General Information
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GENERAL INFORMATION Recruitment for Charter Review Committee: At the May 7 City Council meeting, the Council approved the creation of a Charter Review Committee to implement voter-approved Measure N. Per the Council’s direction, the focus of the Charter Review Committee is limited to conducting the public process to draft language for amending the City Charter with respect to council district elections. For more information, or to apply to serve on the Charter Review Committee, visit SantaClaraCA.gov/charterreviewcommittee. Serve Today on a Commission or Committee: The City is currently recruiting for seven (7) vacancies to serve on a Commission or Committee. To be eligible, you must be a registered voter and resident of Santa Clara, and may not hold any paid office in, or be employed by, the City of Santa Clara. • Cultural Commission: One (1) full term ending June 30, 2023. Applications due to the City Clerk's Office by 5 p.m., May 31, 2019. • Housing Rehabilitation Loan Committee: One (1) full term ending June 30, 2023 and one (1) partial term ending June 30, 2020. Applications due to the City Clerk's Office by 5 p.m., May 31, 2019. • Historical and Landmarks Commission: One (1) partial term ending June 30, 2021, Applications due to the City Clerk's Office by 5 p.m., May 24, 2019. • Historical and Landmarks Commission: One (1) full term ending June 30, 2023. Applications due to the City Clerk's Office by 5 p.m., May 31, 2019. • Parks and Recreation Commission: One (1) full term ending June 30, 2023. Applications due to the City Clerk's Office by 5 p.m., May 31, 2019. • Senior Advisory Commission: One (1) full term ending June 30, 2023. Applications due to the City Clerk's Office by 5 p.m., May 31, 2019. Applications may be submitted online at SantaClaraCA.gov/commissions or you may request an application at the City Clerk’s Office during regular business hours. If you have any questions, email [email protected] or contact the City Clerk’s Office at 408-615-2220. Second Study Session on Proposed Budget Scheduled for June 4: The City Council will consider the proposed City of Santa Clara Biennial Operating Budget for Fiscal Year 2019/20 and 2020/21 during another study session with the Sports and Open Space Authority, and Housing Authority on Tuesday, June 4. The first study session on the proposed budget was held on Tuesday, May 7. The proposed biennial operating budget enhances the delivery of public services, expands the City’s capital assets, and invests in the development of City employees. For the past eighteen months, the new Administration’s meticulous diligence on improving past budgeting practices and rehauling the budget document has resulted in significantly more transparent reporting and, overall, improved financial standing. The proposed budget is balanced, discloses known financial risks that can alter the City Manager Biweekly Activity Report May 17, 2019 Page 2 Ten-Year Financial Forecast, and invests in the Council’s reforms and policy priorities. For example, for FYs 2019/20 and 2020/21, the City originally faced a General Fund deficit of roughly $13.8 million and $24.0 million, respectively, with ongoing deficits forecasted in every year of the Ten-Year Financial Forecast. That’s no longer the situation for the City of Santa Clara and, while the financial outlook still requires focused discipline and strategy, the Council and City’s leadership have changed the fiscal course for now. Following the latest study session, the Council will consider formal adoption of the proposed operating budget on Tuesday, June 25. For more information, contact the City Manager’s Office at 408-615-2210. Proposed Rate Adjustment for Fiscal Year 2019-2020: The City is proposing to increase rates for its water, sewer and solid waste services (garbage, Clean Green, and recycling) for Fiscal Year 2019- 2020. The City issued notices by U.S. mail to utility customers during the week of April 1, 2019. A public hearing on these proposed increases will be held on Tuesday, May 21 at 7 p.m. in the City Council Chambers at 1500 Warburton Ave. If you cannot attend the public hearing and wish to formally protest the proposed increase, you must do so in writing; protests cannot be accepted via email or telephone. In order for protests to be counted, they must either be mailed or hand-delivered to: City Clerk’s Office – Utility Rate Comments City of Santa Clara 1500 Warburton Ave. Santa Clara, CA 95050 When submitting a written protest, please include your name, your signature, the address of the property for which you are the owner or utility customer, and the rate(s) you are protesting. Written protests can be submitted at any time before the close of the public hearing. If protests are received from a majority of the parcels affected by the proposed rate increase by the close of public hearing, the City Council will not impose the increase. For more information about the proposed utility rates, visit the website. How Will You Respond to the 2020 Census? The response process for the 2020 Census will be a little different than it was during the 2010 Census. Every household will have the option of responding by mail or by phone, as in previous years, but households will also be able to respond online! In March 2020, almost all households will receive their census invitation in the mail: • 95% of households will receive their census invitation in the mail, which will provide information on how to respond. • About 5% of households will receive their invitation when a census taker drops it off. This may be because the homes have PO boxes or were recently affected by natural disasters and do not receive mail at their homes. • Less than 1% of households will be counted by a census taker instead of responding on their own. This happens in remote areas or areas that ask specifically to be counted in person, like select American Indian areas. Once you receive the census invitation, you can respond to the 2020 Census by phone, mail or online. If you don’t respond, you will receive reminders until a census worker follows up at your address in person. For more information, visit SantaClaraCA.gov/census2020. State of the City: Join us at the upcoming State of the City events. Mayor Lisa M. Gillmor will deliver the State of the City address and will also be joined by members of the City Council. City Manager City Manager Biweekly Activity Report May 17, 2019 Page 3 Deanna J. Santana will provide an overview of the City budget and discuss major initiatives. For more information, visit SantaClaraCA.gov/stateofthecity. Thursday, June 20 Saturday, June 22 2:30 to 4:30 p.m. 1 to 3 p.m. Central Park Library, Margie Edinger Room Mission Branch Library, Community Room 2635 Homestead Road 1098 Lexington Street Friday, June 21 Thursday, June 20* 1 to 3 p.m. 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Northside Branch Library, Community Room Senior Center, Room 101 695 Moreland Way 1303 Fremont Street *The Senior Center State of the City event will be held during a special Senior Center luncheon. Presentation begins at 12 p.m. Fatal Traffic Collision: On May 8, at about 9:05 a.m., a fatal traffic collision occurred at the intersection of Scott Boulevard and Jay Street. A Nissan Altima was stopped at the traffic signal on southbound Scott Boulevard at Jay Street when it was struck from behind by a GMC Acadia. The force of the impact was so great that it thrust the Altima forward into the intersection and caused significant damage to its backend. Both drivers and a passenger from the Acadia were transported to a local hospital. On May 10, the driver of the Altima succumbed to his injuries and died at the hospital. The victim was a 29-year old male resident of Santa Clara. The initial investigation shows that the driver of the Acadia suffered a medical emergency immediately before the collision. Anyone who may have witnessed this incident is asked to contact Traffic Investigator Nick Cusimano at 408-615- 4764. Silicon Valley Power Santa Clara Green Power Program: Silicon Valley Power announces the City will cover 100% of its electricity use with renewable energy through the Santa Clara Green Power program. Santa Clara Green Power is an award-winning renewable energy program that allows Santa Clara residents and businesses to purchase 100% solar and wind energy. To date, more than 4,300 residential and commercial customers have supported over 1.9 billion kWh of renewable energy since 2004. The City’s commitment to 100% wind energy – 18,263 megawatt-hours (MWhs) annually – makes the City organization one of the largest renewable energy purchasers in the Santa Clara Green Power program and a member of the U.S. EPA’s Green Power Partnership’s Leadership Club. This annual clean energy purchase is similar to the output of five and a half large-scale wind turbines! In an effort to drive adoption of clean energy, the City has increased its renewable energy commitment from 15% of their usage in 2017 and 2018 to 100% in 2019. Silicon Valley Power is proud to assist the City’s sustainability commitment and advance the City’s local climate action plan goals. For more information, visit the website. Save Money on Energy Bills: With warm weather on the horizon, it’s a good time to consider inexpensive do-it-yourself home improvement projects that help keep your home more comfortable and save money on your energy bills.