City Council: Monday meeting to address new trash hauler, parking district
January 03, 2015
By Peggy Kelly
Santa Paula News
The City Council will start the New Year by considering the change in ownership of the company that hauls the city's trash, hear an update on grant funded firefighters and deciding whether to approve the proposed Palm Court parking district.
A closed session will not precede the January 5 meeting, which will start at 6:30 p.m. Time Warner Cable will broadcast the meeting live and replay it according to schedule. The city will also live stream the meeting and archive it for later viewing on demand.
There are no presentations scheduled.
Two public safety issues are items of business: an update by City Manager Jaime Fontes on the county's second try at the brass ring of state funding to expand Todd Road Jail west of the city. The Ventura County Sheriff's Department tried and failed to secure funding last year to build a new, approximately 45,000 square foot wing to house 64 more prisoners, specifically those with mental illnesses requiring monitoring.
The council will consider approving the proposed parking district on Palm Court, the hardest hit of those neighborhoods adjacent to Santa Paula High School. Although the council last year considered a wider parking district it opted to hold off until construction is completed at the historic campus located at East Santa Paula and 6th streets.
Fire Chief Rick Araiza will update the council on the status of the firefighters hired because of the now expired SAFER Grant, and the city's efforts in securing another round of funding.
Interim Public Works Director Brian Yanez will update the council on the purchase of city's trash hauler Crown Disposal Company by Recology and the status of the franchise transfer.
So far, according to Yanez's report, the transfer has not gone smoothly with lack of communication - rumors started in October that a sale was pending, but the city was not able to get confirmation until November, when the deal was published in a Central Valley newspaper - as well as requested information required from buyer Recology not yet forthcoming.
Among other issues the city wants to ensure is that Recology will continue the strong partnership the community forged with Crown.
Lastly the council will discuss the format and dates for upcoming goal setting workshops, the first step in setting priorities - which often are tied to spending - for the future.
