“City By The Sea” Community Update

Spring 2017Did you remember to bring your reusable bag today?

You will be charged 5¢ for each carryout bag provided to you.

Effective April 22, 2017 (Earth Day) For more info visit: www.longbeachny.gov/bags

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Financial Management

Public Safety

Environmental Protection

Planning & Economic DevelopmentArmy Corps Project Update

Building & Public Works

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Moody’s Investor Services has again issued a positive outlook for the City of Long Beach, marking the ninth consecutive positive credit action issued for the City administration which is led by City Manager Jack Schnirman. In February 2016, Moody’s had upgraded the City’s credit rating to Baa1 from Baa2 –

this credit opinion maintains that rating with a positive outlook going forward.

“When our administration took office in January 2012, Long Beach was on the brink of bankruptcy due to an inherited fiscal crisis,” stated City Manager Jack Schnirman. “We got to work right away, implementing a strict and responsible long-term fiscal recovery plan which has resulted in upgrade after upgrade, and we are thrilled to be rewarded by Moody’s with yet another positive credit action. While we still face a number of financial challenges, this positive outlook is another critical indicator of the hard-earned progress we continue to make.”

Highlights from the Moody’s Credit Opinion include:

Credit Strengths• Full pension Annual Required Contribution payment in Fiscal 2016• Large tax base with above average wealth levels• Deficit Bond issuance accompanied by additional state oversightCredit Challenges• Continued use of reserves could challenge financial position• Increased debt burden related to litigation

CITY CONTINUES FISCAL COMEBACKMOODY’S MAKES 9TH CONSECUTIVE POSITIVE CREDIT ACTION FOR LONG BEACH

The City of Long Beach is pleased to announce that an agreement has been reached with NY Rising for the implementation of streamlined reimbursement procedures for homeowners.

As per the new agreement, once a job is complete and the Building Department issues a Certificate of Occupancy, all necessary paperwork will be directly sent via e-mail to NY Rising. Previously, homeowners would need to wait until the Certificate of Occu-pancy was issued and in their possession before making an appointment to submit the paperwork to their caseworker, who would then forward it to the appropriate party. This new, streamlined procedure removes a significant bottleneck in the reimbursement process, as homeowners will no longer need to go through this multiple step process, expediting final payment from NY Rising by up to six weeks.

This new, improved process is a direct result of the diligent work conducted by the City of Long Beach Building Department in the four years since Superstorm Sandy struck our community. As per a letter issued by Joseph Massa, Master Program Man-ager for the Governor’s Office of Storm Recovery on January 14th, 2017, NY Rising recognized the efforts of Building Commissioner Scott Kemins, Residential Rebuilding Coordinator Isabel Munoz-Doerbecker, and Building Inspector Rich Schuh as "an as-set to the success of the program and residents of Long Beach.”

"It is of paramount importance that survivors of Superstorm Sandy be treated with the utmost compassion and support," said Council President Len Torres. "This improved reimbursement process, which promises to cut down on both unnecessary paperwork and waiting times, is a major step towards accomplishing that goal."

"As someone whose family went through the early incarnation of NY Rising, I know all too well how difficult this process was to navigate. As such, this new, streamlined procedure developed alongside NY Rising is a critical improvement that will allow the City to help residents rebuild their homes and receive reimbursement in a faster and less stressful manner than before," stated City Council Vice-President Anthony Eramo. "I am also very proud of our Building Department for all of their efforts and willingness to go beyond the call of duty assisting residents. Through their hard work, the staff of the Building Department truly exemplifies the motto "till everyone returns home."

“My goal since becoming Building Commissioner over 14 years ago, was to make a readily accessible Building Department,” commented Building Commissioner Scott Kemins. “Since Sandy, our goal has been to do whatever is necessary within the law to assist homeowners in the repair, elevation or replacement of their homes.”

BUILDING & PUBLIC WORKS

FOR INFORMATION ON UPCOMING PARKS & RECREATION PROGRAMS, VISIT LONGBEACHNY.GOV/REC

CITY PARTNERS WITH NY RISING TO STREAMLINE CERTIFICATION & PAYMENT PROCEDURES

A LOOK AT IN-PROGRESS AND UPCOMING PROJECTS FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKSThe Department of Public Works has been working diligently around the City, from renovations of fire houses to preparing for the upcoming summer season. This administration will continue the trend of resilient and sustainable infrastructure projects this spring, with the following programs planned for implementation or currently in progress:

• ACOE Beach Protection Project: The Army Corps of Engineers has begun work installing safety fencing and constructing staging areas for equipment and materials in preparation of jetty (groin) rehabilitation. For a comprehensive overview and schedule of this project, please see the Army Corps Project Update on the previous page.

• PSEG/National Grid Street Rehabilitation: In coordination with PSEG and National Grid, paving will be taking place in the West End starting in late March and finishing by the end of June from Ocean View to Beech St. on the following blocks: Wyoming, Virginia, Tennessee, Minnesota, Maryland.

• Harding Avenue Reconstruction: Begun in Fall 2016, Public Works Crews have returned to Harding Avenue to finish the full reconstruction of this road approximately by the end of June 2017.

FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT

VISIT LONGBEACHNY.GOV TO DOWNLOAD A PDF OF THE 2017 CALENDAR

“The positive outlook also reflects our expectation that management will continue to build reserves over the near term. The outlook further reflects improved fiscal controls and policies implemented by the current management team.”

“Proactive Management Should Continue to Drive Improvement in Financial Position.Over the past three years, management has implemented various cost controls, revenue enhancements and other policies which continue to stabilize the financial position going forward.”

Some of the City’s strengths cited by Moody’s include “improved fiscal controls and policies implemented by the current management team” and the City’s “manageable debt burden.”

The following is a list of what could cause the rating to go up or down:

Factors that Could Lead to an Upgrade• Demonstrated ability to structurally balance budgets• Continued improvement in liquidity and reserves following the issuance of deficit reduction bonds

Factors that Could Lead to a Downgrade• Reduced liquidity and reserves following the issuance of deficit reduction bonds• Failure to adhere to policies and procedures

Continued from Cover...MOODY'S MAKES 9TH CONSECUTIVE POSITIVE CREDIT ACTION FOR LONG BEACH

Sanitation Schedule CorrectionsMay 29, 2017- Memorial Day - No Sanitation PickupSeptember 4, 2017 - Labor Day - No Sanitation PickupOctober 9, 2017 - Columbus Day - No Sanitation Pickup

PLANNING & ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

FOR MORE ON THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN, PLEASE VISIT LONGBEACHLISTENS.COM

The 2017 Comprehensive Plan which has been funded by state grants, expands upon prior planning efforts and identifies opportunities to accelerate Long Beach’s transition from post-Sandy recovery to a thriving and resilient community. The plans contain a consistent set of visions, goals, objectives, and actions that are based on evidence about local issues and conditions, projected changes, community impacts, and cost effectiveness.

The primary purpose of the Comprehensive Plan is to maintain and improve the quality of life for Long Beach residents. As such, outreach has been a major priority throughout this process. The broad City-wide and neighborhood specific planning concepts developed to date were refined based on feedback received from nine public information meetings, four high need area meetings, two focus groups, materials posted on the City’s Long Beach Listens website, and City-wide surveys/comments with over 1,500 responses.

In February, the Department of Economic Development & Planning hosted the fifteenth public meeting regarding the City’s comprehensive plan and vision for the future of Long Beach. At this meeting, there was an overview of the planning process and what stage the project is currently in, how public input was incorporated into it, along with additional information about zoning, the next phases of this project, and break out groups for a discussion on the contents of the plan. City staff were on hand to answer any questions attendees had.

In line with this community-driven process, the City has worked diligently on reviewing all public feedback on the Comprehensive Plan. The plan includes the consideration of all comments heard over the past two years from all outreach methods, via surveys, meetings, e-mails, web, phone calls, and more. The listing of the portions of the plan that were updated can be found in the final appendix, Appendix E: Public Comment Analysis. In this appendix, it lists the comments the City heard, sorted by topic, and the section that responses or changes can be found in.

Key Planning Concepts Emerging from Public Input:

Comprehensive Plan Timeline

CITY HOSTS COMPREHENSIVE PLAN MEETINGSENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION

VISIT WWW.LONGBEACHNY.GOV/BAGS FOR MORE INFORMATION

Acting upon the recommendation of the Environmental Advisory Board in 2015, the Long Beach City Council passed Nassau County’s first-ever Carryout Bag Ordinance on October 18, 2016. This was a culmination of a process in which the City partnered with local organiza-tions and businesses, including the Long Beach Chamber of Commerce to organize free “Bag It” documentary viewings at City Hall, the MLK Center, Bridgeworks, and the beach to educate the public on plastic bag pollution and its effect on climate change and quality of life.

Unlike many other carryout bag laws throughout the country, this ordinance does not bar businesses from providing carryout bags. Similar to the law passed in Suffolk County, when it takes effect on April 22, 2017 (Earth Day), it will require businesses to charge a fee no less than five (5) cents for each carryout bag made of plastic, paper, or reusable material (thicker plastic or cloth). Customers who bring their own bags will not be charged.

What does the Carryout Bag Ordinance require? • Fee: Business establishments must begin charging no less than five (5) cents for each carryout bag they provide to customers. All fees

collected are retained by the business establishment.• Fee Exemptions: Customers using NYS Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) or NYS Special Supplemental Nutrition

Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC), as full or partial payment shall not be charged. Bags without handles that are used to carry produce, meats, loose baked goods, loose dry goods, dry cleaning, newspaper delivery bags, liquor store sales, flowers or other non-prepackaged food items to the point of sale within a store or market, or to prevent such items from coming in direct contact with other purchased items, or a bag provided by a doctor, pharmacist, or veterinarian to carry prescription drugs, shall not carry a charge;

• Signage: Business establishments shall post signage at or near points of sale to notify customers. Signs can be downloaded in English or Spanish at www.longbeachny.gov/bags;

• Penalties for businesses in non-compliance are as follows: $100 for first violation; $200.00 for the second; $250 for the third and sub-sequent violations. The ordinance will be enforced, as most other ordinances are enforced – on a complaint basis.

What can you do to prepare for the Carryout Bag Ordinance……as a shopper? • Bring your own bags to the store – make a note on your shopping list or leave them in the car;• Attend Earth Day in Kennedy Plaza on April 22 to receive a free reusable bag and sign up for other bag giveaways at

www.longbeachny.gov/bags;• Use alternatives for pet waste and trash liners, including scoopers or newspaper/cereal/snack bags.

…as a business?• Begin the conversation with customers by asking, “Did you bring your reusable bag today?”;• Train staff to understand the ordinance. Submit your questions at www.longbeachny.gov/bags;• Use alternatives to bags, including easily recycled cardboard boxes or insulated food delivery bags.

CARRYOUT BAG ORDINANCE TAKES EFFECT ON EARTH DAY APRIL 22, 2017

In 2015, the City of Long Beach restructured its fire department, and, in so doing, modified its service delivery model. Since that time, the City and the Long Beach and Professional Firefighters Association Local 287 (LBPFA) had remained locked in litigation over various aspects of that restructuring.

As per the ICMA Center for Public Safety’s full-scale evaluation of our commu-nity’s emergency response needs, it was determined that the Long Beach Fire Department should be restructured with a modernized model that enhances emergency services, improves efficiency, and puts public safety first. This meant allocating resources based on actual demand. For the year 2016, the Long Beach Fire Department responded to 5,011 Alarms. Thankfully, only 10 calls were for working fires, equaling 0.2% of all calls received. To this end, the City accepted the report’s recommendations, hiring paramedics, pre-deploying ambulances onto City streets, partnering with South Nassau Communities Hospital to aug-ment the existing City ambulance fleet, and refocusing the firefighters towards their main mission, fighting fires.

Earlier this year, the parties announced a settlement agreement whereby the LBPFA agreed to withdraw the vast majority of its legal challenges surrounding the restructuring. The City, in turn, agreed to provide long-term job security for current LBPFA members, which also assures the continuity of the professional firefighting force. The parties entered into this Agreement knowingly, volun-tarily, in good faith, and with hope of fostering a new and improved relationship.

One of only two departments on Long Island with a paid firefighting component, the Long Beach Fire Department has been in operation since 1910. It is comprised of approximately 140 Volunteer Firefighters, 17 Paid Firefighters, and 8 Paid Paramedics.

PUBLIC SAFETY

TO HELP PROTECT THE COMMUNITY BY BECOMING A VOLUNTEER FIREFIGHTER, VISIT LONGBEACHFD.COM

CITY OF LONG BEACH REACHES SETTLEMENT AGREEMENT WITH PAID FIREFIGHTERS UNION

CRIME DOWN AGAIN FOR 2016, LBPD CONTINUES TO IMPLEMENT INTELLIGENCE-LED POLICINGThe City of Long Beach’s initiative to ensure public safety through the STAT management program kept the City’s performance goals moving forward.

• The Long Beach Police Department has been effective in lowering crime by 15.36%, decreasing from 358 Part 1 crimes in 2015 to 303 Part 1 Crimes in 2016. Aggravated assault has decreased by 42%, falling from 33 in 2015 to 19 in 2016. Robbery has also decreased by 81% from 11 in 2015 to just 2 in 2016.

• The Long Beach Police has also combated many theft related incidents. Burglary has decreased by 55% from 49 in 2015 to 22 in 2016. Larceny has also decreased by 2.38% from 252 in 2015 to 246 in 2016. Motor Vehicle theft has just slightly increased by 7.69% from 13 in 2015 to 14 in 2016.

Intelligence-led policing is a critical component when it comes to keeping Long Beach residents safe. "The LBPD is constantly analyzing data to be more efficient with our enforcement strategies," said Police Commissioner Michael Tangney. "In our increasingly interconnected world, crime crosses every jurisdic-tion. To that end, we also work closely with various law enforce-ment agencies to further enhance public safety."

The City has been notified that the Army Corps of Engineers will proceed with the beach protection project in a manner that provides enhanced safety and causes the least disruption to our beach this summer. The City’s management team has worked closely with Senator Kaminsky, Assemblywoman Miller, Legislator Ford, and Senator Schumer’s office to ensure that the inconvenience Long Beach residents face this summer would be minimized while also allowing the project to proceed in a timely manner with measures put in place to protect the City from future storms. Throughout this process, the City administration and the City Council will continue to stand up for Long Beach. For more information, please attend the Public Meeting on April 20 at 7:30PM in City Hall.

Below is a list of the contractor’s work plan for the Army Corps of Engineers project as provided by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation:

• Groin 39 (opposite Edwards) and Groin 40 (opposite Riverside) will be the first set of groins to be rehabilitated beginning at the end of March through approximately May 25. Groin 39 will use the access point of New York Avenue and Groin 40 will use the access point of Neptune Blvd.

• Groin 30 (opposite New York Ave) and Groin 47 (opposite Roosevelt Blvd.) will be the second set of groins to be rehabilitated from approximately May 25 through July 21. Groin 30 will use the access point of New York Ave and Groin 47 will use the access point of Neptune Blvd.

• Groin 29 (opposite Arizona Ave) and Groin 44 (opposite Franklin Blvd.) will be the third set of groins to be rehabilitated from approximately July 24 through September 5. Groin 29 will use the access point of New York Ave and Groin 44 will use the access point of Neptune Blvd.

• If the contractor completes all six groins prior to Labor Day, he may request to work on an additional set of groins – one on each end of the City, such as 27 (opposite Tennessee) and 43 (Lincoln Blvd.). However, no other groins will be worked on until after Labor Day unless the City specifically approves this.

• Haul roads will only be constructed and used as needed to reach the groins currently being worked on as in the approved Work Plan for the contract to repair the groins. For example, when Groins 39 (opposite Edwards) and 40 (opposite Riverside) are complete, the haul road will be removed from the access points to Groins 39 (opposite Edwards) and 40 (opposite Riverside) and reset to reach only Groins 30 (opposite New York Ave) and 47 (opposite Roosevelt Blvd.) from their respective access points.

• At every boardwalk crossing (stairs and/or ramp), a corridor will be made to allow the public access to the beach across the haul road and around staging areas and groin work areas as needed.

• There will be two large material handling vehicles working the project as opposed to the one identified in the work plan, limiting the amount of travel time needed in the haul road.

• The contractor may begin work on the beach at 8:00 AM and work until 8:00 PM per City ordinance. There will be 20 trucks used per day, each making two deliveries – one in the morning and one in the afternoon.

For any additional questions or concerns, please call the NYSDEC at 518-402-8185.

ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS PROJECT UPDATE

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AN UPDATED PROJECT SCHEDULE THROUGH SUMMER IS NOW AVAILABLE