Long Beach City Council Learns of $7M Shortfall, Mulls Cameras on Street Sweepers as Cost-Saving Move

The City Council urged staff Tuesday to examine the pros and cons of installing cameras on Long Beach street sweeping vehicles as a way to save labor costs in the same way as do red light cameras. In a 7-0 vote with two council members absent—including the 3rd District's Gary DeLong—the city staff was asked to assess a pilot program that would save money by mounting cameras on sweepers to photograph illegally parked cars blocking street cleanings.

“My understanding is that it’s somewhat similar to red light tickets,” said city Director of Public Works Michael Conway. “These (tickets) would have to be reviewed before they are sent out.”

City staff will return a report later this year with their findings, and a pilot program will go into effect without the council’s OK. Council Member Gerrie Schipske, who brought forward the agenda item, said that it would free up traffic enforcement employees to spend more time working in areas of the city with serious parking problems demanding on-scene personnel.

In 2010, the California Legislature approved Assembly Bill 2567, which allows for the installation of video cameras on street-sweeping vehicles. The legislation also states that tickets cannot be issued if the recording shows no vehicle is present, according to a staff report.

Marina Construction

The council authorized spending an additional $135,000 on the Alamitos Bay Marina project to provide a 10,000-square-foot habitat for a type of seaweed and to remove 41,000 square feet of soil containing elevated levels of mercury. City staff said the mercury poses no health concerns but that federal policy requires that the affected soil be removed. 

As for the 10,000-square-feet habitat for the seaweed, called eelgrass, the area will be located on the northeast shore of Marine Stadium. According to a staff report, eelgrass supports flowering undersea plant meadows, which supports species like algae, juvenile finfish and shellfish. The city council originally approved the marina project contract Aug. 12, 2008 with Bellingham Marine Industries Inc. for $1.49 million.

Tree Grant Application

Officials voted to apply for a state grant of at least $145,425 to support a city program that would create ten trees with tree wells that capture and filter storm water. In a 6-1 vote, council asked city staff to apply for grant funding from Cal FIRE Urban Foresty & Urban Greening to support the Long Beach Bioretention Tree Well Project. The project calls for the installation of 10 trees with bioretention tree wells, which can filter impurities from rainwater.

The city will apply for the $145,425 from the Leading Edge Project Grant fund. If the grant funding is secured, the city’s Sustainability and Redevelopment Agency will provide an additional $48,475. Combined with possible grant funds that adds up to $193,900—about $19,390 per installation of tree with tree-well.

Councilmember Rae Gabelich, who cast the dissenting vote, said that the cost was too high.  “It just seems outrageous to me,” Gabelich said. "$20,000 for a tree well?"

City staff said they hadn’t decided exactly where to place the trees, but that they would put at least one tree in all of the city’s seven districts.

Appian Way Bridge repainting

The city council awarded a $630,080 contract to an Orange County company to repaint the Appian Way Bridge.

Techno Coatings, Inc. of Anaheim will be conducting the renovations, a project that staff project will begin May 1 and take about 80 work days to complete. Built in 1961, the Appian Way Bridge is one of three that provides access to Naples Island, and is about 403-feet long and 58 feet wide, according to the staff report. The bridge is the northern most bridge out of Naples, and is about 100 feet north of the intersection of East Sorento Drive and East Appian Way.

Other business

Councilmen Robert Garcia and Gary DeLong were absent from the meeting and have been in Washington D.C. this week as part of their annual trip to “defend the city’s interests,” according to Mayor Bob Foster. “Hopefully, they’ll return with a brief case full of money,” Foster said.

It was not clear why any Council members would need to make such a trip to Washington D.C. when Long Beach already pays outside lobbying firms and has its own lobbyist on staff. Most of Long Beach's state representatives are former Long Beach City Council members, as is U.S. Congresswoman Laura Richardson.

According to www.lbreport.com, the City Council in November 2009 approved an ongoing contract for the annual cost of $180,000 for lobbyists—half of it paid by the city’s General Fund—with up to $2,000 in monthly, approved expenses.

The citywide news site posted a withering editorial earlier Tuesday blasting the council members and city hall for blowing taxpayer money to travel cross country to visit federal politicians with Long Beach offices. It also called out the absent council members for spending taxpayer money to promote Boeing when it is able to fund its own lobbying.

The City Council was told Tuesday night that the city has an unexpected budget shortfall of $7 million.

Upcoming News

The Long Beach Planning Commission will meet Thursday, March 3, to discuss a business applicant's plan to update a three-story office building in Naples Plaza. The subject site is on the north side of Naples Plaza, directly off 2nd Street. The commission meeting is at 333 Ocean Blvd. in Council Chambers at 5 p.m.