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Long Beach council approves handbook updates, capital items and appointments in routine June meeting
Summary
At its June 8 meeting the council approved the updated employee handbook, accepted several capital project motions (salt barn pay application, valve installations, heat-pump purchase), adopted ordinance 2026-03 on second reading, and appointed a new water superintendent; most items passed by voice vote.
The Long Beach Town Council handled a range of routine governance actions at its June 8 meeting.
Consent agenda and budget items: The council approved the consent agenda (May minutes, building and street revenue, permit reports and vendor payments) by voice vote. Council held a re-noticed public hearing and approved ordinance 2026-03 (additional appropriations) on second reading. Ordinance 2026-04 (adding planned capital amounts) was presented on first reading and set for second reading and public hearing in July.
Handbook and personnel: Council approved an updated employee handbook effective June 8, 2026, after months of committee work and labor-attorney review; an addendum with specific benefits details will follow. The HR recommendation to add a minimum four-hour overtime callout pay for snowplow drivers was approved and incorporated into handbook language.
Appointments and departmental capital: Council appointed Austin Ashcraft as water superintendent (following Greg Parish’s May retirement) and set his hourly pay at $33. The council approved the water department’s capital project to install three isolation valves (estimated $33,333 for this phase; originally a larger $100,000 estimate), noting a sole‑provider letter from specialist contractor EJP. The council approved purchase of two variable‑speed, high‑efficiency heat pumps for the community center from DA Dodd for $35,183.43 and authorized New‑Tech’s first pay application for the salt barn in the amount of $7,950 against the $130,300 contract.
Surplus equipment and events: Council authorized soliciting sealed bids for a 1995 JSON street sweeper declared surplus. The council also approved routine community events and permits for July 4 (parade, fireworks, alcohol permit certification), the Hickden family fun run and a neighborhood street closure request for Aug. 1.
Votes at a glance: ordinance 2026-03 (adopted on second reading), employee handbook (approved), snowplow callout policy (approved), appointment of Austin Ashcraft (approved), hourly rate $33 for the water superintendent (approved), water valve installations (approved), community center heat pumps (approved), New-Tech pay application for salt barn $7,950 (approved), solicit bids for 1995 street sweeper (authorized). Where the transcript records only voice votes, the meeting record did not include a roll-call tally in the spoken record.
The council adjourned at about 8:17 p.m.
