Recommendation to authorize City Manager, or designee, to execute all necessary documents and agreements, and any amendments, to receive and expend grant funding from the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation for an amount up to $301,400 for the period of July 1, 2016 to December 31, 2017, to implement the ‘Outdoor Office’ in Harvey Milk Park and Equality Plaza; Increase appropriations in the General Fund (GF) in the City Manager Department (CM) by $40,000, offset by revenue received from the Downtown RDA project area’s 75 percent share of the proceeds from the sale of former RDA property for a transfer to the General Grants Fund (SR 120); and Increase appropriations in the General Grants Fund (SR 120) in the City Manager Department by $341,400. (District 1)
Next item police. Report from City Manager Recommendation to receive an expanded grant funding from the Knight Foundation to implement the outdoor office in Harvey Milk Park in Equality Plaza District one. Councilman, Councilwoman Gonzales. Yes, that's our staff report. Yes. Our deputy city manager, Arturo Sanchez, will present this report. Great. Thank you. Good evening. Vice Mayor Lowenthal and members of the city council that you have before you is a had a grant that was given to the city in the amount of $301,400 for an 18 month period. The grant is from the John S and James L Knight Foundation, which is based in Miami. Long Beach is one of 26 cities which is eligible to compete in a night city's challenge. The ideas submitted must focus on one or more of the three drivers of city success, talent, retention, economic opportunity and civic engagement. The foundation based in Miami, Florida, has designated 26 night cities challenges challenge cities, of which we are one. As I indicated, the night city's challenge in particular is in its second year of operation and received over 4500 submissions. Of those 158 advanced to finalist. And of those, 37 were selected as winning ideas. Our concept, which was a concept, was was one of the 37 winning submissions. The concept the core idea of our winning submission is to enhance a public space for those who live and work downtown, to engage in a collaborative and creative work in an outdoors and work in an outdoor setting. Building on the ideas of connection, creativity and openness, the concept seeks to activate downtown and bring together people from all backgrounds and walks of life. Amenities such as wi fi, seating, shade, charging stations and programing will be added to the space in order to enhance its usability. Of course, for the city is paramount of paramount importance because of this park and its namesake is that we continue to work on the park to be a memorial for Harvey Milk and it work in conjunction with our LGBTQ community leaders. So realizing that this concept will require close collaboration with our partners from the Harvey Milk Park Committee, as well as the surrounding community. The committee, which takes great care in selecting names of LGBTQ leaders to honor in Harvey Milk Park and holds events at the park will be a key partner in the development of this project as we move forward. It is the first park in the nation named after Harvey Milk, and at this point in time, the only park in the nation that is named after Harvey Milk. And as such, we must we must take great care to maintain that identity and to make sure that anything that we do at the park is folded into that history and that identification that has been created at this park. And so the amenities and the concept that we are pursuing will do so in such a way that it will respect that history. At this point in time, staff recommends that the Council receive and grant authority to the city manager to negotiate the terms of the grant agreement so that we can begin working on this great project. Councilman Gonzales. Yes. Thank you. I want to thank your goodwill and our city management staff for being very open through this process. I want to thank as well our Harvey Park Committee for being here and being very patient with us through throughout this night. But also just for the two meetings we've had so far, the open discussions that we've had. I really want to thank you as well as us. Do you want to love and I know Michael is here as well. We really appreciate the synergy that's been happening. I know that this is a beautiful grant that will be added to. Yes. One of the most amazing parks in the whole city, in the nation, and also a space for our LGBTQ community to come together. We just recently had a vigil to host, you know, many of the community members there, but to also recognize the tragedy that occurred at in Orlando. So it's more than just a park. It's really a meeting space for so many community members. But I do ask going forward and I know we've been through this, that any additional grants that would happen in the district, in the city, that hopefully we can get more communication going, that's more streamlined from the city to the council to our community members. But I do have a just an an amendment to add to the recommendation is I certainly want to go ahead with authorizing the city manager to to move forward to expand the grant. But I'd also like to ask that we come back for to include any necessary documents, agreements, including the scope of work for the project to come back July 19th. So that way we're all clear on what the details are of the scope of the project. And so there are no. Uh. You know, mis communications. Everything is just out in the open, and we can certainly understand where the project is headed with this $300,000. Couple of questions that I have is that the 18 months to complete the project, is that, uh, when does that begin? Exactly. My understanding of the 18 month time period would begin once we've executed the contract. As soon as it's executed. So then 18 months from there. Okay. And then the second question I had was in reference to the $40,000 from the redevelopment project area, which is also generated from 75% of the proceeds from the downtown project area. So how do we calculate that 40,000? How did we get that to that number? You might recall that the city council designated when we sold our old redevelopment agency sites through the successor agency properties. We get for every dollar that we sell, we get $0.21 back in the dollar because that would be the waterfall effect that would come to the city of Long Beach. So the city council voted to direct that money to come back to basically 25% of any money that we get. After an escrow from the sale. The successor agency property would be able to be utilized citywide, all 52 square miles. Cities determine where the City Council or Economic Development and property management determines that needs to go. 75% of the money of the 21% would come back into the project area where the where the development is being sold or the properties being sold. So in this case, this would be some of the sales that are being sold in the downtown, the properties, the success or agency properties that have been sold. The 75% of the of that sale price that goes back into the downtown project area is being utilized for that $40,000. Okay. I just wanted to be clear because just to ensure I was getting the figures right and ensuring that the park was getting as much as it could in addition to the grant. So thank you very much. I appreciate it. And I know our I believe we have some committee members that will come up and speak as well. But I want to thank our city staff again, thank our committee as well as Studio 111 for being very open, as well as Tony Shoshoni, who's the city place owner. I know that there'll be some, some great movement going on and some great marriage between the two ideas. So we look forward to that. Thank you. Councilman Andres. Oh, you were a second. Are you just supporting a fabulous Councilwoman Price? Thank you. I think this is going to be a really great project and I'm looking forward to it. I just I did have a question on page. Three of the staff report. What is the grant match of $100,000? Where does that come from? The grant matches the 40,000 that was just described by the city manager is coming from the waterfall monies that are coming into the district. Oh, I'm sorry. What is the 100,000? Oh, the Bloomberg folks are providing additional moneys to enhance the grant monies. It falls underneath the Bloomberg initiative in the I-Team work that they're doing. So they're providing additional funds to help this project move forward a little more. So is that part of the 3 million grant. Of the 300,000 that we're getting from Knight City's Foundation now? Okay. So I guess I'm. Part of the $2 million that were that they had set aside for their I-Team work. It's part of that subcomponent. Oh, okay. Okay. I see. Okay, great. Do we have a list of other projects that we're working with Innovation Team on citywide in terms of grant allocations from the 2 million? Or it was actually 3 million because we put a million of general fund dollars. Correct. So do we have a list of the projects? I do not have that available, but if we need to, we can provide tff if if possible. That would be wonderful. Think I'm just curious what other projects were funding with that grant. Thank you. Councilmember Richardson. Thank you. My remarks will be quick. I just want to congratulate Councilmember Gonzalez, all the community innovation team. 3111 Everyone has been a part of this project. But what I want to note is, you know, what city manager just mentioned the fact that this is a second cycle of RDA dollars coming back. The money is being looped around. This is important that those dollars that have been invested from that community, the proceeds that are generated from that are being reinvested in that community to do amazing work. And the fact that we were able to leverage that to do something fantastic. I just think that that's tremendously important. And I want to congratulate city staff on following up on this and making sure that this is recognized here, the 75% of all proceeds from former RDA sales. So congratulations, council members and to the community. Thank you. Councilman Gonzalez. I just wanted to recognize Porter as well, because I see him in the audience. And I want to thank you as well for all of your work at Harvey Milk, too. Thank you. Is there any member of the public that wishes to address the Council on Item 13? Good evening, Vice Mayor. Members of the City Council, City Staff. My name is Roland, Norway. I'm the chair of the Harvey Milk Park Committee and the Equality Plaza Selection Committee as well. I'm joined by other committee members, Ernie. Deborah, Vanessa and Ron. We're all here in support of this agenda item and the substitute motion. First, we want to thank the city for their continued support that you've given to the LGBT community. We have been very fortunate to work with Councilwoman Lena Gonzalez, Arturo Sanchez and the city. The committee's hope is that this council will continue to work with us and the greater LGBT community supporting this motion again and substitute motion as it has in the past. In the continued spirit also of honoring Harvey Milk and our local LGBT heroes. So thank you very much again. I know. Invite another committee member if he or she would like to speak. If not. Thank you for your attention and your time. Thank you. Vanessa Romain. I just wanted to say thank you to Lina and to Arturo. They've done a tremendous job in bringing the committee together. Tremendous job. And making sure that we are heard. Not only of our excitement. Our frustrations, our anger and all of that involved. So, again, it was a trying time, but I believe that the two of them pulling us together and saying we want to hear what you have to say has. Been the only thing that I can believe that has helped us come together on this Harvey Milk project. So thank you, Arturo, and thank you to Lina. Great. So anyone else? I think we have a couple of others. My name is Ernie Vila. I'm also a member of the First District. I've been around a long time and I've seen. A real involvement in our and our council about what is important to your constituents. At one time, my being a student here, I had no idea what was working or how it worked or anything. But since since then, I've really developed a very strong attachment and belief that we work as a unit. And even though we may have our differences, we also have the ability to compromise and to look forward any movement that's necessary for the development of our beautiful city. Harvey Milk Park is a gift not only to our our our community, but it's also to the gift to our state and to our beautiful country, a beautiful city. And with this new project, we're going to work very diligently to make sure that what is being asked of us through the grant has also been with the favor and the diligence of the gay and lesbian community to make sure that Harvey Milk is honored, as we have done in the past. So thank you so much for allowing us to move forward with this project. Hi, Ron Sylvester. Just want to say thank you to the city for allowing us the opportunity to make a better and more dynamic Harvey Milk Park as well, and to create a space that will house. And welcome our LGBT members. And all members of the community. And again, thank you to Lena and to Arturo for all their hard work. And of course, we can't forget Mayor Garcia, who was the one who envisioned this through the first place. So thank you all. Hi. I'm Deborah. Thank you, Lina. Thank you. Council members and total. Thank you for hearing our voices, too. This is a great opportunity. I. I live in the second district on the promenade. So this is we are excited and president. And I know that the residents are excited. As a member of the Harvey Milk Committee, this is a great opportunity to bring all communities together, especially in this time that we need to have this. Thank you all. Thank you. Thank you. Michael. Good evening, Vice Mayor and fellow council members. My name is Michael Bond. I'm senior principal with Studio 111 and a partner with our partner firm, Berkowitz and Roth Architects. I wanted to also think Arturo and Lena for their support on this. They've done a great job in taking a lot of complicated issues and working them together and having their support. That's really important. As some of you know, both of our firms are actually moving one building away from this site. And we will bring about 130 new folks to this area. And everyone within our company is very excited about this grant. We're very excited to help use this park and support the park. And what was interesting is I talked to a lot of our younger staff about Harvey Milk, and I'd say 75 to 80% of them had never heard of them. So I think this park will be a great opportunity for our folks to learn more about him and his mission. And I also wanted to add that we're all very excited about the Knight Foundation grant and using this grant to not only further activate the park, but enhance the message of Harvey Milk and all of us at our firms. Hope that you will support staff recommendation tonight and move this grant forward. Thank you. Thank you, Michael. Next speaker, please. Dennis. Dennis done well, as usual. There's been generalizations and specific civic ideas of how the park should be developed. Except one use books and it doesn't work out. They had a used bookstore. At the pike. $1 for, well, no matter what condition it was in $1 for any book, no matter how big or how small it was and went out of business. Bookstores. The bookstore in Belmont. Your small one is on the verge of going out of business and have plaintive signs in the window saying Support us work. Small businesses accounts. Bookstores do not generate revenue and bookstores have not been very successful. I would like to suggest a few ideas that I think might be successful that had been broached upon, and that I daresay won't be used because they're so radical. However, I would suggest that they have a petting zoo for youngsters there. I would also suggest that they have a waterfall and lake. That has been done with much success. One of the parts I didn't share part, but I'm not sure. But they have a wonderful waterfall, a little river and and a lake. And maybe you know the name of the park. I can't recall it. I just recall it being outstanding as far as one of my dates were concerned. And I loved it, dude. Just gorgeous. I would also suggest because aerospace so dynamic we have. Yeah, the aerospace facility in Long Beach generated so many jobs and had been so innovative. The Douglas Aerospace facility and manufacture of airplanes that they have a jet airplane mounted in the center of the park to a jet airplane being decorative and being an inspiration for youngsters. In the future, this would be at little cost because there are many used airplanes available. The military is trying to get rid of it, get it practically at cost. We're not talking about $1,000,000 or anything like that. We're talking about at cost, even lower than $1,000,000, I suspect. But know those are the suggestions. I have specifics, not just generalities, not just a park of green grass, which we have all all over the place, but something that would really enchant tourists and suggest that Long Beach is really on the go and an adventuresome city that they can have some fun and. Thank you, Mr. Dunn. Vice mayor. Council members. Thank you. My name is Cameron Andrews and I'm here tonight on behalf. Of City Place. We support Harvey Milk Park and the Knight Foundation Grant. Harvey Milk Park in Equality Plaza is a dream important to the downtown core city. Places adjacent to Harvey Milk Park and the Knight Foundation grant will provide opportunities to further promote the life history of Harvey Milk and the LGBTQ movement in the community, as well as. Increase activation in the park and the surrounding areas. We look forward to working with the city. And the community on this project and thank you very much for all your hard work. Thank you. There's been a motion and a second. Members, please cast your vote. Motion carries. Thank you. Let's take item 15. Did you want 15 or 38 to 15?