Wednesday, June 12, 2013
Assistant City Manager updates Rotary on next phase of the Fiber Optic Project
Assistant City Manager Scott Hurbert was at a recent Shafter Rotary Club meeting and gave them an informative presentation on the progress of the cities’ Fiber Optic Project. This project started a couple of years ago. The first phase of the project involved getting the City connected. They ran fiber optic line connecting the city with all of the schools in town. They are all connected and can communicate much faster and efficiently. This Phase II will be a “ring” that will go from Lerdo Highway by Minter Field and run for 24 miles, zigzagging its way through the countryside connecting the hubs of Shafter’s industrial zones. It will travel down Zerker to Seventh Standard to the Paramount Logistics Center (formerly ITTC) and will also be wiring up the City Rail Yard and the Industrial Centers by Minter Field, essentially serving all of the major hubs for Shafter’s Industrial Centers.
They will also be connected to the Communication Tower. This ambitious project is another way in which the City of Shafter is putting itself a step above the rest of Kern County and becoming one of the main hubs for international trading and transportation. This is a boon to our cities’ infrastructure and keeps us competitive in this challenging time. When most cities are living off reserves and struggling to find its way, Shafter is trailblazing its way into the future.
According to Hurlbert, they will start receiving the materials in the next couple of weeks and will begin the laying of the line soon after. He also said that they will be utilizing an inventive machine to lay the fiber optic line. They are also using some innovative equipment to lay the line. Instead of the usual backhoes that dig up the ground, then the workers lay the line, then it gets covered back up, this time Hurlbert said they will be utilizing a machine that has a blade across the back of it. The machine makes a slice in the ground approximately three feet deep. The cable is inserted into the blade itself and the machine vibrates, releasing the cable under the ground and covering the ground in one process, avoiding the time consuming process. We will be running a follow up article once the equipment is working and the project is off and running.
They will also be connected to the Communication Tower. This ambitious project is another way in which the City of Shafter is putting itself a step above the rest of Kern County and becoming one of the main hubs for international trading and transportation. This is a boon to our cities’ infrastructure and keeps us competitive in this challenging time. When most cities are living off reserves and struggling to find its way, Shafter is trailblazing its way into the future.
According to Hurlbert, they will start receiving the materials in the next couple of weeks and will begin the laying of the line soon after. He also said that they will be utilizing an inventive machine to lay the fiber optic line. They are also using some innovative equipment to lay the line. Instead of the usual backhoes that dig up the ground, then the workers lay the line, then it gets covered back up, this time Hurlbert said they will be utilizing a machine that has a blade across the back of it. The machine makes a slice in the ground approximately three feet deep. The cable is inserted into the blade itself and the machine vibrates, releasing the cable under the ground and covering the ground in one process, avoiding the time consuming process. We will be running a follow up article once the equipment is working and the project is off and running.
Shafter Schools Project, "Too good to be true?"
The Cities and Joint Powers Committee of the Kern County Grand Jury met with the City of Shafter and the City Manager and Staff and learned about a project known as the Shafter School Project. The Committee felt the City has developed a win/win program that should be brought to the attention of the public and other cities. Consequently, the Committee has undertaken to issue a report on the Project in an effort to make the Project known throughout the County.
The Committee began the process by teleconferencing with representatives of both the Richland and Kern High School Districts. The Committee also reviewed the Project with the Kern County Superintendent of Schools. Additionally, the Committee discussed the Project with teachers from the District, parents and citizens of Shafter.
The purpose of the Shafter School Project was to develop a workforce of educated citizens living in Shafter able to fill jobs being created in the city. The Project would also provide a population of Shafter citizens, able to provide over the long term, the leadership necessary to help the City meet projected growth in a logical and sustainable manner. Some questions the Committee attempted to answer are these: What has been the cost of the Project?, Have the City and Schools seen any positive results?, and What has been the relationship between the City and the School Districts involved?
The answer to these questions are as follows. The City has not postponed or eliminated any projects because of funds being used for the Project. The City has thus far spent $1million on the Project and has budgeted $2.5 million from available funds to build a learning center. The City, teachers, district administrators, parents of members of the community all feel that significant progress has and continues to be made. The relationships between the City and the education community have significantly improved and both sides are working together for the best interests of the children.
In some of their findings the Committee commented that they discussed the Project at length with two Spanish-speaking parents of children deeply involved in the Project. Both parents are learning English in the tutoring program and the children are enrolled. The parents stated that the program has been a great benefit to the family and understand how important it is to be fluent in English.
The Committee also spoke to three teachers, two high school teachers and a first grade teacher. The three teachers are all enthusiastic about the Project and the elementary teacher had nothing but praise for the Director and the way the Project has been presented to the teachers. One teacher felt able to express a point of view and together, on an ongoing basis, make whatever changes deemed necessary.
The Committee also spoke to two local pastors, both being enthusiastic about the Project. One of the pastors provides the church’s assembly room on Wednesday nights for the use of the Project’s English Tutoring Program. The pastor stated that 40 people attend the evening program. In addition to the reading and ESL(English as a Second Language) programs for both students and parents, the City also began a reading program placing books in homes of students. Thus far, approximately 30,000 books have been placed. About 25,000 of the books were placed with families by an organization known as First Books at a cost of forty-five cents a book. For the most part, the City absorbed the costs with some help from donations. Additionally, 5,000 books have been donated by individuals and local organizations.
In their comments, the Committee said that in an era of sever cutbacks in funding for education, it appears the City has developed a strategy to help cope with the problem without involving the City in education policy which is the province of School Districts. For many reasons the City has been able to accomplish the funding, the two most important being, the City’s financial strength and the City’s ability to work cooperatively with the Districts for the best interest of the children and parents and not to attempt to dictate to the educational community. The Committee believes that other cities within Kern County, or for that matter anywhere, could benefit form the City’s experience and as more funds become available, could replicate the City’s Project and/or develop similar projects.
The Committee commends the City of Shafter and its leaders for a job well done. In answer to the heading’s rhetorical question “Too Good to Be True?”, the answer is a resounding “NO!"
The Committee began the process by teleconferencing with representatives of both the Richland and Kern High School Districts. The Committee also reviewed the Project with the Kern County Superintendent of Schools. Additionally, the Committee discussed the Project with teachers from the District, parents and citizens of Shafter.
The purpose of the Shafter School Project was to develop a workforce of educated citizens living in Shafter able to fill jobs being created in the city. The Project would also provide a population of Shafter citizens, able to provide over the long term, the leadership necessary to help the City meet projected growth in a logical and sustainable manner. Some questions the Committee attempted to answer are these: What has been the cost of the Project?, Have the City and Schools seen any positive results?, and What has been the relationship between the City and the School Districts involved?
The answer to these questions are as follows. The City has not postponed or eliminated any projects because of funds being used for the Project. The City has thus far spent $1million on the Project and has budgeted $2.5 million from available funds to build a learning center. The City, teachers, district administrators, parents of members of the community all feel that significant progress has and continues to be made. The relationships between the City and the education community have significantly improved and both sides are working together for the best interests of the children.
In some of their findings the Committee commented that they discussed the Project at length with two Spanish-speaking parents of children deeply involved in the Project. Both parents are learning English in the tutoring program and the children are enrolled. The parents stated that the program has been a great benefit to the family and understand how important it is to be fluent in English.
The Committee also spoke to three teachers, two high school teachers and a first grade teacher. The three teachers are all enthusiastic about the Project and the elementary teacher had nothing but praise for the Director and the way the Project has been presented to the teachers. One teacher felt able to express a point of view and together, on an ongoing basis, make whatever changes deemed necessary.
The Committee also spoke to two local pastors, both being enthusiastic about the Project. One of the pastors provides the church’s assembly room on Wednesday nights for the use of the Project’s English Tutoring Program. The pastor stated that 40 people attend the evening program. In addition to the reading and ESL(English as a Second Language) programs for both students and parents, the City also began a reading program placing books in homes of students. Thus far, approximately 30,000 books have been placed. About 25,000 of the books were placed with families by an organization known as First Books at a cost of forty-five cents a book. For the most part, the City absorbed the costs with some help from donations. Additionally, 5,000 books have been donated by individuals and local organizations.
In their comments, the Committee said that in an era of sever cutbacks in funding for education, it appears the City has developed a strategy to help cope with the problem without involving the City in education policy which is the province of School Districts. For many reasons the City has been able to accomplish the funding, the two most important being, the City’s financial strength and the City’s ability to work cooperatively with the Districts for the best interest of the children and parents and not to attempt to dictate to the educational community. The Committee believes that other cities within Kern County, or for that matter anywhere, could benefit form the City’s experience and as more funds become available, could replicate the City’s Project and/or develop similar projects.
The Committee commends the City of Shafter and its leaders for a job well done. In answer to the heading’s rhetorical question “Too Good to Be True?”, the answer is a resounding “NO!"
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