The Long Beach City Council will continue its ongoing discussions of two major issues in which millions of dollars in budget costs or property hang in the balance. The City Clerk's Office announced today that the council will have a special closed session meeting Thursday (July 16) at 4:30 p.m. at City Hall, 333 W. Ocean Blvd.
On the table is a discussion about contracts with the city's employee unions, which city officials have asked to forgo contractual pay raises in order to help eliminate a $43.3 million budget deficit. If all of the five unions that have pay raises coming agree to the concessions, the city will be able to cut $23 million and avoid 26 days of furloughs for all workers, including police and firefighters.
Also, the council will discuss in its closed meeting the controversial deal designed preserve and restore Los Cerritos Wetlands. At least 33.7 acres of the 175-acre Bixby Ranch portion of the wetlands in southeast Long Beach would be exchanged for the city's 12.1-acre public service yard by the Los Angeles River. Critics have questioned whether the city is getting its money's worth in the deal and whether now is the right time to be swapping valuable city land.
The wetlands discussion had been on the agenda for a closed session at Tuesday's council meeting, but it was removed because of time constraints, city officials said. The council did however discuss the pay raise issue in a closed meeting that strangely excluded virtually every other city official, including City Manager Pat West. Only eight of the nine council members, Mayor Bob Foster and City Attorney Bob Shannon were present.
In Thursday's meeting, O'Donnell, who was absent Tuesday because he's out of town, will participate via teleconference from Monte Rio, according to City Clerk Larry Herrera.
Tune in tomorrow to hear if any votes are made on either of these issues. At the very least, the wetlands deal could get a vote to move the matter forward or to kill the deal, though the contract would still have to return to the council for a vote in open session. Any changes to the employee contracts also would have to be voted on in open session.
Paul Eakins reports on Long Beach City Hall, and local and regional
politics. A newcomer to the Press-
Kris Hanson reports on the Ports of Long Beach and Los Angeles,
covering environmental issues, economic triumphs and
pitfalls and trade trends of America’s largest port.
He also writes a weekly column “On The Waterfront”,
appearing Tuesdays, and also produces an occassional video
and column titled “On The Job,” which follows the hard-working
men and women who keep Southern California’s economy humming.
Karen Robes Meeks came to work for the Press-
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