DISQUS

Get Invovled · 6 months ago

Downtown Stakeholders and Residents, the petition to remove Kraig Kojian is now online @ http://www.savelongbeach.com

Voice your opinion and Save Downtown from KK's 10-year leadership to back-to-where-we-started!

wrongbeachJohn · 6 months ago

Nobody should be surprised...this is wrong beach. Things have always been done this way.

I bet bev and james and joe and henry and jerry and randy et al think it's all kosher.

golongbeach · 6 months ago

Conflict of interest anyone? How did these guys get on the "executive board" anyway? I own a business in downtown and have never seen a ballot. I asked around and neither has anyone else I talked to.

sunshine · 6 months ago

Get a copy of the LBDA bylaws make sure that a quorem is required both for elections and board votes. Too many community and business groups have been hijacked for the benefit of a few affluent businesspersons. Take a look at city contracts and RDA land grants. City Light and Power got a contract for $250,000 led display. Was this a single source bid +10% contract? Start asking questions and demand answers.

LB Business · 6 months ago

Enough is enough... Why hasn't anyone stepped up to publicly support Kraig Kojian except Jim Anderson? They both need to resign. Political Science 101: A leader who doesn't serve and ignores his populace, and uses his position for personal gain, is called a DICTATOR.

Anonymous · 6 months ago

These people should be ashamed. And the 14th Street Park is getting flak for over-investment? Senator from Oklahom, meet Kraig & the Gang...

Observer · 6 months ago

It seems odd that the RDA needs to pile taxpayer money into an organization that, according to a previous story, runs a $3.5mil non-profit with a seven member "management team" that gets paid $611k a year. Who gets all that money? Pushing a hundred grand each. No wonder the DLBA needs the taxpayers to help out. "Cross-pollination" pays. (Who is on this "team?")

Anonymous · 6 months ago

Once again Dave Wielenga proves how irrelevant The District Weekly is with a lame attempt at creating controversy where none exists. Hey, Dave, how's the view of Downtown as you circle the drain with the rest of your worthless publication?

sunshine · 6 months ago

Sure, I see a pattern here; it is LB's Enron style "rank and yank" mind meld anti-democratic leadership. Craig Beck is the Darth Vader of Long Beach. You can see the results of his public dime Death Star policies that have flattened buildings in its path resulting in a downtown that is void of life, history, local culture, and commerce. Now his death star is moving eastward into the 3rd district.

Craig Beck has encouraged liberal zoning variance policies that have increased bar related crimes, acerbated existing parking and traffic problems, ignored environmental zoning resulting in wildlife habitat destruction in SEADIP. The RDA with the help of the city misuses eminent domain for private gain.

I hear that the city has lost its Historic Preservation Officer (better to enable a complete destruction of LB culture and history). Community input is disregarded, yet when things go wrong (Cityplace, Pike, Pine Avenue, LBMall,8 unit cracker boxes, crime, parking) no-one steps up and questions these foolish selfish political decisions.

How many hundreds of millions have Beck's buddies made while the city falls deeper and deeper in debt? Hey Long Beach Wake-Up!!!, Moral, ethical and financial bankruptsy go hand in hand.

Craig Beck is head of the city's "Developer Services" which controls all building and planning in Long Beach.

Craig Beck is head of the city's Redevelopment Agency "RDA" which operates as a quasi-corporation that uses our property tax dollars. Taxation without representation? (In most California cities, councimembers also act as boardmembers of the RDA. Council meetings and RDA Agency meetings are helded concurrently.)

Craig Beck is on the board of the Downtown Long Beach Associates.

Will the community alliance be able to free Long Beach from the Beck's Development Empire evil clutches? Stay tuned......

Dave in Alamitos Beach · 6 months ago

The only problem I see is that if Craig Beck is ever replaced, his successor will just be more of the same. We've got to change it systemically. How can we do that? How can the RDA be reconfigured, or just done away with if necessary? At the bare minimum, how can we get some checks and balances in place for the RDA?

Mike Ruehle · 6 months ago

Why can't the RDA be done away with and that responsibility be taken up by City Council like in most cities?

Dave Wielenga · 6 months ago

Hit a nerve, did we? And yet, no matter how passionate your response, still not enough courage or integrity or pride in your opinion---or even support for the DLBA---to sign your name. On the other hand, the reason I even took a look at the composition of the DLBA's executive committee is because of the just submitted petitions asking for a change in the presidency of the DLBA---petitions filled with more than 100 downtown businesses and residents who DO have the courage, integrity, pride and support for the DLBA to sign their names. As for controversy? This story is only controversial if you don't want anybody to talk about who is on the executive committee, what they do for a living and how their positions might cross pollinate. None of this information is necessarily bad or good. None of it is too difficult to find. Nobody is hiding it. But I think it might shed some light on the nature of the committee and maybe on the positions it takes. Information is freedom, my anonymous friend. Don't be afraid.

Juan Pardell · 6 months ago

Dave - FYI, International City Bank is also where Prevratil & Co., aka Queen Mary, held their accounts. Perhaps the anonymous commenter would like to answer one basic question: If what the RDA has advocated, and supported, been beneficial for downtown Long Beach, why have the majority of projects, that were developed in the area, become abject financial failures for Long Beach taxpayers?

Dave in Alamitos Beach · 6 months ago

Yeah, and I could almost handle a financial failure if it was an esthetic success. Um, not so much.

Erin · 6 months ago

Right On!!!

Mike Ruehle · 6 months ago

I'm curious Anonymous. Your profile idicates you've been an avid reader and commentor to the District Weekly for 4-years. If this publication is soooooooo worthless, why do you bother to keep reading it, let alone take the time to frequently comment?

Jen Christopher · 6 months ago

I one of three principal members at JLOOP and wanted to clarify Richard Lewis' role with our company. JLOOP has been around for 9 years in Long Beach and Richard has only been involved for the last 6 months as a contractor currently averaging 4 hours a week. While Richard is valued at JLOOP he plays a very small role, does not hold a top position, and does not interact with any of our clients.

Regarding the DLBA portal website which we are currently producing, we responded to a public RFP and were included in a competitive bidding process. We won the job on our merits and are proud of the work we have accomplished thus far. In addition it is important to note that we have unsuccessfully bid on several other DLBA projects.

We are proud members of the downtown Long Beach business community and hope our work contributes to downtown's success and growth in years to come.

Pleast feel free to contact us at 562.491.5667 if you have any questions.

Dave Wielenga · 6 months ago

Hello Jen. Thanks for the clarification.

lost1 · 6 months ago

I have heard that John Morris of Smooth's is also on the board of the CVB. Is that correct?

Adreana Langston · 6 months ago

Please post links to previous The District Weekly or PT articles siting the complaints of the business owners against Kojian. I personally think he's a jerk but I'd like to hear if there are legitimate reasons for wanting him replaced.

lost1 · 6 months ago

Good luck with that one Adreana. I have been following this for a week or so and have seen nothing but unsubstantial mud slinging. There appears to be more fault with some board members than there is with Kojian. I too would like to see some examples.

go long beach · 6 months ago

Adreana and lost1,
Recent examples: Pulled ads from the District Weekly in retaliation for publishing article on the Petition and conflict of interest with DLBA and it board. Spends money on an event “Pink Party” fails to coordinate with the “Gay Pride” people, insulting the folks who brought this crowed to town and angering the restaurants blocked by their tent with free food. Gave money for an event shut down by Vice in East Village. After 10 years just now getting started on a functional web-site that might actually help the business owners. Paid tens of thousands on consultants only to ignore them. He is rude and dismissive to the very people he is paid to serve, unless you are a member of the board or city council person. I think a more appropriate question is what has he and his staff of 7 done to improve the situation. They spend over $830k on staff and admin compared to about $65k for Belmont Shore. Kraig believes this money is his to use to reward or punish. Go to a new site called savelongbeach.com for more information

dq2 · 6 months ago

International City Bank has a cease and desist letter from the OCC.

Dave Wielenga · 6 months ago

What is the OCC?

Juan Pardell · 6 months ago

Dave - The OCC is the Office of the Comptroller which regulates all national banks. If true, its not good sign for ICB.

sunshinelb · 6 months ago

USA Department of Treasury Comptorller Consent order for International City Bank exists. January 26 2009 Consent Order is available online on OCC website. http://www.occ.treas.gov/
(#2009-011 International City Bank AA-WE-08-74)

..."The requirement in this Order to meet and maintain a specific capital level means that the Bank is not to be deemed to be “well capitalized” for purposes of 12 U.S.C. § 1831o and 12 C.F.R. Part 6 pursuant to 12 C.F.R. § 6.4(b)(1)(iv)."

Take a look at International City's board of directors.

Mike Ruehle · 6 months ago

BOARD OF DIRECTORS
James J. Sullos, Jr. - Chairman
Stephen R. Oettinger - Vice Chairman
Jean Bixby Smith - Secretary
F. King Alexander - Director
Bruce A. Cordingley - Director
N. Jack Dilday - Director
Jane J. Netherton - Director
Beverly O’Neill - Director
Gerald K. Pedigo - Director

http://www.icb.biz/about.html