Opposition to Water Bond
Tulare County - California's Republican congressional delegation weighed in against the latest version of a state water bond in a Feb. 20 letter, putting them in league with critics of the plan on the environmental side of the ledger.
Led by local Rep. Devin Nunes (R-Tulare), the group wrote Gov. Schwarzenegger that the version being touted by the state Chamber “is unacceptable” because it leaves out specific fixes including delta conveyance and firm surface storage while including “billions of dollars worth of ecosystem improvements.”
The blast from the 15 congressmen, also including George Radanovich of Fresno, appears to be one more sign that the current version of an $11.6 billion bond may be in trouble in part because it promises improvements important to environmentalists along with municipal and ag water users. Nunes told a group of ag and water leaders last week that it is unlikely the $11.6 billion water bond will even make the ballot this year, further delaying any solutions to California's water crisis.
Nunes spoke to more than 75 people last week at the Visalia Chamber of Commerce's Sunrise Summit on water.
“Water is a very important issue to the Valley. The answers are very simple, even though we've been talking about it for 50 years,” said the congressman.
“It only takes three dams and a new peripheral canal around the delta and we'll solve our water issues for many years.”
As simple as the solution appears, agreement on providing enough water for the California of the future has eluded lawmakers for decades.
“We've spent $50 billion and the fish population is the lowest ever,” he said. What's wrong, he asked, is the infrastructure is crumbling.
“We have to get back to some sensible policies in this state and build some infrastructure.”
However, said Nunes, blocking those sensible policies
are environmentalists who seem to have the Democratic-controlled state
legislature totally beholding to them.
He explained that is why the water bond will fail. He said first, it
is too expensive, and second, it is poorly written. “There's a
reason it is vague. The lawyers and politicians don't want it to happen.
Voters won't approve an $11.6 billion bond.”
Nunes, who wants a new dam on the San Joaquin River watershed at Temperance, said building that dam and at least one more, plus the peripheral canal around the San Joaquin Delta near Sacramento, would cost less than the $11.6 billion the bond calls for and those improvements to the state's water system would meet the water needs of a state with 60 million people.
The price tag on proposed water bonds has risen from $5 to $10 billion and now near $12 billion even as the state faces hard fiscal times.
“All these plans are just very expensive,” admits Dave Orth of Kings River Conservation District. Still supportive of the effort is the Friant Water board that met last week, said General Manager Ron Jacobsma. “We too were surprised by the (GOP) letter,” he said.
Last week, Schwarzenegger, looking to get state legislative approval for the Chamber-supported bond brought in U.S. Sen. Diane Feinstein to try to muster support from the Democrats in a series of private meetings.
Feinstein, unlike many of the Democratic state legislators, favors more surface storage as part of the fix for California's water woes. Most Democrats, in concert with environmentalists, favor conservation as the preferred way to save water.
But now Schwarzenegger is being forced to battle critics
on the right even as supporters of the bond say they want to start to
collect signatures for the November ballot initiative in the next few
weeks with or without state legislative consensus
In a radio address last week, Schwarzenegger laid out the problem.
“Nothing is more important to California and its economy than making sure that we have all the water we need now and far into the future.
“But with last year's drought, court-ordered reductions in deliveries and our outdated infrastructure, we are facing a serious water crisis.
“Water districts are rationing supplies, farmers are letting fields sit idle and some of our reservoirs are less than half full.
“There is no more time to waste. We have to plan and build for California's future right now.
“The legislature must put a water plan on the ballot this coming November.”
At the Visalia Sunrise Summit, Nunes encouraged local leaders to keep up the fight for more water storage. “We have to suck it up and we have to fight. I think the folks in the San Joaquin Valley will have to continue to fight for their rights,” he said, calling it shameful if the state sends water down the river and away from the east side of the Valley to help fish and not mitigate the people who will be affected.
On a hopeful note, Nunes said the Valley is gaining political clout both in Sacramento and in Washington and after the 2010 census, he predicted at least one more congressional seat and possibly at least two state legislative seats will be added in the Valley.
However, he said, as long as people in Los Angeles still get water when they turn on their taps, finding common ground on improving the state's water storage will be difficult.
But now, the infighting over the scope of a water bond may delay any kind of united front yet again.
Stimulus Package Benefits Businesses, Farmers
Tulare County - The 2008 Federal Economic Stimulus Bill signed by President Bush that is giving individuals $600 to boost the economy, has huge tax benefits for businesses and farmers, notes Paul Saldana, president of the Tulare Economic Development Corporation.
Included in the package is a component that encourages businesses to invest in new equipment.
“For larger or startup businesses this could have a big tax savings effect,” said accountant Kevin Green of M. Green and Co., one of the larger accounting firms in the county.
“These savings will ripple through the economy,” he added, explaining they might allow a business or farmer to purchase a second piece of equipment because they now get a deduction.
Under the stimulus package, businesses can deduct the full amount of their equipment purchases up to $250,000. That is an increase from $128,000. And, the deduction is allowable even if the buyer finances the equipment over several years.
“It's a tremendous incentive for people to buy now — it's as if someone put a for sale sign on every asset,” said Tom Ochsenschlager, vice president of taxation at the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants in New York, on the organization's web site.
But instead of a vendor giving the discount, he added, it's coming from the federal government. And, Ochsenschlager said, limiting the tax benefits to this year only “is Congress' way of yelling 'fire' in the theater — saying, 'You've got to do it now.
You've got to stimulate the economy now.'”
Green said the package also increases the limit on how much businesses can spend and still get the deduction – from $510,000 to $800,000. “So, if you buy under $800,000, you can expense up to $250,000,” he said.
The EDC gave this example: “Businesses may invest in new equipment or software and deduct the entire amount up to $250,000 this year. They can finance this equipment and pay for the equipment with a bank equipment loan, but receive the full tax deduction this year – lowering this year's net taxable income by up to $250,000.”
If the business earned less than $250,000, the business can reduce its net taxable income this year to $0 and then carry forward any unused deduction to next year, said the EDC.
“This deduction, known as the Section 179 deduction, was developed so that a business that invests in new equipment can keep more of its net earnings to reinvest in their business,” said Saldana in a release, adding that larger businesses that have already used their Section 179 deduction can get a bonus deduction – a 50 percent additional deduction for the first year.
Another of the provisions in the $168 billion stimulus bill accelerates the first-year depreciation of capital equipment bought during 2008 to 50 percent of the purchase price, up from the normal level of 20 percent. That doubles the amount businesses or farmers can deduct purchasing a car or truck. Normally businesses are limited in the amount they can deduct the first year. However, this limit has now been doubled to $8,000. If you get a loan on your car or truck and pay it over five or six years, you will be getting the tax benefits years before you have to pay for the vehicle, noted Saldana.
If a company can combine the two tax incentives, the benefit might work like this, said Ochsenschlager: After buying $350,000 worth of equipment, the company could expense $250,000 on its tax return, and take a depreciation deduction of $50,000 on the remaining $100,000 of the purchase amount. In that case, the balance of the depreciation would be spread out in subsequent years, under a schedule that varies depending on the type of capital asset involved. For instance, the depreciation window on software is three years, said Ochsenschlager.
Green said that could really benefit dairymen. “Cows would be considered equipment,” he said.
The incentives are for federal taxes only and purchases must be made in the 2008 taxable year.
“That's good news,” said farmer/dairyman Mark Watte of Tulare. He said any large farming or dairy operation in the county can “easily” spend $100,000 to $200,000 a year in new equipment just to keep up.
“That's a good stimulus. It we buy something that starts a chain of events that stimulates the entire local economy,” said Watte.
To assist business owners and farmers, the EDC offers the Tools for Business at www.sequoiavalley.com. On the web site, select “Business Services,” “Entrepreneur Center,” and then “Tools for Business.” Once you are in the tools, you will find the heading “Incentives.” If you find an incentive that will benefit your business, be sure to consult with your tax advisor and the sponsoring agency to make sure that you qualify.
Green cautioned those wanting to take advantage of the new rules. “These things are typically full of rules and you'll need to see your accountant to see how they apply to you.”
Rebate Checks Coming
The IRS will begin sending taxpayers their economic stimulus payments in early May after the current tax season concludes. In most cases, the payment will equal the amount of tax liability on the tax return, with a maximum amount of $600 for individuals ($1,200 for married couples who file a joint return). Payments to more than 130 million households will continue over several weeks during the spring and summer.
The IRS reminds taxpayers when they file their 2007 tax return to use direct deposit, which is the fastest way to get both regular refunds and stimulus payments. However, taxpayers who use Refund Anticipation Loans (RALs) or enter into any other loan or financial agreement with their tax professional cannot receive their stimulus payments by direct deposit and instead will get a paper check.
The only way to receive a stimulus payment in 2008 is to file a 2007 tax return.
Tulare County - Although it was clear that no formal action would be taken, Tulare County Supervisors Tuesday were urged to give serious consideration to back the San Joaquin River Settlement sending more water through the river to revive salmon runs.
Ron Jacobsma, general manager of the Friant Water Users Authority which is backing the settlement, gave supervisors an update hinting some headway is being made in the effort to restore more water and get mitigation funding to the Valley.
Plans to partially return water to farmers and other Valley users via management techniques and recirculation are major issues of the settlement. But, Tulare County, which experts agree is the most impacted by the settlement, has strongly opposed the settlement, urging a legal fight to cut the amount of water down the San Joaquin River flow.
After Jacobsma urged Supervisors to just “hang in there a bit longer” for possible increased settlement funding and water recovery, Supervisor Allen Ishida, who has adamantly opposed the settlement, said he is willing to wait a few more weeks but, “I will still push for legislative relief.”
Ishida later said the whole San Joaquin River matter “is a state issue and if the state had acted on it much earlier” it might have disappeared. He said he has a hard time believing government is going to find enough money to remedy the situation through mitigating actions. The “Trust Me” line from the Washington, D.C. is getting worn out and generally worthless, he said.
Rep. Devin Nunes, R-Tulare, has been leading the fight against implementation of the settlement, saying the Valley and its farmers just have too much to lose. Nunes has said publicity it might be better to have a federal judge decide how much water should flow through the San Joaquin River because such a decision could then be appealed to the U. S. 9th District Court of Appeal, improving the changes to get a better settlement.
Friant Water Users Authority represents nearly 30 irrigation and water districts and half a dozen other contracted entities, including the cities of Lindsay, Fresno, Orange Cove and Madera County. Jacobsma said there is no doubt “the judge is going to put water down the river” and that “going back to court is a huge risk” and could weaken the restoration and water management goals already set in place.
According to the settlement, the person charged with implementing the settlement is specifically required to development and implement a plan through recirculation, recapture, reuse, exchange or transfers of restoration flow to mitigate the impact to Friant District users and to implement a recovery water account which will make wet year water available at reduced prices.
Jacobsma said about 15,000 mostly small family farms on nearly one million acres have relied on Friant water supplies for the last half century. Farmers, farmworkers, support industries and communities are dependent on Friant water supplies for their livelihood.
He said mitigated water management control is estimated to put 51,300 acres of farm land out of production, $264.9 million in total lost crop production, $80.7 million in income impact and 3,070 total job losses.
In other action, supervisors:
- Approved the contract with Moss Beach Homes, (Aspira) for $67,907 through June 30, for services for transitional housing needs for at-risk youth who “age out” from the state's foster care system. The county program, which involves a number of agencies and providers, is considered a model program and has won several awards.
- Heard a presentation on the Solid Water Division of the Resource Management Agency. The county operates three active landfills, seven transfer stations, has 76 employees and generates $12.825 million in this fiscal year. Estimated operating expenses are $12.791 million with capital expenses set at $4.641 million. In fiscal year 2007, the landfills handled 270,000 tons of garbage. The board is expected in the next several months to consider several issues, including adjustment of tipping (fees charged for city and other users), private hauler rate adjustments and other matters.
- Approved amendments to the Poplar-Cotton Center Community Plan and the Tipton Urban Boundaries Element of the General Plan. The changes affect 14.92 acres near Road 192 (Mountain View Road) near Maple Street and a portion of 19.2 acres at the southeast corner of Highway 99 and Avenue 144 (state route 190) in Tipton. The Poplar change would provide for residential and commercial development. The Tipton change would increase the Urban Boundaries Element of the Tipton Urban Improvement areas.
The Methodist church is planning to sell its 24,000-square-foot property at 623 Avery to the Boys and Girls Club, which would in turn sell it to the City of Farmersville for the price they paid, plus any other fees or expenses involved in the sale. The city would use the property to provide a home for the Boys and Girls Club.
The Methodist Church is aware that the city will buy the property, but it still plans to sell it to the Boys and Girls Club for $85,000.
“They felt this would ensure the Boys and Girls Club would have use of the property,” explained Farmersville City Manager Rene Miller.
“We're putting together a building plan for the property,” said Joe Engelbrecht, executive director of the Boys and Girls Club of the Sequoias. “We will partner with the city to construct a multipurpose building anchored by the Boys and Girls Club.
We will possibly have other youth service agencies, such as a youth wellness center with other collaborative partners offering services. Funding would come from diverse sources. It would be a joint effort in that regard.
“A lot of this has not been nailed down,” he added. “We're just now on the verge of doing that.”
Construction costs are expected to be about $800,000.
“We'll be borrowing money from the redevelopment agency to build our center,” Miller said. “We're in the process of doing that right now.”
Once the property line is worked out, the club and the church should be able to work things out and the Farmersville Community Center will be that much closer to becoming a reality.
“The reason we're so anxious to build this is because of the tremendous need,” Engelbrecht said. “We turn away kids on a daily basis and we really need the space.”
“I would love to have it done by the opening of
the next school year,” Miller said.
The city plans to find a new location for the church's 120-year-old
steeple, considered the oldest building in the city. The building was
originally from another Valley town. There is reportedly a 1890s photo
of the building being brought into town on logs pulled by mules.
Tulare County - Property owners on the north side of Main Street in Visalia are negotiating with the city to build a 4-to-5-story parking garage on the city-owned lot behind the old Togni Branch. A member of the investor group, Joe Cusenza, told the Voice that “we believe we could build a garage for a lot less dollars” than the city and that more parking at this end of Main Street “will allow retail and offices to expand” north of Main. This would be the first parking structure on the north side of Downtown.
Confirming the discussions that have been going on for several months, City Manager Steve Salomon says “the concept would be a private/public partnership” that could mean “two floors of public parking -- double what is there today” and private ownership of the remainder.
Salomon notes “while we have a way to go in coming to an agreement, I believe we could have something to present to the city council in a few months.”
Cusenza, Mike Fistolera, Stan Simpson, Harvey May and William Martin are all property owners on the 100 block of W. Main who are potential participants in the big project. “We think we could finance the deal and make it more economical,” said Cusenza. The additional parking space would allow the development of several of the second story buildings on the block as well as nearby space that second stories could be added to.
For example, Cusenza says there is interest by a retailer to come to Downtown because of the expansion of the hospital but more parking will be needed to accommodate them. “I think you will see more retail expansion in the next 12 months” than we have seen in the past year, predicts Cusenza.
Martin says “retail is dying Downtown” unless major steps are taken. Martin owns several properties in the area.
“There is a full-blown rebellion over the current city parking policy” that keeps new eateries and retailers from coming into the area, he said.
Cusenza says one issue the city needs to decide is “what to do about Mill Creek” that runs under the block-long lot along Center Street. The city had considered the possibility of day-lighting the creek here in the future. Cusenza says that idea would be “problematic” to building the garage.
Building a privately funded garage could cut the cost per parking space for a public body to build when they must pay prevailing wages. The most recent garage near Kaweah Delta cost $13 million and has just under 700 parking spaces.
“When you add it all up we're paying about $22,000 per space,” says city finance director Eric Frost.
One possibility is that a new parking garage between Center and Main could help with the redevelopment of the county-owned block north of Center. “My understanding is that the county has already relocated all personnel out of the four-story building and it is looking to relocate all workers out of the single story (HHS-Welfare) building as well,” says Salomon.
Some of the same investment group has been talking to the county about a possible new development on the county block with the likelihood the county will put the block-square property between Center and Oak up for sale soon.
Regarding more parking Downtown, Salomon suggests that “we know the city can't do it all and we need to forge more partnerships in the future” to accommodate growth Downtown. He notes that the city-built parking garage that spans Willow between the hospital and the hotel is now privately owned depending on the floor.
“When you buy an office in the Willow St. office complex, you buy parking space in the adjacent parking garage.
Such a condominium set-up is planned near Conyer and Acequia by the same owner of the Willow office led by Tom Gaebe in discussions with the city, says Salomon. The city is planning to sell off two square blocks of the old City Hall-West land for future medical office space in demand because of the expansion of the hospital.
Even if the city gives a green light for the new parking structure Downtown - what would be the fourth in the city core -- it might be two years before it is built, predicts Cusenza.
A 1989 survey determined that the bridge was subject to a potential collapse in the event of a major earthquake – one of thousands of bridges placed on the state's eligible seismic retrofit list. It is currently the only bridge in the county still on that list.
The cost to replace or reconstruct the current 60-year-old bridge is expected to exceed $27 million. A report presented at the meeting estimated $18.6 million as the cost for construction. The remaining $8.6 million would for engineering, right-of-way acquisition, contingency, and other costs.
The Federal Bridge Program would pay 89% of the project, according to Britt L. Fussel, assistant director-engineering and county surveyor, who helped prepare the report.
“We're in the process of working on a cost-benefit analysis on the life-cycle costs of a new four-lane bridge,” Fussel said. “It's probably not cheaper from an initial cost perspective, but we're anticipating it will be cheaper in the long run. We're going to be looking at the life of the project to determine if it's cheaper over the life of the project to bring it up to standards and put up another bridge next to it.
“My recommendation is that we pursue funding to take down the existing bridge and replace it with a new bridge with four lanes of traffic,” he added, explaining that an old bridge has higher maintenance costs.
Avenue 416 is the most direct link between the City of Dinuba and Highway 99. Plans are to widen the road between the Fresno/Tulare county line to east of Dinuba.
“It will make our community viable because of access,” said Dinuba City Manager Ed Todd. “It will make a big difference in how industry views the ease of access to Dinuba.”
Todd said the difference will be most important in getting goods from farms to the market, for industrial developments and for public safety.
“(Ave.) 416 is a very deadly road,” Todd said. “There are probably half a dozen deaths there every year.”
At $27 million, Todd considers the bridge a bargain, especially considering the standards bridges need to be built to. He added that an interchange now costs $80 million.
“Anything you do with steel and concrete is expensive,” he said.
Fussel said that the bridge would take about two years to build.
“The road would not be closed on a long-term basis,” he said. “We may have to direct traffic, but the intent would be to not close the road.
“We're looking to go to construction in 2010 or 2011,” Fussel said.
What's New
Yokohl Ranch project EIR will be discussed at a public meeting March 3 at 3 p.m. at the Exeter Senior Center. The county meeting has invited all interested parties to advise the county on the scope and environmental information that should be included in the approval process for the big project. The “new town” in Yokohl Valley includes likely offsite improvements outlined in a preliminary document offered by the county. These improvements include tapping water from the Kaweah River to bring into the Valley by pipeline along a widened Yokohl Drive. A map in the document shows an alternate water supply canal that connects to the base of Terminus reservoir. The map also includes a possible widening of 198 from Spruce leading into Yokohl Drive.
Officials with Visalia Unified School District, including Supt. Stan Carrizosa, will travel to Sacramento next week to educate local lawmakers on the impacts Gov. Schwarzenegger's proposed budget cuts will have on the district. “We're going to do a little face-to-face with them,” said Carrizosa, adding the district is in a cost-saving mode, trying to build up as much of a reserve as possible to hopefully buy the district one year before any significant cuts are needed.
Recent storms added more than 3 feet of snow at Farewell Gap, at the 9,500-foot elevation east of Visalia. As of Monday, Farewell Gap had 131.5 inches of snow on the ground, up from 93 inches on Feb. 19. At Quaking Aspen above Porterville, there was 94.7 inches of snow on the ground, up from 64.9 inches on Feb. 19.
There is disagreement over who pays for the EIR regarding the Western Pacific Meatpacking plant in Tulare. The applicant says the city offered to pay but the city sees it differently, noting that every development project EIR is led by the jurisdiction but paid for by the development company. Price tag has swollen after comments were received on the original draft and some work redone to ensure the project can survive an expected lawsuit. A frustrated Rod Balcao says he has been waiting three years to get his approvals with the city and years before that at an alternate site in Goshen. The packing plant promises 350 jobs.
Future of Plaza Business Park was put off until April when the planning commission will take up the project being proposed by Craig Mangano. But on March 10, the Visalia City Council and planning commission will hold a joint work session to look at the zoning on the project. Business Research Park -- Just what is it? -- will be the question of the day.
City of Visalia is plunging into a two-year General Plan update beginning April 21 to go over the work plan on the citywide update.
Congressman Jim Costa, D-Fresno, has announced he will seek a third term in the 20th Congressional District. The district covers all of Kings County and parts of Fresno and Tulare counties. Costa was first elected in 2004, defeating Republican Roy Ashburn. Costa faced no opposition in 2006. The primary is in June, the general election in November.
Seven people, including all three incumbents up for re-election, have taken out nomination papers for the Porterville City Council. Filing ends March 7, unless one of the incumbents does not return their papers. Incumbents who have taken out papers include: Pedro Martinez, Eddie Hernandez and Cameron Hamilton. Challengers who have taken out papers include: Herman Cortez, Jerry Waller, Richard Laswell and Russell Fletcher.
The heroic actions of five firefighters
and two police officers were recognized at the Feb. 19 City
Council meeting for their life-saving efforts Jan. 6 at a Crenshaw Street
structure fire. “Every once in a while, the fire department is
brought back to its roots when it is faced with and asked to perform
its most basic mission – to race against the clock and save someone's
life from an unimaginable fate—to perish by fire,” Interim
Fire Chief Greg Glass told Council members. Recognized were Visalia
Police Officers Daniel Ford and Jarred Hughes and firefighters Battalion
Chief Doyle Sewel, Capts. Darrin Hughes and Miguel Oseguera, and firefighter/paramedics
Dameon Malek and Chris Fischer.
Capt. Rob Henry was honored at the Feb. 19 City Council as Visalia's
Firefighter of the Year. He has served the city for 15 years.
In addition to his primary responsibility as captain assigned to Truck
51/B, he has oversight for the department's reserve program and is the
training coordinator for all six companies on his shift. He and his
wife, Stephanie, have three children, Kori, Cooper and Carson.
Tilly's clothing store will open a store in Packwood Creek, adjacent to Lane Bryant, in March. Tilly's offers clothing, shoes and accessories in surf, skate, motocross and lifestyle wear catering to active males, juniors, boys, girls and the fashion conscious youth. Tilly's has 75 stores throughout California, Arizona, Colorado, Florida and Nevada.
The San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District's regulation of development for air-quality impacts throughout the Valley is legal and valid, a Fresno County Superior Court ruled last week. The lawsuit challenging the District's Rule 9510, which establishes development fees for air pollution mitigation, was filed by the California Building Industry Association and several co-plaintiffs. Rule 9510, also called Indirect Source Review, was adopted in Dec. 2005. The lawsuit, filed in June 2006, claimed that the District had no authority to regulate development and impose fees, and amounted to a tax under Proposition 13. Bob Keenan of the Home Builders Association of Tulare and Kings Counties said the decision will be appealed. He said the rule adds more than $1,000 to the price of a new home and unknown dollars to commercial construction. “We think they are getting into areas they legally can't be,” said Keenan. Rule 9510 holds developers accountable for air quality impacts that result from building activity and also for air quality impacts that result from the development's use. Developers have options for offsetting pollution through a variety of mitigation measures – for example, including sidewalks and green spaces in new housing developments – and are assessed fees for any pollution that exceeds thresholds established by the Air District.
The Tulare County Association of Governments (TCAG) heard a report which examined the nine riparian and wildlife corridors in the county from Robert Hansen, president of the Tulare Basin Wildlife Partners, at its Feb 25 meeting. The corridors were ranked based on their potential for conservation and recreational uses, with the Deer Creek heading the list, followed by Kings River, Oaks to Tules, Lewis Creek and Cottonwood Creek. The report is the first environmental study funded by Measure R. “Tulare County is the first county we were able to work with,” Hansen said. “We have more of these corridors than any of the other (Valley) counties do.”
Visalia - Tom Seidler, president and general manager of the Visalia Oaks, didn't get the home run he had hoped for, but he came close Monday night.
After two years of design and planning by the City of
Visalia and the Visalia Oaks, the first major overhaul of Oaks Ballpark
in over 40 years is set to begin after the council voted to spend
$11.6 million on renovations to the aging park.
Officially, the city approved the $7.7 million bid of local contractor
Seals-Biehly for the renovation of the right field portion of the
stadium, and agreed to spend up to $11.6 million total on improvements
now.
The city's action came after the two bids for the first phase of the ballpark renovation came in way over estimate, forcing the city to rethink its plans. Two years ago, the council agreed to spend $11.6 million for two phases of work, but on Monday, it was announced the cost of both phases had risen to $18.5 million.
The right field improvements include a new entrance, new seating, a corporate hospitality lounge, new Oaks administrative and ticket offices, a new concession stand and merchandise store, all along the right field line. Phase II would have included new and expanded seating behind home plate, shade for the grandstand, a new press box, four private indoor suites and remodeled player dugouts. Except for the dugouts, Phase II improvements are now on indefinite hold.
Seidler said fans will be pleased with the improvements and he feels confident the city will eventually revisit the Phase II plans. He told the Voice last week that both the Arizona Diamondbacks, parent club of the Single A franchise, and major league baseball, had agreed to the revised improvements. Also, the improvements will meet pro baseball ballpark standards.
“We are excited about the future of professional baseball in Visalia and the Central Valley. We appreciate the patience of the Diamondbacks and our fans and sponsors as we and the City of Visalia have worked on the project over the last two years,” said Tom Seidler, team president. “It certainly will be a unique, fun opportunity for the fans to witness the renovations coming to life throughout the upcoming 2008 season. Our goal with the renovated ballpark is to provide the community gathering place for the next generation.”
Although not part of the bid, Carol Cairns, assistant city manager, said the additional $2 million added to the project Monday night will be to replace the old dugouts in the existing concrete grandstand berms and add more bathrooms to the project. She said the work will be either added to the bid or contracted out, but will be done simultaneously with the right field work.
In making his motion, Councilmember Don Landers made it clear the city will not spend any money above the $11.6 million it had already committed to the project.
“This is a good investment. I fully support it,” he said.
The only no vote came from Councilmember Amy Shuklian, who said she did not so much oppose the improvements, but spending so much money in uncertain economic times.
“At this time, I think $11.6 million is a large expenditure,” considering the state budget crisis, she said.
Councilmember Bob Link, who along with Landers served on the committee overseeing the project, pointed out improvements to the ballpark are long overdue.
“We have done things throughout the community to meet needs. Now is the time to bring that (ballpark) up to same quality as other things in town,” he said.
Irene Burtlow was the only resident to speak before the council and she expressed support for the improvements.
“I'm real happy something is being done, especially the scoreboard. I hope this gets done and it doesn't take five years.”
According to Cairns and Phyllis Coring, special projects manager, work should begin within 60 days and be finished in plenty of time for next season. They both said construction would be going on during this season and that means seating in the ballpark will be confined to just 1,300 seats this year. However, the new scoreboard will be in place this season, which opens with the Oaks' first home game on April 17. Once the work is complete, the park will seat more than 2,400 fans.
Cairns pointed out that in the past couple of years, the city has made about $2 million in improvements to the ballpark and the $11.6 is on top of that.
In addition to the scoreboard and new home team bullpen for this season, the Oaks' Booster Club has volunteered hundreds of hours over the winter to renovate the visiting team clubhouse and bring it to compliance with Pro Baseball standards. Seidler said improvements are also planned for the existing restrooms behind home plate and there are plans for a children play area.
All home games in the 62-year history of Visalia's California League franchise have been played at Recreation Park, which will welcome its 3 millionth fan during the 2008 season.
Fullfilling a Need:
Family Healthcare Network
by Dave Adalian
Tulare County - In the mid-1970s, Tulare County had a serious and looming health crisis that had to be addressed.
In the rest of the nation, the rate of infant mortality was six deaths for every 1,000 live births, a statistic that put the United States just behind the Philippines. Here, the rate was far higher. At two-and-a-half times the national average, 15 children out of every thousand brought into the world in Tulare County were dying.
That alarming statistic, an ugliness even the hardest of heart couldn't ignore, was merely part of the problem. It wasn't just expectant mothers who weren't receiving basic medical care, but an entire large and growing subset of the community.
“There were very few people providing healthcare to the farmworker population, much less the Spanish-speaking population. They just didn't have the resources to take care of people,” said Harry Foster, president and CEO of Family Health Care Network, in describing the problem and the deeper shadow behind it. “They really didn't have access to an obstetrician. How do you take care of these people giving birth in an orange orchard? They had no prenatal care and then just showed up at the hospital.”
Advocates Step Up
Though there was a larger problem, it was the immediate one of children dying that impelled a group of farm labor advocates to join a group of Porterville and Woodlake citizens in seeking a solution. Forming the nonprofit United Health Organization, they took on the mission of providing preventative healthcare, health promotion and education to the underserved in both communities, and to bring primary care, including obstetrical and gynecological care.
“They went out and got a small contract with the state health department,” Foster said. “They initially couldn't find anyone who spoke Spanish to provide the care.”
They contracted with a provider, whose time was divided between the two cities, but the arrangement didn't last and in 1978 the group splintered into two smaller regional groups, the Woodlake Health Center and the Porterville Family Health Center, which would eventually become FHCN.
“They split everything, even the desks,” said Foster. “The folks in Woodlake got half, the folks in Porterville got half. In Porterville, they brought in a fulltime general practitioner and a fulltime nurse practitioner. The number of patients they were seeing overwhelmed the two-room house they were using as a clinic.”
Most important of all, the fledgling group was able to contract with an obstetrician in Lindsay to provide prenatal care to their patients.
“The infant mortality rate went down almost overnight,” Foster said. “By 1984, it was 6 [deaths per 1,000 births]. It was accomplished by introducing OB services.”
Foster Enters Picture
It was about this time Foster joined the organization. Already an experienced healthcare administrator, he wanted a job that would allow him to provide service to the medically indigent and “feel like you're making a difference.”
“I wanted to work in a rural setting,” he said. “I was going to be here a year and a half. That was 25 years ago.”
First on his list was expanding the staff. An OB/GYN was hired, as were additional family practitioners. Foster then set about getting his doctors privileges at Sierra View Hospital, but found the way blocked by the doctors who controlled the process.
“It was like pulling teeth getting these guys privileges at the hospital,” he said. “They were worried about market share. They were worried about us growing. It wasn't the hospital. It was a group of a few local physicians.”
Since gaining in-patient treatment was essential to FHCN's future success they had to persist in the attempt to gain access.
“At that point, it was important we move forward and not go back to out-patient only,” Foster said. “When they finally got the privileges, that's when we started providing comprehensive care.”
It was also then FHCN began to expand its services, and it has yet to stop. When the clinic outgrew its original location, it moved into a former gas station that has been continuously expanded since and still serves as the core of FHCN's Poplar Avenue clinic.
“We went from six exam rooms to 11 to 20 and to 39,” Foster said. “We have 42 in Porterville now. We're adding 16 more.”
In 1988, FHCN, bolstered by its success in Porterville and in hopes of reproducing it elsewhere, began a needs assessment for the rest of the county with an eye toward expanding out of its hometown.
“When we started looking it turned out everywhere needed us. It was a matter of how much they needed us,” Foster said. “We considered Terra Bella and Earlimart. We ended up proposing we go to Ivanhoe. It was far enough away we weren't duplicating services.”
By 1989, they were established there, and two years later, they came to Visalia.
FHCN Now Largest Provider
Today FHCN, an organization that grew out of a community response to a child mortality crisis three decades ago, is the county's single largest primary healthcare provider, serving 85,000 active patients or some 22 percent of the population of Tulare County at a rate of about 1,300 patient visits a day.
“We look at ourselves as a community-based organization that takes care of the community,” Foster said. “We take that pretty seriously.”
Besides, Porterville, Ivanhoe and Visalia, FHCN runs clinics in Goshen, Three Rivers, Springville, Cutler-Orosi, Woodlake and Hanford, has corporate offices in Porterville and administrative offices in Visalia, where its largest number of patients are now seen. It employs 658 people at those locations, all of whom are fulltime employees. Its healthcare staff includes nutritionists, dentists, chiropractors, alternative healthcare specialists, behavioral health specialists and, of course family practitioners, pediatricians and obstetrician/gynecologists as well as internists.
In concert with its medical services, FHCN also offers “enabling services,” including translation, education, vans to bring patients in for treatment and on-site X-ray capabilities. The X-ray capability was initially added to provide chest x-rays for immigrants who tested false positive for tuberculosis because of childhood inoculations against the disease in their nation of origin.
“They could wait about a month for the county to test them or go down the street and pay $100 at a private office for a single x-ray. We recognized the need and addressed it,” Foster said. “We do things with all our patients other providers don't because it costs money. By doing that, we keep them out of the hospital.”
Tim Lewis, public relations director for Sierra View
Hospital, says FHCN's efforts have made an impact there.
“The hospital would be a lot busier with the county clinics
closing. It's pretty much Sierra View and Family Healthcare Network,”
he said. “We have a very positive working relationship. We really
collaborate with them to provide the highest level of healthcare for
the community.”
FHCN is working to bring specialty physicians to the area as employees, and the current focus is on adding a general surgeon to the staff; the effort is being funded by the Kaweah Delta Healthcare District.
“I think for Tulare County the Family Healthcare Network is an essential provider of primary medical care to many people who wouldn't otherwise have it,” said Lindsay Mann, KDHD's CEO. “The largest ongoing problem is ideally clinics like Family Healthcare Network would have specialty providers. We are jointly working to support their capacity to bring on that general surgeon. We're funding the recruitment costs.”
FHCN will also be adding cardiologists and other non-primary care specialists to its staff in the near future.
“We're going to have a much more comprehensive
program, but we're going to do it a little at a time,” Foster
said.
FHCN's other long-term plans include expanding within its service
areas until no potential patient is farther than a 15-minute drive
from one of its clinics.
“We're not financially flush, so we can't go out and build new facilities. It probably keeps us from expanding as fast as we should,” Foster said. “We tend to grow out of buildings. We plan long, but we seem to grow fast.”
Where Money Comes From
The money that makes up FHCN's tight $52 million annual budget – one that ran a mere $75,000 surplus in 2007 – comes mainly from the payments by patients and their insurers that make up 81 percent of FHCN's income. Of that 81 percent, 51 percent is from Medi-Cal, 25 percent is from patients who pay cash on a sliding scale, some 20 percent is from private insurers and 1.5 percent comes from Medicaid.
“In terms of accounts receivable I'm very impressed with the turnover,” said Martin Soy, FHCN's controller. “We've got a 30-day turnover, which for the medical field is outstanding. If people [working for other healthcare providers] could get 60-day turnaround, they'd be thrilled.”
The remainder of FHCN's funding comes from grants, which has been a source of friction on two occasions. The only time FHCN has run a deficit was a year it reduced its dependency on grants to just 6 percent, a move Foster says it will not likely repeat, and for years now, the county has been trying to get FHCN's cooperation in gaining rural healthcare provider status with the Health Services Administration, a move that could cost FHCN part of its funding and one it has refused to make.
“We've reached out to provide aid to a lot of nonprofits, including Family Healthcare Network. We're trying to outsource as much of the hands-on healthcare service as we can,” said County Supervisor Allen Ishida. “They do a good job and provide a lot of services to the underserved.”
Additionally, the county provided support for FHCN when
it was issuing bonds, Ishida said, and he feels FHCN should provide
like support to the county to help it boost its funding to avoid further
closure of county health clinics.
“We need to survive providing care,” Ishida said.
Foster, in turn, feels the county's health system is too expensive to operate at approximately 50 percent higher rates than FHCN and not as effective as the care FHCN can provide.
“We do more vaccinations than the county health department that gets paid specifically for it,” he said, adding that FHCN provided over 20,000 influenza inoculations this flu season. “That's how you keep people healthy.”
Challenges Ahead
As when FHCN started, the greatest challenge now facing healthcare providers in Tulare County is a tremendous staffing shortage. Currently, the county is home to about 60 percent of the professionial medical personnel needed to provide adequate coverage for its 420,000 residents, and it's this dire need for trained providers that has prompted FHCN to form a partnership with the A.T. Still School of Osteopathic Medicine. After a year at its Arizona campus, students will begin study at classrooms being constructed as part of FHCN's current expansion at its Porterville and Visalia sites.
Ideally, Foster says, the students studying at FHCN's facilities will be those who grew up in the area, gained admittance to the school on FHCN's recommendation and share the organization's mission of providing healthcare to the underserved population.
When the students arrive, Sierra View and Kaweah Delta hospitals, as well as Visalia Medical Clinic and other physician offices in the area will have a hand in the medical students' training.
“We're really excited with that. We're more than happy to host the medical students,” said Lewis. “They're going to do some clinical study and we can provide and arena for that.”
Foster is also hoping to expand FHCN's services into Dinuba, where he's been talking with Ruiz Foods about providing care for its employees. Talks there are still in the earliest stages, but Foster is hopeful the partnership may lead to better healthcare for the entire community.
“We're trying to figure out better healthcare for our team members. We'd heard good, positive things about Family Healthcare Network,” said Tony Caetano, vice president of human resources at Ruiz. “We're looking to continue the good service levels we provide today and be smart about our healthcare purchasing.”
It was this outside-the-box thinking and creativity coupled with FHCN's commitment to providing care to the underserved that drew Dr. Chris Kolker from his home in Oklahoma to become head of the medical staff at FHCN's Porterville clinic after a nationwide job search.
“I believed in the mission,” Kolker said. “I didn't want to just be another person making money. They don't have anything like this in Oklahoma.”
Ross to Open Store in Porterville
Porterville - Off-price retailer Ross Dress-For-Less will open a 30,000-square-foot store later this year next to the new Target store on Henderson Ave. in Porterville.
According to Brad Dunlap, Community Development director with the city of Porterville, Ross has taken out a permit for the store in the former Monte Mart Grocery Outlet. “It looks like we are getting a new Ross to go with our new Target,” said Dunlap.
To make room for a new Target-anchored center property, owner and developer Dave Paynter demolished a portion of the old grocery warehouse and another former retail space leaving 35,000 square feet in place. Ross will remodel that space that will leave 5,000 sq. ft. of retail space to be carved for Maurice's -- a clothing outlet similar to Dress Barn. Ross and Dress Barn are side by side in Visalia. All three stores will open in September/October.
Now, Porterville will get a new larger Target and two other national clothing outlets to add to an expected influx of new retailers across town at the new Riverwalk Center at Highway 190 and Jaye St. At the Riverwalk center, the developer -- Ennis Commercial -- is working on a new Michael's and possibly a new Kohl's to go along with a new Lowe's (now open) that together with the Henderson stores will add up to lots more retail choices in southeast Tulare County.
Ross is now the second largest off-price retailer in the U.S. with sales of $6 billion. The company has 838 stores in 27 states advertising department store quality at a discount price. Ross expects to add 65 new stores this fiscal year. According to the company about 80% of the shoppers are women looking for themselves or their families.
Medical Marijuana Users File
Claim against City of Porterville
Porterville - Two people who claim they have a legal right to possess and grow their own marijuana for medical purposes have filed a claim against the city of Porterville – one for $1.6 million.
Rudolph Mullins, who was arrested in October by Porterville Police for growing and possessing marijuana, and Stephen Minnick, who was arrested on possession charges in December, both had their claims rejected by the city council in that city last week. Mullins is seeking $1.6 million, $1.5 million for pain and suffering. Minnick is seeking $35,600, of which $20,000 is for mental and physical damages.
Both men claim their rights given to them because they have a prescription to posses grow and use marijuana for medical purposes, were violated. Police contend the amount of plants or marijuana they had was excessive.
State law allows for the possession and the limiting growing of marijuana for medical purposes for those who have valid prescriptions. However, federal law does not recognize medical marijuana.
“It's one of those things I take to heart,” said Mullins of his right. He said police, whom he claims previously knew of his growing and his prescription and did not interfere, came into his home in December, confiscated his processed marijuana and his plants, and arrested him.
Mullins bases his case on the 1997 Medical Marijuana proposition passed by California voters that legalized marijuana use for medical purposes. .
Police took 80 plants Mullins had growing, he said. He grows so much marijuana because not only he has a prescription, but so do his wife and his son. “I have a lot of back problems and my left leg is damaged from an accident,” said the 54-year-old. He says the family goes through about an ounce of marijuana a month, which if he were to purchase at one of the medical marijuana dispensaries in the county, would run about $300 a month.
While he wasn't aware of the second claim, Mullins said he is working with NORML and others to get police to follow the state law. “I have an association of private citizens in similar circumstances. We have a like mindset – this is what we chose instead of other medications.”
Mullins was to have a pre-trial hearing on Tuesday.
According to the NORML web site, the “state limit is set at six mature or 12 immature plants and 8 ounces marijuana, except where physician declares more is needed, or where local governments authorize more.”
Minnick says police said they smelled marijuana growing in his yard and searched the home of his 78-year-old mother where he resides. He said police found less than a pound of marijuana and he has a prescription.
“Something has to be done about the way police are handling these medical marijuana cases. I have been in court now for over a year and there are four or five more cases just like mine and police are making each case look like we are big drug dealers,” said Minnick in his claim. He said if it were not for the marijuana, he would have to take stronger medications like Vicodin or sleeping pills.
Rail Firm Files for Abandonment of 30-Mile Line
By Miles Shuper
Tulare County - Anticipated for nearly six months, San Joaquin Valley Railroad Company last week filed for permission to abandon a 30-mile rail line between Strathmore and Jovista at the Tulare-Kern county line, a proposal being strongly opposed by local leaders.
In its petition to the federal Surface Transportation Board, the company says rail use does not justify the cost of operating and maintaining the line, which it also says requires some rehabilitation. If the line is abandoned, the company plans to salvage the steel tracks and materials. Union Pacific Railroad Co., from which SJVR acquired the line, would be responsible for disposing of the underling real estate.
San Joaquin says only three companies, Tri K Truss, Sierra Forest Products and Britz Fertilizer, have used the line since 2004, with no shipments in 2007 and none so far this year. According to its petition, the rail line generated around $60,000 from 2004 through January of this year.
With little traffic over the line in recent years, the company has maintained it to Federal Railroad Administration “accepted conditions” but to return it to FRA Class I condition, the company will have to spend $1.327 million. The petition states “SJVR believes that there is not a sufficient volume of traffic available on the line to justify the costs of maintaining and operating the line. Making a capital investment in the line would not be a prudent use of carrier resources.”
It also points out that alternate transportation service is available and that “the burden of continued operation on SJVR outweighs the burden of loss of services on shippers and local communities.”
In mid-2007 Tulare County officials began organizing opposition to the potential abandonment after learning of the rail company's plan to file its petition.
Cities throughout the county, the Economic Development commission and the Tulare County Association of Governments (TCAG) continue to rally opposition to the plan and are in the process of hiring an East Coast lobbying firm, Shepstone Management Co. of Pennsylvania specializing in rail abandonment issues. The hiring of the lobbyist was scheduled to be considered this week at a TCAG meeting.
Paul Saldana, executive director of the EDC, the lead entity in abandonment opposition, said an official letter of opposition is being drafted. The deadline for filing is April 14. Saldana said there have been initial discussions with attorneys for the rail company regarding potential ways to keep the line open, including financial support, but efforts to block the abandonment are going forward. A main focus of the study by the lobby group would be developing viable options. The initial cost for the study is expected to be between $10,000 and $15,000, according to sources.
Of prime concern is the economic growth potential generated by having rail access to industrial sites or potential industrial sites, officials stress.
Options already suggested, and likely to be studied by the Shepstone firm, are the possible purchase or financial subsidy of the 30-mile line through a joint venture involving local governments, such as the county and cities and the EDC using local and possible economic development grant funds.
Local officials concede that keeping the line open is an economic anchor for the rail firm especially considering the high cost of rail maintenance. In its petition, SJVR cites cost of replacing ties at slightly more than $1 million, resurfacing the line to avoid kinks in the rail and mismatched ends at another $186,000. Maintenance the right of way is estimated at $107,600.
Porterville-based Tri K Truss was told in late 2006 by SJVR that it would no longer deliver lumber to near its site, citing economic factors. Larry Hansen, president of Tri K, said that when SJVR unloaded his shipments in Exeter, about 20 miles away, trucking costs amounted to slightly more than $500 per rail car. Generally, a rail car load is equivalent to four truck loads. Previously, when rail cars were unloaded about two blocks from the Tri K Truss plant in Porterville, Hansen said, the transfer was made using forklifts. Hansen said with his business off about 80 percent from 2004-5 generally due to the housing construction slump, he no longer receives material by the car load. But, he said, having access to rail delivery is important to companies that receive and ship large qualities, especially with trucking costs soaring.
The above stories are the property of The Valley Voice Newspaper and may not be reprinted without explicit permission in writing from the publisher.
February 28, 2008
