Neighborhood Coalition to Assess State of Long Beach

A coalition of neighborhood activists in Long Beach has scheduled its first “Residents’ State of the City Message” Monday on the eve of the mayor’s annual presentation.

“The strategy is to get the word out the day before,” said Richard McLaughlin, vice president of Citizens Acting as Volunteers for Everyone, which is organizing the smaller event. “Part of it is to make [city officials] nervous.”

McLaughlin said that although the message is being composed by various city activists who feel residents are being left out of City Hall’s decision-making process, “it’s not just to be a gripe session.”

Instead, he said, the message should provide an opportunity for constructive criticism on controversial city issues such as redevelopment projects and preservation efforts.

The coalition also plans to present an activism award to a woman who has fought on several fronts to halt development of a sports complex at El Dorado Park.

A marketing representative for the Long Beach Area Chamber of Commerce, which is sponsoring Mayor Beverly O’Neill’s address Tuesday, said she is not worried about the activists’ attempts to grab attention.

“I don’t think there’s any way they’re going to steal the spotlight,” said Barbara Clark, vice president of marketing for the chamber. She added that more than 1,200 people have already registered to attend. “I don’t anticipate them backing out because of something the night before.”

But McLaughlin said stealing attendance is not the goal.

“We’re trying to say, ‘Hey, you’ve got to cooperate. This is no way to run a city,’ ” he said.

He added, however, that his group’s event does hold one advantage over the chamber’s: tickets for the mayor’s address are $35; the activists’ event is free.

The activists’ meeting is scheduled at 7 p.m. Monday at Long Beach’s Bixby Elementary School, 5251 E. Stearns St.

The mayor’s address is set for noon at the Long Beach Convention Center.