City of Malibu: Malibu News Updates

General Fund Grant Applications Due by March 30

City of Malibu — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 00:00:00 PST

Applications for the City's General Fund Grants Program for Fiscal Year 2012-2013 are now being accepted. Applications must be delivered to Malibu City Hall, 23825 Stuart Ranch Road, by mail or in person, no later than Friday, March 30, 2012. Electronic submittals (fax or email) will not be accepted.

General Fund Grants are awarded by the City to non-profit organizations located within Malibu that provide benefit services to residents of the community.

Click the link below for additional details, including a downloadable application.

Saturday CERT Training Program Begins February 4

City of Malibu — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 00:00:00 PST

The City of Malibu, in conjunction with the Los Angeles County Fire Department, will offer its next Malibu CERT (Community Emergency Response Team) training course in a 4-day series of classes offered on Saturdays, February 4, 11, 18 and 25. (Click the link below to download a flyer with details of the training modules.)

The CERT program was established to train resident volunteers to provide assistance to the City during an emergency in Malibu and to educate and promote disaster/emergency awareness to all citizens.

To register for the upcoming CERT training course, contact Brad Davis, Emergency Services Coordinator, at (310) 456-2489 ext. 260 or bdavis@malibucity.org

Poll Workers Needed for April 10, 2012 Election

City of Malibu — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 00:00:00 PST

The City Clerk's Office is seeking volunteers to work at the polls for the General Municipal Election on Tuesday, April 10, 2012.

Any registered California voter or eligible high school students may volunteer as poll workers who assist with setting up and closing the polling location, help voters understand their voting rights, protect ballots and voting equipment and more. Poll workers are paid by the City for their services.

Anyone interested in participating as a polll worker is asked to contact Lisa Pope, City Clerk, at (310) 456-2489, ext. 228.

Library Task Force Selling PCH Banners for Library Grand Re-Opening

City of Malibu — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 00:00:00 PST

The Malibu Library Task Force is seeking community support for costs related to the celebration planned for the Grand Re-Opening of the Malibu Community Library.

Residents and businesses are invited to purchase banners that will be hung along Pacific Coast Highway in the weeks leading up to the celebration in April. The banners can be personalized (up to 40 characters) and cost $250 per individual or family and $500 for a business. The banners will be returned to the sponsor following the re-opening of the library.

Click the link below to download a banner application, which can be filled out online before printing, signing and returning to the City.

"Ask the Mayor" Weekly Q&A on Malibu Interests & Concerns

City of Malibu — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 00:00:00 PST

This is a new weekly series where Malibu residents may communicate their concerns and interests to the Mayor who will then respond online. The questions and answers will be posted here on the City's website, as well as on the City's Facebook and Twitter pages. Archived questions & answers may be viewed with the link at the bottom of this page.

Questions may be directed to Mayor Rosenthal at lrosenthal@malibucity.org. (Please indicate if you want your name posted with your question or if you wish to remain anonymous.)

(January 30, 2012) This week, we will address several questions related to Emergency Preparedness that were submitted by D. Day:

Is a "plan" in place to address the needs of the residents in case of an emergency? Who oversees this plan? Are there PSA's planned to educate the community? How can we as residents be pro-active? Are there teams of people ... volunteers or paid ... on arson watch for Malibu, such as the community of Topanga practices?

Yes, there is a plan in place to deal with emergencies in the City of Malibu. We are required to maintain a current Emergency Operations Plan that lays out exactly how the City will operate during times of emergency and disaster. The plan lays out evacuation routes, communication systems, shelter information, donations management and a response to a variety of hazards, including earthquake, fire, winter storms and tsunamis. The plan also details lines of succession for continuity of government, positions and responsibilities of staff in the Emergency Operations Center (EOC) at City Hall and more.

The primary Red Cross shelter site is located at Malibu High School, 30215 E. Morningview Drive
The primary evacuation area is: Lot 12 at Zuma Beach

These may vary depending on the incident and usually any open space will do if it is deemed safe. The evacuation plan specifies possible roadblocks and routes, but it will really be up to the Sheriff and CHP to decide and staff appropriate routes. This is why it is vital to listen to the radio and hotline and other Malibu media outlets (see below).

Brad Davis is the Emergency Services Coordinator for the City. He stresses that it is important to be prepared for emergencies BEFORE they happen.

Have a plan for each emergency that you can think of -- what are you going to do and what will you need to accomplish this? Examples include identifying evacuation routes, meeting places, out-of-state telephone contacts and what will be done with pets. Make sure all members of the family are familiar with the plan.
Have disaster supplies always available, including: food (mainly non-perishable) and water for a minimum of one week, medications, pet supplies, flashlights, batteries and a radio. Keep supplies in the car and also at work and make sure your car gas level never goes below ¼ full.
Know where to go for good information: radio stations, websites, hotlines, ham radio.
Get connected to systems that can telephone, text and email you with important, timely emergency information. The following are available to Malibu residents and businesses:

Register your contact information on the Connect-CTY emergency notification system (click on the link on the bottom of the City's homepage)
Sign up at Nixle.com for law enforcement and traffic alerts;
Sign up to follow City of Malibu Emergency Services on Facebook and Twitter

Reliable and updated information is critical during emergencies. You can find that information on the City's telephone Hotline (310-456-9982), website (www.MalibuCity.org), City Radio at 1620 AM, on the web via Facebook and Twitter (City of Malibu Emergency Services) and Nixle.com.

Malibu has 5 emergency bins each containing emergency supplies, such as food and water enough for 200 people for 3 days. These are intended to augment personal supplies until further supplies can be brought into the area (which can be done in as little as a few hours). The bins are located at Malibu High School, the Malibu Equestrian Park, Point Dume Marine Science Elementary School, Webster Elementary School and Las Flores Creek Park. The City will open and dispense the supplies as necessary for each event.

What is CERT?

The Malibu Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) is comprised of approximately 60 residents who are all trained in disaster response (including communications, medical response and psychological first aid) who will be available to help the City in its response and recovery efforts or when needed. CERT certification is a 21-hour course that is presented 4 times each year. The next class is beginning on Saturday, February 4, 2012 (room is still available!). In addition, first aid and CPR classes are taught every month at City Hall. Arson Watch is also very active in Malibu. Please contact 310-456-0563 for more information. Several Public Service Announcements (PSAs) on emergency preparedness are currently being prepared and for broadcast on the City'slocal cable Channel TV-3.

As you can see, there is a lot going on in the area of emergency and disaster preparedness in the City. As residents, it is vital that we stay informed and safe during any emergency. I hope that you will follow the suggestions above and plan BEFORE anything happens: register your contact information, make sure you know how to access vital information, have a plan and always keep disaster supplies available. Get involved, learn CPR, first aid, take a CERT class and be prepared!

Have you made an assessment of your own preparedness? The City invites you to take part in an online survey. For details, go to the news item on the City homepage or click this link:

http://www.malibucity.org/news/index.cfm/fuseaction/story/ID/1268/

For more information about the City's emergency planning or if you have questions at any time, please contact Brad Davis, Emergency Services Coordinator at BDavis@MalibuCity.orgor (310) 456-2489 ext. 260.

Select the link below to view prior questions and answers from the "Ask the Mayor" series.

FREE Income Tax Preparation & Family Assistance Services

City of Malibu — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 00:00:00 PST

The California Board of Equalization is offering Free Income Tax Preparation and Family Services events during the 2012 tax season as part of its Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program. The program is intended to aid low income families with their tax preparation and ensure that qualified filers take full advantage of available tax credits.

In addition to tax assistance, family services, including low cost or free medical services, job preparation assistance, food and nutrition service and more will be available to the public and VITA events throughout the greater Los Angeles area.

Scheduled events include (all 10am - 3pm):

Saturday, February 25 - Cal State University, Dominguez Hills, 1000 E. Victoria Street, Carson 90747
Saturday, March 17 - Los Angeles City College, 855 N. Vermont Avenue, Los Angeles 90029
Saturday, March 24 - Cal State University, Los Angeles, 5151 State University Drive, Los Angeles 90032
Saturday, April 14 - Long Beach City College, 4901 E. Carson Street, Long Beach 90808

Legacy Park Named California's Project of the Year

City of Malibu — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 00:00:00 PST

The American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) has selected Legacy Park as itsASCE Region 9 Project of the Year. Legacy Park was selected for the prestigious award from 36 eligible projects throughout ASCE Region 9, which consists of the entire state of California and is one of the largest regions in the country.

As the top winner in its region, the Legacy Park Project will now be submitted for consideration as the organization's National Project of the Year.

Mayor Rosenthal will accept the award on behalf of the City at the ASCE Awards Dinner in Sacramento on February 28.

Middle School/High School Final EIR Released

City of Malibu — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 00:00:00 PST

The Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District (SMMUSD) has prepared a Final Environmental Impact Report (FEIR) for the Malibu Middle and High School Campus (MMHS) Improvements Project, which is located at 30215 Morning View Drive on the existing MMHS campus.

The proposed project is a partial redevelopment of the MMHS campus, which includes one new two-story replacement building for classrooms; a library, and administration offices; renovation of existing classroom Building E and outdoor spaces; a new drop-off/pick-up lane; a new 150-space parking lot and access road; two new tennis courts; synthetic turf for the athletic field; and improved wastewater systems.

Click the link below to view the Final EIR online.

Hard copies of the Final EIR and appendices are available at the following locations:

Malibu City Hall, Planning Counter, 23825 Stuart Ranch Road
Malibu Public Library, 23555 West Civic Center Way
Malibu Middle and High School Library, 30215 Morning View Drive
Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District, 1651 16th Street, Santa Monica

A Draft EIR was prepared for the proposed project to assess potential environmental impacts and was made available and circulated for public review and comment, pursuant to the provisions of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). It also examined environmental impacts for alternatives to the Proposed Project, as required by CEQA. The document was available for public comment for a 60-day public review period that began on July 13, 2011, and concluded on September 13, 2011. A public information meeting was held on July 28, 2011, to receive public comment on the Draft EIR. The Final EIR responds to the comments and proposes text revisions to the Draft EIR in response to input received on the Draft EIR.

SMMUSD's Board of Education will consider certifying the Final EIR and adopting findings, a statement of overriding considerations and a Mitigation Monitoring and Reporting Program at the SMMUSD Board meeting scheduled for 6:00p.m. on Thursday, February 2, 2012, at Malibu City Hall, 23825 Stuart Ranch Road.

City Seeks to Identify Businesses Offering Free Wi-Fi

City of Malibu — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 00:00:00 PST

As part of the City's ongoing efforts to promote patronage of local businesses, the Telecommunications Commission is compiling a list of local Malibu establishments that offer free public Wi-Fi service. The business names and addresses will be included on a map, which will then be posted on the City's website.

Business name and address can be emailed to Olivia Damavandi, Media Information Officer, at odamavandi@malibucity.org.

Online Survey Will Assess the City's Disaster Preparedness & Risk

City of Malibu — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 00:00:00 PST

As part of its Hazard Mitigation planning efforts, the City of Malibu invites its residents to participate in a short Disaster Preparedness and Risk survey. The purpose of this survey is to provide a forum for public input on the level of disaster preparedness in the community and the potential local area risks. The survey is being conducted in the communities of the five member cities of the Las Virgenes-Malibu Council of Governments (Agoura Hills, Calabasas, Hidden Hills, Malibu and Westlake Village).

The data gathered will be used to help local officials better plan for disasters, as well as communicate with citizens and residents on mitigation steps to reduce the risk of disaster-related loss.