Author Archives: Jaime Shaw

New Burlap Sandbags Available at Several Goleta Locations

The City of Goleta has taken another step in reducing our carbon footprint. As part of our Goleta Green process, the City has replaced woven polypropylene sandbags with burlap bags at its sandbag distribution sites. This follows the City’s removal beginning in September of this year of single-use plastics at City Hall, the Corporate Yard, and at all of our libraries (Goleta Valley, Buellton and Solvang).

Burlap bags are more eco-friendly than the woven polypropylene bags. Polypropylene bags have proven to break down and shred into small plastic fibers, are not biodegradable, and will eventually end up in our oceans. Burlap bags are made from natural plant fibers and are biodegradable. The City’s new burlap sandbags can be found at all three self-serve locations where the City provides sand and bags for our residents to protect their homes from storm damage:

  • Fire Station 11 (6901 Frey Way and Storke Road just south of Santa Felicia, across from the main post office)
  • Fire Station 14 (320 Los Carneros Road next to the Stow House Museum lot)
  • Goleta Valley Community Center (5679 Hollister Avenue)

The City’s sandbag stations are stocked and ready for residents. Here are some things you should know about sandbag pick up:

  • Sand and bags are available on a first come, first served basis.
  • Pick up is open during daylight hours, seven days/week.
  • 20 bag limit (additional bags can be purchased at home improvement stores).
  • Bags are for residents.
  • Bring your shovel to fill the bags.
  • It is easiest to fill the bags with two people — one to hold the bag and the other to shovel the sand.

For disposal of old Polypropylene sandbags:

  • Residents may displace old sand in planters or on lawns, and dispose of bags in their trash containers.
  • Residents may also bring their old filled bags to Public Works Corporate Yard located at 6735 Hollister Avenue (behind the Deckers building) for disposal.

Stay informed, register for emergency alerts from Santa Barbara County at readysbc.org, and sign up for emergency information from the City at https://tinyurl.com/GoletaEmergency. Get more tips on winter storm preparedness here.

Photo: Member of the Goleta Public Works Crew holding the new burlap bags

Preparing for Winter Storms and Potential Cave Fire Burn Area Impact

The winter storm season is here and we encourage community members to be prepared, especially in light of increased risk of flooding and debris flows due to the recent Cave Fire. While the majority of concerns lie outside City limits, there could be indirect storm impacts such as flooding and road closures that could impact Goleta. City staff will be closely monitoring storm activity and any potential risks/impacts. We will promptly communicate any information related to Goleta. 

The City performs annual storm preparedness out in the community such as inspecting and cleaning culverts and drain inlets. We have identified areas to monitor during periods of rain. 

We ask community members to be vigilant and aware of storm activity.  Please sign up for emergency alerts from Santa Barbara County at https://readysbc.org/ and also for City notifications (https://tinyurl.com/GoletaEmergency).  Follow us on Facebook (@CityofGoleta), Twitter (@GoletaPIO), and Nextdoor. It’s always important to have an emergency plan and to share it with both local and out of area loved ones. It’s also important to know the hazards around your home such as a creek that may overflow. Finally, a great idea is to practice a small part of your emergency plan by driving a different way out of your neighborhood and identifying alternative exit routes. 

We want everyone to be safe during this winter storm season. We thank you in advance for staying informed, educated and prepared. Remember if we can’t reach you, we can’t alert you.

Photo: Goleta Public Works Staff documenting storm drain clean-up effort in preparation for future winter storms.

Make Goleta Count

Census 2020 is coming and even though you won’t be asked for your participation until March, the City of Goleta is making a concerted effort NOW to ensure that we do everything we can to let you know how important this census is and that we do our part to Make Goleta Count!  Ideally, we want 100% participation in order for Goleta to get proper funding for important programs and services we value and depend on.  An undercount could result in a loss of money for the next ten years!

Another important reason to make sure you participate is that the count will also affect City of Goleta’s redistricting maps as we move to district elections in 2022. The City will be divided into four districts based on population and Census results. The Census only happens once every ten years, please take the time to complete it so each and every one of you can be accurately represented, locally and nationally.

It is important you know that your responses to the Census are confidential.  Personal information is used for statistical purposes and it is against the law for that information to be shared or used against you in any way.

This is how Census 2020 will work:

In March of 2020 each household will receive one letter in the mail from the U.S. Census Bureau with instructions on how to complete the Census online.  While online is the preferred method, the mailed letter will also have instructions on how to fill out a paper copy of the Census. Reminders from the U.S. Census Bureau will be sent in the mail throughout March and April encouraging people to respond online if they have not done so. Those that have not responded by the end of April will have a Census worker follow up in person at their home. Please see the timeline below.

Please see the Make Goleta Count section of our website for more information. The County of Santa Barbara also just launched its new website with a ton of great information including an interactive map where you can plug in your address and see if you are in a hard to count area: https://santabarbaracountycensus.org/ The website also has a place where you can sign up to receive Census updates via e-mail.

Finally, if you are interested in a job helping with the Census 2020, the U.S. Census Bureau is currently looking to hire temporary workers across the country. Click here to learn more.

As you know, Goleta is a special place and we need your help to Make Goleta Count. Let’s work together to get 100% participation.

Goleta Safety Spotlight: Vaping Epidemic

For this edition of the Safety Spotlight, School Resource Deputy George Hedricks addresses an important topic that all parents and students should be aware of: vaping.

In the 8 years I’ve served as a School Resource Deputy, there has never been a time where there have been more students affected by tobacco products.  When I first started working at the school, you would occasionally find students in possession of cigarettes or catch a student just off campus smoking a cigarette.  With the evolution of smoking products, starting with the E-cigarettes, which then evolved into the vaping devices, catching or finding students using these have dramatically increased. I very rarely if ever find students with cigarettes anymore.   These devices have also evolved so they are used to smoke marijuana.  A Dab pen THC Vape looks and functions just like a nicotine based vape.

I believe more kids are willing to try a vape or electronic cigarette for several reasons.  The vapes are easier to hide.  Although they come in many different shapes and sizes, many are about the same size of writing pen and can easily be hidden in a backpack or pocket.  Vape’s don’t have the strong odor like a cigarette does and you don’t need a lighter to use them. Again, making it easier to hide and use.  Vapes come in many fruity or appealing flavors.  Kids love technology, and most vapes can be charged the same way as a cell phone and some even have digital screens on them.  They are also easy to buy over the internet.  Some kids are purchasing the vapes over the internet where they can change their age in order to purchase.

I think for a long time there was also misinformation that somehow vaping was healthier than smoking a traditional cigarette.  As we have seen in recent news, there have been multiple deaths related to vape use.  Like any new product, initially there was not as much information about long term affects of vaping.

I think it’s important for parents to have discussions with their children about vaping and to not just assume their child isn’t doing it or hasn’t been affected by it.  This topic is very relevant in our student’s lives right now.  If a student is caught at school with a marijuana vape, they can received a citation as well as a school related consequence.

Thank you School Resource Deputy Hedricks for all you do to help educate our youth on the dangers of vaping.

Boys & Girls Club Kids get Gold Cards

Congratulations to more than one hundred Boys and Girls Club members who received Gold Cards in October for 105 days of attendance. Boys and Girls Club of Santa Barbara County CEO Michael Baker and Mayor Pro Tempore Kyle Richards enjoyed handing out the certificates to the kids. Research shows that kids who make it to the 105 day attendance mark in one calendar year are twice as likely to graduate high school on time and twice as likely to lead a healthy lifestyle. The Gold Card gives the kids special privileges at the club and recognition by the City of Goleta. We are proud of you kids!

Goleta Store Opens Right on Target

The long awaited, much anticipated Target store is open and bustling with customers in Goleta.  The 117,000 square-foot business located in the former home of Kmart on the corner of Hollister Avenue and Storke Road offers an array of apparel, accessories, kids and baby products, toys, sporting goods, home décor, furniture and more. There is also a pharmacy and optical store located inside.  To celebrate the Grand Opening in October, Target had a ribbon cutting with all of the fanfare you would expect.  What was unexpected and much appreciated is that Target invited the City Council and staff for a sneak peek before the ribbon cutting since the event conflicted with the City Council meeting.  City Council members and staff enjoyed getting a private tour of the new business and enjoyed seeing all that the retail giant has to offer.  More than 300 people work at the new Target and in addition to new jobs, the store is expected to bring added revenue to the City.

Tiny Library Coming to Goleta

There will soon be a new library in town. The City is working with the Santa Barbara County Arts Commission to host a “Tiny Library” in front of the Goleta Valley Library (500 N. Fairview Avenue). The Tiny Libraries exhibit, by artist Douglas Lochner, is the result of a partnership between the Arts Commission and the City of Santa Barbara. It consists of six bright, life-sized, functional art “libraries” in the shape of punctuation marks distributed along State Street through October 2019.

The Arts Commission is working to bring these works of art to libraries throughout the County, and beginning in mid-November, the “Hashtag” will be outside of Goleta Valley Library. Library staff will stock the Hashtag with books for all ages. These books are free to the public, and individuals are also encouraged to leave books to donate to other readers. The colorful Hashtag will be displayed on the landing space in front of the Library for six months. Follow the Library on Facebook (@GoletaValleyLibrary) and Instagram (goletavalleylibrary) for updates as Goleta moves closer to getting its own tiny library.

More information about the Tiny Libraries program is available at www.sbac.ca.gov/tinylibraries.

In case you didn’t know, Kindergarten – 5th graders can get FREE homework help at Goleta Valley Library Tuesdays and Thursdays from 3:00 – 6:15 p.m. Homework can be stressful and overwhelming for students and parents. We encourage you to take advantage of this amazing service. Also, with a library card, students of all ages can get tutoring help online with Brainfuse HelpNow.

City of Goleta Receives Another Financial Reporting Award

We are pleased to share that City of Goleta’s Comprehensive Annual Financial Report (CAFR) once again earned the City a Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting by the Government Finance Officers Association (GFOA) for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2018. This is the 16th consecutive year the City has received this honor.

The repeat award is an example of how the City’s financial reports continue to demonstrate transparency and disclosure of City funds so that it is easy to understand how money is received, spent, and overall financial position. The CAFR is prepared by the City’s Finance Department and complies with principles and standards for financial reporting set forth by the Governmental Accounting Standards Board (GASB), and was audited in accordance with generally accepted auditing standards by an independent public accounting firm of licensed certified public accountants.

A Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting is the highest form of governmental accounting and financial reporting recognition. The award was established more than 70 years ago by the Government Finance Officers Association to encourage and assist local and state governments to go beyond the minimum requirements of generally accepted accounting principles using the spirit of transparency and full disclosure.

View the City’s Comprehensive Annual Financial Report here.

Help the City Update its Grant Plan

As a Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) recipient, the City of Goleta receives federal funding each year to allocate towards capital improvements that benefit low- to moderate-income Goleta residents and social service agencies who provide needed services to Goleta’s low- to moderate-income youth, families, seniors, and those experiencing homelessness. In order to comply with federal regulations for these funds, the City must craft a Consolidated Plan every five years. The City of Goleta’s current five-year plan ends this year and a new plan will be approved in spring of 2020.

In order to ensure the updated plan is representative of the community’s needs and desires, City staff are seeking your input on Goleta’s 2020 – 2024 Consolidated Plan and the current state of housing and community needs. Come to a public meeting to gather community and stakeholder input on Thursday, November 21st from 2:00 – 3:30 p.m. at Goleta City Hall Council Chambers (130 Cremona Drive, Suite B). 

We are eager to involve the public in this process. For more information, please contact Dominique Samario at (805) 690-5126 or dsamario@cityofgoleta.org. You can also visit https://tinyurl.com/GoletaCDBG for additional details about the City’s Community Development Block Grant program.

Photo: CDBG Grantee United Boys & Girls Club of Santa Barbara County

Goleta MOVES Butterfly Educational Program Returns

The City of Goleta’s Monarch Overwintering Visual Experience Simulation (MOVES) program returns for its second year! For years, the Goleta Butterfly Grove at Ellwood Mesa was not only a magical sight to behold, but an interactive outdoor classroom for many as well. While the Ellwood Mesa was closed from July 2017 to February 2019 to assess the dead and dying Eucalyptus trees, Goleta MOVES was developed in collaboration with the City, committed organizations and volunteers.

The MOVES program seeks to enhance the community’s understanding and awareness of the Western Monarch Butterfly’s southwesterly migration, including the many groves in Goleta they call home during the overwintering season. In its second year, the program continues to educate and facilitate the community’s children, residents, and visitors about the wonders of the Monarch Butterfly.

In lieu of the restricted access to the Goleta Butterfly Grove at Ellwood Mesa, the City of Goleta obtained a grant in November 2017 to promote the development of an outdoor exhibit at Evergreen Park. The Goleta MOVES program currently maintains a curriculum designed for K-2nd grade, and is working to further the development of a curriculum focused on the importance of habitat conservation and preservation for older children.

Thanks to a team of passionate volunteers and professionals from Nature Tracks, Fish and Wildlife, Santa Barbara Natural History Museum, and the City of Goleta, the exhibit will return for its second year. While the Grove is now open to visitors, Goleta MOVES provides another educational experience. As supplements to the exhibit, the program has a set of display boxes for students and visitors to see butterflies close up, in addition to other materials and activities to assist in the educational process. Fieldtrips are currently being scheduled and are approximately 45 minutes in length.  For more information, or to schedule a field trip, contact Isaiah Geronimo, MOVES Coordinator, at 805-961-7554 or igeronimo@cityofgoleta.org, or JoAnne Plummer, Parks & Recreation Manager, at 805-562-5505 or jplummer@cityofgoleta.org.