Welcome to the latest edition of the City Manager’s Biweekly Milpitas Matters. Find out what’s happening throughout the community and learn more about special events.
GENERAL INFORMATION
Oktoberfest 2019 – Thanks to all who came to the Milpitas Oktoberfest last Saturday to enjoy a relaxing afternoon of authentic German music and dancing, German beer served up by the Milpitas Rotary and an outstanding selection of German pastries, pretzels and sausages that were the highlight of the day. Congratulations to Milpitas Planning Commissioner Bill Chuan for winning the sausage eating contest for a second year in a row.
Milpitas Assistance Program Set to Launch Soon – Low-income Milpitas residents will soon be eligible for discounts on City services including Recreation programs, water and sewer utility bills and residential building permit fees for replacement water heater, furnace, and air conditioning units, under the City’s new Milpitas Assistance Program. The new program will have its first Open Enrollment period November 4-December 5, with discounts for income-qualified residents beginning soon after. The program also includes discounts for Milpitas residents experiencing temporary financial hardship due to job loss, loss of a primary wage earner, serious illness or a government shutdown during which a wage earner may be working but not receiving paychecks. For more information, visit www.milpitas.gov/MAP or call Recreation and Community Services at (408) 586-3405.
Thanks for Coming Out for Coastal Cleanup Day – Thanks to all the fantastic volunteers who helped clean Tularcitos Creek. Cleanup results show that 110 pounds of trash was collected at the site! Throughout the County, 1,946 volunteers showed up and collected 51,260 pounds of trash. Thanks for helping to fight water pollution!
Milpitas Partnering with Santa Clara County Office of LGBTQ Affairs for a Community Listening Forum – The City of Milpitas is proud to partner with the Santa Clara County Office of LGBTQ Affairs in hosting a community Listening Forum on Friday, October 4 from 7-9 pm at the Barbara Lee Senior Center to learn more on how we can best support Milpitas’ LGBTQ+. There will be multiple LGBTQ Community Listening Forum locations across the county. All events are free, and we encourage all LGBTQ community members and those who work with the community in any capacity to attend. Visit the following website for more information https://bit.ly/SCC-listen.
Milpitas Preparedness Fair (Milpitas Prepared) – Over 150 people attended this informative, family-friendly free weekend event. Highlights included the popular active shooter presentation and fire extinguisher simulation, both of which received an incredible reception with multiple requests for a repeat performance in the future. Office of Emergency Services (OES) educational materials were picked up from event tables while Fire Prevention partnered with PG&E on an electricity demo booth for a hands-on demonstration on fire hazards in the home. All in all, the Emergency Preparedness Fair was a great success.
Publication of the FY 2019-20 Adopted Budget, FY 2019-24 Five-Year Capital Improvement Program (CIP), and Budget-in-Brief documents – The City Council adopted the Fiscal Year (FY) 2019-20 Budget of $247.9 million and the Five-Year CIP of $429.3 million on June 11, 2019. The FY 2019-20 budget process incorporates a significant level of participation from the Mayor and Council, our community, key stakeholders, and City staff. As such, the budget and capital improvement program reflect the funding necessary to address the highest priority needs of the Council, community and organization, while anticipating demands of a growing community and saving for the future. The City’s first Budget-in-Brief document summarizes hundreds of pages of the operating and capital budgets, highlights the major investments being made in the City of Milpitas for the upcoming year, and provides facts about the City. The FY 2019-20 Adopted Budget, the FY 2019-24 Five-Year CIP documents, and Budget-in-Brief documents are posted on the City’s website.
UPCOMING EVENTS AND MEETINGS
Trails Plan and Bicycle and Pedestrian Plan Community Meeting, October 7 at 7:00 pm, Barbara Lee Senior Center – Join us for a workshop that will cover information pertaining to both Trails Plan and the Bicycle and Pedestrian Plan. There will also be an overview of the Bicycle and Pedestrian Master Plan and Trails Master Plan updates. The community meeting will begin at the conclusion of the Parks, Recreation, and Cultural Resources Commission meeting. For more information, contact the Recreation and Community Services at (408) 586-3210.
Special City Council Meeting, October 8, Barbara Lee Senior Center – This meeting will be focused on the General Plan update, as well as an update on the local Shuttle Study. To view the agenda packet for the City Council meeting, visit the City’s website or call the City Clerk’s Office at (408) 586-3001.
Rainwater Harvesting: Rain Barrels, Rain Gardens and Cisterns, October 9 from 6 – 8 pm, Barbara Lee Senior Center: Come learn about capturing rainwater on your property with rain gardens, rain barrels, and cisterns to help conserve water and reduce runoff volume. Learn about designing and maintaining these systems, rebate offers, and resources available to you to save water. Register to attend online and if you have any questions, contact the Public Works Department at (408) 586-2603.
Fall Family Fun Night, October 11 from 6 – 9 pm, Milpitas Civic Center Plaza: Bring the whole family out for a night filled with fun, games and more fun! Challenge your family to a game of giant chess, connect four, jenga, yard pong and more! If games aren’t your family’s style, then grab your skateboard, scooter, or roller blades and grind on the pop-up skate park. We will also have 8 giant screens to play the Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4 and XBOX360, and a video game truck! For more information, contact Recreation and Community Services at (408) 586-3206.
Gardening with Succulents, October 12 from 9 am – 12 pm, Barbara Lee Senior Center Room 140: Learn how to care for, irrigate, and design landscapes with drought-tolerant succulents. Participants will apply the elements and principals of design taught in the class to create a succulent container garden. Register to attend online and if you have any questions, contact the Public Works Department at (408) 586-2603.
