Author Archives: Jaime Shaw

PEC Commissioner Receives Prestigious Women of the Year Award

Congratulations to our own City of Goleta Public Engagement Commissioner Silvia Uribe for being one of six women to receive the annual Congressional Women of the Year Award! The Award honors exceptional women across the 24th Congressional District who have left a positive impact on their communities. Winners span a variety of backgrounds and professions and represent the thousands of women working tirelessly to improve quality of life on the Central Coast. Silvia is a language access advocate who is honored for her continued commitment to community and the residents of Santa Barbara County.

Rep. Salud Carbajal will recognize the winners by entering a special written tribute for each woman into the official Congressional Record, preserving their stories and their impact on the community. An award ceremony will be held at a later date and each honoree will also receive a special congressional pin. Silvia also received a Certificate of Recognition from the Goleta City Council at the August 17, 2021, meeting.

Silvia was born and raised in Mexico City, before moving to Santa Barbara with her family 28 years ago. Silvia’s business, TransilPro provides translation and interpretation services to businesses, government, community organizations, and beyond. She has a knack for creating programs that overcome language barriers, including: The Spanish language Santa Barbara Leadership program, Líderes Latinos; Spanish-speaking Girl Scout troops; “Fun in the Sun” in collaboration with the United way; and services for low income, Latin-X children. She delivers volunteer trainings for Spanish speakers working with STESA and Just Communities. She is a public servant, working for the Santa Barbara District Attorney’s Victim Witness Unit and serving on County commissions. Her passion for communicating even extends to media, as a radio host, writer, and Univision contributor. Silvia’s work in the community goes beyond her everyday activities. Whether she is invited as a guest lecturer at SBCC, or to speak at churches’ groups, or to do presentations at different local schools, her objective is to be of service by sharing information and bringing services and people together.

Way to go Silvia! #GoodLandGoodPeople

For more information, click here.

Public Engagement Commission Encourages You to Draw Goleta!

The City’s Public Engagement Commission (PEC) is encouraging our community to help draw Goleta! Recently, the City released a video message featuring our PEC Commissioners on the importance of public participation in the City’s historic move to District Elections in November of 2022. Watch the video in English or Spanish.  

With district elections, the City will be divided into four districts, and voters in each district will elect a City Council member who lives in their own district. The Mayor will continue to be elected by voters across Goleta. The public can help draw district boundaries on-line at www.DrawGoleta.org or by using a paper map which are available at City Hall or the Goleta Valley Library during hours of operation. Maps are due by January 6, 2022, to be considered. 

Let’s Draw Goleta!

Embracing Clean Energy Through Energy Programs

Through financial resources, technical support, and education, Central Coast Community Energy (CCCE) Energy Programs assist the Central Coast Community with the switch from fossil fuels to clean-energy solutions by focusing on these areas: transportation, building, agriculture, and energy resiliency.

With CCCE service beginning upon enrollment in October 2021, all eligible electricity customers in Goleta will be able to participate in these energy programs. For example, current CCCE customers can access rebates and incentives for:

  • The purchase or lease of new or used electric vehicles (EV), fleet EVs, and EV charging stations for home or office,
  • Electric agricultural equipment,
  • Backup power supply for critical infrastructure,
  • New all-electric housing projects for affordable and market-rate developments, and more.

To date, in partnership with regional and statewide organizations CCCE has made more than $43 million available to customers.

Reducing Greenhouse Gas Emissions

By meeting customer electricity demand with 100% clean and renewable energy by 2030 as well as focusing on electrification and fuel switching for vehicles, buildings, and agriculture, CCCE will provide the greatest impact on GHG reduction.

Responding to Community Needs

CCCE is engaged with all members of our diverse Central Coast community to synchronize program investment with community needs and priorities. Being responsive allows CCCE to drive greater value for the region. As the need for backup power during prolonged power shutoffs becomes more urgent, CCCE is committed to building a greater level of energy resilience for the Central Coast.

Learn more at 3CEnergy.org and on social media, including Facebook, Instagram and Twitter @3Cenergy.

Central Coast Community Energy encourages all community members to join the CCCE e-newsletter and board meeting notification list here.

New Energy Provider for Goleta in October

We are only one month away from having a new energy provider to source clean and renewable energy on behalf of all electricity customers in Goleta. Beginning in October, Central Coast Community Energy, or 3CE, which serves nearly 400,000 customers throughout the Central Coast, will become the primary electricity service provider for Goleta.

There are many reasons we are excited about this move. First off, it furthers Goleta’s goal of providing fossil-free electricity and our commitment to reach 100% renewable power by 2030. This proven community-focused energy model is already succeeding for 24 other agencies that serve more than 11 million Californians by providing competitive rates, reducing greenhouse gas emissions, and offering programs that invest in our community.  Programs that will help our city move away from fossil fuels and toward clean energy solutions which will stimulate our local economy as well. 

So what does this mean to you? It means some of the money you spend on electricity bills will come back to you in the form of economic and environmental benefits for your home or business – and for our community.

No action is needed on your part. 3CE will begin on your normal meter-read date during the month of October, with all new customers enrolled in their 3Cchoice service offering. However, customers may choose to opt-out and maintain SCE service at any time. Learn more at 3CEnergy.org/2021-enrollment.

Your bill will STILL come from Southern California Edison and will now include Central Coast Community Energy Electric Generation charges. SCE will no longer charge you for electric generation services –   there are no duplicate or extra charges. The 3CE charges will appear as a separate line item on page one of your energy bill.  You can opt out at any time

For more information: Attend an upcoming webinar for residential customers. Register in advance for the webinar in Spanish on September 9 at 6:00 p.m. or the webinar in English on September 14 at 6:00 p.m.

Net Energy Metering (NEM) customers: Enrollment webinar to be announced. NEM customers will enroll in January 2022. Please note that SCE requires a true-up during enrollment. All NEM customers with an email address on file with SCE will receive an email invitation.

To learn more about your options please contact a local customer service Energy Advisor: 888-909-6227, or contact Central Cost Community Energy Customer Service at SouthSupport@3CE.org, or visit 3CEnergy.org/2021-enrollment.

City Implements Vaccine or Testing Requirement for its Employees

Community Urged to get Vaccinated

As the highly contagious COVID-19 Delta variant continues to spread throughout Santa Barbara County and the world, the City of Goleta has implemented a vaccine or testing requirement for all City employees. The goal is to protect the health and safety of the City of Goleta workplaces and to help prevent the spread of COVID-19 in the community. Employees will either need to provide proof of vaccination or provide a negative COVID test result weekly. The details of the program are being finalized and will likely reflect similar policies developed by other local employers.

The City urges the community to get vaccinated. If you are already vaccinated, please encourage your friends and family to get the vaccine as well. As of August 30, 2021, only 64.5% of eligible Santa Barbara County residents are fully vaccinated. Everyone 12+ years of age is eligible  For more information, please visit the Santa Barbara County Community Data Dashboard.

Mayor Paula Perotte is asking everyone to help stop the spread of this virus and the appearance of even more deadly variants. She said, “It is vital that every eligible person get vaccinated as soon as possible. By getting vaccinated now, we can protect our most vulnerable community members who are still unable to get vaccinated due to age or health issues. And the sooner we beat this pandemic, the sooner we can get our families and businesses moving forward.”

Hear directly from Mayor Paula Perotte and all of the Goleta City Council members on the importance of getting vaccinated with our #VaccinateGoleta video message available in English and Spanish.

For more information on the vaccine, walk-in Community Vaccination Clinics, how to make an appointment at a local pharmacy, FAQ’s and more, please visit the Public Health COVID-19 portal at https://publichealthsbc.org/vaccine/.

COVID-19 Vaccine Gets Full Federal Approval

By Dr. Henning Ansorg, M.D., FACP, Health Officer County of Santa Barbara, Department of Public Health

If you’ve been waiting for full federal approval for a COVID-19 vaccine, the wait is over!

The Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine received full approval on August 23, 2021, from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for persons 16+ years of age. The vaccine has been known as the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine, will now be marketed as Comirnaty (koe-mir’-na-tee), for the prevention of COVID-19 disease in individuals 16 years of age and older.

The vaccine also continues to be available under emergency use authorization (EUA), including for individuals 12 through 15 years of age and for administration of a third dose in certain immunocompromised individuals.

According to Peter Marks, M.D., Ph.D., director of FDA’s Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research: “Our scientific and medical experts conducted an incredibly thorough and thoughtful evaluation of this vaccine. We evaluated scientific data and information included in hundreds of thousands of pages, conducted our own analyses of Comirnaty’s safety and effectiveness, and performed a detailed assessment of the manufacturing processes, including inspections of the manufacturing facilities. We have not lost sight that the COVID-19 public health crisis continues in the U.S. and that the public is counting on safe and effective vaccines. The public and medical community can be confident that although we approved this vaccine expeditiously, it was fully in keeping with our existing high standards for vaccines in the U.S.”

FDA-approved vaccines undergo the agency’s standard process for reviewing the quality, safety and effectiveness of medical products.

Santa Barbara County, please get vaccinated today! Visit https://publichealthsbc.org/vaccine/ to find a clinic near you.

Coastal Cleanup Day: What You Need to Know Before You Go

Coastal Clean-Up Day is an annual event where communities across the world come together to protect our coasts by cleaning up neighborhoods or natural areas. The City of Goleta partners with the County of Santa Barbara, Explore Ecology, and other local jurisdictions to clean up our favorite beaches and open spaces.

Marine debris and microplastics harm our ocean and marine life. How can we combat this problem? One solution is to clean our beaches before plastic litter has a chance to make its way to the ocean. Join the thousands of volunteers around the world who make a stand for cleaner oceans and waterways and sign up for Coastal Cleanup Day!

Join us on Saturday, September 18, 2021, from 9:00 a.m. to Noon. Community members are encouraged to clean up their favorite beach. City of Goleta staff are Beach Captains at Haskell’s Beach this year– stop by, say hi, and become part of the solution to ocean pollution. Pre-registration is not required but is encouraged. To register, click here.

Each site will have a captain on hand to provide necessary instructions and supplies. We encourage volunteers to bring their own gloves, buckets, and other reusable cleanup supplies to lessen the plastic footprint of this event. If you can’t make the cleanup on the 18th, we encourage you to cleanup any time during the month of September and your cleanup data will be included as part of Coastal Cleanup Day!

There is a great app that can help us track how well we are doing as a community, and globally. Use the Clean Swell App to report the different kinds and amounts of trash you find. 

To find out more about what to bring, tips for the cleanup, how to use the Clean Swell app, different ways to report your data, where to park, how to receive community service hours, and more, visit the Explore Ecology website.

Send us Photos of Yourself in Action!

Show us your cleanup! Please send us your best pictures of you participating in a Coastal Clean-Up activity:

  • Tag the City of Goleta and Explore Ecology: @CityofGoleta and @SBCoast (Facebook) and @CityofGoleta and @ExploreEcology (Instagram), in your posts! Please also tag us while you’re out and about, or after you complete your cleanup. Use the hashtags: #coastalcleanup, #protectyourhappyplace, and #cityofgoleta.
  • Email us your best pictures for a chance to be on Goleta’s Facebook page and Environmental Services web page! Send you pictures, along with a short caption, to PIO@cityofgoleta.org.

Have fun and remember, safety first!

Pictured: City of Goleta Environmental Services Coordinator Melissa Nelson participating in Coastal Clean Up Day in 2020

Indoor Mask Mandate Returns to Santa Barbara County

Beginning Friday, August 6, Santa Barbara County Public Health is mandating the use of universal face coverings indoors, regardless of vaccination status. Public Health is closely monitoring case rates, and will be releasing a universal mandatory mask mandate in indoor settings only.  Santa Barbara County Public Health will issue a Health Office Order on Wednesday, August 4, to become effective Friday, August 6 at 5:00 P.M., and it will be available at https://publichealthsbc.org/. In all indoor Santa Barbara County businesses, masks will be required regardless of vaccination status. Updated signage for businesses will be posted later this week at recoverysbc.org. 

In addition, the State of California released an additional Health Officer Order on masking and testing for unvaccinated individuals in particular settings.

The updated State guidance includes: 

  • Recommendation for universal masking indoors Statewide
  • Adds Adult and Senior Care Facilities to settings where all individuals must wear masks indoors
  • References new requirements for unvaccinated workers in the State Health Officer July 26 Order

Visit https://publichealthsbc.org/ for more information.

Community Members Received Hands-On Tutorial for Map Drawing at City of Goleta’s Outdoor District Elections Workshop

Everyone is encouraged to submit an online or paper map

Thank you to everyone that attended the City of Goleta’s outdoor District Elections Workshop/Public Hearing last night, August 2. Tents were set up outside City Hall where attendees received a presentation, demonstration of the online and paper mapping tools, and Q&A for the City’s move to district elections beginning in November 2022. After the meeting, staff were available for anyone who wanted assistance in becoming familiar with the mapping tools. A recording of last night’s workshop/public hearing will be available at DrawGoleta.org shortly, where you can also view the two previous workshops.

Be a part of this historic process by submitting your ideas for district boundaries using on-line tools or a paper map. Click here to get started. While the Mayor will still be elected at large, the City will be divided into four geographic districts and you will vote for one councilmember from your district. The final date to submit proposed maps is January 6, 2022.

If you missed the workshop, stay tuned for the City to release a tutorial video with an in-depth explanation of how to create and submit your own online map.

Upcoming Public Hearings and Workshops:

  • August 17, 2021, City Council Meeting – Public Hearing
  • August 19, 2021, Public Engagement Commission Meeting
  • October 21, 2021, Public Engagement Commission Meeting – Final Public Workshop

At the August 17 City Council meeting, City Council will be approving a list of communities of interest. A community of interest is a group of people with common interests who live close together and would benefit from being kept together in a single district. If you know of a community of interest that you believe should be kept in a single district, please email it to Goleta City Clerk Deborah Lopez at dlopez@cityofgoleta.org, by August 8, 2021. A list of communities of interest will soon be posted on the website.

More information on the City’s district elections process is available at www.DrawGoleta.org. For additional questions, contact cityclerkgroup@cityofgoleta.org or call 805-961-7505.

Thank you for your interest and participation in shaping the future of Goleta.


City of Goleta Public Engagement Commissioner Silvia Uribe and National Demographics Corporation Consultant Daniel Phillips discuss the district elections process


Residents Kathleen Werner and Cecilia Brown chat about boundaries using a paper map


Resident Eddie Cong prepares to draw his suggested district boundaries

Return to Virtual City Council Meetings due to Increase of COVID-19 Cases

The City of Goleta is returning to virtual-only City Council meetings beginning with the next meeting on August 17, 2021. This comes after hosting a hybrid in-person and virtual City Council meeting on July 20. We are disappointed to not be able to continue to host these meetings in-person, but the health and safety of our community is a top priority. With the recent increase of COVID-19 cases in the County, we feel that this is the best decision for now. We hope to return to our hybrid model in the near future. In order to facilitate a full reopening, it is imperative that the community get vaccinated. Please do your part and #VaccinateGoleta.

How to Participate

  • Virtual Participation: Register using the GoToWebinar link found on the City Council agenda. Oral comments during a meeting may be made by electronic participation. If you have technical questions about the webinar, please go to: https://support.goto.com/webinar. Community members can also watch this video where Deputy City Clerk David Cutaia walks you through how to participate in a virtual Goleta City Meeting.

    Submit an email prior to noon on the Monday of the City Council meeting to cityclerkgroup@cityofgoleta.org and include the item you wish to speak on and provide your name, email, and phone number. When asking who wishes to speak, the City Clerk will ask that you utilize the “raise hand” feature of the GoToWebinar app, this lets the Clerk know you wish to speak and will call your name when public comment is taken.
  • Written Participation: If you would like your comment to be distributed to City Council, please submit via email by 12:00 p.m. on the Monday prior to the City Council meeting. Please submit your comment to the City Clerk at: cityclerkgroup@cityofgoleta.org. Your comment will be placed into the record and distributed appropriately.

  • Just Watch: You can watch City Council meetings live on Channel 19 or live on our website at www.CityofGoleta.org/GoletaMeetings. If you miss the meeting, it is rebroadcast on Channel 19 Wednesdays and Saturdays at 10:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m., and is available to watch at any time on the City website. Sign up to receive an agenda sent to you via email or text here: https://tinyurl.com/y36ervg4.

Other regularly scheduled public meetings, including meetings for Boards, Commissions, and other legislative bodies, will also remain virtual for the time being.

For more information about Goleta City Council meetings, please visit www.CityofGoleta.org/GoletaMeetings.

For information on COVID-19, including where you can get vaccinated, please go to https://publichealthsbc.org/.