A new police station will provide creative revenue streams for the City of Santa Maria, officials told a group of business leaders Wednesday while also sharing unique solutions to other problems facing the community.
Mayor Alice Patino and City Manager Rick Haydon gave the “State of the City” presentation Wednesday to the Santa Maria Valley Chamber of Commerce Business Development Forum.
Approximately 70 people attended the event at the Santa Maria Fairpark, where the city leaders reviewed the goals and provided updates on several projects such as the new police station on West Betteravia Road.
“The new facility comes with a lot possibilities for the city,” Haydon said.
In addition to having space for the department’s computer server, the station will have room to accommodate others seeking the security and reinforced structure required of a police station for housing their computer servers. At least three firms are exploring renting space for their server farms in the city building, according to Haydon.
“We see that as another way of generating additional revenue, thinking outside the box, in order to make our tax dollars go further,” Haydon added.
A new radio communications system will have the ability to link other agencies in the region and will be one of only three in the state boasting the capability, Haydon said. This could provide another moneymaking opportunity for the city.
The first occupants will move into the new police station this spring or early summer, Haydon said, and emergency dispatchers will move in this fall.
The 70,000-square-foot facility cost the city $30 million. Santa Barbara is seeking a new police station that is expected to be 40,000 square feet, or half as big as Santa Maria’s, but cost nearly twice as much, or $65 million.
“Why is that? Because that’s the Santa Maria way,” Haydon said. “We try to be creative in what we did rather than purchasing and starting from the ground up and getting the land and building the facility.”
As for the current station, the city is exploring whether Santa Barbara County Probation Department officials or Santa Barbara County Superior Court representatives are interested in acquiring the Cook Street facility, Haydon said.
Funding from sale of that building would be used to renovate the old library building to house the staff from the planning, building and recreation and parks departments, some of whom currently are sheltered several blocks away from City Hall. The intent is to create a one-stop shop for residents.
Santa Maria has taken measures to battle some local issues, such as launching a task force to tackle the growing number of auto thefts in the city, officials noted.
To stem panhandling, the city has installed special parking meters at several key locations where panhandling is more prevalent, officials said. People are encouraged to put their donations into the special meters, with funding from the pilot program going to three nonprofit groups that provide bedding, food-related services, and treatment programs for homeless residents.
Haydon said the Police Department is acquiring five surveillance cameras that will be portable, with footage sent to police supervisors. The gear will be capable to reading license plate numbers.
“What we plan on doing it deploying them in certain areas of the city,” Haydon said.
For instance, one will be positioned on North Blosser Road, where street racing is a problem. Others could be deployed to target areas of prostitution, something a local business person complained about to the mayor.
“I think it’s really interesting because people don’t realize there’s trafficking going on in Santa Maria, there’s trafficking going on in Santa Barbara County. … It’s becoming more and more of an issue,” she said.
Technology has changed prostitution with websites set up to connect prostitutes with clients, she said, adding local police are working to stop the crimes.
The city’s annual budget is $150 million, spending about $400,000 daily providing services to the community, city officials said.
“Measure U was a saving grace from the public safety standpoint for the City of Santa Maria,” Haydon said.
Before voters approved sales tax hike known as Measure U in 2012, the Police Department had a number of vacant positions and the city could staff two new fire stations, Haydon said. The additional $4 million received annually primarily pays for police and fire personnel.
During the recession, the city lost $11 million in revenue, eliminating jobs, putting employees on furloughs and getting rid of contracts. Even with Measure U, the city revenue is lagging behind the pre-recession numbers, he noted.
The city workforce of 483 employees adds up to slightly more than four per 1,000 residents. By comparison, San Luis Obispo has eight employees per 1,000 residents, Lompoc has 7.5 and Santa Barbara has 10. The Santa Barbara comparison eliminates the marina and airport staffs.
The city plans about $2.9 million in street and road projects this year, but slightly less next year due to lower revenues blamed on falling gas prices, he said.
Patino also provided a peek at part of a business climate survey conducted by the Chamber of Commerce, revealing many local employers plan to expand their workforce or remain the same.
“We’re seeing a lot of optimism out there,” Patino said.
— Noozhawk North County editor Janene Scully can be reached at jscully@noozhawk.com. Follow Noozhawk on Twitter: @noozhawk, @NoozhawkNews and @NoozhawkBiz. Connect with Noozhawk on Facebook.