Dear Neighbors,
Tuesday night (August 6), despite ”toasty atmospheric conditions,” we celebrated National Night Out in Downtown Indio. NNO is a nationwide event, sponsored by local law enforcement agencies throughout America. It is a pure celebration of community. For whatever unexplainable reason, August 6 is the date that is celebrated every year, and contrary to what might be expected in the swelter of summer, neighbors do show up. Quite frankly, it has been one of my favorite nights of the year in the seven cities where I have served as City Manager. Tuesday in Indio was no exception.
We had something on the order of 500 people show up for National Night Out, one day after a 121-degree temperature was recorded in the Coachella Valley! We were lucky that it only reached 107 during our event. But we had a great time. We had great food trucks, Police K-9s, the City SWAT team vehicle, booth displays from many of the amazing Indio nonprofit and government agencies that do so much to serve us, and, of course, the officers and staff from our remarkable Indio Police Department. All of these people work every day to make Indio the kind of community people love to live in. I thank them all for showing up.
I want to issue a special thanks to Tim Uschyk and his family from E&E Pel’s Italian Ices for providing 300 free coupons for their delicious lemon or orange ice drinks. The right man at the right place on August 6! There are too many people to thank by name, so I just want to say literally and figuratively that we all experienced the warmth of a pretty amazing community.
So, I am celebrating my 2-year anniversary as City Manager in Indio. I thank the City Council and all of you for making it possible for me to enjoy this rewarding role. We are tremendously busy at City Hall, thanks to the many development and community-building opportunities we cover in these newsletters. It is a great time to be City Manager in Indio.
Further, my wife and I are also moving our home to Indio. We have been renting a house outside the City for the last 4 years, closer to where my wife works. We are very happy now to be moving to Indio. I always like to live in the communities I manage, so I am eager to get moved here fulltime. I hope to see you in the grocery stores, at the school events and in the parks. If you see me someplace, please stop me to say hello. I don’t do Facebook or any of those online forums. I’d rather meet you in person. Or send me an email. I will respond!
Happy August in Indio,
Mark Scott
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Indio High School Teacher Selected as 2020 Riverside County Teachers of the Year
On May 29, 2019, Indio High School digital media career and technical education teacher Tom Buck, was honored by Riverside County Superintendent of Schools Judy D. White, Ed.D., and DSUSD Superintendent Scott Bailey along with School Board Vice President Linda Porras as they delivered the news that he had been selected as 2020 Riverside County Teachers of the Year.
“I am honored to receive this recognition, and want to acknowledge my school and district peers for supporting my teaching. We truly are a family,” Mr. Buck commented. “I’m so thrilled to help students who may not have had a place to belong, to find a place to belong while making a positive impact on the world through digital media.”
Buck is the career and technical education teacher for
IMPACT
—the Institute of Media Production Arts and Creative Technology. IMPACT serves more than 200 students each year with the focus on teaching digital literacy. Student-led productions continue to receive local, state, and national recognitions year after year.
In May of 2020, the newly-named teachers of the year will be honored at the Riverside County Office of Education’s annual Celebrating Educators luncheon.
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Whether you have a thirsty lawn or garden, a pool or all of the above, a lot of water is used especially outdoors during the summer and Indio Water Authority is here to help you get the most out of every drop of water. Every drop of water saved helps secure Indio’s water future!
Check out our Water Conservation & Rebates page at
www.indiowater.org
to see how you can take advantage of our rebates and incentives to save you a lot of water and money.
Here are some of the programs we are currently offering:
Toilet Rebate Program: Replace your old toilet with a water-efficient model that uses 1.28 gallons or less per flush and you can receive up to $150 rebate. Residential customers can apply for two (2) toilets and receive up to $300.
Washing Machine Rebate Program: Replace your old washer with a water-efficient model with a water factor of six (6) or lower and you can receive a $150 rebate.
Turf Removal Rebate Program: IWA provides rebates to qualified customers to replace their existing water-thirsty turf with water-wise landscaping. The rebate is $1 per square feet with a maximum of $1,500 for residential customers and $4,000 for commercial customers.
Irrigation Rebate Program: An efficient irrigation system can reduce your outdoor water use by 50%. IWA irrigation rebates can be used for smart irrigation controllers, rotary and high-efficiency sprinkler heads, drip irrigation, and bubblers. Eligible residential customers can receive up to $750 while commercial customers can receive up to $1,500 per account for qualified irrigation upgrades.
Please call IWA at (760) 391-4038 and we will be glad to guide you through the application process.
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Calling All "Foodpreneurs"! Free Food Business Course Offered in Indio
Are you a secret culinary master? Are you obsessed with watching the Food Network? Have you thought about starting a food truck, selling homemade desserts, or opening a restaurant in Indio? SBDC Eats is a free four-week course that will teach you how to transform your business idea into reality, and provide you a hands-on opportunity to use a commercial kitchen. The course is taught by Greg Bell, a food consultant, chef, and owner of a Blaze Pizza franchise and catering company. The program takes place on Wednesdays 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m., from September 11 to October 2, 2019, at the Coachella Valley Small Business Development Center located at 44199 Monroe St., Suite B, Indio, CA 92201. Space is limited so register now at
SBDC Eats
.
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Indio Senior Center Hosts Wii Bowling Tournament
The Indio Senior Center will host the 11th Annual Senior Pin Pals Wii Bowling Tournament on Friday, August 16, 2019 at 9:00 AM.
Wii Bowling has brought the senior centers of the Coachella Valley together to compete for trophies and bragging rights. Approximately 150 – 200 seniors from around the Coachella Valley attend this annual tournament. The event is for those ages 55 and up. The event began in 2008 as a way for seniors from different communities to interact with one another. This year the Indio Senior Center is proud to announce that Humana is the Platinum Sponsor for the 11
th
Annual Senior Pin Pals Wii Bowling Tournament.
The summer months can be isolating and inactive for many of our seniors. Wii Bowling brings seniors to each of the senior centers during the summer months to stay physically active and socially engaged.
The Indio Senior Center is located at 45700 Aladdin St, Indio, CA 92201. For more information, call 760-391-170.
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New Coachella Valley History Museum Wander List Video
The Greater Palm Springs Convention & Visitors Bureau has created a new video about the Coachella Valley History Museum as part of their Wander List original video series. These video adventures profile a unique experience in the Coachella Valley and is hosted by Emmy Award-winning journalist and Coachella Valley native, Anndee Laskoe. More information about the the Coachella Valley History Museum can be found at
www.cvhm.org
. Click on the image to watch the video and discover one of Indio's greatest jewels - the Coachella Valley History Museum!
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This summer, Josue Duarte was given the opportunity to intern for the City of Indio through the Migrant Education Program (MEP). He worked with the Community Development and Public Works Departments for the past seven weeks. Being an intern was valuable experience for Josue since he is interested in pursuing a career in engineering. During his time with the City, Josue filed invoices, reviewed and revised building plans and many other tasks. "I know that the experience I have gained will help me prevail in my future academic years in college," Josue said. "I appreciate all of the advice my supervisors gave me and I hope one day I can repay them and my community."
David Marquez was also an intern with the City in the Human Resources Department through the MEP. During his seven-week internship, David was able to learn about the many different departments within the City. This internship helped David strengthen his skills that he can apply in the real world. As an intern, David's favorite part was being able to meet and socialize with the city staff while getting to know what they do for Indio. "This Internship has greatly impacted me in the sense that I am more open to try new things," David said. "I would really recommend anyone to intern at the City of Indio because it was a really valuable experience."
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A New Banking Experience
On Thursday, August 1, 2019, the Sun Community Federal Credit Union officially opened with major fanfare at 82195 Avenue 42 near Monroe Street in North Indio. Mayor Lupe Ramos Watson welcomed Indio's newest business with a certificate of recognition and the Greater Coachella Valley Chamber of Commerce organized the ribbon cutting event. Sun Community is promoting a new branch experience with a non-traditional banking feel, which includes the following features:
• Open seating area to engage in conversations and get one-on-one guidance for all your financial needs.
• A coffee center to enjoy an energy boost while sharing your financial goals.
• A community room with free Wi-Fi where you can bring your tablet, laptop or mobile devices to work on personal projects or just hang out.
• Online appointment scheduling so you can come in at your most convenient time.
• An opportunity to admire historical pictures from the City of Indio acquired directly from the Coachella Valley History Museum.
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HGTV's Extreme Makeover Show Now Casting Families
Do you know a deserving family in the community who does not have the financial resources to fix their home but are making an impact on people's lives? Nominate them for HGTV's Extreme Makeover Home Edition! The show helps families and individuals fix their homes who are facing challenges and/or going out of their way to help other people. This heart-warming show changes people's lives as their homes are fixed and redone to give an incredible living environment for well-deserving people. HGTV is now casting families. To apply, visit
emhecasting.net
.
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City of Indio is Now Hiring!
Have you ever thought about working in local government and making a difference in people's lives? Working for the City of Indio comes with many benefits such as professional development, tuition reimbursement, and medical and retirement benefits. Whether you have recently graduated or are looking for a second career, see how working in government may be right for you. Come join the City of Indio family and check out the latest job opportunities at
indio.org.
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The City of Indio, in keeping with its ongoing efforts to serve all members of the community, is updating its Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) transition plan and self-evaluation. The accessibility plan provides a comprehensive plan for access for individuals with disabilities to City facilities, parks, programs, services, activities and events, and helps to address and prioritize current and future needs. Complete the online survey
here
. Deadline to submit your survey is September 30, 2019. If you have questions or comments or would like to request a survey in an alternate format, please contact Juan Raya, ADA Coordinator, at
[email protected]
or (760) 541-4225.
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Back to School
Safety 2019
Schools will start on Thursday, August 15 and Thursday, August 22, for the Coachella Valley Unified School District and Desert Sands Unified School District, respectively.
Motorists are reminded to use additional caution when driving in or near school zones within the City of Indio. Indio Police Department wants to ensure the safety of the students as they travel to and from school. The new school year always brings traffic congestion in the school zones and surrounding areas. Parents are encouraged to teach their children to cross roadways at a corner, preferably at crossing guard locations, not midblock or from between parked vehicles. IPD will strictly enforce school zone related traffic violations such as: seat belt violations; distracted driving/cell phone use; flashing school bus light violations; speed violations and parking violations. Officers will also be watchful for pedestrian and bicycle traffic violations. Enforcement efforts are designed to remind motorists that school is back in session and traffic/pedestrian safety is a priority. Please help us make this a safe school year by obeying all traffic laws and driving safely.
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Indio Opportunity Zone
In 2017, the U.S. Investing in Opportunities Act was passed to create tax incentives for investment and spur growth in designated census tracts with low-income neighborhoods called Opportunity Zones. The City of Indio is actively seeking investors and developers to invest in its Opportunity Zone, which includes most of the industrial area South of the 10 freeway and North of Indio Boulevard; and the area generally bounded by Indio Boulevard, Monroe Street, Highway 111 and Oasis Street. The program's attractive financial incentives and Indio's key strategic development opportunities can make this Opportunity Zone a worthwhile investment. Click
here
to learn more.
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The City of Indio is the largest and fastest growing city in the Coachella Valley with more than
with more than 89,000 residents. Nearly 1.4 million people visit Indio every year to attend its world famous arts, food, and music festivals. With nationally recognized public safety services, exceptional schools, great parks and senior and teen centers, no wonder more than 2,700 new housing units are in construction or being planned throughout the city in addition to new hotels, restaurants and retailers. Indio was the first city incorporated in the Coachella Valley on May 16, 1930, and is governed by an elected City Council that employs a City Manager. The City of Indio embraces its diversity and provides outstanding municipal services to enhance the quality of life for its residents, visitors and business community.
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City of Indio |100 Civic Center Drive | (760) 391-4000
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