Hesperia Horizon

HESPERIA HORIZON 1www.cityofhesperia.us

Hesperia HorizonVolume 15 Issue 3Fall 2015

Be Aware & Be Prepared October 19-24, 2015 is Flood Preparedness Week which makes October an ideal time to plan for storm season. What comes to mind when you think about El Nino storms? Blowing winds, hammering rains, flash flooding and power outages should be among everyone’s chief concerns. California resi-dents are no strangers to disaster, but when was the last time you re-evaluated your disaster readiness? The National Weather Service has stated that there is a 95% chance that El Nino will continue through our region for the 2015-16 winter season. Are you ready?

Hesperia has been a designated StormReady Community since 2004. StormReady is a voluntary nationwide program that helps communities to better protect their citizens during severe weather events. Hesperia accomplishes this through:

• Establishment of an Emergency Operations Center;

• Having the capability to alert residents of severe storms in more than one manner. Hesperia notifies residents via the City website, social media accounts, alerts on local radio stations, alerts via text message and mass phone calls;

• Promotion of public readiness through the sup-port of outreach education and programs.

Residents can prepare for weather related and other types of disasters the following ways:

• If your area is prone to flooding, have a supply of sandbags, plastic sheeting, plywood, and nails available;

• Store three days’ worth of food and water;

• Keep basic supplies in a “go bag” that can be easily carried should you need to leave your home quickly;

• Enroll in Hesperia’s Community Emergency Response Team (CERT)program to learn basic

response skills;

• Follow the City of Hesperia on Facebook or Twitter for information about road closures, evacuation centers and other emergency alerts.

In the event of flooding remember to “turn around, don’t drown”. Never drive in areas where flood-water covers the road. Drivers that become stranded in vehicles in swift moving water are encouraged to stay in their vehicles until it is safe to exit. Residents are reminded to stay away from downed power lines and watch for dangerous debris

floating in floodwaters. It is important to stay away from damaged areas unless police, fire, city or relief organizations have requested your assistance.

Ahead of storm season, reach out to elderly or homebound friends and relatives to ensure they are prepared. For more information about emergency preparedness or Hesperia’s CERT program, visit www.cityofhesperia.us or call 760.947.1245.

HESPERIA HORIZON 2 www.cityofhesperia.us

The City of Hesperia is proud to partner with the Hesperia Unified School District, Hesperia Police Station and Hesperia Rec-reation & Park District for Safety First: Bicyclist & Pedestrian Safety Awareness Campaign. This dynamic outreach program officially kicks off in October 2015 and is aimed at educating elementary and middle school students on bicyclist and pedestrian safety. The program was developed with the understanding that education is a key to increasing safety of our youngest residents as they walk and bike throughout our com-munity. Safety First places an emphasis on incorporating real life safety applications into community events, developing an-nual educational assemblies for elemen-tary schools, and placing key messaging throughout the community. Safety First also harnesses the creativity of Hesperia Jr. High School audio/visual students to help pro-duce educational videos for elementary school audiences.

Join us in kicking off this campaign on Saturday, October 17 from 10am - 2pm in the Hesperia Civic Plaza Park for a Health & Safety Fair. The free family event will features educational opportunities and fun for the entire family. For more informa-tion about this program or event, please contact the Public Information Office at 760.947.1020.

Safety First: Bicyclist & Pedestrian Safety Awareness Campaign

Trick-or-Treat at the Civic Plaza ParkHesperia ushers in Halloween with hot-rods, trick-or-treating and carnival games at this year’s Hotrod Halloween Fall Festival. Scheduled on October 31, 2015 from 2pm - 5pm in the Hesperia Civic Plaza Park, this family friendly event will feature live entertainment, food vendors, a costume parade and Halloween candy! Kick off your Halloween evening right by stopping by to show off your ghoulish or glamorous costumes. Classic car owners are encour-aged to join in the fun and participate in the truck-or-treat. Visit www.hesperiaparks.com for more information.

HESPERIA HORIZON 3www.cityofhesperia.us

On April 1, 2015, Hesperia Animal Control began using Chameleon, a new software program that auto-mates both field and shelter operations. After evaluating more than 30 available programs, Chameleon was chosen because it allows an animal to be tracked in the system from the time the initial call is re-ceived by the dispatcher, through the field unit, shelter and final outcome of where the animal is placed.

The Chameleon program interfaces with the online peth-arbor.com program to allow those with internet access to view animals that have been brought into the shelter as well as view lost or adoptable animals. Chameleon assists field officers by providing additional information to officers who are responding to a call for service or assistance. Of-ficers can quickly and easily access information remotely before arriving at a property. Through using the software, staff has found that lost animals have been retrieved by owners in as little as two hours from the time the pet was picked up by Animal Control Officers.

Please visit www.petharbor.com to see animals available for adoption or to report a lost pet. Please remember that all dogs must be licensed. Please help control the pet population by spaying and neutering your pets.

Calling All Volunteers!

Hesperia Animal Shelter Adopts New Software

Volunteers are needed for Community Cleanup Day scheduled for Saturday, October 24 from 8am - 12 noon. Community Cleanup volunteers pick up trash and debris throughout the community, restor-ing our desert to its natural beauty. Volunteers are supplied with event t-shirts, bags and gloves. This is a great volunteer opportunity for families, businesses, service groups and students. Registration forms are available on the City website at www.cityofhespe-ria.us/clean-up.

HESPERIA HORIZON 4 www.cityofhesperia.usHESPERIA HORIZON 4

Contact InformationAdopt-a-Street ..............................760-947-1589Advance Disposal .........................760-244-9773Animal Control ..............................760-947-1700Business Licenses ...........................760-947-1315Chamber of Commerce ..............760-244-2135City Hall ..........................................760-947-1000Code Enforcement .......................760-947-1343Economic Development ..............760-947-1909Graffiti Hotline ................................760-947-1600Job Line ..........................................760-947-1100Public Works ...................................760-947-1400 (after hours) ................................760-947-1400Water Billing ...................................760-947-1840Water Conservation Hotline..........760-947-1601We-TIP ........................................... 800-78-CRIMEPolice (non-emergency) ..............760-947-1553Fire (non-emergency) ...................760-947-8023Emergency ..................................................9-1-1

Staff Box:VOLUME 15, NUMBER 3The Hesperia Horizon is published by the City of Hesperia.CITY COUNCIL MEMBERSEric Schmidt, MayorBill Holland, Mayor Pro TemRuss Blewett, Council MemberMike Leonard, Council MemberPaul Russ, Council MemberCITY MANAGERMike PodegraczEDITORRachel Molina, Public Information OfficerCONTRIBUTORSApril Antonio, Administrative AideSuzanne Edson, Animal Control SupervisorLisa LaMere, Management AnalystJuli Rull, Senior Management Analyst Jennifer Shove, Administrative AnalystDan Sousa, Environmental Programs Coordinator

9700 Seventh Avenue Hesperia, California 92345 (760) 947-1000www.cityofhesperia.usPrinted on Recycled Paper

www.cityofhesperia.us

Do You Know What Green Waste Is?

You may have heard talk about green waste, but what exactly does that mean? Green waste is grass, leaves, weeds and trimmings from trees and foliage; during the Spring and Fall seasons, this type of waste is especially prominent in resi-dential trash collection.

The City’s waste hauler, Advance Disposal, offers a generous green waste program that allows residents to separate their green waste simply by bagging it and placing it in their normal residen-tial tan carts. Once it arrives at the Materials Re-covery Facility (MRF), the material is then ground to be used for a variety of purposes such as com-post, mulch or even ground cover at the landfill. By returning this green waste to the earth, we not only help to divert a significant amount of mate-rial from the landfill, but we can also provide a healthy and natural material for plants and help break down other recyclable materials.

Have a lot of excess green waste? Single-family residential customers who have excess green waste may schedule one-week in advance for a special pick up for extra green waste. The requirements of an excess green waste pick up are:

• Excess green waste must be placed at curbside alongside the regular tan carts on the same day as the customer’s regular residential service.

• Green waste must be securely bundled and tied or placed in tied plastic bags.

• Each bundle may not be longer than four (4) feet and no larger than sixteen (16) inches in diameter and weigh no more than fifty pounds.

As you can see, it’s very easy to properly dispose of any excess green waste you might have. By properly disposing of green waste, we can all help keep our desert clean and beautiful.

Still have questions? Call (760) 947-1019 to speak with the City’s Environmental Programs Coordi-nator about this and other programs available to Hesperia residents.

HESPERIA HORIZON 5www.cityofhesperia.us HESPERIA HORIZON 5

A Message from the City Manager

www.cityofhesperia.us

Like many longtime residents of the Mojave River Valley, I truly love au-tumn in the desert. The crisp morning air, beautiful clear skies and vibrant sunsets are unmatched in Southern California. As summer gives way to shorter days and cooler weather, Hesperia is buzzing with activities for individuals and families alike. This issue of the Hesperia Horizon highlights some of these activities: from the Health & Safety Fair to the Victor Valley Bicycle Tour, from the Desert Rocks Film & Music Festival to Community Cleanup Day, our schedules are chock full of fun. Autumn is an excellent time to enjoy the great outdoors as well as the perfect opportunity to take advantage of the mild weather to plan for the upcoming storm season. As you prepare to set your clocks back, be sure to check the batteries in your smoke detectors, adjust your sprinklers, and insulate outdoor pipes ahead of cooler weather.

Now that school is back in session, families have the perfect opportunity to talk with their children about bicyclist and pedestrian safety. Knowledge of traffic signals, road hazards and the use of safety precautions can help children to gain a better understanding of pe-destrian and bicyclist traffic safety. This year’s Health & Safety Fair will feature a bicycle safety rodeo aimed at teaching children how to look for traffic, how to read traffic signs and signals and how to dress to be seen by drivers.

In closing, as this is my last message to you in the Horizon, I would like to let you, the citizens of Hesperia know how much I have enjoyed serving as your City Manager, and what an honor it has been. Together, we have accomplished amazing things in these last 10 years. Major infrastructure projects such as the Ranchero Underpass and Ranchero Interchange were completed and major public facilities that included City Hall; the Hesperia Branch Library; the new Police Station; the Public Works facility; the Civic Plaza Park; and Fire Station 305 were all constructed during this time. New retail establishments such as High Desert Gateway anchored by the Super Target; Hesperia Market Place anchored by Walmart; Cinema West Movie Theater; and the Courtyard by Marriott and Springhill Suites all brought new shopping, dining, entertainment and lodging opportunities to the community.

Your City Council and staff are extremely devoted to Hesperia, and I have been extremely fortunate to have been a member of this team. Thank you again, and Happy Holidays.

HESPERIA HORIZON 6

Hesperia ProgressEconomic Development

www.cityofhesperia.us

Hesperia ProgressEconomic Development

High Desert consumers searching for a retailer of basic maintenance products for home, land, pet and animal owners, will soon look no further than Hesperia with the addition of the only Tractor Supply Com-pany (TSC) store in the region. On August 13, 2015, Hesperia celebrated the groundbreaking of Tractor Supply’s 18,800 square-foot store on a 3.5 acre site located at the southeast corner of Main Street and Mesa Linda. TSC, the largest rural lifestyle retail store chain in the United States, anticipates opening their Hesperia store in January 2016.

“Hesperia has worked to create a pro-business climate that is revitalizing the current economic recovery,” said City Manager Mike Podegracz. “Residents will benefit from the added retail options that Tractor Sup-ply will provide as well as new employment opportunities and sales tax revenue to the City of Hesperia,” he added.

In 1938, Tractor Supply was founded as a mail order catalog. Today, Tractor Supply Company, headquar-tered in Tennessee, has annual sales in excess of $5.5 billion. More than 1,400 TSC stores can be found in 49 states, employing more than 21,000 team members.

Tractor Supply is sure to be a big hit with High Desert residents who will find a broad selection of merchan-dise for equine, livestock, pet and small animal products, including items necessary for their health, care, growth and containment; hardware, truck, towing and tool products; seasonal products, including heat-ing, lawn and garden items, power equipment, gifts and toys; work/recreational clothing and footwear; and maintenance products for agricultural and rural use.

“The City of Hesperia offers a warm welcome to this distinctive retailer, who will fill an under-served de-mand,” said Steven Lantsberger, Director of Economic Development for Hesperia. “Hesperia’s new Trac-tor Supply is strategically located on Main Street between I-15 and Highway 395 within close proximity to residents in Hesperia, Oak Hills, Phelan, Wrightwood, Pinon Hills and other areas of the High Desert whose lifestyles and retail needs are representative of TSC’s core customer base,” he added.For more informa-tion about retail opportunities in the City of Hesperia contact the Director of Economic Development at 760.947.1906.

National Retailer Breaks Ground in Hesperia

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Hesperia ProgressEconomic Development

www.cityofhesperia.us HORIZON 7

Hesperia ProgressEconomic Development

Neighborhood S tabilization Program Update

The City of Hesperia has recently funded approximately $100,000.00 in home improvement loans and grants this fiscal year. The Housing Rehabilitation Loan Program (HRLP) is a zero percent interest loan avail-able for code deficiencies, health and safety issues, handicap accessibility, home improvement, sewer connection and septic repairs. HRLP loans are available starting at $10,000 with a maximum of $30,000.

Applicants must: income qualify (see Moderate Income chart), have sufficient equity in property to secure City’s loan, have good credit history and own and occupy the residence.

If you are interested in a smaller project, don’t have equity in your home or have a reverse mortgage, the City also offers a $5,000 forgivable loan through the Minor Home Repair Program, as well as a $2,000 grant through the Energy Efficiency Rehabilitation Program (EERP).

Contact jshove@cityofhesperia.us or 760.947.1900. Program guidelines and applications can also be found at www.cityofhesperia.us/housing.

Number of Persons in Household

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

Moderate Income $34,800 $39,800 $44,750 $49,700 $53,700 $57,700 $61,650 $65,650

Moderate Income Limits 2015

Home Improvement Financing Now Available

Through Hesperia’s Neighborhood Stabilization Program (NSP), the City currently has one residential prop-erty listed for sale. A waiting list is not maintained for any of the properties—they are available for sale on a first-come, first-served basis.

Due to NSP requirements, this property must be sold to a household that makes 50% of the Area Median Income (AMI) or less. Please refer to the table to see if you income qualify. For example, a household of four cannot have a household income greater than $31,050.

If you meet the income eligibility limits and are interested in viewing this property, please have your agent or broker call 760.947.1900. Updates on properties the City has for sale or lease will be provided in future issues of the Hesperia Horizon.

Low Income Limits 2015

Number of Persons in Household

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

Low Income $21,750 $24,850 $27,950 $31,050 $33,550 $36,050 $38,550 $41,000

Postal Patron

Hesperia, CA

PRSRT STDU.S. POSTAGE

PAIDPermit # 84

Victorville, CA

City of Hesperia9700 Seventh Avenue

Hesperia, CA 92345

Hesperia HappeningsOctober

17 Health & Safety Fair Civic Plaza Park 15833 Smoke Tree Street10am - 2pm

17 Desert Rocks Film & Music FestivalCinema West Theaters & Civic Plaza Park10am - 6:30pm

24 Victor Valley Bicycle Tour 24 Community Clean-up Day 24 Free Community Shred

City Hall - 9700 Seventh Avenue8:00am

24 Tire Amnesty DayHeld at Advance Disposal from 8am - 12pm.

31 Hotrod Halloween & Fall FestivalCivic Plaza Park: 2pm - 5pm

November 1 Daylight Saving Time Ends11 City Offices Closed for Veteran’s Day

26 - 27 City Offices Closed for Thanksgiving

December3 Annual Tree Lighting Ceremony

Civic Plaza ParkVisit www.hesperiaparks.com for event information.

Regular Meetings -Meeting agendas are available for review on the City’s website at www.cityofhesperia.us.

City Council 6:30 pmCity Hall1stand 3rd Tuesday of each month

Planning Commission 6:30 pmCity Hall2nd Thursday of each month

City Council Advisory 6:00 pmCity Hall2nd Wednesday of January, April, July and October

Public Safety Advisory Committee 6:00 pmCity Hall2nd Tuesday of January, April, July and October