Prioritizing Projects
Library and streets among top priorities for Council
At a special meeting of the Porterville City Council on Tuesday night, the Council reviewed priority city projects for the 2020-2021 fiscal year (FY). After being presented with a list of last year’s priorities, the Council narrowed down projects for city staff to focus on for the next FY. Among the top priorities identified by the Council were the library and street improvements.
City Manager John Lollis presented the dais with a list of previous projects the Council had prioritized for the 2019-2020 FY. The Council’s priorities at that time were street improvements, a community recreation center, Henry Street park, a wastewater tertiary treatment facility, an animal shelter facility, library remodel, Sports Complex completion, a drought demonstration garden, the widening of the Westwood Bridge, Veterans and Zalud park restroom rehabilitation, Henderson and Olive Avenue median drought landscaping, State Route 65 and 190 community welcome signs, Veterans Park play field improvements, and a City Council
Chambers video. Lollis also included updates on each of last FY’S identified projects.
The biggest priority determined by the Council for this FY is the library. The Council had previously determined that a priority was to remodel the library, but have now switched focus to beginning a dialogue with the Library Commission on the wants and needs for the library moving forward.
“The catastrophic and tragic fire that destroyed the City Library facility earlier this year has caused the removal of this project,” read the staff report. “With insurance proceeds as the primary funding source, the City is now working toward the development of an interim location for the Library in the Downtown area, with the proposed priority this fiscal year of identifying the location and function of a new Library facility to serve the community for decades to come.”
Advancements from insurance has come into the city, and so far they have received roughly $5 million dollars. The money has been earmarked and reserved for costs incurred by the city be
cause of the fire, including the development of a temporary and permanent library facility. A portion of the insurance funds have been used to remediate City Hall and the Fire Station, as well as the demolition of the library site.
The Council voted to continue making street improvements a priority within the city, with a focus on Main Street, Henderson Avenue, Villa Street and Newcomb Street. Henderson Avenue is currently under construction, while Main Street and Villa Street reconstruction is under design. Bids are open for the reconstruction of Newcomb Street. Council member Virginia Gurrola requested that the Porter Slough be included in the reconstruction of Main Street.
“Main Street reconstruction between Morton Avenue and Olive Avenue is under design, with necessary drainage improvements to be constructed this fiscal year ($800,000 estimate), and street construction occurring in three phases over the succeeding 2021, 2022, and 2023 fiscal years ($2.65 million estimate),” read the staff report for Tuesday night’s meeting. “Henderson Avenue reconstruction, between Indiana Street and Jaye Street as well as 2nd Street to Plano Street, is currently under construction ($6 million estimate). Villa Street reconstruction, between Henderson Avenue and Olive Avenue is under design, with construction expected in the 2021 fiscal year ($4.35 million estimate, including a new slough bridge).
“Newcomb Street reconstruction, between Morton Avenue and Olive Avenue, is currently being bid, with construction expected in the current fiscal year ($2.9 million estimate). Henderson Avenue rehabilitation between Balmayne Street and Westwood Street is under design, with construction expected in the current fiscal year ($3 million).”
Another priority that remains for the Council is the development of a Community Recreation Center. Council member Daniel Penaloza also requested the formation of a Youth Leadership Program in order for the city to engage with the local youth more.
While no progress has been made at Henry Street Park, according to the staff report provided for Tuesday’s meeting, “Staff is working with Community Services Employment Training (CSET) in a multiyear State grant-funded program that would implement property improvements, including dredging the pond, repairing the exterior fence, and other landscape improvements and amenities. The City also currently retains approximately $215,000 in insurance proceeds due to the fire to the former residence. The installation of water and sewer and the widening and concrete improvements on Henry Street are under design and planned for construction in the next fiscal year.”
While the construction of a wastewater tertiary treatment facility is important to the Council, the fruition of the facility will come with the construction of the relocation of Eagle Mountain Casino. This facility will be funded jointly by the City of Porterville and the Tule River Tribe.
The animal shelter, Sports Complex completion and drought demonstration garden were bumped down on the list of Council priorities for this FY, partially because of the effects COVID-19 has taken. With the public not able to use the parks as they normally would, shelter services limited to appointments, delays in planning the garden, the Council chose to leave these projects as priorities, but placed them further down on their priority list.
The rehabilitation of the restrooms at Veterans Park and Zalud Park will commence this FY, and the improvements to the play field at Veterans Park is complete. City staff is working on the medians on Olive and Henderson Avenue, and will continue to install drought tolerant landscaping.
To enhance and improve their communication with the public, City Staff has completed improvements to live video feeds inside the Council Chambers. This includes the implementation of a Youtube page, which the city uses to stream the Council meetings on Tuesday’s. The city also uses this page to stream meetings of the local city commissions.