Are you ready not to rumble? New traffic calming measures placed on Wardlow

Funny Slow Down - You Can't Afford Sign (Photo credits: www.roadtrafficsigns.com)

After numerous meetings and emails about how to slow down speeders on Wardlow from Studebaker and Claremore a number of steps were taken -- including those wildly popular "rumble strips' that shook cars and nerves and kept firefighters at Station 5 wide awake at night -- and tested. Cars did slow down but not enough.

So our wonderful team of traffic experts worked on other solutions -- including narrowing the street and placing protected bike lanes and re-engineering the signal in front of the fire station to be triggered to go to red when cars speed over sensors placed a distance away.

Below is the press release explaining the efforts. Let me know what you think.

Gerrie

“Operation Rest in Red” Improves Safety for School Children

A speed detection system, dubbed “Operation Rest in Red” has been installed on the 7500 block of East Wardlow Road to calm traffic between Studebaker Road and Claremore Avenue West.  Drivers have been known to speed along this 6,000 foot stretch of roadway despite the City’s best efforts to compel compliance with the 45 mile per hour speed limit.

"The City of Long Beach looks at ways to improve all of our City streets," says Mayor Bob Foster.  "In this instance, traffic signal changes to improve safety for commuters, cyclists, and pedestrians along Wardlow Road made the most sense."

Traffic engineering changes were initiated earlier this year by the closure of Newcomb Elementary School.  This closure has impacted traffic patterns in the neighborhood.  Children who previously attended Newcomb Elementary must now travel 1.5 miles westbound towards Keller Elementary; Wardlow Road serves at the main connection between these two school locations.

To make roadway conditions safer for all commuters, the City has widened existing bicycle lanes and added roadway separations.  Long Beach also piloted the use of bots dots along the 6,000 foot section of Wardlow Road to slow vehicle traffic; but this traffic control mechanism produced only marginal results, and the bots dots were removed.

Seeing the need to use a different traffic engineering technique, the City recently installed a speed detection system along Wardlow Road.  Traffic results have been positive since the implementation of “Operation Rest in Red” at this location.  Drivers are slowing down as they approach the existing traffic signal in front of Fire Station 5, and maintaining slower speeds as they drive past Newcomb Elementary and approach the neighborhood intersection at Claremore Avenue West and Wardlow Road.

“These traffic changes improve safety in our community,” says 5^th District Councilwoman Gerrie Schipske.  “It’s important for all of us to observe speed limits, and using the traffic signal at Fire Station 5 to slow drivers down has been a good change for our neighborhoods.”

“Operation Rest in Red” is an established traffic control mechanism.  It uses motion detection, in conjunction with traffic signal changes to influence the speed of traffic.  On Wardlow Road, the signal at Fire Station 5 “rests” in red, while a motion sensor detects approaching vehicles.  If the vehicle is speeding, the traffic signal will remain red and the vehicle must stop before the light turns green.  If the vehicle is not speeding, then the light will turn from red to green, and allow the vehicle to continue.

For more information on “Operation Rest in Red”, please contact the City’s Traffic Engineer at 562.570.6331.

Take Your Unused Medicine to a Safe Place

My staff and I worked with Memorial Medical Center several years ago about providing a safe place to drop off your unused medications and your used sharps and syringes which you might use for your medications.

Take a moment to drive by Memorial Medical Center this coming Saturday and drop these items off safely. Please do not dispose of your medications in the toilet or down the sink as they wind up in our drinking water supply.

Take a look at the presentation on how to safely dispose of these meds if you are unable to make it to Memorial Medical Center on Saturday.



http://www.flickr.com//photos/fdaphotos/sets/72157626474731495/show/


Safe Disposal of Meds
The Long Beach Police Department has joined forces with Long Beach Memorial, to participate in the Drug Enforcement Administration's (DEA) National Pharmaceutical Take-Back initiative along with several other law enforcement agencies around the nation.

This initiative seeks to prevent increased pill abuse and theft through the collection of potentially dangerous expired, unused and unwanted prescription drugs.  The last event held in April of 2012 yielded 518 pounds of pharmaceuticals and we are hoping that this event will be just as successful.

The event will offer a drive-thru service that is free and anonymous. Each car will receive a free giveaway (while supplies last), and the driver of the 25th, 50th and 75th participating vehicle will be awarded a pair of Aquarium of the Pacific tickets. The event will be held as follows:

Date:             Saturday, September 29, 2012
Time:            10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.
Location:      Long Beach Memorial
                      2801 Atlantic Avenue, Long Beach, CA
                      (enter main campus entrance off of Atlantic Avenue, drive through campus on
                      Memorial Medical Center Drive and exit onto Long Beach Boulevard)

This initiative addresses a vital public safety and public health issue. Many Americans are not aware that medications that languish in home cabinets are highly susceptible to diversion, misuse and abuse. Prescription drug abuse in the United States is increasing at alarming rates, as are the number of accidental poisonings and overdoses due to their availability. Studies show that a majority of abused prescription drugs are obtained from family and friends, including from home medicine cabinets. In addition, many Americans do not know how to properly dispose of their unused medications, often flushing them down the toilet or throwing them away … both potential safety and health hazards.

Once collected, the unwanted pharmaceuticals will be turned over to the DEA who will safely destroy the drugs. For more information regarding the National Take Back Initiative, visit http://www.dea.gov or contact the Long Beach Police Department’s Drug Investigations Section at (562) 570-7221.

In addition, the City of Long Beach Department of Health & Human Services will also be on hand at this event to collect sharps (lancets, hypodermic needles, and syringes).  According to California state law, it is illegal to dispose of home-generated sharps waste in the trash or recycling containers.  This type of waste must be disposed of in approved and properly labeled containers at sharps collection points, household hazardous waste roundup events, hazardous waste sites or through an approved medical waste mail-back service.  For additional information on the disposal of home-generated sharps, contact Glenn Fong at (562) 570-4147 or visit www.longbeach.gov/news/displaynews.asp?NewsID=3701&TargetID=32.
http://www.longbeach.gov/civica/press/display.asp?layout=4&Entry=3980

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Here Are Our 2012 Good Neighbors

Congratulations to our 5th District Good Neighbors!

The following people and organizations have been nominated to receive a "Good Neighbor Award" at our 6th Annual Good Neighbor Festival and Picnic. Come on by for hot dogs, Elm Street Band music, lots of exhibitors, watermelon eating contest and much more (including a chance to win tickets to for 2 on Jet Blue).

 

The following individuals and organizations will be acknowledged at the 6th Annual Good Neighbor Festival on Saturday, September 29th at Good Neighbor Park

Rodney Woods                             Rancho Los Alamitos Foundation

Bruce DeMille                               Gatsby Books

Peter Sovich                                 The Heart of Ida

Bianca Sovich                               Seaside Printing Company

Summer Wells                              Walmart

Lisa Stumm                                  CareMore

Ann Cantrell                                  St. Mary Medical Center

Stacy Mungo                                Long Beach Memorial Medical Center

Barbara Hubbs                              Long Beach FireFighters Local 372

Keith Kerr                                     Vitas

Joy Kerr                                        Long Beach Cares

Sarah Ireland                                 Baja Sonora

Sandy Patton                                Southern California Edison

Matt Patton                                   Southwest Regional Council of Carpenters

Marisol Zobler                                Aquarium of the Pacific

Jill Brennan                                   Heart 2 Heart Quilting Group Mary Parsell

Elizabeth Buffington                       Stitches From the Heart

Scott MacDonald                           Friends of the Long Beach FireFighters

Lee Seltzer                                   El Dorado Park South Neighborhood Assn.

Bruce MacRae                              Apostrophe Books

Erma Varnado                               Bodell's Shoes

Mike Farrar                                   Cirivello's Sports Bar

Dennis Rainey                               Curves - El Dorado

Betty Rainey                                 Joan Stiehl Farmers Insurance

Kym Cloughesy                             Fast Frame

Gary Field                                     Go Dogs Go

Bill Nash                                       Kidz Head 2 Toe

Tim Grobaty                                  Once Read Books

Ed Barwick                                   Poochie's Bath House

                                                                          Postal Annex

  

 So avoid the "Carmageddon 2" madness on the Southern California freeways this weekend and spend a day recognizing your neighbors, learning more about local organizations and listening to a performance by the Elm Street Band.

Jet Blue Tickets for 2 -- Come to Good Neighbor Festival

Jet Blue (Photo credit: Atomic Taco)

Jet Blue Tickets for Two - Grand Prize for
Good Neighbor Festival and Picnic

Those who attend the September 29^th Good Neighbor Festival and Picnic have several opportunities to win two roundtrip Jet Blue airline tickets or a number of other prizes, today announced Councilwoman Gerrie Schipske.

 

Schipske, who is the sponsor of the annual community event that usually draws more than a thousand residents to Good Neighbor Park, explained that all participants need to do is visit the more than 40 community organization booths at the Festival and get a card stamped at each booth.

"Once you have visited at least 16 booths you are eligible for an opportunity ticket that will be dropped in a box. Participants who visit 20 booths get two tickets; visiting 24 booths gets three tickets. All completed Good Neighbor Cards must be turned in by 2 p.m. at the Festival. Winners must be present and will be announced at 3 pm," said Schipske.

Good Neighbor Festival participants can also receive an opportunity ticket for prizes by submitting a photograph on line to D5PhotoContest@longbeach.gov. The photo must show "What I Like Best About My Neighborhood." Photographs will be displayed at the Festival and the contest is sponsored by Sam's Club.

"We started this event 6 years ago to celebrate the wonderful people and organizations that make the 5^th Council District a 'Good Neighborhood,'" reminded Schipske. "This year is bigger and better with music, food, games, fire and police equipment, a refrigerator container from the Port of Long Beach, watermelon eating, more than 40 community organization exhibits, great prizes and of course, our Good Neighbor Awardees." The awardees are adults, youth and organizations nominated by the community and Councilwoman Schipske for being "a good neighbor."

The Good Neighbor Festival is open to the public and begins at 10 am at Good Neighbor Park, 2800 Studebaker Road (between Spring Street and Willow Street).

JetBlue opportunity drawing is open to attendees 18 years old and older. Must be present to win.

...and don't forget... The Elm Street Band takes the stage at noon!

An Example of LB City Employees and the Good Work They Do

I received this press release today from the Long Beach Police Department detailing the excellent work of one of our emergency dispatchers.

Folks, this dispatcher is an example of the hard work and dedication of the men and women who work for the City of Long Beach.

On Thursday, September 13, 2012, at approximately 8:11 p.m., Long Beach Police officers responded to a call of a robbery that was occurring to an electronics store in the area of Pine Avenue and Willow Street.

When the robbery began, an individual inside the store dialed 9-1-1 and reported the incident to the dispatcher, Lily DeMasi, who has been a dispatcher with the Department for 16 years, but the caller had to end the conversation when the suspect approached. Lily then called back, but the suspect picked up the phone. The quick-thinking dispatcher posed as a customer and asked questions to keep him on the line to obtain additional information while distracting him from the scared employees as police were arriving.

Police arrived to the location quickly and took one suspect in custody. A second suspect fled into the neighborhood and a foot pursuit was initiated. A perimeter was established to contain the area, and although police lost sight of the fleeing suspect, they believed he was still within the perimeter.

A K-9 unit and police helicopter responded to assist in the search for the outstanding suspect. When officers announced over the microphone that the K-9 would be deployed to search for him, the suspect quickly surrendered and was taken into custody.

The loss was recovered and both suspects were taken into custody. Due to the ongoing investigation, they are only being identified as adult males at this time.

Businesses owners and employees should be aware that landline phones can provide an added level of security should police need to respond to an emergency. Anytime 9-1-1 is dialed from a landline phone, the exact address of the location is automatically displayed to the dispatcher, and if the caller is not able to speak to the dispatcher, this call is classified as an “incomplete 9-1-1,” and made a priority. A landline phone kept in an inconspicuous place at the business can be a discreet way for employees to summon police to their location in the event of an emergency, without compromising their safety.

Long Beach Police dispatchers receive extensive training to handle a variety of crisis situations, while simultaneously relaying crucial information to the officers who are responding to the scene. The LBPD commends Lily for her great work that led to the capture of the suspects while keeping the community safe in this situation, and thanks all of our hardworking dispatchers for the incredible work they do every day.

Documents Worth Reading -- What the City Council Did When It Passed the Budget

Many residents have asked -- "What exactly did the City Council restore when it finally passed the budget? What cuts to services were restored?" So I requested a memo from City management to show the projected cuts and what actually was restored.

If you click on this link you will see that memo.

Additionally, I am linking to a memo that details the positions of the City concerning proposed state legislation. Click on this link to read the list.

As always, feel free to contact me directly with your questions, concerns and comments.

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Schipske Calls for Swift Action on Real Pension Reform -- and a Charter Amendment to Enforce It

LOS ANGELES, CA - AUGUST 28: California Gov. Jerry Brown discusses pension reform during a news conference on August 28, 2012 in Los Angeles, California. Brown unveiled what he called 'sweeping' pension reforms that cap benefits, boost the retirement age, prevent abusive practices such as 'spiking' and require new state employees to pay at least half their pension costs. (Image credit: Getty Images via @daylife)

Councilwoman Schipske Seeks Swift Implementation of Just Passed Law Requiring Public Employees To Pay 50% of Pension Costs –  Wants To Keep City Council From Spending the Savings With a Voter Approved Charter Change Applying the Funds to the City’s Unfunded Liability –

“That would be real pension reform!”

For immediate release: Contact Councilwoman Gerrie Schipske 562 570-6932

September 16, 2012 --Long Beach, CA – Councilwoman Gerrie Schipske today called upon the Mayor and City Council to act swiftly in implementing the pension reforms now allowed under state law with the passage of AB 340, instead of “saber rattling” about putting a ballot measure to roll back one group of city employee salaries two years from now. 

Schipske points out that with the recent passage of AB 340, Long Beach has the power to make substantial changes in the pensions it offers and to increase the amount that the employee must contribute towards pensions. The new law mandates that by 2018, public employees will be required to pay 50% of pension costs which could amount to non public safety employees paying 8% of their salary and police and firefighters paying 12% of their salary as contributions to their pensions.

“Instead of wasting taxpayers’ money and time with a ballot measure to roll back some city employees’ salaries, we should be focusing on implementing the full pension cost sharing mandated by AB 340,” says the Fifth District Councilwoman. “Proposals such as  ‘rolling back’ some city employee salaries are a band-aid on the gaping wound of unfunded pension liabilities. Implementing full pension cost sharing as soon as possible and applying those savings to our $1.2 billion dollar unfunded liability will go a long way to fixing what ‘ails us’,” emphasizes Schipske.

“The City should not delay implementing this aspect of pension reform.  Instead of waiting 6 years and then hitting all employees with this large increase at one time, the City must begin right now on working out a gradual implementation of the employee pension cost sharing requirements with management, public safety and non public safety employee associations,” Schipske explains.

However, Schipske cautions that these employee contributions will produce substantial savings that must not be viewed as another source of revenue for the City Council to spend. Schipske reminds that Long Beach City Councils in the past have spent pension savings instead of putting the money toward reducing the unfunded liability.

“When CALPERS told the City Council it was ‘super funded’ and didn’t need to pay into the pension fund for a period of time, it took the money and spent it instead of applying it toward the unfunded portion of the pension liability.”

 AB 340 requires that any savings realized by the State because of the increased state employee contributions will be applied toward the state unfunded liability. “The City of Long Beach must do the same and require that any savings realized by increasing Long Beach public employees’ pension contributions be applied to the City’s unfunded pension liability and not spent by the City Council. If we want real pension reform in Long Beach, we need to take these savings and apply them toward our unfunded pension liability.”

Schipske added that to make certain this Council and future City Council can’t spend the employee contributions, she will propose an amendment to the City Charter that states: “Any savings realized by the City of Long Beach as a result of employee contribution rate increases required by Government Code 20516.5 (AB 340) shall be allocated first to the City’s unfunded liability.”

“I am certain the taxpayers will support this real pension reform because for the first time, we will actually start reducing the City’s long-term liability.” #30

Predicably,the News is Bad After Council Passes Budget

Last February, I was the lone Council member to protest the City Council becoming the Successor Agency to the legislatively abolished Redevelopment Agency. (http://www.gerrieschipske.com/2012/02/what-city-might-owe.html)

My objection was simple: the City Council needed to heed the advice given to the City Council of Los Angeles -- that becoming the Successor Agency to our RDA would mean that the City would be financially liable for any expenditures disallowed by the the State Department of Finance or the LA County Auditor who was to review our expenditures or obligations we claimed related to Redevelopment.

Well, it happened in May 2012. And then it happened again in August 2012 -- a recent audit by LA County Auditor Controller is disallowing over $5 million claimed for administrative expenses. Additionally, the City is not going to be able to recover $96 million in a loan it claimed it made to the Redevelopment Agency. Finally, a list of redevelopment projects submitted by the City have now been deemed "questionable." (Click here to read audit.)

So where is the money going to come from for Administrative Expenses related to the dissolution and management of the assets from Redevelopment? Police, fire, parks and recreation, libraries, infrastructure? Well if it has to come from our general funds -- then it will come from those city services.

Interestingly enough, the LA County Audit announcing these problems was not given to the City Council until after the FY 2013 budget was adopted. Coincidence? Kinda similar to the fact that the City Council was not given an opportunity to vote in public on whether or not to taken on the risk as Successor Agency. Coincidence? Nah. Lighting doesn't strike in the same place twice...

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Do We Have Park Rangers or Not?

It was really difficult the night the budget was passed two weeks ago to figure out exactly what cuts to services were being restored. That's because none of us were given the proposed restoration list until we sat at council that night. Then the struggle began to try and get other  services restored not listed -- such as the Fire Department or more funding for Police over time that is necessary while we are short staffed.

The biggest mystery was what really happened to the Park Rangers who were cut to three days a week at El Dorado Regional Park and then offered up wholesale by the City Manager to be replaced with non sworn, unarmed, volunteer like people who would be armed with walkie talkies to call in when they saw a crime.

So last week in City Council I asked the City Manager to produce a document we all can share which explains exactly what was replaced and at what levels. As soon as I receive it I will pass it along.

In the meantime, I am including in this post some important information on the history of the Park Rangers in Long Beach and the stats on their calls for service. Funny, none of this was given to the city council when the decision was made to cut...I got this information from the employee association which represents the Park Rangers.

 HISTORY OF THE PARK RANGER PROGRAM

The Park Ranger Program was originally established over 30 years ago in 1969. Between 1969 - 1973, Park Rangers provided services in El Dorado East Regional Park. The primary role was to assist with naturalist programs at the Nature Center. One Park Ranger performed patrol duties in the park and could only warn park patrons about their law violations, due to not having any law enforcement authority. 

In 1974 Park Rangers were made public officers and given the authority to write citations for specific violations. As public officers, Park Rangers were only allowed to make citizen arrests. Once Park Rangers began to issue citations, several Park Rangers were subjected to physical attacks by violators. Without any equipment to protect Park Rangers, they were sent to the police academy to train as park law enforcement officers and were equipped with handcuffs and wooden batons for self protection. 

As park usage increased between 1975 - 1979, so did the problems. Crimes involving guns, knives, drug dealing and gang related crimes were becoming a weekly occurrence. Soon, El Dorado East Regional Park was not a place for families to come and have a picnic. Gangs and drug dealers were claiming the park as their turf. Attendance started to decline, as families realized the park was not a safe place. In 1979, Park Rangers were authorized to carry handguns as a defensive tool for the safety of the Park Rangers. Park Rangers were given peace officer authority and instructed to enforce all laws to make the park a safe place for park patrons. 

From 1980 - 1983, Park Rangers with their new enforcement authority and defensive weapons confronted any and all problems that arose. With constant enforcement against the gangs, drug dealers and violent crimes, the Park Rangers slowly eradicated the problems, once again making the park safe for families to enjoy. With the park safe, the role of the Park Ranger was changing from a strict law enforcement officer to a public relations officer with law enforcement authority. 

In 1987, the citywide Park Ranger patrols were initiated as a pilot program, in response to a recommendation by the Mayor and City Council to improve the level of safety in the city parks. The citywide Park Ranger patrols have changed several times over the years. Prior to drastic cuts to the Park Ranger program in December of 2008, and the subsequent termination of the Citywide park patrols, Park Ranger deployment consisted of patrols of all park properties citywide from 2:00 PM to 12:00 Midnight, seven days per week, and dedicated El Dorado Park patrols (servicing El Dorado East Regional Park, El Dorado West Community Park, Heartwell Park, and Recreation Park) from 6:30 AM to 8:30 PM, seven days per week.

Stats on Calls for Service to Park Rangers --take note of the "gang contacts" --

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