City Council doesn’t meet this week. Other committees meet to consider establishing a Department of Housing and Human Services, the return of speed humps, and $44 million in Measure Z dollars to fund a new police headquarters.
Welcome to our weekly digest on public meetings and agenda items worthy of your attention in the next week. This guide is part of our mission to provide everyday Riversiders like you with the information to speak up on the issues you care about.
City Council
There is no City Council meeting this week. The next Council meeting will be Tuesday, August 15, 2023.
Human Resources Board
The Human Resources Board meets Monday, August 7, at 5:00 p.m. There are no agenda items for discussion. Instead, the Board will hear a presentation on the Fire Department’sDepartment’s staffing and budget from Chief Moore.
Futrell is pitching this new department to “better meet the operation needs and demands associated with the Homelessness Action Plan” and “the City’s need and obligation to build housing.” Futrell is taking this pitch to the City’s different boards and committees on the road to proposing a Department of Housing and Human Services to the full City Council for discussion.
Mobility and Infrastructure Committee
The Mobility and Infrastructure Committee will meet Thursday, August 10 at 1 p.m.
Ceremonial Street Renaming
Councilmember Perry is proposing a ceremonial renaming of Price Court to Winek Court in honor of the Winek family, who were killed in their home in South La Sierra last November. Before his time as a baseball and softball coach at Arlington High School, Mark Winek coached at La Sierra High School, where he and his wife, Sharie, actively participated in the Parent Teacher Association.
Speed Humps and Street Murals
Traffic Engineer Philip Nitollama will present proposed revisions to the Neighborhood Traffic Management Program (NTMP), including reintroducing speed humps and initiating a Temporary Art Crosswalk and Pavement Mural Pilot Program as local street secondary mitigation measures.
Background:
Speed humps were discontinued as a traffic calming measure in Riverside in 2014 due to concerns like traffic diversion, noise, cost, and emergency vehicle delays. However, the City has continued to receive numerous requests for speed humps.
The City proposes reinstating speed humps, with modified qualifying criteria to focus their use on streets with high traffic volumes and significant speeding. This plan aims to manage costs while addressing resident requests.
The City also proposes a Temporary Art Crosswalk and Pavement Mural Pilot Program to increase pedestrian safety, inspire community involvement, and align with the City’sCity’s vision for public art.
If awarded, a grant from the Bloomberg Philanthropies Asphalt Art Initiative could provide funding for the art crosswalk/mural pilot program.
Airport Commission
The Airport Commission will meet Thursday, August 10, at 3 p.m. to hear the Airport Manager’s Operations and Activity Report. Airport operations from January-June 2023 are up 4.8% compared to the same period in 2022; June 2023 operations were up 10.7% over June 2022.
Budget Engagement Commission Commission
The Budget Engagement Commission Commission will meet Thursday, August 10, at 5 p.m. to hear a Measure Z Spending Plan Overview. Noteworthy items include $44 million for new police headquarters, $8 million annually for road repaving, and $2,5 million to accelerate the trimming cycle for street trees.
The City Council is in the process of selecting an Interim City Attorney, while the Governmental Process Committee will soon be reviewing a proposal to end phone-in public comment options for city meetings.
The Human Relations Commission will discuss calling on the City Council to retain the commemorative flag policy, which it repealed last week, in a memo "to express its deep disappointment" in the Council.
