Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Municipal Finance topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Council approves lifeguard tower advertising deal to generate summer revenue
Summary
Council approved a contract to sell advertising on lifeguard towers, with a reported 70/30 revenue split and an early target of roughly $1 million in first‑summer revenue; Mayor Burns recused from the item and one abstention was recorded.
Huntington Beach, Calif. — The City Council on May 6 approved a lifeguard‑tower advertising program that will place tasteful ad wraps on lifeguard towers and pair ads with beach‑safety messaging.
Staff described the program as a revenue-generating initiative for the General Fund and a way to pay for replacement of aging towers. The winning bidder is a Huntington Beach business; the vendor will supply wraps and installation and will share revenue with the city. City staff said the program projects a conservative first‑summer city revenue target of about $1 million, with a contract revenue split of approximately 70 percent to the city and 30 percent to the vendor.
Mayor Pat Burns recused herself from discussion and vote on the item because of a personal relationship with one of the bidders; the council recorded a recusal and at least one abstention during the vote. Staff said city contractors will seek to subcontract local businesses to produce and install the wraps.
Why it matters: The program is part of the council’s broader effort to identify new local revenue sources. Council members described the program as a tasteful, low‑impact way to raise funds tied to beach stewardship and maintenance.
What the council decided: The council authorized staff to award the contract as presented and to proceed with installation; staff will track revenues and apply a portion of proceeds to lifeguard‑tower replacement and to the city’s General Fund. The vote was recorded with the mayor recused; staff will publish the detailed contract and revenue schedule in subsequent public materials.
What’s next: Staff will finalize vendor contracting, coordinate wrap production with local suppliers where possible, and schedule summer installation. The city will post parcel‑level revenue and any contract documents on the city procurement site once finalized.
