Nonprofit Friends group to be fundraising arm of Newport Beach Animal Shelter
The city of Newport Beach and the Friends of Newport Beach Animal Shelter are making it official.
The City Council on Tuesday night agreed to allow the nonprofit Friends, which formed this year, to act as the fundraising arm of the city-run shelter, which operates at a small leased space in the Santa Ana Heights neighborhood.
Funds can go toward advanced veterinary treatment, practical equipment like a commercial washer and dryer for towels and blankets, or, in the long term, a new building.
“Our goal is helping every animal that comes to the Newport Beach Animal Shelter find a happy home, but also we’d like to try and do one up and create a world-class animal shelter, which means a lot of fundraising and a lot of great things from people that really admire animals in our city,” said Tim Stoaks, the Friends’ president.
Newport Beach has run its own animal shelter through the Police Department’s animal-control division since the city severed its contract with the Orange County Humane Society in 2015. City staff alleged unsanitary and inhumane conditions at the Humane Society’s shelter in Huntington Beach.
Balboa Island water main
The 1940s-era water main on Balboa Island is being replaced.
The council confirmed a $1.56-million construction contract for Orange-based T.E. Roberts Inc. to replace the cast-iron main running along Balboa Avenue and portions of Collins and Opal avenues. With contingencies, geotechnical services and incidentals, the project comes to $1.75 million.
Preliminary work is expected to begin in December. Workers have 125 working days, or roughly six months, to complete the project.
New emergency response vehicles
The police and fire departments are getting new additions to their fleets.
The Police Department will pick up four Ford police interceptor utility vehicles from San Bernardino’s Fairview Ford Sales to refresh its fleet of black-and-whites. The vehicles will cost a total of $127,631.
The Fire Department will replace two of its seven ambulances at a cost of just under $600,000. The Freightliner M2 custom ambulances will come from South El Monte-based Halcore Group.
City guidelines recommend replacing police patrol and traffic vehicles after four years or 75,000 miles and frontline paramedic ambulances after eight years or 100,000 miles.
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