First budget proposal is balanced, focuses on economic development, public safety, prudent fiscal management and improving quality of life

Mayor Lee Brand, along with City Manager Bruce Rudd, today announced the proposed City of Fresno budget for Fiscal Year 2018 during a press conference at City Hall.  The $1.138 billion budget puts an emphasis on continuing the City’s long-term financial stability, while focusing on economic development and increasing public safety staffing and representing the best possible use of the City’s limited resources to address the most pressing issues.

“My commitment to fiscal responsibility was demonstrated during my eight years on the Council and has been consistently applied to this year’s budget,” said Mayor Brand. “My vision for Fresno is to transform our economy by creating citywide prosperity that will improve the quality of life for everyone. ”

The proposed FY 2018 budget is Mayor Brand’s first spending plan since taking office in January of this year.  It represents a balanced approach to rebuilding the financial health of the City and adding back core municipal services.  Among the highlights, the FY 2018 budget:

• Funds 21 additional sworn police personnel to increase sworn staffing to 825, the highest staffing level since 2010.
• Expands Shotspotter^TM coverage from 6 to 9 square miles.
• Provides funding for new police substation in Southeast Fresno, as well as 50 new patrol vehicles and 14 motorcycles.
• Makes the Office of Independent Review a full-time, local position

• Continues the implementation of the Mayor’s Rental Housing Improvement Act by establishing the Proactive Rental Housing Inspection Program that will focus on dramatically improving the quality of rental housing available in Fresno.
• Expands the Weekend Health & Fitness Program to include instructional and recreational swimming programs at Fresno Unified and Central Unified schools.
• Provides $5 million in funding for neighborhood parks renovation projects.
• Provides over $26 million in funding for street maintenance projects.
• Provides funding for an Alley Maintenance Team which will be responsible for the semi-annual of cleaning of every alley within the City limits.
• Creates enhancements to the City’s online billing for utilities system.
• Reflects over $1 million in savings from the refinancing of the majority of the City’s debt; a total of $42 million in savings will be realized citywide over the life of the debt.
• Continues contributions to the City’s General Fund reserve, on track to reach a 10% reserve by FY 2020.

• Continues funding for the Economic Expansion Act and the Industrial/Large Office Development Impact Fee Elimination or Reduction (iDEFER) Program
• Includes funding needed to complete implementation of the new land management system that supports Business Friendly Fresno 2.0.
• Aligns one-time savings and revenues into a funding stream tied to the year when the General Fund debt shows significant reductions. In 2024 the General Fund annual debt will drop $3.5 million and by 2030 it will drop $14.8 million.

City Manager Rudd added, “What we have accomplished as an organization is nothing less than astounding, and it’s a testimony to the grit and determination that comes with living in this community.  It is who we are and is why Fresno will always be a special place.”

Mayor Brand will present the proposed budget to Fresno City Council at its meeting on Thursday, May 25, 2017. The City of Fresno’s budget must be adopted by June 30, per the city charter.

The full FY2018 Budget Proposal can be viewed online at www.fresno.gov/budget.

Grants awarded by the National Recreation and Park Association and The Walt Disney Company

The Highway City Community Science Center has been selected as a winner of the national Meet Me at the Park campaign and will receive a $20,000 grant from the National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA) and The Walt Disney Company, including Disney Citizenship, Disney|ABC Television Group and ESPN.  Community members voted for the winning project throughout Earth Month in April.

Meet Me at the Park helps to revitalize and restore local parks and park programs across the country.  These park projects will connect kids to nature, inspire healthy living and provide access to sports.  The campaign was promoted on social media, ABC Television Network, ABC-owned and affiliate stations, Freeform, Disney Channel, Disney XD, Disney Junior, the ABC app and other digital platforms.

Highway City Community Science Center: Meet me at the Park for Science in the Neighborhood was one of 17 park improvement projects selected to receive grant funding.  The $20,000 grant will allow the PARCS Department to operate the Highway City Science Center and take the Mobile Science Vehicle equipped with hundreds of diverse informal science projects including robotics, chemical reactions, and exploring solar and wind power science projects into underserved neighborhoods lacking green space.  Additionally, children and youth will be able to participate in hiking, camping, and nature trail service projects this summer, promoting physical activity and nature based educational opportunities.

Mayor Lee Brand noted, “This award recognizes the investments we are making in our parks to foster knowledge and appreciation of science and the environment, and to help create a safer, brighter and healthier future for every child in Fresno.”

“Our continued investment in these types of programs will provide positive changes for our youth that will ultimately have a profound impact on the quality of life in Fresno,”  said City Manager and Interim PARCS Director, Bruce Rudd.

“Nearly 70,000 people participated in this year’s Meet Me at the Park campaign, a record number, demonstrating a tremendous amount of support and enthusiasm for local parks nationwide,” said Lori Robertson, NRPA director of conservation.  “Many children and families in need will benefit from this campaign, which was made possible by the generosity of The Walt Disney Company.  We want to thank them for helping us give back to the communities our members so proudly support.”

For more information about this project and parks and recreation, visit https://www.fresno.gov/parks/  For further information about the winning Meet Me at the Park projects visit nrpa.org/Disney.

To learn more about Meet Me at the Park, visit www.nrpa.org/beinspired.

The National Recreation and Park Association is a national not-for-profit organization dedicated to ensuring that all Americans have access to parks and recreation for health, conservation and social equity.  Through its network of nearly 60,000 recreation and park professionals and advocates, NRPA encourages the promotion of healthy and active lifestyles, conservation initiatives and equitable access to parks and public space. For more information, visit www.nrpa.org.  For digital access to NRPA’s flagship publication, Parks & Recreation, visit www.parksandrecreation.org.

Mayor Lee Brand and Chairman Brian Pacheco today officially announced the first of many special joint meetings between the City of Fresno and the Fresno County Board of Supervisors, scheduled for Fresno City Hall on May 30 at 1:30 p.m.

The joint meeting, the first such gathering in recent history, will be chaired by Mayor Brand and includes all City Councilmembers and County Supervisors, as well as City Manager Bruce Rudd and County Administrator Jean Rousseau. This historic event is free and open to the public.

“We have a significant number of issues that affect both the City and the County, and I’m pleased that we are able to work with the County to develop a shared vision and shared solutions,” said Mayor Brand. “This is just the start of a new era of collaboration and communication between the City and the County, and the real winners are the citizens we serve.”

“We have already had two Ad Hoc Subcommittee meetings with the Mayor and members of the Council and have achieved significant progress on several fronts,” said Chairman Pacheco. “There is much more we can do and this joint meeting of the Board and the Council is a giant step in that direction.”

The first joint meeting will concentrate on discussions about public safety, marijuana legislation, and animal control. There will be a public comment section at the end of the meeting reserved for residents desiring to address the officials on any matter on the agenda.

Requests for disability-related modification or accommodation for translation services must be made to the City Clerk at (559) 621-7650 no later than Friday, May 26, 2017 at 9:00 a.m.

Mayor Lee Brand is looking for members of the community who would like to be a part of his newly-formed Citizen’s Public Safety Advisory Board.

The nine voting members of the board will be appointed by the mayor and reflect the rich diversity of the City of Fresno.  Applications and information is available in two places on the City of Fresno website: the “Get Involved” icon on the main page, www.fresno.gov and also on the Mayor’s webpage www.fresno.gov/mayor/.

Members of the board must be at least eighteen years old, must live in and should also be registered voters in the City of Fresno. Members will serve a four-year term and attend monthly meetings. They will also participate in regular training courses and take part in periodic ride-alongs with Fresno police officers.  Additional requirements are listed on the information sheet that accompanies the application.

Among the duties of the board will be to:

• Advise the Office of Independent Review (OIR) in helping to define, assess and further develop Community Policing citywide;
• Monitor and develop performance metrics to measure effectiveness of Community Policing;
• Review all legally available information regarding policies, practices, and procedures of the Police Department and make recommendations to the OIR;
• Hear reports from the OIR on community-Police Department relations, on the results of investigations and reviews of critical incidents; and
• Prepare quarterly reports and recommendations to be voted on by the Board.

Mayor Lee Brand created the Citizens’ Public Safety Advisory Board to enhance trust, accountability and transparency and promote higher standards of services in the Fresno Police Department.  This will increase public confidence in the Police Department and will help make Fresno safer for our citizens and for the brave men and women of public safety who protect and serve us.

Read More and Apply.

The City of Fresno announced a series of community workshops to give citizens the opportunity to provide input on its Parks Master Plan Update, a plan that will guide the growth and management of Fresno’s park system into the future. The workshops are scheduled in each City Council district, starting May 10 and ending May 22, and are free and open to the public.

Residents will get an update on the progress of the Parks Master Plan, and can help City staff identify priorities and articulate helpful strategies to strengthen Fresno’s park system and improve park resources.

For more information or to RSVP for one of the events, call (559) 621-2900 or email [email protected].

District 1
Monday / May 15 / 6:30 – 8:30 pm
Big Red Church
2131 N. Van Ness Blvd., Fresno, CA 93704

District 2
Wednesday / May 10 / 6:30 – 8:30 pm
William Saroyan Elementary Multi-Purpose Room
5650 W. Escalon Ave., Fresno, CA 93722

District 3
Wednesday / May 24/ 6:30 – 8:30 pm
Frank H Ball Gym
760 Mayor Ave., Fresno, CA 93706

District 4
Tuesday / May 23 / 6:30 – 8:30 pm
Wesley Church Sanctuary
1343 E. Barstow Ave., Fresno, CA 93710

District 5
Tuesday / May 16 / 6:30 – 8:30 pm
Mosqueda Community Center
4670 E. Butler Ave., Fresno, CA 93702

District 6
Wednesday / May 17 / 6:30 – 8:30 pm
Clovis West High School
1070 Teague Ave., Fresno, CA, 93720

District 7
Monday / May 22 / 6:30 – 8:30 pm
Fresno Art Museum
2233 N. First St., Fresno, CA 93703

FAX is offering free service for all passengers this Saturday, May 6th and Sunday May 7th. The service is to promote the newly launched extended weekday night hours on the most highly traveled sections of five of its routes and more frequent 30 minute service seven days a week on five of its popular routes. These improvements to FAX began on Monday, May 1st.

To celebrate these extended hours, FAX is also offering free rides to all passengers after 6:00pm from Monday, May 1st through Friday, May 5th as well as the free weekend service.

By expanding its services, the City is making FAX more convenient for riders. These two service changes are a continuation of the service enhancements that residents can expect this year from FAX.

We urge you to take advantage of this free service and see all the improvements made to the FAX system.

Mayor Lee Brand released the following statement on the announcement from the California Future Farmers of America that they are planning to hold their next state convention in Anaheim:

“Fresno State President Dr. Joe Castro and I met with an FFA official this afternoon and had a very productive conversation. We understand that their annual convention has grown substantially over the years and that they are looking for venues that could accommodate their future needs.

“Dr. Castro and I agreed to continue working on a proposal to keep the state FFA convention in the agricultural heart of California, including assessing local facilities, housing and other amenities. We plan to engage area agriculture leaders and other local agencies to provide a competitive package that expands our ability to successfully host this state convention and deliver the best possible experience for the California FFA and its local chapters.”

Mayor Lee Brand, along with Transportation Director Brian Marshall, announced today that Fresno Area Express (FAX) is making improvements to its bus service during a press conference held at the FAX Complex, 2223 G Street, Fresno, CA 93706.

On Monday, May 1, 2017, FAX will begin serving the community with extended weekday night hours on the most highly traveled sections of five of its routes until 1:00am, and will offer more frequent 30‑minute service seven days a week on five of its popular routes. To celebrate these extended hours, FAX will offer free rides to all passengers after 6:00pm beginning on Monday, May 1^st through Friday, May 5^th  and free weekend service on May 6^th and May 7th.

“Along with our FAX 15 service launched earlier this year on the Shaw and Cedar Avenue corridors, FAX is continuing to improve its system to give riders more transit choices and to support jobs and businesses in Fresno.” said Mayor Brand. “FAX has a number of service and infrastructure improvement projects in the works this year to even further enhance the transit experience in Fresno.”

“We are pleased that we are able to improve FAX service by providing later service during the week and more frequent service on Saturdays and Sundays.” said City Manager Bruce Rudd. “It is extremely important that we continue to find ways to provide public transit services that are responsive to our customers as well as the community.” 

By expanding its services, the City is making FAX more convenient for riders. These two service changes are a continuation of the service enhancements that residents can expect this year from FAX.

About FAX

FAX, The City of Fresno’s Public Transportation Department offers 16 fixed-route bus lines and Handy Ride Paratransit Service serving the greater Fresno Metropolitan Area with a modern clean and green fleet of over 100 buses. Fresno Area Express is operated by the City of Fresno as a public service to all the citizens and visitors of Fresno.

[vc_row bg_color=””][vc_column width=”2/3″][vc_column_text]Mayor Lee Brand today announced that Wilma Quan-Schecter, who currently serves as assistant city manager, will become Fresno’s next city manager, effective July 10, 2017. Mrs. Quan-Schecter will replace City Manager Bruce Rudd, who is retiring after 41 years of service to the City of Fresno. Mrs. Quan-Schecter is the first female city manager in Fresno’s history.

Mr. Rudd will remain part of the Administration as an temporary adviser to ensure a smooth transition through the end of the year.

“Wilma is a world-class manager with experience in cutting-edge city planning and a reputation for building strong working relationships,” said Mayor Brand. “I am confident in her ability to handle the challenges ahead and I know her broad experience in public policy will serve our city well.”

Mrs. Quan-Schecter brings a wealth of experience and savvy to her new position, having previously served as deputy city manager where she was instrumental in the Fulton Street Reconstruction Project. She has also negotiated numerous agreements for the City, including joint use agreements with Fresno and Central Unified School Districts to expand Fresno’s open space and the Police Department’s Central Substation lease. Prior to her time in the City Manager’s Office, she was the Urban Planning Specialist with the City’s Downtown and Community Revitalization Department where she served as the project manager for the Fresno HSR Station Area Master Plan, the Fulton Corridor Specific Plan, and the Downtown Development Code.

Mrs. Quan-Schecter also spent six years at the California Department of Transportation, where she gained experience in transportation planning and modeling. She was raised in the Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania area and earned her Bachelor’s Degree from Penn State University and her Master of Business Administration from California State University – Fresno. Mrs. Quan-Schecter is married to Dr. David Schecter and has two sons.

Mayor Brand added, “I’m also pleased that Bruce Rudd will continue to give us the benefit of his four decades of experience in virtually every level of our city government. Bruce is a rock star and I’m happy that he’s willing to extend his latest tour, even if it’s only for a few more months.”

Prior to becoming city manager, Rudd served as the City’s assistant city manager, director of transportation, chief information officer, and director of the Parks, After School, Recreation and Community Services Department (PARCS).

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Mayor Lee Brand released the following statement in the aftermath of three people shot and killed in a shooting spree today in central Fresno:

“This is a sad day for us all.  My thoughts and prayers are with the families of the victims. None of us can imagine what they must be going through. I am grateful for the quick and decisive response of our Police Department in preventing further senseless violence. 

“If there were ways to prevent tragedies like this in the future, I would not hesitate in using them. Again, my heart goes out to the families that lost loved ones today.”