City Council recap for Sept. 7 meeting

BARSTOW • Councilman Tim Saenz and Barstow City Manager Richard Rowe were absent. Among items discussed at Tuesday’s City Council meeting:

Start date set for street projects • Construction to Muriel Drive between Armory and Rimrock Roads and Armory Road between Muriel Drive and Barstow Road will begin Sept. 20, said Ron Rector, the city’s community and economic development director.

Projects on Avenue H, Mountain View Street, Yucca Avenue, Country Club Drive and Cozy Lane are expected to begin October 4. Construction on Main Street between Second Avenue and Avenue H is expected to begin October 12.

Streets located between Virginia Way and Mountain View Street near Barstow High School could be delayed to February 2011, Rector said, while Southwest Gas lowers gas pipelines that are currently about eight inches below the roads’ surface.

Road-paving requirement removed for Samoan church • Four members of the Barstow City Council modified a Samoan pastor’s conditional use permit to build a church, removing a requirement that he pave 400 feet of road leading to the property at Vineyard Street and Avenue J.

Barstow Mayor Joe Gomez requested that the paving requirement be removed from Enitima Laulu and the First Samoan Full Gospel Pentecostal Church’s conditional use permit and that the city absorb the cost. Staff recommended the church use road grindings, gravel and other materials to construct an all-weather surface to allow for emergency access.

The estimated cost for materials is about $1,500 to $2,000, said City Planner Mike Massimini. Community and Economic Development Director Ron Rector said road grindings could be taken from the various street projects that are set to start.

Laulu, the church’s senior pastor, received a conditional use permit in May, which required him to pave the road and construct curbs, gutters and other improvements.  

Changes to employee contracts approved • The Council approved changes to contracts for city employees ranging from custodians to members of the Barstow Police Department without discussion.

Officials estimate that suspending payments to employees for excess vacation, sick and holiday hours will save the city more than $300,000. Other changes include offering a stipend instead of health insurance coverage, postponing cost-of-living pay raises and offering the golden handshake to eligible employees. About $215,000 in merit-based pay raises was included in this year’s budget.

The Council has discussed contract changes during closed session meetings since April.

Fee waiver denied for senior center • The Council denied a request by the Barstow Senior Citizens Center to waive the $1,009 fee for a conditional use permit to install a textile recycling bin at its thrift store.

Until the Council votes on a policy for granting fee waivers, the Municipal Code doesn’t give it the authority to waive fees, Rector said. The Council discussed a fee-waiver policy at its April 19 meeting, but hasn’t voted on a policy yet.

The senior center received a conditional use permit in July to install a recycling bin at its thrift store as a way to save money. The organization would be reimbursed for the material it collects and it would cut back on the number of trash pickups at the thrift store, said President Jeff Eason Sr.

City to pursue federal grants • The Council authorized city staff to pursue three federal grants totaling more than $14.7 million for capital improvement projects and updates to its general plan, zoning code and other plans.

Staff will submit two grant applications to the U.S. Department of Transportation for about $13.2 million for repairs to Lenwood Road and Armory Road, the proposed transit center at City Hall and the traffic signal at Rimrock Road and Muriel Drive. If awarded, the grant would also pay for a plan to manage paving city roads. The city would have to match the grant by $2.6 million.

Staff is also submitting a $1.5 million grant application to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development to pay for updates to its general plan, the Lenwood specific plan, zoning code and Redevelopment Agency guidelines. That grant requires a $300,000 match.