Two City of Fresno projects received awards from the American Council of Engineering Companies, California (ACEC California) after announcing its 2019 Engineering Excellence Awards winners yesterday.  Projects were recognized for demonstrating an exceptional degree of innovation, complexity, achievement and value.

Carollo Engineers, Inc. received the prestigious Honor Award distinction for its work on the Southeast Surface Water Treatment Facility (SESWTF).  While Fresno has had ample surface water supplies from the Kings and San Joaquin Rivers, they were underutilized for decades and the City depended on pumping groundwater for its main supply.  With construction of the SESWTF, the City has replaced its dependence on groundwater with high quality treated surface water supplies and can now replenish our underground aquifer in conformance with new State mandates and common sense. Carollo was the prime consultant, providing project management, design, and construction management, for the $180-million project.

“The successful completion of the Southeast Surface Water Treatment Facility was a huge step in Fresno’s efforts to continue providing safe, clean, reliable drinking water,” said Michael Carbajal, Director of Public Utilities for the City of Fresno. “The new treatment facility improves the City’s water infrastructure to maximize use of surface water from the Sierra Nevada Mountains and reduce pumping of groundwater from our aquifer.  We are extremely excited to receive the ACEC 2019 Engineering Excellence Award recognizing this achievement.”

Honor Award winners also are eligible to enter the national level Engineering Excellence Awards competition and will have photographic panels on display at the Capitol, outside of the Governor’s office, in early 2019.

Provost & Pritchard Consulting Group received the Merit Award for its work on the Fulton Street Reconstruction Project.  The Fulton Mall corridor was renovated by reintroducing a pedestrian-friendly commercial streetscape together with a narrow two-lane street with on-street parking.  The project restored and relocated all of the significant public art and water features that make this corridor a virtual outdoor art museum.  Provost & Pritchard Consulting Group was a subconsultant to RHAA Landscape Architecture on this project, providing project management, land surveying and civil engineering services.

“These two projects are among the most important infrastructure programs in Fresno’s history, and will be the framework for success in Fresno’s future,” said Mayor Lee Brand. “They have set the standard for every City project to come.”

“Engineering and land surveying provide the innovative backbone of many critical infrastructure projects in California,” said Brad Diede, Executive Director of ACEC California. “This year’s recipients represent outstanding achievement in seismic safety projects, sustainable transportation projects and recycled water programs, among many others. Our engineering and land surveying firms and their local agency and private sector partners continue to harness cutting-edge technologies so that projects are more sustainable and more effective at serving the people of California.”

About ACEC California’s Engineering Excellence Awards:

ACEC California’s annual Engineering Excellence Awards competition recognizes outstanding achievements in engineering and land surveying projects completed by California firms.  Entries are accepted into one of 12 project categories: studies, research and consulting engineering services; building/technology systems; structural systems; surveying and mapping technology; environmental; waste and storm water; water resources; transportation; special projects; small projects; energy; and industrial and manufacturing processes and facilities.

City of Fresno offices will be closed in observance of the New Year’s Day holiday on Tuesday, January 1, 2019.  Normal operations will resume on Wednesday, January 2.  Here is the schedule for City of Fresno operations for the holiday:

Airports:  Administrative offices closed;  Terminal, concessions, and airlines normal operations otherwise.

Building & Permitting:  Counter will close at 4:30 p.m. on Monday, December 31 and remain closed Tuesday.  Permit applications can be submitted, and progress can be monitored, online through our FAASTER portal at any time during the New Year’s Day holiday.

Business License:  Office closed.  The Business Tax Web Renewal will be available for TOT (only) throughout the New Year’s Day holiday.

City Clerk’s Office:  Closed.

City Hall Offices:  Closed.

Development and Resource Management:  Closed.

Dog License Division:  Closed.

Finance Offices:  Offices closed.  Business Tax TOT (only) Web Renewal and new business tax online application submittals will be available throughout the New Year’s Day holiday.

Fire/Police Departments:  Administrative offices and public counters will be closed.  Normal operations otherwise.

Fresno Area Express:  Administrative offices closed.  FAX service is closed on New Year’s Day.  Call (559) 621-7433 for details. FAX route maps and schedules.

Parking Division:  No enforcement at parking meters and City parking facilities on New Year’s Day.  Office closed for citation payments.

Parks and Recreation (PARCS):  Administrative offices closed.  No senior hot meals.  Regional and neighborhood parks open every day.  Neighborhood and community centers will close at 5:00 p.m. on Monday, December 31, and remain closed on New Year’s Day.

Personnel:  Closed. Online applications accepted at www.fresno.gov/jobs.

Public Utilities:  Offices closed.

Public Works:  Offices closed.

Purchasing:  Office closed; Bids Online available for bids and vendor registration.

Residential Solid Waste:  There will be no collection service on New Year’s Day.  All collection will be postponed one day.  Tuesday’s trash, recyclables & green waste will be collected on Wednesday, January 2.  Wednesday’s trash, recyclables & green waste will be collected Thursday, January 3.  Thursday’s trash, recyclables & green waste will be collected Friday, January 4.  Friday’s trash, recyclables & green waste will be collected Saturday, January 5.  For questions regarding the residential solid waste collection, please call the Solid Waste Management Division at (559) 621-1452.

Utility Payments/Business Tax:  Payment counters closed (Fresno City Hall and Manchester Center).  Online and phone transactions available for utility payments.

For urgent matters during the New Year’s Day holiday, please call (559) 621-CITY (2489) or use our FresGO mobile app.

City of Fresno offices will be closed in observance of the Christmas holiday on Tuesday, December 25, 2018.  Normal operations will resume on Wednesday, December 26.  Here is the schedule for City of Fresno operations for the holiday:

Airports:  Administrative offices closed;  Terminal, concessions and airlines normal operations otherwise.

Building & Permitting:  Counter will close at 4:30 p.m. on Monday, December 24 and remain closed Tuesday.  Permit applications can be submitted, and progress can be monitored, online through our FAASTER portal at any time during the Christmas holiday.

Business License:  Office closed.  The Business Tax Web Renewal will be available for TOT (only) throughout the Christmas holiday.

City Clerk’s Office:  Closed.

City Hall Offices:  Closed.

Development and Resource Management:  Closed.

Dog License Division:  Closed.

Finance Offices:  Offices closed.Business Tax TOT (only) Web Renewal and new business tax online application submittals will be available throughout the Christmas holiday.

Fire/Police Departments:  Administrative offices and public counters will be closed.  Normal operations otherwise.

Fresno Area Express:  Administrative offices closed.  FAX service is closed on Christmas Day.  Call (559) 621-7433 for details. FAX route maps and schedules.

Parking Division:  No enforcement at parking meters and City parking facilities on Christmas Day.  Office closed for citation payments. 

Parks and Recreation (PARCS):  Administrative offices closed.  No senior hot meals.  Regional and neighborhood parks open every day.  Neighborhood and community centers will close at 5:00 p.m. on Monday, December 24, and remain closed on Christmas Day.

Personnel:  Closed. Online applications accepted at www.fresno.gov/jobs.

Public Utilities:  Offices closed.

Public Works:  Offices closed.

Purchasing:  Office closed; Bids Online available for bids and vendor registration.

Residential Solid Waste:  There will be no collection service on Christmas Day.  All collection will be postponed one day.  Tuesday’s trash, recyclables & green waste will be collected on Wednesday, December 26.  Wednesday’s trash, recyclables & green waste will be collected Thursday, December 27.  Thursday’s trash, recyclables & green waste will be collected Friday, December 28.  Friday’s trash, recyclables & green waste will be collected Saturday, December 29.  For questions regarding residential solid waste collection, please call the Solid Waste Management Division at (559) 621-1452.

Utility Payments/Business Tax:  Payment counters closed (Fresno City Hall and Manchester Center).  Online and phone transactions available for utility payments.

For urgent matters during the Christmas holiday, please call (559) 621-CITY (2489) or use our FresGO mobile app.

The City of Fresno, Solid Waste Management Division, will observe the Christmas and New Year’s holidays on December 25, 2018, and January 1, 2019.  There will be no service on these days.

The City of Fresno, Solid Waste Management Division, will shift service days for the week of the holiday to the following day and provide trash, recyclables and green waste collection as follows:

Tuesday, December 25, 2018     No Service
Tuesday, January 1, 2019

Wednesday, December 26, 2018     Tuesday’s trash, recyclables & green waste will be collected.
Wednesday, January 2, 2019

Thursday,  December 27, 2018     Wednesday’s trash, recyclables & green waste will be collected.
Thursday,  January 3, 2019

Friday, December 28, 2018     Thursday’s trash, recyclables & green waste will be collected.
Friday, January 4, 2019

Saturday, December 29, 2018     Friday’s trash, recyclables & green waste will be collected.
Saturday, January 5, 2019

Our business office will be closed Tuesday, December 25, 2018, for Christmas and Tuesday, January 1, 2019, for the New Year’s holiday.

For questions regarding your residential holiday service schedule, please call the Solid Waste Management Division at (559) 621-1452.

Fresno City Council, acting at the request by Mayor Lee Brand, declared a homeless shelter crisis at Thursday’s meeting and approved the City of Fresno’s application for Homeless Emergency Aid Program (HEAP) funding, a move that could result in more than $12 million in one-time state funds for the City and its partner agencies.

Senate Bill 850 requires local governments to declare a shelter crisis.  Fresno County also declared a crisis last month.

“Homelessness is the single most significant quality of life issue facing our community, which is why I launched the Street2Home initiative this year, a county-wide collaboration to address homelessness compassionately and intelligently,” said Mayor Brand. “We all know the best way to stop the cycle of homelessness is to put a roof over someone’s head, whether it’s permanent or temporary.  This funding will help us we will continue our successful efforts to connect Fresno’s homeless to the resources that will bring comfort and stability to their lives.”

During the summer of 2018, Mayor Brand joined with other Big 11 mayors in California to lobby the State of California for funding to relieve the burden Fresno and other cities faced in addressing homelessness.  The Mayors’ efforts were successful, resulting in $500 million in State assistance.  Fresno’s pro-rata portion of these funds is $3,105,519, with an additional $9,501,363 going to the Fresno Madera Continuum of Care (FMCoC).  The State requires a community planning process to determine how these funds would be invested in a coordinated way.

The City’s proposal, linked with the FMCoC’s proposal provide opportunities for homeless service providers to apply for funding in the following areas:  Triage Center, Bridge Housing, Diversion, Coordinated Entry, Rapid Rehousing, Outreach, Landlord Engagement, and Services to Homeless Youth.  All planning conforms to the recommendations set forth in the strategic planning document, “Street2Home Fresno County: A Framework for Action,” which outlines four pillar priorities and 13 recommendations for addressing homelessness in the Greater Fresno community.

Funds will be available for homeless services in both the City of Fresno and, through the parallel FMCoC funding in incorporated and unincorporated jurisdictions of Fresno and Madera Counties through June 30, 2021.  There is no matching contribution requirement for these funds.

For more information on the Mayor’s Street2Home Fresno County initiative: https://www.street2homefresno.org/

City of Fresno offices will be closed in observance of the Thanksgiving holiday on Thursday, November 22, and Friday, November 23, 2018.  Normal operations will resume on Monday, November 26.  Here is the schedule for City of Fresno operations for the holiday:

Airports:  Administrative offices closed;  Terminal, concessions, and airlines normal operations otherwise.

Building & Permitting:  Counter will close at 4:30 p.m. on Wednesday, November 21 and remain closed Thursday and Friday.  Permit applications can be submitted, and progress can be monitored, online through our FAASTER portal at any time during the Thanksgiving holiday weekend.

Business License:  Office closed.  The Business Tax Web Renewal will be available for TOT (only) throughout the Thanksgiving holiday weekend.

City Clerk’s Office:  Closed.

City Hall Offices:  Closed.

Development and Resource Management:  Closed.

Dog License Division:  Closed.

Finance Offices:  Offices closed.  Business Tax TOT (only) Web Renewal and new business tax online application submittals will be available throughout the Thanksgiving holiday, November 22 and 23.

Fire/Police Departments:  Administrative offices and public counters will be closed.  Normal operations otherwise.

Fresno Area Express:  Administrative offices closed.  FAX service is closed on Thanksgiving Day but will resume service on Friday, November 23 with weekend bus routes/schedule in effect.  Administrative offices remain closed; call (559) 621-7433 for details. FAX route maps and schedules.

Parking Division:  No enforcement at parking meters and City parking facilities on Thursday and Friday.  Office closed for citation payments both days.

Parks and Recreation (PARCS):  Administrative offices closed Thursday and Friday.  No senior hot meals Thursday and Friday.  Regional and neighborhood parks open every day.  Neighborhood and community centers will close at 5:00 p.m. on Wednesday, November 21, and remain closed on Thursday.  Neighborhood centers with a gymnasium will be open on Friday from 3:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.  Neighborhood centers without a gymnasium will be open on Friday from 3:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.  Normal operations on Saturday and Sunday.

Personnel:  Closed. Online applications accepted at www.fresno.gov/jobs.

Public Utilities:  Offices closed.

Public Works:  Offices closed.

Purchasing:  Office closed; Bids Online available for bids and vendor registration.

Residential Solid Waste:  There will be no collection service on Thursday.  On Friday, November 23, the regular schedule for Thursday trash, recyclables, and green waste collection will be followed.  On Saturday, November 24, the regular schedule for Friday trash, recyclables, and green waste collection will be followed.  Regular service will resume on Monday, November 26.  The business office will be closed.  For questions regarding the residential solid waste collection, please call the Solid Waste Management Division at (559) 621-1452.

Utility Payments/Business Tax:  Payment counters closed (Fresno City Hall and Manchester Center).  Online and phone transactions available for utility payments.

For urgent matters during the Thanksgiving holiday, please call (559) 621-CITY (2489) or use our FresGO mobile app.

The City of Fresno, Solid Waste Management Division, will observe the Thanksgiving Holiday on Thursday, November 22, 2018.  There will be no service on this day.

We will resume service the following day and provide trash, recyclables and green waste collection as follows:

Thursday, November 22, 2018 – Thanksgiving Holiday, No service.

Friday, November 23, 2018 – Thursday’s trash, recyclables, and green waste will be collected.

Saturday, November 24, 2018 – Friday’s trash, recyclables, and green waste will be collected.

Our business office will be closed Thursday and Friday, November 22 and 23, 2018.

For questions regarding your residential holiday service schedule, please call the Solid Waste Management Division at (559) 621-1452.

The City of Fresno’s Information Services Department (ISD) was honored at today’s City Council meeting for their recent success at the Municipal Information Systems Association of California (MISAC) annual conference.  The department picked up several awards at the conference held in Rancho Mirage, CA in early October.

Chief Information Officer Bryon Horn received the 2018 President’s Award.  The President’s Award is intended to provide recognition for an individual or organization that has shown an outstanding contribution to MISAC or the Information Technology field.

ISD was honored with the “Excellence in IT Practices” Award.  The award is given to “recognize outstanding practices in information technology that have met or surpassed local government standards” and is intended to foster and recognize outstanding governance and operation practices.

The City of Fresno’s Fulton District and MyFAXBus mobile apps earned Quality Visual Information Awards in recognition of the development of quality visual information which depicts business information and goals.  The apps were the only two to be honored at this year’s conference.

About MISAC – The Municipal Information Systems Association of California (MISAC) was founded in 1980 out of a need for collaboration and data sharing. Members include IT professionals from cities, towns, public safety, special districts, and other local governmental agencies/districts.

MISAC strives to promote leadership, education, and access to resources for local agency technology professionals in order to enhance local government services and effectiveness via its Four Pillars: education, member resources, relationships, and advocacy.

City of Fresno offices will be closed in observance of Veterans Day on Monday, November 12.  The delivery of some City services may be affected by the holiday as well.  Normal operations will resume on Tuesday, November 13.  Here is the schedule for City of Fresno operations for the holiday:

Airports:  Administrative offices closed;  Terminal, concessions, and airlines normal operations otherwise.

Business License:  Office closed.  The Business Tax Web Renewal will be available for TOT (only) and new business tax online application submittals will be available throughout the Veterans Day holiday.

City Clerk’s Office:  Closed.

City Hall Offices:  Closed.

Development and Resource Management:  Closed.

Dog License Division:  Closed.

Finance Offices:  Offices closed.  Business Tax TOT (only) Web Renewal and new business tax online application submittals will be available throughout the Veterans Day holiday.

Fire/Police Departments:  Administrative offices and public counters will be closed.  Normal operations otherwise.

Fresno Area Express:  Administrative offices closed.  Weekend bus routes/schedule in effect.  Call (559) 621-7433 for details.  FAX route maps and schedules.

Parking Division:  No enforcement at parking meters and City parking facilities on Veterans Day.  Office closed for citation payments on Monday, November 12.

Parks and Recreation (PARCS):  Administrative offices closed.  Parks facilities and recreation centers operating with the normal schedule.

Personnel:  Closed. Online applications accepted at www.fresno.gov/jobs.

Public Utilities:  Offices closed.

Public Works:  Offices closed.

Purchasing:  Office closed; Bid opportunities and updated information are available on the City’s website, under the “For Businesses” tab, then click on bid opportunities.

Residential Solid Waste:  Administrative offices closed.  Normal residential and commercial collection schedule; for questions regarding the residential solid waste collection, please call the Solid Waste Management Division at (559) 621-1452.

Utility Payments:  Payment counters closed (Fresno City Hall and Manchester Center).  Online and phone transactions available for utility payments.

For urgent matters during the Veterans Day holiday, please call (559) 621-CITY (2489) or use our FresGO mobile app.

Mayor Lee Brand today issued the following statement on the Measure P election results:

“The results for Measure P are bittersweet for me.  I agree that Fresno’s parks need to be improved and expanded, but a 30-year tax with a $2 billion price tag was not the answer.  I respect the hard work and passion of everyone involved with the Yes on P campaign and I believe once we’re able to move past the results, we will come together for the benefit of the people of Fresno.

“Now the real work begins.  Starting today, I will call on my friends on both sides of this issue to join me in developing sensible solutions for Fresno’s biggest problems with the first of many meetings starting in January.  This means parks and public safety but could also include homelessness, blight, job creation, and infrastructure.  We need a broad-based approach to address all of our city’s priorities reasonably and fairly.

“As Mayor, my first and foremost job is the safety and well-being of the people of this great community.  I will continue that focus today and every day that I am your Mayor”