Holtville Tribune 11-30-2012 Vol.106 No.49

By Jim Predmore
     The City Council was asked to give direction to the City Manager on proceeding with draft legislation to permit the use of golf carts and neighborhood electric vehicles in the City of Holtville and adjacent County areas.
     In May of this year staff had been directed to prepare a request for proposal for the preparation of a Golf Cart and NEV master plan. A draft plan has been prepared and meetings have been scheduled with the County of Imperial to coordinate the draft plan with County facilities.
     The City is also in the process of securing abandoned railroad right of ways from the city limits to the Barbara Worth Country Club, and between the Country Club and the University of California Field Station. This right of way will be acquired in 2013.
The final plan will require completion of community input and participation, as well as review by the project Review Committee and approval by the Planning Commission and City Council. The final plan would be adopted as part of the City’s General Plan Transportation Element.
     For this plan to allow golf carts and Neighborhood Electric Vehicles on the city and county Streets to come to fruition, State Legislation would have to be modified to allow such vehicles on city and county Streets.
     Existing law defines “low-speed vehicle” for purposes of the Vehicle Code as a motor vehicle, other than a motor truck, with 4 wheels that is capable of a minimum speed of 20 miles per hour and a maximum speed of 25 miles per hour on a paved level surface and that has a gross vehicle weight rating of less than 3,000. Existing law imposes certain restrictions on the use of low-speed vehicles on public streets and highways, and generally requires an operator of a low-speed vehicle to have a driver’s license. A violation of the Vehicle Code is an infraction, unless otherwise specified.
  Existing law authorizes a city or county to establish a golf cart transportation plan subject to the review of the appropriate transportation planning agency and traffic law enforcement agency.
     The City Council gave direction to the City Manager to proceed with such legislation as necessary to proceed with this plan to allow golf carts and Neighborhood Electric Vehicle to be allowed to drive on the streets of Holtville.

Getting to Know Manuel Zamora, the City’s Distribution and Collection Operator

By Jim Predmore

Manuel Zamora was born in Brawley and lived in the City of Imperial. At the age of 1, his family moved to Holtville. Manuel attended Finley, Holtville Middle School and Holtville High School where he graduated in 2007. While at HHS, Manuel played soccer in his sophomore and junior years. It was while in high school that Manuel started working on his career (with some prompting from his father) and started volunteering at the Holtville water plant during his senior year.

After high school Manuel moved to San Diego to attend a community college and also started working for McDonalds full time. After doing this for a couple of months, he decided it would be better for him to move back home and attend a local college, which he did. Manuel started attending I.V.C. in 2008 and received his Associates Degree in Water Technology in 2011. While he was studying at I.V.C. he received a call from Matt, Holtville’s former Public Works Manager, who told him of a job opening and encouraged him to apply. He applies, got the job, and started working for the city in 2009 at the age of 20.  This gave him the title of being Holtville’s youngest employee.

Manuel is following in his father’s footsteps, as his father also worked for the City of Holtville Water Department for 10 years.  He now works at the Calipatria Water Plant.

Manuel is continuing his education at SDSU in Calexico, where he is working towards his degree in Public Administration.

Manuel has spent most of his life living in Holtville and likes it because of the calmness, stating, “At 8:30 there is no one on the streets.”  He also likes the fact that everyone knows each other. Manuel would like to see the city grow, to have more stores, fast food and more housing. Manuel also thinks that it would be a good idea to have the Carrot Festival and Rib Cook Off on the same weekend, as it was in the past.

Manuel is proud to be Holtville’s youngest employee and that he is able to keep up with all of the older guys that he works with. Manuel also feels that volunteering your time to an employer is a great opportunity for high school students for learning work skills and could open doors for employment

Road Closure for Street Improvements along Ninth Street between Slayton Road and Beale Avenue

On November 29, 2012, City of Holtville will begin street improvements along Ninth Street between Slayton Road and Beale Avenue.  The widening of Ninth Street will include widening of the northerly A.C. pavement section, and installation of new concrete curb, gutter and sidewalk. Construction for this project will start November 29, 2012 and will end on January 11, 2013. 

 Ninth Street between Slayton Road and Beale Avenue will be closed for the duration of project construction.  Garbage and recycle bins are to be picked up at the edge of the road closure on pick-up days.  Construction workers will assist with the movement of bins from the front of your residence to the edge of road closure on the pick-up days.

A Resident Engineer from The Holt Group, Inc. will be present at the construction site. If you have any questions, you may contact the Resident Engineer at 760-337-3883.

Regards,

Alexander P. Meyerhoff, AICP

City Manager

CITY OF HOLTVILLE