City Council Meeting

Shad asked me to go to a meeting to advocate for the homeless. He said I would have 3 minutes to speak. Actually it was a City Council meeting. Another 8 or more Village workers came and 2 other Safe Haven members. When I met up with Shad, he explained to Richard and I that we might not get to talk, because they were limiting the number of people who could speak. Later I was told I would be sitting with Shannon and the other Safe Haven members. I guess Shannon is the Director of the Village homeless advocacy part of the Mental Health Association. She was going to do the 3 minute talk and might mention the 3 of us~our stories. We were to sit in the front row and that was the last I saw of the rest of the Village people; do not know where they sat. Tabara may be in charge of Safe Haven; she and her young daughter also sat up front with us.

The first part of the meeting was interesting. Might write and AC article about it. We were given name tags and I read mine after I got home: Supporting Schroeder Hall Plan. There was a presentation about the plan and a couple of 3 minute speakers, including Shannon and the guy that handed out name tags with our Resident District # on them. I always forget my district and it is #1, didn't I feel special. Shannon had told us when she mentioned our names to raise our hands, so that was my bit for the City Council Meeting. If I had went to the meeting alone, I would have walked to the center aisle and lined up to say something when they asked for input from residents. Shannon said she (and the guy I do not know) were there to answer any questions anyone might have. She had to get up to answer a question.

The gist: a Long Beach military property has been declared government surplus and it is up for grabs. Following proper protocol that is. This is regulated by BRAC rules not the McKinney Veinto Act. The second would mandate the property had to be used to help the homeless. The first involves the economic loss due to the military base's closure. The Schroeder Hall Plan has been in the works for 2 years and the property will not become available to the city of Long Beach until 2011. The Advisory committee that has been following that protocol has recommend a Police substation and a Village-MHA drop-in center. The Council voted 8 for and 1 against. The next step is to give the proposal to the fed gov and blah, blah, blah.

Should have backdated all my old posts. Have more to say on this current homeless news story, but will continue after I finish posting my outdoors in tornado's tale. (aside: computer clock tells me it is 12:03AM, whereas Blogger places me at 11:43PM, is it today or tomorrow, I wonder, and I must adjust my watch which has me at 12:18AM, talk about being outta the loop, eh)