VAL LERCH FINDS LIFE AFTER CITY COUNCIL: WORKING FOR LAURA RICHARDSON
By Dave Wielenga
Former Long Beach City Council member Val Lerch has been hired as a field representative by 37th district Congress woman Laura Richardson (D-Long Beach/Carson), it was learned late this afternoon by GreaterLongBeach.com.
“I’m filling out the paperwork in downtown Long Beach as we speak,” Lerch confirmed when contacted on his cell phone just before 5 p.m. while sitting in Richardson’s office at 100 Broadway.
“Who told you?” Lerched asked, admitting he was startled to receive a cell phone asking about his new position before he had even left the building where he had accepted it. “It sure was fast. Because my official start time was at 1 p.m. today.”
There was relief in Lerch’s voice, as if the reality of his employment—in a field he loves—was sinking in.
“This is what I truly enjoy—the political game, the atmosphere of politics,” said Lerch, who made that obvious during two gregarious terms as the 9th district’s representative on the Long Beach City Council. “I look forward to representing Congresswoman Richardson in whatever area she needs me—whether that’s with my experience in Long Beach, or North Long Beach, or maybe veterans affairs issues … you know, I spent 24 years in the Coast Guard.”
Richardson, meanwhile, has spent four very tumultuous years in Congress after climbing from the Long Beach City Council through the California Assembly to Capitol Hill in just one year. She has been the subject of ethics-based controversies over her home, her government car, the use of a helicopter and claims by a former aide that Richardson used her government-paid staff on her political campaigns. Lerch declined to comment on any of that. “I think you ought to contact the congresswoman,” he said. “I’ve only been on the job a few hours!”
Until Friday, Lerch had been essentially unemployed for going on 1½ years, and officially so since July 2010, a few months after his write-in campaign for a third term on the City Council was defeated by Steve Neal on April 13.
Life without a job was not easy, Lerch said Friday, about four hours after he had one again. But he seemed to have known that going in.
Despite many years in property management, including a position with Pabst, Kinney & Associates, Inc., during most of his years on the city council, the demands of his political obligations and the downturn in the real estate market had left him with only his $31,320 council salary.
About a month after Lerch lost the April 13 election, Press-Telegram reporter Paul Eakins obtained and published an e-mail that Lerch had sent to an unknown number of people, in which the about-to-be-former council member laid out the uncertainty of his moneymaking prospects quite straightforwardly.
“Hi all, as you all know in 60 days I will be off the City Council. I need a full time job. If anyone can help me find a new job I would be grateful. Anything in a public relations, public affairs or real estate management would be great. But, I’ll take anything that is challenging. I have attached my resume. Thanks again. Thanks in advance for your help.”
Little help was forthcoming, however, and as time passed Lerch said he emptied his savings and even dipped into his 401k retirement fund. Meanwhile, he kept searching.
“I asked every elected official I knew for a job,” he said. “I applied for every one that came up across the region. I applied for a government affairs position at the Port (of Long Beach). I applied for a public affairs position at the (Long Beach) Airport.
“Congresswoman Richardson and I began talking about this job a few months ago. A few weeks ago, when she was in town, she indicated she would be making some changes. Today, she did.”
14 Comments
The good Val Lerch will be to the people 37th Congressional District what the
Carpathia was to the passengers on the Titanic!!!
The City of Long Beach should have hire Val Lerch as Manager of the Marine
Bureau. His 20 years of USCG experience is that the City needs.
The current manager is boating adverse,uncertified,unschooled,untrained in
matters marine infamous for saying…” I AM A BEAN COUNTER -NOT A
BOATER!!!!
Now of course the 30+ page report by the City Auditor finding the Bean Counter’s 90Million dollar + Alamitos Bay Re Build Plan-unbondable-places
the BEAN COUNTERS Bean counting skills in question!!!!
Thus Mr, Lerch would be an excellent choice for Marine Bureau Manager.
More to the point;Val Lerch with his 20 years of USCG experience is someone
who those within the Marine Bureau as well as DBAW-and the boating
community in general could respect.
Val, I know you needed a job, but . . . Oh, well. At least she was smart enough to hire you — maybe there is hope after all. Blessing to you, Friend. See you at the Prayer Breakfast and Forum!
Val was another one of those Mayor Bob Foster clones (like James Johnson) who thought Foster’s influence would take him up the political ladder outside Long Beach as long as he did Foster’s bidding for him. However, after he was done with him, Foster discarded Val like a worn out suitcase, as did all of Vals developer buddies and other political friends who no longer had use for Vals bumbling, vindictive and unsophisticated style of politics. Where are your friends now Val?
Val calls it a “political game” that he “loves.” This is a guy who historically made decisions that impacted peoples livelihoods and lives based NOT upon doing the right thing, but based upon how many political contributions or votes Val could hope to sway towards his direction. Val’s legacy after 8-years as Councilman is that his batting average was never high enough to get out of the minors and into the major league political game.
The REASON is because Val had no conviction and was considered undependable by both his detractors and supporters. Nobody could rely on Val to be consistent or actually do the right thing because everyone knew Val’s backbone was only as stout as the next offer of election support. Nobody wants to play the political game with you if you are a political flake.
Geez–Laura Richardson?
The same Laura Richardson who repeatedly defaulted on her own mortgages as a member of Congress?
The same Laura Richardson whose house was foreclosed on by a bank–and then mysteriously returned to her AFTER it had been resold?
The same Laura Richardson who recently was named to Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington’s (CREW) list of Most Corrupt Congress members?
The only silver lining for those of us who think our elected officials should be honest is that Richardson will be up for reelection soon.
Lerch might want to start looking for another job right … about … now.
I mean, given that it took him a year and a half to find this one.
Val, I’m SOOOO disappointed in you, sir! Here I always thought you were one of the GOOD Dems! : )
Oh well, perhaps you can help her be less corrupt than she has so far proven herself to be. The only consolation for conservative folks like me is that she will not likely be able to hold that office much longer.
In any case, God bless and God speed, sir!
“Little help was forthcoming, however, and as time passed Lerch said he emptied his savings and even dipped into his 401k retirement fund. Meanwhile, he kept searching.”
HOW TELLING is that statement of what Lerch’s community and friends thought of his 8-years as their elected Councilmember and Vice-Mayor.
Val should fit right in.
I hope Val doesn’t plan on getting paid because Laura Richardson just reported she is $449,835 in debt on her campaigns.
http://www.presstelegram.com/news/ci_18969928
Lerch – I’m not a big fan. Laura – “If you don’t have anything nice…”
but Geezus J Christ, is there anybody who post comments on LBReport, PT, GreaterLB, etc who thinks the glass is only 50% empty? I find it frustrating that the media just reports negative crap but maybe they are just pandering to their core demographic.
Unemployment sucks and the whole economy would be better off if more people get hired. So at least 1 person benefited from a federal job program!
Congratulations Val and good luck in the trenches… Laura’s battles will require all hands on deck.
And thanks to Dave for reporting good news!
Fuzzy Bunnies. That’s what we need to talk more about……Fuzzy Bunnies. That should help solve the worlds problems and guarantee full employment.
@Mike Ruehle: Yeah, definitely.
If we just wish Val and Laura well, they will DEFINITELY clean up Laura’s act and she’ll be the best congressional representative Long Beach ever had.
Maybe Laura will even travel back in time to un-default on her assorted mortgages.
Citizen Journalist Quotes of the Day — The Flight of the Wild Duck
“Leadership is the art of getting someone else to do something you want done because he wants to do it.” — Dwight Eisenhower
“Do not go where the path may lead, go instead where there is no path and leave a trail.” — Ralph Waldo Emerson
“The leadership instinct you are born with is the backbone. You develop the funny bone and the wishbone that go with it.” — Elaine Agather
“The marksman hitteth the target partly by pulling, partly by letting go. The boatsman reached the landing partly by pulling, partly by letting go.” — Egyptian Proverb
“Not the cry, but the flight of the wild duck, leads the flock to fly and follow.” — Chinese Proverb
“An army of deer would be more formidable commanded by a lion, than an army of lions commanded by a stag.” — Viking Proverb
“I have three precious things which I hold fast and prize. The first is gentleness; the second is frugality; the third is humility, which keeps me from putting myself before others. Be gentle and you can be bold; be frugal and you can be liberal; avoid putting yourself before others and you can become a leader among men.” –- Lao Tzu
(Source: motivatingquotes.com)