Author Archives: Jaime Shaw

Are You Ready to ShakeOut on October 21?

The International ShakeOut Day, every third Thursday of October, is a day of individual and community events featuring the largest earthquake drill ever, organized to inspire others to get ready for big earthquakes, and to prevent disasters from becoming catastrophes. What we do to prepare now, before the next big earthquake, will determine how well we can survive and recover. ShakeOut will occur in houses, workplaces, schools, and public spaces on October 21, 2021.

Earthquakes may happen anywhere you work, live, or travel. Great ShakeOut Earthquake Drills are our chance to practice together how to protect ourselves, and for everyone to become prepared. The goal is to save lives and prevent disasters from becoming catastrophes.

Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, we have had to make many adaptations for home, work, and school — all while learning a lot. As you plan for ShakeOut this year, consider: When was the last time you checked on your disaster supplies? Have you “Secured Your Space” to prevent damage and injury? What changes are there to your emergency plans and contacts? 

During the self-led drill, participants practice how to “Drop, Cover, and Hold On”.  Endorsed by emergency officials and first responders, the safe response to an earthquake is to: 

DROP where you are, onto your hands and knees. This position protects you from being knocked down and also allows you to stay low and crawl to shelter if nearby.

COVER your head and neck with one arm and hand

  • If a sturdy table or desk is nearby, crawl underneath it for shelter
  • If no shelter is nearby, crawl next to an interior wall (away from windows)
  • Stay on your knees; bend over to protect vital organs

HOLD ON until shaking stops

  • Under shelter: hold on to it with one hand; be ready to move with your shelter if it shifts
  • No shelter: hold on to your head and neck with both arms and hands.

Learn more and register at https://www.shakeout.org/.

Learn about the first ever statewide public earthquake warning system, Earthquake Warning California, in last month’s Monarch Press article “Receive Earthquake Warnings with the MyShake App.”

Review County Climate Change Vulnerability Assessment

Public Comment Period Open Until 5 p.m. October 22

The County of Santa Barbara Planning and Development Department (P&D) has released a Draft Climate Change Vulnerability Assessment (CCVA) available HERE.

The County is accepting public comments on the draft assessment through 5 p.m. Wednesday, October 22. Comments can be submitted via mail.

The CCVA is the result of a multi-year effort to improve community resiliency by analyzing how climate change could harm our community. The CCVA provides an opportunity for a closer look at specific climate-related hazards, like extreme heat, wildfires, sea-level rise, drought, coastal and inland flooding, agricultural pests and diseases, landslides, and extreme weather events, and how these hazards are likely to affect our communities now, and in the future.

It is well documented that climate-related hazards may impact people and communities disproportionately. Housing, income, education, race and ethnicity, culture, health, ability, and access to services matter greatly when assessing the extent and likelihood of harm caused by climate hazards. For this important reason, the CCVA integrates equity into the technical analyses, identifying populations that are most at risk of harm.

Highlights from the Climate Change Vulnerability Assessment:

  • 13 applicable climate change hazards identified in the county
  • A wide array of community assets evaluated, including economic drivers, ecosystems and natural resources, infrastructure, buildings and facilities, and key community services
  • 16 “frontline populations” identified, e.g. those groups that experience the impacts of climate change earlier and/or to a more severe degree than others.
  • 106 of 138 populations and assets were evaluated as having a “high” or “severe” vulnerability to climate change.
  • Key findings to help guide work on the next phase of the project developing adaptation strategies

For more information, the public can visit the One Climate project website and sign up to receive e-mail updates specific to the CCVA, Climate Change Adaptation Plan, and Safety Element Update. For more information about the Safety Element Update, click here.

ATM Skimmers Strike Again – Follow Safety Tips

The Santa Barbara Police Department is reminding the community to remain vigilant when using automated teller machines (ATM) for account transactions. As released last month, there were nearly a dozen reports from Bank of America customers who have had their accounts compromised and have had unauthorized withdrawals occur. Detectives have recently discovered several more ATM “skimmer devices” on Bank of America ATMs throughout the City of Santa Barbara. It also appears these suspects have been targeting numerous communities up and down the coast of California.

Santa Barbara Police Detectives have continued to receive reports, with fraudulent activity occurring as recently as last week. Over $50,000 of fraudulent withdrawals have been confirmed to this date. The true loss amount is likely to be much larger, considering unreported cases and transactions at other Bank of America locations within the county.

It is believed these suspects purposefully target those customers using California Employment Development Department (EDD) debit cards. These cards generally do not have a EMV security chip. Bank of America manages and maintains accounts for all who use EDD.

The suspects obtain credit card account information embedded on the magnetic strip by “skimming” the strip on the back of the card when the card is inserted into the ATM. Simultaneously, a hidden camera aimed at the PIN-pad captures the victim entering their security PIN number. The suspects have been retrieving the skimmers within a day or two of installation, then downloading the video and “cloning” the debit card information onto a “blank” debit card. These devices are barely noticeable when using the ATM and are covertly concealed.

The safest alternative is to speak to a bank teller in person or to transfer the funds into an account protected with an EMV-chipped card.  Never use an ATM that appears damaged or altered. It is recommended to conceal the PIN-pad with your other hand or an object when you enter your personal identification number into any ATM.

If you or someone you know has been a victim of these types of ATM thefts, please file a report online https://www.santabarbaraca.gov/gov/depts/police/. Questions may be directed to Detective K. Rapp at 805-897-2331 or KRapp@sbpd.com

IVYP Launches First Diaper Bank in Santa Barbara

Isla Vista Youth Projects (IVYP) has recently become the first certified diaper bank in Santa Barbara County. As a place-based organization, IVYP provides comprehensive services to families in need, with an eye to strengthening families, preparing children to be successful in school, and addressing health and educational disparities. In February 2021, IVYP took a big leap to help families in the Goleta Valley Community.

“Many families in Santa Barbara County struggle to provide the basics for their children. The child poverty rate in this county is unacceptable. Approximately 1 in 5 children in our county are suffering. Diapers are a critical need. When we looked into it, we found that there are no diaper bank agencies in our county. Given that we already have systems in place to distribute other items like food we knew that this was something that we could and should take on,” said Lori Goodman, Executive Director of IVYP.

Ensuring that infants and toddlers have access to clean diapers helps lead to healthier families. In 2017 over 40,000 infants and children were treated in California’s public hospitals suffering from symptoms directly connected to diaper need. By providing diapers to parents IVYP is helping their children to stay healthy and safe and easing a financial burden that has only grown since the onset of the COVID pandemic.

Disposable diapers can cost as much as $100 per month per baby. Most babies go through 12 diapers per day which is a cost that adds up very quickly especially when the health of your child is at stake. Since February, IVYP have distributed more than 30,000 diapers to babies in need.

IVYP has a long history of connecting families in the Goleta Valley to the resources and concrete supports they need through the work of their Family Resource Center. Demands for services through the Family Resource Center have increased by over 500% since the pandemic began. More and more families in our community are experiencing extreme hardship and need our help. In order to support these families, IVYP has the opportunity to develop new and more creative ways to reach out to vulnerable families. The diaper bank serves as an entry point for families to receive additional support like parenting classes, housing support, food distribution, Medi-Cal and Calfresh support, and much more.

Now that the IVYP has become a certified diaper bank the next step in the process is to grow the organizational capacity to meet the need of the community.

“We don’t want to outgrow our funding but want to make sure that we are providing as much as we can for families. As we grow, we anticipate needing additional storage, increased staff, community outreach, and of course more diapers. All of this requires a financial investment. We are grateful for the support of local foundations and individual donors who have contributed to this project.”

To learn more about receiving diapers or to donate to the diaper bank visit IVYP’s new website: www.ivyp.org.

Our Water Our World: Controlling Yellowjackets Around Your Home

Learn how to control yellowjackets with these tips from the City of Goleta Environmental Services Division.

Yellowjackets can be annoying and intimidating pests at picnics and around the barbecue, especially in late summer. On the positive side, they prey on many other insect pests such as caterpillars and flies.

Before you take steps to get rid of yellowjackets around your house or yard, be sure the problem is yellowjackets! Less aggressive flying insects, such as paper wasps, mud daubers, and honeybees, are often mistaken for yellowjackets.

Yellowjacket or Paper Wasp?

Most often, paper wasps are mistaken for yellowjackets. Yellowjackets are shorter and rounder than paper wasps. A paper wasp’s body is longer and thinner, with long, dangling legs. Yellowjacket nests are round and are enclosed in a papery shell with a small entrance hole at the bottom. They build their nests in abandoned rodent burrows and other holes in the ground, in attics, in wall voids, and in shrubs and trees. Sometimes they hang their nests from eaves. Paper wasp nests usually hang from eaves or porch ceilings and look like tiny umbrellas filled with six-sided cells.

Getting Rid of Yellowjackets

If you often find several yellowjackets in your home, you may have a nest inside your walls. To protect yourself and your family from getting stung, call your local vector control district or a pest control company for help getting rid of the nest. Look for a pest control company that specializes in less-toxic pest control methods. The pest control professional should only need to use poison bait if you have very large numbers of yellowjackets.

Keep yellowjackets from building a nest in your house:

  • Seal holes and cracks in foundations, walls, roofs, and eaves.
  • Cover attic and crawl space vents with fine mesh insect screen.
  • Yellowjackets scavenge for meat and sweet foods and drinks in outdoor garbage and recycling bins. Clean recyclables before throwing them in the bin and keep garbage cans clean and tightly covered.
Trapping Yellowjackets

Trapping can help control yellowjackets if there aren’t too many. You can find both disposable and reusable traps in home and garden centers.

  • Follow label directions for setting traps, disposing of trapped yellowjackets, and cleaning reusable traps.
  • A few hours before you bring food outdoors, set traps around the edge of your yard. Make sure traps are well away from picnic areas, to lure yellowjackets away from people and food.

  • If one of the traps is not attracting yellowjackets, move it. If you see yellowjackets but none of the traps is attracting them, try changing the bait.
    • In the spring and early summer, yellowjackets are looking for protein. Use strong-smelling baits such as tuna-flavored cat food.
    • In late summer and fall, yellowjackets need sugar. Use grenadine, or the sweet-smelling bait that comes with the traps.
  • Putting out traps in early spring may capture queens and reduce the number of nests in the area.
Avoiding Yellowjacket Stings

If you have a yellowjacket in your house, do NOT make the yellowjacket mad by swatting at it! Wait until it lands on a flat surface, and then place a glass or plastic container over the insect. Slide a stiff piece of paper under the opening of the container and take the covered container outside and release the insect.

When a yellowjacket comes near:

  • Stay calm—or at least move slowly. Slow, gentle motions that mimic the movement of a branch in the breeze will be more likely to get the yellowjacket to leave.
  • You can brush a yellowjacket off with a piece of paper or some other object as long as you move slowly and deliberately.
  • Do not squash a yellowjacket. When crushed, many kinds of yellowjackets give off a chemical that can cause other nearby yellowjackets to attack.

Yellowjackets can be a problem in May and June, but they are most irritable and aggressive late in the summer. Follow these tips to help prevent stings:

  • Wear protective clothing when mowing grass if you think there might be underground nests nearby.
  • Outdoors, keep soft drinks or other sugary drinks in closed containers. Use cups with lids and straws, and always look before you sip. Do not carry snacks containing meat or sugar in open containers.
  • Do not wear perfumes. Use unscented products on your hair and body.
  • Avoid going barefoot, especially when walking on grass or another groundcover.
  • Always check for yellowjackets on wet towels or wet clothing left outside before you pick them up.
  • Wear light-colored clothing without patterns.
  • If you are allergic to yellowjacket stings, avoid outdoor cooking and eating, and wear clothing that covers as much skin as possible. Carry an epinephrine kit (available by prescription) at all times.

Find more information on controlling yellowjackets with eco-friendly products in our OWOW brochures in English and Spanish. 

The City of Goleta along with the Cities of Buellton, Carpinteria, Solvang, Santa Barbara, Santa Maria and the County of Santa Barbara have partnered with the OWOW organization to promote the use of less-toxic products in an effort to reduce pesticide pollution in our communities. By reducing pesticide use and the use of less-toxic products around the home, you can help reduce pesticides and other pollutants such as herbicides and fertilizers from being picked up while watering or when it rains and transported to the nearest storm drain inlet and into our waterways. The OWOW website is user-friendly and a great resource for finding less-toxic products to use around your home or garden.

Goleta EZ Bike Demo Days Continue in October

Have you ever used an electric bicycle? Do you want to try again or for the first time? Then check out Goleta EZ Bike Demo Days this month! EZ Bike is hosting exciting e-bike activities at the new Santa Barbara County Association of Governments (SBCAG) Regional Transit Facility at 6414 Hollister Avenue in Goleta. A number of successful events were held in September, but interested people can still try out an electric bike during Variety Hours/Bike Demos on Oct. 11 & 18 or make a Multi-Day Reservation for Oct. 7-11 or Oct. 14-18, where you can take a bike home Thursday and return it on Monday.

The EZBike Project is presented by (SBCAG), a county-wide organization with a mission to reduce traffic congestion and improve air quality by encouraging people to drive less and use sustainable transportation.

The project normally operates in Santa Barbara which makes Goleta EZ Bike Demo Days a unique opportunity for locals to participate in the activities without having to leave Goleta.

Check out the complete list of dates and events and book a reservation to ensure you get a ride.

Take advantage of EZ Bike’s awesome events and have fun out there!

If you want to stay up-to-date on reservations, new bikes, and even last minute openings join the EZ Bike email list.

New Goleta Valley Library Bookvan Rolls Into Isla Vista

Ribbon Cutting Held to Kick off Bookvan’s First Day of Service

Library Service is now rolling in Isla Vista. A ribbon-cutting was held on October 4, 2021, at the Isla Vista Community Center to unveil the new Goleta Valley Library Bookvan and kick off the first day of service. Local dignitaries, Isla Vista stakeholders and community members turned out to see the new custom solar powered van in person and cheer as the blue ribbon was cut marking the beginning of on-the-go library programming in Isla Vista. Watch a video of the ribbon cutting here.

City of Goleta Mayor Paula Perotte began by saying, “We are really excited to introduce our mini-library on wheels to the community. We hope that by bringing our knowledgeable library staff, books and materials to Isla Vista, our Bookvan will help remove barriers and increase access to library service.” The Mayor concluded her speech with, “We hope that today will be the beginning of many cherished Bookvan library memories in Isla Vista.”

Senator Monique Limón said, “In 2019, I worked to secure $200,000 in state funds to support the City of Goleta in delivering direct library services to the residents and families of Isla Vista. Library services are vital resources that serve as community hubs for people to gather, share information, and promote literacy. I am glad to see this project come to fruition and to see the benefits it will bring to our community for years to come.”

Santa Barbara County Third District Supervisor Joan Hartmann added, “Libraries are palaces for the people, and librarians the guardians. The Goleta Valley Library has thought in a different way how to bring the palace to the people. It gives community members a chance to establish a working relationship with the librarians and library. We are really excited with what is happening here and bringing the appropriate services to the Isla Vista Community, covering the whole span of ages.”

Isla Vista Community Services District Board President Spencer Brandt said, “This is the first time in our community’s over 70-year history that there will be library services accessible to all in Isla Vista. It is incredibly important not just for those students who live here in our community who are college students, but for those who are pre-school, elementary, middle school and high school students, to have services that are publicly accessible and are brought into the community.”

Isla Vista Recreation & Park District General Manager Kimberly Kiefer said, “The concept of bringing books and education in a public space and having it accessible is key. The disparity of people who don’t have access to internet, who don’t have access to books and online things, even on their phone, is real and happens every day.”

The Bookvan will provide library services to the wider Isla Vista community with the delivery of books, audiovisual materials, Library of Things items, technology, craft kits for kids, honor system books, free books, and more. Library cards will be issued to anyone who wants one. There will be WiFi available near the van so that people can download some of the more than one million items available through the Goleta Valley Library databases. The specialty van will be able to hold approximately 500 books and will be powered with Wi-Fi and a solar battery.

The Bookvan will operate Monday through Friday with stops throughout the Isla Vista area. A schedule is available here on the Library’s website. For more information on the Library Bookvan contact Library Director Allison Gray at 805-562-5502 or agray@cityofgoleta.org.

Pictures of the event below:

Local dignitaries and Isla Vista stakeholders ready to cut the ribbon

Senator Monique Limón cutting the ribbon

  

Mayor Paula Perotte speaking at the event

Flavored Tobacco Ban Ordinance Approved

Starting in December of this year, the City of Goleta will no longer allow the sales of flavored tobacco products within City limits. After hearing several hours of public comment on both sides of the issue during the City Council meeting on September 21, 2021, the Goleta City Council voted 4 to 1 in favor of an ordinance that will ban the sale of flavored tobacco in each of its 32 licensed tobacco retail locations. A second reading was held at the October 5, 2021, City Council meeting and the ordinance was adopted. Goleta is the latest in a number of neighboring jurisdictions to take this action including the County of Santa Barbara and the cities of Carpinteria, Santa Maria and Guadalupe.

City of Goleta Mayor Paula Perotte said, “We have taken this action to protect the health and safety of our vulnerable youth. Testimony from countless parents, teachers and medical professionals convinced us that this action is both justified and necessary.”

Joining over 100 other cities and counties that have adopted a similar ban, the local ban is independent of SB 793, which is a state-wide ban that was passed by the California Legislature in August 2020 but must be voted on by the public to go into effect; it will be on the November 2022 ballot. In the meantime, local entities must pass their own bans if they want flavored tobacco to not be sold within their jurisdiction.

Photo: California Department of Public Health

Meet Your New City of Goleta Commissioners

The City is pleased to announce our new and reappointed Commissioners to #TeamGoleta including two local High School students! Vacancies were filled for the Public Engagement Commission, Parks and Recreation Commission, Library Advisory Commission, and Santa Barbara County Library Advisory Commission. Thank you to everyone who applied for a position and congratulations to those that were selected.

Our Commissioners bring a unique set of talents, interests, and experience to their positions. We appreciate their willingness to step up and take an active role in their community.

Public Engagement Commission

Kyle Yao was appointed as the Youth Commissioner for the Public Engagement Commission. He has always been interested in how our government functions and is excited to be a part of it and see how his ideas can impact the City. Kyle is a Junior attending Dos Pueblos High School, a Dos Pueblos Engineering Academy (DPEA) student, and member of the DPEA leadership team, as well as a player on the school golf team. He volunteers at Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital and is a Co-coach of a youth First Lego League robotics team. In February of 2020, Kyle graduated from the second LEAD academy, gaining valuable insights on the inner workings of our city. While not a native Goletian, Kyle has lived here for the past six years and enjoys the many natural resources Goleta offers. Prior to settling here, Kyle would often visit with his family to spend time at the Goleta Pier and go fishing, which to this day, has been a diehard passion of his.

Barbara Massey was reappointed to the Public Engagement Commission. She is looking forward to working on the boundaries for district elections and has worked on city-related issues since Goleta was incorporated to help retain it’s friendly, small-town quality. Barbara was previously on the Design Review Board, and an original member of both the Public Tree Advisory Commission and Public Engagement Commission. Through those various roles, she actively participated in the City’s General Plan, New Zoning Ordinance and Urban Forest Management Plan.

Beth Schneider, PHD was reappointed to the Public Engagement Commission. She was initially drawn to the Commission for its role in democratic participation and decision-making. Seeing PEC’s recommendations agreed with by the community and put into place has been rewarding. Beth recently retired from 39 years as a Professor of Sociology at UCSB at which she twice served as department chair and for seven years as Associate Dean of Social Sciences. Dr. Schneider brings to the commission more than three decades of extensive knowledge of, and service to, the campus and to the university system on issues of access, engagement, and equity that are crucial to the PEC goals. One such activity was her 13 years as Founding Director of the UCSB McNair Scholars Program at which she worked with low-income, first-generation, U.S. minorities to apply for advanced education with the goal of becoming the next generation of university faculty, leaders in industry, and experts in public policy. Her involvement over the last three decades in civic engagement with a wide cross-section of residents from Goleta and Santa Barbara includes as a board member and Co-Chair of the AIDS Counseling and Assistance Program, on the Parent Council of Open Alternative School, and on the Board of the Santa Barbara Women’s Political Committee, where her focus was on training and assessing candidates for local community boards, commissions, and political office.

Parks and Recreation Commission

Sarah Dent was appointed as the Student Commissioner on the Parks and Recreation Commission. She believes in the power of local government to improve the quality of life for its citizens and wants to focus on increased emphasis on sustainability in public park projects. A senior at Dos Pueblos High School, she is the Assistant Editor-in-Chief of the Image Yearbook and runs on the varsity Cross Country team. Sarah is also the president of the Santa Barbara Organization of Reform Temple Youth (SBORTY) and was the American Legion’s delegate to the 2021 Girls’ State Session. Previously, she has served as SBORTY’s Social Action Vice President, an intern at Fairview Gardens, and as the National Honor Society Secretary at Dos Pueblos. Sarah is passionate about sustainable food systems and dedicates her free time to caring for her vegetable garden and backyard hens. She hopes to set up a composting system at Dos Pueblos and plans to major in agriculture in college.

Library Advisory Commission

Dave Callanan was appointed to the Library Advisory Commission. He wants to ensure the community recognizes the incredible programs and selfless volunteers that define our libraries, making it a true community hub. Dave grew up a stone’s throw away from the Goleta Valley Library and spent untold hours roaming the stacks for great reads and academic resources. His passion for the printed word blossomed into a Literature degree from Claremont McKenna College and eventually a position as Senior Books Editor for Amazon.com. After returning to Santa Barbara in 2012, his frequent searches for thrillers, biographies, and historical non-fiction are now accompanied by his book-loving kids and patient wife. Dave said, “The Goleta Valley Library was a fundamental part of my childhood and I’m thrilled to join the Advisory Commission to help ensure our library system remains a community mainstay for generations to come.”  

Lori Lander Goodman was reappointed to the Library Advisory Commission. As a Commissioner, one of her priorities is making sure the library meets the diverse needs of the Goleta Valley residents, with engaging resources and programming, especially for children and families. Lori has more than twenty-five years’ experience strengthening nonprofits in communities across the United States, from Cincinnati to San Francisco and New York. Lori has worked to bring mission-driven fundraising and strategic planning to the forefront of the organizations she has served. Lori became the Executive Director of Isla Vista Youth Projects in January 2018, having previously served as the Chief Development Officer at CALM. She currently serves as the Chair of the Courage to Lead Alumni Community, Chair of the Goleta Library Commission, member of Executive Committee of Kids Network, and member of the Resilient Santa Barbara County Steering Committee. Lori earned her BA in Women’s Studies from UC Santa Cruz, her MSW at the University of Southern California, and a Master’s in Nonprofit Management from Hebrew Union College. In 2018, Lori became a Jeopardy! champion.

Santa Barbara County Library Advisory Commission

Jane Gray was appointed to the Santa Barbara County Library Advisory Commission as a representative of the City of Goleta, after previously serving on the City’s Library Advisory Commission. She is a proponent of greater literacy and access to reading, library amenities and community participation. She believes in the importance of having a safe place for children and others to spend time and enrich themselves. Jane is a 17-year resident of Santa Barbara County. She is a practicing Regional Planner and Project Manager with a Master’s Degree in Regional Planning and Management and a Bachelor’s Degree in Social Work. She has lived in both Europe and Africa, and her educational and professional experiences include refugee resettlement program development, teaching English as a Second Language, water and land use planning, and grant writing. In addition to previously serving on the City of Goleta’s Library Advisory Commission, she is also the Vice Chair of the Central Coast Regional Water Quality Control Board.

Thank you to everyone for helping to serve your community. Learn more here about the City’s various Boards and Commissions, or contact CityClerkGroup@cityofgoleta.org.

Provide Input on the City’s New Community Cleanup Volunteer Program

This year’s Coastal Cleanup Day was a huge success, with over 730 lbs of trash and recyclables collected in Goleta alone, and over 5,548 lbs of collected county-wide!  We had such a great time at this event, we want to keep this idea going. Please fill out a quick form to let us know if you want to participate in our new community cleanup volunteer program.

Trash and pollution reduction is one of the Environmental Services Division’s top goals. We have many programs aimed at this but can’t be everywhere at once, and we need your help. We want to keep community-based cleanups going, expand cleanups throughout the city, and keep our neighborhoods, open spaces, creeks, and beaches clean and safe year-round. We are looking for your ideas!

Get involved!

Are you interested in?

  • Keeping your neighborhood clean and safe?
  • Organizing monthly cleanups with friends and neighbors in your community?
  • Volunteering on a regular basis?
  • Obtaining extra environmental services in your neighborhood or area?
  • Sharing recent news about City programs, events, and more with your neighbors and friends?
  • Providing feedback to the City?
  • Getting to know your neighbors better?
  • Being a leader in your community?

We are seeking volunteers to pitch in on community cleanups and are also seeking neighborhood and area captains for our neighborhoods and open spaces! We would like to form neighborhood/open spaces teams all throughout the city. Both organizations and individuals are welcome! We want your input and ideas to help form this to meet your needs. Let us know you are interested by filling out our short form located here.