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All-America City 1999
 Why Stockton is an All
 America City
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All-America City - Application
for the 1999 Award
Application for
1999
All-America City Award
|
| The
City of Stockton has applied for the 1999 All-America
City Award. These pages contain the application
that was submitted. |
1999
All-America City Award
National Civic League's
50th Annual All-American City Awards
Mail your completed application to:
National Civic League, Attn: ACC Application
1445 Market Street, Suite 300, Denver, CO 80202-1728
For more information, call 303.571.4343
|
| Community
Name: |
Stockton |
| County: |
San
Joaquin |
| State: |
California |
List
the 3 individuals who most actively participated
in filling out this All-America City Award application.
(Include Name, Title and Organization) |
| 1.
Peggy VanNess, Programs Director, Greater Stockton
Chamber of Commerce |
| 2.
Robin Kirk, Executive Director, DeltaKeeper |
3.
Judith Ray Jones, Grants Coordinator, City of Stockton
|
All-America City Award contact (primary
contact person available throughout competition
and or follow-up: Include Name, Title, Organization,
Address, City, State, Zip, Business Phone/Fax,
e-mail.)
|
All-America City Award contact (primary
contact person available throughout competition
and or follow-up: Include Name, Title, Organization,
Address, City, State, Zip, Business Phone/Fax,
e-mail.)
|
Donna
Brown, Deputy City Manager
City of Stockton
425 N. El Dorado Street, Stockton, CA 95202
Phone: (209) 937-8212 Fax: (209) 937-8904
cmadmin@ci.stockton.ca.us
|
If
we are designated an All-America City in 1999,
we agree to follow NCL's rules regarding use
of the All-America City Award logo.
|
Community
Statistics
|
FORM
of GOVERNMENT, if applicable (circle one):
Council-Manager
POPULATION (1995 or most recent):
241,058
Source: California Dept. of Finance as of January
1,
1998 POPULATION PERCENTAGE CHANGE (+ or -)(1985-1995):
+29%
Source: California Dept. of Finance
POPULATION DENSITY (residents per unit area)(1995
or most recent):
3.114
Source: California Dept. of Finance as of January
1, 1998
RACIAL/ETHNIC POPULATION BREAKDOWN (percentage):
43.6%
White (non-Hispanic),
9.1% Black
25.0% Hispanic (of any origin),
21.4% Asian
0.7% Native American,
0.2% Other
Source: 1990 Census of Population and Housing
MEDIAN FAMILY INCOME:
$30,315
Source: 1990 Census of Population and Housing
PERCENTAGE of FAMILIES BELOW POVERTY LEVEL: 17 %
Source:
1990 Census of Population & Housing
UNEMPLOYMENT RATE:
10.3%
Source:
Stockton/Lodi MSA Dec. 98
POPULATION BREAKDOWN by AGE GROUP (percentages) (if available):
32%
Below 18 years,
11% 18-24,
31% 25-44
16% 45-64,
10% Over 65
Source: 1990 Census of Population and Housing
PERCENTAGE OF HOME OWNERSHIP:
48%
Source: 1990 Census of Population and Housing
WORKFORCE DISTRIBUTION by INDUSTRY (percentage of total employed
in each):
12%
Manufacturing
23% Trade
4% Agriculture
41% Services
20% Other (please specify): Health, Education, Finance Source: 1990
Census of Population and Housing
COMMUNITY BACKGROUND:
Set the background for your community's story. Summarize your general community
situation (not the three specific projects described in subsequent application
questions) and the community environment which contributed to your community's
history. (800 word maximum)
Ensure that the following points are covered:
a. Context of your community within your region;
b. Extent and nature of citizen participation in community improvement
efforts;
c. Degree of success in realizing community goals; and
d. Success in including diverse populations in all phases of community
improvement.
One
of the earliest municipalities in Gold Rush California, Stockton bustled
during the last half of the 19th and early 20th century, a rich agricultural
center as well as a prosperous gateway to the Sierra Nevada gold fields.
Like its sister communities up and down central California, however, Stockton
was badly hit by the Great Depression. Following a brief rally during World
War II, Stockton again fell on hard times.
In
1989, Stockton appeared to be a city without a future. A documentary, "Crime
in American Cities", narrated by Peter Jennings, highlighted the dramatic
rise in Stockton's violent crime rates. That same year, a Stockton school
yard shooting killed 5 children and injured 34 others. A polarized, ineffectual
city government seemed unable to act. The Stockton City Council was an
object of derision, picked up nationally by Tom Brokaw for its "circus
like" meetings. In a city that had always prided itself on its rich
ethnic & cultural mix, tensions grew. Distrust of newly arrived immigrants,
exacerbated by a wide range of income & educational levels, and a growing
disparity between poor and affluent neighborhoods contributed to the despair
that blanketed many neighborhoods - a sense that nothing would change.
Even
under this shroud, however, the community was ready for change. As one
citizen put it, "We're not going to take it anymore...there's too
many children involved.." Through a hard fought voter approved reorganization
of the City Council electoral process, the Council emerged as a highly
respected and effective body. Equally important, increasingly assertive
grass roots groups began to organize in earnest - intensifying some conflicts
but overall focusing on constructive change. Over time, these groups have
made significant contributions to the safety and redevelopment of their
own communities and to supporting activities for youth. At the same time,
their ranks have become increasingly integrated. Various collaboratives
have emerged, connecting community organizations and public agencies to
address long-term solutions to specific problem areas, such as economic
development, educational achievement of youth, and the health of the community.
Notable
changes have given a significant voice to our citizens and are restoring
confidence in our future as a city. Our efforts are producing tangible
results:
- A
gain of 8,000 jobs in manufacturing as well as service industries;
- A
crime rate which has dropped dramatically by over 30% in 4 years;
- A
reduction in gang violence that has been described as remarkable,
with a reduction in gang deaths from 20 in 1997 to 3 in 1998;
- A
massive clean-up of Stockton's Delta, involving citizens, youth and
organizations as well as city, county and state entities in long-term
clean up of our waterways (See Section II, Project 3);
- Involvement
of public and private entities, educational institutions and the
business sector in establishing a campus of California State University
that brings affordable education to the city and addresses long term
causes of chronic unemployment;
- "Charting
the Course" conferences and task forces co-sponsored by the
San Joaquin Community Data Cooperative (a new non-profit community
research organization) and the Chamber of Commerce involving over
300 civic participants representing all sectors of the community
in a 10-month community needs assessment and goal setting effort.
- In
1998, creation of the Community Family Partnership, a broad based
collaboration to support youth development and educational achievement
on a comprehensive, regional basis.
- An
ambitious downtown revitalization program, which is restoring the
historic Fox California Theater, and is embarked on construction
of a Parks and Events center.
Over
the years, tugs of war among various factions have made progress a bumpy
road. Nevertheless, a new spirit of hope, cooperation, and determination
has transformed the city, bringing new faces, rich backgrounds, and diverse
experiences to the table. We have not yet all broken bread together. But
in the past 4 years, the number of active and committed citizens taking
part in the life of our city has grown by the thousands. Weaving our effort
together is the knowledge that alone it will be difficult to succeed; together
it will be impossible to fail!
1. Assess how well your community is doing, based on each of NCL's ten
Civic Index components (review carefully the Civic Index on pages 4-5 of
the printed application). Support your claims with examples. Please be
candid and include not only positive assessments, but what your challenges
are and how you are addressing them.
A. Citizen Participation (135 word maximum)
At
a meeting at Garfield Elementary School between city staff and neighborhood
residents shortly after the 1992 City Council reorganization, over 150
residents vented their frustration over drug deals, shootings, and an unresponsive
city staff. While fearing gang retaliation, neighbors agreed to work together
to increase safety in their neighborhoods. Since that first Neighborhood
Betterment Committee got started, Neighborhood Betterment Committees (NBCs)
have been formed in five areas. As another spin-off, in 1993 the Council
set up citizen task forces that address area wide issues such as waterfront
development (28 members); graffiti removal (81 members); property management
(11 members); juvenile justice (44 members); image improvement (70 members).
A recently established Stockton Youth Advisory Board, comprised of representatives
from area wide high schools, gives teens opportunities to provide direction
for youth- and school-based activities throughout the City.
B. Community Leadership (135 word maximum)
Stockton's
civic infrastructure provides a framework for a wide variety of leadership
and civic development activities. Annually since 1993, The Leadership Summit
brings leaders of national and international stature to Stockton to inspire
citizens -- including Margaret Thatcher, Barbara Bush, Peter Ueberroth,
and Colin Powell. Leadership Stockton, a Chamber of Commerce program now
in its 18th year, annually puts 20+ individuals through an 11-month program
which grounds them in leadership strategies and urban issues. Its 400+
graduates include men and women from a wide range of ethnic backgrounds
(48 Blacks; 57 Hispanics, 5 Japanese, 10 Chinese, 1 Lao, 1 Sikh, 3 Native
Americans, 7 Filipinos and men and women of all ages). Eighty graduates
now serve as presidents/chairs of boards and commissions.
C. Government Performance (135 word maximum)
Stockton
is not afraid to evaluate its own performance. In 1997 Stockton's Class
I Fire Department lost two firefighters. The Department established a Board
of Inquiry to "Leave no aspect of the fire untouched" and to
investigate, prevent and prepare for future fire emergencies. The Board's
Final Report has been shared with many cities, including San Ramon, City
of Phoenix, City of Gainesville as a valuable document of lessons learned.
The City's support for citizen initiatives has strengthened community trust.
Neighborhood Watch programs, undertaken in part through the neighborhood
structures described in A. above, coupled with strategies such as Community
Policing, have contributed to Stockton's 30% decrease in crime. Working
with various business groups, the City was recently awarded HUD grants
and loans totaling over $14 million for downtown revitalization.
D. Volunteerism and Philanthropy (135 word maximum)
Our
city is justifiably proud of the many ways residents share their resources.
Since 1996, area businesses have underwritten all United Way overhead costs.
This community is the first in the nation, therefore, to dedicate 100%
of its $3.2 million annual United Way donations to local organizations.
Perhaps the best example of volunteerism is the award-winning annual Asparagus
Festival, which attracts over 70,000 visitors each spring. Involving over
80 community groups and 4,000 volunteers, the Festival has enhanced the
community's image and raised over $170,000 annually for charities. The
annual Su Salud health fair, a Presidential Point of Light award recipient,
marshaled 2,500 volunteers, including 500 medical professionals into action
yearly. A national model, Su Salud has evolved into a year-round health
prevention education program, with ongoing support from the medical and
social service community.
E. Intergroup and Intragroup Relations (135 word maximum)
In
addition to numerous ethnic organizations (e.g., NAACP, Asian Alliance)
and ethnic publications (e.g., La Tribuna, El Grafico), Stockton's community
access channel airs an array of ethnic programming. Difference is explored
and embraced through cultural festivals and celebrations including Martin
Luther King's Birthday, the Obon Festival, Cinco de Mayo, Chinese New Year,
Friendship Day, Italian Street Painting Festival and the many celebrations
replicated throughout our schools. In the past 5 years the local Mediation
Center has taught conflict resolution skills to 1,500 students and adults.
Ongoing youth training programs (Rites of Passage, Images, Villages, and
Mariposa) build self-esteem among various ethnic groups. While we have
not yet overcome all racial, economic and cultural schisms, we are engaged
in long-term, multifaceted strategies to build citizen solidarity appropriate
to our rich cultural pluralism.
F. Civic Education (135 word maximum)
Exemplifying
cooperation between government and the private sector, the Business Council
and Substance Abuse Prevention Services sponsor an annual Youth to Youth
conference. More than a conference, 300+ youth implement an action plan.
Similarly, the American Legion and City sponsor Annual "Youth in Government
Day" which involves more than 50 juniors in all facets of local government.
A city appointed Youth Advisory Commission is giving youth a leadership
role and training ground. The many Leadership Stockton graduates who have
now moved into civic leadership positions have shown a continued interest
in youth oriented civic development programs, including contributions to
the Apollo Nights program (discussed in Part II). Civic education is extended
to adults through League of Women Voters' debates, as well as a jointly
sponsored City and University of the Pacific class on Stockton Government.
G. Community Information Sharing (135 word maximum)
The
Record (local newspaper) recently partnered with TV Channel 31 to increase
access to balanced and broader coverage. Chamber of Commerce's Port O Call,
the ethnic press, and several regional TV broadcast stations, also ensure
diverse, fair, and balanced coverage. Meanwhile, the City airs council
meetings and provides information on a TV channel donated by Media-One,
the local cable outlet. A unique arrangement enables high school students
to record and broadcast school board meetings using Police-donated video
equipment. Neighborhood Betterment Committees (discussed above) have proven
a valuable mechanism for broad-based information exchange at the grass
roots level. These varied communication channels have built stronger links
between citizens and city government.
H. Capacity for Cooperation and Consensus Building (135 word maximum)
The
forward strides taken to mediate community conflict, increase communication,
and address issues as a community are paying handsome dividends. One outcome
has been the emergence of at least a half dozen active collaboratives and
numerous city-sponsored task forces. The Healthier Community Coalition,
for example, supports anti smoking, prenatal care and other prevention/education
campaigns by coordinating efforts of local health providers. The 1997 Business
Council's and Record's A+ Initiative have rallied over 200 community leaders
to improve education. Task forces with broad community representation are
actively involved in waterfront revitalization, property management, blight
clean up, graffiti removal, & sewer plant expansion. All parties have
been able to reach consensus and move projects forward.
I. Community Vision and Pride (135 word maximum)
Stockton
is working very hard to restore community pride, ease fear of crime and
draw residents back to the downtown. Key efforts focus on improving public
safety, revitalizing Stockton's downtown, creating education and job opportunities,
and offering young people both activities and a sense of hope. Stockton's
historic downtown Fox Theater has attracted outstanding performers and
sell out crowds. First Night's New Year's Eve celebration, held for the
second time in 1998, brought together over 12,000 community residents to
an alcohol free New Year's event. The choice of Stockton by the San Francisco
49er's for their training camp and California State University (Stanislaus),
based on what the city offers, has brought pride to all. Publications such
as The Record's "San Joaquin Best List" also build community
pride and remind us of our rich heritage.
J. Regional Cooperation (135 word maximum)
Economic
development has been central to regional cooperation. The public and private
sectors have formed the San Joaquin Partnership which works with the Business
Council, the Chamber, and Private Industry Council to recruit new industries
to the area and improve workforce skills. Since 1995, new businesses employing
8,000 people have invested $450 million in the area, and working together
we have exceeded federal benchmarks for progress in welfare reform. California
State University's Multi-Campus Regional Center (discussed in II) represents
another example of regional cooperation, involving large numbers of stakeholders
and bolstering education and employment opportunities. Our city and county
have also worked in collaboration with Alameda and Santa Clara Counties
to put in place a regional commuter train system (ACE), which links residents
to higher paying jobs in the Silicon Valley and addresses environmental
issues.
2. NCL believes a strong civic infrastructure provides the skills and processes
for a community to effectively address important local issues. Using the
ten components of NCL's Civic Index as a guide (pages 4 and 5 of the written
instructions - www.ncl.org/ncl/aacapp99.htm), discuss how your community's
civic infrastructure is helping the community address its key challenges. (750
word maximum)
Give examples of how your community has encouraged:
a. The most basic challenges and concerns of the community;
b. Collaboration between community sectors; and
c. Shared decision making among diverse segments of the population.
When
asked why the City Council could not do what was in the past considered "the
civic good" a former mayor replied, "We could if people could
just agree on what that was." One lesson learned in Stockton is that
no single element of the civic index stands alone; rather they are interdependent.
Leadership development, for example, promotes citizen participation, which
in turn strengthens the grassroots fabric of neighborhood organization
and facilitates positive intergroup relations. When residents then mobilize
to address needs they see as shared, they generate support for effective
action Two examples, mentioned briefly earlier, demonstrate how these elements
have worked together to produce results.
The
Neighborhood Betterment Committee (NBC) concept, later named Safe Stockton,
grew out of meetings between disgruntled residents of a Stockton neighborhood
and city staff. The citizens' agreement to form an action group provided
a model for other neighborhoods to emulate. Citizens put in place a governance
structure, helped set crime fighting goals, and worked to achieve them.
They participated in neighborhood clean up projects, helped organize informational
fairs, and developed community based housing programs. With both the support
of the neighborhoods and the city, the idea caught on and the Safe Stockton
rubric was used to give coherence to the movement. To ensure good links
between the community and city, an infrastructure for Safe Stockton at
the city level was also put in place. Under the direction of a Deputy City
Manager, a committee was established made up of the department head and
a liaison from the participating city departments -- Police, Parks and
Recreation, Code Enforcement, Housing and Redevelopment, Library, Public
Works, Fire and the City Manager -- to link to individual neighborhoods.
This responded to the need for coordinated city resources and provided
administrative coherence without undermining the initiative of local residents.
Members eventually decided that some issues spanned individual neighborhoods
and formed the San Joaquin Community Together Coalition (CTC) which has
become a cooperative vehicle for citizen involvement in a number of other
activities in the Stockton area.
A
somewhat parallel effort revolves around the formation of city wide citizen
task forces (also discussed under element A) to bring together divergent
opinions. A number of citizen task forces were formed, each given an assignment
to come up with a solution to which all members could agree. One example
of the citizens' voice in action was the Property Management Task Force,
faced with the task of improving blighted or unmaintained property. Each
time the city proposed cracking down on the violators, the violators and
their supporters appeared before the Council to oppose proposed actions.
The solution involved assigning all sides to work together -- homeowners,
renters, property managers, code enforcement officers, attorneys, fair
housing advocates, and the rental housing association. They reached consensus
on ordinance changes, improved procedures, and increased staffing for code
enforcement, developed a corps of volunteers and appeared before the City
Council to support implementation of their recommendations. Through this
and similar efforts, the City has developed an effective mechanism for
removing blight and preserving affordable housing. Improving the neighborhoods
has become a community wide effort, bringing the people closer to their
government, and the government closer to its people.
In
each of these cases it was not clear at the outset exactly how the processes
would work or what the outcomes would be. But experience has shown that
leadership and involvement at the grassroots level is as critical as leadership
from above. Intergroup conflicts could have blocked progress at many points,
but in the end success bred solidarity. Each project described in Part
II has come to fruition within the context of growing citizen involvement
and enhanced governmental effectiveness. Both Apollo Night and LEAP (Let
Education Attack Pollution) have given youth opportunities to achieve tangible
success, while providing a strong foundation for long-term civic education
and leadership development. The mammoth civic effort to bring a California
State University campus to Stockton makes the benefits of a higher education
possible and affordable, strengthens the skills of our workforce and the
competitiveness of our community. In truth, this university campus makes
the American dream more accessible for our residents; it also responds
to one of the most fundamental of Stockton's challenges. Taken together,
the three projects illustrate the potential for achievement generated by
a strong civic infrastructure.
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Part
II
|
Part
II requires a description of three recent community-driven
projects that have significantly impacted the
community since 1996. Regardless of when
each project was begun, focus on the progress
achieved during the last three years. The projects
should illustrate the community's ability to:
1) anticipate problems by proactively dealing with community challenges,
and/or
2) respond in collaborative and resourceful ways to a current critical
problem.
Please Note: All or some aspect of Project One should show how the lives
of youth and children in the community have been tangibly improved.
You can either have all projects dealing with anticipated problems or all
focusing on current challenges or a combination of the two.
In addition, all projects selected should exemplify extraordinary civic
accomplishments for your community, made possible by collaborative efforts
of individuals and the public, private, and nonprofit sectors.
1A. Briefly describe the first (Project One) of the three projects. This
Project One should have significantly impacted youth since 1996. (200
word maximum)
Since its 1997 inception, Apollo Night Talent and Performing Series
has touched thousands of youth. Two teens recently described how Apollo
Night changed them. Crystal, age 14, said: "Apollo Night made me believe
in myself." Jerry, a rapper and former gang member, responded: "Apollo
Night showed me the other side of life where I don't have to be afraid." The
latest Apollo Night drew an audience of 1,000+ children, youth, and families
from every corner of the city, without incident. The first Performing Series
of its kind in Stockton, Apollo Night's impact extends far beyond the production.
Apollo Night has greatly contributed to reduced gang tensions as well as
to a marked decrease in youth violence. In 1997, 20 gang-related murders
took place in Stockton; in 1998, the number had dropped to 3! Youth first
audition in front of their peers. Then they go to work. Regular practice,
appropriate language, dress, and the willingness to work with others are
required. Youth assist in all aspects of production. As the producer commented, "When
two rival gangs, the Vice Lords and the Bloods practice a dance routine
together, it's hard to remain enemies." The youths' work culminates
in four shows each year.
1B. What prompted the community to undertake this project? (200 word
maximum)
Tony Washington, a community activist and entertainer, was the brainchild
behind Apollo Night. While working at the Community of All Nations Public
Housing Project, he became concerned about young people hanging around
the housing complex. Tony applied for a $1,300 dollar grant from the Prevention
Partnership, with which he and his performers produced the first Youth
Variety Show. The event demonstrated that at-risk youth throughout the
city could unite without violence to achieve a common goal. Mr. Washington
and community representatives then approached the City of Stockton with
the intent of developing Apollo Night as a way to build spirit and foster
understanding, respect, and communication among youth of all ages and races.
The city became an enthusiastic partner, opening up its community centers
for productions, providing staff, media advertising, materials, and supplies.
In early 1997, Parks & Recreation Director Tim Gallagher and Tony moved
the show to Marshall Middle School to make way for growing crowds, even
though the area was known for high crime rates and gang violence. As one
Stockton Police Officer later said: "We had almost every gang represented
that night without a problem. They were just kids." Apollo Night was
off and running.
1C. What attempts were made to involve citizens and youth directly affected
by the project in program development and to what extent were they successful?
How were diverse segments of the population involved in the decision-making
process? What general difficulties were encountered? (200 word maximum)
Apollo Night's enormous success is in large measure due to the involvement
and commitment of a broad cross section of the community. Started as a
grass roots effort in a low-cost housing development, Apollo Night grew
with support and assistance from churches, youth organizations, gang members,
Parks & Recreation Department, Police School Resource Officers and
many others. At a series of meetings, all came to an understanding about
the program's structure. The interest of all was to develop a structure
that would support kids, provide all interested youth with an opportunity
to participate, and offer special opportunities to youth labeled at-risk.
The Chamber of Commerce Leadership Stockton Program played a significant
role by helping to promote the 1997-98 season, and facilitating fund raising
for youth and teen programs from the business community. Finally, program
staff helped build an inclusive program by holding auditions throughout
the city as well as at homes, when transportation was a problem. The greatest
obstacle was overcoming the skepticism of many, who doubted that Apollo
Night could successfully bring together youth and gangs from different
ethnic and social classes without incident. In fact, Apollo Night has converted
gang members into teens who just want to perform.
1D. What significant impacts has this project had on the community? Include
quantifiable results as well as changes in the way the community confronts
critical local issues. (200 word maximum)
Anyone
who wants to see and feel the vibrant, enthusiastic,
diverse Stockton has only to attend an Apollo Night.
Residents from ALL over the community rub elbows,
and the visible pride of parents, friends, and performers
makes the theater positively glow. The talent that
has surfaced defies imagination. Not to mention the
barriers that have come down behind the scenes. Apollo
Night has contributed to far fewer rival gang altercations,
with a dramatic reduction in gang related murders,
from 20 in 1997 to 3 last year. Collaboration has
grown with participation from youth civic groups,
parents, schools, the business sector and local government.
Over 500 children and youth participate in productions
annually. Attendance has skyrocketed; initial audiences
of 150 have grown to close to 2,000. City support
for teen-initiated activities is growing. The City
formed a Youth Advisory Commission, which advises
the City Council and plans teen activities. Seven
Apollo acts were hired at Stockton's New Year's Celebration
as well as at a performance with the Temptations.
Since The Temptations began their career at New York's
Apollo Theater, the symbolism was not lost on the
young stars. Their hopes are coupled with a commitment
to discipline, hard work and excellence.
1E. For Project One, list up to five principal groups and organizations
involved. Summarize their contribution to the project.
|
| Principal
Groups & Organizations |
No. of
Participants |
Contribution
to Project |
Community
of All Nations
|
30
|
Promotions,
auditions and talent
|
Office
of Substance Abuse of San Joaquin
|
10
|
Initial
funding, promotion and judging
|
Four
School Districts
|
40
|
Event
night support and promotion
|
Stockton
Parks & Recreation/Youth Advisory Board
|
53
|
Present
funding, production, promotion, staff and
advisory body
|
| Greater
Stockton Chamber of Commerce Leadership Stockton
Program |
30 |
Funding,
advertisement, staff and auditions |
1F. For Project One, identify three individuals who were active
leaders. (Include leaders from the public,
private and nonprofit sectors.)
|
| Name/Title |
Organization/Address |
Tony
Washington,
Series Producer
|
Just Say No Program
2172 Dockery Court
Stockton, CA 95206
|
Marvin
Zeller
Marvin Zeller Band
|
3422 Hammer Lane, #167
Stockton, CA 95219
|
Tim
Gallagher,
Director Parks & Recreation Department City of Stockton |
6
East Lindsay Street
Stockton, CA 95202 |
2A.
Briefly describe the second main project
(Project Two) that has significantly
impacted the community since 1996. (200
word maximum)
Conversion
of Stockton Developmental Center (SDC),
former state mental hospital, into a
higher education facility, has been described
as "nothing short of a miracle".
In less than three years a myriad of
individuals, organizations, and agencies
progressed from initial planning to operations.
Today,
1,000 students are enrolled (with a plan
to increase enrollment to 5,000 by 2011)
opening doors for low-income students
and making the promise of affordable
higher education a reality. Residents
can increase their educational achievement,
learn relevant skills and access higher
paying jobs in areas of projected job
opportunities, such as health care, teaching,
and technology. Creation of this campus
is also bringing jobs and stimulating
redevelopment of a blighted area, both
keys to the successful economic future
of the city.
The
Multi-Campus Regional Center, as the
102-acre site is known, is more than
a higher educational facility. Plans
being developed include upgrading and
adapting of existing structures to accommodate
compatible non-university users and commercial
enterprises, thereby generating additional
income for site improvements and facilities
maintenance.
This
mammoth undertaking reflects a "can
do" attitude and the willingness
on the part of all the stakeholders to
remove each and every obstacle to success.
2B. What prompted the community to undertake this project? (200
word maximum)
In
January 1995, the State of California
Department of Social Services announced
its decision to close the 102 acre Stockton
Developmental Center, which housed a
state hospital as well as a number of
non-profit agencies. Closure of the site
meant the potential abandonment of a
state historical landmark, loss of badly
needed health, mental health and social
services in the area as well as further
deterioration of an already blighted
and crime-ridden neighborhood.
Faced
by this potential crisis, the Stockton
community rallied. A team of 350 area
residents, city, county and state staff,
health providers, businesses, community
organizations and higher education entities
developed a plan. Conversion of SDC to
an off-campus center of CSU Stanislaus
responds directly to critical issues
facing the community: 1) ready access
to higher education at an affordable
cost; 2) preparation of a workforce that
can meet the demands of an increasingly
complex work environment; 3) long term
reduction of high unemployment rates;
4) stimulation of redevelopment efforts;
5) creation of jobs.
2C. What attempts were made to involve the citizens directly
affected by the project in program development and to what
extent were they successful? How were diverse segments of the
population involved in the decision-making process? What general
difficulties were encountered? (200 word maximum)
In
April 1995, State Senator Pat Johnston
and Assemblyman Michael Machado called
a community meeting to discuss best use
of the site. The residents' Neighborhood
Betterment Committee, businesses, organizations,
state and local representatives all participated.
A planning group comprised of at least
20 different organizations worked together
to bring about the conversion. More than
170 letters from diverse stakeholder
groups supported the concept. These were
included in the California State University's
proposal to its Board of Trustees and
to the State of California. While support
for conversion of the site to a university
campus was overwhelming, financial challenges
faced the decision makers because of
the significant costs associated with
building repairs, street upgrades, and
other infrastructure development. The
innovative solution of leasing space
for use by non-profits and commercial
enterprises will partially offset operating
costs and mitigate the financial barriers.
The area's designation as an Enterprise
Zone will also be crucial to the long
term viability of the area, stimulating
revitalization, increasing community
spending, creating additional jobs, and
generating additional income for university
operations.
2D. What significant impacts has this project had on the community?
Include quantifiable results as well as changes in the way
the community confronts critical local issues. (200 word
maximum)
Still
in its infancy, the Multi-Campus Regional
Center's impact on Stockton has been dramatic
already. Educationally, changes are underway.
1,000 students are enrolled, a 4.1% increase
by Stockton students since the campus opened
in Fall 1998. Students ranging in ages
from 21 - 32 comprise the largest percentage
of students, with the majority attending
school on a part-time basis. This provides
ready access to affordable and conveniently
located higher education for career development
and advancement. Programs are compatible
with greatest projected area needs for
future employees. Social Services, Health
Services and Advanced Education-Training-Service-Work
Linkages have been introduced, including
an expanded Nursing Program and a Master's
Degree in Social Work. A planned Elementary
Magnet School will provide Teaching Internships.
The City has completed designation of the
area as an Enterprise Zone, offering favorable
tax status to businesses that move into
the area. Improvements to physical structures,
repairs to sidewalks, and installation
of lighting are creating a more attractive
landscape. A safer environment surrounds
the campus, with both community policing
and a strong neighborhood-organizing group.
Policing. Barnes and Noble has opened a
bookstore. Pacific Bell will build the
necessary telecommunications infrastructure
on site. |
2E.
For Project Two, list up to five principal
groups and organizations involved.
Summarize their contribution to the
project.
|
| Principal
Groups & Organizations |
No.
of Participants |
Contribution
to Project |
California
State University, Stanislaus
|
104
|
Overall
Facilities Program Planning & Academic
and Financial Oversight
|
Community
Groups & Individuals
|
170
|
Letters
of Support, Other
|
Health
Care Providers (St. Joseph's,
SJ Health Care Services, Mental
Health Services)
|
18
|
Academic
Planning
|
Educational
Institutions (UOP, SJ Delta College,
Co. Office of Education, SUSD)
|
40
|
Academic
Planning & Curriculum Development
|
Downtown
Stockton Alliance
|
33
|
Planning
for Area Revitalization
|
| A virtual army of participants
contributed to the successful
conversion of this site into
a Multi-Campus Regional Center. |
2F.
For Project Two, identify three
individuals who were active leaders.
(Include leaders from the public,
private and nonprofit sectors.)
(Give each person's name, title,
organization, address, and telephone
number)
|
| Name/Title |
Organization/Address |
Telephone |
Senator
Patrick Johnson
|
31
East Channel Street
Stockton,
CA 95202
|
(209)
948-7930
|
Michael
Davis, Ph.D.
|
7522
Woodside Dr.
Stockton,
CA 95207
|
(209)
478-1408
|
| Michael
Cannon State of California |
4352
Zephyr Way
Sacramento,
CA 95821 |
(916)
688-8920 |
|
3A.
Briefly describe the third main
project (Project Three) that
has significantly impacted the
community since 1996. (200
word maximum)
In
1998 Edison High School students
and staff kicked off LEAP (Let
Education Attack Pollution), an
ecosystem restoration project.
The students' objective: to improve
the condition of a polluted stream
near their high school and call
attention to the greater problem
of water quality which has caused
the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta
to be listed as an impaired waterbody
under the Clean Water Act. School
faculty, an environmental group
(DeltaKeeper), business leaders,
and city staff lent their assistance.
A
river clean up involving over 100
students marked Phase 1 of this
stream adoption project. A schoolwide
competition promoted a pollution
prevention poster and logo. Businesses,
community groups, individuals and
city staff donated food, materials,
equipment and expertise. In Phase
2, LEAP students from low income,
multi-cultural, minority families
went to work at the non-profit
DeltaKeeper as part of a Summer
Youth Program. Students assumed
stewardship of a severely degraded
stream, learning the chemical and
physical parameters of stream monitoring;
calibration and use of water quality
monitoring instruments; water sampling
procedures; lab analysis; and investigative
techniques for point and nonpoint
source pollution. In Phase 3, test
sites along the stream were cleaned
and groundwork established for
an ongoing student stewardship.
3B. What prompted the community to undertake this project? (200
word maximum)
Stockton
is located on the banks of the
San Joaquin River, the 4th most
endangered river in the country.
It carries tons of pesticides and
other chemicals, making it extremely
toxic to aquatic life. A third
of its 120 fish and wildlife species
have been identified as endangered,
threatened or of special concern.
Edison High School principal, Dr.
Hernandez, contacted City and County
Stormwater managers to secure resources
and information for development
of an environmental science course
to focus on water quality standards
and identification of pollutants
causing impairment of the Sacramento-San
Joaquin Delta. The school's goal
was to increase recognition of
water pollution problems and spark
interest in research techniques,
environmental science and job opportunities
in the environmental arena. In
response, a coalition of students,
faculty, the non-profit water quality
group DeltaKeeper and local government
collaborated to develop the program.
In the Adopt-A-Stream project teachers
and students adopt a waterway and
perform chemical, physical, biological
and microbiological testing to
determine water quality. The model
is then incorporated into their
science curriculum. Ultimately
the model can be duplicated by
other high schools to ensure ongoing
stewardship by students monitoring
the health of neighborhood streams
from year to year.
3C. What attempts were made to involve the citizens directly
affected by the project in program development and to
what extent were they successful? How were diverse segments
of the population involved in the decision-making process?
What general difficulties were encountered? (200 word
maximum)
Student
representatives participated from
the onset on the LEAP planning
committee. Students, educators,
a citizen at large, an environmental
group and city/county personnel
were all eager to be part of the
pollution solution. Students named
the LEAP project, organized a schoolwide
art contest and selected the section
of stream to be adopted. The subsequent
student educational program and
its development were planned by
their DeltaKeeper supervisor. LEAP's
common purpose appealed to a broad
segment of the community and superceded
racial and cultural barriers. Volunteers
ranged in age from 16 to 60 and
ethnic groups included Hispanics,
Anglos, Cambodians, Vietnamese,
Hmong and Chinese. Difficulties
centered around such issues as:
liability; the best use of resources;
providing the equipment; the role
of private industry versus city
government and safety concerns.
The strong commitment to succeed
made it possible for this diverse,
grass roots group to overcome all
obstacles.
3D. What significant impacts has this project had on
the community? Include quantifiable results as well as
changes in the way the community confronts critical local
issues. (200 word maximum)
This
project had a four-fold impact. 1)
Environmentally, monitoring resulted
in significant data used by those
seeking to improve water quality.
Three additional high schools are
now working with DeltaKeeper to assume
stream stewardships. The local university
established two environmental internships
with DeltaKeeper. 2) Economically,
this project employed youth from
low-income families with multi-cultural
backgrounds, making them aware of
critical environmental issues and
career opportunities. Students saw
the results of their work as they
removed more than thirty years of
debris. Participants interviewed
on TV stated, "It makes us feel
good, it benefits the community and
beautifies the waterway." Television
and press coverage focused attention
on the plight of our Delta. A noticeable
change in the community's attitude
was apparent. At a subsequent clean
up, 200 parents, students, business
people and community volunteers rallied,
working 600 hours to pick up 210
bags of trash, fill a 40 ton dumpster,
pull 50 shopping carts and more than
64 tires from 6 area waterways. 3)
Politically, this project marked
a first time cooperative effort among
a high school, an environmental group,
businesses and city/county staff.
4) Socially, this project built community
pride and neighborhoods spontaneously
began their own clean up projects. |
3E.
For Project Three, list up to
five principal groups and organizations
involved. Summarize their contribution
to the project.
|
| Principal
Groups & Organizations |
No.
of Participants |
Contribution
to Project |
Edison
High School
|
150
|
Students
for Summer Youth Program
and river clean up
|
City
of Stockton / County of
San Joaquin
|
23
|
Organization
and technical support,
food, dumpsters
|
DeltaKeeper
|
15
|
Summer
Youth Program, community
volunteers, organizational
support, boots, gloves,
boats
|
Community
Business
|
6
|
Recycling,
boots, bags, gloves, food,
nets, hooks
|
| Peace
and Justice Network |
1 |
Media
coverage |
|
3F.
For Project Three, identify three
individuals who were active leaders.
(Include leaders from the public,
private and nonprofit sectors.)
(Give each person's name, title,
organization, address, and telephone
number)
|
Name/Title
|
Organization/Address
|
Telephone
|
Dr.
Michael Hernandez, Principal
Leslie
San Jose, Student
|
Edison
High School 1425 South
Center Street Stockton,
CA 95203
|
(209)
953-4412
|
Robin
Kirk, Volunteer/Project
Coordinator
|
DeltaKeeper
(nonprofit) 3536 Rainier
Avenue Stockton, CA 95204
|
(209)
464-6368
|
Denise
Minot, Administrative Assistant
|
County
Department of Public Works
1810 East Hazelton Avenue
Stockton, CA 95201
|
(209)
468-2179
|
|
End
Of Application
Mail your completed
application to:
National Civic League, Attn: AAC Application
1445 Market Street, Suite 300, Denver, CO 80202-1728
For more information, call 303.571.4343 |
|
|
|
|
All-America City - Application
for the 1999 Award
Application for
1999
All-America City Award
|
| The
City of Stockton has applied for the 1999 All-America
City Award. These pages contain the application
that was submitted. |
1999
All-America City Award
National Civic League's
50th Annual All-American City Awards
Mail your completed application to:
National Civic League, Attn: ACC Application
1445 Market Street, Suite 300, Denver, CO 80202-1728
For more information, call 303.571.4343
|
| Community
Name: |
Stockton |
| County: |
San
Joaquin |
| State: |
California |
List
the 3 individuals who most actively participated
in filling out this All-America City Award application.
(Include Name, Title and Organization) |
| 1.
Peggy VanNess, Programs Director, Greater Stockton
Chamber of Commerce |
| 2.
Robin Kirk, Executive Director, DeltaKeeper |
3.
Judith Ray Jones, Grants Coordinator, City of Stockton
|
All-America City Award contact (primary
contact person available throughout competition
and or follow-up: Include Name, Title, Organization,
Address, City, State, Zip, Business Phone/Fax,
e-mail.)
|
All-America City Award contact (primary
| |
Stockton,
CA 