State of the City
February 11, 2008
Mayor Christy Weir
ACHIEVING THE VISION
Our city government is responsible for the quality of life in Ventura, for all ages. Always on my mind are the people in this photo - they remind me that our decisions need to respect past generations' contributions and seniors' needs, and keep in mind the welfare of our children, who don't have a voice in our decision-making process.
Recently I received over 60 letters from 5th graders in Mrs Friedman's class at Mound School. I'd like to read a few tonight, because they represent the state of our city from a 10-year-old's perspective.
[letters read to audience]
In August 2005, the City Council adopted Ventura's General Plan - a community-driven vision to assure our city's future as a great place for us to enjoy life.
THE TEN GENERAL PLAN GOALS INCLUDE a community that is Active. Safe. Educated. Natural. Creative. Prosperous. Well Planned. Accessible. Sustainable. Involved. And a government that is accountable for working with the community to achieve these visions.
Tonight I will review our General Plan goals and cover briefly what we have accomplished so far, the road ahead and ways to get involved with your City to achieve our vision.
Because ACHIEVING OUR VISION is a job for the entire community, not just city government. We all have a part to play.
BALANCED BUDGET
All our ambitious plans start with balancing our budget. Three years ago, we set out to eliminate our structural deficit - a chronic gap between revenue and spending obligations. With a strong economy we were able to meet this goal a year ahead of schedule by cutting expenses by $1.5 million each year and increasing revenues by $2 million. Using this disciplined budget process, the Council has made progress on four long-term financial priorities:
- Increase police and fire staffing to make Ventura safer and improve emergency response times
- Invest in capital improvements, including repairing our streets, water mains, sewer lines, parks and other public facilities
- Maintain our parks and public landscaping to keep Ventura green and clean
- Restore competitive compensation for City staff to retain and attract outstanding performers to do the vital jobs in public service
To continue our progress in the face of a looming recession, we will cut spending again this year. We will be reducing, restructuring or eliminating lower-priority activities in order to fully fund what matters most to achieving the Ventura Vision.
Let's turn now to the elements of that Vision.
OUR NATURAL COMMUNITY
Our General Plan says we will be a model of environmental responsibility. To that end, we've expanded "green practices" citywide to make Ventura a model for a sustainable planet.
Our new Green Initiative continues our commitment to best environmental practices. So far, we've:
- Slashed City energy use by 25%
- Switched to bio-diesel for 100 fleet equipment/vehicles
- Cut pesticide use in parks by 22%
- We've diverted 67% of trash to recycling
- Planted several hundred trees per year to enhance our urban forest
This is a good start, but in the years ahead we must - and will - do better. We are partnering with the California State Coastal Conservancy, the Nature Conservancy and the Trust for Public Land for a visionary plan to create the Ventura River Parkway. We are also assisting the Ventura Hillsides Conservancy to preserve the wildlands above us.
OUR SUSTAINABLE INFRASTRUCTURE
We've committed to safeguard public health and well-being by providing and maintaining facilities that enable us to live in balance with natural systems. The most ambitious project has been to replace the 75-year-old Avenue Water Treatment Plant with new $19 million state of the art facility to ensure our water meets stringent new health standards.
We've also worked on resolving long-standing issues of sand management and beach maintenance issues with State agencies and Pierpont residents.
OUR PROSPEROUS COMMUNITY
Our General Plan says we will focus on retaining and attracting high-value, high-wage jobs. To that end, we have set up a $5 million Jobs Investment Fund (JIF) in partnership with a venture capital firm to attract high-tech, high-wage firms to Ventura. We are also creating a business incubator in the former County office building behind City Hall.
We have expanded business opportunities by launching the Ventura Prospector web listings for businesses seeking sites to expand or relocate to our city and funded the new Downtown Ventura Organization (DVO) to foster business improvements downtown.
The City is also completing public review of plans for a new Embassy Suites hotel by the beach and a Hyatt on the former El Torito site.
We will support the Ventura Auto Center by extending Olivas Park Drive to increase access and number of dealers and work with Macerich to strengthen the Pacific View Mall. Target will open in March and three large retailers have recently signed tentative agreements to locate at the north end.
INTRODUCE THE VIDEO
The cornerstone of our General Plan Vision is a community that is well planned and designed, and highly accessible to our mobile and active population. Enhancing our public realm is one of local government's most important charges. This short video tells the story of how we are working to achieve those visions.
OUR HEALTHY & SAFE COMMUNITY
We turn now to building effective community partnerships that improve the well-being and security of our citizens.
To that end, we've made more progress in the past two years than in the previous fifteen.
We added 4 new Patrol Officers to address neighborhood crime, 2 new Police Officers to target gangs and funded a School Resource Officer.
We deployed a roaming three-person fire engine city wide to cut fire and medical emergency response times and launched high-speed CodeRED telephone system to inform residents of emergencies.
To improve the lives of our most vulnerable, we're following the action steps of countywide 10-year Strategy to End Homelessness by hiring a homeless outreach worker and working with the County on a new one-stop center for homeless services.
With funding from the new Emergency Communications Fee, we intend to deploy a team that works downtown and other high priority areas and restore School Resource officers in our public schools.
OUR EDUCATED COMMUNITY
We will encourage academic excellence and life-long learning resources to promote a highly-engaged citizenry.
That begins with our kids. Each year, 20,000 preschool to sixth grade students and teachers take part in nature and history programs. Each week we serve 500 students at seven schools with academic and athletic enrichment activities and in partnership with the School District, we created a 4th grade curriculum called "What's Under the Manhole Cover" which teaches kids what city government is all about.
OUR CREATIVE COMMUNITY
We will become a vibrant cultural center by weaving the arts and local heritage into everyday life.
Ventura was recently cited in in Business Week as one of the top ten "America's Best Places for Artists." Ventura was designated a Preserve America city by Laura Bush, opening up the opportunity for heritage preservation grants.
Each year we provide art classes to over 10,000 children and adults . Our Artwalks showcase 150 artists to 20,000 attendees. We are also starting the renovation of the historic Olivas Adobe with matching million dollar state grant.
OUR INVOLVED COMMUNITY
We will work together as a community to achieve the Ventura Vision through partnerships and volunteer service. Last year, 43% of Venturans volunteered (versus State's 26% rate) and gave over 50,000 hours each year to city programs alone -please stand if you do any volunteer work in this city so we can thank you for your contributions.
To improve openness, transparency and access we have launched a number of new efforts this year.
My Ventura Access (MVA) is a 24/7 online connection for residents to ask questions, request information and track service responses. My Ventura Magazine combines city news with recreation opportunities mailed to all households. We now web stream City Council and other public meetings on the city web site.
Finally, I want to conclude with a challenge on how everyone can contribute to achieving our vision over the next year.
SEVEN THINGS YOU CAN DO THIS YEAR TO HELP VENTURA ACHIEVE OUR VISION
- GET INVOLVED - Join the DVO Downtown Ventura Organization, Ventura Hillsides Conservancy, Chamber of Commerce, your neighborhood community council, or the many partners in our ten-year plan to End Homelessness. Consider our City Volunteer Program or VIP/Community Policing Volunteers or apply for appointment to a City Board - there's something for everyone from parks to culture, trees, design, public art, housing, the harbor.
- SHOP LOCALLY - spend your money in Ventura. Buy local produce or grow your own.
- HELP US GET CLEANER AND GREENER - join the city's Tree Rangers to protect our urban forest, pick up litter. Recycle or reuse everything you can. Our wasteful consumer habits are not sustainable - take a trip to our city landfill if you'd like to see firsthand the amount of garbage we generate in one day.
- GIVE YOUR TIME OR MONEY TO CHARITIES SUCH AS UNITED WAY, PROJECT UNDERSTANDING, TURNING POINT, CATHOLIC CHARITIES OR YOUR CHURCH TO HELP THE HOMELESS, rather than extending the problem by giving cash to panhandlers.
- DRIVE LESS - walking, biking, carpooling and consolidating your car trips will help cut down on traffic, save gas and improve the quality of our air.
- KEEP VENTURA BEAUTIFUL - I have created a monthly "Beautify Ventura" award which will be presented to a business or individual who has aesthetically enhanced Ventura. The first recipient of the award is Jeff Becker, who is responsible for many adaptive reuse projects that have beautified our town while protecting our architectural heritage.
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