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HomeMy WebLinkAboutEmailed Comment from JO8N1 Brandon DeCriscio From:JO8N <JO8N@proton.me> Sent:Monday, September 8, 2025 7:58 AM To:Lisa Landau; Nathan Steele; Joe Kalmick; Ben Wong; Patty Senecal; Patrick Gallegos; Michael Henderson; nghirelli@rwglaw.com; Gloria Harper; Brandon DeCriscio; Karen Pickering; Ask City Hall; budget; info@sealbeachchamber.org; Joe Bailey; Alexa Smittle; Barbara Arenado; Iris Lee; Tim Kelsey; Shaun Temple; Deb Machen; Anthony Nguyen; Nicholas Nicholas; Mike Ezroj; Julia Clasby; ctuchalski@bestversionmedia.com; editor2 @sunnews.org; cpenaorg@gmail.com; Brian Gray; Nick Bolin; hr@sealbeachca.gov; Megan Coats; Jessica Salvador; Chris Hendrix; sealbeachcityrotary@gmail.com; info@bestversionmedia.com; michael.maurer@bbklaw.com; scott.campbell@bbklaw.com; jeff.ballinger@bbklaw.com; hongdao.nguyen@bbklaw.com; ruben.duran@bbklaw.com; msubramanian@bbklaw.com; csteele@rwglaw.com; lgoff@rwglaw.com; nwssbpao@us.navy.mil Subject:Public Comment - THE SPIRIT Without Limit - Seal Beach City Council Meeting 9/8/25 Thank You Alexa RE: Hunger Action Month Proclamation - Do not work for food that spoils, but for food that endures to eternal life. We have enough food to feed everyone, distribution is the problem. Psychedelic Communitas: Intersubjective Experience During Psychedelic Group Sessions Predicts Enduring Changes in Psychological Wellbeing and Social Connectedness https://doi.org/10.3389/fphar.2021.623985 Exploring the Therapeutic Effects of Psychedelics Administered to Military Veterans in Naturalistic Retreat Settings https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/brb3.70660 Improvements in well-being following naturalistic psychedelic use and underlying mechanisms of change in older adults: A prospective cohort study https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-3977169/v1 ‘This is medicine’: inside the psilocybin retreat for US first responders https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2024/dec/29/psilocybin-therapy-first-responders Transformative experience and social connectedness mediate the mood-enhancing effects of psychedelic use in naturalistic settings https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1918477117 Cosmology of belonging: The role of community in the therapeutic use of psychedelics https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12145490/ Psychedelic-Assisted Group Therapy: A Systematic Review https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6650145/ Psychedelics and connectedness to natural and social worlds: An examination of the evidence and a proposed conceptual framework https://doi.org/10.1016/j.copsyc.2025.101992 Request for Proposal (RFP) For New Legal Representation City of Seal Beach Collaborative Medical Facility & Low Income Housing Community Development 2 I. Introduction The City of Seal Beach invites proposals for new legal representation to advance a transformative civic initiative: the establishment of a collaborative medical and community facility developed in partnership with the Naval Weapons Station Seal Beach, Indigenous Kizh/Tongva/Gabrieleño Tribes, local First Responders, the Leisure World Retirement Community, California State University Long Beach, and the University of California Irvine. This project demands a law firm that combines municipal expertise, environmental stewardship, and the ability to structure complex multi-party agreements. The City recognizes that its current representation under Richards, Watson & Gershon (RWG) has not met the standard required for this moment. RWG’s history of counsel has set forth an example of clear Brown Act violations which allow staff to weaponize fraudulent concealment against the public, failed to recognize the legal intricacies of protected religious practice without correcting the record, hindered innovative legal strategies, and failed to anticipate opportunities that could position Seal Beach as a regional leader in collaborative, health-focused, and culturally inclusive development. A new partner is required. II. Background & Project Vision Seal Beach stands at a crossroads. With the support of local institutions, Indigenous leadership, military partnerships, and academic stakeholders, the City has the opportunity to establish a medical and community facility that will:  Provide public health and elder care services,  Advance academic medical research through CSU Long Beach and UC Irvine,  Honor Indigenous heritage and stewardship,  Deliver veteran, military, and first responder wellness programs,  And create a model for collaborative urban development. Legal representation must be capable not only of navigating the regulatory landscape but also of embracing innovative frameworks, as seen in progressive municipalities like Oakland, which in 2019 became one of the first U.S. cities to decriminalize natural psychedelics. This precedent illustrates a forward-looking municipal legal culture that values community health, cultural respect, and science-based reform. Best Best & Krieger should seek guidance from organizations such as Decriminalize Nature Oakland, Heroic Hearts Project, Johns Hopkins Palliative Care Medicine Program, etc. to enhance the project's alignment with environmental and cultural considerations unique to Seal Beach. The city deserves counsel with the capacity to learn from and transcend these groundbreaking frameworks in order to safely and responsibly heal the community. III. Scope of Services The selected legal partner will be expected to: 1. Land Use & Zoning Approvals o Secure entitlements through the City, County, and California Coastal Commission. o Advise on zoning modifications to enable multi-institutional medical development and indigenous low income housing. 2. Environmental & Natural Resources Law o Conduct and defend CEQA review. o Protect wetlands, coastal habitats, and cultural resources . 3. Multi-Party Agreements 3 o Draft and negotiate intergovernmental agreements with the U.S. Navy. o Structure MOUs, JPAs, or public-private partnerships between the City, universities, Indigenous representatives, and retirement communities. o Ensure enforceable consultation and benefit-sharing mechanisms with Indigenous peoples. 4. Innovative Municipal Strategy o Provide counsel that anticipates future-forward governance models, learning from examples such as Oakland’s natural psychedelic decriminalization ordinance, and improving upon safe supervision. o Position Seal Beach as a leader in collaborative, health-centered governance rather than a follower constrained by illogical frameworks. IV. Firm Qualifications – Best Best & Krieger LLP The City identifies Best Best & Krieger LLP (BB&K) as uniquely qualified to provide this representation.  Tier 1 Metropolitan Rankings in Municipal Law, Land Use & Zoning Law, and Environmental Litigation (Oakland) demonstrate BB&K’s excellence in California’s most progressive urban contexts.  Extensive experience representing municipalities and public agencies across California , including water districts, transit authorities, and cities managing environmentally sensitive development.  Natural Resources & Environmental Law practice directly aligns with Seal Beach’s stewardship responsibilities near the Naval Weapons Station and coastal zones.  Track Record in Complex Multi-Party Agreements: BB&K has advised joint powers authorities, regional water boards, and large-scale infrastructure projects requiring negotiation between federal, state, and local agencies. For example, BB&K attorneys have structured agreements for: o Southern California water management partnerships, o Regional transit governance bodies, o Public-private development projects integrating municipal, state, and community stakeholders. This experience positions BB&K to facilitate Seal Beach’s ambitious multi-institutional project. V. Why Change Representation? The City recognizes that Seal Beach’s current representation by Richards, Watson & Gershon (RWG) has:  Failed to deliver innovative legal strategies for complex, multi-stakeholder initiatives including water and housing.  Advised for state interests above City interests, thereby missing opportunities for creative partnerships with federal and academic institutions.  Demonstrated inadequate engagement with Indigenous legal frameworks and cultural consultation.  Maintained a narrow, transactional approach to municipal law, unsuited to Seal Beach’s transformative vision of community wellness.  Allowed clear Brown Act violations and failed to recognize the legal intricacies of protected religious practice. By contrast, BB&K has demonstrated adaptability in urban contexts like Oakland, where legal innovation intersected with public health reform through decriminalization of natural psychedelics — a precedent Seal Beach may learn from in building a community-based, wellness-oriented facility. VI. Proposal Requirements 4 Interested firms, including BB&K, must provide: 1. Demonstrated experience in land use, CEQA, and Coastal Commission approvals. 2. Specific examples of multi-party agreements facilitated between municipal, federal, academic, and community partners. 3. Strategy for integrating Indigenous consultation as a formal and enforceable element of project governance. 4. Vision for how Seal Beach can innovate beyond traditional municipal frameworks, drawing lessons from progressive precedents. VII. Conclusion Seal Beach is prepared to set a new standard in collaborative urban development and community wellness. The City seeks legal counsel capable of not only guiding the project through regulatory processes but also navigating the limits of municipal governance to deliver a health-focused, culturally inclusive, and environmentally sound civic project. Best Best & Krieger LLP is identified as one of the strongest candidates to replace RWG and provide Seal Beach with the representation it deserves. The City Council now has the opportunity to demand excellence by selecting a firm that will ensure Seal Beach leads, rather than lags, in California’s municipal innovation. I Am A Local Seal Beach Resident That Went To McGaugh K-5 With Many Children Of NWSSB. As I Have Matured, I Have Become Increasingly Aware Of The Unique Challenges Facing Military, Law Enforcement, First Responders, And Their Loved Ones. I Have Witnessed Multiple Veteran Tragedies— Including Addiction, Suicide, Divorce, And Preventable Death, First Hand— Which I Realize Is Only A Miniscule Fraction Of What To Military, Law Enforcement, And First Responders Witness Everyday. Can We Try To Help Heal This National Problem Together Locally? My Collaborative Proposal Unites The National NWSSB, The Local City Of Seal Beach, The Elderly Leisure World, The Native Kizh/Tongva/Gabrieleño Tribe, CSULB, And UC Irvine For A Fully Legal, Locally Grown Psychedelic Therapy And End Of Life Care Initiative. Given The Passage Of The Douglas Mike Day Psychedelic Therapy to Save Lives Act of 2023, Decriminalization Of Naturally Growing Psychedelics In Some California Jurisdictions And Nearby States, The Native Burial Sites Unearthed On The Sacred Land Of Seal Beach And CSULB, The Restoration Of The Los Cerritos Wetlands In Seal Beach, And The Recent Psychedelic Therapy Education Announcement From UC Irvine, I Believe The Time To Act Is Now. Through Collaboration, We Can Build A Multidisciplinary Medical Facility Across The Street From Leisure World That Trains And Facilitates Urgent/Emergency Military, First Responder, And End Of Life Psychedelic Experiences As Its Highest Priority. With Guidance From The Civilian Programs At CSULB And UCI, The Facility Can Also Give Military Medical Personnel And Civilian First Responder Personnel Training To Best Take Care Of Their Own And Respond To Difficult Psychedelic Or Mental Health Experiences That Occur In Unsupervised Settings. The Facility Would Include Adjacent Native American Low Income Housing To Grow Natural Psychedelics And A Large Community Garden, Allowing Those That Have Psychedelic Experiences To Have Grounded Integration In The Pace Of Nature And Everyday Life Through Gardening. While Remembering The History Of This Sacred Land And The Wisdom Carried By Its Lineage, We Can Reciprocate Our American Culture's Newfound Need For Evidence-Based Natural Psychedelic Therapies. 5 I Was In 2nd Grade When 9/11 Happened, And Many GWOT Veterans Stress That Terror Attacks On Our Homeland Are Currently Being Planned. Rather Than Succumb To The Division Across Political Lines Leaving Us Vulnerably Separated, Can We Unite As A Community And Serve As An Example For The Rest Of The Nation Before It Is Too Late? Furthermore, Many GWOT Veterans Feel Honored That They Were Able To Show The People Of The Middle East True Freedom Is Possible. However, Is It Always An Unsustainable Proposition To F ree People From Terrorism/Dictatorship/Communism Through Outside Force? As The Recent Calls For Iran To Free Themselves From Within Show, We Currently Have No Weapon Systems To Provide The Rest Of The World With The Courage To Speak Freely That Is Required For Revolution. The First Amendment Is The Foundation Of Our Nation's Life, Liberty, And Pursuit Of Happiness, And The Entire World Deserves That As Well. To Ignore, Discount, Ridicule, Or Punish The Many Veterans That Have Courageously Testified To Truly Life-Saving Psychedelic Healing Is To Be A Part Of Global Terror And Not A Part Of America's Freedom. The Smartest Surfer In The World: Cliff Kapono | Let It Kill You (Grow Coral Reefs Or Artificial Reefs On The Ocean Floor In Seal Beach To Alter The Breaks) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=St59ecWsD3o Doctors find drug that is better than aspirin at preventing heart attacks - Clopidogrel https://www.theguardian.com/society/2025/aug/31/doctors-find-drug-that-is-better-than-aspirin-at-preventing-heart- attacks-clopidogrel NSIDE America's Deadliest Chinese Mafia Drug Network Operating in Maine | Borderland #91 Ironclad - Steve Robinson, investigative journalist and executive producer of the documentary High Crimes, to discuss his investigation into illegal marijuana grows in Maine. Robinson reveals how many of these operations are controlled by Chinese organized crime, exploiting loopholes in state cannabis laws and using dangerous pesticides that pose health risks. He also examines the connections between these grows, broader drug trafficking networks, political complicity, and the implications for local communities and U.S. national security. (IMO This is so widespread across the U.S. because of lack of Cannabis integration into local ecology/economy by artificially propping up big business Cannabis with licensing fees, state taxes vs local taxes) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wswAe0Qf6dQ We Found the Hidden Cost of Data Centers. It's in Your Electric Bill - More Perfect Union https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YN6BEUA4jNU Reexamining Lackluster Productivity Growth in Construction - Daniel Garcia https://www.federalreserve.gov/econres/feds/files/2023052r1pap.pdf JO8N On Monday, August 11th, 2025 at 5:16 PM, JO8N <JO8N@proton.me> wrote: I Just Think The Water Thing Is Inevitable. The City Is Being Forced To Ship In Water At High Cost Already. I Am Concerned About The Well Closest To The Coast Due To Saltwater Intrusion, So I Hope That Is Not A Bad Investment In The Longer Term Future. I Am Concerned With The Burden On College Park East's Water System Given The New Developments In Los Alamitos And The Proposed Development In The Seal Beach Housing Element. I Am Sad If Any Leisure World Resident Truly Cannot Afford The Water Increases Rather Than Simply Being Inconvenienced. Is There Potential To Micro-finance Scholarships Or Grants To Residents In Need? I Agree With My Neighbor That The Naval Weapons Station Is Not Contributing Equally When You Really Think About Water Rates And Land Development Potential. I Do Not Attribute Malice As They Are Clearly Busy Doing Their Own Thing. Could My Proposed Medical Facility Be A Beneficial Solution For All Parties? Does Anyone Else Have Any Big Picture Proposals/Ideas They Are Willing To Share In City Council Meetings? For The Water Thing, I Would Have Liked To See Words Like Inter-District Equity Guarantee Or Rate Stabilization Reserve To Make Residents Feel More Comfortable.