Pertussis Shots Required by State Law

Pertussis

Octoberfest Coming to El Dorado Park.

Oktoberfest Flyer

Free Medical and Dental Care for Women

I just received this announcement from the First Lady of California -- Maria Shriver. Please pass it along.

Free Medical and Dental Care for Women

October 28 -- 5th District Night at the Aquarium and Halloween Contest

Aquarium 2010

City Management Explains Budget Impact on Fire Department

FIRE DEPARTMENT FACTS
OCTOBER 2010
The City of Long Beach has released the following statement regarding our Fire Department: 

Fire and Medical response times continue to meet the City’s response standards.

Our Fire Department’s response time standard, based on the national standard, is "To arrive on scene of an emergency call within 6 minutes 90% of the time." The department monitors system performance and makes changes based on this standard. Currently, our average response time is less than 5 minutes to emergency calls, an excellent response time for a large department.

In order to offset the pay increase taken by the Firefighters’ Association (FFA), the new service model reduces one engine company per day, while managing responses with the City’s 17 other engines companies, four fire trucks, and eight paramedic/rescues.

The engine reduction is necessary in order to offset the pay increase taken by the firefighters. The engine reduction is managed by removing one engine from service each day from stations that have more than one response unit. This is not a station closure. This service model will ensure at least one unit is assigned at every station throughout the City, allowing the unit to respond from the station, while other units respond from surrounding stations, if needed. This practice is similar to how our Fire Department manages daily operations such as when units are at training, deployed to major fire events or otherwise out of service. For example, in the area surrounding downtown Engines 6, 2, 10, 20, 24 and 3 are all able to respond to fire incidents, if needed. While the engine company was not in service at Station 1 on October 7, Station 1 had a fully staffed Truck and a fully staffed Paramedic Rescue to respond to calls for service.

These service reductions are not a result of a "budget cut;" rather, they are a result of pay increases to the FAA.

Our Fire Department’s budget has not decreased from last year; rather, this year, the City is obligated to pay an additional $2.3 million in firefighter salary increases. As there is no additional money to pay for those raises, service levels must change in order to maintain a responsibly balanced budget. The City tried to avoid the engine reduction by asking the FFA to fully offset the costs of these raises. Unfortunately, while our firefighters negotiated in good faith, an agreement could not be reached.

The City is willing to accept a "dollar for dollar" FFA giveback to restore the engine.

The City continues to engage in discussions with the Firefighters’ Association. As the FFA was previously willing to give up $1.7 million in salary increases, the City will accept those givebacks (subject to negotiations) and "dollar for dollar" restore services.

FIRE DEPARTMENT RESOURCES AVAILABLE FOR RESPONSE EVERY DAY

23 fire stations, including 4 within the Port, and 1 serving the airport

17 engines (each with 4 firefighters)

8 Paramedic / Rescue units (each with 2 firefighter/paramedics)

4 trucks (3 with 4 firefighters, and 1 downtown with 5 firefighters)

1 Engine/Truck Light Force (with 6 firefighters)

5 Basic Life Support Ambulances during the day and 3 at night (2 EMTs)

2 Fire Boats and 3 Rescue Boats (year-round)

Library Hours Changed Due to Budget Cuts

Effective Monday, October 11, 2010, the Long Beach Public Library will implement standardized hours for FY 11 as follows:

Four Neighborhood Libraries will close on Mondays:

• El Dorado Library, 2900 Studebaker Road
• Bret Harte Library, 1595 W. Willow St.
• Mark Twain Library, 1401 E. Anaheim St.
• North Library, 5571 Orange Ave.

"Despite these reductions, Long Beach Public Library is committed to providing excellent customer service to our Long Beach community," said Library Director Glenda Williams.  All libraries will now be open Tuesday - Saturday.  Open hours are:

MAIN LIBRARY

Tuesday:  10 am – 8 pm
Wednesday: 10 am – 6 pm
Thursday: 10 am – 6 pm
Friday:  10 am – 5 pm
Saturday:  10 am – 5 pm

ALL NEIGHBORHOOD LIBRARIES

Tuesday: 12 pm – 7 pm
Wednesday:  12 pm – 6 pm
Thursday:  12 pm – 7 pm
Friday:  10 am – 5 pm
Saturday: 10 am – 5 pm

For 24-hour access, visit www.lbpl.org

Council Shirks Its Responsibility -- Votes to Have State Legislature Change How Pensions Are Given

It would have been oh so easy to press the "Yes" button and to go along with the majority of the council members who lined up in support of an item that calls upon the state legislature to outlaw the granting of increasing pension benefits retroactively.

Sounds so politically correct, doesn't it?  So tough. Call upon that damn state legislature to stop allowing pension increases from being applied for past service.

The only problem, is that any increases allowed under the state pension system CALPERS were not mandated to be given. 

No one in the state held a gun to the past City Council's heads to make them retroactively increase city employee pensions.

Oh, no. The prior mayor and city council (not the state legislature) agreed to apply a pension increase retroactively to city employees because it allowed the city council to forgo increasing salaries in bad budget times by giving employees better retirement benefits in the future. (Let's examine: the city council agreed to give city employees an increase in the percentage of their salary they would receive at retirement from 2.0% to 2.7% for non public safety and 2.5% to 3.0% for public safety. The increase applied for every year the employee worked for the city -- before and after the increase. The City had the ability to limit when that increase would apply but it didn't.)

The dirty little secret is that this current council cannot take away the pensions that the prior city council gave because of a pesky little problem called the state constitution which clearly prohibits a governmental agency from taking away that which it has contracted to give.

Also there are all those cases in which the courts have held that the city can't take away that which it contracted to give and that it is perfectly legal when a city increases benefits and those benefits are given to everyone who is part of the employee group. 

I find it interesting that some of the very people asserting that pension increases are "gifts of public funds" are the very same people who voted to ram through real estate transactions which sold city assets at fire sale prices and to give back sales tax to businesses -- which should have been given to the city -- as an enticement for the business to be in Long Beach.

Do I believe we need pension reform in Long Beach? Absolutely. That's why I offered several permanent, real proposals to deal with the problem which were soundly rejected by the City Council. First, I proposed a charter amendment that would prohibit this and future city councils from spending pension funds when CALPERS is superfunded and the city doesn't have to make contributions. This happened several years ago and the City spent the money.

Secondly, I offered a charter amendment that would have permanently required the city council to "sunshine" all negotiations so that the public could find out what was being given before it was a done deal. The council would also have to verify that the city had the funds to meet the obligations of the contract for the duration of the contract.

And what was the response to these real, permanent changes in pension and benefit matters? Oh no. We can't bind future city councils. Oh no. We don't want to change the way we disclose our negotiations. Oh no.

Really.

So I guess it must have felt good to vote for something that looks like "pension reform" but really does nothing to impact the current or future situations. I just couldn't join in the charade.

Don't Get in a Jam on the 405 and 22

Don't get stuck in a jam, check out OCTA's new and easy-to-use West County Connectors project interactive maps at

Simply scroll over the selected closure or the highlighted detour routes for in-depth directions that will ease your commute during construction.

Major closures include:

Northbound I-405 to Westbound SR-22 / 7th Street Connector - 12 months

Eastbound SR-22 to Northbound I-405 Connector - 10 months

Southbound I-605 to Southbound I-405 Connector - 2 weeks

Eastbound SR-22 to Southbound I-405 Connector - 2 weeks

For additional information about the West County Connectors project, please visit http://www.octa.net/wc_closures.aspx.www.octa.net/westcounty.

Visit LB Libraries on October 7th

Be a part of the Long Beach Public Library!


The Long Beach Public Library is joining libraries across the state in participating in "Snapshot: One Day in the Life of California Libraries" on Thursday, October 7th, to show how important academic, public, school, and special libraries and library systems are to the state of California.
LB Pubic Libraries will compile statistics, customer comments, photographs, and other data chronicling a typical library day. Community members are invited to visit their Long Beach neighborhood library on this day and be part of the snapshot.

For more information call Susan Jones at 562-570-5365.

For Library Locations and a calendar of summer events, please check the website at http://www.lbpl.org/

Let's Bring More Campaign Finance Reform to Long Beach

Got to admit it. The City of Santa Ana has two very interesting pieces of legislation on the books concerning when electeds can take campaign money that I think we should take a look at.

Sec. 425. - Disqualification due to campaign contributions.

A councilmember shall not participate in, nor use his or her official position to influence, a decision of the City Council if it is reasonably foreseeable that the decision will have a material financial effect, apart from its effect on the public generally or a significant portion thereof, on a recent major campaign contributor. As used herein, "recent major campaign contributor" means a person who has made campaign contributions totaling two hundred fifty dollars ($250.00) or more to the councilmember or to any campaign committee controlled by the councilmember in the twelve-month period immediately preceding the date of the decision. The mayor is a councilmember for purposes of this section. 

Sec. 2-107. - Prohibited campaign contributions.

No councilmember or any campaign committee controlled by the councilmember shall solicit or accept any campaign contribution or loan of two hundred fifty dollars ($250.00) or more from any person for a period of three (3) months following the date a final decision is rendered in any proceeding before the council involving a license, permit, or other entitlement, if the councilmember knows or has reason to know that the person had a financial interest in the proceeding. Financial interest, for purposes of this section, shall have the meaning it is defined to have in Title 9 of the California Government Code (the Political Reform Act). The mayor is a councilmember for purposes of this section.

Some may ask how can an elected official be influenced by a mere $250? (In Long Beach the limits are higher -- $350 for council and $500 for the mayor.) Campaign contributions are an indicator of support and while the amount doesn't look high enough to really have an impact on a vote, the reality is that the contribution is what it is: support for the elected official.

I am going to move forward on proposing these reforms -- with more to come about limiting how and when former City employees and/or appointees to key City Commissions, Committees and Boards may lobby or represent clients after they leave employment or appointment.

No wonder they want to sell marijuana in Long Beach

Take a look at how much medical marijuana sells for in California and across the US. Especially check out how much it sells for in Long Beach. No wonder they want to do business here.

Click here to see website on prices.

4 Firefighters Injured While Responding to Call for Help

Four of the firefighters assigned to Station 5 were seriously injured two nights ago while responded to a call for help from a motorist who had been in an accident on the 605 Freeway.

Upon responding, the fire truck was hit by another vehicle, sending the four firefighters to the hospital.

Please send a get well soon card to these guys who put their lives on the line every day they respond to a call for help:

The injured FF's were all from E5. They are:

Captain Jim Currier
Engineer John O'Keefe
FF Fernando Vazquez
FF/PM Dwayne Preston

Send your good wishes in care of: Chief Alan Patalano, Fire Administration, 3205 Lakewood Boulevard, Long Beach, CA 90808

Schipske to Ask Council to Dedicate Special Olympics Leased Building in Honor of Eunice Kenney Shriver

NEWS RELEASE

            CONTACT: Tiffany Andrews, 570-6932

Councilwoman Gerrie Schipske Pursues Approval to Dedicate Building to 

Eunice Kennedy Shriver

Building on Carson St. currently houses Special Olympics Southern California Headquarters

Long Beach, Calif., Sept. 27, 2010 – Friday, September 24,  communities throughout the world celebrated the first annual Global Eunice Kennedy Shriver Day.  This worldwide day of remembrance is in memory of Eunice Kennedy Shriver, founder of the Special Olympics movement, long-time supporter of Best Buddies International, and leading international advocate for the rights of people with intellectual disabilities[1].  In 2008, awarding her the first “Sportsman of the Year Legacy Award,” Sports Illustrated called her “…one of those revolutionaries who saw opportunity where others saw barriers, someone who started a movement and changed a world.”

To celebrate Shriver’s legacy and underscore support for Special Olympics Southern California (SOSC), Long Beach City Councilwoman Gerrie Schipske is requesting that the SOSC headquarters building at 6730 E. Carson St. be renamed the Eunice Kennedy Shriver Building. “For more than half a century, until her passing in 2009, Eunice Kennedy Shriver was an indomitable champion for those among us who have been neglected and ignored for too long. Her love for all people, her belief in justice and her relentlessly energetic pursuit of a better life for people with intellectual disabilities serves as an example for all of us. For that reason, I will ask that the City Council approve the Eunice Kennedy Shriver Building at its meeting in October.”

Schipske’s announcement coincides with the global initiative to commemorate Shriver’s achievements. The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim supported EKS Day during a ceremony at its 6:05 p.m. game. SOSC Sports Ambassador and Pitcher Jered Weaver is among those presented a $75,000 check to Special Olympics, represented by SOSC President & CEO, Bill Shumard; Chairman of the Board, Patrick McClenahan; and Special Olympics athletes and coaches. For more information, about Eunice Kennedy Shriver Day visit www.eksday.org.

---

[1] Intellectual disability is the current terminology that replaced “mental retardation” and in some countries includes additional or other terminology – for example, developmental disabilities, learning disability.

Hundreds attend Good Neighbor Festival

Wow it was hot on the eastside today. But what a great Good Neighbor Festival and Picnic. Hundreds of people braved the hot sun to listen to Elm Street Band and to line up to eat hot dogs prepared by our Firefighters, hamburgers prepared by our Police, consume water and soda brought by our lifeguards.

The Port of Long Beach provided snowcones and sunscreen (not together) and dozen of community organizations came and set up informational booths.

The highlight was certainly Tim Patton, Assistant to Assemblywoman Bonnie Lowenthal, narrating our burrito and pie eating contests. Yes, Baja Sonora --- my favorite mexican restaurant in the 5th -- brought 2 lb burritos and that were consumed in 10 minutes. Later we had the pie eating contest with pumpkin and whipped cream provided by East Spring Street Business Association.

A big thank you to City Manager Pat West, Airport Director Mario Rodriguez, Police Chief Jim McDonnell, Fire Chief Alan Patalano and 4th District Councilmember Pat O'Donnell for attending. And much gratitude to my 5th District staff and Parks, Recreation and Marine staff who always do more than their fair share of work to make this event successful. Thank you!

Good Neighbor Festival Saturday, September 25th -- Food, Music, Fun

Calling All Rosie the Riveter's

If you worked in the aircraft plant or the shipyard or any where else that helped the United States win World War II -- then we are honoring you at the upcoming Long Beach Veteran's Parade on November 6th.

That's right. We are calling all "Rosie the Riveters" to be honored this Veteran's Day in Long Beach. Rosie the Riveter has been named as Grand Marshall of the parade.

Please contact my office at: 562 570-6932 if you would like to ride in the parade.

PS. "Rosie the Riveter" is the affectionate and collective name given to women who worked in the aircraft plants, factories and shipyards during World War II. It was popularized by the 1942 song performed by the African American group, The Vagabonds, called "Rosie the Riveter."

Long Beach is developing the Rosie the Riveter Park and Interpretive Center at the corners of Clark and Conant just steps from where thousands of women assembled thousands of military aircraft at Douglas Aircraft plant.

Everything You Wanted to Know About the City of Long Beach's Finances

Overview of City of Long Beach's Finances

Scholarship Available from Port of Long Beach

Port Scholarships

How Much Do City Managers Earn in California?

City Manager Salaries in California

Friday Newsletter Final

Where Have Medical Marijuana Collectives Applied to Do Business in Long Beach?

The following is a document given to the Press Telegram today by the City concerning where medical marijuana collectives have applied to do business. Please note that because of the school buffer zone which I strongly pushed for adoption, the 5th Council District has only 3 commercial areas in which a collective can apply. I am also working with my colleagues to re-instate a buffer for parks which was removed by a majority of the council:

10-02380 Response w Business Addresses w CC Districts for Press Alert ONLY

LB Junior Concert Band To Do Free Concerts on Labor Day

Thanks to LBReport which is allowing me to copy the breaking story....

LB residents can hear the award winning all-volunteer Jr. Concert Band, comprised of talented musicians ages 13-21, in their neighborhood parks listed below.
Executive Board President Jim Mitchell says that after the LB Jr. Concert Band marches on Monday morning (Sept. 6) in the Wilmington Labor Day Parade, they'll make a bus tour with concert stops scheduled in all nine LB Council districts. "We have to do it within five hours; we've rented the bus from 1:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. and they'll charge us more if we go beyond that," he notes. 

Here's the Jr. Concert Band's Labor Day Monday blitz concert tour. Note: times approximate (suggest you arrive early). Each concert estimated to be roughly 20-30 mins (may be adjusted to reach all nine stops within time frame). All concerts are free.

• Houghton Park (starts approx 2.00 p.m.)
• Scherer Park at 46th Street
• Cherry Park 1901 E. 45th St.
• Vets Park 101 E. 28th St. (est. approx 3:30 p.m.)
• Drake Park, 951 Maine Ave.
• Bixby Park 130 Cherry Ave.
• Rec Park, 4900 E. 7th St. (est. approx. 5:00 p.m.)
• El Dorado Park West (by golf course entrance)
• Stearns Park

The LB Junior Concert Band -- a local institution with nearly sixty years of history -- is open to young people from 12-21 and has deep roots here. At a recent City Council Budget Oversight Committee hearing, multiple parents and former band members testified to the Band's demonstrated successes in taking children off the street and channeling their energies and talents into a constructive, disciplined endeabor.
The LB Jr. Concert Band drew cheers in the Hollywood Christmas Parade and Belmont Shore's Christmas Parade (as Band Director Marvin Marker marched alongside, Dec. 5, 2009, one day before his sudden death).
Organized by Mr. Marker in 1952, the LB Jr. Concert Band is the "Official Host Youth Band" for the City of Long Beach. The band's website states in pertinent part:

The City Manager's Recent Newsletter

Friday Newsletter Final

Come On A Free Cruise

You are cordially invited to join Councilwoman Gerrie Schipske for a free cruise of the

Port of Long Beach on:

Wednesday, September 8, 2010

6:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.

Boarding Location: Departs from Dock 2 at Rainbow Harbor, adjacent to the Aquarium of the Pacific

Guest Arrival: No later than 5:30 p.m. - Boat departs promptly at 6:00 p.m.

Food and beverages provided

Attire: Casual - rubber soled shoes - light jacket

Parking: Aquarium of the Pacific Parking Structure

{$8.00 for Parking}

Come join your friends and neighbors on a cruise of the Port of Long Beach and learn about how this major seaport provides a tremendous economic engine for Southern California. You will be amazed at what goes on right here in Long Beach. For our guests with disabilities, please inform us if you require a reasonable accommodation.

Please RSVP by calling 562-570-6932 or emailing district5@longbeach.gov.

Contact Us and Let Us Know Who Will Be Attending this Fun Event!

Office of Councilwoman Gerrie Schipske

phone: 562 570-6932 or email: district5@longbeach.gov

And a clarification from City Manager on City Salaries

After the first memo and LBBJ article appeared on City salaries, the City Manager sent a clarification on their prior memorandum:

Clarification on 100 Club

City Mangement Response to Article on Employee Salaries

Annually, the Long Beach Business Journal runs an article listing all the salaried employees in the City who make $100,000 or more and those who are approaching the $100,000 figure. Here's the link to that article. Below is an explanation by City Management:

City Salaries in Long Beach

Dog and Cat Licensing -- An Explanation

Many of you have asked why the City of Long Beach is now going door to door on the issue of dog and cat licensing. Below is a memo from the City Manager explaining:

Dog  and Cat Licensing

Good News --You Can Help Save the LB Municipal Band Now.

Long Beach Municipal Band 1925

I have several pieces of good news concerning the future of the Long Beach Municipal Band.

As you know, many of you contacted me about saving the Long Beach Municipal Band from the financial cuts proposed in the budget presented to the City Council.

I immediately set out to try and find a corporate sponsor by sending out a number of letters to key business contacts. I also encouraged residents to do the same.

I was contacted by a member of the Harbor Commission about engaging the Port of Long Beach in helping to fund. It appears we may be able to secure $50,000.

The law firm of Keesal, Young and Logan have agreed to provide pro-bono legal work to form a non-profit "Friends of the LB Municipal Band" which will allow tax deductible contributions to be made that will go directly to maintaining the LB Municipal Band.

In the interim, I have asked city staff to arrange with Partners of Parks, which is a non profit organization that can accept tax deductible donations, to waive their 10% administrative fee and accept donations right now for the Long Beach Municipal Band.

You may now send your tax deductible donation to help save the Long Beach Municipal Band to:

Partners of Parks
2760 N Studebaker Road
Long Beach, CA 90815-1697

Mark your donation: Long Beach Municipal Band.

The fight is not over. We need to make certain the band receives a steady source of funding from the City of Long Beach. As we look at other programs funded from the same source of monies, we need to make certain the LB Municipal Band receives it fair share.

Community Budget Meeting for 5th Council District Saturday August 21st

The public is invited to attend a Community Budget Meeting on Saturday, August 21 at 10 am. The meeting will feature Councilwoman Gerrie Schipske and key city management who will discuss the Mayor and City Manager's proposed budget for the coming Fiscal Year.

The meeting will be held at Emerson Parkside Academy at Josie and Willow.

Weekly City Manager Newsletter

The most recent City Manager's weekly newsletter:

Friday Newsletter 0813102

City Council Compensation

 The following was given to the LA Times regarding the compensation given to City Council members and the Mayor:    Council Compensation 8-13-10