Full Book Entry on Countywide Public Financing Authority (1996)

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CITY OF SEAL BEACH General Location and Government. The City of Seal Beach ("Seal Beach") encompasses 11.97 square miles and is located on the coast of northwestern Orange County. It is about 27 miles southeast of Los Angeles and seven miles from the Port of Long Beach. Neighboring communities include Huntington Beach, Westminster, Los Alamitos and Long Beach. Seal Beach, incorporated in 1917, has operated under a City Charter since 1964. The City of Seal Beach is governed and administered under a council-manager form of government. The five member City Council is elected by district to serve four-year alternating terms. The Mayor and Mayor Pro Tempore are elected by the Council from among its members for one-year terms. The City Clerk is also elected. The City Attorney and City Manager are appointed by the City Council. Under the 1995/96 budget fiscal year budget, Seal Beach employs a staff of approximately 103 full-time employees, 40 part-time employees, and 40 seasonal part-time under the direction of the City Manager. Community Services and Facilities. Seal Beach was originally established because of its attractiveness as a seaside resort and recreation area. While the character of Seal Beach has undergone change during the last decade from resort community to a stable residential community, recreation is still an important factor in the local economy. Seal Beach estimates more than 3,000,000 visitors are attracted to the one mile City-owned ocean recreational area each year. For the convenience and accommodation of these visitors, Seal Beach maintains a 1,860 foot municipal pier, and a beach park with picnic facilities. Swimming and surfboarding are popular sports and are conducted under the supervision of municipal lifeguards. At the southern end of Seal Beach, the Orange County Harbor District has developed the Aquatic Regional Park, which provides an eight lane landing ramp capable of accommodating up to 500 boats per day, parking for 200 cars and boat trailers, and overnight space for 500 house trailers. The aquatic park provides public beach and picnic facilities for 2,800 people, public fishing floats, and boat rentals, fueling docks, and berths for recreational boating. Education. The City of Seal Beach is served by two high schools and one elementary school district. Most of Seal Beach is also within the Coast Community College District. The district operates three colleges within Orange County. The 122-acre Huntington Beach Campus (Golden West College), which began classes in 1966, is approximately eight miles from Seal Beach. Orange County has five community colleges and eight institutions granting degrees for four-year or graduate courses of study. The schools are: University of California at Irvine; California State University, Fullerton; Chapman College, Orange; Southern California College, Costa Mesa; West Coast University, Orange; Western State University, Santa Ana; and Pepperdine University, Santa Ana. A number of colleges and universities are also located in the adjacent area of southern Los Angeles County, including the California State University at Long Beach. Police and Fire Protection. The City of Seal Beach Police Department consists of 33 sworn, 12 non- sworn, 20 reserve officers, and 30 volunteers. It provides a full range of police services for a residential population of 26,800. Besides the traditional efforts of the Police Department to respond to calls for service to enforce laws, investigate traffic and crime-related issues, the department oversees the privatization contract for the City Jail. The City has contracted with a private contractor to provide the day-to-day operation of the detention facility. The facility has 30 beds available for low risk, work furlough offenders and has contracts with B-77