City of Santa Clarita - City Manager Message

June, 2009

Greetings!

Here it is, halfway through the year already. Things have been very busy at City Hall and I wanted to take this opportunity to share with you some of our recent activities and give you a preview of what’s coming up.

The City Council is getting ready to adopt our new fiscal budget for 2009-2010. This upcoming fiscal year is definitely a challenging one for everyone. Your City Council is working hard to make sure that the City is fiscally solvent and well-positioned for the future. Through prudent fiscal management, the City will continue to provide residents with the programs and services they have come to expect.

In Old Town Newhall, we’re moving along with plans to build a new and expanded library to replace the old library in Newhall. After community meetings and surveys, the City has a good idea of what the community would like to see in a new library in this area and will begin construction later this year. Located at Main Street and Lyons, the new 26,000 square-foot library will serve as a community gathering place for decades to come. Additionally, we will soon be finishing the first phase of the streetscape project in Newhall, helping to make Old Town a destination location for diners and shoppers.

Over at the Sports Complex in Canyon Country, the City is currently building two fully lighted outdoor basketball courts, which will also be used for low-intensity recreational roller hockey games. An interim, half- acre, off leash Dog Park is also being constructed on the Sports Complex site. In addition to increasing the size and scope of available recreational activities, Phase IV of the Sports Complex expansion project will also expand the Aquatic Center’s concrete seating bleachers, add another 143 parking spaces and create new hillside landscaping to the Sports Complex. A pedestrian walkway system connecting the upper and lower park areas will round out the Phase IV expansion project. Some amenities to look forward to in the future, although as yet, unfunded to build, include a BMX track, two lighted sports fields, a universally accessible play area, a permanent dog park, picnic shelters and more restrooms and parking.

Right now, we’re gearing up for the 4^th of July festivities as well as our popular, free Summer Concert series. You may find out about all of the 4^th of July activities via the City’s website at www.santa-clarita.com. The free summer concert series begins in July and is held every Saturday evening at 7 p.m. at Central Park. For a complete free concert schedule, log onto our website. You won’t want to miss the free 4^th of July fireworks show at the Valencia Towne Center, sponsored by the City.

Thank you for your interest in the City of Santa Clarita. It is always a pleasure to hear from you. You can reach me directly via email at: kpulskamp@santa-clarita.com.

Best regards,
Ken Pulskamp

May, 2009

Greetings! I hope this spring finds you outside, enjoying the beauty of the season in Santa Clarita.

City Hall is a busy place these days with our employees working on a number of programs and projects aimed at improving our quality of life here in Santa Clarita. Work is well underway for the last phase of the Cross Valley Connector, an 8.5 mile roadway that connects SR 14 with I-5 through the City. The two bridges that will ultimately connect Golden Valley Road with Newhall Ranch Road and Bouquet Canyon are expected to be completed next spring. On the west side of town, we are finishing up the expansion of Magic Mountain Parkway at the Old Road, including the expansion of the freeway on and off ramps. Look for that multi-year project to conclude later this summer.

And speaking of summer, we are gearing up for another great season of free concerts in the park. Every Saturday night at Central Park, you and your family are invited to enjoy the sounds of summer at no charge. The summer season kicks off with a great day of 4^th of July events including a 5K run, the traditional 4^th of July parade and fireworks at the Mall. Check out the City’s website at www.santa-clarita.com for a listing of the free concerts and 4^th of July events.

In Old Town Newhall, we are well underway with the first two blocks of our streetscape program. Construction of the streetscape project in Old Town is expected to be completed in early July and includes new street furniture, landscaping and hardscaping aimed at dramatically improving the look of the area. Future phases of the project will commence as new development locates to the area.

If your four-legged friend needs a vaccination, look no further than the City’s low-cost doggie vaccination clinic happening Saturday, May 2 from 8:30 a.m. to 10 a.m. at Central Park, 27150 Bouquet Canyon Road. Your dog may also receive a dog license-renewal and free micro-chipping. For more information, contact the City of Santa Clarita at 661-286-4193.

Thank you for your interest in our great City! Should you wish to contact me directly, my email address is kpulskamp@santa-clarita.com.

Sincerely,
Ken Pulskamp

April, 2009

This is a difficult year for many and the economic news doesn’t seem to be getting better quickly. I want you to know that our City is doing everything we can to help our local economy, our residents and our businesses. I have assembled an inter-departmental team of city staff to track and apply for the wide variety of stimulus funds that are becoming available. Our goal is to assure that Santa Clarita receives as much funding as possible from the stimulus funding. For businesses in the City, the Enterprise Zone is a terrific way to realize amazing tax savings. Our economic development staff is working directly with business owners to make sure that they are taking advantage of the Zone and saving money. The City is also working to make sure that businesses that are already here are receiving the assistance they need to grow and to succeed.

I hope that you and your family are able to attend the upcoming Earth Day Festival/20^th Annual Arbor Day Celebration being held on Saturday, April 18, 2009 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Central Park. Themed zones at the Earth Day Festival will include an Energy, Community, Ecological, Water Conservation, Children’s and Green Car Zone. Notably, the Energy Zone will feature a full solar array which will produce power to be utilized by the entire Festival. Kid-friendly entertainment is scheduled for the Children’s Zone where kids will be able to pick up an Earth Day passport to get stamped as they travel around the Festival learning about global warming, solar energy, water and pollution. Visit santa- clarita.com or call the Arts and Events office at (661) 286-4018 for more info.

Also in April, the City will host the 16^th annual Cowboy Festival at Melody Ranch and Motion Picture Studio. The festival runs from April 25-26. This exciting western festival is an amazing opportunity to visit a real, working movie ranch located right here in our community. For the annual Cowboy Festival, the City brings in the best cowboy poets, singers and performers for a weekend of fun for the entire family. You will also enjoy amazing peach cobbler, cooked outdoors in a dutch oven by the Cowboy Cultural Committee. For ticket information, log on to www.cowboyfestival.org or contact the ticket office at: 661-286- 4021.

As always, if you would like more information, we are available via phone (661-259-CITY) or on our popular city website: www.santa-clarita.com. If you would like to receive regular email updates on a variety of topics, sign up for our “e-Notify” program on our website. Thank you for taking the time to know what is happening in our City.

Best regards,

Ken Pulskamp

March, 2009

As we approach the spring season, there is sure to be an abundance of wildflowers and foliage, making for a beautiful backdrop here in our Valley. What a great time to get out and enjoy a few spring events here in the City of Santa Clarita!

I want to encourage you to attend the AT&T Golf Classic being held at the Valencia Country Club March 9-15, 2009. This nationally-renowned golf event, part of the PGA Champions tour, will feature champion golfers right here in our community! Tickets are available now at www.attchampionsclassic.com.

Don’t miss the City’s annual Emergency Expo on Saturday, March 21, 2009 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at College of the Canyons. Visit the Emergency Expo and learn how to be better prepared for all types of disasters. Demonstrations and displays from Fire, Sheriff, CHP, Public Health, CERT, Henry Mayo Newhall Hospital, Animal Care and Control. You and your family will also enjoy an opportunity to purchase emergency supplies and services, as well as preparedness learning games for children.

I am very excited to tell you about our first annual Earth Day event, Saturday, April 18, 2009 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Central Park. The City is partnering with a wide variety of agencies, businesses and nonprofits to bring you and your family and exciting “green” day here in Santa Clarita. For more information, log on to our website at: www.santa-clartia.com.

Our Valley is home to the incredible Six Flags Magic Mountain theme park and awesome water park, Hurricane Harbor. While Six Flags is a great, family-friendly place to enjoy quality time, it is also an award-winning park. Six Flags Inc. recently hosted the third annual Golden Flag Awards, a company-wide program recognizing the outstanding performance throughout all the Six Flags parks in various categories. Six Flags Magic Mountain was nominated for an impressive 11awards from best guest service to park cleanliness. Six Flags Magic Mountain brought home three Golden Bunny Awards! The three winning categories included: Gold Standard Guest Service Award; Best Operations Team and Park President of the Year. Congratulations to Jay Thomas and all of his amazing staff at Six Flags!

Thank you for your interest in the City of Santa Clarita. As always, if you would like to contact me, you can call my office at 661/255-4900, or email me directly at kpulskamp@santa-clarita.com.

Best regards,

Ken Pulskamp

February, 2009

We’re already into the second month of the year for 2009!

This month, we are getting ready for the Amgen Tour of California, professional bicycle race, including world renowned bicyclists Lance Armstrong, which will come to Santa Clarita on Saturday, February 21, 2009. The world’s top professional cycling teams will be on stage in Santa Clarita for part of this amazing race through the streets of Santa Clarita, on their way to the finish in Pasadena. If you’ve never seen a professional bicycle race, I encourage you and your family to witness this incredible event. The City and its sponsors will be hosting several pre and post race events and activities for our community. You can learn more at www.santa-clarita.com/TourofCA

Believe it or not, it’s actually Cowboy Festival time here in Santa Clarita! The City’s 16^th annual Santa Clarita Cowboy Festival will once again welcome western musicians, entertainers, poets and handcrafters at Melody Ranch Motion Picture Studio, in the heart of Santa Clarita. The 2009 line-up is one of the best, featuring top rated poets and musicians. Tickets are on sale now at www.cowboyfestival.org or by calling 661-286-4021.

We’ve already started our preparations for the City’s annual Emergency Expo which will take place on Saturday, March 21, 2009 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at College of the Canyons. Preparedness starts with you! Visit the Emergency Expo and learn how to be better prepared for all types of disasters. Demonstrations and displays from Fire, Sheriff, CHP, Public Health, CERT, Henry Mayo Newhall Hospital, Animal Care and Control. You and your family will also enjoy an opportunity to purchase emergency supplies and services, as well as preparedness learning games for children.

I want to thank you for your interest and participation in our community. If you would like to receive regular updates on topics of interest to you and your family, check out our “eNotify” system, which will provide you with email notification offering several distinct topics including job notification, the community calendar, construction updates and more. This service is available at www.santa-clarita.com/enotify or by calling the City’s webmaster at 661-286-4070.

Best regards,

Ken Pulskamp

January, 2009

Happy New Year!

As we begin the new calendar year, I am excited to tell you about some of the things our City is working on that will benefit the entire community.

At the Sports Complex in Canyon Country, we are nearing completion of the new and expanded Skatepark. Designed in tandem with the local skating community, the new Skatepark will be four times the size of the original,with a whole lot more fun and action. Look for the grand opening early this spring.

Also this spring, the AMGEN Tour of California will bring the drama and excitement of a professional bicycle stage race to the California coast and to our City! The world’s top professional teams will compete over an eight-day, 700-mile race on a route that includes the California redwoods, wine country, the Pacific Coast, and in 2009, legendary cyclist Lance Armstrong!. Santa Clarita is proud to host the start-line of Stage 7 on February 21, 2009, from Santa Clarita to Pasadena. For more information, please visit: www.santa-clarita.com/tourofca.

I am thrilled to invite you and your family to the City’s first annual Santa Clarita Earth Day/20^th annual Arbor Day celebration. It will be held on Saturday, April 18, 2009 at Central Park, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. This interactive event, celebrating the earth and helping to promote a sustainable community, will include a variety of fun and educational activities for the whole family. Specially-themed areas will include: an Energy Zone, a Water Conservation Zone, a Community Pavilion, an Eco Zone, a Green Car Show, a Children’s Zone and so much more. If you are interested in more information, I encourage you to check out our website at: www.santa-clarita.com or call us at 661-259-CITY.

In the area of transportation, we will be working this year to complete the last phase of the Cross Valley Connector, linking Golden Valley Road with Bouquet Canyon Road over the river. On January 26, 2009, at 3 p.m., we will hold a groundbreaking event for the project, which will kick-off a 14-month countdown to completion of this important roadway!

Finally, you probably heard that Santa Clarita was selected as the Most Business Friendly City in Los Angeles County by the Los Angeles Economic Development Commission. While we are very proud of this award and the recognition of what we have accomplished, I want you to know that we are striving to be even better and will continue to do everything we can to make Santa Clarita a great place to do business. Some of these efforts will include improving our permit processes, increasing communicating with our businesses and listening to your thoughts and ideas.

Should you have any suggestions or comments, or should you wish to email me, you can do so at kpulskamp@santa-clarita.com.

Best regards,
Ken Pulskamp

December, 2008

Greetings and Happy Holidays!

As another year has come and gone, I like to use this opportunity to reflect back on a very busy and productive year for our City.

Earlier this year, our City hosted the AMGEN Tour of California and the AT & T Golf Classic, both world-class events, right here in our community. Disaster preparedness continues to be a top issue for our community. Earlier this spring, the City hosted its annual Emergency Preparedness Expo with hundreds of visitors attending. We’ve added a program whereby you can receive a text message from the City, alerting you to local emergencies, and in November, our City participated in a national earthquake readiness event called the Great ShakeOut, as well as a drive thru flu shot clinic with College of the Canyons.

2008 has been a good year in the area of public safety, with a dramatic dip in crime overall. Violent crime was down 18% for the first six months of the year, and we’ve seen double digit decreases for both burglary and thefts in the City. We will continue our zero tolerance enforcement efforts, as well as our community education.

Earlier this year, we received environmental clearance to proceed with the last phase of the Cross Valley Connector Road, which entails building a bridge over the Santa Clara River, linking Golden Valley Road with Bouquet Canyon Road. You will be able to see the completion of this $250 million project in 2010. We’ve made tremendous progress with the I-5/Magic Mountain Parkway expansion project which will provide for much-needed lane increases for that area, including the freeway on and off ramps. Look for completion of this major road project in 2009.

In Canyon Country, we launched our Extreme Neighborhood Makeover program, targeting a 130-home neighborhood to provide dramatic improvements. A second program was introduced in the fall in East Newhall and that is also progressing well. I encourage you to visit our website at www.santa-clarita.com to see photos of the neighborhood’s progress made to date. Right now, the City is under construction for a $25 million expansion to the City’s Sports Complex. A new and larger skate park, a new gymnasium, play fields, a playground, an off-leash dog park and more parking are currently in the works.

In Newhall, we’ve had several public meetings with stakeholders to design a new and larger library for this community. We expect to be in construction for the new library in 2009. Also in Old Town Newhall, we are working on the first phase of the new streetscape project for Main Street. Several successful special events were held throughout the year in Old Town, including our seasonal farmer’s market, the Children’s Holiday parade the Street Art Festival, the SCV Historical Society’s Halloween Haunt, the Hart of the West Native American Pow Wow and much more.

In Saugus, we held our successful Concert in the Park series at Central Park. We also continued our One Valley One Vision general plan program, with several community meetings to receive input and ideas. In Valencia this year, we held our annual River Rally event, where hundreds of volunteers helped clean up a portion of the Santa Clara River. We also held our annual Teen Scene Unplugged and our State of the City luncheon events at the Hyatt Valencia.

In 2008, our City received many prestigious local, national and even international awards, including top honors for being the most business friendly City in Los Angeles, our film and tourism programs, economic development, communications, clean air, excellent budgeting and investment practices and public safety. Our Enterprise Zone program, a special state designation benefiting City-based businesses, has had tremendous success this year with nearly 60 businesses benefiting from tax credit incentives, with vouchers for the Hiring Tax Credit, representing a potential savings of $5.6 million to local businesses within our City.

I want to personally thank each and every one of you who has helped contribute to our City’s incredible successes this year. This is truly a unique partnership among our community, law enforcement, nonprofit agencies, the public, businesses and most importantly, you! Have a wonderful holiday and happy new year!

Best regards,

Ken Pulskamp

November, 2008

Once again, the Los Angeles County Economic Development Corporation (LAEDC) named Santa Clarita as a finalist for the most business friendly city in all of Los Angeles County. This year, the LAEDC created two categories for this award to recognize cities with populations of 50,000 and above and those with 50,000 and under. Santa Clarita was selected as part of the population 50,000 and above category through its demonstration of business-friendly practices such as no business license fee or tax, no utility users’ fee, effective communication with the business community, and the Santa Clarita Enterprise Zone. Santa Clarita was selected from among 88 Los Angeles cities for this recognition.

At the annual League of California Cities conference in September, the City of Santa Clarita's film and tourism programs were recognized for their contributions in economic development with a prestigious Helen Putnam Award of Excellence. This award is given to a handful of California’s 480 cities annually, recognizing outstanding achievements for programs and projects. Santa Clarita’s successes in attracting and supporting the entertainment industry and location filming, in addition to the City's efforts to attract national and international tourism events were lauded as outstanding by the League.

As part of the City’s on-going emergency preparation exercises, on November 7 the City and College of the Canyons will sponsor a free Drive-thru flu shot clinic. The clinic is available to the public from 10:00 am to 12:30 pm in the College of the Canyon Parking lots 7 & 8. This drive-thru flu shot clinic is being done in collaboration with the College of the Canyons, Los Angeles County Department of Public Health, and the Santa Clarita Sheriff's Station. Students from the College’s School of nursing will be administering the flu shots, under the supervision of College of the Canyons nursing instructors and Public Health nurses.

With the one year anniversaries of the I-5 Tunnel Accident and the Buckweed Wild Fire, last month, the City has developed a new system that will allow its residents to subscribe and receive mobile phone text alerts concerning emergencies impacting our community. Residents can now subscribe to automatically receive emergency related text alerts (eAlerts) from the City by simply texting the term "SCEMERGENCY" to 41411 from any mobile phone device and mobile service provider. For added convenience, in lieu of setting this up from your mobile phone residents can also subscribe to this service by visiting the City's website at http://www.santa-clarita.com/emergency. From there you will be able to enter your mobile phone number in the "Text Message Alerts" subscription box located on the right side of the page to set up this important service.

As we enter the busy holiday season, I want to encourage you to take extra care driving around town. It is important that we all keep our speed within the posted limits, and obey all traffic signs. As always, feel free to email me at: kpulskamp@santa-clarita.com

Best regards,

Ken Pulskamp

October, 2008

2008 is another busy year here at City Hall, with so much going on and a lot of work happening in the community. We are right on schedule with the construction of phase IV of the Sports Complex, which will add a new and larger skatepark, a new gymnasium, two outdoor basketball courts and a temporary dog park, with the opening of the skatepark slated for next spring. Progress of the Golden Valley bridge over the Santa Clara river, marking the final phase of the Cross Valley Connector road, is also on schedule and slated for completion late next year.

I wanted to take this opportunity to congratulate two prominent organizations in our community that are celebrating milestones this year. 2008 marks the 15^th anniversary for the Foundation for Children’s Dental Health; the 25^th anniversary for the Santa Clarita Valley Domestic Violence Center and the 40^th anniversary of the Boys and Girls Club. Both of these outstanding organizations provide amazing and vital programs and services to our community that help children and families. Our City supports all of these organizations (and many others as well), and we wish them all of the best in the years to come.

If you are looking for a unique fall experience right here in Santa Clarita, I invite you to join me at the fourth annual Loose Goose Wine Festival, October 2 -5, 2008. This event is one of the most well-produced festivals I've ever attended and has quickly become one of Santa Clarita's most anticipated annual events. What I have really come to appreciate is the variety of distinctive activities event founder Peter Goossens and his team offer, from wine pairing dinners and a golf tournament to live music and wine tasting at the main festival at Bridgeport Park. I am proud to say that since its inception the Loose Goose Wine Festival has become the largest wine event in Southern California attracting more than 7,500 attendees in 2007, of which a majority visited from regional destinations to enjoy the festival and other local attractions. Make a weekend of it and enjoy this one-of-a-kind escape in your own backyard. Tickets are already on sale and the week's events are filing up quickly. Get your tickets at LooseGooseWineFestival.com or call (661) 799-9463 (WINE) for more information.

Thank you for your interest in Santa Clarita. I appreciate your taking time to learn more about what is happening in our great City.

Best regards,
Ken Pulskamp

September, 2008

Hello! Fall is definitely event time here in Santa Clarita, with a wide variety of family-friendly and interesting programs planned.

On September 20, from 8 a.m. to 11 a.m., the City will host its award-winning River Rally Cleanup & Environmental Expo! The event is expected to draw large numbers of volunteers interested in helping remove trash and debris from the Santa Clara River. This year, volunteers will be cleaning up the portion of the river located in Valencia near the Wiley Canyon bridge. The City will provide volunteers with lunch and a gift in appreciation of their service to the community. River Rally is always a popular event for local scout troops, clubs, and other community service organizations. More information is available through the City of Santa Clarita’s Environmental Services Division at (661) 286-4098 or online at santa-clarita.com.

In an effort to help families with teens, the City of Santa Clarita is proud to present its Teen Scene Unplugged on Wednesday, September 24, 2008 beginning at 7 p.m. at the Hyatt Valencia Grand Ballroom. Sponsored by the Blue Ribbon Task Force, Teen Scene Unplugged is an exciting, interactive seminar where parents can learn to engage their teens another in meaningful conversation about important issues, specifically in the electronic age. This year’s theme is: “Understanding the Teen Brain,” and features Tina Bryson, Ph.D. There is also a Resource Fair at the Hyatt from 6 to 7 p.m. For more information about Teen Scene Unplugged, or about the Blue Ribbon Task Force, please contact Tess Simgen, at (661) 255-4965 or visit santa-clarita.com.

The City of Santa Clarita is proud to present the 2008 Santa Clarita Street Art Festival in Old Town Newhall, on September 27 and 28! The free outdoor festival will feature live music, arts and crafts, great food, and amazing street art exhibits! Free of charge, the festival is a component of the City’s effort to revitalize the Downtown Newhall area. The City will turn the streets of Old Town Newhall into a vibrant pedestrian-based City center, with eclectic shops, restaurants, and entertainment venues. The Santa Clarita Street Art Festival is one of the programs the City hopes to set up in Downtown Newhall throughout the year. Guests will enjoy amazing sidewalk chalk art created by professional artists, as well as live music, entertainment and host activities for adults and children. For more information, please contact the City Arts and Events Office at (661) 286-4018 or visit the website at www.streetartfest.com.

Finally, it is my pleasure to cordially invite you to attend our annual State of the City Luncheon event on September 17 at 11:30 a.m. at the Hyatt Grand Ballroom. We have an interesting program planned and one I’m sure you will enjoy. Your $30 gets you a great lunch and a special, commemorative gift. More information is available at www.santa-clarita.com or by calling the City at 661-255-4939. Please RSVP soon to guarantee yourself a seat.

I hope that you and your family take the opportunity to attend these exciting community events. Thank you for your interest in the City of Santa Clarita. It’s because of the tremendous involvement and support of our community that Santa Clarita continues to be one of the best places to live, work and play!

Sincerely,

Ken Pulskamp