Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAbout03/13/2020CC OFFICE OF THE CITY MANAGER March 13, 2020 TO: Honorable Mayor and City Council FROM: Christian Clegg, City Manager SUBJECT: General Information COVID-19 Response  In order to help reduce the chances of exposure to and spread of COVID-19 (also known as the coronavirus), the City of Bakersfield is making some temporary changes to operations, including postponing or canceling some events and meetings through March 31. The health and safety of the public and our employees is of paramount concern during this time. Governor Gavin Newsom issued an Executive Order on Thursday, March 12, which included guidelines for municipalities and others to follow through the rest of the month. While there have been no confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Bakersfield at this time, City staff has been working closely with the Kern County Department of Health, the Office of Governor Newsom and the Centers for Disease Control to stay informed and devise steps to take to ensure the health and safety of everyone in our community. Notable Items  Mayor Karen Goh and City staff attended the Big City Mayors 2020 Lobby Day (right) in Sacramento on Monday, March 9. The delegation worked with representatives from the other 12 largest California Cities to identify resources and policy that will address homelessness in a meaningful and sustainable way.  The recent rain serves as a good reminder for residents to continue their water conservation efforts by not watering their lawns during and 48 hours after a rain event. Locally, approximately 60% to 70% of water is used for outside irrigation. Following this General Information March 13, 2020 Page 2 one conservation tip will provide for significant water savings. This year winter storms have been few and far between, and precipitation in the Bakersfield area is tracking 40% below average for the year. At this point last year, the amount of precipitation was 21% above average. This annual variability reminds us that water conservation is always important to implement and helps preserve our local water supply, rain or shine, so please continue to save water!  Some new outdoor fitness equipment (right) is coming to the Kaiser Permanente Sports Village soon! When completed, the exercise area will include a canvas shade cover for use during the hot summer months. The equipment is expected to be fully installed by early April.  Since launching last summer, the City’s new Code Enforcement Rapid Response Team has been very busy, responding to calls from all over the City! In response to Councilmember Bob Smith’s request, Development Services has provided a map of RRT calls for service between January 15 and February 20. The map shows calls have come from all corners of the City and in all seven City Council wards, though there are concentrations along major commercial corridors. The RRT is funded by the Public Safety & Vital Services Measure, also known as Measure N, and is deployed in order to address 13 specific priorities set through feedback received during 30 community-based meetings and other communications. Those concerns include homeless encampments, illegal dumping, and other issues that are reported through the Bakersfield Mobile app and the City of Bakersfield’s service request webpage.  The Bakersfield Police Department hosted a Principled Policing class on Wednesday, March 11 (left). More than two dozen members of the public got the opportunity to learn about the department in an interactive day of training with officers. The class allows the public to share their experiences to help our officers better understand and police in the community as well as give the public the chance to learn more about the men and women serving in your neighborhoods.  The Bakersfield Police Department is now accepting applications for the upcoming Junior Police Academy. Children between the ages of 11 and 17 are eligible to apply to the program, which is in its fifth year. The deadline for applications is May 1. General Information March 13, 2020 Page 3 Applications can be turned in at the Bakersfield Police Activities League, 301 E. 4th Street. Traffic Advisories  Closure at 24th Street/Chester Avenue intersection on Saturday The contractor for the 24th Street Improvement Project will need to close westbound 24th Street at the Chester Avenue intersection between the hours of 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. on Saturday, March 14. Westbound traffic will be detoured onto northbound Chester Avenue during the closure. The detour route will follow Chester Avenue to 28th Street, continue west to H Street, then south to 24th Street. Northbound Chester Avenue will also be closed through the intersection during these hours. Motorists will need to use H Street or L Street to cross the corridor while work is underway. Southbound Chester Avenue traffic will be able to turn right onto westbound 24th Street or continue south through the intersection. No impacts are anticipated for eastbound traffic on 23rd Street. The closure is needed to remove old trolley tracks from the roadway. Construction work may be postponed and rescheduled without notice due to weather or other unforeseen circumstances. Please slow down and watch for construction workers and equipment while driving through the work zone. The Thomas Roads Improvement Program apologizes for any inconvenience this work may cause the traveling public.  Upcoming Closures for State Route 99 The Ming Avenue on-ramp to northbound State Route 99 will be closed during nighttime hours Monday, March 16 through Thursday, March 19 for work on the new retaining wall. The on-ramp is expected to be closed between the hours of 9 p.m. and 5 a.m., each night. During these hours, northbound motorists can enter the freeway from the Wible Road on-ramp, located approximately one mile north of Ming Avenue. A full freeway closure will be needed on southbound State Route 99 on Thursday night, March 19. Crews will be working above the traffic lanes on falsework for the westbound State Route 58 separation bridge widening between the hours of 11 p.m. and 5 a.m. While work is underway, southbound motorists will be detoured from the freeway at Stockdale Highway and will follow Real Road south to the Ming Avenue interchange to re-enter the freeway. Please note: the concrete pour for the new bridge across Real Road, just south of Stockdale Highway, originally planned for Friday, March 13 will be rescheduled next week, dependent upon weather conditions. All work may be rescheduled without notice due to unforeseen circumstances. Please General Information March 13, 2020 Page 4 slow down and watch for construction workers and equipment while driving in the vicinity of this work. The Thomas Roads Improvement Program apologizes for any inconvenience this work may cause the traveling public. Reports  Proposed Sewer and Refuse Rate Increases for FY 2020-21. Event Notifications  The March low-cost pet vaccination clinic has been CANCELED in order to help prevent the spread of and possible exposure to COVID-19 (the coronavirus).  Event Calendar for the Mechanics Bank Arena, Theater & Convention Center. NOTE: Several events included on this calendar have since been postponed or canceled. City Manager’s Office 1600 Truxtun Avenue, Bakersfield, CA 93301 661-326-3751 FAX: 661-324-1850 MEDIA ANNOUNCEMENT FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT: Joe Conroy Thursday, March 12, 2020 Public Information Officer (661) 326-3074 JConroy@bakersfieldcity.us CITY TAKING STEPS TO REDUCE POSSIBLE COVID-19 EXPOSURE Out of an abundance of caution and following California Governor Gavin Newsom’s Executive Order (N-25-20) issued today, the City of Bakersfield will postpone or cancel nonessential events and gatherings hosted by the City through the end of March in order to reduce the possible spread of COVID-19, also known as the novel coronavirus. The City of Bakersfield is working closely with the Kern County Department of Public Health, the Office of Governor Newsom and the Centers for Disease Control, with regards to the ongoing COVID-19 health crisis. Public health is a primary concern for the City of Bakersfield. While there have been no cases of COVID-19 confirmed in Bakersfield, the City is taking steps to limit the possible spread of the virus. “I encourage Bakersfield residents to be proactive in protecting our community’s health,” said Mayor Karen Goh. “Together we can make our community safer by observing the guidelines from the California Department of Public Health. Last night at our City Council meeting, I proclaimed Bakersfield to be a ‘handshake-free city.’ Join me in refraining from shaking hands as one proactive practice to safeguard the health of our families.” Precautionary steps the City of Bakersfield is taking include: • The March 25th City Council Meeting is planned to take place as originally scheduled with an abbreviated agenda. o In-person public comments will still be accepted at the meeting, however, the public is encouraged to submit public comments for that meeting via the City Clerk’s Office at city_clerk@bakersfieldcity.us. • Nonessential board, commission, and committee meetings will be postponed to later dates. • All City-hosted community meetings scheduled through March 31 are postponed until further notice. • The postponement of previously permitted special events scheduled to be held through the end of March, including special events scheduled at City parks. o Application fees may be refunded, or the event may be rescheduled to a later date. o Attendees or participants should contact respective event organizers to find out potential impact. • The suspension of Recreation & Parks Department programs provided to the public through the end of March, with the exception of the after-school meal programs at the Martin Luther King, Jr. Community Center. • City Community Centers and pools will be CLOSED to the public until the end of March. • Mesa Marin Sports Complex, Kaiser Permanente Sports Village and Aera Park will be CLOSED to the public through the end of March. • The low-cost Community Vaccination Clinic scheduled for Saturday, March 14 has been postponed to a later date and will be rescheduled. • Specific impacts to scheduled events at the Mechanics Bank Arena, Convention Center and Theater, as well as the Spectrum Amphitheatre will be determined by the facility manager AEG. Any questions regarding event schedules or ticketing should be directed to AEG. It is important to note that essential services provided by the City, including the Bakersfield Police and Fire Departments, will NOT be affected by these precautionary measures and will continue functioning as normal. However, the lobby counter services at the Police Department Headquarters and the Westside Substation will be closed until further notice. All nonessential Police Department events, programs and activities through March 31 have been postponed. Please refer related inquiries to the Bakersfield Police Department. Operations at City Hall North – including Human Resources and Finance – as well as Development Services and Public Works will also continue as normal. Trash services will also not be impacted and will function as normal. ### WARD 6WARD 6WARD 5WARD 5 WARD 1WARD 1 WARD 2WARD 2 WARD 4WARD 4 WARD 7WARD 7 WARD 3WARD 3 Source: Esri, DigitalGlobe, GeoEye, Earthstar Geographics, CNES/Airbus DS, USDA, USGS, AeroGRID, IGN, and the GIS User Community Call for service City Council Wards WARD 1 - Willie Rivera WARD 2 - Andrae Gonzales WARD 3 - Ken Weir WARD 4 - Bob Smith WARD 5 - Bruce Freeman WARD 6 - Jacquie Sullivan WARD 7 - Chris Parlier ¯ 0 1.5 30.8 Miles R:\User_Projects\City_Manager\IT\GIS\mthompson\CE_RRT_20200115to20200220.pdf Q:\Projects\mthompson\2020MapRequests\2020MapRequests.aprx 20200224MT RRT Calls For Service 01/15/20 to 02/20/20 Ages 11-17 4 weeks, 2 sessions per week 7:45 AM-noon Graduation ceremony at the end of the 4 weeks Open the camera app on your phone, scan the QR code, and follow the link to access the application, or pick up a hard copy at PAL (301 E. 4th St) READY TO APPLY? JUNIOR POLICE ACADEMY FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT PAL (661) 283-8880 Applications are due by May 1st$0JPA COSTS Y O U 11-13 YEARS OLD: JUNE 8-JULY 3 14-17 YEARS OLD: JULY 13-AUGUST 7 BAKERSFIELD POLICE DEPARTMENT'S SPACE IS LIMITED, SO APPLY SOON! BOX OFFICE HOURS Mon-Fri 10 AM - 5 PM (Excluding Event Days) CHARGE-BY-PHONE 1-888-929-7849 GROUP SALES INFORMATION 661-852-7309 SEASON TICKET INFORMATION Bakersfield Condors 661-324-PUCK (7825) www.bakersfieldcondors.com Bakersfield Symphony 661-323-7928 www.BSOnow.org Broadway In Bakersfield 661-852-7308 Week of March 9th UPCOMING EVENTS April 8 – Condors vs San Jose 6:30 PM April 10 – Condors vs San Jose 7:00 PM $38, $28.50, $23, $19, $16, $12 On Sale Now October 24 – Luke Combs 7:00 PM $88 to $22 On Sale Now $38, $28.50, $23, $19, $16, $12 On Sale Now $38, $28.50, $23, $19, $16, $12 On Sale Now March 28 – Condors vs Colorado 7:00 PM $150, $100, $68, $49, $37, $25, $15 On Sale Now April 4 – PBR Velocity Tour 7:00 PM March 17 – JoJo Siwa w/The Belles 7:00 PM $66.50, $46.50, $36.50 On Sale Now $38, $28.50, $23, $19, $16, $12 On Sale Now March 21 – Condors vs San Jose 7:00 PM March 25 – Condors vs Stockton 6:30 PM April 11 – Condors vs Tucson 7:00 PM $38, $28.50, $23, $19, $16, $12 On Sale Now $38, $28.50, $23, $19, $16, $12 On Sale Now $130 to $35 On Sale Now $130 to $35 On Sale Now March 15 – AXEL By Cirque Du Soleil 1:30 PM June 11 – Chris Stapleton 7:00 PM $113.75 to $43.75 On Sale Now March 14 – AXEL By Cirque Du Soleil 4 & 7:30 PM September 11 – Los Angeles Azules 8:00 PM $196, $126, $96, $76, $56, $36 On Sale Now $179.50 to $39.50 On Sale Now 49.50, 44.50, 39.50, 27.50, 20.00 On Sale Now September 27 – Matchbox Twenty 7:00 PM June 22 – Hillsong Worship 7:30 PM March 14 – Dustin Lynch 8:00 PM$54, $34 On Sale Now March 31 – Dancing With The Stars Live! 8:00 PM$79.50, $59.50, $35.50 On Sale Now $45, $35, $30, $20 On Sale Now $150, $69, $39 On Sale NowMay 6 – Celtic Woman 7:00 PM May 9 – Bak Symphony Orchestra 7:30 PM $52, $32 On Sale NowApril 26 – Brett Young 8:00 PM $45, $35, $30, $20 On Sale Now $55, $45, $35 On Sale NowApril 8 – Baby Shark Live! 6:00 PM April 4 – Bak Symphony Orchestra 7:30 PM Buy tickets at www.mechanicsbankarena.com or AXS.com THEATER April 25 – Tacos & Tunes Festival 4:00 PMGA $40, VIP $90 (goes up April 1st) On Sale Now