Garcia's two new Harbor Commission appointees will replace incumbents Doug Drummond and Rich Dines. A Mayor's office release indicates Planning Commission Chair Donita Van Horik resigned but offered no explanation.

Garcia's Harbor Commission and Planning Commission appointments are supposed to go to the Council's Personnel and Civil Service Committee (whose members Garcia chose) before a vote of the full Council. Garcia scheduled a full Council vote on his appointees on the same day as the Personnel and Civil Service Committee meeting. The Committee already had a hearing scheduled on Tuesday July 18 at 3:30 p.m. to hear another Garcia appointment, and Garcia simply "revised" his previously agendized item to include his latest appointees...and then agendized Council approval of all of his appointments at 5:00 p.m. on the same day. (Garcia's Council item also requests that if the Personnel and Civil Service Committee declines to meet for lack of a quorum or any other reason that the Council simply waive the requirement that the Committee hear and approve his appointments to the Harbor Commission and Planning Commission.)

In a release from the Mayor's office, Committee Chair Al Austin immediately endorsed former Assemblywoman Lowenthal for the Harbor Commission position. "She will help support economic growth at the port, be a champion for our environment and protect our neighborhoods" he said in the release. The Mayor's office release also quotes 3rd dist. Councilwoman Suzie Price [who'll be among Councilmembers voting on all the appointments] as saying Mr. Colonna is exactly the kind of community leader we need on the Harbor Commission" and said she fully supports his nomination.

[Scroll down for further.]

Mayor Garcia also named Steve Goodling (LB Convention and Visitors Bureau Pres/CEO) to LB's Economic Development Commission and Adam Carrillo, the Economic Development Manager for the Downtown LB Alliance, to the LB Transit Board of Directors.

LBREPORT.com provides the full text of the Mayor's office release below.

In 2006, then-LB Young Republican leader Robert Garcia was a City Hall aide to then-Vice Mayor/Councilman Colonna, and helped run Colonna's 2006 Mayoral race in which Colonna was outpolled (and outspent) by retired SCE President/Sac'to lobbyist Bob Foster. Garcia later moved into the 1st Council district, changed his political preference to Democrat when then-Vice Mayor Bonnie Lowenthal was expected to and did win a Sac'to Assembly seat. Garcia entered and won (aided by considerable 3rd district campaign contributions) a no-runoff special election for the vacated 1st dist. Council seat. Councilman/later Vice Mayor Garcia subsequently became a political ally of Mayor Foster, who endorsed Garcia as his successor in 2014.

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[Mayor's office release text] Mayor Robert Garcia announced five nominations to commissions this afternoon. The following Charter Commission Appointments will be considered by the Personnel and Civil Service Committee before being considered by the full City Council.

Harbor Commission

The Mayor has appointed Frank Colonna and Bonnie Lowenthal to serve on the Long Beach Harbor Commission.

"Frank and Bonnie love Long Beach, and their extensive experience in business and government make them great choices for the harbor commission," said Mayor Garcia. "They understand how important our harbor department is to our local and national economy."

Frank Colonna is a long-time resident, local business owner, and accomplished leader in Long Beach. He served two terms as 3rd District Councilmember and two years as Vice Mayor, during which he represented Long Beach at the national level as Chair of the Federal Legislative Committee and as Chair of the Central Cities Committee for the National League of Cities. He was also appointed Chair of the Alameda Corridor Transportation Authority and worked diligently to draft legislation and implement the reconstruction of the I-710 Freeway. In addition to his extensive leadership experience, Frank has been a real estate professional and business owner in Long Beach for more than thirty years and an active community member in the 3rd District. Frank earned a Bachelor’s degree from CSULB and a Master’s degree from CSU Northridge in Environmental Health. He is currently on the Economic Development Commission and served as its inaugural chair.

"Frank Colonna is exactly the kind of community leader we need on the Harbor Commission," said 3rd District Councilwoman Suzie Price. "Frank knows how important our port is to the community and I'm certain his years of business experience will serve the port well. I fully support his nomination and look forward to working with him."

Bonnie Lowenthal is a 2nd District resident and has been an active leader in the Long Beach community for decades, serving as a LBUSD School Board member, 1st District Councilmember for two terms, and Vice Mayor. After her tenure in city government, Bonnie continued to represent Long Beach residents in the State Assembly. As an Assemblymember, she worked closely with the Ports of Long Beach and Los Angeles in her capacities as Chair of the Assembly Select Committee on Ports and Chair of the Assembly Transportation Committee. She was the only elected official appointed to serve on the National Freight Advisory Committee and helped led the development of the California Freight Plan. Bonnie also served as a Metro Board Member, where she successfully secured funding for the Gerald Desmond Bridge replacement project and supported the expanded use of PierPass. Prior to her time as an elected representative, Bonnie was a family counselor, mental health consultant, and educator.

"As our former Assemblymember and Chair of the Assembly Transportation Committee, Bonnie Lowenthal will bring impeccable credentials to this role," said Councilmember Al Austin who chairs the City's Personnel and Civil Service Committee. "I look forward to working with Bonnie as a Harbor Commissioner. She will help support economic growth at the port, be a champion for our environment, an protect our neighborhoods."

Planning Commission

Josh LaFarga is being appointed to the Long Beach Planning Commission effective October 1, 2017 to fill the vacancy created by Donita Van Horik’s resignation. Josh LaFarga, a resident of the 9th District, has a long history of community service and activism. He currently serves as the Director of Public and Government Affairs and as Recording Secretary and Executive Board member at LiUNA! Local 1309. Josh has been a leader in the local building trades and has advocated for quality construction jobs across the region. He is also a member on the South Bay Workforce Investment Board and Co-Chair of the Legislative Committee for FuturePorts, the largest non-profit organization working to promote the Ports of Long Beach and Los Angeles. Earlier this year the L.A. County Board of Supervisors appointed Josh to the Building Rehabilitation Appeals Board.

The following non-Charter Commission Appointments will be considered by the City Council.

Economic Development Commission

Mayor Garcia is appointing Steve Goodling as the CVB Representative to the Economic Development Commission. Mr. Goodling has been the President & CEO of the Long Beach Convention & Visitors Bureau for the past sixteen years. In that role, he has helped strengthen the local and regional economy by generating more than $300 million annually and supporting nearly 7,000 local jobs. He has been involved in numerous economic development projects, including a $45 million re-design of the Long Beach Convention & Entertainment Center complex, the grand opening of the Pacific Ballroom at the Long Beach Arena, the terminal modernization of Long Beach Airport, and many high profile special events and conventions.

Long Beach Transit Board of Directors

Mayor Garcia is appointing Adam Carrillo to the Board of Directors of Long Beach Transit. Mr. Carrillo is a 1st District resident and is currently the Economic Development Manager for the Downtown Long Beach Alliance, where he works to support job creation efforts by attracting, expanding, and retaining business in the downtown core. Adam is also President of the Long Beach Commercial Real Estate Council, a Principal at Economic & Business Development Partners, and an advisory Board member at DRTVinc. Before working in Long Beach, Adam was Director of Marketing Strategy at ZipTech Media.

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