Airport Commission to explore "revisions"
The
Long Beach Airport Commission's Thursday February 21st Agenda Item 7 calls
for a creation of an Airport Commission
"ad-hoc Committee" to suggest revisions to both the Long Beach Municipal Code Section 2.18 and Section 2.27. Agenda
Item 7 states:
"Recommendation to create
ad-hoc Committee to suggest revisions to Long Beach Municipal Code, Chapters
2.18 and 2.27"
Section 2.18 of the Long Beach Municipal Code stated
purpose is to establish " uniform
regulations for Council established advisory boards, commissions and committees".
Section 2.27 deals specifically with
establishing the Airport Commission. The section contains three parts : the creation of the commission; commission members;
and commission duties.
So
what can be revised in these two sections of the Long Beach Municipal Code?
Section
2.27.010 is only about creating the commission.
Section 2.27.020 has two parts. First about commission members being residents of Long Beach,
and this important financial part:
"No member may participate in any
decision in which he or she has a material financial interest within the
meaning of the California political reform act. Each member shall file a
statement of economic interest in accordance with the California political
reform act."
Section
2.27.030 covers the duties and mandate of the Airport Commission.
The section also has three parts. The first two parts are regarding what the commission's duties are:
"A. The duties of the commission shall be
as follows: Generally to consult with and advise the city council in
formulating city policies regarding the development and operation of the Long
Beach Municipal Airport;
B. To study and analyze, for the purpose
of evaluation and recommendation of policy, problems which have been referred
to it by the city council, including, but not limited to: (1) a review of the
master plan for the municipal airport and possible revision of modification
thereof; and (2) a review of and the preparation of recommendations with
respect to, fees, rental schedules and standards of service of the municipal
airport."
The final part of the section clearly states that commissioners have no supervisory role in the day-to-day operations of the airport.
So again, what can be
revised?
Section 2.18 is about the powers of the City Council to establish commissions and its powers over the commissions. Can the
Airport Commission recommend a revision of the Council's subject matter
jurisdiction- especially when the Council did not refer the matter to the
Airport Commission?
Possible
revisions to Section 2.27 that directly deal with the
Airport Commission are equally perplexing. Revising the fact that an airport commissioner
must live in the city or that: "No member may participate in any decision
in which he or she has a material financial interest" does not seem realistic. The
code's description of duties as "Generally to consult with and advise the
city council" and the requirement that the Airport
Commission address items that are "referred to it by the city council" all seem appropriate in preventing the Airport Commission or individual commissioner going rogue.
Equally
as perplexing is that the Item 7, according to the Agenda, is sponsored by the Long
Beach Airport. The airport currently has an Interim Director. In addition, the Item 7 "Staff Recommendation" for this possible Pandora's Box is to "Approve recommendation".
So what revisions do the staff envision and is it the staff who is going rogue?
The Long Beach Airport Commission will be meeting at the Long
Beach Airport Marriott, 4700 Airport Plaza Drive at 4:00 pm on Thursday February
21, 2019.
For more information click on:
Sears and Kmart UPDATES
On Thursday February 7th, Judge Robert Drain of the U.S. Bankruptcy
Court in New York City approved the $5.2 billion hedge fund bid for the remaining 425 Sears and Kmart stores by Sears Holding Chairman
Eddie Lampert. Judge Drain approved the
sale over the objections of the Sears creditors, landlords and major
merchandise vendors who wanted the company liquefied to collect the $3 billion
owed to them.
Before his decision, Judge Drain received
a letter from representatives of Sears
Holding's Sears and Kmart store employees asking the Judge to save their
jobs. Media reports further state the
employee's letter stated: "We have deep concerns that if Eddie
Lampert takes the helm again, the Sears and Kmart we know and love will be
gone forever. We believe that with insight and accountability from the
workforce, new Sears has the chance to succeed.." .
On Friday, February 15th, Eddie
Lambert resigned from his position as Sears Holdings Chairman. He remained Chair of the new holding company
created to takeover Sears Holdings- Transform Holdco LLC. As Chairman of Transform Holdco, Lambert will
hire his replacement for the Sears CEO position.
Last week in an interview with
the Wall Street Journal, Lampert described his vision that he wants the new
Sears Chair to carryout. Plans include
selling or subleasing some of the remaining stores and devoting more space to
tools and appliances. Lambert is also focused
on downsizing stores to smaller formats. While Sears sold its Craftsman Tool brand, the
company still owns Sears Auto Centers, Sears Home Services, Kenmore Appliance
brands and the Diehard brand.
Los Altos Payless liquidation sale
Payless Shoes announced last week it is closing all of its retail stores and online business.
Payless Shoes announced last week it is closing all of its retail stores and online business.
Payless currently operates more
than 2,700 stores in North America and Puerto Rico including two in Long Beach.
Payless filed for bankruptcy protection
first in 2017 and will again file by the end of the month.
