Author: Lea Boyd

The City of Carpinteria is joining its neighbors Santa Barbara and Goleta in hosting an educational workshop about the Housing Element process, regional needs and local challenges. The South Coast Housing Workshop – Local Housing Elements will take place on Wednesday, June 22 from 4 to 6 p.m. at the Santa Barbara Central Library, 40 E. Anapamu Street. It will also be livestreamed. Participants will have the opportunity to discuss solutions to South Coast housing challenges with local representatives. The event will include a panel discussion and breakout groups for each jurisdiction. Register at bit.ly/southcoasthousing. Livestream at bit.ly/housing-livestream.

This summer, local teens have an exciting opportunity for fun, growth, learning and adventure. Carpinteria Summer Wellness for Teens is a new free program designed to provide Carpinteria kids in grades six through 12 with high-quality summer classes that are educational and social. Most classes meet once a week in Carpinteria, and students can sign up for any number of courses that interest them. The class list includes cooking, drama, hiking, podcasting, multi-media journaling and letter writing. Registration is first-come first-served, and the deadline is June 15. It’s easy to sign up; simply fill out the form at https://bit.ly/3Od6qbD. Learn more by emailing info@carpchildren.org.

The City of Carpinteria has completed its Proposed 2022/23 Budget, which projects rebounding revenues and recovery of pandemic losses, full funding for all existing and new services, expanded support for community safety net services, work on significant advanced planning and important capital improvement and facilities maintenance projects.

Approximately $31.8 million in total expenditures are projected for the City of Carpinteria in 2022/23. New services include the City’s operation of the Carpinteria Community Library, an $857,850 expense funded almost entirely by Measure X, the 1.25% sales tax approved by voters in 2018. The Proposed Budget includes $200,000 to support local community service providers that, in part, provide a safety net for residents during emergencies, and $250,000 to help address pandemic impacts to small businesses. The Proposed Budget also includes funding to construct the Carpinteria Skate Park, considerable pavement restoration work and deferred maintenance projects at Parks and the Community Pool.

Sales tax and transient occupancy taxes (lodging taxes) are key City revenue sources now projected to exceed pre-pandemic levels. Also in 2022/23, the second half of the $3.2 million designated for the City from the American Recovery Plan Act (ARPA) will be received to assist in covering pandemic-related costs and reduced revenues. In total, the Proposed 2022/23 Budget projects $26.9 million in revenues. Despite marked increases, revenues in 2022/23 are projected to be lower than expenditures primarily due to the amount of capital project spending planned for the upcoming year. These projects are funded mainly through special funds and grants, some of which are received in a different fiscal year than they are spent.

Budget hearings will be held by the City Council on June 13, at 5:30 p.m.; June 23, at 3 p.m.; and June 27, at 5:30 p.m. The budget is available for review on the home page of the City website under Hot Topics and through the June 13 City Council meeting agenda at https://bit.ly/39dvoIW.

Members of the public may attend the June 13 meeting at City Hall, 5775 Carpinteria Ave. or view the meeting live at www.carpinteria.ca.us, on Government Access Television Channel 21 or by logging into the Zoom webinar. Additional details and numerous ways for the public to provide comments can be found through the agenda link above.

Runners with the 2022 Law Enforcement Torch Run for Special Olympics South Santa Barbara County made their way along Carpinteria Avenue today. Community Resource Deputy Bryan Dickey of the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office escorted the all-female runner team from Reynolds Avenue to the Ventura County Line. Participating in this year’s event are eight different law enforcement agencies and over 75 runners. The run champions acceptance and inclusion and is an annual fundraiser for Special Olympics.

We are proud to present our summer of 2022 Junior Lifeguard leadership team. These hard-working group leaders are so excited to help local kids experience the Junior Lifeguard program and learn about protecting our oceans, safety and marine biology.

Leilanie Silva (pictured top right) is the Program Coordinator. She started working for the City of Carpinteria in 2017 as a pool lifeguard. In 2019, she was promoted to a full-time position as the Aquatics Program Coordinator. Our Junior Lifeguard program is one of the few that has a full-time staff member out on the sand with your kids every day. Leilanie will be leading the C Group this year. A few fun facts: Leilanie is a certified EMT; she was in the marching band in high school and played the flute; she was on our CAC Water Polo team and she was a Carpinteria Junior Lifeguard.

Lexi Persoon (pictured top left) is our Assistant Program Coordinator and will be leading the new Mini JG program this year. She started working for the City of Carpinteria in 2019 as a pool lifeguard. She was recently promoted to the position of Assistant Aquatics Program Coordinator. Fun fact: Lexi swims the 200 butterfly and 400 IM for SBCC Swim Team; she was a Carpinteria Junior Lifeguard and swam on our CAC Swim Team.

Jordan Perez (pictured bottom right) will be leading the A Group this year. He has been working for the city as a lifeguard/Jr. Lifeguard instructor since 2017. Fun fact: Jordan loves to swim and was a Junior Lifeguard in our program as a kid.

Nico Kalin (pictured bottom left) will be leading the B Group this year. He has been working for the city as a lifeguard/ Jr. Lifeguard instructor since 2017. Nico almost drowned on three occasions as a child, which is why he was so motivated to become a lifeguard. Nico was in our Junior Lifeguard program, and he enjoys surfing.

Impressive efforts by local volunteers have put Santa Monica Creek Trail on track to become a haven for pollinators like bees and butterflies. Creating habitat for pollinators and helping native plants thrive is a big job, and trail steward Ray Kolbe is looking for volunteers this Saturday, June 11, anytime between 9:30 a.m. and 5:30 p.m. to help. Volunteers can drop in and lend a hand laying down cardboard and spread mulch to keep invasives from crowding out native species. Volunteers are encouraged to bring work gloves, a hat and water, as well as a rake and/or hoe if possible. Join the effort at El Carro Lane and Santa Monica Creek. To learn more, contact Ray at rwkolbe@gmail.com or (805) 705-3429.

The City is preparing for another summer with lots of visitors downtown shopping, eating and strolling. To ensure that visitors receive accurate information from friendly locals, we are looking for HOST volunteers to staff the Visitor Center at Seal Plaza in the 800 block of Linden Avenue from Memorial Day through Labor Day. The Visitor Center is open Friday through Sunday. Knowledgeable volunteers offer free maps, brochures and advice on local points of interest, as well as shopping, restaurants and places to stay. The HOST Committee will have an in-person sign up event and training on Wednesday, June 8 at 6 p.m. at Carpinteria City Hall, 5775 Carpinteria Ave. Subsequent sign up dates will be July 13 at 6 p.m., and August 10 at 6 p.m. Learn more by contacting Oliviau@ci.carpinteria.ca.us.

Starting this week, Carpinteria Woman’s Club and Compassionate Care of Carpinteria will hold a free two-part series entitled Advance Care Planning: Time to get it Done. Led by Jeanne West of Hospice of Santa Barbara, the series will cover the practical tips for starting a health care wishes conversation, the process for choosing a health care agent and completion of a “My Care” Advance Health Care Directive. The two sessions take place on the next two Thursdays, June 9 and 16, at 4 p.m. at Carpinteria Woman’s Club, 1059 Vallecito Road. RSVP to jwest@hospiceofsb.org. Learn more HERE.

The City of Carpinteria Planning Commission will meet on Monday, June 6, at 5:30 p.m. to discuss the 2023-2031 update to the Housing Element of the Carpinteria General Plan. The Housing Element is a component of the City’s General Plan and includes analysis of the community’s housing needs, opportunities and constraints, impediments to fair housing, as well as policies and programs to facilitate the construction, rehabilitation and preservation of housing for all economic segments of the community and persons with special needs. All jurisdictions in Santa Barbara County are required by State law to prepare an updated Housing Element for the 2023-2031 planning period.

Members of the public may attend the meeting at City Hall, 5775 Carpinteria Ave., or view the meeting live at www.carpinteria.ca.us, on Government Access Television Channel 21 or by logging into the Zoom webinar. Additional details and numerous ways for the public to provide comments will be available through the meeting agenda at https://bit.ly/3meCkZc.

At a special meeting scheduled for Monday, June 6, the Carpinteria City Council will consider a pay increase for part-time, temporary, and seasonal hourly-rated employees, which includes pool and beach lifeguards. The pay increase should allow the City to compete with other agencies who hire for similar positions ahead of the summer season. Hourly pay for Junior Lifeguard instructors would increase from $15.91 to $20.10.

The June 6 City Council meeting begins at 4 p.m. Members of the public may attend the meeting at City Hall, 5775 Carpinteria Ave. or view the meeting live at www.carpinteria.ca.us, on Government Access Television Channel 21 or by logging into the Zoom webinar. Additional details and numerous ways for the public to provide comments will be available through the meeting agenda at https://bit.ly/3PYLiHE. Comments posted on social media will not be provided to council members.