By:Chris Munzing
Long Beach has provided the east end of the barrier island with bus service for the county since the mid-1980s, and has received a yearly grant of $60,000 to subsidize the route, Spiritis said. The route costs the city about $79,000 a year. The city has been operating the route without payment or an agreement since Jan. 1, 2003.
The decision on whether to drop service will be made at the Sept. 21 City Council meeting, after a public hearing. Spiritis said that should the city decide to cut the bus line, it would still provide service to disabled people who use the line.
The people of Long Beach can-t subsidize this bus route, Spiritis said. The city has been doing the county a favor. It has got to be a two-way street. Spiritis added that he has attempted to contact County Executive Tom Suozzi to try and remedy the situation, but his calls have not been returned.
Nassau County Legislator Denise Ford, a Republican from Long Beach, said she has been working to bring the city-s concerns to Suozzi-s attention. I-ve been writing letters to Suozzi, and I-ve had meetings, Ford said, adding that she will continue to pursue the issue with Suozzi. This is something that has to be done. This is not something that can fall by the wayside.
We-re hopeful that the new legislator will get it done, said Bruce Nyman, the county-s director of public policy and communications. It would be a shame if this happened.
Nyman, a former Long Beach city manager, said that if the city did drop the bus line, the county would not pick it up, because of the small number of passengers who use it.
Ford said she had been in contact with Point Lookout Civic Association President Frank Ryan to mobilize citizens who take the bus, which runs from Point Lookout to the Long Beach train station. It-s one of our pipelines out of Point Lookout for people who don-t drive, Ryan said. Our seniors, students and people going to work who take the train are going to be hurt by this.
Ryan said that the civic association would work to let people in Point Lookout know about the possible cancellation of bus service, and that members would be present at the Sept. 21 meeting to make their voices heard. I hope the city and the county can come together on this, Ryan said. It-ll end up affecting those who need it most.
Kirkwood Street to be rehabbed
Kirkwood Street will undergo rehabilitation and reconstruction, from north of East Penn Street to Reynolds Channel, the council voted Tuesday.
The street will be completely rebuilt, including new concrete sidewalks, driveways, curbs and gutters. Also, the bulkhead at the end of the street will be rebuilt, and a new sanitary sewer system, water mains and pavement will be installed.
Commissioner of Public Works Robert Raab called the street one of the worst in Long Beach. This is also one of the worst in terms of sanitary sewers and bulkheading, Raab said, adding that Kirkwood is the lowest point in Long Beach and is often flooded during storms.
The southern half of Kirkwood Street was rebuilt several years ago, he said.
Raab explained that the contractor for the Kirkwood project, A.I.I. Allen Industries Inc. of Amityville, did the work on Dalton Street last year and received many compliments from the community. They understand that while they-re doing the work, people do live there, and they do their best to work with the neighbors, Raab said.
The cost of the work will be $486,995, with on-site inspection services costing the city $43,850. The funds will come from building-permit fees collected by the city.
New well, new fines
A new well will be installed next to the city water tank, west of the water purification plant on Park Place, at a cost of $507,850, the council voted Tuesday. Well No. 18 will be 1,000 to 1,400 feet deep and take water from the Lloyd Aquifer.
Last year the city bonded $1 million for the project, which will also include a well house and mechanical equipment. Spiritis said Tuesday that $1 million will not be enough for the entire project, and that an additional $200,000 to $250,000 will have to be bonded in the future.
In addition, the installation of a vertical pump at the New York Avenue sewage pumping station will ease the burden on that fragile station.
The City Council and Spiritis have been discussing the need to rehabilitate the city-s three pumping stations for months, and council President Jim Hennessy said that this was a step to ensure that people will be able to continue flushing their toilets until a more permanent solution can be found.
Dog owners who allow their furry friends to use the city streets and sidewalks as a toilet, however, will have to cough up a little more money in fines. The council voted to double the fines for pet infractions, including not picking up after your dog or dogs without leashes. Fines will now be a mandatory minimum of $100 and a maximum of $500, or imprisonment not to exceed 15 days.
