By:Chris Munzing
Brand, who had previously served as beach commissioner, will fill the role vacated by Robert Carroll, who retired earlier this year. Robert Sondergaard, who was acting superintendent of the Recreation Department, will be second in command to Brand.
Council President James Hennessy said the departments were combined as part of a continuing effort to streamline city government. ÒThere used to be three people doing three jobs, and now we have two people doing those same jobs,Ó Hennessy said. ÒItÕs just a more efficient way of doing things.Ó
Hennessy said that Brand was selected after the job was publicized at recreation departments across Long Island. ÒJoe Brand is probably the best candidate to bring recreation in Long Beach to the next level,Ó he said. ÒThe team of Joe and Bobby [Sondergaard] is the best asset for recreation in this community.Ó
City pays out nearly $125K
in settlements
The City Council approved two payments, totaling nearly $125,000, in the settlements of two certiorari proceedings Tuesday night.
The settlements came after the two properties in question, the Neptune Towers, at 25 Neptune Blvd., and the apartment building at 55 Monroe Blvd., challenged their assessed value, claiming they were overassessed and entitled to refunds on their taxes.
Corporation Counsel Charles Theofan said that the settlements agreed to by the city and the two properties were very favorable for the city. ÒOur experts said that the settlements we reached were within $2,000 of the best-case scenario for the city if these had gone to trial,Ó he said.
The Monroe Boulevard property was awarded a lump-sum payment of $77,000, covering the fiscal years 1995-96 through 2003-04. ÒOur expert said it would be $81,000, and they were asking for $120,000,Ó Theofan said. ÒWe settled it for $77,000.Ó
The Neptune Towers received a lump-sum payment of $47,500 for the fiscal years 1998-99 through 2003-04. The Towers had their assessed value reduced from $870,000 to $750,000. The Monroe Boulevard propertyÕs assessed value did not change.
Shelter funds get separate account
The Long Beach Animal Shelter will now be able to hold on to money specifically donated for its use. The City Council passed a measure at Tuesday nightÕs meeting that allowed for the establishment of a trust and agency account for the shelter.
The account will hold all funds that are donated to the animal shelter. In the past, according to Theofan, one donor was concerned after he learned that some of the money he donated had gone into the general fund. ÒThese are donated funds for the care of the animals in this shelter,Ó Theofan said. ÒWe want to make sure the money stays with the animals.Ó
Theofan and Humane Commissioner Ethel Bodah are the two signators on the account. The account, at Commerce Bank, had a balance on Tuesday of $16,558.50.
New parking-deck cameras
Nine new cameras will be installed at the Long Island Rail Road parking deck to enhance security, according to City Manager Glen Spiritis.
The cameras, to be installed in stairwells and on the parking deck itself, will make possible total coverage of the parking area. ÒIn the past, weÕve had people hanging out under the stairwells, and two cars were recently vandalized,Ó Spiritis said. He explained that some of the cameras will be mounted on top of light poles, in plain view, while others will be hidden.
ÒThis will be a tremendous deterrent for crime,Ó Hennessy said. ÒJust knowing that the cameras are there will make a difference.Ó
The cameras will not be monitored live by a security worker, but Spiritis said that should a crime occur, tapes could easily be reviewed.
New city towing contract
The City of Long Beach has a new contractor for its towing and storage of abandoned and impounded vehicles. Impressive Auto Body Inc., at 3305 Lawson Blvd. in Oceanside, was the highest bidder, with an offer of a yearly payment to the city of $21,001 for two years. The city has an option to renew the contract for two additional one-year periods.
Some questions were raised at TuesdayÕs meeting about ImpressiveÕs lack of a valid vehicle dealer license or a vehicle dismantlerÕs license, which are required. Hennessy explained the an affiliate of Impressive possesses the necessary documents, and would be handling those services.
Spiritis added that the affiliate would be a co-signer on the contract.
ÒWe checked these guys out as thoroughly as possible, and all we got back were superb references,Ó Hennessy said.
