Writing Shotgun

MAYOR ON LOOKOUT FOR CONFLICT-OF-INTEREST IN BELMONT SHORE BOND

Dave WielengaWed. July 23
 

 The Long Beach City Council unanimously took another step Tuesday night toward giving a small group of Belmont Shore landowner/businessmen/kinda-sorta-government officials another shot at a bond issue election that would pave the alleys around their properties and pay former city councilman Frank Colonna $1.5 million for a parking lot that serves his tenants.

But the 8-0 vote to hold a public hearing at the council’s Aug. 5 meeting came with some words of concern from Mayor Bob Foster. “I’m gonna flag this,” he said. “I just want to make sure that the property owners involved who may benefit from this, that there are safeguards—that there’s no conflict-of-interest here.”

The two quasi-governmental agencies that are pushing to put a bond issue to a vote of Belmont Shore property owners this fall—the Belmont Shore Business Association and the Belmont Shore Parking Commission—are headed by Gene Rotondo and Bill Lorbeer, respectively. Rotondo has financial interest in several bars, including Legends, while Lorbeer and his family constitute one of the biggest landholders in the Shore. Additionally, the vice chair of the Parking Commissioner is Kurt Schneiter, another principle landowner on Second Street.

The groups have already taken one run at a bond this year, but their proposal failed in March because it did not get two-thirds of the votes of local property owners. Now they want to try again under recently changed voting rules that would increase the weight of their votes. Instead of each property owner getting one vote per acre, the new rules give each landowner one vote for every dollar they would pay in increased taxes—thus giving the wealthier landowners more votes.

Jim McCabe, a retired Long Beach Deputy City Attorney, voiced his objections to the situation before the council Tuesday night, calling it “inappropriate and highly unfair.” McCabe was following up on a letter of complaint he sent on Monday to Foster and all nine city council members.

The District Weekly had obtained a copy of that letter, in which McCabe laid out the tightly knit politics of Belmont Shore—the relationship among members of the Parking Commission, the Business Association, former Third District City Councilman (and prominent realtor) Frank Colonna and current Third District City Councilman Gary DeLong.

“The Parking Commission is controlled by large landlords and it and the Belmont Shore Business Association behave as though they are of one mind,” McCabe wrote. “The Gene Rotondo-led Business Association rents its offices from a large Belmont Shore landlord, the Colonna family. The Business Association endorsed Gary Delong for election to the City Council. Gary Delong successfully proposed a $500,000 City loan for bar owner Gene Rotondo, a major tenant of [Bill] Lorbeer. Part of the proposed bond issue will pay Frank Colonna $1.5 million so that a Colonna owned parking lot can be used as a parking lot convenient to one of Frank Colonna’s buildings. Colonna is, of course, a large landowner in the Shore. Around and around we go.”

While McCabe was at the podium at Tuesday night’s meeting, DeLong took issue with  his characterization that DeLong had “successfully proposed a $500,000 City loan” for Rotondo, insisting that the loan was brought forward and worked out by city staff.

However, minutes of the July 5, 2007 City Council meeting show that DeLong made the motion to approve the loan—$500,000 at seven percent interest for seven years (it was seconded by Second District City Council member Suja Lowenthal). Furthermore, before the council voted DeLong gave the loan a glowing endorsement, calling it “a great thing.”

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    Good ol' wrong beach, if you don't get the vote right the first time then keep doing it until you get it right.
    That mahood is sure arrogant. Could someone please tell her she doesn't own the city.
    Belmont Shore residents owe a great deal of thanks to Mike Ruehle and Jm McCabe.
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    75% of the 2nd street commercial property owners will have their voting rights diminished without their knowledge. I explained this to City Council, who did not question why owners hadn't been notified. I guess I should take comfort that most commercial property owners are in the same boat with Belmont Shore residents. Neither of us receives notification of impending changes from our Councilman DeLong. Meanwhile, certain friends of Councilman DeLong quietly continue, time after time, to receive Staff and City Council approval on issues that improve the personal interests of these certain friends.

    The following is the City Council Agenda item number 19 benign description from last night:

    “Recommendation to adopt resolution affirming prior Resolutions of Intention relating to the City of Long Beach Community Facilities District No. 2007-2 (Belmont Shore), and calling for a public hearing on the District for Tuesday, August 5, 2008 at 5:00 p.m.”

    How would anyone know that this change approved voting for a $5.8 million bond backed by the City (us residents) and also changes the way votes are counted in CFD1? Is this the transparency that our Mayor Foster frequently talks about? This item could have easily described the space shuttle launching from the Pike.

    On March 3rd, second street commercial property owners voted against the original $5.8 million bond approved by the Belmont Shore Parking Commission headed by Chairman Lorbeer and Vice Chairman Schneiter. Unhappy with the result, Commissioners Lorbeer and Schneiter again solicited and received Councilman DeLong’s support to have another vote and also change the way the votes are counted in the future. City Council unanimously approved both. How is that not stuffing the ballot box?

    The Mayor doesn’t need to look very far to find conflicts of interest. The Belmont Shore Parking Commission is the epitome of CONFLICT OF INTEREST. It has 7 Commissioners. 3 Commissioners, including Commissioners Lorbeer and Schneiter, are commercial property owners. 3 Commissioners are business owner tenants of Commission Chairman Lorbeer, and one Commissioner is supposed to be a resident representative recommended by the Belmont Shore Residents Association (BSRA). However, the BSRA was never consulted when the resident representative Commissioner was appointed last November. Since her Appointment, the resident representative Commissioner has consistently voted for Parking Commission actions that are opposite of the wishes of resident surveys. This group controls over $500,000 per year of public funds.

    In addition to the inherent conflict of interest, these individuals also receive elite treatment from Councilman DeLong and City staff. Parking Commission Chairman Lorbeer has received 2 variances on his properties without going through a public hearing on either. Councilman DeLong also supported Commissioner Lorbeer’s receipt of a permanent (not 1 year temporary) entertainment license for his property, contrary to the recommendation of the police and the outcry from local residents opposed to the crime, noise and bar fights already existing. Moreover, Councilman DeLong appointed Commissioner Schneiter to a “secret” (nobody knew about it) Tot Lot committee which attempted to turn a children’s playground into a parking lot for Commissioner Schneiter’s nearby commercial properties. Like I said, the Mayor doesn't need to look too far.

    Bottom line, Councilman DeLong has convinced the Mayor and City Council to sustain him in his one-sided support of 2nd street property owners. When 7 residents (including 4 boardmembers from two different residents associations) complained to City Council about the preferential treatment being given to the Parking Commissioners, Councilman DeLong told everyone in the Council Chamber that were all “malcontents.” I have been forced to take resident issues to the City Council meetings because Councilman DeLong refuses to meet with me, the President of the Residents Association (BSRA), to discuss resident issues.

    I applaud Dave for providing this platform for people to understand what is going on in Belmont Shore. I hope our Mayor and City Council begin to pay attention.
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    Colonna was quietly pushing the lot sale and play area relocation, moving the bay rec area,and more, since about 2004-5 we thought ?, because he owns the big units West of the courts? and needs parking by the tot lot for another parcel?

    On the basketball courts, we have often heard that he and some friends have been looking to kind of move away what some perceive as a ' nuisance', for a while?
    Sadly, this sentiment began surfacing, and may in fact have grown, as soon as the inter league, city wide 'pick up' games blossomed over the decades. Not good., but, we have heard this again and again, so look into it. Those who invested next to the courts should continue to accept the benefits..., and the burdens. And if anyone has thinly veiled bias towards who uses public facilities, 'look out below !' LOL This has always been, and remains, odious at best and was remembered at the polls in 2006.

    Politically, would anyone be shocked to see Gary doing a favor for a prior RNC mentor? Or, the "Old Guard'? Or, the monied minority? We are sorry but we still fear that he was basically 'hired' to carry their brief? But he still appears way in over his head.

    Especially when he so often looks like the 'Deer caught in the headlights'... or as he giggles along... ineffectually?

    Kudos to Bob for flagging this, that's why we elected him.

    There are quiet, vast rumblings, away from the Yacht Club, LOL, that Gary should resign his seat to a smart, hardworking, fair long beach lover ...and stay on the golf course..with the families money, .or just go back to PV and waste their time
    . In a way, he is, or has been kind of working for, or with, the greedy few who gave us "Wrong Beach' hasn't he ? Isn't he right there with the geniuses who gave us he worst air in America, and the least desireable beaches in California?. Let's keep looking, patiently, and prudently..

    Many of us are waiting for him to wake up and realize that he has in all likelihood, again ,been 'played like a violin' by key players on his Comittee to elect. Nothing new here.. He should become a better student of local history, for he will probably be used and discarded as soon as he is no longer profitable, as so many others have..
    Regardless, his having upset so many, for so long, and having done basically nothing, should thankfully make him another 'One termer', if not the 'Recall target'..
    Stay tuned...stay involved.

    If he would only listen, and be fair to all us tax payers...,Don't hold your breath!

    Finally, our City has excellent Attorneys and investigators, they'll get to the bottom of all of this. Personally and professionally, I admire them and we need always be their eyes and ears? Correct?.
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    Ruehle for Council !! Where's Legeman, Loftin.....heck...Ryan !! File the petition people !!
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    Thanks anyways, but I have my hands full representing the residents in my Belmont Shore community.
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    "Councilman DeLong also supported Commissioner Lorbeer’s receipt of a permanent (not 1 year temporary) entertainment license for his property, contrary to the recommendation of the police and the outcry from local residents opposed to the crime, noise and bar fights already existing".

    Mike, I work in the port, and when I worked nights for a few months I'd come home down 2nd Street around 1-2:30 am. You would be amazed at all the fist fights I saw, and the weird sh*t, not to mention the rowdy behaviour of the young inebriates. You'd think there would be a requirement for the bars to have some (or more?) security. It's not a safe place, and I sure am glad I don't live close to the Street.
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    Who would have thunk, that our beloved community of Belmont Shore, is simply a Potemkin villiage; to appease the privileged, politically connected neighborhood plutocracy.
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    No wonder the city has no money for libraries and to build a new courthouse, they're too busy loaning it to or spending it on a few well-heeled and well-connected residents.
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    Once again, the ciy has NOTHING to do with the courthouse. That's a state issue.
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    Kurt, per your challenge to me, when are you going to meet with Dave W. to review the evidence? You constantly expound on how you always keep your word. Don’t disappoint everyone again.

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