Another very busy night within the confines of Long Beach City Hall tonight, as the City Council will convene for a study session at 3:30pm, a closed discussion at 4:15pm, and a full docket in the regular meeting beginning at 5:00pm. Let’s get right into it, shall we?
First up is the study session at 3:30pm, where the Council is scheduled to be briefed on the possible annexation of a small eastside community called Island Village that is attempting to be rezoned into Seal Beach. The District Weekly was the first to document this issue in a Dave Wielenga article that you can find by clicking here. Members of the community will have three minutes each to address the Council.
At 4:15pm, the never-ending saga of Lobstergate continues as the Council will hear an update on possible litigation in the case of Randy Hausauer vs. The City of Long Beach. Hausauer, a commander in the Long Beach Police Department, has filed the case in State Court, alleging that he was retaliated against within the force after conducting an investigation into accusations that officers were illegally diving for lobsters while on patrol. The case is set for trial in the next few months.
In the main Council meeting, a vote to accept nearly $1.9 million in funding from the County of Los Angeles to battle the H1N1 virus (commonly known as “swine flu”) will be heard. The vote also includes a partnership with LBUSD to increase preparedness within the District. Councilmembers will also vote on a recommendation to enact workday furloughs for members of the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace workers in an attempt to cut 5.7% of their annual pay.
We’ll have updates shortly following tonight’s meetings.