City of Lindsay continues to address goals, accomplishments

The City of Lindsay is continuing to address its goals for the coming years and also looking back at what it’s been able to accomplish so far in meeting those goals.

As part of its consent calendar the Lindsay City Council is expected to approved the city’s goals, strategies and action plan for 2023-2025 at its next meeting, which is at 6 p.m. today.

As part of approving the action plan, the city has also listed accomplishments it has made so far in accomplishing that action plan. The city has listed five goals to achieve in accomplishing its action plan:

Ensuring the city is fiscally sustainable and resilient; providing a safe, clean community for all; expanding Lindsay’s economic base; investing in critical streets, water and sewer infrastructure; and improving the quality of life in the city.

The city has also listed its accomplishments in achieving its action plan. “As the city of Lindsay moves forward it is important to look back and recognize past accomplishments as well as identify future potential for growth,” the city of Lindsay staff report states for tonight’s meeting. “Focusing on the city’s successes is important for maintaining and expanding up the city’s momentum for positive change.”

When it comes to being fiscally stable among the among the accomplishments the city has listed is the sale and closing of escrow of the Mcdermont X recreation center. The venture who manages the facility, Mcdermont Ventures, has purchased the facility. The city states it has also improved its financial stability, balanced its budget and has received a clean city audit.

As far as providing a safe, clean community the city referred to es

tablishing a volunteer fire program as part of its ongoing action to again separate the Public Safety Department into two separate police and fire departments. The city also purchased two public safety vehicles and hired former Porterville Police Officer Rick Carrillo as its public safety director.

The city also established a Safe Exchange Zone right outside of the Porterville Police Department ini which people can safely make exchanges when it comes to online purchases they’ve made. The zone also allows for child exchanges when it comes to child custody orders to also be safely made.

The city also hired its first public safety chaplain, Adam Perez. The city also hired a full-time homeless outreach officer, Bruce Fox. In addition the city has hired a fulltime animal control officer in Michael Carrasco and hired a second school resource officer.

The city has also expanded its Narcan program to deal with fentanyl overdoses.

Also the city has received a $4.5 million Clean California Grant from Caltrans for the refurbishment of one of the city’s treasured, historic sites, the Olive Bowl/kaku Park. The city also has a goal to complete the Olive Bowl renovation.

As far as expanding its economic base, the city updated its code to allow for food trucks to operate in the city. The city has also purchased properties at 122 E. Honolulu Street and 190 S. Elmwood Avenue. As part of its action plan the city is also redeveloping the property at 284 Hermosa into a resource center for housing, employment, youth and family services.

The City Council also approved a conditional use permit for a second downtown cannabis dispensary, Elevate Lindsay, which will be located about block from the dispensary now in operation, Valley Pure. Elevate Lindsay will also include a lounge in which people can consume cannabis products. It’s expected the second dispensary will be open sometime this year.

As far as investing in streets, water and sewer, the city was able to complete the Mariposa Basin Project and has entered into an agreement with the County of Tulare to repair Lindmore. The city has also began preliminary work on the Lindsay Transit Center. The California Transportation Agency has provided funding to help establish the transportation center. As part of its action plan the city will also look for additional funding for the transit center.

As far as quality of life, the city reported it has been able to provide nearly $300,000 to families in mortgage, rent and utility assistance.

In addition the city was awarded a $4.5 million Clean California grant from Caltrans for the refurbishment of the city’s treasured, historic Olive Bowl/ Kaku Park. The city will look for additional funding for the Olive Bowl as well and for additional funding for improvements to Harvard Park.

The city also installed an historic bell at City Hall.

As far as its goals in providing a safe community the city will look to increase its fire department personnel and to expand its volunteer firefighter program. In addition the city will look to bid and award contracts for the downtown properties in which four businesses were destroyed by fire.

The city will also establish a priority list for $2 million in state funding it has received for public safety.

As far as investing in water, sewer and streets the city will continue to implement its American Rescue Plan spending plan and looks to complete identified projects to be funded by ARP funds.

Fifty-six percent of the funds, more than $1.5 million has been dedicated to water projects while $242,500 has been dedicated to sewer projects. The city also plans to complete the Linda Vista project which is underway.

In addition the city will work with State Senator Melissa Hurtado in obtaining state funding for projects.

As far as expanding the city’s economic base the city will continue to focus on the redevelopment of downtown Lindsay. The city will also look to development relationships between property owners and potential cannabis growers to develop cannabis cultivation sites.

As far as quality of life the city will look to improve the city’s water quality. In addition the city will look for funding to install additional murals in the community. The city will also look to support community diversity.

As far as recreation the city will look at such areas as offering pickleball and disc golf.