW UP QUESTION TO THAT.
UM, I KNOW WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT SOME OF THE LIKE TAX EQUIPMENT FINANCING THE EFID STUFF FOR SOME TIME.
CAN YOU GIVE US A LITTLE BIT, LIKE OF A PREVIEW KIND OF TIMELINE WHEN WE THINK SOME OF THAT MIGHT ACTUALLY BE READY FOR US TO ROLL OUT MAYBE IN A POTENTIAL PARTICULAR AREAS IN THE CITY? YES.
UH, SO RIGHT NOW WE ARE, UH, WORKING WITH, UH, OUR CONSULTANT COSMO AND WORKING WITH, UH, LA COUNTY, LOS ANGELES COUNTY.
AND WE ARE VERY CLOSE TO COMPLETING, UH, THE EFID.
AND THE NEXT STEP IS TO, UH, FORMALIZE AND COMPLETE THE AREAS THAT WE WANNA TARGET THROUGHOUT THE CITY.
AND THEN WHAT WE'LL DO NEXT IS THEN, UH, UH, FINISH UP THE, THE INITIAL PLAN AND THEN COME BACK TO THE CITY FOR A RESOLUTION OF ATTENTION TO CREATE AN ENHANCED INFRASTRUCTURE FINANCING DISTRICT.
AND WE'RE GONNA DO THAT ALL THIS FALL.
THE GOAL IS TO COMPLETE THE ENTIRE PROGRAM AND HAVE IT READY TO ROLL OUT IN THE SPRING OF 2020, UM, SEVEN AND, AND MOVE IT FORWARD FROM THERE.
UM, IT'S NOT ONLY FOCUSING ON TARGETED INDUSTRY SECTORS THROUGHOUT THE CITY, BUT IT'S ALSO AN OPPORTUNITY TO INVEST OUR, IN OUR SOUTH ON CITYWIDE PROJECTS.
SO IT DOESN'T HAVE TO STAY IN THAT TARGETED INDUS TARGETED AREA.
IT COULD BE OUTSIDE AT TARGET AREA, JUST AS LONG AS IT BENEFITS THE ENTIRE CITY, SUCH AS AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
UM, I DON'T HAVE ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS.
UH, OH, VICE MAYOR, DID YOU HAVE ANY? OKAY.
[00:45:01]
ALLEN.UM, WE CAN MOVE TO PUBLIC COMMENT AT THIS TIME.
IF ANY MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM, PLEASE STAND IN LINE UP AT THE PODIUM.
ALRIGHT, WELL I SUPPOSE YOU DID SUCH AN EXCELLENT JOB.
THEY DIDN'T HAVE ANY QUESTIONS.
UM, THANK YOU SO MUCH, UH, STAFF.
UM, AND WE CAN MOVE TOWARDS THE VOTE.
ITEM THREE IS A RECOMMENDATION TO RECEIVE AND FILE AN OVERVIEW PRESENTATION ON THE CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE.
UH, CAN I GET 'EM, UH, FIRST AND A SECOND PLEASE? WONDERFUL.
UM, AND I SEE OUR, UH, ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER, UH, THE LOVELY APRIL WALKER HAS JOINED US, HAS JOINED THE CHAT AS THEY SAY.
UM, PLEASE, UH, FEEL FREE TO START, UH, WHENEVER YOU ARE READY, MY DEAR.
YOU'RE MUCH FARTHER AWAY THAN USUAL.
GOOD AFTERNOON CHAIR AND MEMBERS OF THE BOC
[3. 26-55925 Recommendation to receive and file an overview presentation on the City Manager’s Office. Suggested Action: Approve recommendation. ]
COMMITTEE.AS A DEPARTMENT HEAD FOR THE CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE, I AM PLEASED TO PROVIDE AN OVERVIEW OF OUR ORGANIZATION AND SERVICE AREAS.
WE HAVE A FULL SLIDE DECK FOR YOU TODAY.
I WILL HIGHLIGHT KEY TAKEAWAYS ON OUR BUDGET STAFFING PROGRAMS AND ACCOMPLISHMENTS.
HERE IS AN OVERVIEW OF THE CITY MANAGER, OFFICE EXECUTIVE TEAM, ALL THE FRIENDLY FACES, YOU KNOW, SO WELL.
OUR OVERALL MISSION IS SUPPORT THE ORGANIZATION, TAKE CITY COUNCIL DIRECTION, BRING DEPARTMENTS TOGETHER, AND ENSURE IMPLEMENTATION, FOSTER A CULTURE OF COLLABORATION AND SUPPORT AND LEAD BY EXAMPLE IN MAKING LONG BEACH JUST A LITTLE BETTER EVERY DAY FOR OUR EMPLOYEES, RESIDENTS, BUSINESS OWNERS, STAKEHOLDERS AND VISITORS.
OUR CITY MANAGER, TOM MOGA AND I SUPPORT THE PLANNING AND DIRECT IMPLEMENTATION OF CITY PROGRAMS AND INITIATIVES IN ACCORDANCE WITH CITY COUNCIL POLICIES, THE CITY CHARTER AND MUNICIPAL CODE, AND PROVIDE LEADERSHIP FOR EFFECTIVE DELIVERY OF MUNICIPAL SERVICES AND FOR THE COMMUNITY.
EXAMPLES OF JOINT C-M-A-C-M SUPPORT INCLUDE OVERSIGHT AND SUPPORT TO CITY MANAGER DEPARTMENTS AND THE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL, AND PARTNERSHIPS WITH NON-CITY MANAGER DEPARTMENTS AND CITYWIDE LONG BEACH STAKEHOLDERS.
CM OVERSIGHT IS INCLUDED HERE, BUT I WANT TO POINT OUT ENFORCEMENT OF LAWS, ORDINANCES AND CONTRACTS.
SUBMITTAL OF ANNUAL BUDGET, CHIEF LABOR NEGOTIATOR AND LEAD CITYWIDE COMMUNICATIONS.
EXAMPLE OF A CM OVERSIGHT INCLUDES OVERSIGHT AND ADMINISTRATION OF THE CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE, CITYWIDE PERSONNEL AND ADMINISTRATION SUPPORT AND PROGRAMS COVERED BY SPECIAL EVENTS.
AND THE DEPUTY CITY MANAGERS, WHICH WILL BE DISCUSSED LATER, THE CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE IS COMPRISED OF 70 FTES AND 17 TOTAL PROGRAMS. OUR BUDGET INCLUDES SAP GENERAL FUND, TIDE LENS AND GRANTS.
UH, SPECIAL ADVERTISING PROMOTION REVENUES FOR FY 27 R 15.5 AND EXPENDITURES ARE 14.4 MILLION.
TIDELANDS INCLUDES FORTY THREE FOUR HUNDRED AND THIRTY $3,000 IN REVENUE, WHICH IS MAINLY FROM CONVENTION CENTER.
PARKING EXPENSES CONSIST MOSTLY OF LABOR AND A PORTION OF THE CONVENTION CENTER CONTRACT.
OUR OFFICE DOES NOT GENERATE GENERAL REVENUE.
GENERAL FUND REVENUES OUTSIDE OF THE MOUS, SUCH AS CLIMATE OFFICE, INTERGOVERNMENTAL AFFAIRS, AND PRA, WHICH IS ROUGHLY $1.5 MILLION.
AND THE 10.1 MILLION REPRESENTS THE BUDGET STRUCTURALLY ALLOCATED TO THE CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE FOR PROGRAMS, PROJECTS, AND STAFFING COSTS.
AND FINALLY, WE HAVE $720,000 IN GRANT REVENUE.
THIS SLIDE SHOWS A STAFFING LEVEL WITHIN EACH OF OUR PROGRAMMATIC AREAS AND THE CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE STAFF ARE ALL UNCLASSIFIED WITH VARIED POSITIONS THROUGHOUT THE DEPARTMENT.
ALRIGHT, GETTING INTO OUR FIRST PROGRAMMATIC AREA, THE OFFICE OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS AND COMMUNICATIONS AND THE CITY'S COMMUNICATIONS PROGRAM ARE LED BY CHIEF COMMUNICATIONS OFFICER KEVIN LEE, WHO OVERSEES OUR BROADER STRATEGY AND ADVISES CI, THE CITY MANAGER AND EXECUTIVE LEADERSHIP.
THE WORK OF THE, OF THE OPAC, AS WE CALL IT, COVERS A BROAD RANGE OF COMMUNICATIONS, DISCIPLINES AND RESPONSIBILITIES.
FROM STRATEGIC COMMS AND MEDIA RELATIONS TO DIGITAL MARKETING, CRISIS COMMUNICATIONS, BRANDING, ADVERTISING, POLICY AND TRAINING.
A MAJOR FOCUS OF THE OPAC IS PROACTIVE STRATEGIC COMMUNICATIONS THAT HELP CONNECT THE CITY'S WORK TO THE MAYOR AND COUNCIL'S IDENTIFIED TOP PRIORITIES AND ENSURES THE COMMUNITY UNDERSTANDS THE PROGRESS BEING MADE.
CRISIS IN EMERGENCY COMMS IS ALSO CRITICAL RESPONSIBILITY.
THE OFFICE HAS ADVANCED NEW STORY TEL NEW STORYTELLING PLATFORMS SUCH AS INSIDE LB NEWS, WHILE BUILDING A STRONG SOCIAL MEDIA PRESENCE THAT PLACES LONG BEACH.
AMONG THE LEADING MUNICIPAL SOCIAL MEDIA ACCOUNTS OF OTHER LARGE CALIFORNIA CITIES ACROSS
[00:50:01]
THESE AREAS, THE FOCUS IS ON TIMELY, COORDINATED AND EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION FOR THE BENEFIT OF OUR COMMUNITY.A SIGNIFICANT PORTION, A SIGNIFICANT PART OF THE OFFICE'S WORK IS SUPPORTING A CITYWIDE PERSPECTIVE THAT HELPS CONNECT THE PIECES AND ENSURES THE CITY SHOWS UP AS ONE.
IN BOTH MESSAGING AND VISUAL BRAND.
THE OFFICE PROVIDES ONGOING GUIDANCE, POLICIES, TEMPLATES, MICRO TRAININGS, INSTRUCTURED, OFFICE HOURS.
THE OFFICE REMAINS ACTIVELY ENGAGED THROUGHOUT MEDIA RESPONSE, COORDINATING MESSAGING, SUPPORTING DEPARTMENTS AND LEADERSHIP, RESPONDING TO MEDIA, AND HELPING PROVIDE TIMELY TRANSPARENT INFORMATION TO THE COMMUNITY.
OVER THE PAST YEAR, THE TEAM HAS LED A SUPPORT LED AND SUPPORTED A SIGNIFICANT RANGE OF PROACTIVE INITIATIVES, MAJOR CITY MILESTONES, AND COMPLEX ISSUES.
THESE INCLUDE THE NEW F AND M BANK AMPHITHEATER, THE 20 20TH ANNIVERSARY OF MOTORSPORT WALK OF FAME, AND MORE FOR SOCCER.
THE CAMPAIGN GENERATED 20.2 MILLION EARNED MEDIA IMPRESSIONS AT AN ESTIMATED ADVERTISING REVENUE OF $215,000 ALL WITHOUT PAID MEDIA.
THE OFFICE LED AND SUPPORTED CALM THROUGH SENSITIVE AND RAPIDLY EVOLVING ISSUES LIKE COASTAL FLOODING IMPACTS THE LA RIVER CRUDE OIL SPILL, FEDERAL FUNDING CHANGES, GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWNS AND MORE DURING THE LONG BEACH PRIDE FESTIVAL.
THE TEEN COORDINATED MESSAGING AND MEDIA RESPONSE AS CIRCUMSTANCES CHANGE QUICKLY, PROVIDING QUICK AND CLEAR AND TRANSPARENT INFORMATION.
THESE ARE A FEW EXAMPLES THAT DEMONSTRATE THE RANGE OF THE TEAM'S WORK.
THE OFFICE OF SPECIAL EVENTS AND FILMING OR SEF IS LED BY SPECIAL EVENTS AND FILMING MANAGER TASHA DAY, WHO OVERSEES CITYWIDE SPECIAL EVENT AND FILMING, INCLUDING PLANNING, COORDINATION, AND PERMITTING.
A PRIMARY FOCUS OF THE OFFICE IS TO PROMOTE THE CITY OF LONG BEACH THROUGH EVENT AND FILMING ACTIVITY THAT GENERATE ECONOMIC BENEFITS.
OVER THE PAST DECADE, THE OFFICE HAS GROWN SIGNIFICANTLY AS LONG BEACH HAS BECOME A MAJOR, MAJOR DESTINATION FOR LARGE SCALE EVENTS.
SEF COORDINATES A WIDE RANGE OF SERVICES FROM ISSUING PERMITS AND MONITORING COMPLIANCE FOR SPECIAL EVENTS AND FILMING TO PLANNING AND PRODUCING CITYWIDE EVENTS.
SEF HIGHLIGHTS CITY FACILITIES AND DESTINATIONS INCLUDING THE QUEEN MARY, THE NEW F AND M BANK, AMPHITHEATER, PARKS, BEACHES, THE DOWNTOWN WATERFRONT, AND OTHER CITY OWNED FACILITIES.
SEF ALSO OVERSEES AND ADMINISTERS OCCASIONAL EVENT PERMITS.
MOBILE FOOD FACILITY EVENTS, CANNABIS EVENTS, BLOCK PARTY BID, SPECIAL EVENT PERMITS, THE EASY SIT PROGRAM AND POLE BANNERS WITH AN AVERAGE OF 360 FILM PERMITS WITH 600 PRODUCTION DAYS ANNUALLY, THE FILM OFFICE CONTINUES TO BE CONSIDERED ONE OF THE MOST FILM FRIENDLY CITIES IN CALIFORNIA.
DOWNTOWN WATERFRONT EVENTS CONTINUE TO GROW IN POPULAR POPULARITY WITH MAJOR EVENTS AND THE OFFICE ALSO COORDINATES COMPLIANCE EFFORTS FOR EVENTS AND FILMING AT THE NEW F AND M BANK AMPHITHEATER AND THE QUEEN MARY PROPERTY.
THE OFFICE MAINTAINS A PUBLIC FACING EVENTS CALENDAR SHARING INFORMATION ACROSS ALL SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMS, A MAJOR COMPONENT OF LONG BEACH'S SUCCESS AS ITS STREAMLINED COMMUNICATION AND COORDINATION WITH LOCAL, STATE, AND FEDERAL PARTNERS.
THE OFFICE ALSO CREATES REVENUE OPPORTUNITIES FOR OUR CITY DEPARTMENTS THROUGH THE USE OF CITY PROPERTY.
SPECIAL EVENTS FOCUSES ON A STREAMLINED ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE WITH ENHANCED OVERSIGHT TO SUPPORT THE INCREASED VOLUME AND COMPLEXITY COMPLEXITY OF EVENTS.
REMEMBER TO LOOK FOR LONG BEACH AS A BACKDROP IN BAYWATCH NIGHT AGENT BAD MONKEY, THE FUTURE FILM TYRANT AND THE REMAKE OF 13 GOING ON 30 AS LONG BEACH PREPARES TO HOST EVENTS ASSOCIATED WITH THE 2028 GAMES STAFF WILL HELP LEAD OPERATIONAL LOGISTICS AND POSITION THE QUEEN MARY LONG BEACH CONVENTION CENTER AND F AND M BANK AMPHITHEATER TO THE WORLD.
ALL RIGHT, NOW WE GET INTO OUR DEPUTY CITY MANAGER FOCUS AREAS.
THE DCM TEAM IS ORGANIZED AROUND FOCUS AREAS AND THEMES BASED ON KEY COMMUNITY PRIORITIES REFLECTED IN OUR STRATEGIC VISION 2030 AND IS STRUCTURED TO SUPPORT A STRONG, ROBUST AND WELL-MANAGED ORGANIZATION FOR EFFECTIVE GOAL IMPLEMENTATION.
THE DCM SUPPORT AREAS INCLUDE COMMISSIONS.
OUR OFFICE SUPPORTS FIVE COMMISSIONS ALONE, WHICH DOES NOT INCLUDE CITY COUNCIL COMMITTEES, CITY COUNCIL AND EXECUTIVE TEAM CITYWIDE PLANNING AND BUDGET AND TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT.
MANY OF THESE FOCUS AREAS ARE IMPLEMENTED BY OPERATING DEPARTMENTS.
HOWEVER, THE DCM SERVE TO PROVIDE CLEAR DIRECTION AND FACILITATE SUPPORT, REDUCE OR REMOVE BARRIERS, ADVOCATE FOR CAPACITY, RESOURCES, AND CLARITY, AND ENSURE SUPPORT TOWARD EFFECTIVE PLANNING, IMPLEMENTATION OF INTERDEPARTMENTAL EFFORTS AS PRIORITIZED BY THE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL WHEN WE TALK ABOUT EQUITY, WELLNESS, AND PREVENTION AS A CITY MANAGER PORTFOLIO OVERSEEN BY DEPUTY CITY MANAGER THERESA CHANDLER, WE'RE
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REALLY TALKING ABOUT THE CONNECTIVE INFRASTRUCTURE BEHIND THIS WORK, BRINGING DEPARTMENTS TOGETHER, ALIGNING RESOURCES AND STRATEGY, ELEVATING COMMUNITY VOICE AND HELPING THE ORGANIZATION MOVE COMPLEX PRIORITIES FROM IDEAS AND PLANS INTO IMPLEMENTATION.THIS PORTFOLIO SPANS HOMELESSNESS, RACIAL EQUITY EDUCATION AND WORKFORCE PATHWAYS, VIOLENCE PREVENTION, YOUTH OPPORTUNITY, AND OTHER EMERGING CITYWIDE PRIORITIES.
WHAT CONNECTS THIS WORK IS A FOCUS ON BOTH MEETING IMMEDIATE NEEDS AND ADDRESSING ROOT CAUSES, STRENGTHENING OPPORTUNITIES TO PREVENT CHALLENGES FROM BECOMING CRISES.
OUR OFFICE OF HOMELESS STRATEGY AND PARTNERSHIP TEAM PROVIDES CITYWIDE STRATEGY AND INTERDEPARTMENTAL COORDINATION TO ADDRESS HOMELESSNESS.
WHILE THE OFFICE OF EQUITY WORKS TO EMBED EQUITY, ACCESSIBILITY, AND LANGUAGE ACCESS ACROSS CITY SYSTEMS AND SERVICES, THE TEAM ALSO SERVES AS A BRIDGE BETWEEN THE CITY AND OUR L-B-U-S-D-L-B-C-C, CAL STATE LONG BEACH AND OTHER EDUCATIONAL PARTNERS.
OUR PUBLIC SAFETY CONTINUUM FOCUSES ON THE UPSTREAM SIDE OF SAFETY, COORDINATING VIOLENCE PREVENTION THROUGH STRONG BREACH, STRONG BREACH COORDINATING COMMUNITY CRISIS RESPONSE AND TRAUMA-INFORMED APPROACHES, AND CO-LEADING OUR INTERDEPARTMENTAL WORK AROUND HUMAN TRAFFICKING.
THIS SLIDE ROUND OUT THE EQUITY, WELLNESS AND PREVENTION PORTFOLIO WITH THREE ADDITIONAL AREAS.
COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, WHICH IS AN IMPORTANT PART OF HOW WE APPROACH THIS WORK WITH OUR RESIDENTS AND OUR DEPARTMENTS.
THE OFFICE OF EQUITY ALONE OVERSEES A CITIZENS ADVISORY COMMISSION ON DISABILITIES, THE COMMISSION FOR WOMEN AND GIRLS AND THE EQUITY AND HUMAN RELATIONS COMMISSION AS BCMS ARE OFTEN GIVEN MULTIPLE OTHER PROJECTS AS ASSIGNED THAT ALSO REQUIRE COORDINATION ACROSS MULTIPLE DEPARTMENTS.
THERESA SUPPORTS THE HIP HOP EXHIBIT AND VIP SIGN EFFORTS, AFRICAN AMERICAN CULTURAL CENTER IN CITYWIDE HUMAN TRA TRAFFICKING EFFORTS.
A FEW HIGHLIGHTS INCLUDE COMPLETING PHASE ONE OF THE HOMELESS STRATEGIC PLAN EXPANSION OF THE COLLEGE PROMISE OUTREACH, CONTRIBUTING TO 42% ENROLLMENT INTO THE PROMISE PROGRAM, RELAUNCHED THE COLLEGE AND CAREER EXPO AND RE-CERTIFICATION OF MY BROTHERS KEEPER INITIATIVE.
EQUITY WORK SUPPORTED NEARLY 5,000 LANGUAGE ACCESS REQUESTS.
THIS PAST YEAR ALONE MORE THAN 3,100 EMPLOYEES HAVE COMPLETED RACIAL EQUITY 1 0 1 TRAINING.
WE ARE IN YEAR FIVE OF TRAINING OUR EXECUTIVE LEADERSHIP IN RACIAL EQUITY BEST PRACTICES, AND WE HAVE A TOTAL OF 60 RACIAL EQUITY CHAMPIONS WITH REPRESENTATION FROM EVERY DEPARTMENT.
NEXT IS OUR GROWTH AND RESILIENCE PORTFOLIO LED BY DEPUTY CITY MANAGER AND ACTING TID DIRECTOR MEREDITH REYNOLDS.
THIS BODY OF WORK REPRESENTS THE CITY'S COMMITMENT TO LONG-TERM SUSTAINABILITY MODERNIZATION AND OPERATIONAL STRENGTH.
OUR STAFF CONTINUE TO LEAD KEY INITIATIVES THAT STRENGTHEN THE CITY'S CAPACITY TO SERVE RESIDENTS, ENSURING THAT LONG BEACH IS RESILIENT, ADAPTABLE, AND STRATEGICALLY PREPARED TO DELIVER ON CITY COUNCIL PRIORITIES TODAY AND IN THE FUTURE.
THIS SIZE SUMMARIZES THE CORE FOCUS WITHIN MEREDITH'S PORTFOLIO, WHICH INCLUDE CLIMATE ACTION AND SUSTAINABILITY, CITYWIDE GRANTS AND REVENUE DEVELOPMENT, ECONOMIC AND INFRASTRUCTURE OPPORTUNITIES, AND TECHNOLOGY MODERNIZATION AND IN EFFICIENCIES.
I ALSO WANNA HIGHLIGHT THE IMPORTANCE OF STAFF DEVELOPMENT AS THESE INVESTMENTS ENSURE WE CONTINUE BUILDING A STRONG BENCH OF OUR FUTURE LEADERS.
STAFF LEAD CITYWIDE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE CLIMATE ACTION PLAN, COORDINATING PROGRESS MONITORING DATA, AND HELPING DEPARTMENTS DELIVER ON THE CLIMATE COMMITMENTS ADOPTED BY THE CITY COUNCIL.
THE GRANTS TEAM CONTINUES TO EXPAND THE CITY'S ABILITY TO PURSUE, EXCUSE ME, EXTERNAL FUNDING AIMING TO MINIMIZE RELIANCE ON GENERAL FUND DOLLARS.
INFRASTRUCTURE SUPPORT INCLUDES LONG-TERM CAPITAL PLANNING, REGIONAL MOBILITY COORDINATION, AND EXPLORING INNOVATIVE TECHNOLOGIES.
MODERNIZING CRITICAL CITY SYSTEMS AND DRONE USE POLICY REVIEW.
MEREDITH INVESTS HEAVILY IN TRAINING, LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT AND ORGANIZATIONAL LEARNING SO THAT OUR TEAMS HAVE THE SKILLS THEY NEED TO SERVE OUR COMMUNITY WITH EMPATHY AND EFFECTIVENESS.
SHE CO-LEADS MULTIPLE EFFORTS AROUND STAFF TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT AND SERVES AS LIAISON TO PROFESS TO PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATIONS, STRENGTHENING LONG BEACH'S PRESENCE, LEADERSHIP PRESENCE ON REGIONAL AND NATIONAL STAGES.
AND AS AN ALUMNI OF THE PROGRAM, MEREDITH OVERSEES THE MANAGEMENT ASSISTANT PROGRAM, WHICH IS THE LONGEST RUNNING MUNICIPAL MANAGEMENT DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM IN CALIFORNIA, CELEBRATING 46 YEARS.
HERE ARE JUST A FEW OF THE MAJOR ACCOMPLISHMENTS FROM THIS PAST YEAR, WHICH INCLUDE A 12% REDUCTIONS IN EMISSIONS FROM 2021.
CLIMATE CHAMPIONS WORKING GROUP REPORTED ON 120 CLIMATE ACTIONS AND DEVELOPED A DIGITAL CLIMATE PORTAL PLANTING OF A HUNDRED OR 1,200 NEW TREES ACROSS THE CITY, INCLUDING NINE COMMUNITY TREE PLANTING EVENTS WITH MORE THAN 300 PARTICIPANTS.
REVIEWED MORE THAN 50 GRAND APPLICATIONS, TOTALING A BILLION DOLLARS
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WITH 24 AWARDS, TOTALING MORE THAN 71 MILLION DEVELOPMENT OF THE CITY'S DRONE POLICY AND LEVERAGE LEVERAGE DRONE TECHNOLOGY TO ASSIST WITH JULY 4TH COMPLIANCE EFFORTS.AND ADDITIONALLY, OUR D CMS ARE VERSATILE AND CAN BE CALLED TO STEP IN TO FILL LEADERSHIP VOIDS WHEN KEY DEPARTMENT DIRECTORS CHANGE.
AND FOR THE LAST SIX MONTHS, MEREDITH MEREDITH HAS EFFECTIVELY STEPPED INTO THE TOP LEADERSHIP ROLE IN TID TO OVERSEE 208 FULL-TIME STAFF AND A $90 MILLION BUDGET.
FINALLY, THIS TEAM IS SERVING AS A CO-HOST FOR THE UPCOMING OCTOBER ICMA CONFERENCE.
EXPECTED TO BE ONE OF THE LARGEST CONFERENCES TO EVER COME TO LONG BEACH WITH AN ANTICIPATED ATTENDANCE OF 5,000 UM, INDIVIDUALS.
NEXT IS STRATEGIC IS GOVERNANCE, STRATEGIC GOVERNANCE AND POLICY LED BY GRA YOUNG.
AND THIS AREA'S, UH, MAIN FOCUS IS TO CONNECT STRATEGY TO EXECUTION BY STRENGTHENING INTER INTERNAL CROSS-DEPARTMENTAL GOVERNANCE, SUPPORTING INFORMED POLICY DEVELOPMENT AND CITYWIDE IMPLEMENTATION AND CULTIVATING EXTERNAL PARTNERSHIPS THAT ADVANCE THE CITY'S STRATEGIC PRIORITIES.
THIS SLIDE PROVIDES A HIGH LEVEL SNAPSHOT OF THE MAJOR AREAS WITHIN THIS PORTFOLIO, WHICH I'LL GO OVER IN A LITTLE MORE DETAIL IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF SLIDES.
UNDER THIS PORTFOLIO, WE HAVE THE OFFICE OF GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS THAT ENSURES THAT THE CITY IS ADVANCING ITS LEGISLATIVE PRIORITIES AND SECURING, SECURING RESOURCES TO SUPPORT MAJOR INITIATIVES AND CULTIVATES STRONG EXTERNAL RELATIONSHIPS WITH OUR GOVERNMENT PARTNERS.
THE OFFICE OF CANNABIS AFFAIRS PROVIDES OVERSIGHT ON CANNABIS REGULATION AND POLICY DEVELOPMENT.
THIS PORTFOLIO ALSO SUPPORTS CROSS DEPARTMENTAL INITIATIVES THAT SPAN MULTIPLE YEARS, WHICH INCLUDE SIDEWALK VENDING, FOOD TRUCKS, AND CO-LEADING THE CITYWIDE ANTI-HUMAN TRAFFICKING TEAM.
AGAIN, EXAMPLES OF OTHER PROJECTS AS A SIGN INCLUDE THE CHILD WATCH PROGRAM, FEASIBILITY, LATE NIGHT BELMONT SHORE PARKING, PUBLIC SAFETY PLAN, NOT PARKING.
THAT'S MY PAST PARKING, UM, RESPONSE STRATEGY FOR INDIVIDUALS DISPLAYING NON-CRIMINAL THREATENING BEHAVIOR, AN E-BIKE SAFETY STUDY.
THIS TEAM ALSO WORKS TO ASSESS AND IMPROVE INTERNAL PROCESSES AND SUPPORT THE DEVELOPMENT OF STRATEGIC POLICIES INITIATIVES.
GRACE, ALSO CO-LEAD STAFF PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT INCLUDING PLANNING AND CONDUCTING THE ANNUAL MANAGERS RETREAT.
OTHER SPECIAL PROJECTS INCLUDE CO-LEADING THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE HIP HOP EXHIBIT AND VIP RECORD, SIGN AND STEERING COMMITTEE FOR THE UPCOMING FINANCIAL AND PERSONNEL ERP SYSTEMS. PROJECT HIGHLIGHTS INCLUDE SUBMITTAL OF 21 CONGRESSIONAL DIRECTED, CONGRESSIONAL DIRECTED SPENDING REQUESTS TOTALING 39.2 MILLION WITH 12 ADVANCING FOR CONSIDERATION BY APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEES AT NEARLY $14 MILLION, CONDUCTING OVER 30 COMPLAINT RESPONSE TEAM OPERATIONS, AND ALSO MEETING WITH BUSINESSES AND COMMUNITY GROUPS, REVAMPING AND REORGANIZING UH, THE CITY MANAGER'S WEBPAGE TO MODERNIZE A PLATFORM, STRENGTHEN TRANSPARENCY AND REM, IMPROVE COMMUNICATION WITH RESIDENTS.
ADVANCE THE SPECIAL, THE CANNABIS SPECIAL EVENTS ORDINANCE AFTER COMP, UH, COMPREHENSIVE FEASIBILITY STUDY AND ENGAGEMENT LICENSE.
THE FIRST, THE CITY'S FIRST EQUITY CANNABIS DISPENSARY MARKING A MAJOR MILESTONE IN THE CANNABIS EQUITY PROGRAM, LAUNCHED A CITYWIDE ACCOMPLISHMENT DASHBOARD AND WEBSITE CREATING A PUBLIC FACING PLATFORM THAT HIGHLIGHTS ACHIEVEMENTS ACROSS THE CITY AND SPONSORED LEGI LEGISLATION THAT WILL BRING TWO ADDITIONAL SPEED SAFETY SYSTEMS TO PCH.
ALL RIGHT, LAST BUT DEFINITELY NOT THE LEAST THEME IS TRANSPARENCY, CITY MANAGEMENT AND PARTNERSHIPS UNDER TY TYLER BONANO CURLEY.
THIS AREA FOCUSES ON ADVANCING THE IMPLEMENTATION OF OUR CITYWIDE PRI PRIORITIES THROUGH COORDINATION WITH ELECTED OFFICES AND CITY MANAGEMENT IMPLEMENT, IMPLEMENTING THE CITY'S ETHICS PROGRAM AND COORDINATING THE 2028 GAMES PLANNING.
CENTRAL TO TO THIS THEME IS COORDINATION WITH CITY COUNCIL, REVIEWING ALL CITY COUNCIL LETTERS, MEMORANDA AND PRESENTATION, ENSURING ALIGNMENT WITH POLICYMAKER OBJECTIVES AND DEPARTMENT IMPLEMENTATION.
TYLER ALSO OVERSEES THE OFFICE OF ETHICS AND TRANSPARENCY, WHICH IS RESPONSIBLE FOR COORDINATING THE CITY'S ETHICS TRAINING AND OVERSIGHTS AND RESPONSES TO PUBLIC RECORDS ACT REQUESTS.
WE HAVE ALSO ESTABLISHED AN OFFICE OF GLOBAL ENGAGEMENT AND PROTOCOL TO SUPPORT THE 2028 GAMES PLANNING, COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT IN INTERNATIONAL PARTNERSHIPS.
EXAMPLES OF SERVICE AREA OVERSIGHT INCLUDE SUPPORTING CITY COUNCIL, BIANNUAL PRIORITY SETTING PROCESS, CITY COUNCIL AND CHIEF OF STAFF LIAISON, INCLUDING ORIENTATION AND TRAININGS, COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AND FEEDBACK RELATED TO THE CITY'S LEGACY PRIORITIES FOR THE 2028 GAMES.
INTERDEPARTMENTAL COORDINATION OF THE PRA PROGRAM, TRAINING OVERSIGHT AND COMPLIANCE OF CITYWIDE CODE OF ETHICS.
TYLER AND HIS TEAM ARE INSTRUMENTAL IN CITYWIDE ADMINISTRATION OVERSIGHT, INCLUDING ENSURING OUR
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INTERNAL ADMINISTRATIVE REGULATION POLICIES ARE UP TO DATE AND REFLECT, UH, REFLECT AND SUPPORT GOOD GOVERNANCE FACILITATION OF CIVIC CENTER ACTIVATION, INCLUDING SUPPORTING REQUESTS FROM OUTSIDE AGENCIES AND PARTNERS AND SUPPORTING A VERY ACTIVE ENGAGED ETHICS COMMISSION.AND THE LATINO CULTURAL CENTER HIGHLIGHTS FROM TYLER AND HIS TEAM INCLUDE A SUCCESSFUL SOCCER IN THE LBC PROGRAMMING, ADVANCEMENT OF CITY'S PREPARATION OF THE 2028 GAMES AND FORMALLY DEDICATING STAFF CAPACITY TO SUPPORT GAMES, PLANNING PROTOCOL AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, SECURING COMMITMENTS FROM THREE OLYMPIC HOSPITALITY HOUSES, MAKING LONG BEACH, THEIR FIRST CITY IN THE REGION.
TO DO SO, LAUNCH OF THE CITY'S FRAMEWORK FOR ETHICAL DECISION MAKING.
NEW STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURE FOR THE CITY'S PRA PROGRAM, WHICH PROCESSED 8,255 REQUESTS IN 2025 AND FACILITATED, FACILITATED THE ISSUANCE OF 186 TO FROM FOUR MEMOS IN 2025.
ALRIGHT, SO THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SHARE ALL OF THIS WITH YOU AND FOR THE WORK THAT OUR TEAM SUPPORTS, UH, AND EXECUTES CITYWIDE.
UM, WE ARE HONORED TO WORK WITH THE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL TO ENSURE CITYWIDE POLICIES AND PRIORITIES ARE IMPLEMENTED, NOT JUST WITHIN OUR ORGANIZATION, BUT IN COLLABORATION WITH OUR COMMUNITY AND BUSINESS PARTNERS.
I AM EXTREMELY PROUD OF THE HARD WORK OUR TEAM DOES.
THIS CONCLUDES MY PRESENTATION, AND IF YOU'RE HERE FROM THE CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE, YOU CAN FEEL TO FEEL FREE TO RAISE YOUR HAND.
ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER WALKER.
UH, THAT WAS A WELL DESERVED SIP OF WATER 'CAUSE THAT WAS A LOT OF TALKING
UM, UH, I WILL DEFER TO MY COMMITTEE, UH, COLLEAGUE TO SEE IF THEY HAD ANY QUESTIONS FOR, UM, APRIL OR ANY MANNER.
OH, UH, UH, VICE MAYOR RANGA, I ONLY HAVE 1, 1, 1 QUESTION REALLY.
I, BUT THANK YOU FOR VERY THOROUGH, UH, SYNOPSIS OF, OF WHAT'S GOING ON WITH THE CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE.
UH, ALSO THE, UH, ONE, ONE ITEM THAT WAS MISSING HERE IS, UH, WHICH IS VERY IMPORTANT TO US, OBVIOUSLY IN THIS, BUT YOU SEE THERE'S NO CUTS, NO REDUCTIONS.
YOU WANNA EXPLAIN THAT? YES, ABSOLUTELY.
SO, UM, WE WANTED TO PROVIDE AN OVERVIEW OF OUR ENTIRE DEPARTMENT, UM, NOT JUST FOCUSED ON THE CUTS, BUT I CAN HIGHLIGHT THAT WE CUT.
UM, WE DID PROPOSE A CUT OF A AAA POSITION, UH, THAT IS INCLUDED IN THE MAYOR'S RESTORATIONS.
WE DOWNGRADED AA TO A TRIPLE A AND THEN WE ALSO CUT, UH, FROM VARIOUS BUCKETS THROUGHOUT STRUCTURAL BUCKETS THROUGHOUT OUR DEPARTMENT UNDER CANNABIS AND CLIMATE.
AND I BELIEVE OUR EQUITY AS WELL AS EXECUTIVE, UM, OFFICE.
SO WE DID MEET OUR CUT TARGET FOR THE YEAR, UM, AS REQUESTED OR DIRECTED, UH, ANYTHING FROM YOU, VICE MAYOR ALLEN.
I HAD TO, UH, CONTINUE, UH, VICE MAYOR, MY THROAT.
UH, ALSO THE MANAGEMENT, THE MANAGEMENT ASSISTANT PROGRAM.
UH, I SEEN YOU CONTINUE WITH THAT AS WELL.
HOW MANY DO YOU HAVE AND HOW WOULD YOU EXPECT? YES.
WE HAVE THREE MANAGEMENT ASSISTANTS CURRENTLY, AND THEY BEGAN THEIR ROTATION IN JULY.
UH, TWO OF THOSE HAVE BEEN HISTORICALLY STRUCTURALLY BUDGETED.
AND THEN MEREDITH WORKS WITH OUR, UM, ENTERPRISE FUND DEPARTMENTS ON PLACEMENTS TO FUND THE THIRD POSITION.
WHEN YOU SAY STRUCTURALLY BUDGET, YOU FOUND POSITIONS FOR THEM? IS THAT IT? YES, THERE ARE POSITIONS FOR THEM.
SO WE'VE ALWAYS HAD A FUNDING TO SUPPORT TWO ANNUALLY.
AND THEN WE SEEK SUPPORT AND PARTNERSHIP WITH OUR ENTERPRISE FUND DEPARTMENTS SO THAT THEY CAN HAVE MAS JOIN THEM FOR A ROTATION OR TWO.
AND THEN WE FIND FUNDING THROUGH THOSE OTHER, UH, FUNDING AREAS.
WELL, IN THE PAST, AND I DON'T ALWAYS SUPPORTED DIVERSITY YES.
IS THIS THE PROGRAM? SO I HOPE YOU CONTINUE WITH THAT AS WELL.
ALSO, ON PAGE, UH, 36, YOU MAY, YOU HAVE A, A BUBBLE THERE, SPECIAL PROJECTS NOT ATTACHED TO ANYTHING.
SO THAT WOULD TYPICALLY SPECIAL PROJECTS FALL INTO THE OTHER DUTIES AS A SIGN FOR OUR D DCMS AND LOOKING AT 36 FALLS WITHIN GRACE UI
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BELIEVE.SO TYLER, IT IS JUST VARIOUS PROJECTS THAT MAY COME UP OVER TIME, DIFFERENT EFFORTS AND INITIATIVES THAT WE MIGHT SEE FROM THE CITY COUNCIL, UM, THAT TYLER WILL TAKE ON AS PART OF HIS ROLE.
I JUST THANK YOU ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER, UH, FOR THAT, UM, REALLY INFORMATIVE PRESENTATION.
I KNOW YOU HAD A LOT OF STUFF, UH, TO GET THROUGH.
UM, I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY PEOPLE WERE, ARE TUNING IN TODAY AND WATCHING THIS, THIS BUDGET HEARING, BUT, UM, I THINK IT'S REALLY, UH, IMPORTANT FOR THE PUBLIC TO SEE, UM, JUST THE FACE OF THE CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE.
AND I TELL YOU WHEN YOU LOOK AT, UH, PAGE TWO OF, UM, THIS PRESENTATION, I MEAN, IT REALLY IS JUST A, A TOPNOTCH TEAM THAT WE HAVE, UH, WORKING, UM, UM, FOR THE DEPARTMENT AND, UH, JUST, JUST, JUST TOP TALENT.
SO, UM, I'M JUST THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE TODAY.
IT'S GOOD TO SEE, UM, TO SEE EVERY, UH, EVERYONE.
AND I APPRECIATE SEEING HOW MUCH WORK THAT YOU GUYS ARE WORKING ACROSS DEPARTMENTS.
WELL, YOU GUYS HAVE A LOT ON YOUR PLATE, UH, FOR, FOR YOUR SMALL TEAM.
UM, I DO HAVE, UH, JUST, I JUST, JUST ONE COMMENT ACTUALLY IS, YOU KNOW, I'M PAGE 38 AND YOU KNOW, THE ROCKSTAR, TYLER, I KNOW YOU HAVE A LOT, UH, GOING ON, UM, WITH THE, WITH THE OLYMPICS AND THE GAME PLANNING, BUT JUST, JUST KNOW, I KNOW THAT'S A LOT ON YOUR PLATE, BUT THIS IS REALLY IMPORTANT STUFF.
UM, THIS IS LEGACY BUILDING FOR GENERATIONS TO COME.
AND SO JUST, UH, JUST REMEMBER THAT I KNOW YOU DO AND I KNOW, YOU KNOW, HOW IMPORTANT, UM, THAT THAT THAT A PART, UM, OF OUR HISTORY IS GONNA BE.
SO JUST CONTINUE TO COMMUNICATE WITH THE PUBLIC AND, AND THE BUSINESSES AND COUNCIL AND JUST LET US KNOW HOW WE ALL CAN HELP AND PARTICIPATE IN THAT PROCESS.
BUT THANK YOU VERY MUCH, APRIL.
AND, UM, COMMITTEE MEMBER TO THAT POINT, WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO PROVIDING ANOTHER UPDATE AND, YOU KNOW, REGULAR UPDATES AS WE HIT TWO YEARS INTO THE GAMES.
AND SO WHEN YOU'D MENTIONED LEGACY PLANNING, TYLER AND HIS TEAM HAVE A HISTORICAL RECORD OF ALL THE THINGS WE ARE DOING AND HAVE DONE SO THAT WE CAN LOOK HOW WE CAN CREATE THAT.
UM, I MEMORIALIZE THAT FOR HISTORICAL PURPOSES.
AND THANK YOU FOR THE, THE PRESENTATION.
UM, I THINK SOMETIMES PEOPLE THINK OF THE CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE.
I THINK, I MEAN, I'LL BE HONEST, I THINK WHEN I STARTED COUNCIL IT FELT LIKE A LITTLE BIT OF A BLACK BOX OF LIKE, WHAT ARE ALL THE THINGS, LIKE I INTER, YOU KNOW, YOU INTERACT WITH THE, THE CITY MANAGER OR THE ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER, RIGHT? AND THEN YOU'LL SEE KIND OF LIKE GLIMPSES OF THE DIFFERENT, LIKE DEPUTY CITY MANAGERS AT CITY COUNCIL, RIGHT? WHEN THEY'RE DOING PRESENTATIONS ON SUBJECT MATTER.
BUT IT'S ALWAYS LIKE, WELL, I'LL JUST SAY LIKE, YOU KNOW, HUMAN TRAFFICKING OR IT'S STRONG BEACH, OR IT IS, YOU KNOW, TALKING ABOUT THE OLYMPIC STUFF.
SO LIKE EVERYTHING FEELS VERY KIND OF LIKE ONE OFF MM-HMM
SO I THOUGHT IT WAS REALLY IMPORTANT FOR PEOPLE TO SEE, LIKE, WHEN IT COMES TO PARTICULARLY LIKE, YOU KNOW, WE TALK ABOUT THE INTERDEPARTMENTAL TEAMS, RIGHT? UM, WHAT IS IT THAT MAKES WHEN YOU HAVE, UH, ISSUES THAT NEED TO BRIDGE MULTIPLE DEPARTMENTS, RIGHT? THAT'S THE ROLE OF THE CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE, RIGHT? TO MANAGE THAT COORDINATION, UM, AND TO MAKE SURE THAT DEPARTMENTS ARE TALKING TO EACH OTHER WHEN WE AS COUNCIL MEMBERS HAVE QUESTIONS, RIGHT? MM-HMM
AND THOSE QUESTIONS REQUIRE THE INPUT OF MULTIPLE DEPARTMENT HEADS, RIGHT? THERE'S SOMEONE IN THE BACKGROUND DOING A LOT OF THAT MANAGEMENT, ORGANIZING THAT, AND THEN I THINK, AS YOU MENTIONED, UH, APRIL, A LITTLE BIT OF A CATCHALL FOR SOME OF THESE KIND OF SPECIAL PROJECTS OR INITIATIVES THAT REALLY DON'T HAVE A PLACE TO LIVE IN A SPECIFIC DEPARTMENT, RIGHT? AND SO THEN THAT ULTIMATELY BECOMES THE CITY MANAGER AND I THINK CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE.
AND I THINK ALSO, UM, YOU KNOW, THE CONVERSATION ABOUT MEREDITH REYNOLDS AND SAYING LIKE, HEY, IT'S ALSO WHEN WE HAVE VACANCIES IN HR.
LIKE I KNOW APRIL WALKER, YOU WERE OUR TEMPORARY, YOU KNOW, DEPARTMENT HEAD UNTIL WE GOT BRYCE TYLER, RIGHT? MM-HMM
SO THINKING ABOUT THE DIFFERENT WAYS THAT, UH, THE CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE IS RESPONSIBLE FOR BACKFILLING THINGS MM-HMM
UM, AND, AND COORDINATING IN THE BACKGROUND.
AND I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT FOR PEOPLE TO KNOW THAT, BUT ALSO TO SEE LIKE THERE MAY BE INITIATIVES THAT THEY HAD NO IDEA THAT THE CITY MANAGER, UH, WAS INVOLVED IN.
UM, AND SO, AND EVEN SOME OF THE THINGS THAT ARE IN HERE, I DIDN'T KNOW
BUT I WOULD EVEN APPRECIATE, 'CAUSE YOU KNOW, WE HAVE, LIKE, I KNOW WE HAVE FOLKS OVER LIKE, YOU KNOW, OFFICE OF CANNABIS, LIKE, YOU KNOW, I WOULD LOVE LIKE A, UM, A EVEN MORE BUILT OUT, UM, UH, ORG CHART THAT INCLUDES ALL THOSE OTHER ENTITIES THAT FALL UNDER, BECAUSE I KNOW, YOU KNOW, OUR FANTASTIC DEPUTY CITY MANAGERS, YOU KNOW, I THINK THEY'RE GRATEFUL THAT THEY DON'T DO THIS BY THEMSELVES.
UH, AND SO THEY HAVE, YOU KNOW, THEY HAVE FOLKS THAT ARE UNDERNEATH THEM.
SOMETIMES THEY'RE INTERDEPARTMENTAL TEAMS. AND I THINK IT'D BE REALLY APPRECIATIVE.
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KNOWING, UM, A LITTLE BIT OF MORE OF THE, IN LIKE THE INFRASTRUCTURE AS WE TALK ABOUT, YOU KNOW, SEVEN PEOPLE HERE, EIGHT PEOPLE HERE.LIKE THAT WOULD, I THINK, WOULD BENEFIT THE COUNCIL AND BENEFIT THE PUBLIC.
AND TO THAT, IF I MAY, TO THAT CHAIR, ABSOLUTELY.
UM, WE, THAT IS ACTUALLY A PROJECT WE'RE WORKING ON RIGHT NOW, BUT YOU ARE INFLUENCING ME TO KIND OF CREATE A LITTLE BIT MORE OF A DIRECTORY SO THAT IF SOMEONE BESIDES US SEES THAT VALENCIA IS OVERSEEING THE OFFICE OF CANNABIS, THAT WHAT IS IT EXACTLY DOES THAT MEAN THAT SHE DOES? SO THANK YOU.
AND THEN YOU'LL GET LESS QUESTIONS FROM PEOPLE
UM, I JUST HAD A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS.
IT WAS JUST MORE MO MOSTLY FOR CLARITY.
SO, UM, AND I THINK THIS ONE WAS, UM, UH, THERESA CHANDLER'S WHEELHOUSE, WHICH WAS EQUITY, UH, EQUITY WELLNESS AND PREVENTION.
SO I SAW UNDER SPECIAL PROJECTS IT SAID AFRICAN AMERICAN CULTURAL CENTER, AND I WASN'T SURE WHAT EXACTLY WE WERE DOING MM-HMM
IN, IN THE CONTEXT OF AFRICAN AMERICAN CULTURAL CENTER.
I'M GONNA ACTUALLY INVITE THERESA, I CAN SPEAK TO THAT.
UM, BUT I WANT THERESA TO BE ABLE TO GIVE YOU THE OVERVIEW OF THE WORK THAT SHE DOES BECAUSE IT IS PRETTY DETAILED FROM TIME TO TIME.
THAT I DROPPED EVERYTHING AS I STOOD UP.
SO THERE'S DIFFERENT PROJECTS THAT THEY ARE LEADING AND SUPPORTING.
THE HIP HOP EXHIBIT IS AN EXAMPLE.
UH, SO I HAVE BEEN MEETING WITH DEREK SIMPSON AND NOW MORE FOLKS NOW THAT GELLE IS ON BOARD UNDER THE LIBRARIES.
GRACE, YOU AND I ARE ACTUALLY WORKING TOGETHER WITH THEM.
UM, AND SOMETIMES DEPUTIES, WE ALL HAVE OUR OWN SPECIFIC PROJECTS, AND THEN WE ALSO PARTNER UP AND, AND DO THINGS TOGETHER.
SO, UH, THE HIP HOP EXHIBIT, THE VIP SIGN, UM, IT'S ALL KIND OF INTERTWINED WITH AFRICAN AMERICAN CULTURAL CENTER AND THEN MOVING THEM ALONG INTO THEIR NEXT PHASE AS THEY EXPAND.
AND THEY HAVE A NEW EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, UM, AND JUST WORKING IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THEM.
AND THEY WORK VERY CLOSELY WITH THE VIP AND THEN ALSO BRINGING ON THE HIP HOP.
UM, WELL, WE WERE BRINGING ON A CONTRACTOR, BUT NOW THEY'RE ACTUALLY TAKING ON THAT PROJECT THEMSELVES.
SO WE'RE JUST OFFERING GUIDANCE AND WORKING WITH THEM ALONG THE WAY.
AND THEN THE AFRICAN AMERICAN CULTURAL DISTRICT THAT THE LIBRARY IS ALSO TAKING ON ALL THE CULTURAL DISTRICTS.
UM, ALL OF THE DEPUTIES, WE ALL SUPPORT THAT AS WELL.
UM, THE DIFFERENT DISTRICTS THAT ARE COMING ALONG.
SO JUST ENSURING THAT ALL DEPARTMENTS ARE ALIGNING, UH, COMING TO THE TABLE AND JUST HAVING, UH, NON ONGOING CONVERSATIONS.
AND IT'S ALSO WEAVING IN LIKE ONE CULTURAL DISTRICT.
LATINO CULTURAL DISTRICT STARTED FIRST, UM, AND THEN OTHERS CAME.
WELL, AFRICAN AMERICAN CULTURAL DISTRICT WAS THERE.
UM, AND JUST ENSURING THAT WE'RE ALL SPEAKING THE SAME LANGUAGE AND THAT THERE'S EQUITY ACROSS THE BOARD AS THESE CULTURAL DISTRICTS ARE COMING ON BOARD.
UH, DEPUTY CITY MANAGER, CH CHANDLER.
UM, AND THEN THE SECOND SET OF QUESTIONS WAS HAVING TO DO WITH, I BELIEVE IS GRACE'S GRACE DUNES, UH, WHEELHOUSE, WHICH IS AROUND STRATEGIC GOVERNANCE, UM, AND POLICY.
AND I'M PARTICULARLY INTERESTED IN THIS.
I TALK TO GRACE A LOT ABOUT MANY OF THE THINGS THAT WE ARE TRYING TO DO IN DISTRICT NINE.
UM, BUT I JUST MOSTLY, IT WAS A KIND OF AN EDUCATIONAL THING.
I THINK WHEN PEOPLE SEE THE FOCUS AREAS, WHICH ARE OFFICE OF INTERGOVERNMENTAL AFFAIRS, RIGHT? THEY'RE LOOKING AT EXTERNAL GOVERNMENTAL PARTNERSHIPS, UH, STRATEGIC CITYWIDE OPERATIONS SUPPORT.
I SOMETIMES FEEL LIKE THOSE FEEL A LITTLE BIT NEBULOUS TO PEOPLE AND DON'T REALLY UNDERSTAND CONCRETELY WHAT, WHAT THAT DOES.
SO IF YOU COULD TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THOSE THREE, I THINK THAT WAS SLIDE 32, LIKE THOSE THREE SPECIFIC, UM, COMPONENTS, UM, I THINK THAT WOULD BE HELPFUL, UH, FOR, FOR THE PUBLIC.
SO, OFFICE OF GOVERNMENT, INTERGOVERNMENT AFFAIRS IS A REALLY CRITICAL OPERATION UNDER OUR FOCUS AREA, BUT REALLY IT'S LED BY SARAH PATTERSON AND, UH, CLAYTON.
IT'S A SMALL BUT MIGHTY TEAM THAT THEY, THEY CONSIDER THEMSELVES, BUT IT REALLY LOOKS TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR LEGISLATIVE PRIORITIES ARE, UM, HEARD AT THE STATE AND FEDERAL LEVEL.
AND WE ALSO, UH, MAKE SURE THAT WHEN THERE'S OPPORTUNITIES, APRIL MENTIONED THIS, BUT WHEN THERE'S OPPORTUNITIES TO SECURE RESOURCES, UM, WHETHER THEY'RE EARMARKS OR OTHER, UH, PROJECTS THAT WE DO, THE WORK AND THE LOBBYING AND THE, UM, CONNECTIONS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE GET AS MANY RESOURCES AS POSSIBLE THAT ARE OUT THERE, AND THAT WE'RE NOT LEAVING ANYTHING UNTAPPED, ESPECIALLY IN THIS ENVIRONMENT WHERE FINANCIAL CHALLENGES ARE.
UH, UP AND FOREMOST, WE ALSO MAKE SURE THAT WE BUILD RELATIONSHIPS WITH OUR LEGISLATIVE DELEGATION SO THAT WHEN THERE ARE POLICY ISSUES THAT THE CITY WANTS TO PUSH FORWARD OR SUPPORT, SUCH AS THE, THE CAMERAS ON PCH, THESE ARE THINGS THAT WE CAN GET INVOLVED AS WELL.
AND THE COUNCIL MEMBERS HAVE GOTTEN INVOLVED IN THAT AS WELL.
AND THEN TO YOUR SECOND CATEGORY, UM, WE DON'T DO OUR WORK IN ISOLATION.
WE'VE TALKED A LOT ABOUT IN THIS PRESENTATION HOW WE'RE INTERDEPARTMENTAL
[01:20:01]
WITHIN THE CITY, BUT WE ALSO COLLABORATE A LOT EXTERNALLY AS WELL.ONE OF THE PROJECTS, UM, CHAIR THAT WE'VE TALKED ABOUT IS, YOU KNOW, LIKE HUMAN TRAFFICKING.
AND THAT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT'S JUST ISOLATED WHEN YOU HAVE A BORDER THAT SAYS LONG BEACH ENDS HERE.
AND SO WE DO, UH, FIND THAT IT'S VERY IMPORTANT TO CULTIVATE RELATIONSHIPS WITH OTHER GOVERNMENT AGENCIES AND ENTITIES AND OTHER, UH, GROUPS THAT HAVE FORMED TOGETHER, LIKE THE GATEWAY COG.
THERE'S A LOT OF DIFFERENT ISSUES AND TOPICS THAT COME UP IN THESE, THESE MEETINGS AND GROUPS.
SOMETHING LIKE THE STRATEGIC VISION 2030, UM, THAT YOU MENTIONED.
AND, UH, THE STRATEGIC CITYWIDE OPERATION SUPPORT.
THIS IS A LOT OF WHAT YOU MENTIONED OF, UM, THESE, THERE ARE THESE PROJECTS THAT MIGHT NOT BE ON THE FOREFRONT, BUT REQUIRE SOME SUPPORT FROM CENTRAL CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE TO COORDINATE THE DEPARTMENTS THROUGHOUT THE CITY.
AND SO THOSE ARE THINGS THAT WE TRY TO LOOK INTO AND SAY, WHAT IS IT THAT DEPARTMENTS NEED? WHAT, HOW COULD WE BE A SUPPORT FOR PUSHING FORWARD CERTAIN PROJECTS THAT MANY OF THESE PROJECTS NOW DO NOT HAPPEN IN ISOLATION WITHIN ONE SINGLE DEPARTMENT ANYMORE? SO HOW CAN WE BRING PEOPLE TOGETHER? WHAT CAN WE DO TO SUPPORT? AND THOSE ARE THE THINGS WE ARE ALWAYS ASKING.
AND THOSE, THAT PARTICULAR AREA IS ALWAYS EVOLVING AS WELL.
UM, AND THEN JUST A COUPLE MORE QUESTIONS.
SO THEN ONE IS I WANTED TO BRING UP, AND I SEE TASHA DAY IN THE, IN THE AUDIENCE HERE, UM, AS OUR MANAGER OF SPECIAL EVENTS AND FILMING.
WE ENGAGE WITH THEM A TON WHEN IT COMES TO, UM, JAZZ FESTIVAL AND ALL THE WORK.
UM, NOT NECESSARILY A QUESTION FOR YOU, TASHA.
JUST WANTED TO UPLIFT YOUR TEAM 'CAUSE THEY'RE GREAT.
UM, AND THEY'RE A GREAT SUPPORT TO US.
UM, AND SO JUST AS WE'RE KIND OF MOVING FORWARD, I SAW THE, I, I'LL BE HONEST, I SAW THE IMPACT TO YOUR TEAM HAVING TO ADD IN ALL OF THE WORK AROUND THE WORLD CUP, RIGHT? THE EXTRA EVENTS LIKE THAT STRETCHED HER TEAM.
HONESTLY, THAT'S, I SAW, I SAW MY OWN EYES, RIGHT? HOW THAT STRETCHED YOUR TEAM TO BE ABLE TO SUPPORT THAT.
AND SO AS WE LOOK FORWARD INTO THE FUTURE, RIGHT? I KNOW WE'RE TALKING ABOUT LIKE THEIR EXPANDING DUTIES, EXPANDING CAPACITY.
I DO WANT US TO SERIOUSLY THINK ABOUT OUR SPECIAL EVENTS TEAM AND THE STAFFING FOR THAT SPECIAL EVENTS TEAM AS WE MOVE INTO THESE, UH, OLYMPICS TO MAKE SURE THAT FOLKS ARE NOT OVERWHELMED, TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT TEAM IS WELL STAFFED AND WELL POSITIONED.
UM, BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, I THINK WE TALK ABOUT LIKE THE WORLD CUP WAS KIND OF OUR, OUR INTRODUCTION, RIGHT? LIKE WE WERE PRACTICING WHAT'S, WHAT THINGS ARE GONNA LOOK LIKE FOR THE OLYMPICS.
UM, AND SO I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT THAT TEAM IS WELL POSITIONED TO EXECUTE RIGHT? AND HAVE THE STAFFING THEY NEED, BECAUSE THAT'S GONNA BE, I MEAN, IF, IF WE'RE HONEST, IT'S GONNA BE A, IT'S GONNA BE A LONG HAUL RIGHT? FOR DOING OLYMPICS, PARALYMPICS, ALL OF THAT.
AND SO IT'S JUST THINK THINKING STRATEGICALLY OVER THE NEXT COUPLE OF YEARS ABOUT HOW WE GET THE NECESSARY FUNDING TO DO THAT WITHIN THAT TEAM.
SO I WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT AND LIFT THAT UP.
AND I WANTED TO SPEAK TO THAT BECAUSE YOU'RE RIGHT, TASHA'S TEAM, THEY ARE SUPERHEROES.
UM, AND ONE THING THAT WE ARE THINKING ABOUT IN ADDITION TO THE IDEA OF BRINGING ON STAFF, BECAUSE STAFF ARE GREAT AND THEY ALSO TAKE AN ONBOARDING TIME AND, AND PROCESS AND TIMELINE THAT WE ARE NOT QUITE SURE WE MAY NEED TO USE THEM BEYOND THE GAMES, BUT SO WE'RE, WHILE WE KEEP THAT IN MIND, WE'RE ALSO EXPLORING, UM, ALL OF THE PROCESSES THAT WE NEED TO IN ORDER TO BRING A PRODUCTION COMPANY ON.
SO IF WE HAD A, IF WE EXECUTE AN RFP OR A COMPETITIVE PROCUREMENT PROCESS AND WE'RE ABLE TO BRING ON A PRODUCTION VENDOR, WE COULD POTENTIALLY SUPPLEMENT, UM, OUR, UH, EVENTS WITH THOSE RESOURCES.
SO TASHA'S TEAM IS WORKING ON THAT ALONG WITH ALL THE OTHER THINGS I HAVE GOING ON.
AND THAT'S REALLY GOOD TO KNOW.
I JUST, YOU KNOW, I THINK YOU ALL ARE THINKING OBVIOUSLY PROACTIVELY, I KNOW TYLER'S DOING A LOT OF WORK IN THE OLYMPIC SPACE, BUT NOW THAT WE, YOU KNOW, WE'RE TWO YEARS OUT, I THINK WE'RE ALL LIKE REALIZING THE TRAIN, THE TRAIN IS COMING.
SO I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE ALL PREPARING FOR THE ONCOMING TRAIN.
UM, UH, AND DON'T WORRY, TYLER, YOU, YOU HAVE NOT, UH, YOU'VE NOT AVOIDED MY GAZE.
UM, SO THE QUESTION, UH, FOR THE CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE SPECIFIC, UH, AND UM, SPECIFICALLY TYLER CURLEY IS I KNOW ONE OF THE THINGS THAT YOU ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR IS BASICALLY THE REPORT OF REPORTS, RIGHT? SO BASICALLY FOR THOSE YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT THAT MEANS.
UM, WHENEVER WE ARE PASSING AN AGENDA ITEM AT COUNCIL AND WE ARE DIRECTING STAFF TO DO SOMETHING, RIGHT, WE'RE EXPECTING A REPORT BACK, A PRESENTATION BACK, ET CETERA.
THERE'S SOMEBODY'S JOB IN THE CITY TO COLLECT ALL THAT INFORMATION AND THEN MANAGE IT SO THAT LIKE, SO THAT WE AS COUNCIL MEMBERS GET A REPORT BACK WHEN WE'RE SAYING, YOU KNOW, 45 DAYS, 60 DAYS, 90 DAYS, ET CETERA.
UM, I KNOW TYLER, THAT IS YOUR RESPONSIBILITY TO MANAGE THE REPORT OF THE REPORTS.
UM, AND SO THANK YOU FOR THAT.
UM, AND SO ONE OF THE QUESTIONS I HAD IS, I KNOW WE'VE HAD THE CONVERSATION ABOUT LIKE CLOSURE RATES AND THE ABILITY FOR US TO EXECUTE AND THEN BE RESPONSIVE TO COUNSEL.
SO CAN YOU TALK ABOUT WHAT A CLOSE A, WHAT A CLOSURE RATE IS, AND THEN KIND OF HISTORICALLY HOW WE HAVE WORKED TO IMPROVE THAT CLOSURE RATE?
[01:25:02]
ABSOLUTELY.UM, YEAH, FOR THE REPORT OF REPORTS, WHAT WE DO IS WE TRACK ANYTIME COUNCIL BRINGS AN ITEM AND THEY REQUEST A REPORT BACK OR, UH, FEASIBILITY STUDY OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT, WE ARE TRACKING AND MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE RESPONSIVE ACROSS THE DEPARTMENTS.
UM, I DON'T HAVE A SPECIFIC CLOSURE RATE, UM, ON OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD, BUT I WILL SAY WE'RE ACTUALLY GOING WITH GRACE'S HELP AND WITH VALENCIA ON HER TEAM AS WELL AS JORGE ON MINE.
UM, WE HAVE GONE THROUGH THE REPORT OF REPORTS AND CLOSED OUT MORE OF THE OLDER ITEMS THAN WE'VE EVER HAD, UH, BEFORE.
SO ACTUALLY JUST RECENTLY OVER THE LAST COUPLE WEEKS.
UM, AND THAT'S WHERE, AGAIN, BRINGING IN ADDITIONAL SUPPORT AND CAPACITY HAS BEEN REALLY HELPFUL TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE PRIORITIZING THIS.
UM, THIS IS A FULLY, UM, KIND OF NOT AN AUTOMATED SYSTEM, BUT A, A SYSTEM WHERE WE'RE ABLE TO TRACK AND PROVIDE, UM, YOU KNOW, EMAILS TO ALL THE DEPARTMENTS, TRACKING THE TIMELINE SAYING, HEY, THIS IS DUE IN A MONTH, WHERE ARE YOU AT? UM, AND WE HAVE DONE A LOT OF WORK TO STREAMLINE THAT PROCESS AND ACCOUNTABILITY ACROSS THE DEPARTMENTS.
AND WE, WE PROVIDE, UM, AN UPDATE EVERY WEEK DURING OUR DEPARTMENT HEAD MEETINGS AS WELL TO MAKE SURE THAT THE DEPARTMENTS KNOW ALL OF THE OUTSTANDING REPORTS AND WHEN THEY'RE DUE.
UH, SO THOSE ARE JUST SOME OF THE EFFORTS WE'VE GONE THROUGH TO TRY TO, UM, HAVE SOME MORE ACCOUNTABILITY AND TO MEET THE, THE REQUIREMENTS OR THE REQUESTS FOR TURNAROUND TIMELINES.
UM, ANOTHER THING THAT WE'VE DONE, ONE OF THE BIG CHALLENGES IS KNOWING EXACTLY A REALISTIC TURNAROUND TIME ON SOME OF THESE PROJECTS.
UM, YOU KNOW, WHEN WE WORK WITH COUNCIL ON THE FISCAL IMPACT, WE ALSO LOOK AT CAN WE DELIVER THIS IN 60 DAYS, 90 DAYS, WHATEVER IT MIGHT BE.
UM, SO, YOU KNOW, WE DO FIND SOME PROJECTS ARE MUCH LARGER.
THEY TAKE LONGER THAN THE ORIGINAL TIMELINE.
SO WHAT WE HAVE BEEN TRYING TO DO IN, I THINK, DOING BETTER NOW, UM, ESPECIALLY WITH THE ADDITIONAL SUPPORT WITH GRACE AND VALENCIA AND JORGE, IS, UM, WORKING WITH DEPARTMENTS TO GET STATUS UPDATE MEMOS BEFORE THE ORIGINAL DEADLINE.
SO EVEN IF WE'RE NOT ABLE TO MEET THE FULL REQUEST WITHIN THE ORIGINAL DEADLINE, WE ARE ABLE TO PROVIDE STATUS UPDATES TO SAY, WELL, HERE'S WHERE WE'RE AT, UM, WE NEED A LITTLE BIT MORE TIME AND WE'LL COME BACK WITH THE FULL REPORT IN, YOU KNOW, X AMOUNT OF DAYS.
SO THAT HELPS US ALSO TO STAY ON TRACK AND TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE RESPONSIVE WITHIN THE ORIGINAL TIMELINE.
AND THEN JUST, UH, JUST ONE FOLLOW UP QUESTION FROM THE COMMENT THAT YOU JUST MADE, YOU SAID CLOSE OUT THE OLDER ITEMS, UM, FOR OUR KNOWLEDGE, WHAT, WHAT WOULD YOU CONSTITUTE LIKE QUOTE UNQUOTE OLDER ITEM? THESE WOULD BE ITEMS THAT, UM, A LOT OF 'EM ACTUALLY ARE IN OUR REPORT OF REPORTS AND THERE WAS A MEMO OR SOME KIND OF A FOLLOW UP, BUT WE DIDN'T ACTUALLY GO INTO OUR REPORT AND CLOSE IT OUT.
UM, SO A LOT OF THAT WORK IS GOING BACK.
I MEAN, SOME OF THESE ITEMS ARE MULTIPLE YEARS WHERE WE SAID, HEY, DID WE ACTUALLY DO THIS WORK? AND WHEN DID WE PROVIDE THE REPORT OR THE PRESENTATION TO COUNCIL, WHATEVER IT MIGHT BE.
SO A LOT OF IT WAS CLEANUP WORK.
SOME OF IT ARE, UM, ACTUALLY LONGER OR MULTI-PART REQUESTS WHERE PIECE OF THE REQUEST HAS BEEN RESPONDED TO OR, OR ADDRESSED, BUT NOT THE ENTIRETY OF IT.
UM, AND SO THAT'S WHERE, AGAIN, IN OUR WORK, WE'RE TRYING TO CLEAN UP OUR OWN LIST AND MAKE SURE IT'S UP TO DATE.
AND FOR THOSE ONES THAT ARE STILL MAYBE OUTSTANDING OR THERE'S ITEMS THAT HAVEN'T BEEN COMPLETED, WE CAN AT LEAST UPDATE WHERE ARE WE STATUS WISE, UM, AND THEN IF NEEDED, PROVIDE THAT ADDITIONAL UPDATE TO COUNCIL AS WELL.
UM, I DON'T HAVE ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS, BUT I BELIEVE VICE MAYOR RANGA HAD AN ADDITIONAL QUESTION.
UM, YOU KNOW, IN IN PAST YEARS, UH, UNDER DIFFERENT CITY MANAGERS, THERE WAS ALWAYS A, A, A HIERARCHY IN RETURN IN TERMS OF EACH DEPUTY DEPUTY MANAGER HAD A, A TARGET OF FOUR OR FIVE DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS UNDER THEIR GANGS OR OVER, UH, OVERSIGHT.
THANK YOU FOR MENTIONING THAT.
AND THAT WAS BEFORE MY TIME, BUT I'VE HEARD ALL ABOUT HOW WE'VE EVOLVED.
AND SO, UM, WE JUST, UNDER TOM AS OUR CITY MANAGER, WE'VE BUILT A TEAM THAT WE DO REALLY WELL, CROSS COLLABORATIVELY.
AND SO WE EMPOWER THE DEPUTY C MAN CITY MANAGERS TO WORK DIRECTLY WITH DEPARTMENTS ON INTER DEPARTMENTAL PROJECTS, PROGRAMS, ISSUES, AS WE'VE HEARD THREAD THROUGHOUT, UM, THE DISCUSSION SO FAR.
UM, HOWEVER, WE HAVE FOUND IN MORE RECENT YEARS, ESPECIALLY WITH TOM, THAT AND MYSELF, THAT WE DO REALLY, IT WORKS REALLY WELL FOR US TO HAVE THE DIRECTORS ALL REPORT DIRECTLY TO US.
AND SO WE'VE BUILT A STRUCTURE AND A SYSTEM THAT THAT IS A MANAGEABLE PROCESS
[01:30:01]
FOR THE CITY MANAGER.SO THERE HAVE BEEN TIMES WHERE THERE'S AN EMERGENCY, UM, WHETHER IT'S PD OR A CITY COUNCIL MEMBER NEEDS SUPPORT, AND THEN I STEP IN AND FILL IN FOR TOM, WHETHER IT'S A BRIEFING OR AN UPDATE OR SOMETHING WITH OUR DIRECTORS.
AND THEN, BECAUSE WE ALL WORK WELL TOGETHER AND WE MEET REGULARLY AND WE'RE ALL ALIGNED, IF WE NEED A DEPUTY CITY MANAGER TO TAKE ON A PROGRAM OR A PROJECT, WE'LL GO AHEAD AND, AND ASSIGN THAT OUT.
AND WE ARE ALSO FINDING THAT AS WE HAVE THESE CITYWIDE EFFORTS AND PROGRAMS LIKE THE GAMES, UM, LIKE OUR CULTURAL, UH, DISTRICTS, THAT IT IS HELPFUL FOR THEM TO FOCUS ON AREAS VERSUS DEPARTMENTS, AND OFTEN THOSE AREAS INTEGRATE ALL THE DEPARTMENTS OR MULTIPLE DEPARTMENTS.
SO IT'S BEEN REALLY WORKING REALLY WELL.
AND, UM, WE APPRECIATE THE SUPPORT THAT WE GET FROM, UM, OUR PARTNER DEPARTMENTS TO LEAD THESE EFFORTS AND STAY TIMELY AND, AND DELIVER ON WHAT THE POLICYMAKERS HAVE ASKED US TO DO.
WELL, I SEE THAT BECAUSE, UH, IN THE PAST, UH, WHEN I FIRST STARTED IN CITY COUNCIL ON A DIFFERENT CITY MANAGER, THE CITY MANAGER SAID, YOU CAN CONTACT SO AND SO FOR ANY ISSUES THAT I MIGHT HAVE WITH THE DEPARTMENT HEAD.
AND I TOLD THAT CITY MANAGER, NO, YOU ARE THE BOSS.
YOU'RE THE ONE I GOTTA TALK TO, NOT X, Y, AND Z.
SO I'M GONNA HAVE TO SEE THIS EVOLUTION WHERE YOU'RE WORKING TOGETHER, BUT IT TAKES A LOT OF COORDINATION.
UH, IT TAKES A BUILDING A A REAL STRONG TEAM.
AND I'M ALWAYS TOLD TOM, BUILD YOUR TEAM, BUILD A STRONG TEAM.
AND I SEE ONE NOW, UH, AS I, I ALWAYS CAN SAY THAT, BUT YOU KNOW, IT FEELS GOOD.
AS I EXIT FOR THE CITY COUNCIL, I'M GLAD TO SEE THAT THERE'S A GOOD, STRONG TEAM IN PLACE THAT WILL CONTINUE THE WORK THAT AT LEAST I CAN FEEL COMFORTABLE WITH LEAVING THE COUNCIL SAYING THAT TO GO TO S SO WITH THAT, I WANNA SAY THAT KUDOS TO YOU, TO THE CITY MANAGER, TO TOM FOR THE JOB.
WELL, WISH YOU WELL, WISH YOU WELL FOR THE FUTURE.
THEN WE CONTINUE OUR UPWARD CLIMB, AND THEN WE NEVER SEE AND STOP.
THEN WE KEEP GOING ALL THE WAY TO WHATEVER, WHATEVER SUCCESS IT TAKES US.
UH, WE CAN TAKE PUBLIC COMMENT AT THIS TIME.
IF ANY MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM, PLEASE LINE UP AT THE PODIUM.
IT LOOKS LIKE WE HAVE TWO SPEAKERS.
HELLO, UH, BUDGET OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE.
MY NAME IS FERNANDO VELO, COMMUNITY LAWYER WITH
I KNOW Y'ALL KNOW THAT I MAKE ENOUGH COMMENT FOR Y'ALL TO REMEMBER.
UH, AND BEFORE YOU, ONCE AGAIN, ADVOCATING FOR 3 MILLION FOR THE LONG BEACH JUSTICE FUND.
UM, WE UNDERSTAND THE CITY BUDGET DEFICIT, UM, THE C THE CITY'S BUDGET DEFICIT, BUT OUR CITY'S SUPPORT FOR THE LOCAL IMMIGRANT COMMUNITY CANNOT WAIVER WITH INCREASED IMMIGRATION ENFORCEMENT SINCE LAST YEAR, AND BILLIONS IN FUNDING FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, UH, FURTHER EXPANDING THEIR ENFORCEMENT, IT IS ESSENTIAL THAT WE BE PREPARED AS A CITY.
UM, PLUS YOU HEARD TODAY OR IN THE EARLIER PRESENTATION HOW IMMIGRATION ENFORCEMENT IS IMPACTING OUR CITY'S ECONOMY.
SUPPORTING THE IMMIGRANT COMMUNITY ALSO MEANS STRENGTHENING THE CITY'S WORKFORCE AND SPENDING LOCALLY, UM, I THINK WHICH IS ESPECIALLY IMPERATIVE GIVEN, UH, THE CURRENT, UM, FINANCIAL SITUATION.
SO SUPPORTING THE LOCAL IMMIGRANT COMMUNITY IS SUPPORTING A STRONGER LONG BEACH.
OUR DEMAND IS 3 MILLION, BUT IT WOULD BE UNACCEPTABLE TO FALL BELOW, UH, THE EVENTUAL ALLOCATION OF 2.2 MILLION THAT, UH, WAS RECEIVED IN THE LAST YEAR.
ALSO, UH, WANTED TO VOICE MY SUPPORT OF THE MAYOR'S RESTORATION OF A POSITION TO SUPPORT, UH, THE LONG BEACH JUSTICE FUND IN THE OFFICE OF EQUITY.
AND LASTLY, I'M SHARING SUPPORT FOR CITY WORKERS FACING LAYOFFS AND BUDGET PRIORITIES FROM COMMUNITY PARTNERS, INCLUDING 2.2 MILLION FOR RIGHT TO COUNCIL AND 200,000 IN COUNTY MEASURE A FUNDS FOR CLT.
HELLO, MY NAME IS DENISE TAPIA.
I AM COMMUNITY ORGANIZER WITH ORLE.
UM, AND I JUST WANTED TO SHARE MY SUPPORT FOR FUNDING 3 MILLION FOR THE JUSTICE FUND.
UM, AGAIN, THIS IS A NUMBER THAT WE'VE, UH, DEDUCED FROM SEEING THE NEED THAT IS GONNA COME, UM, IN THE COMING YEAR.
UM, ICE IS GETTING AN UNPRECEDENTED AMOUNT OF MONEY, AND SO THIS IS REALLY REFLECTIVE OF, UM, THE DIRE SITUATION THAT, UM, WE'RE GONNA BE SEEING.
UM, I WOULD LOVE FOR THIS PROGRAM TO NOT, UH, DIP BELOW WHAT WE'VE GOTTEN THIS YEAR, UM, THAT WOULD REALLY IMPACT SERVICE.
IT WOULD MEAN THAT WE WOULD BE ABLE TO SERVICE LESS PEOPLE THAN WE ARE NOW IN THE COMING YEAR, WHERE THERE WILL BE
[01:35:01]
A BIGGER NEED FOR THIS.AND, UM, YEAH, I HOPE THE LONG BEACH JUSTICE FUND CAN BE FUNDED.
I'M REPRESENTING THE LONG BEACH JUSTICE FUND, AND ALSO SPEAKING OF URGENCY TO ADVOCATE FOR THE LONG BEACH VALUES ACT, MANY PEOPLE IN OUR, IN OUR COMMUNITY ARE BEING DEEPLY IMPACTED BY DEPORTATION AND IMMIGRATION ENFORCEMENT.
EVERY DELAY IN MOVING THE VALUES ACT FORWARD MEANS FAMILIES ARE LEFT WITHOUT ACCESS TO THE RESOURCE AND SUPPORT THEY URGENTLY NEED.
THE IMPACT OF DEPORTATION EXTENDS FAR BEYOND THE INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE BEING DETAINED OR DEPORTED.
PARENTS, GRANDPARENTS, CHILDREN, COUSINS, NEIGHBORS, AND ENTIRE FAMILIES ARE BEING AFFECTED.
OUR COMMUNITY NEEDS ALLOW ME TO STAND WITH OUR NEIGHBORS AND TAKE MEANINGFUL ACTION TO PROTECT THEM.
WE ARE ASKING THE CITY COUNCIL TO SUPPORT THE 3 MILLION INSTRUCTIONAL FUNDING FOR THE LONG BEACH VALUES ACT, AND MOST IMPORTANTLY, TO NOT GO UNDER THEIR LAST YEAR'S FUNDING, WHICH IS 2.2.
IT'LL BE GOING BACKWARDS IF WE WENT ANYTHING LESS THAN THAT.
THIS IS AN URGENT MATTER FOR FAMILIES AND COMMUNITIES WHO ARE COUNTING ON THE CITY OF LONG BEACH, AND WE ASK YOU TO LISTEN TO THEIR NEEDS AND SUPPORT THE VALUES ACT.
AND I THINK WE HAVE ONE MORE ADDITIONAL SPEAKER.
UM, I'M ARLO RE, ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR FOR FILIPINO MIGRANT CENTER, UM, BUT ALSO RESIDENT OF DISTRICT SIX.
UM, AND YEAH, UH, JUST UPLIFTING, UM, THE WORDS OF MY COLLEAGUES WHO'S JUST SPOKEN, UM, JUST NOW.
UM, AND REALLY WANNA HIGHLIGHT HOW THE LONG BEACH JUSTICE FUND ALSO HAS IMPACTED THE FILIPINO COMMUNITY IN WEST SIDE LONG BEACH, SPECIFICALLY, OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS HAVE SHARED WITH US HOW IMPORTANT THIS FUND IS AND HOW IT HAS REALLY HELPED THEM, UM, NAVIGATE THE HARSHER CONDITIONS THAT THEY'RE EXPERIENCING.
SO IT WOULD BE A BIG MISS IF WHAT WE GET NEXT YEAR IS LOWER THAN, LOWER THAN WHAT WE GOT LAST YEAR.
UM, ESPECIALLY THAT THE NEEDS ARE REALLY RISING AND WE'RE CONTINUALLY NAVIGATING LIKE THE CHANGES, UM, AND MORE AND MORE OF OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS ARE GETTING AFFECTED.
AND THANK YOU FOR ALL THE PUBLIC SPEAKERS.
UM, WE CAN MOVE TO A, OH, DID YOU WANT TO? YOU, IT'S OKAY.
YOU WANNA COME? OH, NO, I WAS JUST GRABBING MY, UH, NO WORRIES.
UH, MY NAME IS KAYLA SATO AND I'M HERE TODAY ON BEHALF OF LONG BEACH JUSTICE FUND IN, UH, SUPPORT OF THE REQUEST FOR $3 MILLION.
AS THIS IS, UH, MY FIRST, MAYBE SECOND TIME SPEAKING BEFORE ALL OF YOU TODAY, UM, I'M GOING TO ASSUME THAT YOU'RE AWARE OF AND CONCERNED BY THE THREAT OF ICE FUNDING RISING AND THE CONTINUED TERRORIZING OF OUR COMMUNITIES.
I'M ALSO, UH, GOING TO ASSUME THAT YOU SUPPORT PROGRAMS LIKE THE U VISA AND T VISA CONCEPTUALLY, AND WANT TO SEE THEM BOTH FLOURISH IN LONG BEACH.
WE HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO INSTITUTIONALIZE STRONG FUNDING PROGRAMS VIA THE 3 MILLION, UM, IN THE LONG BEACH JUSTICE FUND.
GOING BELOW THE 2.2 MILLION WILL BE CUTTING FUNDING, UM, WHILE, SORRY, I'M JUST A LITTLE BIT OUT OF BREATH.
UM, GOING BELOW THE 2.2 MILLION WOULD BE A DISSERVICE, UH, TO THE THOUSANDS OF IMMIGRANTS THAT LIVE IN THE CITY.
AS CONCERNS ARE GROWING AND IMMIGRANT ENFORCEMENT CONTINUES TO MAKE RECORD BREAKING ATTACKS ON OUR LOVED ONES, IT IS AN ABSOLUTELY NECESS, IT IS ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY TO, TO TAKE A STAND WITH OUR IMMIGRANT COMMUNITIES AND PROVIDE MORE FUNDING FOR LONG BEACH JUSTICE FUND AS MORE SERVICES ARE NEEDED.
I KNOW THAT THE CITY IS IN DIRE STRAITS ECONOMICALLY.
MANY CITIES ACROSS THE STATE ARE, AND, UH, SEVERAL CITIES IN ORANGE COUNTY EVEN.
WERE ABLE TO ESTABLISH FUNDING FOR PROGRAMS LIKE IMMIGRANT DEFENSE EIGHT TO STREET VENDORS AND MORE.
LET'S FIND THE MONEY TO FUND THE FULL 3 MILLION BUDGETS ARE REFLECT, ARE A REFLECTION OF OUR VALUES.
AND WHILE THE FASCIST AND DC ARE MULTIPLYING ISIS BUDGET BY EIGHT TIMES, WE NEED TO MOVE TO MEET THE MOMENT WITH AT LEAST A MODEST INCREASE FROM 2.2 MILLION TO THREE POINT TO 3 MILLION.
PEOPLE ARE SCARED TO LEAVE THEIR HOMES.
PEOPLE ARE SUFFERING, AND WE NEED TO SHOW THEM THAT WE STAND WITH THEM.
VIBE CITY NEEDS TO HAVE VIBES THAT STAND WITH OUR COMMUNITY.
THANK YOU FOR THE PUBLIC COMMENT.
UM, SEEING NO ADDITIONAL PUBLIC COMMENTERS, I'M GONNA CLOSE PUBLIC COMMENT.
UM, AND THEN WE CAN MOVE TO, UH, A VOTE.
UH, NEXT ITEM, ITEM FOUR IS THE RECOMMENDATION TO RECEIVE AND FILE COUNCIL DISTRICT CORRESPONDENCE.
UH, CAN I GET A FIRST AND A SECOND PLEASE? THANK YOU.
UM, I'M GONNA DEFER OVER TO OUR BUDGET MANAGER, UH, REBECCA BURNSOFF.
'CAUSE I KNOW THAT WE GOT A NUMBER OF, WE'RE GONNA CALL THESE THE FINAL LETTERS, UH,
[01:40:01]
SO I WANT, A COUPLE OF THEM CAME IN A LITTLE BIT LATER, SO I HAVEN'T, SO I WAS GONNA LET YOU JUST KIND OF GIVE BRIEFLY, UM, THE DIFFERENT LETTERS AND, AND THE MAIN THEMES.[4. 26-55926 Recommendation to receive and file Council District correspondence. Suggested Action: Approve recommendation. ]
YOU, CHAIR.UH, SO WE RECEIVED FIRST AID LETTER FROM COUNCIL DISTRICT SIX, REQUESTING TO RESTORE ONE ADDITIONAL QUALITY OF LIFE OFFICER, UH, REQUEST TO RESTORE 477,001 TIME FUNDING FOR HOMELESS EMPLOYMENT WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT, UH, RESTORE WEEKEND HOMELESS OUTREACH, RESTORE ONE VACANT CODE ENFORCEMENT INSPECTOR POSITION, AND EXPLORE THE POTENTIAL EXTENSION OF EXISTING LIBRARY HOURS BY ONE TO THREE HOURS AT EACH OF THE LIBRARY BRANCHES.
WE ALSO RECEIVED A LETTER FROM CD THREE TO RESTORE ENGINE 14.
WE ALSO RECEIVED A LETTER FROM, UH, COUNCIL DISTRICT EIGHT TO SUPPORT THE FIRE DEPARTMENT FEASIBILITY ANALYSIS AND ALLOCATE 200,000 TO A HUMAN TRAFFICKING BUREAU AND 200,000 TO THE LONG BEACH COMMUNITY LAND TRUST.
WE ALSO HAD FOUR ADDITIONAL LETTERS COME IN THAT ARE RECEIVED AS PUBLIC COMMENT FOR TODAY'S MEETING, WHICH WAS A LA LETTER FROM THE, UH, MAYOR TO RESTORE MONDAY LIBRARY HOURS TO ESTABLISH A THREE YEAR PARTNERSHIP TO SUPPORT THE CREATIVITY LAB, TO RESTORE FOUR ADDITIONAL QUALITY OF LIFE OFFICERS, AND TO DEVELOP A STRUCTURALLY BALANCED FUNDING PACKAGE, UTILIZING 150,632 AND ANNUAL STRUCTURAL SAVINGS ASSOCIATED WITH THE IMPLEMENTATION OF SB 7 0 7.
WE ALSO RECEIVED AN ADDITIONAL LETTER FROM COUNCIL DISTRICT THREE TO ALLOCATE 120,000 TO FUND AN ELECTRIC VEHICLE BATTERY REUSE AND RECYCLING HUB FEASIBILITY STUDY, UH, CONSISTENT WITH THE RECOMMENDATION OF THE CLIMATE RESILIENT AND SUSTAINABLE CITY COMMISSION, AND BUY $30,000 IN PUBLIC WORKS TO SUPPORT INITIAL PLANNING, REGULATORY ENGAGEMENT, AND STAKEHOLDER COORDINATION RELATED TO EXPLORING AN UMBRELLA MITIGATION BANK IN LONG BEACH, OFFSET BY 150,000 IN ME, A FUNDING SET ASIDE FOR THE MARINE AM AMPHITHEATER FEASIBILITY STUDY.
WE ALSO RECEIVED A LETTER FROM CD ONE, UH, TO AMEND THE ADOPTED FISCAL YEAR 2024 BUDGET ACTION TO ADJUST THE CITY PLACE PARKING GARAGE RATES FROM ONE HOUR FREE WITH $2 PER HOUR, WITH A $12 DAILY MAXIMUM, TWO 90 MINUTES FREE, AND $2 PER 30 MINUTES WITH A $12 DAILY MAXIMUM.
AND WE ALSO RECEIVED A LETTER FROM COUNCIL DISTRICT SEVEN, UH, TO SUPPORT THE FISCAL YEAR 27 BUDGET RECOMMENDATIONS BY THE MAYOR, UH, SUPPORT THE MAYOR'S PROPOSED $1 MILLION INVE INVESTMENT IN THE LONG BEACH JUSTICE FUND, UH, RESTORE STRUCTURAL FUNDING TO MAINTAIN MONDAY SERVICE AT THE LIBRARIES, AND REQUEST THE CITY MANAGER TO ALLOCATE A HUNDRED THOUSAND IN ONE TIME FUNDING TO THE NONPROFIT PARTNERSHIP.
UM, ANY COMMENTS FROM, UH, MY COUNCIL COLLEAGUES, UM, ABOUT THOSE VICE MAYOR? I, UH, I DID SUBMIT A LETTER AND ALSO IN THAT LETTER, I, UH, RECOMMENDED THAT WE ESTABLISH A MILLION DOLLARS EVERY YEAR AS STRUCTURAL MONEY FOR THE JUSTICE FUND.
AND I, I'D LIKE TO SEE THAT HAPPEN.
UH, COUNCILMAN ALLEN, ANY COMMENTS FROM YOURSELF? UM, YEAH, I JUST, UM, I JUST LIKE TO SAY I, I APPRECIATE, UM, ALL OF THESE LETTERS FROM MY COLLEAGUES.
I, I SUPPORT RESTORING, YOU KNOW, QUALITY OF LIFE, UH, UM, OFFICERS.
UM, THE LIBRARY EXTENSION OF THE HOURS, UH, WE'VE HEARD A LOT OF LETTERS ABOUT RESTORING ENGINE 14, UM, ABOUT INCREASING THE JUSTICE FUND.
AND ALSO, I'VE HEARD SOME, I'VE BEEN TALKING TO BUSINESSES IN DISTRICT ONE, AND I THINK THAT, UH, COUNCILMAN ZEN DAYJA WILL TALK ABOUT THIS, ABOUT THEIR CONCERN WITH PAR, UH, ELIMINATING THOSE PARKING HOURS BECAUSE PEOPLE, THOSE BUSINESSES DOWN THERE THAT ARE RESTAURANTS, THEY, UM, DEPEND ON THOSE FOLKS TO COME IN AND HAVE LUNCH, AND THEY NEED MORE THAN AN HOUR.
SO I THINK IT'S JUST SOMETHING FOR, UM, THE, UH, BOC, UH, TO LOOK AT.
AND THEN AS FAR AS JUST LIKE INCREASING REVENUES TOO, I THINK WE NEED TO LOOK AT THE SPONSORSHIPS.
UM, LIKE FOR AMPHITHEATER, YOU KNOW, WE, WE SAW WHAT THE SPONSORSHIP, UH, REVENUE WAS FOR CAL STATE LONG BEACH PYRAMIDS.
MAYBE THAT'S SOMETHING WE CAN EXPLORE AND EXPANDING AS, UH, AND I THINK THE, THE TEAM IS ALREADY DOING THAT, BUT THOSE ARE WAYS THAT MAYBE WE COULD, UH, SUPPLEMENT, UM, UM, SOME OF THESE CUTS.
BUT, UM, BUT I AM REALLY, I'M THANKFUL, UM, FOR ALL THESE LETTERS, UH, FROM, UM, THE MAYOR, UM, FROM, UH, UH, COUNCILWOMAN O SORROW AND, UH, UA THRASH.
UM, I'M REALLY, UH, EXCITED ABOUT, UM, THESE LETTERS AND I APPRECIATE THEM SUBMITTING THEM.
UH, THANK YOU COUNCILWOMAN ALLEN.
[01:45:01]
THINK THIS WAS OVERALL THE GOAL WE HAD IN OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS, IF YOU ALL HAVE BEEN KIND OF WATCHING, UH, THE WAY, UM, THAT WE'VE BEEN RUNNING BOC, UM, WE HAVE WORKED TO MAKE THE PROCESS MORE ACCESSIBLE, RIGHT? ACCESSIBLE FOR THE COMMUNITY, ALSO ACCESSIBLE FOR COUNCIL MEMBERS TO BE ABLE TO BRING THEIR CONCERNS, THEIR ASKS, UM, THE THINGS THAT THEY'RE HEARING FROM YOU, AND TO MAKE THAT PROCESS CLEANER, RIGHT? AND TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE SHEDDING LIGHT ON THOSE.UM, I THINK I MAY HAVE MENTIONED LAST YEAR, UH, THAT WE HAD PREVIOUSLY GOTTEN SOME FEEDBACK WHEN IT CAME TO SOME OF THE BUDGET OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE, UH, PROCESSES THAT SOMETIMES IT FELT A LITTLE BIT LIKE A BLACK BOX, RIGHT? AND PEOPLE DIDN'T KNOW WHO WAS RECEIVING THEIR REQUESTS, YOU KNOW, UH, WAS THE BOC SEEING THEM.
AND SO WE'VE REALLY WORKED OVER THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS TO REALLY RAMP MY OFFICE ALONG WITH, UH, A BUDGET AND THE CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE TO REALLY MAKE THAT PROCESS MORE ROBUST, CLEANER, UM, AND EASIER FOR PEOPLE TO NAVIGATE.
UM, AND WE'LL CONTINUE TO DO THAT, UM, OVER, OVER THE NEXT FEW YEARS, UM, TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE REALLY COD CODIFYING A PROCESS, UM, THAT FOLKS CAN REALLY FEEL LIKE THEY HAVE OWNERSHIP OVER THE BUDGET OVERSIGHT PROCESS.
AND SO I WANNA THANK EVERYBODY FOR, AND MY COUNCIL COLLEAGUES FOR REALLY WORKING TO, TO, TO FOLLOW THE PROCESSES THAT WE PUT FORWARD, UM, AND TO, AND TO MAKE SURE THAT WE KNOW WHAT THEIR PRIORITIES ARE.
SO I WANTED TO PUT THAT OUT THERE AND TO THANK OUR, OUR CITY TEAM FOR SUPPORTING US, UM, IN THOSE EFFORTS.
UM, AND TO THAT POINT, UM, YEAH, SO SORRY, COUNCILMAN ALLEN.
UM, YEAH, AND I ALSO WANNA THANK YOU CHAIR FOR, UM, UH, JUST YOUR LEADERSHIP ON THIS.
I THINK THIS, THIS, THIS CHAIR HAS GONE REALLY GOOD AND THANK GIVE TO THE BUDGET, BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, YOU KNOW, CUTTING JOBS IS TOUGH.
AND SO ANYTHING THAT WE CAN DO, UM, AS WE LOOK REALLY SERIOUSLY AT, YOU KNOW, CUTS AND JUST REMEMBER THE IMPACT TO THESE JOBS AND ANYTHING WE CAN DO, STAY, SAVE, OR RESTORE, UH, JOBS IS, IS GONNA BE A TOP PRIORITY FOR ME ANYWAY.
UM, AND WITH THAT, UM, I'D LIKE TO OPEN IT UP TO PUBLIC COMMENT AT THIS TIME.
UM, IF ANY MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM, PLEASE LINE UP AT THE PODIUM SO WE CAN DETERMINE HOW MANY, AND ONCE THE TOTAL HAS BEEN ESTABLISHED, UM, NO ADDITIONAL COMMENTS WILL BE HEARD FOR THE ITEM.
SO WE'RE GONNA WAIT FOR, UM, NICK, WE'RE JUST GONNA WAIT FOR EVERYBODY TO, TO LINE UP REAL QUICK, SINCE WE MIGHT HAVE MORE THAN 10.
WE'RE GONNA WAIT FOR EVERYBODY WHO'S INTERESTED TO, UM, TO STAND UP TO SEE IF WE'RE GONNA KEEP THE THREE MINUTES.
'CAUSE WE ARE GETTING TO 2 45.
EVERYBODY KEEPS, KEEP THE THREE MINUTES.
BUT PLEASE, IF YOU CAN BE CONCISE, WE'D APPRECIATE
ALL RIGHT, CHAIR RICK ODE AND MEMBERS OF THE BUDGET OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE.
UH, COUNCIL MEMBER DUGGAN CANNOT BE HERE TODAY, SO I'LL SPEAK ON HER BEHALF.
UM, FIRST WE'D LIKE TO ADDRESS THE PROPOSED ELIMINATION OF ENGINE 14.
UH, COUNCIL MEMBER DUGGAN RECOGNIZES THAT IDENTIFYING 3.8 MILLION IN STRUCTURAL FUNDING IS GONNA BE DIFFICULT THIS YEAR.
UM, HOWEVER, WE DO NOT BELIEVE THAT, UM, WE SHOULD, WE SHOULD NOT BE LOOKING AT ALTERNATIVES TO PROTECT EMERGENCY RESPONSE.
UNDER THE CURRENT PROPOSAL, THE FIRE DEPARTMENT PROJECTS THAT AN ENGINE RESPONSE, UH, FIRST ENGINE RESPONSE, UM, IN STATION 14 AREA WILL INCREASE BY OVER A MINUTE.
AND, UM, THE FIRST MEDICAL RESPONSE ON SCENE IN STATION 14 AREA WILL INCREASE BY NEARLY A MINUTE.
UM, SO OVER THE PAST COUPLE, UH, YEAR FIRE DEPARTMENT LEADERSHIP AND FIREFIGHTING, THE FIREFIGHTERS ASSOCIATION HAVE DISCUSSED ALTERNATIVE STAFFING MODELS, UM, WITH ONE OF THOSE BEING A FAST RESPONSE VEHICLE, WHICH ARE STAFFED BY A PARAMEDIC AND A FIREFIGHTER.
UM, THESE FAST RESPONSE VEHICLES ARE EQUIPPED TO RESPOND TO MEDICAL CALLS, UM, AND THEY HAVE SOME FIREFIGHTING CAPABILITIES.
UH, SO GIVEN THE CITY'S FINANCIAL CONSTRAINTS, WE SHOULD BE LOOKING AT INNOVATIVE SERVICE DELIVERY MODELS, UM, INCLUDING THIS FAST RESPONSE VEHICLE.
UH, SO WE BELIEVE THAT THERE IS VALUE IN PILOTING THIS IN LONG BEACH, PARTICULARLY AS WE PREPARE FOR THE OLYMPICS.
UH, SO COUNCIL MEMBER DUGGAN WOULD LIKE TO AMEND HER PROPOSAL FOR A STRUCTURAL INCREASE OF THE, UM, ENGINE 14.
UNDERSTANDING THAT THAT'S GONNA BE DIFFICULT THIS YEAR FOR THE BUDGET OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE TO CONSIDER A $1.6 MILLION INCREASE FROM MEASURE B TO PILOT A FAST RESPONSE VEHICLE, UM, AT ENGINE OR AT STATION 14 THIS YEAR TO MAINTAIN, UH, OUR EMERGENCY, UH, RESPONSE CAPACITY.
UM, IMPORTANTLY, THIS WILL ALLOW FOR RESCUE FOUR TO STAY AT STATION FOUR, UM, AND NOT, UM, DECREASE THE OVERALL CAPACITY FOR OUR RESPONSE TIME THERE.
UM, TO BE CLEAR, A FAST RESPONSE VEHICLE DOES NOT REPLACE AN ENGINE, UM, AND IT DOES NOT PROVIDE THE SAME STAFFING OR, UM, FIREFIGHTER CAPABILITY.
AND WE UNDERSTAND THAT THE LONG-TERM FIGHT IS TO, OUR GOAL IS TO RESTORE ENGINE 14, BUT WE BELIEVE THAT THIS PILOT COULD SERVE US IN THE MEANTIME AS WE WORK THROUGH THESE FINANCIAL CHALLENGES.
[01:50:01]
UM, SECONDLY, COUNCIL MEMBER DUGGAN SUPPORTED, UH, A PROPOSAL WOULD REALLOCATE $150,000 IN MEASURE A FUNDING CURRENTLY SET ASIDE FOR A MARINE, UM, AMPHITHEATER FEASIBILITY STUDY.THIS WAS SOMETHING THAT WAS DECIDED BEFORE THE F AND M, UH, AMPHITHEATER WAS PROPOSED AND DELIVERED.
UM, AND SO SHE PROPOSED USING 120,000 FOR A VEHICLE, UH, ELECTRIC VEHICLE REUSE AND RECYCLING HUB, UM, WHICH WAS PROPOSED BY THE SUSTAINABILITY COMMISSION WITH REVENUE GENERATING CAPACITY, UM, AND A $30,000 FOR A MITIGATION BANK, WHICH ALSO HAS REVENUE, UM, CAPACITY.
SO, HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS, BUT WANTED TO, UM, SPEAK ON BEHALF OF COUNCIL MEMBER.
UM,
ALTHOUGH 1 MILLION STRUCTURAL FUNDING IS APPRECIATED, WE URGE YOU TO CONSIDER AUGMENTING THIS RECOMMENDATION.
WE UNDERSTAND IT'S A TOUGH TIME FOR THE CITY, BUT FALLING BELOW OUR ASK WOULD BE DETRIMENTAL TO THE IMMIGRANT COMMUNITY WHO DEPEND ON THE LONG BEACH JUSTICE FUND FOR IMMIGRATION LEGAL SUPPORT.
JUST LAST MONTH, ICE CARRIED OUT THE LARGEST NUMBER OF ARRESTS, UM, UM, IN JULY SINCE PRESIDENT TRUMP'S RETURN TO OFFICE HITTING NEARLY 50,000 ARRESTS FOR THE MONTH IN JULY, ICE APPREHENDED ON AVERAGE 1,500 PEOPLE AND DEPORTED 1,100 PEOPLE PER DAY.
THIS TANGIBLE THREAT IS EXACERBATED BY THE FACT THAT LONG BEACH IS A LEGAL DESERT.
MOST NONPROFIT IMMIGRATION LEGAL SERVICE PROVIDERS ARE LOCATED IN LOS ANGELES, AND PRIVATE ATTORNEYS CAN COST THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS MAKING, UH, LEGAL SUPPORT INACCESSIBLE TO OUR LOCAL COMMUNITY PUSH TO ENSURE THE LONG BEACH JUSTICE FUND GETS THE FUNDING IT NEEDS TO MEET THIS GROWING DANGER.
UM, IN DISTRICT TWO, UM, I WANTED TO SHARE APPRECIATION TO THE VICE MAYORGA FOR SUBMITTING HIS LETTER TO THE BOC THAT INCLUDES THE JUSTICE FUND.
UM, I DO SUPPORT $1 MILLION IN STRUCTURAL FUNDING FOR THE JUSTICE FUND.
UM, EVERY YEAR THIS PROGRAM HAS BEEN FUNDING MORE THAN ITS ALLOCATED STRUCTURAL FUNDING.
AND SO AN INCREASE MAKES PERFECT SENSE TO KEEP IT RELIABLE, NOT JUST FOR RESIDENTS, BUT ALSO FOR THE LEGAL SERVICE PROVIDERS.
UM, WE WOULD LOVE TO SEE THE PROGRAM EXPAND AND CONTINUE TO HELP MORE FOLKS.
UM, BUT WITH THAT SAID, I STILL WANNA ASK THAT THE FUNDING NOT STOP, JUST STRUCTURAL, UM, BUT FUND UP TO THE 3 MILLION THAT WE'RE ASKING FOR.
I'M THE RAPID RESPONSE ORGANIZER WITH
SO I GET TO WORK REALLY CLOSELY WITH THE IMMIGRANT COMMUNITY HERE IN LONG BEACH.
AND THE, ONE OF THE MOST COMMON THINGS THAT I HEAR IS THAT THE PROGRAM IS SUCH A BIG, UH, BLESSING.
'CAUSE A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T REALLY KNOW WHERE TO START, UM, OR HOW TO EVEN GET, UM, THEIR LOVED ONES LIKE THROUGH THIS PROCESS.
UM, SO I ALSO WANT TO UPLIFT THAT DESPITE IT BEING A BLESSING THAT THIS ALSO, THIS PROGRAM ALSO TOUCHES ON A LOT OF ISSUES OF LIKE INTERSECTIONALITY.
UM, SO THE MOST SECOND COMMON THING THAT I HEAR IS THAT, UM, OUR COMMUNITY CAN'T AFFORD FOOD OR RENT BECAUSE LAWYER FEES ARE SO EXPENSIVE.
LAWYERS ARE CHARGING ANYWHERE BETWEEN LIKE 500 TO 1500, UM, DOLLARS JUST TO BE ABLE TO SPEAK, UM, WITH FOLKS.
SO THE, THE JUSTICE FUND'S ABILITY TO BE ABLE TO PRIDE PROVIDE FREE LEGAL REPRESENTATION OR CONSULTATION, UM, IN SOME CASES IS SUPER HELPFUL, UM, BECAUSE THAT MEANS THAT A FAMILY DOESN'T HAVE TO CHOOSE BETWEEN MAYBE GROCERIES FOR A YEAR, SCHOOL SUPPLIES FOR THE YEAR, UM, OVER, UM, A LAWYER, FOR EXAMPLE, OR HAVING TO CHOOSE A LAWYER OVER THE FOOD OR OVER THE SCHOOL SUPPLY.
SO I URGE THE BUDGET OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE, UH, TO INCREASE THE FUNDING TO 3 MILLION FOR THE JUSTICE FUND.
UM, ICE RECENTLY GOT AN INCREASE OF, UM, 70 BILLION, UM, TO THEIR FUNDING AND THEY'RE GOING TO USE TO CONTINUE, UM, TO ATTACK OUR COMMUNITIES.
I'M NOT SURE IF Y'ALL HAVE SEEN IN THE NEWS, UM, THE DIFFERENT WAYS THAT THEY TEND PLAN TO USE THIS MONEY.
THERE HAVE BEEN TALKS ABOUT USING LIKE, UH, GLOVES THAT EMIT LIKE ELECTRICITY TO LIKE SHOCK PEOPLE.
UM, THE PURCHASES OF MORE WAREHOUSES OR WAREHOUSES SPECIFICALLY FOR IMMIGRANT CHILDREN.
UM, SO THE NEED FOR THE JUSTICE FUND IS ALREADY REALLY HIGH AND IT'S ONLY GONNA INCREASE IN THE NEXT COMING YEARS.
UM, SO 1 MILLION IN STRUCTURAL FUNDING IS HELPFUL, BUT THE MORE FUNDING THAT WE HAVE, THE MORE PEOPLE WE'RE ABLE TO HELP.
SO JUST WANNA URGE, UM, YOU ALL TO TAKE THAT INTO CONSIDERATION AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.
HEY, COMMITTEE, MY NAME'S ERIC.
I'M THE ORGANIZING AND PROGRAM DIRECTOR WITH
UH, AND I JUST WANNA STRESS THAT THE BUDGET, UH, AS I SUPPORT THE 100, UH, THE MILLION IN STRUCTURAL FUNDING, BUT IT CAN'T GO BELOW 2.2, THAT NUMBER WAS ALLOCATED BY YOU ALL BY YOU ALL BEFORE WE SAW THE RAMPANT RISE IN ENFORCEMENT, UM, ACROSS THE, NOT JUST LONG BEACH, BUT ACROSS THE REGION.
UM, AND SO WE'RE HALFWAY THROUGH THE CONTRACT AND, YOU KNOW, BIG SHOUT OUT TO PUBLIC COUNSEL.
THE LEGAL SERVICE PROVIDERS HAVE ALREADY MET THEIR COMMITMENTS AND DELIVERABLES, AND WE'RE ONLY HALFWAY THROUGH THE CONTRACT, BUT
[01:55:01]
SHOUT OUT TO THEM AGAIN BECAUSE THEY HAVEN'T STOPPED DOING CONSULTS AND THEY HAVEN'T STOPPED DOING, UH, THE REFERRALS.AND SO WE'RE, WE'RE GRATEFUL TO BE IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THEM AND ONLY STRESSING THAT HAD, HAD WE MET SOMEBODY WHO WAS ONLY WILLING TO MEET THEIR CONTRACTUAL OBLIGATIONS, THE SERVICES WOULD'VE ENDED.
AND SO IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT THAT, THAT THAT FUNDING INCREASE.
UM, AND LAWYER SCAMS ARE ON THE RISE, INCLUDING, WE JUST, WE'RE HEARING STUFF ON THE EAST COAST WHERE, UH, FOLKS ARE FALSIFYING DOCUMENTS THAT LOOK LIKE IMMIGR, EXCUSE ME, THEY LOOK LIKE IMMIGRATION DOCUMENTS TO SCAM, UH, PEOPLE OUT OF MONEY.
AND AS I'VE SHARED, UH, WITH YOU ALL BEFORE, AS SOMEBODY WHO, SOMEBODY WHO'S A VICTIM OF ATTORNEY FRAUD AND FACED DEPORTATION BECAUSE OF IT, I CAN'T TRUST ENOUGH THE IMPORTANCE OF HAVING TRUSTED ATTORNEYS THAT FOLKS CAN LOOK TO AND A PROGRAM LIKE THIS WITH THE INFRASTRUCTURE THAT IT HAS HA GIVES PEOPLE THE TRUST THAT THEY'RE NOT GONNA FALL VICTIM TO A SCAM IF NOTHING ELSE.
AND LASTLY ON, I JUST WANNA SPEAK BRIEFLY ON THE PARKING VALIDATION.
UH, WE, WE'VE, WE'VE, UH, JUST COMPLETED A YEAR AT OUR LEASE AND WE'RE IN DOWNTOWN.
AND WHEN WE WERE SHOPPING AROUND FOR LEASES, WE PICKED THAT LOCATION STRATEGICALLY BECAUSE IT'S DOWNTOWN, IT'S CENTRAL, IT'S ACCESSIBLE TO PUBLIC TRANSIT, AND THE PARKING STRUCTURES ARE IN THE AREA.
HAD THE TWO HOUR, UH, FREE, WHICH ALIGNS WITH A LOT OF OUR WORKSHOPS AND PROGRAMMING.
AND SO I JUST WANT TO STRESS, UH, THE RE ECHO THE IMPACT ON BUSINESSES, BUT ALSO FOLKS THAT GO TO DOWNTOWN TO ACCESS CRUCIAL SERVICES.
UM, AND SO JUST WOULD LIKE Y'ALL TO RECONSIDER THE RATES AND THAT, UH, THE AMOUNT OF TIME TO GET FREE IN THE STRUCTURE.
NEXT SPEAKER, GOOD AFTERNOON BUDGET OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE.
MY NAME IS SAMANTHA RIVAS AND I AM THE ECONOMIC JUSTICE COORDINATOR FOR
AND I AM ALSO A LIFELONG LONG BEACH RESIDENT.
I'M HERE TODAY TO ASK THAT THE CITY OF LONG BEACH ALLOCATE 3 MILLION IN, UM, THE 2 20 27 BUDGET OF FOR THE LONG BEACH JUSTICE FUND.
THIS ISSUE IS PERSONAL FOR ME AND FOR MANY FAMILIES WHO CALL LONG BEACH HOME.
I GREW UP IN A FAMILY BUSINESS IN NORTH LONG BEACH THAT WAS BUILT BY MY GRANDMA, A SINGLE IMMIGRANT MOTHER OF THREE WHO CAME TO THIS COUNTRY WITH VERY LITTLE AND WORKED HARD TO BUILD SOMETHING FOR HER FAMILY AND HER COMMUNITY.
HER STORY IS ONE THAT I KNOW MANY LONG BEACH FAMILIES SHARE, WORKING HARD, CONTRIBUTING TO OUR CITY AND TRYING TO CREATE A BETTER FUTURE FOR THE NEXT GENERATION.
THAT SAID, THE 30,000 UNDOCUMENTED RESIDENTS OF LONG BEACH SHOULDN'T HAVE TO NAVIGATE THE CURRENT POLITICAL CLIMATE ALONE.
THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION HAS AND IS VIOLENTLY TARGETING THE IMMIGRANT COMMUNITY, DETAINING AND RIPPING APART FAMILIES WITHOUT DUE PROCESS.
THE JUSTICE FUND PROVIDES AN OPPORTUNITY FOR LONG BEACH TO MEET PEOPLE WITH DIGNITY AND SUPPORT THEM WHEN THEY NEED IT MOST.
3 MILLION IS NOT SIMPLY AN EXPENSE.
IT IS AN INVESTMENT IN THE STABILITY OF LONG BEACH FAMILIES, WORKERS, SMALL BUSINESSES IN OUR LOCAL ECONOMY.
AS A CITY THAT VALUES EQUITY AND INCLUSION, OUR BUDGET SHOULD REFLECT THOSE VALUES.
I'M ASKING YOU TO MAKE THE 3 MILLION ALLOCATION TO THE LONG BEACH JUSTICE FUND A PRIORITY IN THE 2027 BUDGET.
MY NAME IS KIBA SANCHEZ AND I'M THE HEALTH JUSTICE MANAGER AT
UM, I'M HERE TO DEMAND THE CITY RAISE FUNDING FOR THE LONG BEACH JUSTICE FUND TO 3 MILLION.
UM, AS Y'ALL ALREADY KNOW, ICE CONTINUES TO TERRORIZE OUR COMMUNITY, AND THAT'S NOT ENDING ANYTIME SOON.
AS MY COLLEAGUES SAID, THEY'RE IMPLEMENTING NEW TACTICS, UM, GETTING MORE FUNDING.
UM, AND SO WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE READY TO SUPPORT OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS, UM, HERE IN THE CITY OF LONG BEACH.
UH, OR REMINDER THAT THIS IS A FUND THAT WAS ADVOCATED FOR BY COMMUNITY AND FOR COMMUNITY.
UM, BECAUSE OUR FOLKS KNOW FIRSTHAND THE IMPACTS OF ICE TERROR TERRORIZING THEIR COMMUNITIES, BUT ALSO THEY KNOW THE RELIEF THAT THESE SERVICES PROVIDE TO THEM AND THEIR COMMUNITY.
UM, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO KNOW, UM, AS MY COLLEAGUE ALSO MENTIONED, THAT UM, ICE TERROR AND FAMILY SEPARATION ARE NOT ISOLATED SITUATIONS THAT ARE IMPACTING OUR COMMUNITIES, BUT OUR FOLKS ARE SIMULTANEOUSLY ALSO STRUGGLING WITH RISING FOOD COSTS, RENT COST OF HEALTHCARE, UM, AND THE REMOVAL OF SOCIAL SAFETY NETS, UM, OVER THE PAST COUPLE YEARS.
UM, ALL OF THIS PLUS THEN HAVING TO PAY THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS FOR A PRIVATE ATTORNEY OR JUMP THROUGH HURDLES TO SEEK FREE OR LOW BONO LEGAL SUPPORT SERVICES IF THEY'RE EVEN AVAILABLE GIVEN THE, LIKE, IMPACT OF THEM.
UM, BECAUSE OF THE SITUATION THAT WE'RE IN, UM, LONG BEACH IS A LEGAL DESERT.
AND THROUGH COMMUNITY ADVOCACY, WE WERE ABLE TO BRING IMMIGRATION LEGAL SERVICES TO VULNERABLE COMMUNITIES HERE, UM, INSTEAD OF SENDING THEM ALL THE WAY TO LA.
BUT THIS DOESN'T MEAN THAT LONG BEACH LACK OF IMMIGRATION LEGAL SERVICES IS SOLVED.
UH, WE NEED TO CONTINUE TO SUSTAIN AND INCREASE THE CAPACITY OF THIS PROGRAM.
AS WE'VE SEEN INCREASED ATTACKS ON IMMIGRANT COMMUNITIES, UH, THIS IS WHY AGAIN, WE'RE ASKING FOR INCREASED FUNDING OF $3 MILLION.
MY NAME IS AVE AND I'M HERE WITH ORLE IN SUPPORT OF FUNDING THE LONG BEACH JUSTICE FUND.
IN THIS MOMENT, ACCESS TO TRUSTED IMMIGRATION
[02:00:01]
LEGAL SERVICES IS CRITICAL.THE LONG BEACH JUSTICE FUND PROVIDES A RESOURCE THAT FAMILIES CAN TURN TO WHEN NAVIGATING A COMPLICATED IMMIGRATION SYSTEM WHERE THERE ARE NOT GUARANTEED AN ATTORNEY.
THIS PROGRAM AND FUNDING HAS CREATED A TRUST WITH OUR COMMUNITY IN LONG BEACH.
WE APPRECIATE THE 1 MILLION INSTRUCTIONAL FUNDING, HOWEVER, WE CONTINUE TO CALL FOR 3 MILLION FOR THE LONG BEACH JUSTICE FUND.
WE URGE YOU TO IDENTIFY ADDITIONAL FUNDING NECESSARY TO MAINTAIN THE PROGRAM THIS YEAR AND CONTINUE MOVING US TOWARD THE FULL 3 MILLION INVESTMENT.
IMMIGRANT FAMILIES SHOULD NOT HAVE TO FIGHT EVERY YEAR TO KEEP THIS RESOURCE ALIVE.
LONG BEACH HAS AN OPPORTUNITY TO PROVIDE STABILITY AND SHOW THROUGH ITS BUDGET THAT IMMIGRANT FAMILIES ARE A PRIORITY.
PLEASE INVEST IN THE LONG BEACH JUSTICE FUND AND FAMILIES WHO CAUGHT LONG BEACH HOME.
UH, UNFORTUNATELY FOR THE PERSON WHO'S THE LAST SPEAKER IN THE BLACK SHIRT, YOU ARE WELCOME TO DO GENERAL PUBLIC COMMENT, BUT WE HAD CLOSED PUBLIC COMMENT FOR THIS ITEM BEFORE YOU GOT IN LINE.
AND SINCE WE NEED TO BE RESPECTFUL OF TIME, I CAN'T ALLOW YOU TO, TO SPEAK DURING THIS ONE, BUT YOU CAN ALWAYS DO GENERAL PUBLIC COMMENT AT THE END.
I'M HERE WITH
WHILE THE $1 MILLION IN STRUCTURAL FUNDING IS APPRECIATED, AS MY COLLEAGUES HAVE SHARED TODAY, IT CAN'T STOP THERE.
WE KNOW THAT THE NEED FOR THIS RESOURCE IS ONLY GONNA RISE GIVEN THE, UH, UM, RISE IN, UH, FUNDING FOR ICE TO CONTINUE THEIR VIOLENCE ON OUR COMMUNITIES.
UH, I UNDERSTAND THAT WE'RE IN TOUGH TIMES, BUT THE TRUTH IS THAT FOR MANY OF OUR, OUR FOLKS, MANY OF OUR FAMILIES, THEY'VE BEEN IN TOUGH TIMES FOR WELL OVER A YEAR.
UH, AND THEY NEED US TO CONTINUE TO STAND WITH THEM AT THIS TIME.
UM, WE KNOW THAT ISIS JUST GONNA KEEP THEIR EFFORTS GOING.
THEY HAVE BEEN, UH, INCLUDING HERE IN LONG BEACH, EVEN VERY RECENTLY.
UH, IN THE FACE OF THIS, ONE WAY WE CAN SHOW UP FOR IMMIGRANT FAMILIES IS BY CONNECTING THEM TO LEGAL REPRESENTATION THROUGH A RESOURCE LIKE THE LONG BEACH JUSTICE FUND.
STATISTICS SHOW THAT REPRESENTATION MAKES A DIFFERENCE IN, UH, OUTCOMES OF THESE CASES.
PEOPLE WITHOUT REPRESENTATION ARE SIGNIFICANTLY MORE LIKELY TO LOSE THEIR CASE AND END UP DEPORTED.
UM, THAT, YOU KNOW, LOSING ISN'T, I SAY LOSING BECAUSE, UH, IT'S, IT'S REAL LIFE ALTERING STAKES THAT, THAT ARE HAPPENING HERE.
RIGHT? THERE'S LIFE ALTERING TRAUMA THAT'S HAPPENING, UH, TEARS, SLEEPLESS NIGHTS, UH, A FAMILY NO LONGER SHARING THE SAME ROOF, WHILE ALSO HAVING TO SCRAMBLE TO FIGURE OUT HOW THEY'RE GONNA KEEP THE ONE THAT'S OVER THEIR HEAD.
UH, DEPORTATION IS A VIOLENT ACT THAT HAS RIPPLE EFFECTS THROUGHOUT NOT JUST A FAMILY, BUT AN ENTIRE COMMUNITY.
UM, CREDIBLE LEGAL REPRESENTATION IS UNAFFORDABLE FOR MANY FAMILIES, UH, AND THE GOVERNMENT DOESN'T PROVIDE A LAWYER IN IMMIGRATION CASES.
THAT'S WHY SOMETHING LIKE THE LONG BEACH JUSTICE FUND IS SO VITAL.
UH, THE DECK IS STACKED AGAINST, UH, IMMIGRANT FAMILIES, BUT THROUGH PROPERLY FUNDING RESOURCES LIKE THE JUSTICE FUND, YOU CAN HELP ENSURE THAT THERE ARE BETTER OUTCOMES FOR THE RESIDENTS OF OUR CITY.
UH, MY NAME, UH, THANK YOU BUDGET ADVISORY COMMITTEE FOR HAVING US.
I GET TO SERVE AS THE ECONOMIC JUSTICE MANAGER.
UM, AND THROUGH OUR ACTIVE PARTNERSHIP WITH THE CITY, WE'VE BEEN CANVASSING NEARLY 1200 LOCAL BUSINESSES HERE IN THE CITY OF LONG BEACH.
UH, SHARING, KNOW YOUR RIGHTS INFORMATION.
BUSINESSES HAVE SHARED WITH US THAT THEY HAVE BEEN IMPACTED AND CONTINUE TO FEEL THE IM THE IMPACTS OF ICE RAID.
NOW, MORE THAN EVER, WE'RE IN NEED OF STRUCTURAL FUNDING FOR THE LONG BEACH JUSTICE FUND TO ENSURE OUR COMMUNITY IS NOT LEFT TO FIGURE OUT IMMIGRATION CASES ON THEIR OWN.
ADDITIONALLY, UM, IN REGARDS TO THE PARKING SITUATION, I WANT TO UPLIFT THAT THIS WILL HAVE SEVERE IMPACTS ON COMMUNITIES ACCESSING LOCAL RESOURCES AND LOCAL BUSINESSES.
WE UNDERSTAND THAT THE CITY'S NAVIGATING DIFFICULT FINANCIAL DECISIONS FOR SOME REDUCING HOURS OR INCREASING PARKING FEES MAY SEEM MINOR, BUT FOR EVERYDAY COMMUNITY MEMBERS, THESE CHANGES COMPOUND ON, UM, ALREADY FRAGILE SITUATIONS.
EARLIER THIS MONTH, I WITNESSED A CALL WHERE A CUSTOMER ATTEMPTED TO ORDER A BREAKFAST SANDWICH.
THEY WERE, UH, TOLD THAT ADDING A JALAPENO WOULD COST AN ADDITIONAL DOLLAR.
THEY PROCEEDED TO CANCEL THEIR ORDER.
THIS MIGHT SEEM MINOR, BUT A DOLLAR REALLY DOES MAKE A DIFFERENCE.
FOR MANY FAMILIES, IT BECAME A, IT CAN BECOME A DETERRENT TO GO OUT, UH, TO PURCHASE REGULAR GROCERIES.
UM, YOU KNOW, THEY NEED THE PARKING TO BE ABLE TO GO AND DO THEIR, THEIR THINGS.
UH, THE ADDED REVENUE OF ONE $20,000 DOES NOT OUTWEIGH THE BROADER ECONOMIC AND COMMUNITY IMPACTS, AND WE URGE YOU TO RECONSIDER THIS CHANGE.
AND I THANK THAT ENDS PUBLIC COMMENT.
UH, SO WE CAN GO AHEAD AND VOTE.
NEXT ITEM, ITEM FIVE IS A RECOMMENDATION TO RECEIVE AND FILE A LIST OF FOLLOW-UP ITEMS FROM THE BUDGET HEARINGS AND
[02:05:01]
OR BUDGET OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE MEETINGS.WELL, I WAS JUST GONNA SAY, UM, I KNOW WE'RE TECHNICALLY AT TIME AND WE STILL HAVE TO DO PUBLIC COMMENT.
OH, UM, FIRST, CAN I GET A SECOND? IT'S OKAY.
UM, SO I'M GONNA TRUST MY, MY COMMITTEE COLLEAGUES TO, TO READ THE TFFS THAT HAVE COME OUT, UH, WITH THE RESPONSES FROM THE BUDGET HEARINGS AND FROM, UM, UH, UH, FROM BOC.
SO I'M GONNA MOVE RIGHT TO PUBLIC COMMENT.
UM, AND JUST DO WE HAVE ANY PUBLIC COMMENT FOR THIS ITEM
[5. 26-55927 Recommendation to receive and file a list of follow-up items from the Budget Hearings and/or Budget Oversight Committee meetings. Suggested Action: Approve recommendation. ]
AT THIS TIME, IF I, ANY MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM, PLEASE LINE UP AT THE PODIUM SO WE COULD DETERMINE HOW MANY SPEAKERS ARE, AND ONCE THE TOTAL HAS BEEN ESTABLISHED, NO ADDITIONAL PUBLIC COMMENTS WILL BE HEARD.WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO LIMIT YOU TO 90 SECONDS 'CAUSE WE ARE, UM, WE HAVE TO GIVE, UH, CITY STAFF TIME TO PREPARE FOR CITY COUNCIL MEETINGS.
SO I HAVE TO, YEAH, I HAVE TO CUT IT SHORT A LITTLE BIT.
UH, COREY ALLEN HERE ON BEHALF OF MY CLIENT ARTS COUNCIL FOR LONG BEACH.
AGAIN, WANTED TO SAY THANK YOU FOR THE CONTINUATION OF OUR PARTNERSHIP TOGETHER, BUT ADVOCATING FOR THE ADDITIONAL $50,000, UM, FOR OUR, UH, YOUTH ART CONTEST.
AND, AND ONE OF THE REASONS WHY THIS IS SO IMPORTANT TO US AND WHY, UH, THE WORK TODAY MATTERS THE MOST IS THAT WE ARE A PARTNER IN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
WE'RE A PARTNER, UH, AND OUR CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE, UH, YOU SAW ON THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, UH, SLIDE ABOUT THE VACANCY TO VIBRANCY PROGRAM.
THOSE ARE OUR ARTISTS THAT DO THOSE, UH, INSTALLATIONS.
AND SO THIS PROGRAM, WHILE IT MAY SOUND LIKE A CONTEST, IS REALLY A FEEDER PROGRAM FOR US AND AN OPPORTUNITY TO BRING YOUNG ARTISTS INTO THE FOLD AND GET THEM INTO THIS ECONOMIC PIPELINE.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE TALK ABOUT IS THAT HERE IN CALIFORNIA ARTS AND CULTURE PRODUCTION, UH, CONTRIBUTED $288.9 BILLION TO OUR STATE'S ECONOMY REPRESENTING ALMOST 8% OF THE ENTIRE STATE'S, GDP.
SO WHEN WE INVEST IN THESE PROGRAMS AND WE INVEST IN YOUTH AND MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE, UM, GIVING THEM THESE OPPORTUNITIES WHEN THEY'RE YOUNG AND GET THEM EXCITED ABOUT THEIR CREATIVE, UH, OPPORTUNITIES, THIS IS AN ECONOMIC DRIVER, NOT ONLY FOR OUR CITY, BUT FOR OUR STATE AND OUR NATION.
AND SO WE'D ASK THAT YOU'D LOOK TO SOME OF THE YOUTH FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES, UM, OR SOME OF THE ADJUSTED FUNDINGS FOR THAT $50,000 FOR THE YOUTH ART CONTEST.
AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR BREVITY.
UM, UH, SEE NO MORE PUBLIC COMMENT.
UM, AND NOW WE WILL TAKE, UH, GENERAL PUBLIC COMMENT, UM, AND GENERAL PUBLIC COMMENT.
I'M GONNA LIMIT TO, UH, ONE MINUTE, UH, JUST TO MAKE SURE WE ARE RESPECTFUL OF EVERYBODY'S TIME AT THIS TIME.
IF YOU'D LIKE TO SPEAK ON NON AGENDA, PUBLIC COMMENT, PLEASE LINE UP AT THE PODIUM SO WE CAN ESTABLISH A TOTAL.
IT'S NINE, UH, UH, 60 SECONDS, BUT YES.
I JUST WANTED TO ELABORATE A LITTLE BIT EARLIER ON MY, UH, COMMENT ON SOME OF THE, SOME OF WHAT ORANGE COUNTY HAS DONE.
UM, I KNOW THAT ALL CITIES ACROSS THE STATE HAVE BEEN IN VERY DIRE FINANCIAL SITUATION.
UM, AND, UH, SEEING A LOT OF THE RISE IN, UM, FUNDING FROM ICE AND TERRORI, UH, AND KIDNAPPING PE PEOPLE, OUR NEIGHBORS OFF THE STREETS BY ICE.
UM, EVEN THOUGH MANY CITIES IN ORANGE COUNTY WERE IN THE, ARE IN THE RED, UM, THEY STILL WERE ABLE TO FIND, UM, EXTRA FUNDING TO DESIGNATE, TO SUPPORT, UM, AND ESTABLISH, UH, NOT, NOT JUST, UM, SUSTAIN, BUT ESTABLISH NEW SOURCES OF FUNDING FOR IMMIGRATION
[PUBLIC COMMENT Opportunity to address the Budget Oversight Committee on non-agenda items. Each speaker is limited to three minutes to make their comments unless extended by the Chair.]
DEFENSE, UM, MUTUAL AID AND THE LIKE.UM, AND THEY WERE ABLE TO DO THIS.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR PUBLIC COMMENT.
THANK YOU FOR EVERYBODY TO PARTICIPATED.
UM, I'M GONNA ADJOURN OUR MEETING, UM, AND INVITE YOU ALL OUT TO AT FIVE O'CLOCK TO COME BACK FOR, UH, CITY COUNCIL.
UH, WE'LL CONTINUE OUR BUDGET HEARINGS.