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California JPIA Shares Insights at League of California Cities Annual Conference

California JPIA staff will connect with members and share insights at the 2022 League of California Cities (Cal Cities) Annual Conference and Expo, September 7–9 in Long Beach. Each year, Cal Cities attracts leaders from all sectors of city government and other public entities to share knowledge and best practices around challenging, real-world issues in a collaborative space.

“I am delighted to represent the California JPIA at this year’s conference,” said Senior Risk Manager Alex Mellor. “We have put together a relevant and timely presentation to shed light on how cities can manage and mitigate tensions surrounding on-street dining.”

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In their presentation, “On-Street Dining Risks: Managing Tensions between Safety and Supporting Businesses,” California JPIA Senior Risk Manager Alex Mellor, former Artesia Mayor Victor Manalo, West Hollywood City Manager David Wilson, and Storefront Safety Council Co-Founder Rob Reiter will discuss how the COVID-19 pandemic led to significant increases in outdoor business activities within the public right-of-way, an action that has both helped businesses survive the pandemic and also created safety concerns.

During the height of the pandemic, the ability to move business activities outdoors helped local restaurants continue operating while adhering to federal, state, and local safety protocols. While this immensely helped local businesses, public safety questions arose due to customers’ proximity to moving vehicles. As regular indoor business operations have resumed, many communities and businesses wish to maintain access to outdoor dining.

“As we enter a post-COVID world, cities face difficult decisions regarding on-street dining. Steps must be taken to effectively manage the tension between supporting local restaurants and protecting diners as much as possible,” stated Mellor. “It is important to come together and share knowledge and insight on issues we’ve never faced before.”

Mellor, Chief Executive Officer Jon Shull, Deputy Executive Officer Alex Smith, Administrative Services Director Nikki Salas, Communications Director Olga Berdial, Finance Director Jason McBride, and Administrative Analyst Lyndsie Buskirk will represent the California JPIA at this year’s conference.

The League of California Cities, an advocacy organization that protects and extends local control for cities, offers year-round education for new and experienced municipal leaders.

Authority staff looks forward to attending the 2022 Annual Conference and Expo next month.

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