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HomeMy WebLinkAbout30-City Manager CITY OF SAN BERNARDINO REQUEST FOR COUNCIL ACTION From: Charles McNeely, City Manager Subject: City of San Bernardino Proposed FY 2011- 12 Federal Legislative Priorities and Program Nominations Date: December 10, 2010 MCC Date: December 20, 2010 Synopsis of Previous Council Action: 02-16-2010 Mayor and Common Council approved City of San Bernardino FY 2010-11 Federal Appropriations Requests Recommended Motion: Approve the recommended Federal Legislative Priorities and Project Nominations and consider any additional projects for inclusion as requested by the r and Common Council. Contact Person: Debra Kurita Phone: 5122 Supporting data attached: Staff Report Ward(s): Citywide FUNDING REQUIREMENTS: Amount: N/A Source: Acct. Description: Finance: Council Notes: Agenda Item No. CITY OF SAN BERNARDINO - REQUEST FOR COUNCIL ACTION STAFF REPORT Subiect: City of San Bernardino Proposed FY 2011-12 Federal Legislative Priorities and Project Nominations Back2round: The City of San Bernardino has developed close working relationships with its congressional and senatorial delegation in Washington D.C. and has been successful in years past in securing federal appropriations for critical local projects. Annual appropriations requests are prepared with the assistance of Innovative Federal Strategies (IFS), the City's federal lobbyists, for projects or programs that have a regional or national significance. In years past, successful appropriations have been secured for transportation, public safety, economic development and parks & recreation projects or programs. The proposed Federal Legislative Priorities and Project Nominations for FY 2011-12, were developed through input and advice from all departments in order to identify projects of a regional or national scope that would meet the criteria for a federal appropriation. Based on this feedback from departments and consultation with IFS, it is being recommended that the following five projects be submitted for FY 2011-12. This list is similar to the legislative priorities approved by the Mayor and Common Council for FY 2010-11; the only exception is the replacement of the Operation Phoenix Community Center with the Summer Night Lights Program. Upon Council approval of the proposed projects, staff will work with its federal lobbyists to determine the appropriate legislative strategy for project submittal to San Bernardino's congressional and senatorial delegation. Pro.iect Title Funding Request San Bernardino Intermodal Transit $2,000,000 Center Downtown Safety & Technology $ 800,000 Enhancement Program (STEP) Electronic Workforce Development $ 100,000 & Literacy Kiosks San Bernardino Energy Efficiency $ 850,000 Facilities Upgrade Project Summer Night Lights Program $ 425,000 These proposed projects have met one or more criteria regarding regional or national significance, a project or program that has already been successful in receiving funding or San Bernardino Intermodal Transit Center The City of San Bernardino, the San Bernardino Association of Governments, and San Bernardino County's regional transportation agency ("Omnitrans") are engaged in a joint effort to develop the San Bernardino Multi Modal Transit Center which will provide access to every major form of mass transit available in Southern California and will be the hub of mass transit for the entire Inland Empire. Serving Metrolink Commuter Rail, Redlands Light Rail, sbX Bus Rapid Transit and local bus service, the Transit Center will provide immediate access to all of Southern California for the thousands of workers and residents living and working in and around downtown. As the County Seat for the largest geographic County in the country and the 4th largest county in population in California, downtown San Bernardino is home to nearly 20,000 workers that commute from places like Orange and Riverside County. Additionally, the County of San Bernardino is planning to consolidate all of their facilities into downtown bringing thousands more employees into downtown daily. The Transit Center will provide an alternative commuting option and will ease congestion on the freeway system. It will serve as an economic catalyst for a new transit oriented district in what is now an underutilized, blighted area and will provide a high- quality public intermodal transit facility that will promote transit use, provide connections to various transportation modes, help reduce highway congestion and air pollution, and provide the opportunity for economic development and transit-supportive lands uses. The City is seeking $2,000,000 for the completion of right of way and land acquisition, completion of final design, engineering and environmental for Transit Center. Downtown Safety & Technolo2V Enhancement Pro2:ram A significant technology solution to the crime and safety problem in the City of San Bernardino is through a video camera security system installed throughout the downtown corridor of San Bernardino. These systems are appearing in communities throughout the nation and are providing a force multiplier effect for local law enforcement. The solution being sought is multi-faceted. There are a number of businesses throughout the area that already have camera systems installed to protect their assets. One component of this project will involve the installation of the necessary infrastructure to allow local law enforcement real time access to those existing systems, creating a partnership between local law enforcement and those businesses desiring a stronger relationship and involvement in public safety. Another component is the acquisition and installation of new camera systems in public areas throughout the downtown area. Installation of City owned equipment will allow police employees the ability to scan areas of concern, determine the need for a police response, record incidents for future evidentiary purposes in criminal prosecutions as well as prevent crime through audio voice alarms when actual police officers are not in the area. The presence of cameras will also enhance the feeling of safety and security in the downtown area for workers and persons who visit and conduct business in the city. The City of San Bernardino expects to be able to provide 25 or more pan-tilt- zoom color security cameras engineered for outdoor use in the downtown area. Along with these cameras will be a management station, an archival server, wireless networking hardware, and the monitoring equipment needed to outfit the Police Department's dispatch center. The networking hardware for this project will be expandable to allow more cameras to be added in the future. Electronic Workforce Development & Literacv Kiosks The Jack L. Hill Literacy Center provides literacy services for adults and families who are functionally illiterate to allow them to learn operate in society. Some of the services provided at the Literacy Center include English as a Second Language, basic adult language & writing skills, and citizenship preparatory classes. The Literacy Center also provides basic training for high school equivalency exams, job training and offers a 'Families for Literacy' class that allows families to develop the basic skills needed to function in society. In 2009, the Literacy Center served nearly 500 adults and over 100 children. The ability to read and write is a core function that must be developed in order to function on a day to day basis, get a job and get out of poverty. The Literacy Center also coordinates training services and classes with the San Bernardino Employment Training Agency. This collaboration will be well served by the workforce development kiosks and will allow many more residents to be trained. Electronic workforce development kiosks will be created for use by citizens for word processing and other productivity software, resume programs, and databases that offer sample test questions for jobs, the OED, Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery, etc. Internet services for job searching and other career-related resources for the benefit of San Bernardino residents will also be available at the kiosks. Through the Literacy Center, the kiosks will offer resume and job search classes to provide residents with the necessary tools and skills needed to compete in this economy. The project consists of 18 new computers, associated software, printers and a part time employee to conduct classes and provide instruction. San Bernardino Ener2\' Efficiency Facilities Up2rade The San Bernardino Energy Efficiency Upgrade project consists of major lighting retrofits, air conditioning replacements, energy demand management systems and smart thermostats to automatically adjust temperatures when appropriate. The collective project will save over 500,000 kilowatt hours and nearly $90,000 every year. With a collective payback of approximately 8 years, the project will fully fund itself well past the useful life of the installations. The City of San Bernardino is seeking funding for major energy efficient upgrades at 22 different facilities throughout the City, including Police Stations, Fire Stations, Park Facilities, Community Centers and Animal Control facilities. Summer Ni2ht Li2hts Pro2ram The Summer Nights Lights (SNL) program will provide extended evening programs for 13 weeks during the summer months at the following nine park locations: Nicholson Park / Nicholson Family Resource Center, Rudy C. Hernandez Community Center, Speicher Memorial Park / Operation Phoenix East Community Center, Anne Shirrells Park / Operation Phoenix West Community Center, Delmann Heights Community Center, Blair Park, Wildwood Park, Nunez Park / Ruben Campos Community Center, Perris Hill Park / Jerry Lewis Swim Center. These extended programs will be offered Thursday, Friday, and Saturday evenings from 7pm to 12am for a total of 39 nights of supplemental activities in the selected parks. Programs will include youth basketball, soccer, and open recreation swim at pool sites. For those sites not equipped with amenities for these activities, an additional mobile recreation and movies in the park component will be provided. Nine park locations will participate in the SNL program to provide maximum reduction in crime and enhanced alternative activities for San Bernardino residents in each of the crime reporting districts. To ensure each site is prepared for the increased evening recreational activities, the proposed program contains a comprehensive capital improvement component which includes funding for alterations or renovations such as lighting upgrades, installation of surveillance cameras, facility upgrades, and a gymnasium scoreboard at the Hernandez Community Center. As an element of any comprehensive crime reduction and intervention program, a feedback cycle is necessary to assess program outcomes. The City will perform survey and evaluation services with the end result being a report outlining benchmarks and the City's ability to meet prescribed goals in numbers of participants served, level of customer service, and reduction in overall crime statistics. Recommendation: Approve the recommended Federal Legislative Priorities and Project Nominations and consider any additional projects for inclusion as requested by the Mayor and Common Council.