Author Archives: Jaime Shaw

Tis the Season to Recycle

MarBorg will be collecting Christmas trees free of charge after the holidays. All you have to do is bring your tree to the curbside on your greenwaste collection day (if you do not have greenwaste service, bring it to the curbside on your trash collection day). Christmas trees can also be dropped off for free through January 12, 2020, at MarBorg’s Santa Barbara facility (119 North Quarantina Street) or at the South Coast Recycling & Transfer Station (4430 Calle Real in Santa Barbara). Please remove all tree stands, lights, tinsel and ornaments. Any trees taller than six feet must be cut down to fit in MarBorg’s trucks. 

In addition to recycling your Christmas tree, here are tips to help you reduce your waste this holiday season:

  • Get creative with your wrapping paper by reusing things like maps, the Sunday comics, and posters.
  • About 40% of all battery sales occur during the holiday season. This year, switch to reusable batteries.
  • Consider giving an experience instead of an object. The gift of your time (cooking, babysitting, gardening) a charitable donation, or tickets to an event are all great gift ideas that require little to no packaging.
  • Don’t forget your reusable shopping bags.
  • And when the holidays are over, remember that wrapping paper, greeting cards, tissue paper, and cardboard boxes can all be recycled in your blue recycle carts!

Learn more at www.marborg.com.

Keep FOG out of the Drain this Holiday Season

Goleta West Sanitary District wants to remind everyone to keep fats, oils, and greases (FOG) out of home and commercial pipes. Improper disposal can lead to blocked sewer lines and pollution to creeks, wetlands, and the ocean. During the holidays many people spend extra time cooking in the kitchen; fats, oils and greases are a byproduct of cooking and are found in things such as meat fats, cooking oil, lard and shortening, butter and margarine. When washed down the drain, they may stick to the inside of sewer pipes on your property and in the streets. Over time FOG can build up and block pipes.

Garbage disposals do not help keep the grease out of pipes; they only shred it into smaller pieces. A grease-blocked sewer pipe can back up into your home or neighborhood resulting in expensive and unpleasant clean-ups, possible exposure with disease causing-organisms, and an increase in maintenance costs at Goleta West Sanitary District.

To properly dispose of your FOG (fats, oils, and greases), follow these steps:

  • Pour FOG into a heat resistant covered disposable container. Store it in the freezer and put it in the trash after it has hardened.
  • Use paper towels to wipe greasy dishes before washing. Put the paper towels in the trash.
  • Use sink strainers to catch food waste. Put food scraps in compost bin or in the trash.
  • FOG waste should only be put in the trash.

New Lights Shine Bright at Goleta Valley Library

The Goleta Valley Library went green this holiday season by taking advantage of Southern California Edison’s (SCE) Direct Install Program to provide upgraded energy-efficient lighting throughout the building. The new LED equipment and installation was free of charge and will provide long term energy and cost savings to the Library. Generally, LED lights use at least 75% less energy and last 25 times longer than incandescent lighting. By making the transition to LED, the Library is reducing its energy use, carbon footprint, and electricity bill.

The Library is very excited about the improvements as the new lighting has made a significant difference in the daily experience of visitors and staff alike. Library Director Allison Gray said, “It has greatly increased visibility in the library, making all activities easier. Library users noticed the difference immediately and remarked how much of an improvement it is.”

The Direct Install Program allows small businesses the opportunity to have an SCE contractor identify energy-savings opportunities in their facility and provide no- or low-cost energy efficient products, including installation. Through the City’s participation in the South Coast Energy Efficiency Partnership, (SCEEP), Southern California Edison extended their Direct Install Program to local government partners. Learn more about the SCE Direct Install program here.

DPHS Library Cards

Dos Pueblos High School Students Receive Goleta Valley Library Cards

The Goleta Valley Library has a goal of putting library cards into the hands of every student in the Goleta Valley. To make this goal a reality, more than two thousand Goleta Valley Library cards were delivered to Dos Pueblos High School on December 10th and are being distributed to the students.

Heather Magner, the DPHS librarian said this is a dream come true.  She said. “While our DPHS library has much to offer, the wealth of resources available to them with a Goleta Valley library card is a game changer, particularly their huge offerings of ebooks and quality audiobooks. The newest program, Brainfuse, which offers online tutoring after library hours, is equally exciting! With our 1-1 iPad program and the library card, now everyone has access to a plethora of amazing materials and support. I deeply appreciate the hard work the Goleta Valley Public librarians put in to make this happen. Thank you!”

The first two classrooms to receive the Goleta Valley Library cards cheered when they were presented. View a video clip of the excitement here. Mason Miller, a 9th grader said, “I am very excited to have received my brand-new library card and can’t wait to use it. By utilizing the Goleta Library Card, I can go to the library, find a book I like, and check it out. The card makes this process super quick, all you have to do is scan your card, and the book you want is now in your possession.”  

Christopher Pagliaro, also a 9th grader, agreed and said, “I’m very excited to use my new Goleta Public Library card. This library card allows me to gain access to hundreds of different books and  checking out books is now a whole lot easier. I think that now that I have received this new library card I will be reading a lot more.” 

DPHS English Teacher, Cate Nelson, said, “I am so thrilled that these students will get the same opportunity I had when I was younger; to enter the library and realize they have free access to an entire world.”

Goleta Valley Library Director Allison Gray said, “High School can be an overwhelming time of life.  We are thrilled that the library cards will allow these students access to resources and services, both in the library and on our website, that will be incredibly helpful and beneficial to their academic success.”

There are many reasons the library cards are especially useful for High School students. The cards allow students free full-text access to the New York Times to help with homework via the Goleta Valley Library website (www.GoletaValleyLibrary.org). The library cards also allow students access to Hoopla, a great site for downloading free e-books, e-audiobooks, comic books, movies, TV shows, and music. Hoopla is so popular with students that the Goleta Valley Library has budgeted additional funds anticipating significant increased use. Goleta Valley Library also offers personalized reading lists to patrons with library cards. Now students interested in new books to read can simply complete a form on the Goleta Valley Library website and have a customized list sent to them.

The student library card effort was made possible thanks to a Student Success Initiative Grant the Goleta Valley Library received. The goal of the grant is to ensure that all school-aged children in the Goleta Valley Library service area have a library card. Thus far, students at Goleta Valley Junior High, El Camino Elementary, Mountain View Elementary, Brandon Elementary, and Coastline Christian Academy have received library cards.  Ellwood Elementary is the next school slated to receive library cards; distribution is planned for January 2020.

The City of Goleta manages the Goleta Valley Library and four libraries in the Santa Ynez Valley, serving approximately 116,000 residents. Learn more about the programs and services available at all five libraries at www.GoletaValleyLibrary.org. Follow the Library on Facebook (@GoletaValley Library) and Instagram (goletavalleylibrary) for the latest news. Sign up here to receive the monthly Library e-newsletter The Reading Corner.

Photo: DPHS Freshman Jack Forgea with his new Goleta Valley Library Card

City of Goleta Grant Funds Available for Non-Profits

Are you a part of a local non-profit serving Goleta residents or know someone who is? If so, the City of Goleta has more than $100,000 in grant funds for which you can apply. Starting on Monday, December 16, 2019 until Friday, February 7, 2020, online applications will be accepted for both Goleta City Grant and Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) programs. This year, the application period has been extended in order to accommodate the busy end-of-year period for non-profit organizations.

The City Council has set aside approximately $100,000 in General Fund monies for the Goleta City Grant Program. Recipients of this grant may receive up to $5,000 for programs that benefit Goleta residents and the general community. Organizations involved in educational and cultural activities, such as music, art, dance, and recreation, as well as Goleta-oriented special events and regional projects that enhance and support the quality of life in Goleta are encouraged to apply.

Each year, the City of Goleta sets aside a portion of its Community Development Block Grant funding to support non-profits serving low-income residents, seniors, and those experiencing homelessness. CDBG funds are dispersed by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), which strictly regulates the use of funds. The City of Goleta reserves these funds for agencies who qualify for CDBG funding, serve the goals of the City’s 5-Year Consolidated Plan, and apply for a minimum of $10,000. For the 2019-2020 Fiscal Year, the City distributed more than $33,000 to public services from its CDBG allocation.

Grant applications for both programs will be accepted online via the ZoomGrants program. Once all applications are received the Mayor, Mayor Pro Tempore, and two Goleta residents appointed by the Mayor make up the committee that evaluates the applications and makes funding recommendations to the City Council. The Council then awards the grants at a meeting in the spring, likely in May of 2020.

Don’t miss out on this opportunity to help your non-profit or community group. Visit https://tinyurl.com/goletagrants for additional information on both grant programs or contact Dominique Samario in the City of Goleta Neighborhood Services and Public Safety Department, at 805-690-5126 or dsamario@cityofgoleta.org.

Photo: Isla Vista Youth Projects, a 2019 – 2020 grant recipient, assembling health kits for their annual Health Fair

We Need Your Input to Develop the City’s Homelessness Strategic Plan

The City of Goleta would like to thank the community for the great turnout at our Community Open House on Homelessness as well as the service providers for taking the time to speak with residents. The December 11 event was a unique opportunity for the community to interact on a one-on-one basis with City staff and homelessness service providers, as well as provide ideas and input on homelessness in our community. Organizations including the County of Santa Barbara, Peoples’ Self-Help Housing, Isla Vista Youth Projects, New Beginning’s Safe Parking Program, Showers of Blessing, Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office, Santa Barbara County Behavioral Wellness, Equalitech and others were on hand to talk personally to attendees.

Approximately 150 people attended the Open House. In addition to members of the general public, City staff and service providers were able to speak with a number of current or former homeless individuals. Local dignitaries or their representatives in attendance included: City of Goleta Mayor Paula Perotte, Mayor Pro Tempore Kyle Richards, Councilmember James Kyriaco, 2nd District County Board of Supervisor Gregg Hart, and representatives for 3rd District Supervisor Joan Hartmann and State Senator Hannah Beth Jackson.

Community input is an essential part of the City of Goleta’s effort to develop its first-ever comprehensive Homelessness Strategic Plan. The City has released a survey, which was also available at the Open House, in which we hope to hear from residents, businesses, service providers, and those who are or who have experienced homelessness. To date, the City has received over 300 completed surveys. The survey can be found online in both English and Spanish at the following links:

The Community Open House and survey are elements of a larger homelessness strategic planning effort, which has included stakeholder meetings, best practice discussions with communities nationwide, and years of partnership supporting regional homelessness efforts. While the City of Goleta has a history of supporting organizations and regional efforts serving those at risk of homelessness and those experiencing homelessness, the City currently does not have a comprehensive plan analyzing the state of homelessness in our area and the most effective steps forward. City Council and staff believe having a strategic plan will provide important direction and clarity around needs, service gaps, and priorities in order to make effective and strategic funding decisions that serve both the existing homeless population, as well as those at risk of becoming homeless. Once adopted, the Homelessness Strategic Plan will help guide and coordinate efforts to prevent and address homelessness within the City of Goleta.

We appreciate the community’s involvement in this process thus far and look forward to continued engagement during this important effort. For more information, please contact Dominique Samario, Management Analyst for the City of Goleta, at dsamario@cityofgoleta.org or 805-690-5126. Learn more about the City’s Homelessness Strategic Plan at https://tinyurl.com/GoletaHomelessnessPlan.

Photo: Woman taking survey at Community Open House – survey now available online

City of Goleta Joins Monterey Bay Community Power Policy Board

The City of Goleta is closer to achieving its sustainability goals. On December 4, 2019, the Monterey Bay Community Power (MBCP) Policy Board unanimously approved inclusion of the City of Goleta, along with 10 other jurisdictions, as new members to be served by MBCP, a not-for-profit agency established by local communities to source carbon-free electricity. In addition, City of Goleta Mayor Pro Tempore Kyle Richards was sworn in as a new member of the Policy Board, representing both the City of Goleta and the City of Carpinteria’s shared seat. The partnership will help move the City towards its 100% renewable electricity goal and make it easier and quicker for residents and businesses to adopt clean energy technologies while providing a competitive rate.

Customers within the newly approved jurisdictions are set to begin receiving electric generation service from MBCP in 2021. This is also when customers within the City of Goleta will gain access to MBCP’s local energy programs that reduce local greenhouse gas emissions and help solve energy resiliency issues; incentives will also be available for customers.

With this action, MBCP is now the largest– geographically speaking – of all nineteen Community Choice Energy (CCE) agencies operating in California. In 2018, the agency:

  • had a cost-savings of $4.4M
  • saved 300k metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions (which is equivalent to taking over 65,000 cars off the road in a year)
  • invested $1.25M in local energy programs
  • secured $6M in EV Charging station funds

The CCE model puts energy purchasing and pricing options into the hands of local decision-makers and allows the community to determine what type of energy mix serves its needs. The day-to-day experience for the customer is the same; the difference being that the energy is purchased through the CCE. This model gives customers the opportunity to be a part of the effort to put more clean energy on the grid and less greenhouse gas emissions into the atmosphere. Customers have the right to opt out of the CCE program and continue to receive service from the incumbent utility.

Learn more about Monterey Bay Community Power here: www.mbcommunitypower.org, and stay tuned for more details. Sign up to receive news from the City of Goleta on Community Choice Energy and other sustainable topics here.

Photo: Selfie of City of Goleta Mayor Paula Perotte and Mayor Pro Tempore Kyle Richards in front of  Monterey Bay Community Power Policy Board wall of members.

New Burlap Sandbags Available at Several Goleta Locations

The City of Goleta has taken another step in reducing our carbon footprint. As part of our Goleta Green process, the City has replaced woven polypropylene sandbags with burlap bags at its sandbag distribution sites. This follows the City’s removal beginning in September of this year of single-use plastics at City Hall, the Corporate Yard, and at all of our libraries (Goleta Valley, Buellton and Solvang).

Burlap bags are more eco-friendly than the woven polypropylene bags. Polypropylene bags have proven to break down and shred into small plastic fibers, are not biodegradable, and will eventually end up in our oceans. Burlap bags are made from natural plant fibers and are biodegradable. The City’s new burlap sandbags can be found at all three self-serve locations where the City provides sand and bags for our residents to protect their homes from storm damage:

  • Fire Station 11 (6901 Frey Way and Storke Road just south of Santa Felicia, across from the main post office)
  • Fire Station 14 (320 Los Carneros Road next to the Stow House Museum lot)
  • Goleta Valley Community Center (5679 Hollister Avenue)

The City’s sandbag stations are stocked and ready for residents. Here are some things you should know about sandbag pick up:

  • Sand and bags are available on a first come, first served basis.
  • Pick up is open during daylight hours, seven days/week.
  • 20 bag limit (additional bags can be purchased at home improvement stores).
  • Bags are for residents.
  • Bring your shovel to fill the bags.
  • It is easiest to fill the bags with two people — one to hold the bag and the other to shovel the sand.

For disposal of old Polypropylene sandbags:

  • Residents may displace old sand in planters or on lawns, and dispose of bags in their trash containers.
  • Residents may also bring their old filled bags to Public Works Corporate Yard located at 6735 Hollister Avenue (behind the Deckers building) for disposal.

Stay informed, register for emergency alerts from Santa Barbara County at readysbc.org, and sign up for emergency information from the City at https://tinyurl.com/GoletaEmergency. Get more tips on winter storm preparedness here.

Photo: Member of the Goleta Public Works Crew holding the new burlap bags

Preparing for Winter Storms and Potential Cave Fire Burn Area Impact

The winter storm season is here and we encourage community members to be prepared, especially in light of increased risk of flooding and debris flows due to the recent Cave Fire. While the majority of concerns lie outside City limits, there could be indirect storm impacts such as flooding and road closures that could impact Goleta. City staff will be closely monitoring storm activity and any potential risks/impacts. We will promptly communicate any information related to Goleta. 

The City performs annual storm preparedness out in the community such as inspecting and cleaning culverts and drain inlets. We have identified areas to monitor during periods of rain. 

We ask community members to be vigilant and aware of storm activity.  Please sign up for emergency alerts from Santa Barbara County at https://readysbc.org/ and also for City notifications (https://tinyurl.com/GoletaEmergency).  Follow us on Facebook (@CityofGoleta), Twitter (@GoletaPIO), and Nextdoor. It’s always important to have an emergency plan and to share it with both local and out of area loved ones. It’s also important to know the hazards around your home such as a creek that may overflow. Finally, a great idea is to practice a small part of your emergency plan by driving a different way out of your neighborhood and identifying alternative exit routes. 

We want everyone to be safe during this winter storm season. We thank you in advance for staying informed, educated and prepared. Remember if we can’t reach you, we can’t alert you.

Photo: Goleta Public Works Staff documenting storm drain clean-up effort in preparation for future winter storms.

Make Goleta Count

Census 2020 is coming and even though you won’t be asked for your participation until March, the City of Goleta is making a concerted effort NOW to ensure that we do everything we can to let you know how important this census is and that we do our part to Make Goleta Count!  Ideally, we want 100% participation in order for Goleta to get proper funding for important programs and services we value and depend on.  An undercount could result in a loss of money for the next ten years!

Another important reason to make sure you participate is that the count will also affect City of Goleta’s redistricting maps as we move to district elections in 2022. The City will be divided into four districts based on population and Census results. The Census only happens once every ten years, please take the time to complete it so each and every one of you can be accurately represented, locally and nationally.

It is important you know that your responses to the Census are confidential.  Personal information is used for statistical purposes and it is against the law for that information to be shared or used against you in any way.

This is how Census 2020 will work:

In March of 2020 each household will receive one letter in the mail from the U.S. Census Bureau with instructions on how to complete the Census online.  While online is the preferred method, the mailed letter will also have instructions on how to fill out a paper copy of the Census. Reminders from the U.S. Census Bureau will be sent in the mail throughout March and April encouraging people to respond online if they have not done so. Those that have not responded by the end of April will have a Census worker follow up in person at their home. Please see the timeline below.

Please see the Make Goleta Count section of our website for more information. The County of Santa Barbara also just launched its new website with a ton of great information including an interactive map where you can plug in your address and see if you are in a hard to count area: https://santabarbaracountycensus.org/ The website also has a place where you can sign up to receive Census updates via e-mail.

Finally, if you are interested in a job helping with the Census 2020, the U.S. Census Bureau is currently looking to hire temporary workers across the country. Click here to learn more.

As you know, Goleta is a special place and we need your help to Make Goleta Count. Let’s work together to get 100% participation.