Recommendation to authorize City Manager, or designee, to engage in negotiations with the Harbor Department for the transfer of the operation and control of “Pier H” from the City Council to the Harbor Department.  (District 2)
Thank you very much. Next up, we're doing the pier item item 26. Item 26 is a report from economic development. Recommendation to engage in negotiations with the harbor department for the transfer of the operation and Control. Appear from the City Council to the Harbor Department, District two. Thank you, Mr. Modica. Thank you, Mr. Mayor. Members of the City Council. So the Council's had a number of discussions about Pier H and the potential transfer to the port, as was the case back in the nineties. We came and did some very lengthy study sessions with the council and at the time we said we'd have some next steps to come back to you in September on. So we're back here for that next step. I will give you a ah, give it to John Keisler who'll give you a short summary of what this item is. Simply put, you're just directing the city manager to negotiate and you would come back with any kind of final vote on this when negotiations are complete. So turning it over to John. Honorable Mayor and members of the city council. I want to give you a quick background on each in the original item that was requested by the City Council. So if you'll remember, on March 10th, the city attorney, Charlie Parkin, published a memo outlining the legal issues and questions associated with the transfer of Pier. And then on April six, the City Council actually approved a recommendation to discuss the possible transfer of period from the City Council's oversight to the harbor department. Over the past few months, staff from both departments and consultants and engineers have reviewed historical, financial, engineering and operational issues associated with that request. And on July 20th, we had a big study session with the public to talk about the city council and public priorities with regard to a potential transfer. I just want you to know that this has been an extensive review process. In fact, dozens of city staff and engineers have conducted onsite tours and additional survey work. We've even been under the ship, under the water, testing the hull and doing a lot of design work on critical repairs, as well as meetings about historic preservation and all the different options with regard to activating the site. So now what we're what we're really asking is for authorization for the city manager to enter into negotiations with the executive director of the harbor department, Mario Cordero, and the Harbor Commission on belt on about ten different items. And I've outlined these items there in the staff report, but it has to do with the organizational structure, the management plan for transitioning of the leases, maintenance of the public areas, activation of the site for recreation, special events, public access, but also construction management and what we call the Conservation Management Plan of the Arts and architecture. And then finally, a timeline for completion of feasibility studies and a funding plan for those long term 100 year kind of options to dry dock or preserve the ship. That finally operating agreements are required for reopening the different hotel and event spaces. We also need a management plan for for any additional obligations that might arise in the discussions. And a. Delineation of any future role that the City Council or the Harbor Commissioner Commission may have, including the financial responsibilities and funding of repairs. So next steps, if approved by the City Council tonight, would be that staff from city management and the harbor department would begin the process for developing collaborative agreements. We would do some additional fiscal impact work and recommend actions and transition plans back to the city council. The city manager would actually return to the City Council for review and approval of those final agreements. And then the final transition agreements would be prepared by the city staff, once approved by both the City Council and Harbor Commission . So as Tom mentioned, the recommendation is really about authorizing the city manager designee to engage in negotiations with the harbor department for the transfer of the operation and control from the city council to the harbor department. And that's the end of my report. We're happy to answer any questions. Thank you. I do have a I do have a motion in a second by Councilman Allen. Let me take the two members of the public that are here to speak and I'll go to Councilman Allen. Before we do that, I don't I know that Mr. Cordero is here and was going to say a few words. So I think Mr. Kraft can please come forward and then we'll take the two members of the public who is Steven Albanese and Jessica Alvarenga? I believe I've said so. It's critical. Can you hear me? This is good. Every mayor and city council, as Mr. Kaiser has outlined, there has been preliminary discussions with the respective staff. With regard to the overall issue of periods in the Queen Mary. So as has been outlined, there are a number of plans that have to be put together, feasibility studies that had to be move forward. So we look forward to engaging and collaborating with the city of Long Beach as a city to address the issue. That, again, has been much discussed for many decades. And hopefully, again, together, we can confirm answers and come with some answers in terms of what the options are. But at this point, again, we look forward to working with the city council, the city manager and Mr. Castle with regard to all the issues that have been identified in order to further address the issues that are before us. So, again, it's an iconic emblem for the city. It is the Queen Mary and periods. Again, a lot of opportunity there. So we look forward to see how we work together to collaborate and permission to move and discuss and consider these options. Thank you so much, Mayor City Council. Thank you, Mr. Cordero. If I can have the two members of the public, please come forward. Can you hear me? Yes. Okay. Mary Garcia, members of the city council, thank you for your time this evening. My name is Steven Blonsky. I'm here representing QM. I restore the queen of which I serve on the board of directors. Here. My Restore the Queen is a501c free nonprofit corporation dedicated to the preservation of the Queen Mary with an emphasis on project based fundraising. Our mission is to act as community steward of the Queen Mary's Preservation in partnership with the City of Long Beach. Over the past weekend. Some matters of concern regarding tonight's agenda item number 26 were brought to our attention. On Monday, September 13th, an email was sent to the mayor and council members from our executive chairman, Mary Grau, expressing this matter. It would be I would like to reiterate the content of this email in case you were unaware of the correspondence. John Keisler, Director of Economic Development, Tom Eagle City Manager, have proposed a set of recommendations focusing on the transfer of operation control of period from the City Council to the harbor department. Part of the issues to be negotiated in their recommendation is the development of a business plan for the implementation of the Queen Mary Management Plan in collaboration with the nonprofit Queen Mary Heritage Foundation. It is this collaboration with the Queen Mary Heritage Foundation that raises our concern for several reasons. First, the Queen Mary Heritage Foundation, which is a California nonprofit corporation which was formed in 2014, is currently suspended by the Secretary of State for various violations of California nonprofit law incorporation code. A suspended corporation in California should not conduct business until it is reinstated by the Secretary of State with this current status. City Council should not even consider such collaboration at this time. Second Marriage Foundation has lost its iris. Five. I want to see three status. For Federal tax exempt as of May 15, 2017, for failure to file is required tax returns. Additionally, the California attorney general by letter dated July 1st, 2021, recommended the relocation of the Queen Mary Heritage Foundation's California tax exempt status for failure to register with the Registry of Charitable Trusts. We strongly recommend that the portion of collaboration in item 26 be tabled for a longer time until proper vetting of this organization can take place. Thank you for your prompt attention and thank you for your thank you, bird. A concerned citizen. Thank you. Thank you, sir. Next, make a personal. Good evening, Mayor Garcia, members of the council. Just go over and go with the Pacific Merchant Shipping Association, and I'd like to share our opposition of the transfer of the Queen Mary. The Port of Longreach is the Premier US gateway for Trans-Pacific Trade and a leader in innovative goods movement safety, environmental stewardship and sustainability. It is the second busiest container seaport in the United States and supports 2.6 million jobs across the nation. More than 575,000 in seven in Southern California and more than 50,000 jobs, or one in five in Long Beach. Its ability to compete in a global marketplace meets zero emission environmental goals and continue to positively impact Southern California and national economies should not be jeopardized by taking responsibility of the Queen Mary. Does the venture that have consistently failed for over 40 years? We urge you to oppose the transfer of the Queen or the Queen Mary to the Port of Long Beach. Thank you. Thank you very much. That concludes public comment. Let me go now to Councilman Allen. I thank you, Mayor. I first want to say thank you to Mr. Cordero for being here. And I want to say thank you to all the staff, both on the city side and on the harbor side for all the hard work in the last couple of months. This is a very complex issue and I look forward to starting this negotiation. Thank you. That's why Richardson. Thank you, Mr. Mayor. I want to also thank the Harbor Department for engaging in preliminary discussions with the city. I know you you've got a lot on your plate. And it's important that that we heard from you that you're willing to step up and take this step. I also want to acknowledge city staff for the presentation, most recently in showing that the the Queen Mary this pier has traded between the city and the port a number of times in its history at different points. And I think that's important to recognize. The port is a department of the city. We are one city family and it's important that we work together on whatever the future is. Thank you. Thank you. Members, please cast your vote. The motions carry. Thank you. I've had a couple requests of items to move up, so I'm going to do those. There is no open public comment today, so no one has signed up for that. So we're moving on from that. We're going to do the open streets, please.