714 Bond Avenue Santa Barbara, CA 93103 tel: 805.563.3377 [email protected] www.sbck.org BOARD OF DIRECTORS Brad Newton President Karen Telleen-Lawton Vice President Walt Wilson Treasurer Kathleen Rogers Secretary Mimi deGruy Ken Falstrom Sherry Madsen Hank Mitchel Nick Mucha Jeff Phillips Sarah Preston Bruce Reitherman John Simpson Robert Warner ADVISORY COUNCIL Michael S. Brown President David Anderson Michael Crooke Dan Emmett Rae Emmett Steven Gaines Holly Sherwin Jack Stapelmann Carla Tomson Robert Wilkinson June 17, 2022 Goleta City Council 130 Cremona Dr. Suite B Goleta, CA 93117 Re: Prioritization of Funding for Implementation of the Creek and Watershed Management Plan Dear Mayor Perotte and Councilmembers, I write this letter to express Santa Barbara Channelkeeper’s strong support for the priotitization of funding for implementation of the City’s Creek and Watershed Management Plan. Channelkeeper is a 501(c)3 non-profit environmental organization dedicated to protection and restoration of the Santa Barbara Channel and its watersheds. Since 2002, Channelkeeper has maintained the Goleta Stream Team Citizen Monitoring Program to track water quality at over 20 sites across 10 Goleta creeks and the Goleta Slough. Our program benefits from the support of the City of Goleta, and many sources of pollution have been eliminated over the last two decades due to this collaboration. Channelkeeper participated in supporting development of the City’s Creek and Watershed Management Plan, which includes many recommendations for beneficial projects. Dedicated funding, however, is critical to provide for implementation of the plan. Channelkeeper strongly supports the prioritization of potential future-sales tax revenues for this purpose. Sustained investment in this program will benefit Goleta’s creek ecosystems and community at large for years to come. Thank you for your commitment to protecting and restoring Goleta’s precious watershed resources. Sincerely, Benjamin Pitterle Science and Policy Director
Keeping watch for clean water
June 20, 2022
Mayor Paula Perotte
City Councilmembers
City of Goleta
BY EMAIL: City Clerk [email protected]
Re: City Budget and Sales Tax Revenue Priorities: Creek and Watershed Protection and Restoration
Dear Mayor Perotte and Councilmembers:
The undersigned members of the Watershed Alliance support prioritization of the City’s watersheds and creeks as critically important community resources. Goleta’s creeks and watersheds recharge our aquifers, filter stormwater, nurture fish and wildlife, offer recreational opportunities including trails, outdoor labs for students, and accessible areas to appreciate nature.
Ninety-two percent of residents in the City’s survey prioritize creeks.
June 20, 2022
Goleta’s Creeks and Watersheds
The City made a significant investment by preparing the Creek and Watershed Management Plan (“CWMP”) in 2020. However, the City lacks implementation funding.
Goleta’s sales tax measure could implement the CWMP fulfilling the commitment made upon Council adoption.
We recommend twenty percent (two million dollars) of the increased sales tax revenue be allocated to implement the CWMP. For comparison, the City of Santa Barbara’s Creeks Program receives two million dollars per year from the transient occupancy tax to manage three major creeks. Goleta has twelve creeks. The sales tax increase could provide matching funds for grants to protect and restore our treasured creeks and open natural spaces in our watersheds. Local contractors would restore our creeks, increasing fire safety, enhancing ecotourism, and replenishing valuable natural resources.
Please prioritize our important creeks and watersheds to benefit our community, residents, economy, and quality of life.
Thank you,
Linda Krop, Chief Counsel
Environmental Defense Center
Catherine Mullin, Conservation Chair
Sierra Club Santa Barbara-Ventura Chapter
Sigrid Wright, CEO
Community Environmental Council
Lindsay Johnson, Executive Director
Explore Ecology
Hillary Hauser, Executive Director
Heal the Ocean
Ken Owen, Executive Director
Channel Islands Restoration
Benjamin Pitterle, Science and Policy Director
Santa Barbara Channelkeeper
Katherine Emery, Ph.D., Executive Director
Santa Barbara Audubon Society
Dan McCarter, President
Urban Creeks Council
June 20, 2022
Goleta’s Creeks and Watersheds
Conor McMahon, President
Goleta Coast Audubon
Doug Kern, Executive Director
Gaviota Coast Conservancy
Jeff Kuyper, Executive Director
Los Padres ForestWatch
Mark Morey, Chair
Surfrider Foundation Santa Barbara Chapter
Luke J. Svetland, President and CEO
Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History & Sea Center
Vicki Allen, VP Communications
League of Women Voters of Santa Barbara
Ken Hough, Executive Director
SBCAN
Russell Marlow, South Coast Region Program Manager
California Trout
Nathan Irwin, Executive Director
Illuminate Conservation
Marell Brooks, President
Citizens Planning Association
Doug Campbell, Executive Director
Coastal Ranches Conservancy
Anannya Deshmukh, Chair
UCSB Associated Students Coastal Fund
International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers
Local Union No. 413
100 Thomas Road Phone: (805) 688-8083 Buellton, CA 93427 Fax: (805) 688-7144
Mayor Perotte & Council Members,
Thank you for all your hard work on behalf of working families. I am writing today on behalf of the members of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, IBEW Local 413 in Santa Barbara County.
We would like to offer our support and appreciation to the work that Council and City Staff have done of Item C‐2 (City of Goleta Operating Budget and Capital Improvement Program Budget for FY 2022/23(Mid‐Cycle) and Comprehensive Capital Improvement Plan) on the Council Meeting Agenda tonight.
We were very hopeful last year during the discussions and overwhelming vote by the Council in favor of moving forward on a Citywide Community Workforce Development Agreement that would put local electricians and local apprentices to work on the projects covered in the Capital Improvement Program and City Operating Budget that will be discussed this event. We are still very hopeful that we can enter into negotiations soon and that we can move forward in a collaborative process in the near future with the City of Goleta.
Please let me know if anyone on the Council or City Staff has any questions that we can answer or if we can provide any information to keep the process moving forward.
Thank you very much,
Bill Baker
Business Manager
IBEW Local 413