Daily Archives: July 9, 2020

Beach Safety Tips

Beach Stars

Summer is here and that means that the beach is a popular destination.  We are lucky to live in such a beautiful place with access to so many scenic beach spots.  However, even while visiting the beach it is very important that you are vigilant about public health safety guidelines to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

Here are some important beach safety tips from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention:

  • If the beach is crowded when you arrive, please consider an alternate activity.
  • Stay home if you don’t feel well.
  • Do not gather at the beach with people you don’t live with.
  • Stay a minimum of six feet apart from others at the beach both in and outside the water.
  • Don’t share items such as food, equipment, toys and supplies with people you don’t live with.
  • Wear a face covering when coming into contact with people who don’t live with. 
  • You do not need to wear face coverings in the water because they can be difficult to breathe through when they are wet.  

Bottom line, enjoy the beach this summer but please be safe and keep these tips in mind. 

What to Expect on the November 3rd Municipal Election Ballot

Election season is underway and the Goleta City Council adopted a resolution approving a General Municipal Election to be held on November 3, 2020. For the first time ever, this election will be conducted by mail-in ballot only.  On this year’s ballot, voters will be electing a Mayor and two City Council seats. Voters will also be asked to decide whether the Mayor’s term of office should stay at two years or increase to four years. The City Council decided not to move forward with a 1% sales tax increase measure on the November ballot.

The candidate filing period for the Mayor and the two City Council seats will be from July 13, 2020, through August 7, 2020. However, the candidate filing period may be extended to August 12, 2020, for persons other than the incumbents should an incumbent who is eligible to file elect not to file nomination papers. No incumbent may file during the extended candidate filing period.

If no one, or only one person is nominated for an elective office, appointment to the elective office may be made as prescribed by Section 10229, Elections Code of the State of California.

Eligible candidates must be registered voters residing within the boundaries of the City of Goleta. Nomination papers may be obtained from the Office of the City Clerk located at: City of Goleta, 130 Cremona Drive, Suite B, Goleta, CA 93117. An appointment is mandatory to ensure safety and accessibility during the COVID-19 pandemic.  Deborah Lopez, City Clerk, can be reached at 805-961-7505 or via email at dlopez@cityofgoleta.org.

For more information on the upcoming election go to our website at www.cityofgoleta.org/elections.

City of Goleta to Support Small Businesses Through Loan and Grant Assistance Programs

As part of its first steps towards economic recovery, Goleta City Council approved two new programs targeted to help Goleta’s business community during these challenging economic times. While the programs are not live yet, small businesses located in the city of Goleta will have the opportunity to apply for either a loan up to $20,000 or a grant up to $10,000. Once the programs begin accepting applications, the City will share on its various outreach platforms. If you would like to be added to an email interest list, please email Dominique Samario at dsamario@cityofgoleta.org.

For more information about the two business support programs, you can read the report that was presented to City Council on July 7, 2020, here.

Pictured: July 7, 2020, virtual City Council meeting

City Awards 36 Nonprofits Funds Through its Goleta City Grant and CDBG Programs

The City of Goleta is pleased to announce the recipients of the 2020-2021 City Grant Program and Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funding. Since 2014, the City Council has authorized up to $100,000 annually for grant funding. This year, the City will support the largest amount of grant funds ever, awarding a combined $113,000 to 36 nonprofits between the two grant programs and then allocating an additional $20,000 to spend on nonprofit organizational support, such as grant writing workshops, and for events taking place throughout the year that were not planned at the time of the grant application period. The City will also include funding for the Juneteenth Santa Barbara event.

The Goleta City Grant Program provides grants of up to $5,000 each for non-profit organizations involved in providing public services, educational and cultural activities such as music, art, dance, and recreation, and Goleta-oriented special events and regional projects that enhance and support the quality of life in Goleta. However, due to changing community needs caused by the current public health pandemic, the Grant Funding Review Committee honed its focus for this grant cycle. The focus was to support essential services that met the requirements of the City Grant program. In addition, the Committee considered other programs that were certain (using best-known knowledge) to take place in the upcoming fiscal year. The Committee expressed how difficult finalizing award recommendations was given the extreme need at this time. Staff appreciates their careful deliberation and thoughtfulness throughout the process.

The City Council’s Grant Funding Review Standing Committee reviews both CDBG and Goleta City Grant applications and is composed of Mayor Paula Perotte and Mayor Pro Tempore Kyle Richards as well as two Goleta citizens. This year the citizen advisors are Marian Cohen and Arlene Raphael. The City would like to thank the Committee for their dedication to the City’s grant programs.

For more information on the City’s grant programs, please visit www.tinyurl.com/goletagrant.

Pictured: July 7, 2020, virtual City Council meeting