Results tagged “Gerrie Schipske” from Press Corps

Fifth District Councilwoman Gerrie Schipske is getting her re-election campaign rolling with a fundraiser from 5 to 7 p.m. today at Cirivello's Pizza, 4115 N. Viking Way. It isn't exactly cheap pizza -- from $35 to $350 -- but I guess the money isn't really paying for food.

We haven't heard much from Schipske's only opponent so far -- Mike Hedges, president and CEO of Pacific Striping in Signal Hill. RSVP to www.schipske4council.com.

The friendly competition between Long Beach and Downey to bring in a Tesla Motor Co. manufacturing and assembly plant -- and the 1,000 to 1,200 jobs that would accompany it -- keeps heating up. After Downey officials visiteds the CEO's office earlier this month to deliver a gift basket, Long Beach City Councilwoman Gerrie Schipske created the below video to poke a little fun at Downey's efforts.

We haven't heard yet from Downey about which city will win, but the Bay Area company is expected to announce it anytime.

Fifth District Councilwoman Gerrie Schipske keeps trying to find ways to boost funding for libraries with spare change. Schipske initiated the effort two years ago, and at the upcoming Good Neighbor Festival and Picnic in her district, she is hoping some penny games -- actually, nickel games, to be accurate -- will help raise money for area libraries.

Here's the press release that Schipske's office sent out today:

Who says you can't buy anything with penny now a days?

Check your couches and your cars and round up your spare pennies and change and bring them to the "penny carnival" this Saturday, September 26 at the Third Annual Good Neighbor Festival and Picnic.

"Kids can play several carnival games for 5 cents each and at the same time help El Dorado and Bach library branches," says Fifth District Councilwoman Gerrie Schipske.

Pennies brought to the Good Neighbor Festival will be donated to the two branch libraries in the 5^th District and used to purchase books and materials.

The Third Annual Good Neighbor Festival and Family Picnic will be held Saturday, September 26 from 10 am until 3 pm at Good Neighbor Park, 2800 Studebaker Road. In addition to the penny carnival, the Festival features music by the Wonderelles, free food, a sidewalk chalk art contest, prizes, a pie eating contest and more than 45 informational booths.

For more information, contact Office of Councilwoman Gerrie Schipske, 562.570.6932.

Things must have gotten backed up at City Hall because of the budget over the last couple of weeks. The agenda for next Tuesday's City Council meeting isn't just a government document -- it's a book! Forget "War and Peace." "Don Quixote"? That's light reading.

If any last-minute items are added to the agenda this afternoon (and they almost always are), the agenda will have at least 50 items on it. And I thought we were going to be finished with late-night meetings for a while after the council approved the budget last week.

For the most part, however, there isn't anything of great controversy on the agenda, though you never know for sure what might stir up trouble into you're sitting in the Council Chambers. Twenty-one items are on the consent calendar, which is passed with a single vote, and many of the other actions are for various contracts. Fairly routine stuff.

One big controversial issue could be an item from council members Rae Gabelich, Gerrie Schipske and Tonia Reyes Uranga to have the Charter Amendment Commitee (which is essentially the mayor and the full council) consider charter reforms to bring in more money. That includes but is not limited to, the agenda item notes, revising the Harbor Department transfer to the General Fund. That means the council members want more money from the Port of Long Beach. This discussion has been touched on many times before, and grabbing that extra cash requires walking a thin legal tightrope. The Harbor Department is certainly likely to resist.

By coincidence, earlier Tuesday, at 3:30 p.m., the Charter Amendment Committee will meet to discuss creating a charter-required "rainy day" fund to ensure that when extra money is on hand, part of it is saved for tough economic times -- like now. The council would have to put the fund on the ballot for voters to consider.

The council starts its regular meeting Tuesday at 5 p.m. Click here to go the city clerk's Legistar program that will allow you to see all of the meeting agendas with their backup documents.

What may have begun as a clever political tactic is likely to be a celebratory event at Fire Station 18 on Sunday.

Last week, Councilman Gerrie Schipske announced the East Long Beach station would have an open house this weekend, right before the council is expected to approve the city budget next Tuesday. Under City Manager Pat West's original budget proposal, the station was to share a fire engine with Station 1 downtown, leaving the Eastside station empty during the day.

The open house may have been a tactic to draw attention to the issue and drum up community support before the council vote, and it is supposed to give the public a chance to sign a petition against the station's partial closure. But this Tuesday the council voted to restore the station's fire crew to full strength, a move that seems likely to get final passage next Tuesday. Sunday's open house should be a joyous event now.

The open house takes place from noon to 2 p.m. at 3361 Palo Verde Ave. Visitors can meet the firefighters and have cookies and lemonade.

Fifth District Councilwoman Gerrie Schipske has announced on her Facebook page that she will have a campaign kick-off and fundraiser Sept. 12.

So far, Schipske only faces one challenger in next April's election, Mike Hedges, president and CEO of Pacific Striping in Signal Hill. Hedges is a political newcomer that so far hasn't drawn much attention to himself. Schipske, on the other hand, is a master at getting her name and face in the media, stirring up controversy and mobilizing her constituents.

A controversial figure, Schipske is often at odds with other council members, city management and especially Mayor Bob Foster. But she also has earned a reputation as one of the most active and responsive council members, staying in touch with East Long Beach residents and responding to their concerns. She maintains a blog as well to keep her constituents informed.

So far, I would consider Schipske a lock for a second term, but it is still very early in the campaign. Who knows what challengers might surface in the coming months, or what Hedges might bring to the table. While Schipske has much going for her, there is also enough controversy in her political history and a few decisions that have upset residents to become ammunition for challengers to use against her.

They say an animal is most dangerous when cornered, and if that's the case, we better keep a few steps away from Long Beach's employee associations.

With furloughs already implemented, pay freezes or more furloughs on the horizon, and now the City Council deciding this week to open up discussions about reforming the costly pensions held by public employees, the unions are being threatened from all sides.

Last night at the 5th District community budget meeting, the Long Beach Firefighters Association bared its teeth as it faced attacks from political gadflies, who are starting to smell blood.

Many of the usual suspects who regularly hammer at the council and city management over workers' pay, pensions and making financially sound decisions in general were at the 5th District meeting in El Dorado Park Community Center. There was Larry Boland, a loud voice for pension reform who has dedicated much of his time to analyzing why Long Beach's pension costs have grown to $80 million citywide. Also among the crowd were the founding members of the Long Beach Taxpayers Association, Tom Stout and Kathy Ryan, and a few other critics.

They all railed against past city councils for approving pay raises and fat pensions for employees, against city management for letting it happen and against the unions for seeking the kinds of benefits that critics say few workers in the private sector enjoy.

Following a presentation by City Manager Pat West and Finance Director Lori Ann Farrell about the budget, Boland was the first to talk, and as he went on and on about pensions, Councilwoman Gerrie Schipske had to ask him to sit down and let others speak.

Then Ryan said that, as Long Beach faces 34 potential police officer layoffs and the partial closure of Fire Station 18 in East Long Beach, "We've priced ourselves out of the public safety market."

Firefighters Association leaders disputed these claims, saying that Long Beach firefighters are below the median pay of comparable California cities and that the Fire Department budget hasn't increased significantly in recent years. Things got tense as Rich Brandt, president of the Firefighters Association, was speaking. He suddenly turned to Stout, who had been grumbling under his breath, got right in his face and asked him if he had something to say. Stout didn't respond.

Ultimately, it took Schipske to calm things down again, and while a few 5th District residents asked questions or made comments, many of them seemed caught in the crossfire between gadflies, unions and city management as the debate escalated. My recommendation: When the growling starts, stay out of the way.

Read more about the Fire Department budget, how the department operates, and what it could be doing differently, better or more cheaply this Sunday at www.presstelegram.com.

Remember last year's city budget process, when city officials scheduled budget workshops and meetings right before their regular council meetings? Remember the long lines of residents who wanted to speak but ended up being rushed? Remember how council members didn't have time to ask all their questions and the budget meetings went over schedule? Remember how city management promised this year it would be different?

Well, it hasn't quite worked out that way, and Councilwoman Gerrie Schipske said tonight during a community budget meeting in her 5th District that she and council members Tonia Reyes Uranga and Rae Gabelich tomorrow will release a statement calling for at least two budget sessions each week until the council approves a budget Sept. 15.

Sure, the city has scheduled a dozen community meetings that council members and city managers are attending to explain the proposed budget, the $20.3 million in cuts that are being made, and to get feedback from residents. That seems a good step toward the promise of more transparency and public input in the budget process. But at Tuesday's budget workshop, when the council was discussing library and parks budgets, the meeting again went over, public comments had to be reduced from three minutes to two minutes and not all of the council members had time to ask their questions.

Apparently, another budget meeting, where council members would actually be able to vote and take action (not like a workshop, which is just for information and discussion), had been originally planned for later Tuesday at 7 p.m. For some reason, it was taken off the schedule, apparently, according to Schipske, without consulting the council.

Now Schipske says she and her colleagues want more meetings, actionable meetings, and enough time to get all of their questions answered -- not to mention make some budget decisions of enormous magnitude.

Under the proposed city budget, Fire Station 18 in East Long Beach is slated to share a fire engine with Fire Station 1 downtown, which means the Eastside station would be closed during the day. When that news was announced July 30, 5th District Councilwoman Gerrie Schipske showed she was more than a little upset about losing one of her stations.

To support her cause, Schipske has started a blog to try to keep her station open -- www.savestation18.com. The blog has an informative section about fire department terms and raising interesting questions, such as whether 5th District residents' fire insurance rates could be affected by losing a fire station for part of the day.

On Tuesday, the council will be discussing the Fire Department and the Police Department budgets, as well as hearing from the public, during a budget workshop at 3 p.m. in City Hall.

I posted this a couple of weeks ago, but I'm bringing it back to the top of the blog to remind anyone who might be interested.

Fifth District Councilwoman Gerrie Schipske wants to let you know how to run for public office. Her monthly Wake Up Long Beach event will feature City Clerk Larry Herrera and two political consultants who will explain what steps are necessary to run for office.

You've got to give Schipske credit for hosting such an event. She is, after all, up for re-election in April 2010 in her East Long Beach district. So too are council members in the other four odd-numbered districts, as are Mayor Bob Foster, City Attorney Bob Shannon, City Prosecutor Tom Reeves and City Auditor Laura Doud.

Wake Up Long Beach will take place at 8 a.m. Wednesday at El Dorado Golf Restaurant, 2400 Studebaker Road. There is a $10 cost for breakfast. RSVP to 562-570-6932 or district5@longbeach.gov.

Fifth District Long Beach City Councilman Gerrie Schipske posted over the weekend on her blog -- www.gerrieschipske.com -- that a proposed equal benefits ordinance should be sent to committee before the council votes on it. The ordinance would require that companies that contract with the city of Long Beach and provide spousal benefits also must provide benefits for domestic partners. The idea was proposed by 1st District Councilman Robert Garcia to ensure that gay couples have the same benefits as others, at least among businesses the city is paying for services. Other cities and the state have similar equal benefits ordinances in place. Garcia and Schipske are the two openly gay members of the council, but Schipske had some concerns. Here's an excerpt from her blog:

As far as I can see, every city that has adopted this ordinance did so after several public hearings and with input from the business and gay and lesbian communities before the ordinance was crafted.

In fairness to everyone, we need to do the same: refer it to a council committee and the Human Relations Commission for public hearings and in-put. That way we can work out the details in public -- such as the dollar threshold for the requirement to kick in.

As I wrote about in today's paper, former 7th District Councilman Mike Donelon also has voiced concerns. He wrote a letter to the editor that ran in the Press-Telegram as well about the issue. Tuesday's council meeting (5 p.m. at City Hall) should be a lively and engaging one, and I'm sure members of the public and council members will have interesting perspectives on the matter.

Among the many items that went before the Long Beach City Council in a busy and long-running meeting Tuesday was a resolution in support of the state propositions that will be on the ballot next week.

The council voted 4-3 to support the resolutions. Council members Suja Lowenthal, Patrick O'Donnell, Dee Andrews and Tonia Reyes Uranga voted in favor, while council members Robert Garcia, Gerrie Schipske and Rae Gabelich dissented. Vice Mayor Val Lerch abstained, as he usually does on resolutions about ballot measures or similar issues. Lerch has said a non-partisan governmental body like the council shouldn't take a position on issues going before voters, just as it shouldn't back political candidates. Councilman Gary DeLong was absent from the vote.

Will the council's vote make a difference? Polls show voters are likely to reject the propositions May 19. Only Garcia articulated Tuesday why he couldn't support the legislation -- he said he can't support Prop. 1D, which would shift First 5 Children's Commission funding to general health and human services programs for children, and he called the Prop. 1E mental health measure "draconian."

Read up on all of the propositions at the California League of Women Voters voter guide site. It's an objective site that shows the arguments on both sides of each proposition.

Councilwoman Gerrie Schipske says in her blog and a statement released today that something is amiss from the city's application with the federal government to resuse the Schroeder Hall Army Reserve Center at Willow Street and Grand Avenue.

That plan, of course, is the one that has stirred up a hornets nest of East Long Beach residents -- the site would be used for a new police substation, but a mental health facility for the homeless would be built across the street next to the Department of Health and Human Services. The feds require that former millitary bases provide some form of homeless services if requested by local homeless service agencies.

Schipske, whose 5th District contains Schroeder Hall, has asked the council Tuesday to rescind its December 2007 vote approving the project. Furthermore, now Schipske says that in reviewing the Schroeder Hall application that the city submitted to the federal Department of Housing and Urban Development, she has discovered what she perceives as two problems. From her blog:

I have two serious concerns about the statements included in the submission. First of all, it contains several 'guiding principles' that were not approved by City Council.  The submission also fails to disclose to HUD the fact that when the Council voted on the reuse of Schroeder Hall in December 2007 and before the application was submitted three months later, that there were numerous objections by residents of the adjacent neighborhood. Moreover, I specifically asked that those objections be submitted as part of the official record and I don't see them in the submission.

While this may light an even bigger fire under Schroeder Hall opponents, whether it actually influences the council to withdraw the project is another matter. City Attorney Robert Shannon has warned there may be legal consequences associated with resubmitting the proposal to the feds, and city management says doing so could take the site completely out of the city's hands.

Councilman Patrick O'Donnell was the only council member to vote against the plan originally, and Schipske's obviously on board now too. Councilwoman Rae Gabelich has hinted she might be open to rescinding the past vote as well, but it's doubtful that many more council members will join in -- not only because of the legal risks, but because they sure don't want to take a chance that the homeless services end up in their districts instead.

Councilwoman Gerrie Schipske has called for a closed City Council session to discuss the land swap that is intended to preserve at least part of Los Cerritos Wetlands initially after learning about "outrageous" documents that reveal e-mail conversations between city officials and Tom Dean, who owns the wetlands.

Schipske and many community members previously had raised concerns about the deal, for which the City Council gave City Manager Pat West authority to finalize in February, and were skeptical about whether the city was getting a good trade. In the deal, the city is swapping its 12.1-acre public service yard by the Los Angeles River for 33.77 acres of the wetlands on the Eastside south of 2nd Street next to Studebaker Road. The city hopes to eventually acquire the entire 175-acre Bixby Ranch portion of the wetlands. The council voted 6-2, with Schipske and Councilwoman Rae Gabelich dissenting.

A published report in The District Weekly the last week about e-mail documents obtained by a concerned citizen reveal some potentially troubling conversations between Dean and Director of Public Works Mike Conway, who is leading the city's negotiations. Among other things, Conway gave Dean his personal e-mail for unknown reasons and seems to be bending over backwards to help Dean in the deal, noting in e-mails that the deal will be "excellent" for Dean and "defensible (barely)" for the city.

"I am also concerned to read in the documents the costs to remediate the contamination of the City Public Service Yard. This cost was not disclosed during Council discussions of this transaction," Schipske said in a statement.

Schipske said she is calling for a closed session because City Attorney Robert Shannon has said that is how real estate transactions should be handled. In the meantime, Schipske wants City Manager Pat West to hold off on finalizing the deal.

Sitting through often lengthy Long Beach City Council meetings most Tuesday nights, I've come to notice certain trends. Combine that with occasional moments of boredom
-- and some long stretches of boredom -- as I await the next big item to be debated, and here's what we get: The Long Beach City Council Drinking Game.

Though I wouldn't recommend playing the game at the council meetings (unless you want to find yourself playing a different kind of game, one you probably won't win, with the police officers on duty there) this could be a fun way to pass the time at home while waiting for your council item to come up for discussion.

Disclaimer: This game shouldn't be played by anyone under age 21, nor should you drink yourself to the point of any health risk. If you find yourself rolling on the floor laughing at all of the council members' jokes, or you decide that this is the greatest reality TV show you've ever seen, you should probably stop drinking. And I would recommend this game be played with beer, not shots of hard liquor. Remember, council meetings have been known to go until midnight.

Following are the drinking rules. Please add your own drinking rule ideas in the comments section. And if you try the game, I'd love to hear how it goes.

Take a drink when:

• The pet being put up for adoption is a dog. If it's a cat, give away the drink to your friend.
• Gadfly Harvey Cochran speaks to the council.
• Cochran says "ring around the rosey" or a similar phrase.
• Mayor Bob Foster has to cut Cochran off, ask him to summarize or gets visibly annoyed with the loquacious gadfly.
• Councilwomen Gerrie Schipske, Tonia Reyes Uranga or Rae Gabelich cast a dissenting vote (one drink for each vote).
• City Attorney Robert Shannon gets upset with council members for not asking for or heeding his legal advice.
• Councilman Patrick O'Donnell says "a tired kid is a good kid."
• The phrase "Mayor and members of the City Council," or some variation, is uttered.
• Gadfly Larry Goodhue mentions the fence at Marine Stadium, government corruption, the Alamitos Bay farmers market or calls for City Manager Pat West to be fired.
• The council votes unanimously.
• The phrase "core services" is mentioned during budget discussions.
• A council member actually appears to be listening during public comment (one drink for each council member who is listening).

Down your entire glass when:

• The council doesn't have a quorum and council members have to be called back to their seats.
• Cochran doesn't speak during an entire meeting (it actually happened last week, the first time in two years).
• Councilman Dee Andrews speaks (other than during comunity announcements at the end of the meeting).
• Foster and Schipske spontaneously give each other a great, big, loving bear hug.

Down the whole damn six pack when:

• The mayor announces he is resigning from office to pursue his acting career. Look out Hollywood!

Apparently, Councilman Gary DeLong isn't a fan of long-winded, late-night City Council meetings on Tuesdays.

During tonight's meeting, when the council was discussing possible furloughs for workers, DeLong heartily agreed with a statement by Councilwoman Gerrie Schipske that even the legislative department -- council and mayor -- should make cuts. DeLong joked that he would suggest council members take Tuesdays off for their furloughs.

No one is seriously suggesting council members should take part in the furloughs, I think. Their jobs after all are only part-time.

But heck, if the council took Tuesdays off, I don't know that I would complain. Are there any good TV shows on Tuesday nights? Maybe a reality show?

Actually, I guess I already watch a reality show every Tuesday in the council chambers. There's drama, conflict and the occasional crazy person. Now if only we could get DeLong and Rae Gabelich to show us their salsa moves. Or perhaps Mayor Bob Foster would regale us with a song.

Find out Dec. 4 when 5th District Councilwoman Gerrie Schipske hosts her monthly Wake Up Long Beach discussion, this time on the subject "Why Our Emergency Rooms May Be in Trouble in Long Beach."

I'm not sure exactly what "trouble" is referred to, but Press-Telegram writer Brenda Duran recently reported that Long Beach Memorial Medical Center and other area hospitals have been swamped with extra patients after several Los Angeles County hospitals closed and that Memorial is reducing its number of beds. Read the full story here.

The Dec. 4 breakfast discussion will begin at 7:30 a.m. in the El Dorado Golf Restaurant at Studebaker Road and Willow Street. The cost of breakfast is $10. RSVP by calling (562) 570-6932.

Panelists will be Diana Hendel, chief operating officer of Long Beach Memorial Medical Center; Ray Jankowski, CEO of Community Hospital of Long Beach; Deputy Fire Chief Alan Patalono; Schipske; and possibly Los Angeles County Supervisor Don Knabe.

In this corner, Councilwoman Gerrie "the tax-blocker" Schipske of the 5th District, and in the other corner, Mayor Bob "the infrastructure-izer" Foster.

Political sparring fans will enjoy not one, but two opportunities next week to watch these opposing city leaders square off.

First, Schipske will have a community meeting Monday to discuss the mayor's proposed infrastructure parcel tax and the city budget. Foster and City Manager Pat West have been invited to discuss their proposal, according to Schipske.

Schipske has been a critic of Foster's plan, and her reluctance to declare a fiscal emergency to get a necessary unanimous council vote prompted the mayor to change his initial proposal. The plan requires a parcel tax to finance $571 million in infrastructure bonds.

Check out that story here.

The community meeting will take place at 6 p.m. Monday at the El Dorado Senior Center, 2800 Studebaker Road.

Then, on Tuesday at 5 p.m. in City Hall, the council will vote on Foster's proposal, which requires approval by two-thirds of the members to put it on the November ballot, and then two-thirds voter approval to put it into effect.

Both events should yield some new information, interesting exchanges between our elected leaders, and possibly a political throw-down.