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With Ballots About to Arrive, City Mgm't (Fire Chief) Memo Credits Measure A Sales Tax For New Stn 9 Site (Still Under Negotiation/Slated for Future Closed Session), Says "Minimal Impact" Thus Far On Response Times (Doesn't Mention Delayed Response To Awaida Family Triple Fatality)


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(Jan. 30, 2020, 7:30 a.m.) -- With vote-by-mail ballots about to arrive and political mailers already arriving for the 8th district City Council election (Austin v. Ovalle v. Thrash-Ntuk) and a special citywide election to extend the "temporary" Measure A sales tax), Long Beach Fire Chief Xavier Espino has provided LB's Mayor and City Council with a memo touting still ongoing negotiations (conducted by other city departments) for a replacement site for mold-closed Station 9 expected to come to future closed session Council discussions.

The memo dated Jan. 27, 2020 also says temporarily relocating Engine 9 to Station 16 [at LB Airport] has had "minimal" impact on response times, despite internal LBFD records (obtained by LBREPORT.com under the CA Public Records Act) indicating a delay of several minutes in LBFD's response to the Los Cerritos area Awaida triple fatality accident (LBREPORT.com coverage here.)

In a memo dated Jan. 27 sent to Acting City Manager Tom Modica for distribution to LB's Mayor and Council, Chief Espino wrote in pertinent part: "City staff from the Economic Development and Public Works Departments have been meeting with owners of potential [Station 9 replacement] sites" that meet the City's criteria and are exploring various options. "At present, staff are in productive discussions with the property owner at 4150 Long Beach Blvd. This site appears to be very promising and an excellent location for service to the community. Ongoing negations have been productive. Staff hope to bring a recommendation to the City Council in closed session in the first quarter of 2020, and with city Council approval, in open session shortly thereafter."

Exactly how describing details of ongoing negotiations, scheduled for a future Council closed session, in publicly enthusiastic terms strengthens the City's negotiating position with the property owner isn't clear.

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In another section of the memo titled "Minimal Impact on Response Times," the memo states: "Typically, response times are shortest closer to the station and increase with the distance from the station. This is true for the temporary relocation of Engine 9 to Fire Station 16. The system as a whole continues to work well and we are not seeing response times that are of concern."

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As previously reported by LBREPORT.com, internal LBFD records (obtained by LBREPORT.com under the Public Records Act) show it took roughly 8-9 minutes from dispatch for LBFD Engine 9 and Rescue 9 To reach the Los Cerritos area triple fatality Awaida family victims of an alleged DUI driver. (Management currently has Rescue 9 based in WLB across the LA river at Station 13 on Adriatic Ave. south of Willow St. with Engine 9 at Station 16 at LB Airport.)

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And in a section titled "Funding Provided by the City Council," Chief Espino writes: "All funding was made possible using Measure A revenues." It adds that "total potential Measure A funding of $7,761,510 over the next four years, recognizes the criticality of this project and will allow staff to proceed expeditiously as we implement a solution that is in the best interest of the City."

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8th district incumbent Al Austin, who's been criticized by his two election challengers on his response to Station 9 issues, swiftly quoted and linked to the memo in his online newsletter, telling his newsletter recipients: "The City Council took swift action in September 2019 to identify funding for relocation efforts, as well as money to support property acquisition and construction costs for the new fire station" and said "

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Support really independent news in Long Beach. No one in LBREPORT.com's ownership, reporting or editorial decision-making has ties to development interests, advocacy groups or other special interests; or is seeking or receiving benefits of City development-related decisions; or holds a City Hall appointive position; or has contributed sums to political campaigns for Long Beach incumbents or challengers. LBREPORT.com isn't part of an out of town corporate cluster and no one its ownership, editorial or publishing decisionmaking has been part of the governing board of any City government body or other entity on whose policies we report. LBREPORT.com is reader and advertiser supported. You can help keep really independent news in LB similar to the way people support NPR and PBS stations. We're not non-profit so it's not tax deductible but $49.95 (less than an annual dollar a week) helps keep us online.


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