Zack Photo
Supervisor Zack Scrivner
 Fall Newsletter

I am grateful for the honor and privilege of serving Kern County's Second District on the Board of Supervisors. Together, we have accomplished much, and this newsletter focuses on some of the highlights for Kern County and the Second District.

Kern County Budget Update
This week, the Board of Supervisors passed the county's budget for the 2018-19 fiscal year.   We are in year three of our four-year plan to eliminate the General Fund structural deficit, after several years of falling oil prices and rising employee benefit costs. All county departments, except for Kern County Fire, have endured cuts during our four-year plan, but the Board and I have asked your county government to maintain service levels despite these cuts. The efforts of every county department head and employee to find cost savings, and do more with less, has resulted in a reduction of the structural deficit from $44.5 million to $18.8 million this year. I am very proud of our county workforce.

Continuing the Board of Supervisors' commitment to prioritizing public safety, the Sheriff Department and Fire Department will see NO cuts in this year's budget.

On a positive note, this year we anticipate higher property tax revenues due largely to the increased price of a barrel of oil. Overall, property tax revenues are expected to rise 3.5%, which equates to a $7 million increase to the General Fund. Even with this increase, we still need to remain vigilant with our budget reduction plan, as employee pension costs continue to increase dramatically. In fact, pension costs for the county have increased approximately 70% over the last 10 years.

In addition, it is still very challenging to erase the deficit in the County Fire Fund. Once again, pension costs for the Fire Department are largely to blame for those challenges. Of the county's overall $18 million deficit, the Fire Fund accounts for $7.5 million of it. The Board is committed to providing support to the Fire Department to solve this problem, and ensure it is fiscally secure.


Advance Kern Business Recruitment Website

The anchors of Kern County's economy have been aerospace, agriculture, military installations, and oil for decades. The need to diversify Kern's economy is apparent every time there is a down turn in those industries. To that end, the County of Kern and the Kern County Economic Development Corporation have launched a new website called "Advance Kern" ( http://www.advancekern.com ) where prospective businesses wishing to build new sites or relocate to Kern County can go to view what economic and tax incentives are available. The website features a unique "calculator" tool that prospective businesses can use to enter in their desired footprint and the number of jobs they plan to create locally. This information is used to generate an estimated figure on the level of incentives the county is willing to negotiate. All incentives and proposals are subject to approval by the Board of Supervisors.
 
The opportunity this new Advance Kern website brings to us is exciting, and, in recent weeks, L'Oreal, USA, Inc. has used these tools, and will be locating within Kern County soon, bringing 155 new jobs.
Each new job created by a business that sets up shop in Kern County has a multiplier effects that ripples down throughout the rest of Kern's economy. All incentives given by the county to businesses are in the form of a tax rebate, but only after all property taxes are collected up front.
 
As an example of the multiplier effect 100 new jobs created brings to Kern, our economy can expect $7.4 million in residential real estate transactions, $1.4 million in auto purchases, nearly $1 million spent on recreation, entertainment, and restaurants, $825,000 in clothing/apparel, furniture, and appliance purchases, and $2.4 million spent on other business services.
 
This website is a way to start the conversation between our county economic development teams and businesses wishing to expand or relocate. We want to entice those businesses that will truly have a transforming impact on our local economy. I am very pleased with the results of this website already.


Amazon Moving to Kern County 

Kern County was recently the recipient of some great economic development news! A new, 2 million square-foot Amazon Fulfillment Center is coming to Kern County. It will be located near the Meadows Field Airport in unincorporated Kern County, and will initially create up to 1,500 jobs, with room to grow. With each new job created, there is a multiplier effect where other, indirect jobs are also created, bringing more economic growth to the county. I am excited that the county's economic development efforts are working effectively, and our economy is growing and diversifying.
Constituent of the Month
Debbie Turner

This month, I would like to congratulate Frazier Park resident Debbie Turner as the Second District's Constituent of the Month! Debbie is a retired 25-year veteran of law enforcement in the Los Angeles area. Debbie is also an acupuncturist, and Past President of the Frazier Mountain Rotary Club. Debbie currently serves on the Board of Directors of the Frazier Mountain Family Resource Center, and is the Frazier Park Chamber of Commerce Secretary.
 
I first met Debbie in her capacity as the founder and instructor of the Frazier Mountain High School Law Enforcement Leadership Academy (LELA).   LELA Cadets receive school credits, wear professional uniforms, earn rank promotions, and represent LELA throughout the community. Debbie teaches her students an introduction to law enforcement teamwork, leadership, and respect. For Debbie, the field of public safety becomes alive through classroom instruction, field scenarios, inter-agency training, field trips, and activities with other relevant agencies such as the US Coast Guard, various police departments and academies, the California Highway Patrol Academy, and the Kern County Sheriff Academy. I was honored to provide certificates for the last LELA graduating class this past May, and be a part of the cadet's special evening.
 
I am honored to represent such fine constituents like Debbie that really have a heart for service, and give back to the community.



Kern Regional Transit to Begin Service to Santa Clarita & Free Rides to Bakersfield College!

I am pleased to announce that Kern Regional Transit buses will expand their service outside of Kern County to Santa Clarita this November. This two-year pilot program will be funded by a grant from the Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality (CMAQ) program.  While delivery of these funds has been delayed, we are expecting them to arrive soon (the start of the pilot program could be delayed if the funds have not arrived by November).
 
Kern Transit Route 130, which currently runs from Bakersfield to Frazier Park, will be extended to Santa Clarita.  There will be a total of seven round trips offered Monday through Friday, with arrivals and departures timed to connect with Metrolink trains heading to and from Los Angeles.  The program will start with just weekday service, but based on ridership numbers weekend service could be added in the future.
 
Kern Transit buses will also stop at the McBean Regional Transit Center for passengers wishing to connect with Santa Clarita Transit.
 
Schedule times are still being finalized, however we are planning for the first southbound bus in the morning to arrive at the Santa Clarita Metrolink station by 5:50 a.m. and the last northbound bus in the evening to depart Santa Clarita at 7:50 p.m.
 
And for the first time ever, Kern Transit is honored to announce that we will be offering free rides to all enrolled Bakersfield College students with a valid student ID.  Free rides begin when the fall semester starts on Saturday, August 18, 2018 and continue through the end of finals week on Saturday, December 8, 2018.  The program will resume when the spring semester starts in January 2019.
 
Students who choose to ride with Kern Transit will not have to struggle with traffic or find parking, and they can focus on their studies as they commute to school.  By using public transit, students will also be limiting emissions, helping to improve the air quality in the Central Valley.  Additionally, students may ride free on all 100-numbered routes, not just on routes to and from the school, so they can save money commuting all around Kern County.
 
Bakersfield College appreciates that this contribution from Kern Transit will provide students with transportation to help them attend their classes and succeed in their educational goals.  Kern Transit is proud to support the students of Kern County.
 
These efforts are funded by a grant from the Low Carbon Transit Operations Program, which  provides operating and capital assistance for transit agencies to reduce greenhouse gas emission and
improve mobility, with a priority of serving disadvantaged communities.
Lean Six Sigma principles of leaner operating practices and more efficient use of available resources in an effort to streamline county operations, with the ultimate goal of better service to the public. We measure success in terms of serving the taxpayers of Kern County more efficiently.

Public Works Update

  • Oak Creek Road Overpass, Mojave
    • Sinkhole
    • Action Item: Referred to Maintenance 07/27/18
    • Action Update: Work order (WO010911) created for repair 
  • Rosamond Boulevard Overpass, Rosamond
    • Lack of ADA accessibility to overpass reported by RMAC
    • Curb transitions on Hwy 14 frontage crosswalk
    • Action Item: Referred to Maintenance 08/14/18 WO010910
    • Action Update: PW requested additional location information/photos 
  • Orange Street and Matthew Avenue Alley, Rosamond
    • Illegal dumping reported by RMAC
    • Action Item: Referred to Road Maintenance 08/17/18 WO010944
    • Action Update: Complete
Around the Second District
Town Hall Meeting in Pine Mountain Club
I was the featured speaker at the Kern County Association of Cities quarterly meeting.

Cheers to Charity in Tehachapi - with two Tehachapi vineyard owners Mike Dorner, Dorner Family Vineyard and Mike Van Atta of Tehachapi Wine and Cattle Co. Helping to raise money for local charities.
Checking out the Wounded Hero's Fund Booth at Tehachapi Mountain Festival.