Salida MAC Newsletter - April 2013

LIKE “Salida MAC” on Facebook and follow on Twitter https://twitter.com/SalidaMAC
and sign up to receive our newsletter via e-mail. ~ Katherine Borges, Editor

Community Announcements - Paul Sessa made an announcement that as part of "Love Salida" on April 27, Salida Rotary will be collecting used wheelchairs and other mobility enhancing equipment (i.e. crutches, walkers, canes, toilet inserts, etc.)  Collection dates; April 22-27 from 8 am - 5 pm at the following collection sites: Salida's Kountry Kitchen, Salida Veterinary, Mildred Perkins School Room 29 or drop off at 9 am at Salida Park on "LoveSalida" day.

Lana Moore announced that Salida Civic will be a part of "Salida Days" at the Modesto Nuts on Friday, April 12 at 7 pm. Tickets are $7 each and can be purchased from Salida Civic members.

Vicky McAteer shared that the Salida Chamber of Commerce will have a sign-up table at the "LoveSalida" event at Salida Park on Saturday, April 27 and everyone is welcome to sign up and join the Chamber.

Salida Fire District Report - James Gunn, Operations Chief from Modesto Regional Fire gave an update that in the month of March, there had been 71 calls and 56 of those calls were in Salida and the area around Salida. There was a large house fire on Ladd Rd. & American Ave. area and another large fire at an abandoned ag building just north of Kiernan. It was also shared that Station 12 (Broadway & Salida Blvd) will stay open during construction on the Kiernan Freeway 99 interchange.

Stanislaus County Sheriff Report - Salida Community Deputy Lloyd McKinnon shared that he has been patrolling Salida in an unmarked car as part of the Crime Reduction Team.

The probation DRC (Day Reporting Center) on Broadway is still there but should be moving to downtown Modesto by the end of the month.

Salida Postmaster Report - Salida Postmaster, John Paul Cabral reported that over 90 mailboxes had been broken into and 14 of those were in Salida and have been replaced. Postmaster Cabral just hired two new carriers and will be hiring a postal clerk.

CHP Report - CHP Officer Chuck DeLeon reported that Salida had 4 injury collisions and 1 non-injury collision. No arrests in the area. A few traffic complaints around the school, especially with teen drivers around the high school. A resident reported that people were riding motorcycles on the railroad tracks so Chairman Reeves suggested calling the Union Pacific Police at 1-888-877-7267.
Officer DeLeon also shared that April is "Distracted Driving Month" so there will be extra patrols on the streets looking for people on their cell phones or texting.

Salida Sanitary Report - Salida Sanitary Board member Brad Johnson asked that more residents attend the meetings. Meetings are held on the 2nd Tuesday of each month at 6 p.m. Boardmember Johnson is encouraging solar requirements for new development.

Special Presentations

StanCOG (Stanislaus Council of Governments) - Carlos Yamzon gave a brief overview that StanCOG administers funds for regional and federal transportation projects. StanCOG is updating its Transportation Plan so is asking for community feedback via surveys. StanCOG plans to return to administer the survey at the Salida MAC meeting. In October or November, StanCOG will ask its policy board to adopt the Regional Transportation Plan to establish transportation priorities for Stanislaus County. Mr. Yamzon left handouts about StanCOG and StanCOG's Regional Transportation Plan.
Valley Vision Stanislaus is where StanCOG is combining land use planning with transportation planning to address the effects of greenhouse gas emissions. Salida residents can take the Valley Vision Stanislaus survey online as well.

Stanislaus County Department of Public Works - Public Works Director Matt Machado and Gary Heyward addressed the sidewalk issues on Pirrone, Finney, and Sisk Roads which are a joint effort between the County's Public Works Department and the County Parks Department. Mr. Machado introduced the Director of Parks, Jami Aggers with staff members, Russ West and Amanda Fife. 

Mr. Machado then presented a Powerpoint on the sidewalk issue. The sidewalk issue affects County Service Area 10 (CSA 10) which CSA 10 was established in October 1990 and consists of 2,800 parcels, most of which are residential parcels and the remainder are commercial and industrial parcels. CSA 10 is managed by the Public Works Department. The infrastructure of CSA 10 is comprised of parkscape maintenance, streetscape maintenance and storm drain maintenance which include four parks (Segesta, Murphy, Wincanton and Countrystone), a number of landscaped streetscapes (Bacon Rd, Covert Rd, Finney Rd, Kiernan Ave, Murphy Rd, Overland Pl, Pirrone Rd, Sisk Rd, Toomes Rd, Whitestone Wy, and Wincanton Wy) that include sidewalks and the storm drain system that serves the area. 

CSA 10's annual assessment is $417,875 and there are two primary assessments: the Parks Annual Budget os approx. $250,000 and the Public Works Budget of approx. $150,000. The reserves accrual of $20,000 is used for capital improvements, capital maintenance and capital pumps. Total current reserves is $300,000. 

Sidewalk tagged to be removed along Pirrone Rd.

Mr. Machado then presented photos of where the sidewalks have been lifted by tree roots along Pirrone, Finney and Sisk Roads. The proposal is to remove the trees, grind out the stumps, grind out the roots under the sidewalk, remove the sidewalk and replace the sidewalk. There are 96 trees that need to be removed just to make repairs to the sidewalk. The scope of the project only includes removing the trees to make repairs to the sidewalk; it does not include replacing the trees. 

The proposal is to do the project in phases. Phase 1 (Areas 2,3,4,5) $165, using 55% of total reserves. Construction to be completed Summer of 2013.  Phase 2 (Area 1,6) - $135,000. Construction would begin in ~5 years. Total project cost: $300,000 with reserves at the end of construction: ~$100,000. Under "Additional Consideration", Mr. Machado mentioned that an unanticipated capital or other major maintenance need like a pump failure may force a ballot procedure to increase the CSA 10 assessment. Mr. Machado mentioned that CSA 10 is unique because its a set amount. Most of the CSAs in the County (about 30) are based upon a formula that fluctuates based on the cost of power, cost of maintenance, and the cost of capital needs. 

"Soft closure" on Pirrone Rd sidewalk.

Mr. Machado proposed a "soft closure" of the sidewalks, almost immediately, which means that there's a sign on the barricade. People can still walk on the sidewalks but the signs mean "walker beware". 

During the Q&A, Salida residents requested that the trees be replaced. A resident asked how many trees will remain and the answer was 70 - from Modesto Christian School to Pirrone, some on Pirrone and Finney Rd. Another resident proposed adjusting the phases to wait to remove the trees that were not yet a problem to which Mr. Machado was very receptive to this suggestion. Councilman Johnson suggested sidewalk shaving and Mr. Machado responded that the sidewalks have already been shaved and ground down as far as possible.

Stanislaus County Planning and Community Development - Miguel Diaz, Planner for Stanislaus County Planning and Community Development stated that his department is developing their annual action plan for community development grant and emergency solutions grant. These are two HUD funded grants that the County partners with six cities: Patterson, Oakdale, Waterford, Hughson, Newman, and Ceres. None of this year's infrastructure projects are in Salida. 10% of grants are used for public services and those services are available to Salida residents. The Fair Housing Program is an advocate program for tenants and other types of housing issues. The Neighborhood Stabilization Program has purchased 27 homes and 24 have been rehabilitated and sold to first time home buyers.

Councilmember San Nicholas asked how much money was available for down payment assistance for next year? Mr. Diaz replied that the program was funded by Cal Home and there's about $700,000 available. Councilmember Borges asked if the solar program was still available and Mr. Diaz replied that it had been suspended and they were waiting for some rebates. The original grant has been fully expended. 

Mr. Diaz can be contacted at 525-6330.

Nick W. Blom Salida Regional Library Report - Library Branch Manager, Diane Bartlett shared that the library will be celebrating Día de los Niños/Día de los Libros, a nationwide celebration of children with bilingual storytelling, crafts, and other activities on April 13 at 1 pm. The library will again be participating in Love Salida with the organization of books at the libary.

Supervisor District 3 Report - Supervisor Withrow shared that there was a groundbreaking ceremony at Morrow Road and Kiernan for widening Kiernan to four lanes all the way to McHenry. 

NEXT MEETING: Tuesday, April 23, 2013 at 7 pm at the Nick W. Blom Salida Regional Library Community Room, 4835 Sisk Road, Salida. Featured presenter is the Stanislaus County Parks Division.

Salida MAC meetings are broadcast on government cable channel 19 in Salida.

Be sure to "LIKE" Salida MAC on Facebook and follow on Twitter to keep apprised of the latest information about Salida.

Salida MAC Newsletter - March 2013

The February Salida MAC meeting video is viewable online by clicking this
LINK – thanks to Salida MAC Councilmember, Brad Johnson and local Salida Public Radio Station 104.9 FM. LIKE “Salida MAC” on Facebook and follow on Twitter https://twitter.com/SalidaMAC
and sign up to receive our newsletter via e-mail. ~ Katherine Borges, Editor

Salida Annexation Report - Salida Municipal Advisory Council Chairman, Thomas Reeves, moved the annexation agenda item up to be discussed and voted upon first. Chairman Reeves read a statement and then asked the other MAC council members for their comments. He then opened the topic for public comment and discussion. The MAC council voted 4-0 against annexation with the public's support. The Salida MAC council and members of the community requested that Stanislaus County District 3 Supervisor, Terry Withrow, support the position. Salida MAC's vote and Supervisor Withrow's decision to support the Salida MAC vote were covered by several local media outlets:
"Salida leaders vote against annexation plans" - KCRA 3 - Feb 27, 2013
"Salida advisory council rejects Modesto annexation plan" - The Modesto Bee - Feb 27, 2013
"Modesto's Salida annexation proposal gains a foe in Supervisor Withrow" - The Modesto Bee - Mar 1, 2013

Salida Postmaster Report - Salida Postmaster, John Paul Cabral, reported that there had been 90 mailboxes broken into in the area, 14 of which are in Salida. Postmaster Cabral asked that Salida residents please pull their mail from the mailboxes because there are gangs coming in from Modesto targeting Salida's mailboxes. The Stanislaus County Sheriff has made two arrests so far. Thanks to an alert postal clerk at the Salida Post Office, a man was arrested who had been robbing post offices.

Salida Fire Department Report - Capt. Greg Bragg reported January's numbers for Station 12 which ran 164 calls serving two fire management areas: from Dale Road to Ladd comes back in on Kiernan and down the Sisk Road corridor and then everything out to the river. 60% of the 164 calls were for EMS. They also provide services in other station areas.

Salida Fire Administration building used for training and
scheduled to be demolished. 

The old Salida Fire Administration building has been sold for demolition due to the widening of the Kiernan interchange and is being utilized for training. 

Stansilaus County Sheriff Report - Stansilaus County Sheriff Adam Christianson reported that the Sheriff's Department is not facing any more cuts and is hiring for the first time in more than three and a half years. There are sixteen recruits in the academy and the Sheriff is building jail bed infrastructure and a Coroner's facility. Sheriff Christianson introduced Deputy Lloyd McKinnon from the Crime Reduction Team who said, "The Team would be in Salida a lot this week, but you're not going to see us." Deputy McKinnon also reported that robberies are down 33%, aggravated assaults are up 67%, burgulary is up 8%, larceny is up 12%, auto theft is a big zero, homicide zero and rape is zero.

Salida Sanitary Report - Salida Sanitary Board member Brad Johnson shared a photo of one of the two robots at the Sanitary District.

City of Modesto Water Division Report - Dennis Turner, Director of Public Works for the City of Modesto stated that the water well that had been shut down for contamination was well #281 which is right across the street from the Salida Library. On December 5, 2012, a routine yearly sample was taken on well #281 and the sample showed higher than acceptable nitrate levels. The results were conveyed to city staff on December 6 and the procedure should have been to resample the well immediately, and that was not done. Staff discovered the error when they did a monthly report on January 8, 2013 and promptly shut the well down which is procedure. From December 5 to January 8th, well #281 ran for one hour a day contributing water into the Salida system. The department collects 585 samples in the Salida system every year. Well #281 contributed about 11% during that time period. Well #281 is the smallest well of the eight wells that serve the community of Salida and its water mixes with other sources to meet all of the demands for the Salida community. The City of Modesto is working with the State Department of Health to ensure this never happens again. New procedures have been put in place. Well #281 will remain offline until a treatment is decided upon to remove the nitrates. 

Following are answers to some of the questions asked during the Q&A. Answers were provided by Dennis Turner. 

The allowable limit for nitrates is 45 ppm (parts per million) and the well tested at 68 ppm.

Modesto plans to install water lines on the new Highway 99 overcrossings and large water storage tanks in North Modesto which will also serve Salida's water system. The water tanks will not be installed until hydraulic models demonstrate the need.

The City of Modesto is required at all times to maintain a certain water pressure to maintain fire services. The system that monitors the pressure is not manned 24 hours a day so residents should call the City of Modesto Water Department if they detect a dramatic drop in water pressure, or detect any odd colors or smell in the water.

Public Works Department Report - Gary Hayward submitted an announcement about the work on the Union Pacific Railroad tracks. Broadway will be closed for this work on March 4. The Kiernan RR crossing is tentatively scheduled for closure Mar 18-21. 

The rough section of road on north Pirrone is scheduled for resurfacing and work should be completed in late April/early May.

Public Works is co-oping with the Parks Department on budgeting for a fix on the mile section of sidewalks on Pirrone west of Sisk. When the plan is determined, Salida MAC will view it.

The sound wall that was run into by a vehicle on Whitestone Way has been repaired.

Nick W. Blom Salida Regional Library Report - Branch Manager Diane Bartlett reported that on Saturday, March 1, 2013 there will be a celebration of Dr. Suess' birthday and "Read Across America" with story and craft in the Storytime Room.  On March 23, 'Paver Painting' will be at the Salida Library where you can paint stone paver ladybugs, turtles, and bunnies. This program will be held from 1-3 pm and is open to all ages. 

Friends of the Library Annual Book Sale held March 7 from 10 am - 5 pm and March 9 from 10 am - 3 pm.

March 22 & 23 - the Stanislaus County will hold a mobile hazardous waste collection in the library's parking lot from 9-1 pm.

"Love Salida"will be held April 27. Geary Oreglia at Salida's Kountry Kitchen is looking for opportunities within the community. One of the project's will be held at the library from 9:30 am to 12:30 pm.

Supervisor District 3 Report - Supervisor Withrow shared that the 'DRC' (Day Reporting Center) for probationers located on Broadway will be out of Salida by the end of March. The DRC is moving to downtown Modesto. 

NEXT MEETING: Tuesday, March 26, 2013 at 7 pm at the Nick W. Blom Salida Regional Library Community Room, 4835 Sisk Road, Salida. Featured presenters are Stanislaus Council of Governments (StanCOG) and Stanislaus County Parks Division.

Salida MAC meetings are broadcast on government cable channel 19 in Salida and channel 7 in Modesto on Saturdays at 11 am.

Be sure to "LIKE" Salida MAC on Facebook and follow on Twitter to keep apprised of the latest information about Salida.

Salida MAC Newsletter - February 2013

The January Salida MAC meeting video is viewable online by clicking this LINK – thanks to Salida MAC Councilmember, Brad Johnson and local Salida Public Radio Station 104.9 FM. LIKE “Salida MAC” on Facebook and follow on Twitter https://twitter.com/SalidaMAC
and sign up to receive our newsletter via e-mail. ~ Katherine Borges, Editor

Public comment on the Salida Annexation

Supervisor District 3 Report – Supervisor Terry Withrow presented a draft copy of the Goodwin Consulting Study to the members of the Salida Annexation Ad Hoc Committee, Thomas Reeves, Dale Skiles and Katherine Borges. Supervisor Withrow reported that the probation reporting station on Broadway (“DRC” building) was voted upon at the Board of Supervisors meeting and approved to be closed by March 31, 2013.

Salida Fire Department – Dale Skiles reported that MID would be doing some work in preparation of the CalTrans work on the Kiernan interchange and Station 12 (Broadway & Salida Blvd) would be without power so the fire department will be moving over to Station 14 (Ciccarelli Rd) for a short period of time. Otherwise, fire service levels have been normal.

Salida Sanitary District – Salida Sanitary boardmember Brad Johnson read the newly posted “Fact Check” statement addressing statements made about Salida Sanitary District in regards to the potential annexation of Salida by Modesto. Read the statement at: http://salidasanitary.net/factcheck.htm
Councilman Johnson also shared that Salida Sanitary is looking at different options where “development pays for growth” aka “sustainable development” like a exploring solar farm options.

Salida MAC meeting attendees

Further items not listed on the agenda – Councilman Johnson reported that Stanislaus County has announced a General Plan amendment regarding the agricultural element update. LAFCO is seeking input on growth and planning and Johnson plans to prepare a report for it.

IN PREPARATION FOR THE FEBRUARY 26 MEETING, READ AND MAKE NOTE OF YOUR QUESTIONS REGARDING THE GOODWIN CONSULTING STUDY.
DOWNLOAD THE STUDY HERE: http://simurl.com/wuwlet

Salida MAC Newsletter - January 2013

PLEASE NOTE: The December Salida MAC meeting was cancelled.

The November Salida MAC meeting is now viewable online by clicking this link – thanks to Salida MAC Councilmember, Brad Johnson and local Salida Public Radio Station 104.9 FM or read the summarized meeting content below. ~ Katherine Borges, Editor

Salida Fire Report - Capt Greg Bragg assigned to Modesto Regional Fire Station 12 (Broadway & Salida Blvd.) is seeing a spike in alarm calls but not in fire activity.  Wanted to remind everyone to practice good fire safety with space heaters; don't place objects near heaters, and do not leave burning candles unattended.

Sheriff's Report – Deputy Jeff Crowley reported that there tends to be more burglaries this time of year. Don't leave items in your car. When you go Christmas shopping, make sure you lock items in your trunk.  Don't leave laptops, cell phones, wallets, purses, lying around in cars because it results in a lot of “smash and grabs”.  Deputy Crowley also shared that there are people going around Salida impersonating Kirby vacuum salesmen or carpet cleaners. The impersonators are gaining entry to scope out homes and then breaking in to burglarize.  They are dressed professionally in a business suit and tie and may be driving a white van with no windows in the back.  Legitimate salespeople will have business cards, sales ID, and county permit.  The imposters get rude and upset when you ask for ID. Do NOT let them into your house and call the sheriff's department. 

CHP Report – October stats for Salida area: 9 collisions of which 2 were injury, 1 hit & run and 1 non-injury DUI collision. 4 DUI arrests.  Major incident in Salida was a street racing incident which didn't start in Salida, but ended on Hammett and Bacon where the driver was apprehended. 

Salida Sanitary Report – Salida Sanitary Board Member Brad Johnson reported that Salida Sanitary is still investigating various solar power options and had a presentation about it at their last meeting.

Nick W. Blom Salida Regional Library Report – Branch Manager Diane Barlett presented her official quarterly report. Saturday, December 1 between 1-4 pm is Craft Day at the library in the Storytime Room where you can create your own snowman. On December 8 at 3:00 pm, all are invited to a performance of Shakespeare's “A Midsummer's Night's Dream” in Salida Library's Community Room hosted by the San Francisco Shakespeare Festival sponsored by a grant from the James Irvine Foundation.  Salida Library's Book Club meets the 2nd Tuesday of every month at 10 am. December 15th is the monthly “Game Day” in the Storytime Room with a Wii, and board games. “Family Movie Night” is on December 18th in the Storytime Room. 

Stanislaus LAFCO Director, Marjorie Blom's
presentation at November's Salida MAC meeting

Special Report – Stanislaus Local Area Formation Commission (LAFCO) Director, Marjorie Blom - Ms. Blom opened with an overview of LAFCO: There are 58 LAFCOs throughout California.  LAFCO creates new cities and special districts, regulates changes in boundaries, city boundaries, special district boundaries, allows for service extensions; e.g.: Gregori High School has an out-of-boundary service extension from Salida Sanitary District to provide sewer services to the school. LAFCO performs special studies such as municipal service reviews, and sphere updates for all the nine cities and the over 70 special districts in our county. LAFCO is not part of the county; it does not govern what the county does unless it has to do with a special district.

Some of the goals of LAFCO are to discourage urban sprawl, to encourage efficient provision of public services, to promote orderly growth, and to preserve ag and open space.  LAFCOs were created by and follow state law; created as a result of the Cortese-Knox-Hertzberg Act.

There's a LAFCO in every county made up of a five member board consisting of two county supervisors, two city council members, and then the city council and supervisors choose a public member. Each board member also has an alternate member. The alternates do not vote unless the regular member is not there. 29 LAFCOs within the state also have special district members seated on the LAFCO boards. Stanislaus LAFCO does not have special district members.

LAFCOs are independent. When a LAFCO commission makes a decision, it cannot be appealed to other administrative bodies. The only way to argue against what LAFCO has passed would be a lawsuit. 

Ms. Blom then shared a handout and brochure about LAFCO. Applications for boundary changes are made to LAFCO by a city, special district, or residents within a particular area. Applications take approximately 6 to 8 weeks to process and referrals are sent out to affected/interested agencies, special districts and to the Municipal Advisory Council (MAC) in an affected area. A public hearing is held at LAFCO. She then shared an example of how the unincorporated community of Denair was concerned about future development contained in the City of Turlock's General Plan so Ms. Blom gave a LAFCO presentation to the Denair MAC. 

Ms. Blom recommended visiting the Stanislaus Council of Governments (StanCOG) website to view how the Sustainable Community Strategy will affect our area. 

Ms. Blom then went over the handout diagram. She went over the section “If LAFCO Approves”.  For example, say that LAFCO receives an application to annex an area, (e.g.: Modesto applying to annex Salida) before an application comes to LAFCO, a city starts the planning process called “Due Diligence” where it puts the information before the city's planning commission to determine whether its consistent with the city's General Plan or does the city need to do a General Plan amendment to allow this area to be annexed. When the city's planning commission approves it (or denies),  its a public hearing. Once approved, it goes to the city council and if approved there, it then goes to LAFCO. LAFCO has additional requirements to be met.  Although a city may have added the annexation to their General Plan, its not within the city's “sphere of influence”. LAFCOs decide what areas go into the city's sphere. So the city would first have to apply to LAFCO to amend the city's sphere of influence plan. If its Modesto making the application, Modesto would have to tell LAFCO what would happen to Salida Sanitary District, County Service Area #10 – would they go away? Would they detach? These additional requirements may result in several public hearings being held at LAFCO.

When LAFCO holds the final public hearing to determine whether or not a city can annex an area, residents of the proposed area to be annexed can publicly express their opinions at this hearing. If the LAFCO commission approves the annexation, then a protest hearing will be held. Registered voters and landowners can submit written protests and the protests are counted. If the protests are less than 25% of that number, then the annexation is approved. If less than 50% of the landowners and registered voters protest, then an election is held, usually by mail ballot. If over 50% of the voters say “no” then the annexation is terminated and doesn't happen. 


Q&A from the meeting's attendees followed. A gentleman asked if the annexation is terminated, can the city apply to annex the area again ten or fifteen years from now? Ms. Blom replied that the city can apply to annex the area the very next day after the annexation termination. Another lady asked why she was not notified when parcels of Salida were annexed like the land that Costco is on? Ms. Blom replied that only landowners and residents who live 300 feet from a proposed area to be annexed receive a notice. The lady then asked how can residents find out about it if residents aren't notified? Ms. Blom recommended visiting LAFCO's website where potential land annexations and public notices are posted 60 days in advance, and attending LAFCO's monthly meetings which are held on the 4th Wednesday of every month. 

Click here for "Stanislaus LAFCO Policies and Procedures" manual

NEXT MEETING: Tuesday, January 29, 2013 at 7 p.m. At the Nick W. Blom Salida Regional Library Community Room, 4835 Sisk Road, Salida.

Salida MAC meetings are broadcast on government cable channel 19 in Salida and channel 7 in Modesto on Saturdays at 11 am.

Be sure to "LIKE" Salida MAC on Facebook and follow on Twitter to keep apprised of the latest information about Salida.

Salida MAC Newsletter - November 2012

The October Salida MAC meeting is now viewable online by clicking this link – thanks to Salida MAC Councilmember, Brad Johnson and local Salida Public Radio Station 104.9 FM or read the summarized meeting content below. ~ Katherine Borges, Editor

Fire Department Report

The October Salida MAC meeting opened with a report by Modesto Regional Fire Authority Deputy Chief Dale Skiles who reported that the fire department's call volume is average right now, but with the coming rainy season, it should lessen. He encouraged fire safety for the coming holidays and asked residents to call 552-3600 with any questions.

No Sheriff or CHP report this month.

Salida Sanitary Report

Salida Sanitary Boardmember, Brad Johnson, reported that the sanitary district had a presentation about solar power by a solar contractor. Salida Sanitary is exploring solar to save on energy costs. Mr. Johnson extended an invitation to attend Salida Sanitary's board meetings which are held on the second Thursday of the month at 6 p.m. The meeting location is held at Salida Sanitary's headquarters. Visit http://www.salidasanitary.net/ for more information.

SAPFFA – Salida Area Public Facilities Finance Agency (Mello Roos) Report

Director of Planning Facilities Support for Modesto City Schools, Becky Meredith shared that she administers several Mello Roos districts including the one for Salida known as Salida Area Public Facilities Finance Agency (SAPFFA). Ms. Meredith brought a map of the SAPFFA area which was formed in 1988 and said that anything built before 1988 was not in the Mello Roos district. SAPFFA was formed by the Salida Union School District, Salida Sanitary District, the Salida Fire District, and the Modesto High School District and although Stanislaus County is not a voting member of SAPFFA, the county was an integral part in the formation of SAPFFA and many county projects have been paid for from SAPFFA. The SAPFFA Board of Trustees is made up of two members from the Salida Sanitary District, one member each from the Salida Fire District, Salida Union School District and the Modesto High School District. The board meets in June and December to adopt the budget and authorize the paying of bills. Meeting notices are posted at the Salida Library, the school districts and in the Modesto Bee.

The Mello Roos district is a state law that goes back to 1982, Senator Mello and Assemblyman Roos crafted this law to allow taxes to be levied on new development to pay for certain designated public improvements like capital facilities such as schools, streets, and sewer lines. Land is annexed to a Mello Roos district by residential developers prior to the homes being built as a way to finance required infrastructure because by doing so, it can be financed at tax exempt rates.

Director of Planning Facilities Support for Modesto City Schools,
Becky Meredith explains Mello Roos taxes.

Ms. Meredith then went over handouts including a SAPFFA press release. Mello Roos laws state that public facilities to be financed have to have a use of five years or longer. SAPFFA has paid for over thirty separate projects that have been built since 1988 for a total cost of approximately $50 million dollars. SAPFFA does not own nor operate any of these improvements. Only projects listed and approved for in 1988 can be paid for by SAPFFA. The bonds will be paid off on September 1, 2030.

The last project paid for by SAPFFA was in 2005 in which the Modesto High School District received funds for the land purchase for Gregori High School. Stanislaus County also received $7.6 million for a variety of improvements such as park sites, storm drains, and roads. The most recent improvement which occurred around 2005 was the Broadway Avenue and Salida Boulevard intersection improvements.

There are 2,817 properties that pay the Salida Mello Roos district tax. In November 2011, the SAPFFA finance committee refinanced the existing SAPFFA Mello Roos debt. The estimated annual savings per property is $120. The actual savings range was $168-$187 annually per property ($140 savings on average). It is possible that the debt can go down again.

The difference between the Mello Roos tax and your regular property tax is that the property tax is based on the value of your home whereas the Mello Roos tax is not based on the value of your home. It is a tax established when the districts formed and they figure out exactly what they want the Mello Roos district to build and pay for, they figure out how much it will cost and the cost to finance it, then they spread the cost over all the properties that are in those boundaries.

During the Q&A, a question was asked how they know how much projects will cost? Ms. Meredith replied that engineers project the cost and inflation is factored in for the proposed cost of the project. She gave an example that the entire project for Gregori High School was not paid for by SAPFFA, only the land was purchased by SAPFFA. It was purchased from the Van Koynenburg Trust and a few other land owners for $8.94 million. The land purchase not only includes the school site but also some right-of-way purchases and school buses.

The next question asked was how much Mello Roos taxes were collected every year? Ms. Meredith replied that it changes every year, but that the current tax roll to be collected for 2012-2013 is $2.5 million. That was followed by a question of how much debt was left and her reply was about $30 million dollars. The attendee also asked if there was a pre-payment penalty if the Mello Roos bonds were paid off early and Ms. Meredith replied in the affirmative. She said that typically, bonds cannot be called prior to ten years once they've been issued. The earliest the SAPFFA bonds could be refinanced or pre-paid is in ten years from now since they were just refinanced in 2011. The new interest rate range is between 3-5%; the people who hold the bonds longer receive the higher interest rate.

Another Salida resident asked a question about a Mello Roos meeting they had attended approximately eight years ago where they were told that their Mello Roos tax obligation could be shortened by six years. Ms. Meredith replied that she was likely the person who told them that at the meeting, but that she would have said they had great hopes to eliminate the tax earlier than 2030 and retire the bonds early via refinancing. Last year, the SAPFFA board was faced with the decision as to whether to retire the bonds early or lower the tax and give relief to the taxpayers through a reduced rate. The SAPFFA board decided to go with “giving relief today”. Another attendee asked why this wasn't put to a vote of the people? Ms. Meredith replied that the officials elected to the various boards were the ones who made the decision, and the decision is made by those elected officials and not put to a vote of the people.

Ms. Meredith also shared that Village I in pays more taxes than Salida does because there are three Mello Roos districts in Village I and Salida only has one. The City of Modesto has two of the Mello Roos districts in Village I and the schools have one. The third Mello Roos district in Village I is for operations and is going on in perpetuity and collects money every year via property taxes.

The next question was whether Mello Roos taxes become delinquent when a home is foreclosed on? Ms. Meredith replied that delinquency rates have actually gone down because the banks who own the home then pay the taxes. The delinquency rate on uncollected Mello Roos taxes was just a little over 1%.

The next question posed was whether Salidan's taxes would change by the annexation of Salida by the City of Modesto or the incorporation of Salida as a city? Ms. Meredith replied that in either scenario, this debt does not go away, it stays the same. The attendee followed that with a question as to if Salida were annexed, would Salidans have to pay taxes to the City of Modesto on top of Mello Roos. Ms. Meredith replied that she could not answer that, that's a question for the Mayor of Modesto. At this point, Supervisor Terry Withrow answered this question saying that the, “Mello Roos taxes are not an additional tax. If the Mello Roos taxes hadn't existed, all of your houses in the Mello Roos district would have cost more, which means your loans would have been more.”

The next question posed by a Salidan was whether there would be additional projects added to Salida's Mello Roos district and Ms. Meredith responded that, “No, all projects authorized in 1988 have been completed. There can be no additional projects.”

The next to last question was, “Why does the Mello Roos increase by 2% per year?” Ms. Meredith said that in the formation documents, the Mello Roos was allowed to increase by 2% per year to make up for those things like inflation. If a project isn't built yet, then the cost is estimated. But since Salida's projects are all done, and with the bonds being refinanced, there will be no further 2% increases for Salidans' Mello Roos. The taxes will stay at a level tax until 2030 unless the bonds are refinanced again. The last question was, “How much does it cost to administer our Mello Roos tax?” and the answer was $15,000 for staff time of the three officers and an additional cost for a special tax consultant, Goodwin Consulting. This cost has gone down because the projects are all done.

Link for more information and financial data on SAPFFA

Salida Annexation Issue Update and Supervisor District 3 Report

Councilmember Brad Johnson opened with a "straw poll" asking attendees to raise their hands if they were in favor of Salida being annexed by the City of Modesto and two people raised their hands. He then asked how many were opposed and the majority of attendees raised their hands (between 40-50 people). An attendee asked that next time, Councilmember Johnson should also ask for a show of hands for those who are undecided. Councilmember Katherine Borges shared that Modesto Mayor Garrad Marsh would be hosting a Town Hall Meeting on Saturday, November 3 from 10 am to noon at the Senior Citizens Center at 211 Bodem, Modesto.

Supervisor Terry Withrow shares a map and
the history of the Salida Community Plan.

Supervisor Terry Withrow reported that the Goodwin Consulting cost-sharing feasibility study contracted by the City of Modesto and Stanislaus County would not be returned until mid-December. The sixty days for the return of the study didn't start until Goodwin received all the information from the city and county. Supervisor Withrow said that if the city and county are able to come to a tax-sharing agreement, then they'll come to Salida and ask what Salida wants to do. He asked for patience until they obtain the information from the study. Supervisor Withrow then shared a map and the history of 'Salida Now' which the Stanislaus County Board of Supervisors passed in 2007. He said that Measure E, also passed that year which prevents additional houses being built without a vote of the people. He then shared more of the background of the Salida Community Plan which called for 5,000 new homes to be built, which in turn, could provide the funds for Salida to become incorporated. But the economy collapsed and “...the model on which the plan was based on said it would collapse if the price of houses dropped 15%.” He said, “That as it stands right now, this is Salida's plan, this is Salida's future. This development will someday happen. The people who own this land have 20 years to make this thing happen.”

Supervisor Withrow reiterated, “You guys elected me, hired me basically, you're my bosses. And what I think you've hired me to do is get information for you. You guys don't have time to do that. That's why I'm there. I go down to the county and I work on all this stuff and I come back with all the facts and present it to you. And then I'll give you suggestions as to what I think is the best way to go because its all about getting the lifestyle here in Salida better, and improve services. You tell me what you want to do and I work to make that happen.”

An attendee mentioned that the land Costco and Kaiser are were annexed by Modesto, what's to stop Modesto from continuing to annex more land from Salida? Supervisor Withrow replied that it was his fear that Modesto will pick Salida apart until Salida ends up being the biggest county pocket in the county.

Supervisor Withrow suggested that if the annexation goes through, that Salida have its own planning commission to control its growth. This has been done across the state in cities which have planning commissions specifically for an area. That way, an area can be represented, but it still ultimately goes to a city council still. He said if it goes that far, he wants, “Salida to have its own planning commission to control its own destiny, as far as growth, development and zoning.”

A Salida resident asked Supervisor Withrow if while we are waiting for the Goodwin study results were we at risk of LAFCO annexing away more land from Salida? The Supervisor replied that no, because there are two other county supervisors who serve on the board of LAFCO and since Salida is Supervisor Withrow's district, they will go with what he wants which is what the people want.

The next resident proposed the formation of a steering committee to investigate the potential for Salida to incorporate and asked the Supervisor if he would support that? He replied in the affirmative. He said that incorporation has been studied, will be looked at, and will be presented. Another attendee asked who would present this information, and Supervisor Withrow responded that he would and possibly elected members of Salida Fire and Salida MAC. This was followed by a question for the Supervisor as to whether the planning commission for Salida could still be formed even if Salida stays county and Supervisor Withrow responded that it was possible.

Link to view the Salida Community Plan

Salida MAC Council Discussion

Councilmember Brad Johnson brought up that annexation to Modesto would mean that Salidans would have a utility tax in addition to their Mello Roos and other existing property taxes.

Salida MAC Council Chairman Thomas Reeves brought up that since the December meeting falls on Christmas Day would any councilmembers be opposed to canceling it. All agreed to cancel it and Chairman Reeves said that he could always call an emergency meeting if need be.

Councilmember Ana Rocha San-Nicholas requested a presentation by LAFCO. The board agreed to invite LAFCO to the next meeting.

Councilmember Katherine Borges reported on the City-County Liaison Meeting she attended on October 8 because the Salida Annexation was on the agenda. She shared that the first part of the meeting was about the incorporation of county islands within Modesto and how any unincorporated county islands (including Salida) that are annexed into the city have to be voted upon by Modesto residents via a Measure M vote which extends sewer service to those areas. During the part regarding the Salida Annexation, she relayed that Modesto Mayor Garrad Marsh wants to do an Advisory Vote on the annexation and is asking for 60% of Salida's registered voters would have to vote no before he would agree to stop the annexation process whereas with a binding petition, only 51% would have to sign the petition to stop the annexation. An advisory vote is non-binding so technically, Modesto could choose to proceed with the annexation irregardless.

NEXT MEETING: Tuesday, November 27, 2012 at 7 p.m. At the Nick W. Blom Salida Regional Library Community Room, 4835 Sisk Road, Salida.

FEATURED SPEAKER: LAFCO Director, Marjorie Blom will present “LAFCO 101”

Salida MAC meetings are broadcast on government cable channel 19 in Salida and channel 7 in Modesto on Saturdays at 11 am.

Be sure to "LIKE" Salida MAC on Facebook and follow on Twitter to keep apprised of the latest information about Salida.

Salida MAC Newsletter - October 2012

NOTE: So much content and information was shared at our September 2012 Salida MAC meeting that I decided to compile it on a blog because there's no way all of this info could fit into our printed newsletter. ~ Editor, Katherine Borges

Supervisor District 3 Report and Salida Annexation Update - Stanislaus County Supervisor Terry Withrow reported that as of September 25, they were about 15 days into the 60 days for the contracted term of the Goodwin Consulting Fiscal Feasibility Study and then the city and county will decide if they can come to a cost-sharing agreement. He reiterated that he supports Salida's citizens and “will not push anything that isn't what Salida wants”. Supervisor Withrow then gave a brief history of the Salida Community Plan.

An attendee asked if Salida MAC had a copy of the "Seven Questions" public information request regarding the annexation. The "Seven Questions" is posted at this link. Be sure to read this document to learn how the annexation would change the terms of the Salida Community Plan.

Supervisor Withrow shared that he attended a meeting last week with City of Modesto officials including Modesto Mayor Garrad Marsh and several county employees and he stated that he felt good about the meeting and told the mayor that, "I'm not gonna push this, I'm not going to make this happen if the people of Salida don't want it." He said the mayor "agreed 100%" and that he wouldn't push it either. Another Supervisor who was at the meeting, Dick Monteith, shared Supervisor Withrow's concerns about not forcing anything upon the people of Salida that they don't want.

An attendee asked the Supervisor how we can stop Modesto from "picking at us" (annexing chunks of land) in the meantime.  Supervisor Withrow replied that any land annexations have to go through and be approved by LAFCO -Local Agency Formation Commission. 

In wrapping up his report, Supervisor Withrow also shared how he preserved funds in the county's budget that had been set aside for a future park in Salida. Meeting attendees showed their appreciation with a round of applause.

SF Shakes performer at Salida
Park during LoveSalida.com

Nick W. Blom Salida Regional Library Report - Diane Bartlett, Library Branch Manager for the Nick W. Blom Salida Regional Library shared information on the "Love Salida" project for the library and announced that the San Francisco Shakespeare Festival will perform parts of 'A Midsummer's Night's Dream' at Salida Park and again at the Salida Library on November 7 at 3:45 pm. A Q&A with the cast will be offered after at 4:45 pm. Rehearsals for Salida's very own production of 'A Midsummer's Night's Dream' will begin on November 26. The company is looking for Salidans to perform in the play to culminate in a performance on December 8. So if you're a Salida resident who would like to be in the play or have a special skill like painting, sewing, dancing, singing, juggling or can play an instrument, please contact Diane at the library or call Carl at (415) 865-4423 for more details.

Fire Department Report – Tom Burns, Chairman of the Board of Directors for the Salida Fire District and member of the Board of Directors for the Modesto Regional Fire Authority said it been a little over a year since Salida Fire District, City of Modesto Fire Department, and Stanislaus County Office of Emergency Services combined to form Modesto Regional Fire Authority. It is not, as it is commonly thought around the Salida community, a bigger Modesto Fire Department, nor is it that the Modesto Fire Department has taken over the Salida Fire Department, it is actually a brand new stand-alone agency. The volunteer firefighters in the Salida District are now referred to as “Reserves” instead of “Volunteers”. Salida has twelve active Reserve Firefighters. They not only respond to calls in Salida now, but throughout the whole regional fire district. The Reserve Firefighters now serve in several stations including ones in south Modesto and on the west side. They are looking to expanding additional reserves. 

The Modesto Regional Fire Authority is looking to expand on down the road and other agencies have expressed interest in joining. The fire station (#14) on Ciccarelli Road is currently being used as a training center but is not staffed. It may be staffed when the construction on the Kiernan ramps begins as its unknown how the station on Broadway (#12) will be affected by the construction.  The Modesto Regional Fire Authority holds monthly meetings on the first Wednesday of the month at the City-County chambers 1010 10th Street, Modesto at 1:30 pm and the public is welcome to attend.

CHP Report - CHP Officer Chuck Leon reported that there were 7 auto collisions in the Salida area; 3 were hit and run and 2 were injury. No major injuries. CHP did capture and arrest one of the hit and run suspects. Two DUI arrests in Salida. Since school has started, the CHP has received 10 active traffic complaints for the entire county and 8 of those are in Salida. Officer Leon asked that when dropping off school-age children, do not park in the red zones around the schools when picking up your children. He gave warnings but will issue citations next. Even if you're sitting in your car. He also asked that parents not park on the apex of the curb blocking wheelchair access, or park in front of or in people's driveways.

Sheriff Department Report - Deputy Jeff Crowley is the Salida Community Deputy, but Sheriff Christianson has taken him away from patrolling Salida and teamed him up with three other deputies from Empire, Keyes, and Denair as a crime reduction team. The four deputies work together as a team in the communities doing special tasks such as probation and parole searches. Deputy Crowley also handles the Neighborhood Watch program for Salida along with school safety programs. He addressed the issue of non-residents conducting criminal activities and leaving refuse in Salida's Countrystone Park. Deputy Crowley asked residents to step-up and establish neighborhood watch programs. Contact him at the Sheriff's Department to set one up. Salida shares patrolling deputies with Del Rio so if you would like to request more deputy coverage for Salida contact Sheriff Christianson 

Salida Sanitary Board Report - Salida Sanitary Board member, Brad Johnson, reported that the board is exploring solar energy options to reduce the energy costs of operating the plant and the pumps. The public is invited to attend Salida Sanitary's board meetings which are on the 2nd Tuesday of the month at 6 pm at the Sanitary District headquarters.

Discussing solar energy prompted an attendee to bring up the point that solar panels can be put on a home for free or next to nothing in areas covered by PG&E but that MID will not allow such a program. It was recommended that citizens who want this program to contact MID Board Member, Paul Warda who covers Salida for assistance.

Salida Union School District Superintendent Twila Tosh
addresses attendees at the Salida MAC meeting

Salida Union School District Report - Salida Union School District Superintendent, Twila Tosh shared that the district is in the process of looking for some federal bond dollars for modernization funds through a non-taxable bond with a low interest rate. The school district is also exploring solar options to save money on energy costs. The school district is adopting a new program similar to Crime Stoppers called "Students Speaking Out" where students can text, e-mail or phone in any kind of a disturbance, or are being bullied and otherwise harmed in any way they can contact the program anonymously. If the offender is prosecuted, the student can receive a reward. Ms. Tosh also addressed some questions from the last Salida MAC meeting regarding the potential annexation of Salida by the City of Modesto. The first question was how the annexation would affect the school district and Ms. Tosh replied that it wouldn't affect the school district; that it would remain a separate district just as Sylvan or Stanislaus Union are separate school districts. 

The next question that Ms. Tosh addressed is "Why isn't Gregori High named Salida High?" and its because Salida Union School District is an elementary district and not a high school district. Salida Union is licensed as a K-8th school district. She shared the history of how Jackson School District merged with Salida's in 1949 and became the Salida Union Elementary School District and has remained the same since. Salida does not have enough students that matriculate from 8th grade to a 9th grade classroom to run a comprehensive high school.

Ms. Tosh also addressed that Dena Boer School and Salida Middle School did receive Mello Roos tax dollars; about 30% and the Modesto School District received about 20% of Salida's Mello Roos dollars towards funding the high school.

An attendee asked how are the schools' scores. Ms. Tosh replied that Sisk School is over  800 on its API. Salida Elementary is in the mid-700's and SMS and Dena Boer are in the high 700's. Ms. Tosh shared that the elementary and middle schools provide music classes, art and field trips which many schools no longer offer.

Salida MAC Councilmember Karen Gorne
volunteering at Love Salida

Two final agenda items - signs for Salida MAC for meeting announcements. Councilmember Brad Johnson offered to pay for the signs. The other agenda item was to ask Supervisor Withrow's assistance to get back the Friday 8 pm time slot on cable TV for Salida MAC broadcasts.

We thank all who attended the meeting and hope you will attend future meetings and continue to communicate your community concerns.

NEXT MEETING: Tuesday, October 23, 2012 at 7 pm at Salida Library Community Room

FEATURED SPEAKER: Becky Meredith from Modesto City Schools will address Mello Roos

Salida MAC meetings are broadcast on government cable channel 19 in Salida and channel 7 in Modesto on Saturdays at 11 am. 

Be sure to "LIKE" Salida MAC on Facebook and follow on Twitter to keep apprised of the latest information about Salida.