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Home My WebLink About06/26/2020CC OFFICE OF THE CITY MANAGER June 26, 2020 TO: Honorable Mayor and City Council FROM: Christian Clegg, City Manager SUBJECT: General Information COVID-19 Update  In May, the City Council approved a new COVID-19 Special Event Permit process that will allow businesses in Bakersfield to close off part of the street or sidewalk in Downtown, or use part of their private parking lot in other parts of the City, to expand seating or vending space while still meeting social distancing requirements. And this week, on Father’s Day, Tina Marie’s Downtown Café (right) at the corner of Chester Avenue and 20th Street became the first business to receive and implement the permit! Owner Tina Brown said she was happy the City offered this solution as customers had told her they would be more comfortable eating outside. Brown said she expects to mostly use the expanded seating option on the weekends moving forward. Several other businesses are in various stages of the process to receive the special permit. Businesses wishing to take advantage of this assistance can apply for the permit here and by following the steps and safety criteria outlined here.  Please remember that if you go into the public, continue wearing a simple mask or face covering in accordance with the state’s guidelines. This step, along with social distancing and frequent, effective handwashing, will help our community lower its infection rate, thus allowing things to re-open sooner – including amenities such as basketball courts, playground equipment as well as allowing gatherings in public. It’s General Information June 26, 2020 Page 2 important that everyone does their part! Notable Items  Congratulations to Recreation & Parks Director Dianne Hoover who has been selected as one of the first guests on Good News: In Parks, a newly created show that will share the great works being done by parks and recreation agencies around the nation! Good News: In Parks will launch its first episode on July 9. It’s a bi-monthly, interactive Zoom show where three leading parks and recreation professionals share best practices across various topics that help create positive impacts on community well- being. The City is excited for Hoover’s selection for the first episode!  The Bakersfield Fire Department has been busy cracking down on illegal fireworks use lately. Last week, the department were responded to 1,062 calls for illegal fireworks. That’s more than normal for this time of the year, compared to previous years. The department reminds everyone that fireworks are not permitted to be used in Bakersfield at this time and that anyone caught setting them off faces a citation of $1,000.  Recreation & Parks staff and the Rapid Response Team worked together this week to clear an area of City-owned property of brush, helping reduce the potential for wildfire risk there (before & after, below). It took 12 staff two days (144 hours) to clear the property, which is located off Fairfax Road, north of Highway 178.  The City of Bakersfield has partnered with Water Association of Kern County (WAKC), to promote the association’s “Don’t Be That Guy” water conservation campaign. The General Information June 26, 2020 Page 3 “Don’t Be That Guy” campaign is made up of a number of short videos that remind people about how to conserve water and the importance of conserving water. The City Water Resources Department has incorporated the campaign link on its Water Conservation Resources webpage. The “Don’t Be That Guy videos can be seen on the WAKC’s Facebook, Twitter and Instagram accounts, which are also linked on the Water Conservation Resources page.  The Recreation & Parks Department is pleased to announce that with the spray parks at Saunders Park and Mesa Marin reopening this week, all 10 of the City-operated spray parks are now open and available for use daily from 1 to 6 p.m. If you visit one of our spray parks, please follow all posted COVID-19 safety measures and practice social distancing. City-operated public pools remain closed until further notice. The Recreation & Parks Department is working to ensure it can properly adhere to the state and county health department guidelines before opening the pools for public use.  The City Council is looking for new members for the Bakersfield Youth Commission. Interested applicants must live in Bakersfield, be currently enrolled in high school, and maintain close to a 3.0 grade point average. There are open positions representing all seven wards and serving as the Mayor’s representatives. Anyone interested in applying for a vacancy can do so by filling out the application on the City’s website and returning it to the City Clerk’s Office. The City Councilmembers will choose nominees to represent their ward.  SoCalGas has sent the City a notice of a request for compensation through the gas cost initiative mechanism. According to the notice, if approved by the California Public Utilities Commission as proposed, there would be no impact to customer rates. Traffic Advisories  Nighttime lane closures scheduled for Westbound Truxtun Avenue and California Avenue Nighttime lane closures have been scheduled for westbound Truxtun Avenue and for California Avenue on Tuesday, June 30. These lane closures are expected to be in place between 9 p.m. and 5 a.m. at both locations. The outside westbound lane on Truxtun Avenue will be closed in the vicinity of the Westside Parkway on-ramp to remove the temporary concrete barrier rail alongside the roadway. Two lanes will be closed in each direction on California Avenue between Marella Way and Easton Drive. One lane will remain open in each direction while work is underway. General Information June 26, 2020 Page 4 These lane closures are needed to place temporary concrete barrier rail for Centennial Corridor bridge construction. This schedule may be changed without notice due to unforeseen circumstances. The Thomas Roads Improvement Program apologizes for any inconvenience this work may cause the traveling public. Events  The free pet vaccination clinic hosted by the City’s Animal Control Unit and scheduled for Saturday, July 11 at Silver Creek Park has been canceled due to social gathering limitations related to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. City Clerk’s Office 1600 Truxtun Avenue, Bakersfield, CA 93301 661-326-3767 FAX: 661-323-3780 MEDIA ADVISORY FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT: Lena Legge Wednesday, June 24, 2020 Assistant City Clerk (661) 326-3767 CITY COUNCIL RECRUITING BAKERSFIELD YOUTH COMMISSION MEMBERS The Bakersfield City Council is recruiting individuals to serve on the Bakersfield Youth Commission in the following roles: • Mayor: Regular and Alternate Appointment • Ward 1: Regular and Alternate Appointment • Ward 2: Alternate Appointment • Ward 3: Regular and Alternate Appointment • Ward 4: Regular and Alternate Appointment • Ward 5: Regular and Alternate Appointment • Ward 6: Regular and Alternate Appointment • Ward 7: Regular and Alternate Appointment Each Councilmember appoints two members to the commission; the mayor appoints two members from the city-at large. Applicants must be city residents, current high school students at the time of appointment, and maintain as close to a 3.0 grade point average as possible. The Youth Commission identifies the concerns and needs of local youth, including matters related to: recreational opportunities, park amenities, student safety, and volunteer opportunities with the city. Applications are available at the City Clerk’s Office, City Hall, 1600 Truxtun Avenue, or at the City’s website: www.bakersfieldcity.us, and should be returned to the City Clerk’s Office and will be accepted until an adequate number have been received to fill the positions. For further information and assistance regarding these appointments, please contact the City Clerk’s Office at (661) 326-3767. ### BAKERSFIELD POLICE DEPARTMENT PRESS RELEASE Greg Terry, Chief of Police Nathan McCauley, Sergeant Public Information Officer 661-326-3803 nmccauley@bakersfieldpd.us The Bakersfield Police Department partners with our community to protect the lives and property of the people we serve. Compassion • Accountability • Professionalism For Immediate Release June 25, 2020 Due to ongoing restrictions and precautions regarding large gatherings amidst the Coronavirus pandemic, the City of Bakersfield Animal Control unit would like to notify city residents the upcoming vaccine clinic has been canceled. The clinic was scheduled to be held on Saturday, July 11, 2020 from 9 am to noon, at Silver Creek Park, 7011 Harris Road. We recommend pet owners utilize private veterinary hospitals at this time to maintain your pet’s health and immunity against contagious disease. For more information and updates, please contact the Animal Control office at 661-326-3436 or visit us on the web: http://www.bakersfieldcity.us/gov/depts/bakersfield_animal_care_center/clinics.htm