[{"_1":2,"_110":-5,"_111":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,74,86,98],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":44,"_46":47,"_48":49,"_50":51,"_52":53,"_54":55,"_56":57,"_58":59,"_60":61,"_62":63,"_64":65,"_66":67,"_68":69,"_70":67,"_71":72,"_73":72},"mediaId",6319645,"mediaKeyId","2360846-6b911af9aa4645c08f895606fdc74b97","parentId",2360846,"title","Votes at a glance: Bakersfield City Council actions, Feb. 12, 2025","audioSeconds",0,"startMs",6251000,"endMs","viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2360846-6b911af9aa4645c08f895606fdc74b97&start=6251&end=6251","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2360846-6b911af9aa4645c08f895606fdc74b97/thumbnail_6251000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6319645/Bakersfield/Kern-County/California/Votes-at-a-glance-Bakersfield-City-Council-actions-Feb-12-2025","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6319645-1cf16ccc376d853e8ec0362dcbc1c56f/orig.mp4?Expires=1771171566&Signature=lt98fkOwUz4SqAPxfEtgTQHj7gUYLmXI7HWLj4yhf6xHnvbZpP5dD-domRm18RQEy265NDtBWQUgvz29ecPCzKDWJAPiIsdoKucTp4OeOsEAC2HAwdx3NRrocjuuQ~1vZ5aGQU24TJRUJDKDdqA2zSYaIBqfmqN5GG-Jb8RfuUhdTLAyMUThACnRyQl2KoLnUcLNpJr9GTHmvNlGrhz4AVvB3vFE6LgV8r3UIlB6U9XHGrh0miIJ71xX6G6pnRoxHtpDTTyqlOxbWKNUb32O4YODWBC4bku1OsKqwsZ6rOM1mvV7TMLa-7qYVfu-UDLpfpF1JTet6LgA1qrSlm80Dg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","City of Bakersfield, CA.","date","2025-02-12T00:00:00Z","article","This summary lists formal actions and recorded outcomes from the Bakersfield City Council meeting on Feb. 12, 2025. Where the transcript recorded only an approval with absences, that wording is reproduced; specific yes/no tallies were not provided in the public transcript.

1) Appointment — Ward 6 alternate member to the Youth Commission
- Motion: Approve appointment of John Oh as alternate Ward 6 member to the Youth Commission (term to expire July 2025). Motion made by Council Member Bashar Tosh (recorded as nominee).
- Outcome: \"Motion is approved with Vice Mayor Kaur and Councilmember Weir absent.\" (transcript)
- Notes: Three applications were received (Malachi Lopez and Oscar Serrano also applicants).

2) Consent calendar (items 7A through 7I, with exceptions)
- Motion: Approve consent calendar with the exception of item 7E1 (and other removed items noted in staff memoranda).
- Outcome: \"Motion is approved with Vice Mayor Kaur and Councilmember Weir absent.\" (transcript)
- Notes: Council Member Gonzales pulled 7E1 for separate consideration.

3) Naming rights agreement — Mechanics Bank Arena, Theater and Convention Center (Item 7E1)
- Motion: Approve a naming-rights agreement with Dignity Health for the arena, theater and convention center (10-year agreement).
- Outcome: \"Motion is approved with Vice Mayor Kaur and Councilmember Weir absent.\" (transcript)
- Clarifying details: Naming rights for the facility expired 01/31/2025; council approved a 10-year partnership with Dignity Health. City staff thanked representatives from Dignity Health (Ken Keller) and arena staff.

4) Public hearing and TEFRA resolution — Housing Authority of the County of Kern (Items 8A/9A)
- Motion: Conduct TEFRA public hearing and adopt resolution approving the plan of finance and related indemnification agreement for Housing Authority bonding.
- Outcome: Motion approved (transcript states: \"Motion was approved with Vice Mayor Kaur and Council Member Weir absent.\")
- Clarifying details: Housing Authority requested a $12,000,000 bond for the Nile Street project to fund 51 affordable housing units; staff clarified these are not city-managed funds but facilitated hearings to meet statutory requirements.

5) Receive and file — Public safety traffic update (Item 10A)
- Motion: Receive and file the Bakersfield Police Department public safety/traffic report.
- Outcome: \"Motion is approved with Vice Mayor Kaur and Council Member Weir absent.\" (transcript)
- Notes: Council requested additional analysis and follow-up actions (distracted-driving data, long-term trend lines, targeted corridor plans).

6) Receive and file — Making Downtown Bakersfield vision plan update (Item 10B)
- Motion: Receive and file the Downtown Vision Plan status update.
- Outcome: \"Motion is approved with Vice Mayor Kaur and Council Member Weir absent.\" (transcript)
- Notes: Council directed staff to bring prioritization recommendations to the Finance, Economic Development and Jobs Committee and to consider a five-year plan extension.

How to interpret vote language in the transcript: The public transcript repeatedly records approved motions with the phrase \"Motion is approved with Vice Mayor Kaur and Council Member Weir absent.\" That phrasing indicates the council approved motions but did not publish an itemized roll-call in the transcript excerpt; if a full roll-call is required for a particular ordinance or resolution, the city clerk's official minutes and certified vote record should be consulted for precise yes/no tallies and any recusals.

Provenance: Each listed action is drawn from the meeting transcript and staff memos read into the record; follow-up documents (ordinances, contracts, resolutions) are available through the city clerk.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","City of Bakersfield - City Council Meeting- 2/12/25","oneSentenceSummary","Summary of formal motions and votes taken by the Bakersfield City Council at the Feb. 12, 2025 meeting, including appointments, consent actions and a housing authority TEFRA resolution.","taxTitle","Bakersfield, Kern County, California","taxId",4687,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":75,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":76,"_41":77,"_43":78,"_45":79,"_46":80,"_48":81,"_50":82,"_52":83,"_54":55,"_56":57,"_58":84,"_60":61,"_62":63,"_64":85,"_66":67,"_68":69,"_70":67,"_71":72,"_73":72},6319653,"Bakersfield proclaims February 2025 as Safely Surrender Baby Awareness Month",115,5039000,5154000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2360846-6b911af9aa4645c08f895606fdc74b97&start=5039&end=5154","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2360846-6b911af9aa4645c08f895606fdc74b97/thumbnail_5039000.jpg","/articles/6319653/Bakersfield/Kern-County/California/Bakersfield-proclaims-February-2025-as-Safely-Surrender-Baby-Awareness-Month","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6319653-b27dadb7091763b98168687990b08906/orig.mp4?Expires=1771171566&Signature=jLfzZ2zWiM0~LzCR3XgDIlDfQ8WZfbL8yHcNbyah2Vy8NnhfPPz47Shj8IBI49Cp8WwgU3uew0uiElVUL9spv5LCQYYa0gndaMGum86LXIiv09kj~ZfnNjc9mCb3tfrj1qPO2xJkrzVj9G-CaR-z34~Sg7xNlgxzglKGc7wWTzXDZdHCCz3zsc5H4plcr2u2a5fIkvX8BEdel3nXsnr2gg9qgP8meM8PrfkEPKlAbwau9b8ojx1FK8gfV-bdwV0imZhIrOu-AqBE7bLeA56PSOyBQf0xl0OKtrtq~537AwSqSebzcGh4n5tkelWqJ2TP~o6qLsOPeyPO9ZBwcSzVVQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Bakersfield City Council on Feb. 12 proclaimed February 2025 as Safely Surrender Baby Awareness Month and presented the proclamation to Safe Surrender Coalition representatives.

Mayor Karen Goh read the proclamation noting the state safe-surrender law and the local coalition's work to provide safe alternatives for newborn babies. The proclamation recognized \"five infants safely surrendered in 2024\" and \"103 infants safely surrendered since the program's inception in Kern County in February 2008.\" The proclamation thanked government partners, nonprofits and private businesses that cooperate on the program.

Aaron Rogers, a member of the Safe Surrender Coalition, accepted the proclamation and said the program provides an alternative for women with unplanned pregnancies. \"I personally have two friends who received a safely surrendered baby into their family, and I know what a difference this makes,\" Rogers said, adding that the program involves adoption agencies, public servants and nonprofit partners.

Why it matters: The proclamation highlights a county-level child-safety program recognized as preventing unsafe newborn abandonment by giving parents an option to surrender infants safely to hospitals or fire stations.

Ending: The council presented the proclamation and thanked the coalition for its ongoing work in Kern County.","The City Council issued a proclamation recognizing the Safe Surrender Coalition and declared February 2025 as Safely Surrender Baby Awareness Month, citing the coalition's role in providing safe alternatives for newborns and recent county surrender statistics.",{"_33":87,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":88,"_41":89,"_43":90,"_45":91,"_46":92,"_48":93,"_50":94,"_52":95,"_54":55,"_56":57,"_58":96,"_60":61,"_62":63,"_64":97,"_66":67,"_68":69,"_70":67,"_71":72,"_73":72},6319658,"City highlights progress on 30-year Downtown Bakersfield vision; staff to seek reprioritization and committee review",2327,14400000,16727000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2360846-6b911af9aa4645c08f895606fdc74b97&start=14400&end=16727","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2360846-6b911af9aa4645c08f895606fdc74b97/thumbnail_14400000.jpg","/articles/6319658/Bakersfield/Kern-County/California/City-highlights-progress-on-30-year-Downtown-Bakersfield-vision-staff-to-seek-reprioritization-and-committee-review","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6319658-dd2136e95aa07a2b3d6a6ac26b4d74ce/orig.mp4?Expires=1771171566&Signature=d196pxNlhd~MzPZkc6c1GEm0-2poQD5JNuDSOYEOqp20jpNrL7ToTxXYmb7rUC8LPHdQINi1VbFjgBGOnx~oOcxNdpB95owU6cnCPcaqlBGIETTGTmAWPNWAJ0UbDPCNQslT36r82GtzFWAyI1q9DYRAHgCN-4kteYRVkbZoTyn21M97wkpW-6aR1I18fDtZOW7UPhiKfZmo5P3F06RBLC-s1eAH8RxttDlzAeBsO8aOpADHVtCZGUsR8hEZBoMFrRE8S9Y5SsmnvkiLcO1Y0J-miKEuMtLUXYSn1tHZjOaYkkkJSM1VqGrOWfJEma9wamLlXj72cDpacl9mIjgZ9Q__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","City staff told the City Council on Feb. 12 that the Downtown Vision Plan — a long-term, multi-phase strategy first released in 2015 — is on pace but needs a near-term reprioritization to reflect current projects, available funding and changing conditions.

Jenny Byers, the city's economic and community development director, reviewed accomplishments and ongoing work: the downtown residential population has roughly increased from 5,000 to about 9,400 residents since 2015; the Economic Opportunity Area (EOA) was renewed through 2034; sidewalks, pedestrian improvements and bicycle lanes have been installed; and studies of sewer and storm infrastructure identified upgrades needed to support future growth. \"Phase 1 was a decade worth of work,\" Byers said in a condensed staff presentation, and she listed catalytic projects including the Dolores Huerta Cultural Center, potential transit-centered housing and street-level investments.

Why it matters: Council members said downtown remains essential to broader city economic strategy and asked for a practical update on priorities. Council Member Gonzales asked staff to return to the council's Finance, Economic Development and Jobs Committee with a recommended reprioritized list and suggested extending the plan time frame by five years to align with high-speed-rail planning and other long-term investments.

Specific items highlighted
- Residential growth: staff reported roughly 9,400 downtown residents, up from about 5,000 in 2015, and a market study estimating room for roughly 25,000 additional units under the plan.
- Infrastructure and mobility: projects include complete-streets work, pedestrian paseos, Wayfinding, sidewalk and utility upgrades, and a series of intersection and bicycle improvements in the downtown core.
- Fiscal tools and programs: staff noted use of the EOA, façade improvement programs, and ongoing exploration of funding mechanisms such as targeted property-based improvement districts (PBIDs), park-in-lieu options and grants.

Council direction and community concerns
Council members urged more attention to public-safety perception in downtown, suggesting stronger early-morning patrolling, better alley lighting and tighter control of unlocked dumpsters. Several members suggested the city provide a memorandum for property owners summarizing the city's investments in downtown to clarify what the city already funds versus what a PBID would add.

Next steps: City Manager Clay Clegg and staff recommended bringing a reprioritization draft to the Finance, Economic Development and Jobs Committee and said staff would consider a five-year extension of the plan's timeline to better align with high-speed-rail planning and grant opportunities.

Ending: The council voted to receive and file the update and directed staff to return with committee-level recommendations on prioritization and potential plan extension.","City staff summarized progress on the Downtown Vision Plan, saying residential population has grown and infrastructure and policy steps are underway. Council asked staff to bring prioritization recommendations to committee and recommended a five-year extension of the plan horizon.",{"_33":99,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":100,"_41":101,"_43":102,"_45":103,"_46":104,"_48":105,"_50":106,"_52":107,"_54":55,"_56":57,"_58":108,"_60":61,"_62":63,"_64":109,"_66":67,"_68":69,"_70":67,"_71":72,"_73":72},6319662,"Bakersfield police report shows drop in fatal collisions in 2024, city officials call for expanded education and enforcement",2677,10707000,13384000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2360846-6b911af9aa4645c08f895606fdc74b97&start=10707&end=13384","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2360846-6b911af9aa4645c08f895606fdc74b97/thumbnail_10707000.jpg","/articles/6319662/Bakersfield/Kern-County/California/Bakersfield-police-report-shows-drop-in-fatal-collisions-in-2024-city-officials-call-for-expanded-education-and-enforcement","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6319662-c4979af3b1ae82e86f1db59d928e8969/orig.mp4?Expires=1771171566&Signature=OGf2WRwZSXa0Kfne96PmY5uF2JCMGA9-Hos~8gf7YIQ5zAYuR3yKmFo2OP2IvvCuIYTQ1-h5uIhfh~eb1ThmTkGNfsvLrQvNz4mSnLoqofbzYJWZ1oDmDTsAmFBGqxrzqO4j6E1MRjhdm3kFQfkGRzl28XtJnIy3my~N52GtGUjlqJ7kg58psIbi5PEo0VN45I-BnLXve5uzWbsim8p8docjsCx46fnNKxNPV020WXnkyl6acYwidQvlGfU-v4MIgK7cqJh8fWk4VZHEyNkbXbwFAhOciUg02YDUKOPTJriD0GYqRJc30ZdhFc0MskVBrUBTKUuu8G36t~fAK1e7pQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Bakersfield Police Department told the City Council on Feb. 12 that the city recorded fewer fatal traffic collisions in 2024, including a notable reduction in DUI-related fatal crashes, even as total nonfatal injury collisions rose slightly.

Assistant Police Chief Brent Stratton said the department is shifting to a more data-informed approach to traffic safety, and credited partnerships and targeted enforcement for the decline. \"For 2024 as we closed out some of our numbers, the good news is that we were able to see an overall reduction in total fatal collisions as well as a significant reduction in DUI related fatal collisions,\" Stratton said. He added the city still saw increases in bicycle collisions and that reducing broadside and head-on crashes remains a priority.

City Manager Clay Clegg told the council the city has invested in tools to analyze traffic data better. \"We have begun collecting much more traffic data than we have historically,\" Clegg said, noting new software and performance analysts that help direct interventions.

Why it matters: Council members said the figures matter because fewer fatal collisions mean lives saved, while the increase in nonfatal injuries and bicycle collisions points to continuing risk. Council Member Smith and others pressed for more detail about education and enforcement, asking for a citywide distracted-driving public campaign and additional targeted work around specific intersections and near schools.

Key details reported and discussed
- Fatal collisions: overall decrease in 2024; five of the 2024 fatalities were reported as DUI-related. The department said the share of DUI-related fatal collisions was lower in 2024 than in some prior years.
- Nonfatal injury collisions: small increase (about 1 percent), with the department seeking ways to reduce rear-end and other injury collisions.
- Bicycle collisions: rose from earlier years to five reported in 2024; department flagged bicycles as a focus for outreach and enforcement.
- Primary collision factors identified for severe collisions include speed, DUI, pedestrians in the roadway, and running traffic signals/signs.

Enforcement and staffing
Stratton and council members described stepped-up enforcement: an expanded traffic division, a larger motor program, commercial vehicle enforcement, a strengthened major collision investigation team and use of Office of Traffic Safety grants that fund checkpoints and roving DUI patrols. The department said it currently fields a substantial traffic unit — including officers, sergeants and a lieutenant — and is running additional police academies to reach budgeted staffing levels.

Council requests and next steps
Council members asked for follow-up analyses: longer trend lines (5–10 years) for context, a breakdown of distracted-driving collisions, and targeted plans for intersections identified as high-collision locations (Monterey & Beale; 20th/21st; Brundage near Madison). Council Member Arias requested an update on school-area safety and on how many officers are assigned to traffic work; Stratton said motorcycle and traffic staffing have grown substantially from near zero in prior years.

No public speakers signed up for this report. After discussion the council voted to receive and file the report.

Ending: City staff said they will continue monthly reporting and form a working group with community partners to analyze specific collisions and produce an education campaign focused on distracted driving, school-area safety and DUI prevention.","The Bakersfield Police Department reported an overall reduction in fatal collisions and DUI-related fatal collisions in 2024, though nonfatal injury collisions rose slightly. City leaders and police described data-driven enforcement, additional traffic staffing, and planned public education as key next steps.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Votes at a glance: Bakersfield City Council actions, Feb. 12, 2025

Bakersfield proclaims February 2025 as Safely Surrender Baby Awareness Month

City highlights progress on 30-year Downtown Bakersfield vision; staff to seek reprioritization and committee review

Bakersfield police report shows drop in fatal collisions in 2024, city officials call for expanded education and enforcement