The District Weekly - Latest Comments in DOWNTOWN BUSINESSES PETITION DLBA TO FIRE KOJIAN

Re: DOWNTOWN BUSINESSES PETITION DLBA TO FIRE KOJIAN

The Toad — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 12:12:57 -0000

Broken? Probably not. Apparently just a slow news weekend in L.B..No gang murders, no officer involved shootings, no riots in the Shore, no.....Yawn, I think I'll take a nap. Maybe something disastrous will happen.

Re: DOWNTOWN BUSINESSES PETITION DLBA TO FIRE KOJIAN

Dwight K Snider — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 11:40:50 -0000

TEST. It's 8:39 Monday morning. Is this thing broken? No updates in 17 hours!

Re: DOWNTOWN BUSINESSES PETITION DLBA TO FIRE KOJIAN

Get Invovled — Sun, 21 Jun 2009 17:30:16 -0000

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!

Re: DOWNTOWN BUSINESSES PETITION DLBA TO FIRE KOJIAN

The Toad — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 20:03:46 -0000

You may very well know the nature of the beast far better than I. However, having seen the accolades regularly heaped upon him by Queen Bev, one might be inclined to believe he hung the moon all by himself right after he built a gold fence around it. That, in and of itself, should give pause for concern. In my mind that speaks volumes about the type of personality that the power pricks would insist on having in his capacity. I'm not defending him; I'm trying to enlighten folks about how this city is truly run.

Re: DOWNTOWN BUSINESSES PETITION DLBA TO FIRE KOJIAN

Guest — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 12:00:54 -0000

fiendishly clever

Re: DOWNTOWN BUSINESSES PETITION DLBA TO FIRE KOJIAN

more of the same — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 08:27:04 -0000

Weighs heavy in your book "bad", or heavy in your book "good?"

Re: DOWNTOWN BUSINESSES PETITION DLBA TO FIRE KOJIAN

Kojian has to GO!! — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 02:10:40 -0000

Plus all the events go to the Sang Meister guy at Gladstone's we NEVER get to vote on anything. Music fest they didn't even ask our opinion and the boat race is the same thing. I feel Pine's pain.

Re: DOWNTOWN BUSINESSES PETITION DLBA TO FIRE KOJIAN

Kojian has to GO!! — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 02:09:11 -0000

Toad - I like your style but the longer you know the guy the more he'll make your skin crawl. Make no mistake he's in the middle of it all. He's created this atmosphere. There is an army of great people screwed over by the guy and he's seeking to expand his control. Much like a black hole....just detroying everything in its past for it's own personal reasons. The Gov. is a mess you are very right about that but at least we can vote on these other people every few years. He's created a fortress from which he never thought the public could touch him.

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.

Re: DOWNTOWN BUSINESSES PETITION DLBA TO FIRE KOJIAN

Kojian has to GO!! — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 02:02:34 -0000

HR managers are typically not the sharpest business people. The reality is that in THIS market the talent pool is huge. Kojian makes around 150K a year plus he has his expenses paid by the tax payer which probably puts him around 250 all in. Get rid of him and interview the talent pool of execs that are out of work do to the down turn. They're smart, motivated and ready to make a difference.

Re: DOWNTOWN BUSINESSES PETITION DLBA TO FIRE KOJIAN

TRUTH2 — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 01:59:03 -0000

To lost....No not at all. These are NEVER volunteers. Kraig personally and quietly selects individuals for board seats then conducts board interviews with about 2 other board members and they vote. The vote is guaranteed bc Kraig selects people he can personally use and business owner's that have areas of interest to him and a select few on the board.

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.

Re: DOWNTOWN BUSINESSES PETITION DLBA TO FIRE KOJIAN

TRUTH — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 01:49:25 -0000

"Anonymous" is obviously is disillusioned and knows NOTHING about the past 10-11 years of Pine Avenue's struggles. The econonmy and housing down turn didn't happen till late 07 and not fully felt in downtown LBC until 08. 11 years ago there were retail stores and no housing on the Pine corridor. 10 years ago mixed-use urban housing began to sprout up all while retailers left Pine in hurry stating that "Pine Ave is the most unfriendly place for us that we've ever seen" pointing to Kojian as the primary cause yet having little support as Kojian focused on his own needs. 8 years ago 1,000's of new residents flocked to LBC yet there was ZERO retail. Kojian's preached that the residents would bring the retail yet the retail that was here hated the man, the residents that are now here have watch ed their street crumbled for the passed 8 years and have ABSOLUTELY NO RESPECT for him. No retail leasing agent can touch the street because of the diabolical nature of the Kojian contingent. As of 5 years ago ZGallerie was fed up with Kojian and is still in the process of leaving. Despite the lies of courting Trader Joes the franchise literally said "There's no way we are coming there". For 9 years we have had empty and deteriorating store fronts, trees, grates, streets. The weakest attempts have been made to show any concern for those that have staked their lives on this street. Kojian doesn't even seem to realize that the DLBA is a public "non-private" tax payer funded organization. However KOJIAN has found away to privately appoint his personal selections to the DLBA board. That's right the public has no say in the matter. All we can do is pay into their pockets and get slapped when question why he hates our street so much. He's been interested in creating a residential BID in which he would increase his tax base by hitting all us residents with more burden. THe DLBA, if truely public, should have no members the do not reside here and at least be elected by the public in manner that gives us all respect. Their meetings are in secret and only 3 of the board members appear to benefit from their relationship with Kraig as everyone else suffers. Hundreds are upset and all they can throw back are insults. This man and his crooked set up has destroyed a street that was a big part (the "heart" it was one time called") of this town. No one should retain such a position with such poor support from the greater public. 10 years is far to long for such a pessimistic CEO that seemling loathes Pine Ave and it's surrounding businesses and residents. No one wants to sling mud just please Kraig go the hell away so we can start fixing our town.

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.

Re: DOWNTOWN BUSINESSES PETITION DLBA TO FIRE KOJIAN

KaRi again — Sun, 07 Jun 2009 04:03:08 -0000

Somewhere in the tons of non-edited video footage, I have the guy who received acolades for the Long Beach Bike Fest that just came through LB earlier this year saying that it wasn't HIS idea, that the city manager handed it to him saying it had been on the shelf for a while.

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!

Re: DOWNTOWN BUSINESSES PETITION DLBA TO FIRE KOJIAN

KaRi — Sat, 06 Jun 2009 23:52:38 -0000

LB City Girl, regardless of political party I believe Kojian nurtured, if not encouraged, votes for Obama. That weighs heavy in my book.

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?

Re: DOWNTOWN BUSINESSES PETITION DLBA TO FIRE KOJIAN

wrongbeachJohn — Sat, 06 Jun 2009 23:28:57 -0000

As sharp as greet; it's all our fault.

Re: DOWNTOWN BUSINESSES PETITION DLBA TO FIRE KOJIAN

lbresident — Sat, 06 Jun 2009 23:06:17 -0000

i feel totally safe in the shore. one shooting was because an idiot tried to steal a baton from a cop. I don't do that. another was a targeted shooting between two people that knew eachother at 3 am in a non-residential area.

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.

Re: DOWNTOWN BUSINESSES PETITION DLBA TO FIRE KOJIAN

KaRi — Sat, 06 Jun 2009 22:37:44 -0000

So what does Dave Weilenga have to say about this?

Re: DOWNTOWN BUSINESSES PETITION DLBA TO FIRE KOJIAN

Anonymous — Sat, 06 Jun 2009 21:04:54 -0000

I completely agree with Scott Hamilton. All of the problems in downtown Long Beach stem from Kraig Kojian. He single-handedly caused a national economic downturn the likes of which haven't been seen since the great depression.

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.

Re: DOWNTOWN BUSINESSES PETITION DLBA TO FIRE KOJIAN

The Toad — Sat, 06 Jun 2009 20:07:11 -0000

Don't think for one minute that I was advocating for anyone who would sell their soul to get the "job". Rather, I was trying to point out the reality of how people are selected for plum jobs in quasi-governmental entities in good old Long Beach.

Re: DOWNTOWN BUSINESSES PETITION DLBA TO FIRE KOJIAN

Fisch — Sat, 06 Jun 2009 13:29:38 -0000

I guarantee you that for most of the professional-level jobs with the COLB, City staffers are NOT paid more than in the private sector with regard to salary. However, much of that difference is made up in benefits and job security. In most private sector jobs I've ever held, if you suck, you get canned. Having said that, there are any number of COLB employees that wouldn't last a week in the private sector because they would actually have to WORK and PRODUCE, not just get to a level where, after 5 or 10 years on the job, they can put it on cruise control and collect a paycheck.

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.

Re: DOWNTOWN BUSINESSES PETITION DLBA TO FIRE KOJIAN

What's_in_a _name? — Sat, 06 Jun 2009 11:51:53 -0000

I googled and still don't get it. Are you saying people voted for Obama because Kojian is a Democrat or what? This comment still doesn't make sense. Please explain it for morons like me.

Re: DOWNTOWN BUSINESSES PETITION DLBA TO FIRE KOJIAN

What's_in_a _name? — Sat, 06 Jun 2009 11:48:53 -0000

City employees ARE paid more than those in the private sector. All you have to do is look through the city's job listings to see that.

Re: DOWNTOWN BUSINESSES PETITION DLBA TO FIRE KOJIAN

lbresident — Sat, 06 Jun 2009 10:13:03 -0000

don't care. I believe city employees are overpaid related to private employees. most private employees dont even get pensions. regardless,doesnt matter. the current pension system is not sustainable and needs to change.

Re: DOWNTOWN BUSINESSES PETITION DLBA TO FIRE KOJIAN

KaRi — Sat, 06 Jun 2009 04:38:25 -0000

Thanks for the reply, Toad.

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.

Re: DOWNTOWN BUSINESSES PETITION DLBA TO FIRE KOJIAN

What's_in_a _name? — Sat, 06 Jun 2009 04:17:56 -0000

yeah, the Obama vote thing makes no sense at all.

Re: DOWNTOWN BUSINESSES PETITION DLBA TO FIRE KOJIAN

What's_in_a _name? — Sat, 06 Jun 2009 03:59:13 -0000

Goes to show you how truly clever LBresident is, doesn't it?