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HomeMy WebLinkAbout07/24/2020CC / CH / JK OFFICE OF THE CITY MANAGER July 24 2020 TO: Honorable Mayor and City Council FROM: Christian Clegg, City Manager SUBJECT: General Information Atlas One app Launch  The City of Bakersfield is excited to become the first city in California to launch and begin using the Atlas One civic engagement app! The platform not only allows the City to send geo-fenced push notifications to users when a community event or incident is nearby, but it also provides unprecedented access to online City services and information. The app is free to download and is available on both Android and iOS smart devices today! COVID-19 Updates  Governor Gavin Newsom on Friday, July 24, announced that various industries and activities in Kern County are required to shut down unless they can be modified to operate outside or by pick-up. This is because the County has remained on the state’s COVID-19 data monitoring list for three straight days. The City reminds business owners that we have made a new COVID-19 Special Event Permit available to them, which would allow businesses to set up dining tables or retail vending areas outside temporarily in private parking lots around the City, or on sidewalks and/or public streets in Downtown Bakersfield. Anyone interested in applying for this permit – which is valid throughout the duration of the City’s Emergency Declaration – can do so here. For questions about the General Information July 24, 2020 Page 2 application process or the permit itself, please call 661-326-3762 or 661-326-3753.  The California Interscholastic Federation this week announced changes to its 2020-21 sports calendar in light of the ongoing COVID-19 (novel coronavirus) pandemic. The changes included changing the dates of the CIF state wrestling championships – typically held at the Mechanics Bank Arena in February (right) – to the second week of June. This three-day event is important for the City as high school wrestlers from all around California – along with their coaches and families – converge on Bakersfield, filling up hotels and restaurants, spending key tax dollars in the City. This past year, the event helped boost the City’s hotel occupancy levels by 21% compared to the same weekend the in 2019. Arena officials and staff from Visit Bakersfield are currently working with the CIF to secure availability of the arena in June for this great annual event. Notable Items  The City’s Public Works Department was put to the test this week, responding to several emergencies around the City. First, on Saturday, July 18, crews were called to the intersection of Chester Avenue and Brundage Lane when a sinkhole developed (right). The intersection has been closed and Streets Division crews have been working all week to repair the road. A sewer pump bypass was also used as crews worked to repair the lines that have been damaged. The repairs are expected to continue into next week. On Tuesday, July 21, a fire along the side of Highway 99 near the City’s Corp Yard on Truxtun Avenue forced staff to move equipment away from the fence along the freeway. Thankfully no one was hurt and no damage was caused to the Corp Yard or equipment. City and County Fire crews responded to quickly put the fire out. A car crash at Truxtun and Chester Avenues on Wednesday, July 22, caused some General Information July 24, 2020 Page 3 minor flooding in the intersection of Truxtun and Olive Street. Once staff was able to manually turn the nearby storm water lift station on, the pumps alleviated the flooding. Public Works says that lift station is scheduled for reconstruction this year. Thank you to all of our dedicated Public Works employees who are keeping things running around the City!  Some more good news when it comes to the Bakersfield economy as we navigate the ever-changing circumstances of the pandemic. According to a recent study, Bakersfield is among the top 10 U.S. cities where spending has recovered the most! The City ranked fifth in the study by SmartAsset, which analyzed spending data from the 51 largest U.S. cities. Bakersfield was tied for fifth with Minneapolis and Salt Lake City, according to the study. “Bakersfield, California has the 12th-highest June 2020 consumer spending in the study,” SmartAsset wrote in its report. “Furthermore, it has the 13th-highest percentage point recovery in the study (i.e. the difference between its lowest point in consumer spending and June 2020 consumer spending). As of June 30, 2020, consumer spending was 8.5% lower than it was in January 2020, and from its low of -36.6%, consumer spending recovered by more than 28 percentage points.” This follows the recent report from Development Services showing the City issued almost 1,400 building permits in June (the most of any month in the last five years), and that we are already exceeding the year-to-year total construction of multi-family buildings compared to the same point in 2019: 22 this year versus just six last year.  A project to reconstruct some cracking concrete floor at the Mechanics Bank Convention Center is underway! The project is funded by the Public Safety & Vital Services Measure (Measure N). The cracking concrete (left) is located where the old ice ring used to be, which was reconstructed with new concrete around 10 years ago. Now, contractor JTS Construction is replacing the damaged concrete behind the Convention Center’s theater and staging area, eliminating tripping hazards. Once the concrete is replaced, crews will apply a polished concrete to complete it. General Information July 24, 2020 Page 4  Ten new employees joined the City this week (right). The group is made up of three fire dispatchers, two police dispatchers, three police clerk typists, a police communications specialist, and a facility worker with Public Works. They joined the City and had their orientation on Monday, July 20 and we’re excited to have them as our newest team members!  The Recreation & Parks Rapid Response Team this week completed a median cleanup project that has been ongoing. Councilmember Bob Smith (Ward 4) asked staff to look into clearing brush from the median on Stockdale Highway between The Park at River Walk and Jewetta Avenue (below: before, during, after). The RRT removed the brush and cleared the middle of the median, adding mulch in its place to enhance the drive for many Bakersfield residents.  The RRT also completed a median re-sodding project on California Avenue between A and C Streets. The team replaced the dirt in the middle of the median with fresh grass! Check out the difference! General Information July 24, 2020 Page 5 Traffic Advisories  Nighttime lane closures scheduled for California Avenue; Daytime closure on Ford Avenue Nighttime lane closures have been scheduled during the next three weeks on California Avenue between Marella Way and Easton Drive. The closures are planned for Wednesday, July 29 and Thursday, July 30, and will continue Sunday through Thursday nights during the first two weeks in August. These closures are expected to be in place between the hours of 9 p.m. and 5 a.m., each night. The nightly closures are needed to erect falsework for the future Centennial Corridor bridge crossing. Motorists can use Stockdale Highway or Truxtun Avenue to detour around the California Avenue work area. On Wednesday, July 29, Ford Avenue will be closed to traffic between Dunlap Street and North Stine Road from 5 a.m. to 3 p.m. This closure is needed for concrete placement at the new bridge. Residents can detour around the work zone by using Joseph Drive/McDonald Way. Construction schedules may be changed without notice due to unforeseen circumstances. The Thomas Roads Improvement Program apologizes for any inconvenience this work may cause the traveling public.  Nighttime closure for 24th Street/Chester Avenue intersection paving Paving of the 24th Street/Chester Avenue intersection has been rescheduled to Monday, July 27 between the hours of 7 p.m. and 5 a.m. This work will require the closure of the intersection to north-south traffic while work is underway. Motorists can use H Street to cross the corridor or access westbound 24th Street. One lane is expected to remain open for westbound traffic. No impacts are anticipated for eastbound traffic on 23rd Street. This schedule may be changed without notice due to 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. Reports  Recreation & Parks Department Rapid Response Team Report, July 18, 2020.  AT&T U-verse programming changes for July through September 2020. City Manager’s Office 1600 Truxtun Avenue, Bakersfield, CA 93301 661-326-3751 FAX: 661-324-1850 MEDIA ADVISORY FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT: Joe Conroy Tuesday, July 21, 2020 Public Information Officer (661) 326-3074 JConroy@bakersfieldcity.us CITY OF BAKERSFIELD ENTERS PARTNERSHIP WITH NATION-WIDE CIVIC ENGAGEMENT PLATFORM, ATLAS ONE The City of Bakersfield is constantly looking for new and innovative ways to communicate with the public as effectively as possible. That is why the City has joined Atlas One, a location-based civic engagement network that sends alerts about nearby City events, incidents and announcements to users’ smartphones. The free mobile app also provides unprecedented access to online City services and information. Bakersfield excited to become the first City in California to officially launch and begin using the Atlas One app! Residents can download the Atlas One app on their iOS or Android devices starting today. The app allows the City to send geo-fenced push notifications when a community event or incident is nearby. “We are extremely excited to have joined the Atlas One,” said Joe Conroy, Public Information Officer for the City of Bakersfield. “We now have the ability to send personalized geo-fenced notifications to an area as small as a building, allowing us to get the right information to the right people in real-time. This technology will keep our residents informed and save lives.” “We are beyond excited to have the City of Bakersfield join the Atlas One network, and more importantly, improve transparency, communication, and information access with Bakersfield residents,” said Kushyar Kasraie, CEO of Atlas One. “This brings us one step closer to our goal of creating a nation-wide civic engagement network that will keep you safe and informed, regardless of where you are.” Atlas One was built to offer residents unprecedented access to real-time information, while still respecting user privacy. “Users can be comfortable sharing their location with Atlas One knowing their data is safe with us” said Jamieson Johnson, Vice President of Atlas One. “Location access simply allows us to notify you if an emergency, event, or incident is occurring nearby. We never track historical location or share your personal data with any third parties, including the City of Bakersfield.” Users can still be notified if alerts occur nearby favorite places, even if they choose not share their location. How it works: • Download the free iOS or Android Atlas One app • Tap “Get Started” to create your Atlas One profile • Share your location or add favorite places that you want to track • If an alert occurs nearby your current location – or a place you track – the app will send a push notification to your device • The City of Bakersfield will also have the ability to publish incidents, events places, and guides, as well as include interactive information such as directories, maps, news updates, links and FAQ pages. ### RRT Weekly report For the week of 7/14/20-7/18/20 City Council and or Public requests • None City Source requests • None Projects Completed by RRT 1. City Sump (Illegal encampment trash clean-up) • RRT along with the homeless center staff employees cleaned up some illegal encampment trash located on the north side by Hwy 99 at the city sump. Work began and was completed on 7/14/2020. • 5 Sites were addressed • 2 loads were taken to Kern County Bena Landfill (Total load weight 3,300Lbs.) 2. Wible Road and Panama Lane • RRT repaired 18 block wall panels on the south east block wall located on Wible Rd, just south of Panama Lane. Work began on 7/15/2020 and will continue as time permits due to priority projects. 3. River Bank (Illegal encampment clean-up) • RRT along with code enforcement clean-up illegal encampments located on the north west side of river bank. Work began and was completed on 7/16/2020. • 1Site was addressed • 1 Load was taken to Kern County Bena Landfill (Total Weight 3,420Lbs.) 4. Patriots Park • RRT secured the existing storage room door that was broken into and vandalized. Work began and was completed on 7/16/2020 5. Planz Park (Restroom doors modification) • RRT secured 3 restroom doors that were vandalized and broken into on the southeast restroom building at Planz Park. Work began on 7/17/2020 and was completed on 7/18/2020. Ongoing projects 1. Jastro Park (spray park restrooms) • RRT will continue working on securing the spray park restrooms due to illegal encampments after park hours. Work will continue on the week of 7/7/2020. 2. Panama and Wible Rd. • RRT will continue replacing the damaged block wall panels on the week of 7/21/2020. Miscellaneous 1. Celebrations signs removal. • RRT removed both track signs located on both the east and west side of River Run Blvd and Mountain Park Dr. Signs were taken to American Fabrication to be re-powder coated. 7/14/2020. 2. California Ave Median • RRT graded the existing median for future sod installation. Median is located on California Ave just west of Bakersfield High School. 7/14/2020 3. MLK Park • RRT replaced a damaged toilet in the men’s restroom due to vandalism. 7/17/2020 4. Corp Yard • RRT along with code enforcement constructed the city tent and placed it on the north east parking lot next to the lunch room. 7/18/2020 Weekly Data: Assignment Locations Job Description Date Man Hours Equip/Hours Misc. Cost Weight Approx. lbs. City Sump California Ave Illegal encampment trash clean- up. 7/14/2020 8 12 $74.25 3,300Lbs Wible Rd and Panama Lane Block wall repairs project. 7/15/2020 38 28.5 $41.86 0 River Bank Illegal encampment clean-up. 7/16/2020 16 16 $76.95 3,420Lbs Patriots Park Storage room door modification. 7/16/2020 8 4 0 0 Planz Park Restroom doors modification project. 7/17/2020 7/18/2020 30 24 $814.71 0 Totals= 5 Projects Completed 100 80.5 $1,007.77 6,720Lbs City source request • Stockdale Hwy medians mulch project. City Council and or Public request • None Priority Projects • RRT will continue to work with Code Enforcement regarding any illegal homeless encampment sites within city parks, streetscapes, and/or City buildings. • Jastro spray park restroom building modification. • Panama and Wible block wall repair project. Training None See Attached Photos City Sump illegal encampment clean-up. 7/14/2020 Before clean-up After encampment clean-up. Wible Rd Block wall repairs.7/15/2020 City Sump Illegal encampment clean-up. 7/16/2020 Before clean-up. After encampment clean-up. Patriot Park restroom door modification (Vandalism.) 7/16/2020 Planz Park restroom doors modification (Vandalism.) 7/17/2020 thru 7/18/2020.