FRIDAY LETTER
Mission Trail Nature Preserve Weed Pull (5.8.21)
Hellooooo Weedies,
We've decided to schedule our first Weed Pull for this coming Saturday, May 8th.
For our return to regular monthly Weed Pulls volunteers that would like to join us should have already received the Covid vaccine shot(s) through their post waiting period. We'll meet at the Rio Rd. gate entry Saturday, May 8th at 9:30 am. We will be focusing on trimming and cutting back vegetation from trails, signage, benches, and the creek bridge area and doing general spring cleaning.
Lots has been going on since we last convened, so if you haven't walked the Preserve recently please set aside time to take a walk on the new Doolittle trail improvements and other finished projects.
Tools of the Trade:
- Hand pruners and loppers
- Hand saws and pole saws
- Fan rakes, brooms
- Tarps
- Gloves
This Sunday (4.9.21) is Mother's Day. To celebrate, the Carmel Woman's Club decorated the front windows of the building. Thank you Jackie Craghead for your wonderful display.
Thank you to Community Activities Commissioners Ellen Martin and John Micek (sorry we didn't get you in the photo) for handing out beautiful spring bouquets to mothers who shopped at the farmer's market on Thursday. Thank you to our farmers' market vendor Kaysea Cook of Flowers at the Sea for putting together all those bouquets. They were beautiful and very much appreciated by all the mothers.
Kathleen Craig's Lily enjoyed smelling the beautiful flowers.
Huge Shout-Out!
As many of you know, City Hall has been busy making preparations to safely reopen to the public. This means among other things ordering and installing plexiglass panels and air filter machines. A few folks have been lending a hand during the preparation process and deserve a huge shout-out. They are:
Cleve Waters, Facilities Maintenance Supervisor
Leo Hernandez, Senior Maintenance Worker - Facilities
Bob Harary, Director of Public Works
Tim Scherer, Owner of Regency Construction, and his incredible crew
Thank you all!
This Week in Public Works
Popping Poppies
The picture below was taken this week of a median island on Junipero Street, just north of Sixth Avenue. Look at those poppies popping!
Dry Weather Diversion
Every spring and fall, we modify our storm drain system along Scenic Road and at the Del Mar parking area. This spring-time change over prevents dry season storm flows from reaching the beach and Carmel Bay, which is designated as an Area of Special Biological Significance with special environmental protections.
This spring process also includes having the Carmel Area Wastewater District vacuum up the debris that accumulated in our catch basins and water/trash separator units.
Masonry Work
Jaime demonstrated his masonry skills by repairing Carmel Stone on a damaged pillar by Carpenter Hall.
Carmel Cares Donates Forestry Equipment
Carmel Cares generously donated two new chainsaws for our forestry team. These chainsaws are fuel-injected and much lighter than the old saws that we have been using for years. They also purchased an Alaskan sawmill for us. This device allows us to saw tree logs into rough-squared sections or into planks and boards. Thank you Carmel Cares!
CalRecycle Audit
Every year, the California Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery (CalRecycle) conducts an audit to ensure the City's programs comply with State mandates. Requirements span a wide range of activities, such as ensuring that construction sites recycle at least 65% of their construction waste, that we are promoting better recycling practices, and ensuring that regulated businesses recycle and compost their organic waste.
CalRecycle was pleased by the work conducted by City staff and GreenWaste to help our businesses comply with the regulations. They were also impressed with our consistently high residential waste diversion rate, which hovers around 75%! As the City and other local municipalities roll out the new SB1383 program at the beginning of 2022, we anticipate even higher diversion rates as we will also provide food waste collection for composting for all of our residents.
Down to the Last Trash and Recycling Container Quiz
The new concrete slab pictured below is the last slab needed for our last, new ribbon-style trash and recycling containers in the downtown area. Over the past two years, a number of Bearsaver trash and recycling containers, as well as metal ribbon-style trash and recycling containers, were installed around in the downtown area, along the beachfront, in parks, and at other strategic locations around the Village.
While there are still many of the traditional, trash-only squirrel cans remaining, how many Bearsavers and Metal Ribbon-Style trash and recycling containers were installed throughout the City since our recycling program was put into motion?
A) 25 Bearsavers and 14 Ribbon Styles
B) 65 Bearsavers and 35 Ribbon Styles
C) 37 Bearsavers and 37 Ribbon Styles
D) 12 Bearsavers and 24 Ribbon Styles
E) 20 Bearsavers and 40 Ribbon Styles
Answer below.
  
A Typical Day in Forestry
Giuliano and Rene removed a dead tree near Mission Street and Twelfth Avenue, while Mike planted a Western Redbud in a bare spot in the Ocean Avenue median island, and as Dom was clearing the Ninth Avenue pathway between Scenic Road and San Antonio Avenue.
Emergency Fire Pump Replacement Project
This week, as part of the Fire Pump Replacement Project at Sunset Center, contractor Cosco Fire Protection removed the burnt-out pump equipment and installed the new fire pump and mechanical components that were delivered last week from the manufacturer, Brown Company. What better time to do this while another contractor, John Ley Tree Services, was removing a large dead tree in the same parking lot? Then again, construction is ALWAYS full of surprises!
  
Mission Trail Nature Preserve Fire Fuel Reduction Grant
Last week's Friday Letter included a story about a grant application that we submitted to the State Coastal Conservancy to fund fire fuel abatement in the Mission Trail Nature Preserve. This week, we already heard back from the Coastal Conservancy that their staff will be recommending our application for approval!
Public Works is looking forward to working with the Coastal Conservancy, the Friends of Mission Trail Nature Preserve, and PG&E on getting this project underway over the summer and fall.
Answer to the Down to the Last Trash and Recycling Container Quiz is C, 37 Bearsavers and 37 Ribbon Style containers.
We launched the budget this week; please take a look (it's on our website) and ask the hard questions. Paul and I talked about local government being the most pure form of democracy, so smarty-pants Brandon found it necessary to remind me that the City enterprise is an essential part of the daily fabric of our Villager's lives - we are your more tangible and approachable element of government. Stay active, stay involved, stay kind.
And Happy Mother's Day, Mom, you remain one of my biggest fans and most exacting critics, and I love you unconditionally for both.
Take good care.
CR
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