With Measure GG in place — voted on by Stanton residents last November —the City of Stanton is able to move forward.
For the last seven years, the city has been operating with a structural deficit. In response, the City Council made a number of tough cuts, including reductions to personnel and public safety.
When the state took the city's redevelopment money, things became even more difficult.
With Measure GG in place — voted on by Stanton residents last November —the City of Stanton is able to move forward.
For the last seven years, the city has been operating with a structural deficit. In response, the City Council made a number of tough cuts, including reductions to personnel and public safety.
When the state took the city's redevelopment money, things became even more difficult.
Now, with Measure GG, a 1-cent tax on goods, the future of the city is changing and that's what promoted a new Strategic Plan for Stanton.
There are six core goals for the 2015 Strategic Plan. They are: provide a safer community; promote a strong local economy; promote quality infrastructure; ensure fiscal stability and efficiency in governance; provide a high quality of life; maintain and promote a responsive, high quality and transparent government.
Within the Strategic Plan are seven key initiatives that the city will implement:
–Add two deputies, one for traffic enforcement and one to focus on community enhancement (using voter-approved local revenue);
–Add a code enforcement officer to assist with transient issues, massage parlor inspections and general City Code Enforcement issues on weekends (using voter-approved local revenue);
–Enhancing the Economic Development Program, providing additional funding for business facade improvements or other programs relating to economic development (using voter-approved local revenue);
–Utility undergrounding project on Beach Boulevard from the 22 Freeway to north of Lampson Avenue (using Rule 20A funds from Southern California Edison);
–Complete a new landscape/median design and monument signage on Beach Boulevard (using restricted lighting and landscape maintenance funds);
–Complete the design and construction of the 12-acre Central Park between Katella and Cerritos avenues along Western Avenue (using Grant and former RDA Bond funds).
–Coordinate Stanton's 60th Anniversary Celebration — which is coming up June 4, 2016 — originally incorporated June 4, 1956, to coincide with the grand opening of the 12-acre Central Park.
In Central Park, the tennis courts that are there will remain; there will be an age-appropriate play area, sports fields, a splash pad and skateboard park.
The park is possible because of a grant the city was awarded back when current City Manager Jim Box was in the Community Service Department, as well as a bond that the Stanton Redevelopment Agency issued, before the state dissolved redevelopment agencies.
"We started the process for the development of the new Strategic Plan four months ago," said City Manager Box. "We hired a consultant who met with the City Council and Senior Staff to create a vision and plan, which in essence will serve as a road map of what Council would like to see happen in the next three years."
Box and Mayor Al Ethans said the new Strategic Plan is possible because of Measure GG; without the measure, the city could not have moved forward as they are now able to do and accomplish the many things necessary.
The "Talk on the Block" program began in 2013, when the City Council noticed that not many people were able to attend council meetings, and so council members decided to take council meetings to the residents. The council has learned a lot listening to the concerns of individuals in different neighborhoods within Stanton.
"We are taking a proactive approach for public safety," said Box. "The residents are the ones who asked for what we are implementing."
With the additional officers, regular patrol officers won't have to be taken off patrol to handle special issues.
Director of Administrative Services Stephen Parker said the city wanted to know what residents wanted from the city and key was public safety and economic development.
For 30 years, Southern California Edison (SCE) has been putting aside $100,000 a year that is restricted for undergrounding electrical and telephone wires, which will be completed under Stanton's sidewalks and/or streets.
"If we enhance the area along Beach Boulevard, businesses will want to come into our area," Parker said.
The medians along Beach Boulevard and Katella Avenue will be enhanced.
The pulse of the community is being heard and felt, as the council continues to speak with the people who voted for Measure GG. Talk on the Block will continue; 20-plus such meetings have been held thus far, with 60 residents from the Hollenbeck Park area attending the latest Talk on the Block meeting.
"What gets measured gets done," said Councilman Rigoberto "Rigo" Ramirez.\
Mayor Al Ethans said that with respect to the future of the city, he is grateful the citizens understood the value of passing Measure GG to make the city better for the residents.
"On behalf of the City Council, I would like to thank you for your support of Measure GG and I look forward to improving our community through the implementation of this new Strategic Plan," said Ethans.
