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HomeMy WebLinkAbout10/22/99 BAKERSFIELD CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE MEMORANDUM October 22, 1999 TO: HONORABLE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL FROM: ALAN TANDY, CITY MANAGER SUBJECT: GENERAL INFORMATION 1. Bakersfield is now homeless! In this case, it is a happy thing, as Don Anderson has a signed deal for the last house on Panorama. The confirmation will likely be on your next agenda. 2. State legislation now signed into law from this past session increased public safety pension benefits. We do not know when, or the amount, but it will almost certainly result in future PERS rate increases. 5. Our annual publication "One Year in Review" is enclosed for your information, as a review of the City's organizational accomplishments and significant activities for the past fiscal year. 6. Enclosed is the official request from the Board of Supervisors County asking for the City's financial assistance in the amount of $3 million for funding the new airport terminal. 7. IBM Corporation recently performed a network and systems security evaluation on the City's internet site. They consider the site to be secure when it receives a score between 0 and 90, with 0 being the best score possible. Our internet site received the highest rating of 0. 8. As an update on MAOF's proposed child care facility at 725 East California Avenue, during the due diligence process, it has been found that the structure of the building is not sound, so demolition has been recommended. They have asked the City for assistance. We do have CDBG demolition funds available for commercial buildings located in southeast Bakersfield, which we can provide to MAOF without having to amend the our agreements with MAOF and HUD. Per the enclosed memo, staff has recommended we provide the requested funding. Honorable Mayor and City Council October 22, 1999 Page 2 9. The Historic Preservation Commission, with assistance from EDCD staff, provided a downtown historic walking tour on Sunday, October 17th for attendees of the American Planner's Association Conference held at the Convention Center. The tour was well received by the approximately 40 people who participated. A memo is attached. 10. An update on the First Night® Bakersfield project is enclosed. 11. A status report from EDCD is attached regarding the amount of HUD funding we expect to receive for FY 2000 AT:rs cc: Department Heads Pamela McCarthy, City Clerk Trudy Slater, Administrative Analyst B A K E R S F ][ E L D 1998-99 ONE YEAR IN REVIEW Prepared by the City Manager's Office 1,501 Truxtun Avenue Bakersfield, CA 93301 City of Bakersfield 1998-99 ONE YEAR IN REVIEW The City of Bakersfield provides numerous services to its citizens which in large part go unnoticed. These services range from the most visible public safety services like Police and Fire to the more less apparent but essential services like park maintenance and wastewater treatment. By highlighting some of these services, citizens get a "snapshot" view of the significant accomplishments of the City and its employees during the July-to- June fiscal year. At the top of the City's organization chart are the citizens of Bakersfield who elect seven City Council members by ward and a Mayor at-large. The City Council appoints a City Manager to administer the affairs of the City and a City Attorney to advise the City Council on legal matters. The organization is divided into ten departments including the offices of the City Manager and the City Attorney. The operating departments include Financial Services, Police Services, Fire Services, Public Works, Water Resources, Recreation and Parks, Development Services, and Economic and Community Development. This departmental information is presented to you in organizational chart order. TABLE OF CONTENTS Organization Chart ......................................................................................... 1 Mayor and City Council ................................................................................ 2 Department Heads .......................................................................................... 3 City Manager's Office ................................................................................... 4 Financial Services .......................................................................................... 6 Police Services ............................................................................................... 8 Fire Services .................................................................................................. 10 Public Works ................................................................................................. 12 Water Resources ............................................................................................ 14 Recreation and Parks ..................................................................................... 16 Development Services ................................................................................... 18 Economic and Community Developmem ..................................................... 20 City Attorney's Office ................................................................................... 22 CITY OF BAKERSFIELD 1998-99 ONE YEAR IN REVIEW CitY of Bakersfield Organization Chart FY 1998-99 CITIZENS OF I BAKERSFIELD COUNCIL MAYOR I ' Central District Development Agency I AlanTandy [ BartThiltgenI City Manager City Attorney ~,SSt. City ManagerI IAsst. Cty Manager I - Budget Human Resources - City Clerk Risk Management Management Info. Srsv, I- Administration - Headquarters I ' Administration - Administration -Agricultural - Parks - Planning * Comm. Dew _ Accounting _ Operations i _ Safety _ Engineering I, Domestic I- Recreation I_ Building [ - Econ. Dev. - Treasury - Investigations ~ - Suppression - General Services - Purchasing - Streets - Equipment - Wastewater - Solid Waste CITY OF BAKERSFIELD 1998-99 ONE YEAR IN REVIEW MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL Bob Price, Mayor Irma Carson, Councilmember, Ward 1, Vice Mayor Patricia J. DeMond, Councilmember, Ward 2 Mike Maggard, Councilmember, Ward 3 David R. Couch, Councilmember, Ward 4 Randy Rowles, Councilmember, Ward 5 Jacquie Sullivan, Councilmember, Ward 6 Mark C. Salvaggio, Councilmember, Ward 7 -2- CITY OF BAKERSFIELD 1998-99 ONE YEAR IN REVIEW DEPARTMENT HEADS Alan Tandy, City Manager John W. Stinson, Assistant City Manager Alan P. Christensen, Assistant City Manager Gene Bogart, Water Resources Manager Stan Ford, Recreation and Parks Director Ron Fraze, Fire Chief Jack Hardisty, Development Services Director Greg Klimko, Finance Director Eric Matlock, Chief of Police Raul Rojas, Public Works Director Bart Thiltgen, City Attorney John F. Wager, Economic Developmem Director -¸3- CITY'OF BAKERSFIEED - 1998,99 ONE Y~EAR,IN REVIEW CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE GOAL: * Provide professional leadership in the management of the City and execution of City Council policies. v' Support City Council and other city boards and commissions. v' Prepare and administer the city's operating budgets. v' Maintain city records and conduct elections. ¢ Provide legislative and policy recommendations. v' Liaison with governmental agencies, citizens and community groups. v' Support the city's computer hardware and software systems. Significant Accomplishments 1998/99 LaserFiche Web Link Access to a world of public informationwidened for Bakersfield citizens in March 1999 as the City Clerk made many of the City's "official records" available on the Internet through new LaserFiche technology. Access to more than 100,000 pages of information comprising 12,300 individual documents is now available in a matter of minutes. Records dealing with virtually all the functions of city government, including minutes of City Council meetings from 1917 (the more recent ones are on 'audiotape), the city budget, ordinances, resolutions and much more. New information continues to be added daily. Directions for searching the database are available in both English and Spanish. The ability to rapidly research and obtain information through LaserFiche at the City's web site (www.ci.bakersfield.ca.us)provides an effective and financially feasible way for citizens to stay abreast of what is happening in their city government. City employee productivity, too, has increased due to their ability to quickly access official city records. During the first 20 days the system was "on line," it logged 8,000 "hits" by persons tapping into the service for information. As LaserFiche becomes the norm rather than the cutting edge of technology, the City of Bakersfield will continue to develop and refine innovative and effective methods to serve the communication needs of the Bakersfield community. CITY OF BAKERSFIELD 1998-99 ONE YEAR IN REVIEW City Voice Heard in Bakersfield Homes The City of Bakersfield produced the first city-wide newsletter in over 30 years during the 1998 holiday season with its first edition of City Voice. Providing the opportunity to talk about the positive things happening in the Bakersfield community, the 12-page, full color newsletter was mailed to 55,000 single-family residences. With a "centennial" theme, the newsletter focused on recent Bakersfield community enhancements. These included the opening of the Centennial Garden, the completion of the Chester Avenue Streetscape, and forward movement on the new Amtrak Station at S Street and the Northeast Bakersfield Water Supply Project. Centennial Garden Exceeds First Year Expectations When the Centennial Garden opened in downtown Bakersfield in October of 1998, great expectations--not to mention excitement--was generated with the addition of this first-class addition to the Bakersfield skyline. Original projections included 102 events for the first year--projections which were exceeded! The California State University Bakersfield Roadrunners also became a second major anchor tenant which was an added plus. Because of its highly visible success, Ogden Entertainment's contract with the City for operation of the Garden was extended. Several events at the new 9,000-seat Garden have increased the number of both visitors and entertainmentdollars to Bakersfield. Attracting a wide variety of enthusiasts, crowds welcomed headliners Reba Mclntire and Brooks & Dunn, Nell Diamond, the World Wide Wrestling Federation, and Korn--some which were sold out within minutes of the tickets going on sale. CITY OF BAKERSFIELD 1998-99 ONE YEAR IN REVIEW FINANCIAL SERVICES * Provide financial service support to the City Council and City departments in matters relating to: v' Revenue generation. v' Budgetary accounting and reporting. ¢' Investments. v' Business licenses and permits. v~ Purchasing. ~' Real property management. Significant Accomplishments 1998/99 Keeping It On Line In keeping with the City's tradition of providing new and easy methods for citizens to conduct their business with the City, the Treasury Division has expanded its on line cash receipting program to include the Public Works Department as well as the Police Department. The process eliminates writing receipts, captures detailed information from each transaction, and automates preparation of cash batch reports. On line receipting is a feature of the City's HTE computer system. Receipting volumes at the Recreation department are now being evaluated in terms of cost- effective on line receipting. The Purchasing Division also reports that contractors and vendors (plan holders) who have plans and specifications for Public Works and Water Resources projects now have their names, addresses, and telephone numbers displayed on the City web page. This allows subcontractors immediate access to the plan holders in order to submit their bids to the general contractors who are bidding the project. The information is updated as new names are added to the list. When bids are opened, the results are scanned onto the web page showing the names of the bidders, their bid prices, and subcontractors. Serving the City's departments, purchase orders are now being scanned into Laserfiche and on line purchase order payment authorization has been implemented thereby reducing processing time and the corresponding "paper trail." -6- CITY OF BAKERSFIELD 1998-99 ONE YEAR IN REVIEW Bonds Sold to Benefit Community Accounting Division personnel were centrally involved in the formation of two assessment districts and the sales of bonds to provide funds for the projects which will occur as a result. Assessment District 98-1A (Brimhall IV/Stockdale Highway Commercial/Gosford Industrial) affects approximately 436 acres and includes three separate community areas in the southwest. Brimhall IV will allow for the completion of Brimhall Road from Allen Road to Jewetta, which includes curb and gutter, sidewalks, streetlights, signs, water mains, storm drain pipelines with catch basin, block wall and right-of-way landscaping--not to mention construCtion on Old Farm Road. Stockdale Highway Commercial includes frontage improvements within the Stockdale Highway and Calloway Drive intersection covering curb and gutter, pavement widening, water mains, sidewalks, and a gas main relocation. Gosford Industrial includes all improvementsalong Gosford Road and Harris Road frontages which includes construction of traffic lanes, curb and gutter and storm drain pipeline with catch basin.  Assessment bonds of $1.9 million were sold in August 1998 for Assessment District 96-2 (Allen Road Trunk Sewer). This district encompasses 1.517 acres in the west and southwest portion of the City. The improvements financed were a portion of the City's expansion of its trunk sewer system from the intersection at Brimhall Road and Allen Road south along Allen Road, crossing the Cross Valley Canal and the Kern River, and then continuing south on Allen Road to the western extension of White Lane. The trunk line will then turn east on Pacheco Road and continue until it connects to the future Buena Vista Road Trunk line extension at Buena Vista Road. The entire trunk line project cost is approximately $7.6 million. -7- CITY OF BAKERSFIELD 1998-99 ONE YEAR IN REVIEW POLICE SERVICES GOAL: e Provide for the safety and welfare of the citizens of Bakersfield through maintenance of effective law enforcement systems, including: v' Crime prevention. v' Patrol. v' Traffic enforcement. v' Follow-up criminal investigations. v' Vice and narcotic enforcement. t/ Community relatiOns. Significant Accomplishments 1998/99 Three Year Grant Focuses on UnliCensed Drivers In January, the Bakersfield Police Department entered into an agreement with the State Office of Traffic Safety for grant funding for a program designed to get unlicensed drivers or those driving with suspended licenses off the road! Nationwide statics indicate that four out of six fatal or injury accidents involve Unlicensed drivers. Following the terms of the grant, the City of Bakersfield established a "Traffic Offender Enforcement Fund" which will be utilized to enhance traffic enforcement with the ultimate goal of reducing accidents. The grant includes funding for a three-member unit and equipment consisting of three motorcycles, one driving under the influence (D.U.I.) trailer, one speed trailer, and other associated equipment that dedicated to the detection and apprehension of unlicensed or suspended license ·offenders. The fund is supported by administrative fees charged to the violator for manpower cost recovery for impoundment of the violator's vehicle. From the program's inception to June 30, 1,218 vehicles were impounded· from violators andS121,175 returned to the Traffic Offender Enforcement Fund. This program has been very successful in statisticallYshowing an 89% reduction in fatal traffic accidents, a 51% reduction in injury accidents, and a 45% reduction in hit and run accidents. -8- CITY OF BAKERSFIELD 1998-99 ONE YEAR IN REVIEW Elder Protection Unit Brings Awareness to Community In July, 1998, an Elder Protection Unit was formed within the Investigations DivisiOn of the Bakersfield Police Department. This unit, which is part of the Financial Crimes Detail, is a result of a growing trend of elder abuse crimes being reported within the community. There has been an increase in the number of both financial and physical elder abuse cases occurring not only in Bakersfield but throughout the country. This change is due in part to growth in the senior adult population which is estimated to grow to 3.4 million senior citizens in California by the year 2000. The purpose of the Elder Protection Unit is not only to investigate a crime once reported but also to bring awareness to the community that these tyPes of crimes do occur. Efforts are made to teach elderly citizens how to prevent themselves from becoming victims through group presentations wherever possible. Over the past year, presentations bringing elder abuse awareness to the forefront have been made to several banks and financial institutions as well as various civic organizations. The Unit works closely with Adult Protection Services (APS) as well as a variety of other State and local agencies to ensure the welfare ~ of elder members in our community. In June 1999, the Elder Protection ~ Unit was recognized by the Kern County Department of Human Services (KCDHS) with a plaque expressing KCDHS's gratitude for its "Exemplary Service and Advocacy in Protecting the Elderly in Our Community." CITY OF BAKERSFIELD 1998-99 ONE YEAR IN REVIEW FIRE SERVICES GOAL: e Serve the citizens of Bakersfield by protecting lives and property against the effects of fire, other emergencies, or hazards: ~' Provide professional, quality fire prevention and public education programs. v' Provide effective and efficient fire suppression. v' Provide emergency medical rescue services. ~' Provide hazardous materials response. Significant Accomplishments f998/99 Not Just Fire Suppression The Bakersfield Fire Department is an "all risk fire department." In addition to fire suppression activities, personnel respond to medical emergencies and various types of rescues which include automobile and industrial accidents, high angle rescues, building collapse, and water rescues. The City is protected by twelve fire stations under the command of two Battalion Chiefs. All Bakersfield Fire Department firefighters are Certified Emergency Medical Technicians with additional certificationsfor defibrillatorand combi-tube abilities. Technical Rescue and Swift Water Rescue Teams are dedicated to assist in specialized rescues. There is also a Hazardous Materials Response Team to meet the growing problem of hazardous material incidents and the increasing threat of terrorism. Suppression personnel also respond to other needs of the public and are instrumental in serving the non-emergency needs of the Incident Summary .e~.~g. of C.,s community, such as business fire code inspections and public 9% education actiVities. 25% During the year, the Fire Department responded to 17,194 calls for service. The Incident ,%: ~.s~e ~% Summary Graph below illustrates '% the types of calls received. In addition to the nearly 9,000 emergency medical service and rescue calls, the Department responded to over 1,500 structure and vehicle fires. Nearly 84% of all structure fires occurred in residences. Most of these began in structural areas, including Ceilings, roofs, attics, and wall assemblies. On average, the Bakersfield Fire Department responded during the year to a request for service every 30 minutes, a fire every 5.5 hoUrs, and one emergency/rescue each hour. -10- CITY OF BAKERSFIELD 1998-99 ONE YEAR IN REVIEW Emergency Medical Service ReSponse In 1998-99 the Bakersfield Fire Department responded to 8,629 emergency medical service calls from Bakersfield residents. All fire suppression personnel are trained to the Emergency Medical Technician/Defibrillation (EMT-D) level and are required to maintain their skills through regularly scheduled training. All personnel recently upgraded their skills to include intubation, a process which is at times needed when dealing with critical breathing emergencies. Emergency Communications Center dispatchers are trained to the Emergency Medical Dispatch (EMD) Level II, which allows them to determine the appropriate level of response and give medical instructions until an emergency medical service (EMS) unit arrives. 'All dispatchers are required to maintain their skills through regularly scheduled training. Fire department.personnel typically arrive on scene first to provide basic life support service. When ambulance crews arrive to provide advanced life support service, the fire department personnel assist ambulance crews as required. Wide-ranging emergency categories responded to during 1998-99 included troubled breathing, cardiac related incidences, slips or falls, inflicted gunshots, knifings or muggings, and vehicle related accidents. Hazardous Materials Team Protects the Community No community is immune from the danger of a hazardous material leak or the threat of terrorism. Bakersfield Fire Department personnel assigned to its Hazardous Materials Team are certified by the State of California as Hazardous Materials Technicians or Specialists. The Team responds-to hazardous material emergencies in an International Hazardous Materials Van which van contains a wide variety of sophisticated equipment; reference materials, and tools for'communication, safety, and rapid mitigation. Among its 106 calls for service during~1998-99, the Hazardous Materials Team responded to natural gas leaks, flammable gas or liquid conditions, and'various toxic conditions. The team is an integral part of the Bakersfield Fire Department's efforts to protect the citizens of Bakersfield. CITY OF BAKERSFIELD 1998-99 ONE YEAR IN REVIEW PUBLIC WORKS GOAL: ~ Provide for quality infrastructure for the City of Bakersfield,,. including: ~ Provide for the safe and efficient movement of people and products through traffic engineering operations, design and planning. v' Maintain timely delivery of Capital Improvement Program projects. ~' Maintain and repair traffic signals and street lights; install and maintain street signs and pavement markings. ¢' Provide a broad range of maintenance and remodel services to City-owned facilities. · · -~ ~' Operate and maintain sanitary sewer systems and storm drainage system. v' Procure, repair and maintain vehicles, and non-automotive equipment in a safe and reliable manner. v' Provide operation and maintenance of wastewater facilities for the purpose of treating, reclaiming, and utilizing wastewater and its by-products in accordance with federal, state, and local requirements;. v' Operate and maintain the city's WastewaterTreatment Plants in compliancewith state discharge requirements. v' Ensure the safe, efficient and environmentally-sound collection and management of the City's solid waste and recyclable resources. Significant Accomplishments 1998199 Major Projects Keep Public Works Staff Busy COmmunity projects and maintenance efforts keep staff members in Public Works busy year round. In 1998-99, several major projects have been the focus of staff energy. Engineering staff have completed or are working on design and management services for Several capital improvement projects such as the Allen Road Trunk Sewer Project, a new sewer trunk line which will serve a large area of the City located along Allen Road. Some of the area is now being served by several lift stations and long force mains. The project will eliminate one lift station and enhance the operation of another lift station. Construction. was awarded in August 1998. Construction continues on the Q Street Grade Separation which will allow Q Street to be reconstructed south of Truxtun Avenue to go under the Burlington Santa Fe Railroad. 'By.eliminating the existing at-grade crossing, the project will improve vehicular and'pedestrian traffic in the area, which includes the planned Amtrak Station. ... -12- CITY OF BAKERSFIELD ~' 1998-99 ONE YEAR IN REVIEW The S Street Bakersfield Amtrak Station project inVolved intense coordination with many State and local agencies. The project's design was completed, and several of the smaller contracts were awarded for preparatory work. The multi-million dollar project is expected to be operational by July 2000 and includes, besides the new station itself, track improvements from H Street to Union Avenue and future construction of irrigation systems, landscaping and water features. The Bakersfield Centennial Garden was completed in late September 1998. The $30 million construction project earned the City the prestigious American Public Works Association "Public Works Project of the Year" award in the over $10 million project category. Environmentally Sound The City's fleet of vehicles are important to the effectiveness of City staff. During 1998-99, Fleet Services placed into service two additional liquid natural gas (LNG) refuse trucks and ten additional compressed natural gas (CNG) light duty trucks. The City is committed to cleaner air and a healthier environment for its citizens and continues to expand its alternate fuels fleet. There are currently three LNG refuse trucks, two CNG street sweeperS and over thirty CNG light duty trucks and sedans being used by City staff. Solid Waste RecYclincj State law has decreed that the City of Bakersfield (and other local government agencies as well).must cut it's landfill trash in half by the Year 2000. This has been a multi- year goal for the City's Solid Waste Division. Much progress has made toward achieving this state-mandated goal, including complete implementation of the City's automated greenwaste reCycling program at all single-family homes, with 10,000 added this year. A dramatic improvement was made to the greenwaste recycling program when a one-acre asphalt pad was installed to accommodate dumping in all kinds of weather. This allows for cleaner and more efficient material handling. The resUlt: the Woodsite reduced its stockpile to zero ~ for. the first time lin its eight-year history. Customers can unload and eXit more quickly without risk of · getting stuck in the mud. The new bpp~ng,, .pad was extremely helpful in recovering from the bhzzard of Neither rain, nor sleet, nor hail, nor snow... -13- CITY OF BAKERSFIELD 1998-99 ONE yEAR IN REVIEW WA TER RESOURCES GOAL: Supply and conserve water for the benefit of present and future citizens of Bakersfield. V' Ensure the orderly regulation and distribution of Kern River water. v' Preserve and augment the underground water supply. v' Provide flood control management and maintenance of drainage basins. v' Administer basic water contracts to agricultural districts. Significant Accomplishments 1998/99 New "NEWS" is Good News The City of Bakersfield recently completed the environmental impact report and water supply agreements for the Northeast Water Supply (NEWS) Project. Located near Alfred Harrell Highway between the California Living Museum and the Kern Soccer complex, the project, to be done in conjunction with the California Water Service Company, will include a new water intake structure from the Kern River, a 15-acre water reservoir, two water pump stations and a 54-inch pipeline leading to a new water filtration plant with on-site and water storage facilities. The project is expectedto take five years to complete and is scheduled to be complete in 2002. The goal is to be able to provide sufficient water to serve.16,500 new homes, or 41,000 residents, on undeveloped, non-agricultural land in Northeast Bakersfield. -14- CITY OF BAKERSFIELD 1998-99 ONE YEAR IN REVIEW Domestic Water System Adds Customers The City-owned domestic water system (known as Ashe Water) added 1,370 service connections during 1998-99. This equates to approximately 4,800 additional citizens served. T° accommodate the system's growth, two additional domestic water wells were drilled and are being completed. The first, Station L-206, is located just west of Calloway Drive and Norris Road, and the second, CBK-40, is located in the 'DOMESTIC WATER DIVISION City's 2800 Acre Recharge Facility TOTAL SERVICE CONNECTIONS which is approximately 3 ~A miles west of Stockdale Highway and 22.000 .... T .................... ~- ...... Buena Vista Road. CBK-40 is the 20.000 third water well located in the ~,..ooo-~...~- - ~ ,6.000 +/~! . City's 2800 Acres and will be used to deliver water to the new 10 ~ ~2,ooo -~ million gallon stOrage tank on ~,oooo~ Buena Vista Road. [ ~,ooo-~ . 4.00'0 ; Three water quality control ~o~o~, ~~~ systems, commonly referred to in .. ~,~,,~o ,~, ,~ ,~ .~ ,....~ .-,~ .~o,~ ,~ ,~ ,~ .~ .~ ,~ ,~ ,~ the trade as "granular activated carbon vessels," or GACs, were installed at three domestic water well facilities in the no~hwest ~iverlakes area. These GACs will insure consumers receive excellent quality water at their taps. -15- CITY OF BAKERSFIELD 1998-99 ONE YEAR IN REVIEW RECREATION AND PARKS GOAL: e Provide recreation and leisure opportunities for people of all ages and abilities. v' Provide comprehensive active and passive recreation and leisure services. v' Acquire, improve, maintain, and operate public parks, open spaces, landscaped areas and facilities for the enjoyment of area residents. Significant Accomplishments 1998/99 No-Cost and Low-Cost Concerts and Events for Bakersfield Families One great waythe City of Bakersfield promotes quality of life in Bakersfield is by sponsoring no-cost and Iow-cost concerts and events that can be enjoyed by the whole family. A Recreation and Parks citizen survey revealed a high level of interest in areas such as concerts in the parks, festivals, arts and craft fairs, and special holiday events. This interest was cOnfirmed by the attendance of residents at the many events sponsored throughout the year. The River Front Jazz Series, new in the fall of 1998, was very positively received as an addition to existing park concert series. Co-sponsored by Smooth Jazz KSMJ, this free concert series in Yokuts' beautiful river front setting averaged more than 250 in attendance each night. Holiday events sure to become family traditions included the Halloween Haunted River Trail featuring gruesome, terrifying fun for older children, while little ones found tricks and treats along the not-so-scary Fun Trail. Attendance was estimated at between 5,000 to 10,000 for this first-time event. Approximately 2,500 people attended the second annual Luminaria Display, "A Festival of Lights," which was held on December 12 in Centennial Plaza. Over 3,300 luminaria bags were decorated by children from local schools and programs and were lighted for this special holiday event. Springtime in Wonderland, held at Centennial Park, pulled in 2,000 who enjoyed the games, activities, treasure hunt, and maze. And let's not forget about the 600 mothers and families who attended the Mozart for Mom which featured a string quartet, gifts of roses, and special prize drawings. CITY OF BAKERSFIELD 1998-99 ONE YEAR IN REVIEW Expanded Programs Enhance Learning and Social Skills .... · .~.~ ~ Having fun while meeting new friends and learning social and other skills is a central feature to the Department of Recreation and Parks' popular children's carnivals and expanded after-school programs. These programs have a neighborhood focus, are available throughout the City, and are typically attended by schoolmates and neighbors. At the children's carnivals, one Iow cost entitles a child to test skills and win prizes. Refreshments, entertainment, and special After School Program at William Penn School guests like KC, the Bull, make the carnivals especially memorable. During 1998-99, after school recreation programs were expanded to seventeen sites, from eight the .previous year. The after-school programs are conducted in partnership with local school districts to provide a safe, stimulating and enriching environment for children during the afternoon hours. These family-centered events help build stronger families by offering enjoyable and enriching activities which are both accessible and affordable. Clear Direction Provides More Than Pretty Parks A goal of the Department of Recreation and Parks is to provide the citizens of the community and those who visit with the highest quality service. One of the most prominent methods in which an organization can fulfill its goal is through a clear sense of direction. Technical and human resources are necessary components in any organization. In the last two decades, the complexity and demand in landscape standards have increased dramatically and during the last decade, the amount of acres to be maintained by City staff has increased by 39%. In order to meet and even exceed community expectations, a thorough and complete standards document needed, to be ~i' developed. Through the efforts and input from all i department personnel, the Department of Recreation and Parks completed the Parks Standards and Park picnic and building facilities Operations Manual during this year. The manual, step-by-step, describes the methods and standards by which the department will reach its goal in providing the highest quality service, facilities, parks, and programs possible. -17- CITY OF BAKERSFIELD 1998-99 ONE YEAR IN REVIEW DEVELOPMENT SERVICES GOAL: e Provide professional and technical oversight and support to achieve a balanCed community. v' Combine preservation of existing communities with opportunities for growth through short and long-range land use planning. v' Ensure buildings and their environments are constructed and maintained in conformance with the adopted codes, standards, permits and policies. Significant AccOmplishments 1998/99 Major Projects Receive Environmental Review Future growth and development is dependent upon adequate public facilities and infrastructure. The Planning Division was responsible for the environmental review for three projects that will' impact development activities in the future. The projects deal with wastewater treatment, domestic water availability, and traffic circulation. EnVironmental review is a very important step in the building and development process. The first of three significant projects which Underwent environment review was the expansion of WastewaterTreatment Plant No. 2. The' project involves approximately 1,000 acres of land to be used for reclaimed, treated effluent water from the City's Wastewater Treatment Plant No. 2 to irrigate fodder, fiber and seed crops and to upgrade.or construct improvements such as irrigation pumping stations, distribution piping and tailwater reservoirs, as well as biosolid products from Plant No. 2 and Plant No. 3 to be applied to farmland. A negative declaration was prepared and adopted in April. The second project, the Northeast Bakersfield Bike Path and Water Facilities, includes the construction of a 3.7 miles Class I bike path segment and water facilities in the northeast portion of Bakersfield. The bike path portion of the project consists of a linear site extending from the future intersection of Alfred Harrell Highway and Morning Drive, south along the current unimproved alignment of Morning Drive to Paladino Drive, and then west to Fairfax Road. The bike path, water treatment plant, and water facilities issues are part of the Northeast Water Supply Project. An environmental impact report was prepared for the project and certified in November. An environmental impact report was prepared on the third project, the South Beltway Transportation Corridor. The corridor project and specific plan line is a proposed 300-foot wide transportation corridor/freewayalignment (extending from Interstate 5 to the west to State Route 58 to the east) which will preserve the land for a freeway needed by 2020. Additional environmental analYsis of an alternative alignment is being prepared for consideration. -18- CITY OF-BAKERSFIELD 1998-99 ONE YEAR .IN REVIEW Banner Year for Permitting One indication of the health and growth of a community is the number of permits which are .~ issued. The Building Division had a banner year in 1998-99 in that over 1,800 residential permits were issued compared to a typical year of approximately 1,100 permits. Commercial permits issued totaled 4,600, and two large commercial projects (the Centennial Garden and the Kern County Crime Lab) were also completed during the fiscal year. Code Enforcement Instrumental in Eliminating Problem Areas In Code Enforcement, ongoing staff efforts to abate the Casa Royale and Airport Inn were instrumental in getting these sites closed. The Kern County Superintendent of Schools has purchased the Casa Royale property, and the remaining structures will be abated once an asbestos report is complete. An Airport Inn rehabilitation project is also near completion. Code Enforcement implemented two tire grants from the California Integrated Waste Management Board. Staff made site visits to all Waste Tire Generators within the City limits as part of the Waste Tire Enforcement grant which provides ~funding to ensure compliance with the law. Funds from the second grant, the Waste Tire Clean Up Grant, were' used to clean three "legacy" waste tires sites on Cottonwood Road. CITY OF-BAKERSFIELD 1998-99 ONE YEAR IN REVIEW ECONOMIC AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT GOAL: ~, Provide the administrative direction, control and coordination necessary to facilitate the management of the Economic Development, Redevelopment, and Community Development activities for the City of Bakersfield. ~' Plan and implement economic development activities which protect, improve, and diversify the economy of Bakersfield. v' Improve the economy of Bakersfield by eliminating slums and blight through housing programs and services benefitting Iow-moderate income citizens. v' Provide staff assistance to the Central District Development Agency and Historic Preservation Commission. Significant Accomplishments 1998/99 Old Town Kern-Pioneer and Southeast ~-,~,, O~D TOW~ KERN-~'~ON~ER Bakersfield Redevelopment ~ Project Areas Formed PROPOSED PROJEC~' The Economic and Community Development department primarily functions to attract and retain a diverse accumulation of businesses, to provide assistance to the Central District Development Agency (redevelopment) and the Historic Preservation Commission, and to provide housing programs ~ ~i~: and other services benefitting Iow to moderate :' income persons. The Department administers the Community Development Block Grant, HOME Investment Partnership Program, and Emergency Shelter Grant funding sources to provide these programs and services. ' Significant efforts were spent in 1998-99 on the Old Town Kern-Pioneer and Southeast Bakersfield Redevelopment Project Areas. These two new redevelopment project areas, formed during 1998-99, total over 6,500 acres and are the largest size {! redevelopment areas in recent state history. The City Council, Central District DevelopmentAgency, Project Area Committees, consultants and staff worked together to secure the formation of the project areas, ~_~ which will have a positive impact on the affected S ~F1ELD REDEVELOPMENT neighborhOods for decades to come. PROPOSED PROJECT AREA - 20 - CITY OF BAKERSFIELD 1998-99 ONE YEAR iN REVIEW Single Family Rehabilitation Program Preserves Housing Stoc~ The City of Bakersfield's Single Family Rehabilitation (SFR) Program preserves and enhances the City's existing housing stock by providing safe, decent and sanitary housing for Iow income families using federal funds from the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). Through the program, approximately 14 loans were made last year totaling $328,500, for an average of $23,464 per loan. · Typical SFR improvements include repairs such as electrical, plumbing, and structural in order to meet federal housing quality standards and local building codes. Financial assistance is provided in the form of a loan for 15 years and usually is either deferred at 0% interest, or amortized at 4% interest. To qualify for the program, residents must live in the City, own their home, meet HUD Iow income guidelines, have sufficient equity in their home, and provide evidence of a satisfactory title and credit report. A deed of trust and promissory note are required to secure the City's interest. Mortgage Program Assists First-Time Home Buyers Another program that has been very helpful to Bakersfield residents is the City's First-Time Homebuyers Mortgage Assistance Program which assists eligible home buyers in purchasing their first home. Approximately 170 loans were made last year totaling $418,337, for an average of $2,449 per loan. Additionally, over $12 million was leveraged with other mortgage funding. The program is available only to those City residents who are unable to obtain other conventional mortgage financing and who are most in need of assistance with their down payment and closing costs. Residents must meet HUD Iow income guidelines. Through the program, the City can loan up to a total of $3,500 towards eligible down payment and closing costs at 0% interest (no monthly payments). A deed of trust and promissary note and required to secure the City's interest. -21 - CITY OF BAKERSFIELD 1998-99 ONE YEAR IN REVIEW CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE GOAL: 'Serve as legal counsel for the City of Bakersfield. ~' Defend the City of Bakersfield in civil and criminal litigation. v' Initiate litigation on behalf of the City as directed by the City Council. ¢' Render timely, professional legal advice to the City Council, Boards, Commissions, Committees and staff. ~' Prepare ordinances, resolutions and contracts. ¢' Review and amend the City Charter and the Bakersfield Municipal Code to keep them consistent with current state and federal laws. Significant Accomplishments 1998/99 Law Office Management Philosophy Concentrates Efforts The City Attorney's philosophy of law office management is to allow all attorneys in the office to concentrate their efforts on professional and competent handling of litigation and municipal issues'for the City Council, the City Manager, and various departments. By concentrating on legal matters, the office has been able to achieve a number of successes while at the same time working cooperatively with other City staff. In the field of litigation, 11 cases (since January 1999) have been dismissed due to attorney preparation and research necessary to convince opposing parties their claims or lawsuits held no merit. Eight additional lawsuits were dismissed by the court due to dispositive motions filed by city attorneys. Fifteen other cases were disposed of by way of settlement. The City Attorney's Office is protecting the City's interests (and its taxpayers) in other continuing legal cases. CITY OF BAKERSFIELD 1998-99 ONE YEAR IN REVIEW Assistance to Departments Results in Citywide Benefits The City Attorney's Office assists all departments in legal issues as well as in processing the "paperwork" necessary to allow the City to run smoothly and efficiently. To this end, the office processed approximately 131 council agreements, 70 contract change orders, 59 ordinances, and 180 resolutions. Additionally, it worked closely with the Public Works Department and bond counsel in the successful sale of bonds for two assessments districts and with Economic and Community Development staff in the successful establishment of two new redevelopment project areas. The year also resulted in streamlining of the process for adoption of assessments and fees by the City Council and changes in annexation proceedings to guarantee compliance with Proposition 218. In the area of workers' compensation, the office continued to handle more cases in-house with less reliance on outside expert counsel which resulted in cost savings to the City. BOARD OF SUPERVISORS COUNTY OF KERN !; OCT 2 0 1999 October 12, 1999 City Council City of Bakersfield 1501 Tru~un Avenue Bakersfield, CA 93301 Jon McQuiston REQUEST FOR FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE FOR FUNDING THE N~ ~i~r ~ AIR PASSENGER TERMINAL AT MEADOWS FIELD AIRPORT Steve A. Per~z District 2 Dear Members of the Council: B~bara Patrick District 3 The planning phase for building a new air passenger terminal at Meadows Kenneth W. Peterson Field Airpo~ is well under way. As we approach the 15%'archite~ural ~i~ct ~ design phase, we must finalize our financial plan and determine the size of ~ ~. ~ terminal we can afford. Up-scaling or do~-scaling aRer the 15% point will ~r ~ generate additional architectural fees. To that end, it is time to obtain funding commitments in order to have our archite~s design the building we ~ ~u~ ~,u~ can afford to build. Bakersfield, CA ~s0~ s~s-~s~ The project will require approximately $20,850,000 to complete the slightly m,~ ~n more than 50,000 square foot terminal and suppoR facilities..Possible Clerk of the Board funding sources identified to date are as follows: County of Kern $8,000,000 Federal Aviation Administration (Discretionary)$4,050,000 Federal Aviation Administration (Entitlement) $3,910,000 ~ ~: Passenger Facility Charge $1,890,000 ~ ~ City of Bakersfield $3,000,000 ~r. ~ The costs associated with a new terminal are significant,' and we ask for A~_ your financial assistance in completing this impo~ant project. The actual monies are not needed until 2003. Therefore, we are asking for your commitment for financial assistance and would ask that you decide by March 1~ of 2000. Without your assistance, the terminal building will Ci~ Cle~ ' KERN COUNTY City Council City of Bakersfield October 12, 1999 Page 2 necessarily be down-scaled. As you can appreciate, we feel that the City's participation in funding this project is imperative. A new terminal is in your interests too because: · Approximately 60% of the passengers using Meadows Field are City residents or others travelling to the city for business. · The new air passenger terminal will have a major positive economic impact on the City. · The terminal will greatly improve the City's ability to attract new businesses and retain established businesses. Therefore, IT IS RI~QUI~STI=D that your Council (1) approve the City to provide financial assistance in the amount of $3,000,000 by the City of Bakersfield to construct a new air passenger terminal building at Meadows Field Airport; and (2) authorize the City Manager to develop a proposed agreement with the County of Kern for funding $3,000,000 of the cost of a new air terminal building. Respectfully, Board of Supervisors County of Kern Cc: Members, Board of Supervisors g:\word~\boardofs\city_cou.doc B A K E R S F I E L D CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE MEMORANDUM October 21, 1999 TO: Honorable Mayor and City Council FROM: Alan Christensen, Assistant City Manager,~ SUBJECT: IBM e-business Security Evaluation IBM Corporation provides a network and systems security evaluation for us periodically. In simpler terms, what they do is to independently test our internet site to determine if is safe and secure enough to conduct business. By having IBM perform this analysis, internet users can be confident that they can communicate or do business with the City without compromising the confidentiality and safety of the data that might be transmitted. The "IBM" icon at the bottom of our opening web page is a symbol to all users that our site is secure by IBM's standards. The security scanning process uses public domain, commercial, and proprietary security scanning tools, as well as the resources of the IBM Internet Emergency Response Service, to attempt to identify security risks, exposures, and vulnerabilities to an e-business web site. IBM has created a numerical score that provides us with a relative rating of our potential security posture based on an ideal model of an e-business website. Our score for the E- Business Mark Web Site Security Scan performed on October 14, 1999 is 0, which is the best score possible. A secure site will have a score between 0 and 90. cc Bob Trammell, MIS Director AC:al BAKERSFIELD Economic and Community Development Department MEMORANDUM October 20, 1999 TO: Alan Tandy, City Manager ~ FROM: Jake Wager, Economic Development Direct SUBJECT: Mexican American Opportunity Foundation (MAOF) - Proposed Child Care Facility at 725 East California Avenue As part of MAOF due diligence in examining the property located at 707, 711,713, and 725 East California, they have discovered that the building was not constructed as designed and that its integrity is suspect. At this point they have been advised that demolition of the building is recommended. The estimated cost of demolition is $15,000 - $20,000. MAOF has indicated they do not have these funds and have asked the City for assistance. We currently do have CDBG demolition funds for commercial buildings in Southeast Bakersfield. As a way of expediting this project, I propose using these existing funds to demolish the building. This can be done administratively without amending the agreement between the City and MAOF or triggering a HUD amendment. Both amendment processes would take forty-five to sixty days and would unnecessarily delay this project. OCT 019§ S:\Bonnie\Correspondence\Jake\MAOF bldg demolition.wpd BAKERSFIELD Economic and Community Development Department MEMORANDUM October 19, 1999 TO: Jake Wager, Economic Development Director FROM: Donna Barnes, Development Associate~ SUBJECT: Downtown Bakersfield Historic Walking~Tour On Sunday, October 17 Historic Preservation Commissioners, Scott Fieber, Chair and Jeff Hall, Vice-Chair along with Shirlyn Davenport and myself conducted a downtown historic walking tour. The tour was a mobile workshop offering a broad spectrum of historic architecture and cultural sites to attendees of the American Planner's Association Conference, Bakersfield '99 "Celebrating Diversity" held at the Convention Center. Approximately forty people attended this tour and commented on discovering a side of Bakersfield they hadn't seen before. The walking tour began at Centennial Plaza, went down Truxtun Avenue and then moved northward along Chester Avenue. Points of interest included the Hall of Records, Sill building, Haberfelde, Kress, Vests, Woolworth's, Hockheimer's (Brocks), and the old Bank of America building. Guests were treated to refreshments at the Fox Theater and toured the back stage. Participants were then taken to the Jastro House, believed to be the oldest privately owned home in Bakersfield. The tour then proceeded westward where participants were shown various residential structures, the Woman's Club, Masonic Temple, Guild House, Padre Hotel and the Bakersfield Californian. Based on overall comments from the touring group the tour appeared to be a great success. P:LHPC~,PA Walking tour.memo.wpd OCT I 51999 B A K E R S F I E L D :' Economic and Community Development Department MEMORANDUM October 14, 1999 TO: Alan Tandy, City Manager ~ FROM: Jake Wager, Economic Development Directo SUBJECT: First Night® Bakersfield Update Planning for First Night® Bakersfield (FNB) is well underway with several milestones to report: The first of a series of performances, scheduled once a month for the last three months of this year, was held October 5. Each performance involves four elements of FNB: a performing group, a "street surprise", a visual art display and a "make-and-take" station. All three events will take place during theiunch hour, in the Centennial Plaza and be free to the public. As each event is scheduled on the same day of the month, we have dubbed this promotion "First Tuesdays." Advertising for First Tuesdays will continue with a second distribution of flyers to all downtown office buildings along with television, radio and print stories. The November 2 concert features Mama's Midlife Crisis, an all-women Celtic band. A series of television commercials have been produced. You will begin to see them on KGET and KBAK beginning October 18. Radio commercials are being produced at this time, along with Spanish language promotions. Sponsorship commitments continue to come in. This month's most significant contributors are Papa O's Pizza ($10,000), AT&T Wireless ($10,000 plus $5,000 in- kind) and Longs Drugs ($8,000), followed by Carney's Business Technology Center ($2,000), Chain Younger ($1,000), New City Cleaners ($1,000) and Greater Bakersfield Convention and Visitor's Bureau ($500). These commitments bring our cash funding level to $43,000. At this pace, the committee is confident it will reach its fundraising goal of $70,000 in a timely manner. S:\First Night\l st Nite AT mem6.wpd Page 2 October 14, 1999 Alan Tandy Two major press events are scheduled in November: the sales kick-off of the admission button (used as the entry to all FNB events), November 18 - a press conference during which the button sales locations will be featured; and the Mayor's Preview Party, planned for the evening of November 23 at the Convention Center. Specific information will be forwarded when the details have been arranged. The application to First Night International has been accepted. Bakersfield's name now appears on the roster of First Night International cities on their website - www.firstnightintl.org. Additional updates will be forwarded to you as milestones occur with the project. S:\First Night\Ist Nite AT mem6.wpd BAKERSFIELD Economic and Community Development Department MEMORANDUM October 22, 1999 TO: Alan Tandy, City Manager Jake Wager, Economic Development Director FROM: George Gonzale~munity Development Coordinator SUBJECT: HUD Budget for FY 2000 During the last three months or so the HUD funding level for FY 2000 Community Development Block Grant, HOME Investment Partnership, and Emergency Shelter Grant Programs has been uncertain. The first budget approved by Congress and vetoed by the President reduced the overall HUD funding from 8%-10% of the amount approved in FY 1999. The most recent compromise budget (I-IR2684) approved by Congress is showing a slight increase in CDBG, HOME, and ESG funding. The budget is now awaiting the President's action. Although the effect that the proposed HUD budget has yet to be determined, the City's allocation may see a small drop or remain at the same from last year's entitlement for the three programs. For planning purposes, we will be using $2.7 million for CDBG, $1.10 million for HOME, and $100,000 for ESG (a 2% reduction). We will continue to closely monitor this situation and update you periodically. As soon as we receive formal notification from HUD on the City's entitlement for FY 2000, it will be forwarded on.