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Belmont Shore Residents Association MINUTES EXECUTIVE BOARD MEETING June 11, 2009 The meeting was called to order by President Mike Ruehle at 5:58 pm. The members of the Executive Board present were: Tim Clark, Aileen Colon, Vice President Terence Endersen, Larry Jordan, Marvin Jones, Jim Lazarus, President Mike Ruehle and Treasurer Christopher Van Horn. Executive Board Secretary Jeff Miller was absent and excused; member John Forstrom was absent and excused. Charles Folks was absent and excused. Twenty additional BSRA members and visitors were present. Vice President Terry Endersen presented the secretary’s report in Secretary Jeff Miller’s absence: Secretary report: 1) By-law meeting notices were mailed to the membership with a May 26th postmark; Rogers School Auditorium at 365 Monrovia is confirmed for the June 27th meeting, the cost is $136.00 and a check has been mailed to LBUSD. The mailing cost was a total of $197.06 ($140.80 for stamps and $56.26 for card stock purchased from Mail Boxes Etc.) A motion was made to reimburse Jeff Miller for his $197.06 expenditure. The motion passed unanimously; 2) BSRA has received $80 from new and renewing members; 3) The Secretary requests a check for $140 made out to the US Postal Service to renew the BSRA PO Box rental for one year beginning July 1st. Terry Endersen moved to approve that expenditure. The motion passed unanimously; 4) As requested by the BSRA Board, a letter was sent to Long Beach Transit asking that they preserve and retain the existing bus stops on 2nd St. in Belmont Shore. A response was received from Guy Heston, Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of LB Transit. Mr. Heston confirmed that LB Transit was "requested to consider moving and/or removing certain stops on Second St." Mr. Heston stated: "Operationally, the current stops are appropriate to our needs and serve our customers well. Given that, and also that there appears to be a difference of opinion within the community, we will not be recommending any changes in stop locations to the City at this time." Mr. Heston thanked the BSRA for its input; 5) Current BSRA information for the City’s Neighborhood Resource Center Directory was sent in. Treasurer Christopher Van Horn reported the association checking account currently has a balance of $4,275.60. Account activity since last month was deposit of $20.00 in membership dues. LBPD Commander Cynthia Renaud noted the 4th of July is upcoming. She said citywide this is the busiest day in the year for police patrol. She said they will use the same policing procedures as last year, which BSRA President Mike Ruehle and other residents commended. Regarding 2nd Street Bar issues and police staffing, Cmdr. Renaud said that from Memorial Day until Labor Day, there will be additional officers (a total of three) walking 2nd St. on Friday and Saturday nights from 5 pm – 3 am to cover bar closing times. She said this is not because of the recent shooting near Corona & 2nd St. Cmdr. Renaud says she wants to "set the tone early in the summer" and has borrowed a booking van to station near or on 2nd Street to emphasize police commitment. Cmdr Renaud says police will not tolerate drunken behavior, drunkenness in public, urinating, DUI, shouting, etc. She has observed bar patrons showing a lack of respect for the neighborhoods, and the police want that to stop. Police want to educate Shore visitors that they can come and have a good time, but need to be respectful of the residents. Longtime Shore resident and property owner Laura Matthews (a LBPD Senior Police Partners Volunteer) told Cmdr Renaud that she had sent a letter to the Press Telegram disagreeing that 2nd Street had always been the same. Ms. Mathews said when she moved to the Shore 35 years ago there were only six places selling liquor, now there are more than 50. Ms. Mathews recounted the problems she observed and experienced that led her to let her grandson live in her house in the Shore and move to Belmont Shores Mobile Estates. Cmdr. Renaud reported two auto burglars were captured. She also reported that she receives an amazing number of complaints about bicyclists and skateboarders on the sidewalks from parents with small children in strollers. There was a question about news reports of trash can fires behind homes in some parts of the City. Cmdr. Renaud said the Fire Department and Arson Investigators handled such fires; she had no such information and suggested we query Fire. There was a discussion of sobriety checkpoints as a possible deterrent to drinking drivers. There were complaints about excessively loud motorcycles in the Shore and requests that police motor officers ticket noisy motorcyclists. Police Sgt. Cloughesy provided additional information about police procedures on July 4th and said officers will be focusing on alcohol related problems and underage drinking, as well as fireworks violations. Sgt. Cloughesy recommended that people call the police if they hear people shooting off fireworks before the 4th. President Mike Ruehle again noted police did a good job last year on July 4th. Cmdr. Renaud apologized for comments made by Officer Hunt at the last months BSRA meeting. Julie Maleki, representative from Councilman DeLong's office, reported that the community didn’t like the architect’s sketches for a new Leeway Sailing Center. She said the public wanted a "beach cottage" type look. There will be new designs and another meeting at some future date. With the current financial crisis, there is no money available right now for construction, in any case. Ms. Maleki reported that Public Works had "Red Tagged" 52 News Racks on 2nd Street. Public Works then notified the owners who have 2 weeks to get the racks up to code. Ms. Maleki suggested calling her to report other news racks that are in disrepair. Ms. Maleki said there is funding for rehabbing the handball court and that will soon go to bid. She also said the Toledo from Livingston to Bay Shore will soon be rebuilt from the "dirt up". The "Breakwater Study" will be coming to City Council July 14 or 21 and Councilman DeLong’s next 3rd District Meeting will be 11:45 am, June 18 at the Yacht Club. No representative from the Parking Commission was present to provide a report. No representative from the Belmont Shore Business Association was present to provide a report. Mike Ruehle reported that a record 139 members responded to the second Valet Parking Survey. The results were 70% opposed to valet parking in the Shore, 30% were in support. Of residents within one block of the F&M parking lot, none supported valet parking there. Terry Endersen reported on the meeting to vote on proposed Bylaw changes. It will be Saturday June 27 at 1 pm at the Rogers Middle School Auditorium on Monrovia. There needs to be a quorum of 25 residents. A two-thirds vote is needed. Members need to bring identification to be checked in to vote. Public Comment: Barret Randel, the new operator and controlling partner of "Barry's Beach Shack" (formerly known as Cabo Cantina) was present and announced his restaurant is now open. Mr.Randel pledged to be responsive to neighbors' concerns and to be a good neighbor. Mr. Randel provided his cell phone number (310) 963-3030 in case residents need to reach him. Several audience members said they had already been to "Barry’s Beach Shack" and had a positive reaction. Larry Jordan said he attended a "good meeting" at City Hall with Councilman. DeLong regarding 2nd Street bar issues. He said there was one bar owner present, ABC was represented, three police vice officers attended, Cmdr Renaud was there and three or four Planning and Zoning Staff members. Mike Ruehle noted that he was not invited. Julie Maleki said Councilman DeLong plans a Town Hall regarding 2nd Street issues which his Chief of Staff Anne Cramer is setting up. No date has been set. A resident asked about how to handle the "homeless" situation on 2nd Street. Julie Maleki said to call the police if there is a problem. The meeting was adjourned at 6:55 pm. Submitted by: Terence Endersen
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