TITLE
Recommendation to reallocate $30,000 from the Fiscal Year 2018 budget appropriations in the General Fund Group in the Economic Development Department from the original intent of using the funding for beautification efforts along the Pacific Avenue corridor and re-appropriate for beatification efforts along the Willow Avenue corridor and as-needed locations in the Sixth District.
DISCUSSION
In September of 2017, the Long Beach City Council approved and adopted the Fiscal Year 2018 budget. Part of the adopting motion was an appropriation to allocate one-time funding in the amount $450,000 to be distributed evenly along the Anaheim, Pacific and Carson business corridors for beatification efforts.
While great efforts have been coordinated in Council District 6 along the Anaheim and Pacific Avenue corridors, the funding has yet not been expended and there has been increased community desire to expand the beatification efforts to an adjacent business corridor: Willow Avenue. The Willow Avenue business corridor in Council District 6 is comprised from Magnolia Avenue to Olive Avenue. Approximately half of this business corridor is considered within the Community Development Block Grant jurisdiction, while the other half is not therefore, creating a barrier to leveraging opportunity for beautification efforts for business and property owners. The Council Office has coordinated community meetings, meetings for business and property owners, and additional stakeholders and a recurring request is assistance with maintaining the weeds, foliage, trash, and sidewalks along Willow as many storefronts are closed and are lacking general attention from an active tenancy.
In coordination with the Economic Development Department, Council District 6 has been able to use existing funding to identify community-based organization, Conservation Corps of Long Beach as a maintenance provider for business corridors. With the current allocation, Pacific Avenue is receiving power washing services, and bi-weekly tree well maintenance as well as litter containment. This reallocation seeks to extend these services to Willow Avenue and occasionally identified hot spots that our Public Works, Public Service Bureau may be unable to tend to in a timely manner.
This matter has been reviewed by Budget Manager Grace H. Yoon on July 28, 2020.
STATEMENT OF URGENCY:
Council approval at the next Council meeting is recommended in order for the contract to with Conservation Corps of Long Beach to be executed in a timely manner.
FISCAL IMPACT
This recommendation requests the City Manager to reallocate $30,000 from the one-time funding originally appropriated in FY 18 in the General Fund Group in the Economic Development Department for beautification efforts along the Pacific Avenue corridor to instead be used for the beatification efforts along the Willow Avenue corridor and asneeded locations in the Sixth District. No appropriation change is needed as this is a change in the intended use of funds and not a funding source change. Implementing this recommendation is anticipated to require a minimal impact on staff hours beyond normal budgeted scope of duties and is expected to have a minimal impact on existing City Council priorities.
SUGGESTED ACTION
Approve recommendation.
Respectfully Submitted,
DEE ANDREWS
VICE MAYOR, SIXTH DISTRICT