OFFICE OF THE CITY MANAGER June 14, 2013 TO: Honorable Mayor and City Council AT FROM: Alan Tandy, City Manager /al SUBJECT: General Information Good News The Ward 1 Special Election results have been certified. Willie Rivera was officially declared the winner of that race, and he will be sworn in at the June 26th Council meeting. Congratulations to the Public Works Department on their efforts to convince the California Transportation Commission (CTC) to award federal funding for two major projects. The City will receive $435,000 for the Hosking Avenue project and $225,000 for the Hageman Road Flyover. Well done! Today, the groundbreaking was held for another major project - the State Route 99, North and South Widening. The purpose of this project is to relieve traffic congestion, improve traffic operations, facilitate goods movement and provide for more efficient transportation circulation. Specifically: o The northbound widening will add a 12-foot lane and a 10-foot inside shoulder in each direction from State Route 204 to the Beardsley Canal Undercrossing. Funding in the amount of $12.5 million will come from Proposition 1B State Route 99 Bond Savings Funds. Construction is expected to last until late Fall of this year. o The southbound widening will also add a 12-foot lane and a 10-foot inside shoulder in each direction from State Route 119 to the Wilson Road Overcrossing. It will cost $34 million, and will be likewise funded. Construction is expected to take about a year. We received notice from KernCOG that we are the recipient of a $2.7 million grant for the purpose of building a parking ramp to serve the Amtrak Station, CVB and other downtown needs. This has been in process for quite a long time, and we are pleasantly surprised by it. The Community Development Department merits thanks for working with the COG to secure the money! AEG has been working with staff to affect a smooth transition as we move closer to July 1st when they officially become the new management company for our civic facilities. As part of their contractual terms, AEG will be making a capital contribution of $500,000 toward the facilities, to be used at the City’s discretion. At the time the management agreement was presented for Council approval, we reported that some improvements have long been needed at the amphitheatre to make it a more General Information June 14, 2013 Page 2 attractive and comfortable venue for events. With that goal in mind, City staff has already completed some adjustments to the bench seating to make it more comfortable. In addition, AEG is in the process of purchasing three portable restroom units, which, as an added benefit, can be utilized at other City locations when we need them for special events. The cost of approximately $131,000 for the portable units will be treated as an in-kind contribution and deducted from AEG’s $500,000 capital contribution when they officially come on board. We continue to be favorably impressed with AEG’s pro-active, “can do” attitude and look forward to a very positive and successful relationship with them. The Convention and Visitors Bureau has released their new Visitors Guide, and it is the best one ever produced to date. A news release is attached. The new Guide can be found on the website: www.visitbakersfield.com, and hard copies are available in the lobby of City Hall North to the visiting public. The freeway clean-ups are going well. According to staff, there are 6-8 crews from the Bakersfield Homeless Center, working every weekday, who, as of May 21st, had filled 356 bags of trash on Highway 99, and 426 bags on Highway 58. The Kern County Sheriff’s detail uses an inmate crew from the Lerdo facility twice a week, and they have also been quite successful. The Kern County Waste Management Department has produced Public Service Announcements (PSA), and KGET / Channel 17 is working on some, as well. Miscellaneous News As the weather heats up, the San Joaquin Community Hospital Ice Center is a great place to cool down, and have fun at the same time. It’s an excellent facility in which to host a party, and there are open public sessions every day. More information can be found at http://www.bakersfieldicesports.us/ As a reminder, this and all past General Information packets can be found online for easy reference. From the City’s internet page, select “General Information” from the column titled, “How Do I Find?” on the right side of the page. A direct link is: http://www.bakersfieldcity.us/weblink7/Browse.aspx?startid=628131&&dbid=0 TRIP Traffic Advisories Coffee Road Motorists are advised to anticipate nighttime lane closures on Coffee Road, between Truxtun Avenue and Brimhall Road, beginning June 17, 2013, to allow the contractor to complete various work, including grinding and paving the roadway. One northbound and one southbound lane will be closed between the hours of 9 p.m. and 5 a.m. One lane in each direction will remain open while work is underway. All lanes are expected to reopen in time for the morning commute. The closures will remain in effect until Sunday, June 23, 2013, with the exception of Saturday, June 22nd. General Information June 14, 2013 Page 3 Truxtun Avenue Reminder: Motorists are advised to anticipate nighttime lane closures on Truxtun Avenue, between Commercial Way and State Route 99, to allow the contractor to complete paving and striping operations along Truxtun Avenue. Alternating northbound and southbound lanes will be closed between the hours of 7 p.m. and 6 a.m. One lane in each direction will remain open at all times while work is underway. All lanes will reopen in time for the morning commute. The closures are expected to last through Friday, June 21, 2013. Brimhall Road The lane closure we mentioned last week on Brimhall Road, between Coffee Road and Calloway Drive, is being extended through Friday, June 28, 2013. The outside westbound lane of Brimhall Road, along with the outside right-turn lane on Coffee Road, will be closed between the hours of 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. to allow the contractor to construct a storm drain system. The closure is scheduled to last through the month of June. One westbound lane will remain open at all times while work is underway. Eastbound lanes will not be impacted. All lanes of Brimhall Road will reopen at 4:30 p.m. Council Referral Responses Councilmember Maxwell: o Partnering with Environmental Consultant; and o Pie Charts regarding TRIP Revenue. In response to a referral made on June 5th, we are providing two pie charts (attached). The first pie chart shows the anticipated local funding needs by project, totaling up to the current estimated figure of $270 million. It also shows the estimated borrowing needs to complete the Centennial Corridor project are estimated to be approximately 68% of the total estimated borrowing needs. The second pie chart shows how the estimated annual debt service for the four projects measures up, compared to the total annual road purpose revenue projected for Fiscal Year 2013-14. The chart shows the estimated debt service figure of $14 million would take up about 31% of the total projected annual revenues of $44,406,200. Councilmember Johnson: o Resolution regarding Internet Cafés General Information June 14, 2013 Page 4 Events Beale Band Concerts The next concert will be held this Sunday, June 16th at 8:00 p.m., and it includes some pre-concert entertainment at 7:00 p.m. If the weather is as cool as predicted, it should be a very pleasant evening for everyone to come out to a concert in the park. Rabobank Theater Bright House Networks Amphitheater Pat Benatar and Neil Geraldo Mark your calendars for: & Cheap Trick w/ Brynne Marie Air Supply on June 29th; and Friday, June 14th at 7:30 p.m. The Summerland Tour on June 30th Tickets: $33 - $88 Boz Skaggs and Michael McDonald Wednesday, June 19th at 7:30 p.m. Tickets: $38 - $98 Reports For your information, we enclose the following: The April and May Monthly Reports from the Recreation and Parks Department; and Streets Division work schedule for the week of June 17th. AT:rs:al cc: Department Heads Roberta Gafford, City Clerk FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Media Contact: Misty Glasco Marketing & Events Specialist Bakersfield Convention & Visitors Bureau Office: (661) 852-7237 [email protected] www.VisitBakersfield.com June 13, 2013 New Visitors Guide Unveiled Glossy Publication Highlights Fun Ways to Explore Bakersfield Just in time for summer, the new Bakersfield Visitors Guide has arrived, featuring countless ways to explore Bakersfield. Expanding on its “More to Explore” concept, the Bakersfield Convention and Visitors Bureau has designed its new Visitors Guide around several key areas for visitors to explore. For example, Explore Bakersfield’s Famous Food. It has been featured in Saveur Magazine, Smithsonian, Travel+Leisure, and the New York Times, and the new Visitors Guide has a comprehensive listing of local restaurants. Explore the Bakersfield Sounds (plural). Bakersfield is a city of music. Many visitors enjoy seeing where the Bakersfield Sound began, and others come for our local jazz offerings or to pay homage to hometown group Korn. Explore Bakersfield’s Art Scene. From its the burgeoning Arts Alive District, public art, four unique museums, and a vibrant performing arts community, Bakersfield has an array of offerings throughout the year. The new Bakersfield Visitors Guide also has ways to explore Bakersfield’s great outdoors, its agricultural bounty, and historic neighborhoods.