Message from Andrew Espinoza, Jr., Interim City Manager JUNE 2024 CITY MANAGER UPDATE
Barstow Mayor Pro Tem James Noble, Councilmember Carmen Hernandez, Councilmember Barbara Rose, Interim City Manager Andrew Espinoza Jr., and Assistant City Manager Kody Tompkins attended a ribbon-cutting ceremony at Lillian Park to unveil its recent improvements and renovations. The enhancements at Lillian Park were funded through a partnership between the City of Barstow and the United States Army under the Intergovernmental Support Agreement (IGSA).
The City of Barstow extends its gratitude to Colonel Lane A Bomar and the United States Army for their support and belief in the Barstow community.
The City of Barstow and Ft. Irwin recently
established a groundbreaking 10-year
contractual agreement, referred to as IGSA
(Intergovernmental Services Agreement), on
June 10th. This agreement aims to offer
base operation support services for soldiers
at Ft. Irwin and the surrounding community.
By overseeing IGSA administratively, the City
is set to drive local economic growth and
enhance its general fund to support citywide
services. Cheers to both partners on this
significant achievement.
Andrew Espinoza Jr.
Interim City Manager
In June, the executive team and I traveled to
Texas to visit the BNSF facility, seeking a better
understanding of the project's operational
aspects.
These projects are just a glimpse of the many
ongoing initiatives the staff is dedicated to in
enhancing Barstow.
Mayor Paul Anthony Courtney, Mayor Pro Tem James Nobel, Councilmember Hernandez, Interim City Manager Andrew Espinoza Jr., and Assistant City Manager Kody Tompkins diligently examined the substantial progress of The North First Avenue Bridge project, now at 82% completion. The primary focus is on finalizing the deck and concrete wall pouring stages, indicating the upcoming transition to the new bridge. Stay tuned for further updates as the project nears its conclusion. Gratitude to Dennis Putnam, the Project Manager, for the illuminating site tour.
The department was happy to participate in
the Art and Industrial Women’s and Men’s
Club’s Annual Juneteenth Picnic. We had a
great day celebrating the holiday with the
community!
The Barstow Police Department would like to take a moment to congratulate the following individuals who were officially promoted to their new positions within the department at our Promotional Swearing-In Ceremony on June 3, 2024:
Daniel Arthur - Captain Thomas Lewis - Lieutenant Austyn Willis - Corporal We thank you for your ongoing dedication, commitment and service in impacting crime, and safeguarding our community for the residents of the City of Barstow. Once again, Congratulations on your well-deserved promotions and this new chapter of service! POLICE
Corporal Greig and Officer Joe Silva were promoted to the rank of Sergeant. We are confident both of our newly promoted team members will service the department and the community at the highest level! A promotional Swearing-In Ceremony will follow. Once again our heartfelt Congratulations! 2 0 2 4 G E N E R A L E L E C T I O N
N O M I N A T I O N P E R I O D B E G I N S
JULY 15 - AUG 9
The seats up for election this November are:
MAYOR
DISTRICT 3 and 4
CITY TREASURER
and CITY CLERK
Residents of the City of Barstow who are interested in
running for a Council seat can call 760.256.3531 to
schedule an appointment to pick up their nomination
papers. Additional information is also available on our website at barstowca.org.
ENVIRONMENTAL SERVICES
Attended the Community Resource Fair to provide education and outreach about recycling programs.
Working on the CalRecycle annual report for compliance with SB 1383 and other related recycling legislation.
CANNABIS
The Slow Pitch Softball League kicks off the week of July 16. For further details, reach out to the Harvey House.
Some of our employees have just finished their lifeguard certifications. This achievement will allow us to introduce swim lessons and private party rentals at the pool. Keep an eye out for additional updates!
RECREATION
All approved cannabis applicants endorsed by the Council have successfully completed their CEQA evaluations. Staff members are collaborating with the Air Quality Management District to assist applicants in securing the necessary permits from the agency. Inspections will be carried out with the coordination of AQMD, BPD, Building Department, and the Cannabis Division before projects receive final approval to open. Presently, two retail locations are fully compliant and operational. In addition, two more retail spaces are undergoing plan reviews, while two are currently under construction. Out of the twenty-four cannabis businesses approved by the Council for the former Merchant Mall site, seven are operational for cultivation. Seven buildings have reached the completion stage and have been granted Certificates of Occupancy. The remaining eighteen buildings at the site are still in the construction phase and will not be operational in the near term.
Efforts are underway at the cannabis mall site to address recent odor complaints. Since the matter was brought to light in December 2023, five out of the six businesses operating at the time have implemented additional odor control measures. The remaining business is in progress with implementing additional odor control as well. The number of odor complaints received by the Cannabis Division has significantly decreased since December 2023. 2567 Commerce Pkwy—1,185 sqft Shell Building 95% complete 2809 Lenwood Rd—Cannabis Building T.I.
1504 E Main St—Tesla EV Charging Station
2790 E Main St—Temporary Modular Storage Units
1513 Riverside Dr—Fire Damage Repair
651 Rimrock Rd—Residential Remodel
1519 Riverside Dr—SFR
2710 Lenwood Rd—Revision #1
101 Laverne Ave 4950 SF Commercial building
1310 E Mountain View St—Addition
1890 W Main St—Medical Office T.I.
203/207 W Main St—Motel Conversion
APN 0818-621-14 (Coolwater) - EV Chargers & Canopy
1120 Tecate Dr.— 2096 SF SFR
1130 Tecate Dr.—2096 SF SFR
Public Review of the 6th Cycle Housing Element
During June, the City's 6th Cycle Housing Element underwent a seven-day public review period. The draft was sent to the CA Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) on July 2nd for a sixty-day evaluation. The latest draft includes updates from the City's initial December 2022 6th Cycle submission and addresses feedback received from HCD in March 2022.
Access the 6th Cycle draft, HCD's March 2022 comment letter, and our Response Guide on the Planning Department homepage of the City's website.
PLANNING
Our City is growing! Check out some of the current project below.
The First Avenue Replacement Bridge is tentatively scheduled to open on 7/10/2024, offering a safer route to the northern corridor of our City.
The Mojave River Valley Museum Roofing Project funded by CDBG has been successfully finished.
The North Barstow ADA Infrastructure Improvements Project has also been completed.
SWG has finished upgrades in the Lillian and Williams area, with overlays scheduled to start this month.
The Project Manager at Frontier has initiated overlay work along Agarita and Cypress, with ongoing progress.
CODE COMPLIANCE
The Code Compliance department is diligently working to enhance our city. Check out these before and after photos showcasing our efforts.
Here's a question for you!
Q: Are permits required for commercial & residential alarms? YES!! Residential is a one-time fee of $25. Commercial is $25 for the initial permit and $10/per year to renew.
BMC 5.27.030
.
FIRE DEPARTMENT
Battalion Chief Espinoza led cooperative training on Heat Emergencies with BNSF.
Emergency Preplanning: All Crews conducted a walkthrough at Barstow Grow.
Welcome New Employee: Firefighter/Paramedic Ryan Howes completed orientation and was assigned to Fire Station 366. All Crews participated in the Juneteenth Celebration at Sturnacle Park.
Crews attended the Grand Opening of 360 Human Services.
Launched the Self-Contained Breathing Apparatus Project (Electrical Installation) scheduled for completion by August 01, 2024.
Procured and received 20 New Self-Contained Breathing Apparatus.
Conducted California Emergency Reporting System (CERS) Training with San Bernardino County Hazardous Materials Group. Battalion Chief Espinoza represented the Fire District at the Change of Command Ceremony at MCLB.
The Apparatus Committee managed the apparatus procurement process with the City Executive Team.
Total Monthly Training Hours: 511.
PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT
Parks/Open Spaces
The park staff is facing a challenging task as the intense summer heat sets in.
Two additional fields at the Sports Park (upper red and lower blue) were leveled, and new sod has been laid down.
The Henderson Pool is now fully operational and
flourishing. The water's crystal clarity is
attributed to switching from sand filtration to
glass media filtration. In addition, the staff
implemented various preventive measures to
minimize maintenance needs and upgraded a
few monitoring controls to enhance water
quality.
Jasper Park renovations continue
with new stucco and LED lighting
for the building. The next phase is
to upgrade restrooms to ADA
standards.
FINANCE
Street crews prioritize their individual tasks while supporting other departments' projects.
This collaborative approach highlights our unity, teamwork, and dedication to "All Efforts Are Being Exhausted." The 2024 striping season has concluded, and they are now gearing up to paint yellow crosswalks for school safety.
Street crews provided assistance to Code Enforcement at 1700 Sunset St. for a clean-up abatement.
Street Maintenance
Fleet Maintenance
Facility Maintenance is nearing the end of the renovations at the Police Department. Take a look at the updated Police Lobby, featuring:
New ballistic glass to enhance the safety of our staff.
Facility Maintenance Update
On June 17th, the Council approved a new three-year laboratory agreement for Babcock Labs.
This agreement will ensure compliance with State Water Board regulations by carrying out mandatory sampling and analysis procedures.
The staff removed the bypass pipe that was skirting the grit chamber, reattaching it to the newly epoxied grit chamber. While the grit chamber was bypassed, the staff used a Vactor truck to clean the 21-inch discharge line, removing around 30 cubic feet of grit, gravel, and rocks. This cleaning process is expected to significantly enhance influent pumping efficiency.
Before reconnecting to the system, the staff took the opportunity to replace a 30-year-old influent flow meter, along with installing new wiring for it. Additionally, 60 feet of 3x3 corrosive L-angle was replaced with new stainless steel to support the top catwalk area.
Waste Water Updates
Amidst the intense heat, the fleet staff is diligently handling repairs, services, and inspections to ensure all vehicles and equipment have fully operational air conditioning systems. Their priority is to guarantee that the staff can perform effectively in their respective roles.