Long Beach leaders on Tuesday approved a $58.8 million, three-year contract for the second phase of improvements to Long Beach Airport.

Swinerton Builders was awarded the work, with local architecture firm Studio One Eleven also on the team.

According to Jess Romo, airport manager, the first work will be done on the ticketing area, a consolidated baggage pickup system and upgrades to the checked baggage inspection facility. That work should be done sometime in 2019.

In the following two years, the rental car service counters will be moved into the main terminal, the historic portion of the terminal will be rehabilitated and upgrades for all of the outdoor operations in front of the terminal will be completed.

Money to finance the project comes from federal grants and airport revenue, with no impact on the city’s general fund.

JetBlue appeal

A hearing on an appeal from JetBlue over fines the airline is contesting for late flights at Long Beach Airport was postponed Tuesday. The airport’s busiest carrier contends that air traffic control delays across the country led to the delays in arrival, which violated the city’s strict noise ordinance in 2017.

The airline is contesting fines for 16 flights, totaling $96,000.

No reason was given for the postponement, other than it was at JetBlue’s request. A date for a new hearing has not been set.

Next Week

Long Beach police may soon be wearing body cameras again, and it won’t cost the city anything for at least a year.

A body-worn camera program ended in November 2017 with the department determining that system did not fit its needs. A new request for proposals was issued this spring, and two firms — Axon Enterprise, Inc., of Scottsdale, Ariz, and VIEVU, LLC, of Seattle, Washington, responded with no-cost proposals to test their systems.

The report from Police Chief Robert Luna says there will be an expense of $350,000 or more a year to staff the progran. That money will come temporarily from savings generated by vacant positions, but it would have to be part of future budgets if the camera system is adopted.

The City Council meets at 5 p.m. Tuesday in Council Chambers, 333 W. Ocean Blvd.