Message from Andrew Espinoza, Jr., Interim City Manager MARCH 2024 CITY MANAGER UPDATE
In March, our city saw numerous positive advancements. Take a moment to discover all the exciting events we were a part of.
On March 6th, we joined in the
celebration of Dr. Seuss' Birthday and
Read Across America by taking turns
reading to children.
Assemblyman Tom Lackey of the 34th
District visited Barstow to engage with
the community. Our discussions
included concerns about CARB
locomotive emissions regulation and
the BNSF BIG project. We appreciate
Assemblyman Lackey's continued
support
We were invited to attend the Governor’s
Military Council and shared updates on the
Barstow International Gateway project. Many
thanks to MCLB Barstow and Fort Irwin
National Training Center for the warm
invitation.
March 7th, a workshop was conducted with the Council to set goals. Thanks to all who participated in our Council Goal survey to help prioritize community needs.
Andrew Espinoza, Jr.
Interim City Manager
March 20th, the 3rd Community Benefits workshop discussed the application process.
A Lunch & Learn session was held on March 21st with city employees providing updates on ongoing projects.
As you can tell, we have been quite busy and want to assure you that we are here to support and assist with the growth in Barstow.
March 14th, we participated in the
High Desert Realtor Symposium. This
year, the guest speakers were the
Mayors from the high desert area.
During the event, cities shared
updates on their growth and
upcoming developments. Lena Kent
from BNSF also attended and shared
details about the BIG project.
March 13th, a General Plan Open
House & Scoping Meeting took place,
giving residents the chance to
participate in group discussions and
review maps to envision the future. The
event addressed key topics such as the
BIG Specific Plan, General Plan Update,
and EIR.
March 12th marked an Open House where community members were welcomed to our newly renovated offices. It was a pleasure meeting residents, expressing my excitement for the interim position, and informing attendees about various City departments and services.
ENVIROMENTAL SERVICES
New Happenings:
We partnered with the Barstow Farmer’s Market for Earth Day! As a reminder, the event is on Saturday, April 20, 2024 1-4pm at Dana Park. We will have free food while supplies last, free petting zoo, art activities, raffle prizes, and over 20 vendors featuring interactive displays and demonstrations. Main Street Murals will also be hosting a mural tour. The tour bus departs at 2pm from Dana Park Parking Lot.
In the Pipeline:
Burrtec will be requesting its annual rate review in the next few weeks in accordance with the franchise agreement and the updated solid waste rates will be going to Council for consideration on or before June 3, 2024.
BUILDING DEPARTMENT
Our Building Department has been carefully examining different plans and here is a summary of the ongoing projects.
Commercial Projects
860 W Main St—Fire Rehab
222 E Main St—TI
1523 E Main St— Commercial TI
2611 Fisher Blvd—New EV Charging Station
Shell—490 Armory Rd—Building Structure & Fuel Tanks
110 Coolwater Ln—New EV Charging Station
Hampton Inn—2710 Lenwood Rd—Commercial TI
Starbucks—1540 E Main St—Building in progress
1307 E Main St—Commercial TI
1540 E Main St—Burger King
801 E Mountain View St—Trash Enclosure
600 W Main St—Fire Damage Rehab
2641 W Main St—Generator Installation
150 Yucca Ave—Water Heater Pumps & Electrical Upgrades
1601 Armory Rd—Parking Lot Grading & New Lights
1540 E Main St—Startbucks TI
Several Encroachment Permits throughout the city (Verizon, Spectrum, and SWG) still in progress (paving restoration)
PLANNING
General Plan Comprehensive Update
The March 13th, 2024 Information & Scoping Meeting was a success, with over 200 community members attending and engaging in the update process. Topics such as Land Use, Environmental Justice, Housing, Circulation, and Transportation. Various maps, figures, past General Plan related survey results, and more were shared throughout the event. All information shared at the meeting has been added to the Planning Department General Plan Update webpage linked below.
The Planning Department looks forward to additional engagement and outreach events throughout the update process.
6th Cycle Housing Element
In addition to outreach, staff has been diligently working towards re-submittal of the City’s 6th Cycle Housing Element. The document is submitted to the State Housing & Community Development Department and once approved, programs and sites referenced within remain at the forefront of tasks completed, monitored, and pursued on a City wide basis.
1. Currently conducting a new captains recruitment
2. Participated EST couching program at High school /Central
3. Open house at City Hall supporting new interim City Manager Espinoza
4. Coffee and conversation with local leaders
5. Company officers training
6. Updating Current SOP in lexipol
Built a forcible entry prop, Used to gain access to doors and fences as well as egress from structures.
7. Annual State inspection for Office of Emergency services -OES 328, this engine is strategically staged at Barstow fire district for state emergencies. We also use it for local and county responses. It’s the Lime green colored Engine we see around town
8. 9. Attended city wide state of the city by address from New ICM Espinoza
10. Actively engaged with annual budget review /preparation Completed 6 month probationary testing as well as 1 year for Firefighter Paramedic and Firefighter EMT.
11. With summer approaching, be mindful and attentive with children around any pool or open water sources, use caution never let your guard down.
Be a water watcher!!!
FIRE DEPARTMENT
Illegal dumping is a regrettable crime that places the responsibility of cleanup on landowners. Even those who pay for dumpster services may discover others' waste in their bins, causing overflow and hindering their own disposal. Dumping bulky items around the dumpster adds to the challenge. Remember, it is unacceptable to dispose of waste in someone else's bin, even if it is in an open bin in a parking lot.
CODE COMPLIANCE
Landowners who have not registered their rental units are receiving citations. Contact code compliance to register your rental properties for 2023 and 2024 now. We appreciate those who have already complied.
All current cannabis applicants that have been approved by Council are have cleared their CEQA reviews. Staff is also coordinating with the Air Quality Management District to ensure Applicants are obtaining the required permits through their agency. Inspections will be conducted in coordination with AQMD, BPD, Building Department, and the Cannabis Division prior to projects being finaled and approved to open. Currently, there are two retail locations that are in compliance and operational. Two additional retail spaces are under plan review and two are currently under construction. Out of the twenty-four cannabis business that have been approved by Council for the old Merchant Mall location, seven are operational (cultivation). Seven of the buildings are at the end of construction and have been issued Certificates of Occupancies. The remaining eighteen buildings at the location are still in their construction phase and will not be operations in the near future.
The cannabis mall site is currently working on compliance with the recent odor complaints.
Since being notified of the issue in December 2023, five of six businesses that were operating at that time have installed additional odor mitigation. The remaining company is underway on installation of additional odor mitigation as well. Odor complaints being received by the Cannabis Division has decreased significantly since December 2023.
CANNABIS
POLICE
Our recruitment team recently participated in Barstow High School’s Career Fair, providing students with a chance to network with industry professionals and learn about various career opportunities in law enforcement.
We are currently seeking Police Officers and Public Safety Dispatchers to join our team. For more information on job openings, please visit the City of Barstow’s website at www.barstowca.org.
Members of our department recently took part in Barstow Police Department’s second Annual Slow Pitch Softball Tournament, which had a fantastic turnout. All proceeds will go towards supporting the Barstow Police Activities League and the Baker to Vegas team.
Our team achieved another successful run this year at Baker to Vegas, a 120-mile relay race through the Mojave Desert. This event, one of the largest law enforcement athletic competitions in the nation, saw our dedicated team compete and show their support.
Save the Date for Upcoming Events:
National Public Safety Telecommunicators Week: April 14-20, 2024 Coffee With a Cop at Six Beans Coffee: Wednesday, April 24, 2024, 8:00-10:00 AM National Crime Victim’s Rights Week Memorial at Victor Valley College: Thursday, April 25, 2024, 6:00-7:00 PM
PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT
Park/Open Spaces
Thanks to hard work, the kiddie pool is now in better condition. The park staff dedicated efforts to address issues with the filtration system at Henderson Pool. They are troubleshooting the computer system that controls the pumps and sensors, as a part of the system is not dispensing the correct amount of chlorine to the main pool. To resolve this, staff members have been manually adjusting the chlorine levels until the matter is fixed by Knorr Pool Systems. Lucas has arranged for the company to inspect the issues and provide necessary training. Additionally, broken valve handles in the kiddie pool were discovered, and replacements have been ordered. Efforts are being made to meet the deadline of April 20, 2024, for Life Guard Certification.
The park staff is addressing the issue of weed growth in the city, which has flourished due to ideal weather conditions provided by Mother Nature. Since the herbicide previously used is no longer available, they will need to find an alternative product. Last month, the staff at Foglesong Park dedicated their efforts to preparing for the successful 2024 Annual Berlin Chile Cook-Off, which was well-received by the community. Staff is currently exploring quotes to level the clay baseball infields with a laser as there is a noticeable bump between the grass and the clay.
FINANCE
The Finance Department invites the community to help choose the cover for the 2024-2025 Budget. To qualify for a $25 gift card, please email your name, phone number, and your chosen design to [email protected].
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Fleet Maintenance had to adjust its operations schedule due to an error with an employee mistakenly filled equipment at the Sports Park with 25 gallons of fuel from Flyers Fuel Station. However, the staff were not trained on the correct fuel type and ended up using DEF (diesel emissions fluid) in the bunker rake and John Deere tractors, preventing the equipment from starting. The affected equipment was transported to the Corp. Yard to remove the DEF liquid from the fuel tanks and system, incurring costs for flushing the fuel system, draining the tanks, and labor for fluid removal. Thankfully, the Fleet staff managed to restore the equipment to proper working condition.
Facility Maintenance Update
Jasper Park recently experienced vandalism,
with the removal of the Edison Meter and
theft of the service wire. Additionally, Comfort
Solutions replaced the outdated HVAC
systems in both the I.T. Server room and the
911 Server room due to their inability to meet
the required capacity.
Fleet Maintenance Update
Police Department remodel
continues, they are close to being
60% done. They are managing the
workload by involving streets and
parks for all assistance like
renovation of Jasper Park, the
removal of the announcers booth
at Lillian Park and CRM’s.
The street department responded to a storm drain fire behind 1566 Riverside Dr. (possibly a homeless camp). Public Works crews closed off a section of Main Street to assess the storm drain system for any flammable materials. BNSF was informed as the storm drain belonged to them where the fire originated.
Last month, strong winds brought sand onto Lenwood Rd., requiring Waste Water's large loader to clear the road. Wind-blown palm fronds posed a hazard on several roads. A Pedestrian Pole suffered damage on Avenue “A” & Main Street, but minor repairs were handled internally.
Street crews aided parks in preparing baseball fields for Little League Opening Day.
Routine operations continued, including herbicide/pesticide spraying, pavement preservation with Mastic Sealant, sign maintenance, graffiti removal, pothole repairs, dead animal removal, and handling CRMs from various departments. Assistance was given to Parks to address filtration issues at Henderson Pool. Knorr Pool Systems is scheduled to visit on April 23, 2024, to assess pool components and provide filtration system training to meet the April 20, 2024, Life Guard Certification deadline.
Street Maintenance Update
The City's Mission Statement
was adopted in August 2005.
To participate in our drawing
for a chance to win a $25 gift
card, send three Mission
Statements to
[email protected].
Collections Maintenance – Staff cleaned 2,986 feet of pipes.
Collections Maintenance – Staff CCTV 2,844 feet of pipe inspections.
Dig Alert sewer marking tickets – Staff marked and completed 218 sewer dig alert tickets.
Collections Maintenance for the FOG program (Fats Oil & Grease) staff inspected 15 restaurant grease interceptors.
While performing scheduled maintenance sewer line cleaning collections operators was cleaning pipes in the alleyway off First Street in-between Buena Vista and Fredrick’s and had come upon the line 85% blocked with grease. With the high-pressure cleaning nozzle, it cleaned the through the grease blockage with a breeze.
Plant maintenance completed 164-preventive work orders in addition 7-corrective work orders. Plant maintenance changed out fine screen#2 conveyor gearbox. Chris Biles had won Plant Mechanic of the year in the local section through CWEA the desert and mountain section for 2023, Chris moved on to the state voting and since then won Plant Mechanic 2023 at the state level, and will be recognized for this prestige’s award in Sacramento on April 11,2024.
Staff is continuously working with Carollo Engineers moving closer and closer on having a completed an updated Sewer Master Plan.
April 15 council meeting we have an agenda item to award a contractor to rehab our grit chamber with extensive concrete corrosion from Hydrogen Sulfide gas.
April 4, staff completed the Monthly (No Spill) report for March to the Water Boards CIWQS reporting site.
Staff treated 65 million gallons of wastewater with no violations during the month of March.
WASTE WATER DEPARTMENT
Matthew Franklin passed the Collection System Maintenance grade 2 test.
Wesley Garrison passed the Collection System Maintenance grade 3 test.
ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT
NORTH FIRST AVENUE BRIDGE
The project has reached a 65% completion milestone. Current tasks include pouring concrete for the new bridge decks and walls. The bridge decks, essential for driving, are meticulously constructed using rebar and concrete.
Starting as soon as April 10, crews are set to remove the temporary support structures (falsework) on the new bridge over the next week. This work will take place on weekdays during daylight hours. Expect intermittent closures on Cottage Street at North First Avenue with flaggers guiding motorists.
Drivers are advised to reduce speed and stay alert for changing road conditions on Cottage Street.
Mojave River Valley Museum Roofing Project -CDBG. The contract has been awarded and is currently awaiting CBDG Approval to Proceed.
North Barstow ADA Infrastructure Improvements Project. The project has started. Currently Demo and removals are in progress throughout the city. Concrete Placement is underway throughout the North Barstow Area.