CITRUS HEIGHTS, CA (MPG) - At the January 28, 2021, regular meeting, the Citrus Heights City Council heard a variety of department reports.

Assistant City Manager Ronda Rivera provided an Administrative Services report that highlighted the accomplishments of City staff during the unique challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic. Rivera applauded all City employees for “their ingenuity, dedication to providing customer service, and the patience and perseverance to keep our city running smoothly during this difficult time.”

City staff were recognized for their efforts to rapidly implement online access to information and services when their doors were shut due to the pandemic. Basically overnight, policies and procedures were developed to guide the new virtual workplace and meet the public safety requirements to protect workers who still had to work on site.

“I am very proud of everyone at the City—every department, every person came together to maintain the services that we need to provide to our community in a safe and reliable manner,” said Rivera.  She also thanked residents for their support.

A review of the 2020 accomplishments of the City’s communications team was presented by Communications Officer Nichole Baxter. To meet the Council’s strategic goal of improving community vibrancy and engagement—even in the midst of the pandemic—the communications team worked to provide consistent content on existing channels of communications. Baxter reported 27K combined followers on the City’s various social media platforms. The City’s newsletter proved to be a valuable tool, with extremely high engagement at 51%, which is more than double the average for government agencies. And the communications team worked to streamline the City’s website with clear, concise, up-to-date information.

The team also developed new methods of communication to reach residents, such as virtual open houses and remote workshops. “In the midst of COVID, that became so important. We needed to adapt and pivot and meet our residents where they were to provide them important education and updates,” said Baxter.

Baxter also highlighted the efforts of the Public Information Team, which is comprised of employees from various City departments. Baxter said, “They really took on a lot of extra work during COVID to support our communications efforts. This meant being a conduit for their division and the communications team, and ultimately our residents, to get out updates and important information from their divisions.”

In total, the City’s communications efforts resulted in more than 11.6 million impressions in 2020 across all the various communication channels. Baxter said that impact has “helped educate and make our residents feel connected.”

Even as the pandemic forced some services online, many City projects moved forward as planned. City Engineer Leslie Blomquist reported on the 2020 Accessibility and Drainage Upgrades Project. This project targeted 13 roadway segments throughout the City that needed repairs. The City replaced sidewalks and curbs and installed new ADA-compliant curb ramps to improve pedestrian safety and increase accessibility. Storm drain manholes and inlets were replaced or installed as needed to increase the longevity of the storm drain system. Other major repairs included the removal of aging and failing corrugated metal storm drain pipes, which required ongoing maintenance. New plastic drain pipes, which have a significantly longer lifespan, were installed to reduce future maintenance costs and reduce localized flooding.

The total cost of the project is approximately $833,849. Funding sources include $393,000 from the Community Development Block Grant, $123,000 from Senate Bill 1 Local Partnership Program, and $317,849 from the Storm Water Utility Fund.

Stephanie Cotter of the Community Development department highlighted valuable resources for renters—an issue that has become even more critical during the pandemic. The Renters Helpline is a multi-jurisdictional program funded through a partnership between Sacramento County and the cities of Citrus Heights, Elk Grove, Folsom, Rancho Cordova, and Sacramento. Citrus Heights’ funding for the program comes from part of its annual Community Development Block Grant funding allocation.

The Renters Helpline is administered by Sacramento County Sacramento Self Help Housing, in collaboration with Project Sentinel and Legal Services of Northern California. The Helpline offers free counseling and advice about tenant rights and fair housing to renters who reside within Sacramento County. If a renter’s issues can’t be resolved over the phone, the Helpline can also provide referrals to other resources. To contact the Renters Helpline, call (916) 389-7877 during regular business hours or visit https://www.rentershelpline.org/en/.