NEWS

From the County of San Bernardino

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

April 4, 2000

For more information, contact

County Public Information Officer David Wert

(909) 387-4082

dwert@cao.co.san-bernardino.ca.us

Supervisors address courts, Chavez holiday & shots

The following are highlights from today’s meeting of the San Bernardino County Board of Supervisors:

Victorville Courthouse expansion gets underway

The San Bernardino County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday got the ball rolling on plans to remodel and expand the Victorville Courthouse to reduce crowding and make room for two new judges.

The board authorized the county's Department of Architecture and Engineering to issue a request for proposals inviting bids for design consulting services on the project, estimated to eventually cost $1.2 million.

The governor's office has indicated it will add three to five judges to the county's Superior Court bench next year. It's expected that two of those slots will go to Victorville, which currently doesn't have room for two more judges.

The project would add two new courtrooms and remodel an existing courtroom. It will also relocate the Traffic Court and the Small Claims Advisory Program to the front of the court facility to make them more accessible to the public and reduce overcrowding in the hallways.

The project will also add a separate Family Law Facilitator Office to increase the availability of this service, which currently shares space with the Juvenile Traffic Office.

The courts, which over recent years have slowly been transferred into a state rather than county operation, will eventually pay for the work, although the county might initially put up half of the funding.

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Board of Supervisors

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Supervisors support Cesar Chavez day

The San Bernardino County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday (4/4/00) passed a resolution supporting the creation of a state holiday honoring the late farm labor leader Cesar Chavez.

A bill working its way through the Legislature would give court staff, public school employees and state workers a paid day off on the Monday on or near March 31, Chavez’s birthday. The resolution cites Chavez’s tireless work on behalf of farm workers, personal sacrifice and adherence to non-violence as examples for the county’s young people worthy of recognition.

Should the bill become law, the Board of Supervisors would have to take separate action to recognize Chavez’s birthday as a county holiday and negotiate a day off with pay with the various unions representing county workers.

Supervisors Dennis Hansberger and Fred Aguiar abstained from the vote. Supervisor Hansberger did not feel a holiday for state employees was a fitting tribute to Chavez, while Supervisor Aguiar did not want to endorse a bill that could still undergo revisions.

County helps Riverside County get immunization system

San Bernardino County will apply for $632,374 in state grant funding to maintain its automated immunization information and reminder system and launch one in Riverside County.

The system keeps track of child immunizations in the county and sends reminders to parents when inoculations are due. Currently, more than 1.2 immunizations administered to more than 150,000 children are on record.

The system was created in 1992 when the county was chosen as one of 12 grant recipients nationwide. Riverside County has no such system.

If the grant application approved by the San Bernardino County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday (4/4/00) is successful, the state Department of Health Services will give the county $632,374 to maintain the county’s system and create one in Riverside County.

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Board of Supervisors

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County concerned about housing assessment

The San Bernardino County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday (4/4/00) took issue with an assessment by a regional planning organization that would require residential development to increase 10-fold in unincorporated areas during the next five years.

The board endorsed a resolution to be considered by the San Bernardino Associated Governments on Wednesday raising concerns about a Regional Housing Needs Assessment prepared by the Southern California Association of Governments.

The assessment states San Bernardino County needs to add 94,019 housing units – 43,668 in the unincorporated areas alone – by 2005 to keep up with regional growth. The assessment would be used to develop local general plan housing elements, which unless approved by the state puts the county at risk of losing state grants and financing opportunities.

To meet the Southern California Association of Governments (SCAG) assessment, 8,000 units would have to be built in the county each year for the next five years as opposed to the current 800 units per year.

The county contends that would promote urban sprawl by concentrating development in outlying areas with lower levels of municipal services than found in urban areas and within cities.

County to help promote Lake Arrowhead

San Bernardino County will help promote recreation and tourism in Lake Arrowhead thanks to an agreement approved Tuesday (4/4/00) by the county’s Board of Supervisors.

The agreement with the Lake Arrowhead Communities Chamber of Commerce is one of several the county has approved since the mid-1970s to help lure tourism dollars to unincorporated communities in the county. Under the Lake Arrowhead agreement, the chamber will receive $87,714 this year to implement a plan of promotional activities.

Tourism not only keeps unincorporated communities healthy and vital, but also attracts visitors and their dollars to all areas of the county.

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Board of Supervisors

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Bidders sought for welfare needs assessment

San Bernardino County is seeking someone to assess the needs of county welfare clients to determine what services are needed to make them employable and self-sufficient.

The county Board of Supervisors on Tuesday (4/4/00) approved a request for proposal outlining what the county is looking for. Companies, agencies and other prospective consultants will then submit bids for the job, valued at up to $900,000. The winning bidder would begin work on July 1.

The county’s various welfare and job training and job placement programs require the assessments to make sure the appropriate education, training and job placement programs are available.

Landfill work approved by Board of Supervisors

The San Bernardino County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday (4/4/00) approved several items related to the county’s landfill system as part of the county’s soon-to-be terminated contract with Norcal Solid Waste Systems Inc.

The projects include the completion of closure projects at Baker Landfill, funding for road improvements near the Mid-Valley Landfill in Rialto and a transfer station at the Trona-Argus Landfill, and plans for an improved cover at the closed Milliken Landfill in Ontario and well installation near the Apple Valley Landfill to monitor gases.

The projects are part of Norcal’s agreement to operate and manage the county’s landfill system. The county is drawing to a close its relationship with Norcal because of bribes a former Norcal executive and a former Norcal consultant paid to a former county official. The county will put the work up for open bids and negotiate a new contract sometime next year.

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