“Hero Today”
Police Det. Dan Mackie was honored by the Riverside County Sheriff’s
Department at the annual “Heroes of Today …Stars of the Future” Commendation
and Awards Ceremony at the Riverside Convention Center.
Mackie was one of four Coachella Valley Violent Crime Gang Task Force
members to receive Citizen Awards by Sheriff Bob Doyle. They successfully
apprehended a murder suspect in a Rancho Mirage homicide after a pursuit
that ended with a crash in Cabazon. The suspect was taken into custody after
exchanging gunfire with task force officers on the 1-10 Freeway. No one was
hurt.
Mackie is no longer on the Task Force because of the department’s current
shortage of personnel. Chief Stan Henry hopes there can be participation in
the future.
Soccer Park contract
The City Council has approved a contract with STB Landscape Architects,
Inc. of Redlands to prepare conceptual, grading, landscape and lighting
plans, plus soils and on-site drainage reports, for the 17-acre soccer park
east of James Workman Middle School. The $72,575 cost was the lowest of
seven bids submitted and it will be paid for by grant funds.
STB is a full service landscape architectural firm with expansive
background in sports complexes, parks, master-planned communities,
commercial and educational facilities, as well as municipal, industrial
multi-family and custom residential design. .
The firm has been involved in projects in San Bernardino, Fontana,
Highland, Redlands, Yucaipa and San Diego.
Engine Joe’s revs up
Renegade Classics is now open in its new digs on Bankside Drive, north of
East Palm Canyon. The former Engine Joe’s specializes in motorcycle sales
and repair and retail sales. Look for the grand opening April 8.
Martinez gets 256 jalopies off streets
Thanks to the efforts of Sandra Martinez, code enforcement officer, the
Fire Department received a check for $17,000 for removal of 256 abandoned
vehicles from city streets in 2005. The check came through the county-wide
Abandoned Vehicle Abatement Authority, which encourages communities to
eliminate blight and send the vehicles to scrap yards for recycling. If you
want an abandoned vehicle removed free, just call the code enforcement
division at 770-8205.
Meeting format changes in May
The City Council has decided to begin its Council meetings on the second
and fourth Wednesdays of each month with closed sessions starting at 3 p.m.
They will be followed at 5:30 with study sessions, and then the regular
meeting at 6:30. This new format – switching the order of closed and study
sessions – will take effect on May 24, the soonest it can occur because of
legal requirements.
You, too, can do this at home
Fire Division Chief Mike Hatfield encourages all city personnel who have
roles in emergency management to take a home study course offered online by
FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency) on the National Incident
Management System. Just log on to the FEMA website to access the course
work. As a result of heightened homeland security requirements, cities are
now required to adopt this nationally integrated system for dealing with
disasters.
Betancur earns another certificate
Deputy City Clerk Daryl Betancur has completed the Technical Track for
Clerks TT, a one-and-a-half-year training program for city clerks offered by
the University of California Riverside. After participants complete the
training series they receive a certificate from UCR Extension, which
Betancur displays in his office. The classes deal with elections, FPPC
compliance, ethics, records management, budgeting, public finance,
communication, city council procedures, ordinance codification and
management, among other subjects.
Firm hired for citizens’ poll
Goodwin Simon Strategic Research has been hired to conduct a benchmark
survey of Cathedral City residents to determine the community’s priorities,
satisfaction and response to communications. Goodwin and Godby Research were
interviewed by a panel of community members, city council and city staff and
Goodwin was recommended to Council for approval. The expense will be split
between the Redevelopment Agency and the General Fund, costing each $9,750.
Changes in the works for trash company
Burrtec Waste Recycling Services, a privately owned trash hauling company
that operates in Southern California, may take over the operations and
services which Waste Management now provides to Cathedral City residents and
businesses. If all cities in the valley (except Palm Springs) approve the
sale of Waste Management and assignment6s of its rights and obligations,
then the transfer could take place sometime this summer. The City Council
here has approved the change and would also like to discuss more services
and benefits that could accrue to the city under the new firm.
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