Nov. 5--What began as a seemingly simple proposal Tuesday -- placing elected officials' calendars online so that the public knows what officials are up to and with whom they are meeting -- led to a debate about security and a divided City Council.

Councilman Robert Garcia, supported by council members Gary DeLong and Gerrie Schipske, had proposed requiring that council members post their calendars online. All three already post their calendars or schedules in some form online.

Garcia asked the council to direct City Manager Pat West to return with a report on the technology that could be used and the potential costs for an online calendar system.

Four council members were less than receptive to the idea, but it still passed in a 5-4 vote.

Councilwoman Rae Gabelich said that as a single woman who lives in a secluded area, "I don't want folks knowing my every move."

Vice Mayor Val Lerch said that the calendars should only be posted retroactively, not in advance, to ensure the safety of council members and their families. Councilman Dee Andrews shared the safety concerns as well.

Councilman Patrick O'Donnell made very clear that he wouldn't put his wife and two young children at risk.

"I do believe this is a threat to my family," O'Donnell said.

The safety concerns extend beyond him and his family, he said. For example, O'Donnell said that he wouldn't want to put on a public calendar the address of a constituent

who has a complaint about a neighbor or a suspected drug dealer.

Of course, council members' movements are often easy to figure out anyway -- they speak at community meetings, attend public events and are at City Hall for publicly announced meetings every week.

On the other side, Schipske said that all elected officials, not just the council, should be required to post their calendars, but DeLong and Garcia said there will be time to work out the details later.

"I think it would be a mistake to try to work through these policy issues at this time," DeLong said.

He noted that the first step, and the one approved Tuesday, was figuring out the logistics of online calendars.

"If it comes back cost-prohibitive, we're not going to do it for anybody," DeLong said.

LB ahead of water curve

When it comes to reducing water use, Long Beach is ahead of the game.

Long Beach Water Department officials announced Wednesday after the state Legislature passed a bill requiring cities to reduce their water use 20 percent by 2020 that Long Beach is already in full compliance.

The state water-use legislation is part of a package of water conservation bills approved Wednesday by the Legislature, including an $11.1 billion bond -- subject to voter approval -- to repair California's aging water infrastructure. Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger still needs to sign the legislation.

Twenty-five months of water conservation efforts have led to record-low water usage for Long Beach. For the past 12 months, Long Beach's water use is at 17.4 percent below the historical average, officials said.

The Water Department has also unveiled a new Web site that has interactive features, including information about creating a drought-tolerant garden, games for children and videos. Check it out at .

paul.eakins@presstelegram.com, 562-499-1278

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