City Briefs
Sesqui
... what? |
Angel
Collection to Grow
Plan
Looks to Ensure Historic Story is Told
What’s
Up for Volunteers | Wanted:
Neighborhood Improvement Ideas
Sesqui ... what?
Ses-kwi-sen-ten-ee-ul. That’s right. If you haven’t said it out
loud once or twice already, you better start practicing.
California’s
Sesquicentennial, the 150th anniversaries of the discovery of gold, the
gold rush and Statehood, is already well underway, and it’s here in
Monterey.
Our region played an integral role in the transition of
California from a territory to the Union’s 31st state when in 1849
Monterey was selected as the site of the Constitutional Convention.
Monterey had been the capital of both Spanish and Mexican California and
it seemed appropriate to hold the convention in the recently completed
Colton Hall.
Delegates met here and debated voting rights, the number
of district representatives and State border issues.
On October 13,
1849, they signed the State Constitution written in both Spanish and
English.
Our community’s Sesquicentennial commemoration will focus on
the Constitutional Convention as well as the 150th anniversary of the
Monterey Public Library, California’s first.
The majority of
activities will be held between June and November. From tall ships
visiting the harbor to a community parade; from historical re-enactments
of the Convention to the Library’s lectures and festivities, many
activities are in store.
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Angel Collection to Grow
Brand-new “Monterey Angels” will soon hover around our community.
Once again, the City has asked Erica Barton Hub, our “Angel” artist,
to come up with unique additions to our wonderful angel collection that is
traditionally displayed during the holiday season.
Ms. Hub has agreed
to create ten new angels to add to the City’s collection. A selection of
the original angels will retire to indoor display areas to protect them
from further deterioration while keeping them available for public
viewing.
The City first commissioned our “Angel” artist more than 40
years ago to create decorations for public display. The result was 88
beautiful angels. The designs for the angels were inspired by early
California mission paintings.
In 1970 as the angels began to lose
their glow, a volunteer committee, “Friends of the Angels,” was organized
to revitalize these delightful artifacts. Many of the original angels were
sold at auction to help fund the restoration project.
Though we have
made many efforts to maintain these artifacts, the years and elements have
taken their toll on the original angels.
The new additions will ensure
that this wonderful holiday tradition continues.
Look for the new
“Angels” during the 1999 holiday season.
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to top Plan Looks to Ensure
Historic Story is Told
History is a record, a story, of past events. While the past may
be gone, through historic preservation we can relate our shared heritage
to present and future generations.
The City’s Historic Master Plan
looks toward Monterey’s 250th anniversary in the year 2020. It outlines a
program for saving historic resources and will be a blueprint for
coordinating schedules and activities in public historic buildings
allowing citizens, visitors and students to experience and understand the
history of Monterey. The City saves buildings that show how our town
looked in a past era; objects and artifacts from those eras; and
photographs, written records and tape recordings of people who made our
history.
The Master Plan will help us coordinate these efforts more
efficiently.
The draft Plan will soon be ready for community review.
The Historic Preservation Commission will be the lead commission during
the process, which may include a history town hall meeting in early 1999.
For more information, call the Plans & Public Works Department at
646.3885.
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to top What’s Up for Volunteers
This is your City and you can make a difference in the
community. Become a City volunteer today. Below is a list of open
assignments:
- Homework Pals - help young children with school work; 2 hours per
week. ext orientation Saturday, January 9
- California History Room - help maintain and show local history
collection at the Library
- Code Enforcement - find zoning violations and make reports; some
data entry
- Recycling Team Members - help at special events to promote recycling
- Bookstack Volunteers - help keep stacks neat in the Library
- Fire Dept. Data Entry - enter testing results into data base; 20
hours
- Recreation Center Receptionists - answer phones, greet customers;
4-12 hours per week for 6 months
- Volleyball Court Maintenance - rake and smooth the sand; 1 day per
week
- Sesquicentennial Volunteers Promotion - help
Staff a booth at
The Old Monterey Market Place on Tuesdays
Gift Shop Monitor - visit
sites and maintain supply of gift items
Other - Many more
assignments are expected to come online.
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Improvement Ideas
Maybe your neighborhood needs sidewalks, curbs and gutters; or
maybe a new traffic signal or the redesign of a problem intersection.
Now is the time to submit your ideas for improvements to your
neighborhood.
We are in the process of collecting ideas for the
Neighborhood Improvement Program, and you are encouraged to send in your
submission today. Just fill out the attached card and drop it in the mail.
Your nomination will be considered by the Neighborhood Improvement
Committee as it prepares its recommendations to send to the City Council
early next year.
Established in 1985, the Neighborhood Improvement
Program directs tourist- generated dollars directly back into the City’s
residential neighborhoods. Under a Charter Amendment, at least 16 percent
of the money collected through hotel taxes (Transient Occupancy Tax) must
be spent on neighborhood and community improvements. Each fiscal year, a
committee consisting of residents considers all submitted projects and
recommends which projects should be funded. NIP Committee meetings are
open to the public.
The deadline to enter submissions for this coming
year is Friday, February 12. For more information, call the Construction
Management Division at 646.3997.
Send in your suggestion today.
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