TITLE
Recommendation to approve a new list of City Council Standing Committees and request City Attorney to draft a resolution reflecting the changes as approved by the City Council.
DISCUSSION
The City Council has traditionally adopted a new list of City Council Standing Committees, Authorities and Memberships bi-annually. The most recent Council action was on January 12, 2021 and included Council standing committees for:
• Budget Oversight Committee
• Economic Development and Finance Committee
• Federal Legislation Committee
• State Legislation Committee
• Public Safety Committee
• Port, Transportation, and Infrastructure Committee
• Climate Action and Environmental Committee
• Housing and Public Health Committee
• Government, Personnel, and Elections Oversight Committee
• I-710 Oversight Committee
• Charter Amendment Committee
• LBUSD Joint Use Committee
To promote equity, efficiency, and inclusion, an updated set of standing City Council Committees is being presented for consideration.
This new set:
l Retains 3 existing standing Council committee names and functions:
o Budget Oversight Committee
o Housing and Public Health Committee
o Public Safety Committee
l Updates the names, and roles and responsibilities, while combining 2 of the other 6 existing standing Council committees and adding one entirely new committee, so that 6 Standing Council Committees remain and are named and function as described below:
The Ports, Transportation, and Infrastructure Committee, which has historically reviewed and provided input into policies impacting operations and projects located in the Tidelands Area, policies applicable to the Port of Long Beach, the City’s Capital Improvement Plan (CIP), major street and road improvements, and other large infrastructure projects, will henceforth be known as the Mobility, Ports, and Infrastructure Committee. This committee shall continue to function similarly to the Ports, Transportation, and Infrastructure Committee, with additional emphasis on encouraging the Council’s engagement with the Long Beach Airport, Long Beach Transit, the Port of Long Beach, L.A. Metro and a focus on improving local transportation infrastructure, walkability, and bikeability in the City.
The Climate Action and Environmental Committee shall henceforth be known as the Climate, Environment, and Coastal Protection Committee. This committee will continue to be responsible for considering policy changes impacting climate change and environmental matters, and supporting the City’s transition towards clean energy and zero-emission standards.
The Government, Personnel and Elections Oversight Committee shall be henceforth known as the Government Operations and Efficiency Committee. This committee will continue to be responsible for considering City Charter Commission appointments, naming recommendations, and reviewing smaller settlements to be entered into by the City.
The Economic Development and Finance Committee shall be henceforth known as the Economic Development and Opportunity Committee. This committee will continue to be responsible for exploring public policy positions and providing feedback and ideas to the City Council with respect to strengthening the City’s tax base, and opportunities to issue bonds, revenues and financing to encourage economic development and expand economic opportunity for Long Beach residents.
The State Legislation Committee and the Federal Legislation Committees will be combined into a single committee that shall be henceforth known as the Intergovernmental Affairs Committee. This committee will continue to be responsible for monitoring Los Angeles County, State of California, and federal government legislation’s impacts on Long Beach, as well as preparing State and Federal Legislative agendas for the City.
A new committee known as the Arts, Culture, and Tourism Committee shall be established. This new committee will be tasked with developing public policy positions and providing feedback and ideas to the City Council to support and strengthen Long Beach’s arts, culture, and tourism sector, with the goal of attracting new investment, bolstering public art and entertainment activities, nurturing the local arts community, and uplifting Long Beach’s rich cultural diversity. This new committee has the potential to ensure that every neighborhood sees new, innovative arts and cultural activities that engage residents in placemaking, healing, activism, and community building.
What results is a new set of 9 standing City Council committees, whereby each member of the City Council shall: chair a standing committee, serve as vice chair of a second standing committee and be a member of a third standing committee. With this format, each City Councilmember shall have membership on three standing committees. The newly proposed 9 standing City Council Committees are named below, with the proposed updated responsibilities.
Budget Oversight Committee
Explore public policy positions and provide feedback and ideas to the City Council for the purposes of developing a budget for the upcoming fiscal year, which will be presented to the full City Council for consideration.
Mobility, Ports, and Infrastructure Committee
Provide input into policies impacting operations and projects located in the Tidelands Area, policies applicable to the Port of Long Beach, Long Beach Transit, L.A. Metro, and the Long Beach Airport, and review the City’s Capital Improvement Plan (CIP), major street and road improvements, efforts to improve walkability and bikeability in the city, as well as other large infrastructure projects.
Economic Development and Opportunity Committee
Explore public policy positions and provide feedback and ideas to the City Council with respect to strengthening the City’s tax base, and opportunities to issue bonds, revenues and financing to encourage economic development and expand economic opportunity for Long Beach residents.
Intergovernmental Affairs Committee
Annually, provide policy direction for City Council consideration with respect to the upcoming year’s federal and state legislative agendas. Review the City’s progress on legislative positions adopted by the City Council.
Public Safety Committee
Explore public policy positions for City Council consideration with respect to public safety matters.
Climate, Environment, and Coastal Protection Committee
Explore public policy positions for City Council consideration with respect to climate change adaptation, matters impacting the City’s natural environment, air quality, and coastline, and supporting the City’s transition towards
clean energy and zero-emission standards.
Housing and Public Health Committee
Explore public policy positions for City Council consideration with respect to public health, housing and homelessness.
Government Operations and Efficiency Committee
Provide policy review on matters impacting key city matters, including recommending the naming of city buildings and infrastructure and reviewing smaller litigation settlements, as well as City Charter Committee appointments.
Arts, Culture, and Tourism Committee
Explore public policy positions for City Council consideration regarding Long Beach’s arts and culture sector and associated tourism, with the goal of attracting new investment, bolstering public art and entertainment activities, nurturing the local arts community, and uplifting Long Beach’s rich cultural diversity.
Additionally, an updated set of Council Authorities and Special Committees is being presented for consideration.
This new set:
l Retains 2 existing Council Authorities and Special Committee names and functions:
o Charter Amendment Committee
o I-710 Oversight Committee
l Updates the name and function of 1 Special Committee:
o LBUSD Joint Use Committee will be renamed the Educational Partnerships Committee. This Special committee shall continue to function similarly to the LBUSD Joint Use Committee, but with a focus on building
partnerships like the Long Beach Housing Promise and College Promise, and exploring joint use opportunities with local educational institutions including LBUSD, Long Beach City College, and California State University, Long Beach.
FISCAL IMPACT
There is no fiscal impact to this item,
SUGGESTED ACTION
Approve recommendation.
Respectfully Submitted,
REX RICHARDSON,
MAYOR