“Clean up city, control traffic, fill potholes …”
The need for money to provide more public services and enhance the City’s
appearance was underscored at three separate meetings this week.
Marketing …
Members of the new Marketing Committee expressed concern about the look
of the medians and general appearance of the streets. After hearing that the
first cathedral sculpture will go up in a median – at the northern entrance
to the city on Date Palm Drive – member Fred Bell said, “We need to maintain
the medians where the beautiful art is going” “The beautification issue is
huge,” echoed Tammy Lynne Perezchica. .
(In other action, committee members are reviewing the marketing plan,
developing the City’s key messages, creating a sponsorship package and
working on a joint City-Chamber of Commerce newsletter mailed to all
residents.)
Town Hall …
At the Town Hall meeting Tuesday, the audience made a number of
suggestions for improving the City that largely centered on more code
enforcement, tighter traffic control, improving the condition of the streets
and filling vacant commercial buildings (Sam’s Club is closing in April or
May).
Bill Procter complained about uncontrolled heavy traffic around James
Workman Middle School, while May Tejan wanted to know if the same color
paint could be used each time to cover up graffiti. Jeff Zamboni thanked
Donna St. Onge, code enforcement officer, for cleaning up visual blight, but
said that he thinks most residents are totally unaware of the codes. (Did
you know that trash cans must be out of public view on non-pick up days?)
Kathleen Klein urged the City to keep potholes filled at Date Palm and Ramon
and put businesses in the vacant stores. Despite concerns about speeding,
vans jumping curbs near schools, barking dogs and loud boom boxes, Capt.
Kevin Conner explained that while the Police Department tries to respond to
all calls (36,000 this past year), Cathedral City has only four to six
police officers on duty at any given time.
Strategic Planning …
At the Strategic Planning session Thursday, the facilitators,
ParticipationWorks, highlighted a huge list of accomplishments during the
past 12 months. They included eliminating blight, updating job descriptions,
attracting three new auto dealers, easing East Palm Canyon traffic flow,
adding police, fire and public works vehicles, installing red light cameras,
winning Flex Your Power, Law Enforcement ‘Spirit of Courage’ and 3CMA
awards, holding seven Neighborhood meetings, conducting the County’s first
mail-in ballot election, fixing the Date Palm Bridge, spearheading water
conservation programs, establishing City Council policies and procedures,
improving the quality and interactivity of the city’s website and developing
a marketing plan and encouraging 100,000 sq. ft. of new commercial
sales-tax-producing development.
For the coming year, Council members and city staffers (plus Orie Mann,
president-elect of the Chamber of Commerce) attending the meeting cited as
priorities the need to attract and retain qualified employees, to generate
more municipal funds, to see hotel construction start, to encourage greater
citizen participation, to conduct a resident survey and to prioritize
projects.
Seniors, students, disabled benefit
Delayed kudos to the MLK Day Committee for the most successful Community
Services Day event ever!
Confidential
documents that filled 150 cars were unloaded into the shredder truck in the
“identity protection” program. Twelve homeless dogs were adopted. Building
Inspector Doug Covert is a proud new owner of ‘Diva’.). More than 150 dogs
were vaccinated against rabies. Heavy appliances were moved to the curb for
disposal at 140 households, primarily assisting seniors and the disabled.
Residents bought 1,896 energy-saving light bulbs in the “Buck a bulb”
program that will provide student scholarships.
Committee members were Deanna Pressgrove, chair, Susie Genera, Kim
Porterfield, Eugenia Torres, Josie Meza, Sandra Martinez, Teri McKeating and
Greg Wetmore from the Chamber of Commerce. Special thanks to Public Works
employees for taking care of every single resident who needed help in moving
bulky items to the curb.
Smith staying, expanding
Smith Pipe and Supply has been retained as a valuable local plumbing and
bathroom fixture company. Outgrowing its long-time operation on Bankside
Drive, the company had considered moving to larger quarters in Thousand
Palms. However, after being contacted by Economic Development, they decided
to stay here, in an ideal location, at the northeast corner of Date Palm and
Victoria. The company plans to expand into a larger retail line.
At its meeting this week, the Planning Commission approved a conditional
use for Smith’s new 8,373 sq. ft. building, which features a 12’ decorative
tower.
Purchase dog licenses at City Hall
In a satellite arrangement with the new Animal Campus in Thousand Palms,
the City is now issuing dog licenses. Kim Porterfield in Business Licenses
is handling the job.
Pet owners can bring in their dog’s rabies vaccination certification and,
if applicable, proof of spay or neutering, and obtain a license at City
Hall. Cost is $8 for a one-year license; $12 for two years and $16 for three
years for altered animals. For unaltered animals the cost is $25, $50 and
$75 for the same time periods. There are discounts for seniors. It is not
necessary to bring the dogs into City Hall, but that’s ok, too. Dogs must be
four months old to receive their first rabies shot.
The City’s Municipal Code requires all dogs to be licensed.
So far so good
Four recently hired paramedic/firefighters have successfully passed the
first three-month phase of their probationary training.
The Fire Department’s new Marque ambulance will be on display at the
Firehouse World Conference in San Diego next month. There are only two of
these vehicles in the west – here and in Phoenix. The department bought one
in 2004 and added another recently, because the warranty work can be done
locally, reducing down time; it is a quality vehicle; and it’s easy to
drive, says Division Chief Robert Van Nortrick. By the way, he just returned
from Lancaster, PA., with Chief Steve Sowles, where they worked on the
pre-construction phase of the new aerial ladder truck. .
Weekly
Briefs