This document is the City of Turlock Activity Update for the week of July 4 - 10, 2009. The activity update is meant to keep the Turlock City Council and all areas of the government organization on the same page. The community may also view the complete document here at TurlockCityNews.com as it was sent out by the City of Turlock.
TO: Mayor and Council
FROM: Executive Team
DATE: July 15, 2009
RE: ACTIVITY UPDATE – WEEK OF July 4-10, 2009
ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES
City Manager’s Office:
· Visited Merced Junior College Superintendent, Dr. Duran, to discuss preparing students for the workforce in the emerging technologies. MJC has great ability and willingness to partner with emerging industries to develop the required workforce.
· Visited University of California, Merced Chancellor, Dr. Kang, to tour the campus and discuss partnerships with government and private partners. This was a very productive meeting.
· Issued a press release on information the Mayor received that indicates Turlock will receive $1.5 million in stimulus grant funding for a Transit Hub.
Economic Development/Redevelopment:
· Councilmember Jackson and Economic Development/Redevelopment Manager attended California Road to Recovery meeting held at CSU Fresno to discuss Economic Stimulus opportunities.
DEVELOPMENT SERVICES
Planning Division:
· The Planning Commission will hold a study session on the Turlock Housing Element on Thursday, July 16, starting at 7 p.m. in the City Hall Yosemite Conference Room, 2nd Floor, located at 156 S. Broadway. The purpose of the meeting is to provide the Planning Commission and the public an overview of Housing Element Law, the public review draft of the Housing Element, and the process for adopting the Housing Element.
· Mobile food vendors and commissary operators were invited to attend a workshop on Tuesday, July 7, to discuss proposed changes in the mobile food vendor permit and zoning for commissaries. Approximately 15 vendors attended the meeting as well as two representatives of the County Environmental Resources department who regulate mobile food vendor operations. The results of the workshop will be presented to the Planning Commission at their August 6 meeting. Proposed ordinance amendments will be submitted to the Planning Commission at their September 3 meeting for their consideration and recommendation to Council.
· The Turlock Beautification Committee will meet during the week of August 3 to begin reviewing preliminary landscaping and way finding system designs prepared by the consultant for the City, Gates and Associates. The consultant has prepared conceptual designs borrowing from historic and agricultural themes of the community and the previously adopted Turlock Beautification Master Plan.
· On July 21 starting at 4 p.m. at City Hall, the 2010 Census Complete Count Committee will launch its efforts to ensure that Turlock is counted in the upcoming Census. The Census will be taken in April 2010. While the Census Bureau conducts its own outreach campaign in conjunction with the Census, they look to local leaders to spearhead a more specific campaign within each community that is targeted to those individuals that historically are undercounted. Mayor Lazar and the Turlock City Council have selected former mayor Brad Bates and Planning Commission Chairman Mike Brem to co-chair the Committee. To be successful, the co-chairs are seeking volunteers from throughout the community to help get the word out by developing an outreach campaign specifically designed for Turlock’s residents. If you know of anyone who is interested in volunteering to serve on the committee, please invite them to attend this meeting. The meeting will only last about an hour and will provide an overview of the Census and the responsibilities of the Committee, and to recruit individuals onto the Committee.
MUNICIPAL SERVICES
Regulatory Affairs Division:
· Department of Public Health Permit for Water Storage Tanks: We have received our permit to operate the two new water storage tanks constructed on Third Street and South Kilroy Road. The tanks should be operational by the end of the month.
· Battery Collection System: Using funds the City receives for solid waste diversion programs, we are putting together a pilot program to assist residents in the proper disposal of household batteries. A State regulation prohibits batteries from being disposed of in the trash. We are planning on placing collection bins at City Hall and other City buildings. The batteries will be collected by a specialist waste hauler.
· State Clean Water Revolving Fund Requests: The City has made it through the first round in our request for financial assistance for the Harding Drain Bypass and Water Quality Control Facility Upgrade projects. The City will not receive a grant from ARRA funds but may be eligible for a low interest loan. Historically, the loans carry a 1% interest rate, but due to the State’s financial problems, the interest rate for these loans is now 3%. The State has requested additional environmental documentation, particularly a quantification of greenhouse gas emissions from the project. This specialist work will, most likely, require assistance from an outside consultant.
· PCE Clean-Up Project: Interviews were held with three consulting firms who, using a State grant, would develop a system to extract PCE-contaminated groundwater from the downtown area, treat it, and then discharge the clean water to the City’s sewer system. The pump and treat project would look like many of the clean up systems seen at gas stations to eliminate MTBE pollution. We are conducting reference checks at this time, and will bring the contract to the City Council for approval in the near future.
· Turlock Receives Top Marks for Sustainable (Green) Living Standards: Smarter Cities, a project of the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), is a forum for exploring the progress American cities are making in environmental stewardship and sustainable growth. The 2008 Smarter Cities Study marks the fourth round of an independent investigation of cities first initiated by Green Guide, now part of National Geographic, that includes all cities in the United States with populations larger than 50,000. We are pleased to announce that Turlock received a high ranking; we were listed 17th out of the 405 cities in the small category (populations of 50,000-99,000) for overall environmental efforts. Additionally, cities are ranked by individual areas of sustainability criteria: Turlock was ranked 7th in recycling and 9th in energy production and conservation. Much credit for these high rankings goes to Turlock Scavenger and the Turlock Irrigation District for their innovative practices that set Turlock apart. Scoring is based on comprehensive data sets from the EPA, the U.S. Census and other inclusive datasets that address relevant criteria. Supplemental data included an online survey submitted by mayor’s offices or the environmental officers in every U.S. city with a population of 50,000 or more – a total of 655 cities. For more information on Smarter Cities or to view Turlock’s markings and rank, you can visit the site at http://smartercities.nrdc.org.
FIRE SERVICES
Operations Division:
· We responded to 92 emergency calls this past week. Here is a breakdown of some of those calls.
ü 48 EMS calls
ü 8 grass/brush fires
ü 2 outside rubbish/dumpster fires
ü 1 cooking fire
ü 5 false alarms
ü 1 person in distress
ü 2 MVA’s
· 4th of July
ü MVA with involved parties taken out by gunpoint, joint efforts with Stanislaus County Sheriff, TPD and Turlock Fire assisted on standby.
ü Station 4 had an impromptu open house, providing free hot dogs and drinks to local neighbors.
ü Provided extra engine support for fireworks display at fairgrounds, afterwards engine assisted with calls in the City.
Training Division:
· Firefighting crews trained at the Engine Company level on various ventilation skills, ladder drills and chainsaw evolutions. All of the firefighters also were trained on “Airway Management” skills assessments for their EMT re-certification skills.
· The Division Chiefs attended Advanced Emergency Operations Center training.
· Probationary Firefighters, Engineers and Captains continue to work on “Task Book” and monthly homework assignments.
· The Captains and Engineers trained at the engine company level on the Department of Motor Vehicle fire apparatus pre-trip inspections and driving the fire engines on the DMV approved highway road course.
· Probationary Firefighters, Engineers and Captains continue to work on “Task Book” and monthly homework assignments.
POLICE SERVICES
Service Demands:
Calls for Service 2208
Criminal Investigations 265
Arrests 68
Staffing Levels:
Sworn Personnel- 86
Deployed 82 (6 Officers: Field Training)
Vacancies 5
Non-Sworn Personnel 46
Deployed 44
Vacancies 2
Field Operations Division:
Significant Events and Trends
Traffic Safety Unit
· The Traffic Safety Unit assisted with the Fourth of July Parade. A motor officer led the parade from Main Street and Palm Street westbound to Broadway and then northbound ending at Broadway Park.
· Later that night, an “Avoid the 12” checkpoint was set up on N. Golden State Blvd at W. Tuolumne Street. A Turlock police Sergeant was in charge and oversaw several officers, CSO’s and cadets from outside agencies including, TPD, MPD, CSUS, Sheriff’s Office and ABC. The check point ran from 8:00 P.M. until 2:00 A.M. the next morning.
· Four hundred thirty-two vehicles were screened, 3 drivers cited for being suspended/unlicensed, 2 drivers were given field sobriety tests and were subsequently arrested for Driving Under the Influence of Alcohol.
Street Crimes Team (CAGE)
· CAGE assisted patrol with a shooting investigation in the 600 block of Vermont Street wherein several weapons were believed to be secreted in the alleged victim’s vehicle. Officers impounded the vehicle as “evidence” and sought and obtained a search warrant.
· A Subject wanted by Ceres Police for Grand theft was determined to be in a motel room in the 200 block of W. Glenwood Avenue. He was taken into custody without incident. Ceres Police responded and took custody. The subject admitted to being an active “Northerner” gang member who was just released from jail the day before.
· A CAGE officer conducted a vehicle stop with four subjects for traffic violation at South Center Street/East Avenue. The officer obtained consent to search the vehicle which revealed a loaded Beretta handgun under the front passenger seat. A male juvenile (3/9/92) was booked into Juvenile Hall for weapons violations.
Uniformed Patrol
· A reporting party located a PVC pipe capped on each side, inside his trash can in the alley behind his house in the 1400 block of Sycamore. The area was evacuated and the bomb squad was called out. They detonated it and confirmed it was an illegal device with black powder inside. This is one of several similar incidents that officers have responded to recently.
Special Operations Division:
Investigations
· Investigators were called out to handle a homicide in the 1300 Block of North Denair. Patrol had responded to a report of shots fired in the area and located a male subject inside an apartment who had died from a gunshot wound. The residents of the apartment were not located and investigators are still trying to identify/locate them. The deceased has been identified. This does not appear to be a random incident; however the motive has yet to be determined.
