March 24, 2005

Lt. Reshaw leaving

We will be bidding a fond farewell to Lt. Al Reshaw.  The Fontana Unified School District has appointed him to be its Chief of Police.  He learned about the selection while he was in Korea for his annual Naval Reserve training.  His nine years of service with the Cathedral City Police Department were interrupted several years ago while he served abroad with Naval Intelligence. Human Resources is starting an internal and external recruitment for police lieutenant. In the meantime, the department will have no lieutenants

 Perfect report

Congratulations to the Finance Department.  The Comprehensive Annual Financial Report (CAFR), prepared as a result of a city-wide audit, gives the city a clean bill of health.  In the 2001-02 fiscal year, there were 13 reportable findings and in the 02-03 FY, there were 10 reportable findings. This year, there are none Also, all historical findings have been corrected.

 Cove: the latest

Ballots for the Cove Improvement District will be mailed to property owners two weeks later than scheduled – now on April 15.  This will provide more time for property owners to confer with the assessment engineer on specific assessments at an all-day workshop at City Hall March 30 and for any adjustments in the levies to be made.  Just in case there is any question from city employees, the Cove sewer project is one of the City Council’s main priorities, and help from everyone is appreciated.

 Also, Sen. Dianne Feinstein has put in a request for $8 million and Congresswoman Mary Bono is requesting $6 million from the federal government to help fund the Cove project. Assemblywoman Bonnie Garcia’s office has offered to help the City prepare a grant application for State Prop. 50 funds and she and Senator Denise Ducheny will try to get the money approved by the state legislature.   

 It touches home

There are some heart-warming stories coming out of efforts to relocate tenants at the Desert Hills Mobile Home Park. Keith Scott reports that so far 20 households have been or are in the process of moving into new quarters.  “It was like a blessing in disguise,” reports our own Alice Berumen of the Fire Department, whose sister lived at Desert Hills.  She was able to move into a better coach at Tramview, surrounded by great neighbors, and paying less monthly rent.

 Heritage Park grand opening 

Grand opening of Heritage Park Senior Apartments on McCallum Way is set for noon next Thursday (March 31). The facility, which provides 153 apartments, a clubhouse and other amenities, was made possible with some financing through the city’s Redevelopment Agency.  It is 60% occupied and applications to rent the one- or two-bedroom apartments are still being taken.

 Code enforcement

The Fire Department has seven candidates for a Code Enforcement 11 position; testing will take place in mid-April. Rebecca Winscott has been named to a two-year position in code enforcement through the city’s Housing Division.  

 By the way, there will be no special weed abatement program this year; code enforcement will handle the expected large amount of weeds and growth within the normal course of their duties.  The wildflowers may be a blessing now, but in the dry heat of summer, they become fuel for wildfires, the Fire Department warns.  

Ice cream here Friday

Coldstone Creamery opens tomorrow (Friday) and Starbucks is the latest business to sign a lease to rent a space in the new downtown.

 ATV progress

Sgt. Paul Herrera reports that CVAG will form a small task force to help our Police Department enforce regulations for ATV use north of I-10.  The city received a grant to target safety violations.  There are areas where off-highway vehicles are allowed and there are areas where they are prohibited.  Up to 300 people, including a growing number of families, ride near Edom Hill and in that open desert each weekend.  Driving their F250 truck and two quads, officers primarily enforce helmet laws and discourage multiple riders on each quad. The enforcement is working, Herrera says, because the number of violations is dropping.  Dale Bolls, Public Works employees and Kevin Lockwood are helping him with signage.

 Safe needle disposal

After hearing a presentation from Deanna Pressgrove and a compelling argument from Fire Capt. Jeff Welsh, the City Council is moving ahead with a free safe needle disposal program.  It will allow diabetics, patients who need B-12 shots and other self-injectors to receive free Sharps containers and free postage to mail them into a central disposal site.  Purpose of the program is to remove needles, syringes and lancets from landfills and the trash to reduce injuries and the threat of infection to others. The matter came before Council at the study session this week and will be up for formal action April 13. 

 Upholding our good name

The city and the Chamber of Commerce will split an estimated $1500 cost of scholarships promised to winners of the 2004 Miss Cathedral City Pageant.  Promoter of the contest allegedly failed to follow through with the stipends.  Although neither the city nor the chamber sponsored the event, they did not want the situation to reflect negatively on the community as a whole. So they agreed to step up to the plate. 

 Saying thank you

June 11 is tentatively set as the date of a reception honoring members of city commissions. Volunteers will be paid tribute at the Canyon Shores clubhouse for all the hours they donate to city business and for the positive impact they have on the quality of life in Cathedral City.