LBC Meeting Notes

Live Twitter-based coverage of Long Beach city government meetings. Goal: increase accountability, transparency, & civic participation. A @forthelbc project.

[The Southlander @SouthlanderLA]

What Happened to the Firehouse Community Farm in North Long Beach?

https://t.co/WSApNFZV1f

[LBC Meeting Notes @LBCMtgNotes]

Check it out! This item will be heard at the council’s 5 p.m. meeting today.

[The Southlander @SouthlanderLA]

The Long Beach Police Department plans to seek City Council approval today to spend $1.2 million in federal grant money to purchase additional mass surveillance equipment.

https://t.co/SSItZz9hco

[LBC Meeting Notes @LBCMtgNotes]

Procrastinators: Less than an hour left to vote or drop off your ballot!

[Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk @LACountyRRCC]

Have you voted in the #2022CAGeneralElection?!

There's still plenty of time. Vote Centers and Ballot Drop Boxes are open until 8 PM!

Return your ballot or find a Vote Center in your neighborhood: https://t.co/PUcdMNlFB1

#EveryVoteIn #LAVOTES #LACounty

[LBC Meeting Notes @LBCMtgNotes]

Passes.

[LBC Meeting Notes @LBCMtgNotes]

A tax on vacant commercial property is being proposed by Councilmember Al Austin, who says “activation of long vacant locations could revitalize corridors in low-income communities and lead to a more equitable distribution of quality businesses throughout Long Beach.”

[LBC Meeting Notes @LBCMtgNotes]

Austin said he can point to "more than a handful" of properties in his district that have been vacant for a decade.

[LBC Meeting Notes @LBCMtgNotes]

The item passes without discussion. The change will come back to council.

[LBC Meeting Notes @LBCMtgNotes]

The council will vote on whether to amend city code in accordance with a new state law that clarifies the process for removing disruptive people from a public meeting.

[LBC Meeting Notes @LBCMtgNotes]

The item also proposes that an outdated rule requiring public commenters to disclose their name and address be stricken from the code.

[LBC Meeting Notes @LBCMtgNotes]

It's approved.

[LBC Meeting Notes @LBCMtgNotes]

The council is being asked to approve an agreement with the Long Beach Firefighters Association that will give the 396 firefighters represented by the union a 12.5% increase in pay by 2025. The wage increase will be phased in with incremental raises each year.

[LBC Meeting Notes @LBCMtgNotes]

LB Firefighters President Rex Pritchard said the pay increase will help with worker retention. Departments citywide are facing retention issues, and have been for the past year.

[LBC Meeting Notes @LBCMtgNotes]

Motion fails 3-3, meaning that the appeal fails.

[LBC Meeting Notes @LBCMtgNotes]

The council is hearing an appeal against a wireless cell permit on the basis of electromagnetic sensitivity.