Community Services and Economic Development
CHAP was created to develop and implement innovative programs in Livermore schools and throughout the community that help low-income and immigrant families to meet the challenges of access to medical care and help children overcome the barriers to being successful in school.
The City of Long Beach Department of Health and Human Services established the Miller Family Health Education Center in 2004 with the mission to "provide a vital learning environment dedicated to promoting a healthy city through health education, leadership development, and collaboration with our diverse community".
The city began evaluating options to eradicate the problems created by outdated infrastructure, dilapidated housing, and a lack of public facilities. Forging partnerships with the Porterville Unified School District and affordable housing developers, and pulling together funding from 13 different local, state, federal and private sources, the area realized a new elementary school, community center, reconstruction of Orange Avenue, completion of a once-failed subdivision, and new affordable housing choices.
Effective Advocacy, Intergovernmental Relations and Regional Cooperation
Inspired by the need to adequately prepare it's new workforce and assist in the same development of the region's first responders, Eureka's Fire Department obtained funding to develop a regional "Live-Fire" training program. Using a regionalized, multi-agency approach, the program delivers critical live-fire training to more than 500 firefighters in the region, and at the same time develops future fire service trainers.
ICIS JPA is a group of cities that collaborated to build, manage and maintain a communications infrastructure system. Service is currently provided to over 2,000 radios, with reception covering more than a third of the Los Angeles region. At system completion in 2006, 7,000 radios will be operational, providing enhanced security to 1.5 million residents.
With the addition of the multi-cultural performing arts center and community college campus this year, Westminster's Civic Center serves as the center of this municipality's urban reality. The Civic Center models successful partnerships between various levels of government. A PayParking System improves services to City Hall patrons, while not eliminating the parking needs of the other agency's clientele.
Enhancing Public Trust, Ethics, and Community Involvement
The TRUST program provides quality activities that are safe, fair and enriching for participants, spectators and administrators. Based on a Code of Conduct and formalized training program for Recreation staff, coaches, parents and participants, and enjoying strong City Council and City management support, TRUST broadened a national sports model in scope and scale, extending the spirit of sportsmanship to all recreation activities and participants.
Facilitated by the Town, the community responded to the 2005 State of Town address by attending Community Unity meetings to identify and organize a variety of projects, and by joining forces to undertake over 50 projects. Volunteer groups and individuals continue to maintain and improve our community, build community partnerships, foster civic pride, and "unite Los Gatans under a banner of Service."
The Memorial represents each young life lost in traffic accidents. It provides a peaceful, yet powerful place to remember and teach teens and others that in Santa Clarita there will be NO MORE teen deaths as a result of reckless driving. The Memorial was envisioned, paid for, and built by youth, parents, City and businesses of Santa Clarita.
Housing Programs and Innovations
Eureka through a new and innovative program which offers housing, training, health care and supportive services in one facility. The Multiple Assistance Center combines on-site specialized care with on-site transitional housing and multiple-step programs. The project has successfully transitioned program participants toward stable employment, permanent housing and self-sufficiency.
A revitalized complex was created that includes not only rehabilitated residential units, but a community park with after-school programs, an on-site police substation, and a large community center with child care, a computer lab, adult education and other community services. Las Brisas is now an integrated neighborhood where residents feel safe and receive services they need to improve their lives and practice the skills to become self-supporting and productive.
Internal Administration
The City of Livermore implemented a browser-based software application which links multiple photo images captured from vehicle-mounted cameras with digital map files from the city's GIS system. The resulting product allows the user to virtually "drive" the city streets from any computer on the city's network. In many cases, this application can be used in lieu of actual field visits, resulting in a savings in staff time, vehicle wear, fuel consumption & emissions.
Local government management is in the midst of a quiet crisis. Today's managers are nearing retirement, & fewer young professionals are in line & prepared to fill their shoes. (ICMA). In an effort to proactively address this emerging predicament & to prepare the next generation of public service employees, the City pioneered a Mentoring Program to develop future leaders from within the organization, strengthen the mentoring skills
League Partners Award for Excellence
In order to overcome budget cutbacks & deliver critical services to the residents who need them most, the City of Fairfield Community Services Dept. created its Community Heroes Program. This program fostered the development of partnerships with local businesses & community organizations. This resulted in 51 community partners donating over $100,000 so the Department could deliver services to the most underserved neighborhoods & residents in town. One of the new services created was the award-winning mobile recreation program known as Fun on the Run.
The PARKS Project is a creative approach to enhancing & funding facilities & ongoing maintenance costs in a built out community. The resources of private, public, business & volunteer partners were leveraged to build tournament-quality athletic files & specially designed facilities to improve community health through organized & individual sports, fitness & recreation. The long term strategy is to fund programs & facilities outside of the general fund & find funding sources for ongoing maintenance as well.
Two years ago the city of Sonoma & the Sonoma Valley Chamber of Commerce formed a partnership to promote economic development in the City, something neither could afford on their own. Successes include: providing marketing & expansion services to existing businesses; counseling & start-up advice to new businesses; a monthly database of vacant space; brochures on business financing, redevelopment loans, workforce training & green business practices. The program also provides translations services for Spanish language entrepreneurs, & an ombudsman for city applicants. Cost of the program has been less than budgeted in each of the two years.
Planning and Environmental Quality
The City of Glendale Trash Exclusion Program is a combination of public education and community outreach programs, and innovative trash exclusion mechanism that combines efficient and effective technology designed by City staff to prohibit any debris greater than 5mm from entering the City storm drains.
Through the Community Energy Partnership Program, Irvine is changing the energy consumption habits of residents and businesses in a effort to protect the environment, save money, and conserve resources for today and the future. Using cost-effective and convenient methods, Irvine has made exceptional strides in effecting behavioral changes.
The purpose of this program is to outline a menu of options to implement the Blueprint Growth Principles. Benefits of the strategies include more compact mixed use development that will accommodate projected growth demand, but also reduce the conversion of open space, reduce traffic congestion and air quality impacts, and provide a balanced land use plan with jobs proximate to housing.
Public Safety
The Stop Identity Theft Program consists of two main components: document shredding events and the distribution of identity theft educational materials. Twice annually, residents can witness the shredding of their confidential information by ShredForce at assigned locations. To further assist seniors, once annually, trucks are sent directly to ten senior communities to shred documents onsite. At each event, participants are given a Stop Identity Theft brochure that instructs them on how to safeguard personal information & protect themselves from identity theft. A main goal of the program is to prevent crime through everyday diligence and education.
Public safety nationwide has been challenged with gaining immediate access in emergency situations to secured or gated complexes, such as apartments, condos, & private homeowners associations/communities. E-Key eliminates bypass keys by utilizing a universal remote system attached to existing remote control gates. Thus, this system allows public safety (law enforcement/fire) immediate and simplistic access to gated locations.
The Monterey Park Police Department continues to develop our Traffic Safety Education Programs. Last year we implemented a driver and pedestrian safety trailer program that allows for an interactive traffic education experience by the use of high quality driving simulators.
Public Works, Infrastructure, and Transportation
E-tran was created to provide Elk Grove residents with an environmentally friendly, enhanced level of public transportation. This service allows residents & visitors the opportunity to travel locally, commute to downtown Sacramento & travel regionally with connections to several of the region's transit operators.
The City of Lincoln, in their efforts to provide a better quality of life for its aging community, & the necessary infrastructure to accommodate the rapid growth & the City's urban changing lifestyle, coordinated with other agencies, businesses, & the community to develop a Neighborhood Electric Vehicle (NEV) Transportation Plan. Innovative research, planning & public outreach made the NEV Plan a successful planning project that will improve public service, benefiting all Lincoln residents for years to come.
The City of Santa Barbara has installed a fuel cell cogeneration system at the City's El Estero Wastewater Treatment Plant that uses anaerobic digester gas as the primary fuel. The system significantly reduces air pollution, provides sufficient electricity to meet about half of the treatment plant's needs & represents the largest application of molten carbonate fuel cell technology fueled by digester gas at an unmanned facility in the United States.
Ruth Vreeland Award for Engaging Youth in City Government
Carlsbad , Junior Achievement, the business community and the three school districts with elementary schools located in Carlsbad, have joined together, under City auspices and guidance, to introduce local government to third- graders. CityStuff shows how local government functions and demonstrates how students and their families can participate in their community by getting informed about and involved in City programs, services and activities.
Through effective partnerships with other youth serving agencies, the City provides numerous educational and recreational resources that help youth connect to the community and develop good citizenship. The program includes the Commission on Youth and Children, a network of service providers, and three other youth councils and advisory boards.
A youth organized and run committee that acts as a legal branch of the City Council in order to represent youth needs, issues and concerns. The Committee establishes subcommittees, spanning into areas of community entertainment and betterment, working hand-in-hand with city officials to achieve decided goals.