Highlights from "The Week in Review" (TWIR)

You can access the entire TWIR and previous editions by clicking on the link on the right side of this page.

Fire
Emergency Incidents: We had a total of 84 incidents this week, which included 4 that were fire related: 1-Vehicle Fire, 2-Outdoor Fires and 1-Rubbish/Trash Fire. The remaining calls this week were: EMS-45, Vehicle Accidents-7, Service Calls-12 and Other Emergencies-16.

Fire Prevention: This week’s Fire Prevention Activities included: Business Inspections-44, New Construction Inspections-5, Plan Checks-8, Certification of Occupanies-2, Business License Inspections-2 and Fire System Checks-8.

Police
Shooting: On January 27 at 7:47 p.m., Patrol officers were dispatched to the area of the 1200 Block of Parkview Street for a report of shots fired. Dispatch received multiple 9-1-1 calls regarding shots being heard. Officers located three spent shotgun shells in the street in front of 1288 Parkview St. Police received additional information that, after the shots were fired, two subjects were seen running into the residence on Scott Place. The wadding from the shotgun shells was found not far from the back fence of the identified residence. Officers could not locate anything that had been hit from the rounds fired. The subjects contacted at the Scott Place address denied being involved in any altercation or confrontation. They did not seem to be eager to assist law enforcement and denied knowing what had occurred. The only suspect information provided was that a subject with a shotgun was seen getting into a black Kia four-door car after the sound of shots was heard. The Kia had no hubcaps and was very dirty, as if it had been driven through a field. The subject with the shotgun was described as an Hispanic male, unknown age, 5’11”, 220 pounds with a white T-shirt and blue jeans. There were two other subjects who also got into the Kia, but no description could be provided, other than they were also Hispanic males.

Public Works
Solid Waste Truck Fire: The Solid Waste Division had a garbage truck fire Tuesday morning, January 26 – the first in several years. There was no damage to the truck and no employees were injured. The driver was collecting residential garbage in an automated truck in the vicinity of Powers and Pine when another City employee noticed smoke coming from the rear of the truck. The truck was driven to an empty dirt lot northeast of The Strike Zone and the load was dumped. The Fire Department responded and extinguished the fire. Staff cannot be absolutely certain of the cause of the fire, but there had to be some smoldering trash in a can that was collected, probably fireplace ashes. These fires used to be much more common, but fortunately, are now very rare. This event was used as an opportunity to review with staff the proper procedures for handling such a fire. Residents are reminded that fireplace ashes and charcoal must not be placed in garbage containers until they are cold and out. We were fortunate to catch this fire early. If we had not, we could have lost a truck worth over $200,000.

Parks and Recreation
Parks’ Storm Response: High winds and a lot of rain can be a dangerous combination as it relates to trees. As the ground becomes saturated with water, the stability of the trees is compromised. The high winds and heavy rains that we recently experienced caused numerous tree problems throughout the City. Maintenance staff responded to 12 trees that blew over, including four at the golf course, and also responded to another 30 calls throughout the City for downed limbs. Administrative staff responded to dozens of other calls on general tree concerns, both public and private. Maintenance staff worked closely together to clear all obstructions and cleanup. Even the best-maintained trees can be a target in severe storm conditions. However, if the canopy of the tree is maintained to allow air to blow through it, the chances of the tree suffering damage are reduced dramatically.

Community Development
Building Safety Activities: The City’s Building Safety Division conducted a total of 296 inspections during this past week. The division issued 23 building permits, which included 1 Commercial Demolition, 1 Handicap Accessibility, 1 Hood and Duct, 1 Miscellaneous Electrical, 2 Miscellaneous Mechanical, 8 Miscellaneous Plumbing, 2 Patio, 1 Residential Addition, 1 Residential Remodel, 2 Swimming Pools, 1 Vanilla Shell in Spreckels Park and 2 Commercial Remodels. JoAnn’s Fabrics in Stadium Center is working on opening within the former Circuit City location, and WalMart is conducting a major interior remodel. A total of 8 new project applications were submitted for plan check services, which included 2 Fire Alarms, 1 Garage Conversion to a Sales Office, 1 Pool Master, 1 Patio, 1 Residential Fire Repair, 1 Residential Remodel and 1 Swimming Pool.

Highlights from "The Week in Review" (TWIR)

You can access the entire TWIR by clicking on the link on the right side of this page.

Police
Road Rage: At 6:44 p.m. on January 16, the California Highway Patrol (CHP) asked Manteca Police to respond to a report of a fight/stabbing on Highway 120 at Highway 99. The first officer on scene found a subject down with a head wound and receiving preliminary first aid from bystanders. He was only semi-conscious and said he didn’t remember anything. Witnesses indicated a Mustang had fled the scene. Shortly after, the Mustang showed up at Doctor’s Hospital. The driver had a slash wound to his arm and a puncture wound to his chest area. After coordination with CHP and the County Sheriff’s Office, CHP took over the investigation since it had occurred on a State highway. The initial investigation indicates two cars with solo occupants were involved in a road rage incident while driving eastbound on Highway 120. Eventually, they pulled over and a fight broke out. During the fight, one subject stabbed the other subject. The individual with the stab wounds ended up at Doctor’s Hospital. The subject who appears to have done the stabbing was the one initially found semi-conscious on the ground. He was transported to Kaiser Hospital.

Coffee with the Chief: Please join the Chief of Police for coffee and conversation this Saturday, January 23, from 8:30 to 10:30 a.m. at Johnny’s Restaurant, 610 E. Yosemite Ave.

Fire
Retirement Open House: The Fire Department will be hosting an Open House next Thursday, January 28, from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m., to recognize Randy Sutton upon his retirement from the City. Randy has worn many hats over the years, presently holding the dual titles of Fire Marshal and Assistant Fire Chief. Please stop by Station #242 (1154 S. Union Road) to wish him well.

Burn Days: Each year, we receive several inquiries regarding permissible burn days for wood-burning stoves and fireplaces. Burn Days for our area are regulated by the San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District. They post Burn Day information daily on their website. Or if you prefer, you can call their pre-recorded message that announces Burn Day status. The District’s website address is: http://www.valleyair.org/aginfo/WoodBurnPage.htm. Phone is (800) 281-7003 for San Joaquin and Stanislaus Counties.

Emergency Incidents: We had a total of 99 incidents this week, which included 3 that were fire related: 1-Chimney Fire, 1-Cooking Fire and 1-Outside/Trash Fire. The remaining calls this week were: EMS-62, Vehicle Accidents-9, Service Calls-12 and Other Emergencies-13.

Weather-Related Emergencies: The inclement weather that hit San Joaquin County on Wednesday morning, January 20, wreaked havoc on our roadsides. Firefighters responded to several vehicle accidents, three of which occurred within one hour during the morning commute, delaying traffic on both freeways:
- Highway 120 at Southbound Highway 99
- Northbound Highway 99 north of Austin Road
- Northbound Highway 99 at the eastbound Highway 120 Interchange
In addition, firefighters responded to several reports of power lines down throughout the City.

Fire Prevention: This week’s Fire Prevention Activities included: Business Inspections-38, New Construction Inspections-2, Plan Checks-10, Certification of Occupanies-1, Business License Inspections-4 and Fire System Checks-10.

Public Works
Wild Weather in Manteca: This week’s weather kept City crews busy. Wednesday, January 20, in particular was an extremely wet and wild day for Manteca. Wind gusts between 8:00 a.m. and noon provided the most excitement, and were consistently higher than 50 miles per hour.

The wind led to the only notable event of the day, which was the closing of Main Street for several hours due to the threat of flying debris. The rain station at City Hall recorded 0.92 inches of rain in the 24-hour period from midnight to midnight. Most of the precipitation came during the morning hours between 6:00 and 10:00, with another burst between 11:00 a.m. and noon. Rain continued at a much lower rate throughout the afternoon. Fortunately, despite the constant morning rain, the City did not experience any notable flooding. This is because regardless of the appearance, this storm was not a significant event in terms of duration or intensity. The highest intensity measured during the storm was 0.40 inches per hour at 9:00 a.m., but this intensity was not sustained for long. For comparison purposes, note that City drainage facilities, such as the inlets and pipes, are designed to handle an intensity of nearly an inch per hour for 30 minutes. So in rough terms, this peak was only half of what would be required before we would expect any localized flooding.

Flood protection and storm water collection in the City are handled through a collection of inlets, pipes, pumps and basins. All of these components are required to function in order to preventing flooding in Manteca. The basins are the most visible and typically serve a dual use as neighborhood parks. These dual-use parks are critical to preventing flooding from any significant rain events. However, a big part of these park basins are the pump stations that remove the water from the basins. These pumps are programmed to operate as soon as there is sufficient water in the collection system. For smaller storms, the pumps typically will remove the water from the collection system before it flows into the basin. Only when the inflow exceeds the capacity of the pumps is any water actually “stored” in the basin. Even then, the basins are usually pumped out within a short period of time. For this week’s storm, many basins still had water five hours after the storm had passed. All of the water pumped from the collection system and the basins is discharged into pipes that carry the water to the French Camp Outlet Canal, which runs along the west side of town. When there is water in the basins, the public and especially children are advised to stay out of the basins for safety reasons and to prevent damage to the turf and plants.

Community Development
Building Safety Activities: The City’s Building Safety Division conducted a total of 217 inspections during during this past week. The Division issued 31 building permits, which included 17 Single-Family Dwellings, 1 Hood and Duct, 1 Miscellaneous Electrical, 1 Miscellaneous Plumbing, 3 Photovoltaic, 2 Residential Fire Repair, 4 Residential Remodels and 2 Commercial Remodels – one of which is the new Dress Barn going into Stadium Center. A total of 13 new project applications were submitted for plan check services, which included 1 Single-Family Dwelling, 4 Changes to Existing Plans, 1 Commercial Remodel, 1 Fire Alarm, 1 Hood and Duct, 3 Residential Masters, 1 Patio and 1 Sign.

City Manager
MUSD/City Joint User of Facilities: Staff and I met with staff from the Manteca Unified School District to discuss some recent changes to the MUSD’s fees charged for the use of its facilities. The City and MUSD enjoy a reciprocal use agreement, whereby both City and MUSD facilities are used for recreational activities that benefit both sets of constituents – often the same people. Because the MUSD is faced with budget difficulties like the City, the Board adopted a new set of fees last November. The meeting this week was held to clarify how those new fees would be applied to the City when the City uses MUSD facilities for its recreation programs. The City will still continue to be able to use MUSD facilities without being charged for the use of the facilities. However, at such time as the City needs to use an MUSD facility when the District is closed for holiday breaks, furloughs, or summer, the City will still be charged for any additional costs associated with having to open those facilities, or for any utilities that may need to be turned on at those facilities, at a time when they would have otherwise been closed. This is not expected to adversely affect the City’s recreation programs.

Highlights from "The Week in Review" (TWIR)

You can access the entire TWIR by clicking on the link on the right side of this page.

Fire
Emergency Incidents: We had a total of 80 incidents this week, which included 5 that were fire related: 2-Structure Fires, 1-Cooking Fire, and 2-Outside/
Trash Fires. The remaining calls this week were: EMS-54, Vehicle Accidents-6, Service Calls-7 and Other Emergencies-8.

Fire Prevention: This week’s Fire Prevention activities included: Business Inspections-46, New Construction Inspections-5, Plan Checks-6, Certification of Occupanies-1, Business License Inspections-2, and Fire System Checks-8.

Engine companies visited local schools this past week as part of the Fire Awareness in the Schools “FAITS” curriculum. This month’s sections focused on life-safety techniques for second graders.

Police
Robbery: On January 8 at 7:23 a.m., a robbery occurred at the Pacific Motel, 453 Moffat Blvd. The victim was alone in the room, asleep, when the suspect entered. The suspect had a hammer and struck the victim on the back and arms. The suspect took the victim’s wallet and fled. The victim sustained scrapes and bruises, but refused medical treatment. The suspect was not located.

Robbery Arrest: A strong-arm robbery occurred on the Tidewater bike path just north of Center Street at 1:00 p.m. on January 8. Four suspects approached the victim and told him to give over his guitar and wallet. The victim refused and was punched in the side of the head. He fell to the ground and was kicked by the suspects. Taken from the victim were his guitar and case, wallet, MP-3 player and a memory stick. Officers responded to the area. Detectives located four subjects, including two of the suspects, at Sequoia and Virginia. When officers approached them, all of the suspects ran. Detectives took one of the suspects to the ground at the scene and the others fled on foot. They were later apprehended, and all of the stolen property was recovered. The victim sustained a cut lip and refused medical treatment. The following suspects were arrested: Clarence Odell Jorme Cortez, 18, of Mountain House, and a male juvenile resident of Manteca. They were arrested for Robbery, Conspiracy, Resisting Arrest, and Participating in a Gang Crime.

Stabbing: On January 11 at 5:30 p.m., Patrol officers were dispatched to Shasta Park at 955 E. Edison Ave. for a report of a fight involving approximately 30 subjects. Dispatch then gave additional information that a possible stabbing had just occurred at that location. Upon arrival, Patrol units were unable to find any victims or any subjects who were involved in the incident. While units were still checking the area, Dispatch advised that a stabbing victim had just arrived at Doctor’s Hospital in Manteca. Kenneth Jones arrived at the hospital with a stab wound to the side of his torso. Jones said he arrived at Shasta Park with several other subjects to watch two females who were planning to fight each other. According to Jones, the crowd grew to nearly 80 people. During the gathering, Jones’ friend was jumped by several unknown male subjects. Jones attempted to help his friend when he felt a sharp pain on the side of his torso. Jones said someone stabbed him from behind and he did not see who stabbed him. As soon as the stabbing occurred, the crowd quickly dispersed.

School Stabbing: On January 14 at approximately 7:30 a.m., a fight broke out in one of the halls at Manteca High School. The School Resource Officer radioed to Dispatch, saying an ambulance was needed for a victim of a stabbing. The 15-year-old female victim was stabbed in the upper right arm, with a cut about 8 inches long. She was transported to Doctor’s Hospital in Manteca in stable condition. A 15-year-old female suspect is in custody; however, the weapon was dropped and not found. It is believed someone picked up the knife or blade. Apparently the victim and suspect have disliked each other for a very long time, and there have been fights between them in the past. This time, words were spoken, punches were made, and the end result was the victim being stabbed. The suspect was charged with Assault with a Deadly Weapon and transported to Juvenile Hall.

Community Development
Building Safety Activities: The City’s Building Safety Division conducted a total of 370 inspections during this past week. The Division issued 41 building permits, which included 1 Single-Family Dwelling, 5 Changes to Existing Plans, 1 Commercial Coach, 2 Commercial Remodels, 1 Fire Alarm, 2 Fire Sprinklers, 1 Miscellaneous Electrical, 3 Miscellaneous Mechanical, 2 Miscellaneous Plumbing, 10 Photovoltaic, 3 Power Poles, 1 Residential Demolition, 1 Residential Fire Repair, 2 Residential Remodels, 4 Roofs, 1 Sign and 1 Storage Rack. A total of 10 new project applications were submitted for plan check services, which included 1 Commercial Remodel, 1 Fire Alarm, 1 Hood and Duct, 1 Residential Master, 1 Residential Remodel, 1 Storage Rack, 2 Swimming Pools, 1 Commercial HVAC and 1 Vanilla Tenant Infill out at Promenade.

Public Works
Payment for WQCF Peak Energy Savings: The practice of shedding electrical loads during peak energy demand periods – known as demand response – is a beneficial activity to the public. This practice helps to 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. This past summer, PG&E issued two separate energy curtailment bulletins to its various commercial and industrial customers, including the City of Manteca, requesting they reduce energy usage to take pressure off of the Statewide electric grid. WQCF (Wastewater Quality Control Facility) staff responded to both bulletins by successfully curtailing 1,287 kWh (kilowatt-hours) of peak energy use. In return for these efforts, the City recently received payment in the amount of $8,169.38 from PG&E’s peak energy curtailment program. The WQCF’s efforts, along with 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.

Manteca’s Solid Waste Rates Fare Well Against Others: The Tracy Press reported this week that the City of Tracy's garbage collection operations lost approximately $1.1 million last fiscal year. The article explained that the deficit was due to decreases in revenue from recycling, residential customers and commercial collection. Manteca has experienced similar decreases in revenue, but has been able to reduce costs to offset the loss of revenue. It is interesting to compare the two operations. The City of Tracy charges $4 more per month for comparable residential service than Manteca, and commercial rates are also significantly higher. Tracy’s total Solid Waste budget is reported at $17 million, compared to $8.8 million for Manteca. Tracy’s Finance Director said there is really nothing that Tracy can do to reduce their costs, because the garbage operation is contracted out to private companies and the contract costs cannot be adjusted. This is in sharp contrast to Manteca, where the City employees who manage and execute our solid waste operations have cut costs through operational efficiencies and negotiated compensation adjustments. Manteca’s Solid Waste employees should be commended for continuing to provide better service at a lower price than all our neighboring cities who contract out this service.

Highlights from "The Week in Review" (TWIR)

You can access the entire TWIR by clicking on the link on the right side of this page.

Police
DUI Checkpoints: On December 19 and January 2, the Traffic Division conducted DUI and driver’s license checkpoints in the 700 block of East Yosemite Avenue, and the 800 block of North Main Street. The following is a summary of the checkpoints’ activities:

867 vehicles through the checkpoints
832 vehicles screened
4 field sobriety tests given
15 vehicles impounded for suspended licenses
1 DUI arrest

Holiday Gang/Robbery Sweep: On December 16 and 17, the Manteca Police Department participated in a Countywide gang and robbery sweep. The goal of the operation was to quell potential holiday season robberies. All of the State, County, and local law enforcement agencies participated. The two-day operation included saturation patrols, parole and probation searches, and undercover operations in all the cities in the county. Over the two-day period, officers made 96 arrests and seized 6 guns and a significant amount of drugs, most of which was in the possession of parolees. Several residential burglaries will likely be solved as a result of evidence found during searches. The operation was extremely successful.

Marijuana Grow: On December 27, an officer reported hearing several gun shots in the area of Park and Oregon streets. Further investigation led officers to 518 Willow St. The officers discovered the house contained a large marijuana grow. Detectives responded and a search warrant was served on the house. The house had three bedrooms, and each was converted to grow marijuana. There was an extensive electrical wiring system makeover with electricity being stolen. Holes were cut in the floor and a very modern ventilation system was installed. Everything was on timers. Due to the modifications, Code Enforcement Officer Baird was contacted and condemned the house. Also, PG&E showed up and cut power to the house. Approximately 90 plants were being grown and the marijuana was of good quality. The street value after cultivation is estimated at $20,000. The lone suspect living at the house, Oscar Omar Acosta-Beltranwas, transported to the Manteca Police Department and booked for Cultivating Marijuana, Possession of False Immigration Documents, and Illegal Entry.

Assault: On December 31 at approximately 10:30 p.m., officers responded to Union Station, 502 N. Union Road, regarding a cold battery. Officers located the victim, Miguel Gonzalez, leaning against a wall in front of the store. Gonzalez had a cut above his right eye. Gonzalez advised he and some friends drove to Union Station to purchase beer. As they pulled into the parking lot, an unknown subject was standing in the parking stall and wouldn’t move so they could park their car. Two of the victims stepped out of the car. As they passed the subject they said, “Hey! What’s up?” The suspect took offense and a physical altercation took place in front of the store. During the fight, one of the suspects shouted “Norte.” At one point, Gonzalez had one of the suspects down, when another suspect came from behind and hit Gonzalez in the head with an unknown object. Gonzalez was knocked unconscious and fell to the ground. As he lay unconscious, the suspects ran up and kicked and stomped Gonzalez in the head. The suspects were seen running to a waiting vehicle and fled the scene northbound on North Union Road. Gonzalez was transported to Doctor’s Hospital in Manteca. Gonzalez had several skull fractures and blood on the brain. He was rushed to Doctor’s Hospital in Modesto to meet with a neurosurgeon.

Shooting Arrest: On January 2, officers responded to a minor disturbance at 476 Mission Ridge Dr. Just after arriving, the first officers heard a gunshot from somewhere on the southwest side of the court. As other officers arrived, two additional shots were fired. They set up a perimeter and attempted to ascertain where the shots were coming from. Neighbors advised the shots possibly came from 392 Marsala Court. A male subject walked out of 392 Marsala and was detained by officers. He said his friend, David Foster, the solo occupant of the residence, had fired his shotgun out in the backyard. After officers located a cell phone number for Foster, he came out and was detained. No victims or damage was located. A loaded 12-gauge shotgun was found in plain view on the kitchen table and was taken for evidence. David Foster was booked for Discharging a Firearm in Gross Negligence.

Purse Snatch: At approximately 7:15 p.m. on January 3, officers responded to a reported purse snatch. The victim was loading groceries into her vehicle at Raley’s, when a suspect ran past and grabbed her purse out of the shopping cart. The victim was not injured. The suspect got into an occupied vehicle and fled. A witness followed the suspect vehicle to Wal-Mart, where officers found the vehicle just leaving the parking lot. Officers conducted a high-risk stop of the suspect vehicle and detained the two suspects. The victim’s purse’s contents were located in the suspect vehicle. A department canine conducted an article search and found the victim’s purse and wallet along the roadway where the suspects had thrown them out of the car. The suspects both gave full confessions and were booked. All stolen property was released to the victim. Because the driver had a suspended driver’s license, the car was impounded for 30 days. Arrested were Michael Scrivens, 26, of Lodi, and a juvenile, 16, of Stockton. They were booked for Grand Theft and Conspiracy.

Meth Sales Arrest: On January 5, members of the Street Crimes Unit went to 129 Goodale Lane to conduct a probation search. While conducting the search, one of the Detectives was outside the house. He saw Randall Frese walking toward the house. The Detective knew Frese and knew he is also on probation with a search-and-seizure condition. As the Detective began walking toward Frese, he turned around and fled. Detectives gave chase. Frese began jumping fences with Detectives in pursuit. Just as they were catching Frese, he threw a ball of something onto the roof of 611 W Yosemite Ave. Frese was caught and detained. The substance on the roof was recovered and found to be 3.8 grams gross of methamphetamine. Frese was charged with Possessing a Controlled Substance, Possessing a Controlled Substance with the Intent to Sell, Transportation of a Controlled Substance and Resisting Arrest.

Fire
Cost Recovery Update: The City received its first cost recovery check this week for fire services provided on non-resident vehicle accidents. The check was for $792 and covered two vehicle accidents.

Emergency Incidents: We had a total of 100 incidents this week, which included 11 that were fire related: 5-Structure Fires, 1-Cooking Fire, 1-Vehicle Fire and 4-Outside/Trash Fires. Dollar loss was estimated at $65,000. The remaining calls this week were: EMS-62, Vehicle Accidents-5, Service Calls-8 and Other Emergencies-14.

Public Works
Recycling Program: Thanks to the efforts of the citizens of Manteca in recycling of bottles and cans, and to the Governor deciding to let the cities and counties keep the redemption money from those bottles and cans this year, the City of Manteca will be receiving a check for over $36,000 to help us in our efforts to continue recycling and to promote recycling throughout 2010. The City has received this money in the past, but there was much doubt about receiving it this year, considering the State’s economy.

Parks and Recreation
Park Maintenance: City maintenance operations were closed from December 24 through January 3, due to a combination of the winter holidays and unpaid furlough days. All parks were mowed prior to closing, and part-time staff was scheduled to open and close park restrooms and remove litter.

Park Vandalism: An increase of vandalism in parks is a fairly common occurrence when schools take a break during the holiday periods. Several parks were vandalized this past holiday season – some more than others. Much of the graffiti was removed by part-time staff, after restrooms were opened and cleaned. The following is a list of areas that were vandalized:
· Lincoln Park – The urinal in the restroom was destroyed. Labor and materials to replace the urinal: $400.

· Woodward and Tesoro Parks – Both parks had vehicles driving onto the turf areas and driving in circles, resulting in damaged turf. Labor and materials to repair the turf: $275.

· Roberts Park – Several areas, including the slide, were covered with feces. Labor and materials to clean and sanitize the affected areas: $140.

· Shasta Park – A playground dedication monument that was recently installed was damaged by vandals. Labor and material costs for repairs are unknown at this time. Repairs will require the replacement of a portion of the stone facade.

· Yosemite Park – Picnic tables were tagged heavily with gang graffiti. Staff reported the graffiti to the Police Department’s Gang Unit and then removed the graffiti. Labor and material costs: $100.

· Tidewater Bike Path – A section of the path, approximately 50 yards in length, was tagged with graffiti. Pressure washing would not remove the graffiti, so staff applied a coat of asphalt sealer over the affected area. Labor and material costs: $170.

· Northgate Park – This park was hit heavily by vandals. Fencing in several areas was damaged, as were several tables used as booths for scorekeepers. Repairs will be made by park maintenance staff. Vandals also broke into electrical control panels for field lighting and removed the copper wiring from the panels to the light poles on all fields. Light fixtures on the concession building were also removed and copper wire taken. Parks staff is working in cooperation with Building Maintenance staff to make preparations for repairs. No cost estimate is available at this time; however, it is anticipated the cost of all repairs will be quite expensive.

Aquatics Program: It may be cold outside, but this is the time the Recreation staff starts planning for the upcoming Aquatics Season. This includes working very closely with the volunteers of the Manteca Dolphins. as well as recruitment, training for new guards and re-certification of returning guards and swim instructors. In addition to managing the pool operations in Lincoln Park, the aquatics program staff also provides lessons to more than 1,700 participants. This count is an unduplicated count. If you add the numbers of participants served, who took multiple open and private swim lessons, this number will approach 2,500 lessons provided.

Community Development
Year-end Permit Information: In 2009, the City issued a total of 1,578 building permits. These permits were new residential construction, home improvements, commercial and industrial work. These numbers are consistent with building activity in 2008, when 1,591 permits were issued. Despite the economic downturn during the last year, the level of building/construction work has remained steady, and also corresponds to our high level of building inspections that were performed on a weekly basis in 2009.

New Commercial Development:
Dress Barn has executed a lease for retail space at Stadium Center, and will be moving from its current location in Tracy. Dress Barn anticipates opening its new Manteca store in March.

Work continued non-stop during the Christmas/New Year’s period at the Promenade Shopping Center. The new development includes space for new luxury outlet retail space, as well as space for restaurants and fast-food concessions. Staff expects to be able to confirm future outlet retailers, as well as the names of restaurants, beginning in 30 days. In the meantime, Red Robin is setting interior finish for its restaurant, and the Hampton Inn and Suites is also working on finish trim at this time.

B.R. Funsten is expected to obtain final inspections on Phase 2 of its project at South Main Street and Industrial Park Drive.

Building Safety Activities: The City’s Building Safety Division conducted a total of 202 inspections during this past week. The Building Safety Inspectors also conducted 125 inspections over the unpaid furloughs. This was key in keeping high-priority projects, as well as the local residential subdivisions, moving forward. The Division issued 40 building permits, which included 27 Single-Family Dwellings, 1 Miscellaneous for Government Building, 4 Miscellaneous Electrical, 2 Miscellaneous Mechanical, 1 Miscellaneous Plumbing, 1 Residential Demolition and 3 Roofs. A total of 4 new project applications were submitted for plan check services, which included 1 Custom Single-Family Dwelling, 2 Changes to Existing Plans and 1 Commercial Remodel.

Highlights from "The Week in Review" (TWIR)

You can access the entire TWIR by clicking on the link on the right side of this page.

Public Works
Crosswalks: Crosswalks are typically placed at road intersections to direct pedestrians to locations that provide the safest opportunity for crossing streets. Most crosswalks are placed at controlled intersections where drivers are expected to operate with additional attention to conflicting traffic and pedestrians. However, additional crosswalks are sometimes requested by those who assume that adding a crosswalk will provide an additional level of safety for pedestrians. Unfortunately, experience has shown that the presence of crosswalks does not alter driver behavior and, thus, installing a new crosswalk can actually create greater risk by creating a false sense of security for pedestrians. This is especially true for small children who may walk right out onto a crosswalk, without looking for cross traffic because they have been taught they should cross at crosswalks because they are safe.

Powers Avenue Crosswalk – In the case of Powers Avenue, some residents have requested that the City install a crosswalk at the intersection with Hutchins Street, across from Lincoln School. The site for this request has been reviewed multiple times, and to date, adequate justification for a crosswalk at this location has not been found. Following the most recent review of the site, a speed survey showed traffic was moving at a higher rate of speed than appropriate. To address this issue, additional enforcement was performed, and striping of the street was modified to reduce the width of the traveling lanes. These two measures were both implemented in an attempt to slow traffic, which in turn will make it safer for pedestrians. Follow-up speed surveys will be undertaken in coming months to monitor the area, and determine if more extensive measures should be implemented.

Alley Paving – Powers Tract: In the last two years, the City has paved most of the alleys in the Powers Tract subdivision. One alley that could not be paved is the alley behind Cowell Avenue, on the east border of the tract. This alley was previously dirt and weeds and largely impassable to most vehicles. In the last two months, Streets crews cleared the alley, took asphalt concrete grindings generated from the recent overlay project, and spread the grindings on the alley to provide an all-weather surface that would be stable and reduce nuisance weeds and dust. The grindings are similar in nature to crushed rock and are very durable, allowing water to penetrate through the surface, rather than running into backyards. The down side of placing the grindings is that some gates that open onto the alley must be modified, and the water meter boxes and manholes have to be raised. Most of the meter boxes have now been reset, but manholes will still need to be raised once the Streets crew is available in January or February.

Leaf Pickup: The recent cold weather and rain have helped bring down many of the leaves in the City. City streets crews are currently picking up leaves that are piled by residents in the streets. Leaf pickup will continue on a regular basis up to Christmas Day. From Christmas through the end of the year, Streets staff will be furloughed and no leaf pick will be available. During and after that time, leaves should be placed in the green recycle Toters for pickup on the regular green waste day. After the first of the year, Streets crews will be picking up any remaining leaves along with clean Christmas Trees.

STAA Truck Route Signs: City Streets staff completed the installation of STAA truck route signs, the day after City Council adopted the new route along Spreckels Avenue and Industrial Park Drive. Engineering staff will continue work on additional STAA routes in January.

Fire
Training: Firefighters participated in Fire Attack Training this week, which consisted of ventilation techniques including positive pressure, negative pressure and vertical ventilation. Other training this week consisted of apparatus placement at emergency incidents for engines and the ladder truck.

Emergency Incidents: We had a total of 95 incidents this week, which included 3 that were fire related: 1-Structure Fire and 2-Outside Fires. Dollar loss for the week was minimal. The remaining calls this week were: EMS-52, Vehicle Accidents-9, Service Calls-21 and Other Emergencies-10.

Fire Prevention: This week’s Fire Prevention Activities included: Business Inspections-50, New Construction Inspections-6, Plan Checks-7, Certification of Occupanies-2, Business License Inspections-2 and Fire System Checks-7.

Police
Stabbing: On December 11, Ronnie Raymond Schaapman, 55 of Manteca, came into the Police Department lobby reporting he had been stabbed in the forearm during a domestic dispute with his ex-girlfriend. Schaapman and his ex-girlfriend currently live together. The incident occurred at about 7:00 a.m. at their residence. Schaapman refused medical treatment but then decided to have his daughter take him to San Joaquin County Hospital. After being treated, he returned to the Manteca Police Department. An investigation into the fight showed Schaapman was the dominant aggressor and was stabbed in self defense. He was booked into San Joaquin County Jail for Corporal Injury to Spouse.

Burglary Arrest: On December 12 at 12:27 p.m., officers responded to an interrupted residential burglary at 706 Emerald Place. Neighbors called 9-1-1 when they saw a suspicious gold Saturn occupied by a male and female park in front of the residence. The female stayed in the car while the male went up to the door and knocked. The male then checked the side gate and disappeared into the backyard. The female drove down the street and returned, parking partly in the driveway at the residence. She left the car running and went into the backyard area. Another neighbor went to the suspect vehicle and removed the keys so the suspects could not leave. The female returned and got into a verbal argument with the neighbor before running into the backyard again. Both neighbors know the owner of this residence well and knew these subjects did not belong there. Upon arrival, Officers cleared the residence. The suspects were already gone. Entry had been made by breaking into a bathroom window with a crowbar. It appeared the suspects had fled out a rear sliding door and over the fence onto Cobblestone Lane. Officers located the male suspect on Cobblestone Lane, and the female was later located in the 400 block of Elm Avenue. Both were positively identified by witnesses. Jewelry was recovered in the area and on the male suspect. It was later returned to the owner. Officers arrested a Hispanic male juvenile, 17, from Manteca. He was charged with Possession of Stolen Property, Burglary, Conspiracy and Gang Enhancement, and was also booked on a no bail misdemeanor warrant. Jessica Espinosa, 20, from San Martin, was booked for Contributing to the Delinquency of a Minor, Burglary, Conspiracy, and Unlicensed Driver.

Burglaries: On December 12, Officers responded to a report of two residential burglaries in the Del Webb area. At 4:58 a.m., Officers responded to an alarm on Glen Abby, a model home. Upon arrival, Officers discovered an interrupted burglary. Suspects had made entry by prying into a back glass sliding door. Appliances were removed from the kitchen and placed by front door. Footprints were located outside but no suspect was located. Nothing was actually taken from the residence. At 9:49 a.m. Officers discovered another burglary on Edge Brook, a short distance from Glen Abby burglary. When the new owners arrived at the house for a final walk-through, they discovered the burglary. Entry was made by prying open a back window. The appliances from the kitchen were removed and placed in the garage. Again, nothing was actually taken from the premises.

Parks and Recreation
CAMPRS and CAPS Team Up: CAMPRS (Community Ambassadors for Parks and Recreation Services) met with Nicole Gowan from Manteca CAPS to coordinate volunteer opportunities in support of our parks. Beginning in December, the CAPS will start providing volunteer work at Woodward and Northgate parks. They will provide weekly assistance with garbage clean up, weed removal, and clean up around the playgrounds and rake safety surfacing material back under the swings and slides. The plan is to clean Woodward on Mondays and Northgate on Fridays. Their numbers will fluctuate a bit, but we are anticipating about 10 people on each of the volunteer crews.

Community Development
Building Safety Activities: The City’s Building Safety Division conducted a total of 317 inspections during the week. The division issued 53 building permits, which included 15 Single-Family Dwelling, 3 Changes to Existing Plans, 1 Commercial Remodel, 1 Dry Rot Repair, 1 Hood and Duct, 2 Miscellaneous Electrical, 9 Miscellaneous Mechanical, 2 Miscellaneous Plumbing, 1 Patio, 5 Photovoltaic, 1 Power Pole, 1 Residential Addition, 1 Residential Remodel, 1 Commercial Roof, 3 Residential Roofs, 3 Sign Permits, 1 Government Building Miscellaneous and 1 Housing Code Violation. A total of 63 new project applications were submitted for plan check services, which included 59 Single-Family Dwellings, 1 Commercial Parking Lot, 1 Fire Sprinkler, 1 Sign and 1 Solar.

Highlights from The Week in Review (TWIR)

You can access the entire TWIR by clicking on the link on the right side of this page.

Police
Parolee at Large: On December 4 at 7:00 p.m., dispatch received an anonymous call that John Tacilauskas was in the area of Shasta School and was a parolee at large. A warrants check confirmed his parole status. Officers went to the area and located him walking on the 100 block of East Alameda. When Officers ordered him to stop, he fled on foot. Tacilauskas ran onto Grant, and jumped a fence into the east alley of 400 N. Main St. Tacilauskas hid behind a dumpster in the alley. He was located rolled up into a ball and would not comply with orders to show his hands. As Officers tried to take him into custody, they saw a gun next to him on the ground. Tacilauskas ignored orders to show his hands and rolled onto his hands under his stomach. He continued to ignore all orders to submit to custody and show his hands. Officers deployed a canine to get Tacilauskas to comply, but he continued to fight the dog. As one Officer reached in to take control of the gun, Tacilauskas kicked him in the face, causing injury. Ultimately, Tacilauskas was taken into custody. He was transported to Doctor's Hospital for treatment of the K9 bites. The gun was found to be a plastic replica derringer. John Tacilauskas, 31, of Manteca, was booked for being a Parolee at Large, Battery on Officer Causing Injury, and Resist/Delay/Obstruct an Officer.

Drug Arrest: On December 9 at approximately 9:35 p.m., an Officer observed a white Volvo traveling eastbound on Highway 120 at a high rate of speed. The Officer locked the Volvo on radar traveling 93 miles per hour in the posted 65 mph zone. The vehicle was stopped prior to it entering Highway 99. While speaking to the driver, the Officer observed a large glass container on the passenger floor board. The glass container had a large amount of marijuana inside the jar. The Officers searched the Volvo and located 610 grams of marijuana and records of sales. The driver also had 11.5 grams of Hashish on his person. The driver and passenger were arrested and transported to the Police Department. Both are students at Merced College. The driver, Danyaal Shahid Abbasi, was arrested for Possession of Marijuana for Sale, Transporting Marijuana, Possession of Over an Ounce of Marijuana, and DUI/Drugs. The passenger, Braden Michael Wiegand-Shahani, was arrested for Possession of Hashish, Possession of Marijuana for Sale, Transporting Marijuana, and Possession of Over an Ounce of Marijuana.

OTS Grants Pay Off: The Manteca Police Department participates in several traffic enforcement projects funded by the Office of Traffic Safety. During
2009-10, the department received $164,616 in State and Federal funding to assist the City in programs that will make our community a safe place to live, work, play and visit. Those grants include “Click it or Ticket” seat belt and child safety seat enforcement ($22,820), Mini Grant for Sobriety Checkpoints ($25,836), Vehicle Impound Program for unlicensed and suspended drivers ($88,000) and Countywide Avoid the 10 DUI Enforcement Project ($27,160). Many of the programs will be operating heavily during the next month to help ensure a safe holiday season. Your Police Department urges everyone to drive safety, fasten your seat belts and, when necessary, have a designated driver.

Fire
Fireworks Lottery: The 2010 Fireworks Lottery took place December 9. There were a total of five openings for 2010, and nine carryovers from a previous lottery drawing. A total of 24 non-profit organizations submitted fireworks applications this year. Those drawn for the five open fireworks stands include:
● Journey Church of Nazarene
● Boys & Girls Club
● Northgate Little League
● Manteca Historical Society
● His Way Recovery House
Carried over from the previous fireworks lottery:
● American Legion Post #249
● Calvary Community Church
● East Union High School Band Boosters
● Freedom Christian Center
● Knights of Columbus
● Manteca CAPS
● Manteca CVB
● Manteca High School Athletic Boosters
● South County Crisis Center
● City Stand: Manteca Police Officers Association

Emergency Incidents: We had a total of 90 incidents this week, which included four that were fire related: 3-Structure Fires and 1-Outside Fire. Dollar loss for the week was estimated at $145,000. The remaining calls this week were: EMS-62, Vehicle Accidents-4, Service Calls-12, and Other Emergencies-8.

Fire Prevention: This week’s Fire Prevention Activities included: Business Inspections-45, New Construction Inspections-10, Plan Checks-11, Certification of Occupanies-2, Business License Inspection-1, and Fire System Checks-8

Community Development
Jo-Ann’s Fabrics Coming to Manteca: The City has been notified that Jo-Ann Fabrics and Crafts is coming to Manteca. Kitchell Development, the developers of Manteca’s Stadium Center, confirmed that Jo-Ann’s will occupy the vacated Circuit City store. The new store is expected to open in the Spring of 2010. Jo-Ann’s will fill the last large vacancy in that shopping center. Jo-Ann’s is the nation’s largest fabric and craft retailer, with locations in 48 states. Founded in 1943, there are now more than 800 Jo-Ann stores across the country.

Building Safety Activities: The City’s Building Safety Division conducted a total of 288 inspections during the week. The division issued 31 building permits, which included 1 Single-Family Dwelling, 1 Change to Existing Plans, 1 Commercial Addition, 1 Commercial Remodel, 1 Fire Alarm, 1 Fire Sprinkler, 2 Miscellaneous Electrical, 3 Miscellaneous Mechanical, 4 Plumbing, 1 Patio, 3 Photovoltaic, 1 Residential Addition, 1 Residential Master, 1 Residential Remodel, 5 Roofs, 2 Sign Permits and 2 Tenant Infills. The two infills consisted of Fabulous Nails at Promenade, and the expansion of Stadium Dental Group at Stadium Center to include child specialty dental service. A total of 45 new project applications were submitted for plan check services, which included 27 Single-Family Dwellings, 3 Changes to Existing Plans, 2 Fire Sprinklers, 1 Residential Remodel, 5 Solar, 1 Swimming Pool and 2 Duplexes, which will include 2 Carports and 2 Accessory Buildings. Huff Construction has also completed the Prime Shine Car Wash, located at 1115 W Lathrop Road.

Public Works
First Winter Storm: Public Works reports that there were no major problems reported from the freezing weather and snow earlier this week. Staff received a few reports of icy sidewalks in front of some homes where sprinklers came on. Residents should remember that they may be liable for damages if their sprinklers cause someone to slip and fall on an icy sidewalk. Because plants are dormant or grow more slowly during the winter, residents are encouraged to conserve water by reprogramming their irrigation systems to run less often. Anyone who needs assistance with reprogramming their irrigation timer can contact the Water Division at 456-8466.

Bid Opening for Moffat Boulevard Water Pipeline Project: The Moffat Boulevard Water Pipeline Project will install approximately 4,000 feet of new 12-inch and 16-inch diameter water pipes from Spreckels Ave to Sherman Ave. Competitive construction bids for the project were opened on December 8, and 12 bidders submitted proposals, with the apparent low bid coming in at $321,823. The average price of all bids was $388,670, and the engineer’s estimate was listed at $390,000. Staff plans to place the award of this construction contract on the January 19 City Council agenda, and anticipates the start of construction to be approximately March 1, 2010.

Parks and Recreation
Winter/Spring Activity Guide: The Winter/Spring 2010 Activity Guide is published and available! Look for your copy in the mail this week. To download the Recreation Guide, register for classes online or to look up your favorite activity information, please visit us on the web at www.mantecagov.com/parks.

S.H.A.R.E.S. Fundraiser: The Manteca Parks and Recreation Department would like to remind everyone to continue using their Parks and Recreation Save Mart S.H.A.R.E.S cards throughout this holiday season. If you do not have a S.H.A.R.E.S card, please contact the Manteca Parks and Recreation Department at (209) 456-8600 to get your free card. Just as a reminder, the Parks and Recreation Department receives 3% of all purchases at SaveMart, Food Maxx, Lucky, and S-Mart Foods, and Save Mart.

Parks Vandalism: Vandals removed approximately 200 feet of copper wiring from the Sierra Creek Landscape Maintenance District. The wiring supplied power to the walkway lights located adjacent to the linear park. Park maintenance staff will work with Building Maintenance technicians to replace the wiring. The cost of materials and labor are expected to be $600.

Energy-Efficient Christmas Tree: New high-efficiency LED lights were installed on the new Christmas tree, located at the City Hall complex. The new lights will last much longer, because they are more durable and require less maintenance. This is a more cost-effective approach than continuing to use incandescent lights, and is a positive move toward reducing the City’s energy consumption. Happy holidays and enjoy the lights!

Highlights from "The Week in Review" (TWIR)

You can access the entire TWIR by clicking on the link on the right side of this page.

Fire
Emergency Incidents: We had a total of 94 incidents this week, which included 4 that were fire related: 1-Structure Fire, 1-Vehicle Fire, 1-Rubbish Fire, and 1-Outside Fire. Dollar loss for the week was minimal. The remaining calls this week were: EMS-65, Vehicle Accidents-5, Service Calls-12, and Other Emergencies-8.

Police
Residential Burglary Arrest: At 9:00 a.m. on November 20, officers responded to a report of a residential burglary at 1304 Higton St. Neighbors reported seeing suspicious subjects loitering near the residence and then break into the west-side window. Dispatch kept witnesses on the phone, while patrol and unmarked detectives set up a perimeter. One suspect was taken into custody immediately as he walked out from the side yard. Another was arrested after he jumped several fences into surrounding yards. The third was arrested a short distance away. Flat screen TVs, computer equipment and other electronic equipment was stacked just inside and outside of the residence. Erick Emanuel Flores, Eduardo Zubirias-Rios, and Alejandro Guadalupe Garcia, all San Jose residents, were arrested for burglary and possession of stolen property.

Drug Arrest: On November 20, members of the Streets Crimes Unit served a search warrant at 1956 Box Car Drive in Manteca. During the search, officers found marijuana, packaged marijuana, money, scales, packaging, marijuana plant and sales records. One juvenile male was arrested for possessing marijuana for sale. He was released on a juvenile citation to his mother. During the search, Mitchel Gray, 19, of Manteca showed up at the residence. Mitchel is also on probation with a search-and-seizure condition. Inside Mitchel’s car was marijuana packaged for sale. Mitchel was arrested for possessing marijuana for sale and transportation of marijuana.

Stabbing: On November 21, officers were dispatched to a report of a stabbing at 1555 Crestwood Ave., Unit No. 1. Victims reported they were walking from the street to a party. As they entered the driveway, they were confronted by two suspects. After a short verbal altercation, one of the suspects punched one victim in the head and face. A second suspect attacked a 15-year-old victim, cutting him on the neck. The suspects fled in an unknown direction. Witnesses gave officers conflicting suspect descriptions. Both victims were treated at Doctor’s Hospital of Manteca. The victim, who was cut on the neck, was fortunate. The emergency room physician said the cut, which was 6 to 8 inches long, was extremely close to cutting his carotid artery.

Recovered Stolen Vehicle: On November 27 at approximately 10:20 p.m., officers located a stolen Honda Accord in the Comfort Inn parking lot, 1920 E. Yosemite Ave. The stolen Honda had two stolen license plates, and parked in front of Room No. 114. Room 114 was registered to Christopher Balcom. Detectives responded to the scene and placed a GPS tracker on the vehicle. Detectives then set up surveillance and observed Balcom and Richard Araujo standing at the open driver’s-side door of the stolen vehicle. A short time later, Detectives saw the stolen Honda leaving the Comfort Inn parking lot and turn eastbound on East Yosemite Avenue. The Detectives followed the Honda eastbound on Highway 120. The driver of the stolen Honda parked in the Olde Towne Bar parking lot. Araujo was detained as he walked away from the stolen vehicle. Officers went back to the Comfort Inn, Room 114, and secured the room for preparation of a search warrant. While waiting for another Detective, Balcom and Celena Gordon walked up to the motel room. Both consented to a search of the motel room. Detectives located property from the stolen Honda Accord inside the motel room. Police also discovered stolen property from a residential burglary out of Stockton. Statements from both Balcom and Araujo revealed they were part of a group who is responsible for several residential burglaries and auto thefts that occurred in the Manteca and Stockton areas. Detectives responded to the scene to recover the stolen property, search Balcom’s storage unit for additional stolen property, and to follow up with Stockton Police for additional victims. Richard Steven Araujo was arrested for Vehicle Theft, Possession of a Stolen Vehicle, Possession of Stolen Property, and Felony While Released on O/R. Christopher John Balcom was arrested for Possession of Stolen Property and Possession of a Controlled Substance.

Stabbing: On November 27 at approximately midnight, MPD Officers responded to 733 Tahoe St. in regard to the resident finding a victim of a stabbing in his front yard. The victim, Danielle Bernardeau, was with her ex-boyfriend, Charles Benham, in a vehicle in the Jack-in-the Box parking lot on South Main Street. Benham was upset with Bernardeau due to their recent break-up and her filing a temporary restraining order against him. During the argument, Benham took out a fixed-blade knife and stabbed Bernardeau in the right thigh. Bernardeau and Benham drove from the Jack-in-the Box parking lot to 733 Tahoe St. She started feeling sick so she stopped and started drinking water from the resident’s garden hose in the front yard. The resident saw the light and heard the water running and walked outside to investigate. He located Bernardeau in the front yard. The resident escorted the victim into his residence and called for an ambulance. Benham walked away and is still at large. The victim was transported to Doctor’s Hospital, where she was treated and released.

On December 1, officers located Benham walking in the 700 block of West Yosemite Avenue. He was arrested without incident and booked for Domestic Violence and Assault with a Deadly Weapon.

Carjacking: On November 29 at 3:00 p.m., a carjacking occurred next to the park in the 1900 block of Crestwood Avenue. The victims were parked next to the sidewalk. A subject walked up to the passenger side and asked the passenger and driver if they had a cigarette. They told him they didn't have any. The suspect pulled out a black semi-automatic handgun from his waistband and shoved it into the passenger’s ribcage. The suspect ordered both victims out of the vehicle. The suspect and three other subjects who were loitering a short distance away climbed into the pickup and left the area. The victims watched the pickup go north on the west-side frontage road and then south onto Highway 99. The suspects were not known to either victim. On December 1, a Ripon police officer located the stolen vehicle in that city. Police detained the three occupants, two juveniles and one adult, and searched the car. They located a handgun and numerous items of gang paraphernalia. It was determined the two juveniles were not involved in the original carjacking, and they were released to their parents. Miguel Zamora, 18, of Tracy, was booked for Possession of Stolen Property and Auto Theft.

Firearms Arrest: On December 1, Detectives were on patrol in the 500 block of South Veach Avenue. They drove past Timothy Franklin, a transient, who they knew had warrants for his arrest. As soon as Franklin saw them, he fled on foot and was pursued by police. Timothy ran into the backyard of 530 S. Veach and then into the house, where he was caught and detained. He was later booked on the warrants and transported to jail. Additional patrol and detective units arrived at the house as back-up. Also in the house was Christopher Cebrian and Raquel Azevedo. Both had warrants for their arrest and were transported to the Police Department for booking. During the investigation, Detectives were standing outside the house and in the front yard. A small white car drove by with Sean Malendrez, a transient parolee out of Manteca, in the front passenger seat. Detectives attempted to stop Malendrez to conduct a parole search. The driver of the white car sped up and turned onto Edith Street, where Malendrez jumped out of the car and fled on foot into a backyard. Detectives followed and caught the suspect, detaining him for the search. Detectives went back and searched the path of the foot pursuit. They found a loaded .44 magnum revolver on the ground. Malendrez was charged with a violation of his parole, Felon in Possession of a Concealed, Loaded Firearm, Obstructing an Officer and Being a Gang Member in Possession of a Loaded Firearm. It was later determined the pistol was stolen out of Manteca.

Fraud Arrest: On November 15, Detectives began investigating a reported fraud case involving Steven Garcia and numerous victims of a scam. Garcia had befriended approximately 20 teachers, parents and staff at McParland School, with the promise of selling a laptop computer for $275. He accepted the money from over 15 people, but never delivered the computers. The investigation showed that Garcia took well over $8,000 from the victims without delivering the purchased computers. On December 2, Detectives received information regarding Garcia’s location in Stockton. They set up a sting and were able to locate Garcia as he left a residence. Garcia was taken into custody for the Fraud, Grand Theft, and an outstanding felony warrant.

Public Works
Recycling Education: The State budget crisis may impact the City’s recycling education program. We have historically received approximately $17,000 for the CRV value of the bottles and cans that are recycled through our curbside recycling program. The State has taken most of the funds allocated for this program to use for other purposes, and the City has been informed that we will only receive approximately $850 this year. The City historically used these funds to purchase bottle/can recycling containers for schools, classrooms, cafeterias and apartment complexes, printing recycling brochures, and to purchase give-away items made from recycled materials to hand out at the Pumpkin Fair, Street Fair and various other community events.

Finance Lobby Remodel: The Finance lobby remodel project is essentially complete. Building Maintenance and Finance staff worked closely to minimize the cost of this project by clearly defining the needs, and by using modular furniture components, where possible, to reduce structural changes to the building. Staff also scheduled all of this work so that it could be completed without any disruption to customer service. The new lobby configuration increases the inside waiting area, improves flow by adding another door, and should improve our customer service, while increasing staff efficiency and comfort. The project was completed during the holiday/furlough closure week to minimize the impact on City staff and the public.

Community Development
Building Safety Activities: The City’s Building Safety Division conducted a total of 291 inspections during the week. The division issued 19 building permits, which consisted of 5 Single-Family Dwellings, 1 Hood and Duct, 1 Miscellaneous Electrical, 5 Miscellaneous Plumbing, 1 Residential Remodel, 5 Roofs and 1 Sign Permit. A total of eight new project applications were submitted for plan check services, which included 1 Commercial Electrical, 1 Commercial Remodel, 3 Fire Alarms, 1 Patio, 1 Residential Fire Repair, and 1 Sign.

Highlights from The Week in Review (TWIR)

You can access the entire TWIR by clicking on the link on the right side of this page.

Police
DUI Checkpoint: On November 15, the Manteca Police Department Traffic Unit conducted a DUI checkpoint in the 900 block of East Yosemite Avenue from 6:00 p.m. to midnight. The following is a result of the checkpoint:
487 vehicles passed through the checkpoint
455 vehicles were screened
10 Field Sobriety Tests were administered
0 arrests were made for DUI
16 vehicles were towed for unlicensed or suspended drivers

Church Burglary: On November 6, officers investigated a burglary at Northgate Community Church, 650 Northgate Dr. Approximately $10,000 worth of musical instruments were taken during this burglary. Earlier this week, Detectives received information as to the location of some of the stolen property. Detectives, along with members of the Street Crimes Unit, followed up on this lead and were able to identify the burglary suspect, Carl Shouland. They also located most of the stolen property at several residences in Manteca, Modesto and Livermore. Shouland was located and arrested. During a subsequent lengthy interview, Shouland admitted to burglarizing the church and taking the property to a location in the 200 block of Marty Drive. The property was sold to various people from that location. Carl was arrested on a parole violation and burglary. Detectives also arrested another subject, Justin Tellez, on an unrelated charge during one of the searches. Northgate Community Church Associate Pastor David Thompson responded to the Police Department and identified all of the property.

Fire
Food Drive a Success: The Firefighters’ 2nd Annual “Fill the Fire Engine” Food Drive, which was held November 14 at the Safeway Store on North Main Street, was a huge success, resulting in more than 5,000 pounds of food being collected for local families. In addition, there were monetary donations from the community totaling $170, with Firefighters adding another $1,000 to that amount, which was presented to Second Harvest Food Bank.

Emergency Incidents: We had a total of 91 incidents this week, which included six that were fire related: 3-Structure Fires, 1-Vehicle Fire, 1-Dumpster Fire, and 1-Rubbish Fire. Dollar loss for the week was estimated at $28,000 The remaining calls this week were: EMS-50, Vehicle Accidents-4, Service Calls-6, and Other Emergencies-25.

Fire Prevention: This week’s Fire Prevention Activities included: Business Inspections-36, New Construction Inspections-6, Plan Checks-7, and Fire System Checks-2.

Fire Demos and Presentations: Engine Company 242 hosted a Cub Scout tour of Station No. 2 on November 16. Firefighters gave the Scouts demonstrations on the different fire equipment and fire safety.

Public Works
Powers Tract Alley: Streets Maintenance crews spread recycled asphalt grindings from ongoing paving projects in the alley along Cowell Street. This alley was too narrow to pave when the rest of the alleys in Powers Tract were paved recently. The grindings provide a low-cost, durable, all-weather surface for the alley. As time allows, crews will be back on site raising meter boxes, valves and manholes to meet the new grades.

Sidewalk Improvements: Streets Maintenance crews have recently responded to several potential sidewalk trip hazards. Residents are encouraged to notify the Streets Division of any areas where sidewalks are unsafe. Crews can often grind the raised edge of the sidewalk to solve the problem. If the sidewalk has to be replaced due to significant root intrusion, they will temporarily grind or ramp the area to make it safe until permanent repairs can be made.

Stimulus Money at Work: Paving of streets around the City will continue this week and into the next, as George Reed is continuing the overlay project funded with Federal ARRA money.

Thanksgiving Schedule: Residents are reminded that the Solid Waste Division will collect garbage as usual during Thanksgiving week, to include on Thanksgiving Day. The only holidays that we do not collect garbage are Christmas and New Year’s.

Community Development
Building Safety Activities: The City’s Building Safety Division conducted a total of 364 inspections during the week. The division issued 52 building permits, which consisted of 16 Single-Family Dwellings,1 Change to Existing Plans, 1 Commercial Remodel, 2 Fire Sprinklers, 1 Grading, 4 Miscellaneous Electric, 2 Miscellaneous Mechanical, 4 Miscellaneous Plumbing, 1 Patio, 10 Photovoltaic, 9 Roofs and 1 Tenant Infill for the Manteca Visitor’s and Convention Bureau office in the Promenade center. A total of 17 new project applications were submitted for plan check services, which included 11 Single-Family Dwellings, 1 Commercial Canopy, 1 Commercial Coach, 1 Commercial Electric, 1 Commercial Remodel, 1 Fire Alarm, 1 Fuel Tank, 1 Hood and Duct, 1 Residential Fire Repair, 1 Commercial Mixed use Wall, 6 Solar, 1 Storage Rack and 1 Storage Shed.

Highlights from "The Week in Review" (TWIR)

You can access the entire TWIR by clicking on the link on the right side of this page.

Fire
Food Drive: Firefighters will be holding their 2nd Annual “Fill the Fire Engine” Food Drive at Safeway, 1187 S. Main St., on November 14, from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Last year’s event was a huge success, and firefighters are looking forward to this year’s response from the community. All proceeds will benefit Second Harvest Food Bank, which is supplying local families with items for holiday meals. Everyone is encouraged to stop by and support this event.

Emergency Incidents: We had a total of 88 incidents this week, which included 5 that were fire related: 3-Structure Fires, 1-Vehicle Fire and 1-Rubbish Fire. Dollar loss for the week was minimal. The remaining calls this week were: EMS-49, Vehicle Accidents-5, Service Calls-15, and Other Emergencies-14.

Fire Prevention: This week’s Fire Prevention Activities included: Business Inspections-39, New Construction Inspections-10, Plan Checks-8, and Fire System Checks-14.

Police
Drug Endangered Child: At 6:00 p.m. on November 6, Manteca Police was notified of a 10-month old infant under the influence of methamphetamine at San Joaquin County General Hospital. The infant was brought in because it “wasn't acting normally.” Blood work confirmed that this was because the infant was under the influence of meth. Detectives responded to the hospital while Patrol locked down the victim’s residence pending Detectives’ arrival. Child Protective Services responded to the hospital to coordinate with officers. The child was admitted to the hospital for precautionary measures as a result of the meth, and a welfare hold was also placed on the child. Other than normal dangers associated with a 10-month old infant being under the influence of meth, its life does not appear to be in jeopardy at this time, though the child will experience withdrawals during detox. Detectives arrested the infant’s mother, Stacey Bowling. She was booked at the San Joaquin County Jail for Child Endangerment, Possession of a Controlled Substance, and Being under the Influence of a Controlled Substance.

Shooting: On November 7 at approximately 1:33 a.m., Officers were dispatched to a shooting at Strike Zone, 1251 E. Yosemite Ave. Upon arrival, Officers located three 9mm casings and 10 40-caliber casings in the southeast corner of the parking lot. There were no witnesses to the shooting. A teal or blue-green Chevrolet Caprice with chrome wheels was seen leaving the parking lot at a high rate of speed. The department received third-hand information that someone was shot in the leg. All of the local hospitals were contacted regarding any possible gunshot victim. There is no additional information regarding a victim. One vehicle parked in the Strike Zone parking had two bullet holes in the back of the vehicle. The owner was inside the bowling alley at the time of the shooting.

Indecent Exposure: On November 7 at 8:09 a.m., officers responded to a report of an indecent exposure in the 300 block of South Union Road. The victim reported that the suspect stood within inches of the victim’s window and exposed himself. When the victim heard a noise outside, she saw the suspect. The suspect fled the scene after the victim closed the window blinds. He is described as a white male, early 30s, 5'8" - 5'9", 185 pounds, with short light-brown hair and a thin mustache. The suspect was wearing a black jacket and unknown pants.

Public Works
State Route 99 Widening: A public hearing for the State Route 99 Widening Project (State Route 120 to Arch Road) will be held November 16 from 5:30 to 8:00 p.m. in the Community Gym at Golden West Elementary School, 1031 N. Main St. This hearing will give members of the public the opportunity to talk with Caltrans staff about certain design features of the project before the final design is selected. The tentative schedule for the purchase of land for right-of-way and construction will be discussed, and Caltrans staff will explain the department’s relocation assistance for residents who may be affected by the project.

McKinley Avenue Expressway: The first community workshop on the future alignment of proposed McKinley Avenue Expressway was held November 5 at the Manteca Library. Approximately 70 local residents participated in discussions regarding the process to choose an alignment, and the pros and cons of the alignment alternatives that where depicted on the maps. From the information gathered at this workshop, staff has revised the possible alignments. A second community workshop will be scheduled for the first week in December.

Community Development
B.R. Funsten: Work on the B.R. Funsten industrial warehouse project located at South Main Street and Industrial Park Drive is near completion on the warehouse component. Beginning November 16, B. R. Funsten will begin relocating flooring products from its warehouse in Fairfield to the new warehouse in Manteca. The project is currently two weeks ahead of the December 1 schedule for completion of the warehouse.

Zoning Ordinance Update: Work is continuing on proposed updates to the City’s Zoning Ordinance. Staff will be scheduling a second community workshop sometime in early February 2010.

Promenade Center: Construction work is under way on new luxury outlet space at the Promenade Shopping Center, with completion scheduled for Spring 2010. Construction of the Red Robin restaurant is also moving along, with a proposed opening date of February 2010. The Hampton Inn/Suites project should be completed in March 2010.

Building Safety Activities: The City’s Building Safety Division conducted a total of 229 inspections during the week. The division issued 28 building permits, which consisted of 8 Single-Family Dwellings, 2 Commercial Remodels, 1 Miscellaneous Electrical, 4 Miscellaneous Mechanical, 1 Photovoltaic, 2 Power Poles, 8 Reroofs, 1 Vapor Recovery, and 1 Vanilla Tenant Infill out at Promenade. A total of five new project applications were submitted for plan check services, which included 2 Single-Family Dwellings, 1 Patio, 1 Residential Remodel and 1 Sign. In addition, Chillaberry Yogurt at the Stadium Center is close to final inspection.

Parks and Recreation
LMD Update: City parks maintenance crews began maintaining the landscaping within the Landscape Maintenance Districts (LMDs) on July 1 of this year. During this time, staff also performed an assessment of each LMD to develop a systematic approach to improve the appearance of the landscaping. As a result, crews have started replacing missing plant material in several locations. More than 225 plants were replaced in the Bianchi/Paseo LMD, and 25 trees were planted in the Chadwick LMD. Irrigation system upgrades have also been performed to help reduce water consumption.

Civic Center Improvements: Parks maintenance crews have been working closely with crews in Public Works to renovate the new walkway leading to the Finance Department. Public Works crews removed and replaced the sidewalk so it will meet ADA (handicap-accessible) compliance. As a result, the adjacent landscaping and irrigation system were impacted because of the change in grade. Parks maintenance crews re-graded the area and replaced the turf this week. The irrigation system may come on periodically during the day, until the root system in the new sod gets established. Once improvements to the exterior of the Finance Department renovation are completed, Parks crews will finish the landscape installation directly adjacent to the building.

Highlights from "The Week in Review" (TWIR)

You can access the entire TWIR by clicking on the link on the right side of this page.

Fire Department
Emergency Incidents: We had a total of 81 incidents this week, which included four that were fire related: 2-Structure Fires, 1-Cooking Fire, and 1-Grass Fire. Dollar loss for the week was estimated at $502,500. The remaining calls this week were: EMS-39, Vehicle Accidents-6, Service Calls-18, and Other Emergencies-14.

Fire Prevention: This week’s Fire Prevention Activities included: Business Inspections-42, New Construction Inspections-16, Plan Checks-10, and Fire System Checks-17.

Public Works
Fall Leaf Pickup: The Streets and Solid Waste divisions will begin the City’s annual curbside leaf pickup on November 30. Leaf collection requires the City to pull our streets workers from other jobs and reconfigure our equipment for leaf collection, which prevents us from using that equipment for other jobs. Therefore, staff waits until the majority of the leaves have fallen before curbside leaf collection can begin, so that we can limit the amount of time where other tasks cannot be accomplished. Residents are encouraged to place leaves into their green Toters whenever possible, because it is much more efficient and less costly for City staff to collect leaves from the Toters. If the leaves will not fit into the green Toter, then they can be piled in the street. Piles should be configured so that they do not extend into the travel lane or block the flow of water along the curb. As a reminder, residents who use a yard service should instruct their yard service to place yard clippings and leaves into their green Toter or haul them away, instead of just blowing them into the street where they may contaminate or block the storm drains.

City Hall Sidewalk Project: As part of the project to improve customer access to services at City Hall – specifically, the Finance Department, the Streets Division will reconfigure the sidewalks between the Center Street parking lot and the Finance Office this weekend. The crews are doing the work during the weekend to minimize the inconvenience to residents and staff. This project will improve handicapped accessibility and will also allow for another door into the Finance lobby. Work to remodel the Finance lobby and improve handicapped parking spaces in the Center Street lot will be completed in the coming weeks.

Streetlight Repairs: The City’s streetlight contractor normally repairs all reported problems within a week or two. The contractor is currently taking a little longer to get some of the lights repaired because many of their resources have been diverted to repair damage from the recent windstorms. The contractor did spend extra time last week repairing as many lights as possible before Halloween, and they are working to get caught up. However, our trouble reports usually increase when the clocks are turned back, as they were last Sunday, and residents notice more streetlight problems – so we may experience longer repair times for a few more weeks.

Parks & Recreation
Donation to Youth Scholarship Program: The Friends of the Manteca Parks and Recreation Foundation have donated $5,000 to the Youth Scholarship Program. This donation was made possible by the Swing for Youth Golf Tournament that was held July 24. The City of Manteca, and specifically the Recreation Division, offers scholarship assistance to families in need of youth- and teen-related activities, including youth sports, swim lessons, arts classes, dance, self-defense and performing arts classes. This donation is expected to provide assistance to more than 100 students. Since the Foundation’s creation in 2007, nearly $10,000 in scholarships have been awarded.

Community Development
Building Safety Activities: The City’s Building Safety Division conducted a total of 342 inspections during the week. The division issued 36 building permits: 4 Single-Family Dwellings, 2 Commercial Canopies, 1 Fire Alarm, 1 Fire Sprinklers, 2 Hood and Duct, 2 Miscellaneous Electrical, 6 Miscellaneous Mechanical, 1 Miscellaneous Plumbing, 1 Patio, 1 Residential Master, 10 Roofs, 1 Sign Permit, 1 Storage Rack, 1 Swimming Pool, 1 Commercial Remodel, and 1 Grading Permit for the Magnolia Street Apartments. A total of 27 new project applications were submitted for plan check services, which included 16 Single-Family Dwellings, 1 Commercial Remodel, 1 Fire Sprinkler, 2 Signs, 2 Solar, and 1 Tenant Infill. Final inspections are being made at BR. Funsten on the warehouse phase. They plan to complete the racking and move product from other locations starting November 16. Red Robin has poured its foundation, is erecting steel frame work and completing site work. Hampton Inn and Suites is currently stuccoing the exterior of the building. Walls are going up on one of two shell buildings at the Promenade center.

HIghlights from "The Week in Review"

You can access the entire TWIR by clicking on the link on the right side of this page.

Fire Department
Emergency Incidents: We had a total of 96 incidents this week, which included 9 that were fire related: 4-Structure Fires, 2-Cooking Fires, 1-Vehicle Fire, 1-Grass Fire, and 1-Outside Fire. Dollar loss for the week was estimated at $180,000. The remaining calls this week were: EMS-60, Vehicle Accidents-3, Service Calls-12, and Other Emergencies-12.

Significant Incidents: The excessive winds that swept through Manteca on Tuesday caused multiple calls for downed power lines, as well as a grass fire on Highway 120, and multiple public service calls within the city. Other significant calls this week included:

Structure Fires:
· 1830 E. Yosemite Ave., October 22
Firefighters responded to a mobile home fire with a person inside in El Rancho Mobile Home Park. Upon arrival, they found a fully involved mobile home fire with the occupant out. Firefighters immediately began fire attack operations because of the close proximity of neighboring units. With the aggressive fire operations, the fire was brought under control with minimal exposure damage to the unit to the south and east. The cause was attributed to an unattended pot on the stove.

· 1900 Block of Linda Jean Lane, October 24
Firefighters responded to Linda Jean Lane for a structure fire. Upon arrival, they found an oven fire that was contained to the area of origin. Firefighters stayed on scene to ventilate the home from the residual smoke before clearing the scene.

· 1200 Block of Stonum Lane, October 28
Firefighters responded to a structure fire on Wednesday afternoon on Stonum Lane to find a smoldering stove fire that was contained to the stove and nearby materials. The cause of the fire was determined to be accidental with the owner turning on the wrong burner. After extinguishment, firefighters remained on scene for fire overhaul and ventilation.

Vehicle Accidents:
· Milo Candini Drive, October 24
Engine Company 242 and Truck 24 responded to a vehicle vs. motorcycle accident at Big League Dreams. Upon arrival, they found a motorcycle that had hit a parked vehicle in the parking lot. The patient was treated at the scene and transported to a local medical facility.

· Northbound Highway 99 at Lathrop Road, October 25
Engine Company 241 responded to a vehicle accident on northbound Highway 99 at Lathrop Road to find two vehicles off the shoulder – one on its roof and the other on its side. Two patients were treated at the scene and transported to a local hospital.

· New Horizons Drive, October 27
Engine Company 241 responded to a vehicle accident at New Horizons Drive and Pestana Avenue to find a solo vehicle into a pole. Firefighters provided patient care, secured the vehicle and stopped fluids from entering the storm drain.

Fire Prevention: This week’s Fire Prevention activities included: Business Inspections-41, New Construction Inspections-9, Plan Checks-2, and Fire System Checks-2.

Police Department
Robbery: On October 24 at 6:00 a.m., a robbery occurred at the Chevron station, 1257 W. Yosemite Ave. The subject walked to the back and grabbed a beer from the cooler and stood in line. Once all of the customers were gone, the suspect displayed a silver handgun and told the two employees to open the register. The suspect took cash from the drawer and fled westbound out of view. Witnesses outside of the business saw the suspect vehicle waiting on the west side of the business. The suspect vehicle was last seen eastbound in the parking lot. The suspect is describes as an African-American male, mid to late 20s, 5’8” to 5’10”, 165-175 pounds, very short hair, unshaven facial “peach fuzz,” medium to dark complexion. He was last seen wearing a dark, hooded sweatshirt and dark pants.

Chop Shop and Drug House: On October 27 at approximately 1:00 p.m., members of the Street Crimes Unit went to 14421 Navajo Way to conduct a probation search of Christopher Rommel. Rommel refused to open the door and a forced entry was made. Inside the house, officers found 37.6 grams of marijuana, four rifles and ammunition, drug paraphernalia, a stolen car and what appeared to be a stolen vehicle “Chop Shop.” Detectives of the auto theft taskforce were called because of the stolen car and chop shop. Rommel was transported to the Police Department and booked. He was charged with being in possession of gun and ammunition by a felon, vehicle theft and drug charges.

Community Development
B.R. Funsten: Work is proceeding on the new B.R. Funsten industrial warehouse building on Industrial Park Drive/North Main Street. The warehouse component of the project is basically complete. Staff will be meeting next week with B.R. Funsten and its contractor to finalize recent proposed changes to the project, and to begin the process for the City to perform final inspections. This has been built in record time!

Luxury Outlets: Work has begun on two of three new buildings for luxury outlet retail space at the Promenade Shopping Center. In addition, construction work is continuing on the Hampton Inn/Suites and the Red Robin Restaurant.
Hampton Inn is getting ready to start sheetrock on the 4th floor, and will work their way down. The exterior footings have been poured for Red Robin, and the foundation should be poured next week.

Matrix Study: Staff is scheduling a series of upcoming meetings with the Manteca Chapter of the BIA (Building Industry Association of the Delta) to discuss the Matrix Cost Recovery Study. The purpose of the study is to quantify the City’s costs in delivering development-related services.

CenterPoint: Work is almost finished on the Master Plan for the CenterPoint project area, located on Airport Way between Lathrop Road and Roth Road. The Environmental Impact Report is also under way. The key component of the CenterPoint project is an intermodal center.

Building Safety Activities: The City’s Building Safety Division conducted a total of 237 inspections during the week. The division issued 62 building permits: 26 Single-Family Dwellings, 1 Antennae, 1 Change to Existing Plans, 1 Commercial Remodel, 1 Fire Alarm, 3 Miscellaneous Electrical, 3 Miscellaneous Mechanical, 4 Miscellaneous Plumbing, 3 Patios, 3 Residential Fire Repairs, 1 Residential Remodel, 14 Roofs and 1 Sign Permit. A total of 27 new project applications were submitted for plan check services, which included 11 Single-Family Dwellings, 1 Change to Existing Plans, 2 Commercial Additions, 2 Commercial Remodel, 2 Fire Alarms, 1 Fire Sprinkler, 1 Hood and Duct, 1 Patio, 4 Residential Remodels, 1 Solar and 1 Tenant Infill for a new dental office.

Public Works
McKinley Avenue Expressway: The first workshop for the proposed McKinley Avenue Expressway will be held Thursday, November 5, in the McFall Room of the Manteca Library, 320 West Center St., from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. Staff will engage the participants to gather community input into the alignment of this roadway. The McKinley Avenue Expressway will extend between an interchange at McKinley Avenue/State Route 120 and a new Austin Road/State Route 99 interchange. This supports the “bookend” development concept for Manteca, south of the State Route 120 Bypass, which places large business/industrial parks at each end of this roadway.

Highlights from "The Week in Review" (TWIR)

You can access the entire TWIR by clicking on the link on the right side of this page.

Community Development
Building Safety Activities: The City’s Building Safety Division conducted a total of 314 inspections during the week. The division issued 30 building permits: 1 Single-Family Dwelling, 1 Commercial Canopy, 1 Commercial Demolition, 1 Fire Sprinkler, 4 Miscellaneous Mechanical, 5 Miscellaneous Plumbing, 1 Patio, 7 Photovoltaic, 1 Residential Remodel, 3 Roofs, 2 Signs, 1 Storage Shed, 1 Swimming Pool, and 1 Commercial Coach for MRI use at Kaiser Hospital. A total of 27 new project applications were submitted for plan check services, which included 12 Single-Family Dwellings, 8 Changes to Existing Plans, 1 Commercial Canopy, 1 Commercial Remodel, 1 Patio, 1 Residential Master, 1 Sign, 1 Solar and 1 Swimming Pool.

Public Works
New Wastewater Discharge Permit: Like others who discharge wastewater in California, Manteca must renew its wastewater discharge permit every five years. Last week, the Regional Water Quality Control Board adopted a new permit for the City that is valid through October 2014. The permit will allow the City to significantly expand its discharge to the San Joaquin River from 9.87 mgd (million gallons per day) to 17.5 mgd. This authorization secures the environmental and regulatory permits needed for the sewer plant to support growth for many years to come. Unfortunately, staff was unable to persuade the Board to exclude a stringent salinity limit that will be very difficult to meet without the addition of costly new treatment facilities. At the Board’s permit adoption meeting, staff presented the facts and history on how the City’s discharge has dramatically improved over the last fiver years, including significant reductions in salinity levels, and how the cost of meeting this new salt limit will have detrimental impacts to Manteca’s ratepayers. Staff also showed how this salinity limit will result in essentially no improvement to the environment and, thus, did not justify the costs of compliance. The Board was sympathetic to the City’s concerns, but felt compelled to impose a strict salinity limit on the City, based on recent rulings from its supervising agency, the State Water Quality Board. Staff will appeal the City’s new discharge permit to the State Water Board with the goal of obtaining relief from the unnecessarily strict salinity limit. The City Council and the public may recall that staff was successful in obtaining relief from the same overly stringent salinity limit in 2004 by appealing the City’s then current discharge permit to the State Board. With the 2009 discharge permit, staff is cautiously optimistic about obtaining relief, despite the State Board’s recent rulings on the permits for Tracy, Lodi and Stockton, where the State Board upheld the strict salinity limits. The Regional Board and the other local agencies are now working cooperatively to address the issue, and expect the State Board will ultimately participate in the adoption of a realistic standard that addresses the broad needs of various constituents appropriately. In the meantime, the City will not be penalized for non-compliance with its new salinity limit. Included in the City’s new discharge permit is a five-year compliance window for salinity, which is the maximum compliance term allowed under the law. Staff will also continue to pursue all other salinity compliance options to prevent financial impacts to the City’s ratepayers.

Parks and Recreation
Parks Cleanup: Maintenance crews responded to more than 100 calls for downed trees and limbs throughout the City. The golf course also lost 10 trees and had several limb failures. In most cases, the hazards were cleared and set aside, so that crews could respond to other calls. The latter part of last week and early part of this week was spent clearing the remaining debris. Maintenance crews responded to more than 100 calls for downed trees and limbs throughout the City. The golf course also lost 10 trees and had several limb failures. In most cases, the hazards were cleared and set aside, so that crews could respond to other calls. The latter part of last week and early part of this week was spent clearing the remaining debris.

Fire
Significant Incidents:
● Vehicle Fires
- 300 Block of West Yosemite Avenue, October 16
. - 1800 Block of Genoa Drive, October 19
- 1300 Block of North Main Street, October 19

● Structure Fires
- 1055 S. Main Street – October 16
Engine 242 and Truck 24 were dispatched to a structure fire at the former Mervyn’s Store on South Main Street. Upon arrival, firefighters found the loading dock on the northeast side of the building fully involved in fire, surrounding the two metal roll-up doors. Access was made to the interior by cutting through the roll-up door. The interior was filled with smoke; however, fire did not breach the walls into the building. Truck 24 accessed the roof via the aerial ladder to ensure there was no fire extension. The fire was contained to the dock area with minimal damage to the building.

- 1212 W. Center Street – October 17
Firefighters were dispatched to a structure fire at an apartment complex at 1212 W. Center St. to find smoke coming from one of the four-plex apartment buildings. Upon entry, firefighters found heavy smoke and high heat, and located a smoldering fire in a sofa in the living room, which was quickly extinguished. Firefighters then accessed adjoining units to ensure there was no fire extension.

- 189 W. Louise Avenue – October 19
Engine Company 243 was dispatched to a structure fire in a large commercial unit to find a light haze throughout the store. Upon further investigation, they found a smoldering fire in a compactor outside the store’s door. The fire was quickly extinguished and the building vented.
● Vehicle Accidents
- Highway 120 at South Main Street – October 16
Engine Company 241 responded to a vehicle accident on eastbound Highway 120, west of South Main Street. The patient was assessed at the scene and declined medical treatment.

- Highway 120 at Highway 99 – October 17
Engine Company 242 and Truck 24 responded to another vehicle accident on Highway 120 at the Highway 99 interchange. Upon arrival, they found a single-vehicle rollover with no injuries.

Fire Prevention: This week’s Fire Prevention Activities included: Business Inspections-37, New Construction Inspections-7, Plan Checks-8, and Fire System Checks-6.

Police
Fraud Arrest: On October 16 at approximately 4:00 p.m., detectives and parole agents conducted a probation search at 442 N. Walnut Ave. The residence was occupied by Lastarza Williams, who has prior arrests and convictions for fraud/forgery and burglary. During the course of the probation search, detectives located meth pipes, stolen/forged checks, and checks written to various businesses in Manteca on a closed account. Evidence also showed Williams opened an account at a local bank using a false name. Detectives conducted a preliminary investigation into the matter and discovered numerous checks were passed at Raley’s, located at 1280 W. Lathrop Road. Williams also had a computer and printer she was using to manipulate the checks. All evidence was recovered and Williams was arrested for numerous offenses, including possession of stolen property, passing a fictitious check, possession of a forged check with intent to defraud, and possession of a meth pipe. She was recently sentenced on a forgery/burglary, which occurred at the Uncle Credit Union, and was on probation for that conviction.

Highlights from "The Week in Review" (TWIR)

You can access the entire TWIR by clicking on the link on the right side of this page.

Public Works
Rain Storm Report: Several alarms and requests for service were handled by the staff at the Wastewater Quality Control Facility and Streets Division during the recent rain storm. This included some after-hours call-outs. The high winds created radio communications problems, and the volume of rain overloaded a few of the City’s storm drain pumps. Our data monitoring and control system worked well, identifying where the problems were so they could be corrected in a timely matter. Overall, the storm system worked as designed, with the retention basins collecting the flow from the streets and holding the water until it could be pumped away. By Thursday, most of the basins had no standing water, except for a few basins where pumping was delayed.

Community Development
Enterprise Zone: The City has been notified that the State Department of Housing and Community Development has awarded a Targeted Employee Area (TEA) for the San Joaquin County Enterprise Zone. Of the 14 census tracts that are located at least partially in Manteca’s City limits, 10 have received this designation. Everyone who lives in a TEA automatically qualifies for the State Hiring Tax Credit that companies who hire them can receive if they are located in an Enterprise Zone (EZ). The Hiring Tax Credit allows EZ companies to reduce State income tax by a percentage of qualified wages paid to eligible new employees. The State’s Hiring Tax Credit currently totals up to $37,400 for each eligible employee over a five-year period and, importantly, is retroactive for all eligible employees hired on or after June 22, 2008, which is when the San Joaquin County Enterprise Zone was approved. Residents in a TEA are one of 11 targeted groups of eligible employees whose companies that hire them can receive the Hiring Tax Credits. Other groups of eligible new employees include those who are economically disadvantaged; qualified Veterans; disabled; ex-offenders; qualified displaced workers; enrolled in WIA, Calworks or WOTC (Work Opportunity Tax Credit); receive public assistance such as food stamps, cash aid, TANF, WIC, etc.; or are Native American Indian, Hawaiian or Samoan.

Zoning Ordinance Update Workshop: Staff is holding the first workshop on updating the City’s Zoning Ordinance. The meeting will be held October 27 at the Senior Center from 5:30 to 7:00 p.m. This workshop will focus on ideas from the community and development stakeholders for possible changes to the Zoning Ordinance involving land uses, parking ratios, setbacks, height, density and allowable uses.

Building Safety Activities: The Building Safety Division conducted a total of 210 inspections during the week. The division issued 28 building permits: 2 single-family dwellings, 1 change to existing plans, 2 hood and duct , 3 miscellaneous electric, 2 miscellaneous mechanical, 6 miscellaneous plumbing, 1 residential fire repair, 1 commercial roof, 9 residential roofs, and 1 sign permit. A total of 14 new project applications were submitted for plan check services, which included 6 single-family dwellings, 2 commercial remodels, 1 fire sprinkler, 1 patio, 1 residential fire repair, 1 residential remodel, 1 sign, and 1 storage rack.

Parks and Recreation

Tidewater Tree Planting: Crossroads Community Church volunteers and the City of Manteca worked together on Sunday, October 11 to plant 256 trees along the Tidewater Bikeway along Moffat Boulevard. This project was a part of the church’s “Taking it to the Streets” volunteer program. More than 800 people took on various projects throughout the City. The most-visible projects included the Tidewater/Moffat tree-planting program and the Tidewater clean-up program. Other volunteers worked in other areas of the City, and in other nearby communities. Approximately of 150 of them arrived at the Tidewater just before 10 a.m. to begin planting four different species of trees. This project will provide much-needed shade to the path during the hot summer months, as well provide a nice visual barrier from the path to the railroad. In addition to the tree planting, another 50+ volunteers removed weeds and pruned overgrown shrubs on the north side of the bike path.

Police Department

Kidnapping Conviction: On October 8, U.S. District Court Judge Lawrence J. O’Neill sentenced Justo Mata Bustos, 27, of Parlier, and Fernando Espana Rubio, 21, of Madera, each to 14 years and three months in prison for the armed kidnapping of a Tracy jewelry store owner. On October 2, Judge O’Neill sentenced co-defendant Diana Teran, 30, of Madera, to 10 years and one month in prison. All three defendants pled guilty to kidnapping, and Bustos and Rubio also pled guilty to brandishing a firearm in connection with a crime of violence. This case was the product of an investigation by the Manteca Police Department.

According to Assistant U.S. Attorneys Duce Rice and Kevin P. Rooney, who prosecuted the case, all three defendants admitted the victim was lured to a motel in Manteca and taken captive at gunpoint as part of a plan to steal the victim’s jewelry store’s inventory. The defendants took the victim away from the motel in his own car. When the victim saw a Manteca Police Officer, he jumped from the car, and a high-speed chase ensued. Bustos and Rubio threw handguns out the car’s windows before they were captured. During sentencing, Judge O’Neill emphasized the extreme violence and danger inherent in the crime and the attempted escape. U.S. Attorney Brown stated, “This successful prosecution was the result of the Manteca Police Department’s superlative response to an emergency situation.”

Highlights from "The Week in Review" (TWIR)

You can access the entire TWIR by clicking on the link on the right side of this page.

Police
Stabbing: On October 4 at 4:39 p.m., officers were dispatched to a report of a fight involving bats. Gunshots were reported to be heard in the alley behind 244 Acacia. Upon arrival, none of the participants were on scene. A short time later, officers located one victim in the 200 block of Acacia with a stab wound to his left forearm. A razor was still embedded in the wound. The 16-year-old victim was transported to Doctors Hospital for treatment of the non-life-threatening wound. He could not identify his assailants.

Residential Fire: While on patrol, Officer Elness saw the vacant residence at 146 Oak St. on fire. Officer Elness immediately called for the Fire Department to respond. The fire was contained to approximately a 10-foot section on the east side of the residence. The contact person for the residence was notified.

Canine Competition: On October 3, Officer Grant Flory and his retired Manteca PD canine, Spike, competed in the Stanislaus Sheriff's K9 Trial. Once again, they represented the Manteca Police Department very well. They took 1st place in the Retired Class. Had they been competing in the regular Open Division, Spike would have taken 1st place in the Protection Phase. He beat out 25 other K9’s, including the top three dogs in the Western States Police K9 Association, and the Eukanuba poster dog out of the Sacramento Police Department. He was the first to compete and put on an excellent show. Grant and Spike would have placed 4th overall in the trial if he were competing Open. Congratulations to Grant and Spike!!

Fire
Emergency Incidents: We had a total of 119 incidents this week, which included five that were fire related: 1-Structure Fire, 2-Vehicle Fires, 1-Grass Fire and 1-Dumpster Fire. Dollar loss for the week was estimated at $12,200. The remaining calls this week were: EMS-67, Vehicle Accidents-6, Service Calls-19, and Other Emergencies-22.

Fire Prevention:
This week’s Fire Prevention activities included: Business Inspections-49, New Construction Inspections-10, Plan Checks-12, and Fire System Checks-4.

Fire Awareness in the Schools (FAITS) – Firefighters will be visiting both Veritas and Woodward schools this week to present demonstrations on fire and life safety.

SAFE members staffed the Fire Prevention Safety Trailer at the Pumpkin Fair last weekend, giving children hands-on experience in fire evacuation drills.

Public Works
Stimulus Funding Approved: The City was notified earlier this week that the U.S. Department of Energy has officially awarded $586,200 in ARRA (American Recovery and Reinvestment Act) grant funds to the City for its street light retrofit project. The ARRA funds will be used to replace the City’s existing street lights with high-efficiency, induction lamps, which will save the General Fund approximately $150,000 per year in energy costs. Public Works is working on a procurement specification for the induction lamps and plans to begin soliciting competitive bids soon.

Louise Avenue Sidewalks: East Louise Avenue – between Cottage and Empire – has several areas where the street has not been improved to full City standards, which would include curb, gutters and sidewalks. Normally, these improvements are installed when the parcels are developed for a new or upgraded use. The costs for such improvements are paid by the developer or owner; however, in some cases, other projects that need such improvements may be required to fund a portion of improvements to mitigate impacts those projects would cause. In this particular area, several developments created a need or future demand for pedestrian facilities and, hence, were required to fund a portion of the future improvements. The three subdivisions include Diamond Oaks, Almond Crest and Spring Meadows. The three projects have deposited a combined total of $70,800 for future improvements to these areas. Recently, staff reviewed the feasibility and cost of installing the improvements in advance of development in the area. The estimated costs to complete the street and sidewalk were $200,000 for the north side of the street, and nearly $400,000 for the south side of the street. These estimates include utility relocations, right-of-way acquisition, grading, paving and concrete work. Currently, the City does not have any additional funding available to do such work in advance of development. Staff will, however, continue to watch for any resources that might become available in the future.

McKinley Avenue Specific Street Plan: In conjunction with the current effort to update the City’s Circulation (Transportation) Element of the General Plan, staff is working on the preliminary planning for the future McKinley Avenue Extension. The fist step in the process is to develop a Specific Street Plan, which will identify the roadway alignment to connect McKinley Avenue between a new interchange at McKinley/SR 120 and a new interchange at the Austin Road Business Park/SR 99. Staff has completed the initial mapping to show multiple alternative routes. Comments are being solicited from the development community. The next step will be a series of workshops to take public input.

Community Development
Auto Dealerships – Staff has been meeting over the past three months with our four, local automobile dealerships, and we expect to finalize an employee discount program that will be offered to employees working for businesses in Manteca.

Promenade Center – Three building permits were paid and issued on October 7 to the developers of the Promenade Shopping Center for construction of new “luxury outlet” buildings. Work will commence next week before October 15, and is anticipated to be completed in March 2010. Additionally, The Hampton Inn/Suites at Promenade is also scheduled for completion in March 2010. The Red Robin restaurant will open in February 2010.

New Stadium Center Shops – Kitchell Development is working to fill vacant buildings at Stadium Center. Chilaberries Yogurt has confirmed its move to the center, with plans to open in December this year. They also have a number of major tenants that they will be announcing soon.

Union Crossings – The City Council will be asked to review and approve the proposed Union Crossing Shopping Center project on October 20. The project is located on Union Road, just south of Highway 120, and will entail 450,000 square feet of new retail space, plus proposed restaurants on more than 54 acres.

Building Safety Activities: The Building Safety Division conducted a total of 333 inspections during the week. The division issued 47 building permits: 11 single-family dwellings, 1 single-family demolition, 1 change to existing plans, 4 commercial demolitions, 1 commercial remodel, 4 miscellaneous electrical, 2 miscellaneous plumbing, 2 miscellaneous mechanical, 1 patio, 1 residential garage, 1 residential master, 7 residential solars, 7 roofs, 1 sign, 2 swimming pools, and 1 commercial restaurant, and the Red Robin restaurant at Promenade. A total of 29 new project applications were submitted for plan check services, which included 2 single-family dwellings, 1 fire sprinkler, 1 commercial mechanical, 6 residential solars, 4 sign permits and 15 solar master plans.

Highlights from "The Week in Review" (TWIR)

You can access the entire TWIR by clicking on the link on the right side of this page.

Police
Red Light Camera Update: Several months ago, the Police Department began working with Nestor Traffic Systems to plan for the installation of red light enforcement and collision-avoidance systems at several intersections within the City. On September 9, Nestor Traffic Systems was sold to American Traffic Solutions (ATS) of Scottsdale, Ariz. While the new company has been in existence for many years and has a strong history of providing enforcement camera systems, it has no experience in providing collision-avoidance technology. The City was given the option to discontinue our relationship with the new company once it acquired Nestor. After speaking with representatives of ATS and researching their business model, it appears that the focus of the company will continue to be in enforcement and not collision avoidance. Since the collision-avoidance technology was the focus of the department’s – and the Council’s – desire when this project was approved, we are no longer moving forward with the traffic camera project with this company. If similar technology becomes available through this company or another vendor, staff will bring it forward for Council’s consideration at that time.

Chop Shop Arrest: On September 25 at approximately 8:30 a.m., detectives of the Delta Regional Auto Theft Task Force (RATT), with assistance from the Manteca Street Crimes Unit, drove to 10237 E. Highway 120 and conducted a probation search. During the search, they located two stolen Ford Mustangs in the backyard, along with a boat with a stolen motor in it. The two Mustangs were being parted out. One of the Mustangs was an unreported stolen that was taken from a vacant lot in the Bay Area. The owner was unaware of the theft until we contacted him. The other Mustang was also stolen out of the Bay Area. During the search of the residence, detectives located five professional bowling balls and associated bowling equipment. Detectives also located documents that led to the identity of the owner. Detectives contacted the owner and found the property was inside another Ford Mustang that was stolen from San Leandro and recovered in Stockton. Over $3,000 in stolen property, along with the two stolen vehicles, were recovered from the residence. Chad Maria, a 28-year-old Manteca resident, was arrested for possession and operation of a chop shop, two counts of vehicle theft, and four counts of possession of stolen property. Maria’s probation officer also violated his probation.

Fire
Emergency Incidents: We had a total of 90 incidents this week, which included 6 that were fire related: 1-Structure Fire, 1-Cooking Fire, 1-Vehicle Fire, 2-Grass Fires and 1-Dumpster Fire. Dollar loss for the week was estimated at $1,500. The remaining calls this week were: EMS-49, Vehicle Accidents-5, Service Calls-12, and Other Emergencies-18.

Significant Incidents:
● Multi-Casualty Vehicle Accident – Eastbound Highway 120, September 23:
Engine Company 242, Truck 24, Battalion 24, and Rescue 24 were dispatched to a multi-vehicle accident on eastbound Highway 120, east of Main Street, to find three passenger vehicles in the roadway, one passenger vehicle over the embankment and one tractor trailer all involved in a collision. The accident resulted in several injuries with patients being transported to local hospitals.

● Grass Fire – Westbound Highway 120, September 28:
Firefighters arrived to find grass fires in the center divide and north side of the roadway. Engine Company 242 began fire attack on the center divide, as Engine Company 241 battled the fire on the north side of the roadway. Engine Company 32 was assigned structure protection for the Industrial Park area. Firefighters used aggressive fire tactics to contain the rapid fire spread, which was fueled by the high winds. In addition to containment of the grass fires, firefighters were able to prevent fire spread to a structure that had been threatened on Van Ryn Road, as well as the various businesses in the Industrial Park area that back up to Highway 120. Approximately five acres were burned with no loss of property or injuries. CHP provided traffic control measures, which affected the commute traffic for approximately one and a half hours.

● Grass Fire – Eastbound Hwy 120, September 29:
Firefighters were dispatched to a second grass fire on Tuesday afternoon, this time on eastbound Highway 120 near the Airport Way exit. Engine Company 242 arrived on scene to find fire on the side of the ramp near the eastbound exit. The fire was quickly brought under control and was contained to the immediate area.

Fire Prevention: This week’s Fire Prevention activities included: Business Inspections-54, New Construction Inspections-9, Plan Checks-13, and Fire System Checks-6.

Public Works
Recycling Revenues: Solid Waste management staff met with representatives of Allied Waste to review our recycling contract. Because of the collapse in prices of recycled materials, we have been giving our recyclables away for free for several months. Because of indications that the recycling market was starting to recover, staff requested that Allied begin paying for our material again, and Allied agreed to pay $15 per ton, starting immediately. This will result in approximately $60,000 in additional income this year. Staff will prepare a contract modification for the City Council’s approval, and will continue to monitor the recycling market to ensure that we receive a fair price for our recyclables.

Community Development
The following is a summary of some of the activities under way in the Community Development Department:

Union Crossing – The Planning Commission met last week and voted unanimously to approve the proposed Union Crossing Shopping Center project, located on the west side of Union Road, south of the Highway 120 bypass. The proposed project will encompass 450,000 square feet of new retail space on over 54 acres. The City Council will be asked to approve the project at its meeting on October 20.

B.R. Funsten – Major work continues on the B.R. Funsten Industrial Warehouse project, located on South Main Street at Industrial Park Drive. The construction schedule is two weeks ahead of the proposed completion date of December 1.

Promenade Shopping Center – Staff met this week with the development team (Poag and McEwen/Craig Realty Group) on the Promenade Shopping Center. The City has approved building plans for three new buildings that will house luxury outlets at the shopping center. The building permit will be issued on October 5, and construction will commence no later than October 15, with completion scheduled for March 2010. In addition, staff is anticipating several restaurant leases will close in the next 30-60 days, and that Red Robin will open in February 2010. Lastly, work is ongoing on the Hampton Inn Hotel project, which should be completed in February/March 2010.

Permit Center – The new one-stop permit center has been averaging more than 40 clients per day since opening a little over a month ago. Some days we have served more than 50 clients. Both Public Works/Fire Department staff have been at the new permit center from 8 a.m. to noon every day.

Parks and Recreation
Park Vandalism: Union West Park has been a frequent target of vandalism by apparent gang members. The majority of the vandalism has been in the form of an excessive amount of graffiti. Park staff has been working in cooperation with members of the Manteca Police Gang Unit. So far, there has been limited progress, due to the lack of a consistent pattern of visitation by the offenders. However, both Park and Police staff members are committed to eliminating the problem.

Panda Express Community Fund Raiser: Parks and Recreation is teamed up with Panda Express for a Community Fundraiser in support of Youth Recreation Programs. Support Parks and Recreation youth programs – eat healthy and support local businesses that support us. Go to Panda Express, 1467 Hulsey Way, with your family and friends on the first Friday of the month and Panda Express will donate 20% of the cost of your purchase to Parks and Recreation! The program runs through April 2010. For more information visit our website at http://www.ci.manteca.ca.us/parks/docs/PandaExpressFlyer-1.pdf

Highlights from "The Week in Review" (TWIR)

You can access the entire TWIR and previous versions of the TWIR by clicking on the link on the right side of this page.

Community Development
Building Safety Activities: The Building Safety Division conducted a total of 306 inspections during the week.

The division issued 31 building permits – 7 single-family dwellings, 5 commercial remodels, 1 fire sprinkler, 3 Miscellaneous Mechanical, 5 Miscellaneous Plumbing, 2 Patios, 1 photovoltaic, 1 residential addition, 2 residential remodels, 2 roofs, and 2 sign permits.

A total of 36 new project applications were submitted for plan check services, which included 14 single-family dwellings, 1 change to existing plans, 1 commercial canopy, 1 commercial coach, 1 commercial parking lot, 2 commercial remodels, 1 pool master, 2 patios, 1 residential addition, 1 residential garage, 1 residential remodel, 2 signs, 7 solars, and 1 Vapor Recovery System.

Public Works
Central Valley Salt Management: As the accumulation of salts in water supplies continues to negatively impact water quality and quantity throughout the State, a stakeholder-driven effort to develop a salinity management program for the Central Valley was recently created. With the support of the Central Valley Regional Water Quality Control Board, the Central Valley Salinity Alternatives for Long-Term Sustainability initiative, or CV-SALTS, was launched in January 2006. The goal of CV-SALTS is to craft a comprehensive, region-wide, salinity management plan that will allow the Central Valley Regional Water Quality Control Board to accurately and fairly regulate salinity in the Central Valley. Participation in and funding of CV-SALTS allows cities and agencies to influence the development of more cost-effective and reasonable water quality regulations. To this end, Public Works has included an item in the FY09-10 budget for Manteca to join the CV-SALTS initiative at a funding level of $25,000. Current contributors to the CV-SALTS initiative include:
California Association of Sanitation Agencies
California League of Food Processors
Central Valley Clean Water Agencies
City of Fresno
City of Stockton
City of Tracy
Discovery Bay CSD
Iron House Sanitary District
San Joaquin Valley Drainage Authority
The Wine Institute
Western United Dairymen

This funding request will be presented to Council as part of the comprehensive 2009-10 budget package.

Parks and Recreation
BMX Track: Staff continues to work with Anderson 209 to complete the improvements to the starting gate and hill. The forms for the starting gate have been set at a 22.5 percent angle. The approved plans were designed to meet ABA (American Bicycle Association) standards, which call for a minimum 25 percent angle. Staff is working with Anderson 209 and ABA representatives to determine if the existing 22.5 percent angle is acceptable. Anderson 209 has installed the 20 feet of electrical conduit, which will be located beneath the starting gate. The installation of the conduit has been inspected and approved by City inspection personnel.

Police Department
Motorcycle Competition Honors: Congratulations to the Traffic Team. This weekend the members competed in Vallejo, taking honors in the event. They took top team as well as individual and team trophies for Sgt. Obligacion and Officers Bright and Danipour. All five of our Traffic Officers have placed in the top 10 in each event in which they have competed. Here is their standing in the events this year:
Carson City Sheriff’s Department Extreme Motor Officer Training Challenge: June 26-27
Sgt. Obligacion – 1st Place Individual Event Harley Road King Division
1st Place Team Event Harley Open Division
Officer Bright – 2nd Place Individual Event Harley Road King Division
Oakland Police Department Motorcycle Competition: July 11
Sgt. Obligacion – 2nd Place Individual Event Harley Open Division
Officer Bright – 2nd Place Top Gun Event Open Division

1st Annual Larry Canfield Memorial Police Motor Training and Skills Challenge: August 22
Sgt. Obligacion – 1st Place Individual Event Harley Road King Division
Officer Bright – 3rd Place Individual Event Harley Road King Division

West Coast Harley Davidson Police Motorcycle Competition: Sept. 19
Sgt. Obligacion and Officer Bright – 1st Place Team Event Open Division
Sgt. Obligacion and Officer Danipour – 4th Place Team Event Open DivisionSgt. Obligacion – 2nd Place Individual Event Open Division
Officer Bright – 4th Place Individual Event Open Division

Fire
Significant Incidents:
● Multiple Vehicle Accidents:
- September 18 – Truck 24 responded to an accident on eastbound Highway 120, east of Main Street, to find three vehicles involved. The incident was declared to be non-injury; however, firefighters remained on scene to contain hazardous materials that were leaking from the damaged vehicles.
- September 18 – Engine Company 243 responded to a vehicle accident at Louise Avenue and Elm Street to find two vehicles involved. The parties involved declined medical assistance, and firefighters remained on scene until the roadway was cleared of obstructions.
- September 21 - Truck 24 and Engine Company 242 were dispatched to a vehicle accident on westbound Highway 120 near McKinley Avenue, to find a vehicle down a steep embankment. Firefighters had to use the Stokes basket and a rope rescue system to get the injured patient up the hill for transportation to a local hospital.
● Hazmat Incidents:
- September 21 – Truck 24 responded to a chemical spill on Reading Way, to find antifreeze leaking from a vehicle into the gutter and storm drain. The Streets Division was requested for containment and clean-up.
- September 22 – Two of the department’s hazmat specialists were requested to respond with the San Joaquin County Hazmat Team to assist French Camp Fire Department with a 55-gallon drum of an unknown substance on El Dorado Street. The assignment lasted approximately three hours before the situation was abated.

Fire Prevention: This week’s Fire Prevention activities included: Business Inspections-53, New Construction Inspections-10, Plan Checks-12, and Fire System Checks-7.

Highlights from "The Week in Review" (TWIR)

You can access the entire TWIR by clicking on the link on the right side of this page.

Fire
Reorganization: The Fire Department Reorganization became effective September 16, 2009. This move eliminated three Division Chief positions and named three Shift Commanders to oversee suppression activity. Those now serving in the position of Shift Commander are Randy May, Kyle Shipherd, and Bob Davis. This reorganization was part of the department’s cost savings plan to eliminate $1.7 million from the City’s General Fund.

Emergency Incidents: We had a total of 105 incidents this week which included 4 that were fire related: 1-Structure Fire, 2-Vehicle Fires, and 1-Grass Fire. Dollar loss for the week was estimated at $2,200. The remaining calls this week were: EMS-58, Vehicle Accidents-11, Service Calls-13, and Other Emergencies-19.

Public Works
Cost Savings at the WQCF: Over 18 million gallons of treated effluent water was reused on city farmland this week. This land is leased to a farmer who grows forage crops. Land application of the effluent provides significant savings to the city because this water does not require tertiary filtration or ultraviolet disinfection. This saves significant amounts of energy and costs to the City. In addition to this, staff have been working to reduce the cost of disposing of bio-solids or sludge.

Typically the City disposes of an average of 14-bins of centrifuge dried sludge to the landfill each week. Over the summer, staff has been experimenting with placing the centrifuge dried sludge into drying beds to further reduce the moisture and weight before shipping to the landfill. This "enhanced" on-site drying operation reduced the moisture content during this week sufficiently to reduce the off haul down to two sludge bins. While this does mean some additional handling of the sludge, this is more than offset in the reduced hauling and disposal costs. A substantial landfill cost savings will be realized due to the additional efforts employed to reduce moisture content from the centrifuge sludge.

Landscape Funding: Staff received word this week that SJCOG was successful in obtaining the funding for the landscape of the two 99/120 interchanges. This means that the City will be able to proceed with the irrigation project that was already bid, and has been awaiting award since July. City staff will then work with SJCOG and Caltrans to deliver the second project which will install all the landscaping at both interchanges.

Community Development
San Joaquin County Enterprise Zone: Community Development has received notification from the State that the expanded San Joaquin County Enterprise Zone (including the City of Manteca) has been approved. This approval is retroactive to June 22, 2008. We are still awaiting word on our application for the Targeted Employment Area designation.

B.R. Funsten: Major construction for the B.R. Funsten industrial warehouse/office expansion at South Main and Industrial Park Drive is underway. The project is on schedule, with a completion date of December 1.

Highlights from "The Week in Review" (TWIR)

You can access the entire TWIR by clicking on the link on the right side of this page.

Fire Department:
Long Term Mutual Aid: Fire personnel on long-term mutual aid to the Station Fire in Los Angeles returned to the City on the evening of September 9. Their Strike Team, which consisted of various agencies from San Joaquin County, was deployed for a total of 12 days to battle the wildfires that have devastated the Los Angeles area.

Emergency Incidents: We had a total of 95 incidents this week, which included 7 that were fire related: 1-Structure Fire, 5-Vehicle Fires and 1-Dumpster Fire. Dollar loss for the week was estimated at $14,800. The remaining calls this week were: EMS-46, Vehicle Accidents-7, Service Calls-19, and Other Emergencies-16.

Public Works:

WQCF Phase 3 Project – Schedule C: Construction has begun on the final stage of this upgrade and expansion project. The Schedule C project involves constructing a new mechanical dewatering building, installing a new centrifuge dewatering system, relocating the existing centrifuge into the new mechanical dewatering building, and constructing a sludge blending tank, locker room, and maintenance building. The contractor completed potholing (locating) the existing underground utilities, and has installed approximately 25% of the new underground pipeline utilities. This is the final phase of the overall Phase 3 expansion project.

Airport Way Water Main Project: Construction of the Airport Way Water Main between Yosemite Avenue and Crom Street has been completed. This project involved installing 2,600 feet of 12-inch diameter pipe, five fire hydrants and 21 water service stubs. By filling a gap in the existing water distribution system, this project increased system reliability and service pressures throughout the area.

WQCF Perimeter Fence Project: Installation of 6,000 feet of perimeter fence around the WQCF property has been completed. The automatic gates and swing gates are scheduled to be completed by mid-October.

Austin Road Water Main Project: Approximately 12,500 feet of 24-inch, 5,400 feet of 12-inch, and 1,200 feet of 16-inch diameter pipe has been delivered on site at the corner of Louise Avenue and Austin Road.

Lincoln Avenue Water Main Project: Approximately 3,800 feet of 12-inch diameter pipe has been installed in Lincoln Avenue, Alameda Street and Dawn Drive. In addition, the contractor has connected approximately 50% of the existing 69 water service connections to this new 12-inch diameter pipe.

Community Development:
B.R. Funsten: All grading and foundation work for the B.R. Funsten industrial warehouse/office expansion project has been completed, and work has begun on the framing of the warehouse itself. The project, located at South Main and Industrial Park Drive, is on schedule, with a project completion date of December 1.

Parks and Recreation:
Tidewater Bikeway/Moffat Boulevard Tree Irrigation Installation Project: The contractor for this project started work this week. Parks staff has kept in close communication with the contractor, which allowed for the quick start on the project. The project will be completed in time for the volunteer tree planting event scheduled for October 11 – at which time 250 new trees will be planted along the bikeway.

Highlights from "The Week in Review"

To read the entire "The Week in Review", click on the link on the right side of this page.

Fire:
Long-Term Mutual Aid: The City once again has an Engine Company on a long-term mutual aid assignment – this time to the Station Fire in Los Angeles. The company was part of a Multiple-Agency Strike Team from San Joaquin County that left for Southern California on Saturday afternoon, August 29. Division Chief Randy May was assigned as the Strike Team Leader, along with Captain Steve Santos, Engineer Mike Hohn, Firefighter Armando Blanco and Firefighter Brad Schemper assigned to the Engine Company. Their initial assignment was to provide structure protection for homes in the path of the wildfire. They are expected to remain on this assignment throughout the weekend.

Public Works:
Development Engineering and Construction Inspection: This past week, the Engineering staff issued seven encroachment permits and provided oversight on the following current projects:

Lincoln Avenue Water Main Replacement Project – Ongoing inspection of new water mains along Alameda Street, east of Lincoln Avenue.

Airport Road Water Main Project – Final inspection.

Union Road Widening Project – Met with Landscape Contractor to direct the removal of weeds. Staff is preparing a final punch list for project completion.

BMX Park – Inspection of conduit installation and compaction testing.

Terra Bella Subdivision – Investigation of irrigation damage to drainage basin. Results reported to the developer’s Superintendent and the adjacent property owner.

M2 Surface Water Blending Pipeline Project – Preparing final punch list for project completion.

CVS Pharmacy – Completed final inspection and signed off project as complete.

Austin Road Water main project – Approximately 20,000 feet of water main pipe delivered to site. The contractor, Knife River, is prepared to begin as soon as County encroachment permit is issued.

Well 20 Filter Project – Submittals have been made to the Project Construction Manager.

Tidewater Bike Path Tree and Irrigation Project – Encroachment permit issued and construction started in installation of irrigation water line along the south side of the Tidewater Bike Path.

Union Ranch Unit 4A – Improvements complete.

Storm Water Pollution Prevention Plan (SWPPP) Monthly Inspections – Staff completed California Regional Water Quality Control Board mandated monthly inspections of 24 ongoing construction projects within Manteca.

Parks and Recreation:
Partnerships with Local Sport Non-profits:
Staff is working with The Stockton Monarcas Futbol Club to accommodate a tournament on September 26 and 27. The tournament could potentially bring in more than 100 teams into the Manteca community.

Parks and Recreation staff met with Manteca Little League and Manteca Youth Softball Association to review their 2009-2010 Facility Use Agreements.

Northern California Senior Softball Tournament will be held at Northgate Complex on September 26 and 27.

Future Starts 2000’s held a Manteca USTA-sanctioned NTRP Tournament August 21-23 at the Union Road tennis courts. The tournament brought in almost $200 to the Parks and Recreation Department. Future Stars 2000’s next tournament is scheduled for September 19-20.

Highlights from "The Week in Review"

You can read the entire "The Week in Review" by clicking on the link on the right side of this page.

Community Development
The following is a summary of some of the activities under way in the Community Development Department:
B.R. Funsten pulled its building permit on August 26 for the expansion of its industrial warehouse/office project on Main Street/Industrial Park Drive. Work will begin August 28 on construction of the new building’s walls. The project is on schedule with anticipated completion on December 1.

The City received a series of plans for the construction of luxury outlet space at the Promenade Shopping Center last week. Staff anticipates completing an expedited review process that will enable construction to start within 30 days and be completed in February 2010.

Construction is ongoing on the new Hampton Inn Hotel project at the Promenade Shopping Center, and the owner is hoping to open the hotel in early December of this year.

Work is substantially complete on the Master Plan related to the CenterPoint project, and the EIR has been under way since June.

Staff will present the revised Housing Element to the City Council at your September 1 meeting. Council will be asked to forward the element to the State Department of Housing and Community Development for its approval.

Staff will be meeting again in two weeks with our local automobile dealerships to finalize joint efforts with the City and the dealerships on promotional activities designed to enhance their businesses.

Staff and the City’s consultant will hold our first meeting next week on proposed revisions to the Zoning Ordinance as part of the comprehensive update.

A meeting was held this week with the applicants for the proposed Austin Road Business Park project to review the project schedule for completion of its EIR, which is expected to be completed in Spring 2010.

Building Safety Activities:
The Building Safety Division conducted a total of 307 inspections during the week. The division issued 56 building permits: 17 Single-Family Dwellings, 2 Commercial Additions, 1 Change to Existing Plans, 3 Miscellaneous Electrical, 10 HVAC, 4 Miscellaneous Plumbing, 2 Patio, 1 Photovoltaic, 1 Power Pole, 1 Residential Remodel, 1 Residential Siding, 2 Commercial Reroof, 4 Residential Reroof, 2 Sign Permits, 1 Storage Rack, and 3 Swimming Pools.

A total of 34 new project applications were submitted for plan check services, which included 7 Single-Family Dwellings, 1 Change to Existing Plans, 1 Commercial Remodel, 3 Shell Buildings at Promenade, 1 Fire Alarm, 1 Fire Sprinkler, 3 Residential Masters, 7 Solar Masters, 1 Patio, 1 Residential Fire Repair, 7 Photovoltaic, and 1 Tenant Infill at Stadium Center.

Micheal Hosier, the City’s Chief Building Official, is conducting a free informational class on Thursday nights at 325 N Main St. on various construction codes. The class is currently studying the National Electrical Code. This class is open to contractors, inspectors, code enforcement officers and anyone else who may have an interest in learning this code. For information about these classes, contact Mr. Hosier at mhosier@ci.manteca.ca.us.

Public Works
Water Storage Tanks: Following up on the effects of last week’s power surge on the City’s water system, staff is taking a preliminary look at replacing the City’s aging elevated water tank. The existing tank located next to the Vehicle Maintenance Facility on Wetmore Street is seismically unstable and, as such, has been disconnected from the City water system for many years. Without the ability to safely store water, the tank becomes little more than an oversized antenna. Plans to remove the tank have been previously drafted, but until a suitable alternative antenna.

Parks and Recreation
Community Needs Survey: The department office has received several telephone calls inquiring about opening a Before-School Program at Joshua Cowell School, and an After-School Program at Veritas School. The department currently has surveys to these schools to ask parents their thoughts on opening these programs. The deadline for these surveys is August 28. At that time, staff will review the surveys and determine if additional programs need to be opened.

City Manager
BMX Track: Staff and the Mayor met with members of Anderson 209 on Wednesday to discuss the proposed Facility Use Agreement, which outlines Anderson 209’s rights and responsibilities to use and maintain the track. The agreement is on the Council’s September 1 agenda for final approval. Staff is proposing the City contribute funding to Anderson 209, to help offset some of its operational costs – still significantly less than it would cost for the City to maintain the track. In the meantime, work is proceeding on completing the construction of the track and starting hill.

PBID Surveys: City staff has been working for the past several months with a local steering committee and our consultant to pursue the possibility of a Property-Based Business Improvement District (PBID). Surveys were sent recently to business and property owners within a potential PBID boundary, though few were received. The committee met earlier this month and revised the survey, and agreed to hand deliver the survey to all business owners. At the same time, the City will mail the surveys to property owners within the boundary area. The purpose of the survey is to identify those areas where there may be interest in providing additional funding, and to determine whether there is initial interest in forming such a district.

Highlights from "The Week in Review"

You can access the entire "The Week in Review" by clicking on the link on the right side of this page.

City Manager's Office
Follow-up from August 18 Council Meeting:
Megan’s Law – With the start of the school year and the expansion of no-busing zones, staff and the Council realize that the children in our community will be walking to school in greater numbers and from greater distances. It is important parents keep themselves aware of the potential dangers their children may encounter along these paths. One tool available to parents is the Megan’s Law database. This is a listing of registered sex offenders in each community. This program can be accessed by clicking on the link on the Manteca Police Department or Manteca Unified School District web pages, or at meganslaw.com. Parents can also make themselves aware of crime activity occurring in their neighborhoods by accessing the Police Department’s website and clicking on “Crime Maps.”

The Police Department conducts neighborhood meetings almost weekly to tell and show the citizens in attendance how they can access our Police web page and use Crime Maps to locate registered sex offenders, and show them how they can register to be notified weekly regarding crime activity in their neighborhood. The Public Affair’s Officer coordinates public awareness booths on the average of 10 to 15 times a year at various locations around the community. The Megan's Law computer is always available at these events, but citizens should remember that they can access the same website from their home computers for their convenience. This week, the Police Department attended three open houses at local elementary schools there the Megan’s Law and crime mapping programs were demonstrated. Last week, we set up at Home Depot and we had dozens review the local files. We are setting up in the next month for the day at Costco, where the programs will again be available to the public.

Weed Abatement – The Mayor requested information regarding a potential fire hazard (high weeds) on a parcel in the 300 block of North Main Street. Upon investigation, it was found the parcel in question has been issued a citation. This particular citation has reached the point where it has been sent to the court for legal action. The Fire Department will seek bids to clean the property as soon as the property owner exceeds the 30 days the court allows for the owner to mitigate.

Police
Attempted Murder Arrest: Approximately two months ago, officers went to Morgan Court in Manteca in response to a shooting. The victim was transported to the hospital with two gunshots wounds to his legs. The suspect in that shooting was Joseph Vigil of Manteca. Since that time, the Gang Unit has followed up on numerous tips. Those tips were passed on to the Fugitive Arrest Team – a team made up of U.S. Marshalls and officers of the Department of Corrections. On August 12, Manteca Police received information that Vigil was hiding at a specific residence in Modesto. Based on that information, the Fugitive Arrest Team was able to confirm he was staying at that house. On August 14 at approximately 7 a.m., Manteca officers set up surveillance of the house. Just after 10 a.m., Officers served an arrest warrant at the residence. Vigil was in the house and arrested without incident. He was charged with attempted murder and a parole violation hold, and transported to County Jail.

Possession of a Loaded Firearm: Officers were dispatched to a fight involving sticks at the west end of West Center Street. While en route, officers were told one person had a gun and was yelling about shooting someone. Officers arrived to find two males lying prone in the street and a security guard in uniform holding them at gunpoint. The security guard was directed to holster her weapon. She stuffed it into her front waistband, as she did not have a holster on her duty belt. She was told to put the gun in her trunk. An investigation determined that two of the individuals were fighting over a possible stolen cell phone. The security guard said she had seen the involved vehicles speeding into the area, went to her car, retrieved her personal firearm and detained the suspects, pending our arrival. She said she also saw someone with a firearm run into the field west of West Center Street. Statements obtained showed the guard had actually pointed her firearm at the 15-year-old son of a subject who ran into the field holding a cell phone. The guard’s credentials were checked. Her guard registration was current, but her firearm permit expired in 2007. Her supervisor was called to the scene and he said she had been warned she was not to carry a firearm with her at all while working for their company. The Security Guard was booked for Unlawful Possession of a Loaded Firearm.

Public Works
Power Surge: At approximately 3:00 a.m. on August 19, Manteca experienced a power surge, due to a vehicle accident in Escalon, where a car hit a major power line. This surge caused the controls at many of the City’s wells to shut off. Approximately half of them restarted automatically, but the remaining wells had to be manually restarted. In the meantime, pressure in the system dropped below acceptable levels. Although staff did not receive any customer complaints because of the early hour, the City is required to notify the regulatory agencies whenever pressure drops below minimum levels. Staff completed proper notification and is conducting additional sampling to ensure that water quality was not compromised in any way. The wells’ automated monitoring system did its job of notifying the on-call operator of the problem, so staff was able to respond quickly. Staff is investigating how to improve the system to prevent a recurrence of this problem.

99 Landscape Project: Staff is continuing work with representatives from San Joaquin Council of Governments (SJCOG) and Caltrans to obtain funding to landscape not only the Highway 99/120 East Interchange, but also to install some landscape on the 99/120 West Interchange. As of the most recent project team meeting on August 18, all parties were in agreement on the project scope, but some permitting and financial issues remain. The next milestone will come in September, when staff asks the California Transportation Commission to transfer responsibility and funding for the project from Caltrans to SJCOG. If approved, this would allow the City and SJCOG to administer the project and, hopefully, bid the project by the end of the year.

Highlights from "The Week in Review"

You can access the entire "The Week in Review" from a link on the right side of this web page.

Police Department
Crime Continues to Decline: The Police Department is happy to report that major crime had dropped for the eighth consecutive month. The department’s statistics show that felony crimes are down 12.23% for the month of June, resulting in a year-to-date reduction of 15.5%. Burglaries dropped by 23.88%, auto theft by 5.88%, grand theft by 32.52%, and aggravated assault by 45.24%. Only robbery and arson cases showed increases. Misdemeanor thefts also dropped by 20.63%. The Police Department attributes the reduction in crime to hard work and dedication of our officers, staff and volunteers, and the involvement of the citizens of Manteca. Programs like Neighborhood Watch and observant members of the community who are quick to recognize suspicious activity and notify the Police have helped us to locate and arrest criminals. So far this year the Police Department has responded to 17,721 calls for service, handled 3,089 criminal investigations and 351 traffic collisions, arrested 1,863 suspects, served 803 warrants, issued 5,821 traffic citations, and recovered $682,968 in stolen property.

Community Development
The following is a summary of some of the activities under way in the Community Development
Department:
· Staff has completed the plan check for the new B.R. Funsten Industrial Warehouse Building and is awaiting minor corrections to be made by the contractor in advance of issuing a Building Permit for construction to begin. The project is currently several weeks ahead of schedule and staff hopes to have construction completed in late November.

· The first set of plans for construction of the new luxury outlets at the Promenade shopping center were received last week, and staff has already initiated the review process. Additional plans are expected over the next two weeks. The project will include a total buildout of 250,000 square feet of newly constructed, luxury outlet use, with a projected opening date in February 2010.

· Red Robin Restaurant was awarded a building permit for construction at the Promenade center, with a projected opening date of February 2010.

· Staff will be presenting the Housing Element to the City Council for adoption on September 1, and subsequently submit to the State Department of Housing and Community Development for its review and approval.

· Work on the new One-Stop Permit Center is substantially complete, and staff is scheduling an open house on August 27 at 10 a.m.

Parks and Recreation
BLD Second Quarter Revenues: A copy of the second quarter revenues received at Big League Dreams (BLD) has been submitted to the City and is attached for review. According to the report, revenues were up 22.1% over the first quarter of 2009, and attendance was up 15.7%.

Parks/Golf/Park Planning:
Volunteers from the Crossroads Grace Community Church recently donated several hours of work cleaning and pruning a section of the Tidewater Bikeway. This is an ongoing volunteer program of the church’s, where the members volunteer their time to help out in their community – and we are grateful for their time.

The Northgate Park restrooms have been a recent target of vandalism. Maintenance crews had to remove graffiti three times in less than a week. Labor and materials to remove the graffiti were approximately $175.

Bianchi Ranch LMD – A few areas with juniper groundcover plants along Atherton Drive had to be removed, due to a heavy infestation of Bermuda and Nutsedge Grass. The area will be re-planted once the infestation has been thoroughly treated. This was a more cost-effective approach than having to remove the weeds by hand each week.

City Manager
BMX Park: Staff is continuing to work with the Anderson 209 group and the City’s Municipal Pooling Authority to complete the BMX Park. Staff has prepared a staff report for the August 18 City Council agenda. Supplemental information, including options to completing the park in a timely manner, may be presented at that meeting.

UCP Work Crews: Staff met with representatives of United Cerebral Palsy (UCP) of San Joaquin County to discuss its Work Crew program. UCP has contracted with the City of Lodi since 2000, paying its members to help beautify downtown Lodi. Through this program, UCP members are paid minimum wage to perform whatever tasks are deemed necessary by the City. UCP covers all workers’ compensation costs, so the program costs less than the City’s own part-time program. As Manteca staff finalizes the 2009-10 budget, we will be evaluating options to reduce costs to provide City services, and this program may be one the City may want to utilize.

Reopening of Labor Contracts: Staff is officially notifying the various labor groups of the City’s desire to reopen contract negotiations to help address the City’s budget deficit. All employees have already taken a 3.8% salary reduction, effective July 1, though additional cuts are needed in order to reduce or avoid layoffs.

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

You can access the full version of "The Week in Review" by clicking on the link on the right side of this page.

Police
School Bussing Concern: On Thursday, July 30, 2009 staff received an email regarding a citizen’s concern over the reduction in school busses for the up-coming school year. The Citizen lives in the Veritas School area near Atherton Drive and Sparrow Hawk. Some of the walking paths for students in this area have no sidewalks requiring the children to walk on unpaved shoulders or in the street. She was requesting the assistance of the City in providing safe methods for children to get to school.

On Monday August 3, 2009 the Police Department received a notice from the Manteca Unified School District advising us of new “No-bus zones” established around Manteca, Sierra, and East Union High Schools and Lincoln, Stella Brockman, Walter Woodward, Veritas, and Joshua Cowell elementary schools. This program eliminated all bussing within 1.25 miles around each school. The notice advised us of the likelihood of a significant increase in pedestrian and vehicle traffic around these schools as more students would be walking to and from campus.

At the City Council Meeting of August 4, 2009, Council directed staff to research the possibility of altering or developing City Bus routes to help facilitate the student’s transportation to school. Beginning Monday August 14, 2009, the City bus system will begin a 30-day trial program that will provide bus service for both elementary and high school students in the Veritas School area. This program will be reassessed at the end of the trial period to determine the feasibility of continuing or expanding the service. A full report on this program will be provided to Council at the August 18, 2009 Council Meeting.

Public Works
BMX Park: This week, Public Works staff worked with Parks staff to complete the plan for the BMX starting gate. The plan was complete and signed today, and is now just awaiting formal approval from the ABA (American Bicycling Association) and the MPA (Municipal Pooling Authority) which had to approve the plan for insurance purposes. Both agencies have reviewed the new plan and will provide formal approval early next week. Once the plan is approved by the two agencies it will be provided to the Anderson209 group for construction by their volunteer team.

Hwy 120/99 Landscaping: Staff continues to work with SJCOG to secure additional funding for the Hwy 99/120 Interchange Landscape Project. The current plan being explored would utilize ARRA (American Recovery and Reinvestment Act) funds designated for state use on transportation enhancement projects. The funds originally approved were allocated for installing landscaping at both the 120 West and 120 East interchanges on Highway 99 and the project was intended to be managed by Caltrans and constructed by the CCC (California Conservation Corp). However, the Federal Highway administrators would not allow the sole sourcing of the work to the CCC, which was required under current state law for Caltrans project. So the current proposal is for SJCOG and the City to take over the project, thus relieving the funds of the CCC requirement, and to competitively bid the work. If successful, the end result would be landscaping for both interchanges. Note however that the landscaping proposed for the 120 West interchange would be less intensive than that proposed for the 120 East (Yosemite Ave) interchange. Currently the total project cost is in excess of one million dollars. Federal funds would provide for installation of all landscape and cover the construction management costs incurred by the City as well. City Measure K funds are budgeted for the installation of the irrigation system at the 120/East interchange. This portion of the project is the subject of the current bid which was extended at the last council meeting.

Fire Department
Significant Incidents:
· Vehicle Accident – Highway 99/Alpine Avenue, August 4
While visiting a neighborhood block party on Ashwood Court on August 4, Engine Company 241 heard other engine companies being dispatched to a vehicle accident on southbound Highway 99, with the vehicle going into the backyard of a residence. The dispatch listed a general location along the highway that wasn’t specific to one area. Hearing this, Engine Company 241, decided to move over a couple of streets and check the Alpine Avenue area, which backs up to Highway 99. Turning onto Alpine Avenue, they immediately noticed bystanders and a huge section of fence removed from one of the backyards. They immediately began emergency rescue operations. Engine Company 243 arrived on scene at the same time from the highway side of the accident. The driver, who was driving southbound on Highway 99, lost control of his vehicle and went through the backyard of two residences on Alpine Avenue, hitting the fence so violently that the fence shattered, sending lumber everywhere. One of these pieces of fence lumber was projected through the glass patio door of one of the homes, barely missing a 1-year-old girl who was standing next to it. In fact, the lumber pierced and shattered one pane of the glass patio door while she was standing behind the other pane. Thankfully, she was not injured. The driver of the vehicle, however, did sustain injuries and was transported to the hospital.

· Multiple Grass Fires
- South Airport Way/Crom Street, August 2
Firefighters arrived on scene to find a small grass fire across the levee of an open field. The fire was quickly extinguished, and firefighters overhauled the area.

- Highway 99 north of Lathrop Road, August 3
Firefighters assisted Lathrop-Manteca Fire District with a grass fire along the west side of Highway 99, just north of Lathrop Road. The fire was quickly brought under control and units released.

- Highway 120 @ South Union Road, August 4
Firefighters arrived on scene to find the grass along the southwest side of the South Union Road overpass on fire. Once the fire was extinguished, firefighters checked both sides of the overpass to make sure there was no further fire spread before releasing the incident.

- Trailwood Avenue, August 4
Firefighters arrived on scene to find burned grass clippings in the park. Witnesses stated that juveniles were igniting grass clippings on the basketball court. The Police Department was called to the scene to investigate.

City Manager
PBID Steering Committee: The PBID (Property-Based Business Improvement District) Steering Committee met on August 5 to discuss a survey that was sent to business and property owners in a preliminarily defined downtown area. Of approximately 600 surveys that were sent, only 29 were returned to the consultant. The Steering Committee discussed the contents of the survey in length, and proposed a number of changes that would help to clarify the purpose and function of a PBID. The consultant will now revise the survey, which will be hand delivered by members of the Steering Committee to the various business and property owners. No commitment is being solicited at this time – rather, the consultant and the committee are attempting to gather opinions about what might be included in a potential PBID.

New Telephone System: The City’s new telephone system is up and running, and only general department numbers have remained intact. Callers who don’t know the new telephone number for a specific employee are prompted to a directory, where they can enter the first few letters of the employee’s name and be connected to the new line. The new system will save the City money after the first year, and is much more efficient than the old one. Staff is seeking the public’s patience during this transitional time.

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.

Highlights from "The Week in Review"

Here are the highlights from this week's "The Week in Review" (TWIR). You can read the entire TWIR by clicking on the link on the right side of the page.

Public Works
Solid Waste Rates: A recent survey by an independent industry analyst (HF&H Consultants, LLC) revealed that Manteca’s Solid Waste rates for both residential and commercial service are the second lowest of the 11 service areas in San Joaquin County in every category of service that was analyzed. Manteca’s base residential rate is the fifth lowest of the 40 service areas in the entire four-county San Joaquin Valley. All service areas, except the cities of Merced and Manteca, are serviced by private haulers, and the areas with lower rates have access to cheaper land-fill disposal that is not within a reasonable drive of Manteca. Manteca’s Solid Waste Division operates as an enterprise fund, where rates pay for the service without any tax subsidy. This ensures the managers and employees operate as efficiently as possible, and this study confirms that in this case they provide the service cheaper than commercial firms in the surrounding area.

Union Road Street Signals: The three new signals on Union Road at Highway 120 westbound, eastbound and at Atherton Drive are scheduled to be energized on July 29. With the completion of the signals, the entire Union Road project will be very near completion and only lack minor clean-up items.

Finance
Budget Advisory Committee Meeting: City staff met on July 16 with the Budget Advisory Committee (BAC), where the Finance Director provided an update on the City’s budget, as well as recent developments in the State’s budget and those potential impacts on the City. Copies of the minutes from the previous BAC meeting and sales tax trends that were provided to the BAC are attached to this week’s report. The committee members agreed to meet again in 3-4 weeks to discuss any new developments at the State level. In addition, staff will be providing the BAC with an overview of its efforts to address the issues of managed competition and levels of service.

Transit Stimulus Funding Grant: The Manteca Transit System has received the first half of its approximately $1.3 million in Recovery and Reinvestment Act (Federal stimulus) funding. The following projects are programmed to receive this funding:

Manteca Multimodal Station (Environmental/Engineering): $380,000
Marketing Plan (Rebranding/Signage/Brochures): $40,000
Fixed-Route Bus Purchase: $100,000
Operations Facility Lease: $130,000

Staff anticipates issuing a call for bid in August for the environmental and preliminary engineering phase of the Multimodal Station project. This phase is expected to be completed in February 2010.

Community Development
Staff has completed its review of the new site plan and related environmental assessments for the B.R. Funsten industrial/office project on Industrial Park Drive at South Main Street. Foundation/grading permits will be issued July 24, and work will commence on the first phase of the project on July 27. The project will include 87,000 square feet of new industrial warehouse space, and 7,200 square feet of related office space. Planning and Building Safety, along with Public Works staff, have expedited the review and approval process in a drastically shortened time frame.

Construction is continuing on an accelerated pace for the new One-Stop Permit Center within the Community Development Department building. Staff expects to be finished in approximately three weeks, and will be planning on hosting a “Grand Opening” in late August.

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

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

Public Works
Box Culverts Installed at FCOC/Louise Avenue Crossing: This joint drainage project between SSJID and the City reached a major milestone last week, when the contractor completed the installation of two 10-feet-high by 12-feet-wide box culverts at the French Camp Outlet Canal (FCOC)/Louise Avenue crossing. By replacing the existing drainage crossing, the box culverts relieve a major flow constriction, which reduces the potential for flooding and frees up capacity for additional storm drainage from new development.

Construction and Testing Complete on New Water Well Project: All construction, operational testing and bacterial testing are complete for the Well 27 Project. Well 27, which is located near the intersection of Lathrop Road and Union Road, will improve reliability and pressures in the existing potable water system, as well as support new growth in north Manteca. Prior to bringing the new well online, the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) must give the City approval to operate the well by amending the City’s Water Permit. Public Works will submit the Water Permit amendment documents to CDPH this week, and approval to operate the new well is expected by the end of August.

Police Department
Motorcycle Competition: On July 11, all five members of the Manteca Police Department Traffic Unit participated in the Police Motorcycle competition in Oakland. Sgt. Nick Obligacion won second place in the Harley-Davidson Open Division, and Officer David Bright won second place in the Top Gun Intersection Slow Ride Event. The competition tested the riding skill of motorcycle officers, and included officers from throughout California.

Fire Department
Training: Firefighter began their Annual Skills Assessment this week, which includes fire attach hose evolutions and truck company operations. Engine Companies also attended Fire Prevention Training this week regarding fire alarm systems and pre-planning of local target hazards.

Emergency Incidents: We had a total of 92 incidents this week, which included 10 that were fire related: 4-Structure Fires, 1-Vehicle Fire, 4-Grass Fires, and 2-Outdoor/Trash Fires. Dollar loss for the week was estimated at $38,400. The remaining calls this week were: EMS-55, Vehicle Accidents-6, Service Calls-9, and Other Emergencies-11.

Fire Prevention: This week’s Fire Prevention activities included: Business Inspections-34, New Construction Inspections-8, Plan Checks-3, Fire System Checks-11, Weed Citations Issued-158, Weed Re-Inspections-123, and Weed Citations Cleared-96.

City Manager
More Neighborhood Stabilization Program Funding: The County and the City of Stockton are partnering in another round of Neighborhood Stabilization Program (NSP) funds, and if that application is approved, Manteca will receive additional funding. The NSP is part of the Housing and Economic Recovery Act of 2008, approved by Congress last July. The County/Stockton application requests $30 million - $9 million of which would go to the County and the cities participating as entitlement cities through the Community Development Block Grant program – including Manteca. Last year, we were notified that Manteca was to receive $1.16 million in NSP funds. The funds must be used to help low- to moderate-income people purchase homes lost in the foreclosure market. The funds are be used to help purchase property that is in foreclosure and vacant, fix the property up to be habitable, and then sell the property to qualified low- to moderate-income individuals. If this NSP2 application is approved, Manteca is expected to receive at least the same level of funding as in the first round.

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

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

Public Works
Union Road Construction: This week, Knife River Construction is completing paving of South Union Road. Permanent striping will be installed next week. Once striping is in place, the City and contractor will coordinate with Caltrans to start the traffic signals.

Federal Stimulus Funding: At the City Council meeting on July 7, Council approved advertising for bids for the 2009 Overlay Project. This project is funded with $1.3 million from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) that was passed by Congress last February. Overall, San Joaquin County received $26.4 million for roadway improvements, and Manteca was one of the first agencies in the area to get its funding approved. The current schedule is to award the contract in August and complete the work in September.

Parks and Recreation
Independence Day Celebration and Fireworks: The City of Manteca and Big League Dreams hosted the community- and family-oriented special event on July 3. The event provided a fun, safe and festive environment for Manteca residents and the general public to enjoy an “Old-Fashioned Independence Day Celebration.” The event featured children’s activities, family fun and entertainment and culminated with the annual fireworks show. The event went very well, with an estimated 7,500 people in attendance.

Aquatic Programs:
· Manteca Dolphins Recreation Swim Team – City staff and volunteers from the Manteca Dolphins continue this long-standing collaborative effort in providing a positive experience for over 200 youth in this outstanding program. The team’s season will end at the end of July.

· Swim Lessons – To date we have 1,161 participants enrolled in our swim lessons programs. The staff at Lincoln Pool continues to do an outstanding job in the planning and implementation of these lessons. We have served 892 residents and 121 non-residents in this program. Swim lessons will continue through August.

· Northgate Softball Tournaments – On June 27 and 28, Northgate and Morenzone fields were used for a softball tournament. The tournament consisted of 15 teams. On July 3 and 4, Northgate fields were rented for a USSSA fast-pitch state tournament, which brought in almost 20 teams.

Police
Shooting: On July 8 at 7:12 p.m., Patrol officers were dispatched to 249 W. Yosemite Ave. for a report of shots fired, and a gunshot victim. The victim was located lying on the west sidewalk at the 100 Block of Sycamore Avenue. The victim had single gunshot wounds to both of his legs. He was uncooperative and refused to give any information regarding the shooting. He was transported to Doctor’s Hospital for treatment of his wounds, which were not life threatening. Witnesses at the scene said the shooting occurred in the area of the north alley of West Yosemite Avenue and the 100 block of Sycamore Avenue. A blood trail was found and was consistent with the shooting occurring in this area.

J.R. Simplot Noise Complaint: At the July 7 City Council Meeting, Mr. David Garcia voiced a concern over a persistent noise he believed was emanating from J.R. Simplot in the City of Lathrop. On July 8, Administrative Services Director Joe Kriskovich and I met with Timothy Van Domelen, Risk Manager of J.R. Simplot. Mr. Van Domelen said they have received a complaint from Mr. Garcia and another subject. Plant officials have identified the sound described by Mr. Garcia as coming from an air circulating fan in the pellet plant of their facility. They have checked the decibel level of the sound at their property line and have found it to be below the levels required by Lathrop and Manteca noise ordinances. They have also checked the sound levels at Mr. Garcia’s property line, and found the levels to be below the ability of the monitoring equipment to register it. J.R. Simplot acknowledged its equipment is creating some noise, and is working with an engineer to further reduce or eliminate the remaining sound. After leaving J.R. Simplot, Mr. Kriskovich and I monitored the ability to hear the sound at several locations throughout Manteca. We could find no locations where the noise levels rose above faint ambient sound and well below standards established by City ordinances.

City Manager
Follow-up from July 7 Council meeting:
Drinking fountain at Sierra Creek – A question was raised by a resident regarding a proposed drinking fountain within the Sierra Creek Landscape Maintenance District (LMD). Staff researched this and found that, in fact, a drinking fountain has not been installed, though water has been stubbed to a site for a potential future drinking fountain. Specific improvement plans for the landscaped area do not show a drinking fountain, even though the Engineer’s Report for the LMD shows it as a potential future project. Staff also confirmed that residents within the Sierra Creek LMD are not being assessed for maintenance of a fountain – only for already constructed improvements.

City Voice Mail – Councilmember Moorhead expressed concern about the City’s voice mail referring callers to the Chamber of Commerce on July 3 when City offices were closed, even though the Chamber was not coordinating the Independence Day events. It appears this was, in fact, the case, as callers to the Parks and Recreation Department were referred to the Chamber. Parks and Recreation staff had seen links on the Chamber’s website to Independence Day events and, thus, included the Chamber’s phone number, knowing City offices would be closed July 3. The Chamber was notified of staff’s error in referring these calls, and assured any future voice mail referrals will be directed to the appropriate parties.

Highlights from "The Week in Review"

Here are some excerpts from this week's "The Week in Review" (TWIR). The full version of the TWIR, including previous issues, can be accessed from the right side of this page.

Public Works:
Atherton Landscape Repair Complete: This week, the contractor completed replacement of the damaged sod on Atherton Road across from the Promenade Center. The contractor will be responsible for maintaining the new sod for 30 days, and then maintenance responsibility will return to the two parties responsible for permanent maintenance. Approximately one half of the area will be maintained by the developers of the Tera Bella subdivision, and the remainder will be maintained by an existing Landscape Maintenance District.

Union Road Improvements: Work has resumed on Union Road, now that the poles have been removed. This week the contractor will complete preparation for the permanent median curb, which should be complete by early next week. Shortly after that, the final paving and striping will be completed. Once this work is complete, the ramp traffic signals will be energized.

Solid Waste Division: For the first five months of the calendar year, household garbage tonnage is down 8%, compared to a decrease of 5% in the same months last year. Green waste tonnages did not change significantly (down 1.5% this year after a 2% increase last year). Interestingly, recycling tonnages increased 12% this year, after a 3% drop last year. This is largely due to a change in the way the numbers are reported to us by the vendor that processes our recyclables, and staff believes recycling tonnages have really not changed much. Overall, the tonnage collected is down 2% compared to last year. Since disposal costs are a large portion of the division’s costs, the reduction in tonnages will provide some savings. The Solid Waste Division operates as an enterprise fund, so these savings cannot be used to help balance the General Fund budget. They can, however, help to offset a decrease in revenue from vacant houses, delinquent accounts and reduced construction waste service.

Parks and Recreation:
· Park maintenance staff has assumed maintenance responsibilities of the Landscape Maintenance Districts, as was announced in the June 12, 2009 Week in Review. Maintenance staff has also implemented service level reductions in park maintenance. Level I parks, such as Woodward and Northgate, will continue to be mowed weekly. However, with service level reductions, neighborhood parks will now be mowed every other week. All parks will continue to receive priority service levels, as it relates to health and safety.

· The Baccilieri Park playground installation was completed this week and is open to the neighborhood for use. Playground design input was collected at a community meeting held with residents living in the neighborhood surrounding the park. Other improvements included in the installation were new sidewalks, picnic tables, benches and drinking fountain. All improvements were funded from Federal Community Development Block Grants.

Community Development:
The following is a summary of some of the activities under way in the Community Development
Department:
-Work is continuing on the new one-stop permit center project. Staff anticipates completion in early August.
-The Environmental Impact Report (EIR) and Master Plan for the CenterPoint project is underway and on schedule.
-A second workshop on the updated Housing Element was held on July 1 at the senior center. This workshop focused primarily on policy options designed to increase the supply of affordable housing in the community.
-The new, alternate member appointed by the City Council to serve on the Planning Commission had an orientation with staff and attended the Planning Commission meeting on June 23.

This Week's "The Week in Review"

Here are some of the highlights from this week's "The Week in Review" (TWIR). You can read the entire TWIR by clicking on the link on the right side of this page.

Parks and Recreation:
Movies in the Park: The Summer Movies in the Park program is back! The first movie night is scheduled for Saturday, June 27 at Woodward Park. De Cristo Productions is presenting “Journey To The Center of the Earth.” The event begins at 5 p.m. with entertainment, with the movie starting around 8:45 p.m. Admission is $1. The movie series is planned to run each Saturday for five weeks, with movies scheduled on June 27, July 4, July 11, July 18 and July 25. For more information and movie previews, visit http://manteca.publicparkfilms.com/.

Independence Day Celebration and Fireworks, July 3 at Big League Dreams: The City of Manteca and Big League Dreams will host a community- and family-oriented special event that will provide a fun, safe and festive environment for Manteca residents and the general public to enjoy an “Old Fashioned Independence Day Celebration.” The event will feature children’s activities, family fun and entertainment, and will culminate with the annual fireworks show. This year, an admission fee of $2 for adults, and $1 for ages 13-17 will be charged (cash only). Children ages 12 and under are free. Free event parking is available off Daniels Street, just north of the Stadium Shopping Center. The event is scheduled from 4 p.m. through the end of the fireworks show – approximately 10:30 p.m. and is expected to draw 8,000-12,000 visitors.

Police Department:
DUI Checkpoint: On June 20, the Department conducted a DUI checkpoint in the 900 block of East Yosemite Avenue. A total of 567 vehicles passed through the checkpoint. Officers arrested three individuals for driving under the influence, and impounded 11 vehicles for driving on a suspended driver’s license.

Burglary Arrests: At 2:20 p.m. on June 22, officers were dispatched to 1607 Goldpoppy in regard to a residential burglary that just occurred. The resident was home in the shower when the suspects entered the unlocked rear sliding glass door and stole money out of the victim’s wallet. The suspects dropped the wallet and credit cards as they ran out of the house. Neighbors and the victim called the Police Department and gave a description of the suspects and suspect vehicle. Officers found the suspect vehicle eastbound on the Highway 120 bypass. They made a high-risk enforcement stop on the vehicle as the vehicle was merging onto southbound Highway 99. Two suspects were detained at the scene and were identified by witnesses as the individuals responsible for the burglary. One of the suspects had the $84 that had been taken from the victim’s wallet. A firearm was also located in the vehicle. Adam Aguilar of Los Banos and Jesus Antonio Quintana of Atwater were arrested for Residential Burglary, Conspiracy, and weapons charges.

City Manager:
TANC Meeting: The Mayor and I attended a meeting facilitated by Supervisor Ornellas regarding the Transmission Agency of Northern California (TANC) high-voltage transmission line project. The project is designed to substantially increase the electrical transmission network in Northern California. The primary sponsors of the project are the Sacramento Municipal Utilities District, Modesto Irrigation District and Turlock Irrigation District. Property owners and municipalities in South San Joaquin County are very concerned about the lack of planning to date for this project. The first cut at a proposed route for the lines severely impacts future projects in both Manteca and Ripon. The Mayor and others expressed their concern at this meeting, which was attended by, among others, TANC and representatives from the local congressional offices. Comments on the proposed route are due by July 29. I will be bringing back more information to the Council well in advance of the deadline for the comment period.

PBID Steering Committee Meeting: On June 24, City staff and I, along with the City’s consultant, attended the PBID Steering Committee meeting. This is the group of individuals interested in learning more about a PBID (Property-Based Business Improvement District) for the downtown area. There was much discussion about changes that have been made to the downtown – primarily those paid for by the City – and some concerns about the effectiveness of those changes. The group also discussed a survey the consultant had distributed to approximately 600 business and property owners, asking their opinions about the most important issues facing the downtown area and, should a district be formed, in which areas should the funding and efforts be concentrated. An extremely low number of surveys were returned, lending all in the group to agree that this was not an adequate representation on the needs of the business community. The committee members were tasked with providing input on a new survey, and areas of interest that should be asked of the business and property owners. The committee will meet again in August to review this work and finalize a new survey.

Highlights from "The Week in Review"

Here are some excerpts from this week's "The Week in Review" (TWIR). To read the entire TWIR, click on the link on the right side of this page.

Public Works:
Atherton Drive Landscaping: Work on replacing the turf along Atherton Drive across from the Promenade Center will begin this week, and should be complete in another two weeks.

Stimulus Funding for Street Improvements: On June 18, the City received authorization from Caltrans and the Federal Highway Administration to proceed with construction of a street rehabilitation project that City staff had proposed for the first round of ARRA (American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009) stimulus funding. This is one of the first ARRA projects approved in San Joaquin County. The project includes pavement repair and asphalt overlay on various City streets, including portions of Union Road, Alameda Avenue and North Street, among others. The authorized funding amount is in excess of $1.3 million, and will cover 100% of the construction costs. Staff anticipates recommending the City Council approve a call for bids at the July 7 Council meeting, with construction on the project occurring during August or September.

Union Road Improvements: Work on Union Road south of the Highway 120 Bypass will resume as soon as Verizon completes the relocation of its facilities at the intersection of Union and Woodward. Once that work is complete, the contractor will remove the crash cushions, install median islands and landscaping, and then complete the paving and striping. Once the striping is complete, the signals at the Highway 120 ramps will be energized.

Louise Avenue Closure: Louise Avenue, west of Airport Way, will remain closed for another two weeks, due to the extension of a Lathrop construction project, which is improving Louise Avenue through the City of Lathrop. The extension will also allow the joint SSJID/City project some extra time to replace a culvert at the French Camp Outlet Canal before reopening the road.

Parks and Recreation:
Aerial Lift Truck: At the June 16 City Council meeting, some questions were raised by the public regarding the replacement of the 1988 lift truck. The 1988 Altec truck was purchased new, arriving in the Parks Division on November 30, 1988. That truck has 20,461 miles on it, as well as 5,115 hours. The number of hours is equivalent to approximately 307,000 miles. The actual mileage to the working sites may not be much, but these trucks idle for long periods of time while the aerial lift is in place. The old truck was a gasoline truck, which is far less efficient for idling purposes. The new truck will be diesel – better designed for the amount of idling it will require. The Council did take action to approve the purchase of a new truck.

Golf Course – Vandals recently damaged four ball washers, seven tee signs, 17 irrigation heads, and one green. Labor and material costs to make all repairs were $1,360.

Woodward Park – Vandals recently destroyed five young trees in the park. Labor and materials to replace the trees will cost approximately $500.

Parks staff has trained part-time personnel to prepare infields for play and to perform basic swimming pool maintenance tasks on weekends. Utilizing part-time staff will reduce overtime pay and will free up time for regular maintenance personnel to focus on more technical tasks.

Fire Department:
Emergency Incidents: We had a total of 89 incidents this week, which included 5 that were fire related: 4-Structure Fires and 1-Outside Rubbish Fire. Dollar loss for the week was estimated at $24,500. The remaining calls this week were: EMS-54, Vehicle Accidents-2, Service Calls-13, and Other Emergencies-15.

Significant Incidents:
Structure Fire – 450 E. Yosemite Ave., June 10
Noticing visible smoke in the area, firefighters at Fire Station #1 were preparing to investigate as the alarm came in for a structure fire at Manteca High School. Engine Company 244 was the first to arrive on scene to find smoke and flames coming from an outdoor storage building and a portable classroom. Fire suppression operations were immediately started and the fire was brought under control. The fire completely destroyed the storage shed. The portable classroom had fire damage to the west wall, and under the flooring. The fire appears to have started in or near the storage building, which contained hay bales. Crews were on scene for approximately three hours. Engine companies from all three fire stations responded, along with the aerial ladder truck and an engine from Lathrop-Manteca Fire District responded.

Vehicle Accident – South Manteca Road, June 13
Engine Company 242 responded on automatic aid with the Lathrop-Manteca Fire District, Engine Company 32, to a single vehicle rollover on South Manteca Road near Sedan Avenue in the early morning hours of June 13. Firefighters arrived on scene to find a four-wheel drive truck on its wheels, facing northbound on South Manteca Road. It had sustained major damage. Three patients required medical attention and were transported to a local medical facility for treatment.

This week's "The Week in Review"

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

Public Works:
Bid Openings: Public Works held two bid openings this week for key infrastructure projects. Both projects received multiple bids from well-qualified contractors, and bid prices still reflect a fairly competitive construction market:

Sewer Pipeline Rehabilitation Project – This project involves cleaning and lining approximately 5,500 feet of sewer pipe in Louise Avenue from Cottage Avenue to Main Street. The existing Louise Avenue sewer main is an unlined concrete pipe, and it has been significantly corroded over the years by sewer gases. This rehabilitation project will install a PVC-based liner that will protect the concrete pipe and extend its service life by another 25 to 30 years. Five construction bids were submitted, with an apparent low bid of $364,590.

Austin Road Pipeline Extension Project – This project involves installing approximately 20,000 feet of 12-inch to 24-inch water pipeline in Austin Road from Yosemite Avenue to Lathrop Road. The Austin Road pipeline is a major segment of infrastructure needed to convey SSJID treated surface water into the City’s existing potable water system. This pipeline will supply blending water needed to reduce arsenic levels at certain City wells, as well as improve system pressures and system reliability. The project will also support growth in the east and southeast areas of Manteca. Eleven construction bids were submitted, with the apparent low bid of $1,388,426.

Garbage Collection in City Parks: The Solid Waste Division is continuing to work with the Parks Division to streamline garbage collection in City parks. New containers have been installed and the garbage service has been integrated into residential routes where possible.

Information Technology:
New Telephone System: City staff members are undergoing training on the City’s new telephone system. The new system is scheduled to go online later this month. Main telephone numbers for the various departments will remain intact, providing little disruption to the general public. Eventually, callers will receive an automated telephone directory to help guide them to other specific phone numbers that will have changed. The system will not be fully automated, as the individual departments will still have people to answer calls for those who don’t need a specific extension. The new system is estimated to save the City $50,407 over the five-year lease (when compared to the City’s existing telephone system). At the end of the lease, the savings will increase to $118,366 per year.

Police:
Burglary Arrest: At 8:49 p.m. on June 10, units responded to a report of a residential burglary in progress, with suspects running and a neighbor chasing them on foot. It began at 1629 Bermuda Lane. Four suspects were seen carrying items from a residence to a car. The suspects had entered an open bedroom window. A neighbor who witnessed the subjects with the property quickly called 911. The suspects fled on foot after seeing the neighbor. Officers quickly established a perimeter and a yard-to-yard search was conducted with the assistance of a police canine. The canine flushed out the suspects from their hiding place and they began to jump fences in their attempt to get away. Police units from Lathrop and the Sheriff’s Department responded to Manteca and assisted in the search. Three suspects were captured but a fourth managed to elude detection. All of the stolen property was recovered, as well as the suspect vehicle, which was found to be an unreported stolen vehicle from Lathrop. In addition to the items stolen from the home, car stereos were found in the backseat. Two male juveniles and Kevin Hollins, 19, all residents of Lathrop, were arrested for burglary, possession of stolen property, conspiracy, and resisting arrest.

Highlights from "The Week in Review"

Here are some highlights from this week's "The Week in Review" (TWIR). To read the entire TWIR, click the link on the right side of this web page.

Public Works:
Atherton Drive Extension/Union Road Widening: Imperial Landscaping has been engaged to re-sod the turf strip along the south side of Atherton Drive. The project kickoff meeting has been held with the contractor and work will begin within two weeks. PG&E has removed the transmission poles in the center of Union Road between State Route 120 and Woodward Avenue. Comcast is relocating its facilities along Woodward Avenue. Verizon is awaiting the delivery of wire so it can relocate its facilities along Woodward Avenue. DSS Company/Knife River will start road work in approximately two weeks, with an expected completion in mid July.

SR99/SR120 Interchange Landscaping: The bid opening for this project will be June 18, with a July 7 award. Staff is working on a maintenance agreement amendment with Caltrans. Once the amendment is in place, Caltrans can issue the Encroachment Permit and the project can be awarded.

Parks & Recreation:
BMX Track: The installation of the fence that will separate track users from spectators has been
completed. Parks staff and the Assistant City Manager met with Jon Anderson to review the status of projects that the Anderson209 volunteer group has committed to complete. Parks staff will review and provide comment on the design submitted by the Anderson group, to ensure that the installation of improvements meet City standards, and will stand the test of time. Once approved, Anderson209 and its volunteers will proceed with their improvements.

Mosquito Fish – On June 25 from 8:30 to 11:30 a.m., San Joaquin County will be providing free Mosquito Fish to the public. These are for those individuals with ponds in their backyard. Pond owners are encouraged to put the fish in the pond, where they feed on mosquitoes in an effort to reduce the mosquito population and potential West Nile Virus.

Community Development:
Residential Development Projections: After initiating discussions with several developers, staff anticipates a total of 342 single-family homes will begin construction in the 2009-10 fiscal year. Community Development Department staff is in regular contact with developers to keep maintain current projections for new development. These figures will help determine staffing priorities for the upcoming fiscal year.

CenterPoint: Staff on June 4 initiated the first meeting on the Environmental Impact Report (EIR) for the CenterPoint project. In addition, work has also started on the Master Plan for the entire 500+ acres along Airport Way, between Lathrop Road and Roth Road.

Promenade Center: Staff will be meeting next week with the developer of the Promenade Shopping Center and Craig Realty to finalize the process for reviewing plans to build out 250,000 square feet of retail space at Orchard Valley for use as “luxury outlets.” This work is anticipated to begin in August and be completed in February 2010, with the spaces leased shortly thereafter.

Highlights from "The Week in Review"

Here are some of the items of interest from "The Week in Review" (TWIR). You can read the entire TWIR by clicking on the link on the right side of this page.

Public Works:
Atherton Drive Extension Re-sodding: Quotes have been received for the re-sodding of the turf strips along the south side of Atherton Drive between Main and Union. Staff is processing the paperwork to engage Imperial Landscaping to replace the sod for an amount not to exceed $11,980. Work will commence within two weeks.

5th-Grade Student Stormwater Education: As part of the City’s stormwater public outreach and education program, Public Works distributed 500 stormwater activity booklets to all 5th-grade students in Manteca. The activity booklet contains short stories, puzzles and games that educate kids on what stormwater is and how they can help to prevent stormwater pollution.

Finance:
Sewer Revenue Bonds: On May 27, the City of Manteca Sewer Revenue Series 2009 bonds were successfully priced in the market place. After reviewing several bond structures, staff determined the best structure for the City at this time was a simplified tax-exempt revenue bond series. Build America Bonds were not used as part of the structure. Through the hard work and collaborative efforts of all members of the bond financing team, the interest rates on the issue were under 6%, which is well under the rates that were presented over the last several weeks. The net interest cost for the total issue is 5.74%. Staff is currently finalizing all documents, and the final closing for the issue is set for June 2.

City Manager:
Public Safety Sales Tax Oversight Committee (PSSTOC): The PSSTOC held its first meeting of the year, meeting on May 27. The Fire Chief presented a proposed updated five-year expenditure plan for the department, which includes a delay in the construction of a fourth fire station and some staffing changes. The Chief is proposing establishing three Shift Commander positions, along with three additional Captains to staff the new aerial ladder truck. These six positions will replace the nine Fire positions that were included in the original expenditure plan that would have staffed the fourth fire station. Due to continued declines in sales tax, the Public Safety Sales Tax revenues are also down. These staffing changes will help delay the need to hire more Fire Department staffing for the next two years. The PSSTOC accepted the report, and asked to be kept informed as additional budget information becomes available. The next meeting of the PSSTOC has been tentatively scheduled for November 5, unless new information is available prior to that meeting.

Federal Funding: The City’s lobbyist is closely monitoring the FY10 Federal appropriations process. Members in the House and Senate have finished submitting their appropriations requests to their respective committees. For the first time, members are required to post what projects they requested on their websites. Congressman McNerney submitted the following projects on behalf of the City of Manteca:

Manteca Solar Facility Project: $621,000
Austin road Interchange: $1,000,000
Manteca Arsenic Reduction: $434,500
Sewer Line Replacement and Rehabilitation: $2,000,000

It is important to remember that Rep. McNerney submitting these requests to the Committee does not guarantee any funding. It is now up to the House and Senate Appropriations Committees to determine which projects will make the cut, and how much funding they will receive in FY10. It is possible that the House Appropriations Subcommittees will begin marking up bills as early as next week. We will continue to keep you informed as the appropriations process moves forward.

Highlights from The Week in Review

Here are some of the items of interest from "The Week in Review" (TWIR). You can read the entire TWIR by clicking on the link on the right side of this page.

Parks and Recreation:
Big League Dreams 1st Quarterly Report: The City has received the 1st Quarter – 2008 Retail Revenue Report for the Big League Dreams Sports Park (copy attached). Growth continues in both revenue and attendance as all facilities are up and running, some at capacity. 1st Quarter retail revenue reached $462,720, which exceeds the 1st Quarter 2008 revenue by $117,648 – a 34% increase. The City received a rent check for $74,035 for the 1st Quarter 2009. A busy January contributed to the majority of this increase. Due to the strong start and financial performance of the facility in the first lease year, early rent provisions of the lease were triggered, and the City has been receiving rent payments since the 4th Quarter of 2007 (over two years ahead of schedule). Paid attendance for the 1st Quarter of 2009 totaled 97,522, compared to 71,337 for the same period in 2008 – an increase of 27%. The 2009 retail revenues are expected to continue to exceed original pre-construction projections for this lease year by over 10% or $150,000. Future revenue growth is expected to be in the 5 to 10%.

Parks/Golf/Park Planning:
Landscape Maintenance Districts – Written 30-day notices have been issued to contractors who are currently maintaining the landscaping in the City’s Landscape Maintenance Districts. The notices will inform the contractors that the monthly services that they have been providing will no longer be needed after June 30, 2009. Parks maintenance staff will assume responsibility for landscape maintenance of the LMDs on July 1.
Staffing and Service Levels – Four parks maintenance workers retired this week, and a fifth maintenance worker transferred to the Water Division. This reduction in work force will most likely begin to have an impact on maintenance service levels in parks in the very near future. Parks staff has worked cooperatively with Public Works staff to consolidate efforts where possible to provide relief to the General Fund and to improve efficiencies. One area in particular where Public Works assistance will help is trash removal from park sites. Staff has worked together to develop a plan and to install new trash receptacles in parks. The plan would have the trash receptacles in parks emptied on the same schedule as when the residents in the respective neighborhoods would have their trash removed. It is anticipated to have minimal impact to the operation of the Solid Waste Division, primarily because they would already be in the area. However, it is anticipated that this will allow Parks staff to reallocate more than 20 hours each week to other tasks.

Parks and Recreation Staffing: May 21 marks Steve Houx’s last day with the City of Manteca. Steve has elected to take the early retirement incentive that we’ve been offering to retirement-eligible employees. This program allows employees to receive two additional years of service credit if the City does not fill their position for two years. Steve has worked for the City for nearly 24 years – most of which he has served as the City’s Parks and Recreation Director. Although it is impossible to fill Steve’s shoes, I needed to appoint someone to step in and oversee the overall operations of the department. Effective May 23, Assistant City Manager Karen McLaughlin will oversee the department. Mark Hall, Deputy Director of Parks and Recreation/Facilities, and Bruce Mulder, Deputy Director of Parks and Recreation/Services, will continue to lead their respective divisions, and will remain directly responsible for them. I appreciate everyone's cooperation during these transitional times.

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

Police Department:
OTS Grant: The Police Department has received notice that the Office of Traffic Safety has awarded us a grant of $87,800. The grant includes $37,800 for a new DUI trailer, along with the lights and equipment needed for DUI checkpoints, plus $50,000 in overtime funding for DUI enforcement.

Dispatch Service: The Police Department is continuing to look at ways to cut costs to the General Fund. During its presentation to Council, the Budget Advisory Committee recommended that departments look at outsourcing service, when appropriate, in order to save money. To that end, the Police Department contacted the San Joaquin County Sheriff’s Department regarding the possibility of outsourcing Police dispatch service. The Police Chief met with the Sheriff and his staff on May 13 to discuss the proposal. The Sheriff’s offer to provide dispatch service exceeded the cost of the City continuing to operate the Dispatch Center ourselves. While this did not turn out to be an opportunity to save funds, it did illustrate that we are currently providing this service at an economical rate for the taxpayers. The department will continue to research other cost-saving measures.

Public Works:
Atherton Drive Landscaping: Several Council members have expressed concern about the condition of the landscaping along Atherton Drive, adjacent to the Promenade Shops at Orchard Valley. Specifically, the concern seemed to be centered around the irrigation along the north side of the street and the fact it was not adhering to City regulations. Public Works staff verified the situation and again notified the contractor of the need to correct the problem. Previously, along the south side of Atherton Drive, the combined efforts of Parks and Public Works were used to bring the turf strip to a more-acceptable state. In response to community input about appearance of the turf strip, staff is following an accelerated schedule of delivery for re-sodding the turf strip. The re-sodding was a planned element for completion of the Atherton Drive Improvements, which was to be undertaken after current landscape maintenance periods were completed. The request for quotes for the replacement of the sod will be released by the end of this week.

Relocation of Power Lines: Pacific Gas and Electric crews continue with the relocation of the transmission lines on Union Road, between State Route 120 and Woodward Avenue. The new poles are in place and new wires are currently being strung. The schedule calls for the new lines to be energized on May 27. Once the new system is energized, the existing poles and wires must be removed. Mid-June is the target date for the old system to be completely removed. The final phase of the Union Road improvements will begin at that time.

Parks and Recreation:
Shasta Park Playground: The installation of a recognition monument is expected to be completed this week. The playground was constructed with a combination of Federal Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds, and approximately $20,000 of donated funds from neighborhood residents. The City also received a $99,998 grant from the California Integrated Waste Management Board for the installation of the rubberized safety surfacing. The playground will be named in honor of Art Rocha. Mr. Rocha was instrumental several years ago in preserving the character of the park when it was re-designed to accommodate a storm drainage basin. A dedication ceremony is scheduled at Shasta Park on Thursday, May 21, at 6:30 p.m.

You can access the entire "The Week in Review" from its link on the right side of this page.

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

Here are some highlights from this week's "The Week in Review" (TWIR). You can access the TWIR from the right side of this page or by clicking here.

Fire
Long-Term Mutual Aid Assignment: One of the City’s engine companies was dispatched to Southern California on Wednesday evening, May 6, to assist with the wildland fires in the Santa Barbara area. The crew is part of a Strike Team from San Joaquin County, which also includes engine companies from Stockton, Woodbridge, Tracy and Escalon. Our engine company is staffed by Captain Dave Breitenbucher, Engineer Tony Taberna, Firefighter Ryan Avant and Firefighter Nick Haas. In addition, Captain Kyle Shipherd, is helping to lead the assignment as Assistant Strike Team Leader. They arrived safely in the Santa Barbara area late Thursday night and have been assigned to structure protection.

Public Works
Discount on Flood Insurance: The National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) is a program administered by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) that nearly 20,000 communities across the United States participate in by adopting and enforcing floodplain management ordinances to reduce future flood damage. In exchange, FEMA makes Federally-backed flood insurance available to homeowners, renters, and business owners in these communities. To encourage additional floodplain management activities beyond the NFIP minimum, FEMA established the Community Rating System (CRS). CRS is an incentive program that rewards floodplain management activities that exceed the minimum NFIP requirements. Public Works has been working with FEMA staff over the last several months to demonstrate how the City’s existing floodplain management activities exceed the minimum NFIP requirements and thus qualify for a reward under the CRS program. Specifically, Public Works demonstrated to FEMA how existing street sweeping activities and storm system maintenance activities reduce the risk of flooding in the City. Given these proactive maintenance activities, this week FEMA has designated the City of Manteca as a Class 9 CRS Participant, which entitles all residents and businesses to a 5% discount on flood insurance. Class 9 is the highest rating achievable, given the geographic features of the City. Public Works will continue to work with FEMA in the future to maintain this benefit for the City’s residents and businesses.

Community Development
Crivello Estates: Staff met last week with more than 30 residents regarding the proposed Crivello Estates residential subdivision on Louise Avenue. Staff and the applicants addressed traffic issues, building height concerns, the extension of the existing park, and confirmed that the General Plan calls for residential housing on this site, not open space. Staff believes most of the neighbors issues have been satisfied, although there are traffic-calming issues in the two adjacent subdivisions that need further discussion, but are unrelated to the specific Crivello Estates proposal. Staff will be meeting with the Planning Commission on May 12 again to recommend approval of the project, with changes that were agreed to by the developer.

Highlights from "The Week in Review"

Here are some items of interest from this week's "The Week in Review" (TWIR). A full version of this week's TWIR and previous TWIRs can be access from the "links" section of this website or by clicking here.

Police Department
Every 15 Minutes: The Manteca Police Department participated in the 2009 “Every 15 Minutes” program on April 23 And 24. This year’s event was presented at Sierra High School and included the students from all four Manteca high schools. This presentation is a cooperative effort between the School District and local emergency responders. Agencies participating in the event included the Manteca Police Department, Manteca Fire Department, Manteca Unified School District, Lathrop-Manteca Fire Department, Lathrop Police Department, Manteca District Ambulance, San Joaquin County Sheriffs Office, San Joaquin County Superior Courts, San Joaquin County District Attorneys Office, Kaiser Hospital, Manteca Tow Company, P.L. Fry Funeral Home, California Highway Patrol, and PHI Air-Medic Service. Along with these agencies, the program used more than 90 volunteers, 25 School District buses, and was attended by 1,311 students. The “Every 15 Minutes” program is a very powerful and emotional program used to reach out to high school juniors and seniors and educate them about the consequences of drinking and driving.

Public Works
Projects for Federal Funding: Last week was a busy week for Public Works Engineering staff, who prepared a number of appropriations requests to meet deadlines for our Congressional representatives. Staff submitted four requests to Congressman McNerney’s office, plus eight to Senator Feinstein’s office. The projects included interchanges at McKinley, Austin, and Union Road, plus funds for a reclaimed water distribution system and other utility improvements. These projects will compete with others submitted by entities throughout the State and nation for Federal funds that could be included in one of the appropriation bills that Congress will pass in the coming months.

Parks and Recreation
Spreckels Recreation Park: Construction of the masonry wall on the west property line has been completed. The installation of solar security lighting and the fencing to separate track users from spectators is expected to be completed in May. The Anderson 209 volunteer group is continuing to progress on its work on the starting hill gate and support systems. Anderson’s target date for completion is May.

Parks maintenance staff has been installing wood chips in planter beds and tree wells throughout the City. The wood chips are produced by Tree Division work crews from routine pruning and chipping operations. Recycling the wood chips provides multiple benefits, such as diverting waste going to landfill sites, retaining moisture in the ground, keeping weeds down and providing a more attractive appearance.

Damages:
Woodward Park vandalism – Vandals damaged 27 irrigation heads. Labor and materials to replace the heads cost approximately $200.

Primavera Park received graffiti by vandals three times in the past week. Labor and materials to remove the graffiti cost approximately $140.

Approximately 25 shrubs were destroyed by vandals in the Paseo West Landscape Maintenance District. Labor and materials to replace the shrubs is expected to cost approximately $450-500.

Highlights from "The Week in Review"

Highlights from this week's Week in Review

Public Works
Economic Stimulus Grant: As part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, Manteca will receive $586,200 in Federal grant money to be used toward energy-efficiency and conservation projects. Unlike many federal grants, there is no matching fund requirement for these monies, which means the City does not have to spend a certain amount to receive the full $586,200. Public Works is evaluating a variety of energy-efficiency and conservation projects to maximize the use ofthe Federal grant funds, and plans to provide recommendations to Council at
its May 19 meeting.

Parks and Recreation
Senior Olympic Games: The Parks and Recreation Department is working closely with the MantecaConvention and Visitors Bureau in bringing the Senior Games to Manteca, April 25-3. Events that are scheduled to be offered are softball, BMX, martial arts, track & field and pickle ball events. A Welcome Reception for all the athletes is scheduled for April 25 at 6:30 p.m. at the Del Webb Community Multipurpose Room. The public is encouraged to attend to honor local and
visiting athletes competing in the Senior Games, and to support our community.

Parks and Recreation Impact on City Budget: Joint administrative services between Parks and Recreation and Public Works has been the subject of much discussion and evaluation as the City faces reduced resources. Management staff continues to work on alternatives to streamline processes, focus on core services and improve efficiency and effectiveness in critical administrative services for both departments, including reception, clerical, analytical work and
purchasing/budgeting.

"The Week in Review" is accessible from the City's website or by going to this link.

Highlights from "The Week in Review"

Here are some highlights from "The Week in Review". To read the entire document, click here.

Solid Waste: City Council's approval last meeting of the purchase of one automated solid waste collection truck will complete the Division's conversion to fully automated residential collection. Until this truck and one other that is on order arrives, the City will rely on older semi-automated trucks to do some alley collection and to have spare trucks available when the primary trucks are unavailable due to maintenance problems or scheduled services.

The City of Manteca’s annual maintenance cost is significantly lower than the industry average. Despite the lower maintenance cost of the semi-automated trucks, these trucks are more expensive to operate because the automated trucks collect many more containers per shift. With the recent order of a new automated truck, the City of Manteca will retire our last three semi-automated trucks, which are 9, 11, and 21 years old. These trucks have been primarily used as spare trucks in recent years to cover routes when automated trucks require maintenance or repair. Because of the difficult operating conditions, solid waste trucks do require frequent maintenance, so the industry standard is to maintain at least one spare truck for each 4 routes.

Senior Olympic Games: The Parks and Recreation Department is working closely with the Manteca Convention and Visitors Bureau in bringing the Senior Games to Manteca, April 25-30, 2009. Events that are scheduled to be offered are softball, BMX, martial arts, track and field, and pickle ball events. A Welcome Reception for all the athletes is scheduled for April 25 at 6:30 p.m. at the Del Webb Community Multi-purpose Room. We encourage your attendance in honoring local and visiting athletes competing in the Senior Games and supporting our community.

Highlights from "The Week in Review"

Here are a couple excerpts from this week's The Week in Review:

American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) Funding: The Manteca Transit system will be receiving approximately $1.3 million in stimulus funding. The following projects are programmed to receive this funding:

First half of available funding:
Manteca Multimodal (Environmental/Engineering) $380,000
Marketing Plan (Rebranding/Signage/Brochures) $40,000
Fixed-Route Bus Purchase $100,000
Operations Facility Lease $130,000

Second half of available funding:
Manteca Multimodal (Construction) $649,009

All applications for ARRA funds are submitted to the Federal Transit Administration, Federal Transit Administration and the Department of Labor for review. The first half of the available funding, $650,000, is anticipated to be through the review process and ready for obligation on July 6. The second half of the funding, $649,009, is expected to be ready for obligation on October 1. Funding through this Act does not require a local match.

Multimodal Update: The Multimodal Station project has the following funding programmed:

Funding Source Amount When Available
ARRA (Stimulus) – Environmental/Engineering $380,000 July 6, 2009
ARRA (Stimulus) - Construction $649,009 October 1, 2009
Measure K $700,000 October 1, 2009
RSTP $1,500,000 October 1, 2010
Total: $3,229,009

Parks and Recreation:
· Staff continues to coordinate appointments for girls who are in financial need of formal dresses for upcoming proms, formals and 8th-grade graduations. Girls who are in need of dresses are required to fill out an application and must meet certain criteria. The program offers a chance for all teens to have the opportunity to attend a school event and help them build self esteem. Two additional dresses were donated this past week.

· The Little People’s program continues to offer preschool-aged children a “playgroup” environment, as well as an opportunity to learn, play and socialize with other preschoolers. The program provides a safe place to play, teaches vital life skills and gives preschoolers their first “real school experience.” The program currently has 45 participants registered in the program. The new session will began on March 30. The program will host the annual Easter Egg Hunt on April 13.

The Open Gym Program continues to provide a safe and secure place for the youth, teens and adults in our Community to play basketball. On March 27, there were 10 participants; on March 28 there were 28 participants; on April 3 there were 26 participants; and on March 21 there were 14 participants at the Open Gym Program. Friday’s Open Gym is now being offered again with two hours available to play basketball and two hours available to play volleyball.

Items of Interest from "The Week in Review"

For those of you who don't read the entire "Week in Review" (TWIR), here are a couple of the more interesting reports:

(You can access the TWIR at http://www.ci.manteca.ca.us/twir/)

COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT
"The Trails:" Next Bay Properties, based in Danville, submitted a complete application last week to move forward on "The Trails" residential development project, located southwest of the Highway 120 Bypass and west of McKinley Road. The project will entail the development of 1,173 lots and all related infrastructure, plus the provision of an "Urban Forest."

PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT
Possible Federal Funding for Manteca Projects: Staff has been notified by Congressman McNerney’s office that the Congressman was including six Manteca projects on his appropriations request list for the 11th District. Projects include installing a solar energy facility at the new corporation yard ($620,000), arsenic reduction ($430,000), sewer line replacement ($2 million) Austin Road interchange ($1 million) Regional Events Center ($750,000) and a job mentoring program requested by Give Every Child a Chance ($1 million). Although there is no guarantee any or all of these projects will receive final funding, including them on the Congressman’s appropriations list is essential to having them considered at all.