City donates to Loop Spectator Overlook Project, establishes beautification awards
The Tehachapi City Council unanimously voted to become a major sponsor in the Tehachapi Loop Spectator Overlook Project by donating $10,000 during its regularly scheduled Feb. 16 telephonic meeting.
“We agreed to donate $10,000 towards the design, engineering and construction of the Tehachapi Loop Overlook. We are very proud to be a part of that project,” City Manager Greg Garrett said.
Garrett said the money will come from the city’s general fund, which he described as “very, very healthy.”
Also during the meeting, councilmembers unanimously voted to start a beautification awards program designed to recognize local businesses and residents for their outdoor landscaping.
Funding for the program will also come from the city’s general fund, with an annual budget of $1,000.
Since the holiday decorating contest went so well, Garrett said the city decided to expand that into the beautification awards program. Nominations will be accepted on the city’s website. Recipients will be selected on the basis of continuous efforts or new remodels on a random basis.
“We want to recognize good citizens that are taking a lot of pride in their neighborhood, street and city,” Garrett said.
During the meeting, the city’s auditor presented a financial report to the council.
“We are very proud of our audit report and the funds that we manage on behalf of the citizens and the taxpayers and the reserves that we have in place,” Garrett said. Other items included:
A formal commitment to set aside monies specifically for emergency contingencies as required by the Governmental Accounting Standards Board.
Direct staff to draft a letter to the Kern County Board of Supervisors supporting the Kern County Public Works Department’s proposal to expand illegal dumping clean up resources by seeking funding through a land use fee through Proposition 218.
“They are going to mail everybody in Kern County a ballot, and you can check yes or no to increase property taxes by $20 on average to help pay for illegal dumping,” the city manager said.
On March 4 at 7 p.m., the Tehachapi Symphony Orchestra will feature a livestream concert on Facebook featuring the music of Florence Beatrice (Smith) Price.
Price was an American classical composer, pianist, organist, music teacher and the first African-American woman to be recognized as a symphonic composer, and the first to have a composition played by a major American orchestra.
If you have Facebook, once there, search for Tehachapi Symphony Orchestra.
If you do not have a Facebook account, search the internet for the Tehachapi Symphony. You will find Tehachapi Symphony Orchestra — Home with a facebook.com address. Choose this and if you do not want to create an account, click Not Now. Click on Livestream Video.