Help Find Sponsors to Save the Long Beach Municipal Band

In order to maintain the funding of the Long Beach Municipal Band, the City needs to find corporate sponsors. Each summer the City spends $432,000 or $16,000 each concert for this 101 year tradition.

I previously posted a detailed memo prepared by City Manager Pat West that outlines the costs that I urge readers to review.

Also, help me contact the following Long Beach businesses and ask for their support of the Long Beach Municipal Band.



Southern California Edison
Larry Labrado
2800 East Willow St
Long Beach, CA 90806

WalMart
Merriah Dotson
7250 Carson Blvd.
Long Beach, CA 90808


Barnes and Noble
Jeanne Ferrara
7881 Edinger Avenue #110
Huntington Beach, CA 92647


Costco
Gabriela Arteaga
2200 E. Willow St.
Signal Hill, CA 90755


Molina Health Care
Javier M. Mendoza
One Golden Shore
Long Beach, CA 90802


Memorial Medical Center
Peter J. Mackler
7677 Center Ave., Ste. 403
Huntington Beach, CA 92647


St Mary Medical Center
Chris Dicicco
1050 Linden Avenue
Long Beach, CA 90813


Cal Worthington Ford
Cal Worthington
2950 N. Bellflower Blvd.
Long Beach, CA 90815


BP
Cindy Wymore
6 Centerpointe Drive
La Palma, CA 90623


Verizon
Mike Murray
One World Trade Center, Ste 206
Long Beach, CA 90831


Jet Blue
Bob Land
P.O. Box 1927
Rockvile, MD 20849



Kaiser Permanente
Diana Bonta
393 East Walnut St
Public Affairs, 2nd Floor
Pasadena, CA 91188


Boeing Company
Mitra Novin
2201 Seal Beach Blvd. MC SC-01
Seal Beach, CA 90740


Charter Communications
Del J. Heintz
4781 Irwindale Avenue
Irwindale, CA 91708

Everything you need to know about why it costs the City of Long Beach $432,419 for a summer municipal band

2010 Summer Concert Series

Schipske Blasts KFI-640 Talk Host for Comments About Long Beach

Fifth District Councilwoman Gerrie Schipske today blasted KFI-640 talk host, Tim Conway, Jr., for comments he made during his show on Saturday concerning the City of Long Beach.

"Conway was doing a review of City Manager salaries in Los Angeles County and giving each city a rating regarding whether or not the condition of the city was reflected in the salary of the city manager," explains Schipske. "When he got to Long Beach he said 'Patrick H. West is worth every dime he makes because Long Beach is diverse, has lots of food and shopping opportunities.' Conway then ended his segment by saying 'of course, if you don't live near the ocean in Long Beach you're going to get killed.'"


"I don't find his comments 'funny' or even accurate for that matter," responds Schipske. "In his review of other cities and their managers' salaries, he didn't make any comments about whether or not those cities are safe to live in. The crime rate in Long Beach is low, particularly in the east side which is miles away from the ocean."


Schipske sent an email to Conway asking that he retract his comments about Long Beach.

Weekly City Manager Newsletter

City Manager Newsletter

The Long Beach Municipal Band

I have received dozens of emails asking that the Long Beach Municipal Band not be reduced or eliminated out of the city budget.

First, please know I live across the street from where the El Dorado park concerts are held on Fridays and have attended these concerts long before I was elected to City Council.

Secondly, the city faces a $18 million dollar deficit. The concerts performed by the musicians cost the city $450,000 for 6 week -- 2 hour venues. The same amount funds 4 police officers or 4 firefighters for an entire year.

Thirdly, Long Beach long ago abandoned employing a Long Beach Municipal Band. Instead, they would contract each summer for a conductor who would put the call out in Southern California for band players. They would come together and play each summer. The next summer different players would sign on.

Fourthly, people who attend the concerts do donate -- but the amount is small: $50,000 which leaves $400,000 to come out of the budget.

So that being said, we need to find a corporate sponsor to underwrite the costs and/or get a conductor and band that will play for less than $15,000 a concert plus the costs of the sheet music which I understand runs @ $54,000.

We are cutting parks, recreation, libraries, police, fire, etc. That is why the Mayor proposed cutting band concerts. Let's find a solution.

Federal Court Ruling on Prop 8

I released the following statement to the press today following the announcement that the Federal Court has ruled Proposition 8 is unconstitutional:

"The decision by the Federal Court today ruling that Proposition 8 is unconstitutional should be celebrated by everyone -- no matter what a person believes concerning sexual orientation -- because our constitutional rights were affirmed and remain in tact."

My vote last night on taxing marijuana

I voted against declaring a fiscal emergency last night that would be linked to putting a tax on medical marijuana because I have consistently raised questions about how we can tax something that should not be sold. Medical marijuana collectives are supposed to be non-profit and are not supposed to be selling.

Moreoever, how is it that if we consider this to be medicine, we are taxing it? We don't tax other medicine.

I did vote to tax recreational marijuana -- however, I don't believe Prop 19 will pass.

3 Person Fire Trucks Have to Be Negotiated --- Rolling Brownouts is Rolling the Dice on Response Time

The problem with a budget being dropped in the laps of City Council that contains proposals by the Mayor to cut fire and police without any analysis of what the impact would be on service levels, is that everyone thinks they are an expert on fire and police staffing.

Take for example a proposal being shopped around -- reducing the level of staffing on a fire truck from 5 to 3 persons.And the proposal for having a rolling brownout -- closing firestations throughout the city on a rotating cycle.

Let me share with you what just happened when the city council in Reno, NV tried this:
http://www.rgj.com/article/20100715/NEWS/7150353/Reno-council-drops-referendum-on-fire-truck-staffing

Staffing levels are a bargained issue.

Without data showing the council what the impact would be of reducing staffing levels, both in response time and effectiveness, not to mention how reduced staffing exposes firefighters to work hazards, then we have no business putting it out there as an action in this budget cycle. If my colleagues want to get it analyzed and negotiated then go for it, but it can't be done in the current budget cycle because there isn't sufficient time.

Also there is something very wrong with a city council directing staffing patterns for any department. We don't and should not tell the police where and how to staff. We don't tell our Public works department how many people should be on a street repair crew. You get my point.

But don't take my word about why reducing staff on a fire truck or emergency apparatus is dangerous, take a look at NPFA 1710 --

NFPA 1710: Standard for the Organization and Deployment of Fire Suppression Operations, Emergency Medical Operations, and Special Operations to the Public by Career Fire Departments, 2004 Edition. Click here.

This is published by the National Fire Protection Association which is the expert on fire, electrical and building codes and safety in the U.S.

 The rolling brownout is another dumb idea. Click here and see what is happening in the City of San Diego which is using brownouts to save money -- a kid just died and some are contending it was because of the longer response time needed to bring a paramedic across town when the local station is on closure.

Long Beach City Budget Focuses on Wrong End

Took sometime tonight after a very long day of California Medical Board hearings, to start taking the proposed FY 2010 Budget apart. (Yes, I should be watching some tv..but I couldn't find anything worth watching.)

When I first looked at the budget last week, it didn't seem right somehow. It didn't sit right with me about the proposed cuts. Then I started to look at who was being proposed to be cut -- even with concessions from the unions to pay more of the pension costs.

All the cuts in staff are aimed at lower level, lower paid, lower pensioned staff. Read my lips: no management were harmed in the budget. Nada. An $18 million dollar deficit and not one management level person is getting cut.

We are talking about crossing guards, clerks, secretaries, recreation staff, clerks, customer service reps, being singled out as the sacrifice being offered up in the name of reducing the deficit.

Several on the council asked for government reform. You know. Like consolidating and eliminating departments. What we were presented is a shuffling around of employees from one department to another -- not one person eliminated in the move -- not one dollar saved. But we got "government reform."

I think the public should be particularly offended by any salary increase for elected officials or increasing the number of city employees who make over $100,000. And folks, the increases are in the budget and more employees are now making over $100,000 a year.

I am going to continue to dissect the budget. I implore readers to do the same.

Sacramento Meeting of the California Medical Board

Am up in very hot Sacramento for the quarterly meeting of the California Medical Board. I serve as a public member appointed by the Senate Rules Committee.

The mission of the Medical Board is to protect healthcare consumers through the proper licensing and regulation of physicians and surgeons and certain allied healthcare professionals (not nurses)through the vigorous,objective enforcement of the Medical Practice Act. The Board also promotes access to quality medical care through the Board's licensing and regulatory functions.

My appointment requires that I review numerous discipline and licensing cases as well as serve on a number of subcommittees of the Board: Enforcement, Application Review, Supervision of Affiliated Health Care Professionals and Access to Care.

The 15 member Board (13 appointed by the Governor; 1 by the Speaker of the Assembly and 1 (me) by the Senate Rules Committee) has approved holding a quarterly meeting in November in Long Beach. This will be the first time in the history of the Board that the meeting has been held in Long Beach. I have asked Memorial Medical Center to host two day meeting in its new Childrens' Hospital.

By the way, the Board does now require physicians to post notices in their offices informing patients that they are regulated by the Board. The notice must also include the telephone number and website of the California Medical Board so that patients know where to file complaints.

The Rest of the Lobbyists Reporting in Long Beach

The City Clerk has corrected his release of documents relating to lobbyists who have registered under the City's new lobbyist ordinance. See below for the remainder who have filed --you can see who they represent and on what issues:

Supplemental Report 07272010

Who's Is Lobbying Whom? The First Report on Who Is Lobbying in Long Beach

Check out the report below I received from the City Clerk. It is the first filing of local lobbyists -- who they are and who they represent. Interestingly enough is the fact that when Council was considering the lobbyist ordinance, we had a long line of "lobbyists" who didn't want to register. The first report indicates that not many did or they stopped being lobbyists.





Lobbyist Report

CBS Features 5th Council District Youth Work Program

 Click on the link to view the news spot CBS-KCAL ran on the 5th Council District Youth Work Program

http://www.cbs2.com/video/?id=140118@kcbs.dayport.com

Teens are paid through a federal grant to work for local business or the city. Last year, I utilized 7 youth to clean, landscape and paint 4 parks in the 5th District.

This year a new group is attempting to tackle cleaning up the 44 alleys in the 5th district. One of my council staff supervises their work.

This is a great use of funds and a good work experience for these young people -- all of whom attend Long Beach high schools.

Schipske Tried to Get Council to Do Pension Reform 4 years Ago

Four years ago, in a land not so far away, I proposed several charter amendments that would have dealt with the current financial problems related to pensions.

I ask the press to go back and ask my colleagues who are now beating their chests on this issue (after two major employee contracts were approved while they were on city council)why they were not interested in these reforms then:
10/11/2006
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
PRESS RELEASE #LD05-110
Subject :

Schipske Proposes Several Charter Amendments to Improve City Services
Suggests Charter Change to Set Police and Fire Staffing Levels

Fifth District Councilwoman , Gerrie Schipske, today proposed that the City Council Charter Amendment Committee consider placing several items on the ballot to improve budgeting for both public safety levels and employee pensions. The Council Charter Committee is currently considering amendments to the City’s Charter which will be placed on a city-wide ballot in Spring 2007.


Among Schipske’s proposals:

* Requiring the City Council establish mandatory minimum staffing levels based upon a ratio of public safety personnel to population. This would require that that public safety be established as a priority in each annual city budget at levels sufficient to provide public safety.
* Requiring that the City Council certify that there are sufficient funds available to pay for any pension system provided by the Council for City employees.
* Making the age of retirement in the Charter for City employees consistent with the state retirement programs. Current language sets retirement at age 65 while CALPERS allows retirement at age 55 for public safety personnel and 57 for other employees.

Swearing In Remarks

Swearing in Remarks

Need to Dust Off Proposal to Find Corporate Partnerships for City Revenue – Let’s Do What San Diego Does

San Diego has set out with an aggressive program to lure corporate America to pay up to be the “official” something of the City of San Diego. And it is working big time.

San Diego got $1.25 million for its general fund from designating Verizon the “Official Wireless Partner” of the City.

San Diego Metropolitan Credit Union is paying San Diego $100,000 annually designated “Official Credit Union Partner” of the City of San Diego.

Pepsi forked over a $1.5 million signing fee and a minimum of $250,000 each of five years, as well as thousands of dollars in donated products and marketing and advertising, as the “Proud Sponsor of the City of San Diego.”

San Diego partnered with General Motors to provide 29 vehicles for the city’s lifeguards and five vehicles for the city’s police and fire departments free of charge. In return, small graphic signs on the vehicles are placed advertising GM as the official sponsor.

The city to our south also developed partnerships to receive emergency equipment from Cardiac Science.

Again, the partnerships have resulted in cash for the city and discreet emblems on the vehicles.

New York landed a $33 million contract with Snapple in return for the drinks being sold exclusively at city facilities. New York also received $19.5 million to establish a NY City Official History Center that is owned and operated by the City but funded by the History Channel.

Costa Mesa partnered with a local skateboard apparel manufacturer to sponsor the operation and maintenance of a skateboard park in the city – paying the city $30, 000 each year for naming rights, the right to hold events and a link on the City web site.

During our budget discussions I will bring this concept back to the council. We need to look at sources of revenue that do not include taxing our residents.

July 23 City Manager Weekly Newsletter

Friday Newsletter 7-23-10

Message from City Manager to City Employees Regarding the Budget

Dear Employees:

Today I released our Proposed Fiscal Year 2011 Budget, and Mayor Foster released his Budget Recommendations. To address our $18.5 million structural deficit in these very challenging financial times, I have proposed the following five-pronged approach:


1. Department reductions: Asking all departments to make further reductions

2. Potential new revenue : Continuing to explore new revenue to reduce the deficit

3. Government reform: Consolidating departments and improving efficiency

4. Employee contributions: Negotiating to reduce employee costs

5. Pension reform: Negotiating to reduce current and future pension costs


I encourage you to read more about this at www.longbeach.gov . Online you will find the two-page Budget Snapshot, and a larger 24-page document that details the budget solutions. Department Directors will be talking to employees in each affected area to keep everyone apprised of the potential impacts. While I regret that these recommendations will have an impact on our organization and on some of our employees, as a City we must take these actions in order to solve the budget deficit. Additionally, I am hopeful that, through negotiations, our employee organizations will once again choose to be a part of the solution. Without additional assistance from our employees this year, an additional 85 positions will need to be eliminated, causing significant service reductions to core services.

Despite our budget challenges, as a City family we have accomplished a great deal over this past year. Part of the Budget presentation today was to highlight all the great work our employees have done, from keeping our City clean and safe, to creating new parks, to repairing the most amount of streetwork in a decade, and many other successes. This budget will be difficult on us all, but I am confident that Long Beach will continue to be a leader in California in providing quality services to our community.

PATRICK H. WEST
CITY MANAGER

Budget and Bronchitis

Council was given notice late Thursday that the release of the Mayor/City Manager Budget would be at a Friday press conference. Nothing new. Has happened every year I have served on City Council. So much for working together. I understand only two council people showed.

I am home with a copy of the very large budget. Once my medicine kicks in and I stop coughing, I will start looking at the proposals. My doc says I have bronchitis. Worse news is that I need to stay away from my 6 month old grand daughter until I have enough antibiotics on board to protect her.

Swearing In and Other Fun

I was sworn back into office yesterday by my partner of 30 years, Flo Pickett. My dear friends, Bob and Lela Nelson, drove down from Stockton for the ceremonies. My kids watched on TV and friends were in the chamber as well as over at the El Dorado Golf Restaurant.

The ceremonies were brief. Different this time around was the lack of hand-shaking and hugging by other councilmembers.

I again liken this city council to a group foster home (no pun intended). We are put together and need to learn how to get along.

Sadly, what was a routine selection of the most senior councilmember for vice mayor has now become a political game. Unbeknownst to me, several council members agreed prior to the election to support a junior council member after they received her endorsement for their campaigns.

I nominated Councilman Patrick O'Donnell because he and Councilwoman Rae Gabelich are the senior members of the council -- and Rae declined being considered for Vice Mayor. Patrick received 4 votes -- and other 4 held out for Councilman DeLong to return from the Bahamas so they can have their 5th vote. However, with Councilman James Johnson absent at our next meeting -- it maybe back to 4 to 4.

What would stop the game and make it more equitable is if the Council were able to rotate the Vice Mayor every year instead of every two years. That my friends, would take a charter change and a vote by the residents.

Thank you.

Would like to thank the resident who sent this letter to the editor:

Taking care of business

The citizens of the 5th District in Long Beach are fortunate to have a councilperson of such professional ability to represent us downtown.

As further evidence, my street just had the sidewalks repaired on both sides of the block and the work was accomplished in a few days with a minimum of inconvenience and was very expertly engineered to be better than what it replaced.

Councilwoman Gerrie Schipske keeps us advised, via the web, of any problems that may arise, of any matters which affect us as property owners, and of any news that we should be aware of that may affect us.

In other words, she is hands-on for all of us.

Ted Conlin

A big thank goes to the Public Works staff who actually oversees the repair of our sidewalks.

City Manager's Latest Newsletter

Friday Newsletter Final

Reasonably Available Is Standard Used by Other Legislative Bodies

Look at the LA Times today and you can read the latest polling on just how low elected officials are held. The feeling many Americans have is that elected officials consider themselves "better" than the average resident.

Then consider a Long Beach City Council that tolerates one of its members phoning in a vote from the Ritz Carlton in the Bahamas.

I've done a little checking on how other legislative bodies in California handle the Brown Act requirements for teleconferencing and most apply the standard:

Commissioner confirmed that his location was reasonably accessible to the public, such that any member of the public could participate in the teleconference from his location if he or she wished to do so.

Don't know about you, but last time I checked, the Bahamas is a foreign country, not readily accessible to the public. And because a passport is required to go there, "any member of the public" can't participate without paying to get a passport and a ticket. Ah, noblesse oblige.

We don't need no stinkin meetings...we can phone it in.

Hot off the press: Councilman Gary DeLong is off on vacation and will not be at Council this coming Tuesday as the Mayor and several councilmembers are sworn in to office. Mr. DeLong arranged to get sworn in before he flew out of the country.

And to prove just how wonderful technology is and to assure that his choice for Vice Mayor of the City Council (Councilwoman Suja Lowenthal) wins -- Councilman DeLong has graciously arranged to call in his vote from the Bahamas.

All perfectly legal.

Just a note to any of you who would like to exercise your rights to have government meetings open -- you might want to fly down to the Bahamas and find Mr. DeLong. Join him for drinks as he phones his friends back at City Hall.

So now we understand why he only wants to hold council meetings twice a month. Why meet when you can phone it in? All Long Beach residents who have jobs that allow them to do the same raise your hands!

Schipske Launching Summer Youth Program to Clean Up Alleys

For the second summer, Councilwoman Gerrie Schipske has brought on board to the 5th District team a group of 8 youth who will help clean up the 44 alleys in the 5th Council District.

The youth have been made available through the Pacific Gateway Workforce Development with funding from the federal government.

The youth work 5 hours a day and are supervised by Councilwoman Schipske's neighborhood liaison. The youth will be weeding, picking up trash and coordinating with Public Works for the pick up of items dumped into the alleys. Public Works will also fill potholes in the alleys.

Schipske is the only councilmember to utilize the summer youth program. Last year, youths cleaned up, landscaped and painted facilities in 4 parks in the 5th Council District.

Cong. Barney Frank to be Featured Speaker at Democratic Party of Orange County Truman Awards Dinner

Congressman Barney Frank, Chairman of the House Financial Services Committee and author of the just passed financial consumer protection law, will be the Special Keynote Speaker at the Democratic Party of Orange County's 16th Annual Harry S. Truman Awards Dinner.

A reception and dinner will be held at the UFCW Local 324 Banquet Hall on Saturday, August 28. Tickets are available on line at www.ocdemocrats.org.

First it was cutting back on the number of council meetings...now it is changing how the Council selects a Vice Mayor

Hot off the City Council Agenda -- the item proposing reducing the number of council meetings to two a month has been withdrawn.... now the next story circulating around the 14th Floor of City Hall where the air is rarified...is that a move is a foot to round up votes to select a Vice Mayor based not on seniority but on who endorsed whom in the past City Council election.

Doing this throws out a long held tradition of selecting the person with most seniority as evidenced in the following document prepared by the City Clerk.
Vice Mayor Appointment History 07132010

This move sends a disturbing message that politics trumps what is best for the City. A city that is reeling from financial problems and the highest unemployment in the state. It also again puts Long Beach out of step with other city councils that rotate the Vice Mayor position based upon seniority.

The two members of the City Council that are in line to become Vice Mayor are 8th District Councilmember Rae Gabelich and 4th District Councilmember Patrick O'Donnell --both of whom have served 6 years on the City Council. Both of them should be considered for the Vice Mayor role for the next two years.

I believe in the Golden Rule even in politics -- Do unto others as you would like them to do unto you. There are some who want to rewrite the Golden Rule to read: Them that has the gold makes the rules.

Things Candidates Did not Tell the Voters

Several of my colleagues who also faced re-election in April are supporting a proposal to reduce the number of council meetings to two a month.Funny, they didn't bother to campaign on this issue. They didn't bother to tell voters: re-elect me and I will vote to cut the number of times I have to report to work for you.

The argument that it will save $3500 a month is ridiculous. If that is so, then reduce the Mayor and Council's office budgets to pay for the public meetings. Have each council person chip in $375 to hold the meeting.

The argument that it will allow council people to hold community meetings on Tuesday with their constituents is also nonsense. Hold your community meetings 6 other days in the week if you aren't having enough meeting with your constituents. A public council meeting is the only time the public can watch and participate as we openly deliberate on issues. But maybe that is why my colleagues want to limit those opportunities -- less public discussion, less pesky constituents seeing what is being done.

Okay. So you want to cut the number of times you need to show up for city council meetings to twice a month? Then I urge you to support my charter amendment which would cut our salary 50%. (That's because our salaries were set by charter in 1988 when council met 4 times a month. In 2004, the council cut out a meeting and now some want to cut out yet another meeting.)

Put it on the ballot in November and let the people tell us what they really think of a council that doesn't want to do the job they were elected to do.

Retrofitting Suburbia

Every time I have attended a conference on municipal issues, I learn lots. I am in Rancho Bernardo at the Independent Cities Conference and today heard a very informative report on how some communities are moving to Smart Code. Basically, Smart Code is

an integrated land development ordinance. It folds zoning, subdivision regulations, urban design, public works standards and basic architectural controls into one compact document. It is also a unified ordinance, spanning scales from the region to the community to the building.

This is exactly what Long Beach needs. We need a sense of what we want Long Beach to look like instead of allowing continual development that has resulted in Long Beach looking like a patchwork. Development in Long Beach is a crapshoot for both the residents and the developer. Residents don't really know what a development is going to look like or if it will fit into an area. Developers don't know exactly what city planners are going to allow them to do and not do. Smart Code takes all that away because both parties know exactly what is desired in a development.

Additionally, Smart Code takes into account the need to address climate change and public health issues such as the growing obesity rate among young people who do not walk their neighborhoods.

Here is a link you might want to check out on this growing concept: http://www.smartcodecentral.org/index.html

Charter Agenda Items -- Reducing Mayor and Council Salaries and Moving Elections to November

I am proposing two charter amendments that will address problems that have been raised recently:

• Proposal to reduce the number of City Council meetings to only two times a month. 
• Reduced voter turn-out for city council elections.

Three council members want to reduce the number of council meetings to just two a month. When the council and mayor's salaries were set in 1988, they were set based upon 4 council meetings a month. Sometime around 2004, the Council reduced the meetings to 3 and now they want to reduce it to two.  So, I am proposing that the voters get to vote on reducing the salaries of the mayor and city council commensurate to the 50 percent reduction in public meetings. (Please. I don't buy it that two meetings a month will allow council members to have more community meetings. I have community meetings frequently on other days/nights than Tuesday. Two meetings a month will mean more decisions get made behind the scenes and public involvement will be squashed because after all "we have a very full agenda with only meeting two times a month...so hurry along." The people of our city are struggling financially and what is being proposed is an insult to every resident who would gladly change places with 9 city council members and work full time.)

Voter turnout in April primaries in Long Beach is dismal. The elections are costly because the city conducts them. Study after study shows that timing of an election is everything for turnout and it reduces costs to cities, which is why 40% of cities have moved their elections to be concurrent with statewide elections.

Turnout

I am proposing to move our elections to a November winner-take all. This would increase voter turnout because voters already vote in state and federal elections. It would also reduce costs for the City which can consolidate the election with the county. And, it would reduce campaign spending. A candidate would only have to raise and spend for one election.

We need to remember that Long Beach once elected council members by having candidates run from an area in a primary and then the top two had to be run for city wide vote. We don't do that any longer.

Let me know how you feel about these issues.

Pretty Quiet 4th

It was fairly quiet this 4th of July and there didn't seem to be as many people in the parks as were last year.

Even though fireworks are illegal, there were pockets of streets with sparklers and small fireworks going off. The police had their hands full with responding to these.

I want to thank the LB Police Department and the Parks, Recreation and Marine Department who met earlier to discuss the park permit process.

Taxing an Illegal Drug Is Hypocritical

There is a proposal for this coming City Council meeting to tax the sale of marijuana at medical marijuana clinics.

Please follow along on how hypocritical this is:

First dismiss the fact that some "other cities do it." Some other cities do a lot of things that we don't do -- which is why we answer when kids plea -- everybody does it -- "we're not everybody."

Ok so here's the deal. It is illegal to sell and transport and possess marijuana. But because in California we recognize the use of marijuana for medicinal purposes, non profit collectives are allowed to grow and distribute (not sell) marijuana for medical purposes.

A. How can a city tax an illegal transaction? If it is illegal to sell marijuana and only non profits -- which are exempt from taxes -- can distribute medical marijuana, how is it again that we would taxing this?

B. Here's the part that really gets me. If marijuana distributed at a collective is considered "medicine" how could we tax it? California does not tax pharmaceuticals -- so how then is it okay to tax this medicine?

Either marijuana is an illegal drug and last time I checked we don't tax drug dealers -- or it is medicine -- and we don't tax medicine. Which is it? Because if it isn't medicine, then folks we have no business allowing it to be dispensed in Long Beach. And if it is medicine, why don't we tax all medicine sold in the City?

ESPN to Feature LB's Own Bille Jean King on July 3rd.

 (Note -- I was fortunate to attend the taping of this show. Long Beach should be very proud of Billie Jean King -- pay particular attention to how King points out several times that if it had not been for Long Beach free tennis program -- she would not have been able to learn how to play!!)

ESPN to Air ‘Homecoming with Rick Reilly’”
Featuring Tennis Legend Billie Jean King On July 3

Tennis legend Billie Jean King, who grew up learning how to play tennis in Long Beach, will be featured on ESPN’s “Homecoming with Rick Reilly” on Saturday, July 3, at 4 pm on Long Beach Charter Communications Channel 35. The program will repeat on Friday, July 9, at 4:00 pm on ESPN2, Channel 36.

The “Homecoming” series challenges the old adage “You can't go home again.”

On April 14, Long Beach welcomed tennis legend Billie Jean King back to her hometown for the taping of ESPN’s  "Homecoming with Rick Reilly” at the Billie Jean Moffitt King Tennis Center in Recreation Park. Filming also took place at Houghton Park where Ms. King took her first tennis lesson with instructor Clyde Walker. She practiced regularly at the courts now named in her honor, and her brother Randy Moffit played next door at Joe Rodgers Field.

In the program, Ms. King describes how Long Beach Department of Parks, Recreation and Marine programs contributed to her success and provided her with opportunities that weren’t available in other communities.

Ms. King’s career highlights include 20 Wimbledon titles – six singles, ten doubles and four mixed. She won 12 Grand Slam  singles titles, 16 Grand Slam women's doubles titles, and 11 Grand Slam mixed doubles titles.

For more information about the program, visit www.espn.com/homecoming 

How Often Should City Council Meet?

Heard it through the grapevine...that wonderful conduit of ideas circulating atop City Hall. Someone thinks it is a good idea that after the new council comes in that we start only meeting two times a month, instead of the three times a month we now meet.

Can't figure out the logic in that idea. We are the 6th largest city in California and have tremendous issues facing the city. Reducing the number of times we meet would obviously lessen the Council's authority because more and more decisions would be driven by staff that works full time. We actually need a full time city council.

Don't know what is behind the idea. Although there are some in California that would like to do away with government or limit it so much that it is ineffective -- which then leaves contracts and decisions to the impact of lobbyists. Bet someone will float an argument that it would save the city money. Don't think so. Every staff person there at council is on salary and does not get paid overtime.

Oh, this is an interesting idea just days after Maywood announced it would close all departments and contract out their city to Bell Gardens.

City Manager's Weekly Newsletter

Friday Newsletter 06-25-2010

World War II Icon Dies

From the New York Times today:

A nurse famously photographed being kissed by an American sailor in New York's Times Square in 1945 to celebrate the end of World War Two has died at the age of 91, her family said on Tuesday.

The V-J Day picture of the white-clad Edith Shain by photographer Alfred Eisenstaedt captured an epic moment in U.S. history and became an iconic image marking the end of the war after being published in Life magazine.

The identity of the nurse in the photograph was not known until the late 1970s when Shain wrote to the photographer saying that she was the woman in the picture taken on Aug. 14 at a time when she had been working at Doctor's Hospital in New York City.

I met Edith two years ago at an event on the Queen Mary which was commemorating the end of WWII. She was tiny and funny. We hit it off because she had been a nurse, but she also went on to teach kindergarten.

I had been invited because of my book "Rosie the Riveter in Long Beach" and we talked about what was going on when the war ended. She said -- "everyone who lived then can tell you exactly where they were when we got the news the war was finally over."

Breakwater Study -- Not Yet Funded

I have missed very few council meetings in the 4 years I have been in office. Last night was one of those times. I had to attend to a family matter that came up at the last minute during the Budget Meeting.

That being said, I was concerned to read the headlines this morning -- it gives the impression that the Council funded the local sponsor portion of the breakwater study -- it didn't. It voted 8-0 to fund $2.5 Million out of Tidelands and close to $900,000 in in-kind services -- that leaves almost $2 million that has to be found before the Army Corps of Engineers proceeds. (This reminds me of the "wetlands" issue -- We did it! We saved the wetlands -- except we haven't found a source of money to fix the wetlands, nor a non profit organization that wants to step up and buy the property we just obtained.)

There isn't any doubt that the water quality and the lack of any real tidal action needs to be addressed in the San Pedro Bay. And maybe there is cause to celebrate that a move in that direction is happening. But in the words of another Jerry -- Jerry McGuire -- "Show me the money."

Army Corps of Engineers Releases Its Study -- It will look at water quality and waves

Just hot off my email desk, I received the following email from our Government Relations Director regarding the Army Corps of Engineers study that indicates they will include water quality and waves in the study but did note that: Additionally, the Study lists the various constraints on the project such as the Port of Long Beach berths, Navy anchorage, Long Beach peninsula, THUMS islands, marinas and docks, and navigational safety, and states that these areas must not be adversely affected.

We need to improve the water quality and circulation of the waters behind the breakwater. I am still concerned about where we get the monies to pay for the study -- I don't think Tidelands is the answer at this point. I will read the entire report and listen to the presentation tomorrow before I make my final decision about my vote.

The Army Corps of Engineers has released the East San Pedro Bay Ecosystem Restoration Study (Long Beach Breakwater Study) and it is now available for your review here. The report can also be accessed through the links below on the City's web page. The City Council is scheduled to hear a presentation on the Reconnaissance Study on June 22, 2010 and decide if the City of Long Beach will become the local sponsor for this project. This is a public meeting and we encourage you all to attend and share your input.


Summary of the Report The study concludes that there is federal interest in proceeding to a Feasibility Study. In the Feasibility Study, the Army Corps would evaluate opportunities for ecosystem restoration, water quality improvements and recreation improvements in the East San Pedro Bay in Long Beach. The Reconnaissance Study identifies potential alternatives such as reconfiguring the Long Beach Breakwater, changes in alignment of the LA River, creation of rocky reef habitat and kelp features, and measures to address pollutants in the LA River. The specific alternatives would be further developed in the Feasibility Study through a community outreach process.
The Reconnaissance Study concludes that restoration of reef and kelp habitat within San Pedro Bay can be enhanced by improving the water quality, clarity, and circulation. It also concludes that the project could result in improved conditions for recreational swimming and surfing. Additionally, the Study lists the various constraints on the project such as the Port of Long Beach berths, Navy anchorage, Long Beach peninsula, THUMS islands, marinas and docks, and navigational safety, and states that these areas must not be adversely affected.
The Feasibility Study will take a minimum of 4 years to complete and will cost $8,337,400. In the Feasibility Study the Army Corps will conduct an extensive analysis including wave modeling, water quality modeling, economic analysis, environmental analysis, engineering and design analysis, geotechnical studies, review of tidal elevations, sediment transport, and analysis of other areas.


Links
Army Corps' Final Reconnaissance Study: http://admin.longbeach.gov/civica/filebank/blobdload.asp?BlobID=27756
City's Breakwater Website: http://www.longbeach.gov/citymanager/ga/breakwater/default.asp
Army Corps Study Website: http://www.spl.usace.army.mil/cms/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1462&Itemid=31
City Staff report for June 22nd City Council Item: http://longbeach.legistar.com/View.ashx?M=F&ID=943361&GUID=2A2973F4-4DDA-4612-A4CE-0FCA037AB258

Survey Results Starting to Come in -- 64% Opposed

I am receiving results from the survey I posted regarding the City Council voting to approve expending $4million in Tidelands funds for a study to be conducted by the US Army Corps of Engineers on the issues surrounding the breakwater.

As of 3:00pm on Monday, the day before the vote, the City Council still does not have the final report and approval from the US Army Corps to go forward on the study.

That being said, @ 64% of those responding to the survey are opposed to the City Council voting to spend $4 million in Tidelands monies on the study. I will post all of the results Tuesday morning.

P.S. A few respondents asked why the City just doesn't reconfigure the breakwater without further study? That's because the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers owns the breakwater on behalf of the federal government. And unless the Army Corps finds a federal interest in reconfiguring the breakwater, local government can't do anything.

Should Long Beach spend Tidelands monies to study the breakwater?

I have posted a survey on my blog which asks readers to respond regarding whether or not the City of Long Beach should expend $4 million in Tidelands monies for a feasibility study of the waters within the breakwater off downtown Long Beach.

Please take a moment to click here and give me your thoughts on this important issue.

P.S. Sending me email threats that I will be ousted if I vote against funding the study are really inappropriate on many levels.

I am in favor of improving the water quality of the ocean within the breakwater; I would like to see wave action increased in these waters; I think the City should only be expending Tidelands monies to fix not study at this point in our economy; I am concerned that the monies will be expended on a study that will not result in improved water quality or wave action --because the US Army Corps has indicated it is not including these items nor economic analysis of the impact of making these changes in the study. Additionally, the City of Long Beach hasn't even seen the US Army Corps official response on this issue and the City Council needs to read the fine print before we jump in.

LA Moves to Deal with Marijuana Home Delivery

Long Beach just recently passed an ordinance to regulate medical marijuana collectives throughout the city. Los Angeles passed their ordinance first and it seems those in the marijuana business have found a way around the LA ordinance. Read below.

Click here:

Marijuana delivery services evade bans on dispensaries, spreading across California

Click here:

LA Councilman Targets Pot Delivery System

Cell phone towers in Long Beach

I have posted the map I requested from City staff showing where cell phone towers have been placed in Long Beach.

As you might recall, the City Council placed a 120-day moratorium on the installation of any new cell tower until we could update our ordinance which regulates placement and also take a look at where these are going. That is important since we get requests for placements on a piece meal basis and haven't really looked at if they are impacting one particular area over another.

I am strongly opposed to placing these towers in residential areas or institutional areas (churchs, etc) which are adjacent to residential areas.

We need to make certain this patch work placement is corrected.

And to the people who emailed me -- "Yes, I do have a cell phone and a Blackberry and rely upon both very much. But we need to make sure we balance technology with the quality of life issues in our neighborhoods."

Read the Fine Print Before We Spend the Money

Priceless. Need to do it now. It will bring great changes to Long Beach. You are either for the environment or you are against it.

Gosh, we're about to hear this litany on Tuesday as the Council Chambers are packed to persuade Council to find many millions to have the Army Corps of Engineers do a feasibility study on the breakwater. Funny thing. The Army Corps of Engineers is not willing to include in its study the very thing the City was interested in finding out about: "economic analysis and wave monitoring and water quality." (read the fine print in the management memo posted to the right)

So on top of the possibility that the study won't even look at wave monitoring (i.e. bringing back the waves) or water quality or an economic analysis about the impact of reconfiguration, we don't have the money to spend on a study. According to City Management unless the Port forks over the money for the study (or more precisely the City takes the Tidelands transfer) or the City takes excess oil profits for a one time expense it cannot be done. But folks, this is just the study. If any reconfiguration is proposed as a result of the study, the City has to come up with 35% of the costs.

Last week I voted to approve use of Tidelands funds to repair seawalls that are crumbling in Naples. I did so because if those seawalls fail, the properties could be flooded which would seriously damage the property value and the assessed values from which the city derives property taxes. I believe that is a prudent investment to protect the city from liability claims.

I am no longer convinced that spending money on a study (that now does not include water quality, economic analysis and wave monitoring) is prudent.

There are over $360 million dollars in projects that need funding through the Tidelands funds. Repairing infrastructure and preventing flooding should be top priorities.

I think the City Council should put the issue on the November ballot: should the City of Long Beach expend Tidelands funds in the amount of $4 million for a feasibility study to be conducted by the US Army Corps of Engineers regarding the breakwater.

Council agenda item dealt with improving permits for park use -- not creating new permits

In response to my constituents concerns about the process used to make certain groups wanting to use Long Beach parks and facilities have obtained a permit from the City's Parks, Recreation and Marine Department, I put an item on the agenda last Tuesday to help "beef" up the process and to recoup some fees for policing and cleaning up after these groups use the parks.

Apparently some in the news media and the public didn't know that permits have been a requirement for many, years..and view the council agenda item as adding new laws.

(Please spare me the grandstanding on the right to assembly -- this isn't about restricting assembly -- just letting the police and parks know what is going on especially since they have to do the clean up when things go wrong with group activities.)

Permits have been used for many years in order to control crowding and at one time were used to alert Park Rangers so they could police the parks.

Since we don't have Park Rangers any more, the LB Police need to be brought into the process and be made aware that large groups will be at the park at a certain time.

The other problem is that while every resident of Long Beach receives a bulletin from the Parks, Recreation and Marine Department that includes a notice about the need to obtain a permit, many people from out of area do not receive this information. So I suggested that we post signs -- not all over the parks -- but perhaps below the signage for Park Watch which is all over the parks.

I also suggested we look at some type of fee increase or security deposit because it is costing the city a fortune to continually clean up after these groups...and if the police are called because of noise or other problems (i.e. shootings) then the group should have to forfeit the deposit.

Hey, if y'all have a good idea on how we can make certain we know what is going on in our parks and that we recoup the costs for clean up and policing these parks, then send them in to me at: district5@longbeach.gov.

Federal Loans Available for 1st Time Homebuyers in Long Beach -- Workshop June 19

The City of Long Beach is launching an innovative homebuyer financial assistance program.  The Neighborhood Stabilization Program 2 (NSP2) First-Time Homebuyer Assistance Program will provide up to $200,000 in silent second mortgage loans to assist qualified first-time homebuyers in purchasing a home.  Participants may also qualify for up to $40,000 in grant funding to fix code-related violations, make energy-efficiency improvements and assist with closing costs.

"This is an incredible opportunity for first-time homebuyers to realize the dream of homeownership," said Dale Hutchinson, Housing Operations Officer for the City of Long Beach. "Participants in the Program not only get financial assistance, but also help with navigating the home buying process, finding reputable lenders and realtors, and locating homes for their families."

To introduce the NSP2 Program, the City of Long Beach is hosting a special kick-off event on Saturday June 19, 2010, from 10:00 am to 12:00 pm. The event will take place at The Grand Long Beach Event Center, 4101 E. Willow St., in Long Beach, and is open to all members of the community. Free onsite parking is available.


“This event is a great way to learn about the NSP2 Program first-hand, thus, attendance to the kick-off event is a requirement to be able to participate in the First-time Homebuyer Assistance Program,” said Hutchinson. “Attendees can find out information about the Program requirements and the homebuying process. They can ask questions and get answers on the spot. If you're looking for a home, this event is the best place to start.”


Residents interested in attending the NSP2 kick-off event are asked to RSVP at 562.570.6949.

Event Information:

NSP2 First-Time Homebuyers Assistance Program Kick-Off Event

June 19, 2010

10:00 am – 12:00 pm

The Grand Long Beach Event Center

4104 E. Willow St.

Long Beach, CA

Free Parking Available

RSVP at 562.570.6949 

Long Beach Magazine Features Schipske's Latest Book on Long Beach History

The June edition of Long Beach Magazine (on the shelves at Barnes and Nobles and Borders Bookstores) includes a very nice review of my latest book on the history of Long Beach: Early Aviation in Long Beach.

While I was researching my first book: Rosie the Riveter in Long Beach, I came across the wonderful aviation history of Long Beach.

Long Beach made aviation history a number of times including in 1911, when Cal Rodgers landed in the water off Pine Avenue Pier and completed the first transcontinental flight. His plane and the mail bag he carried are in the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum in Washington, D.C.

Because of the municipal airport being established in 1923, Army and Navy fliers frequented our area for many years prior to bases being established here. Thanks to pioneer aviators like Earl Daugherty, Frank Champion and John Montijo, Long Beach was well-known as a center of aviation.

Amelia Earhart came to Long Beach to watch an air circus and then received her first flight from Frank Hawks, a Poly High School graduate and military pilot. Earhart learned how to fly solo and perform aerobatics from Montijo -- who served as one of the first Aviation Commissioners for the City.Other aviators such as Charles Lindbergh and Douglas Corrigan also frequented Long Beach. And our own first woman flier, Gladys O'Donnell beat Ameila Earhart in the Women's Air Derby.

A number of groups have asked me to talk about this book and the Rosie the Riveter book. I have made a video presentation on both which I narrate during my presentation. Please contact my office at: 570 6932 if you would like me to talk to your organization about Long Beach history.

Important Information -- June 11

I am posting a number of documents that readers will find of interest:

• City Manager's newsletter - June 11
• Updates on airport imrovements
• Boundary adjustments planned between Los Alamitos-Long Beach- Seal Beach
• Adopted revenue sources for 2010

Just look to the right column and the documents are available for reading or downloading.

Crime Stats and Police Staffing Levels

Dear readers,

To the right of the post are two documents that are a must read: The quarterly crime stats for the City of Long Beach which I requested in the Public Safety Committee. While the stats show downward trends in adult crimes -- god help the women and kids in our community who are being abused in higher numbers. Those figures are up.

The second document is a memo from the new Chief of Police about staffing levels for police and his assessment about a police academy. Once again, in polite terms, the council is told to pound sand about having a recruitment academy this budget year -- even though the council directed management to find out how to fund it. (I think we directed management three times on this one.)

The City cut Park Rangers despite having an enormous amount of park area. Something has to be done about increasing police presence -- especially in the parks.

You're Invited to Help Us With Ideas to Reduce the City Deficit

The City of Long Beach takes pride in the open and transparent manner in which the City's budget is presented and discussed during the annual budget adoption process. A critical element of this process is the active inclusion of the community in discussion about the City's challenges, priorities and opportunities to become a more fiscally sustainable city.


At the request of Councilmember Gerrie Schipske, and as part of the community engagement effort for the Fiscal Year 2011 (FY 11) budget development, the Department of Financial Management is inviting you and the public to join a live webconference hosted by ICMA and the City of Evanston, IL, in the Long Beach City Council Chambers on June 10, 2010 from 10:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Webconferences are opportunities for communities throughout the United States to come together to learn about best practices ask questions and share information with each other regarding their budget challenges via the Internet.

The webconference is entitled "Engaging Citizens to Cut Budgets: How One City Cut $9.5 Million from the Budget in Just Two Months." The public is invited to join City staff for this 90-minute interactive webconference in which they will hear how the City of Evanston, IL, implemented a process to set priorities and eliminate their nearly $10 million budget deficit. Expert presenters will share how the citizen engagement process helped maintain civility, created a continuing dialogue, and limited the amount of special interest lobbying at the final City Council budget meetings. Topics covered will also include:

 

 Benefits of engaging citizens in the budget process;

• Strategies and tips to create a successful citizen engagement experience;
• How to make the experience authentic for citizens; and  
• Tools and activities to support and encourage this process.

Those in attendance will then have an opportunity to ask the speakers questions directly during the Question/Answer session in the last 30 minutes.

 

Lakewood Village Is Getting Gas Lines Fixed

Residents of Lakewood Village are noticing that several streets are being worked on and steel plates left for a while. That's because the Long Beach Gas and Oil Department is currently replacing old gas lines below the street.

If you look to the right of this posting you can read the schedule for Lakewood Village.

Meeting at Pan Am Park Produces Good Ideas

Approximately 50 residents living around Pan Am Park in the northside of the 5th District attended a community meeting this morning that I organized to discuss what occurred on Memorial Day at the park.

To discuss the incident, I requested Chief of Police Jim McDonnell and Parks and Recreation Director Phil Hester attend. The Chief and Mr. Hester also brought key staff who are involved in the 5th Council District. City Manager Pat West also attended -- indicating that the city was taking this incident very seriously.

The following was discussed:

• A large family from Compton held its annual bbq at Pan Am park on Memorial Day. This group has done so for about 18 years without incident.
  
• The family did not obtain a permit from the Recreation Dept -- which is required for all groups over 25.
• A call for service came into the police about an hour before the shooting with a complaint about loud noise. The officer responded and told the group to turn the music down.
• Residents asked why the officer did not alert anyone that the group appeared to be in gang clothing, drinking beer, parking cars on the grass.
  
• An hour later a call for police came in about shots being fired in Pan Am.
• Police responded and the shooter escaped.
• The neighborhood wants to know what will be done to make sure this won't happen again on holidays.
• The police stressed that members of the family group are cooperating with the police.
• The Chief also stressed that the park is safe and this was an isolated incident of someone with gang affiliation coming to a family event and getting into a fight.
  
• The City does not fund park rangers for Pan Am park -- rangers are only in El Dorado Park.
• Residents were encouraged to join Neighborhood Watch and to call Police or Park Watch if they see suspicious activity.
• Residents were also encouraged to provide emails so that Councilwoman Schipske can send alerts.
• It was suggested by residents that permit process be tightened up and that Parks and Rec work with Police to alert them when a group of 25 or more obtains a permit.

As a result of the meeting, I am doing the following:

• Introducing a council agenda item that requests the permitting process be examined and that public safety safeguards be included such as requiring notice of the Police by the Parks and Rec department whenever a permit is issued to a group of 25 or more.
• Adding a public safety fee to the permit that will help fund park rangers or a park patrol that can patrol parks and alert the police when there is a problem.
• Request that signs be posted reminding that a permit is needed and that violators will be fined and not allowed to use the park for a year. Also need to post signs that alcohol is not permitted.
  
• Ask the City Prosecutor whether or not the family who used the park without a permit can be cited and fined for the costs of clean up and police services.
• Assigning my council staff to check out 5th District parks on holidays and to alert police and parks if necessary.
  

Google Goofs and Steals Clark Avenue From Long Beach

As I work on the historical elements of Rosie the Riveter Park at Conant and Clark Avenue, I refer to Google Maps often, I was very pleased to see that on some Google Maps, Rosie the Riveter Park and Interpretive Center is noted at that location.

What I am very upset to find is that Google has stolen Clark Avenue from Long Beach and renamed it "Columbia Way." Perhaps they confused us with Downey which did rename a portion of Clark Avenue in their city after the Columbia space craft which was built there -- but hey, unless someone slipped it in the wetlands swap, I do no recall the City of Long Beach agreeing to wipe Clark Avenue off the map..so to speak. 

I will ask the City Council to approve a request that Google correct its maps of Long Beach and give us Clark Avenue back.

So in our excitement to be Googlized as a City -- maybe we need to first work with Google keeping what belongs to Long Beach in Long Beach.

Check out OCTA's plans to shut down and fix 7th Street and 22 and 605 Fwys

As a follow up to the community meeting I held a few months ago, I have posted the updated plans of the Orange County Transit Authority (OCTA) (to the right of this posting) to close and fix 7th Street and parts of the 22 and 605 Fwys.

This will obviously disrupt the Long Beach area greatly but apparently we have no choice because without the reconstruction of ramps, this particular area can no longer handle the traffic and car pools that travel there.

A great deal of re-routing traffic through Long Beach -- mostly in the 4th and 5th Districts -- will be painful for a year or so. That's why you might see detour signs already up on Palo Verde -- trying to condition to drivers that this is coming.

If I learn anything else, I will share it.

Information on Smash and Grabs in Ranchos

The following is a copy of an email provided to me and residents of the Rancho's area of the 5th District concerning recent "Smash and Grabs" -- when someone sees valuables in your car and then smashes your window and grabs the goods and goes.

Smash and Grabs in both RD's 665 & 685.  Here is a general breakdown:  
There has been a total of 16 reported incidents that occurred between January 1, 2010 and June 3, 2010.  
January - 4     (3 occurred in the same evening)  
February - 6  (All occurred in the same evening)  
March - 2  
April - 3  (2 occurred in the same evening)  
May - 1

In all cases, the loss was in plain view inside of the vehicle.  
The losses include:  
       GPS (4)  
       Briefcases/Backpacks (4)          
       Ipod/Cellphone (3)  
       Laptops (2)  
       Other Miscellaneous items  (2)  
       No loss (1)  
Approximately 1/4 of the vehicles were parked in the driveway, the others were parked on the street in front of the residence.  

We do see this type of activity throughout the city, but  I think the most important thing to tell residents is..... Do not leave anything of value inside their vehicle.  If they see something suspicious, they need to contact dispatch immediately.   There is no real secret to preventing this type of crime, other than hardening the target.  Make sure there is nothing in your vehicle of value, make sure your vehicle is locked and the alarm is set,  increase residential lighting and use motion detector lights, make sure that front yard foliage does not obstruct the view of the street, park as close to your home as possible, and leave your porch light on at night.

Meeting Scheduled for 10 am at Pan Am Park Gym on Sat June 5th

A community meeting has been scheduled for Saturday, June 5th at 10 am in the Pan Am Park gym to discuss the recent shooting that occurred over the Memorial Day weekend in Pan Am Park.

Representatives of the Long Beach Police Department and the Parks, Recreation and Marine Department will be on hand to answer questions.

I encourage residents to come to this meeting -- as there seems to be a bit of misinformation being circulated about what happened and who was responsible.

This was a family bbq (with music, bouncing pads for kids, games, etc.) that has been held in Pan Am park for over 20 years. The family and relatives live in Compton. Apparently some of the younger members of the family brought "friends" and a fight broke out. Someone pulled a weapon and shot a person.

Community Meeting on Pan Am Shooting Being Scheduled

My staff and I are working on setting up a community meeting at Pan Am park on Saturday, June 5. The exact time is being worked out.

In attendance will be the Long Beach Police Department and Parks and Recreation Department.

We will discuss what happened over the Memorial Day weekend at the park and what can be done to make sure it doesn't happen again.

My office will send out a email and hand walk a flyer in the neighborhood to let everyone know the details.

Shooting in Pan Am Park today

LBPD contacted me today to tell me of a shooting in Pan Am park which is at the top of my district adjacent to Lakewood.

"Officers found a male adult and female adult victim with non-life threatening gun shot wounds. There was a large party in park and shooting erupted. This appears to be an isolated incident. Detectives are onscene investigating the incident."

I will get additional information tomorrow at Council, however, I feel it is critical that we review the staffing of Parking Rangers in all of our parks especially during holidays.

City Manager's Weekly Newsletter - 5-28-10

Friday Newsletter 05-28-10

President Obama's Memorial Address on Video

Hawaiian Gardens Moving Forward --With Improvements to the Long Beach side

Ok. So we weren't happy to learn several months ago that the City of Hawaiian Gardens wanted to extend 226th Street all the way through to Pioneer Blvd., on their side behind El Dorado Park Estates.

After walking the area and distributing a flyer door to door about the issue, I held a community meeting with El Dorado Park Estates residents about what was being proposed. Most were concerned that too many people were driving into the Long Beach side now and that this would increase traffic flow.

At my request, our Traffic Engineer conducted a study to see how many people actually came into Long Beach and how many went out of Long Beach via Pioneer Blvd. The results were startling: traffic flows in an out at a 50-50 rate. People living in Long Beach use Pioneer Blvd., to access the freeway and the Town Center.

Nevertheless, the City of Long Beach formally expressed its concern to the City of Hawaiian Gardens about their plans -- knowing full well that legally one city cannot tell another city what to do within their own boundaries. In turn, the City of Hawaiian Gardens offered to provide infrastructure improvements on their side and our side so that the extension of 226th to Pioneer (on Hawaiian Gardens side but just steps from Long Beach) could look presentable.

Accordingly, I released the following statement today:

     As a follow-up to the June 2009 meeting regarding the City of Hawaiian Gardens proposal to extend 226th  Street through to Pioneer Ave., the City of Hawaiian Gardens has decided to move forward.  Construction has recently begun on the project.  Even though the City of Long Beach has no authority to halt the project, Councilwoman Schipske and City Management were able to negotiate some accommodations for El Dorado Park Estates.  Below are the components of the beautification project:

      1) Installment of a new decorative “Welcome to Long Beach” sign at the intersection of Pioneer Ave. and 226th  St. on the west side of the street.

      2) The tree will be removed to accommodate the construction of the ADA approved sidewalk and curb cut.  The parkway tree to the south, that is causing the sidewalk to buckle, is also to be removed and replaced.  The parkway trees will be replaced  from the City of Long Beach’s approved list of trees.
    
    3) Crosswalks and STOP signs will be installed to meet the requirements of the reconfigured intersection.

    A traffic study was performed which indicated that traffic in and out of El Dorado Park Estates from Pioneer Ave. on to Ring St. is approximately equal in both directions.  The beautification project will enhance the entrance in to El Dorado Park Estates.  The City of Hawaiian Gardens has cooperated with the City of Long Beach to do this work within our borders.  Again, the City of Long Beach has no jurisdiction or ability to prevent the City of Hawaiian Gardens from conducting work within their own borders.

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact the Office of Councilwoman Gerrie Schipske at 562-570-6932.

Now that you are 18 -- A Survival Guide

Another valuable guide from the California Bar Association is the Survival Guide For Teenagers When You Become 18. (posted to the right) I give these out to high school seniors. Feel free to download and give one to someone you is turning that magical age.


This guide provides the following greeting:

"Congratulations. At age 18, you’ve reached an important milestone. You are now an adult in the eyes of the law. You can rent your own apartment, take charge of your finances and even buy a car on your own — all without a parent’s consent or assistance.You can now enter into legal contracts and vote in elections. In short, you now have the right to make many important decisions about where you live, what you do and how you shape your future. But adulthood also brings new responsibilities and consequences. Your parents no longer have to support you. You can now
be sued personally. You are responsible for paying your own income taxes. If you are a young man, you must register for the military. And if you commit a crime, you will not have the protection of the juvenile court and laws; you could wind up in jail
for something that, at a younger age, might have resulted in no more than a stern lecture and a ride home in a police car.This guide touches on some of the laws that may apply to you at this turning point. Keep in mind that laws are constantly subject to change. If you have a specific legal problem, you may want to consult an attorney."