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This week we officially welcomed our newly elected officials and recognized outgoing City Council Member Peder Norby and Mayor Matt Hall for their dedicated service to the city. Today I’ll share some photos of the festivities below and next steps for filling the District 2 vacancy, along with these updates:
- Have 3 extra minutes? You can save a life this holiday season
- New Community-Police Engagement Commission formed
- Top 4 ways to prevent holiday fires
- Honoring former Mayor Pro Tem Ann Kulchin
- Adoption fees waived for adult dogs
- Citrus quarantine area
- Upcoming meetings
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Welcoming Carlsbad’s new elected officials
As of Tuesday, the City of Carlsbad has a new Council, including the first new mayor in 12 years, Keith Blackburn. We also said goodbye to District 1 City Council Member Peder Norby and Mayor Matt Hall, who served the city for nearly 40 years, starting with the Planning Commission. Here is the full list of newly elected officials in Carlsbad, based on the election results certified by the County of San Diego Registrar of Voters Dec. 8:
Mayor
Keith Blackburn
Council Member, District 1
Melanie Burkholder
Council Member, District 3
Priya Bhat-Patel
City Clerk
Sherry Freisinger
City Treasurer
Craig J. Lindholm
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Left to right: City Clerk Sherry Freisinger, City Treasurer Craig J. Lindholm; City Council Member Melanie Burkholder; Mayor Keith Blackburn; City Council Member Priya Bhat-Patel, City Council Member Teresa Acosta
At its next meeting on Jan. 10, the City Council is scheduled to discuss options for filling the District 2 City Council vacancy created when Keith Blackburn was elected mayor. His City Council term ends in 2024.
Under the city’s municipal code, the City Council has two options to fill the vacancy: appoint someone or hold a special election. Based on the City Council officially declaring the seat vacant on Jan. 10, here are the next steps:
- Jan. 24 – Deadline for City Council to decide how to fill the vacancy
- Feb. 24 – Deadline to make an appointment, if that option is chosen
- Nov. 7 – Date of special election, if that option is chosen
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Have 3 extra minutes? You can save a life this holiday season
During the holidays, traffic patterns around town change, with kids out of school and visitors in from out of town. Holiday gatherings and general holiday stress only add to the list of reasons why we are asking everyone to take extra traffic safety precautions, whether walking, biking or driving.
- Slow down and allow extra time to get where you need to go. Being a few minutes late is a small price to pay for safer streets.
- Eliminate distractions to stay focused on the road at all times.
- When out at night, wear something bright or reflective. Use a flashlight or bike light so you can be easily seen.
- Talk to your families about the importance of road safety.
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Watch a quick video to make sure your family’s helmets fit properly.
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If there is a new e-bike in your future, be sure to review Carlsbad’s specific e-bike rules to get off to a good start.
The Police Department will be out helping to make sure everyone stays safe and follows the rules of the road, and we’ll be sharing regular safety tips on social media throughout the holiday season.
Learn more.
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Community-Police Engagement Commission
On Tuesday, the City Council adopted a new ordinance for the creation of a Community-Police Engagement Commission to help strengthen and maintain an excellent relationship between the Carlsbad Police Department and our community.
The commission will focus on the following:
- Promote productive communication between the Carlsbad Police Department and the community.
- Provide a forum where police leadership can talk about police initiatives, challenges, public safety data and high-interest incidents in the community.
- Educate the community and get feedback about policing standards and expectations.
- Create more community access to public safety information.
- Recommend changes or improvements to Carlsbad Police Department policies, procedures or training.
- Review new or proposed police programs to evaluate how they might impact disenfranchised and marginalized communities
Ordinances go into effect 30 days after adoption. The next step will be the application process, which should start after the holidays.
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Apply to serve on a city commission
Speaking of city commissions, several City of Carlsbad advisory boards, commissions and committees will have scheduled vacancies next year when terms expire for some existing members. If you want to make a difference in our community, this is a great way to get involved.
- Boards, commissions and committees are made up of Carlsbad residents who volunteer their time to study issues and policies and advise the City Council on matters that affect our community. The City Council appoints the members.
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The application process is easy; just fill out and submit the application on the city’s website.
- You can apply for more than one board, commission or committee, but you cannot serve on multiple and will only be appointed to one.
- Unscheduled vacancies also arise throughout the year. Your application will stay active until Dec. 31 of the year it was submitted.
Learn more and apply.
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Top 4 ways to prevent holiday fires
Our Fire Department has some important safety reminders to help protect you and your home over the holidays:
- Don’t overload outlets. Check lighting instructions for the maximum light strands to connect (usually no more than three), don’t use extension cords for appliances, and only plug one heat-producing appliance into an outlet at a time.
- Take care with candles. Never leave burning candles unattended. Keep them away from pets and flammable items and place candles at least 3 inches apart.
- Maintain your tree. If you’re buying a fresh tree, look for one that’s green with pliable needles, water it frequently and keep it at least 3 feet away from any heat source.
- Clean and inspect your furnace, fireplaces and chimneys annually.
View the full list of safety tips and have a safe holiday season.
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Library courtyard renamed for Ann Kulchin
Earlier this week, we held a special dedication ceremony at the Carlsbad City Library on Dove Lane to rename the courtyard in honor of former Carlsbad Mayor Pro Tem Ann Kulchin for her many years of service to the city.
- Ms. Kulchin served the City Council for more than 30 years, from 1980-2012, with 12 years as Mayor Pro Tem.
- Driven by her passion for and dedication to education and providing library access for all, Ms. Kulchin was instrumental in establishing the Carlsbad City Library at Dove, which opened in 1999.
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The Ann Kulchin courtyard can be visited during the library’s operating hours.
Monday to Thursday
10 a.m. – 7 p.m.
Friday and Saturday
10 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Learn more.
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Adoption fees waived for adult dogs
If you’re thinking about adopting a new furry family member, the San Diego Humane Society is waiving all adoption fees for adult dogs until Saturday, Dec. 31. The nonprofit animal shelter is currently at capacity for its adult dog population, with more than 260 adult dogs (7 months or older) in its care, officials said.
Humane Society shelters, including the two in Oceanside, are open for walk-in adoptions from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Tuesday through Sunday.
The City of Carlsbad contracts with the Humane Society for a wide variety of animal services.
To view animals currently available for adoption, visit the Humane Society’s website.
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Citrus quarantine update
Last week I mentioned that our area is still dealing with a citrus disease called huanlongbing or HLB. It isn’t harmful to humans or animals, but once a tree is infected, it can’t be saved and needs to be removed right away.
This map from the California Department of Food and Agriculture shows the current quarantine area extending to Tamarack Avenue along the coast and dipping south of Tamarack in some areas east of El Camino Real. I said last week the area went only to Carlsbad Village Drive, not realizing it had expanded.
You can learn more about the Citrus Quarantine Program on the county’s website.
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Get involved: Upcoming meetings
Tuesday was our last City Council meeting of the calendar year. The next meeting will be held Jan. 10 at 5 p.m. in the City Council Chamber.
We have one more city meeting coming up before the end of the year and it happens to be tonight:
Lastly, I often like to brag about the many smart, creative people who call Carlsbad home, so it was fun to see a recent news story about Carlsbad resident Huiwen Lu. She is one of 18 cake artists competing in the “Dr. Seuss Baking Challenge,” a new show now streaming on Prime Video.
According to a story in The San Diego Union-Tribune, Lu’s parents steered her to a “safe and stable” career even though she had a lifelong love of art. She ultimately graduated from Stanford with a degree in product design engineering. One way she continued to flex her artistic muscles was by creating fancy birthday cakes for her kids. That skill could now net her cake-making team a $50,000 prize if she wins the competition. Channel 10 also did a short story if you want to see her in action.
Best of luck, Huiwen. Your hometown will be rooting for you!
Scott Chadwick
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