2013 ELECTIONS RECAP

Another Visalia City Council election cycle has come and gone.  The following contains a few observations from a wannabe political scientist that may be of help to future candidates.

I believe that the clear message from voters in 2013 was “stay the course.”  In 2009, there were ten candidates running for three open positions on our city council.  Due to dissatisfaction with the economy locally and FEMA flood insurance, the 2009 incumbents were replaced by three new challengers.  However, in 2013, with the local economy mending, the construction industry heating up again, and with many new businesses in-filling Mooney Blvd., there were only five candidates for the three open positions on the council, the three incumbents and two challengers.

At the outset, as an incumbent, I made certain strategic campaign decisions.  Anticipating that there wouldn’t be much media coverage, I determined to use the old “rope-a-dope” strategy of Mohammad Ali.  Besides emphasizing the progress the city has made in the last four years, and my goals for the next four years if re-elected, I determined to lean back on the ropes and fend off the anticipated blows, rather than countering.  While some soft jabs were landed, the campaign remained cordial throughout.  As a challenger four years ago, I found that I spent a tremendous amount of time fund-raising.  As an incumbent this time, I found that fund-raising came much easier, particularly from the same supporters as before.  I reused prior campaign signs, which not only was a tremendous cost savings, but allowed me to post my large signs earlier while the competition was still ordering theirs, although I did take quite a bit of good-natured ribbing for that strategy.  I determined to only spend about one-third of what I spent four years ago on advertising, mainly because as an incumbent, I already had the name recognition.  Likewise, I took advantage of incumbency by attending as many special invitation events as I could, and speaking to community groups.  In a good economy, the incumbent enjoys a distinct advantage, and thus I came up with the slogan that “we are better off than four years ago” to emphasize that.

As to the election itself, being an off-year election, I correctly anticipated that the turnout would be low.  Additionally, most of those voters were the established “old Visalia” voters that can be counted on to turn out.  Again, a low 20% voter turnout usually favors the incumbents.  Even the mail-in balloting was an advantage, since 70% or more voted in advance of the November 5 election day.  This allowed me to target my advertising in late September and early October, geared towards the early voters.  Taking advantage of essentially a free website and Facebook page, I put the details of my campaign and platform on that.  I was able to downsize my advertising print budget and refer voters to those online resources.

A little luck also came into play.  Candidates’ names are not placed on the ballot in alphabetical order.  Instead, the Secretary of State earlier in the year did an alphabet drawing to determine what order  names would appear on ballots throughout the state, based upon the first letter of the last name of each candidate.  Of course, the letter “G” was drawn first, meaning my name appeared first on the ballot with the word “incumbent” following it.  I’ve heard that having your name first on the ballot translates into a bump in votes.

I also determined to pay for a candidate’s statement to be published by the Tulare County Election’s office and distributed with the ballots.  This has become more expensive each year, this time costing $3,800.00!  For that reason, only two of the five candidates for city council had a candidate’s statement.  While I believe this to be a publicity advantage, I felt that the county’s brochure was undersized and somewhat difficult to read for the price.  Based upon the increasing cost trend, this campaign tool may be used less in the future.


As to small campaign yard signs, I tried to get those distributed in neighborhoods, rather than on major arterials.  I believe that yard signs within neighborhoods are much more effective, and cause neighbors to talk to each other to discuss the candidates.

There you have it, my top secret election strategy and post-election analysis.  Congratulations to the incumbents who are back in office for another four years, as well as to the challengers for running a good race.  Thank you to all Visalians who got involved with sign distribution, attended candidates forums, educated themselves on the candidates and issues, and voted.  I’ve heard it said that government is not run by a majority of the people; rather it is run by a majority of the people who participate.


Warren Gubler
Visalia City Councilmember
wgubler@ci.visalia.ca.us
(559) 713-4400 x 3313

THANKS GIVING

In November, our thoughts naturally turn to family, friends, and the Thanksgiving season.  It’s a special time when we hopefully remember to say “thank you” for our many blessings.  Recently, Visalia’s solid waste department received a nice “thank you” from Nasser Kadkhodaian.

Mr. Kadkhodaian telephoned the city regarding his mother, who is almost 90 and lives alone here.  He related that he was visiting his mother and noticed her solid waste driver, Stan Padilla, taking her heavy garbage can out to the curb so that it could be dumped.  Stan told Mr. Kadkhodaian that one day he saw Mr. Kadkhodaian’s mother struggling to put her can out, so he stopped and helped her.  Since then, Stan had taken it upon himself to retrieve her garbage can and pack it out if the can was not by the curb.  Mr. Kadkhodaian indicated that he was so touched by this kindness that it made him cry, that someone was so nice to look out for his mother in such a thoughtful way.

I telephoned Mr. Kadkhodaian back to thank him for letting the city know of Stan’s quiet service in this situation.  Mr. Kadkhodaian replied that he has lived in Visalia for many years, that he loves his neighborhood, and that he is proud of his city.

We have many fine city employees who give service over and above that required of their jobs.  We always enjoy hearing from people like Mr. Kadkhodaian.  I might add that his mother has now applied for and qualified for free pack out service from the city.  Stan was also recognized in a morning briefing and applauded for his outstanding customer service.

HOMELESS ISSUE:  The city recently enacted a new ordinance prohibiting shopping carts in our parks and along our city trails.  Shopping carts piled high with the belongings of the homeless have admittedly become an eyesore, and as part of this ordinance, we have required local merchants who provide shopping carts to monitor their use and to promptly retrieve them if located elsewhere around town.  However, at the same time, the city has purchased four Seatrains and donated storage containers whereby the homeless can store their belongings at no charge.  These Seatrains and containers will be overseen by the Visalia Rescue Mission and the homeless will have free storage and access to their personal belongings without having to cart them around town with them. This is an attempt by the city to clean up our parks and streets, but at the same time deal compassionately with those who are less fortunate.  We recently received a report from the VRM that they sleep 100 homeless men per night.  That is their capacity.  About half of those are in their Next Step program, whose goal is to assist the homeless to find employment and housing.  The VRM has taken approximately 92 homeless men off the streets through this program, according to Kurt Salierno of the VRM.  We thank them along with the Samaritan Center, the Salvation Army, Visalia Emergency Aid Council, and the many other non-profits, churches and individuals who partner with the city to feed and care for the needs of the homeless.  May I recommend that if you are approached for a handout, you refer the person to our local resources, and instead make your financial contributions to these experienced charitable organizations so that they can provide for the needs of the homeless.

BASEBALL MOVIE:  By the time you read this, a short movie will have been filmed at Rawhide Stadium.  This was a “promo/concept” film, about 45 minutes long, with the hope that it will get picked up and become the basis for a full-length movie.  This will likely generate some good publicity for Visalia, and contribute to the local economy by way of additional hotel occupancy and restaurant meals purchased.  I am told that the crew looked at other locations, but liked the feel of our local Rawhide Stadium and the cooperation that they received from our community and local ball club.
COPS AWARD:  Visalia has been awarded a $375,000.00 COPS grant from the federal government.  This will provide partial funding for three more police officers to be stationed at our local junior high schools.  The city and school district will work together to come up with the funding for the balance needed to implement this program.

Finally, many thanks to my loyal readers, and to Direct Magazine for giving me a venue in their great magazine to express my thoughts.

Happy Thanksgiving to all this holiday season!


Warren Gubler
Visalia City Councilmember
wgubler@ci.visalia.ca.us
(559) 713-4400 x 3313

ADDRESSING THE HOMELESS ISSUE

Thank you to the Times Delta for publicizing my recent Donuts and Discussion, held last Saturday morning at the community center at Lincoln Oval Park.  We had a great turnout,  approximately 30 local citizens in addition to city representatives.  A number of the attendees were from the immediate neighborhood.  We had a frank discussion, not only about the homeless issue, but also about the city’s new shopping cart ordinance, planned road modifications for and improvements to the park.

When I arrived for the 8:00 a.m. meeting, I noted that all the shopping carts in the park were gone, although some homeless still remained along with their bagged possessions.  Last week was the first time Visalia has implemented the new ordinance that prohibits shopping carts in our city parks and trailways.  The carts were retrieved by code enforcement to be returned to local merchants.  Approximately 100 carts have been retrieved from the Oval Park area.  At the same time, about 40 of the homeless have taken advantage of the new, secure storage facility at the Rescue Mission where they can store their possessions 24/7 free of charge.  This is intended to get rid of the shopping cart blight in our parks and trails, and at the same time to compassionately give our homeless another alternative.  We need to give this new project time to work.  As we gain the trust of the homeless, and as the weather gets colder, we hope the homeless will take advantage of this new storage resource.

From the lively discussions at our D & D meeting, it became clear to me that most people in the community want to help the situation, but just don’t know how.  I’ve asked the city to compile a resource guide, listing the available agencies and non-profits who can help in the following seven service areas: food, shelter, clothing, drug addiction, mental health, physical health and employment.  It is my recommendation to post this information on the city’s website, as well as to make it available to the public as a handout.  Hopefully, we will get this information out directly to the homeless so that they can seek necessary assistance.  We’ll try to update it regularly.

After the D & D meeting, I, along with some city staff, went out to visit in the park with the homeless who had congregated there.  They seemed genuinely pleased that we would take the time to come and speak with them and get their views.  I found them to be bright and articulate.  We had an interesting dialog and learned of some of their concerns.  I’m hoping that we can plan additional visits directly with the homeless to keep that dialog going.

In my opinion, the city should not attempt to reinvent the wheel by duplicating the services already being provided by our non-profits, churches and agencies.  Instead, we should continue to support them in their projects and services for the homeless.  May I again recommend that citizens not give money directly to panhandlers.  Our public safety officers maintain that a large number of those soliciting money are not homeless, but rather are panhandlers making a good living off of such donations, which donation the giver cannot monitor to know how it’s spent.  Instead, particularly with the holidays coming up, may I suggest that we all donate generously, and direct those donations to the service organizations, such as the Rescue Mission, the Bethlehem Center, the Salvation Army, and the Visalia Emergency Aid Council.  By so doing, you can rest assured that these professionals will be better able to feed, clothe and shelter the truly needy.  If you are approached by a person seeking monetary assistance, instead provide them with a piece of fruit, power bar, or coupon to a local food restaurant, and soon to be available city resource guide.

Many of the homeless are serious about seeking help and improving their situation.  For those, we should be willing to provide assistance.  For instance, a recent report I received from the Rescue Mission indicates that they helped 92 homeless men off the streets through their Next Step Program, finding them jobs and housing.  However,  others are not ready to accept such help, whether it be because of mental illness, drug addiction, or otherwise.  As to those, we must insist that they obey the law and respect the private property rights of others, and we must enforce the law.

Also, let’s support our Oval businesses.  Two such successful businesses include Pho and Seafood (I ate there today) and Carlos’ barber shop.  The City of Visalia is aware of these homeless issues, and while we don’t pretend to have all the answers, we’ll continue to be at the forefront of finding creative solutions.

Published in Visalia Times Delta 10/24/13

                                              

THE NIGHT THE LIGHTS WENT OUT IN VISALIA

Monday, August 19, 2013.  I arrive early at City Hall for the 4:30 p.m. work session of the city council.  We slog through that agenda, then confer in closed session from 6 to 7.  At 7 p.m., we reconvene in council chambers to hold our regular city council meeting.  As we begin the meeting, the lights flicker, go out momentarily, then come back on. We continue with our meeting until 8 p.m. when city manager Steve Salomon steals up behind the dais where we are deliberating to whisper that the Rector power station in southeast Visalia is on fire and that power is out around the county.  Councilman Bob Link leans over to share his wife’s text that not only Tulare County but all of Kings County is without power.  In the midst of this realization, my high school daughter Lora, who is home alone, rings my cell phone so I step out to take the call.  She indicates that all the power is out at home.  I reply that City Hall is on emergency generators, we still have lights and some air conditioning.  She asks if she can come down and finish her homework by the lights at City Hall. Glad that she is okay, I step back into the council meeting.  We finally conclude our deliberations a little before 9 p.m.  By this time the council chambers have emptied, most city personnel having left to address this city emergency.

Lora is waiting for me in the foyer of city hall.  She hasn’t had much for dinner.  I suggest we cruise around to see if any place is open.  There is almost a full moon on this muggy evening.  We drive around downtown.  The hospital lights are on by way of back-up emergency generators.  Some stop lights are likewise on, powered by battery back-ups.  Otherwise, downtown has a dark, eery feel to it, may be a good place for the next film noir or zombie movie?  All restaurants and businesses are empty and closed.  We find one gas station/mini mart miraculously open on Mineral King, but there is a line of cars trailing into the street.  We decide not to wait.  We then try Mooney Blvd. and find it likewise completely dark, other than a few stop lights that are still working.  Next, we stop at my law office to check on our server, I retrieve my trusty dictaphone.  I suggest to Lora that we visit the city’s Emergency Operations Center to investigate what is happening there.  As a dad, I take every opportunity to give my daughter a civics lesson.

The EOC is located at Station 55 on the corner of Shirk and Ferguson.  We pull in to find all the lights on, again due to emergency generators.  Inside, we greet the city manager, some council members, fire and police staff along with some department heads and miscellaneous city staff.  A t.v. news channel is describing the recent storm and power outage.  People are huddled around computers and communication equipment.  Lora heads to a table that has some frozen burritos, peanut butter-filled pretzels, biscotti, uncrustables, and drinks.  At last, Lora is able to satiate her appetite.  The new Fire Chief, Doug McBee, indicates that 120,000 Edison Company customers are without power, he estimates it could be as many as half a million people!

We speak with Police Chief Colleen Mestas and some of her staff.  She indicates that they have officers and reserves patrolling the streets.  There is no looting or criminal activity related to the power outage. After visiting a bit more and observing how efficiently the EOC is being operated, I head home with Lora and let the city staff take care of the city.

Back home, the house is stuffy, it is actually cooler outside than in.  With my flashlight, I head upstairs and change, trying to decide whether to sleep indoors or out.  Lora, being ever inquisitive, tries the whole-house fan switch once more, this time it comes on!  We gratefully flip the power switches on and re-set the clocks.  The time is 10:21.  I check the fridge and freezer, food is still safe  for Lora’s future consumption.  I telephone assistant city manager Mike Olmos to report that our part of town has power back on. He relates that our city fire department has extinguished the Rector station fire.  Thankful to have power resumption, and knowing our city is in good hands, I decide to end this dictation and get some sleep.

COMPLIMENTS TO VISALIA

In last month’s article, I referenced a recent Fresno Bee editorial that was very complimentary of Visalia as being a business-friendly community.  Let me share with you some excerpts from another article, this one authored by Joe Matthews of the L.A. Daily News and posted July 16, 2013:

“Are you a young person in an expensive coastal city who fears the California dream ended a few generations back?  Do you see no end to your struggles with high rents and a sluggish job market?

“Go inland, young Californian.  If I were younger, I’d think hard about moving to Visalia, population 126,000, about 45 minutes south of Fresno.

“The city is an art center, with its own symphony and opera.  Its downtown has at once old-school charm and new-school functionality, with enough ethnic food options to satisfy even an L.A. hipster.  The minor league baseball team, the Visalia Rawhide, is run with major-league style.

“On a recent visit, I marveled at a three bedroom, two bath, 2,100 square foot house for sale in a spotless neighborhood for $179,000.00.  And you get more than you pay for.  A new survey of Visalia residents found that 69 percent  rated the quality of life in town as either high or very high.

“But what’s most striking about Visalia, and other smaller cities of California, is the relative openness of the people in charge.

“Inland California won’t be built in a day.... but move now, and you can get in on the ground floor.”

Sequoia Shuttle:  On a recent weekend, my brother and I took our families to Sequoia National Park to do a little camping and sightseeing.  In particular, I wanted to test out the Sequoia Shuttle, run for the National Park Service by our Visalia Transit department.  I found numerous shuttle stops within the park, clean, modern and air conditioned shuttle buses, and polite drivers.  I met people on the shuttle buses from around the world.  This shuttle service reduces automobile traffic within the park and certainly was convenient for getting around to the main tourist sites.  I was impressed that each bus not only had the National Park Service logo on it, but Visalia’s logo next to that as well.  This is clever marketing, because when people see this, they will associate Visalia with Sequoia National Park.  I predict that this will pay future big dividends for Visalia tourism.  While a bus ticket from Visalia to Sequoia National Park and back is a mere $15.00 (inclusive of park entry fees, and not much more than a movie ticket), the shuttle buses within the park are free to the public.

Survey Results: The Citizens Advisory Committee conducted their annual public opinion survey and presented their 2013 findings to the city council at our July 15th meeting.  The results included that 69% of the respondents rated the overall quality of life in Visalia as high or very high.  88% rated fire services as good to excellent, and 70% rated police services as good to excellent.  Overall, comparing this year’s survey results with past years, citizens appear to be more optimistic about the direction Visalia is headed, as the economy continues to improve.

Positive Trends: Adam Peck, the executive director of the Workforce Investment Board of Tulare County, recently made a presentation to the VEDC.  Some of the positive trends he noted included that in the third quarter of 2012, Tulare County taxable sales increased by 7.7% compared to the state average of 1.1%.  City of Visalia building permits for single-family homes are up 81% so far in 2013.

Dump on Us Success: On July 20, 2013, Visalia’s Solid Waste department sponsored its quarterly free Dump on Us event at the city yard.  824 vehicles (including mine) visited that morning to dispose of their home refuse, a record for this event.  This successful program just keeps getting better.  A special thanks to Bill Huott, who always organizes a volunteer team of workers with trucks to pick up mattresses, tires and other refuse in north Visalia to dispose of at this event.  The final one in 2013 is scheduled for October 19.  Mark your calendar!

Blue Ribbon Task Force:  At the July 15 council work session, we received the final report of the task force appointed to consider putting a sales tax increase on the ballot.  The committee’s conclusion was that such an increase is not needed at this time, which I agree with.  No proposed tax increase should ever be implemented in a rush, at least not until all the needs of the community and alternatives are explored.  In this case, the slow but steady process worked, and I congratulate the blue ribbon committee on a job well done.


Warren Gubler
Visalia City Councilmember
wgubler@ci.visalia.ca.us
(559) 713-4400 x 3313

MARKETING VISALIA

One of the privileges I enjoy as a member of the city council is attending the monthly meetings of the Visalia Economic Development Corporation (VEDC).  These meetings are held at 7 a.m. on the third Wednesday of each month at the Buckman Mitchell offices downtown.  The VEDC is a 501c(3) non-profit organization formed in 1996 to nurture and develop the Visalia economy, to help businesses thrive and to create jobs.  According to its website at visaliaedc.com, the VEDC acts as a catalyst in creating a positive business climate, facilitating a stronger link between the business community and local education-training programs, and ensuring adequate infrastructure investment.  It is committed to addressing unemployment, Visalia’s general plan, education and positive growth.  The attendees include various businesspeople, bankers, retailers and government officials, and is open to the public.  Its executive director is Nancy Lockwood, Stephen Peck is the outgoing president, and Wayne Millies is the incoming president of the board of directors.

VEDC’s website provides an all-in-one location for advertising Visalia, Visalia demographics, information about the community and business incentives.  For instance, go to its website, click on “demographics,” and you can find out what the average hourly and annual wage is for just about every occupation in Visalia.

At these monthly meetings, we often hear from guest speakers on topics of current interest.  At our most recent meeting, Ted Smalley of TCAG (Tulare County Association of Governments), gave us a presentation regarding Measure R.  Mr. Smalley’s report touted the success of the first five years of our Measure R regional projects (2007-2012).  Measure R is a half-cent sales tax measure that was approved by county voters, and is making possible major improvements to Tulare County’s transportation system, from major road improvements and pothole repair to bike paths and mass transit.  The monies raised by Measure R have been used to successfully leverage over $200 million in state funding for shovel-ready Tulare County projects.  In Visalia, you can see those tax dollars at work when you view the Plaza Drive/198 interchange under construction, as well as the recent Ben Maddox/198 bridge remodel, and our beautiful trail system.  Close by in Goshen, is the recently completed Betty Drive bridge and street widening connecting to the industrial park and Riggin Road.  Some of these dollars also were spent on widening Mooney Blvd. which made that street three lanes in each direction.  Additional projects have included the Santa Fe bridge overcrossing, and the Road 80 widening to Dinuba.  Measure R funds have been used in Visalia to resurface streets, install sidewalks and upgrade traffic signals. Visalia has received local funding from Measure R of $8.23 million, and Tulare County has received $17.4 million, with additional monies going to the other cities in the county.

Mr. Smalley’s report was just one example of information that is shared with the attendees at our monthly VEDC meetings.  I encourage all that are interested in our business community and in what is happening locally, to join with us.

Next Donuts and Discussion:  August 24, 2013, 7:00 a.m. at Panera Bread. Police Chief Colleen Mestas will be with me to discuss public safety and to answer questions from the public.

More Good News:  New tax revenue projections indicate that this year, real property valuations will increase by 4.8%, which roughly translates into another $500,000.00 of projected tax revenues for the City of Visalia.

Business Friendly Visalia:  A June 3, 2013 Editorial in the Fresno Bee, while describing Fresno’s ongoing problems, had this to say about Visalia: “But it’s impossible to overlook the fact that Bakersfield and Visalia, for the past several years,  have billed themselves as business-friendly cities and now are on the leading edge of the recovery. What makes for a business friendly city?  Encouraging entrepreneurs, answering their questions straight up and briskly processing their permits.  A business friendly city bends over backward to ensure that projects aren’t held up by last-minute surprises.”

If you have questions or topics regarding the city  which you would like to have addressed in future articles, please email Warren at wgubler@ci.visalia.ca.us, or call (559) 713-4400 x 3313.  For past articles, visit directfromwarren.blogspot.com.


Warren Gubler
Visalia City Councilmember

TRAILS AND TAXES

TRAILS:  In May, I took my family for an early morning bike ride along the St. John’s Riverwalk.  We parked our truck at the trail head located on N. Ben Maddox and commenced our bike ride from there.  Various species of plants were identified by explanatory signs along the trail.  As we pedaled  east along the paved trail, we waved “hello” to a number of walkers and joggers.  The weather was perfect, around 70° at 7:00 a.m.  Off to the left were citrus groves, and to the right some residential areas.  The mighty St. John’s River was dry this time of year.  The trail went under the overpasses on Lover’s Lane and McAuliff, such that we didn’t have to stop for street traffic.  I noted an oak grove that had grown from saplings planted by one of my scouts, Danny Allen, as an Eagle Scout project over 20 years ago.  I also saw a number of benches along the trail that had been installed as Eagle projects by various scouts from Troop 308.  The trail was even furnished with “mutt mitts” kiosks along the way for hikers who bring along their leashed dogs.  The native vegetation along the trail was well maintained and created a pleasant atmosphere.  We passed under the newly installed, lofty SCE power poles and finally arrived at Cutler Park.  After stopping for a water break, we turned around and rode back to the Ben Maddox trail head.  

I ended up continuing my ride to the west of Ben Maddox to explore the rest of the trail.  It ended just before Old Dinuba Highway and the Target Shopping Center.  The city continues to accumulate the necessary land parcels such that this trail will eventually end at the River Way Sports Park.  This east/west trail is outstanding, and my only regret is that I have not taken advantage of this community asset in the past.  There will be other trails connecting to it eventually, including the Santa Fe Trail which heads south to Mooney Grove Park.  Also in the works is a new greenway trail further to the east that will follow along the north/south SCE corridor.  These trails have been financed for the most part from Measure R funds along with other grants the city has obtained.  Kudos to the City of Visalia, the Parks and Recreation Dept. and all who have made these amenities available to the public.  While I’m on the topic, double kudos to the Waterways and Trails Committee for supporting National Bike to Work Week in May, and all those who participated.

TAXES:  I recently came across an interesting news article entitled The Wealthy Won’t Simply Stand By and Pay Higher Tax Rates by Deroy Murdock.  I share with you a few of his observations, along with some of my own.  There is mounting evidence that tax payers go where taxes are low. Golf great Phil Mickelson was in the news recently, when he suggested that higher taxes might drive him from his native California to another state with lower taxes.  He stated “If you add up all the federal (levies) and you look at the disability and the unemployment and the social security and the state, my tax rate is 62, 63%.”  That leaves him with just 37¢ of every dollar that he earns.  I’d suggest that we all try adding up the taxes and fees that we’re paying to various governmental entities, those just mentioned, along with property tax, sales tax, school tax, gasoline tax, tolls, business fees, development fees, and so forth.  Then you will be able to better gauge what’s left to spend of your hard-earned dollars.  

Between 1995 and 2010, $2 trillion in wealth was shifted by people abandoning California, Illinois, New Jersey and other high-tax states and unpacking in low-tax states such as Florida, Nevada and Texas.  One-way traffic from New York to Florida is so steady that Harrington Moving & Storage specializes in moving people south.  According to a 2008 Princeton study, when New Jersey boosted its top tax rate from 6.35% to 8.97%, thousands left the state and state deficits soon erupted. 

When that much money leaves the state, it takes jobs with it.  I suspect that most of us know of people and businesses who have left California because they believed it’s too expensive to live and do business here. It should be painfully obvious by now that “income moves to where it is most welcome, tax wise.”  It’s death from a thousand cuts as each governmental and taxing entity asks for just a little bit more.

Visalians should consider this when balancing possible higher local taxes versus the level of city services desired.

A FINAL NOTE: I enjoyed the dedication and tour of Kaweah Delta Medical Center’s impressive new helipad.  This will be a terrific addition to their downtown campus, and their main parking lot is open again.  I saw our friend Janet Robertson at the dedication, great to have her back!

Warren Gubler

Visalia City Councilmember

wgubler@ci.visalia.ca.us

NEWS OF VISALIA

Happy Birthday:  Congratulations to Ed and Betty Vollmer.  Ed, a former mayor of Visalia, turned 90 on tax day, April 15, and he and Betty celebrated their 68^th wedding anniversary the same day.  Betty’s birthday was the following week, April 22.  We thank this young couple for all that they have done for our community.

This Place Matters:  Congratulations also to Don and Beverly Goodyear, for a job well done in restoring  a 1908 residence built by Lemuel and Maud Hyde of Visalia’s pioneering Hyde family.  On April 20, the home at 401 W. Grove Street received a plaque as part of Visalia’s historic recognition program.  The home has been designated as a “This Place Matters ” site by the Visalia Historic Preservation Advisory Committee and the Kaweah Kollectors.  I recommend that you drive by to see this historic marvel.

Oval Park Rescued:  The Visalia Rescue Mission recently completed nearly $15,000.00 in improvements to the Lincoln Oval building, in conjunction with local churches, the North Visalia Advisory Committee, Continuum of Care and Mental Health.  The grand opening was April 4, 2013.  Nick Anthony is the new activities director there.  The building is available for use by any community group.  This ongoing project should revitalize Oval Park and connect churches, organizations and businesses with the Oval area.

Goodbye Harry:  The groundbreaking for Family Health Care Network’s expansion at 401 E. School Avenue was held April 22, 2013.  This new 34,607 square foot expansion, along with Imagine U’s new museum nearby, will be the impetus for further development of east downtown.  Harry Foster, who has headed this organization for many years, retired the same day and is being succeeded  by Kerry Hydash.  We wish Harry many happy years of retirement and thank him for what he has done locally for the health care community.

Garbage Update:  New in this year’s annual survey of Visalians were questions about whether local citizens are satisfied with the current split-can garbage collection service, or if customers would prefer to have separate containers for waste and recycling.  A 3-can system (solid waste, green waste, and recycling) would  provide more room for disposing of our garbage, but would take up more space at home, and require some additional maneuvering to bring the cans curbside.  The survey results showed that 72% want separate cans, 22% are okay with maintaining the split cans, and 4% don’t care one way or the other.  These survey results will help guide city leaders in future considerations.  If you’d like to share your opinion on the topic, feel free to email me or Adam Ennis, Public Works Director, at aennis@ci.visalia.ca.us.

Hungry Visalia:  Data from a recent sales tax survey shows that Visalians are supporting the local business economy with their hard-earned dollars.  This survey ranked Visalia as to 37 retail business establishments.  Visalia’s retail sales topped all of Tulare County as to each of those businesses, and were some of the highest in the state.  In particular, Visalia did very well in the food establishment category.  Some highlights include: Buffalo Wild Wings #4 (out of 16 stores), Hobby Lobby #2 (8), In-and-Out Burger #4 (126), J.C. Penny #15 (82), Panera Bread #14 (49) Red Robin #8 (64), Sizzler #2 (21), and Habit Burger #3 (40).  Visalians continue to support our community by their purchases and the sales tax revenues they generate.

Outstanding Teachers:  Teachers from our local high schools, selected by their students, were recently recognized for excellence in teaching by receiving Crystal Apple Awards.  The 2013 honorees included: Jim Fitzpatrick, Redwood H.S., Stephanie Francis, Mt. Whitney H.S., Dr. David Harrow, Woodlake H.S., Bruce Jeffcoach, Golden West H.S., Raquel Lugo, El Diamante H.S., and Cindy Blackmon, Exeter H.S.  Thank you to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints for sponsoring this annual event.

Volunteer Highlights:  April has turned out to be volunteer month in Visalia.  We thank the hundreds of individuals and churches who turned out for Serve Visalia, Earth Day and Arbor Day, including Valley Christian Church, Neighborhood Church, First Presbyterian Church, Radiant Church, Visalia Community Covenant Church, Saviors Community Church, Mormon Helping Hands, Eagle Scout candidate Spencer Darnell, and many others.  Volunteers cleaned Mooney Grove Museum, planted trees and did landscaping, painted, spread bark, did graffiti abatement and trash removal, held a blood drive, built a school garden, and made blankets and hats for childhood cancer patients.

If you have questions or topics regarding the city  which you would like to have addressed in future articles, please email Warren at wgubler@ci.visalia.ca.us, or call (559) 713-4400 x 3313.  For past articles, visit directfromwarren.blogspot.com.

                                                                                    Warren Gubler

                                                                                    Visalia City Councilmember

EDITORIAL: JOIN US FOR DISCUSSION

Over the last four years, our city council members have tried various means to spread the word about what’s happening at city hall.  We have conducted town hall meetings, written magazine articles and letters to the editor, held office hours, and been interviewed on the radio and t.v.  We’re always available by telephone, email or personal contact.  Another purpose of this outreach is to get feedback from the community in order to find out what our citizens are thinking and concerned about.

To supplement the foregoing, and to reach out further into the community on an informal basis, I have been holding what I call “Donuts and Discussion” at various donut shops around town on Saturday mornings, to accommodate those early birds who may not be able to take off work otherwise. The idea is to hold these intimate meet-and-greets at different locations around town and to make it as convenient as possible for the public to attend.  I appreciate the graciousness of these various business establishments that allow us to come in and hold these get-togethers there.

At the D & D’s we’ve held so far, we’ve had some interesting discussions and issues come up.  Topics which have been brought up by those attending have included landscaping and subdivision issues, code enforcement, graffiti problems, sales tax, pension reform, homelessness, district elections, Agenda 21, public safety, and zoning issues.  To make these discussions more interesting and informative, I usually invite along with me a city official or department head.  Last month, I was accompanied by our incoming new city manager, Mike Olmos, and in the past I’ve had the fire chief, police chief, and other department heads present.  On occasion, other city staff have dropped by on their own to just say “hi,” and to be available for any questions from the public, which I appreciate.  In some instances, I or city staff have followed up with particular citizens subsequent to a D & D, by telephone calls and emails regarding concerns which they raised, with some affirmative action taken by the city.

I’d like to invite each of you to come to our next Donuts and Discussion, which will be held this Saturday morning, June 1, from 7:00 to 8:30 a.m., at the Donut Factory, Etc., 3100 N. Demaree.  I will be fortunate to have with me at that time our current city manager, Steve Solomon, who is retiring in a few months.  Steve has a long resume of accomplishments, and has been at the helm of the City of Visalia since 1996.  He is a wealth of information and has keen insights about most things happening around town.  Come test him with some of your questions or issues, or just drop by to give him some gentle ribbing about his retirement plans.

Please come join us this Saturday morning and enjoy a delicious donut as well.  I recommend the “Man Donut” or the “Xtreme Glazed Sandwich,” which are some of the specialities at the Donut Factory, Etc.

Hope to see you there.

Warren Gubler wgubler@ci.Visalia.ca.us

Visalia Times-Delta Opinion page, 5/28/13

PARKS AND RECREATION

Reading the title to this article, you might first think of the popular TV show by that name.  In fact, the City of Visalia has its own Parks and Recreation department, lead by department head Vince Elizondo.  Under Mr. Elizondo’s direction is a paid staff that oversees the program.  Additionally, we have a Parks and Recreation Commission consisting of six community volunteers/commissioners.  This commission has been serving the City Council since 1939.  They hold monthly meetings where they review plans for new parks and improvements, establish policies and rules for park users, and advocate for the mission of Parks and Recreation, amongst other tasks.  Their theme is “Parks Make Life better!”   Visalia has a total of 42 parks.

Recently, the City Council held a joint meeting with this commission and received an update on their activities and those of the department.  Let me share with you some of the information that was provided at that meeting.

The parks and urban forestry division has a staff of 13 full-time and 9 part-time employees.  They maintain 268 acres of developed parks, including trimming trees every three to five years.  They maintain the landscape and grounds for 22 acres in the downtown area including City Hall, the transit center, senior center, and the library.  Additionally, they maintain 135 acres of riparian areas along the waterways throughout the city.  Park maintenance also subcontracts out park custodial service on 268 acres and eight restrooms; the mowing of 190 acres of city parks, the aerification of 46 acres of sports fields; and service and repair of three water features.  They have two city park rangers who enforce the park rules so that everyone can safely enjoy the parks.  This division oversees community volunteer projects including Serve Visalia Day, Arbor Day and Make A Difference Day.  They have completed the renovation of 15 city park playgrounds in the past three years.  In 2013, they will commence Phase III of the Riverway Sports Park where a new six acres of park area will receive trees and landscaping, a new restroom facility, and a stage and promenade area.  Recently, playground shade structures have been installed on seven park playgrounds.  16.5 acres of additional parks were added in 2010/11 and 10.5 acres in 2011/12.

The recreation division has seven full-time employees.  They oversee youth sports, adult sports, aquatics and maintain athletic facilities.  In youth sports, they have over 2,000 participants; there are 607 adult sports teams.  In 2012, their aquatic classes had 3,458 participants.  At the senior center, they oversee senior classes and health and wellness classes.  They recently opened a new outdoor renovated patio area at the senior center.  Adult and senior classes include art, dance, computer, ping-pong and pickleball.  Plans are in the works for a proposed pickleball court.  At the senior center, they also have a media lounge, monthly forums, and a nutrition program.  In 2012, at Visalia’s various facilities, including the senior center, Manuel Hernandez Community Center and Whitendale Community Center, they had 4,263 bookings and $95,000.00 in revenue.  They also oversee 25 park rental areas throughout 12 parks, where they average 900 rentals per year.  They sponsor numerous special events, including the father daughter dance, movies in the park, 4th of July celebration and family swim.

At our joint meeting, we also received an update on Class I trails and open spaces that follow the St. Johns River, Mill Creek, Packwood Creek, and the soon-to-be opened Santa Fe Trail from Tulare Avenue all the way south to almost Mooney Grove.  This should be completed by mid-summer 2013.  I look forward later this summer when my children are home from college, to explore these as well as other trails that will soon be connected up throughout the community.  Also in the works is a new


greenway trail that will follow along the north/south Southern California Edison corridor (you’ve probably seen the new transmission towers that SCE has installed on the east side of town).

If you are like I am, we often take all of these services and public amenities for granted.  The next time you use one of the city’s park facilities, or are walking downtown, or are biking some of our trails, remember the people in the Parks and Recreation Department and on our commission that help make this all possible.

If you have questions or topics regarding the city  which you would like to have addressed in future articles, please email Warren at wgubler@ci.visalia.ca.us, or call (559) 713-4400 x 3313.  For past articles, visit directfromwarren.blogspot.com.

Warren Gubler
Visalia City Councilmember

SO WHAT'S THE PLAN?

On February 25, 2013, the city council met in special session to consider certain decision points regarding the new draft General Plan for Visalia’s future development.  Visalia’s last general plan was enacted in 1991.  Since then, Visalia has grown by over 50,000 people.  This draft was vetted thoroughly over a three-year time span by a task force comprised of twenty five members of Visalia’s business community, with hearings held by the planning commission before coming to the council. A U.S. Supreme Court Justice is reported to have said that the Supreme Court isn’t final because it’s infallible, but that it’s infallible because it’s final.  The same goes for the Visalia City Council in this case, ultimately the final decision rests with the council to vote as it determines to be in the best interests of our local citizens.

Amongst the decisions made by the council at this meeting was to have three tiers for opening up more residential land for development in Visalia.  Visalia has an inventory of 5,600 units of approved vacant residential land inside the current city limits.  A few years ago, when Visalia’s real estate market was red hot, such an inventory wouldn’t have lasted very long.  However, under current market conditions, this represents more than a ten-year supply of housing inventory.  The council decided that for the first tier, with a few exceptions, no additional lands will be annexed into the city for development purposes until many of those lots have been built out.  Once the city has less than a ten-year inventory (estimated to be when Visalia has grown to 135,000), then additional land may be annexed into the city limits.  This second tier build-out will allow certain properties on the fringes of the city limits to be annexed into the city until our population reaches 178,000, at which time the third tier would be opened up for annexation and development.  This plan predicts that by the year 2030, Visalia will have grown to 210,000!

Other decisions made included reaffirming the 200 foot setback reserve on West 198 known as the Scenic Corridor and allowing development behind such setback once the tier requirements are met, opening up south Mooney Boulevard beyond Packwood Creek to Avenue 272 (Mooney Grove) for regional retail development, and not developing further regional retail at the corner of Caldwell and Highway 99, but instead holding that land along with the land south of the airport in a reserve for future councils to consider.  As I spoke with many people in the business and retail community, it became clear that Visalians are not ready for regional retail development at Highway 99.  However, keeping that area in reserve allows Visalia to control its own destiny should a future special use present itself, particularly when Visalia pushes past 210,000 in population.  Again, the whole point of the general plan update is to attempt to peer into the future, to plan for future growth in a controlled way, while allowing the free market to meet the demands of growth.  The decisions that were arrived at by majority vote will not mean immediate development in any particular location, especially in this down economy, but will instead direct future growth as the economy continues to turn around and demand increases.

Let me make an additional observation regarding the Stonebridge neighborhood citizens who attended all the meetings regarding the General Plan over the last three years, conducted their own studies and let their views be known regarding development at the northwest corner of Lovers Lane and Walnut.  These citizens were effective advocates.  Regardless of whether one agrees or disagrees with all their positions, it was refreshing to see them participate in the political process.

With the preliminary draft General Plan being completed, the next step is for an environmental impact report to be prepared, time for additional public input and comment, and future public hearings by the Planning Commission before the final General Plan is adopted by the City Council.  My personal time estimate is that this process will not be concluded before 2014.

Finally, for those citizens who have followed the discussion and decisions to date, you may not agree with everything that’s been decided, but as a whole I believe that Visalians will support this General Plan.  As the late great mayor of New York City Ed Koch once said, “If you agree with me on nine out of twelve issues, vote for me.  If you agree with me on twelve out of twelve issues, see a psychiatrist!” 

                                                                                    Warren Gubler

                                                                                    Visalia City Councilmember

                                                                                    (559) 713-4400 ext. 3313

                                                                                    wgubler@ci.visalia.ca.us

                                 

BROTHER, CAN YOU SPARE A DIME?

A popular song during the Great Depression was “Brother, Can You Spare a Dime?”  The City of Visalia is now asking its citizens if they can spare approximately four and a half times that amount.

Old timers will remember the flooding of downtown Visalia in the 1950's.  Patrons of Merle’s may recall the vintage photographs on the walls there showing prior floods in Visalia over the years.

Visalia is at the confluence of a number of rivers and channels, including the St. John’s, Mill Creek, Packwood Creek and others that originate from the Kaweah River. That’s why this area is known as the Kaweah Basin. Flooding was quite common here until the construction of Terminus Dam, which was completed by the U.S. Army Corp. of Engineers in 1962, to provide flood control and water for irrigation.  A project to raise Kaweah Lake 21 feet was completed in 2004, which included six 21-foot tall fuse gates and spillway.  The City Council took a field trip to view the dam improvements a few years ago, it certainly is an impressive piece of dam engineering!

However, even with these precautions taken upstream, we can’t let our guard down.  In more recent times, due to heavy rains and runoff, Visalia experienced flooding in 2006 and 2010.  The December 2010 storm caused flooding in the subdivision right across the street from my home.  Our public safety personnel did a good job containing the water damage, it could have been a lot worse.  The January 2006 storm event caused over $500,000.00 worth of damage to private property, and an estimated $2.5 million of damage to public property.  Twenty-four hundred sandbags were used by homeowners and city staff.  The December 2010 storms brought with them $2 million of damage to public property, and 3,000 sandbags were used, although no damage to private property was reported fortunately.

Visalia property owners currently pay a monthly fee of 48 cents per parcel or dwelling unit, which fee was used to help enlarge Kaweah Lake, and which has been charged to Visalia property owners since 1997.  Now that that project, which has been crucial to regional flood control efforts, has been completed, Visalians can choose to have a portion of that 48 cent fee (43 cents thereof) redirected to the city to be used to help reduce the risk of local flooding.  (The remaining 5 cents will continue to go towards maintenance of the Kaweah Lake project.)  By the time you read this article, you should have received a ballot from the city asking property owners to continue the 43 cent portion of the storm water fee for a new city use.  Other portions of the storm water maintenance fee will not be affected and are not subject to this ballot.  Likewise, flood insurance costs and requirements will not be affected by the outcome of the vote.  The city is merely requesting authorization to use these funds locally to help reduce chances of future flooding.

The city’s storm maintenance systems includes 40 storm ponding basins, 310 miles of storm pipe, 4,130 manholes, 45 pump stations, and 45 miles of channels, including Mill Creek, Packwood Creek, Modoc Ditch and Evans Ditch.  In particular, these channels need to be maintained and cleaned out on a regular basis to allow for the free flow of water through them.

If you have not already done so, please vote “yes” to authorize this 43 cent per parcel fee to be redirected for use locally to help reduce the risk of flooding.  And don’t forget to return your ballot by March 18 so that it can be counted and your voice heard.  For additional information regarding this project and vote, visit reduceflooding.com.  Brother, can you spare 4 ½ dimes?



If you have questions or topics regarding the city  which you would like to have addressed in future articles, please email Warren at wgubler@ci.visalia.ca.us, or call (559) 713-4400 x 3313.  For past articles, visit directfromwarren.blogspot.com.

Warren Gubler
Visalia City Councilmember

BITS AND PIECES

Live Video Stream
Not long ago, I was asked about when council meetings would be aired live by video.  That day has now arrived.  A live video stream of all Visalia City Council meetings held at the council chambers is now being provided by the city.  During the scheduled meeting times, go to the City’s website at www.ci.visalia.ca.us, click on “City Government” at the top of the page, then go to “Council Live Video Stream.”  You can view city council meetings in the comfort of your own home on your computer.  Again, this is a live feed such that you need to be watching during the actual council meeting.  Of course, we invite the public to attend in person whenever they can, but it’s nice that modern technology has brought this live video stream alternative to us.

Recycling
The city again ran their free annual fall yard waste recycling event, put on by the Visalia Solid Waste department.  From November 23 through Jan 5, citizens of Visalia were able to dispose of their yard waste compostables at no cost, by delivering them to the Tulare County Compost Biomass location on South Lovers Lane, or West Coast Wood Industries off West 198.  For gardeners like myself, this convenience was greatly appreciated.  It’s an opportunity to clean up our yards and prune our dormant trees and bushes during the winter months.  I anticipate that the city will have a similar program again in the springtime.  Kudos to Visalia Solid Waste for this outstanding program.  At the same time, the city provided for free Christmas tree recycling at various locations around the city.  These trees were composted and will be used for landscaping city medians and parks.  Mark your calendar for April 13, 2013, the next free “dump on us” event at the Visalia City Yard located at 335 N. Cain Street.

Cal-State All-Star Football Game
On December 22, 2012, 100 of the top high school football players throughout the State of California converged upon Visalia for an all star game at Mineral King Bowl.  With these players come their families who stay in local hotels and shopped and dined in Visalia.  By some estimates, this game, scheduled during the usually slow month of December in Visalia, generated spin-off business of over one million dollars.  Additionally, we were entertained by these top-ranked high school football players, most of which have already accepted future scholarships in the college ranks.  Thanks to all who helped make this event a success.  These are the types of signature events we want to encourage in Visalia, particularly on an annual basis.  We have the facilities, scenery and weather to compete for the tourist dollars.

Building Permits Up
Through November 2012, the number of permits for new homes was up 26%, with a 19% increase in valuation.  New commercial permits were up 31%.  Likewise, for the third quarter, we witnessed a substantial increase in sales tax revenues generated in the city.  I predict that the last quarter of 2012, which includes the holiday shopping season, will continue that trend upwards.  Remember to buy local.

If you have questions or topics regarding the city  which you would like to have addressed in future articles, please email Warren at wgubler@ci.visalia.ca.us, or call (559) 713-4400 x 3313.  For past articles, visit directfromwarren.blogspot.com.

Warren Gubler
Visalia City Councilmember

2013: ARE WE THERE YET?

In early December, my son Edmund returned from serving for two years in the Yucatan Peninsula in southern Mexico as a missionary.  This got me thinking about the end of the Mayan “long count” calendar on December 21, 2012, which marks the conclusion of a 5,126 year era.  Some believe that this date may mark the end of civilization as we know it.  I was glad to have my son home before then.  I thought about not even bothering to write this article for the January edition of Direct Magazine, since the predicted catastrophe is set to occur prior to the publication date. However, because I am a naturally cautious person and don’t like to take chances, I decided to write this article in advance for publication anyway, just in case we survive.

If you are now reading this published article, that means that my gamble paid off, and we have made it to 2013!  As is my tradition, on behalf of the city I’d like to start the new year by looking back at the accomplishments of 2012.

INDUSTRIAL PARK
VWR cut the ribbon for its new 500,000 square foot facility in November.  This medical supply distribution center should be fully operational by the new year, employing 100.  Sorma USA, an agricultural packaging company based in Italy has established its first U.S. presence here in Visalia by leasing 42,000 square feet.  They will initially hire 11 workers, and plan to add a manufacturing component in a few years.  MWI, which distributes veterinary supplies, has expanded and relocated to a larger 80,000 square foot facility.  Peninsula Packaging, a provider of custom thermoformed plastic packaging products, leased 175,000 square feet to use as a finished goods warehouse.  Perfection Pet Food and VF Outdoors both expanded their existing facilities a total of approximately 100,000 square feet.  Mor Furniture For Less opened its new central California warehouse facility here.  Future growth and expansion in the industrial park includes California Dairies, EdenIQ and Gateway Business Park.  Mainland Skate will be doubling their existing warehouse space as well. Kaweah Container recently announced the purchase of a 174,000 sf plant, and will be adding 75 jobs.

MOONEY BOULEVARD
Dick’s Sporting Goods recently opened in the old Food 4 Less center, and Walmart opened its doors in the former Costco building.  In the same shopping center, BevMo! celebrated its grand opening in October, and a new El Pollo Loco restaurant will soon be locating next door.  Harbor Freight moved to a larger location.  Me & Ed’s move to Packwood Creek, and All Pro Pizza relocated to Me & Ed’s former location.  Surf-Thru Car Wash opened in August.  At the Visalia Mall, Francesca’s Collections and Yogurtland recently opened along with G By Guess.  Fresno Coin Gallery and Kirkland’s Home Decor have also found new homes on Mooney.

HISTORIC DOWNTOWN
New additions include Stacey’s Boutique, Fatte Albert’s Pizza, Char-cu-te-rie, Rookies Sports Bar & Grill, Jimmy John’s, and Bravo Farms Restaurant in the old Wagon Wheel location.  Chase Bank opened a new branch next to the Marriott, and Tulare County Probation and TCAG have moved downtown as well.  The exciting new Imagine U Museum (corner of Tipton and Oak) continues in the planning stages.  Everyone wants to be downtown!

OTHER DEVELOPMENTS
A new 35,000 square foot Walmart Neighborhood Market is under construction and will be opening soon at the corner of Demaree and Goshen.  In addition to construction jobs, 60 permanent positions will be created by this new store.  The Plaza Drive interchange project continues under construction, and the widening of 198 between Visalia and Hanford nears completion.  Visalia’s water conservation plant upgrade is nearing design completion, and at a cost of $110 million will be the largest public works project in this city’s history.  The new Kiwanis Park at McAuliff and Tulare opened in November.



THIS PLACE MATTERS
In October, the 101 year old Visalia Cemetery Chapel received a plaque as part of the Historic Recognition Program.  If you’ve never taken the time, drop by the cemetery office and ask for a brief tour.  This beautiful building with its stained glass windows is well worth the visit.

2012 turned out to be a good year in Visalia after all.  Glad we’re all still here for an even better 2013.  Happy New Year!

If you have questions or topics regarding the city  which you would like to have addressed in future articles, please email Warren at wgubler@ci.visalia.ca.us, or call (559) 713-4400 x 3313.  For past articles, visit directfromwarren.blogspot.com.

Warren Gubler
Visalia City Councilmember