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HomeMy WebLinkAbout01/14/00 BAKERSFIELD CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE MEMORANDUM January 14, 2000 TO: HONORABLE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL FROM: ALAN TANDY, CITY MANAGER SUBJECT: GENERAL INFORMATION 1. As you probably saw through media coverage, the City Center proposal is back. Panattoni is no longer involved. Ray Olmscheid and Paul Crawford still are. Bridgecreek Development has a more significant role. Esparza-Katz Productions, or Mayan Theatres, is the theatre operator. Information on Bridgecreek and Mayan is enclosed. It is, essentially, the same proposal with a substitution of the supplier of funds. It is, again, only a proposal, with many redevelopment, council review, and related steps ahead. Market conditions and various other factors can alter its future. 2. The Amtrak station continues to come to life; now the red steel is up for the bus canopy area. 3. We are bringing forward to you, soon, a report on the possibility of red light violation enforcement by video cameras, as a safety control measure. 4. Councilmember Couch asked who had requested the staff to prepare comments on a high speed rail location at Meadows Field. It was Councilmember DeMond. We must remember that the entire high speed rail program depends on voter approval of a multi-billion dollar bond issue. The Governor has expressed reservations, also. 5. Information on AB1555, requested by Councilmember Salvaggio, is enclosed. Harris and Dennon in Ward 7 are the only two areas within the definition. 6. Enclosed you will find comments from the Water Resources and Public Works Departments on the Metropolitan Recreation Center Plan. 7. A status report is enclosed from Water Resources noting the lack of Kern River basin snowpack accumulation for the current water-year, which began October 1, 1999. It is very dry. Honorable Mayor and City Council January 14, 2000 Page 2 8. Per the enclosed memo, EDCD has received notification of their funding levels for FY 2000 CDBG, HOME, and ESG. The CDBG allocation has been reduced by $3,000, HOME is scheduled to receive $8,000 more, and ESG will remain about the same. 9. Progress Report No. 21 for the Wastewater Treatment Plant #2 expansion is enclosed. 10. The December Activity Report from Recreation and Parks is enclosed. 11. Recreation and Parks will be making some changes in the registration process for the aquatic program, which should make it easier for the participants. A memo is attached. 12. A memo on the close up efforts on the URM program is enclosed. We have gone to great lengths to give all owners notice and opportunity before it shuts down. The latest activity report is also enclosed. 13. Governor Gray Davis sent the enclosed congratulatory letter to Jake Wager for EDCD's contribution to the success of the Central Valley Economic Summit held in Fresno last fall. It's always good for our staff to get some recognition! 14. The Employee Incentive Committee's list of "High Five" nominees and winners for the last quarter of 1999 is enclosed. 15. Responses to Council requests are enclosed, as follows: · Additional information regarding Traffic Impact Fees prior to 2/10/97; · Removal of sign and missile from Padre Hotel; · Status of clean up efforts on Union Avenue motels - we are stepping up a comprehensive effort; · Report on parking assessment districts from the DBA discussions (request from Councilmember DeMond). AT:rs cc: Department Heads Pamela McCarthy, City Clerk Trudy Slater, Administrative Analyst THE BRIDGECREEK STORY AS IT APPEARED IN THE 1997 ORANGE COUNTY ANNUAL REPORT P ~ 0 F I L E Global in vision and local in orientation, the Bridgecreek Group brings a unique amalgam of experience and astute management to the investment and real estate marketplace. Through _ syndication of capital for domestic and overseas real estate development, and by providing ' I superb management service and maximizing return on capital properties, Bridgecreek has earned a reputation for innovation and wise investment choices. Under the stewardship of founder Frank Jao, the Bridgecreek. GrouP is composed of Bridgecreek Development, Bridgecreek , Realty Services, Bridgecreek International and Bridgecreek Asia. During the past twenty years, the Group has successfully developed and managed more than $250 million of [" retail and commercial property. Frank Jao's rise in the development business is a story of persistence, of building a business one step at a time. In two decades he has built Bridgecreek from a start-up operation into a high-profile development and service business. He oversees his firm's accomplishments with a philosophy that relies on the expertise of each of the individuals on his management team. His investment in them has been pivotal to Bridgecreek's success. Bridgecreek Development's flagship pro}ect, Asian Garden Mall in Orange County's "Little Saigon," is a nationally recognized indoor retail Jewelry Center complex in the City of Westminster. Its unique design features and faithfully rendered artistic inside the Asian Garden Mall. details have attracted national and international attention. The complex has evolved as a tourist destination while continuing to serve as the commercial, cultural and social center for the Vietnamese American and wider Asian populations in Southern California. Within the mall, Bridgecreek has created the largest jewelry center in Orange County featuring manufacturing, wholesale and retail outlets. As the developer of the Asian Garden Mall, Bridgecreek Development continues to play a pivotal role as community builder in the redevelopment of Westminster. The firm's distinctive architectural design elements are also showcased by its other successful projects in Southern California, including Asian Village, Gateway Plaza, Cultural Court and New Saigon Bridgecreek Realty Services provides leasing, marketing Marble statues of the Happy Buddha and the Gods of Happiness, Longevity and Prosperity stand at the entrance to the Asian Garden Mall. and management activitieg designed tO' ~j: i}- ~:,:.;i)~4 AND meet the needs of a wide range' Of" i':i~'~ Southern California, therealtydivision AcT LOCALLY boasts a team of licensed professionals ~-<!-, property investment and service needs. In 1988, the domestic portfolio was extended to the international -' ..... marketplace, and Bridgecreek ~ International and Bridgecreek Asia were created. The companies are strategically positioned to bring 20 years of experience to the overseas Pacific Rim arena. With its combination of emerging and existing markets, and with the fastest pace of growth in the world, the Pacific Rim and Asia is proving to be a natural environment for Bridgecreek's expansion. The International and Asia subsidiaries' portfolios include joint venture, investment and development opportunities. By maintaining a business environment for growth and innovation combined with prudent decision making, Bridgecreek ensures that solid results follow creative concept. For more . information, contact: Confucius and bis 72 students are among the hundred~ Bridgecreek of cultural art and historic statues that greet you at the 9039 Bolsa Avenue, Suite 312 Cultural Court. Westminster, CA 92683 714-891-2122 Fax: 714-373-1843 BRIDGECREEK 9039 BOLSA AVENUE, SUITE 312 WESTMINSTER, CA 92683 (714) 891-2122 Bridgecreek Group, Inc. Bridgecreek Group, Inc. ~ composed of Bridgecreek Development, Bridgecreqk Realty Sen~ices, Bfidgecreek International and Bridgecreek Asia -- has been a force in Orange'County develop- ment for more than two decades. As the new millenni- um approaches, the Westminster-based company antic- ipates adding from $50 to $100 million in property development annually to an already impressive $250 million, 1.5 million-square-foot retail and commercial property portfolio. Among the Bridgecreek's earliest planned projects is construction of a $12.5 million, 260-unit retirement community in Westminster, aimed at Asians living in the area. It will be the first in a series of anticipated hous- ing developments expected to reach 5,000 units in five years, at the entrance. Within the mall, Bridgecreek has crc- Outside Orange County, the company is looking at ated the largest jewelry center in Orange County fen- developing retail properties already acquired in San turing manufacturing, wholesale and retail outlets. Jose and East Bay, near San Francisco, as well as Bridgecreek's distinctive architectural design ele- expanding' to the Pacific Northwest, Southwest, and ments are also showcased in the company's other East Coast markets. Already on the drawing board is Plaza, Cultural Court the San Pablo International Marketplace, a 400,000- and New Saigon Mall. plus square-foot regional retail center anchored by a The entrance to 37,000-square-foot Asian supermarket and including Cultural Court features an international food court, furniture center, jewelry the stoic and serene statue of the famous ~/2':~' ' ': ii:i~i:?"'i~.~ii~;~~!i~? . - philosopher Confucius, ~~ ._...~..~[~," ~" ,. ~~ . along with his 72 disci- . ' .... '-~-'.z:>~m,,-... ,~_ pies. A colorful mural ~.. ~.~:r:, depicting a slice of ~~E~_. ~~.. i:~ Vietnamese life wel- ,~ _~-~ .... t.i. comes visitors at the .... ~---'., , ....... ~ ........ entrance of the New Saigon Mall, where shops displaying color- confucius and his 72 disciples at ful Oriental pottery and the entrance to Cultural Court. vases and restaurants featuring traditional Asian dishes Artist rendering of the street entrance to the San Pablo lure visitors and tourists. International Marketplace in San Pablo, California. Over the past 20 years, Bridgecreek founder and CEO Frank Jao has steadily built his company from a mart, family entertainment center and community start-up operation into a high-profile development and resource center, service business. Bridgecreek Realty Services is com- Bridgecreek Development's flagship project is the posed of a team of licensed professionals who provide Asian Garden Mall, an indoor retail complex of more leasing, marketing and management services to inter- than 300 different stores in Orange County's' "Little national and local clients in Hang Kong, China, Saigon." Part of the Westminster redevelopment proj- Vietnam and California. The company's domestic port- ect, the artistically designed complex not only serves as folio was extended to the international marketplace in the commercial, cultural and social center for the 1988 with the addition of Bridgecreek International Vietnamese American and wider Asian populations in and Bridgecreek Asia. The portfolios of these sub- Southern California, but has also evolved as a tourist sidiaries include joint venture, investment and develop- destination. Marble statues of the Happy Buddha and ment opportunities. the Gods of Happiness, Longevity and Prosperity stand 101 ORANGE COUNTY BUSINESS JOURNAL 11# Jl O Francisco) and another project in Las Vegas. Chairman, Bridgecre,ek GrouP Inc. Working with others to form a commercial Bom itt Haiphong, Vietnam, June 1949 REIT in Korea, taking advantage ofnew lax laws Lives in Huntington Beach there. Also, Bridgecreek serves as a principal consultant on several projects in Asia. 'The man most responsible fordcvcloping Little In talks with real cstate investment trusts intcr- Saigon in Westminster, helped revitalizcthecity, ested in acquiring Bridgccrcck's portfolio, and/ Little SaigOn has become a major Shopping area or fuming Bridgccrcck into a REIT. for Vietname~sc-Amcricans and others seeking Barely escaped from Saigon With his wife in Asia8 products, as well as a booming commer- 1975, with communists shooting at Air Force jet cial hub-and residential lifting him, 400 other refugees to ~fcty. Arrived district, in Westminster's Victname,~ community with Retooling local focus $50, hegansellingKid~vacuumclcancrs, study- 'ofBridgecrcck Group-- lng real estate. Earne, d license in 1976, founded one new fOCus will bc Bddgecreck two years later. scn!orho.using: including Ethnic Chinese bom in Vietnam. Loathes Stc- 300-unit.project set to reOtylX~,.Changcdspellingofnamc, pronounced break ground by year's "chow," to Americanize it. Bachelor's'in busineas from Vietnam, has done end in Westminster. Out- graduate work at Harvard University's School of sidc Southcm Califomia,tiao' 'Design. Speaks fluent English, Vietnamese and Bridgcc/eck is-adding to Chinese. . Wife, Cathie; two daughters. its'portfolio 5¢XL0OO-squarc-foot.shopping cen' ter in West Contra Costa County (east of San aG .1~ .[ron~ page 3 ~f~sing lhc ~mpany has u~c~ken in lhe afte~a~ of the Asian fina~ial crisis. "Basi~lly. Ibc Asia market right now is ~oi~ through a slighl ~tback and ~angc, Jao ~id. ~.1 .kMd of put (the f~.s) o[ my ~mfion he~. to build up ~me mom ~uity ready Io go back." · '.' ~ing d~vcn bY ~ [a~°~t~nt [av°mblc ~n~ dim~c in t~ U~. and iL~ ~lting ~ve~m~t ~ and his ~sim to fo~ a ~1 Jao's desire t° go public ~y:~ m~m diffi- cult to ~ali~ than hc'antici~t~, gwen ~e with.Sulm & C°..'~id Brid~k:s 1 ~ mil- tough time gc~dng Wall St~t's allen/ion .... ~ t~ other ~nd, they do have thc benefit of i. o. s,=L" ~c planned dcvdo~cnt by Bridgec~ek would "probably Put them at the minimum 'Wall St~ct investor, but that s.assuming thc market d~sn't Change by thc time thc ~m- pany i~ ~ady to go public · Jao was un~.u~d, saying'there a~ al- ready REITs that arc smaller. Noncthcl~, Jao said thc~ a~ other financ- ing opLi'ons, including ro~ing joint ven~u~s wi~ major, dcvelo~n to'which Bridgcc~ck would bring its cx~ricnce in ethnic ma~eL~. tious optimism displayed by ~ many de,lop- em t~ay, an attitude ~m of thc di~cult fim~ during thc ~nt ~ion. ~We need to not s~culate in real ~te like '~, eye,thing has to stand on i~ own feet stri~ly on a ~h-rctu~ basis ~thcr than on a s~ulafion for appelation." i COLUMN ONE Power Broker Has New Plan for Little Saigon · Frank Jao's dream grew r~nt to one raa~ ~ran~ Jao. Short, erudite and with into a sprawling business eagle's eyes. ~nd claws for Intsme~, Jao, 48, is the Pnncipal diStriCt. ]~OW, he thillks deveJoper behind arca's future depends on county's Little Saigon. Using his Cl~nese Vietnamese hentase, Jao rurninl~ the insular (pronounced JOWl ha~ drawn elldave JlJto a investments from wealthy overse~s to help btm build hun* maimt;eam attraction, d~eds of millions of dollars' worth of propecde~ ahmg BoLu Avenue By DON tEE and adJmmng streets. Merchants ~ means "god/athe¢* Jn Chinese. Alonf o two-roUe stretch in Now. lector sugnanl retail W~ter, on what was once a soles and chang~ demograph* decaying stop of auto-wrecking ic~ Jao is trying to pLmh Little and ~aivage yards, some 2,000 8mgon into the nee stage of bumnesaes cater to the largest deveiopment~ Irom an insular ¥1etnameec e~le community in ethnic enclave to a mainstream the w~M. tourist mecca, lX)N Sam'Lk-Tn / About half of them pay tb~- time see &,flc, oz~. a~s gnuepreneur Frank Jao amid' st~uary at' his New SOJgon Mall. J~kl~l TIJESDAY. AUGUST $. 19~7 * LOS ANGEL~S TIMES - ' puJi toUriSts fn~n all over the Cb~e~s, however, has never the ethme Chinese." nays St. ~en reg~onwhfledevelo~ngLittle~- been easy to build in the divided Gold, a former Wh~ttie~ College Vieman~ That way. IocaJ mcr- gon is also fragmented geographt- ten extermtvely on Vietnamese ehant~ can cash in As the nascent cally. Shops and restaurants are reft~ee issues. Gold, who teaghes U-q trade relatmrmh,p with Vier- spread out along BoLIm and stir- at MiehiSan State Umveflity. re- "For tho~ ~ho hav~ th~ v~mn,~ Chi~am~n ~nd.l~ An~le,e I~ttl~ call~l the ar~a he says, "iL ts an opportumty that Tokyo. Sni&,on'9 Chinese business eommu- iS to idenUt~ the core tert"Aory." of his L~unese roots and fluency in ~t~ says David Wilcox. a senmr vice O~po~ O]1 prp.ide_qt at I~conom]cs Regem. ch ~llgJksh. Vietnamese and severaJ .*outing4 from Al ~ O]1 ~flr~ous Fronts A~scAtte~ in LawAngMes, who has dialects of Chinese. The seventh of md cafeg. R ut not everyone shares Jao's Jao sought to do precisely that up in HaJphong, a harbor city north Jao and others say merchants in VieUla~ege ex]~al.qates, by propAm,~ a $2.4*mdUon, 500- of Hanoi tn North Vietnam. ~tttie Saigon depend almost eft- parttcuJariy FranJ~ Jao, have J.,. vmiop_ ;treiy on compatriots, drawing heel1 instrumental in devel- He has encountered fierce oppo- foot pedestrian, bridse over Boisaearly.entrepreneurialBy 14, he hadvervefouremergedworkers ,la~flJy on the more than ?0,000 o~gLhebusmetmdJstricto! mtionfromsomeViemamesee~pa- thatwoubiserveuakmdofT.ittle dt~t, ributing newspapers for him, · triaL-* who accuse him of trying to Saigon landmark. But earlier thru ids income matching that of V*ietnamese who live tn arid arotmd I .itt~e Saigon m ~-.7-~ ~Vestminster-a town that has Ora/lgeCoul/ty.I CA".~i.i ~--- turnLitUeSa~gontntoaPan-A~ian year. he shelved the plan alter fathef*agoverrmlencclerk'ssatary. oeen partly reghaped into an · ~ * .: district, or worse, another China- rq~ated commumty proLest3 'that After hiSb 8M!ool, Jae moved to American version of Saigon. On ~ help from the Westminster gov- 'waa too Chinese. Although Jao where he attended night cnllege ~unny mornings, elderly Vietnam- ~e women wearing cone-shaped ernment, which over the years has inmnts that the bridge project was and worked as an interpreter for ~traw haks can be seen walking to , . shown little inclination to support killed by a small group of extrem- the U.S. 8overnment, then later at L,unchUme crowd8 *flu dof, ens of ~a. ammil~, ~ ...... . Early on in the area*s develop- community's deep-seated ethnic hi. wife, Cathie. catch one of *he H~?~D,. ~1117 Santa~_ ment. some residents of westmin- and poUticaJ div~ons~and Jao's la3t atrlift~ out of saJgon just before restaurants that serve p/le--tradi- ~]~_~--__~_-~i_A~_* ~ ~' ' stet sought to limit the growth of own uneMy IX~ltion as the most it fell to the Communists in April Lional Vietnamese noodie9. Arid at mght, youn8 men Bather inmde '~ ·~w~j i M~A~q~ Vietnamese businesses. The effort influenttai figu~ in [,Rtie Smgon, 1975. d~ .~jl.~ ~ / was defeated, buti~opleinbittle who ,. happens to be et~nic ?he Jaos amved in Camp Pen- dimly lighted cafes, listening to Saigon say it discouraged the gov- Chinese. dleton with $,50 between them. But boomings~pping sweetVietnamesecoffee andP°P music;taking ,, ~ ~t ~! ,,'? o .~ ernment from taking a more active Ethnic Chinese who once lived within n few days they were living tong drags on cigarettes. ~1 ~1 ~/v~ ~ role in the district in Vietnam make up n snmll share in an apartment in Garden Grove. But there are troubling signa of ~ L~ Westminster officials say it Is oftheresidentsoftheLittieSa~on and Prank Jao was selling Kirby ctmnge a~ well The dismct's core mote or develop tittle Saigon. the shop~ l.,lke Jao, many come weeks to make his first sale. but consumers are a&qng, movingoutof even though the city of Los An- from strong ent:-epreneUnal back- during his door-to-door trudges the area and tncreaaingly being cun~tslou~z Lm~.~ae~'r~ne~ geles, for example, is investing grounds and are generaUy rllore around Orange County. Jaosawhis lured to non-Vietnamese shopping $100,000 to help Koreatown mcr- comfortable WRh the U~. restora- future career. Land along run- venues. The reflux of Southeast chants with marketing, tmn of trade and relaUorm wtth down Boisa Avenue was plentiful A~an refugees, which peaked tn cutsinCon8rega- "Little Saigon needs to come Vietnam than other Vietnameae, and cheap, and Soo figured that the early 19~s, baa slowed dra- Seeing alt th~s. Jao wornes that maucatly m recent years. What's Little 5aLgon--and his hard together and develoP a strong some of whom refuse to have thousands of Vietnamese would business association and market anything to do with their Commu- settle around Westminster because more. a good chunk o[ tl~e ex~stm8 work--could shrivel, as have many itself." says Don Anderson. West- hist homeland, of the proximity to Camp Pendle- customers of Little :Saigon are .an Chinatowns in California and else- minster's community development "There is an entrepreneurial ton and the climate of Southern government support, whidh '~aces where. The solution, he says. ~s to dirertor, spilt between the Vietnamese and California, fueling demand for Frank Jao, with statues at new mall, is tile principal developer behind Little Saigon, v~em he is called cllow fou, or "godfatller" in Chinese. porting scrap material. Desp~ goods and services then only avail- 'More and More indicate an overall decline of sales will take a more active role. criticism from some in the comm'. in the area, but many merchants But as a shrewd pragmatist and n.ity, he makes no apologies able 30 miles away in Chinatown. "His plan was wise," says Danh Economic Anxiety' ~ struggling because of the glut of consummate businessman, Jao is pUtsmng ventures there- to "l look at the picture a lit: Nhut Quach, a pharmacist who to sharp price cuts. Some met- that have a clearer payoff. He is more broadlyand practically."~ opened Little Saigon's first Dtit Do and others wonder competing businesses that has led also turning pro~ects elsewhere business in November l9'/g and has Dwhether Jao still has that chants rcported a 30% drop in sales bmldingal.l-mtllion-square-foot, Jeo. whose diet of readings := been a partner with Jao on several touch. Besides the failure to muster during February's Tel restival, the $300-rmllion shopping center tn a cludes the F, conormst maga~r projects. Quach and Jao were support for the pedestrian bridge., big celebration of the Lunar New city in China bordering Hong and the scholarly journal roro:g among the first wave of Immi- Jim's latest development--a $4- Year that is ~een as a barometer of Kohl. He is pursuing ventures in Affairs. "Trade with Vietnam grants in 1975, many of them million shopping center and col- the district's commercial activity. Northern California's East Bay going to happen no matter what college graduates and high-rank- rural court--has been flow to fill Moreover, records show that Area where the Southeast Aaron seems to me that, globally peo!;.. lng military officials. When the up with tenants andecuattmers, business bankruptcies have edged community is expandi~8, ate less ideological and more pr'ag so-called boat people, many of inablackMercedes, Jaoc~m~isea upward in the last couple of years. Jao won't talk about his weal~ matieandeconomic-atiented." them poor fishers and farmers, by the court, pointing to the 124 'There is more and more eco- at politics, but he belongs to the Jao believes that tn time, mot streamed into California in the late marble and concrete statues and nomie an~ety here," says Do, the exclusive Lincoln Club, the Repub- merchants and resMents m 1970s, Quaeh remembers that Jao hundreds of feet of has-reliefs publisher, liean powerhouse of Orange community will come around leaped at the opportunity, depicting Chinese ariel Vietnamese He and others say Jim's new County. His wife works with hun. that thinking and support With financing from a Chinese fairies, gods, lYaiiosophers, poets development also may be feeling Thecouplehavetwoyoungdau~et~- growth plans he has for L,it: investor living in Indonesia. Jan and wamots--artworkhandpicked the pinch from community resi- bought a 21,000-square-foot retail by Jan dtmug visits to China and dents upset with the Chinese art- tars. They live in a e~bu/. Salgon. Jeo already has center on Boisa in 1979, a project Vietnam. At the end of the run- work in the mall's court. "It is a nm extravagant oceantmnt hause from some merchants who doc. abandoned midstream by bankrupt way-long patiung lot, a pa~t of kind of silent protest," Do says, in Huntington Beach. where Jan mind the big statue of Chin~ developers, which he turned into 30-foot laughing Buddha statues adding that for all of Jao's hard moved from Westminster several philosopher Confucius and the 7 an overwhelming success. Jao and guard the two-story New Saigon work and success, he has not taken yeats ago to distance himself from smaller models of his students his firm have since built nearly two Mail where there is a fun center the time to sell his vision or all-consuming work. Jao's cultural court, especially.: develop consensus for projects like Apart from pickup basketball on they will attract more wsttors. dozen sh°pping centers, including audealetteathatsetvehambutgets "ToUrmsts are more willing the Asian Garden Mall. a 180.000- aa wetl as Vietnamese noodles, the pedestrian bridge. "Maybe be- Saturday matnmgs, Jao has few square-foot complex--the largest Jim says the mall and outdoor cause he was so successful, he just activities outside of his business, spend. I welcome all shopping facility in Little Saigon. musaum, which opeUed in January, forgot one of the ingredients--the He does not drink or smoke, and he comets." said Kmmberly Ho. ow"ne Although ownership of Jao's de- are )nst the ki~ds of things that wiIl eooperation of people here." rorely engages in the social affaits of a cosmetic and skin care boo velopments is spread through a attract tourists and second-gen- Jan concedes that he did not of LitUe Salgon. He says he would t~queonBoisa. complex network of partners that eration Vietnamese AmericauS. lobby hard enough for the bridge, like to slow down, but he sees too As Ho spoke, TlqSh Horn wa includes people like Roger Chert, But so far. 35% of the mall remains But he adds, "We can only do so many opportunities, taking her first stroll through the owner of the successful Ranch unoccupied, and 14 of the 19 out- much as a developer." tie Saigen along with a few fnen~ 99 chain of Asian supermarkets, door. kiosks that stretch along the Meanwhile. Jao is moving ahead Perspective Differs ,ora had heard about the cultura Jao's firm manages or controls parking lot and the court have yet on his own. He is spending S30.000 court, but it was the shopping tha roughly half of the re'~'l and ofiice to be leased. To boost traffic. Jao to develop a brochure that he From Critics' captivated her. "I love it." she sa~d space in LitUe Smgon. has held raffles, an Asian baby hopes to have ,n airports and area adding that she didn't come iror. "Jan had a magic hand. Anything contest andother events, hotels by fail He is talking with '~e has traveled to Vietnam far away. In tact, Horn has live he touched seemed to be success- Observers say the new malrs Statbucks and Payless Shoes about .I. 1more than a dozen times in the within a few blocks of LitUe Sa~gc:: ful." says Yen Do. publisher of tepid start reflects a saturation of opening stores in ~tUe Salgon. last decade. A few years ago, he for 13 years. Westminster-based Nguoi Vier. businesses in LLttie Saigon. or And he ~s trying to revive the opened an office there and has "I didn't know what was here.' the largest Vietnamese newspaper worse, a slowdown in the enclave's pedestrxan bridge, albeit with some bought construction materials and she sa~d. a bit abashediy. "You k'nc:- outside of Vietnam. econom,v. 'l~e Latest tax data don't changes, in the hope that the city artwork from Vietnam while ex- how it is. You feel uncom/ortab~ because you're unfamiliar ~th IL" ORANGE COUNTY BUSINESS JOURNAI~SPECIAL REPORT 5. FRANK JaO Chairman, Bridgecreek Group Inc. Born in Hai-Phong, Vietnam, June 1940 · Lives in Huntington Beach  Driving force behind Westminster's Little Saigon; working broaden its tourist appeal. ..... ~ ., e., Recently opened $3 mii- .~. ~- lion New Saigon Mall  .~...~ andCulturalCourtacmss ' ~ i ] the street from the Asian ~ ' /:: ~ Garden Mall. Not ali '- smooth sailing: Plans for. a pedestrian bridge were disbanded after bick- ering among factions within local Vietnamese community over what critics said was a design too representative of Chinese culture. Suggests "it's just a matter of time" before bridge goes up. Shopping mall in works in Shertzen, China; says Bridgacreek is tim U.S. company to de- velop such a center in cooperation with Chines~ officials. Plans office building in Hanoi, where he hns established an office, also plans to dis- tribute U.S. brand-name products there. Ethnic Chinese bom in Vietnam. Middle of 11 children. Was on one of last airlifts before the fall of Saigon on 1975. Arrived in the Los Angeles area wi th $50, began selling Kirby vacuum clean- ers his second day in California. Studied real e~tate dar~ the day, whil~ work~ security job each night. Got licgmse in 1976, founded Bridgecr~ek two yenm later. Did fits! development in 1979, a 21,000- square-foot retail/commercial. "That was re- ally the beginning and really my first experi- ence at doing a development in the U.S." Famed bachelor's degree in business before leaving Vietnam, did postgraduate work at Harvard University'sSchoolofDesign. Speaks fluent English, Vietnamese, Chinese. Wife Cathie, two daughters. ORANGE I. OUW, Y BUSINESS JOURNAL How now . m By J.L SULLIVAN --;.'~'.' :~/i::: ::;: . ' '.:~ ,~, Anyone who doubted Frank Jao's desire to broaden thc '. appeal of Little Saigon in Westminsteronly had to listen to ~i;.~.-"" ::. - ::~ thc eclectic mix of music at thc recent opening of his $3 :-. ' ... .~ · million New Saigon Mall and Cultural Court. Thc Nichoison :Y.,,n- a Pipe and Drum coq~s marched to"Yankee Doodle Dandy," .....' - ~ : · and a strolling mariachi band strummed "Spanish Eyes." Meanwhile, a group of traditional Vietnamese musicians mixed bass drums and heavy rhythm sticks as dancers gyrated underneath dragon costumes. And anyone who doubted that Jao faces serious chal- lenges only had to listen to a group of teenagers who lingered near the entrance of the freshly launched develop- ment. The adolescents, who had performed as dancers during thc grand opening ceremonies, sounded unlikely to return. "This is only for old Pecple who live around here," said Quan Vu, a 15-year-old Boise High School student wh° spends his shopping time with his buddies at nearby I~ Jao page 30 Plaza of New Salgon Mail: 53 million project Just a first stap Jao jor cities across the nation. Thc walkway toward thc mall's building is "The only way business can grow is to get flanked by more marble renditions of various ~, from page I more people from other areas to shop here," historical figures from Asian antiquity. The Jao concedes, mall itself features a pair of 40-foot, gold- Westminster Mall or South Coast Plaza. The New Saigon Mall and Cultural Center painted Buddha figures, each smiling as it "We're brand-name guys," added another -- which is across thc street from the Jao, reaches toward the roof. high schooicr, owncdAsian Gar- All of that still Whypayattcntiontosmart-mouthedyouth? den Mall, and amountstoapale Because Little Saigon's retail landscape is in tucked behind the 'The only way business vcmion of what a demographic rut. Developer Jao, whose Asian Village re- can grow/s to get more Jao had hoped to Bridgccrcck Realty Investment Corp. in tailccntcrfronting Westminster has been a major force behind Boise Avenue, people from other areas to open with. His plan fora bridge the district's commercial birth and growth, partly owned by ::~:: .:: .i'$1top here.' that would run knows it and is trying to fix it. Jao-- has taken a lt's no easy fix. ByJao'sownestimatc, 95% few initial steps '~:?: ,.~i:. ~Little Saigon from the new mall to thc Asian of Little Saigun shoppers are either Vietnam- towardscraftinga ?:. developer Frank Jao Garden across ese or Chinese immigrants, 40 or older, new perception of ' ' ': Bolsa Avenue That home-grown trademade Little Saigon .the area. bogged down n ne of the most bustling commercial centers On the parking lot leading to the' mall over squabbling within the Vietnamese corn- the country. But Jao and other merchants visitors are greeted by a 15-foot marble statue reunify overits design. And a Buddhist temple in the district dream of making the area a of the~ philosopher Confucius, ringed by Jao had hoped to build at the new center is cross-over draw, along the lines of the flower beds and guarded by 72 smaller stat- stuck over negotiations for an access easement Chinatowns and Little Tokyos found in ma- ues,'one for each of his students, from a nearby'property owner. February 10, 1997 Jao hasn't givcn up. Thc temple, he said, Among the now-dusty ideas: promoting would be a major draw for local worshipers Little Saigon to out..of-towners visiting and outsiders curious about Buddhism, ann Dianeyland and other OC attractions; up- give the district a major cultural component gradingstreetlightsandgivingthemanAsian to complement its retail draw. design; landscapingthemedianstripon Boisa The developer is also taking small steps Avenue to take the edge off the area's sign- toward a new merchandising mix at the new heavy appearance: startingashuttlebusalong mall. An arcade of video games and pinball the district's main thoroughfares: and estab- machines offer diversion for those pcrsnick- lishing a visitors' center to haip tourism find ely teens. Jao said thc mall will soon have their way around the intimidating crush of burgers, fries and pizza to go with its already-- commerce. open French/Vietnamese bakery and restau- . "There arc great bargains there," Zellner rant, which fits better with the 40-and.-over said. "You can .get Gucci-quality pumas for crowd, about half the Gucci price, but you have to be "The young kids are very westernized and aggressive in looking for them." American and cducatcd,"said Jao. "They not :Zellner said Little Saigon also needs a few only demand better quality and service, but cultural bridges as much ns the actual bridge they want selection, too." Jao h~opes to build between his two shopping Fast food will help, but a stroll through the ' centers. new mall shows that more is needed. All of "The merchants and their employees havc thc merchandise could also be found in Little tobecome tourist-oriented,"hesald."ln some Saigon's ubiquitous small shops: off-brand shops, language is a barrier. The merchants apparel, discount leather goods, CDs of Vici- and clerks who don'tspeak English well will namese-langnage music, cosmetics and toys. avoid Caucasian customers, and that some- Frank Z~liner, executive director of the times comes across as unfriendly." Westminster Chamber of Commerce, said Noteverything'sofftargct, though. Amural such limited selection at the new mall and in the new mall neatly honors both sides of throughout most of the rest of Little Saigon's Little Saigon's generation gap, showing shops is worrisome. young Vietnamese drass~ in snappy Wcst- "1 have concerns about future generations em outfits while old-country villagers toil at being able to support the Little Saigon corn- harvest in the bnukground. mercial district," he said. "As these kids Meanwhile Jao remains upbeat in the face come out of school, they have more Western of Challenges:and. hopeful of gutting coop- tastes." eration from thc city. And while he'.s aware Zcllncr said the Vietnamese-American of the hurdles of drawing visitors from out- community's internal bickering -- often sidc Little Saigon, he's also aware that out- along thc North-South lincs of their home- siders can help. He's .currently hoping to land -- has hindered attempts such as Zao's convince a cinema chain to set up shop in bridge project to upgrade the district's tourist Little Saigon. appeal. Westminster city politics also have "But it takes.more f. han just one developer hurt, he said, pointing to a recent and time- 'consuming fight over an attempted recall of to do that," he said. · several council members. "We recognized some of Little Saigon's problems in meetings wc had with the city a couple of years ago regardin8 the Bolsa Cor- ridor Plan," Zcllner said. "Thc whole plan was to make it tourist friendly.., but thc plan never took off." THURSDAY, DECEMBER 26, 1996 O.C, developer Jao looking to Asia BUSINESS: The man pire by turning miles of straw- ese of Chinese descem, hi.~ e~h- seen a,s the architect of berry fields along Balsa Avenue nicity is'often brought bO hr tilt- ·into the biggest Vietnamese busi- its implicitly questiol~ing I~,~ Little Saigon hopes to ness district outside Vietnam. alt},. He has lost hign-pr~Jrite expand overseas. "ff we take away aU the build- battles to rename l,ittJe Saigon ings and office spaces he built, Asian Town and t, build a pede~ By QUYEN DO we wouldn't have what we call trian bridge that critics said The Orange County Register Little Saigon," said Yen Do, pub- "too Chinese." lisher of the largest Vietnamese Friends call him sharp-mind. WESTMINSTER ~ Frank Jao newspaper in the United States. ed. Rivals call him devious. Jao. arrived in the United States 21 "Little Saigon is basically a big 47, who is expanding his empire years ago with the shirt on his master plan of real estate. He from Westminster to Asia, calls back and less than a dollar in his was the executor of that plan." himself "a simple business- old slacks. Since then, he has Jao's ascendancy has not come man." steadily built .a real-estate em- without controversy. A Vietnam- Please see JAO Page 24 JAO: The developer credited with-master-planning Little Saigon looks for deals in Asia ,me. the first Asian mail in But Jao said Viemamese de- FROM ! on foreign' assistance from the Ux--',al~e ¢'ounty. Jau's business, Bridgecreek U.S.," Jao said, sitting in his spa- ~gns derrved much from China Dev~loprnent Cu., has developed claus uffict~ decorated with art- NOT ANOTHER CHINATOW~I over th,m,mnd__~ of years of Chi- ' ne.se rule_ Eveu Vietnamese his- mute thun 9.~250 million of com- isis' renderings of his projects. Centuries-old resentment born ~ torybuoksctteexam~esofthese mcr¢ial and residential proper- "1 think it wus very wrung to of China's long domination of designs, be said. tit~s -- about one-third of Little be the donee. When you're the Vietnam has dugged ,~ao. lie has "lt~s often Ihe same group of Saigt~n. Bridgecreek manages a done~, you're th~ luser." said been accused by some Vietnan~ critics, who then~eives are not dozes shopping centers, thc let- Jao, the seventh of 11 cl~ildren, ese-Americnns o~ trying to turn est ~ddition a $4 million indoor "That's why I wurk au hard to be I~.ttie SaJgon io~o ":~nL~_her Chi- eve~l 'halfway legitimate in their outlcl mall and S-acre "cultural a donor, not donee." natuwn." at~nding in the community," Jao courtyard" that opened this Jau began selling houses in The emutiuna~ issue surfaced ~tid. m~ntl~ in L~ttie 5aigon. 197b and opened his own office, in thelate 1980s when Jaolead an For rmw, ,las has abandoned For three years, Jao has been Bridgecreek, in 1978. He predict- unstto:esafal movement to the bridge plan to tm:us on other listed alongside the top execu- ed that Vielnamese-Americans chan~e the name f~tt~e Sal4~on to .p. rojects, among them a 1.1 mil- tires of companies such as Rock- wuuld ~cttle in $outhcrt~ Calffor- Asian Town. In March of this lien-square-foot. $~00 million well International and Mitsubi- nia because the largest group ut' year, Jao's plans to build a 500- ~mpping center in China. shi as among "Orange County's refugees landed at Camp PendJe- I'oot4en~ ptuiesirtanbridge ap'an- .Isa ~d dOJ;l~ I:)~in~.~ in a 50 most influential business pet)- to~. and th~ regiun's warm sing P, obsa Averse crumbled un- c~2mmun~ cumury Ires its own pie" by the Orange County Busi- weather is similar IO Vietnam's. der protest~ that designs were challenges -- since the govern- n~ss ~ournaL Two year~ ugo, he Jao's first t~ig project wua the "too Chin_~ ." meat owns all the land on which he lu~ a SO-year lense ~ and re- was invited tu join the exclusive Si .8 million I-cat East Shopping '"In the whole c'oun*try th~s is wartLs. Lincoln Club. a conservative Re- Plaza in the late t9.70a. He served tl~e uniy place that has been re- "Here, there are ba~c guide- publican power group that aa the br~ker and managed th~ yarded ua I.ittie Sa~on for the li~es to foilow. 'risings are apetled ~unta many of the county's elite ~ntire project, t'rom l~!rLqg curt- Vietnamese people." said Juhn out." dso smd. "When working a= members, atruction compi~nic.~ lo handling 1.~ Phuu&. ~ Weatm_i_n_ster overseas, the approval process · Jao's succ~a was burn of hum- leasing for investors t'rom lndo- ney and advocate for preserving are unfamiliar, the tax system, bio beginnings. His first job in nesiu. ~ Vietnamese design~. "There are lab~w management .... There are the United States was selling "That was how I learned the a lot ut' Chiimtowns. Yet they go many ttU~ to talte imo cunsid- vacuum '~leaners door-to-door, development game in the U.S.," into the only area that's Vier- eratian." Later, a friend told him about Ja,~ said. aamese and try to make it theLr He has made a dozen trips to real estate school, and he eh- In 101~0. Jao invesled in Tads. own. I ttUnk that's wrong." Viettu,u~ sLm~ LaB& but lute yet tO rolled whLle juggling jobs as an l~laza, a 10o,0t,q~-aquare-fuot Phong smd the prominenl Bu~- assembler by day and a security ~hol~pmg. center that earned dba statues representing luck. p, utiattuna with the Vietnamese guard Dy mght. $50tt,tl~J ~nttun four mumJ~, he lungt:vit¥ and prua~a'tty ia front go~ernrn~t will lead to a real "I grew up in a poor country, a said. of the Asian Garden Mail are estate and commercial develop- poor n~ghburhoud in a relatively In 1984, he broke ground on the "very muclaa Cl'anese concep- common family. We had to rely A.~ian Garden Mail ~u~ I~olsa Ave- lion." - ' me~i'as early as the hegmning uf 1997. "When there's an economic in- tcre~t, pc. opic f/nd a way to get .; along with each other," he ~aid. "Risk taking is part nature of business for a higher return." Jao's many business interests leave littl~ tune for other put- stats. When he's not l;'aveling in Asia, he t-~ typic',dly the first in the Bridgecrc-mk of{ice at I~ a.m. and the la:it to leave at 7 p.m. While driving his Mercedes home. he's un the cellula,* phone '~/~, returning calls, or is glancing ct newspaper headlinc~ t'oJ' tater reading. In 21 years, he has aec,~ only txvo movit~. When Jao look his daughters ~ Felicia, 15, and Ali- .cia, 14 -- to see "Heaven and Earth," he escaped to the lobby to read "Control Your Own Des- tiny or Someone Else Will." He ' said he slipped back in before the movie emi,mi "so my daughters ..!. >,..... w~m't get mini at In the time tm spends at the family's oceanfrom home in Iluutinl0nn Beach, Jao likes to cook t'rJed ric~ and Vietaa,nu~u BUSINESS IS GOOD: Frank Jao works at h,s Gridgecreek Development Co. offices. Among his current ar~'t tim fora/ o/th~ r~ projects is a I.I miltion-~quafe-foot. $.100 million shopping center in China. At his daughters' urginS, he has promised to re~/re in five years. "They think t work too mu~D." Ja~ ~a/d, back in hi~ office. "5u[ Luu al/esed in the lawsuit filed my idea of retirement may be in Orange Cuunt'v ~/upe~iur Court different. ~vLaybe it's stowing irt 1989 that Jau L~ked him /ate down, not work/ng as much. I'll selling h/s 18 percent share, then sfil~ be here." sold the prop~rt7 for a huge prof- SEEN A5 SHREWD it. Westmmste~ City Councilman Jao' acknowtedged that the case was sel~J~.d ou~ of court, but Tony Lam has known Jau -~/nce decUned to d/acuss the amount the late l~s in Viemam, when he paid i~u, as the setUement Jao worked as a tranuJ~tor for ~ stipulated. The largest legal set- trading com~an.v. Lam de- tJeme~lt his coff~a~7 paid was .~cr/bed Jan as hard-workinl/, about $?5,000, jao said. ~harp-m/nded and careful in Court records show rJ~at Jao dealing with people, has been named in 35 lawsuits in Another friend agreed. Orange County since 1982. Cases ..~ "Hechooseshiawordacareful- against Jao for breach of con- ly," said Do, the n,,-w~paver pub- tract ranged from a payment dia- lisher. "His answers, they're puge with -'~ COI~trrtcl~on comps- well planned and carefully con- ny to suits by former employees structed." seeking retroactive pay. AH were llIG PLANS: Frank Jao, whose Bridgecreek Development Co. built Former partner Joseph Dung settled ol~t of cour'/or disn'Hssed, about one-third ut Little Saigon, goes over designs for his newly Nguyen said ,Iao used his influ- "There's a big advantage complete~i New ~a/~on Mall. ence to unde~min~ Nguyen's pro- when yma're a big company in *'If we take away jeer. Little Saigon. We're subject to a "He killed my deal," Nguyen lot more harassment," saui ,Ina, all the buildings aa/d. "He's devious. H~ just noting that it costs bis .company and office spaces want~ to be king of the area. Like more to go to lriai than to settle (Jao) built, ~ve a wartora." out ut' ~ourt. wouldn't have Sonny Luu, a Lkfle Saigon Bol'n June 15, ~49, ia Hal- what we call bu-~ior-ssman who,~ partnerstup phong, Jau bc. gal~ ~vm'king to with Jao went s~ur and who Later help hi-~ family at age 12. He hah- Little Saigon.' sued him, called dao a "shrewd died the town's ~ewspaper ac- persort." count and hil*cd oilier *outh.~ 1o new~paper publishe~ "He only needs to be asaociat- do the labor. ' ed w/th those that bene//t h/m," "I had four gu~ ~ worl~ing said Luu, noting ttmt jan used the," he recaL~cg, amihng. "I sonn_e of his colitacts to gain in- wolaltl do all ~c mackclil,,'g, and vestors. "When his goals are they delivered :he p,~pers on met, then he drops them." lheir bikes." Jao ba~ co~l]~.~ed [o hive ~t~,- His wife. Cathie. works along- t¢~ic~lly. Fu~n~:,' ~-i~l~in~i~' side him ~d overse~ B~dg~ Ma?~,' Kath~ 8uc~oz ha~ been creek's operations when Jau is h~ .ftme ma~ ~ir, ce lPb~. away on business. · ' It could be ~ be-el'it to Jao to '"~s is not the first time ~at 1 huv~ a foJ'nlc~ crt3 i~yor Da his don't ~ow when he's coming s~gf." city FI~-:J;~ Director ba~k," Cable sa~, referring Brian Fi~smd. "~om~u,e who's her husband's fr~uent ~ps to aware ol' lhe playe~'~ in the com- C~na and Vietnam. "I ~der- munity, the caItu~e ~d lhe ~li- stand I'm married to a business- tics." man. I ~ow ~is ~d 1 accept it. Jao characterize~ hi~ politics Othe~ise it wo~d never work." a~ practical. B~ides tak~g care of the ac- 'q'm a Repubhcan who votes counting, Cathie advise~ on d~ for right candidate regardless of signs and colors for new buBd- pa~y affiliauon." he ~atd. "I ings. TheAsian Garden Mall, for share a lot of common goals that example, was conceived as an · e Lincoln Club ~s .... They're outdoor center until she con- more pr~bu~in~s than Dem~ vinced her husband it should be crats." an ind~r m~. On the home i'ront, ~he imtiat- ~OUCHING SEVERAL ~L~URE$ ed a rule that the family mus[ Jao has turned his mixed lin- vacation together evet'y year. eage and refugee cxpe~ience to "The kids grow up so fasl,'~ ~he his advantage, said. "We're alway~ busy. We He seems at home in several have to take time for ~em." cultures, bm he h~s not lo~t touch Another leisure act:~'irv with his own. He ~eek~ advice ~aves time for is b~akelba]l from Buddhist monks on wh~l ery Saturday fi~r the day tu open a nex~ business, ~d year~, about 15 men have gati3- sends his children to a Christian ered on a Golden We~t College sch~l, court from dawn u~[~J On a recent morning, Jao went On a recent Satm'day, ~he over ~]~n~ wit~hi~ ~t~ctural ~n- f~t-~inch Ja0,".~ ear~ t~g ,, baggy gineer, mostly in Chinese. M~ T-shirt and shorls, whip, ted b~.~ mentarily, he tu~ed to anu[her ~everal ~pu~c~t~ end employee and spoke ~ fluent layup for his team, which late~' Vietnamese ~th a crisp No~h- won. ern accent. After ~e meeling, The regulars said Jaois a doer, Jao was on a three-way confer- not a talke~'. They recalled hi~ ence call to his bankers in New response to an o~going argument York and San Francisco, con- ove~' the laded tarec-p,i~ line as vers~g in English. typic~. Jao's fluency in several Chi- "The ne.xt firing ~ k~ow, ne~e dialects also makes him a Fra~ went out lhere one 3undav prime connection for Hong Kung and repainted the lines himsel[, investors t~ing to liquidate their ~bei[ doing it ~egaJJy," said assets before the British colony John He~aadez, 49, laughing. is turned over to China next J~y. AIxI124, 1995 ORANGE COUNTY BUSINESS JOURNAL Page 3 Little...Saigon developer Jag Prepares to expand Plans include new family entertainment center' .. · . "Those are the perfect example for us to [] B~. NIDAL M. IBRAHIM .1ag said the property in question already is into the' mall," he said. look at," he said. "Of course, they are gearing developed with industrial buildihgs. And As for the entertainment c~¢nter, to be Io- toward a much larger client base. We are Frank Jag, the primary developer of because the parcels are cared across the street from the AsianGarden smaller, but that doesn't mean we can't do it Westminstcr'sLittleSaigon, figuresit'stime owned by variou$ oWn- Mall, the$1Omillionproj¢ctalsoisexpected on a smaller scale." to add to what has grown into one of Oi'ange ers, the process of ac- to break ground later this year. For cultura/flavor, Jag said the entertain- County's most distinctive communities, quiring the 2 acres for Sag said it will incorporate an element of ment center will include a s:age for tradi- The chairman of. Bridgecreck Group Inc. the expansion has been %ultai-al amusement and a family-oriented tional shows. Moreover, Sag said he will be in says hewill breakgroui~dlaterihisyearon an slow. type of shopping environment." China and Vietnam this week collecting ad- estimated $8 million, 70,O00-square-foot "I already bought half Joining In a growing development industry ditional ideas. expansion to the Asian Garden Mall and a ofit, so J only need the trend, Jao said it will includc gamcs and kid's IO0,O00-square-footentenainmentcom~lex. other half," said Jao, , fides. "i think the recession has bottomed out and. ~vho places the cost of "Most shopping centers do not address the the economy is beginning to come back, and acquiring the parcels at dao need of the younger clients and shoppers," we have to prepare now," Jag said. $3 million. Sag said. "I think that is going to be an The Asian Garden Mall, a 150,O00-square- The industrial properties on the site will be !mponant element for the future." foot complex featuring a rich tapestry of tom down, and a new building will be built. He compared his vision to the stylish, Asian shops and booths near the corner of "It .will be fairly compatible, and annexes intricate Forum shops at Caesar's Palace Bolsa Avenue and Magnolia Street, boasts an occupancy rate of 98%. Jag .said he is buying small ProPerty . parcels adjacent to the mall, with con- struction planned for the third quarter. ORANGE COUNTY BUSINESS JOURNAL /OLUME 16 NUMBER 20 MAY 17 - 23, 1993 NINETY-THREE CENTS 'dgecr.k Group's Frank Jao: May .turn ,o Vietnam --,, an Inveslor. ?he builder of Little Saigon BFDEENA AUSTIN HI~S Jao'~ problems. He was ho~ified at the 'rank Jao and his wife. Cathie. lied Saigon callv adva,!ced country and could think only qs behind. As the C-J30 Air Force je, Instead. in a way Iao never imagined on tying them ~nd d/Itl other Vietnamese that frantic day 18 veers ago he ~came an ' sho' at bY Cn,;,,n,mi,i forces. Saigoa t~ll his own Vicmam in Orange Coumy--"Little fo/lowing da v. Saigon."  ;Q~.~ clnae e~cape. I~,t hardly the end of Pl~a.re ~ ~,,,, ....... , ~ Palte 12 ORANGE COUNTY BUSINESS JOURNAL May 17. 1993 J^o viderof) services in Vier- office and retail space in what has become a nam--afewFonune500 popular tourist attraction are so long that companies," Jao says. iocalscall it the Wilshire Boulevard of Little Continuedfi-oat page I "The criteria they want is Salton. Monthly rents run as high as $5 per someone who under- square fOOl in prime retail areas, about double "i believe destiny controls what we do," standsth¢cllltum, themot what most small malls or shopping plazas says lao. "Everyone should do whatever they of the country,", charge. can to be a success. After that, it's in the The fact he was on the "Niche type of properties that are in high- hands of God." losing side in the Vier- traffic retail areas can command extremely For.the 43-year-old Jao {pronounced nam War has nol made high rems and values," Leventhal's Meyer "chow"), destiny has made him the builder of him a persona non greta says. about two-thirds of the commercial and in- with the Vietnames~ re- Jao's most notable project to date and the dustrial space ia Westminster's bustling Viet- gime, he says. centerpiece of Little Salton is the Asian namese enclave. Through various partner- "We have a realistic, Garden Mall, a two-story, 150,oeO-square- ships, his Bridgecreek Group Inc., the corn- pragmatic way of look- foot shopping plaza he built for $15 million pany he formed three years al~er coming to America, owns more than a third of the ingatit,"JaosaysofViet~ in 1986 with partner Roger Chert, owner of district-- 450,000 square feet of stores and namese refugees lite the 99 Market (Taws Supermarket) chain. offices, himself. "We try to stay The prominent structure, like many of Jao's The value of Bridgecreek's holdings? Jao away from politics, We buildings, has glass doors trimmed in red estimates the company's assets, despite the see that the Communist (Vietnamese tradition says red doors bring effects of the recession, at about $250 mil- government has c01.- good luck). Outside, the Happy Buddha and lion; a rough calculation by real estate ac- lapsed." ': tlaree Chinese gods, all imported from Thai- countant Michael Meyer, managing partner China, aswell, islosihg land, stand guard at the front entrance. of Kenneth L~:venthal & Co. in Newport its Communist edge, .leo Good fortune seems an appropriate theme Beach, supporls the figure. And Jao says his says, which is why he's for the project. It maintains full occupancy company ispr0fitable, though he declines to fullyentrenchedinanex- and has a lengthy waiting list of prospective be more specific, tensive project near Can- tenants. . The sluggish economy hasn'l dulled Jao's ton, Jao is a partner in a Even the kiosks and carts that vendors ambition. Heisplanningforastartthisfailon government-funded lease month to month are always rented. his most imaginative project to date: Temple project to build Shenzhen Only the mall's recent 3,000-square-f~otlhird Village, a $20 million development of 68: Center, a 6.7 million phase expansion of its jewelry mart to ac- "shop houses"(commonly found homes built square foot mixed-use commodate up to I OOjewelers has any spaces over businesses in Vietnam}. project with offices, a left -- seven. 'And Jao now is looking beyond Orange hotel, residential towers, Jao's olher big commercial/retail projects, County. He's bidding on a project in Guam, a sports arena and a three- the 100,O00-square-foot Asian Village Plaza is working on a major project in China and is level mall. Jao: "l don't give in. I don't give up." and the 22,000-square-foot Pads Professional priraedtomoveinloVielnamifand when the Jaomnshisempire with Building, also are 100% leased. U.S. govemmenllifts trade restrictions there, a nine-person staff from the third floor of one arm of Bddgecreek Group, is the syndicator, Still, traffic is down and vacancy rates are up Jao is negolialing with Caterpillar Inc., a of his buildings, on ihe comer of Bolsa Ay- while Bridgecreek. Realty leases, markets elsewhere in Little Saigon. Some of Jao's heavy equipment manufacturer, 1o buy a enueandMagnoliaStreeI. Most ofhis projects and manages the properties, smallerprojectsarealsoexperiencingvacancy dislributorship for Vietnam, a country se- are set up as limited parlnerships, sometimes Most of Bddgecreek's projects are along r~tesashighas25%,resultinginanoveral18% ver¢ly lacking in infrastructure, with Jan as the general parlner, sometimes Bolsa Avenue, where the waiting lists for Please see Jao page 29 "We're talking to several major U.S. eom- with him only as a minor investor. Usually parties to be their sole distributor and (pro- Bridgecreek Development, the development ~0 May 17, 1993 ORANGE COUNTY BUSINESS JOURNAL Page Patience, persistence pay off for Jao monogrammed shirts, ~he Mercedes-Benz elevator and climbs ,hree flights of stairs to he drives, and his relentless pursuit of pros- his office everyday. "It's the only exercise 1 Before Frank iao could recreate a piece of He picked an American sounding name for perity, ever get," he says, laughing. He says he's Vietnam ina quiel corner of Westminster, hehis company -- Bfidgecreek Group Inc., for "He's very Americanized, bul he was still seen only one movie in i 3 years. had to convince a skeptical city council that similar reasons, bom in Vietnam," Buchoz says. "There were His wife, Cathie, and Iheir two daughters, he was a serious developer. Associates say he's a force to be reckoned rumorsabouthim~likehegotall hismoney Felicia, 12, and Alicia. 10, live in an ocean Jao did so wilh persistence, going to plan-with on Ihe development field ~ a tough from Hong Kong. h was simply his own view home on Pacific Coast Highway in ning c6mmisaion and cily council meetings negotiator who refuses to back down. tenacity. He's always one step ahead." Huntington Beach. Cathie works along side time and time again to pitch his projects. "Nice guys finish last, and ! don't think heJao sees himself as frugal: "Why should I him ~ a few hours a week as controller. Kathy Buchoz, who spent four years on the will," says Chuoc VoTa of VoTa & Associ- wear a Rolex and pay $10,000, when I can Jao calls himself a "diehard" Republican, council, the final year as mayor, was so ares public relations fu'm. wear a Timex and get the same ~hing?" although he supports some ofClinton's ideas. impressed svith Jao's projects that she Wenl Jao admits he's relentless when he wants Jao has picked up several civic awards, He doesn't consider himself a prominent to work for him after she left office in i 984. his way. including "Citizen of the Year" from G°lden enough businessperson to belong to the Lin- She's now vice president and property man- "i don't give in ~ I don't give up," Jao Wes~ College. He has donated spac~ for a coin Club: "I'm not there yet," he says. ager for Ja0's Bridgecreek Realty. says. "I always prove myself to the one who police stalion and crime prevention center. Friends call Jao a masler of lime manage- "His own knowledge of development and challenges me." "He's been very, very suppmtive of not only merit with a perceptive eye for detail. what he wanted ~o do in the city helped build And he proves lha! on the hardwood of Ihepolice bulthe entire community forlhe "He'sasmanone, and he's very ~alentcd in him a positive image with the city council," Golden West College's basketball court, Vietnamese people," said Westminster po- his realeslatedevelopment,"saidTonyLam, Buchoz says. where he plays a mean forward on a men's lice iieutenam Andrew Hall. a Westminster city councilman who became There were other ways Jao bridged the gap weekend team. He's the only Asian. And Bul al least one critic, Sonny Luu, a bust- the first Vietnamese refugee to win elective between American and Asian cultures, he's only 5-foot4. ness associate whose partnership with Jao office in the United States. "And, of course, He changed the spelling of his last name Being the largest commercial property soured, called him "greedy." Says Jao: "He he's lucky." from "Trieu," the Vietnamese version of theowner in Little gaigon, Jao is viewed wilh didn'lthinklpaidhimenoughwhenlboughl Lam should know. He was on [he same name, Io "Jao," the Chinese version, to make both esteem and envy by ~he Vietnamese him out." plane that carried .lao and his wife to safety it more international and acceptable acrosscommunity, iao, an admitled workaholic, bypasses the back in 1975. the board. Many Vietnamese see only Jao's The six-acre project on the west Side of nam city with 1,600-square-foot condomini- Continuedjrom page 12 um$ built above 800-square-foot businesses. The shop houses will sell for about $350,000, vacancy forhis properties, he says. a price affordable to Asians in Ihe area, Jao Like mos~ commercial developers, Jao has says. More than half are on reserve already. seen the value of his holdings drop ~ by 30%"Il goes back to the old way of living," Jao ~o 40%, he estimates, iao figures the Asian says."Wethinklhistypeofprojec~willwork Garden Mall would sell for about $30 millionvery well, especially in the eihnic commu- now, down about a third from a few years back. nity-- people want lo own their own house." Despite tlne ~eak economy, he and panner Ai ihe heart of the neighborhood is a non- Chert are continuing with Temple Village, denominational Asian temple that includes a Iheir lales[ and most imaginative local project 1,200-square-fom unenclosed shrine. -- a traditional Asian urban neighborhood TheWestminsterCityCouncilunanimously combining retail and rcsidcmiai develop- approved the project and Jao plans to start men~ wi~h a spiritual theme, construction Ibis fall. ' I ' I MUL TI-PLEX I MOVIE THEATRES I 1 1 ! I I '1 889~ BE VERL Y BL VD.~ LOS ANGELES, CA 90048 ~ 3 I0-281-3 770/3 777 F~ The most important component of every mixed-use development is its movie theatre comp[ex. Movie theatres play a key rote in bringing customers to an area and creating an environment for economic success. It is the goat of Maya Cinemas to become the keystone .: . .~ i ~,i~ ~ ~ ~]]_::; ~ in the development of retail/entertainment centers. ESPARZA ~ KATZ: In 1984 Moctesuma Esparza and Robert KatZ~f°~nded~ESp~ Katz Productions, 'a partnership that has since yielded a so[id track record of success in developing and producing quality motion pictures. Building upon this success, Maya Cinemas was established by Esparza E Katz to create venues where films wit[ be shown as they are meant to be seen, and for att to enjoy. UNIQUE QUALIFICATIONS: Maya Cinemas brings many unique qualifications to any development project. Foremost of which is the experience of Esparza and Katz as the premiere producers of Latino-themed films in the United States. Their experience and extensive research has corroborated the fact that the current set of screens serving the predominantly Latino communities in the United States is minimal and has not kept up with demand. There is now a clear market driven opportunity to provide screens in these under-served areas. To advance this goal, an experienced project team has been brought together to design, build and operate Maya Cinemas. STATE OF THE ART OPP~ORTUNITIES: Maya Cinemas ;wilt also feature state of the art motion picture technology, first-run movies, ~tan-dmark architecture, employment opportunities, community involvement, educational initiatives, and safe, quality entertainment for the entire community to enjoy. Maya Cinemas will prove to be an asses[ to any development. THE MULTIPLEX ADVANTAGE: The film buying strategy of the multiplex theatres uses their extra capacity (screens) to exhibit high-grossing movies on multiple screens. The multi-screen format allows people to be more casual about getting to the theater on time, with less concern about sell-outs or getting a good seat. This is a powerful incentive for moviegoers who attend blockbuster movies on a regular basis. Thus, a large number of customers become loyal and regular attendees who habitually attend the multiplex theatres because they eliminate their two biggest fears: a sell- their out of late their arrival, first choice movie, and missing out on the beginning of their movie due to MAGNETIC CUSTOMER APPEAL: Theaters with 16 screens or more tend to become huge magnets in their local areas and therefore generate very high revenues. It has been crucial in positioning these multiplex theatres as a area-wide magnets for moviegoers. Maya Cinemas has presently entered exclusive agreements to build and operate cineplexes in several communities, including East Los Angeles, Lincoln Heights, Fresno and Chicago. Ail will draw from outside their immediate geographical sphere of influence. ~N'rRODUCT~ON SERVING .THE GROWING LATINO MARKET: Maya Cinemas' strategic plan calls for a focus on under-served Latino-dominate market areas throughout the United States. Maya will build and operate first class theaters with a commitment to quality. The Latino market has historically responded with enthusiasm and loyalty to business that cater to their wants and needs. The goal is to own and 'OPerate theaters, creating 500 screens in the top 10 Latino urban SMSA markets thr°~h United States within the next § years. In each city Maya Cinemas Will--seek~t0-~~ dominate exhibitor in each Latino market while creating entertainment centers that will draw all residents in each community. The purpose of this package is to provide information about Maya Cinemas and to demonstrate Maya Cinemas' interests in working with developers, investors, financial institutions, government agencies, film distributors, and potential landlords in creatin~ a vital and successful motion picture entertainment center. INTRODUCTION PROVIDING FIRST-CLASS ENTERTAINMENT: Maya Cinemas is a unique new company whose principals are senior entertainment industry executives and motion picture producers. Their experience with the national Latino poputation in the United States has attowed them to discern an outstanding business opportunity..._p~oviding first crass entertainment/theatre muLtipLexes in Latino communitieS--~that~:~air:e~ signifiCantLy underserved, white programming an 80% mix of movies and a 20% mix of dubbed, subtitted and Spanish tanguage Latin American firms. DetaiLed statistical demographic data has been compited to corroborate the absence of nearby theatres and the high demand for movie theatre entertainment by Latinos. Latinos are currently 11% of the nationat poputation. However, according to the Nationat Association of Theatre Owners, Latinos represent 13% of atL theatre admissions. In the key movie going age group of 14 to 24 years old, Latinos are now surpased in numbers to the African-American 14 to 24 year old group. 'During the 1940's, '1950's and 1960's there existed a circuit of approximately 500 screens from CaUfornia to New York that played excLusiveLy Spanish tanguage movies. about 5 to 6 miLLion people. Today, there are Then, the Latino population was only over 30 mittion Latinos, and there are no theatres that play excLusiveLy Spanish Language films in the country. Yet, a fuLt 50% of the LatinopopuLation, 15 miLLion peopte, are Spanish Language dominant. .. :. TARGETING SITES WITH HIGH REVENUE POTENTIAL: The national average for att theatres is 50,000 to 60,000 admissions per screen. The average for megaptex screens is 70,000 to 80,000 admissions! The average for CaLifornia is yet higher, at 83,961 admissions per screen. At an average box office admission of $4.69, this equals $30Z,353 per atL megaptex screens nation-wide per year and $393,779 per megapLex screens in CaLifornia. We have used the national average as the basis for our revenue projections. The high performance of Catifornia screens, tied to the higher incidence of Latino frequency of moviegoing portent a significantly higher potential finanda[ performance for Maya Cinemas sites. Maya Cinemas has identified three underserved areas wherein we have identified sites for three megapLexes: Chicago, IL; Huntington Park, CA and San PabLo, CA. These muttiscreen theatres witt be first-class technically and in their amenities, with [andmark striking Maya-inspired architecture. The goat wi[[ be to make these venues attractive to atL moviegoers, in a safe and inviting environment. The totat projected project cost for the first 3 sites: $10,985,447 The EBITDA projected cashf[ow for the first fu[[ year of operation for att 3 sites: $ 4,122,060 'THE GROWING LATINO NLb, RKET: The facts speak for themsetves--U.S. Latinos are ~rowing faster, are on average younger, and have the targest size househotds of any other group in the United States. (.,LL, ONS) ~'-U.S. LATZNO POPULATZON 42M FASTEST GROWZNG Latinos make up the fastest-growing segment of the U.S. population. From 1990 to 2010 the Latino population : 24 will grow at a rate of 75% , while the non-Latino population will grow only 5% By the year 12010 Latinos will , r :,, ., , , make up 15% of the U.S. population. 1990 2000 2010 ~,... source: Dl~/HcGraw-Hill, 1995. , ~.~ ~s o/° OF POP. SEGMENT BY, AGE RANGE YOUNGEST POPULATTON Latinos are younger than non-Latinos. ~ .~i:~:.;;~: -'-,ii~;!;~i!:-'~ The average age of a Latino is 26 NON- compared to 33 for non-Latinos ~ t'ii~.,::~ ~L~TINO By the year 2010-- 21% of all children under 5 ,s '~ will be Latino I0 19% of all 5-17 year olds will be Latino ~ 17% of all 18-29 year olds will be Latino o , 0-5 .&17 18-29 3049 5~64 65+ ~ source: DRl/NcGraw-Hill, J995. ..... n, LARGEST FAMTL]:ES ~ O/o OF POP. SEG~ENTBYHH S:[ZE Latinos have larger households. ] '~' for Latino families is 3.6, ~ ..~;-': _ LRT;~O compared to 2.6 for non-Latinos. 24.6% of Latino families · are 5 or greater 1~0~. compared to 9.5% of non-Latino families. ~_ source: Dl~/hfcGraw-Hill, 1995, GROWING LATINO FIL/ AUDIENCE: In addition to the fact that U.S. THE Latinos are growing faster, are on average younger, and have the largest size "Ii households of any other group in the United States, U.S. Latinos are also ax, id consumers of all forms of entertainment, including the motion pictures. ~U.S. ~T]NO ENTERTAiNmENT ~.0~ ~ ~TZNOS SPEND EXPENDITURES FOR ENTERTAINMENT  $5.9 billion o~ in ~997~ they spent $9 billion... ~ ~ ds~ o~ 52% i~ o~/~ ~ ~/ 1993 1996 1997 [ " AVID MOVZEGOERS ~.AVE RECENTLY ATTENDED A MOV]E~ . Latinos are more likely than non-Latinos to have recently attended a movie-- 49.8% vs. 36.8% of those asked NON-LAT~NQ 36.8% a~ended in the past 6 months A~;ND THE MOVIES O~EN -- to attend the movies o~en--  ~S.2o/o vs. 9.20/0 of those asked NON-LAT~NO 9.2% a~end 2-3 times in a month Latinos are more likely than non-Latinos to a~end on opening weekend-- said they usually go opening weekend__ . - Latinos enjoy all ~pes of movies-- !.Famil~ ~ion~ ~omed~, ~ion/~rama~ ~omed~/~rama, Drama, ~eriod ~rama, Romantic ~om~d~,'$u,pen~e Dr~m~, Famil~ ~omed~ THE MULTIPLEX ADVANTAGE: As mesaptex theatres (theatres with 16 screens or more) have been increasinsty introduced into tocat theatrical markets over the past few years, their impact on order and smatter theatres has been significant. One sign of a new megaptex's impact on its order and smatter neighbors is in the dectine of revenue per screen. 'CASE STUDY--NORWALK, CA: From 1995 to 1997, two 20-screen megapteXes into the Norwatk, Catifornia theatricat market. Over the course of-their screen revenues for surrounding smatter theatres exhibited a dramatic dectine. In contrast to this dectine, the revenues per screen average for the me~aptexes have doubted. Norwalk Theatrical Market: Megaplex vs. Non-Megaplex Avg. Revenues per Screen (1995 to 1998) /~U[GAPLEX AVG. $450,000 A~C Puente Hills 20 ~ $431,414 $400,000 ~'""'"'"~ ' $350,000 ~' 797 "' $300,000 ~ ~'~=-~~ NON-MEGAPLEX'AVG. ~ ? $244,408 $250,000 ~ ~=, $200,000 ~ -A~C Norwalk 20 . I AMC Fullertc~n 20 -. $150,000 .' ~.. ~' ' 1995 1996 1997 1998 SOURCE: EDI CASE STUDY--WINNETKA, CA: From 1995 to 1997, two mesaptexes were introduced into the the second megaptex was introduced in 1998, Winnetka, CaUfornia theatrical market. surrounding smatter theatres disptayed a very dramatic drop in averase revenues per screen, in sharp contrast to a prior slight 8rowth in their average. Winnetka Theatrical ~arket: Mesaplex vs. Non-~egaplex Avg. Revenues per Screen (1995 to 1998) PACIFIC Winnetka :Z0 J MEGAPLEX AVG. $500,000 AMC Promenade 16 ~ $479,412 $450,000 ~...------~' $~-; ,vo~ $400,000 $350,000 ~-~--:= :-:= -, .... NON-M£GAPLEX AVG. $300,000 '" ' ~ ~-J3~31 -'"''"'~~- $296~26 $200,000 1995 1996 1997 1998 SOURCE:EDI MOCTESUNLa, ESPARZA Et ROBERT KATZ The team of Moctesuma Esparza and Bob Katz joined talents in 1984 to form Esparza- Katz Productions. Esparza-Katz Productions has achieved a number of successes in the film industry, including their recent successes of Selena for Warner Bros. and Rough Riders for TNT. Moctesuma Esparza, a Los Angeles native, received his Bachelor of Arts and Masters degrees from The University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) Film School. Mr. Esparza's thesis film, Cinco Vidas, won an Emmy Award. He was also nominated~for~an Academy Award in the Short Film category for his documentary Agueda MartineZ:O~J~t~:/'it People, Our Country. Before co-founding Esparza-Katz Productions, MoCtestJ~~'''~'~ Esparza produced The Ballad o~ Gregorio Cortez and with Robert Redford produced The Milagro Bean[ield War. Mr. Esparza also founded and continues to own and operate Buenavision Telecommunications, Inc. with CableTV systems, in East Los Angeles and in the .Boyle Heights community within the City of Los Angeles. Robert Katz, before co-founding Esparza-Katz Productions, was a packager and producer of some of the most successful home video titles made in the 1980's. Katz is a co-founder of AVSA, a production and distribution comPany of health-care programming which produced the TV series The Body Human. and Li[eline, both of which won Emmy and Peabody Awards. . · ¥: Among their other productions are (partial Est) Gettysburg, The Cisco Kid, Avenging Angel, The Disappearance o[ Garcia Lorca, and The Sweetest Season. The reputation, experience and values of Mr. Esparza and Mr. Katz make it possible for Esparza-Katz Productions to produce mainstream as welt as specialized entertainment programming for both the Big Screen and Tetevision. Their stature as the preeminent Producers of Latino-themed Films also has given them a special insight to the National US Latino population. Their combined experience as welt as their love of movies provides the platform for the success of Maya Cinemas. t The Maya Cinemas management philosophy involves a commitment to high quality and excellence. This commitment emphasizes five specific objectives: L COMMUNITY SERVICE ' -~?..;~.=~%~ ...... -~ · Maya Cinemas understands that its theaters must be an active and contdbutin~"membel~ communities, they serve. These contributions will be made through several mear~s inCludin~.d~ec~L~ financial contributions, donations of movie passes, awarding of scholarships to deserving students, sponsoring and hosting community events. COMMITMENT TO EMPLOYEES Maya Cinemas commitment to employees is based on its understanding that its employees are the most important asset of the company. Maya Cinemas employees will be honored and supported with complete job training, opportunities for continuing formal education and the provision of flexible work schedules. CUSTOMER SERVICE : '~ ' Maya Cinemas commitment to outstanding customer service 'will'be ach!e.v:ed by offering customers a ~ variety of excellent services during their visit to the Movie Theater. This service includes escort I ' services to parking, booster chairs for children, listening devices for the hearing impaired, state of the ~ .~ art sound and projection systems, plush seating, and ongoing evaluation of customer service needs. Maya Cinemas knows that its reputation is a direct reflection of the service its customers receive. QUALITY FACILITIES Maya Cinemas commitment to quality facilities will encompass both the design and development of each new theater and the ongoing operation, maintenance, and improvement to all existing facilities. Using Mayan inspired architecture each theater complex will be designed as landmark building evoking pride and awe in its community. Maya Cinemas plans to design and build each theater complex with individual attention, ensuring commitment to the highest standards for every project. FIRST RATE ENTERTAINMENT Maya Cinemas commitment to first rate entertainment will ensure that the best of Hollywood and world cinema will always be programmed as first run engagements. Each Cineplex wilt attune itself to the tastes and interest of its surrounding community. Eighty to ninety percent of the film bookings will be the latest popular films from HoUywood. The balance will be a mix of Spanish language films, subtitled I ~' and dubbed Hollywood films, International and Art films as well as independent, student and · -'~ documentary films. IL MANAGEMENTPHILOSOPHY OWNERSHIP Maya Cinemas wit[ be owned by Moctesuma Esparza and Robert Katz together with a major financial participant(s) and a group of tat[no celebrities. This plan has been shown to be extremely successfu[ in similar projects and ownership offers a tremendous opportunity to maximize resources and potential profitabiUty. OP£R~TIONS: TI~NS-I. UX Trans-Lux Corporation witt serve as the operator of Maya Cinemas [ocations. Trans-Lux Corporation enjoys a tong history of innovation and financia[ strength. Founded 78 years ago, it is the oldest Us[ed company on the American Stock Exchange, where its securities have.traded under the symbol 'q'LX" since 1925. Trans-Lux is a distributor and servicer of real-time electronic information leading displays for use in both the indoor and outdoor markets. These displays are used pdmadty in apptications for-the financiat, banking, gaming, COrporate, transportation, entertainment and sports industries. . : Buitt upon the success of its display business, the Company owns and operates a chain of motion picture theatres in the southwestern United States. This expertise in theatrical exhibition wi[[ be of considerable value to Maya Cinemas as Trans-Lux takes on various responsibiUties for the practica[ day-to-day operation of i~he Maya Cinemas chain of Theatres. Trans-Lux expert team shat[ be responsible for theatre construction supervision. Furthermore, Maya Cinemas shall rely upon Trans-Lux Corporation's in house experts on architectural and engineering aspects througout its growth and development. Trans-Lux shat[ also provide fuji-time support and supervision of the film buying and setttements aspects of exhibition operations. With a history of exhibition success in northeastern United States, and with its current success in southwestern United States, Trans-Lux is the idea[ experienced company for Maya Cinemas to work with in operating an emerging player in the theatrical exhibition business. OWNERSHIP Et OPERA TIONS Born in Los AnRetes, California, received a Bachelors of Theatre Arts-Motion Pictures, TV in 1971 and a Masters of Fine Arts of Theatre Arts-Motion Pictures, TV in 1973 at UCLA. HONORS AND AWARDS Has received over 150 honors and awards including: National Council of La Raza, 1998 'ALMA Award--Best Film: "SeJena," · IMAGEN Award--Best Theatrical Film: "Setena" Et 'q'he Disappearance of Garcia Lorca," 1998 · Cesar Chavez Award--Assoc. of Mexican American Educators, 1997 · Champion of Hope Award--Hispanas Organized for Political Equality, 1997 · Los Angeles City Council Commendation for Public Service, 1994 · Ten Best Family Films of 1993 for "Gettysburg"--Movie Guide, 1993-:.-. ~.~.:"~ · Jury Prize--U.S. Film Festivat--"The Ballad of Gregodo Cortez," 1983 .~. · Cine Golden Eagle--"Agueda Martinez," 1977 · Columbus Film Festival, Bronze Ptaque--"Agueda Martinez," 1977 · Academy Award Nomination--"Agueda Martinez," 1977 · Fi t m ex -- "Agued a Ma rti nez," 1977 · Metborne Film Festivat--"Agueda Martinez," 1977 · Ohio State Award--"Survivat," 1976 · Clio Award-- "Drunk Drivers Get Carried Away," psa, 1976 .~. =~ -~ · Clio Finatist--"Atcoholism," 1976 "':~.~ = · Emmy Award, Best Film, Best Wdter--"Cinco Vidas," 1974 · Atlanta Film Festival, Bronze Medal, Documentary-- "Requiem 29," 1971 · Virgin Islands, Silver Medal--'q'he Alien Game" OCCUPATIONAL DATA President, CEO or Executive Vice President and Major Stockhotder of the fottowing companies: · Saints [t Sinners Film Development Co., Inc.--1987 to present oEsparza/Katz Productions, Inc.--1985 to present · Moctesuma Esparza Productions, Inc.--1974 to present · Buenavision Telecommunications, Inc.--1977 'to present · Buenavision Cable TV of Cotton, Inc.--1980 to 1985 · Buenavision Telecommunications of Boyle Heights, Inc.--1982 to present · Buenavision Cabtevision, Inc.--1981 to 1984, Exec. VP Et Stockholder · Corinthians XlII, Broadcasting Company, FM Radio Licensee, Yucca Valley, CA --1982 to 1985, Director Et Stockholder Mr. Esparza has extensive experience in management, financial controls, marketing, and 8overnment relations. This experience has led Esparza/Katz Productions to continual ~rowth in both the motion picture and the cable television industries. MOC'I'ESUMAESPARZA THE F]:LMS OF MOCTESUMA ESPARZA (w/ R. KATZ) · The Price of Glory--1999, New Line Cinema (now in pre-production) · Zntroducing Dorothy Dandridge--1999, HBO (now in post-production) Selma--1998, Disney/ABC TV .Selma! · Butter-- 1998, HBO · The SweetestGift--1.998, Showtime · Rough Riders--.1997, TNT · Selena--1997, Warner Bros. · The Disappearance of Garcia Lorca--1996, Sony Entertainment · The Avenging Angel--1995, TNT · The Cisco Kid--1994, TNT · The Ambulance-- 1993, Epic Pictures · Gettysburg--1992, New Line Cinema l~ 6 hour mini-series for~TNT · A Bowl.of Beings--1992, Great Performances, PBS ... · Caliente y Picante--1989, HBO/Cinemax · The Telephone--1988, New World Pictures OF MOCTESUMA ESPARZA - THE · The Milagro Beanfield War-- 1988, Universal Pictures . · Radioactive Dreams--.1985, DEG Films · The Ballad of Gregor~o Cortez--1982, Embasy pictures.: · Borderlands-- 1982, PBS TV '- .Celebration of Love/The Venegas Family--1981, CBS TV · La Raza Series--1974 to 1979, McGraw-Hill Broadcasting · The Future is Now--1979 · A Political Renaissance-- 1977 · The Alien Game-- 1976 · A Working People--1975 · Celebration-- 1975 · Survival-- 1974 · Only Once in a Lifetime--1978, Movie Time Films Martinez--Our People Our Country--1977, Independent .Agueda · Universal Rhythms-- 1978, Independent · Znfinity Factory--1975, PBS TV · Villa Alegre--1973 to 1974, PBS TV, 65 half-hour episodes · Cinco Vidas-- 1973, NBC TV · Requiem 29--:L970, UCLA Film School i Ur. Katz is a motion picture producer, a partner in Esparza/Katz Productions, Inc., and President and Chief Executive Officer of Saints and Sinners Entertainment Company, Inc., a publicly funded company which currently has 16 major properties in development for feature films and television. Saints and Sinners has an overall "first look" deal with Columbia Pictures and one feature already in development. t~r. Katz has extensive experience in financial management, marketins, international 8overnmentat relations and script wdtins. These abiUties continue to 8row and expand in both the motion picture .and cable television areas. Mr. Katz became involved in the theatrical motion picture industry in 1984. His activities included devetopins, packa!~ins, financins, preselUn~, distdbutin8 and producin8 independent films. /~r. Katz' filmmakin8 career began in 1965 when he~co~.-_~-. founded AVSA, a production and d,stnbut, on company of health care pro~rammin!I¢~i~i~i~ ~ He produced over 200 health oriented documentaries and television pro~rams dealiii~ with continuin~ medical education and consumer health education alt over the world. In 1976, his company mersed with ~Aedcom, Inc., the larsest producer of medical and health prosrammin8 in the United States, and he became Executive Vice President of Production,/~arketin8 and Distribution. The fotlowin8 years, AVSA//~edcom produced and distributed the award-winning documentary sedes such as lhe Body Human for CBS Television and Lifeline for NBC Television. Both Prestigious Series were aired on pdmetime and won Emmy and Peabody Awards. THE FZLMS OF ROBERT KATZ (w/Iq. ESPARZA) · The Price of Glory--1999, New Line Cinema (now in pre-production) · Zntroducing Dorothy Dandridge--1999, HBO (now in post-production) Selma-- 1998, Disney/ABC TV ·Selma! · Butter-- 1998, H BO · The Sweetest Gift--1998, Showtime · Rough Riders- - 1997, 'TNT · Selena--1997, Warner Bros. .· The Disappearance of Garcia Lorca-- 1996, Sony Entertain ment · The Avenging Angel-- 1995, TNT · The Cisco Kid--1994, TNT · The Ambulance--1993, Epic Pictures · Gettysburg--1992, New Line Cinema IA 6 hour mini-series for TNT · ABowI of Beings--1992, Great Performances, PBS "- -~*. ~ oCaliente y Picante--1989, HBO/Cinemax · The Telephone--1988, New World Pictures AND V]:DEOS OF ROBERT KATZ THE FZLMS · The Body Human Series, CBS .:. · The Lifeline Series, NBC ,,~ · Shape up with Arnold (Schwarzeneggar) .: · The Pritkin Promise · Marvin Mitchelson on Divorce · Rand McNally--Videotrip Series Colorado Ski Resorts New England Ski Resorts Alaska Mexico's Beach Resorts Washington, D.C. Honeymoon Resorts Central Florida New York City Hawaii °200 health-oriented documentaries/television programs for continuing medical education and consumer health education i The Professionat team is assembted on a per project basis. The architect shaU form a . core group to perform the initiat study to evatuate the site for its feasibiUty and tocation. These teams shaft be formed with consuttants speciatized in Marketing, I Urban Planning, Landscape Architecture, Parking Structure Engineering, Traffic Engineering, Civic Engineering and Architecture. The architecturat professional heading this team is Cartos R. Atonso A.I.A. ("Atonso") and Barrio Ptanners Inc. ("BPI"). Atonso has access to professionals that are experts in the flied of theater construction, theater_equipment ptanning and instattation, theater management, operations and marketing. BPI has access to professionats in urban ptanning, traffic engineering, civil engineering, landscape, architecture and finance.  After the initiat studies are performed and the site is found feasibte, the preliminary designs are prepared to start-the government agencies submittats and approvats for devetopment. During this process additionat consuttants shatt be assembted to ! ~i perform Geotechnicat Engineering, Surveying, and Structurat Engineering duties. After each C~nditl,o, na[ Use Permit ("CUP") is obtained and a Disposition Devetqpm.~_.n.~t::~:~.!' Agreement ( DDA ) has been executed, the Professional Team shatt expand bY'.~hi~'n~..r.:-~.~'~ additionat consuttants to perform ptumbing, mechanicats, etec'trica[ engine~i~'~:gi lighting design, acousticat engineering, hardware consuttation, specifications writing,  design, concession equipment design~' theater equipment graphics design, si_~nage design, security system design, computer system.deSign in 'o~d~.r to prepare working drawings and specifications for the construction of the project. These ptans shaIt be submitted for ptan check to the government agencies having jurisdiction over the project and a building permit shaU be obtained. The working drawings and specifications shaU be released for bidding and a general contractor shalI be selected. A schedule shaU be prepared for the project and construction contract drafted and executed. Construction starts by preparing and clearing the site. Grading is performed, foundation work is performed and the primary structure system is erected. The secondary structure is instatted. Rough ptumbing, mechanicat and etectdcat systems are instaUed. Finishes are apptied and trimming is added, creating the character of the spaces. At the same time att the exterior work is performed such as exterior finishes, watkways, ptanters, tandscape, parking areas and signage. I~ instaUed the course of construction, as weft as caUbrated, tested Equipment is during and made operationat before the theater is open. This witt arrow the theater staff to m ~ be trained and famitiarized with their operations. m~ PROF£SSiONALT£A~ The theater is prepared for the grand opening as fi[ms arrive and are loaded into the projectors, which are then tested and calibrated for sound and brightness. Also, food is delivered, stocked and prepared for consumption; posters, signs and banners are hung; computers, video cameras, monitors, video watts and lasers are installed and calibrated; and benches and trash bins are placed in the lobby. On the day of the ribbon cutting ceremony, government officials, guests, the press and those who worked on the project are treated to the theater's first movie, with plenty of pop corn, soda, candy and other delights. This is the goat of the Professional Team! The following are brief resumes of key members of the Maya Cinemas team: MARKETCAST, INC. Headed by President Joseph He[fgot, Ph.D., this entertainment industry strategic research and marketing consulting firm specializes in four areas: marketing and advertising motion pictures, film exhibition, broadcast television, and new entertainment technologies. The firm is noted for its innovative use of sophisticated research methods to develop business strategies, and its ability to .appty:.~resear-ch~:-~';=;~= business problems. resutts to solving CARLOS R. ALONSO, ARCHITECT Headed by Carlos R. A[onso, A.I.A., architect with seVera[year~-expederice in design work for the entertainment industry and with a specialty in movie theater design. Mr. movie theaters for Mann Theaters, Edwards Theaters, Atonso designed many Cinematic, Regal Cinemas, Brenden Theaters, Flagship Theaters, and many independent operators. Mr. Atonso is very familiar with the sound control requirements of the state of the art sound systems: Lucasfi[m Ltd.'s THX Sound System, Spietberg's DTS, Digital Do[by and Sony's SDDS. Mr. Atonso is also very familiar with the requirements for INLa,X theaters. Mr. Atonso is also very familiar with the ADA requirements, especially when movie theaters have the stadium seating format. Mr. Atonso, in association with Pica Sullivan Architects, Inc. offers experience in remodeling, upgrading, and reconstructing existing theaters that are listed for histodca[ preservation. BARRIO PLANNERS, INC. Barrio Planners, inc. ("BPI") is a mu[tidisciplinary consulting firm engaged in the practice of landscape architecture, architecture, planning and urban design. Headed by Frank Vitta[obos, Barrio Planners is unique in its ability to combine the disciplines of architecture, landscape architecture and planning to each of its projects. The principals of BPI are all experienced and committed to the process of public participation and makes a principal-level commitment to each project as a working project manager. PROFESSIONAL TEAM AMERICAN. ENTERTAINMENT SERVICES, INC. An association of professional consultants specializing in Motion Picture Exhibition headed by Victor E. Gattuso and Bob G. Miller. Mr. Gattuso, President of AES, has enjoyed a career in the motion picture industry ~that has spanned 'over 45 years. He retired in 1993 from General Cinemas Theaters with the he held various executive positions in the during years company, following areas: advertising and promotion; marketing and operations; real estate evaluation and analysis; oversight of major theater construction projects; and the supervision of special entertainment venues featuring new forms of technology. At the time of his retirement in Los Angeles, he held the position of Vice President of Operations for the Western half of the U.S. Mr. Miller, ' Executive Vice President of AES, 'is a 40 year veteran of the motion picture industrY. He retired from General Cinema Theaters in 1994 where, during an eighteen year career, he held positions as Vice President Budgeted Advertising and Promotion, Regional Vice President Film and Vice President Film Marketing.- ~Locateddm~Eos~-: Angeles, he also served on the Board of Directors of NATO (National Theater Owners) of California in the early '90s. Mr. Miller's broad i'nduStrYBXpe:i;]en~~?~ was enhanced by 11 years with Mann Theaters and 4 years with Paramount Pictures. in all aspects of motion picture exhibition incl.uding real estate site KnowledgeabLe evaluation and new entertainment techno[ogy, he is most c[ose!y associated with film and marketing. LUIS ¢. VALENZUELA Luis C. Valenzuela has more than twenty years of experience in commercial real estate brokerage and development. In 1988, Mr. Valenzuela formed Via Vista Real Estate Services as a full service commercial real estate brokerage company specializing in tenant representation. He has exclusively represented companies such as McDonald's Corporation, Wendy's International, CIFRA, El Gallo Giro Corporation, Camacho's Cantina, Los Angeles Operation Hope, Catetlus Development Corporation, and Sumitomo Corporation of America. Mr. ValenzueJa has served on the Board of Directors of several non-profit community based corporations: Westminster Neighborhood Association, inc., of South Central Los Angeles, Puente Learning Center of Boyle Heights, ADVANCE of San Gabriel Valley, and Hispanic Business Advisory Council of the Pico-Union area. he also served on the Housing Linkage Task Force for the City of Los Angeles and was on the Citizens' Panel that reviewed the leasing policies and procedures of the City of Los Angeles. Currently, ~r. Valenzuela serves on the Board of Directors of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute, Inc., and Transmetrics, a engineering civil firm based in San Jose, California. Mr. Valenzuela received a B.A. Degree from Occidental CoLLege and an M.B.A. from the University of Southern California. PROFESSIONAL TEAM JL PLANNED LOCATIONS: CHICAGO 16: Z6TH ~t KOSTNER Maya Cinemas Chicago is Located southwest of downtown Chicago, just north of Interstate 55, .on the border of Cicero in a thriving Latino community. Maya Cinemas Chicago is ideaLLy Located within the 50 acre retail and residential PLaza Mercado development currently being developed by Urban Development Trust, Inc. Among the Largest new retaiL/residentiaL developments in Chicago, the PLaza Mercado wiLL be comprised of approximately 285,000 sq. ft. of retail and wilt be anchored by a fuLL- service grocery store and Maya Cinemas. HUNTINGTON PARK 18: PACIFIC ~t ZOE. Mayas Cinemas Huntington Park is Located east of the Harbor Freeway (110) and south of the GoLden State Freeway (I-5) in the major shopping district of Huntington Park, which Lies on busy Pacific BLvd. The property consists of'approximateLy two (2) acres of Land with approximately 90,000 sq. ft. of building, including a partia[ second story, featuring an entertainment/theatre complex. I L SAN PABLO 18: Mayas Cinemas San Pabto is Located just west of the 1-80 freeway in the city of San Pabto, which is just north of Berkety, in the San Francisco Region of CaLifornia. The 1- 80 is the major route between San Francisco/OakLand and the state's capitoL, L Sacramento. IL LOCATIONS SEE ATTACHED :!iNDIVIDUAL SITE PACKAGES SITE PLANS ~z PROTOTYPES / ESPARZA/KATZ PRODUCTIONS: A TRADITION OF COMMITMENT Maya Cinemas is committed to community involvement. Esparza/Katz Productions has a record ..of 'supporting others in a number of ways including cash donations, movie I internships and special benefit screenings of films. sponsorships, Mr.-Esparza and Mr. Katz'have always believed their most important effort to improve I active of it. Program and events being the community involves being an part considered by Maya Cinemas includes the following (partial list) activities: '-' TH[ NAIIONAL LAIINO ARTS, ~'DUCATION ~: M£DIA INSTITUTE In addition, Esparza/Katz Productions has long been~ the principal sponsor and supporter of The National Latino Arts, Education and Media InstitUte. Over the past two decades the Institute has supported an annual Los Angeles Youth Leadership t well other similar In regards to suppo~i, ng the growth of new Camp, as as voices in the arts and media, The Institute has FecentLY.'-','~begun three important projects: "Movida," "iCuentitos!" and "Cinereal." Through The Movida '("Motion") Project, The Institute has been able to bring together today's most promising new Latino fiJmmakers through workshops and regular retreats to important film festivals such as The Sundance Film Festival and San Antonio's CineFestivat. Through The iCuentitos! ("short stories") Project and The Cinereal cinema") Project, The Institute seeks to support new Latino accomplishing their seminal short film and documentary work by providing mentorship, guidance and technical and equipment support. lq'ational Latino Arts, Education 5iedia ~ Institute ~. ~ . ='~. -f~ ¥~-- ..... COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT Esparza/Katz Productions is deeply committed to education in all its affairs. The following is 'an outline of the typical education programs to be sponsored by Maya Cinemas: GRAD NIGHT PARTIES Maya Cinemas will participate in 'and make donations to all local area high school Grad t Night events. Grad Night is-a dance party on held senior graduation night to offer students a fun-filled evening that is safe, sober and chemical free. SENIOR PROJECTS Maya Cinemas managers will participate in the local high school/college Senior Project Contests by serving as judges. Student community projects wiLL be read and critiqued and free passes and prizes will be awarded. FREE EDUCATIONAL MOVIES Maya Cinemas will sponsor special movie showings for local schools. Such showings will feature films tike: Schindler's List, Malcom X, Gettysburg, Hamlet, El Notre Rough Riders. i[ WORK ABILITY PROGRAMS ~ Maya Cinemas will participate in local programs offering job..t{aining and placement for students with disabilities or problems entering thework force. I-~ ELEMENTARY, MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOL PROGRAMS Maya Cinemas will play an active role in a Local elementary, middle and high school programs that offer rewards for students who increase their grade point average. Maya Cinemas will contribute movie related memorabilia such as t-shirts, hats, posters, autographed photos and movie passes as prizes. SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAMS :'- Maya Cinemas will both contribute to a scholarship fund and create friendly and .easy. -.' ways for our movie~oing patrons to contribute their spare change to a scholarship fund. Maya Cinemas will seek out corporate sponsors to match moviegoer contributions. Through all these efforts our goal will be to annually award $100,000 per Maya Cinemas Cineplex to deserving college-bound students in the nearby communities. IL IL IL SUPERIOR CUSTOMER SERVICE Maya Cinemas knows that its reputation is a direct reflection of the service that its customers receive. The quality of that service, more than any other factor, .level of customers give to the theater and, in turn, their determines the approval friends and associates. Customer service .starts with each Maya Cinemas employee. New employees will be trained first and foremost in superior service techniques such as personal contact, active listening, problem solving and working efficiently. Maya Cinemas will establish a Customer Assistance Program. A specific employee each shift will be assigned to help any patron needing special assistance in their movie experience. Seniors, disabled patrons, mothers with children and others may ask for this and will receive personal help with tickets, seating and concessions. The theaters will also be designed with seating and listening devices for the disabled. Customer service will be featured throughout the moviegoing experience. Two employees will be assigned to open the lobby doors as patrons leave and to say "thank you for visiting Maya Cinemas, please come again." In-house secUrity.., will additionally escort any patron leaving in the night car..~ late hours to their Maya Cinemas will maintain a performance review system that promotes feedback between employees, management and patrons. Maya Cinemas takes pride in its customer service and values its customers. t Maya Cinemas recognizes that its employees are its most important asset. ALt Maya Cinemas employees wiLL be provided with exceLLent training. Maya Cinemas wiLL implement programs that Esparza/Katz Productions has used to support its employees to enhance job satisfaction and to reduce employee turnover. -Maya Cinemas knows that there will always be a Large pool of high school and .college students interested in working in a supportive work environment. Maya Cinemas also-views-its employee programs as part of its contribution to the Local communities. 'The following is an outline of the specific employee support programs: OPERATING PRINCIPLES The operating principles of Maya Cinemas serve as guidelines for its employees. They require that employees: Maya Cinemas believes the single most important support it can give its~student employees is a flexible work schedule in .consideration of their educational r~sponsibiLities. Student who have time to complete their studies, participate in Sperts, clubs, or religious employees - activities and ispend time with their families have elated moF~!~_and enthusiasm. The additional management 'time spent scheduling students has proven results in a more m committed, quality staff working in Maya Cinemas. HOMEWORK ON THE CLOCK Maya Cinemas employees may work on school assignments white waiting to serve patrons or when theater activity is slow and alt work assignments have been completed. Monday through Thursday employees wilt be permitted to do their homework at their work stations-on the m L clock. This program additionally will be monitored by supervisors to insure it does not interfere with customer service. WORK EXPERIENCE PROGRAMS Maya Cinemas wit[ participate in Local school's work experience programs where student~...: employees receive school credits for work time. -~: :; STAFF ACTIVITIES Maya Cinemas will actively promote the philosophy that hard work, team participation and fun go hand in hand. In support of this, dance parties, sporting events, games, trips and many other activities witt be sponsored reguLarLy for Maya Cinemas employees EVALUATION, FEEDBACK, COMMUNICATION Maya Cinemas will maintain a "performance review system" that promotes feedback between employees and management. Two way communication is practiced through an orBanized review system. EMPLOYEE SUPPORT !  QUALITY FILMS FOR ALL AUDIENCES Maya Cinemas wiLL feature first-run, top quality feature films for the enjoyment of its · audience. In addition to screening aLL the top grossing national box office films, Maya I ' . Cinemas wilt screen foreign films, short films and student films. These films wilt be played ..in a variety of auditoriums, offering the guests a unique moviegoing IL experience. ONLY THE BEST FOR OUR AUDIENCES As producers of quatity firms,/Br. Esparza and/Br. Katz have the highest standards for firm exhibition. Each/Baya Cinemas cineptex witt therefore be designed to give the experience possibte for its audience. best movie viewing 'Maya Cinemas witt offer "state of the art" projection and sound systems. These witt inctude: · Giant curved screens for maximum visuat ctarity · Xentron or Christy Projection System · Lucasfitm THX Sound System · DTS Sound System · SDDS Sound System · Dotby Digitat Sound System · Etegant auditoriums · Wide ptush seating with cup hotders · Retractabte arm rests--"tove seats" · Stadium-styte seating · Handicapped parking, seating, concessions E restrooms · Headsets fdr the hearing impaired · Customer Service Station for purchasing tickets in ad~,ance and taking care of guests' · Concession Stands with many service stations to minimize standing in tine · "Behind the Scenes" viewing booths · Video Watts ....... THEATRE OPERA TlObl$ ', ~ ESPARZA/KATZ: CONSISTENTLY IN A FAVORABLE LIGHT Esparza/Katz'ProductiOns has been frequently spotlighted in the media for continued outstanding achievements. EncLosed are a sampling of recent articles and Letters of appreciation for our ventures.  " In addition, Esparza/Katz Productions has enjoyed positive community relations with its extensive community and educational involvement. The men behind 'Movie producers Moctes~ma Esparza, Robert Karo say ~~ ~,,~:~ passion for subject matter is their bond h.l done ~ the movie that ~rought the p~uce~ together. '~In 1~, I was developing a pr~ ie~t a~ut ~uth Mrlca, an anti- apaflheld project" ~ed on a true stou a~ut South Mflc~ d~to~ who were lafled, ~pa~a fettled after a long day ol p~uction on "Selena" in San Antonio. "I was working with a ~iter- dtr~tor who reIe~ed me to a cousin who could bring connectlom Mrtca for the ~m. That w~ Bob Katz. We develo~d a strong rap~fl fight then and there," gspam~ said. "Bob later ~rougnt me a prelect. Uk~ lt. I brou~t him ~other jeer. A~ut nine months later, I woke up and ~d an invento~ or what I w~ do~g. I had a~ut six and a~ were with Bob. I said to my~lh'He must ~ my paflner,' We haven't l~ked Back sln~." Both have pr,~uc~ movies on the~ own. Espa~a pr~uced "The Milagm Beanfield War" m 1;~, direct~ by Ro~;X Red[ord starting Buben Blades, Soma Braga, Melanie Griffith and John Heard for Universal Pictures. Ka~z has worked with Arnold Schwm~enegger. Norman and I.nme Greene in vsriot~s prolecls. Perhaps the ~esl known Espa~a- Katz movie, though, is "Gettysburg,' a $1~million movie re-crealing the ~ama of the Civil War ~attle. Il was first released m theaters and later sho~ as a six-hour ml~-series on TNT, drawing the largest viewemhip ever for a ca~l~televmlon presenta- tion. ~e team, which h~ won numerous c~ema awa~s, also has made "Tho 'Powerful ' tories attract producers · Continued from 1D Cisco Kid," based on an O. Henry story and starring Jimmy Stairs .and Cheech Matin and."Avenging. Angel" about the Mormons in Utah starring Tom Berenger, James Co- SPECIAL TO THE EXPRESS-NEWS burn and Charleton Heston. Other movies include "The Am- Esparza-Katz Productions perhaps is best known for 'Gettys- Earl burg,' which was~released in theaters and was shown as a mini~ bulance" starring James Jones for Epic/Triumph in 1991 series on TNT. and "The .Telephone" in 1989 for to be shot beginning in November ' my daughter again asked to look at New World .Pictures, starring in the San Antonio area by TNT~ .this..story. We saw what could be Whoopi Goldberg, John Heard and plus "The Cesar Chavez Story" and~.. :done, a beautiful story about her Elliot Gould. "A Piece of the Sky" for warner ~':~ife;" not focusing on her death at "Caliente y Picante," a 1989 mu- sic special for HBO£Cinemax, Bros., plus "Hopalong Cassidy," all, about a family that pursued the written by John Milius and "The American dream against tremen- Way Things Are," to star Dennis dous adversity and would manage starred Blades, Linda Ronstadt, Carlos Santana, Tiro Puentes and Hopper. to succeed. whoJerrYdiedGarciain 1995.°f the Grateful Dead, "Most of what we do seem to do "I wrote a letter to Mr. (Abra- In post production is "Lorca," be biographies," Katz said. Added ham) Quintanilla (Selena's father). Esparza: "We like to do movies It turned out I was the last produc- based on the SpaniSh tragic play- that are about something. We care er to approach him. He already wright' Federico Garcia Lorca, about them. We are passionate was in negotiations with another who died in the Spanish Civil War about them. They say something pr°ducer .... It was the idea about in mysterious circumstances. The about who we are. They are com- · making a movie about the celebra- purpose of the film is to argue that pelling, entertaining stories." tion of her life that excited him." Lorca, author of the tragic play That way of thinking led them to Esparza and Katz are moving "Blood Wedding," died on orders of "Selena." Esparza's daughter, from "Lorca," to "Selena," another the rebel general Francisco Fran- Tonantzin, is a Selena fan who en- notable who died early in life in an co, .who denied involvement and couraged her father to make a unexpected way. who became Spain's longtime dic- Selena film after the Tejana sing- '.'It's a theme with other artists tator. Other upcoming productions by mg star was slain in March 1995. we know, who live in constant fear At first, Esparza and Katz were of the wackos of the world and the Esparza-Katz include "Teddy not 'interested. "There was so impassioned psychos. It's a real Roosevelt and the Rough Riders," much notoriety. We didn't want to scenario," Esparza said. do something that would be per- The seasoned, experienced team ceived as exploitive because of the has quickly fallen under the Alamo terrible and tragic way she died," City's spell while working here. Esparza said, adding: "It's lovely here. I enjoy the archi- "Several months went by, and tecture," Esparzasaid. Ii Medallions of 'Excellence The Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute proudly con- fers lhe ~997 Medallion of E~cellence for Distinguished Service to award-winnin§ film producer Moctesuma Esparza. It was his activism durin§ the Chicano civil ri~hts movement of the 196os that ted Espa~za to the film industry. As an undergraduate at UCLA in 1968, he organized media coverage and served as press liaison during the student Moctesuma Espar~a Film Producer walkouts in Los Angeles. While developing his credentials as a filmmaker, Espa~za also continued his adivism, One of the first films he produced, Requiero 29, examined the death of journalist Ruben Salazar at the time of the National Chicano Moratorium in Los Angeles. Around that same time, Esparza worked to recruit minority students to enroll in film and television departments at area unive;~ sities. Understanding the power of the mass media, Esparza and other Chicaho filmmakers have worked tire- lessly to create i'magesof~gur people that are human, three dimensional~.an~!..:.t~uly reflective of our reality. Throu§hout lhe ~r~;-~t~ie works of Moctesuma Esparza have garnered more than loo awards. The high- ly successful Esparza-Katz Productions produced the film Selena, released in April ~997 and The Rough Riders, a four hour mini-series for TNT. Soon to be released is the film, /'he Disappearance of Garcia Lorca, and in devel- opment are The C~sar Ch~vez Story and The Dorothy Dandridge Story. We salute his achievements. UP FRONT Latino' filmmakers gain.a [ othOld in HoUywood By Erne-sto Po~'rt i~!ihP. J~r. :1 STAFF wRITE:l{ ~ o~ ~d ci~ ~ r~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ by ~ve~ of ~e ~s' ~ ~d ~ ~ ~fl, ~ f~ ~ ~ ~ ~t ~d e~' .~~.~~~~6~d~~~ ~ fi~ ~ ~e U~ ~ ~d ~ U~e ~e ~~~ ~ ~ ~ - ~ge~ ~e ~n.' B~ ~ ~ ~nt at the d~t ~ ~d ~of~ ~or~ ~ y~s ~t ~ ~~ ~ec~ ~r ~ m a~m ~ ~om ~e ~ ~ M~h 6; ~d ~eWo~hi a~ a ~d~- - ~ C~ ~ik'~ ~ahy~~d ~flg a~ ~e ~t ~ r~ more ~p~ ~e ~ s~ what ~ ~e u~ m h o~ff ~ f~-- f~ M~ ~d ~n ~~ M~ch 7. ~e f~ ~ ~e ~ audie~e a~e ~at ~ ~ ~, ~ ~d ~' ~ ~ F~ ~t ~on ~e Won~M I~ ~em ~ ~ent~ ~fin~ m~flg ~esfing fi~s. Cr~ ~k' U~ S~), Cko ~ C~ Na~ de ~d ~, who ~ born in ~s ~gel~ ~d ~d- E~ ~ ~o ~d. los ~.' Colom~, Jor~ C~ ~me of ~ f~h~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Y~ ~L' M~o), N~r Mi~da CD~aon ~ ~ ~e 5 ~dude 'E~do ~d~" ~ ~b~ ~ ~ ~y by no~g ~d G~ Ma'~ n~ U~o~" Uni~ ~) ~d M~lo ~ ~ow ' _:named Raymond 'Luis Reyes :~:~::ei~,c~:O~ the~ Te~-as:~3/ss~ciati6n- :~" . idirectO~-~of its CNC division. He .:will oversee.all divi~iona]oper- * ~9-~fi6~S.:.~vith ~_.Reye~.~v~i~re¥iOusly ::~of SEM:~:~fl~tfi~CG~rgia. ~ :aw~d~ ~:~Ch6i~SfiiPs :{ :: oU idiSi: .tgnhaY c-'/~Amerle:an-:Expreas-.C°mPany,s'Hlspani~:bmPloy~.~r~ni~tion :-' of ~s :Angeles, :and 'Martha_ heldl~thlrdannualHIs anicExpoto~lebmteHIspamc~eri~ e p · :..- . P .... ~ G~llardo ~ot -Wilmington.-AII. .<: Month;~A~endlng the event wem'(~):Marla uae,new ~orK- - .. .. - ...... -. ::/?.~Mshlonde~ignercurmntl~p~a~ng In~ecompany'ssmall ~_ ': ~sm°~ngPum~c~lau° c:~'~:~bualne~ ~Wlces adve~lsing; .Andy, aBa~ NY model; and :-.~ ::" '~ C:-': :-:':' ::~:: - :~:: :':*':' :::~'-AmerlCan Express representatlves-Marnle Omanoffand Arne ~:.C~a~:Pe~a ~.ffmdcr~t~- ..:-::::WillMms~: "_S~hool.-_;' selecteda~:.- ~:~(}~¢~S~i6~l~:w~ ~:~hd?~.}.:Caribbean:-:?rize . ?for~. ?:?-¢~':~::::-: :-:~;L ~};~..:::?:::~:' ::~7: ~:~:::::::-~?~::5¢¢~. n afl vd:.~ L~ ti-n-A mcr ~c a 'or- Poli~ ~mmand'~r?S ~s~iMIon's(HAPCOA) nat!on~t tmtm ~:~'"~.1¢. ?¢~.:.r':-:.:~-:~:~?..::-,:~:~-'~-c?;-~--...:;~.: -,:--s~::. - ,... '- . ~sh" lng c~mn~ in M~mi-Beach. (~): Eduardo Gon~l~ ui~or,:' ~:~:~e::Um~':~.~Dep~mept2. ~:th~C~b~'wn~ngmSp ~ '-':U.S.' Marshals ~wice;:'Marl~a AStorquiza,-Hlspanic marketing- ~:~'~f~S~a~e~:h~ppointed;Jeffe~'::?~English, 6~Po~coranative manager, AIIs~te; Jesus Rangel,--vi~ president.of co~mte ml~.. :~: ::A?..~.S~Z'~::~T~6~s~...:::~'~:; :~ Sn~ 0FPo~u~ai.w~fi n. ~n: tlons, Anheu~r-Bu~h Compani~;E~l Chav~, pmsi~nt, HAP; : '- ' ~: .... ;~::' ~.-~' '~--...~: ~. :-~-,: ~-.. - ~- · = ~ '" :~COA' John C -Lo .chairman and CEO, Lo~z Foods;.and Joe :::T'Mba~e~:~w~il~d:;F~C:::~':::~Spanisn'or:'yo~uguese-': ' :': .... :~ i~i~ast pmsident, HAPCOA. '-. - . ': : )i:::St.:;mao}S~:i~OhiVefdi(y..:::and}'. paulh:~hssi;':c0nector, pub-' bitions..has been.elected'as 'a ":-ifi'Austin..h~q been selected.as -::-::f~eiveda ffiaStecs ~g~r°~:-.,;.iisher;~.~d:inifiator ~fan exhi-: ~ustee -of the MetroPolitan the mgionalWinnerofAnde~en :. ;..:. ~..'.:.:. ;.:.~::~. 4: ,._.:?:. ~ .c-:::-:-~:-:~... ::., :.. _ . ' ' Museum of A~' in New York.: Consulfing:s V~ Gogh_S~h~l " city. Cussi serves.on various' .-~Contest. Pefia;aiongwi~the boards-for-museums in New seveno~er~on~w~ne~.will _York. P~is. and London, re~ive ~ all-ex~nse-paid - ' - to W~hington,:D,C,', with his- p~ents to s~.the "V~ Gogh's V~ Goghs: Masterpieces from the Van Gogh :Museum. Am- ..... :;~ sterdam." exhibition at the Na- .:.~:~. .... tional Galle~ of ~. Gloria Maria 'Amador was -~- ':-~ ~::':: ~lected IBr Glamour mag~ine' s : .1998 Top Ten College Women Team. Amador. a mathematics M~tezuma.Espam (third from right), pictured with his family, recetved the Latino Enteaainment Media Institute [LEMI) Vismn and applied sciencesenioratthe Award for his contributions to oinema hlato~ and.~tlno enter- Raymond Luis Reyes. Univemity of Calilbmia at Los talnment. The award was presented at the annual Latin Hea~LEMI Angeles. was chosen ~om more aonfer~n~ last year in Los Angeles. BobCAD Engineering has than 1.000 undergraduates.~ H1SPANIC * JANUARY~BRUARY "98 i " UP FRONT -:.~.~5p~, ::? ~ H~ h~ :/~ ~ M~ ~ ~ 5 p~'N~e ~ ~ ~ · ~~e 'It is'~H ~e ~at ~e d~ for ~i~ ~e ~fi~lt to ~ne~, but (~b~ ~ by ~~M~):9 ~o~ d~ ~e o~n m ~ople ~o have '~ ~o~ M~do pmv~ ~e~ abili~, just ~e Gr~ N~ ~o~e T~, h~ proven his ab~," ~d Es~. ~ A~.. ~e ~e ~i~ is ~ble for o~er ~ople, but ~ey ne~ to be able to g~ ~e m F~, ~h 6:5 ~nd of ex~dence ... to p~ve ~at ~ey ~ p~ N~e maser ~is ~1~ ~t form, ~d ~t ..; ~m ~e L~ · cy ~e ~nous ab~t ~mg profession. ~, Horn ~; 7 Es~ ~d. p~. "M~ ~de~~ Young ~no &r~to~ ~e su~rfing ~co); 9 p.~ 'J~o y each o~er, he,orang ~d s~ng to ~gel" bre~ ~rou~ ~e Ho11~ studio ~ m ~, ~ 7:5 tern by m~ng inde~ndent films. ~d p.~. C1~ N~ht ~. Celeb~on, C~en's ~is new young gene~on of ~ ~ -. Mu~um ~ a~ e~. I ~ink, is going to blow Hol~o~ ~t ~a~ Pmdu~on. ~ ~n ~d J~ Ohos. Joe ~de o~n." he ~d. "It's goi~ ~ s~t out- ~s ~u~on comfy. ~~, is ~z~ ~1 ~ C~n side ~e s~dio sys~m, but it ~11 quic~ ~n~ wor~ on a film a~u~ C~ become a ~t of i~ b~au~ ~e studios Chav~, u well as biopi~ on ac~e~ ":~ au~or ~y ~ 7 ~e Ioo~ng for ~ple whom ~ey ~ ~st Doro~y D~dge ~d ~e Rev. M~n ~ u~ ~ ~' p~. ~e Wonde~l Ice ... to deliver a profe~ional, enter~n~g ~er ~g Jr. His compny hu 10 product d~aL ~o~e ~ ~ ~e." ~eme ~ pro~ under ~y ~at employ For more ~ 25 ye~, Es~ has p~ young ~o dir~to~. ~te~ ~d actor. ~f (Cu~): 9 duced d~men~es ~d fllm~ One of hi8 ~ HoH~ s~dios o~n ~eir d~ to · p.~ ~o~ ~ f~m~g ~t produc~ons ~s "~qulem 29" in 1970, ~no ~ent. ~ple need to beli~e ~ ~ V~ C~en's ~ich e~ined ~e dea~ of ~s ~g~les ~em~es ~d pre~e ~em~lvcs. ~urnalist ~ben ~1~, who was ~lled b~ Esp~ s~es~. ' -- ~m Po~ Jr. ~s ~gel~ ~unt~ She~fs deputes dur- "Be~ef ~ a~on ~1l ~eate result. It is ~ng a Chicano ~-Viemam W~ protest, not 'cami~nte flo ~ cami~o' (~veler ~nce then, he ~s pr~uced numerous ~ere is no road). ~e road is ~ere." ~eie~slon ~d thea~cal films, ~y of them for PBS. His ~ ~e B~lad of ~ G~go~o Cor~zf featu~ng O~os. was his ,! no-nonsense characters, takes a 180-degree turn in his role as the filthy tramp who in ou the deal and teaches the others a les- son in true friendship. For some, the Latino film market isn't growing fast enough, however. Jorge CerveraJr., a grizzled teddy bear of a man who has made his living as a character actor for the last 30 years, recently decided to realize his life's dream by producing, directing and starring in his own movie. The result, Julio y sit Angel, written by Cervera's wife Penelope, is a transcendent ..... Cine '98 tatino Film Fest/va/comes to Horton Plaza: Esai Morales and (below) piece of filmmaking with such heart, acted Edward James Olmos in The Wonderful Ice Cream Suit. so convinciugly and photographed so richly in rural Mexico that it stays with you for F[~ ~l~ie~e~tli~it y0u ~nderatand them~ thefi~-:- days afterward. To be screened on Mm'ch . ~?:~----"-: -'-=--" ~' ~ ..... ~ ............. 5, the movie, subtitled in English, tells the ~ ~ ilifi~iS/ac~ivi~(sini:e (the.late:60s~:7 tale of an orphaned boy whose guardian 5igg- a % .ei eS}iiN i a' Wi5- ::ii -P ma's'6rrgi ial i}oal"~ a'fiimnlaker v~i~ angel ap~an ill me unlikely fi~,re ora soli- ~.iSs,br. Wduc~ina.:fifm.~iai~r~a~i~i~C~:4p~ririy Mexican:Americans ~ th~:~~ tory. older man who sor= through tr~h for ~ie ~6b~i} i'~Ve}-~eitd°r mi 5~mi~sio~. people;-. [nstead of me nii'~ a living:: m~butchancesareyou,re familiar with C3~}ib~es6fsom~y~erican films. Hii::':-. -,T~make the film, Cervera ~nortgaged Se~m l~t year's succe~ful biopic of the '?1988film,'TheMi~o-Beanfie~:War, Whicker?5 "h~'h°u~ in Ba}a and sold both his classic slain Tejano singer, which Espa~a pro- --,~ll~ ~reened.on o~ning night oi'~e f~-:5:, car collectiou and a successful business. '~d now I'm in ~ouble," he ~ys, "because .duced ............ ~ __::::-:)~L:~ ~fit~l, isTa=~enching and beau~ully ~ld ~ ~3 -'5~peapie~h0 put ~heir lives on the line'~6~:~( Holl~ood hasn't yet gotten around to the ,7~-~6:~d since the Clue'98 often '-a-~use, It comes ~ no surprise to hear tha~5., idea ~at the huge Hispanic communi~ in 'fii~-f~a{~}~ films and B0 shoru, which is '.~ a~a~slatest project is a biography 6f3~ this country has a big capaci~ to spend fewer shor~ and more features ~an in -cesar Chavez,- the man who Championed5? money on movies that represent them as years p~t (an attempt to upgrade the qual- 3 ~a~m~fr~e}s~righ~':- ' 57~5~3. huinan beings." Cervera and his wife have been taking i~ of~e procuration, according to Festi~l ~Es~arzl ~ he feels fortunate to hav~:'..' founder/director Ethan van Thillo), -:~"~hi~vedhisgoalswi~outcompromisin~-:~-5 meir film to fesfivals tbroughout the world, Espa~a is a natural choice for keynote ~imseN.:He credim ~e cultural climate% hoping that someone from a distribution speaker. Even the venue in which the festi- ~'~-~ith supp°rdng his efforts. '~he -Latifi0 ~. company sees their fihn's potential. "~en vai will be held, United Mtisu Theatres in .~population in the United States is now Horton Plea, reflec~ an attempt to reach -:-l~ge enbugh that it can sustain all sor~ a more mainstream audience. In years p~t, : ~filtti~l expressions in a business format.-[ 5_ films have been screened at colleges on ':-~}imember.a time when you could go to both sides of the bordeg and at the Centro -[~ew~York ~ ~d couldn't find Cultural de la Raza, which sponsors ~e '.Now Mexican food is ~ American as pizza;'~ event. :~The abiliW to tell our stories-in' film-is Esparza,-who grew up speaking bo~ :~'0ing to continue to grow, because of om: '- English ~d Spanish in E~t Los ~geles, h~ -p~;esence jn ~e marketplace." a deep, resonant voice which bean no ~ace .... Actor EdwardJ~es Ohnos, who w~ last of an accent. He attributes his success to his year's featured speaker, is also reaping the willingness to learll yet another language~ benefits of cultural iuterest in Latino ~at of the'fihn indus~y. "~en you come themes. His latest movie, 77~e Wonde~fid Ice into a field you need to understand what Cream S~it. to be screened ou March 7, is a people mean when they say certain things, light-hearted tale originally written for the There are nuances, an entire cultural hack- stage by Ray Bndbnry. Made by Disney grmmd and history. I have tbund that when expressly for the home video market, it is ~ the story of five down-and-out Mexican- Americans who pool their last rcsom-ccs buy a spilt), white suit they phu~ to share. Olmos, known for his portrayal of HOMEWARD BOUND: ~ INCREDIBLE JOURNEY -I The Walt Dis~y Company Producers: Donald Ernst ~; Kirk Wise Director: Duwayue Dunhnm I Writers: Caroline Thoml~on & Linda Woolverton . SEARCHING FOR BOBBY FISCHER I Paramount Pictux~s producers: Scott Rudi~ & David Wisnievitz D/rector & Writ~. Smven Zaiilhn ~l~rodu;ers:~;Rob~rt Katz & Mo;t~ums .......... FREE-WILLY I Warner Producers: ~enny Low Tugeud & l~uren Shuler*Donner Director:. Shnon Winter i Writers: Keith Wallo=* & Co~y Bleclunan ' THE METEOR MAN -~: ,..' Producer: Lm'etha Jones '" ' Director & Writer:. Robert Townsend I SISTER ACT II Touchston~ Pictu~ -- Producors: Scott Rudiu & Dawn Steele Director:. Bill Duke I Writers: James Orr & Jim Cmickshank DENNIS THE MENACE I Wam~r Bms. Producer & Writgr:. John Hughes Directoc. lT~.k Castle I BEETHOVEN'S 2nd Universal Pictures I Producers: Michael Gross & Jo~ Medjuck Director:. Rod Daniel Writer:. lam Blum I TOM AND IERRY: ~ MOVIE Turner Pictures Producer & Din:clot. Phil Roman I- Writer:. De, ms Mazks COOL RUNNINGS I ThE Walt Dis~y Company Producers: Christopher Meledandri & Susan Landau Director: Jon Turt¢ltaub I xx~.~ ....! .... ~i~.f~,rt Tr~rnmv gwerdlow. Michael Goldbcrt & Michael Ritchi~ with their of a complex that would include bookaores restaurants and a otaza. ContinUed from B1 S~:ewn ~'szken~v ...... ' .... The chain, he said, ~s ~a~ of his Pueblo Contraelin~ ~ervices. esi- films and directors. He told The males-the multiplex and ~hoppin~ Time~;last ~e~r,t~t heandpartner center wo~d co~t ;bet~veen $20 ~b Ka~:;pl~n tO~uce 10 La: million and $30 milton. -- . ....... - tino-orientefl, tow-budget films ~t, who o~s Buenavision ~th young, unkn~ di~dctorg: 'Telecomm~cations Inc., add he '-~"E~pa[za said Tuesday~l~t 'the would ~ a tenet in th~ ~ebto Maya cinem~ chain~o~i~o~tait de~elopmem indus~g hnatv,[s '.~v }~di,,~ a With hi~: I~r~r~66[{fi~3~js. in theater'c~in is ex])ensi,~e. 't~he only 'a 'large' m~iti~ie~'-'bf ~:~'fo 18 individual who ~s succeeded ~ theaters, he would deVOte one or recent years is 'bla$f'JoMmn. the two screens to 8pa~sh4~age former ~k~r ~.:b~ketbali sup~s~ films and one to Enghshxlang¢~gO who p~nered ~th Sony ~ea~ra .... movies aimedat ~tin'os. Like Johnson--who opened rhea- ~ly, he hopes!to add a l~ent ters in Baldwin Hflis ~d other s~Ch~ge to each ticket, w~ch the predominantly black neighbor- rhea[er would match and me m h00ds--Espama hopes the Maya pro, de sch0~rs~s to l~al stu- cme~ ch~ would become a dents. community anchor. He plans to There is already a huge ~tino open the buildings for educational audience ready for Spanish lan- uses in the morton,. ~age movies, he said. He ~aid he will provide "cry "What's missing," he said. "is rc~ms" where parents can wa;ch ! ! An_ eles ~im£~ SEPTEIViBER' 5;'i 999 1~ as'°ne ~.th'e Student ieade~s in audience who: liad"~ condd~q~l Btrt the old fire isn't completely · [ ' rated, ifftutional: rna:: He has bee~ Jailed,; , But Esparza s,~_~n_wm-ten~, m ~.,or np !nu? ~ ingly banished from film ihen everaua!l, yi::::~q~I on. ~]j':f. in ~ fit. o! ._em?~o~. ~ _O.._e~l~..m~o~: ts. seen ~oy.,~o~ne~ "lt'~ rneis~' ~ O~ one ~ in vm~ (~ 1~ f~,~ 'S&?,.~ .I~m~Y ~ .to~ ~ ~ r~ th .... ._~,,_.m ...."~h~ ~s~.,, 'M~ Ie'~'' H~'s .r~t "~od~i%. ~ ~er 25 ~ of ~ ~e?,. ...... He. ~.} ~~ or , ~n't ~ ~,'" ~a~ ~- D~dge~9 :~ ~u~,(:: ~i~.,~~. . . ~ ~--~_~'.'.s~ Z2~_,~: ~-c~ .~a ~ a 'i~ t~~8'.~;'~;:' to~ ~ ~, 1~ h~ ~ ~e ~ fl~ts b~.. H~ 3~ su~rtse'd ~ ~ln'~;~;:?. ,,~:~d ~~ . Producer Moctesuma Espar~, a~i~eraxi Chican° activist, st~'fi' ~ghts for Lat~o figh~:.'B .ut as theyears have passed, he has learned to often.h~s approach.~ . Perseverance i~ pcrhap~ the whose stock' physique and .mod- Continued from P~e 7 est cto~mg make him look more mmpfing m work within the con- like a college professor than a fines of a basically wM~e tto~y- Holl)~o0d producer. Born wood system whQe still maintain- Me,can m~gr~i p~ent~ in East Los ~ge!es. Esparza and his lng his sense of identity as a Chicano acti~st, younger :broker jesus grew up poverty.. Espgza's mother. Usthcr, died .~Sh~,bi~'::t0 his brother, ~his trickv.,bal~ce also af- .~ fects his' mo~e-m~ng, as who is mentAgvrelarded. ~Esp~a h~'~ed to make - · ,':~ Ladn-~emed commercial films ~ s a y°u~h,( ' ' ~,Sth a cro~over ,appefl to non- ~ .dance~ ~tinos. He:h~b~ ~e~ not to ~ 2~:~e he"waS~'~~iA'~.: - pigeonhOle'himself by m~ing only smdeni;, he was ~so in: a';~::~g: Latin "Picture!i Wiih. his' Parmer ~e,~ t~ach~S ~d,. cofinsel6is 'aobea~Ka~.of ~pam/Ka= Pm- shoWed~:¢b~/emPi~;'for M.e~c~s, ducfiOnS,'."his comply' ::h~ ;pro~ his fa~i;,,~i{~ ~:~ien~,;0[ patH- duced: sever~ ~ '~pics .sdch ~ °tiff" ~ "Get~bmg" ~d 'moU¢~'~d"rs'' m°u~ in ad~fiOn to m~m ~fino.~emed apple per,ce 0f;O~Cih ?rca,'[', : E~P~:.~ They ~s~ _~rodu6ed ~e: r~ent mS ~:~i~}~h~e:6[}~T-de.,' HBO mo~e ',lfit~OduC~g D0r°my. spit~:~"lo~:~tafionS st~g.,:de~, at, Wame~ .Bros, :lo he.,~6~d~}~[:~l~,ko!: produce a mo~e bi~aphy about lege[~fO~~g: bf~u-CD~.'' f~ labor l~der Ce~ChaVez. ' ith~ nei~er be~ nor~a.mm- m~,e~fi~}~, .-,- · :~ plate Suc~ess~S(b~, :, c~l~ ?,~B~i~ ~ ~'~'SM'e~ean ~i~;'Z,::.~:~,~. '. w~l~e being slappe~ in ~e face." ~'~m ~ hi~~ that me Co~- ~}t~S:~,i~ :~en :to~ f0tei~~;', he A seed. of--ffiS6o~ient ~ 'b~ ~~~d~';~?:?`;:~ :': ..... Ind~ed, ~at' ~as ~: :~h~inge standingmg 'inside grades'~' DUeand.tOhi~his' out-test ~eii '.film "5elena': st~dwemct~te o~ o~ sco~,'he ~d' enter UC~ ~ ';:' ..... ::~.' ': ' c°~;i q~te oyerc°~e-.at. ~e box. faU of 1~67. At U~ he met others office. Th0U~ 'lennlf~ ~Pei's l~e ~, bitter ~at ~ey h~ been M0~ ~ peffo~Ce.lapnchefl~ h~ .~C~r Wen a ~d,mte education, ~d. ProdUcer . ~d.~e ~.~Pssed m0~e ~ dete~ed tO ~ch~ge th~ for $35 million fl0mesticallv, the M~e:geneL~fipn~ :. ,.~. m0~e '~d"nothave cr0~oSer ap- "He ~ sh~-t~ng 17~Year- pe~ ~,ffieatem. HOWever, ~p~ old,': s~d Espa~a's best, friend conteh~ ~at nOn-Latinos have Juan Gomez Quifionez, recalling s~n "Selena". at home eider on ~eir ~st encounter at UCC. "He video or HBO. ~d .it ~h.~ now was ve~ energetic, Ve~ str~ght- a~ieved .a sieCOr:: mo~[ of fomard."' : ~ ' ' cros~ver,. · -' :-: .... : , ~. ~ong ~d~ his ~oup of acti~st His. next ~box, 0ffice marketing ~ends, Esp~za cO;founded Young ch~lenge ~!1-be ~'The Price of Chicanos' ~6r C°~unfty Action, Glo~," a bo~g pict~e st~fing which toothed ~to the p~mfli- ]~y S~ts set ~-~st Los ~- t~ ~oup ~e:Bro~-Berets ~d gelea. Thef~,'which h~'been de- ~e co~ ou~each organ- scribed, aSa cro~ be~een "W~t tion United Me,can ~erican Side StQ~"'.and "Roc~'," .~l.be Students- ' releas~:e~ly next ye~ .by New wi~in a ye~, ~ 1~88, they had ~eClnema. orchestrated the ChicanwBIOw- Ihe mo~e, by ~$t-time dkector out--which resulted in 20;0~ Los C~1~s :A~la; is' budgeted at less ~geles high ~hool students.w~- thaff gl5': ~iilion, low by today's Mg out of ~eir schools in 'protest studio standards. It is .one of ihe of inferior education. few if not the 0p!y~mo~Ses this As one of the leaders, Esp~a year backed by a major studio was immediately targeted.by law - · - enforcement. Soon a~er the blow- whose cast is entirely Lafino and outs, he was charged ~ith whose subject matter is 'Latin- counts of conspiracy to disrupt themed. However, Esparza stresses public schools~a felony that car- that the story is unJversal--about des three >'ears for each.count. h3ve, loy~hy and pez~t~verance, ter a re'o-year batOe, the charges za and several others were agai~ charged, this time with arson, bur- glarv and tampering with electrical wires during then-Gov. Ronaid Reagan's speech at the Biltmore clever ways of financing pictures. But those who have ~nown Holel in Los ~geles. His 1982 him '"Ihe BaLlad of Gre- parza say he h~ mellowed out sig- The most serious charge--ar- gorio Cortez" was ~nded throu~ nificanlty. Esparza and Olmos son--stemmed from a plot the PBS' "American Playhouse' were photographed in a strong hatched :by a police.infil~ator of and bY pre-selling the telex4sion embrace in Augus~ at a rally. And the Bro~-Berets to light flares in ri~ to. E~ope ~x~& a theatrical nobody questions his credemi~s. releas~ndo~ .... The 'old intensi~' and anger~ ~e lace'.do,ts of~e hotel., over t~ past 20 years, he has dramatically captured in Trex4flo s Even though Esparza was no longer :aeBro~ -Beret._~d'had no worked ~s way-- ~om publicly fi- documemaD' "ChicanoY' when ~- .~6~l~:~g~.O~.fl~eidea, he was nanced docu~en'tatian' tO inde~ parza is seen pointing his finger pendefit producer ~ ~me 'Sth- into the chest of a school adminis- ag~..~geted..~e, c~e bec~e dio bac~n~. '- ...... . :.~:: . : trator--have been softened by age ~o~:~'theBfltmore beven.. Ai:(th~i"::~6i'nt ~ -wei~~' f~ng He hag s~n-his shoe bf ups'and and "a: fulfilling life. He has ~een for our lives," he s~d. "So I .went do~s. In 198~, ~er..ta~ng apub- m~ed w the same womb, Espe- ~d~r~o~d for?a:w~e;?;,:: 4 , Itc po~d~g for ~lege~v depict- r~a, for22 years, ~d they have :BUt at~22,-he co~d not face life lng CUltural ina~c'uradieS .and fora ~ldren--~ eider on their as a'~iiVe~ .S~i'h~ treed h~elf stereo~es in ~Thb M~a~o Be~- way tO collie or ~eady there. chfi~eswef~:fig~ ~op~ed .... :~:..:: throw in Ihe towel' (oh ~tmo~ ~ ~-him, he w~ a ve~ ~g~ man themedprojec~. Hewas under ~e ' and into. violent action," said .... · ~=;'- -' '- - by ~t~o. a&i~sts for produc~g a Grego~ Nava, who directed "se- ~'hbse ve~s. 'hOwever, turned I~:~'o~t ~6 be a.se~al chapter ~ some consider~ patron~mg, lena." 71:,think it is ~credible how ~d that ~y '~d made)Me~c~ he evolved, howhe too~..that-nega- ~70f..hi~',iife..- He emerged a . ~eric~:lo0k *mpid~Hi~P~et''' five', ener~.~d ch~neled it .into He became ~' Zen macrobiotic~an -offshoot' of'the Budd~st f~th~a ".He ~y~ did ~k to icoo: ~hingt:re~lv:admireabgm.~m." practice"he c°n~n[ies today. Most tinue ~th ~fino fllmsl but he-had ~:d ~S".~ti~sm'continues- impon~t,-he, baffied ag~st c~i- been beaten up sqbadly'-thar he In ~e'4.989s, Esparza founded a thought ~it w~ just too :h~d a cable, television, company in East ~ th~ ,, ~' ~6" con~ver~'~ co~uons bnn~ng cable t foufid~d :on are ':t~y powe~L ?~S 'like "'The Ciao _~fi' ..and~%-] He re~ntly unoe~ent a weeK- They ~e' 9slues '~at ~e wo~h fighting for,-'" he s~d, reflecting on ' ~efite y H~te':~/i~-~(7~~e'''':'': i0ng. ;fast in suppo~. of stri~ng ~ose ~ays :~e. $~nt me~tat~g, of thefirst~a~'~fin.~Oa~.C~e~';(:-~workers at-~SC. Th~s year, he contempla~g ~h~ fa~e../'I 'never Egpar~as.~~eZ~?~ffi~tiou$ [~tifio actN~$t groups to lost f~th~"' ' ~. produc~g ' ~( F~( ;Hi~;~': cr~'ate0necohesive agenda for ira- fora' doc~ent~:~th ~e foyer thro~, Smd No~e~: ': '- ::(~:' - a,a;~(_.. : pros~tO~ FBi.agents ~d police ..... · /. : .. :fl~'~n~ Ka~.~so. envision b~ld- ~at ~e ch~ges ag~t ~ were tion~Perhap~ som~t~ng unfle~e~a.' unvemng p~s ~ used ~ f~'tacgcs t0-'bre~ ~e thai ~ ~bl~ks,~e~e~f Week for ihe Maya Cinema mrcmt, protest movement. '~He is a courageom mn," sad be~ ~ 0U~i~r. ...- - ,~. Esparza announced ,he had se- dk~a0r 'JeSus Tre~fio, who met some yo~gef.Mt~os n-o~'.en_ C~ed a site ~ S~-~Pablo in Norlh- .. ern C~fom~ and hoped to reach te~g ~e Mdu$~ cr~ge at.~P~( EsP~a 25 ye~$ ago ~ a student za's'neg~'tia~g ~e~s. ~ an an agreement for a site in at UC~?'H~. ~de~ent an at~ck a~oWl~g he has~pen~d ~e- do~to~ s~ .Femando. He de- that .thn .best of ~ authorities coffid 'throw at him, ~d he Was door, ~mo say ~p~za :~: unpo1- &lined to ~swer questions about able to come oui of it not a de- ished ~d fina61e~'t0'na~gate eom- ~ancing what ~H be- an expen- stroved person but a stronger, fortably in the smooth4ffi~ng $ive~d fis~proposition. World df' H~ll~ood executives. ~p~a rem~ns etern~ly opti- co~!tted peso . · Ha~ ~aduated ~th a ~eater TMs lackOffine~e has'h~t his ca- mistic. Mready Jennifer Lopez. ~s de~ee, he deeded to emo~ ~ reef, some~y. - Ric~ M~tin, Oscar de la Hoya and UC~'s'fi~ school.. Indeed, his abrupt s~le was ~t- others ~e :accepted ~ American Instead 0fact{ng, he would focus ne~ed at ~e ~st annu~ ~o pop cMture icons. The flood gates, on .producing. Esp~za ~ys he ~w producers conference ~ San Fr~- he says, have been opened. frying as a vehicle for soci~ cisco in .J~e. ~parza was one of "This extraordin~ wave of ILa- ch~ge, m~ng it his goal to crc- ~e org~zers of ~e conference, tinol celebfiW ~d accept~ce that ate ~ .that .would pr~ent ~ti- . hop~g to reestablish ~nding for is occurring now i$ not only our nos in-non,stereo~ic~ ways. By the Co~. for ~blic Broadc~fln~s present, it represents a wonde~l producing, effect.{veiy being in ~tino projects and to introduce a ~ture," he said in hi$ office. "The charge of organizing the money, younger generation of Latino pro- hissue here is not how to make ev- he co~d'control the content_ hucers into the indust~', eD- single mox~e a crossover suc- His senior thesis,'a documental' But the conference was a disap- cess. The fact is that we are now titled :'Cinco Vidas/Five Lives," pomtmem to m~y who attended, arriving at a time and place where airect on NBC and won ~ toc~ It became a ve~' public showdo~ all of the possibilities to succeed Emmv in1973, ofsortsbe~vee~Esparza~dactor are real and no longer pipe He'then became ~ independent Edward James Olmos over who dreams." producer worMng at first on docu- would control funding allocation. menturies about Mexican Ameri- A Mnd~g decision has been post- 1.oret~ce~ MaOoz is c, Times 'Bosdecland~." ~parza was ori~ V?e firsi Latin,; prod~cers to find THE CHRISTIAN SCIENCE ~)NITOR I Tuesday, October 26, 1999 il. After a long decline, Spanish-language movies get a boost, as the industry looks to tap the Latino market. I- Hispanic film seeks niche in Hollywood [y Daniel B. Wood Staff writer of The Christian Science Moqitor i~.OS ANGELES - They dot the Hispanic !l~eighborhoods of every large American city i~- aging movie houses that show second- rate, Spanish-dubbed .ors. ubUfled Idms. oo?OVer the years, some have been trans- rmed into Churches or clothing stores. ers have simply been boarded up. relics a golden age long past. Lured away by .,alick Hollywood .films and state-of-the-art uburban theaters, Latinos have slowly bandoned Spanish-language film and the tl~eaters that show it. I But now, bolstered by the 32-million- and-groWing Latinc~ population, several at- [ tempts are afoot to revive thc tradition of Spanish-language film in America. ~ Following in the footsteps of basketball · star Magic Johnson. who established a cine- '~' plex to serve a primarily black area of Los Angeles, key Hispanics in the film industry arc trying to f'md a way to tap into the bur- ,geoning Latino market. And they're talcing : on Hollywood to do it. ,oa~m HA~{~ISO~- STAFF "If you look at L/~tino communities all lover the country, you fred the cinema they NO MORE MOViE~: Louis Resendez says he loved going to Spanish-language movies at . once knew no longer exists," says Mocte- the Panorama in Los Angeles. Now, the theater has bec.o, mea church. suma Esparza, ogvner of Buenavision Telecommunications, based in East Los An- geles. ~The films are there, the audience is four years, drawing thc attention of big cin, there, but the missing link is distribution plexes. "When we In-st talked to them, [th, and quality theaters." ater ownersl around here thought thel In the 1950s, when the Hispanic popula- t ion in America hovered near 6 million, ~l/[d mol/J~goer$, would never be a demand for Latino lilms says Angullo. "Then they found out our th~ there were 700 screens nationwide showing Hispanics were more likely than non- aters were packed while theirs went empty ! Sphnish-language films, says Mr. Esparza. Hispanics to have attended a movie dudng He and others are now.taking steps to bring the.past six months. DEMOGRAPHICS support suc Spanish film back. [] Hispanic ~ Non-Hispanic changes. From 1990 to 2010, the U; · Esparza last month revealed plans for . Latino population is projected t a nationwide theater chain aimed at Latinos. Have recently attended a movie grow 75 percent. The non-Latmo populatio I · Ted Perkins, a former Universal Pic- ~ will grow by 5 percent. Latinos also got tm-es executive, has formed .a distribution 49.8% more movies than other groups and ar ~ company called Latino Universe for Span- :~)~ spending more arid more money on enfex ish-language f~rns. :'~;~'~.~:~:~:-;~, 36.8% ~2~:~,~,~:.~:~'-"-~.~,:~::~:~':-~',- tainment- $6 billion in 1993 compare, I * In Miami, Jaime Angullo, director of the with $9 billion in 1997. Miami Hispanic Film Festival, is in negotia- Attend movies often  "A vast market remains largely untappe~ tions with several national theater chains to 15.2% by Hollywood: Latinos - who ... represent bring Spanish-language Films to designated ~ fast-growing audience with immense buyin. I multiplexes across the US, 9.2% power," concludes a study commissioned b Mr. Angullo says crowds at his yearly les- the Screen Actor's Guild and released rival have doubled every year for the past Source: simmons, s~ May by the Tomas Rivera Policy Institute ! ;result. production dropped from about 200 films a year to perhaps 30. "There has been a dramatic dropoff in the number of films I can play to Spanish- speaking audiences," says Bruce Corwin, chairman of Metropolitan Theatres, which has nine Spanish-language theaters in town, down from about 40 in the 1960s. "I need a constant flow of new movies." According to the study, Latinos born in Trying to fill the gap left by an over-re- liance on Mexican films exhibitors began US have shown that they prefer English- thelanguage movies. But part of the reason for woodUsing hitsSPanish'dubbedrather than original,Versi°nSLatm°f Amer-H°lly' the decline of Spanish-language cinema, says one pollster, is related to the state of the ican-made idms. But there's new hope. old movie' hoUses. "They're dilapidated "What is about to change is that distrib- structures with broken seats in the scariest utors are going to tap beyond the traditional · Mexican-made film market into the vast part of downtown, where people don't feel production of Spain. Central and South safe leaving after dark,~.says Harry Pachon, president of the Ton/as Rivera Institute.. Ame~:ica,"BKL ProductionS.says daimein NewOri°l'York.Pr°ducer. for 'Outside the Paramount Theater-aSpan- The first multiplex by Esparza's. com- tsh-language cinema here that recently be- pany, Maya Cinemas,'is under construction came a church - interviews with neighbor- in tl3e Oakland, Calif., area. 'It will include hood residents bear that out. two screens dev0..te~ soleJy, to Bpanish-lan- "I've been coming to Spanish-language guage cinema. BesRtestopmbtch::~ound and ~ms here since' I was a kid, and I love them," says Louis Resendez, a senior at - pictures and stadium seating, Esparza Monroe High School. "But the building wants to create a community cultural cen- turned into a dive, so now I watch Holly- ten in which moviegoers use the theaters for education and other public gatherings. wood films at the multiplex." To accommodate the Latino moviegoer- Besides decaying theaters, another rea- --son for the falloff in Spanish-language fdm statistics show Latinos attend movies in has been Mexico's economic free fall. As a larger family groul)s than do Anglos.-he will revive the once-common "cry" room, where babies can be taken. And Esparza, Perkins, and Angullo all say Latino Idms are not just for Latinos. The Miami festival draws 30 percent non-Span- ish speakers. "We think that even the Anglo mainstream will eventually realize these Idms are entertaining,' says Perkins. ' But so/ne boosters will wait for results. "We're all reading about the.resurgence of Latinos, particularly in entertainment," says Mr. Corwin of Metropolitan Theatres. "We're hoping it translates to movies. It hasn't yet.`'= ( ~ MEMORANDUM November 2, 1999 TO: BART J. THILTGEN, City Attorney ' ~,_~. FROM: ROBERT M. SHERFY, Assistant City Attorney SUBJECT: Impacts of AB1555 Regarding Island Annexation This bill requires'a Local Area Formation Commission (LAFCO) to approve an annexation to a city of an unincorporated island or unincorporated islands, without holding 'an election, if certain Specified conditions exist. AB1555 amends Government Code sections 56113, 56375, 57080, and 57087.3. Under existing law, LAFCO has authority to approve certain island anneXations after notice and headng, if LAFCO finds that the territory contained in the annexation proposal meets certain specified requirements, the pertinent ones of which are: 1. The annexed area does not exceed 75 acres, that area constitutes the entire island, and that island does not constitute a part of an unincorporated area that is more than 100 acres in area. 2. The area to be annexed must be surrounded, or substantially surrounded, by the city to which annexation is proposed. 3. The area is substantially developed or developing. (Gov. Code, § 56375(d).) If theSe conditions are met, unless the conducting authority terminates the proceedings Under Section 57080, the conducting aUthority must order the annexation of the territory without an election.. (Gov. Code, § 56112.) Hence, even under current law, under the conditions specified above, certain islands can be annexed without an election. AB 1555 in essence"resurrects" certain procedures on the annexation of islands that expired in 1988. This was accomplished by amending the dates specified in Government Code sections 56113 and 57080. 'Section 57080, as amended, allows the conducting authority to annex an island without conducting a protest hearing (i.e., Sections 57050, 57051, and 57052 do not apply) and without even attempting to determine the number of protests (i.e., Section 57075(a) and 57078 also do not apply to the new island anneXation S:V~,ttorney\MEMOS~AB 1555 Impacts,Wpd BART J. THILTGEN, City Attorney November 2, 1999 Page 2 Procedure). (Gov. Code, § 57080(a), as amend,..d.) However, many of these protest provisions, do apply to proceedings initiated on or after January 1, 2007. (Section 57080(b), as amended.) The' only other significant changes to the island annexation procedure are two amendments to Government Code section 56375(d). The first involves the addition of subparagraph (2) to subparagraph (d). Therefore, an island annexation can take effect .where (1) the territory to be annexed does not exceed 75 acres in area, that area constitutes the entire island, and that island does not constitute a part of an unincorporated area that is more than 100 acres in area (Section 156375(d)(1), and (2) the territory to be annexed must constitute an entire unincorporated iisland located within the limitsofa city, or constitUte a reorganization cOntaining a number of individual, unincorporated islands. (Section 56375(d)(2), as amended.) The second amendment is.best explained by comparing the text of Section 375(d) as it exists now and as amended. It currently reads: "(d) To approve the annexation to a city after notice and hearing, and authorize the conducting authority to order annexation of the territory without an election, if the commission finds that the territory contained in an annexation proposal meets all of the following requirements:..." As amended, the section will read: ' "(d) To approve-the annexation tO a city after notice and headng, and authorize the conducting authority to order annexation of the territory without an election, Or= Waive':the conducti~ authorityproceeding~ if the annexation:meets the [_e__quirements of this subdivision:: and is p__r_gp~g~d~by'reSolUtion ado____pt__ed by the iaffected cityjf the commission finds that the territory contained in an annexation proposal meets all of the following requirements:..." The added language appears to be simply a way to further streamline the island annexation process. RMS:laa SSAttorney~VIEMOS~AB 1555 Impacts.wpd BAKERSFIELD PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT 1501 TRUXTUN AVENUE BAKERSFIELD, CALIFORNIA 93301 (661) 326-3'/24 PAUL M. RO~JAS, DIRECTOR. CITY ENGINEER January 11, 2000 Kern County Administrative Office 111 $ Truxtun Avenue, Fifth Flogr Bakersfield, CA 93301 Attention: Adel Klein Director of Policy Analysis Subject: Metropolitan Recreation Center Master Plan Dear Ms. Klein; Thank you for the opportunity to comment on the Master Plan for the Metropolitan Recreation Center. The following outlines our comments on the documents being circulated: 1. Analysis and consideration of the potential impacts upon Garces Circle and the potential for increased accident rates was not satisfactorily addressed. 2. The traffic portion of the study utilized Level of Service (LOS) "D" as a standard. The 2010 General Plan standard is LOS "C" and should be used for all analysis. 3. The proposed addition of a traffic signal at 40th St. and Chester Ave. needs to include improvements to the street system, especially on 40th Street east of Chester where curb, gutter and pavement are lacking. Treatment of parking at this location is also an issue which must be addressed. Provisions for interconnect and coordination of the Chester Avenue corridor also need to be addressed with the addition of this signal. 4. The project includes extending "F" Street into the center which will require a crossing of the SP Railroad. This cannot be done as an at-grade crossing and consideration of the impact of roadway geometrics for either an overpass or underpass has not been addressed. These typically take significant right of way for 2 blocks approaching the crossing from each side. This could have significant effect upon Pioneer Village. In addition, the process to qualify for consideration of a grade separation, which can be both lengthy and extremely complicated, was not addressed. 5. This project may negatively affect the City's sewer system. The repo~ -o~~ the effect of the increased usage of the site on the system, but Contents itself with a simple recitation of the components of the existing system. It is very likely that the on-site sewer system will have to be upgraded, and a further analysis of the effect on the existing system would be required. 6. The report goes into a great deal of detail about the Kern County Museum's "Long Term Spacial Program'', but no map was provided, making it difficult to follow. Additionally, the reference to Table 2-1 on page 2-4 should probably be to Table 2-2. 7. Section 4, "Implementation Plan and Capital Financing Strategy",contains an analysis of the cost of off-site improvements, but it is not itemized. Additionally, it says that the County would be responsible for only a portion of this total ($1.6 million), but does not indicate how that number was arrived at and how the remaining necessary funds are apportiOned to the other entities. If you have any questions concerning this, please contact Marian P. Shaw at (805) 326-3579. Very truly yours, RAUL M. ROJAS Public Works Director By: Marian P. Shaw Civil Engineer IV G:XGROUPDA~e~000~C Me~o P~k Pl~.~d cc: AI~ T~dy, Ci~ M~ager Steve Walker, Traffic Engineer CITY OF ~.: WATER ~SO~CES DEP~T~ ~ ~'- _ ~.- GENE B~T, Manger ~--~ ~ORN CORE, Water Resour~s Dir~tor PATRICK E. HAU~N, Supefime~em 32~3~ ~EVE LAFOND, For~sti~ ~ R~rds 32~3~7 MAURICE ~NDALL, B~iness ~er ~RN RWER DISPATCHER 32~3716 January 10, 2000 ....... ~ < C ~ Ms. Adel Klein ~ Director of Policy Analysis JAN [ Kern County Administrative Office 1115 Truxtun Ave, 5~ Floor ~ Bakersfield, CA 93301 A (/ , .,. c:: RE: PROPOSED NEGATIVE DECLARATION FOR METROPOLITAN RECREATION CENTER MASTER PLAN - (EA SS 1-99) Dear Ms. Klein: The following comments are in response to the Water Issues outlined in the negative declaration: 1) No discussion is made of the meandering stream or water course through the complex. Control and operation of the facilities diverted from the existing Carrier Canal are not clearly defined. 2) Stormwater drainage may or may not end up within the project site and more discussion and analysis is required, since this could result in storm runoff being delivered to the existing Kern County Water Agency drinking water treatment plant. 3) The introduction of a substantial amount of livestock and/or animals could be detrimental to the water quality of the high groundwater levels in the immediate vicinity without proper containment and disposal facilities. 4) Coverage if the Carrier Canal would be extremely expensive for the amount of surface area recovered for the gymkhana and agricultural use on top of the canal. The minimum flow design would have to be 900 cubic feet per second if a culvert were installed. This canal is a conveyance source for the aforementioned Garner drinking water treatment plant and there is potential for contamination from livestock and/or animals located near or in the canal right-of-way. Thank you for the opportunity to respond to the Metropolitan Recreation Center Master Plan Negative Declaration. Sincerely, f-"h Water'Resourc~s Manager cc: JAlan Tandy, City Manager John Stinson, Assistant City Manager 1000 BUENA VISTA ROAD · BAKERSFIELD, CALIFORNIA 93311 · (661) 326-3715 JAN i 3 2000 MEMORANDUM CITY ?qtANAGER'S January 13, 2000 TO: Alan Tandy, City Manager FROM: Gene Bogart, Water Resources SUBJECT: KERN RIVER BASIN SNOWPACK ACCUMULATION: "Driest of the driest ?" 'As highlighted on the attached "Kern River Basin Snowpack Accumulation" chart, snowfall in the southern Sierra Nevada's during the 1999-2000 winter season has been practically non- existent. While dry conditions have prevailed since the current water-year began on October 1, 1999, a total absence of precipitation during December 1999 and first part of January 2000 has resulted in the lowest forecasted Kern River snow melt runoff in many, many years. Not since 1977, the so-called "driest year of the century" have rain and snowfall figures been so bleak this far into the rainy season. To put things in perspective, we would need twenty inches of precipitation (roughly 300 % of normal) at the base of Mt. Whitney bet(veen now and the end of the month to bring water supply conditions to "normal" levels by the ist of February. The current forecast of 2000 April-July runoff on the Kern River is hovering around 25 % of normal, with few storms on the horizon. Absent a reversal in "weather fortune", all signs indicate we are on track for perhaps the lowest Kern River runoff since records began in 1893. State water supplies are still currently holding at 50% of normal. If the extremely dry weather pattern continues past February 1, 2000, we will begin activating our 2800 Acre water recovery program to supplement this years supply with water previously banked by the City during the 1995 through 1998 wet period on Kern River. GB:sal Attachment KERN RIVER BASIN SNOWPACK ACCUMULATION EIGHT SENSOR INDEX January 10, 2000 40.0 , 1997-1998 [ ,,' 30.0 .................................... ' .............. 1996-1997 126% A-J 25.0 ............. ' ............. ,100% of April 1 Average , 20.0 - -- - Average 15.0 ............. , 1998-1999 ~ , 53% A-J 10.0 .................................... ~ - - , 5.0 November December January February Mamh April Snowpack Accumulation Season CITY OF BAKERSFIELD WATER RESOURCES DEPARTMENT BAKERSFIELD Economic and Community Development Department MEMORANDUM January 10, 2000 TO: Alan Tandy, City Manager ~ FROM: Jake Wager, Economic Development Direc SUBJECT: HUD Allocation of Funds Earlier this week, we received notification of our funding levels for FY 2000 CDBG, HOME, and ESG (Emergency Shelter Grant). Please see attached. For CDBG our allocation has been reduced by $3,000 from last year. For HOME, we are scheduled to receive $8,000 more. For ESG the funding amount is static. We are completing our review of funding applications by the non-profit organizations as. well as our review of departmental CIP requests. In keeping with our normal schedule we will be ready to present the findings of our review with the Budget and Finance Committee in February. q'TCE V, D dlk:P:UWSWy0001 hud fund amt mcmo.wpd C"7',' ?qANAG",TR'$ ©~;.C? FY 2000 APPROPRIATION ALLOCATION AMOUNTS B_MOUNTS IN $000 HOME CONSORTIA ALLOCATIONS ARE FLAGGED WITH A "C" GRANTEE CDBG HOME .. ESG HOPWA TOT FAYETTEVILLE 630 0 0 0 630 FORT SMITH 914 416 0 0 1330 JACKSONVILLE 323 0 0 0 323 JONESBORO 609 0 0 0 609 LITTLE ROCK 2226 985 79 0 3290 NORTH LITTLE ROCK 905 389 0 . 0 1294 PINE BLUFF 1154 478 0 0 1632 ROGERS 269 0 0 ' 0 269 SPRINGDALE 323 0 0 0 323 TEXARKANA 420 0 0 0 420 WEST MEMPHIS 522 0 0 0 .522 ARKANSAS STATE PROGRAM 23808' 11195 1064 574 36641 ** Subtotal ** 32458 13463 1143 574 47638 ** CALIFORNIA ALAMEDA 1298 0 0 0 1298 ALHAMBRA 1882 725 0 0 2607 ANAHEIM 4660 1563 165 0 6388 ANTIOCH 716 0 0 0 716 APPLE VALLEY 573 0 0 0 573 BAKERSFIELD 2787 1193 99 0 4079 BALDWIN PARK 1816 427 0 0 2243 BELLFLOWER 1036 455 0 0 1491 BERKELEY 3801 1051 139 0 4991 BUENA PARK '1031 0 0 0 1031 BURBANK 1336 673 0 0 2009 CAMARILLO 449 0 0 0 449 CARLSBAD 622 0 0 0 622 CARSON 1389 0 0 0 1389 CERRITOS 547 0 0 0 547 CHICO 889 533 0 0 1422 CHINO 702 0 0 0 702 CHULA VISTA 2033 847 0 0 2880 CITRUS HEIGHTS 618 0 0 0 618 COMPTON 2875 881 102 0 3858 CONCORD 1106 0 0 0 1106 CORONA 1139 0 0 0 1139 COSTA MESA 1377 605 0 0 1982 DALY 1600 0 0 0 1600 DAVIS 920 584 0 0 1504 DOWNEY 1315 478 0 0 1793 EL CAJON 1352 696 0 0 2048 EL MONTE 3423 1037 121 0 4581 ENCINITAS 587 0 0 0 587 ESCONDIDO 1664 674 0 0 2338 FAIRFIELD 823 0 0 0 823 BAKERSFIELD 'PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT MEMORANDUM TO: Alan Tandy, City Manager FROM: Raul Rojas, Public Works Director DATE: January 7, 2000 SUBJECT: Pro~lress Report No. 21 for Plant 2 Expansion ProJect Attached please find eleven copies of Progress Report No. 21 for your and City Council's use. Please advise if you need additional information. RR:dlt G:\Groupdat\MemoX2000\PR 21 WWTP 2 pgO~g£$$ g~pOp~ 6~vI~Ig~g 21 l~aker~f /eld Wa~teWater Omtmmt Plant Wa. 2 - £~#an~ian CORPORATtON SaChs Electric Di~ester~a. $ ,4 Partnered Pra]eet ~Vavetnber ! 999 Prepared by/J/ack k Yeateh CONSTRUCTION PROGRESS SUMMARY NUMBER TWENTY-ONE November 1, 1999 to November 30, 1999 CONSTRUCTION PROGRESS I. Kiewit Pacific Co. performed the following: Site: Irrigation System complete at Headworks and Digester # 1 Headworks: Substantially Complete Primary Sludge Pump Station: Completed * Raw Wastewater Pump Room: Substantially Complete Scum Well #1 Completed Grit Chamber: Substantially Complete Digester Control Building: Boiler #3 complete. Existing Digester #2: Demolition work complete. Primary Clarifier, Recirculation Pump Station, Trickling Filters, Sludge Pumping Station & Secondary Clarifiers: In operation, but will not be turned over for Substantial Completion until a digester is in full operation. As Built Drawings: Turned over to Boyle Engineering for review. Page 1 AREAS OF CONCERN · The need to have Digesters #3 & g4 in operation. · To get Voice Enunciator functioning properly~ Secondary Clarifier #3 CHANGE ORDERS Change Order 1 - ($92,342.61) · Change Order 2 - ($362,133.82) · Change Order 3 - $25,812.87 · Change Order 4 - $!09,382.45 · Change Order 5 - $45,294.03 · Change Order 6 - $226,475.63 · Change Order 7 - $40,310.89 · Open Change Order Items · Electrical Cost (credit) of deleting Generator for by-pass pumping. · Demolition & Reconnection of MOV's 15P-6 & 15P-7 · Raceway and Conductor Rewiring ~ Digester Control Building Associated with Flare Panel Revisions in RFI 159 · Roofing Terminations ~ Digester Control Building Page 2 REQUEST FOR INFORMATION · 178 RFI's have been received/processed as of November 30, 1999. · 6 Days on average turn around. SHOP DRAWINGS · 391 Shop Drawings have been received/processed as of November 30, 1999. 11 Days on average turn around. Digester No. 3 PLANNED ACTIVITIES FOR DECEMBER 1999 Site: Complete asphalt concrete paving. Digester Control Building: Convert Boilers #3 & #4 to run on Methane Gas. Plant Startup: Achieve proper B.O.D. to allow for Substantial Completion. * Cogen Room: Test Cogens * · Waiting on Digesters to go into proper operation to achieve these goals. Page 3 CONSTRUCTION PROGRESS SUMMARY DESCRIPTION STATUS :Notice to Proceed Dated February 9, 1998 Contract Time, Calendar Days 730 Original Completion Date February 8, 2000 Substantial Completion Date May 7, 1999 Time Extensions Approved 69 Days Revised ~Completion Date May 12, 2000 Original Contract Amount $29,239,800.00 Change Orders Approved (7,200.56) Revised Contract Amount $29,232,599.44 Amount Earned This Period $28,692,583.53 Amount Earned to Date $28,832,740.53 Percent Complete, $ 98.78 Calendar Days Used 660 Percent Complete, Calendar Days 86.96 Siterock around Digester # 1 99-474 Page 4 DEPARTMENT OF RECREATION AND PARKS DATE: January 10, 2000 TO: Alan Tandy, City Manager FROM: Stan Ford, Director of Recreation and Parks ~r~,~- SUBJECT: Monthly Report for December 1999 Attached are the monthly activity reports from the supervisors, recreation program participation statistics, and revenue figures from facility rentals for the past six months. If you have any questions or require additional information, please let me know. Recreation ?ar CITY OF BAKERSFIELD DECEMBER 2000 Monthly Report Aquatics and Special Events Submitted by: Sally Ihmels, Supervisor Holly Larson, Recreation Specialist Aquatics The Ellis & Associates, Inc. instructor course was offered at Silver creek on December 10, 11 & 12. Six staff members were trained to instruct lifeguard certification courses. At the same time 22 lifeguards, mostly college students, renewed their licenses for the upcoming aquatic year. The lifeguard training schedule was developed and is attached. It will be passed out the week of January 10th. The courses are monthly from February through May 2000. Lap swimming time at SilverCreek was changed to 5:30am to 7:30am. There were many phone requests for the earlier time, so a survey was conducted through the mail and at the pool site. The results were that 95% wanted the earlier time. Special Events The annual holiday event, Festival of Lights, hosted over 600 people. There were 3500 Laminaria lights created by local youth for a brilliant display. Kern Family Magazine was the event sponsor. Surveys taken at the event indicated that people really enjoyed the holiday experience. 'Program Attendance Report: Lap Swim Attendance (Silver Creek only): 141 Total (This is lower than normal due to CSUB and Bakersfield Swim Club Rentals this month) CITY OFBAKERSFIELD Recreation &Parks ELLIS & ASSOCIATES INC. CERTIFICATION SCHEDULE Training is offered once a month from February through May 2000. The licenses are a requirement for employment. To pre-qualify for training you must be able to pass a swim test the first night of training. The test consists of swimming four lengths of the pool (100yds) without stopping, retrieve a brick from the bottom of the pool and bring it to the surface and tread water with hands above head for one minute. Advance payment for training is 'required. You may either pay through the mail or in person at one of our three office locations listed on the back o£this page. Once you have paid, bring the receipt with you on the first day of training to receive the course book. Please keep in mind to receive certification you must attend each day of training at the scheduled times. Attendance is taken at the beginning of each session. LIFEGUARD TRAINING This Certification is a requirement for the positions of manager, assistant manager and lifeguard. The license is good for one year and renewable every year after. Cost of the training is as follows: Renewal License (must have license from 1999) $100 (Including Book) New License $115 (Including Book) February April New Lifeguards (all three days): New Lifeguards (all three days): Fri, Feb 11th 6pm-9pm ~ SilverCreek Center Fri, Apr 21th 6pm-9pm ~ Silver Creek Center Sat, Feb 12th 8am-5pm ~ SilverCreek Pool Sat, Apr 22th 8am-5pm SilverCreek Pool Sun, Feb 13th 8am-5pm ~ SilverCreek Pool Sun, Apr 23th 8am-5pm ~ SilverCreek Pool Renewing Lifeguards (one day): Renewing Lifeguards (one day): Sun, Feb 13~h 8am - 5pm ~ SilverCreek Pool Sat, Apr 22~ 8am-5pm ~ SilverCreek Pool March May New Lifeguards (all three days): New Lifeguards {all three days): Fri, Mar 3~h 6pm-9pm ~ SilverCreek Center Fri, May IYh 6pm-9pm ~ SilverCreek Center Sat, Mar 4~h 8am-5pm ~ SilverCreek Pool Sat, May 14~h 8am-5pm ~ SilverCreek Pool Sun, Mar 5'h 8am-5pm ~ SilverCreek Pool Sun, May 15th 8am-5pm ~ SilverCreek Pool Renewing Lifeguards (one day): Renewing Lifeguards (one day): Sun, Mar 5~h 8am - 5pm ~. SilverCreek Pool Sun, May 15th 8am - 5pm ~ SilverCreek Pool Our mission is to provide you with the highest quality service, facilities, parks and programs possible. SWIM INSTRUCTOR TRAINING This certification'is a requirement for the positions of manager, assistant manager and swim instructor. In order to pass the training you must attend each day ~br the scheduled time, there will be no exceptions. The license is good for two years, there is no renewal process. Cost of the training is $50 (Including Book). February April Sat, Feb 26th 8am - 5pm ~ SilverCreek Pool Sat, Apr 29m 8am - 5pm ~ SilverCreek Pool Sun, Feb 27th 8am - 5pm ~ SilverCreek Pool Sun, Apr 30th 8am - 5pm ~ SilverCreek Pool March May Sat, Mar 18th 8am - 5pm ~ SilverCreek Pool Sat, May 20th 8am - 5pm ~ SilverCreek Pool Sun, Mar 19~h 8am - 5pm_~ SilverCreek Pool Sun, May 21~h 8am - 5pm ~ SilverCreek Pool Department Office Silver Creek Martin Luther King 4101 Tmxtun Avenue 7011 Harris Road 1000 South Owens Street Bakersfield, CA 93309 Bakersfield, CA 93313 Bakersfield, CA 93307 (661 ) 326-FUNN (661 ) 665-8033 (061 ) 3229874 Business hours are Monday through Friday from 8am to 5pm CITY OF BAKERSFIELD Recreation &Parks D rn rl M nhl Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Community Center Lowell Neighborhood Community Center Submitted by: Tim Ruiz, Recreation Supervisor ... Cheryl Clayborn, Clerk Typist II Teresa Lewis, Clerk Typist I Home work Mentor Program-The volunteers from Alpha Kapa Sorority continued thru December. The mentors sessions take place once a week and involve 6-8 students weekly. Ballroom Dancing- This free program is open to the public and continues to be well attended with 40 to 50 participants weekly. Attendance Figures Monthly Participation After-school Program 1672 Ballroom Dance 188 Homework Program 30 Martin Luther King Community Center Kwanzaa - December 28'h, from 6pm - 8pm the Center had approximately 200 guest to attend the Kwanzaa Celebration. MLK Attendance Figures: Activity Total Participants Monthly Attendance Fitness Room -0- 609 Game Room -0- 716 Gym -0- 546 Term is -0- 61 Women's Exercise 15 60 l)ancc (_;lass 27 102 Salsa Class 4 16 Quilting Class 42 168 Silver Creek Community Center Submitted by: Linda McVicker, Recreation SUpervisor Terd Elison, Recreation Specialist Bakersfield B.E.S.T. After School Propram We held a basketball training for staff this past month in anticipation of the basketball league startincj January 14% We also had a staff Christmas Path/to show our appreciation for the W°nderful job that our after school staff is doing. Bakersfield City_ School District: Highlights of the vadous sites include several Christmas parties witti special Christmas programs for parents at Evergreen and Stella Hills, science projects such as pinwheels, air movements, and objects under a microscope, several holiday arts and crafts, and holiday games and songs. Greenfield Union School Distdct Highlights of the activities at the vadous sites include a Christmas (oral language chorus) program for parents at Planz School, Holiday chorus program at Plantation School, several Christmas parties, lots of holiday arts and crafts, and games. ATTENDANCE FIGURES Bakersfield City School Distdct and Greenfield School Distdct were closed for the Christmas Holidays. This accounts for lower attendance this month. Activity Monthly Attendance Bakersfield CiW School District: Casa Loma ......................................................... 1089 Evergreen .......................................................... 976 (+ 40 people who attended Christmas Program on December 15th) Munsey ............................................................. 1111 Sequ(~ia Middle .................................................... 520 Stella Hills .......................................................... 987 (+ 50 people who attended Christmas Program on December 15th) Washington Middle ............................................ 1149 William Penn ...................................................... 1060 Greenfield Union School District Fairview ............................................................. 1416 Kenddck ............................................................ 2076 McKee ............................................................... 3165 Palla .................................................................. 1663 Plantation ........................................................... 1182 Planz .................................................................. 1208 (+50 people who attended the Christmas program on December 15th) ~ilver Creek After School Prou_ram ................ 228 (4-days only Mon. - Thurs) Silver Creek Rentals ....................................... $914 The Silver Creek center was rented four times dudng the month of December. It was rented for two birthday parties, a Christmas party a wedding anniversary. Leisure classes ........................................ ' ....... 205 Calligraphy Workshop ........................... 3 Cheedeading ......................................... 16 Clogging ................................................ 44 Golf Lessons .......................................... 10 Jazzercise .............................................. 100 Karate ........................ . ............................ 12 Tae-Jo .................................................... 20 · RECREATION & PARKS MONTH OF: Dec 1999 ATTENDANCE REPORT FALL BROCHURE 1999 ACTUAL REGISTRATIONS ATTENDANCE AQUATICS: Lap Swim 57 141 Jr. Lifeguard 0 Pending Recreational Swim 0 Pending Swim Team 0 Pending Swim Lessons 0 Pending Private Lessons 0 Pending Semi-Private Lessons 0 Pending ACTUAL REGISTRATIONS ATTENDANCE AFTERSCHOOL PROGRAMS: Lowell N/A 1000 MLK N/A 1672 Silver Creek N/A 228 'City Schools: Casa Loma N/A 1089 Munsey N/A 1111 Evergreen N/A 976 Sequoia Middle N/A 520 Stella Hills N/A ,987 Washington Middle N/A 1149 William Penn N/A 1060 Greenfield: Fairview N/A 1416 Kendricks N/A 2076 McKee Primary N/A 3165 Palla N/A 1663 Planz N/A 1182 Plantation N/A 1208 ACTUAL REGISTRATIONS ATTENDANCE SPORTS: Adult Tennis Social 0 Pending Volleyball League 0 Pending Softball 0 Pending Youth Basketball 64 Pending Cross Country 0 Pending ACTUAL REGISTRATIONS A'I-rENDANCE MARTIN LUTHER KING CENTER: Aerobics N/A 102 Adult Sunday Basketball N/A 60 Ballroom Dancing N/A 102 Fitness Center N/A 609 Gymnasium N/A 546 Game Room N/A 716 Quilting N/A 168 Tennis Lessons N/A 61 ACTUAL REGISTRATIONS ATTENDANCE CONTRA CT CLASSES: Aquamotion 0 Pending Baton 0 Pending Breakdance 0 Pending Calligraphy 0 Pending Cheerleading 1 5 Cycling 0 Pending Country 2-Step 0 Pending Clogging 81 81 Dance Classes 20 Pending Dog Obedience 0 Pending Drums 0 Pending Golf 0 2 In-Line Skating 0 Pending Jazzercise 5 4 Karate 1 3 Nature Hike 0 Pending Night Club 2-Step 0 Pending Pressed Flowers 0 Pending Rollerskate 0 Pending Scrapbook 0 Pending Spanish 0 Pending Self Defense 0 Pending Salsa 7 7 Swing Dance 0 Pending Tao Jo 5 5 Tennis - Adult 0 Pending Tennis - Kids 0 Pending Yoga 0 Pending ACTUAL REGISTRATIONS ATTENDANCE CITY- WIDE EVENTS: Country Market October 16 N/A 2OO October 17 N/A 200 1999 Alpo Canine Frisbee Championship October 16 N/A 2000 Fun Carnival for Kids September 28 N/A 500 Halloween Haunted Trail October 28 N/A 3000 October 29 N/A 3000 Luminaria December 11 N/A 600 NFL Punt, Pass, Kick September 25 N/A 50 Rockin by the River September 7 N/A 500 September 14 N/A 45O September 21 N/A 250 YO-YO Championship September 11 N/A 485 CITY OF BAKERSFIELD Recreation gcParks DEPARTMENT OF RECREATION AND PARKS DATE: January 5, 2000 TO: Stan F0rdFt~rector of Recreation and Parks (/ FROM: Patrician. SUBJECT: JULY THROUGH DECEMBER 1999 REVENUE/RESERVATIONS Below is a breakdown of revenue collected and reservations taken between July and December 1999. REVENUE 011-0000-347.7200 (75) PARKS $ 21,175.00 011-0000-347-5100 (E2) SOFTBALL 2,940.25 011-0000-347-5100 (E2) RUGBY/SOCCER 4,922.00 011-0000-347-7100 (77) POOLS 2,784.50 011-0000-347-8100 (58) PARK CONCESSIONS 11677.23 TOTAL $ 38,498.98 FA CILITY RESERVATIONS PARKS 645 SOFTBALL 46 RUGBY/SOCCER 202 POOLS 52 c Allen Abe, Assistant Recreation and Parks Director Greg Cronk, Director of Operations Mike Doyle, Assistant Park Superintendent Jane Gardner, Business Manager p:6-monthrevenuereservation CITY OF BAKERSFIELD Recreation &Parks PLANZ PARK As a first improvement in many years, Parks personnel installed new multi-purpose toy in tot lot playground. Anticipate future development including additional toys and rubberized surfacing towards meeting A.D.A. BEACH PARK Work continued on our community's first public skate park. Both upper concrete decks were poured as were benches, side ramps and pyramids. Grinding rails were also placed into position. Balance of floor will be poured the first week of January. Opening of the facility will be late January to allow for sufficient curing of concrete. Fund raising efforts have netted $7,975 in cash including Van's generous contribution of $5,000. In addition, approximately $3,000 of in kind service in the form of 1,100 cubic yards of clean fill dirt was donated to our project. WILSON PARK Ordered complete playground equipment package, Anticipate late January arrival of equipment followed immediately by installation via Parks personnel. Rubberized surfacing will be installed by a contractor. UNIVERSITY PARK Submitted notice of completion for playground equipment and rubberized surfacing project, This particular project concluded the Destec funding program. Children played on installed equipment as workers made final touches on remaining apparatus, Area youth and parents have made favorable comments about the new look of University Park. OTHER DUTIES Area crews continue with winter projects including replanting and trimming if groundcover and ground trimming of trees within parks. Park staff continue to monitor Pin Oak, Haggin Oak and Campus Parks ponds due to concems aired about declining duck population. Vandals were a prime suspect as were free roaming dogs. Fortunately, it appears this issue has stabilized within the last several weeks. DEPARTMENT OF RECREATION AND PARKS DATE: January 10, 2000 TO: Alan Tandy, City Manager FROM: Stan Ford, Director of Recreation and Parks /-;'~'------ SUBJECT: Aquatic Program Registration For many years, registration for aquatic programs has been done primarily by mail. Each year we hear from some citizens regarding the difficultly they experience with this process. Problems such as missing deadlines, not having a staff person available to answer questions, incorrect payment for resident/non-resident, etc. I asked staff to evaluate the existing process and implement procedures to improve the process while addressing issues that we have been made aware of. Beginning this year, we will be utilizing a more traditional method of registration. On April 8, for spring, and May 6, for summer, we will have open registration for aquatics programs. Individuals will be able to register for all seasonal aquatic programs in one visit. Additionally, aquatic staff will be onsite to answer questions and assist participants with selecting the correct classes or programs. Hopefully, this will reduce the number of transfers/refunds we have experienced in the past with individuals selecting the incorrect class. To ensure that potential participants are informed about the open registration, staff will be mailing a card similar to the one attached to last year's participants. To reach new participants, as well as those from previous years, we are now distributing our program brochure via direct mail to all addresses within the city. Also at this time, we will be using our new registration software. Once fully operational, participants will be able to register at convenient sites throughout the city. This software has many features that will greatly enhance not only the registration process but also park reservations and our accounting processes. Later this year we should be able to accept credit card payments and soon after, we hope to be able to accept online registration. If you have any questions or require additional information, please let me know. c: Citizen's Community Services Advisory Committee i Baker sfield Swims! g Aquatics Registration begins: Spring .H.S. Gym April-8-2000 8 a.m. to Noon C�B Y Summer Aquatics Registration begins: 1'4 $ May-6- 2000 8 a.m. to Noon @B.H.S. Gym Swim lessons, Swim Team, Jr Lifeguard program registration is a first come first serve basis for all of our nine pools. Mail-in and Walk-in registration will not be accepted til after the above dates. Come and join us! -City Of Bakersfield Recreation and Parks Department- -4101 Truxtun Ave Bakersfield CA 93309- -326-FUNN- BAKERSFIELD Economic and Community Development Department MEMORANDUM January 13, 2000 TO: Jake Wager FROM: David Lyman SUBJECT: Closure of URM Incentive Program For the past several months, we have been working toward the end of the URM Incentive Program. Through numerous and repetitive mailings to the applicants still in the program, we have sought to inform them about the impending deadline to assure they knew the steps necessary to qualify for reimbursement through the program. Here is what we have done in the past few months to keep these applicants informed about the impending deadline: 1. May 21: A certified letter was sent to each applicant as a reminder that work must be completed by December 31. 2. October 28: A certified letter was sent to each applicant asking whether a request for reimbursement would be submitted through the program and, if so, by what date. Included with this letter was a stamped, self-addressed postcard for the property owner to easily indicate his or her intentions. This letter asked for a return of the postcard by November 12, stating that if the card was not returned, this would indicate the applicant did not wish to pursue any reimbursement through the program, and that the applicant's file would be closed, making the applicant ineligible for any reimbursement through the program. 3. Mid-December: Some applicants indicated they were nearly finished with their projects but, due to unforeseen circumstances, could not complete the work by December 31. To acknowledge the good faith effort of these applicants to comply with the deadline, they were given an extension of the deadline until January 31, 2000 with the following caveats: a. Both the applicant and a representative from the applicant's engineering company had to sign a letter stating that if the City Building Department does not sign off on the applicant's project by January 31, 2000, they both understand that the City of Bakersfield will not reimburse the property owner for any work eligible under the program. This letter had to be received in this office by December 29, 1999; and Jake Wager January 13, 2000 Page 2 b. Proof of payment for the costs for which the applicant is eligible for reimbursement needs to be submitted to this department within 30 days of the date of project completion. Because the December 31 deadline has passed, no further applications are being accepted. We are receiving and quickly processing payments for those properties whose work was completed by December 31; property owners have 30 days from the completion date to submit bills for payment. There are two more key dates that remain before the URM Incentive Program will be completely wrapped up: January 31: By this date, we expect to receive the paperwork and invoices from each owner of the nine properties that requested extensions past the December 31 deadline. July 31: By this date, invoices from four additional properties are to be submitted. The environmental reviews of these properties were delayed due to the non-responsiveness of the State Historical Preservation Office (SHPO) to our requests for review. After several requests from this department for rulings by SHPO, SHPO finally acknowledged that it could not review our requests on a timely basis. This allowed us to complete the necessary environmental reviews and provided written authorization to these property owners to proceed. Therefore, by July 31, all requests for payment related to the URM Incentive Program will have been received. Any requests received July 31 will be processed and submitted to Finance August 3, with these checks issued by Finance August 11. In summary, · most requests for payment have already been received and processed. · we expect to receive up to fifteen more by January 31. · up to four more will be received no later than July 31. · checks for reimbursement requests will be issued August 11, meaning the program will effectively be closed out on that date. dl:S:~2)avid L\Closure of URM Incentive Program memo.wpd JANI 2000 BAKERS F I EL.D L Economic and Community Development Department MEMORANDUM January 14, 2000 TO: Alan Tandy, City Manager [ ~ FROM: Jake Wager, Economic Development Direct4[ SUBJECT: January 2000 URM Activity Report This memorandum is intended to provide you with a brief update on the status of the URM assistance program. Currently 71 properties have been granted reimbursement checks representing a total of $326,587.09 in 68 projects and three demolition projects. They include: 801 18th Street, New China Cafe 1121 21st Street, commercial property 1330 19th Street, Serrano's Furniture (demolition) 822 18th Street, Thorp's Motorcycle 1701 18th Street, Turk's Copy 1918-1920 Eye Street, Jelly's (Former 622 East 19th Street, warehouse Water Company Building) (demolition) 2526-2530 Chester Avenue, Waterbed 2025-2029 Chester Avenue, Red Wing Warehouse and Mattress Outlet Shoes Building 2000 H Street, Henley's 1025 18th Street, Italian Grocery Store 1812 Q Street, vacant building (demolition) 1207 19th Street, The Mint Building 1517- 1523 19th Street, Williams property 1928 19th Street, Old Paine Mortuary 2022 Chester Avenue, Palla property 2407 Chester Avenue, Granada Furniture 1711 - 1717 19th Street, Clifford property 430 East 19th Street, commercial property 1219-1221 20th Street, Nighbert property 2101 Chester Avenue, Guarantee Shoes 506 East 19th Street, Felton property 1017-1023 Baker Street, vacant retail space 2305 - 2309 Chester Avenue 2509 Chester Avenue, Patton's Discount 618 - 620 East 19th Street, Wool Growers Office Furniture Building 1623 - 1633 19th Street, Goose Loonies 1914 Truxtun Avenue, medical office 1529 F Street, Clifford property 1919 Chester Avenue, Palla property 930 18th Street, San Joaquin Supply 1228 19th Street, Griffin Pawnbrokers 1100 18th Street, Bakersfield Floral Supply 900 18th Street, Cay's Health Food Store 1919-1927 K Street (continued) Alan Tandy January 15, 2000 Page 2 1601 19th Street 625 19th Street 1605 20th Street 1813 Chester Avenue 1317 Baker Street, Noriega House 1809 Chester Avenue 1219-1231 19th Street 809 Baker Street 1416 20th Street 1514 Wall Street 1520-34 19th Street 831 (A) 19th Street 1434 19th Street 831 (B) 19th Street 1438 19th Street 1400 19th Street 623 Kentucky 2001 Chester Avenue 805' Baker Street 2620 Chester Avenue 901 19th Street 2027 19th Street 960-962 Baker Street 2026-28 Chester Avenue 2020 Eye Street, Reed Publications 2019 Chester Avenue 801 Baker Street 910 Baker Street 958 Baker Street 432 East 19th Street 1626 19th Street, The Itayden Building 1300 19th Street 1720 D Street 11127-31 19th Street 901 18th Street 807 Baker Street cc: Jack Hardisty, Development Services Director Dennis Fidler, Building Director Jack Leonard, Asst. Building Director Mike Quon, Building Plan Check Engineer Jan Fulton, Development Associate dl:\S:\David L\URM Memo ~ AT 1-15-00.wpd B A K E R S F I E L D OFFICE OF THE CITY MANAGER MEMORANDUM Januaw 13,2000 TO: Honorable Mayor and City Council FROM: Alan Christensen, Assistant City Manager SUBJECT: Employee Incentive Program The Employee Incentive Committee is happy to provide the list of High Five nominees and winners for the last quarter of 1999. Please note that the winners are shown in bold. An unprecedented 111 employees were nominated in the month of November. All of these individuals were recognized by their peers, supervisors, or members of the public for exceptional work and/or customer service. By being nominated, each employee is automatically inducted into the "High Five Club" for the fiscal year and is recognized at the annual Employee Breakfast. In addition, each winner has their choice a number of $10 gift certificates. All nominees and winners are also recognized monthly in the City's employee newsletter. We applaud these individuals for a job well done. APC:al Attachment 1999 HIGH FIVE AWARD October Nominee Title Dept Date Nominated by Comments 1 Charles Alderete Swr Maint. II PW / Streets 10/20/99 Bob Mears Very responsive to citizen complaint; handled the situation professionally. 2 McArthur Anderson Park Maint. III Rec & Parks 10/11/99 Terri Elison Commitment to dept, willingness to help, positive attitude. 3 Robin Boytis Clerk Typist City Clerk 10/08/99 Para McCarthy Joint effort wi John Stinson to help citizen problem. 4 Shong Clement Maint. Worker Rec & Parks 10/11/99 Terri Elison Positive attitude, willingness to help & attn to detail. 5 Tom Darnell Eng. Tech II PW/Engineering 10/01/99 Denise Sullivan Great co-worker. 6 Terri Elison Rec Specialist Rec & Parks 10/01/99 Linda McVicker Excellent job organizing Fall Carnival for Kids. 7 Vicki Fagot Admin Asst Police 10/05/99 Stan Ford Always helpful and friendly. Sets a good example. 8 Rudy Garcia Facility Wrkr- T Rec & Parks 10/11/99 Terri Elis0n Hard work with Fall Carnival. Positive and professional. 9 Tom Jones Trades Asst Rec & Parks 10/25/99 Terry McCormick Volunteered to work for First Night and Good Neighbor Festival 10 Buffie Kaiser Off. Sys Sup.Asst MIS 10/15/99 Maria Mojica Very helpful and professional, consistently pleasant manner. 10/27/99 Rhonda Barnhard Always courteous & helpful. Always follows through w/requests for assistance. 11 Lara Kimm Ind Waste Insp. Wastewater 10/11/99 Scott Manzer Great job organizing the Safety/Wellness Faire. 12 Janet La Sance Rec Coordinator Rec & Parks 10/05/99 Start Ford Letter from public thanking her for assistance. 13 Terry McCormick Supervisor Rec & Parks 10/01/99 Greg Cronk Goes above and beyond the expec{ed. Greg Wolf Andra Perry Patricia Hoffman 14 Bob Mears Svc Maint Worker Rec & Parks 10/11/99 Terri Elison Positive attitude, willingness to help & attn to detail. 15 Brenda Miller Eng. Aide I PW/Engineering 10/25/99 Terry McCormick Volunteered to work for First Night, Monster March and Haunted Trail 16 Lisa Moton Acct. Clerk Rec & Parks 10/11/99 Coleen Blair Stopped what she was doing to help out. 17 Lisa Phillips Rec Coordinator Rec & Parks 10/17/99 Holly Larson Wonderful job "running the show" at the canine frisbee championship. 18 John A. Stinson Eng. Tech II PW/Engineering 10/08/99 Para McCarthy Joint effort w/Robin Boytis to help citizen problem. 19 Lisa Walker Prg. Coordinator Rec & Parks 10/17/99 Holly Larson Excellent job coordinating and announcing at canine frisbee championship. 20 Betty Wilson Acct. Clerk Risk Mgmt 10/11/99 Scott Manzer Great job organizing the Safety/Wellness Faire. 21 Greg Wolf Clerk Typist Rec & Parks 10/25/99 Terry McCormick Volunteered to work for First Night and Good Neighbor Festival 1999 HIGH FIVE AWARD November Nominee Title Dept Date Nominator Comments 1 Abe, Allen Asst. Director Rec & Parks 11/05/99 Holly Larson Hard work on Haunted Trail was appreciated. 2 Abe, Pam Acct. Clerk PW/VVW 11/05/99 Holly Larson Hard work on Haunted Trail was appreciated. 3 Acosta, Gina Prg Leader Rec & Parks 11/05/99 Holly Larson Hard work on Haunted Trail was appreciated. 4 AgUilar, Obed Maint. Worker Temp Rec & Parks 11/05/99 Holly Larson Hard work on Haunted Trail was appreciated. 5 Aguirre, Ed Maint. Worker Temp Rec & Parks 11/05/99 Holly Larson Hard work On Haunted Trail was appreciated. 6 Allen, Don Heavy Equip Op. PW 11/15/99 Kevin Barnes Helps cover operations while others are absent- flexible. 7 Alvarez, Alex Maint. Worker Temp Rec & Parks 11/05/99 Holly Larson Hard work on Haunted Trail was appreciated. 8 Bailey, Leroy Trades Asst. Temp Rec & Parks 11/05/99 Holly Larson Hard work on Haunted Trail was appreciated. 9 Barnes,'Donna Dev. Associate EDCD 11/17/99 Jake Wager Proactive efforts related to Chester Avenue Streetscape. 10 Bateman, Andie Maint. Worker Rec & Parks 11/05/99 Holly Larson Hard work on Haunted Trail was appreciated. 11 Beard, Patty Planning Tech Planning 11/18/99 Michele Walton Dropped what she was doing to come help me with software. 12 Beecher, Kristy Acct. Clerk II Finance 11/03/99 Beverly Brown Willing to answer any questions; knows job well 13 Bejarano, Joe Tree Maintainer II Rec & Parks 11/05/99 Holly Larson Hard work on Haunted Trail was appreciated. 14 Bell, Linda Prg Coordinator Rec & Parks 11/05/99 Holly Larson Hard work on Haunted Trail was appreciated. 15 Blair, Coleen Clerk Typist Rec & Parks 11/05/99 Holly Larson Hard work on Haunted Trail was appreciated. 16' Blay, Randy Svc. Maint. Wrkr Rec & Parks 11/19/99 D. Farley Consistent, gets work done with pride. 17 Bogart, Jeff Coordinator Rec & Parks 11/05/99 Holly Larson Hard work on Haunted Trail was appreciated. 18 Brand, Heather Lifeguard Rec & Parks 11/05/99 Holly Larson Hard work on Haunted Trail was appreciated. 19 Brown, Natasha Prg Leader Rec & Parks 11/05/99 Holly' Larson Hard work on Haunted Trail was appreciated. 20 Brown, Stacy Pool Manager Rec & Parks 11/05/99 Holly Larson Hard work on Haunted Trail was appreciated. 21 Bynum, Lindsey Lifeguard/Cashier Rec & Parks 11/05/99 Holly Larson Hard work on Haunted Trail was appreciated. 22 Carter, Danielle Lifeguard Rec & Parks 11/05/99 Holly Larson Hard work on Haunted Trail was appreciated. 23 Carter, Joe Site Director Rec & Parks 11/05/99 Holly Larson Hard work on Haunted Trail was appreciated. 24 Choate, Wendell Svc. Maint. Wrkr Rec & Parks 11/05/99 Holly Larson Hard work on Haunted Trail was appreciated. 25 Cisneros, Joe Facility Worker Rec & Parks 11/05/99 Holly Larson Hard work on Haunted Trail was appreciated. 28 Curtis, Cynthia Coordinator Rec & Parks 11/05/99 Holly Larson Hard work on Haunted Trail was appreciated. 27 Dallam, Matt Park Maintainer III Rec & Parks 11/05/99 Holly Larson Hard work on Haunted Trail was appreciated. 28 DeLaurie, Jerry Maint. Craftworker Rec & Parks 11/05/99 Holly Larson Hard work on Land of Oz was appreciated. 29 Dimberg, Pat Acct. Clerk II Finance 11/03/99 Beverly Brown Very helpful; doesn't mind helping others 11/10/99 Cherie Stephen Best trainer; taught me everything I needed to know about A/P. 30 Doyle, Michelle Coordinator Rec & Parks 11/05/99 Holly Larson Hard work on Haunted Trail was appreciated. 31 Doyle, Mike Asst. Superintendent Rec & Parks 11/05/99 Holly Larson Hard work on Haunted Trail was appreciated. 32 £gan, Mike Prg Leader Rec & Parks 11/05/99 Holly Larson Hard work on Haunted Trail was appreciated. 33 Elison, Terri Rec. Specialist Rec & Parks 11/05/99 Holly Larson Hard work on Haunted Trail was appreciated. 34 Elliott, Frank Park Maintainer III Rec & Parks 11/05/99 Holly Larson Hard work on Haunted Trail was appreciated. 35 Ernst, Mary Svc. Maint. Wrkr Rec & Parks 11/05/99 Holly Larson Hard work on Haunted Trail was appreciated. 36 Escabedo, Lupe Svc. Maint. Wrkr Rec & Parks 11/05/99 Holly Larson Hard work on Haunted Trail was appreciated. 37 Espinosa, Corina Lifeguard Rec & Parks 11/05/99 Holly Larson Hard work on Land of Oz was appreciated. 38 Estrada, Don Svc. Maint. Wrkr Rec & Parks 11/05/99 Holly Larson Hard work on Haunted Trail was appreciated. 39 Faber, Shoshannah Lifeguard Rec & Parks 11/05/99 Holly Larson Hard work on Haunted Trail was appreciated. 40 Farley, Darrick Trades Assistant Rec & Parks 11/05/99 Holly Larson Hard work on Haunted Trail was appreciated. 11/01/99 Bob Mears Exceeds work requirements; problem solver 41 Fenstermaker, Gary Code Enf. Officer Dev. Svcs 11/18/99 Eddie Faires Identified potential hazard that may have saved lives. 42 Ford, Stan Director Rec & Parks 11/05/99 Holly Larson Hard work on Haunted Trail was appreciated. 43 Frank, Jennifer Lifeguard Rec & Parks 11/05/99 Holly Larson Hard work on Haunted Trail was appreciated. 44 Fritz, Bruce Craftworker Rec & Parks 11/05/99 Holly Larson Hard work on Haunted Trail was appreciated. 45 Gafford, Roberta Secretary II HR 11/02/99 Carroll Hayden Worked steadily to complete tedious project. 46 6ollinger, Stephen Svc. Maint. Wrkr Rec & Parks 11/05/99 Holly Larson Hard work on Haunted Trail was appreciated. 47 Gonzales, Anthony HR Supervisor HR 11/23/99 Janet McCrea Thanks for helping with the recruitments. 48 Gonzales, Joe. E. Park Maintainer Rec & Parks 11/22/99 Cherie Stephen Always there to help, even when it didn't pertain to his dept. 49 Grigg, Barbie Lifeguard Rec & Parks 11/05/99 Holly LarsOn Hard work on the Land of Oz was appreciated. 50 Gutierrez, Joe Svc. Maint. Wrkr Rec & Parks 11/05/99 Holly Larson Hard work on Haunted Trail was appreciated. 51 Haven, Dawn Clerk Typist I HR 11/10/99 Janet McCrea Successfully converted HR files; coordinated A. Gonzalez parking permits in efficient manner. 52 Hecht, David Sr. Off. Sys. An MIS 11/01/99 M. Willoughby Provides PD invaluable assistance. 53 Herrera; Frank Maint. Craftworker Rec & Parks 11/05/99 Holly Larson Hard work on Haunted Trail was appreciated. 54 Hinojos, Tony Maint. Worker Temp Rec & Parks 11/05/99 Holly Larson Hard work on Haunted Trail was appreciated. 55 Horter, Tim Lifeguard Rec & Parks 11/05/99 Holly Larson Hard work on Haunted Trail was appreciated. 56 Hulsey, Roger Lt. Equip Operator Rec & Parks 11/05/99 Holly 'Larson Hard work on Haunted Trail Was appreciated. 57 Hurd, Candice Site Director Rec & Parks 11/05/99 Holly Larson Hard work on Haunted Trail was appreciated. 58 Ibarra, Alfonso Maint. Worker Temp Rec & Parks 11/05/99 Holly Larson Hard work on Haunted Trail was appreciated. 59 Ihmels, Sally Supervisor Rec & Parks 11/05/99 Holly Larson Hard work on Haunted Trail was appreciated. 60 Jones, Dean Supervisor Rec & Parks 11/05/99 Holly Larson Hard work on Haunted Trail was appreciated. 61 Jones, Tom Trades Assistant Rec & Parks 11/05/99 Holly Larson Hard work on Haunted Trail was appreciated. 62 Larson, Holly Rec. Specialist Eec & Parks 11/12/99 Sally Ihmels Provides highest quality programs possible. 11/19/99 Henry Shipes Excellent job coordinating Haunted Trail. 11/19/99 Linda McVicker Excellent job coordinating Haunted Trail. 63 Lawson, Jim Craftworker Rec & Parks 11/05/99 Holly Larson Hard work on Haunted Trail was appreciated. 64 Lewis, Justin Maint. Worker Rec & Parks 11/05/99 Holly Larson Hard work on Haunted Trail was appreciated. 65 Long, Carrie Lifeguard Rec & Parks 1~1/05/99 Holly Larson Hard work on Haunted Trail was appreciated. 66 Lopez, Rebecca Svc. Maint. Wrkr Rec & Parks 11/05/99 Holly Larson Hard work on Haunted Trail was appreciated. 67 Martinez, Lisa Prg Coordinator Rec & Parks 11/05/99 Holly Larson Hard work on Haunted Trail was appreciated. 68 Matthews, Terry San. Worker III PW/SW 11/22/99 Howard Morris Citizen called su. pervisor to say thanks for putting Terry on route. 69 McCalley, Molly Coordinator Rec & Parks 11/05/99 Holly Larson Hard work on Land of Oz was appreciated. 70 McCormick, Terry Supervisor II Rec & Parks 11/05/99 Holly Larson Hard work on Haunted Trail was appreciated. 71 McVicker, Linda Supervisor II Rec & Parks 11/05/99 Holly Larson Hard work on Land of Oz was appreciated. 72 Medina, Yvonne Maint. Worker Rec & Parks 11/05/99 Holly Larson Hard work on Haunted Trail was appreciated. 73 Mitchell, Derik Lifeguard Rec & Parks 11/05/99 Holly Larson Hard work on Haunted Trail was appreciated. 74 Moffatt, Beau Lifeguard Rec & Parks 11/05/99 Holly Larson Hard work on Haunted Trail was appreciated. 75 Mojica, Maria Human Res. Clerk HR 11/10/99 Janet McCrea High degree of patients, excellent customer svc. A. Gonzalez 76 Montanio, Michael Maint. Worker Temp Rec & Parks 11/05/99 Holly Larson Hard work on Haunted Trail was appreciated. 77 Moore, Lisa Off Sys. Tech Temp MIS 11/30/99 Bruce Adair Very helpful in resolving computer problems. Chad Jackman 78 Morin, Ray Svc. Maint. Wrkr Rec & Parks 11/05/99 Holly Larson Hard work on Haunted Trail was appreciated. 79 Navarette, Jose Maint. Worker Temp Rec & Parks 11/05/99 Holly Larson Hard work on Haunted Trail was appreciated. 80 Ochoa, Amber Pool Manager Rec & Parks 11/05/99 Holly Larson Hard work on Haunted Trail was appreciated. 81 Perry, Andra Clerk Typist Rec & Parks 11/05/99 Holly Larson Hard work on the Land of Oz was appreciated. 82 Pierce, Vicki Coordinator Rec & Parks 11/05/99 Holly Larson Hard work on Haunted Trail was appreciated. 83 Provencio, Luis Prg Coordinator Rec & Parks 11/05/99 Holly Larson Hard work on Haunted Trail was appreciated. 84 Ramirez, Yolanda Prg Leader Rec & Parks 11/05/99 Holly Larson Hard work on Haunted Trail was appreciated. 85 Reyes, Art Trades Assistant Rec & Parks 11/05/99 Holly Larson Hard work on Haunted Trail was appreciated. 86 Reyes, Margie Maint. Worker Rec & Parks 11/05/99 Holly Larson Hard work on Haunted Trail was appreciated. 87 Rivera, Ismael Facility Worker Rec & Parks 11/05/99 Holly Larson Hard work on Haunted Trail was appreciated. 88 Roberts, Ashley LifegUard Rec & Parks 11/05/99 Holly Larson Hard work on Haunted Trail was appreciated. 89 Rodriguez, Ricardo Maint. Worker Temp P, ec & Parks 11/05/99 Holly Larson Hard work on Haunted Trail was appreciated. 90 Rogers, Mike Supervisor II PW/Fleet 11/23/99 Kevin Barnes Helped on Saturday, preventing .loss of 2 day's production. 91 Roissel, Susan Svc. Maint. Wrkr Rec & Parks 11/05/99 Holly Larson Hard work on Haunted Trail was appreciated. 92 Romine, Josh Pool Manager Rec & Parks. 11/05/99 Holly Larson Hard work on Haunted Trail was appreciated. 93 Ruiz, Tim Supervisor Rec & Parks 11/05/99 Holly Larson Hard work on Haunted Trail was appreciated. 94 Salazar, Jose Facility Worker Rec & Parks 11/05/99 Holly Larson Hard work on Haunted Trail was appreciated. 95 Sanchez, Carmen Facility Worker Temp Rec & Parks 11/05/99 Holly Larson Hard work on Haunted Trail was appreciated. 96 Scroggy, Alexis Lifeguard Rec & Parks 11/05/99 Holly Larson Hard work on Haunted Trail was appreciated. 97 Shelton, Matt Maint. Worker Rec & Parks 11/05/99 Holly Larson Hard work on Haunted Trail was appreciated. 98 Shipes, Henry Asst. Superintendent Rec & Parks 11/05/99 Holly Larson Hard work on Haunted Trail was appreciated. 99 Siefert, Jackie Site Director Rec & Parks 11/05/99 Holly Larson Hard work on Haunted Trail was appreciated. 100 Smith, NelSon Acct. Supervisor Finance 11/10/99 Cherie Stephen Excellent supervisor; encouraged me to expand my knowledge. 101 Sosa, Cindy Coordinator Rec & Parks 11/05/99 Holly Larson Hard work on Haunted Trail was appreciated. ~102 Stephen, Cherie Acct. Clerk II Rec & Parks 11/05/99 Holly Larson Hard work on Haunted Trail was appreciated. 103 Sullivan, John Maint. Craft'worker Rec & Parks 11/05/99 Holly Larson Hard work on Haunted Trail was appreciated. 104 Triscuitt, Jeanette Rec. Specialist Rec & Parks 11/05/99 Holly Larson Hard work on Haunted Trail was appreciated. 105 Vass, Mike Lt. Equip Operator Rec & Parks 11/05/99 Holly Larson Hard work on Haunted Trail was appreciated. 106 Walker, Lisa Coordinator Rec & Parks 11/05/99 Holly Larson Hard work on Land of Oz was appreciated. 107 Wilson, Charlie Lt. Equip Operator PW/Streets 11/12/99 Mark Fick Prompt response & excellent workmanship. 108 Winston, Virginia Site Director Rec & Parks 11/05/99 Holly Larson Hard work on Haunted Trail was appreciated. 109 Wolf, Greg Clerk Typist II Rec & Parks 11/05/99 Holly Larson Hard work on Haunted Trail was appreciated. 110 Wright, Harold St. Maintainer PW/Streets 11/12/99 Rene Martinez Positive attitude motivates others. 111 Young, Frank Supervisor PW/Gen Sv 11/05/99 Holly Larson Hard work on Haunted Trail was appreciated. 1999 HIGH FIVE AWARD December Nominee Title Dept Date Nominator Comments 1 Bell, Kevin Trades Asst PW / GS 12/02/99 Beverly Brown Very efficient with Building Dept project. ...... 2 'Branson;- Darrin-- -Accounting-Clerk I l'-Finance .......12/10/99 -Gregory- Klimko ..... Went e×tra-mile .to .prepare_annual_repo~t_in_spite_of_P-.C._pr-oblems ....... 3 Embry, Jim Captail Fire 12/16/99 Leslie Devitt Met w/reporter on own time, dedicated, never-ending assistance. 4 Hall, Rhonda St. Maintainer PW /Sts 12/05/99 Stepheney King Hard worker. 5 Hardin, Tom St. Maintainer II PW /Sts 12/28/99 Elaine Larsen Does a good job working together, and continued effort to get along. 6 Hartley, Tyler Captain Fire 12/09/99 Leslie Devitt On own time, bought clothes & toys for needy family. 7 Heiduk, Rob Detective Police 12/10/99 Dave Haskins Observed burglary in progress, apprehended suspects 8 Herrera, Frank Craftworker III Rec & Parks 12/15/99 Cherie Stephen Always helpful and takes the time to help teach. 9 King, Clarence Maint. Craftworker I PW / GS 12/02/99 Beverly Brown Always prompt and gets job done - sees to customer's needs. 10 King, Stepheney St. Maintainer- PW / Sts 12/05/99 P, honda Hall Hard worker. 11 Matthews, Chris Engineer Fire 12/09/99 Leslie Devitt On own time, bought Clothes & toys for needy family. 12 Newell, Scoff Fireflghter Fire 12/09/99 Leslie Devitt On own time, bought clothes & toys for needy family. 13 Ornelas, Marissa Account Clerk Fire 12/10/99 Leslie Devitt Very helpful with spanish radio project re: holiday safety. 14 Parrish, Sheena Secretary II PW/SW 12/03/99 Terry McCormick Volunteered to help with Christmas Parade float. 15 Sorrel, Jennifer Telecommunicator Police 12/09/99 Eduardo Garcia Very patient- makes work fun. 16 Toney, Brenda Sr. Rec. CIk Police 12/09/99 Eduardo Garcia Always goes the extra mile - very patient and professional. 17 Walls, Connie Acting Acct. Supr Finance 12/10/99 Gregory Klimko Excellent job coordinating annual report in addition to new duties. BAKERSFIELD PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT MEMORANDUM TO: Alan Tandy, City Manager FROM: Raul Rojas, Public Works Director~~~.~- DATE: January 12, 2000 SUBJECT: Transportation Impact Fee - request from Councilman Couch Councilman Couch contacted Ms. Shaw of my staff last week to obtain some additional information on the Transportation Impact Fee. Specifically, he requested the number of residential permits issued under the Phase I Fee. Ms. Shaw has assumed that he wishes the same projections made for this period of time as he did in his earlier referral. Therefor, please find attached a spreadsheet showing the potential amount collected for single and multi-family permits issued between June 8, 1992 (the date the Phase I transportation Impact Fee went into effect) and February 10, 1997 (the day the Phase II Transportation Impact Fee went into effect). Since the amount if Transportation Impact Fees collected for single and multi-family residences is not readily available for this time period, my staff used the same "vesting" percentage as was determined in the previous referral (attached). I have also included a copy of the earlier referral showing the underlying assumptions for these projections. S:\COUNCIL\COLrNCIL.REF~Couch TIF second.wpd RMR:mps xc: Reading File Project File Marian P. Shaw t REC,E V D ' Cl'F'f MANAGER'S 0~!,.'"'" Single and Multi-Family Residential Permits Issued from June 8, 1992 to February 10, 1997 Number of Single Family Units 6828 @$1179= $8,050,212 x57.39%= $4,620,017 Number of Multi Family Units 49 @ $828 = $40,572 x 57.39% = $23,284 Assumed "Vesting" Percent 57.39% $4,643,301 Proposed $6,709 $4,484 $45,809,052 $219,716 $26,415,910 Alternate 1 $6,148 $4,112 $41,978,544 $201,488 $24,207,120 Alternate 2 $3,060 $2,065 $20,893,680 $101,185 $12,048,953 Alternate 3 $1,505 $1,023 $10,276,140 $50,127 $5,926,245 Alternate 4 $1,227 $835 $8,377,956 $40,915 $4,831,590 Alternate 5 $3,778 $2,548 $25,796,184 $124,852 $14,876,083 S:\PROJECTS\TIF\PHASE2\Omni Means Compare Phase I.qpw BAKERSFIELD PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT MEMORANDUM TO: Alan Tandy - City Manager FROM: Raul M. Rojas - Public Works Director DATE: December 23, 1999 SUBJECT'~'" CItY COUNCIL REFERRAL WF0018326/002 ~i~nsportation Impact Fee Please find attached a spr~dsheet showi~ the amounts of Transportation Impact Fees the City wou!~have collected between Febru~ 10, 1997:~{~h~a the'~phase II TIF ~ent into effect) through October 15, :1999 ufiiibr :the 6 different fee scenarios pr~sent~l in ~e~,Omni-MeanS,~'Metr0pOlitan Bakersfield TranspOrtation D~Veiopment Fee, Final Report &edl~}i~ruar~i ggi. In d~)6Ping this'Spreadsheet, S6veral ass~i~ions v~ere made. These are listed as follows: 1. It was assumed that the (~ransportation Fee could be increased to the various, amounts indicated in the Omnl-Me~t~s Report. Impact Fee is a "d~'velopmei~t fee" as defined by Section 66000;?et~seq. and as increased unless certain,',eriteri'a are met. Among these criteriais theig ,,e~l~. uirement for a.:~,~nexus" ~a reasonable relationship betWeen the amount of the fee and the'cost of the,public facilitie§;~it~ribut~lSle to the development upon which :the fee is imposed. This would be difficult for both the~Prop~:~'' and "Alternate 1" fees; since ~they both assume that there ~6uld be no State funding for fr~iiys and that 100% of the 'ne'etl for these f/~ways resultS;from new development. 2. irrespeetiveofthe amount becollected. 3. The amounts shown are based upon residential units-only. Commercial building~ were not considered due to the difficulty in obtaining the data necessary to convert from a "per trip" fee basis, as the City's ordinance dictates, to the "per square fo6t!~asis proposed in the O~-,~ans report. 4. Our ordinance allows for a credit to be taken for any improvements on the TIF Fa6iii~ies list that is constructed by the developer, and State law allows TractMaps that have "vested, prior to the date the fee was enacted to pay the previous fee amount. Both of these reductions in the fee are done on a case by case basis, and would require a permit level review to quantize. Instead, after staff's discussion with Councilman Couch, a simple percentage reduction was used, based upon the amount actually collected for residential versus the amount the City would have collected without either credits or vesting rights. This percentage is 57.39%. 5. The time period used for this analysis is from the date that the PhaseII Transportation Impact Fee went into effect (February 10, 1997) to October 15, 1999. This period was used because the data could be obtained from the permitting system program - the Building Department changed the way these types of fees are entered previous to this, and pulling the data out would have taken a permit by permit review. S:\COUNCIL\COUNCIL.RE~0018326002.wpd BAKERSFIELD PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT MEMORANDUM TO: ALAN TANDY, CITY MANAGER ROJAS, PUBLIC WORKS DIRECTOR FROM: RAUL DATE: JANUARY 12, 2000 SUBJECT: HOTEL PADRE As requested, we will have the Alamo-Tombstone sign and the missile removed from atop the Padre Hotel building the week of January 24, 2000. ~. ~ ~ ?r,,::/ ~ .../* ~, . _~ I G:\GRO U P DAT~Mem o~000\HotelPadreMissileRem oval.wpd TO: Alan Tandy, City Manager FROM: Jack Hardisty, Development Services Di~ SUBJECT: Union Avenue Motels - Update from mem~dated November 23, 1999 (See attached last progress report) CHAPARRAL MOTOR INN - 333 Union Avenue On January 5, 2000 a 48-Hour Notice of Summary Abatement was issued on the burnt wing. Air Pollution Control has given us clearance to demolish the building. We are in the process of receiving bids and have one bid back as low as $13,500.00. However, the owner is starting to do the work. We are monitoring the progress and if he fails to meet the deadline we will pick up and finish the work. TURNER INN - 701 Union Avenue An asbestos survey contractor has been selected to do the survey and we are waiting for the contractor to sign the contract and schedule the work to be done. This will allow us to get an exact estimate on the removal of the asbestos and demolition. BAKERSFIELD INN- 1101 Union Avenue On November 22, 1999 the owner of the inn had cleaned the property. However, little piles of trash keep getting dumped and we will have to keep monitoring it for future cleanups. If future cleanups are needed we have a contact person that will respond for the cleanup. VALLEY HI MOTEL - 908 Union Avenue A contractor has been awarded the bid to cleanup and secure all openings with plywood painted the same color as the building and to repair the fence. However, the owner has started to work on securing the building and we have been monitoring this progress which has been very slow. If the work has not been completed by January 11, 2000 we will have our contractors start and finish it. cc: Dennis Fidler, Building Director MEMORANDUM November 23, 1999 TO: Alan Tandy, City Manager FROM: Randy Fidler, Chief Code Enforcement Officer SUBJECT: Union Avenue Motels - City Council Referral #WF0018170 The Casa Royale has been completed. The Knight's Rest has been totally remodeled. The Holiday Inn on White Lane is in the process of being remodeled. The following summarizes efforts performed on Union Avenue motels to date: CHAPARRAL MOTOR INN - 333 Union Avenue 3/6/95 Investigated a complaint. Room was posted as a "Dangerous Building" and the tenants were removed. There were also other violations noted throughout the rest of the motel. The violations were abated. 9/95 A fire destroyed the 300 wing and is still under investigation of arson. The building has been stripped to the studs and is still standing. 10/95 Another fire destroyed the restaurant and it is also under investigation of arson. The structure is also standing. It has been posted as a dangerous building and it is secured. 9/96 Notice given to go to heating. It was ordered that the open, vacant units in the north wing be secured and the trash and debris be removed by October 15, 1996 and obtain permits for demolition. 1/97 Correction notice issued to re-secure structure, drain pool and clean trash and debris. 2/18/98 A demolition permit was taken out for the south wing building and was stripped to the studs and work stopped because of an insurance arson investigation. 4/5/99 Notice to cleanup weeds and remove abandoned cars. We will be starting a new investigation. 7/12/99 The owners have been sent a notice of violation of a dangerous building concerning the three-hundred wing, which has been damaged due to a fire. They will have sixty days to obtain the proper permits to either re-build or demolish said property. ~They Alan Tandy ,. November 23, 1999 Page 2 will also have ninety days from the date of the notice to complete the job. If not completed the City will start the procedure to complete the removal of said structure in a timely manner. 11/22/99 The owner failed to demolish the structures. The City Attorney's Office will start a civil suit to get court approval to remove the structures. Meanwhile, we will be obtaining bids to demolish said structures. TURNER INN - 701 Union Avenue 8/22/95 Responded to property for transient living in rooms. Property is unsecured and abandoned. Property is being used as a dumping ground for stolen cars. 8/11/95 Property is cleaned and secured by the owner. 12/23/96 A first notice is issued to the owner for weeds and trash. 1/28/97 The violations are not abated. A hearing is set. 2/97 The owner failed to abate the weeds and trash. The city abates the property under contract for $1,395. 3/2/99 Owner requested he be allowed to refurbish single story portion of motel. His request was denied. 11/22/99 The City Attorney's Office will file a civil suit. We are in the process of getting an asbestos survey report so we can obtain asbestos and demolition bids. These buildings are owned by two different individuals. They are both fenced and maintained secure. Demolition of these buildings could range fi:om $180,000 to $350,000. Rehabilitation is also a possibility but would require an occupant, business or tenant. BAKERSFIELD INN - 1101 Union Avenue 10/23/96 Violation notice sent to the owner to remove all overgrown vegetation and to repair fence. 11/8/96 Second notice to abate public nuisance and order to show cause sent to the property owner. 11/26/96 Abatement hearing. Alan Tandy November 23, 1999 Page 3 11/27/96 Notice and order for abatement of condition constituting a public nuisance sent to the property owner. 12/96 The property is abated by the city under contract. 5/9/97 Notice of filing report and assessment list for abatement Of condition constituting public nuisance is sent to the property owner. 5/21/97 Property is assessed for $1,345 for nuisance abatement. 12/11/97 Violation notice sent to the property owner for accumulation of dry palm fronds and dead vegetation. 1/9/98 Second notice and order to show cause issued to property owner. 1/20/98 Abatement hearing held. Violation abated by the property owner. 8/5/98 Violation notice sent to the property owner for overgrown vegetation, junk and trash. 8/17/98 Violation abated by the property owner. 7/1/99 A seven-day notice was issued for weeds, junk, trash, debris and to cover or compact with dirt the holes created by the palm tree removal. 7/12/99 The owners have been sent a notice for the abatement of weeds, junk, trash, debris and concealment or compaction of loose dirt caused by the removal of palm trees. Contact was made with the new owners and work has been started. 11/22/99 The Bakersfield Inn has been cleaned and will be monitored for future cleanup. VALLEY HI MOTEL - 908 Union Avenue The motel is currently vacant and fenced. On March 16, 1998, there were ten+ workers removing furniture and debris and cleaning out the swimming pool. The new owner has employed a contractor to paint and refurbish the motel which he plans to reopen. Attempts to contact the current owner have been unsuccessful. Response to property maintenance violations in March 1997, resulted in the property being vacated and secured by the owner in July 1997. 10/13/98 Violation notice issued to the property owner for unsecured structure, weeds, trash and debris. Alan Tandy November 23, 1999 Page 4 10/23/98 Second notice and order to show cause issued to property owner. 11/3/98 Heating held. Owner did not appear. Mr. Mohammed called and said he would secure and cleanup the debris. 12/15/98 Mr. Mohammed called and said he would be selling the motel and the new buyer would be contacting me. 1/27/99 Code enforcement boarded the window and secured the fence. 7/12/99 The owner of the Valley Hi Motel has been sent notices for the abatement of weeds, trash, debris and an unsecured building. The owner has not responded to the first or second notice and failed to appear for the hearing before the Building Director on June 22, 1999. I have requested and am currently waiting to receive contractor bids for abatement. 11/22/99 The owners have failed to contact us and we are in the process of re-securing the structure and cleaning it again. We have several liens against the property and we are going to ask the City Attorney's Office to look into filing a civil lawsuit. cc: Jack Hardisty, Development Services Director Dennis Fidler, Building Director Jack Leonard, Assistant Building Director Tmdy Slater, Administrative Analyst ,.lAN 13 .................. B A K E R S F I E L Economic and Community Development Depa~ment MEMORANDUM Janua~ ~2, 2000 TO: Alan Tandy, City Manager ~ FROM: Jake Wager, Economic Development Direct SUBJECT: Downtown Parking At a recent DBA Vision Committee meeting a number of speakers spoke about the need for additional public parking in the area east of Chester Avenue. Based on some of the comments made at this meeting, I was asked to prepare a brief memo discussing the City's expressed interest in working with property owners towards the creation of additional public parking. The desire for more public parking goes back a number of years. In fact as a result of comments similar to those made on Friday, January 7, 2000, the City of Bakersfield invited all property owners between 21st, '~7th, "O", and Chester to attend a meeting on February 2, 1994 (see attached). The purpose of the meeting was to establish the interest of property owners towards the possible establishment of a parking assessment district. Only. a small number of property owners attended the meeting (see attached) and the general reaction' can only be described as anemic. Following this effort, City staff then met over a course of several years with property owners, business operators, and DBA representatives to discuss modifications to the on- street parking standards in order to address the perceived need for adequate parking for downtown business patrons. After numerous meetings the effort was abandoned because of the inability to reach consensus on a comprehensive approach to the use and limits for- on-street parking (including employee parking). In order to help meet the continuing request for additional off-street parking, the City undertook the demolition of the old ANB building and constructed an 88 space surface parking lot. At its peak only 66 of the 88 spaces were leased to surrounding businesses. Eventually this lot was sold to the Lee Development Group for it's inclusion into the District Attorney's project. As a condition of the sale, the City required the developer to include in the project the same number of leased parking spaces and that the terms for those leases be honored until 2005. dlk:P:~JWS\downtown parking memo.WPD Recognizing that the subject of additional off-street parking continues to be discussed, Counciimember DeMond asked that the Bakersfield Redevelopment Agency consider setting aside a percentage of the tax increment generated by the Lee Development Group for the development of off-street parking. On May 11, 1998, the Bakersfield RDA agreed to reserve 25% of this project's tax increment for a period of five years as seed monies for future off-street parking. The five year period started last year and it is estimated that this will generate $45,000.00 per year for a total of $225,000.00. More recently I have spoken with Ray Watson and Roy Weygand on separate occasions regarding DBA's interest for more off-street parking as well as having participated in a brief conversation at the October 15, 1999 Vision Committee meeting. At the initial meeting with Ray Watson and Roy Weygand I was presented with some preliminary information on various options available by law to help fund off-street parking. During the second conversation we discussed the various options including my recommendation that we all look at a Parking and Business Improvement District. Mr Weygand indicated he would do some additional research and then call to discuss his findings further. As of the DBA Vision Committee of January 7, 2000 this is where the matter stood. dlk:P:~lWS\downtown parking memo. WPD