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With this week’s municipal election behind us, you might be wondering about the results and what happens next. I’ll share a brief update on that and provide more information on these topics in my update today:
- Complete streets and mobility explained
- Expanding our job-readiness program
- Celebrating America Recycles Day and our green businesses
- Vacancies on several city commissions
- Native American Heritage Month
- Two classical concerts at the Schulman
- Thank you to our veterans
- Get involved: Upcoming meetings
- Standout student athlete
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Complete Streets and mobility explained
This week, the Traffic & Mobility Commission had a “Complete Streets workshop” with the city’s Transportation Director. We discussed the city’s approach to designing complete (or livable) streets and had a deep dive on bikeway design. In a nutshell, this is an approach to ease traffic congestion and generally make it more convenient for people to get around Carlsbad in whatever way they choose.
It’s all related to another term you’ve probably heard a lot more recently – mobility – which changes the focus to moving people rather than moving vehicles.
- In the past, transportation was almost exclusively focused on driving, except for dense urban areas where public transit is well utilized.
- Fast forward to today and for a variety of reasons this thinking is changing.
- Don’t get me wrong, cars are still an important way people get around.
- But now we (along with most cities) are finding ways to make other modes of transportation a safe and inviting alternative where that makes sense.
If you missed Monday’s meeting but want to learn more about mobility, complete streets and transportation in general, we’ve got you covered.
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We’ll be planning more complete streets workshops with the Traffic & Mobility Commission in the months ahead. Sign up to receive commission agendas to make sure you don’t miss the next one.
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Check out the city’s Mobility Explained webpage, which covers the basics like defining mobility and why it’s important.
A World Kindness Day traffic safety reminder
On the topic of transportation, I can’t think of a more appropriate time for us all to take a moment and remember to be kind to one another on the road than on World Kindness Day, this Sunday, Nov. 13.
- Share the road. Give at least 3 feet when you’re passing a bicyclist in your car, and yield to pedestrians at crosswalks or intersections.
- Follow all traffic signals and signs, including the posted speed limit.
- Give yourself extra time to get where you need to go. Even an extra minute or two can help you feel less rushed or stressed behind the wheel.
- Remember we all need to follow the rules of the road, whether we’re walking, biking or driving.
No matter how we choose to get around, we’re all in this together and traffic safety is everyone’s responsibility.
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Latest election results
Election Day is behind us, but we expect it will be several weeks until we have the official results. Here’s an interesting article the county put out Monday explaining the vote-counting process.
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At this point, the County of San Diego Registrar of Voters has released the unofficial results for ballots processed as of 5 p.m. today.
- The next scheduled update will be Friday by 5 p.m.
- Results are considered unofficial until the registrar completes its count, including provisional ballots that require additional review before counting. This can take several weeks, with the Registrar projecting there are still around 400,000 outstanding ballots to process.
- The Registrar of Voters will post the final certified results by Dec. 8.
What was on the ballot
For the City of Carlsbad, the following were on the ballot:
- Mayor
- City Council Member, District 1
- City Council Member, District 3
- City Treasurer
- City Clerk
- Measure J (Monroe Street Pool)
You can find information, including candidate statements, ballot language and more on the city’s website.
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Job-readiness program expands to five North County cities
North County residents now have access to a free program that can help them build job skills and land a guaranteed interview with a local company.
- The North County Job-Readiness Room program invites entry-level workers to take 15 hours of job-readiness skills training online at a self-guided pace.
- After completing the program, participants will receive a micro-credential and assistance in securing a job interview with a local company in one of three fields, including hospitality and tourism, manufacturing or general office administration.
- This is designed to be a useful program for those who have been out of the workforce, struggled to find work or are experiencing other barriers to employment.
The North County Job-Readiness Room is a partnership between the cities of Carlsbad, Escondido, Oceanside, San Marcos and Vista, local chambers of commerce and the San Diego North Economic Development Council.
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Recycling right every day
Next Tuesday, Nov. 15, is America Recycles Day. Environmental sustainability is one of the City of Carlsbad’s core values and I’m proud of how our community is working together to protect our natural resources through recycling and other programs.
It only takes a few landfill items or dirty recyclables to spoil a whole recycling load, so America Recycles Day is a great time to brush up on the basics.
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Recycle right. Don’t bag your recyclables, and make sure they don’t have any food residue or liquids remaining.
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Recycle food scraps. Organic food waste in landfills contributes to 20% of the methane generated in California. Make sure yours makes it into your green cart to be composted.
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What goes where? Check the sticker on the lid of your waste bin or watch a quick video to make sure you know what goes where.
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Learn more about how to reduce, reuse and recycle.
Carlsbad businesses are prioritizing sustainability practices, too. Thirteen local businesses are now City of Carlsbad certified green businesses, meaning they’ve taken the steps to implement green business practices. On behalf of the city, congratulations to these businesses who are leading the way in sustainability.
If you own a small- or mid-sized business, I encourage you to check out the program. It’s free to get certified and every little action works together to make our community more sustainable.
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Serve on a city commission
If you’re looking for a way to get involved and make a difference in our community, consider serving on one of our city boards or commissions. We are accepting applications now for some scheduled vacancies on these city panels:
The deadline to apply is noon Nov. 30.
Each term runs from December 2022 to December 2026. Applicants must be Carlsbad residents who are registered to vote in the city. Commission members volunteer their time to study issues and policies and advise the City Council on matters that affect our community.
To apply, just fill out the online application and submit to the City Clerk's Office at clerk@carlsbadca.gov, or place in the drop box outside the City Clerk's Office, 1200 Carlsbad Village Drive.
Learn more.
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Native American Heritage Month
November is Native American Heritage Month and the City of Carlsbad is sharing some great resources that recognize the history, culture and contributions of Native Americans in our country and community.
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Carlsbad City Libraries have several book recommendations that highlight Native American stories and communities.
- You can find fiction and nonfiction selections, ranging from cookbooks to literature to biographies.
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Our Cultural Arts Department is also presenting a collection of films celebrating Native American stories in our free Wednesday Film Series at the Schulman Auditorium.
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Next week’s event on Nov. 16 at 6 p.m. will feature the film This May Be the Last Time, a documentary highlighting Native American filmmaker Sterlin Harjo’s family history, including the 1962 disappearance of his grandfather.
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Classical concerts at the Schulman
If you love classical music or just haven’t had a chance to experience it live lately, we’ve got two exciting performances coming up in Completely Classical November, a special edition of our Showtime at the Schulman concert series. Both concerts feature world-class musicians who are making Carlsbad a stop on their national tours.
Aaron Larget-Caplan - Have Guitar, Will Travel!
Saturday, Nov. 12
7:30 p.m. (doors open at 7 p.m.)
Seating is first come, first served.
FREE admission
Susan Merdinger
Thursday, Nov. 17
7:30 p.m. (doors open at 7 p.m.)
Seating is first come, first served.
FREE admission
Aaron Larget-Caplan is an international recording and touring guitarist known for his exciting and innovative leadership in classical music. Susan Merdinger is a Yale-trained pianist who has played in many of the great halls in the U.S. and abroad.
Learn more.
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Thank you to our veterans
Tomorrow is Veterans Day, a time to honor the men and women who have served in the U.S. Armed Forces, past and present. I’m proud to say that many of our city staff and their family members are veterans. On behalf of the City of Carlsbad, and from one veteran to another, thank you to all who have served and continue to serve. We salute you!
What’s open, what’s closed on Veterans Day
City offices in Carlsbad will be closed on Friday in observance of Veterans Day, but trash service won’t be delayed, so please put out your receptacles on your normally scheduled trash day. Here’s a quick recap of city services for the holiday:
- City offices: Closed
- Emergency services: Regular service
- Trash pickup: Regular service, no delays
- City pools: 6 a.m. to 3 p.m.
- Libraries and Cultural Arts facilities: Closed
- Community centers: Closed
- Senior Center: Closed
- Leo Carrillo Ranch: Regular hours, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
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Transit: For the holiday transit schedule, please visit www.gonctd.com or call 5-1-1
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Get involved: Upcoming meetings
The next City Council meeting will be held Tuesday, Nov. 15, at 5 p.m. in the City Council chamber. Here are topics that are set to be discussed:
- An update on the city’s investments
- Authorizing bids to improve two water storage sites with motorized valves that can be remotely controlled
- An agreement to allow a contractor to tap into the electric meter at the site of Temporary Fire Station 7 and reimburse the city for the costs
- Authorizing city staff to negotiate with property owners along two stretches of El Camino Real so it can be widened to six lanes
- Authorizing bids to build new sidewalks on parts of Garfield Street, Tamarack Avenue and Monroe Street
- Awarding the contract to enhance six crosswalks on Carlsbad Boulevard in the Village to make them safer for pedestrians and bicyclists
- Amending an agreement with State Parks to cover its costs for reviewing the city’s plan to improve beach access along Carlsbad Boulevard
- Accepting a $113,000 traffic safety grant from the state that will fund the Police Department’s traffic safety enforcement efforts, including DUI checkpoints
- Reducing the speed limits on parts of Cadencia Street and Gateway Road from 40 mph to 35 mph now that city projects have slowed traffic on the streets
- Adopting the administrative plan for the Carlsbad Housing Agency, which provides rental subsidies for over 550 low-income households in Carlsbad
- An update on the negotiations to relocate SDG&E’s Service Center on Cannon Road near Carlsbad Boulevard
- The city’s first Local Roadway Safety Plan, a data-driven plan that provides a framework to identify, analyze and prioritize roadway safety improvements to reduce fatalities and serious injuries
- An update on economic and financial conditions for the first quarter of the fiscal year
A link to the full agenda and staff reports is available on the city’s website.
In addition to the City Council meeting, these city meetings are also planned next week. You can find more information about each of them by clicking on the links below:
Carlsbad student athlete in the news
Carlsbad has so many talented student athletes and it was especially neat to see one featured recently on ESPN. Julian Sayin, a junior at Carlsbad High School, made national news last week when he committed to play football at the University of Alabama, arguably the biggest college football program in the country.
Before I sign off this week I want to extend a heartfelt congratulations to Julian and his family, and to all the other student athletes who are seeing their hard work pay off as they move on to college.
Scott Chadwick
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