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Council Meeting Of January 12, 2016:

A grant to the Banning Police Department for $10,000 from the year 2016 Supplemental Law Enforcement Services Allocation was approved. This grant is given directly to the City, and no City funds are required. The grant funds will be used to:

1. Begin evaluating body cameras for police officers to wear while on duty.
2. Upgrade the system which permits patrol vehicles to wirelessly download their video of operations.
3. Improve the data and evidence storage systems of the department.

The Council approved $23,010 to improve the equipment for the State 911Emergency system. These funds will be reimbursed later by the State 911 Emergency Communication Branch for the full amount.

Our city Attorney Lona Laymon has resigned, and interviews were held with applicants for the position. Anthony R. Taylor was approved as the Banning City Attorney. He is a partner in the same law firm as Ms. Laymon.

The Banning Business Center at 649 W. Lincoln Street has not been properly maintained, weeds have not been removed, windows not boarded up, homeless people have been living there, and several dangerous fires have occurred in that location. The Center was repurchased as separate parcels by three different owners, and it has been impossible to get sufficient monitoring of the property. The Council approved starting negotiations to place the Center into receivership, which is the first step to require better code enforcement or demolishing the Center.

Any large project requires an Environmental Impact Report (EIR). The developer of the project is required to pay for this report. The City is involved, as the City is the lead agency with the contractor preparing the report. The City approved the expenditure by the developer of the Rancho San Gorgonio project of an additional $17,320 for this report However, no City funds are involved.

The City is required by the FAA to submit a five year plan of proposed improvements to the airport. The Council approved the plan, which is tentative. Any such improvements will be largely funded by grants from the FAA, and no City funds are involved at this time.

Ed Miller
Banning City Council

 

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