Mayor Lee Brand and Fresno City Manager Wilma Quan-Schecter today announced that Jane Sumpter has been named the City of Fresno’s new Assistant City Manager, effective November 27, 2017.  Ms. Sumpter has served as the City’s Budget Manager since 2011, where she managed the successful implementation of the first new citywide budget system in 14 years.

“Jane is one of the most competent and professional people I have ever had the pleasure to work with,” said Ms. Quan-Schecter. “More important, her integrity is beyond reproach, her leadership skills are well respected, and her knowledge of the financial arena has the depth of experience we need to maintain our strong fiscal strategy.”

Ms. Sumpter has been with the City of Fresno for over 30 years, where she started as a Junior Auditor in 1987.  Over her career, she has gained experience in municipal budgeting and auditing, labor negotiations, systems implementation and Comprehensive Annual Financial Report (CAFR) preparation.  In December 2016, she was appointed by the Mayor and approved by the City Council to serve as a Trustee of the City of Fresno Employees Retirement Board representing over 1200 active employees and retirees.

Mayor Brand added, “It is my pleasure to welcome Jane to the team.  She’s done great work on our budget and we are expecting great things from her as our Assistant City Manager.”

A lifelong resident of Fresno, where her family has lived since 1919, Ms. Sumpter attended California State University, Fresno, earning a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration with an emphasis in accounting. She also holds an Associate of Science Degree in Paralegal Studies from Fresno City College.

Mayor Lee Brand and City Manager Wilma Quan-Schecter today announced that Parvin Neloms Jr. has been named the City of Fresno’s new Parks, After School, Recreation and Community Services (PARCS) Director.  He takes over the position currently being held by Interim PARCS Director Bruce Rudd.  Neloms begins his position with the City on October 30, 2017.

“I’ve heard from our community and our staff about what our City needs in a PARCS Director, and I’m pleased to report that we’ve found the perfect person for the job,” said City Manager Quan-Schecter. “Parvin is an excellent leader and will be an immediate contributor to our team.”

Mr. Neloms most recently served as the Director of Parks and Recreation with the City of Miami Gardens in Florida, a position he assumed in February of 2014.  As director, Neloms was responsible for the oversight of all Recreation Program Services, Athletic Services, Inclusion Services, Administration and the City’s Park Operations.  He established over 30 partnerships in the community and in Dade County of Miami, Florida to develop extensive relationships with the community and to fill the department’s void pertaining to program budgetary services.

Mr. Neloms has also served as Assistant Director of Parks and Recreation in Durham, North Carolina; Director of Parks and Recreation in Talladega, Alabama; Assistant Facility Coordinator and Recreation Coordinator with Metro Parks of Nashville, Tennessee, and Facility Operations Coordinator for Murfreesboro, Tennessee.

Neloms, Jr comes to the City of Fresno with over 18 years of professional and volunteer experience in the leisure service industry.  He holds a Masters in Science Degree in Recreation and Leisure Studies from Virginia Commonwealth University of Richmond, Virginia and a Bachelor of Science in Sports Administration with a minor in Business from the University of Southern Mississippi of Hattiesburg, Mississippi.

Each year, in conjunction with the celebration of October as Disability Awareness Month, the City of Fresno Disability Advisory Commission (DAC) recognizes individuals, organizations, and City employees that have improved the quality of life for people with disabilities in Fresno.  Recipients will be honored on October 26, 2017, at 1:00 p.m. during the City Council meeting as part of the commemoration of October as Disability Awareness Month.

The recipient of the DAC’s 2017 Individual Achievement Award is John Bower.  The recipient of the DAC’s Organization Achievement Award is Sunnyside Bicycles.  The recipient of the City of Fresno employee award is Brian Barr.  The recipient of the City of Fresno Department award is Airports Department under the leadership of Vicki Calderon and Melissa Garza-Perry.

John Bowers Leads the “Rock Steady” boxing class for individuals who live with Parkinson’s Disease.  As he describes it, Parkinson’s interrupts signals being sent from the brain to the body, however, boxing aims to improve that communication between the brain and body.  He leads classes twice a week, incorporates stretching, weight training and fun exercises like bean bag tosses to improve hand-eye coordination.

“John is passionate, caring and most importantly driven to help everyone reach their goals. As the lead trainer for the Rock Steady program I have seen John not only connect with the community but also inspire others as well in the process,” said Andre McMahon in his nomination.

John and Vanessa McCracken opened Sunnyside bicycle shop with the mission of eliminating barriers to getting on a bike and finding creative ways to connect their clients through cycling.  This same attitude has carried over into their approach of volunteering with Best Buddies for their annual cycling fundraiser.  Best Buddies is a non-profit organization dedicated to enhancing the lives of individuals with intellectual and development disabilities through friendships, leadership development, and integrated employment opportunities.  Sunnyside Bicycles recruited one of the largest teams in the Best Buddies bike event with over 70 local riders raising almost $100,000 for the program.

Jessica Brooks, State Director of Best Buddies California noted that “with the support of the McCracken’s and their cycling community, Best Buddies has been able to positively impact the lives of over 500 individuals with and without intellectual and developmental disabilities in the Central Valley and spread awareness about the abilities of individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities throughout the community.”

The McCrackens have also been ongoing supporters of the local iCan Bike program, which teaches people with disabilities to ride a regular two-wheel bike.  They have actively participated in the program for five years by coming to the camp, assisting families to purchase the correct bike for their child, offering a “trade up” program for the children’s bikes, and sending staff to volunteer at the camp.

Brian Barr is a Capital Development Specialist in the Department of Public Transportation (FAX).  In this capacity, he is the lead on several key FAX projects that impact accessibility including the Manchester Transit Center exterior renovations, Courthouse Park Shelter Renovations and the FAX ADA Self Evaluation and Fixed Route Bus Stop Survey and Transition Plan. Barr recognizes that access to public transportation is crucial for people with disabilities, taking meaningful steps to guide FAX capital development incorporates accessibility and actively works to remove barriers to access at all of the City’s transportation facilities.

“In the field of construction management, there are so many moving parts. It is easy to push along the project because it is not quite 100%. However, with the City of Fresno Department of Transportation, we do our best to cultivate the Culture of Excellence. This trickles down from our leadership. Brian Barr demonstrates competency in his field and a commitment to follow [Accessibility] guidelines,” said Leena Mendoza in her nomination statement.

The Airports Department, under the leadership of Melissa Garza-Perry and Vikkie Calderon are recognized for bringing California’s inaugural “Wings for Autism®” program to the Fresno Yosemite International Airport on May 13, 2017.  Wings for Autism® is a program by The Arc of the United States launched in 2011 that provides individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities and their families with a real-life simulation of the air travel experience.  Wings for Autism® has been hosted at various airports across the country with Fresno Yosemite International Airport serving as the first airport to host the program in California.  The program serves to help alleviate some of the stress families may experience when traveling by air.  Airport, airline and TSA personnel will also receive a valuable training opportunity in assisting individuals with autism and working with families to ensure their safety and comfort for a positive travel experience.

Lori Ramirez, Executive Director of the Arc Fresno-Madera shared that “while there were many other individuals who helped to support this event, it was Melissa and Vikkie who were committed to every step of the process and were open and eager to hear our advice and input on how there could be some challenges for these individuals.”

“On this day the City of Fresno DAC recognizes the individuals and organizations who, through their advocacy and actions, have served to improve the quality of life for individuals with disabilities in Fresno,” said DAC Chair Frances Reyes Acosta. “The recipients personify the concept that ‘Inclusion Drives Innovation.’ They are important because they have put people first, to promote Fresno as a more inclusive environment for the benefit of us all.”

Mayor Lee Brand was joined by former Mayor Ashley Swearengin, City leaders, staff and hundreds of supporters to witness the grand re-opening of Fulton Street in the heart of downtown Fresno and the successful completion of the Fulton Street Reconstruction Project.  The event re-opens the six-block-long thoroughfare to vehicular traffic for the first time in more than 50 years.

The reopening of Fulton Street to traffic represents a significant milestone in the revitalization of downtown Fresno.  The reconstructed Fulton Street now has two-way traffic, on-street parking and wide pedestrian-friendly sidewalks.

“Downtown is poised for a renaissance and we hope that these new businesses opening now will one day become iconic – restoring Fulton Street as the heart of downtown,” said Mayor Brand.  “My strong belief is that ten years from now downtown and Fulton Street will be transformed into a more vibrant and prosperous destination.”

The original Fulton Street was converted into a six-block pedestrian mall in 1964 but the Fulton Mall began to decline in the late ‘80s as Fresno grew to the north.  Like many pedestrian malls around the country, the Fulton Mall became plagued by high vacancy rates, declining foot traffic and vagrancy.

In February 2014 the Fresno City Council voted to reopen the mall to automobile traffic.  In May of the same year, the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans), acting on behalf of the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), approved federal funds for a project to reintroduce vehicular traffic to the Fulton Mall. On December 3, 2015, with a six-to-one vote, the Council awarded a $22.4 million contract to a local company, American Paving.

The project, which broke ground in March of 2016, includes 3,357 tons of asphalt concrete, 140,000 square feet of new sidewalks, 200 new parallel parking spaces, over 200 new LED street lights and pedestrian lights, and waypoint signs directing visitors to other places of interest around downtown Fresno.

All 32 of the public art pieces have been conserved, restored and replaced on Fulton Street, including 16 reconstructed fountains that are brightly lit, and new landscaping and irrigation now displays more trees on Fulton Street than were previously on the Mall.

“A downtown on the rise means a city on the move,” added Mayor Brand. “We are ready for everything our future promises.”

Fresno Mayor Lee Brand held a press conference at City Hall this morning to provide the details on the City of Fresno’s proposal to land Amazon’s second headquarters, outlining the key reasons why Fresno is the ideal location for the HQ2 project. The online retail giant announced last month that it had plans for a second home outside its current headquarters in Seattle and would invest $5 billion in the new facility and create up to 50,000 high-paying jobs.

This unique proposal, which offers no economic incentives, uses counter-intuitive, out-of-the-box thinking that would set Fresno apart from the cities making lavish incentive promises and put Amazon in the position of becoming the ultimate corporate citizen.

Brand highlighted four key elements that sets the Fresno proposal apart from any other proposal being pitched. Those elements are California’s High-Speed Rail system, the “Amazon Community Fund”, 60 Days to Construction and the opportunity to be a Catalyst to Transform Fresno and Central California.

“The HQ2 project would be transformative on a level rarely, if ever, seen in the United States” said Mayor Brand. “We are offering an innovative and creative opportunity to enhance and build a sustainable community around HQ2.  It’s called the ‘Amazon Community Fund.’”

The “Amazon Community Fund” is a unique proposal to enter into a 100-year agreement that would place 85% of every tax dollar this project generates into the Amazon Community Fund.  This fund will be jointly controlled and administered by a committee of City leaders and Amazon executives to enhance and address community impacts generated by the HQ2 project.  Monies generated would be used to provide workforce housing, transportation infrastructure, parks and biking trails, and STEM education in area schools and other core City services.

The nation’s first High Speed Rail project is another reason why Amazon should consider Fresno. The ability to travel from Fresno to the Bay Area in less than one hour means that Amazon will be able to access the innovative technology of Silicon Valley a short train-ride away.

The Mayor also touted the City’s updated General Plan as an incentive for an Amazon location downtown.. If located downtown, construction on the second Amazon headquarters could begin within 60 days of submission of construction plans.

Mayor Brand believes that the City of Fresno’s potential, leveraged with the power of Amazon, could prove to be a transformational force for a city on the rise.

“Locating HQ2 in Fresno would not only build another successful technology community, it would also offer additional proof that Amazon right now is one of the world’s leading change agents,” he said.

The promotional video, which was produced by Top Hand Media

Mayor Lee Brand released the following statement on the passing of former U.S. Ambassador Phillip V. Sanchez:

“Fresno has lost another giant.  Phillip Sanchez served as the highest-ranking Hispanic official for three U.S. Presidents, as Ambassador to both Honduras and Colombia, and as Assistant Director in the Office of Economic Opportunity.  He rose from poverty, picking cotton alongside his mother, and quickly showed his talent for leadership at the local and national level and was the very personification of the American Dream.

“While we mourn our loss, we should be comforted that he is finally at peace after years of suffering from an injury he sustained at the orphanage in Mexico that he founded and funded.  He was truly a great man and my prayers are with him and his family at this difficult time.”

Residents of Southwest Fresno, Chinatown and Downtown Fresno came together over the course of nine public meetings facilitated by the City of Fresno to select a package that will invest $70 million of cap-and-trade funding from the State of California through the Transformative Climate Communities program.

Residents and business owners in the area were invited to attend a series of one-of-a-kind community meetings that put the power to decide how to spend the $70 million in their hands.  All of the proposed projects were distilled into five packages that were presented before a steering committee of the residents and business owners.

The final vote took place last Wednesday night at the Westside Church of God and the winning package was selected by a vote of 125 to 1.  Voters overwhelmingly selected a package that included a West Fresno Satellite Campus for Fresno City College, the Martin Luther King Jr. Activity Center and public park, transportation improvements, affordable housing, urban greening and local economic development.

“This process was the most collaborative and transparent that the City of Fresno has ever attempted and the near unanimity of the vote speaks to the diligence of the residents who spent countless hours identifying and analyzing projects that will ultimately transform our most vulnerable communities,” said Mayor Brand.

He added, “Thanks to the vision and hard work of former Mayor Ashley Swearengin and the Central Valley Community Foundation, Councilmember Oliver Baines, the local community groups who provided valuable input, Pastor B.T. Lewis, Pastor Paul Binion and Westside Church of God, and most importantly, the residents and business owners of Southwest Fresno, Chinatown, and Downtown Fresno, we have a package of projects to present to the State that will truly transform these valuable communities.”  

“I’m proud of the residents and stakeholders of all the communities that participated. This is the most collaborative process that Fresno and maybe the State of California has ever seen in the decisions of how to invest public dollars. More important than the projects that came out of this process was the spirit of unity and togetherness that people from different communities had for each other. In my opinion that was the ‘Transformational’ part of this process that will outlive the investments,” said Councilmember Oliver Baines, who chaired the Transformative Climate Communities Steering Committee and represents the majority of the communities that stand to benefit from these funds.

The Transformative Climate Communities Collaborative was created to bring together local leaders to identify investments that will catalyze economic and environmental transformation in Southwest, Chinatown and downtown Fresno. The City of Fresno and the Central Valley Community Foundation (CVCF) partnered together to provide support for the community meetings.

The $70 million was approved by the California Strategic Growth Council in November 2016 for projects that reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions through the development and implementation of neighborhood-level transformative climate community plans that include multiple, coordinated GHG emissions reduction projects that provide local economic, environmental, and health benefits to disadvantaged communities.

Mayor Lee Brand released the following statement on the deadly mass shooting in Las Vegas last night:

“I want to offer my condolences and prayers to everyone affected by this act of madness.  This senseless tragedy has shocked our nation, and we should be grateful for the quick response by Las Vegas police and emergency responders.  My heart goes out to the victims of this deadly shooting as well as their families, and we pray for a speedy recovery for all those injured.”

 

Mayor Lee Brand and City Manager Wilma Quan-Schecter today announced that Jim Schaad has been named the City of Fresno’s new Director of Transportation, effective September 25, 2017.  Schaad, who had been serving as Assistant Director for the Department of Transportation, replaces interim Transportation Director Bruce Rudd.

“We are fortunate to have someone of Jim’s experience and ability joining our team,” City Manager Quan-Schecter said.  “He’s shown superior skill in managing complex transportation projects and he’ll make an excellent addition to our leadership team.”

Schaad served as an assistant director for the Transportation Department for the past 6 years, where he was responsible for the Department’s capital projects and maintenance operations.  He recently led efforts on the City’s Bus Rapid Transit line, which is expected to start service in the first quarter of 2018.

He entered the public sector 15 years ago, where he began managing ongoing operations and capital projects for the City of Fresno’s Fleet Management Division.  Prior to civil service, Schaad spent 16 years managing various manufacturing operations in the private sector.  He has also taught at California State University, Fresno as an adjunct professor for the last 18 years.

Schaad has a Bachelor’s degree in Industrial Technology from California State University, Fresno and a Master’s in Business Administration from Portland State University.  He and his wife Lynn have been married for 28 years and have two adult children.

Mayor Lee Brand released the following statement on the Trump Administration’s announcement on DACA:

“I have consistently called for immigration reform, including joining my Council colleagues in December 2015 to unanimously support comprehensive immigration legislation, so I appreciate the fact that the President has given Congress a six-month window to act on this important issue.

“I would also ask Congress to immediately begin work on a bipartisan approach that provides a permanent solution to give children who were brought here by their parents the opportunity to become productive citizens, the same way most of our ancestors did when they came to this great country. America’s legacy is built on the hopes of immigrants, and our nation’s future depends on finding a full and fair resolution to our immigration issues.”