(April 17, 2003) -- Residents of the Coolidge Triangle got their first look at the maps detailing the potential destruction of single family homes in their neighborhood at their monthly meeting on April 16.

The standing room only crowd of roughly 100-120 people jammed the community room at Coolidge Park at 6:30 p.m.

The maps, previously shared quietly with local officialdom, had been kept under wraps until their existence was disclosed by Los Angeles Times reporter Deborah Schoch.

Residents also heard 9th district Councilman Val Lerch describe the impacts of the various expansion alternatives.

LBReport.com is seeking release of digital versions of the maps under the state freedom of information act from the Gateway Cities Council of Governments. As of April 16, that government entity, funded with public money, had failed to put digital versions on its web site or provide them to us. [LBReport.com comment: Revelations about the City of LB's relationship to the Gateway Cities Council of Governments make it even more indefensible that this entity has failed to provide this map to the public in digital form.]

The map of Alternative D, displayed here, was photographed from an easel display and lacks the detail that could be provided in a digital version. Of the 3 "build" alternatives being considered, Alternative D would have the greatest destructive impact on the Coolidge neighborhood. Pictured is the Alt. D map at the 91 - 710 interchange. If this alternative were chosen, the red areas will be taken for the expansion.

Councilman Lerch told the gathering that a representative of the Gateway Cities' group will be at their May meeting to describe the alternatives in more detail.

The President of the Board of Directors of the Gateway Cities Council of Governments is LB Vice Mayor Frank Colonna...who also heads the group's I-710 Oversight Committee. He also serves on the group's Executive Committee. Mayor Beverly O'Neill also holds a seat on the Executive Committee, which she has delegated to 1st district Councilwoman Bonnie Lowenthal.

The City of Long Beach and the Port of Long Beach are both member entities of the Gateway Cities Council of Governments.

As reported first among LB media by LBReport.com, LB taxpayers are paying roughly $100,000 a year for a LB city management employee to work at the "Gateway Cities Council of Governments." City Hall also spends $12,000 a year for the annual membership fee to the group.

The LB taxpayer-paid arrangement, to embed a city management employee at the Gateway Cities group, was proposed by now-former City Manager Henry Taboada in October, 2001...and approved without dissent by the City Council (9-0) at its October 16, 2001 meeting. On October 22, 2002, at new city management's request, the Council voted to extend the arrangement for six months (9-0, this time on the consent calendar).

LBReport.com has also learned that LB city management currently plans to seek Council approval to extend the arrangement (which expires April 18). The item could appear on the April 22 City Council agenda.