(March 26, 2001) -- LB City Manager Henry Taboada has announced the composition of City Hall's "Energy Task Force." A City Hall press release says the group "will deal with the natural gas and electrical energy problems being experienced by Long Beach utility consumers."
The Task Force members' affiliations shown in City Hall's press release are cited by us for identification only in parentheses; additional newsworthy notes by us are bracketed.
As announced March 26, City Hall's Energy Task Force members are:
- Southern California Edison's Roger Haley (Regional Manager, Public Affairs) and Vincent Haydel (Regional Director, Public Affairs)
- City Light & Power President & CEO, William F. Simmons
- LB Energy [Gas] Dept Manager, Chris Garner
- LB Area Chamber of Commerce members include Mike Murray (Verizon External Affairs Manager) and Randy Gordon, Chamber President & CEO
- Downtown LB Associates Executive Director Kraig Kojian
- LB City College Gov't Affairs Director Gloria Cordero [LBReport.com note: Ms. Cordero formerly worked for So. Cal Edison]
- Queen Mary Foundation VP Travis Montgomery
- Gulfstream Communications Manager Joan Catarino [LBReport.com note: Ms. Catarino formerly worked for the City of LB]
- Apartment Ass'n of So. Cal Cities Exec. Dir. Nancy Ahlswede
- 2d district resident Bry Myown [listed in City Hall press release as "Council of Neighborhood Organizations"; see note below.]
- Senior Citizen Advisory Comm'n member Rose Cabanban
- LB Realtor (ReMax College Park Realty) Shirley Saltman
- Advertising/Marketing Executive, Alcone Marketing, Tom Fields [LBReport.com note: Mr. Fields is a member of the LB Planning Commission]
- Retired business executives Leonard Todd and John Donaldson
- Deputy City Manager Christine Davis and City Hall ombudsman Janice Bradley
City Hall's release quotes City Manager Taboada as saying, "It is definitely time for us to think outside the box and I have full confidence thatthe Energy Task Force will do just that."
City Hall's announcement of its Energy Task Force members, and news that the group will hold its first meeting tomorrow (March 27), come just days after a grassroots group, LB Citizens for Utility Reform (LBCUR) held its first meeting (March 24).
Speakers at LBCUR's public meeting, including Prop. J author Norm Ryan, said they believe City Hall violated Section 1502 of the City Charter when it charged LB consumers commoditiy rates higher than neighboring cities and called for immediate rebates of these sums. Mr Ryan also said he was considering a new ballot measure to end the utility tax on city-owned utilities. (Full story on LBCUR's meeting is at LBCUR initial meeting)
In an ironic twist, City Hall's Energy Task Force includes LBCUR co-chair John Donaldson and LBCUR member Bry Myown.
Concerning a reference in City Hall's press release indicating Ms. Myown's affiliation with CONO, Ms. Myown told LBReport.com that while she does participate in CONO, and she is gratified the city sought neighborhood representation, CONO itself has a firm policy of not taking public positions.