Final Hearing On Charter Amendments Set For August 7
The Long Beach City Council voted yesterday to move ahead with a final hearing on August 7 on five proposed charter amendments, at which time the council will decide whether to place them on the November ballot. If eventually passed by voters, the amendments would: allow the mayor and councilmembers to run for a third term and eliminate the current exception to term limits for write-in candidates; create a Long Beach Citizens Redistricting Commission to determine the boundaries of council districts at least every 10 years after the national census; authorize the city auditor to conduct audits of city departments, boards, commissions and offices; create an ethics commission comprised of residents to monitor, administer and enforce governmental ethics laws in Long Beach; and consolidate the administration of the water and gas departments under a single utility commission.
Councilmember Dee Andrews Elected Vice Mayor
The Long Beach City Council voted 5-3 last night to elect 6th District Councilmember Dee Andrews as the city’s vice mayor. Andrews has served on the council since winning a special election in 2007. He won a third term as a write-in candidate in 2016. “I am so honored and blessed to be elected vice mayor by my colleagues,” Andrews said in an e-mail to the Business Journal. “I will endeavor to continue to earn their trust and respect as I serve out this term. I am excited for the work that is to be done.” Councilmembers Pearce, Gonzalez and Uranga were the dissenting votes. Councilmembers Price, Supernaw, Austin and Richardson voted in favor, and Councilmember Mungo abstained.
Two New Businesses Announced For LBX
Lululemon Athletica and SusieCakes are the latest tenants to be announced for Burnham-Ward Properties’ Long Beach Exchange (LBX) retail center at Douglas Park in North East Long Beach. “Our goal is to thoughtfully curate a unique and balanced mix of retailers, restaurants and entertainment at Long Beach Exchange,” Steve Thorp, executive vice president and partner at Burnham-Ward, stated in today’s announcement. “The addition of SusieCakes and Lululemon to LBX reflects the excitement for this destination among both tenants and the community.” Lululemon is an international, yoga-inspired athletic apparel retailer, which is set to open at LBX in the fall. SusieCakes is slated to open its first Long Beach location in November, where it will offer classic desserts made from scratch.
White House Names New U.S. Census Bureau Leadership
The Trump administration has selected Dr. Steven Dillingham as the next director of the United States Census Bureau. Dillingham currently serves as the director of the Peace Corp’s office of strategic information, research and planning. He has more than 25 years of experience in statistics, research, senior management and the legal field. Dr. Ron Jarmin, who has worked at the Census Bureau for three decades, is being named deputy director of the government agency. The next census is scheduled to occur in 2020.