Recommendation to authorize City Manager to execute all documents necessary for a lease with Killing Fields Memorial Center, Inc., a California nonprofit corporation, for City-owned property located at 1501 East Anaheim Street for the development and operation of a community memorial garden.  (District 6)
Thank you. There's been a motion and a second. Members, please cast your vote. Motion carries. Thank you. Madam Clerk, if we can go to item 21. Report from Economic and Property Development Recommendation to execute a lease with Killing Fields Memorial Center for city owned property located at 1501 East Anaheim Street for the development and operation of a community memorial Garden District six. We have a second. There's been a motion and a second. Yes. Yes. My Councilman Andrews. Yes. Thank you, Mayor. Before we get started, I'd like to do a staff report on this. And Mr. Mike Conway, would you please? Thank you. I'd like to introduce our director of Economic and Property Development, Mike Conway, Vice Mayor Lowenthal, members of the City Council. This item relates to former RTA property located at 1501 East Anaheim Street, the northeast corner of Anaheim Street and Peterson Avenue. The property was originally purchased for use as a community garden, Open Space and Killing Fields Memorial to commemorate the victims of the Cambodian Genocide. Killing Fields Memorial, Inc, a California nonprofit organization, seeks to develop this property at its cost into a memorial that includes a memorial structure, restroom facilities and storage area, along with open space and garden areas. The nonprofit organization intends to raise funds in order to construct the improvements and proposes to operate and maintain the facilities as a public open space. Staff has negotiated terms and conditions of a lease that provides for rent of $1 per year during a fundraising period of three years and an additional two year period to allow the nonprofit organization to construct the improvements. If either the fundraising or the construction is not diligently pursued to completion within the stated timelines, the city may terminate the lease. However, if fundraising and construction proceeds within the provided timelines, the nonprofit organization will then have an option to purchase the property for $1. If the option is exercised, the land will be conveyed with a covenant in perpetuity, requiring the nonprofit organization to offer the property as a public open space to maintain all improvements and fund all capital reinvestment. Failure to comply with the covenants could result in the reversion of the property back to city ownership. This structure provides an opportunity for city residents to enjoy a public open space serving as a Killing Fields memorial with all construction, maintenance and capital reinvestment reinvestment funded by a nonprofit organization. We had a behind you on the screen some images as conceptualized by the nonprofit organization providing, again, some open space. Some garden areas, structures related to a memorial killing fields memorial commemorating the genocide of the Cambodians and kind of an aerial vision as well. So this concludes my report, and I'm available to answer your questions. Thank you very much. First of all, I'd like to just speak on this item because the fact that I think is the first killing feel memorial outside the state of California. So these are the things that I think I really wish most people would take time to take a look at, because being that the Cambodians have been here for 30 some years, and I think this is something it's very something I totally support because this is the project will be the first in a memorial outside of Cambodia. And many of our Cambodian refugees will never go back to Cambodia. But with this memorial, they will be able to have a place to heal, to reflect, to meditate, and to honor those that they have lost in the war. This is a memorial is for them. And because the fact that this I would like to have a mr. SA who will come up and speak on this issue very shortly. See you on Thursday. Good evening, Madame Vice Mayor and members of the City Council. My name is Pauline Sot. I am a member of the Killing Fields Memorial Center. Our organization is dedicated to commemorating the Cambodian genocide. Every April 17, we pay respect to the victims of the killing fields and hope to bring public awareness by making a program, the Genocide Awareness Month. For many major genocides namely the Armenian genocide, the Jewish Holocaust, the Cambodian killing fields, and the Rwandan genocide. What a great night from a dream. Yes, a little dream of her. When your rock or a tree to walk around, to worship, to touch, to have to cry on, to feel the suffering of our innocent people with, to remember and pay respect at. You have made this dream come true. Now we have a place we can call home. The Killing Fields Memorial Garden will be adorned with landscapes and waterfalls. It will be a gathering place decorated with Cambodians artifacts and designed and built by Cambodians. The Killing Fields Memorial Garden will be the first of its kind outside of Cambodia in our beautiful city of Long Beach, the third largest city in the US, the seventh largest city in California, and the greatest city to the largest Cambodian community outside of Cambodia since 1975. This will be a great place of love and kindness. It will welcome people from all walks of life to come in and enjoy peace and tranquility. Find solace and closure. Learn about the history of the killing fields. Learn about the Khmer culture and worship. Remember and pay respect to millions of victims of the Cambodian genocide that became well known as the killing fields. Thank you, Councilman Lee Andrews. You made it happen. Your life and legacy will live forever in our hearts. Thank you, John Edmonton, for voicing the dream ten years ago and for making it happen a reality tonight. Honorable Vice Mayor and members of the City Council, the spirit of millions of victims of the killing fields. They are descendants, friends and supporters of the Killing Fields Memorial Center. Forever grateful for your decision tonight. This may seem a small step to some, but it is a giant step in a world that clamor for peace and above all, kindness. On behalf of the survivors of the killing fields, we thank you for standing up for humanity and kindness. So. Morgan Palmer, thank you very much. God bless you. God bless. Long Beach. And God bless America. Thank you. Thank you, Pauline. I would just hope that everyone in this city and all the other cities will embrace this memorial for all the people to have a chance to come and see that where people can sit down and pay their tribute to someone who was such a tragedy. And again, I'd like to say Jimmy Blair, welcome. Probably, yes. Yes. Give us 1/2. Council member Urunga. Yep. Perhaps this would be a good opportunity to hear from the public regarding this project. Or you want. Yeah. Let me hold for 1/2 now. Let me hold for 1/2. I know that we'd like to take a photo. Yes, but. But we can. Let me take the councilor comments. Do you have comments? Thank you to the vice mayor. I too want to lend my support for this project. I think it's a wonderful one. I was, as many of you might know, especially those in the cabaret community, I participated in a groundbreaking ceremony back in 1978, actually 80, 82 or 83, when the UCC center was was being built. It was a at that time a Latino center. It was the the North it was the Long Beach Neighborhood Center, the Centro de la Raza, it was called. And I was I was very proud to be part of that transition. And it was the center that opened up that welcomed the Cambodian community into Long Beach. And since then, we know that the community has grown significantly and that it is the largest community outside of Long Beach. And I'm very proud that we're here today, that I'm here today to welcome you back, welcome you here, keep you here , and to help you get this project off the ground so that we can start the healing that we need to do and the healing that should have been done a long time ago. And I think that this memorial would be a big step in that direction. And you mentioned some other tragic events in our history, in the history of the world. And I think that your dedication to those tragic events, as well as your own, is what happened in the killing fields is a make it a big testimony to your commitment for humanity and for making and building a better world here in Long Beach and around the world as well. So I want to lend my support to this project as well. Let's go ahead and hear comments from the public and then we'll take it behind the wheel. Thank you. Good evening, Honorable Vice Mayor, Member City Council. Ladies and gentlemen, my name is Brian Bell, reside at one sixth of Ohio Avenue in the fourth District. As a survivor and currently president of the Killing Fields Memorial Center. I'm honored to be here tonight to offer my sincere appreciation and gratitude for the decision you will make tonight toward the Cambodian Genocide Memorial Garden Project. According. To the RAND Corporation study ended in 2005 in the Cambodian community in Long Beach by interviewing more than 500 survivors Senate. The study found 62% of the Cambodian people have post-traumatic stress disorder, PTSD, and 51% have major depression disorder. The action by the City Council today further strengthened our city commitment to diversity. The Cambodian Genocide Memorial Project will not only be a place for. The Cambodian to reflect on the journey that brought. A to our new home, but it will star them space for a community that share similar story of struggle and survival. The Cambodian Genocide Memorial is an immigrant story. And from our mayor, who is an immigrant from Peru to the residents who live and work in the city, the memorial paid tribute to our heritage. And so to demonstrate that diversity, our strength. This is a major step forward in a long journey from the killing field to the promised land. It is a step toward healing and uniting our community. By approving staff recommendation tonight, you will have a hand in waiving. The Cambodian experience in the rich tapestry in our great city. Furthermore, I would like to share with you a brief history of the Cambodian genocide. Madame May. I would like your permission. It might be a little bit longer than three minute. In your comments? Yeah, just a brief. Can you make it brief? Okay. I think. Thank you. Between 1975 and early 1979. The Khmer Rouge, headed by pulpwood, supported Cambodian citizens through arena terror, aimed to create a truly Marxist utopian society. This societal experiment quickly turned into a nightmare of warfare. Execution, starvation for hard labor. Brainwashing. Political repression. Physical appearance, threatening asphyxiation and or the kind of torture that claimed the life of. An estimated 1.5 to 3 million or 20 to 40% of the entire population of Cambodia. And that attacks on a Cambodian were forced to flee the party to the Cambodian border, losing their home and their homeland. And resulting in the further breaking apart of family. They face additional traumatic experience during their life threatening flight to Thailand. And many live for a year in condition characterized by material scarcity, poor sanitation violation and certainly in the camp children. Who sometimes spent a year in this camp. Opportunity for normal childhood. In early 1980, approximately 200,000 Cambodian displaced refugees live in the United States. The single largest concentration of the Cambodian anywhere outside of Cambodia reside in the Lilongwe area. Relocation to a new country entailed foot separation from family isolation and further stress related to adjusting to a new country, language and culture. Cambodian have exhibited tremendous courage and resilience throughout this trauma and challenge. We are not allowed Cambodian refugees a limit among the general public and also among the younger generation of Cambodian living in Israel that did not live through the Khmer Rouge regime themselves or were very young when they left the country. Frequently, though, survived the Pol Pot Khmer Rouge regime, period. I found it too painful to share their experiences, even within their own family. There is strong desire among many Cambodian in Long Beach to educate the younger generation and the Cambodian about their family and community history, as well as the larger public. At this moment. I would like to recognize and thank you on behalf of the board of the director. To the people that who work very hard behind the scenes to restore information experience. Please help me give warm welcome to the champion, newly reelected. Councilman Andrew. Former Councilwoman Tonya Durango. I see you here. Thank you for being here. And our chief of staff, John Edman, and Republican. And Attorney Bill Shibley. And especially the board of directors. Yeah. I'm leaving friends. I could. Thank you very much. Thank you, Brian. Next speaker, please. Interview. Well, I hadn't planned on speaking, but I just had to come forward. I'm Francis. Some of the in Paris. And I was inside in district one. Councilmember Dan. Thank you for all your diligence and passion, love, understanding. And moving forward on this matter. And what a phenomenal way for the city owned property to have the Killing Fields Memorial Center. I hope that everybody that's watching this on TV and of course, all of you that are here, I have a heavy heart. I'm kind of visualizing what all happened. But I believe that the Killing Fields Memorial Center, when people see it, hopefully. They'll take a moment and they'll think about what happened. And then they'll move forward to try to help bring love, peace and understanding among our men in equality. And the gang members. Maybe you'll start looking at things a little different and look at the fact of what you can do to individuals and the fact it has on them their families and society. So I want to commend you. And this this is an absolutely historical moment. That's the reason why I was sitting there and I saw, no, I won't come forward to speak, but it's such a historical moment. I had to speak and say thank you. Thank you. Thank you. So you. Thank you. Councilmember Richardson. Thank you, Vice Mayor. And I'll be brief. I'm simply honored to take part in this historic moment. It's no question that this project will certainly add to our rich cultural tapestry in our city. And it means a lot to see that the whole, you know, that this community is really and embrace this and champion this. Over the last decade, it seems like. So this is really a good statement to your leadership. Councilmember Andrews And the fact that this was former redevelopment space that is going to be, you know, a vacant lot that's going to essentially become an amazing, amazing landmark in the community. I think it's fantastic. So I'm honored to cast his vote in support of this tonight. Council member now. Thank you. I am too honored to support this vote. I'd like to thank Councilmember Andrews for bringing this project forward, and I look forward to the fruition of this project and a ribbon cutting. I also like to thank Vice Mayor Lowenthal for allowing my friend Bryant Bennett to take a little extra time speaking. And it Bryant Bean, thank you for speaking tonight. Thank you for your service to the Cambodian community and to consider the service you continue to provide to our fourth district community. You were in my newsletter last week, so just proves you're still doing things today. Thank you. Councilwoman Price. Thank you. I, too, want to thank Councilman Andrews for his consistent attention to the needs of the Cambodian community. He has ever since the moment I met him, he's advocating for the community and trying to make us all more educated about the issues that are of importance to his constituents and to such an amazing group of individuals who always come out and so gracefully and respectfully share your thoughts and your positions. And I really appreciate that. As someone who sits here and makes decisions, I really appreciate the manner in which you advocate for things. So it's it's something that is very respectful. And and certainly this is a huge accomplishment. So congratulations to you as well. Councilwoman Gonzalez. I'm glad that we're able to honor the Cambodian community. I know that it's been so very long. I'm looking at a lot of these reports and it's going back to 1998 that you had been starting this work. I'm sure it's been much longer than that. So congratulations on all of your hard work. And also to my colleague, Councilman de Andrews and his staff, who I know has been very dedicated to this through and through. So congratulations again. Councilman Mongo. I want to agree with my colleagues and what an example you are to members of the community that have a cause. You unite, you stand together, you turn out the numbers and you work together no matter if the issue is controversial like a few weeks ago or today. And I just want to tell you how much I respect each and every one of you. I'm in your opinions, and you're always welcome here. Thank you. And I also wanted to extend my congratulations to everyone that has worked very hard to bring this forward. It has taken a very long time, but it's the next installment in our shared narrative. I know that this particular memorial is to recognize the suffering as well as the prosperity of the Cambodian American community, despite the challenges that it faced and being here in your new home. But it is our shared narrative. It's a shared tapestry, as Councilmember Richardson mentioned, of our great city. I want to thank you for honoring us with the dignity, as Councilwoman Pryce mentioned, as well as the opportunity to share in your story and giving us the opportunity to celebrate together . What a dedicated and motivated and inspired group of people can do despite the hardships for all of that. Thank you. Bryant Bean. Thank you. Thank you to all the members of the community that are here, as well as those that are not here, that have been working very hard to have a place here for the Cambodian American community. Starting well before Cambodia town and going back to the U.S. in the seventies. And for your tenacity and for your stamina. I thank you. With that, there's been a motion and a second. Members, please cast your vote. Motion carries. Yeah. So I know that many of you were here for that item. And if you did not want to stay with us till midnight, you are free to go if you'd like, or you can stay and hear the rest of our items. Madam Clerk, I think we go back to item two. Is that correct? That's correct. Okay. There's no oath required. So I'd like to turn this over to our assistant city manager, Mr. Tom Modica.