Smell the bacon       

It’s time to retire the “Pig” and bring on the “Bear”.

For the past nine years, the Cathedral City and Palm Springs consolidated SWAT Team has driven a 1950 vintage British “Pig” armored vehicle.  It’s used in rescuing victims  from hostile situations, extracting barricaded suspects, and in ambushes, attacks from assault weapons, hijackings, carjackings and in other dangerous situations. The vehicle is slow, unwieldy and barely usable. 

Thanks to the generous gift of $100,000 from an anonymous donor and an allocation of $47,500 by each City Council, the SWAT Team will soon be equipped with a new  Bearcat Armored Rescue Vehicle.

Just this year so far, the joint SWAT Team has had about a half dozen call outs when the Bearcat could have been deployed. “By not having it we are putting our officers, as well as members of both communities at risk,” Cathedral City Police Chief Stan Henry explained to the City Council before they approved the expenditure from the motor vehicle replacement fund.

The armored vehicle will be owned by Palm Springs and parked in that city.  It can be operated by officers from both Cathedral City and Palm Springs and used for situations in both cities.

The deals are done 

Two economic development deals have been finalized.   The first is between the Redevelopment Agency and CCC Properties to bring two dealerships to East Palm Canyon Drive in the vicinity of the old McDonald’s. 

The developers are investing about $20 million into the project, which includes land acquisition, the new businesses, East Palm Canyon widening and improvements and land dedication to the city.

In return, the Agency is building a road to provide access behind the development, purchasing some additional land and remitting half the sales tax back, up to a cap of $5 million. 

The second agreement is with CK Development Group for a 30,000 sq. ft. building for offices, shops and restaurants east of the Pickford. Theatre.  This is a “market rate” deal, with no cost to the Agency.  The developers are purchasing the land at its full appraised value of $345,000.  The developer will pay into the parking fund to support the parking structure and common area maintenance and the tenants will be required to participate in a downtown merchants association, business improvement district and/or landscaping and lighting district.   

Minor “paws” in progress

Opening of the Coachella Valley Animal campus is now projected a little later, for October or so, according to Police Capt. John Holcomb, the City staff liaison, who recently toured the facility in Thousand Palms. 

Cathedral City will contract with Riverside County Animal Control for both kenneling and care of stray animals, as well as the field work of responding to calls and picking up strays. Cathedral City’s cost of using the campus to shelter animals and for animal control field services will be $180,000 a year, $90,000 for each contract.  

Surprising results

American Traffic Solutions’ study of traffic violations at intersections has revealed that the three worst intersections in Cathedral City are: Date Palm/Ramon, Landau/Ramon and Date Palm/Perez for southbound traffic. After meeting with the City’s traffic engineer, the Police Department will make its final recommendation on placement of red light cameras, probably at the Sept. 14 City Council meeting. Red light cameras can enhance safety.

Two surprising findings of the study were that the violations on East Palm Canyon Drive are relatively low and that violations at Date Palm and Perez are high.  At the latter location, motorists driving south are whipping through the red light without stopping before turning right. 

 Zero tolerance?

The City Council is considering banning  off-highway vehicle use in the community, following the death of an ATV rider, injuries, EMC calls for service every weekend and complaints from residents,

 Cathedral City has been able to apply for grants to pay for enforcement of off-road  vehicle use.  The grants require cities to designate places where the vehicles can be used.  By banning the OHVs and unless another suitable riding place can be found, the Police Department will not be eligible for the grants. However, there is a possibility that Palm Desert might be willing to help with such a ban.

Council asked Police Chief Stan Henry to prepare a zero tolerance plan of action and a cost estimate for future consideration.

Desert Aids Project expanding service

The Desert Aids Project is moving toward expanding its services.  Now providing AIDS and HIV treatment, the Palm Springs-based clinic will soon be offering general medical care for gay and lesbian patients.  Alan Reese, executive director of DAP, said one third of the clients who use the clinic come from Cathedral City.

 The expanded service will include general medical care, as well as mental health therapy and drug addiction treatment. The clinic is admitting from 30 to 50 new patients a month.  The size of the facility will be increased from 3,000 to 6,000 sq. ft. to accommodate the growth and new services.

Purple ribbons for kids 

Thanks to Code Enforcement Officer Donna St. Onge for her efforts to discourage parents from leaving their children in cars during these hot summer months (although it’s not ok in the winter, either).

August is purple ribbon month and Donna distributed the ribbons throughout the city for employees to wear as a reminder to everyone that temperatures soar when car windows are closed, even if just for a moment.

A program called 4R Kids Sake was established after the death in Corona of a six-month-old baby girl who was left alone in the car by her babysitter. Donna heard about the program and became interested in it last year at meetings she attends on injury prevention.

Black mold and more

The City Council has authorized the expenditure of $30,000 in Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds for the design and engineering of a proposed new Fire Station 411.

The CDBG funds were originally intended to pay for repairs to the aging station, but since that time, black mold has been discovered and is still growing in the now-isolated pump house in the parking area. Yes, the mold was removed from the living quarters.  .

 But it’s not just black mold. The old station also has inadequate air conditioning and apparatus bay, plus cramped space, non-working doors and rain-damaged stucco, dry wall and roofing.

 Fire Chief Steve Sowles would like Station 411 to move from its site on date Palm Drive to the lot east of City Hall.  But first the design …

Payroll change reminder      

Stock up on food and supplies now!

Remember, the City’s payroll change will take place in September and employees will not get a paycheck on Sept. 29.  The pay employees would have received on Sept. 29 will be wrapped into the Oct. 4 check.  Starting Oct. 4, paychecks will be issued every other Tuesday.     

 Just a friendly reminder …Employees who want to cash out vacation time must get their department heads to sign off on the request before it’s submitted to Finance.