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HomeMy WebLinkAbout07/25/2014 OFFICE OF THE CITY MANAGER July 25, 2014 TO: Honorable Mayor and City Council FROM: Alan Tandy, City Manager AT Subject: General Information Notable Items:  I am pleased to announce the promotion of Theodore Wright to Assistant Public Works Director. He has been employed with the Public Works Department of the City of Bakersfield for nearly 25 years. During this time, Ted has supervised the Subdivisions Section, has managed the Design Engineering Division and most recently has been managing the Thomas Roads Improvement Program (TRIP). His experience includes development and delivery of the City’s Capital Improvement Program; development and management of multi-million dollar budgets; and management and coordination of complex multi-agency projects. Congratulations Ted! An internal promotion process is taking place to replace his position with TRIP.  Per the State Mandate on water conservation, the City of Bakersfield must close all nine spray parks by Friday August 1st. To offset the early closures, the City will offer free and discounted swimming at its pools. Please see the attached press release for additional information.  Beginning August 4th, City crews will be replacing bricks and tiles within the Centennial Plaza in front of the Rabobank Arena, Theater and Convention Center. The majority of the bricks and tiles have been in place since the Plaza opened in 1998 and many are now worn, broken or chipped. The project will install a uniform, level surface for facility attendees and users of the Plaza. Crews will be replacing the bricks and tiles with concrete throughout the month of August. During the month of September, those who have donated bricks and tiles will have the opportunity to collect them at the City’s Corp Yard. Please see the Press Release for more information.  The new electronic agenda system has been integrated internally. The agenda system is functional and is being tested by staff. The full conversion may occur as early as September at which time, councilmembers who wish to go fully electronic will have the ability to do so.  I will be on vacation the week of August 4th through 8th. Chris Huot will be in charge during my absence and the staff will have my contact information in the event that I need to be contacted. General Information July 25, 2014 Page 2 TRIP:  State Route 58 Gap Closure Project Closures- July 28th - August 1st Chester Avenue/H Street westbound on-ramp: Intermittent daytime lane closures are anticipated next week for the Chester Avenue/H Street westbound on-ramp as the contractor continues work on the adjacent retaining wall. During the closures, motorists can use the State Route 58/Union Avenue Interchange, located approximately one mile to the east, or continue west on Brundage Lane for approximately one mile to access northbound or southbound State Route 99. Cottonwood Road at State Route 58 will be closed during daytime hours on Monday and Tuesday. This closure is necessary to allow for work on the newly constructed bridge sections. This work will take place between the hours of 6 a.m. and 4 p.m., each day. Motorists can use either Union Avenue or Washington Street for north/south access across the freeway. State Route 58 westbound lanes: Motorists should anticipate nighttime lane closures on westbound State Route 58, Sunday through Tuesday, between Cottonwood Road and State Route 99. The contractor will be restriping the roadway and placing concrete barrier rail in preparation of median excavation for the new travel lanes. This activity will take place between the hours of 7 p.m. and 6 a.m., each night. One westbound travel lane will remain open to traffic while operations are underway. Two travel lanes will be open to traffic during daytime hours.  Potential Traffic Control on State Route 178 at Bedford Green Drive The contractor for the State Route 178/Morning Drive Interchange project will be removing a traffic signal pole located at the State Route 178 and Bedford Green Drive intersection next week. This work is off the roadway and interruptions to traffic are expected to be limited. Crews may conduct traffic control as needed with the use of flagging personnel, Monday through Wednesday, July 28-30, 2014 between the hours of 6 a.m. and 4 p.m., each day. Motorists are reminded to obey flagging personnel and construction signs and to pay close attention to road construction vehicles and personnel while driving through this area. Council Referrals: Attached is a response to the following Council referrals: • Councilmember Sullivan o Litter in the Parks • Councilmember Johnson o SWRCB Water Conservation Guidelines • Councilmember Maxwell o Speed Enforcement on 24th Street General Information July 25, 2014 Page 3 Reports: For your convenience, the following report is attached: • Streets Division work schedule for the week of July 28th Event Notifications:  July is Recreation and Parks month, so enjoy the many spray parks, pools, skate parks, playgrounds and BBQ’s throughout the City of Bakersfield for fun in the summer sun. Join us for the following activities: o FREE summer lunch program continues at the Martin Luther King Center until August 1st. o Day Camp at Silver Creek Community Center is held each week, now through August 8th. Call (661) 326-3866 to register, or go to www.bakersfieldparks.us for more information. o Tonight, FREE Movies in the Park tonight starting at dusk at Wilson Park: Peabody and Sherman o FREE Movies in the Park on Friday, August 1st at The Park at River Walk. Pre-show concert starts at 7:00 p.m.; bring chairs for the concert and The Lego Movie. o Family Fun Night at McMurtrey Aquatic Center on Friday, August 8th. Three dollars a person or $10.00 for groups of 4 -6. Theme is Under the Sea from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. with lots of fun things for everyone: slides, diving boards, and games.  Attached is the Event Calendar for Rabobank Arena Theater and Convention Center. AT:rs:al:cb cc: Department Heads Roberta Gafford, City Clerk PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT MEMORANDUM TO: Alan Tandy, City Manager FROM: Nick Fidler, Public Works Director DATE: July 22, 2014 SUBJECT: Promotion – Public Works Department I am pleased to announce the promotion of Theodore Wright to Assistant Public Works Director. Ted has a Bachelor’s Degree in Architectural Engineering from California Polytechnic State University and has been licensed as a Registered Civil Engineer since 1981. He has been employed with the Public Works Department of the City of Bakersfield for nearly 25 years. During this time, Ted has supervised the Subdivisions Section, has managed the Design Engineering Division and most recently has been managing the Thomas Roads Improvement Program (TRIP). His experience includes development and delivery of the City’s Capital Improvement Program; development and management of multi-million dollar budgets; and management and coordination of complex multi-agency projects. Mr. Wright’s education and experience make him well-qualified to assume the responsibilities and challenges of the Assistant Public Works Director position. City of Bakersfield · Department of Recreation & Parks · 1600 Truxtun Avenue, 3rd Floor Bakersfield · California · 93301 (661) 326-3866 · Fax (661) 852-2140 DEPARTMENT OF RECREATION & PARKS DIANNE HOOVER, DIRECTOR Public Service Announcement FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: CONTACT: Dianne Hoover Thursday July 24, 2014 661.326.3866 City Offers Free Swim Days Per the State Mandate on water conservation, the City of Bakersfield must close all nine spray parks by Friday August 1. Due to the closure, the City will offer free swim days August 1 – 8 at both Jefferson and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. pools during open swim from 1:00 – 4:30 p.m. weekdays and 1:00 – 5:00 p.m. weekends. Both pools will close for the season starting Saturday August 9. The Silver Creek pool open swim is $1 from 1:00 - 4:00 p.m. on weekdays and 1:00 – 5:00 p.m. on weekends. Silver Creek pool will close for open swim on Friday August 15. The McMurtrey Aquatic Center open swim is $3 daily through Sunday August 17. Since all other pools and spray parks will be closed by August 15, the city will offer a $1 discount during open swim at McMurtrey Aquatic Center on the following weekend days and Labor Day: August 16, 17, 23, 24, 30, 31 & September 1. The hours for open swim are from 1:00 to 4:30 p.m. weekdays and 1:00-5:00 p.m. weekends. After September 1, McMurtrey Aquatic Center is closed for open swim and begins its fall programs of lap swimming, classes, and rentals. Please check the city’s website for more information at www.bakersfieldparks.us. POOLS: OPEN SWIM DATES Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. FREE August 1 - 8 Jefferson FREE August 1 - 8 Silver Creek $1 August 1 - 15 McMurtrey Aquatic Center $3 August 1 - 17 $2 (Discounted) August 23, 24, 30, 31; September 1 # # # Public Works Department Nick Fidler – Public Works Director PRESS RELEASE FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Stuart Patteson Friday, July 25, 2014 Operations Manager (661) 326-3781 Removal of Bricks and Tiles from Centennial Plaza Beginning August 4th, City crews will be replacing bricks and tiles within the Centennial Plaza in front of the Rabobank Arena, Theater and Convention Center. The majority of the bricks and tiles have been in place since the Plaza opened in 1998 and many are now worn, broken or chipped. The project will install a uniform, level surface for facility attendees and users of the Plaza. Crews will be replacing the bricks and tiles with concrete throughout the month of August. Beginning September 1, 2014, members of the public who wish to retrieve their engraved brick or tile may do so by contacting the Public Works Department at (661) 326-3111. Public Works is requesting the public to call 48 hours in advance to allow staff to retrieve the engraved surface(s) and have them ready for pickup by the individual. Some bricks and tiles may not be recoverable due to a variety of different factors during the removal process. Pick up will be made available Monday – Friday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., excluding City holidays, at the City Corporation Yard located at 4101 Truxtun Ave. Members of the public are encouraged to retrieve their brick or tile by September 30, 2014. The City of Bakersfield wishes to thank members of the public who generously contributed in the development of the Plaza and looks forward to providing a safe and enjoyable environment for all users of the Plaza and adjacent facilities. # # # City of Bakersfield • Public Works Department • 1501 Truxtun Avenue Bakersfield, California • 93301(661) 326-3724 • Fax (661) 852-2120 We enhance the quality of life through a variety of programs, parks, and partnerships. Department of Recreation and Parks DATE: July 23, 2014 TO: Alan Tandy, City Manager FROM: Dianne Hoover, Director SUBJECT: Referral on litter in the parks Councilmember Sullivan requested staff evaluate options to reduce litter at City parks, especially after holidays and weekends, by sending letters to the offending party or by providing additional trash bags to groups reserving picnic areas. It is staff’s intention that this memo provides background information and recommendations in lieu of bringing the item to the Community Services Committee. General Park Reservations Residents of Bakersfield use city parks for family outings, reunions, birthday parties and other celebrations, especially on weekends and holidays. Those reserving picnic shelters for these types of events must come in person to pay the appropriate fees, sign a waiver and agree the group will abide by an acceptable level of behavior. It is staff’s experience that groups making a reservation generally clean up their area prior to leaving. Special Event Park Reservations If a group reserves the park for a special event, a $500 refundable deposit is required at the time of booking. This deposit may be kept if the group damages the park or leaves an excessive amount of litter for City crews to pick up. In most cases, the group adequately cleans up the park prior to leaving, as they are motivated to be refunded their full deposit. Challenges The majority of litter comes from parks users who do not reserve a picnic area or a park for a special event. In all parks, trash cans are strategically placed near where park users congregate, such as picnic areas and playgrounds. Unfortunately, it is staff’s experience that despite the availability of the trash cans; many people do not utilize them and discard litter haphazardly. In these cases, it is very difficult to determine the offending party, as there are not We enhance the quality of life through a variety of programs, parks, and partnerships. available resources to monitor the City’s 59 parks on a regular basis specifically for this purpose. The ability for staff to take proactive action or follow up in these cases is marginal. Additionally, City parks are heavily used for picnics. In some cases, food scraps are discarded properly in a trash can. However, prior to the crews arriving the following day to pick up the bags, animals may rummage through a full trash can during the night and spread litter after looking for food scraps. Additionally, people go through trash cans looking for recyclables, thus creating a mess around the trash cans as well. In these cases, the litter around a particular area may not be the fault of those reserving the area. Parks Crews Since weekends are popular in the parks, City Park crews work regular shifts seven days per week. Weekend crews are provided a list of park reservations, and they ensure the area is clean prior to a reservation, whether it is in the morning or afternoon. An emphasis is placed on cleaning restrooms and litter pick up every morning, especially mornings after a holiday or busy weekend. In most cases, litter is picked up by noon the day after a holiday or busy weekend. City Park crews take great pride in keeping the parks clean and useable for all residents. In relationship to the high use of City parks, staff receives more praise than complaints about the level of service provided and the quick response to clean-ups after a holiday or weekend. Recommendations For groups which reserve a park facility and clearly leave litter, staff can send a follow up letter warning them further littering could result in not issuing future permits for use for that individual or group. Additionally, Park crews can provide individuals and groups with extra trash bags to prevent litter from being left near a trash can that may already be full. BAKERSFIELD POLICE MEMORANDUM TO: ALAN TANDY, CITY MANAGER FROM: GREG WILLIAMSON, CHIEF OF POLICE By: Lyle Martin, Assistant Chief of Police DATE: JULY 24, 2014 SUBJECT: SPEED ENFORCEMENT ON 24TH STREET Council Referral No. 514 Council Member Maxwell requested that the Police Department resume patrols on 24th Street to reduce the amount of speeding. As requested by Council Member Maxwell, staff from the Operations Division has been conducting additional traffic enforcement on the 24th Street Corridor during the past week. These enforcement efforts resulted in 193 citations, five vehicle impounds, two warrant arrests, one Felony narcotic arrest, and one Grand Theft Auto recovery and arrest. Staff will continue to monitor the area. vrf Week of July 28_2014_Work Schedule Page 1 of 2 STREETS DIVISION – WORK SCHEDULE Week of July 28, 2014 – Aug. 1, 2014 Resurfacing/Reconstructing streets in the following areas: Reconstructing various streets north of White Ln and west of Gosford Sealing streets in the area south of Stockdale Hwy and east of Buena Vista Rd Maintenance Grind & Pave on Mountain Vista between White Ln and Harris Rd Maintenance Grind & Pave on Meacham between Calloway and Clay Patrick Farr Miscellaneous Streets Division projects: Video inspection of City owned Sewer & Storm lines to evaluate condition of pipes Repairing damaged sewer line found during video inspection Miscellaneous concrete repairs throughout the city Concrete work on various streets in the area north of E. California Ave and west of Williams in preparation for street reconstruction / resurfacing (HUD funded area) Dirt work at Mesa Marin for parking lot and playing fields Concrete work on various streets in the area south of E. California Ave and east of Union Ave (HUD funded area) Concrete work on Chester Ave between California Ave and Brundage Ln Assisting San Joaquin Valley Railroad with crossing improvements on MLK Blvd north of Brundage Ln which will be closed starting late evening of Friday 7/25/14 thru Monday 7/28/14, the next crossing will be Virginia Ave crossing east of MLK Blvd starting 8/9/14 thru 8/12/14 THIS SPACE INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK Week of July 28_2014_Work Schedule Page 2 of 2 STREETS SWEEPING SCHEDULE Monday, July 28, 2014 Between Coffee Rd. & Verdugo Ln. – Brimhall Rd., south to the Kern River boundary. Cul-De-Sacs, west of Windsong St., between Brimhall Rd. & Thistlewood Ct. City areas between Rosedale Hwy. & Stockdale Hwy. – Verdugo Ln. to the west City Limit. Between Jenkins Rd. & Allen Rd. – Stockdale Hwy. & Birkenfeld Ave. Between Hosking Rd. & Astro Ave. – So. “H” St. & Union Ave. Tuesday, July 29, 2014 All sweepers are assigned to sweeping streets that are not on a set sweeping schedule. Wednesday, July 30, 2014 All sweepers are assigned to sweeping streets that are not on a set sweeping schedule. Thursday, July 31, 2014 All sweepers are assigned to sweeping streets that are not on a set sweeping schedule. Friday, August 1, 2014 Between Buena Vista Rd. & Allen Rd. – Harris Rd. & Panama Ln. Between Buena Vista Rd. & Mountain Vista Dr. – Panama Ln. & Birkshire Rd. Between 178 Hwy. & Paladino Dr. – W. Columbus St. & Morning Dr. City areas between Sterling Rd. & Morning Dr. – 178 Hwy. & College Ave. Between Valley St. & Lene Pl. -- 178 Hwy & Hickory Dr. Between 178 Hwy. & Reynard Rd. – Kern Canyon Rd. & McKenna St. Between Stockdale Hwy. & Joseph Dr. – McDonald Wy. & N. Stine Rd. NOTE: If raining, there will be no street sweeping service and all street cleaning personnel will be assigned to cleaning plugged drains and part circle culverts. This also applies when a large number of street sweeper are in Fleet for repairs. Areas that have been missed during this time will be swept at the end of the month. BOX OFFICE HOURS Mon-Fri 10 AM - 5 PM Closed Saturday & Sunday (Excluding Event Days) TICKETMASTER LOCATIONS Walmart - 2601 Fashion Place Walmart - 6225 Colony Street Walmart - 8400 Rosedale Hwy CHARGE-BY-PHONE 1-800-745-3000 GROUP SALES INFORMATION 661-852-7309 SEASON TICKET INFORMATION Bakersfield Condors 661-324-PUCK (7825) www.bakersfieldcondors.com Bakersfield Symphony 661-323-7928 www.BSOnow.org Bakersfield Community Concert Association 661-589-2478 661-663-9006 www.bakersfieldcca.org UPCOMING EVENTS July 23 – Goo Goo Dolls & Daughtry 7:30 PM $59.50 & $44.50 On Sale Now August 24 – WWE Live 5:00 PM $95, $50, $35, $25, $15 On Sale Now November 22 – PBR Velocity Tour 7:00 PM $75, $60, $45, $20, $15 On Sale Now April 30-May 3, 2015 – Marvel Universe Live! $150, $100, $50, $40 On Sale Now August 7 – Prince Royce 8:00 PM $198.50, $53.50, $43.50, $33.50 On Sale Now August 10 – Gurdas Maan 7:00 PM $20 On Sale 7/15 August 23 – Baby and Child Expo 11:00 AM Free October 14 – Straight No Chaser 7:30 PM $47, $37, $27 On Sale Now September 13 – Starship 8:00 PM $12.50 On Sale Now October 4 – Bluffett 8:00 PM $12.50 On Sale Now www.rabobankarena.com - www.bhnamphitheatre.com