Fire Station Brownouts and Oil Revenue and Fire Insurance Rates

The City has received news...or let's say it became public.. but the price per barrel of oil has been much higher over the past year than was budgeted. City management budgeted oil revenue at $45a barrel. The average price oil has been in excess of $65 a barrel.

Now I know this won't last forever or then again it might, but don't you all think it is time that if the city has this revenue that we restore the cuts that were made to public safety?

For instance, Station 19 in the 5th district was on a brown out last Sunday. I know because I went over to the station and no one was there for the entire afternoon (or at least til 3 pm when I left the adjacent park).

We should be taking that revenue and staffing the fire department. We do not need to risk being classified as a Class III fire department because of inadequate staffing levels. Fire insurance rates are determined by the quality of local fire departments.

We also should be taking that revenue and scheduling a police academy for the fall so that we don't go further behind on staffing levels.

I will be sending out a survey asking if you agree that any additional revenue should be spent on restoring cuts to public safety services.

Why we need to care about what happens to hotel workers

There is a story that isn't getting much coverage in the Long Beach press about a group of hotel workers who contend that they have been fired from a local hotel because they complained about unfair working conditions -- which they are entitled to do under the National Labor Relations Act without fear of being retaliated against.

The story is complicated because it appears that the hotel utilized an agency to hire the workers, and the workers did the very same work as the directly hired housekeepers. However, the agency workers complained to the hotel that they did not receive the same pay. nor benefits as the other workers did doing the same work and that the agency failed to deduct the appropriate taxes from their pay. A state agency interviewed some of the workers and the workers were let go by the hotel.

Now, I know that some think that in this economy people should be grateful for even having a job and that if they don't like the conditions at their job then they can leave.

There are several things wrong with that line of thinking: no economic condition should ever justify the waiving of legal rights and working men and women (most of the housekeepers in this country are women) should not be forced to give up their rights to work under the laws that govern employment. And, workers should be paid equal pay for equal work.

More and more stories are coming out about the injuries, abuse and mistreatment of hotel housekeepers across this country. Hotel workers are 48% more likely to be injured on the job than the typical
worker in the service sector. Hotel workers also have higher rates of serious, disabling injuries—those that require days away from work or reassignment to light duty.

Apparently, the hotel industry's use of heavy mattresses and the repetitive work of lifting the mattress to put on and tuck in sheets causes serious back strain. Pushing supply carts that can weigh as much as 300 pounds across carpeted floors puts additional pressure on workers arms, backs and legs. Repetitive motions of lifting, bending, stretching and pushing to scrub, clean, dust and vacuum, are not the only dangers they face. Housekeepers are also exposed to potent industrial cleaners on a daily basis and chemical-induced skin rashes and eye irritations are common.


Housekeepers have long been silent about their working conditions because they do not want to lose their source of employment. So it takes great courage to speak up to an employer when you are making below poverty level wages and doing back breaking work that you know you need to do in order to support your family. 

Many people have become sensitive to not purchasing clothing made by child or slave labor -- no matter how inexpensive the product may be. Clothing manufacturers have pledged not to use sweat shops as a result of public pressure. We know that cheap clothing made by children or slaves is not right. We know that it is not fair.

Well, it is not right to enjoy the luxury of a clean hotel room, stocked with fresh linens and mini-bar, while knowing that the people who provided the services have not been treated fairly.

Community Meeting Packed

The Water Treatment plant was filled to capacity tonight as residents came to listen to information on many subjects impacting the 5th Council District:

• redistricting
• plastic bags
• medical marijuana
• crime
• development at Douglas Park and at Lakewood and Willow
• city budget
• sidewalk repair, street repair and tree trimming
• summer programs and concerts in the parks

I want to thank the residents, my staff and other city staff would came out tonight to make this successful. As soon as the new budget is released, we will meet again to go over the details.

Shoppers mad at City Plastic Bag Ban

Okay so I am home today because I have an eye infection and pharyngitis.

I go to the pharmacy at my local grocery store. I am recognized even in my disguise of sunglasses. The pharmacist begins telling me that many, many of his customers have told him that when the plastic bag ban starts, they are going to Lakewood to shop.

Oh, great. At least I got a smile when I said I voted against the ban.

Report shows collapse risk of LB Memorial Hospital 9.8% vs LB Community Hospital Which Was not Assigned a Risk

Recently, Long Beach Community Hospital was taken over by Long Beach Memorial Medical Center due to financial troubles that largely included a projection of substantial costs related to earthquake retrofitting for LB Community Hospital. When LBCH was taken over, Memorial indicated that it would remain an ER and acute care hospital only if it was feasible for Memorial to retrofit LBCH.

Well, that is certainly interesting in light of a recent report found by clicking here from the Office of Statewide Health Planning and Development  that indicates Memorial Medical Center is in fact in need of earthquake retrofitting due to an estimated 9.8% risk of collapse of its main tower and additions should it be hit by an earthquake of 7.1 or greater, while Long Beach Community Hospital was not assigned a collapse risk. (St. Mary Medical Bauer Wing was assessed having a 4.6% risk of collapse. Its south wing was assigned a 3.6% risk, while Pacific Hospital was not assigned a risk percentage.)

Hospitals which have been assigned a collapse risk of 1.2 percent of more must retrofit, replace or remove patient care from those buildings by 2015.

The report is not clear as to whether or not LBCH (or Pacific Hospital) submitted itself for assessment of collapse risk. Hospitals can escape the mandates to retrofit if they undergo an assessment that results in less than a 1.2% risk of collapse.

Survey Shows Support to Ban Styrofoam -- Opposed to Banning Plastic Bags

You can click here and read the results of the survey I just ran asking people for their opinions on whether or not to support State Senator Alan Lowenthal's bill to ban styrofoam containers and whether or not they supported or opposed the City Council recent vote to ban plastic bags in grocery stores. (I voted against the ban.)

The survey runs along the lines of the emails  received before the vote on the plastic bag ban -- people oppose this ban and the fee -- while they support banning styrofoam.

The survey was sent to 3800 people.

City Manager Posts Proposed New Maps of City Council Districts

You can see the proposed new maps of how City Council boundaries might be depending upon how City Council votes.

New boundaries are required because of changes in the census population. The only anomaly in the 5th Council District is that the 4th District boundary continues to jut into the 5th district in order to take park property even though there are no residents adjacent. Kinda silly. This would be like the 5th Council district boundary jutting downwards to include some beach property!(?) Oh well, we have much more important issues to grapple with than this.

Click here to see the proposed maps.

The Story of SEADIP -- How Corruption Brought a Plan

There is much confusion over exactly what is SEADIP in Long Beach, how it came about, whether or not it has to be followed today and why the issues it dealt with are the very same ones now being raised by potential developers at 2nd and PCH.

History:
In the 1970's Long Beach was famous for allowing the building of developments without much care for their impact. The City Planning Director in fact was convicted of taking more than $52,000 in bribes from a team of architects who worked on 6 projects..that by the way were built...including Marina Pacifica (at that time the largest building permit ever issued by the City Planning Department).

The City Manager resigned before being ousted and the Council formed taskforces to deal with a number of issues including: citizen participation, reforming appointments to committees, commissions and boards.

Prior to the arrest of the planning director a citizen taskforce north of Seal Beach. The plan to be developed was called Southeast Area Development and Improvement Plan (SEADIP). Members of the taskforce became very upset when it was disclosed that 4 of the developments for which bribes were accepted were in the area being studied for regulation.

The focus of the taskforce was to deal with development in a responsible way that did not adversely impact the existing neighborhoods. Residents contended that PCH and Second Streets were clogged.
They argued that projects already under way (Marina Pacifica Shopping Center and the Market
Place) were too big for their approaches and that coordination of planning between city and developers
was inadequate.

As the Chairwoman Jan Hall told the local press: "It would be a tragedy to allow high density development in the SEADIP area that would compel unacceptable traffic conditions or radical measures..."

One of many newspaper articles pointed out that increasing the density of the SEADIP area would not be consistent with the Naples-like character recommended for the area in a shore line study done for the city by Sasaki-Walker.

When the 113 page document was finalized by the taskforce and adopted by the Planning Commission, SEADIP was hailed in editorials by the local press because it was a compromise of development with preservation. -- setting a maximum commercial building height of 35 feet.

SEADIP became an amendment to the 1961 general plan and was adopted unanimously by the City Council in 1977.

See below to read a series of newspaper accounts of what went on during the formation of SEADIP.
 Traffic Snarls SEADIP
Del Sol Project Approved
Beginnings of SEADIP
SEADIP Talks Extended
SEADIP Hearings
LB City Council Adopts SEADIP
 SEADIP A Dilmemma for the City
 Heart and Soul of SEADIP Gets Approved
Citizens Help in Planning
The Map of Long Beach's Last Frontier
Editorial Praising SEADIP


There are many more articles on SEADIP. But these should give you an idea of the intent and purpose of those many citizen meetings.

LBTV Wins Two First Place Awards for Coverage of 5th District Solar Grand Prix

Long Beach Television (LBTV), a division of the City's Technology Services Department, received 11 government programming STAR awards at the States of California and Nevada National Association of Telecommunications Officers and Advisors (SCAN NATOA) annual conference in Long Beach on June 2, 2011.  The STAR Awards were established in 1996 to recognize outstanding community television programming produced by local jurisdictions serving California and Nevada communities.

"LBTV provides our community with some the nation's best local programming," said Mayor Bob Foster.  “I know first-hand that the LBTV staff are talented and hard-working professionals who are vital to telling viewers why it’s great to live and work in Long Beach in an informative and entertaining way.”

LBTV received first-place awards in four categories, second-place awards in five categories, including the prestigious Overall Excellence Award, and two third-place awards.

1944 Movie -- Since You Went Away -- to Show at Art Theater on June 12

Ladies and Gentlemen -- Get Ready for a Good Cry -- Art Theater to Show 1944 Film "Since You Went Away"

Long Beach, CA – Grab your favorite guy or gal and head on down to the Art Theater on Sunday, June 12 at 11 am and step back in time as you watch the 1944 film "Since You Went Away" presented by The Long Beach Rosie the Riveter Foundation "Home Front Theater."

The very emotional 1944 film, Since You Went Away, depicts the life of a mother, played by Claudette Colbert, and her two daughters, played by Jennifer Jones and Shirley Temple, on the home front at their father is away at work.  In their struggle to make ends meat, they take in a lodger.  However, the inconveniences and rationing cannot hinder the love affair of a daughter and the grandson of the lodger.  This movie won the 1945 Academy Award for Best Music, as well as, nominated for eight other nomination including Best Picture.  1940s newsreels will also be shown.

The screening will take place 11 a.m. at the Art Theater, 2025 4^th Street in Long Beach.  Tickets will be available at the door for a suggested contribution of $20 for The Long Beach Rosie the Riveter Foundation, a non profit organization established to develop and maintain the history of the women who worked on the home front in Long Beach during WWII.