September 16 Newsletter
Other Council news: The Council authorized staff to advertise a bid for construction to replace the roof of the Convention Center and execute a sole-source professional services agreement with Taylor Group Architects for an amount not to exceed $338,400 to provide archi tecture and engineering services for the remainder of the Convention Center improvements. To view the staff report, click here. In addition, the Council authorized the pre-purchase of four new stadium lights for the second phase of the Recreation Park Baseball Stadium Lighting Project from Musco Sports Lighting, LLC, for a cost not to exceed $175,000. The lights must be operational by the Rawhide's Opening Day on April 1, 2015. To view the staff report, click here.
Cape Seal road work expected to be completed by Sept. 26: Road maintenance projects in the City continue with Cape Seal surface improvements which began on Sept. 10 and are expected to be completed by Sept. 26. Hours of construction Monday-Friday will be from 7 am to 6 pm. Cape Seal is the combination of two pavement surface treatments used on streets and highways to extend pavement life upwards of 10 years. Streets will not be closed to traffic during the Chip Seal process, but delays are to be expected. Streets that are to receive treatment will have "No Parking" signs placed along the street 24 hours prior to the work being started. Cars will still need to be parked off the street or in some other convenient area for the two days following the placement of the chip seal. To view the schedule and map of the work to be done, go to www.ci.visalia.ca.us/depts/public_works/streets.
Get rid of unwanted medications on Sept. 27: The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration and local law enforcement agencies are providing the public with the opportunity to prevent pill abuse and theft by ridding their homes of potentially dangerous expired, unused, and unwanted prescription and over-the-counter medications (including pet medications), both in pill and liquid form as well as unused vitamins. The Visalia Police Department at 303 E. Johnson St., and the Tulare County Sheriff's Administration Office at 2404 W. Burrel will be open from 10 am to 2 pm Saturday, Sept. 27. Place pills, capsules, and tablets of unwanted medication and vitamins into a zip-lock plastic bag. Medication from hospitals, pharmacies, doctor's offices, etc., will not be accepted. This is a free event.
Make your voice heard and help prioritize the City's needs over the next five years: If you were unable to attend one of three community forums recently held, you still have an opportunity to provide input on how federal funds the City receives should be invested to improve the community. Take the quick online survey by Sept. 30 at: https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/VisaliaConPlan. The City will develop a five-year consolidated plan which identifies community development, homeless, and affordable housing needs. The Plan is created every five years and assists the City in determining community needs.
City Non-Profit Grant Workshops scheduled: Workshops are being held for eligible organizations wishing to apply for grants through the Non-Profit Program Fund available through the City. A subcommittee of the Citizens Advisory Committee, which oversees the grant process and makes recommendations on funding to the City Council, will offer three application workshops from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 11, from 10 to 11 am Saturday, Sept. 13, and from 11:30 am to 12:30 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 16. All three workshops will be held in the City Council Chambers, 707 W. Acequia Ave., in Visalia. No reservations are necessary, but applicants must attend one workshop session as a prerequisite for submitting an application unless the agency was an award winner in FY 2013-14. The Fund is available to qualified non-profit and government agencies with programs or services for people under age 18 in the City. Applications for funding are available on the City's website, at City Hall, 707 W. Acequia Ave., or requested by email ([email protected]). The application and all required attachments must be received by 4:30 p.m. Monday, Sept. 22, at City Hall. Please put to the attention of the Citizens Advisory Committee. Information: Ruth Pena at 713-4327 or by email at [email protected].
Water regulations change in October: With the end of the dog days of summer comes the change in Stage 4 water regulations for all City residents. From Oct. 1-31, residents may water their lawns on their designated days two times a week. In November and December, watering will only be allowed one day a week, with no watering in January and February. Watering landscape accounts for nearly 60% of all City water usage, so Make Every Drop Count. When Stage 4 regulations began in April, with only one day a week allowed, water usage dropped by 14%. That trend continued in May with a 12% drop in water usage going to two days a week. For more tips on how to conserve our most precious resource, go to www.gogreenvisalia.com.
Barrier Awareness Day is Oct. 4: The Disability Advocacy Committee shared their accomplishments for 2013/14 at the Sept. 2 City Council meeting and previewed the upcoming Barrier Awareness Day. The committee is made up of seven members and two alternates, and its goal is to advise the City on the needs of disabled people and bring awareness to the business community on the barriers that the disabled face every day. The annual Barrier Awareness Day will be held from 9 am to noon Saturday, Oct. 4, at Garden Street Plaza, and features public participation by experiencing the world through the disabled person's perspective. This year's event also will feature about 20 vendors, and organizers hope for their biggest event to date. To review a copy of the event brochure, click here.
Council Member Amy Shuklian holds office hours: Her monthly office hours will be held on Wednesday, Oct. 8, at City Hall for Visalia residents to discuss issues of concern. Walk-ins are welcome from 5 to 5:45 p.m. in the conference room at 707 W. Acequia Ave. Appointments from 5:45 to 6:30 p.m. can be scheduled in advance by contacting Lauri Aguilar at 713-4322. Council Member Shuklian can also be reached through 713-4400, then enter 8313, or by email at [email protected].
Vice Mayor hosts Donuts and Discussion with Economic Development Manager: Enjoy Donuts and Discussion with Vice Mayor Warren Gubler and Economic Development Manager Devon Jones on Saturday, Oct. 11, from 7 to 8:30 am at Valhalla's Restaurant, 314 W. Center Ave., in downtown Visalia. Vice Mayor Gubler also can be reached through 713-4400, then enter 3313, or by email at [email protected].
Air District seeks entries for annual kids' calendar: Do you know a Valley student from kindergarten through high school age who loves to create? Help them showcase their work in the annual Healthy Air Living Kids’ Calendar! The deadline for entries is Monday, Oct. 6 for the annual, four-color, bilingual, wall calendar, produced with the help of Valley students who illustrate the ways we can live healthy air lives, with accompanying clean-air messages. Twenty-thousand copies are printed and distributed free of charge to schools, community groups, healthcare facilities, churches and nonprofit organizations throughout the Valley. Guidelines for creating a winning Healthy Air Living calendar entry: Paper should be placed sideways, in landscape orientation, so it is 8-1/2 inches high and 11 inches wide; artwork should be in color, with medium in paint, pen, crayon, marker, pencil or even computer-generated art; artwork should contain a message about how to live a Healthy Air life, and; bilingual and Spanish-language messages are encouraged. Fourteen pieces of art will be selected for the calendar. Artists must include their name and address, phone and/or email contact, age, grade and school on the back of the entry. Please mail art flat, not folded, to: 2015 Kids Calendar, Valley Air District, 1990 E. Gettysburg Ave., Fresno, CA 93726, or submit your art at the nearest District office. For an example of this year’s calendar, visit http://www.valleyair.org/kids/clean_air_calendar_contest.htm.
Visalia Fire Department Open House set for Oct. 11: The event will be held from 10 am to 2 pm at Fire Station 55, 6921 W. Ferguson Ave. The event features informational booths of City services and tours of the Fire Station.