Jun
19
Supervisors Approve Mitzelfelt’s Nurse-Training Initiatives
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In two consecutive weeks, the San Bernardino County Board of Supervisors recently approved my proposals to significantly expand registered-nurse training in the High Desert. On June 12, the Board unanimously approved my plan to allocate $150,000 to help expand the Victor Valley College Nursing Program. Those funds will add another 40 nursing students there. Then, on June 19, the Board approved my request for $75,000 in economic development program funds to help create a nurse-training program at Barstow Community College.
The state is struggling to overcome a nursing shortage, which is why I’m leveraging funds for workforce development programs and partnering with local educational institutions, such as Victor Valley College, that can help match resources with the County to make taxpayers’ investments in education go farther. VVC’s Nursing program boasts a 91 percent first-time pass rate for graduates who sit for the state licensing exam. That percentage exceeds both the state and national average.
There are 191 students on the waiting list for VVC’s program. It’s a wait that can take up to three years. The program normally only has capacity for about 36 new students per semester. The additional funds will allow the college to add an additional 40 nursing students to the program.
The process of establishing a nursing program in Barstow is expected to take two to three years. The funding will help to cover expenses associated with development of the
program, including completion of a feasibility study, development of the curriculum,
hiring a nursing director, purchasing equipment and other expenses.
I believe that supporting our healthcare sector is key to our public health, economic development and quality of life. Registered Nurses are a key component of our healthcare infrastructure and nurses are in a very high demand. According to the San Bernardino County Workforce Investment Board, there are 327 Registered Nurse positions currently available in San Bernardino County.
These nursing positions bring a valuable and much needed component to our local work
Force and are beneficial to the quality of health care in our region, so it’s a good investment of $225,000 that will pay off in the millions. It’s truly a win-win for the County and its economy as well as our local colleges, students, hospitals and patients.
Jun
16
Mitzelfelt Selected to Lead Base Re-use Agency
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From the Victor Valley Daily Press, June 15, 2007…’Mitzelfelt heads economic group; Unanimously appointed chair of Economic Development Authority’…
By RYAN ORR, Staff Writer…VICTORVILLE – At this year’s first meeting of the Victor Valley Economic Development Authority on Wednesday night, 1st District Supervisor Brad Mitzelfelt was unanimously appointed chairman.
The authority, established in 1989 to manage the redevelopment of the for mer
George Air Force Base, oversees the largest redevelopment area in the nation.
The area encompassed by the authority is about 90,000 acres.
The authority is also made up of Victorville Mayor Terry Caldwell, Apple Valley
Councilman Peter Allan, Adelanto Mayor Jim Nehmens and Hesperia Councilman
Thurston “Smitty” Smith. They oversee a $34 million annual budget. A primary focus of the authority has been to encourage development at Southern
California Logistics Airport and make up for the 8,000 jobs lost when the base
closed in 1992.
VVEDA was recently honored by the Califor nia Association for Local Economic
Development with a Grand Prize award for its marketing programs. The highlight
of the VVEDA is its Web site, www. victorvalleyca.com and its integration of
marketing communications tools.
Mitzelfelt’s main goal as chairman is to foster more economic development at
SCLA. The San Bernardino County Board of Supervisors recently approved $500,000 that will go toward creating an aviation training program, which in a few years could create 300 new jobs and rake in $17.2 million. “We have a deficit of jobs in the High Desert, and these economic development projects will help alleviate that,” Mitzelfelt said. “The county’s economic strategy foresees logistics around the airport to be the job-creating engine for the Victor Valley’s future, with a potential of up to 30,000 jobs for the area.
Link to online article: http://www.vvdailypress.com/news/economic_1448___article.html/development_authority.html
Jun
11
Criminal Checks Increased for Subsidized Housing; Mitzelfelt Requested Review
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Jun
8
Mitzelfelt Provides $500,000 in Support for Aviation Job Training
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The Board of Supervisors on June 5th approved my purchase of necessary equipment and tools to help ensure that a proposed new aviation technicians training school in Victorville is certified and open for business this fall. On March 20 I brought forward a proposal to allocate $500,000 to Southern California Logistics Airport for the planned aviation technicians training program.
Beginning this fall, the program is projected to create up to 300 newly trained and certified mechanics for the growing aviation sector. In addition to authorizing the purchase of tools and equipment for the training program, The Boad’s recent action approved the expenditures necessary to make capital improvements of existing buildings and construct new facilities at SCLA for the school.
The school will provide career opportunities for hundreds of High Desert residents every year while giving SCLA companies the new pool of talented technicians they have been searching.
Economic development within the County and in the Victor Valley is a top priority of mine. This project, which is a true partnership of public agencies and private businesses, clearly shows how government can quickly respond to the needs of job-creating companies to expand opportunities for our residents.
An impartial survey of the 17 aviation-related businesses at SCLA, conducted by Victor Valley Aviation Education Consortium, revealed that there is a demand for approximately 150 to 300 new mechanics annually, as well as a need for training programs to help current and new employees obtain licensure through the Federal Aviation Administration.
The County of San Bernardino, Workforce Investment Board, SCLA, City of Victorville, Victorville Aerospace, Southern California Aviation, Leading Edge and General Electric came together to form the Victor Valley Aviation Education Consortium. The goal of the Consortium is to revitalize the former George Air Force base to create more employment opportunities at higher wages and to maintain a local workforce.
Jun
8
Mitzelfelt to the Rescue of Senior Center’s Finances
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From the Daily Press: “Phelan seniors are all smiles; Mitzelfelt helps group out of financial bind”, By Ryan Orr, Staff Writer… PHELAN – Around 100 Phelan seniors got a pleasant surprise Wednesday when 1st District Supervisor Brad Mitzelfelt showed up with $12,000 worth of assistance to help keep them afloat.
Last month, the Phelan Senior Center received a $5,000 electric bill dating back to 2004 because of a frozen meter. The center also lost its annual grant after filing the renewal too late.
Mitzelfelt showed up at the Economic and Community Development Luncheon with two checks equaling $4,200 to go toward the electric bill, and a memo promising the renewal of a grant for $6,040. Mitzelfelt also threw in 88 new chairs, which he purchased for $1,700 out of his discretionary fund. “It’s going to be awhile before I’ll be chairman of the board, so today you can call me ‘chair man,’ ” joked Mitzelfelt.
The announcement came as a complete surprise to the seniors who have been worried about the club’s financial troubles. “We’re kind of begging for money right now,” said Janine Sandoval before she heard the news. Sandoval, 55, said the demeanor in the club had been pretty dismal after learning about the electric bill.
“We want to cut red tape for citizens whenever we can,” Mitzelfelt said. “That’s one of the fun parts of the job.”
It costs $900 a month to keep the senior center running, which is hard to cover with the $10 yearly dues paid by each of the 100 members. “We would have had to make a lot of crafts,” club president Juanita Robinson said of the financial situation. “I’m so excited I can’t even eat,” Robinson said. “We’re all volunteers and we work hard at it.”
Link to online article: http://www.vvdailypress.com/news/_1322___article.html/_.html
Jun
7
Mitzelfelt’s Private Property Protection Rules Approved
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The San Bernardino County Board of Supervisors on June 5th approved my policy to limit acquisitions of tax-defaulted private property by conservation groups and the federal government. I developed the policy with the intent of returning some such properties to viable residential and other economic uses, and to maintain the properties on the tax rolls of the County whenever possible to help pay for public services.
Land conservancies have been acquiring large amounts of private land in San Bernardino County, often transferring ownership to the federal government. Doing so, removes the property from county tax rolls and in some cases ends up closing off access to public and private lands. Our county has lost 735,807 acres of tax base and ranches since 2000 to conservation acquisitions for parks, wilderness inholdings and habitat mitigation.
Existing tax laws allow qualifying non-profit organizations to purchase residential or vacant property that has been tax defaulted for five years or more prior to the property being offered for sale at auction. The organization must then agree to use residential property for low-income residential purposes, or to dedicate vacant land to a public use. These types of sales of tax-defaulted properties to non-profits are set forth in Chapter 8 of Part 6 of Division 1 of the California Revenue and Taxation Code and are commonly referred to as “Chapter 8 Sales”. This process is often used to acquire land at below market prices because only the taxes due and an administrative fee are charged.
If we are going to lose properties in perpetuity from our tax rolls and possibly lose public or private access, I want to at least make sure the taxpayers receive the market value of the property.
My new policy gives supervisors more say about which groups can acquire land using the Chapter 8 provisions, where it can be acquired and to what use it will be dedicated. The policy allows the Treasurer-Tax Collector to approve Chapter 8 sales in many cases where conservation is the only possible beneficial use, and under other limited circumstances. The policy would close a loophole that the federal government has used by having non-profits acquire land on its behalf. The Federal Government is not allowed to acquire land under Chapter 8.
Removing private property from the county tax rolls results in a loss in revenue to the county – revenue that could be used to build roads, hire Sheriff’s deputies and firefighters, or to provide other public improvements.
We have lost about 150,000 acres of private land in the Mojave National Preserve to such conservation acquisitions. There are only about 100,000 acres of private property left there. Private property ownership not only helps the County provide services by bringing in property tax revenues. It also has a role in protecting the natural environment.
Human activities such as ranching have been beneficial to the environment in the past by providing “eyes and ears” on the ground in case of fires, vandalism and other concerns. Humans have also developed and maintained water sources that have benefited species recovery and provided additional sources of water for firefighting. Livestock grazing has helped keep fire fuels (vegetation) under some degree of control in the past. However, with the continued acquisition of ranches and grazing rights and with water sources being dismantled, we are losing this benefit. We have seen this phenomenon contribute to disastrous wildfire conditions.
Even if denied the tax sale under Chapter 8, non-profits will be able to still buy the land at auction at a regularly scheduled county tax sale. In that case they will have to pay the going price and potentially have to compete with private bidders. The policy gives private citizens an opportunity to buy such lands. Currently under Chapter 8 sales the public doesn’t get the right to bid on such properties.
My policy was supported by the Property Owners Association of Riverside County, the Lucerne Valley Economic Development Association (LVEDA) and the Mojave Desert Heritage and Cultural Association.
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