Happy 2012 everybody!!! My how time flies, particularly for those of us "older" folks who may still recall how slowly it seemed to drag along during our teenage years. Who among us doesn't look in the mirror and wonder just what the heck happened? That must be someone else staring back at us, or a mask-like preview of what we might look like as middle aged or seniors. Don't worry - I'm not writing from a state of depression just because I turned 60 a few months ago, or because I usually feel a bit down during the dreary winter months. Quite the contrary since the calendar already turned the corner and we gain another minute of sunshine each day, and baseball spring training is on the horizon - always an indicator of warmer weather and unfettered outdoor activities to come. Yay!!!
Enough about me and on to some important matters, first of which is the official opening of registration for the Avila Beach Town Hall Forum II. Scheduled for the evening of February 24 at the Avila Community Center, the Forum is once again sponsored by SLO County Supervisor Adam Hill, which means a free light dinner for all attendees being prepared once again by our favorite "Green Cuisine" hostess Julie Andrews Scott. In addition to Supervisor Hill providing another inside look into County Government and local economic vitality issues, among Forum II presenters are State Assemblyman Katcho Achadjian, who will share his experiences in state government, and representatives from Port San Luis Harbor District, Pacific Gas & Electric, Cal Fire, and SLO County Parks and Recreation - each of whom will provide updates on special projects and developments in the greater Avila area. Those of you who attended Forum I recall how quickly the limited seating filled up, so I urge interested individuals to visit the Foundation's website to easily register online - www.avilabeachfoundation.org .
I imagine many of you have been following reports of the struggling U.S. Postal Service and news of pending closures of mail processing centers and Post Office branches throughout the United States. This is no small matter, especially for those who live in lightly populated areas like Avila Beach. With my office in the same building occupied by the Avila Post Office, I see on a near daily basis the amount of foot traffic that occurs - some for the simple task of picking up mail from their post boxes, and some just dropping off mail for general delivery. I believe that potential closures will not necessarily change the ease of those two services, but will greatly impact several other aspects of postal business. Need to have a package delivered? Need to buy stamps? Need to send something Express Mail? The absence of these services in Avila Beach means hop in your car, waste time and gasoline, and stand in long lines. I had the pleasure of enjoying a pre-Christmas lunch with our three friendly, diligent Avila Post Office employees, and I learned that each branch of the Post Office - big or small - is given financial revenue goals to meet. Postmaster Kim tells me that Avila revenue goals are usually met and surpassed, but provides no assurance that the Avila branch would survive when it comes to making cuts. What can WE as Avila residents do? Conduct as much postal business as you possibly can right here at our Avila branch. If money speaks, an uptick in revenue could bode well for the Avila Post Office. A harsh reminder for me occurred ten days before Christmas when I happened to be in SLO. With a stamped envelope in hand and heading towards the Madonna Center, I pulled into the Dalidio post office parking lot, looked in the window and saw a line from here to eternity. Thank goodness all I had to do was drop off the envelope. No such madness at the Avila branch, and I hope we get to keep it that way.
Next I wish to bring you up to date on a couple issues that came up at recent meetings of the Avila Valley Advisory Council - those being the perceived dangerous, eastbound left turn into the Avila Barn, and the providing of commercial trash bins on both sides of the Front Street Promenade. Given the task of looking into both matters was SLO County Traffic Engineer Ryan Chapman. Though he was unable to attend the December meeting, Ryan informed via email of the following. 1. A "Cross Traffic Ahead" warning sign was placed on the right side of Avila Drive about 600 hundred feet west of the Avila Barn, and that vegetation on the left side of the street near the curve was removed to improve visibility if coming upon stopped cars. Ryan believes these steps will help mitigate the problem. 2. As for trash cans along Front Street -Ryan writes "the Public Works Department is not in a position where we can install or maintain trash cans, but can support the project by providing a no-cost Encroachment Permit to any organization that wants to install and maintain the trash cans. In addition, trash pick-up outside the park and plaza can be handled as an adopt-the-road section if there are volunteers willing to manage and place the trash out every other week for pick up.
While trash along the boardwalk outside the Promenade boundaries is not so bad right now, that wasn't the case this past summer as beachgoers arrived in mass. I walked the area when alerted of the problem and found much more loose litter in areas where trash bins are sparse - it wasn't pretty. What say you, fellow Avila residents? Do you have any thoughts about the aforementioned items, or any ideas to improve the situation? We welcome your feedback via email to [email protected]. Oops - out of space once again, so it's time to sign off. See you at the beach.
Enough about me and on to some important matters, first of which is the official opening of registration for the Avila Beach Town Hall Forum II. Scheduled for the evening of February 24 at the Avila Community Center, the Forum is once again sponsored by SLO County Supervisor Adam Hill, which means a free light dinner for all attendees being prepared once again by our favorite "Green Cuisine" hostess Julie Andrews Scott. In addition to Supervisor Hill providing another inside look into County Government and local economic vitality issues, among Forum II presenters are State Assemblyman Katcho Achadjian, who will share his experiences in state government, and representatives from Port San Luis Harbor District, Pacific Gas & Electric, Cal Fire, and SLO County Parks and Recreation - each of whom will provide updates on special projects and developments in the greater Avila area. Those of you who attended Forum I recall how quickly the limited seating filled up, so I urge interested individuals to visit the Foundation's website to easily register online - www.avilabeachfoundation.org .
I imagine many of you have been following reports of the struggling U.S. Postal Service and news of pending closures of mail processing centers and Post Office branches throughout the United States. This is no small matter, especially for those who live in lightly populated areas like Avila Beach. With my office in the same building occupied by the Avila Post Office, I see on a near daily basis the amount of foot traffic that occurs - some for the simple task of picking up mail from their post boxes, and some just dropping off mail for general delivery. I believe that potential closures will not necessarily change the ease of those two services, but will greatly impact several other aspects of postal business. Need to have a package delivered? Need to buy stamps? Need to send something Express Mail? The absence of these services in Avila Beach means hop in your car, waste time and gasoline, and stand in long lines. I had the pleasure of enjoying a pre-Christmas lunch with our three friendly, diligent Avila Post Office employees, and I learned that each branch of the Post Office - big or small - is given financial revenue goals to meet. Postmaster Kim tells me that Avila revenue goals are usually met and surpassed, but provides no assurance that the Avila branch would survive when it comes to making cuts. What can WE as Avila residents do? Conduct as much postal business as you possibly can right here at our Avila branch. If money speaks, an uptick in revenue could bode well for the Avila Post Office. A harsh reminder for me occurred ten days before Christmas when I happened to be in SLO. With a stamped envelope in hand and heading towards the Madonna Center, I pulled into the Dalidio post office parking lot, looked in the window and saw a line from here to eternity. Thank goodness all I had to do was drop off the envelope. No such madness at the Avila branch, and I hope we get to keep it that way.
Next I wish to bring you up to date on a couple issues that came up at recent meetings of the Avila Valley Advisory Council - those being the perceived dangerous, eastbound left turn into the Avila Barn, and the providing of commercial trash bins on both sides of the Front Street Promenade. Given the task of looking into both matters was SLO County Traffic Engineer Ryan Chapman. Though he was unable to attend the December meeting, Ryan informed via email of the following. 1. A "Cross Traffic Ahead" warning sign was placed on the right side of Avila Drive about 600 hundred feet west of the Avila Barn, and that vegetation on the left side of the street near the curve was removed to improve visibility if coming upon stopped cars. Ryan believes these steps will help mitigate the problem. 2. As for trash cans along Front Street -Ryan writes "the Public Works Department is not in a position where we can install or maintain trash cans, but can support the project by providing a no-cost Encroachment Permit to any organization that wants to install and maintain the trash cans. In addition, trash pick-up outside the park and plaza can be handled as an adopt-the-road section if there are volunteers willing to manage and place the trash out every other week for pick up.
While trash along the boardwalk outside the Promenade boundaries is not so bad right now, that wasn't the case this past summer as beachgoers arrived in mass. I walked the area when alerted of the problem and found much more loose litter in areas where trash bins are sparse - it wasn't pretty. What say you, fellow Avila residents? Do you have any thoughts about the aforementioned items, or any ideas to improve the situation? We welcome your feedback via email to [email protected]. Oops - out of space once again, so it's time to sign off. See you at the beach.
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