Long Beach City Council approves package of resolutions, including new fire engine and emergency water repairs

The Long Beach City Council voted Tuesday to approve a block of resolutions that included the purchase of a new fire pumper, ratification of emergency water-service repairs at City Hall, several budget amendments and publication of hearings on traffic-safety financing and a tax-reassessment local law.

The measures were approved in a single block vote that passed on a roll call of council members present. The package included agreements for software maintenance, budget transfers for employee payouts, a $65,890 design contract (see separate vote on design for East Bay Drive discussed later), emergency repairs, and the fire-engine purchase that is included in the city’s 2025 capital budget.

The city manager identified the key items during the meeting. On routine software maintenance for the city’s municity platform he said, “The agreement is just over $20,000 for the year, which is $2,500 more than our last agreement,” and that the sole-source provider is ICC Community Development Solutions, which acquired the prior vendor. For City Hall repairs, he told the council that Allen Industries performed emergency water-service and fire-service-line replacement and was the lowest responsible bidder at $47,850; the repairs were ratified because services would otherwise have required shutting down City Hall.

On the fire apparatus, council members were told the city plans to buy a new pumper from RVI Rescue Vehicles for just over $1.5 million. Officials noted National Fire Protection Association standards call for replacing such vehicles by 15 years of service and that the current engine is about 12 years old; production lead time was described as roughly three to four years. The purchase was included in the city’s approved 2025 capital budget and recommended by the Fire Board.

Other items approved in the block vote included budget amendments to return roughly $4 million in state reimbursement into the capital-projects fund (associated with a North Shore infrastructure project), a transfer of approximately $8,500 to the water department contingency to cover vacation payout accruals under the CSEA contract, and a sewer-fund amendment to cover a single separation pay. The meeting also authorized publication for hearings on traffic-safety financing (maximum $236,390) and a proposed local law amending the city charter on reassessment, levy and collection of taxes; both will have hearings Oct. 21 at 7 p.m.

Votes at a glance (items approved in the block vote): - Item 1 — Software maintenance/licensing (municity platform): approved; one-year maintenance and licensing agreement just over $20,000. - Item 2 — Transfer of funds (water department vacation payouts): approved; transfer approximately $8,500 from contingency to termination pay per CSEA section 8-1.3. - Item 4 — Budget amendment (capital projects fund): approved; staff to record roughly $4,000,000 in state reimbursement into capital projects (project discussed under public comment — North Shore critical infrastructure). - Item 5 — Ratification of emergency water-service repairs at City Hall: approved; Allen Industries lowest responsible bidder at $47,850. - Item 7 — Sewer fund budget amendment (separation pay for one employee): approved. - Item 9 — Purchase of new fire pumper (RVI Rescue Vehicles): approved; amount just over $1,500,000; included in 2025 capital budget. - Item 10 — Authorization to publish for hearing: traffic-safety financing, maximum $236,390; hearing Oct. 21. - Item 11 — Authorization to publish for hearing: proposed local law amending city charter on reassessment/levy/collection of taxes; hearing Oct. 21.

City staff said the capital and reimbursement entries follow prior practice of moving state or federal reimbursements into the capital fund after grant or reimbursement approvals. On the North Shore bulkhead and drainage work, public commenters pressed for clearer timelines and more community meetings; staff said public (private-lot vs. public-lot) limits on work sometimes control what the city can do and that private owners must comply with updated code heights when they replace bulkheads.

The block vote motion was introduced from the dais and seconded; the roll call recorded council members Bendo, Lester, Reinhart, Vice President (listed in the record as) Pia Morrow and President Finn as voting in favor on the block package.

The council later took separate votes on several items that had fuller debate (retaining an appraisal consultant, design for East Bay Drive reconstruction, and a license agreement for tables and chairs on the boardwalk). Those items and their votes are covered in separate articles.