The Long Beach City Council Meets Tuesday Night, See What’s On The Agenda

LONG BEACH, NY — The Long Beach City Council meets Tuesday evening at 7 p.m., with a three-item agenda set to go before the council for votes on a traffic ordinance and a couple of action items at the city’s animal shelter.

First on the agenda is a $389,400 plan to improve the city animal shelter’s HVAC system. According to city records, that HVAC system is “past its useful life and has required extensive maintenance to continue functioning.” The city said in its records that the state office of agriculture and markets had given notice that the shelter would be subject to violations if its HVAC system was not improved.

With that said, the city identified Farmingdale-based Carrier Corp as the most responsible bidder to carry out the HVAC work, selecting a proposal that will cost $389,400. $225,000 of that cost, the city said, will be covered by a grant once the city proceeds with its planned bond issuance.

Currently, the city’s records show that it has $89,400 set aside to cover the HVAC project, with the remaining $300,000 dependent on the bond funding.

The second item will allow City Manager Dan Creighton to move forward with a contract for city animal shelter service. According to city documents, the city is looking to sign a five-year contract with Manhattan-based Posh Pet Rescue, beginning Oct. 17 of this year with the option to renew for three consecutive two-year periods, if the city chooses to renew.

The full scope of Posh Pets’ duty will include providing shelter, vet care, kennel help, food and litter for animals that are brought in by Long Beach residents or animals seized by city animal control.

For those services, city documents indicate that Posh will be paid $200,000 annually. City documents say there is $158,944.80 available in a city account to cover the cost of shelter service through the 2026-27 fiscal year, with the full $200,000 becoming available in the upcoming years.

Finally, the city is updating its ordinance on traffic, adding a section to the code that outlines what the city will have to do when a vehicle is impounded within its borders.

According to city records, the new ordinance would compel the city to identify and provide written notice to the owner of the seized vehicle, specifically giving notice of their right to a retention hearing and what would happen to the vehicle if the driver does not attend the hearing.

According to the city, that written notice will also tell the vehicle owner what happens to their car if it was subject to any liens or lease agreements at the time it was impounded, including the possible release of the vehicle to whomever holds a lien on the car or leased it out.

If the vehicle owners want a hearing, city documents show they will have 21 days from the time the notice of seizure is sent to request one. In that hearing, documents show, a neutral decision maker would review the manner in which the vehicle was seized, determine if the seizure was legal, review what fees may be applicable to the vehicle and determine who has the right to take that vehicle.

The full ordinance is available to review here.

The city council will meet at City Hall, beginning at 7 p.m. Tuesday evening, Sept. 1.