Recommendation to request status from City Manager regarding the next steps in moving forward with the rebuild of Basins 2 and 3 within the next 30 days.
Motion carries nine votes. Thank you. Item 13 Clark three. I am 13 is a report from the Office of the Council Member Gary DeLong and Council member Susan Lowenthal with the recommendation to request a status from the city manager regarding the next 12 steps towards moving forward with the rebuild of basins two and three within the next 30 days. Mr. DELONG. Thank you, Mr. Mayor. City managers, you know, I'm very concerned with the current status of the rebuilding. And looking at some of the comments that have come into tonight's council for me, I just thought I'd share a couple for the audience. And I think it reflects my concern is that here's what it says slip renters have paid fees while being told a portion of the money will go to the rebuild. They've done their part. Older voters are having trouble negotiating wobbly and broken docks in Basin two and three employees are exposed to injury. Here's another one that says I've been a slip lessee for 27 of the last 36 years. These stocks are unsafe. I'm 72 and just this last summer I fell after tripping on a protruding nail. Many have been injured on my gangway. A red cone has been placed in a spot where the dock is particularly damaged. Another one that says the current state of the Alameda Space Marina Basins two and three is a disgrace to the city. It calls itself the aquatic chapter. The world actually just of America, not the world. Yet this marina should be the pride of the city. It serves all kind of boaters, from elite yacht racers to the occasional weekend cruisers. And there's numerous they basically all say the very similar things, which is the docks there are falling apart. And I guess I'm very concerned that for months now I've been hearing that the staff is looking at it. We've been running some financial analysis, but I know that I haven't seen a plan yet. I know that the current contractor, Bellingham Marinas, is close to finishing where they are. And it's my understanding we do not have a plan to keep them engaged. And there will be significant financial penalties through demobilization and remobilization, as well as if we don't dredge under the existing permit, it could cost millions of dollars or perhaps as much as $14 million extra. So I don't know if you have any comments now on how you can keep this project moving, but the formal request is to have a plan within the next 30 days. The city manager. Thank you, Mayor. Councilmember DeLong, just to point out that this is an extremely important project to the city. As everyone knows, we completed the Shoreline Marina recently and also the Rainbow Harbor Marina recently with the Marina Funds and also the Department of Boating and Waterway Loans. Right now, we're in the process of completing the Alamitos Bay Marina after three of the seven basins. We are running into financial issues, there's no question about that. And we're working right now with our finance department and our Marine bureau and Parks and Recreation Department to see about coming up with the solutions for these things. This basically comes to us with the termination of the Department of Boating and Waterway Loans. That program no longer exists. So while we're looking at the finances, we definitely want to make it clear to the boat owners and also the city council that we are coming up with a plan to take care of the dredging. I think that's critical to take care of the dredging before we lose our permit and deal with that. We're also looking at doing the utility work that's necessary with Southern California Edison and other things that we can do with the funds that we have while we put together a plan to take care of some of the issues that you brought up in some of your comments. Well, if we can be just a little more specific, so what can we do? I mean, today, immediately, what are we prepared to do to continue the project moving forward? And I understand you can't commit to the entire project being done tonight, but what can you commit to to keep this moving forward that we don't come to a standstill in the next few weeks? Our hope is not to come to a standstill, but we certainly are plan to come back as the council's requesting with a report in 30 days. And do you anticipate that report will have a plan of action that will continue moving forward? Because I don't want to do is come back in 30 days and say, well, you know, I guess we just can't move forward and there's really nothing we can do at this point. And we'll just have to let the contractor go. We will have a plan of action. I can't guarantee that it's going to look to the outcome that you're looking at, but we will have a plan of action to continue this and get this project done. Well, I know that is my understanding that two of the next areas are there's about $900,000 and some city work, as well as some landside utility work. I mean, is there any any reason why we would not continue to move forward with that portion? Probably not. Those are things we're looking at right now. But I don't want to make a commitment until we look with our finance department and also with the Parks and Recreation Department. As you know, there was a very serious audit done by the City Auditors Department about two years ago to guarantee that this project goes forward without touching the general fund. And those are things that we want to make sure that we maintain. True to the city council on. And and how quickly do you think you can come back with a recommendation within. 30 days. Any any sooner than that on anything for. You. We certainly will try. We definitely are close to coming up with solutions on dredging and things like the utilities that you're talking about. But some of these are really high ticket items to come in and take care of. An entire basin. And those are things we need to look at and work with our finance department and how that can get funded. Well, since I know you've been working on this for for a number of months, do you think it's likely within a couple of weeks, perhaps, you can address some of those things that you just mentioned and it might take you 30 days to come back with the whole plan. 30 days with the whole plan will address what we can. But I don't want to come back to you in two weeks and disappoint you that we don't have a plan yet. I'm saying 30 days and we'll respond to what you're requesting. Okay. And I guess what I'm saying is, if if you can identify it as a couple of the smaller things that could be done in the next couple of weeks and make a decision on I mean, I'd certainly be interested in moving forward as we've waited for a full plan. We'll work on that. Yes. Okay. Thank you. Mr. O'DONNELL. Thank you. And I. As a regular user. Of the marina, I can attest that those basins are in serious need of a reconstruction. There's nails everywhere. There's boards popping up, there's cones and places that you have to walk around. So, again, they are in need of repair and I think that's been made pretty clear. Can you check on this historically? My understanding is that maybe even 20 years ago, this is back when I was at the Marine Patrol, but about 20 years ago, there's a transfer from the Marina Fund to the Tidelands Fund. I think it's from Fund 39 to fund 36. Those are the numbers used back then. I don't know if those are the same numbers used now. I thought there was a transfer over to the title inside the beachfront site because oil had dropped so low and it was a loan and I don't know if it was paid back, but it was a loan of some significance. Could you check into this? Certainly will. I'm looking at our finance director. Multiple many million dollars. Certainly. We'll get back on that. Absolutely. And I know where I'm going with this is there's a potential for that that beachfront fund to pay back the marina if that situation does, in fact, exist. But with interest. With interest, according to the mayor. Yes, sir. Mr. Johnson. Well, thank you, Mayor. And I think everyone on this council and I'm sure everyone in the audience, you. Know, wants to get the work done. But we all know how serious it is to have hazards and so forth. But can you educate me real quickly? You said there were some cost problems. Has this project been going over budget? Is that the issue and maybe some unexpected challenges? Or what are the challenges that we that we're facing so far? We'll put that in the report. There certainly are some cost overages that we're taking a look at before we respond. Okay. Well, I think it's important for the public to know that we all want to get this done. It's critical we get it done. But it's sound like there's some. Facts are getting you know, getting in the way. And, you know, the facts are important in the conversation. I want to make it clear there's no facts getting in the way. There is lack of funding getting in the way. So that's what we're looking at. Right. But I mean, I think the fact is we've gone over budget, whatever it is. I mean, I don't know what the answer is, but I mean, I think those are facts as is a measure. Thank you. The fact that we have a lack of funds. Mr. Long, have you made a motion? Yes, I move the recommendation. Second, Burton seconded. Any member of the Public Trust Council on this item, please come forward. I know a lot of you are here for this. I would ask you to do the best you can to summarize your comments. Good. Very good. You succeed? Yes. Longtime supporter of voting dynamics. But to die for this debacle was cast seven years ago when this was started. It was a nonstarter. It was unbundled from day one. It was a smoke and mirrors. You're on the hook. You made a very. Dumb decision when you went with the most expensive contractor and the only one on the West Coast. It's like buying a car. From a dealership. Who's going to be the only one that services it, that 16, 2000 miles away. Who do you think is going to pay for that? This is unwinnable. One of the things that you've got to work out and get done fast. Mr. Mayor. Is those Cal 37 boats of your buddies in the Long Beach Yacht Club have to haul ass out of there and they should be factored into bass in three. And the clock is ticking. If you were watching the Olympic Games that you at the IOC, the USOC, will announce when they're going to pull that trigger in terms of bidding. If that's the case, they will be here sometime within the next six or seven months. I can guarantee you with almost absolute certainty. Unless those slips are vacated, taken out of their. It can save time, but not to burn out unless that happens. The chances of Long Beach and Los Angeles getting the Olympic bid. Our next anil anastasiou discuss four because Macy's doesn't eligibles. I don't want to repeat what I outlined before, but absolutely central to the US getting that bid when I say our Southern California. They have unfettered areas for training. It's not ten years from now or 2024 when we're going to have the games. It's the run up to that to create the buzz to get the people here. Period. And that window is closing very fast. And if not, the legacy of the people sitting up there in the blue jackets who own those boats. We'll go down in history as ones along with Bob Foster, who crossed Southern California, the next Olympic bid. Thank you. Thank you. All by myself? Yes. Next large party. I knew you were a powerful guy. Next to me for everything. It's fine. Don't worry about it. Mr. Mayor and council members. Thank you for hearing us. I represent the Boat. Owners Association. The Long Beach Marina. Boat Owners. Association. I'm the president. This is our. Message. Rebuild the docks. Now we have a. Second message. To follow up after I mention a few reasons for that. The rebuild of these. Marinas has been delayed over. And over and over again. There's always seems to be some problem cropping up that prevents the acquisition. Of financing for. Getting the work done. Right now, we understand that if this project is delayed. Much longer, it'll incur an additional $17 million. Cost. For the city. And in our opinion, that seems to be pretty poor management of. Sydney City resources. The second thing, as. Has been pointed out, the old docks are unsafe and the city is going to see some lawsuits. Arise from that, if not. Already. The third point is our slip fees have already. Been increased with the understanding that that increase was needed to facilitate the acquisition of financing. For the completion of the marina. We've done our part. Now it's time for you guys to do your part. Keep in mind, voters are voters. Thank you. Thank you. Good evening again, Mr. Mayor. I rise as Commodore of the Association of State, so I need every name again. I'm erratic. I rise as Commodore of the Association of San Pedro Bay Clubs. My organization represents the racing interests of the clubs from San Pedro down through Huntington Harbor. In our marina, there are five yard clubs that are part of our association Long Beach Alamitos Bay SEAL Beach Yacht Club. Even though we're SEAL Beach Yacht Club, we are in Long Beach Navy Yacht Club of Long Beach and Little Ships Fleet Yacht Club. Together, we hold over 100 races per year. Some world class events, such as the A Congressional Cup, some are weekend beer or weekly beer can races on Thursday, Wednesday night and Thursday nights. And I want to impress upon you how important it is that this rebuild take go forward. Again, we build ourselves the aquatic capital of America. If we can't continue to attract world class racers, we can't continue continue to attract additional boaters. If our basins two and three are basically second class citizens to the docks that have already been completed. Thank you. Have a great evening. Thank you, Mr. President. Next, please. Good evening, Mr. Mayor. Council people. My name is Carl Cunningham, past president of the Long Beach Marina Boat Owners Association. I'd like to point out that we are really not complaining about the management of the Marine bureau. We're not complaining about the maintenance of the you know, the maintenance people. They do a yeoman's job. They're working all the time, literally. And just to give you a little flavor of what it's like on the gangways. By the way, gangways are the wide ones. Fingers are the little narrow ones. The boats are in between. I was walking down the gangway one time and I was one of them that got a nail, the nails sticking up about that big. I was at night and I didn't see it. Bam, just absolutely flat. And the problem with that is it wasn't just so much falling. Of course I didn't. So it wasn't so much falling. But when you hit those gangways, they're full of splinters and sort of splinters. That's what really got me more than anything else, which was a real problem. But tonight, as I was coming over here, I'm a little bored. I noticed on the I'm on Gangway 29 over on Gangway 28 there was a finger where the at the end of the finger there were no boats attached to it was completely in the water. It had the float had gone. And I just had a horrible sort of a child on a tricycle, you know. Got away from mommy. Going down that finger and into the 60 degree water. And I don't even want to go there. You can imagine what that lawsuit would have cost the city of Long Beach. I mean, there's you know, there's no gates to stop anybody from going on to the gangway. So I urge you to really consider the fact that as it was already brought out, we're looking at 17,000, 17 million penalty, if I'm not mistaken, if we delay this project we've already. Paid, we've. Had our slip fees increased again with the promise that this was going to take care of the marina. Rebuild. And we've only got to double, you know, number three. And number two. And so we would certainly like to see that move forward. Thank you very much. Thank you. Mr. Mayor. Council people. My name is Robert Vet. I'm a Long Beach resident and a member of the Long Beach Marina Boat Owners Association. I rent a slip here and I'm giving you a message from one of our members who is in Peru. He's saying the remaining wood would gangways and a beam continue to deteriorate at a pace that the maintenance department cannot possibly keep up with. Case in point two hardworking men from the maintenance department worked on the gangway of my slip for four days, attempting to raise the dock. That had sunk to the point that the bottom of the wood supports were below the waterline as they would reinforce and install the new wood boards. In one area, the wood immediately next to it would collapse, its dry rotted as it could not support the new strain that the new boards were adding to it. What started as a small repair kept extending to a larger area, and they also had an additional flow to assist what was somewhat in floating the dock. After the work was done, the gangway is better than it was, but it's still by no means a permanent repair that will last a long time. The same area has been repaired before. Also, this repair causes strain on the finger directly across the way, to a point that the old finger could not be repaired and a new one had to be installed. Three weeks later, the float on the finger on the other side of the new one sunk and the maintenance crew pumped it to refloat it. Time will tell how long this will last. This scenario goes on daily at Basins two and three, as you can clearly see. The base support structure has totally deteriorated that it can no longer support the attempts to refloat the docks. I have great respect for this maintenance crew working on the docks for their perseverance and creativity in attempting to keep these old docks afloat. Alfredo Fernandez. Thank you very much. Thank you. Next, we. Mr. Mayor and Honorable Councilman. Councilwoman. My name is Roger Gripe. Unfortunately, I don't live in the city of Long Beach, but my second home and my boat is here in District three in Alamitos Bay. I've been a boat owner and had a boat in the marina for 17 years, and I've seen the docks just completely deteriorate in Alamitos Bay while downtown was rebuilt. And and we do have, I believe, based on one base and four have been completed. I, I don't have a vote in this city, but I am on the advisory board for the Long Beach Rental Boat Owners Association, as well as a Vice Commodore, one of the local yacht clubs here. And I don't have a vote here. I'd surely be there at the polls. But if the need comes, I would hope that I could probably enforce more, more votes that I could provide if I did live here. But nevertheless, you've heard the reason for the rebuild, and I'm not going to repeat those. It takes too much time and we don't need to do that. But I would urge you to give serious consideration about rebuilding these docks they needed. My wife stepped on a nail about three weeks ago, and thank God it didn't go all the way through the shoe, but it went almost three quarters of the way through, and I'm glad it didn't puncture her foot. We've also had deaths due to individuals falling off the docks and drowning and not being able to come back up out of the water. These are issues that could definitely cause the city some liability, and the city would be very wise to take that tidelands money and use it as backing to acquire loans to to get the money that's needed to rebuild this marina as soon as possible. Thank you very. Much. Thank you very much for. Good evening. My name is Dr. Phyllis Roe. My husband and I have a boat in the Alamitos Bay Marina Basin to dock 15. First of all, I would like to thank Mr. DeLong for his strong support of the Marina Rebuild. And we'll be looking to you for leadership on the council. My husband and I have had a boat in the Long Beach Marina system for over 20 years, and as the others have said, we have seen the continuous increase in our slip fees and decrease in the in the services that are provided and the and the the docks. On January 23rd, I sent an email to each of you inviting you to take a walk on our gangway so that you could see firsthand the condition, the unsafe condition of our gangway. And I'm just wondering if anybody did that. If not, I invite you again to do so, so that you can see what we're up against here on this dock. However, when you do so, please go in the daylight so that you don't trip over nails and and protruding boards and wear some sturdy shoes. In the email, I referred to a nail that I had removed because I almost tripped on it this summer. It was in the middle of the gangway. I went to our boat to get a hammer and I tried to hammer it back in. It would not go back in, so I took it out. This is what it was protruding at least half way. This is what the people have been talking about. I've been thinking about what we could do to influence Long Beach, to be responsible in this regard. Some of the ideas that I came up with as a dock walker, I can inform everybody about our efforts. The problems that you've identified. I can suggest that we all come together and withhold our slip fees until something is done and the quality of our docks are improved. I could I can recommend and we are looking into this that we move our boats so to a more safe marina. And I certainly am going to look into other strategies and see what other people have to say. We don't want to start a Boston Tea Party in Long Beach. We would like you to recognize your responsibility to your constituents and use your power to eliminate this nautical slum. One other point. I've heard that funding is the problem. We all know that the marina is a cash cow. I would like at each of the meeting's monthly meetings of the Marine Bureau that a report be given by the interim or acting director of the amount of funds that are brought in monthly. The disposition of those funds and the progress on the marina rebuild. Thank you. Thank you. Mr. Mayor, can I ask you a question? You may. Excuse me. What is the monthly meeting that you're referring to? The Marine advisory or the commission? Okay. I guess I'm going to ask course for staff. Is there any reason why you couldn't provide that information to the Mac and the public? I think they provide it regularly. I excuse me, I was at a recent meeting and someone asked for that information and it was not forthcoming. All right. Whatever. Follow with my office and we'll figure it out. Okay. Thank you. Next, please. Good evening, Mayor Foster Councilmembers. My name is Jerry Garcia, and I am here to. Ask you to please make. Sure that the remaining basins are completed. My friends and I work very hard to maintain a boat in one of the basins that has been completed. But we think it's fair and only fair that the remaining basins are also completed. Boat owners, big and small, all deserve safe docks. If these were city sidewalks, those would be repaired. And the fact is that those docks are the city sidewalks. For. The visitors and guests that come to our boats. So in their current condition, we've already heard that they are a dangerous liability for our city. And as you've heard, the cost for our city, it's something that we just can't afford. If we put this off. When the slip fees were raised, we were promised that these fees would go towards the improvement of the basins. And so with that said, when I please ask you to make sure that this goes through. Thank you. Thank you. Hi. Good evening, everyone. My name is Mike Nichols on it. And I lived in the once thick corona. And I work at a nonprofit. And my friend and I saved the money for 15 years to get a little boat. It was a dream. And although we are lucky that our boat in one of our basins that have been repaired, we hope that we hope and pray that the other basins will be finished and expect it. Also, the docks are very, very dangerous and they will be so unfair to cut the other basins out. Please finish the repairing. Our marina, please. Thank you so much. Thank you. Good evening, Mayor Foster. Ladies and gentlemen of the council, my name is Rectory. I'm the chairman of the Marine Advisory Commission for the City of Long Beach. You've heard all the impassioned pleas and the details about the deterioration of the Alamitos Bay Marina. That's well documented, and we don't need to go into more detail here. But what I would like to do is go on record before this body is saying that your Marine Advisory Commission has been a proponent of the rebuild since day one. We've been involved in every stage of the project, every phase of it, looking at the finances, looking at the physical work that's being done down there. And we continue to be a proponent of the rebuild. We we absolutely would hate to see any form of delay or certainly no stoppage in the process as it goes forward. So we just want to go on record as saying that we are in favor of the rebuild and we'd like to continue to see it go forward. Thank you, Mr. Mayor. Can I ask Mr. Drake a couple of questions? Thank you. So tell me, on the Marine Advisory Commission, have you always been under the impression that this, up until recently at this project was moving forward? Well, yes. I mean, it was approved three or four years ago. I mean, the project has been moving forward in a steady pace, beginning with Basin four and then moving to Basin one. There were funding available for the first phases of the project. We knew from the get go that there would come a point where additional funding would have to be acquired for the next or subsequent phases to be instituted. That was never a secret. It was always out there on the horizon. I think now the funding mechanisms are going to have to be discussed, and that goes back to the city managers statement about coming back with a program to move it forward. And what was the Mack's understanding of what those funding mechanisms are going to be, and was that ever discussed at those meetings? It was discussed in generalities, but never any specifics. I believe that there has been some consulting work done on how the different issues might come to pass. Nothing has been released yet, as far as we know, as far as the different alternatives or alternatives available to the council or the city, as far as how to fund the project. So. Okay. Thank you. Sure. Thanks, Mr. King, please. Mayor Foster City Council members in the city. I am Francis, Emily Tyson Harris and I reside in District one and I kept hearing the language of me say when I served on Cape Cod, there was a concern regarding this sensibility of Alameda to spay dock. And I'm just want to find out if the docks are remaining. Do you now can you you may not be able to ask me directly, but there was a concern about it not being accessible, making the the sensible so that persons with disabilities have the opportunity of riding on these chances. Water, taxi. And so I was looking in the book and I can't determine whether or not has it been completed and not completed. Are these two docks one of them, one of the docks that needs to be made accessible? Thank you very much. Thank you. Mr. West, would you please give Ms.. Harris that answer? Yes. All of the new docks are accessible. Will be accessible. I have we'll have to get back to you on what the existing ones are. Would you also like Cape Cod now as well? Certainly. Thank you very much. Thank you, Miss Harris. Any other public comment? We've got some customers have a question. But before we do, Mr. Watson, I would know. I would like to I'd like to have a thorough sort of chronology or history of, you know, exactly what happened. Do we embark on this knowing that we were going to have to have other funding sources? And what was the likelihood of that and what was the wisdom of that? I'm really if people have been charged in anticipation of having capital improvements and now we are unable to do so, I want to know exactly what happened. Thank you. Mississippi governor. Mississippi. The mayor. Well, and Pat, is this possible that tidelands funds can be used perhaps as the guarantee if we bonded against on the slip, these. Tidelands funds can certainly be there. The city finance director would recommend not bonding against Highland Funds, but title and funds can be. On those funds. I know that. But you can bond against slip fees. But the I think we could raise less than $10 million bonding on the existing slippage moratorium. So we could proceed on this if we utilized the timelines funds. Tidelands is an eligible eligible expenditure. Yes. Okay. Well, I would hope that we look at that. The other thing is, I would hope that we would get some kind of accounting of the slip fees. I've heard this from numerous boat owners who live in the fifth and have slips down there that they've never really seen a public accounting of all the fees that have been collected. So I'm hopeful that we could get that. I think that certainly has been provided will provide that again. I do want to highlight that regarding the Tidelands funds, again, any expenditure over $100,000 needs permission from the State Lands Commission. Well, I understand, but my understanding is that cities that have timelines have used it for marinas as long as they're publicly accessible. And then the question for city attorney, both in Mr. de Long's council agenda item and in numerous emails that I've received, is the issue of potential liability. Is it possible through your office that we get a risk assessment that because I think obviously, if I'm hearing this repeatedly, that people feel that they can be injured, something desperate in a battle is going to happen. I think it would be helpful if we have some kind of risk assessment that might help us move, you know , in a faster direction and pinpoint exactly what needs to be fixed immediately. We can get you an assessment. Yes. Thank you. Mr. DeLong. Thank you. How much? And surplus the right word. But how much extra cash flow to the marinas generate today? I guess I've heard numbers to $3 million a year. I could provide that information in the report that you're asking for, but I don't have it at the top of my head. No. Mr. Chapman here. Georgia John. Mayor, council member, council members long it generates about $3.2 million annually. So 3.2 million extra after you cover your cost of running them. Well, that's about it. Yeah. Okay. And then since it's been doing that for some time, is there a reserve or is there a fund? Balancers. Every penny been used for the existing basins or what do we have set a set aside of that $3.2 million annual surplus towards the future construction? I believe most of it is being used to pay back DBA loans. And recently we used some of the reserves. To actually do base and five. With cash reserves. Okay. So what is our cash reserve now in the Marina Fund? You know, approximately, I think about. 2 million right now. Okay. And what's the loan balance of the DBA loans that we have? I think it's about 46 million at this point. I have to double check. Because the city has devolved loans for both. Shoreline and Base four and Basin one. Great. Thank you. Okay. Well, I appreciate the information. I look forward to getting the report back. I tell you, I think that, you know, certainly, you know, I apologize to the boat owners in the situation we're in. It's it's certainly been a surprise to me. I always thought that we were, you know, on schedule. We were moving forward. It was going to happen. It's like I said, it's been a surprise to find out that we haven't got the funding completely locked down. I know that. And a recent tour I took of the docks, it's just shocking to me that the dilapidated condition they're in and hopefully in the next 30 days, we'll get a solution to this very thorny problem. Thank you. Thank you. Yeah, we have we have a we have a motion in the second members. Cast your votes on item 13. Motion carries nine votes. Yeah. Thank thank you all for coming out, by the way. I appreciate it. Thank you. Just as a courtesy, we'll move to item 17 before 14 because some young people waiting here. So item 17, GREGORY.