AOV E-Newsletter March 7, 2008
In this issue:
- 911 System Service Fee Enrollment Form Available Online and at City Hall
- Plan Well: Residential Street Design Workshop Thursday, March 13
- Spring has Sprung! Cottontail Day at Plaza Park Sunday, March 16
- Catch the WAV: Join the ArtWalk "Parade of Masks" for Working Artists Ventura
- Beautify Ventura: Mayor Christy Weir Launches Monthly Award with a Call for Entries
911 System Service Fee Enrollment Form Available Online and at City Hall
Beginning Thursday, March 6, residents may log on to the City of Ventura website at www.cityofventura.net or visit City Hall to choose the method by which they will pay a new monthly Emergency Communication System Service Fee. The fee, which goes into effect May 6, 2008, was created to generate revenue for public safety; the City plans to use funds from the fee to hire six new police officers and three new firefighters with the goal of improving citywide emergency response times. The Emergency Communication System Service Fee will also provide funding for critical upgrades to the existing Emergency Communication Center, which operates at a cost of $3.3 million annually.
To select your plan, you may:
- Log on to the City of Ventura website at www.cityofventura.net to fill out an electronic form.
- Download and print the form from the website at www.cityofventura.net.
- Visit City Hall's Treasury Office in Room 107 to pick up a form in person.
- Call 805-658-4715 to have a form mailed to you.
The deadline to enroll is May 6, 2008.
Plan Well: Residential Street Design Workshop Thursday, March 13
Planners, business leaders and community members with interest in designing and developing projects in Ventura are invited to attend a Residential Street Design workshop next Thursday, March 13, 2008 at 7 p.m. in the Council Chambers at Ventura City Hall, 501 Poli Street.
Speakers will present views on Residential Street Design from the perspective of various fields, including planning, engineering, walkable communities, sustainability, emergency response, and New Urbanism. This workshop is open to all members of the public, and will be broadcast live on Channel 15 in Ventura city limits.
For more information about this workshop, please contact Chandra Chandrashaker at 805-654-7714 or Kaizer Rangwala at 805-677-3918.
Catch the WAV: Join the ArtWalk "Parade of Masks" for Working Artists Ventura
Design an Ocean-themed Mask at Free Workshops 3/29, 4/12 & 4/16
Celebrate the birth of Working Artists Ventura - the nation's first "green building" affordable housing arts community - and the City's first two-day Spring Art Walk by taking part in free, artist-led workshops to make an ocean-themed mask for the Parade of Masks finale. Bring your own beads, sequins, cloth, cardboard and other recycled materials to make a unique mask - some materials are provided. Family, friends and all ages are welcome:
- Saturday, March 29, 9 a.m. to noon, Barranca Vista Center, 7050 E Ralston St.
- Saturday, April 12, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., Bell Arts Factory, 432 N Ventura Ave
- Wednesday, April 16, 6 p.m. to 9 p.m., Crowne Plaza Aqua Bar, 450 E Harbor Blvd
Join the ArtWalk Parade of Masks for WAV on Sunday, April 27 at Mission Park:
- Don your mask and costume for contest judging at 2:30 p.m.
- Performance at 3 p.m. and Awards at 3:30 p.m.
Spring has Sprung! Cottontail Day at Plaza Park on March 16
The public is invited to enjoy Ventura's largest springtime celebration for kids on Sunday, March 16 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. during Cottontail Day in the Downtown Ventura Cultural District. The popular event will be hopping at Plaza Park, which is bordered by Thompson Boulevard and Chestnut, Fir and Santa Clara Streets. Admission is free.
The Spring Bunny will arrive at 10 a.m. Children ages 1 to 7 can bring their own egg-gathering baskets and join in a free egg hunt from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. or while supplies last.
Beautify Ventura: Mayor Christy Weir Launches Monthly Award with a Call for Entries
Mayor Christy Weir asks local residents to nominate businesses or individuals who have aesthetically enhanced the city of Ventura. Nominees will be considered for a new, monthly recognition called the Beautify Ventura Award. Nominations are ongoing, and will be accepted through the mayor's office at City Hall.
Venturans who wish to submit a nomination may obtain a form online at http://www.cityofventura.net/beautifyventura. The form asks for a description of how the nominee has aesthetically enhanced Ventura, and requests that photos be included in the submission.
City Manager's Blog: Where our money is going
Ventura City Manager Rick Cole gives immediate insight into breaking news. In his latest post, he shares stories regarding a recent trip to the Middle East, where he witnessed the explosive construction growth in the United Arab Emirates' port city of Dubai. His observations on growth versus sustainability quickly translate to the experience of Venturans as they make personal choices about using resources responsibly.
"I have just returned from a vacation in the Middle East. I spent the first five days in the United Arab Emirates, attending a conference on Sustainable Development, sponsored by the Urban Land Institute. My wife, Katherine Perez, was a speaker and I accompanied her with our kids.
"Of course there is very little that is "sustainable" about the oil-fueled frenzy of development going on along the western side of the Persian Gulf in Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Qatar and Bahrain. The world's tallest building is under construction in Dubai, along with the world's largest shopping mall -- but there are just symbols of the frenetic pace of building."
City of Ventura eNews: Achieving Our Vision
If you would like to receive Achieving Our Vision via email, please click here.
Current and past issues of Achieving Our Vision can be found online at http://www.cityofventura.net/enews/smartgrowth.
Masthead Art: katherinemcguire.com
