TITLE
Recommendation to authorize City Manager, or designee, to execute a one-year agreement with the County of Los Angeles, for reimbursement of expenditures in an amount not to exceed $500,000, to assist in the cost of removing debris deposited on City of Long Beach beaches and marinas emanating from the Los Angeles River, for the period of July 1, 2016 through June 30, 2017. (Districts 2,3)
DISCUSSION
Since December 1984, the City of Long Beach (City) and the County of Los Angeles (County) have had a cooperative agreement for the removal of trash and debris emanating from the Los Angeles River. This agreement provides reimbursement of up to $500,000 per year for costs incurred by the City in the removal of trash and debris from the City's beaches and marinas. The current annual term of the agreement expired on June 30, 2016.
On September 5, 2017, the County approved their intent to continue the $500,000 reimbursement for Fiscal Year 2017 for a one-year period, July 1, 2016 through June 30, 2017. There was a delay in the County’s approval this year because the County assigned an analyst to review reimbursements for the previous seven years. The County has been aggressively implementing new policies and processes to reduce the amount of trash that enters drainage systems and is subsequently deposited on the beaches and in the marinas. The County will continue to monitor these processes to measure performance.
The Department of Parks, Recreation and Marine removes approximately 4,500 tons of debris annually from Long Beach beaches and marinas. It is estimated that 85 percent of this debris emanates from the Los Angeles River.
This matter was reviewed by Deputy City Attorney Linda T. Vu on October 31, 2017 and by Budget Management Officer Rhutu Amin Gharib on November 8, 2017.
TIMING CONSIDERATIONS
City Council action is requested on December 5, 2017, to allow staff to continue seeking reimbursement of expenses incurred from debris removal emanating from the Los Angeles River.
FISCAL IMPACT
Revenue received from the County of Los Angeles for the reimbursement of expenses is deposited in the Tidelands Operations Fund (TF 401) and the Marina Fund (TF 403) in the Parks, Recreation and Marine Department (PR). There is no local job impact associated with this recommendation.
SUGGESTED ACTION
Approve recommendation.
Respectfully Submitted,
MARIE KNIGHT
DIRECTOR OF PARKS, RECREATION AND MARINE
APPROVED:
PATRICK H. WEST
CITY MANAGER