Odds & Ends
Volunteers
| City
Offers Tax Incentive on Historic Property
New
Community Channels Coming to Cable Line-up | Removing
Weeds
Fourth
of July in Monterey
Volunteers
Helping Children Learn, Understand is Powerful
Be a Homework Pal. Change a Child’s Life!
What is a Homework Pal?
Homework Pals help children in kindergarten
through fifth grade, providing one-on-one homework assistance in a
particular subject. The program is provided through the Monterey Public
Library.
How much time does it take?
Two hours per week, on weekdays, for
four months.
Pals must attend a one-day training session. The next
training is scheduled for August 14.
Where do Homework Pals work?
The program is operated at local
elementary schools and after-school program sites.
We need you! Homework Pals needs additional volunteers who enjoy
working with children. For more information, call the Homework Pals
Program Coordinator, Dina Stansbury, at 646.5604.
For more volunteer
opportunities, see the Calendar Insert in this issue of City Focus or call
646.3719.
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to top City Offers Tax Incentive
on Historic Property
Owners of historic buildings in the community can reduce their
property taxes through a new program offered by the City.
How does it work?
California law, the Mills Act in specific, allows
the City to enter into a contract with a property owner to change how the
County Assessor calculates taxes on their property. The Assessor utilizes
an “income” as opposed to a “value” approach to determine the property
value. In exchange, the property owner guarantees to preserve and maintain
the historic property.
Who is eligible?
All owners of historic properties are eligible to
apply. Tax savings can be substantial for property owners, particularly if
the building was recently purchased. Property owners who have a
pre-Proposition 13-tax rate will probably not see a tax reduction. Tax
savings will be determined on a case-by-case basis.
How do I apply?
Don’t delay. If you are interested in this program,
please call the Plans & Public Works Department at 646-3885 today. It
will take time for contract approval and wording. All contracts must be
recorded no later than December 1999 to qualify for year 2000 tax savings.
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to top New Community Channels
Coming to Cable Line-up
AMP is bringing PEG to your TV very soon.
These acronyms
are our shorthand for a new type of television programming that will soon
be a part of your cable line-up.
PEG stands for Public, Education and
Government Access television programs. PEG programs focus on all aspects
of community life – ranging from the services and activities of community
organizations; the programs and events of schools and local, state and
regional governments, to college and training courses and workshops.
Community members of all ages produce such PEG programs. This is
usually done with the help of training and equipment available at a
community media center. A new nonprofit, Access Monterey Peninsula (AMP),
has formed to operate a community media center and to coordinate PEG
activities on behalf of Monterey residents, the City, Monterey Peninsula
Unified School District and other partners that will hopefully join the
collaboration.
AMP recently appointed its first executive director,
Paul Congo. Mr. Congo comes from Boulder, Colorado, where he held a
similar position and brings years of experience in PEG programming with
him.
Stay tuned; the best is yet to come! Call 333-1AMP for more
details or e-mail amp@ampmedia.org
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to top Removing Weeds
Around Your Home, Property Can Prevent Fires
Summer is here
and the potential for fire will be even greater than normal because the
late rains fueled the growth of more weeds and brush.
To help reduce
potential fire hazards, the City educates property owners about potential
fire dangers on or around their property through our Weed Abatement
Program. As a part of the program, Fire Dept. and Construction Management
personnel survey the City for potential hazards and notify property owners
of these concerns.
How can you help? Inspect your property and remove
weeds and other fire hazards. A moment of your time today could prevent a
catastrophe tomorrow.
For more information about the Weed Abatement
Program, call the Monterey Fire Department at 646-3900 or stop by the
office at City Hall.
Return
to top Fourth of July in Monterey
It’s almost time for the annual Fourth of July Celebration and our
good old-fashioned hometown parade down “Main Street.”
A tradition
since 1988, the Big Little Backyard Bar-B-Que and Entertainment
Extravaganza featuring live music, great food and free birthday cake – to
celebrate the City’s birthday – takes place on the grounds of historic
Colton Hall and is followed by a fireworks display off Wharf II. The Flag
Raising Ceremony and Kick-off Parade were added to the festivities in
1990.
This year’s parade promises to be a winning combination of
pageantry and patriotism with generous portions of fun and is guaranteed
to tickle both the young and young-at-heart! See you there on Sunday, July
4.
10 a.m. Flag Raising Ceremony on Alvarado Street and Kick-off
Parade, from Alvarado, up Del Monte Avenue and down Calle Principal to
Jefferson Street.
11 a.m. Big Little Backyard Bar-B-Que and
Entertainment Extravaganza in front of Colton Hall. Food for sale.
9:15 p.m. Fireworks Display off of Wharf II.
Y2K Info
For information on Y2K issues, please visit
our Web site at
www.monterey.org/y2kinfo.html
We’ve posted some basic information regarding the Millennium Bug and
the City’s efforts to ensure that all of our systems are ready to ring in
the year 2000.
Requests for the Y2K information sheet can be made by
voicemail, e-mail or fax.
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