Long Beach starts getting Irene FEMA money

Money promised to Long Beach by the Federal Emergency Management Agency has just started to roll in, public works Commissioner Jim LaCarrubba said.

Last week, he said, the city got a check from FEMA for $4,400. Since Tropical Storm Irene tore through the barrier island in August, the city has applied for a total of $1.7 million in aid and expects to apply for close to $2 million.

A large part of the reconstruction effort after the storm has been at Magnolia Boulevard Playground. LaCarrubba said the rubber safety surface was destroyed and the wall that kept sand from blowing from the beach into the park was torn down.

At Tuesday’s meeting, the city council approved a $120,325 contract to hire Louis Barbato Landscaping to rehabilitate the safety surface. LaCarrubba said FEMA agreed to reimburse the city for 87.5 percent of the cost.

According to LaCarrubba, the overall estimate for the Magnolia Boulevard Playground project, including replacing the wall, was $169,000. He said the wall was completed about two weeks ago, and that the park needs to be ready for use as the weather turns warmer.

“The park is near the boardwalk, summer season is upon us, and it’s an important recreation spot for our residents,” he said.

LaCarrubba said FEMA representatives have come to the city several times and surveyed damage at parks and on the beach. “We should start seeing most of the money coming back in the next fiscal year,” he said.

Above: The Long Beach lifeguard station sat up against the boardwalk as a result of Tropical Storm Irene. (Aug. 29, 2011)