Author: Lea Boyd

The City of Carpinteria has begun the process of transitioning from at-large elections to district elections. By the November 2022 election, there will be five districts in Carpinteria, each of which will have one elected council member. In order to create election districts that are balanced in size and that protect the interest of the communities within those districts, the City is seeking input from the public. A series of meetings will be held this month to inform the public about the districting process and collect feedback. Meetings will be held on Monday, Sept. 20 at 5:30 p.m.; Wednesday, Sept. 22 at noon; and Sunday, Sept. 26 at 2 p.m. Participants can attend in person at City Hall, 5775 Carpinteria Ave., or through video conferencing. Meeting details and additional ways to learn more and participate in drafting districts will be available at www.drawcarpinteria.com.

HopeNet of Carpinteria will hold a candlelight vigil on Friday Sept. 10, from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. in honor and memory of those who have died by suicide, suicide survivors and those who have been affected by it. Held at the Seal Fountain on Linden Avenue, there will be music, speakers, candles, refreshments, resources and therapists on hand and available to help. Anyone who attends will have a chance to share a name or thoughts about loved ones. The annual event aims to to help destigmatize suicide and promote mental wellness in our community. Everyone is welcome.

Globally and nationally, the COVID-19 pandemic has negatively affected many people’s mental health and created new challenges for people already suffering from mental illness and substance use disorders. In order to ascertain and respond to needs locally, the County of Santa Barbara, in partnership with community mental health and wellness partners and stakeholders, is seeking input to help determine mental health and substance use disorder services to meet the needs of our community.

The whole community is invited to respond to a short 10- to 15-minute survey during September. Data gathered through the survey will be used to identify and tailor services to meet the needs of community members. The survey is available electronically in English at https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/7P5YPP5 and Spanish at https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/7G56Y3V. and on the County’s website at recoverysbc.org/covidrecovery/. The survey will also be conducted in the field by service providers for populations less likely to have access to an electronic survey.

In June, the County Board of Supervisors authorized the use of federal ARPA funding (American Rescue Plan Act) to expedite an assessment of mental health needs resulting from COVID 19, and to develop a plan to initiate identified priority services in conjunction with partners to promote recovery and resiliency in individuals and our overall community.

“Isolation, quarantine, remote learning, business impacts and physical distancing has impacted everyone; some more than others,” said Suzanne Grimmesey, MFT, PIO/Chief Quality Care and Strategy Officer for the County of Santa Barbara Department of Behavioral Wellness. “It is critical that necessary supports to address the unique impacts of COVID-19 are in place in a timely manner to help our community through recovery. We could not be more appreciative of the County Board of Supervisors for recognizing a need to address whole-community mental health and supporting this collaborative effort.”

The process is being led by the County Department of Behavioral Wellness and the Community Wellness Team, along with a broad stakeholder group that provided input on the assessment processes including key populations and targeted outreach strategies. The survey was developed with assistance from mental health experts from UCSB to assure efficacy. The survey includes questions from the 2019 Cottage Health Population Health Survey, and from previous children’s mental health surveys.

Data from this survey will be reviewed and compared against previous surveys. A separate survey designed to assess the impact of the pandemic on children ages 0-5 is under development, and will be sent out at a later date.

For more information about the process and recovery plan, the public may contact Suzanne Grimmesey at suzkirk@sbcbwell.org.

National Preparedness Month is recognized each September to promote family and community disaster planning now and throughout the year. As our nation continues to respond to COVID-19, there is no better time to be involved than this September. The 2021 theme is: “Prepare to Protect. Preparing for disasters is protecting everyone you love.” Each week this month, the City of Carpinteria will be providing tips on how you can prepare.

Week 1 Tip: Make a Plan

Talk to your friends and family about how you will communicate before, during and after a disaster. Make sure to update your plan based on CDC COVID-19 recommendations.To get started, visit www.Ready.gov/plan

In an effort to protect our community from COVID-19, Carpinteria Unified School District will hold a Pfizer vaccination clinic on Tuesday, Sept. 7 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the gymnasium at Carpinteria Middle School, 5351 Carpinteria Ave. Anyone age 12 and older may receive the vaccine; minors (under the age of 18) must have a consent form signed by a parent or guardian. Vaccines are free, but those who are insured should bring their insurance card. To schedule an appointment, visit https://bit.ly/3yTke3P. Walk-ins are also welcome.

Central Coast Community Energy is now the primary electricity provider for the City of Carpinteria. CCCE is one of 24 Community Choice Energy agencies currently serving more than 10 million customers across California. These agencies have quickly become the primary way Californians support clean energy at competitive rates. Enrollment for residents and businesses will begin in October, after which CCCE will oversee how and where customer electricity is generated while SCE will continue to deliver electricity, maintain infrastructure and provide one monthly bill that includes CCCE charges.

CCCE is holding several webinars to give residents and businesses opportunities to learn more and ask questions. A residential customer workshop will be held in SPANISH on Thursday, Sept. 9 from 6-7 p.m. A residential workshop will be held in ENGLISH on Tuesday, Sept. 14 from 6-7 p.m. Commercial and agricultural customers are invited to participate in a workshop on Tuesday, Aug. 31 from 4-5:30 p.m. Register or find out more at https://3cenergy.org/2021-enrollment/.

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, eviction protections have been enacted for residential and commercial tenants who have been financially impacted. Most protections are scheduled to expire within the next couple months, but extensions could be enacted to increase the protection time frame.

Residential Eviction Protections

State law currently protects many residential tenants and property owners from eviction and foreclosure if they are suffering from economic hardship due to COVID-19. These protections will remain in place through Sept. 30, 2021, unless an extension is enacted. More information on the state’s tenant protections is available at https://housing.ca.gov/tenant/protection_guidelines.html.

Commercial Eviction Protections

Commercial tenants impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic currently are protected from eviction in the City of Carpinteria. The City’s commercial eviction protections rely on Governor Newsom’s Executive Orders suspending state laws that preempt a local agency to enact a moratorium on commercial evictions. Currently, the suspension of state law applies through Sept. 30, 2021; however, Governor Newsom may choose to extend the suspension further. After the expiration of the executive order, a commercial tenant has 180 days to pay its unpaid rent balance and remain protected from eviction. Learn more about the commercial eviction moratorium at https://carpinteriaca.gov/business/covid-19-business-info/

The Carpinteria City Council has elected to cancel its second regular August meeting, which would have been held on Monday, Aug. 23. It is tradition for the Council to take a short break in August. Regular meetings are scheduled for the second and fourth Monday of each month. The next meeting will be held on Monday, Sept. 13 at 5:30 p.m.

Ballots were mailed to Santa Barbara County voters this week for the Sept. 14 California Gubernatorial Recall Election. The vote-by-mail ballots can be returned by mail or deposited in an official drop box, one of which is located at Carpinteria City Hall, 5775 Carpinteria Ave. Vote-by-mail ballots must be dropped off or postmarked by Sept. 14 and received by Sept. 21 to be counted. Local polling places that will be open on Sept. 14 are located at Carpinteria Boys & Girls Club, 4849 Foothill Road, and Reality Church, 5251 Sixth Street. To find out more about the election, visit www.sbcvote.com.