Happy Arbor-ico Day!
At the April 22nd Council meeting, the City Council recognized April 26th as Arbor Day. Mayor Sustarsic presented the proclamation to our City Arborist, Joe Talarico, shown on the right.
In honor of Arbor Day, City staff gathered on the Greenbelt at 14th and Electric on Thursday, April 25th to plant a Primrose tree. Staff learned that Joe Talarico's birthday was the next day, so they unofficially proclaimed April 25, 2024 as "Arbor-ico Day."
| |
Golden Age Foundation Centenarian Celebration at Leisure World
The Golden Age Foundation (GAF) hosted its Centenarian Celebration on Tuesday, April 23rd at Leisure World, and Council Member Moore and city staff were onsite to volunteer. This special event recognizes residents who are turning or have already turned 100 years old in 2024. Volunteers prepared and dropped off care packages, which included meals, gift cards, flowers, and certificates of recognition to more than fifteen centenarians. It was a beautiful celebration full of conversation and smiles.
Special thanks to Mayor Sustarsic, Mayor Pro Tem Landau, and Council Member Kalmick for providing financial support for the event through their Council discretionary funds.
| |
Recreation and Community Services | |
Monthly Usage
There are currently 1612 users registered for the Senior Transportation Program. The program is available for Seal Beach residents ages 60 years and older and consists of a pre-fixed shuttle route and Yellow Cab Taxi service. To register for the program, please visit www.sealbeachca.gov or contact the Recreation and Community Services Department at (562) 431-2527 X 1307.
There are currently 338 pickleball members and 87 tennis members at the Seal Beach Tennis and Pickleball Center. To sign up for a membership, please contact staff at the Center, or call (562) 598-8624 for more information.
| | | | |
|
Free Tax Assistance Was a Big Hit!
Free Tax Assistance with AARP – The City of Seal Beach in partnership with AARP offered free tax assistance for taxpayers ages 50 and over.
187 Federal tax returns and 182 California Tax returns were prepared at the Fire Station Community Room, providing nearly $100,000 in refund dollars!
Thank you to AARP for their partnership in offering this service to our seniors.
| | | |
|
Senior Lunch Cafe'
The Seal Beach Lunch Program is provided by Meals on Wheels Orange County (OC) at the North Seal Beach Center located at 3333 St. Cloud Drive. The Dine-In Lunch Café takes place Monday - Friday from 11:00am- 12:00pm and is open to adults ages 60 years and older. A suggested donation for lunch is $3.00. For more information, please contact Nathan Caukin at (562) 431-2527 ext. 1307 or visit www.sealbeachca.gov/city-services/senior-services.
| | |
Department Updates
SEAL BEACH CLASSIC CAR SHOW
The Annual Seal Beach Classic Car Show takes place on Saturday, April 27th, 2024 on Main Street starting at 8:00am. This year's show features 650 classic cars, the most the show has ever included. During the show there will be entertainment at the 3 stages located at the Seal Beach Pier, Heritage Square and in the parking lot of Baytown Real Estate. Additionally, the Seal Beach Lions Club will be cooking pancakes, hamburgers and hot dogs adjacent to the pier in front of the centennial clock.
RECREATION AND PARKS COMMISSION
On Wednesday, April 24th the Recreation and Parks Commission met in the Council Chambers for their regularly scheduled meeting. Staff provided an update and presentation on the City's new registration app.
SEAL BEACH TENNIS AND PICKLEBALL CENTER
On Friday, May 3rd the Seal Beach Pickleball Association will be hosting the Dink-O-DeMayo event at the Seal Beach Tennis and Pickleball Center. The event is free to members and features snacks, drop in play and a good time by all.
| | | |
Orange County Fire Authority | |
|
On Monday, April 22nd, the Staff Engagement Team (SET) partnered with Save Our Beach to host a beach cleanup in honor of Earth Day.
As a group, the City was able to remove 2 bags of trash from the City’s shoreline.
| | |
Trivia Lunch
On Thursday, April 18th, the Staff Engagement Team (SET) hosted a Trivia Lunch for staff. This event was well attended, and staff from all departments were welcome.
The goals of the Staff Engagement Team are to boost staff morale, promote health and wellness, develop inter/intra-departmental relations, get staff involved with the Seal Beach community, and encourage professional development.
| | |
Lunch and Learn
The Staff Engagement Team (SET) recently hosted its first Lunch and Learn. This new monthly program will help achieve one of the Team’s goals of Encouraging Professional Development. The topic of the first training was “Navigating Change.” The event was well attended and included staff from almost every City Department.
| |
Micro-Transit Ribbon Cutting - April 29, 2024 @ 1:00pm | |
A ribbon cutting ceremony for the launch of Seal Beach’s new eco-friendly pilot Micro-Transit Program will be held on Monday, April 29th at 1 p.m. at the 8th Street Beach Lot. The pilot program will service areas including Old Town, the Hill, and Bridgeport. We encourage residents to attend and learn about the services offered during the pilot program.
If you would like to download and browse the Circuit app, and try it out for cities around Seal Beach, scan the QR Code below. The City is set to go live on Thursday, May 2nd. It is then that you will be able to fully use the app to request rides around Seal Beach.
For questions regarding the program or the ribbon cutting, please feel free to reach out to Jessica Salvador at JSalvador@SealBeachCA.Gov.
| | |
Water Service Line Replacement
Staff upgraded a residential water service line in Old Town from polybutylene to a new 1” copper line, improving durability and reliability.
| |
Lifeguard Tower Placement
Every year during the winter months, the Public Works staff assists the lifeguards with relocating the towers to the 8th Street parking lot. While the sand berm was working overtime this year, the lifeguard towers were repainted for the 2024 summer season. This past week, Staff took them from the 8th Street parking lot and strategically placed the lifeguard towers along the northside of the beach.
| | |
8th Street Parking Lot Pothole Filling
With summer quickly approaching and the 8th Street beach being a popular destination, staff used over three (3) tons of hot-mix asphalt to fill in holes and sealed alligator cracks throughout the parking lot. Although temporary, until resurfacing begins, this will provide a better experience for visitors as they utilize the parking lot in the upcoming summer months.
| |
|
|
Lifeguard Storage Bin Placement
Staff assisted our lifeguards with moving their storage bins underneath the pier for easy access so that they could prepare for training, classes, and the summer beachgoers.
| | | |
Tree Planting Around the City
Your City arborist chose some beautiful trees to add to the overall ambience of each area and provide a helping hand to wildlife. Staff planted two (2) Crêpe Myrtles (Lagerstroemia indica) on 10th Street and Central Avenue, along with two (2) Primrose trees (Lagunaria patersonia) on the Greenbelt on Electric Avenue.
| | |
|
Helicopter Hoist Training
On April 1,2024 Marine Safety partnered with the United States Coast Guard for helicopter hoist training. The training included dropping a basket to our rescue vessel and simulating a victim pick up as well as lowering and retrieving a rescue swimmer. The training was beneficial in getting two new deckhands and a new operator valuable experience prior to summer deployment.
| | |
Marine Safety Updates
- In the past 2 weeks, lifeguards performed the following: 14 Rescues, 27 Medical Aids, 9 Vessel Response Calls, 310 Enforcements and 49 Preventative Actions.
-
On March 23, 2024, Marine Safety hosted beach lifeguard tryouts. 17 candidates were in attendance and took part in the distance swim and run-swim-run events. 13 trainees were invited into the Basic Lifeguard Academy that spans four weekends. The academy starts April 27th and covers ocean lifeguarding techniques, an Emergency Medical Response (EMR) first aid course, and CPR/AED training. In total the trainees must complete 100 hours of training prior to becoming a beach lifeguard.
- Marine Safety Officer Jeremy Jenks and Lifeguard Chris Dominguez attended a Marine Firefighter Operation training course hosted by LA County Lifeguards. This course is designed to give boat operators and deckhands firsthand knowledge of the hazards of marine firefighting.
- Lieutenant Nick Bolin attended the California Surf Lifesaving Association Board of Directors (CSLSA) meeting in Capitola, Ca. The CSLSA recognized our very own Seal Beach Lifeguard Jackson Lawrence for completing the lifeguard exchange program in New Zealand. Jackson made a presentation to the board of directors highlighting what he learned over the course of his trip.
-
Junior Lifeguard prep classes are underway at the McGaugh Pool. Beach lifeguards are teaching conditioning classes for the upcoming summer JG program. Conditioning classes are booked full and will continue through May 3rd.
- Chief Bailey and MSO Diller attended the California Water Safety Summit. This collaborative summit featured information on drowning and aquatic injury prevention in California. Chief Bailey made a presentation on certification of lifeguards in California.
| | | |
At the April 22, 2024 City Council Meeting:
-
The City Council recognized the week of May 5 through 11, 2024, as Professional Municipal Clerks Week and further extended appreciation to Professional Municipal Clerk Gloria Harper and Deputy City Clerk Brandon DeCriscio for all the vital services they perform and their exemplary dedication to the Seal Beach community.
-
The City Council proclaimed the month of April as the “Month of the Military Child” and encouraged all residents to recognize the importance of “Military Child” month.
-
The City Council recognized April 2024 as Sexual Assault Awareness Month and expressed their hope that each day of the month and year would be an opportunity to work towards building connected communities for a better future free of sexual violence.
| | | |
Orange County Fire Authority | |
Meet Fire Captain Curt Corbin
Curt Corbin grew up in Seal Beach and began his career as a volunteer firefighter at Station 44 where he is now a Captain. He is exceptionally knowledgeable with our Hazmat program, his commitment has earned recognition at the County, State, and Federal levels, playing a key role in shaping and refining the program. Captain Corbin has been the lead instructor for many courses taught throughout the United States. He has also facilitated multiple OCFA monthly training events and acted as the San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station Training Liaison. His involvement extends beyond the OCFA, as he actively participates in the NFPA Hazmat Working Group and leads regional training with the Cal OES Local Emergency Planning Committee. Additionally, Captain Corbin is a Hazmat and Logistics Specialist on California Task Force 5. This experience significantly benefits Seal Beach as it serves to help protect critical infrastructure within the city, such as the Naval Weapons Station. With his extensive experience, strong leadership abilities, and dedication to community it isn’t surprising that he was Battalion 11’s firefighter of the year in 2022.
| | | |
Seal Beach Police Department | | |
|
The Briefing Room
- The month of April is Distracted Driver Awareness Month, along with the Office of Traffic and Safety (OTS), police officers took part in directed traffic enforcement related specifically to distracted drivers. So far officers have issued over 30 cell phone violations to drivers in the City of Seal Beach.
- Officers took part in a directed enforcement campaign inside Leisure World. The goal is to help educate the Leisure World residents on being safe motor vehicle operators.
- The Seal Beach Car Show will be taking place on Saturday, April 27th. Officers, along with residents and visitors will have the opportunity to view over 600 cars parked along Main Street. This event also will also showcase the Seal Beach Police Saleen vehicle and the Armored Bearcat vehicle.
- Seal Beach Police Officers assisted the City of Long Beach and Los Angeles County Public Works with the clean up of the San Gabrial Bicycle path. Even though this area is in Los Angeles County jurisdiction, both the City of Long Beach and Seal Beach are good partners in assisting our homeless population in getting back on their feet and off the streets.
- Captain Nicholas, along with DIXON Resources Unlimited, a consulting firm that specializes in parking solutions, will be meeting with the California Coastal Commission to discuss the pending Coastal Development Permit Application. The permit application is a critical element, as it will determine the management and regulation of parking spaces in the coastal beach lots.
- Facility Service Dog Yosa is participating in a 'Bring Your Child to Work Day' event at the Orange County Superior Court. Yosa, a trained service dog, is an integral part of the court's efforts to create a calming and supportive environment for children and families involved in the judicial process. On this special day, Yosa will be interacting with the children of court employees, offering comfort and joy. The presence of a facility dog during such events can help in creating a welcoming atmosphere and providing stress relief, not just for the children, but also for the staff and parents.
- The command staff members of the Seal Beach Police Department are attending a ceremony held by the Orange County Sheriff's Department (OCSD) to honor award recipient Detective Jacob Otto. This ceremony is a prestigious event that recognizes acts of bravery and heroism in law enforcement. Detective Otto is being celebrated for his actions that have distinguished him among his peers.
| | |
The 2024 Annual Public Safety Awards Breakfast is scheduled for Thursday,
May 2nd at the Old Ranch Country Club. Please join us and come together to express our appreciation for the brave men and women of public safety. Please visit the Seal Beach Police League website at https://sealbeachpoliceleague.com/ for further information.
| | | | |
|
City of Seal Beach
211 Eighth Street
Seal Beach, CA 90740
(562) 431-2527
sealbeachca.gov
| |
| | | |
