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Significant subsequent development here. (March 5, 2012, 10:05 a.m.) -- In a March 3 non-agendized memo, Long Beach city management has informed the Mayor and City Councilmemers that it believes the City can't afford to seek and accept a federal (FEMA SAFER) grant to help fund Fire Engine 17 at Station 17 (2241 Argonne Ave.) and solicits Councilmembers' opinions on what actions to take. The solicitation in managements memo states: [I]t is staff’s assessment that the City is very unlikely to be able to comply with the terms of the SAFER grant and event if accepted, the City would likely have to return the grant money in the future, and therefore, submittal of a grant application is not recommended. If the Council feels differently, staff would need City Council direction by March 9, 2021, as the deadline for the grant application is March 12, 2021. Final awards are expected around September 2021. In an email this morning (March 5, 2021) to the City Manager cc'd to the City Clerk, LBREPORT.com states: This email is from LongBeachReport.com (LBReport.com), an online news outlet now in our 21st year of continual operation. In a March 3 non-agendized memo, Long Beach city management informs the Mayor and City Councilmemers that it contends the City shouldn't seek and accept a federal (FEMA SAFER) grant to help fund Fire Engine 17 at Station 17 (2241 Argonne Ave.) and solicits Councilmembers' opinions on what actions to take. The solicitation in management's memo states: [Scroll down for further.] . |
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In Jan. 2014 (before Councilman Supernaw took office), a fire broke out in a multi-unit residential building basically across the street from Station 17. As a result of the Council's budget actions, Engine 17 wasn't available to spray water that could knock down the flames. The fire doubled in size roughly every minute until an engine arrived from Station 19 (Clark Ave./Monlaco Rd.) in the 5th Council district. LBREPORT.com reported the story at the time here.
Mr. Supernaw was appalled that a fire could go unstopped virtually across the street from Fire Station 17 and on taking office in 2015, tried to persuade his Council colleagues to restore funding for Engine 17. He got nowhere, even after joining them in putting the 2016 Measure A General Fund ("blank check") sales tax increase on the ballot (with no legally binding guarantees for taxpayers as to its spending.) After voters approved Measure A, the Council restored Engine 8 (Belmont Shore) and Rescue 12 (NLB) but not Engine 17.
In 2019 (with Supernaw approaching the 2020 election cycle), city management indicated it found one-time (not continuing) Measure A funds and could tap a federal grant to temporarily fund restoring Engine 17 through FY 21 but with no guarantees of continued funding thereafter. Supernaw applauded the action, downplayed its temporary nature and was re-elected in earl 2020 without a challenger. On August 3, 2020, city management released a FY 21 budget that indicated without additional funding Engine 17 couldbe eliminated a tghe end of FY 21 (Sept. 30l 2021.) Mayor Garcia (who recommended multiple other spending items) didn't recommend providing funding for Engine 17. At the Aug. 11, 2020 Council budget session, Councilman Supernaw noted that Engine 17 served Central LB areas said eliminating Engine 17 could raise equity issues. "Equity" advocating Councilmembers offered no support nor did ELB Councilwoman Stacy Mungo (whose adjoining 5th dist would be impacted by defunding Engine 17.) Supermaw didn't seek permanent structural restoration of Engine 17 but asked city management to try to find some way to some waiver or other flexibility on a federal grant. Management's March 3 memo indicates "he City Manager made the request for a waiver to FEMA and followed up with the Ctity’s federal legislative delegation. Unfortunately, on February 18, 2021, the request was denied by FEMA stating that "FEMA didn’t anticipate any retroactive changes to the 2018 SAFER grant awards." At issue now is whether Long Beach taxpyers will have a Fire Engine at Fire Station 17 (the ""Captain David Rosa Regional Training Center") or (again) lose a Fire Engine at Fire Station 17 capable of putting out fires. Developing. Follow-up: Within moments of sending our email to the City Manager, we received an email stating: "I am out of the office, returning Monday. Some services are closed on alternating Fridays for staff furloughs (unpaid time off). These furloughs affect many operations in all City Departments and help prevent significant service reductions to the community. We appreciate your patience and understanding as we implement the furloughs, which are an important component in balancing the City’s budget during this economic downturn..."
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