WATERING SCHEDULE CHANGE ....... Visalia residents may now only irrigate their landscape two days a week, and during new hours, effective immediately. These emergency changes have been implemented to comply with the governor’s mandate that Visalians reduce water use by 32%. Again, Visalians may only irrigate two days a week through November.  Those with even addresses on Wednesdays and Sundays; those will odd addresses on Tuesdays and Saturdays. Irrigation must occur before 8 a.m. or after 6 p.m, again, before 8 in the morning or after 6 in the evening. For more information, go to gogreenvisalia.com or call 713-4530….that’s go green visalia or 713-4330. Thank you for saving water.

We are in the fourth year of an historic extreme drought. The State has mandated that Visalians reduce their water usage by 32%. For this reason, the Visalia City Council has changed the watering schedule to two days per week. Even addresses may water on Wednesday and Sunday and odd addresses may water on Tuesday and Saturday. Watering must be before 8 am or after 6 pm. For more information please visit GoGreenVisalia.com or call 713-4530. Thank you for your continuing efforts to save our water.

VISALIA'S FINANCIAL PICTURE IS STILL POSITIVE ....... but barely so, according to a report provided to the City Council at Monday night’s Council meeting. With vacant positions and some one-time funding from a State program clean up, the City is projected to end the 2015-16 fiscal year with $134,000 surplus, of which $80,000 the City Council appropriated to fund a new position in the police department to work on the new body camera program, and for emergency water needs at Mill Creek Park. While it’s a positive ending, it’s not a huge surplus given the $60 million dollar General Fund budget that it takes to operate the City. The City Council has directed staff to work on budget reductions in order keep the budget healthy, and formed a task force to review ballot measure options.

Why is the General Fund budget still struggling as the economy improves? Sales tax revenues are down $1.4 million compared to projections as people buy more items on-line, locals curtail their expenditures given drought impact worries, and the economic rebound it’s quite as bouncy in the central part of the state. Along the same lines, property values have also not rebounded as quickly as hoped, and property tax revenues for the fiscal year are down by $64,000. On a brighter note, transient occupancy tax, business license tax, and real property tax transfer income is all up this year.

The Council adopted a two-year budget in June of 2014. The 2015-16 fiscal year budget calls for a one-percent salary increase for employees plus a one-time payment of approximately 1 percent, increases in health care costs, and a new debt payment for the public safety emergency communications center that will begin construction next year. There is an anticipated $54,000 surplus at the end of the next fiscal year, but there are also some new costs that staff will need to look for ways to cover.

BECOME PART OF THE SENIOR GAMES COMMITTEE……Interested in joining the Visalia Senior Games Planning Task Force? Attend the first meeting on Wednesday, June 17th at 3 p.m. at the Visalia Senior Center, 310 N. Locust.

“There are many ways to get involved,” said Jeannie Greenwood, Recreation Supervisor. “From joining the Visalia Senior Games Planning Task Force to volunteering at an event, to providing sponsorships and contributions; we will need lots of people to make this the great event we know it can be.”

With volunteer positions that range from event chairs to volunteer coordination to marketing, sponsorships and social events, there’s something for everyone to get involved in. The Visalia Senior Games Planning Task Force meeting is open to community members who would like to learn more about the Games and who are interested in helping out. The June 17th meeting will include creating a mission statement, reviewing policies and procedures established by the California State Games Association, volunteer and Task Force positions will be discussed and the steering committee for Visalia Senior Games will begin to take shape.

Join the City of Visalia for this first glimpse into the Inaugural 2015 Visalia Senior Games. If you are unable to attend the meeting on June 17th, or if you would like more information, email [email protected] or call Jeannie Greenwood at (559) 713-4042. Join the conversation online with the hashtag #visaliaseniorgames and for updates on planning and Games development, visit www.liveandplayvisalia.com.

WAIT….WHAT SENIOR GAMES??..... Planning is underway now got the first City of Visalia Senior Games…..a first for the Central Valley!  Senior Games is open to those ages 50 and better and with 11 age divisions for men and women in each event.

The 8 games to be included in the first Visalia Senior Games include:

Archery                                      Bowling

Golf                                             Horseshoes

5K Road Race                            Table Tennis (singles, doubles)

Tennis (singles, doubles)         Pickleball (singles, doubles, mixed doubles)

“We’ve selected events that we feel appeal to the 50 community and are at the heart of Senior Games,” says Jeannie Greenwood, Recreation Manager for the City of Visalia Parks & Recreation Department. “We have City-owned facilities that will host most of the events, the events are programs that we already offer and know are popular in the Central Valley and they are events we have the expertise to facilitate.”

Join the conversation online with the hashtag #visaliaseniorgames and for updates on planning and Games development, visit www.liveandplayvisalia.com.

OVAL PARK TO GET NEW PLAYGROUND…….The Parks and Recreation Foundation announced, as part of their annual report, shared the conceptual drawings of the new Oval Park Tot Lot that will be primarily funded by a $94,000??? Grant the Foundation received from Tulare County First 5…..look for this colorful fun new addition later this year!Please look at the past newsletter for the exact amount of grant. Please use colorful graphic….option 2

FREE MOVIES INT THE PARK & DIVE-IN MOVIE THIS WEEKEND …… Don’t miss the free showing of “Muppets Most Wanted” this Friday, June 26 film starts at dusk in the Riverway Sports Park.  Saturday, June 27 the Summer Night Lights Dive-In Movie event at Mt. Whitney High School. Free swim begins at 6:00 p.m., the movie “The Hunger Games – Mockingjay” will begin at dusk. Feel free to bring blankets and lawn chairs for the moving showing. It will be projected onto the high school gymnasium wall; movie watchers will be seated on the grass.

ODDS AND ENDS…….Auto insurance in Visalia averages $987 per vehicle, below the state average and 58th lowest of the 168 cities ranked in California. Santa Maria was lowest with average auto insurance rates of $813; Glendale was highest with $1,379! The study was conducted by the National Association of Insurance Commissioners.