City Council votes to rejoin TCEDC
Despite still with some reservations — particularly the sweetheart deal the County of Tulare received — the Porterville City Council was satisfied the Tulare County Economic Development Corporation had changed its ways enough to rejoin the organization.
At its meeting on Tuesday the council voted to rejoin TCEDC, which includes paying the annual fee of $25,000.
The city had previously dropped its membership with TCEDC as Councilman Milt Stowe had been one of the harshest critics of the organization. In the past city officials, including Stowe, had been displeased with the lack of results and the lack of time it was receiving from the organization.
But Stowe also said if TCEDC changed its ways he would be the first one to make the recommendation to rejoin the organization. Stowe did just that, making a motion to rejoin TCEDC at the council’s August 3 meeting but the motion died for a lack of a second.
But since that time city council members and officials continued to meet with TCEDC and were ready to join the organization on Tuesday. Stowe again was the first to make the motion and this time the council voted 5-0 to rejoin TCEDC.
But the council continued to express concerns about the sweetheart deal the County of Tulare received to join TCEDC. “They’re the ones who benefit from this,” said Stowe, noting every business that comes to a city in the county through the TCEDC’S work benefits the county.
At the August 3 meeting Reyes said the fee the county should pay should be around $90,000. But City Manager John Lollis stated about what the county was willing to pay, “the county said this is the number we’re going to pay and you deal with it.”
New TCEDC president Nathan Ahle said about concerns expressed about the county paying its fair share and the organization’s view on the subject, “we hear you.”
Ahle said the organization is on track for the private sector to contribute $60,000 this fiscal year to the organization. The contribution from the cities in the county will be $150,000 this year.
A report was also given on TCEDC’S effort to help a renewable hydrogen company possibly locate in Porterville. While Lollis said the company is “not a large job developer” it would help the city in its continued efforts to develop renewable energy in ways such as a partnership with the city’s corporation yard and the tertiary water treatment plant operations.
One concern Lollis said is Porterville isn’t located near Highway 99. But he added the company was attracted to Porterville because of its commitment to renewable energy.
Ahle said there’s been the sentiment in the past with business development with cities like Porterville, “it really needs 99.” But he added, “I don’t look at Porterville that way.”
PROP. 98 GRANT
The council also reviewed recommendations made by the Porterville Parks and Leisure Commission on how to use a $178,000 Proposition 98 grant. The city has until December 31 to inform the state what it will use the grant for.
The council and Lollis also discussed other funding sources that could be used for various parks and recreation projects throughout the city.
One of the proposals for the grant was to use it on a pump track, which can be used by BMX bicycle riders and skateboarders. Lollis said pump tracks are growing in popularity.
And Lollis said it actually may be possible to use Measure R funds, the county ½ sales tax increase to fund transportation projects, for a pump track. He added Community Development Block Grant funds could be used to fund other recreation and parks projects.
As far as the Prop. 68 grant it looks like the two projects that would be considered for funding is more shading and lighting at the skate park at Veterans Park and to begin placing practice field lighting at the Porterville Sports Complex.
City of Porterville Parks and Leisure Services Director Donnie Moore said there’s an additional $61,000 available for the sports complex lighting. So about $240,000 would be available, which wouldn’t be enough for all the lighting needed, but would at least be able to provide lighting for a portion of the complex.
City officials and the commission will continue to review the matter which will be brought back to the council in October.
MEASURE R FUNDS
As part of its consent calendar the council approved a total of $770,000 for Porterville Transit for route expansion and to help fund the purchase of electric buses and vans for public transit from Measure R funds. At total of $170,000 will be used from Measure R this year toward expanding routes. Another $600,000 will be used for the purchase of batteryelectric vans.
FIREFIGHTERS MEMORIAL, 9/11
Also as part of its consent calendar, the council approved $9,000 for six staff to to accompany the Figueroa and Jones families to the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation’s official national tribute to all firefighters who died in the line of duty in 2020.
The event will be held in Emmitsburg, Md. in October. There will be 112 firefighters who died in 2020 who will be honored, including Porterville Fire Captain Ray Figueroa and Porterville Firefighter Patrick Jones, who were killed in the February 18, 2020 fire that destroyed the Porterville Public Library.
The $9,000 will come from the council’s Special Purpose Reserve Fund.
As far as the 20th anniversary of 9/11 is concerned on Saturday, Lollis said unfortunately there won’t be a a ceremony “in a public forum.” He said while the Porterville Fire and Police Departments will take time to recognize the 20th anniversary of 9/11 after discussions the departments had they decided with the challenges they were facing with matters such as the pandemic and wildfires, they wouldn’t be able to put on a public ceremony at this time.