HomeMy WebLinkAbout04/06/05 CC MINUTES SPECIAL
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MINUTES OF THE
SPECIAL MEETING OF APRIL 6, 2005
BAKERSFIELD CITY COUNCIL
City Council Chambers
1501 Truxtun Avenue
Special Meeting - 6:00 p.m.
SPECIAL MEETING
ACTION TAKEN
1. ROLL CALL
Present:
Mayor Hall, Sullivan, Scrivner
Absent:
Carson, Benham, Couch, Hanson
Mayor Hall recognized Kern County Supervisor Ray
Watson, Roberta McCarthy, Administrative
Coordinator, Kern County Graffiti Off Program,
Bruce Freeman, President, Castle & Cooke
California, Brian Todd, Executive Officer, Building
Industry Association, Tom Edmonds, Chairman
Anti-Graffiti Sub Committee Keep Bakersfield
Beautiful Committee, Bill Jones, Principal,
Ridgeview High School, Manuel Berrara,
representing Assemblywoman Nicole Para and Ann
Cervantes representing State Senator Dean Florez.
2. INTRODUCTORY COMMENTS BY COUNCILMEMBERS
Councilmembers Scrivner and Sullivan made
opening comments.
3. STAFF PRESENTATIONS
a. Presentations by various City staff members
regarding implementation of graffiti program.
Assistant City Manager Christensen made staff
comments and introduced Lt. Bailey, Supervisor of
the Bakersfield Police Anti-Graffiti Unit.
Lt. Bailey gave a computer presentation and
provided information on the Graffiti Habitual
Offender Suppression Team, (G.H.O.S.T. Unit) and
introduced Officer Matt Hilliard, the full time
G.H.O.S.T Unit officer.
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Bakersfield, California, April 6, 2005 - Page 2
3.
STAFF PRESENTATIONS continued
Tony Martinez, Community Relations Specialist,
Bakersfield Police Department, spoke regarding the
Neighborhood Watch Program and made a
computer presentation.
City Attorney Gennaro provided information
regarding community prosecution and made a
computer presentation.
Pubilic Works Operations Manager Underwood
provided information regarding the City's graffiti
removal program and made a computer
presentation.
Councilmember Scrivner requested staff analyze the
cost effectiveness of advertising the Adopt-a-Wall
program in newspapers and on billboards.
Chief Code Enforcement Officer Fidler gave a
computer presentation and provided information
regarding improving the quality of life in the City
through graffiti abatement.
Webmaster Sawyer previewed the City's new anti-
graffiti website, www.bakersfieldqraffitLus.
Councilmember Scrivner requested staff link
Neighborhood Watch pages to the graffiti website.
Councilmember Scrivner requested staff link the
Special Council Graffiti meeting to the anti-graffiti
website.
Councilmember Sullivan requested staff provide more
buttons to the graffiti website to make the site more
user friendly.
Councilmember Scrivner suggested the graffiti website
be utilized to advertise the Adopt-a-Wall Program
instead of newspapers and billboards.
Councilmember Carson arrived and took a place in
audience.
Parks Construction and Facilities Planner Trone
provided information regarding discouraging graffiti
vandalism of City owned walls and landscaping and
made a computer presentation.
ACTION TAKEN
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Bakersfield, California, April 6, 2005 - Page 3
3.
STAFF PRESENTATIONS continued
Assistant City Manager Christensen summarized
and made closing comments.
Councilmember Scrivner requested staff perform a cost
analysis between graffiti removal and landscaping
solutions to determine the most cost effective way to
control the proliferation of graffiti.
Councilmember Scrivner requested staff initiate dialog
with developers regarding planting of shrubs and trees
to assure planting requirements do not contribute to
rapidly increasing home prices.
Councilmember Sullivan requested staff investigate the
feasibility of utilizing shrubs that will mature to a large
size; while plants are maturing use a less expensive
sealant on walls that has a life expectancy expiring
about the time plants/shrubs are projected to reach
maturity.
4. GUEST SPEAKERS
a. Comments by various members of the community.
County Supervisor Ray Watson made comments
and referenced AB-308 which enables
governmental agencies to recover actual and
punitive damage from perpetrators of various
offenses; enlist Superior Court's aid when
appropriate, and suggested similar measures be
examined by local agencies to mitigate costs to local
governments incurred abating graffiti and advocate
for State law to enable the process.
Councilmember Scrivner requested staff examine the
feasibility of an administrative hearing panel.
Councilmember Scrivner requested staff analyze the
possible endorsement of AS 308.
Councilmember Scrivner requested staff arrange a
City/County task force to address the graffiti issue.
Kern County Graffiti Off Program Coordinator
Roberta McCarthy made a computer presentation
regarding the County's anti-graffiti program and
encouraged seamless service between City and
County agencies.
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ACTION TAKEN
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Bakersfield, California, April 6, 2005 - Page 4
GUEST SPEAKERS continued
4.
Freeman, Castle & Cooke California, Brian
Todd, Building Industry Association and Tom
Edmonds, Keep Bakersfield Beautiful Committee
made comments.
Councilmember Scrivner encouraged participation
in the Great American Clean-up.
Ridgeview High School Principal Bill Jones made
comments and introduced two members of the High
School's Maintenance and Operations Division,
John Fox and Tom Romo.
Councilmember Scrivner requested staff assure a Kern
High School District principal is included as a member
on the proposed Joint Task Force.
Recess taken from 8:13 p.m. to 8:18 p.m.
5. PUBLIC STATEMENTS, COMMENTS AND QUESTIONS
a. Mary Helen Barro spoke regarding the need for
providing anti-graffiti information printed in Spanish
an on the website.
b. Tammie Hilton spoke encouraging the use of vines
in discouraging the spread of graffiti.
Councilmember Scrivner requested staff investigate
utilizing vines on H Street to discourage graffiti.
c. Nancy Vibe spoke encouraging volunteers to aide in
battle against graffiti.
d. John Hill spoke suggesting graffiti be deemed a
felony crime instead of a misdemeanor crime.
e. Brandi De la Garza made comments and suggested
City/County coordination of graffiti reporting
numbers.
City Manager Tandy made responded.
f. Manual Carazales spoke regarding graffiti
prevention.
g. Irene Sanchez complimented staff on graffiti
abatement efforts.
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ACTION TAKEN
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5.
PUBLIC STATEMENTS, COMMENTS AND QUESTIONS
h Karen Davenport requested information
regarding utilization of the juvenile work release
program and ex-convicts to clean up graffiti.
Officer Hilliard responded.
i. Carolyn Mitchell complimented staff on graffiti
abatement.
j. Nancy Peyton complimented the 32-ERASE
Program and requested additional service.
k. Harlan O'Day made comments and requested
information regarding maintenance of railroad
control boxes.
City Manager Tandy and General Services
Superintendent Hollingsworth responded.
I. Kelly Bishop, Neighborhood Watch Captain
complimented staff efforts.
m. Steve Montgomery, Keep Bakersfield Beautiful,
provided information regarding graffiti removal.
6. ADJOURNMENT
Councilmember Scrivner thanked all participants in
the Special Meeting, particularly staff members
Sean Cacal and Rhonda Smiley. Additionally, he
expressed appreciation to the media for covering
the event.
Council member Scrivner encouraged community
participation in controlling graffiti.
Councilmember Scrivner reiterated his request to staff
regardIng implementation of an advertising campaign
with medIa partners, including KGOV, targeting graffiti.
Councilmember Scrivner requested staff investigate
feasibility of making the website and other anti-graffiti
literature bi-lingual.
Councilmember Sullivan thanked staff and made
closing comments.
Mayor Hall thanked guest speakers, public and staff for
their attendance.
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ACTION TAKEN
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Bakersfield, California, April 6, 2005 - Page 6
6.
ADJOURNMENT continued
MAYO
Meeting was adjourned by a
ATTEST:
CITY CLERK and Ex Officio
the Council of the City of Sa
ACTION TAKEN