Highlights from this week's "The Week in Review"

Here are some of the highlights from this week's "The Week in Review" (TWIR). You can access the full version (and previous editions) by clicking on the link on the right side of this page.

Community Development
B.R. Funsten: Grading has begun on the expansion of B.R. Funsten, located at South Main and Industrial Park Drive. B.R. Funsten, a wholesale flooring distributor, is expanding its 108,000 square-foot facility by an additional 86,000 square feet to the warehouse and another 6,500 square feet of office space. The expansion is the result of the consolidation of some of B.R. Funsten’s other facilities – choosing to stay and expand in Manteca instead of relocating. B.R. Funsten hopes to complete the expansion by December 1.

RDA Façade Improvement Program: Business owners Crystal Downs and Pam Trombatore have submitted applications to participate in the Agency’s Façade Improvement Maintenance Program for the exterior renovations and improvements they made to their adjacent buildings on North Main Street. They will be receiving $22,794 (249 N. Main) and $19,500 (259 N. Main) for total maintenance assistance of $42,294 for the two properties, by agreeing to 10-year maintenance covenants with the Agency. They spent approximately $64,157 on the exterior of the two buildings; thus the assistance in this case comes out to approximately 66%.

Parks and Rec
Swing for Youth Golf Tournament: On July 24, the Friends of Manteca Parks and Recreation Foundation held the 7th Annual Swing for Youth Golf Tournament. This year’s event was a tremendous success. We attracted more than 90 golfers, which was our highest turnout to date. It is anticipated that the Foundation raised more than $6,500. The Foundation in turn will donate a significant portion of these funds to the Recreation Department so we can enhance our Youth and Teen Scholarship funding. Foundation members are Kirk Dahl, Frank Guinta, Linda Abeldt, Carl Jacobson, Jim Brown, Bob Wallace and Sandra Givens. These folks did a great job and are to be commended to their commitment to the community.

Public Works
Energy Demand Curtailment Event: During the 100-plus-degree temperatures last week, PG&E issued a bulletin to various commercial and industrial customers, requesting they reduce energy usage to take pressure off of the Statewide electric grid. This practice of shedding electrical load during peak energy demand periods is known as demand response. Demand response is a beneficial activity, in that it can help minimize or eliminate brownouts and blackouts. Demand response also has beneficial impacts on energy costs and air quality, in that it reduces the need for utility companies to turn on peak energy generation facilities, which are often more costly to run and contribute the most to air pollution. As planned, WQCF staff turned off the aeration facilities from 3 to 6 p.m., which had the effect of making 325 kilowatts of power available to the grid. The WQCF’s efforts, along with the energy curtailment efforts of numerous other agencies and businesses, helped protect communities from blackouts, and helped the environment by providing a clean alternative to fossil fuel-burning peaking power plants.

City Manager
BMX Park: Staff met with Jon Anderson from Anderson209 on July 30 to discuss the status of the BMX park. The Mayor has requested an update at the August 4 Council meeting. Anderson209 submitted the site plan for the track on July 24. That site plan included some minor revisions to a previously approved plan. The new plan is being reviewed by City staff, the City’s Municipal Pooling Authority and the American Bicycle Association (ABA). Staff is working with Anderson209 on a Maintenance Agreement, which will define the level of maintenance Anderson209 will be providing for the track, and the required liability insurance levels needed for the private maintenance.

New Telephone System: Beginning at 5 p.m. on August 3, the old non-departmental City telephone numbers will be shutting off. Old “main” department numbers will be forwarded automatically to the new numbers. Individual non-departmental employee numbers will not be automatically forwarded. Calls placed to those old numbers will go to a message stating the following:

“Thank you for calling the City of Manteca. The number you have dialed has been changed or no longer exists. To reach an employee by name, press 9. To reach the City's main number, press zero.”

Once the new telephone directories are published, the new “456” numbers will be listed, and the old numbers will be dropped.