Help to Control Feral Cat Population

We spotted this nice write-up this week over at "The Animal Advocate Blog" about spay/neuter options available in Solano County for both pet and feral cat populations.

Here's a bit of the post:

The Solano Feral Cat/ TNR Task Force works tirelessly to humanely reduce the huge overpopulation of homeless cats, both tame and feral, living in Solano County.

Thousands of cats and kittens are euthanized in our county shelter every year because there are just not enough homes for them all. Cats reproduce very quickly, and are pregnant for only about 8 weeks. Cats also become pregnant while still nursing a previous litter. The time is NOW to spay and neuter your pets.

We offer weekly appointments to out of county low cost spay/neuter clinics, and transportation is provided. Depending on which clinic we have openings for on any given week, and depending on the sex of the cat, spay and neuter prices range from $20-$45. Carriers are also available to loan, free of charge, if needed.

>>READ MORE HERE>>

Suisun City Pursuing Federal Neigborhood Stabilization Funds

FRIDAY HEARING TO COLLECT INPUT ON HOW FUNDING IS USED

In partnership with four other local cities and Solano County, Suisun City is applying for federal Neighborhood Stabilization Program (NSP) Funding that is being distributed by the State of California. The State has received $145 million it is distributing to local agencies.

This funding is designed to help government agencies address the challenges posed by home foreclosures in their communities. For nearly a year, Suisun City has worked proactively on the foreclosure issue, including using $3.4 million in local affordable housing funds to establish a First-Time Home Buyers Assistance / Foreclosure Eradication Program.

Suisun City is applying for approximately $665,000 in NSP funds. The program is designed to:

• Establish financing mechanisms for the purchase and redevelopment of foreclosed homes and residential properties;
• Purchase and rehabilitate homes and residential properties that have been abandoned or foreclosed upon, in order to sell, rent or redevelop them;
• Establish land banks for foreclosed homes;
• Demolish blighted structures; and
• Redevelop demolished or vacant properties.
  

The first step in this process is a Public Hearing on the design of the local program to determine how the funding should be used. The public's input is important to help guide upcoming policy decisions that could impact the community.

The hearing is set for

Friday January 30, 2009
3:30 p.m.
Three Oaks Community Center
1100 Alamo Drive, Vacaville

Local action by the Suisun City Council is required to submit the application.

>>Click here for the full public notice>>

Redevelopment Agency Closes First Home Buyer Loan

FIRST-TIME BUYER ASSISTANCE PROGRAM TARGETS FORECLOSED HOMES

SUISUN CITY — Escrow closed this week on the first foreclosed home to be purchased through the Suisun City Redevelopment Agency’s First-Time Homebuyer Assistance / Foreclosure Eradication Program.

“We are moving quickly and aggressively to address this challenge in our community,” said Mayor Pete Sanchez. “I was delighted when I heard this first deal closed.”

Suisun City, which has a population of 27,950, committed $3.4 million in local affordable housing funds to underwrite about 100 down payment assistance loans for first-time home buyers of foreclosed properties. The loans can be worth up to 25% of the value of the property.

The program provides equity share loans on which the homeowner makes no payments. The Agency recovers the principal it invested and shares in any equity appreciation in the home upon future sale.

The Agency has received more than 108 inquiries and qualified 12 homebuyers who have 60 days purchase a home. Four additional homebuyers are in escrow with the help of a Suisun City down-payment loan.

“I’m very pleased with all the hard work that has gone into making this a successful program,” said City Manager Suzanne Bragdon. “We’re moving very rapidly to make a real impact on our foreclosure challenges and preserving the quality of our neighborhoods.”

The First-time Homebuyer Assistance / Foreclosure Eradication Program was designed to provide homeownership opportunities for qualifying families while helping to address the glut of vacant homes on the market as a result of the broader foreclosure crisis. The City Council, sitting as the Redevelopment Agency Board, wanted to move quickly without waiting to see what federal and state programs may be developed.

For more information on the program, visit www.suisun.com/ed.html or call 707-421-7307.

The down payment assistance program is one proactive step Suisun City has taken to buffer the impact of the broad national financial crisis, others include:

• City Council created the Foreclosure Task Force to investigate how to work directly with financially distressed homeowners
• The Task Force and Economic Development Department sponsored two community workshops
• The Agency launched Foreclosed Home Rehabilitation Program in partnership with local home builders
• The Agency launched Neighborhood Reinvestment Program offering matching grants up to $2,500 to make “curb appeal” improvements for homeowners to upgrade their homes and assist first-time homebuyers
• The City initiated revision to City’s Nuisance Ordinance to hold banks accountable for condition of foreclosed properties
• The City initiated application for approximately $665,000 in federal Neighborhood Stabilization Program funds through the state
  

E-Waste Event Benefitted Suisun City Community

A HUGE SUCCESS! THANK YOU!

Dan O. Root II Elementary School held its first Free E-Waste Recycling event on Saturday and Sunday. While Suisun City has held community clean-up days for various neighborhoods, this was the first e-waste recycling event we've had in Suisun City for the general public. It will definitely not be the last.

The event had several goals: raise money for the school, remove e-waste for free, and collect food for the Solano Contra Costa Food Bank and coats for One Warm Coat Project.

The final statistics are still being compiled, but it's clear from the early figures that your response was fantastic, and your generosity was tremendous! Here are some specifics:

• $2,000 donated to Dan O. Root's PTO for student computer equipment
  
• Seven truck loads of e-waste
• Approx. 34,000 pounds of TVs, computer monitors and other devices with cathode tubes
• Approx. 20,000 pound of other e-waste
• Four barrels (that's 400 pounds) of food for the Food Bank. Enough to feed 300 people!
• Approx. 250 coats and other clothing items for One Warm Coat
  

Thank you so much for helping to keep electronic waste out of California's landfills and from being dumped illegally along local roads! Your outpouring of support for organizations that help the most needy among us also was fantastic.

Thank you Dan O. Root II Elementary School & PTO for sponsoring and hosting this important community event. Of course, thanks to Universal Waste Management for running the operation and handling all the e-waste.

We'll keep you posted about additional e-waste events as they are planned!

Office Developer Gets LEED Certification

Early on in the rebuilding of the Suisun City Waterfront District, the Wiseman Company bought into the vision with a major investment in One Harbor Center, a fantastic office building overlooking the Suisun City Waterfront. Wiseman also developed 333 Sunset, an office complex in the Sunset Avenue/Highway 12 Commercial Hub.

Last week, this item appeared in the Woodland Daily Democrat announcing Wiseman's Director of Properties has been certified as a LEED accredited professional.

Here's the Daily Democrat's piece headlined "Wiseman Company Goes Green":

Doyle Wiseman, CEO of The Wiseman Company, announced today that Elliot Jorgensen, Director of Properties, has been certified as a LEED accredited professional. LEED, or Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, is a building standard created by the United States Green Building Council. LEED buildings go above and beyond city, state or federal building standards to emphasize energy efficiency and environmental design that promotes healthy and sustainable infrastructure and communities.

Elliot has been the Wiseman Company's Director of Properties since January 2008. As a LEED AP, he now has an in-depth knowledge of the LEED system and will begin applying that to The Wiseman Company's current portfolio of buildings. As the head of the Wiseman Company's property management department, Elliot has worked to "green" the properties that he manages through the installation of window film, new building energy management systems and new, highly-efficient lighting systems.

The Wiseman Company LLC is a Fairfield-based, full-service commercial real estate firm offering brokerage, development, investment and management services to Solano, Napa and Yolo counties.

Learn About Military Options at Suisun City Library

The Suisun City Library is sponsoring the following event:

Military Options
Before enlisting, listen to a minister, a financial advisor and a couple of active service members.

Thursday January 29, 2009
6-8 p.m.

Suisun City Library
601 Pintail Drive
1-866-57-ASKUS
solanolibrary.com

Serving our nation in the military is an important and noble decision. This informational session is meant to help young people understand how military life works.

Judge Upholds Suisun City's Wal-Mart Approval

THE PROJECT COMPLIES WITH ALL STATE AND LOCAL REQUIREMENTS

SUISUN CITY — Solano County Superior Court Judge Paul L. Beeman has issued a final ruling that the City of Suisun City fulfilled every legal obligation when the City Council considered and approved the Walters Road West Project, which is proposed to house a Wal-Mart Supercenter.

Judge Beeman issued his decision on Wednesday.

“We are very pleased to have this litigation behind us, and look forward to this project’s moving forward,” said City Manager Suzanne Bragdon.

The proposed Wal-Mart Supercenter is expected to help Suisun City capture much-needed sales tax dollars that City residents currently spend in other communities. Suisun City currently sees approximately 70 percent of sales tax available from its residents leak to other communities.

“Every time Suisun City residents spend sales tax in another community, they are helping to pave that city’s streets and protect that city’s residents,” City Manager Bragdon said. “We want Suisun City residents to buy the goods and services they need in Suisun City, so that those tax dollars can benefit our neighborhoods.”

On February 12, 2008, the Suisun City Council unanimously approved the environmental studies and application for the Walters Road Project. The approval included a determination that this project will not negatively impact any Travis Air Force Base operations.

“We are very pleased that Judge Beeman’s review of this case supports the diligent work by our staff and consultants to comply with every state and local regulation, including 1,600 pages of analysis,” City Manager Bragdon said.

>>Click here to read the judge's full ruling>>

Suisun City Soccer Player Named All-American

The Vallejo Times-Herald ran a story this morning announcing that Katie Knopp of Suisun City was honored this past weekend as a Junior College All-American.

This from the article by Derek Wilson:

Whether it's crunch time, show time, or time for a change, Katie Knopp doesn't rattle easily.

The Suisun native was a stalwart forward with the Solano Community College women's soccer team for two years, leading the Falcons to a 30-10-4 record and back-to-back Bay Valley Conference titles. Solano lost to Modesto on penalty kicks in the second round of the 2008 regional playoffs.

She celebrated that accomplishment Saturday by calmly taking the stage in St. Louis along with all the other junior college All-America honorees to accept her award. Knopp was a second-team selection.

"Thank goodness I didn't have to give a speech," Knopp joked.

She begins a new segment of her life this week, but Knopp is cool as ever as she moves from her parents' home to on-campus housing at San Jose State University. She'll join a rebuilding Spartans program under second-year head coach Jeff Leightman for the fall season while she works toward her business degree.

>>Here's the link to the whole article>>
>>Here's the press release from the National Soccer Coaches Association>>

Supporting Our Economic Partners

Moving redevelopment projects forward during a time of economic turmoil is one of the most challenging aspects of any long-term effort.

Since 1989, Suisun City has rebuilt the Waterfront District into a terrific regional destination. We've seen many successes:

• Established restaurants with solid regional reputations,
• A new hotel expected to open this summer,
• Harbor Square, with 40,000 square feet of restaurant, retail and office space, is nearly complete, and
  
• Totally unique Class A office space overlooking a scenic marina yet just a short walk from the nation's third busiest commuter rail line.

But there is more to be done.

Since 2005, the Suisun City Redevelopment Agency has worked with Main Street West Partners to convert 13 long-vacant parcels into active restaurant, retail, office, residential and live-work uses. We are looking at more than 60,000 square feet of new restaurant and retail space, plus more than 32,000 square feet of office space. This is a true public/private partnership in which each party builds on the strengths and resources of the other to create a strong economic engine for the entire community.

On Tuesday, the Redevelopment Agency Board took steps to better position our Waterfront District to take advantage of the future recovery from the current nationwide economic challenge. We will spend $722,000 to buy back parcels previously sold to Main Street West Partners, and provide a $500,000 line of credit against future proceeds of housing units to be built within the Waterfront District. (The original agreement required Main Street West Partners to provide this money to assist new businesses as the new homes were sold.)

This will have three major benefits:

• All the parcels originally owned by the Redevelopment Agency will remain within its control.
• It will allow Main Street West partners to work with private investors and banks to secure financing to proceed with planning other parts of the project.
• Main Street West Partners will have access to cash to help lease existing space within Harbor Square.
  

Main Street West Partners has secured approvals to build a second retail, restaurant and office building on Main Street across from Harbor Square, a two-story restaurant on Solano Street and the Promenade, and a 16 home subdivision on Lotz Way east of Civic Center Blvd. When the economy rebounds, those parcels will be sold back to Main Street West and the projects are ready to go.

During this slack time in the housing market, Main Street West Partners can work on the process of entitling the former Crystal Middle School site on Cordelia Road and vacant land along Civic Center Boulevard for future housing. When demand for new housing returns, those projects would be ready to build.

We've worked our way through several recessions in the past. We are confident we will successfully navigate this one, too. When the recovery comes, we're determined to be ready to pounce.

Free E-Waste Event at Dan O. Root II Elementary

DISPOSE OF ALL ELECTRONICS FREE JAN. 24 & 25

Dan O. Root II Elementary School is hosting a free electronic waste collection event open to all businesses and residents of California. The event will run from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday Jan. 24 and Sunday Jan. 25, rain or shine.

Root Elementary is located at 820 Harrier Dr., Suisun City, 94585. Click for map>>

The event is being co-sponsored by Root Elementary, City of Suisun City, Solano County and Universal Waste Management, Inc.

To better serve the community Universal Waste is combining their E-waste drop-off events with a Food Drive & Coat Drive. So while you are cleaning out your garage of your old TV’s and computer monitors, grab a couple of non-perishable food items to donate to your food bank and a clean old coat you do not use to donate to one warm coat.

The state approved collector and recycler will take your old televisions, monitors, computers, VCRs, DVD players, fax, printing & copy machines. They will also accept cables, power cords, toner cartridges, cell phones, keyboards, mice, audio, visual and telephone equipment for 100% environmentally friendly recycling.

Large household appliances, batteries and fluorescent light bulbs will not be acceptable; however microwave ovens can be dropped off for a $5.00 recycling fee.

This event is a fund-raiser for Dan O Root Elementary School,so although not required, donations will be accepted and greatly appreciated.

It cannot be more convenient to do the right thing and dispose of these old electronic items correctly! Drive through the parking lot, pop your trunk, the UnWaste team will lift the old electronic equipment out, and you drive on your way. You don’t even have to get out of your car!

It is free, convenient, and the right thing to do. So come on out and help us save the planet, feed some people in need give free warm coats to families across the country and raise money for a great cause. We hope to see you there because together “Yes we Can” make a difference!

For detail’s about this event or an event near you visit www.unwaste.com or call (888) 832-9839.

City Council Approves New Recycling Containers

COMMINGLED RECYCLING CARTS COMING THIS SPRING

Get ready to say good-bye to your orange recycling tub, and hello to a rolling cart large enough to handle all your household recycling needs.

On Tuesday, the Suisun City Council amended the solid waste contract with Solano Garbage Company to provides 65-gallon recycling carts for each single-family home in the City with no increase in garbage rates.

Solano Garbage also will assist the Code Enforcement Division with four community clean-up events each year, double the two events they help with now.

The agreement allows regular rate increases using the same formula currently in place.

The larger containers, which would replace the 14-gallon orange tubs residents now use, allow easier handling of recyclables, as well as the ability to commingle recyclables. For example, newspaper, bottles and cans could all be placed together in one container for collection.

This service level would be similar to what is available in Fairfield and other communities in the area.

Over the next several months, Solano Garbage and City staff will meet to discuss how the new containers will be distributed, and how residents will be more fully educated about the new service. We expect the new carts to be put into service sometime this spring.

For some time, residents have asked for larger containers with some type of lid to allow them to recycle more items and keep them from being blown around their neighborhoods by Suisun City's trademark winds.

Stay tuned for more details.

'Sylvia' creator to speak in Suisun

Spotted this at TheReporter.com and thought we'd pass it along:

Nicole Hollander, creator of the "Sylvia" comic strip, will be the guest speaker at the 2009 Women's History Month Luncheon March 18 in Suisun City.

In addition to her presentation, Hollander will sign copies of her most recent book, "Tales of Graceful Aging from the Planet Denial."

The event, sponsored by the Solano County Library Foundation, begins at 11:30 a.m. in the Joseph A. Nelson Community Center.

For more information, contact Ruth Begell at 421-8075 or e-mail libraryfoundation@sbcglobal.net

We're working on a new calendar feature to make it easier to share these types of events happening in our community.