Public Hearings Scheduled On $26M Bond Ordinance, Trash Code, Per City Council

LONG BEACH, NY — The Long Beach City Council scheduled a trio of public hearings at its July 21 meeting, clearing the weigh for city residents to weigh in on proposals that would amend city trash code and issue over $26 million in bonds to finance capital projects around the city.

Tuesday night’s meeting kicked off with resolutions authorizing City Manager Dan Creighton to purchase four ATVs for the city beach patrol, followed by resolutions allowing Creighton to purchase construction materials including hydrated lime, aluminum sulfate and miscellaneous hardware items on “as-needed” bases.

The meeting also featured some discussion of the city’s beach finances, and an update on the future of NY Tennis at Long Beach, which officials say could be in line for “significant investment.”

Looking ahead to the next council meeting, however, there were two public hearings put on the docket for that meeting Tuesday night.

Trash Code

Previously discussed in June, the proposal to change city trash code would require food service businesses to put their trash out for collection every day that they’re open.

An earlier version of the proposal would have required that establishments put their trash out in garbage bins, cans or dumpsters, all with solid tops, but the line requiring those receptacles was struck from the proposal after the June discussion.

Back in June, the concern among city council members was that the amount of garbage cans or dumpsters needed to handle the city’s food service trash would become an eyesore.

Public hearing on this proposed ordinance change will now take place at the Aug. 4 council meeting, which will begin at 7 p.m.

$26.5 Million Bond Ordinance

The bond ordinance was the final item on the agenda Tuesday, scheduling a public hearing on a proposal that would finance capital projects throughout the city.

The estimated cost of those projects is $26,566,000, and the proposed ordinance would allow the city to issue bonds in an amount no higher than that projected cost. In addition to the bonds, city documents say the plan to finance these improvements would also include state and federal aid, with tax income being used to pay off the bonds’ principal and interest as they come due.

The public hearing on this ordinance is also scheduled for August 4 at 7 p.m.