West End Library, Dunes Focus of Civic Meeting

Story and Photos by Chris Engelhardt

More than 60 Long Beach residents turned out Saturday for the West End Neighbors Civic Association’s (WENCA) first meeting of 2013, an event that featured several guest speakers and touched on various issues, from rebuilding beaches and dunes to the future of the West End Library branch.

Follow Long Beach Patch on Facebook.

West End Neighbors Civic Association President John Bendo led the meeting in the auditorium at Long Beach Library. The meeting featured guest speaker Craig Kugler, a professional appraiser, who talked about Hurricane Sandy-related issues, including uncooperative insurance companies who might be undervaluing claims and banks that may be holding insurance checks.

Scott Kemins, the city’s building commissioner, discussed post-storm rebuilding activities, processes for repair work for homeowners, elevating homes, and illegal rentals.

“We’re working with homeowners, with what they want to do [with their homes],” said Kemins, who explained that residents across Long Beach are receiving notice of determination letters.

“Those are based on inspections done by contractors hired by [the Federal Emergency Management Agency] to determine if properties are substantially damaged,” he continued. “The National Flood Insurance Program, which provides everyone in Long Beach with flood insurance, makes us do it.”   

Kemins said FEMA conducted 2,755 inspections for the city, while the building department did approximately 700, and that half the letters have gone out. “We’re hoping within two weeks, all the letters go out,” he said.

Among the issues discussed at the meeting was the rebuilding of beaches and dunes. Bendo noted that the city is moving a lot of sand around on West End beaches, pushing it north to where the dunes were located prior to Hurricane Sandy. City Manager Jack Schnirman, who attended the meeting, said the city will rebuild the dunes with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to protect residents from future storms, and that the city is working to properly clean and remove debris from its sand.

“They have also been authorized to do a study on the bayside, and we’re looking at additional things, like tide flex valves, to protect against flooding on the bayside,” Schnirman said.

The city manager also encouraged residents to participate in the “Long Beach Comeback Crew” initiative, in which community volunteers will help rebuild the city. The initiative will focus on community beautification projects, such as landscape and design efforts and street clean-up, from April 19 to 21.

“How will you access beaches in the summer,” one resident asked.

Schnirman said that there are going to be crossover throughout the city. “We’re going to have temporary beach entrances, fencing, and we’re going to make sure beaches operate normally,” he said.

West End Library’s Future Unknown

The fate of the library’s West End branch on West Beech Street was another topic of discussion. The library’s Board of Trustees adopted the proposed 2013-14 budget on March 27. Library Director George Trepp said that the $3.4 million spending plan is $27,193 — .008 percent — higher than the current budget.

“The library board voted three to two to approve the budget, but approval means the West End branch will not reopen,” Bendo said, which drew some gasps from the crowd.

Trepp and library Trustee Kathleen Dwyer — who opposed the plan — explained that the branch lost everything in the storm and the library will not restock it, a decision reflected in the proposed budget. They said library officials are working to decide on how to utilize the space.    

“When we were putting together the budget, it was apparent what we wanted to do was minimize the tax increase,” Trepp said. “To do that, we needed to make some sacrifices.”

Project Hope, a FEMA-funded health services program, which is operating through Long Beach Reach, a Nassau County-funded youth and family services program, has expressed interest in the property, Trepp said. Library officials have considered using the building for a teen or technology center, for a meeting place for local community groups and organizations, or for classes for Long Beach Public Schools students.  

“There hasn’t been a final determination as to how to use the branch,” said Trepp, who added that the circulation at the branch has been declining.

“We don’t have a supermarket, a gas station, a bank, and now you’re gonna close a library?” one resident said about the West End.

Dwyer said that the library is not closing. “What we’re interested in as a board, is finding out what other uses we can make of that space,” she said. “We have a lease through Feb. 14, [2014.]”

County Legislator Denise Ford, R-Long Beach, who lives on Ohio Street, called for community input and future gatherings in deciding how to use the space.

“Maybe we can ask Project Hope or even some state agencies with Sandy help to have someone down there,” she said. “We can be a creative group of people, and put our heads together for this.”

MORE NEWS
Sentencing of Former Councilman Postponed
Repairs Stop at New York Sports Club