-
Website
http://thedistrictweekly.com/ -
Original page
http://thedistrictweekly.com/2009/daily/writing-shotgun/downtown-businesses-petition-dlba-to-fire-kojian/ -
Subscribe
All Comments -
Community
-
-
Top Commenters
-
Popular Threads
It's nice that we all want to think he's a victim but he's the wolf in sheeps clothing. Just get to know him. All sides of him and you'll know.
http://www.longbeach.gov/civica/press/display.a...
Look at this organization’s new website at http://www.cityofneighborhoods.com where
"COBA includes Long Beach's Business Improvement Districts (BIDs) and Business Associations from Downtown, Belmont Shore, Bixby Knolls, Cambodia Town, Broadway, East Anaheim and also includes the tourism BID as managed by the Long Beach Area Convention & Visitors Bureau. COBA meets monthly to share news and develop cross-promotional relationships. "
The Gazette newspaper (owned by the same holding company as the Press Telegram) now has newspapers in Belmont Shore, Bixby Knolls and Downtown. If the Grunion Gazette is biased towards Belmont Shore's alcohol problem, do you think that residents will get unbiased new reporting from the Downtown or Uptown Gazettes?
Gene Rotondo (President of the Belmont Shore Business Association) has been business partners with John Morris (Former owner of Legends and past president of the Downtown Business Association). Make a list of all the bar owners, Business Associations (who the City contracts out to manage the Business Improvement Areas and spends City $$$$), take a look at new alcohol permits and you’ll see that they are all run by a small number bar owners.
Long Beach has always been a hard drinking town but now we are subsidizing their businesses with not only hard earned cash for drinks, but also with funds directly from our dwindling city coffers.
I find it interesting that their is absolutely no mention of
LB's East Village Arts District.
What a great opportunity to promote Tour Des Artistes. Lost.
PS I want to hear more about Belmont Shore's alcohol problem.
To the person lamenting the homeless, I don't think it's even a problem for Pine Avenue. If anything it's been a success for Pine to have the homeless drink and pee on Pacific instead.
If these dead ideas are as prevalent as you claim, surely you can offer a few specific examples to support your assertion?
What took so long for this story to come out? Why have people been paying their dues all these years to this fascist-lite organization? Is there no way to opt-out or is it just that "resistance is futile?"
I realize that you feel the self-same repeated and visceral insults are being directed by Mr. Rotondo toward you and the BSRA but I ask you: Is this sad sort of quid quo pro the two of you are engaged in achieving anything constructive? Awareness of the issues is being generated certainly but, I believe, it is being greatly overshadowed by all of this constant invective between you.
Many, myself included, might be more inclined to agree with (and even support and assist you in) your advocacy if you could but make better attempts to maintain the high road in these discussions.
You state that “Retail and service stores are entirely ignored. All he cares about is bars and restaurants…” yet it would appear retail and service stores are well represented on the BSBA Board of Directors and I see that many retail and service stores are listed in their directory which, I am assuming, only lists BSBA member-businesses.
Could you better explain your comment?
Let’s say your representation is accurate and Shore retail and service stores are being neglected, why are these member-businesses permitting this circumstance to persist in their organization? Surely they exist in sufficient numbers to remove not only Mr. Rotondo but the entire BSBA Board if they are truly being ignored by them. So why do suppose they do not do so?
Just as I inquired concerning your own organization in an earlier post, it might be instructive to know how many businesses exist in the Shore: of those, how many are BSBA members; of those how many participated in the last election for their Board and; of those how many voted to elect the current Board.
I believe that these numbers, like similar numbers for your own organization, if factually reported and honestly analyzed, might give everyone a much better idea of just how truly representative each of your organizations are.
As a side note, I respectfully request that you visit my current column at LBPOST.com. The topic is 2nd Street in Belmont Shore and the Quality of Life and public nuisance challenges being experienced there. I feel that your analysis and input -as the current and twice elected BSRA President- could prove invaluable to a constructive dialog on the topic.
Seems to me that you are plagiarizing many productive improvements suggested by the BSRA and other residents and businesses to claim as your own ideas. Why not include some of the suggestions Mike Ruehle or others have made to improve the situation? You could not find one person in the business community that has valuable ideas either? What kinda of conceited pompous articles are you writing?
Pretend journalism is worse than blogging. You probably don't know what the difference is between an ad, editorial, blog or fair unbiased writing. Notice that there is no disclosure in your column that you are a LB cop?
Seems to me that YOU are again placing fault again with Mike Ruehle and the BSRA. You cannot work with someone (BSBA) who kicks you out of their meetings,violatesa the Brown Act, has financial conflicts of interest, tries to upend you organization's elections and refuses to negotiate reasonable comprises. What is needed is new leadership in the Business Association and Parking Commission.
Mike Ruehle was elected by Belmont Shore residents twice because they want his kind of representation that would push for change and improvement. Gee and guess what's happening: more policing, a Parking Commissioner just resigned after the BSRA voted that they wanted a replacement, YouTube Videos, more and more people voicing their concerns both residents and business owners about the BSBA. Mike Ruehle is successful, influential and wildly popular leader. Get over it Greet.
It seems clear to me that no answers I could offer would likely prove satisfactory or acceptable to you. Your motivation in asking these questions, taken in context with the balance of your comments, seems to be solely to offer confrontation and insult, rather than a sincere attempt to receive factual information.
I choose to not play such games with you, or others, any longer.
I have stated on several occasions, here and elsewhere, that I do not consider myself to be a journalist. I consider people like Mr. ZumMallen, Mr. Wielenga, Mr. Pearl and Mr. Eakins to be journalists.
I, on the other hand, I am an opinionist. What facts I offer are, indeed, factual, but I do not assert that they are either comprehensive or all inclusive. As a volunteer and and admitted novice in this arena, I do not have either the time or the inclination for the sort of comprehensive research that full time or even part-time compensated journalism requires. I do what I can, as best I can, with the limited time and talents I possess.
In this context, I gather a sufficient number of facts that I find to be pertinent, form an opinion, and offer it for consideration in a manner that I hope can be entertaining, interesting, constructive and encourage respectful and intellectually honest dialog.
If this approach proves unsatisfactory to you, then I would suggest that you simply no longer read either my columns or my comments, for I can assure you that this approach will not be changing.
There does, indeed, exist a disclosure comment in the bio section of my column and, although it doesn't specify the Department, it stipulates that I am a City employee and that my comments do not represent either the City or any of its Departments, nor are they intended to. This disclosure has existed on my column from the very beginning and seemed, both to me and to my editor, to be more than sufficient.
In mentioning this you appear to infer that I am attempting to hide something when nothing could be further from the truth.
Thanks again for your comments.
Alrighty then!
John Greet.
TDW Demockracy shall we all take a vote on who's insulting who?
You're absolutely right, sunshine, I'm done.
I would beseech him to "get real" but then remember he's just a shill for gordons union.
This seems like a reasonable enough question given Anon's allegation. One can't help but wonder why Anon appears to continue to dodge the question...
I only wish the residents of downtown were able to tag with this one, as we have been gravely affected since 2002. I too have experienced the uncooperative and rather testy Craig on many business type ventures re: foundation work. Kudos to the District and Kudos to those that was bold enough to initiate this petition!
With enduring gratitude to all re: attempt to dismiss Craig from his "powerful stature” :)
I only wish the residents of downtown were able to tag with this one, as we have been gravely affected since 2002. I too have experienced the uncooperative and rather testy Craig on many business type ventures re: foundation work. Kudos to the District and Kudos to those that was bold enough to initiate this petition!
With enduring gratitude to all re: attempt to dismiss Craig from his "powerful stature” :)
The Downtown Business Association just got control of millions of parking meter money, just like the Belmont Shore Business Association. Want to know why the roads are falling apart?....Parking meter money used to go into the General Fund to fix roads.
The Downtown Business Association just voted NOT to increase their assessments to cover inflation even though they were happy to INCREASE their staff and eat up more city funds. The Belmont Shore Business Association was even smarter, they NEVER had to pay mandatory increases in assessment yet they increase parking meter fees to the public. The Belmont Shore Business Improvement Area’s contribution has been getting SMALLER and Smaller and smaller every year while the public contribution to improving their businesses properties has been getting larger and Larger and LARGER.
The Belmont Shore Business Association/Business Improvement Area/Parking Commission voted to use public money to buy former Councilman Colonna’s Park Avenue private parking lot (which is required parking for his 2nd street commercial properties) . Millions and millions of public money are now diverted into parking improvements downtown. The Belmont Shore Business Association/BSIA/Parking Commission even drew up plans to bulldoze a children’s playground to put in a parking lot.
The Downtown Business Association marginalizes people who speak up, is closed door, and is not looking for ideas or improvements to the way they operate, just like the Belmont Shore Business Association.
The Downtown Business Association does not care about the negative impact that their drunken alcohol dives have on the nearby residential area just like the Belmont Shore Business Association.
The City of Long Beach is paying millions and millions of public dollars in Long Beach Police overtime to control alcohol related crimes downtown, now the LBPD is having to allocate more precious resources in Belmont Shore to control alcohol related crimes.
The City Attorney’s office claims that members of City BIA’s and Commissions like the Belmont Shore, Downtown, Bixby Knolls Improvement Area and Parking Commission are exempt from ethics violations, financial conflicts of interest disclosures, the Brown Act, and the Fair Political Practices Commission regulations. If this is true why does the City allow business association like the Belmont Shore Business Association (a “non-profit”) to control the City’s Business Improvement Area funds.
Long Beach is soooo business friendly that their business associations have a city authorized license to steal public money for their own financial gain.
I am very happy that parking meter revenue generated in belmont shore and downtown for the matter stays in those areas. If it didn't it would just be wasted on crap in other parts of the city where very little tax money is generated.
You certainly could argue the parking meter money revenue could be allocated better (marketing vs. infrastructure vs. police, etc). That is another discussion.
Did you know that for many years contributions were not made to CALPERS? They were not needed or required. Did you know that pension improvements were negotiated in lieu of (higher) wages? How do you know our city employees are paid more than the private sector?
You spout cliches and have no clue what the facts are.
My suggestion to you is learn the facts before (continuously)exhibiting your ignorance of practically every subject you address.
The best, hardest working employees often leave the City after a few years because they get tired of the bureaucracy and/or they know that they can market their skills elsewhere for a better salary.
Why should the city grant these groups $600,000 of the public’s parking meter revenue to these groups to be used solely by them to improve their businesses? Exactly zero of this money goes to improving the quality of life in the residential community even though the customers of most of these businesses choose to park in our residential community for free rather than pay the meter fees.
Particularly, it is the business customer of late night bars that are causing an accelerating decrease in the residential quality of life in our community. The late night happy hours, two for one drink specials, and other events return these business customers to their cars parked in front of our homes in an intoxicated, noisy, angry and rowdy state. Residents and families are subjected to fights, puking, vandalism and public urination in their front yards nightly by these less than desirable bar patrons.
Why can’t the $600,000 of the public’s parking meter revenue be used to pay for more police? This is bitterly opposed by both the Parking Commission and the Business Association who don’t want more police to document the problems occurring as a result of the businesses owned and operated by the Boardmembers of the two organizations.
Less than 2% of the problem bar businesses cause 90% of the citizen (residential and business) complaints. Non-bar Business owners and residents alike have begged for more police service. COUNCILMAN DELONG IGNORES US. It is only after embarrassing events like the December Yankee Doodles murder or the recent shooting on 2nd street that additional TEMPORARY police resources are considered. Standard operating procedure is to remove those temporary resources after a few months and without notifying residents of their increased exposure.
These problems stem from COUNCILMAN DELONG and MAYOR FOSTER. Either one could put their foot down and solve this problem any time. Both live in District 3. Yet both chose to IGNORE the many requests for help. What’s worse, they use their political influence to retaliate against those who ask for help, in attempts to silence their voices.
That said, I want that money to stay in the shore. some of it is spent on resident quality of life. I argue nice looking shops, medians, and clean sidewalks, trash pickup, etc on 2nd are benefits to local residents.
Again, we could look at spending some of that money on security, etc. in the shore. But don't bite your nose off and lose that money to the general fund where it will truly be wasted on non-shore expenditures.
I mow the city owned parking strip, clean the sidewalk and pick up trash in front of my house. Why are 2nd street commercial property owners exempt from similar civic responsibilities? I would rather have the parking meter money go toward basic service like security (policing) and infrastructure (street repair).
Parking meter money is now spent on buying existing private business parking lots, public art, pressure washing sidewalks, landscaping, a drinking fountain, trash collection, concrete work so that commercial properties can rent out the sidewalk to businesses (why doesn’t the rent go to the city?), design work for an out of scale "Belmont Shore" signs to hang advertising on and other nonessential items.
At one time 2nd street business was grateful for the monetary support the City and residents gave them. Now the BSBA is at war with the BSRA because citizens dare question how they spend our money.
some of these are good things. I'm glad they pressure wash the sidewalks and do landscaping. I wish they would do more.
again you should fight to get more control over the projects that are funded. you should absolutely not fight to have this money go to the general fund where it will be wasted and wasted outside the shore.
Now you are saying that you wish more money was spent on 2nd street subsidies? Seems to me that in disagreeing with my comment " I would rather have the parking meter money go toward basic service like security (policing) and infrastructure (street repair)." you appear to speak with forked tongue.
I don't agree it should go to the general fund. It should stay in the shore.
it really isn't that complicated. Instead of looking for ways to say gotcha why don't actually listen to what I'm saying. we're not that far apart on this.
I'll call public works right now and ask for them to come down and plant posies and wash down my crumbling curbs/sidewalk. They probably need a good laugh.
Given the city's financial situation, public money on 2nd street should be spent first on essential services only like policing and road repair. It is no wonder the BSBA does not want the public to know how their money is being spent. Most ofthe General Fund pays for stafffing, policing and fire. Why do you consider contributing to the general fund a waste of money?
I couldn't be happier that taxes generated in the shore are spent on that in the shore. I do agree that they should also use the money for more police in the shore.
Many and most projects are shoved down the throats of residents despite numerous resident surveys opposing those projects. They ignore the surveys. They don’t ask residents before implementing their projects. There is zero communication with the public and zero consideration of resident’s sentiment. ALL attempts at opening up dialogue have resulted in those people being subjected to DERISION and THREATS. CONCILMAN DELONG IGNORES OUR CONCERNS.
So what’s your solution for getting more control over these projects?
Sure it's nice to have everything clean,but that can be done for a lot less than $600,000-$1,000,000 per year, especially if cheapo contractors are hired. But what good is that when you aren't safe going for a walk in the late evening, or if serious problems come to your house?
Read this twice please...TWO RECENT SHOOTING DEATHS IN BELMONT SHORES. DOES THAT MEAN ANYTHING TO YOU?
About the only statement of yours that has made any sense to me is that the money should stay in the shore. If it goes to the general fund some WILL wind up in unionbossgordons union coffers, a phony land deal or some lucrative overpriced contract.
I agree the shore could be improved. but it remains a very safe place. we need to nip these problems in the bud but lets not get overly dramatic.
In regards to biting off your nose, what other choice do we have when the powers to be refuse to even discuss such options to improve the quality of life for RESIDENTS AND MOST BUSINESS OPERATORS.
vote for a council member who will be open to reallocation of parking meter funds. All I'm saying is putting that money into the general fund is the worst of all possible outcomes.
Keep the money in the shore!
I take out my garbage. I clean and take care of the sidewalk in front of my house. Why is that paid for by public parking meter revenue? Why doesn’t the city do those things for me?
Whether these organizations exist or not has little bearing on the city’s service we should expect to receive. As far as I can tell, the city takes care of public properties like medians, parks and parking lots no worse than the maintenance of similar public properties under the present control of these organizations. I don’t see this changing if the local self serving control was eliminated.
The elimination of the Parking Commission would result in residents having a sympathetic ear at City Hall to voice their concerns and complaints. Furthermore, it would make COUNCILMAN DELONG more accountable for continuing to ignore resident’s concerns. He would no longer have the ability to direct people to talk with Parking Commissioners who ignore resident issues.
In case you don’t know, Commissioner Lorbeer is the commercial property owner of Legends and Belmont Station, the two biggest problem bars defined by resident complaints. Business Association President Gene Rotondo is a partner in Legends, Belmont Station and also Acapulco Inn, which has quickly elevated to the top 5 list since he purchased Acapulco Inn last year. Business Association President Rotondo’s daughter is married to Parking Commission Lorbeer’s nephew. The web is disturbing.
Anyone who thinks Kojian isn't the problem has NEVER dealt with the guy. He's stolen so many people's ideas and plans by rejecting them and then turning them into his own, he's created the most unfriendly parking situation downtown, pushes events away from downtown to the Pike, rejects sponsorship of fantastic events, tells you one thing then denies it the next day, appoints board members that have only a sense of self-preservation and do not live downtown, holds "public" meetings at 10:30 AM on weekdays (sure we'll all be able to attend those) and people who do show up are shushed, has let these city guides run wild on these segways (they haul ass down the street, block entrances to retail with their transports and spend most of the time texting their friends or gathering in groups of 3 or more). He doesn't care.
If you look and meet with other surrounding Business Associations you will find a much stronger commitment and focus. Kojian is just riding this position out until he can get another spot in the RDA which is the worst place for him. He knows nothing about real estate. The waste of funds is enormous and if you haven't seen the DLBA budget you should take a close look. There is something very wrong with this whole picture and I, along with hundreds of other residents and business owners, am elated that this is finally getting the attention it deserves.
The DLBA will try to respond that people are being "Negative" but let's all understand this...no one has anything to gain on a personal agenda by supporting his termination other than a brighter future for downtown LBC. We just want solid, respectable leadership. He is NOT that person and never has been. If you try to say we the people are wrong then this loud support for this petition will become a deafening one.
He's damn well aware how hard real residents and business owners have worked every day to try to improve this street and how's he's turned his back on all of us. We all bare the snake bite on the ankle and for those that don't just give it time.
This street is a damn fine stake in this town and business owners should feel proud to be here not repressed. The past 10 years I've watched this place turn to rubble. It's not just a recent recessionary problem. Kojian just sits there waiving his DLBA credit card around town at every meal he eats.
I strongly support this petition and will gladly bring the residential population along with me.
I also support the idea of giving Steve Goodling the interim seat. He a great guy, extremely smart, more connected and his leadership of the Convention Center has been exemplarily plus the man has respect.
Every reader should understand that this is the effort of hundreds of people downtown and I appreciate the District running the article.
I'm a business owner and a multi-property owner in this town. I pay a ton of taxes and spend every waking day with my neighbors and friends that own the businesses here. I'm proud of them all for this.
My name is KIPP GILLIAN.
The savepine website is nothing but a sespool of whiners and losers whose lame ideas never see the light of day because they're just not good ideas. And when anyone has anything remotely positive to say, they're removed from the site. Clearly these people don't want any kind of dialogue. They just want to stand on their weak platform and rant and rave at the top of their lungs. For what? What's the point? You're just hurting yourselves, your neighbors and downtown as a whole. Great job...go grizzlies.
Darn it. You know you have to respond to people on these things just because of principle. At the end of the day we know who this ends and how they like to stay up till the wee hours obsessing about us and how we terminated their membership. So for everyone that enjoys reading this stuff here we go.............
Nice comment about how we can our members. Now we know who this is. To date we've deleted two people. One fake profile hitting up our members to "OPEN BANK ACCOUNTS FOR $50Million in my father the King of Botswana" and evidently you the "prime babbler" for the DLBA who states they're not on the DLBA but somehow knows such detail about the organization. Detail that's far from common knowledge (prepare because he'll respond with 'oh, I'm not on the DLBA I'm just a public servant who knows where all these hard to find "public" documents are and somehow knows exactly how the accounting happens at the DLBA"
It isn't a forum for whining about your friends at the DLBA. We know them and we know all to much about your boiler preplanned reactions that deliberately try to demonize the public and anyone that speaks out. You benefit some how in trying to stall positive ideas and processes like this very well founded petition (which oddly enough we had NOTHING to do with..crazy huh!). SavePine has helped us give free marketing to new stores on the street, distribute hard to find information, share upcoming non-dlba sponsored events, build public knowledge about city meetings and support those people who have worked hard. Sorry that you haven't received your "Hat's off" award. We also have a responsibility to show this current set up for what it is. Man, if they were doing a good job we'd have no reason to take time away from work to build such a large site. We'd like nothing more than to no have weekly meetings, reviews and interviews. It's a full time job in and of itself with zero pay other than the hope of getting rid of the cancer in this town and creating a positive direction.
Frankly it's our party. A very BIG party and you can sit outside on the curb. Kind of like the DLBA inner circle...they never seem to invite us. Oops they do we forget about their 10:30 Tuesday public meetings. Awesome.
But anyway point taken you don't like any of us, our site or Pine or the over 100 people involved. We're not loosing any sleep over your rant and appreciate the tussle. Because you're one of about 3 people that complain about us. The other two are board members who say and we quote "We hate that site but it is an indicator of how a large body of residents feel about what's going on. We've never seen that before because the city never had such a large body of residents downtown".
Feel free to build your own site as we've told you before. We'll join and like you we'll annoy the crap out of everyone until you get enough user requests to boot us off. Fair?
We invite everyone to go to Savepine. Over 100 members that live on Pine all residents and shop owners..and all very happy that we point out exactly what's going on and create loads of positive comments for all the meetings that come up and we defend those that get beat up in the process by letting them know the public at LARGE supports them. It's done a great job to date and has become of voice for those who get stomped on by the DLBA. Of course we get chided for going negative but hey boys and girls these people aren't doing anything positive for Pine it's pretty obvious when they don't even want to fix broken tree grates that have been there for 10 years.
Yes we do point out the problems because unfortunately it out weighs anything positive. Streets look like hell, empty shops, punished retailers, beaten down shop owners....a forgotten land that once held so much promise. We've created large forums to help gather ideas for cleanup, safety, better leadership. All people like you want is a site that pats you on the back for a job poorly done so you can advance to the next letter. You do not pass GO and do not collect $200 or whatever the backroom amount is. Sorry we have to much at stake to be your friend but appreciate you drawing free publicity to our site on this forum since we draw ZERO dollars from the site. Our Google ads barely pay for our hosting. We do this because it's necessary.
It's always obvious when a EBLA member or anyone who benefits says things like GoAwayGrizzles. We know you hate it...we love that because it calls you out and keeps you up. You try so hard to call us out for what do we do? What do we do? We own the stores, we own the restaurants, we own the residential units. WE ARE THE TAX BASE and we are fed up with arrogance of the seats you all hold, the lack of honor in the way your hold them and the way you speak down to everyone on this corridor. If we didn't make a dent in your screwed up world you wouldn't be rubbing your forehead in worry thinking "how do we shut them up!!"
And if you hate us for this then you just said you lament everyone on Pine. So everyone guess what everyone??? This person hates us! Also the site is called SAVEPINE for a reason. It's ONLY for the majority that's ready to push this side of town forward and call those out who have shoved it down. A better Pine helps the whole downtown. The most important thing at this point is to recreate the DLBA under better direction and respectable leadership. Then you will see a line of citizens ready to do everything from plant new trees, to paint side walks, to clean up store fronts. We will all pitch in to help save money and help save pine. But we will do nothing for empty suits like Kojian. First he goes...then we choose and honorable leader and then we will show up in masses to help. The DLBA must choose the city over themselves and have absolute transparency. (This is when he'll say "please list the reasons you don't think we are transparent" it's like they have created their own language)
We know you'll respond...we'll save you the time "I don't like SavePine...you kicked me off.....DLBA is wonderful and you guys are the devil" We all need to get back to work now. Thanks for playing.
Also everyone check this out. In the DLBA Kojian job performance review yesterday even with a stack of petitions supporting the removal of the DLBA CEO. Kojian was defended by Jim Anderson of the boad (doesn't live downtown but owns a piece of dirt on Ocean and Alamitos and needs to stay in good with the RDA which is headed by Kojian's best friend....see how this goes) who referred to everyone who signed the petition as the LOWER 20% and should be ignored. The petition was signed by every business owner on Pine and 100+ residents downtown. Right, we're the trouble makers gotcha.
Great leadership huh, so this makes us "negative" for bringing this to light it doesn't make him "negative" for saying this about all of us. This is your DLBA everyone. This is exactly why it must change.
SPA
I don't have all the facts to form an opinion.
I've never had a conversation with Kraig Kojian
but I DO credit him for Obama votes.
Be care don't step out of line or Development Services will hire private investigators to question your neigbors about you (like they did to Mike Ruehle a few years ago)because he questioned zoning violations and variances given to special people without a public hearing.
Don't report fraud or financial mishandling because the city is going to prosecute you (like they did to a city auditor) and take away your job and pension. The judgement was thrown out in court but the City managed to ruin another well meaning citizen's life.
Do you moderate your comments?
Jusy wondering.
KaRi from LBweekly.com
PS I also asked who WANTED Kraig Kojians job?
As to who might want his job, I believe that, for what he gets paid, there are thousands of people in Long Beach alone who would sell their souls to the devil himself to land that job. And that is probably a prerequisite to apply for the job.
Google "Kraig Kojian" and "Obama" and you'll get my point.
I'd rather NOT have someone "who would sell their souls to the devil himself to land that job." I don't want that person OR some sneaky mysterious instigator, either.
If you want accountability or a reallocation of funds ask for it. If you want an up-to-the-minute (or so) "vote" from those concerned on how monies should be spent, utilize the site that BILconference used (during TEDweek) called http://www.NowGetSocial.com -> BIL scheduled the most popular speakers according to popular vote and availability, almost real-time <- Win-Win
If you want the leader of an organization to take a paycut, well why not request that of ALL orgs across the city, inviting the leaders to boast how the savings are reallocated.
Note: My thinking stems from being an HR Manager at a private company that went through alot of management changes. That is not always the answer.
My personnel background in both California (private sector) and Hawaii (an employment-at-will state), termination usually involved a warning (verbal and written)from the employee's superior.
I know the DLBA org and fees paid by those concerned create a totally different scenario, but can't there be a win-win here? I live downtown, walk around and after reading some neg comments about the cleaning people, well I don't want to lose that service DLBA provides.
Why not implement:
Step One
Implement NowGetSocial.com to rank the "Requests for Change" you want in the DLBA. Voters should use REAL NAMES for accountability/specifics which would also avoid duplication of votes.
Step Two
Evaluate the response...
In the meantime ponder a replacement: Would you want a person be brand new to LB with proven track record from a Top 10 City? Or someone who has served on the board previously and has allegiance to current and past "ties"? Is the person who started the petition interested in the position? Will that person be doomed from the start because of the economy and/or look successful as the nation picks up from a recession?
The street cleaners are not part of the DLBA they are provided by a private contractoring company hired by the DLBA. Plus it's obvious that you know exactly how this occurs because you act as if you don't know how people are "appointed" then you state you've never seen "one rejected idea that hasn't been presented to the board" which obviously means that you're part or related to the board because no one else gets to see this process EVER.
This is the typical DLBA response. This organization is out of whack and disturbingly protective. There is cancer here. You all got in to early, before the voice of the residents grew large enough to back our retailers. Good for you. But it's over now.
By the same rationale, maybe we should start a petition to remove Scott from his position at DOMA. And while we're at it, maybe we should petition the real estate board to strip him of his license. After all, as a real estate professional he must be solely responsible for the fact that real estate prices have dropped up to 40% in the past two years and foreclosures are at an all-time high.
YOU ARE THE SINGLE BIGGEST PROBLEM HERE. IF YOU WERE DOING YOUR JOB AND GAVE A DAMN YOU WOULDN'T HAVE A PETITION FOR YOUR TERMINATION NOR HAVE THE SUPPORT OF ONLY 3 PEOPLE ON YOUR BOARD. TO YOU OTHER 3 IT's TIME YOU GAVE YOURSELF DISTANCE FROM THIS SITUATION and HIM. YOU'LL BE GLAD YOU DID.
I know Scott, bought a home from his company, was treated great and have respect for a guy who gives a shit as much as he does. He didn't step into this issue he was pulled in. Scott had a great idea to increase retail interest in our town and did nothing more than try to help you. Kojian took his idea information, details then sat on it and killed it then secretly put it our for a proposal and as his own idea. Scott is one of dozens of GREAT people who was dupped by this pathetic "CEO".
For you that question Scott Hamilton, a good guy who basically answered a phone call from the press that others were too scared to take because they feared the backlash of Kojian and his nest vipers, stop and realize how much you are ignorant by association. You blame huge problem on the past 14 months on an economic cycle when the Pine Ave corrdior has been perversly "Bitch Slapped" by Kojian since he came into office 10 years ago. Litterally turning events away from Pine Avenue stating "Why do you want to go to Pine". It's too late to turn the corner Kraig. You 3 that support him because of your CASH interest need to cut the ties...quickly. You will still have plently of catering deals, land deals etc. Your buddies on the RDA will take care of you like they always do. Besides you know full well that Kojian is your fall guy.
The shoe will fall and Kojian's ripe mishandling of our city will haunt him for the rest of his life.
What we should do is make sure in those circumstance(s) that the idea/event originator has first dibs to be involved/produce it when it DOES take off, possibly years later.
So yes, to repeat LBresident, "which ideas have not been approved?"
What's the status of "University By the Sea" (which I think/should always be tied to Smolarcorp.com )?
Is THAT happening this year?
That would be my first suggestion echoed by many: Bring back U-Sea! Maybe have
U-Sea and Sea F - festival work together!
Voice your opinion and Save Downtown from KK's 10-year leadership to back-to-where-we-started!