The newest member of the five-person Long Beach Board of Harbor Commissioners has spent more than three decades as a lawyer and served on more community boards than you can count. But Commissioner Susan Wise is entering a new world as she settles into the position she was appointed to just two weeks ago, replacing retired Commissioner Doris Topsy-Elvord. As she explains, that new world is full of opportunities, and challenges.
What are you most looking forward to as a Harbor Board Commissioner?
I have really a lot to learn, and I guess the first thing I’m looking forward to doing is catching up, and learning enough to really participate in what’s going on with everything from the Clean Air Action Plan to other environmental processes. There are a lot of infrastructure plans in the works.
What unique abilities do you bring to the Board?
My experience is in the process, if you will. In working with a group to reach a decision. I think it’s, what I call my problem-solving skills that I bring to the Board. That’s what I bring to the table in particular. Not to say that the people on the Board don’t have problem-solving skills, but that’s what my experience is in.
How have your professional experiences prepared you for this position?
Ive practiced law for 34 years and for the last five as a moderator. What you do is learn as much as you can and work with both sides to find a solution. That’s what I bring. The other thing is that I’ve been in this community for a long time, and the activities I’ve been involved in have introduced me to a lot of things in Long Beach.
I was on the Legal Aid Foundation of Long Beach, and served as President for three years in the 80s. Ive been very active in the Bar Associations in town. I was the President of the Long Beach Bar Association and started the Bar Foundation, a 501(c)3. We founded it to bring a program called SHORTSTOP to Long Beach, which is a juvenile diversion program and the idea for that came because of the riots. I learned of this program in Orange County, so we got it established in Long Beach. Since 1994, when it started, every other week twenty to forty kids go through the courthouse. I feel like that almost like I do about my children.
I was also involved in the Long Beach Nonprofit Partnership – and meanwhile, I had two children born at St. Mary’s. Ive also been on the YMCA Board for 20-something years, and served on the City Ethics Task Force in 2003.
Commission Vice President Nick Sramek and Wise during yesterday’s Board meeting
What are the most important issues facing the Harbor Board today?
Environmental issues, obviously are top of the list. Making sure we can carry through on the Clean Air Action Plan, and now the Clean Trucks Plan is part of that. Its no secret that some legislation is going on right now, but we have to continue. Enforcing speed reductions in the harbor is also important to our environmental efforts.
A lot of the infrastructure needs are necessary in order to accomplish the environmental goals. Everything from new facilities, to alternative fuels, to what I call “human infrastructure,” which is making sure we have the people that can do these new jobs. We need to make sure that these things are invested in.
In addition, we have the economic issues. The Port has enjoyed continued growth for some time now. However the economic crisis has slowed things down. We have to figure out how this fits into the plans. We have a new program that’s created 480 new jobs, that’s something that’s unheard of right now. So there are a lot of opportunities here, but also a lot of challenges.
This commission can’t control everything that’s happening in the world. So we have to stay on top of whats happening in Sacramento, Washington and around the world, because this is an international port.
How do you keep a balance between environmental and economic issues?
Maybe we’ll know the balance when we see it. The environment is – not just locally but globally – the environment is invaluable, obviously.
It’s really hard for me to prioritize. I see the environmental issues, I see the economic issues. As I do this, I just keep coming up with more and more questions. I have all these questions, ranging from details with jurisdiction to where we are with the Clean Air Action Plan.
How did you hear that you had been selected for the position, and what was your reaction?
I put in an application, which is the process, but then I hadn’t heard anything back for months. I received the call when I was least expecting it. I said I would need a few days to think about it, so I did and called back and said I was ready. I’m excited, I’m overwhelmed, I’m grateful – there are a lot of adjectives to describe how I feel.
What was your first Board meeting like, today?
Not as bad as I thought, but when you take that oath, you do realize that you’re taking on some serious responsibilities.
You’ve said that the Mayor knew before he appointed you of your husband’s law firm, and that he has been involved in cases that could be possible conflicts of interest for you. How was that addressed?
When I met with [Mayor Foster], I made sure he knew what my husband’s practice was. I then met with the City Attorney’s office on my own volition and will continue to meet with them to ensure that I don’t run into any conflicts of interest and if I do, make sure that I recuse myself from those matters.
Have you been able to settle into your new position yet?
It’s been really busy and I hope it settles down a little bit. We’ve been in meetings since this morning, so I wouldn’t call this a “normal day.” I’m looking forward to slowing down and being able to get to the actual work.
What are you most excited about?
I’m looking forward to getting to know the staff. From what I’ve seen and heard about them, they’re just wonderful, knowledgeable people to work with. I’m looking forward to meeting with them and learning from them.
As told to Ryan ZumMallen, Managing Editor
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