11:00am | Undeterred by the recent efforts of Long Beach Chamber of Commerce CEO Randy Gordon to persuade the City Council not to approve a feasibility study on the breakwater that would cost the City $4 million, 4th District Councilmember and outspoken reconfiguration advocate Patrick O’Donnell set out this morning to find Gordon and deliver a voucher good for one free surfing lesson from Banzai Surf School.
With his surfboard in tow, of course.
“O’Donnell, a high school teacher, is confident that after a good lesson, Randy will be bitten by the surfing bug and gain more respect for the effort to increase recreational opportunities and secure clean water in Long Beach,” reads a statement from O’Donnell’s office.
Gordon wrote a letter to city management last week urging them not to support the $4 million study to consider reconfiguration.
O’Donnell traveled all around the city this morning on the prowl for Gordon, making stops at Wal-Mart, Big Rec golf course, Shelter Surf Shop and of course, the beach.
Eventually, O’Donnell and his surfboard made it to the Chamber of Commerce office, though Gordon wasn’t in. He is apparently hasn’t given up the search just yet, as his Facebook status continues to update with Gordon-related messages.
O’Donnell also made a stop at the field office of 5th District Councilmember Gerrie Schipske, who last week blogged that she no longer supports funding the feasibility study. Schipske wrote that the City cannot afford the study, and suggested putting a vote on the November ballot to ask voters whether Tidelands funds should be used to pay the $4 million. O’Donnell didn’t offer her a surfing lesson today. Maybe she’ll get hers at tomorrow’s Council meeting.
Later today, the Army Corps of Engineers is expected to release a report that will likely state their support for beginning a detailed feasibility study that will focus on possible reconfiguration of the Long Beach Breakwater and the benefits and setbacks that may result from such an effort.
The study is expected to take up to four years to complete, and will include options for removing portions of the structure and what effects – if any – that may have on local water quality, wave action and potential tourism revenue. From there, it will be up to the City Council again to decide whether or not to proceed with reconfiguration in what will likely be a very costly project.
Below are photos of O’Donnell’s journey around the city, with captions as posted on his Facebook page.
One man, one surfboard, one gift certificate.
Not here…
Still looking, but we’re not going in there! The fight for clean water continues.
Maybe it’s a Golf day?
Not at the beach! Note: the tractor in the background is cleaning some of the trash off our beach.
Not at Shelter Surf Shop either. No surprise here. The fight for clean water continues!
Made it to the Chamber,
They even validated my parking! No Randy today but the quest for Clean Water continues today and tomorrow…
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Disclosure: staging-live.lbpost.com co-founder Shaun Lumachi is a government affairs advisor to the Long Beach Area Chamber of Commerce.