Civic Issues
Topics getting the most attention in Wasco public meetings, ranked by how frequently they are discussed.
50 issues
Wastewater/Stormwater Engineering Agreement
Sand and sandbags are already stockpiled at city property, storm drains are being cleaned, and reverse 9-1-1 will be used for serious storms. Clear leaves out of your gutters, folks.
Storm season and El Niño preparation
Sand and sandbags are already stockpiled at city property, storm drains are being cleaned, and reverse 9-1-1 will be used for serious storms. Clear leaves out of your gutters, folks.
Clean California cleanup grant (CCEP)
The April 25 cleanup hauled away a whopping 17.8 tons of junk. The mayor pro tem wants those stats mailed with water bills to encourage more of it, and praised the new sidewalks on 5th Street near Poplar.
Historical society leadership transition
After roughly 50 years running the Wasco museum, Marlene Swan and Earlynne Woolly are passing the torch to the Orange Heart Foundation, keeping local history alive for future generations.
Water SCADA system upgrade
Reyna flagged hackers targeting water systems nationwide, including a Bakersfield-area Calwater breach; the council agreed to review Wasco's protections in a separate session rather than open session.
Utility rate workshop coming November 10
Staff announced the first workshop on utility rates for Tuesday, November 10 at 4 p.m. — this is where future water bills could start taking shape, so it's worth tuning in.
New water wells and Central Avenue beautification
The $5 million downtown Phase 2 project is awaiting its federal agreement. Council Member Reyna asked that Phase 2 landscaping favor evergreen plantings, since the dry ornamental grasses from Phase 1 draw frequent complaints.
Data centers and Wasco's water supply
Mayor Pro Tem Reyna asked staff to put data centers on a future agenda, worried they'd strain Wasco's limited water. Staff is already researching it.
Wasco bike ride safety
A resident who lives at 1270 Oak told the council the street serving Independence Elementary and a school for children with disabilities has no sidewalks, and she's been painting crosswalk stripes herself. The city's sidewalk program is focused on main streets near schools, so staff will follow up with her.
October police activity and drug interdiction
Police reported a slower month (1,781 incidents, 91 arrests) and a multi-agency operation that took two felons off the street and seized about a quarter pound of meth. Council also wants the e-bike/scooter safety pamphlet spread more widely.
SR46 Improvement Project construction impacts
Caltrans is building a roundabout at SR43/46, replacing the BNSF rail bridge, and adding bike lanes and ADA upgrades. Construction starts November 2026 and finishes October 2029, with night lane closures and some full closures of 46 at F and J Streets. Residents and businesses should expect disruption and watch for commuter alerts.
Bakersfield College College Corps interns at PAL building
A grant obtained by Assistant City Manager Maria Lara funded five youth interns working at city hall this summer, with three more openings possible. Medina credited the program for giving local teens their first real jobs.
Youth e-bike and e-scooter safety
Chief Mora handed out a new pamphlet explaining e-bike rules after officers tracked down and seized a dirt bike from a 16-year-old who fled a traffic stop. The department will push the info through schools and at Saturday's Bike Rodeo. Council members flagged dangerous group stunts and sidewalk riding.
Domestic violence awareness and survivor support
The council proclaimed April 2026 as Sexual Assault Awareness Month, honoring Lideres Campesinas for their work supporting farmworker communities and survivors.
Immigration enforcement fears and city communication
A resident asked the council to communicate with immigrant families amid regional enforcement activity, and Council Member Medina read a public statement affirming Wasco PD does not work with federal immigration officers and sharing know-your-rights resources.
Police e-bike unit grant
The police department wants five grant-funded e-bikes so officers can patrol parks, downtown, schools, and crowded events where cars can't go — at no cost to the city if the grant covers the full price.
Homelessness Update Requested
The council committed $645,883 in state Permanent Local Housing Allocation money to keep the Homeless Outreach Coordinator Program running, filing paperwork with the state housing department.
Dedicated soccer fields / sports complex
Council members agreed the community wants a sports complex but the city shouldn't take on huge debt to build one. The consensus: partner with the Recreation and Parks District, state officials and sponsors, with the city playing a supporting funding-seeking role.
unWired Broadband Street Cut Repairs
Council members are hearing complaints about Unwired's street patching — poor repairs and leftover trash. Staff says the contractor is keeping rehab crews in place and every complaint has been fixed same-day, with full completion targeted for late winter.
New city facilities financing
The council is weighing how to pay for a new police department/city hall complex and a public works campus, with loan scenarios from $8M to $12M and a structured-loan option that could save about $5 million. Members want digestible public-facing materials before any decision, knowing residents will scrutinize the price tag.
Central Avenue ATP Project contract award
The city is spending $602,175 of grant-backed money to replace an asphalt path with concrete, add ADA ramps, and landscape Central Avenue between Pozo and Flower Street. It should make walking along that corridor safer and more accessible.
HAWK Crossing on Highway 46
The long-awaited HAWK and Beacon crosswalk projects at Highway 46/Poplar and Highway 43/8th Street kick off January 28th — residents have been asking about these for a while.
Audit-related budget adjustment of $111,523.25
The city is roughly 60 days behind on its annual audit after turnover in the finance department, but outside accounting help and new hires are getting it back on track. Council supported filling a long-vacant accounting supervisor position.
Hunger Action Month and food insecurity
CAPK got a proclamation for Hunger Action Month — they handed out over 700,000 pounds of food in Wasco last year and are asking residents to wear orange, volunteer, and donate cans at the fair.
Westside Park parking lot repaving
Two badly deteriorated parking lots at Westside Park will get repaved for about $79,000, paid back by the parks district rather than the city's own budget.
Lithium-ion battery fire hazards
Fire Chief Appleton warned that e-bike and scooter batteries can spontaneously release toxic smoke and cause fires — store them outside, don't leave them charging constantly, and stay away from smoking batteries.
Street Lighting and Public Safety
A resident told the council he was assaulted with a knife on a dark street and asked for lighting fixes on unlit stretches, particularly near the Highway 43/Poso Avenue area. Council members heard the plea but no immediate action was directed.
Cooling Center Program Future
The cooling center was curtailed after low usage last year, but with a seven-day heat wave ahead the council ordered it reopened starting August 5, promoted on social media, with usage numbers due at the next meeting.
District 3 Appointment Saves $3,000
Because Valentin Medina was the only candidate to file for District 3, the council appointed him outright and canceled that election — saving taxpayers roughly $3,000. The District 1 contest between Gilberto Reyna and Aubrey Wimberly goes on as scheduled.
Wasco Police Department Full Staffing and July Operations
Chief Mora reported strong response times including a stabbing arrest within five minutes, but Council Member Martinez pressed for news releases on major incidents and monthly speeding citation data, noting dangerous speeding on residential streets.
Animal Control Staffing and Shelter Capacity
Council Member Martinez raised growing concerns about loose dogs around town and parks, suggesting an education campaign and possible strategic planning committee action.
Road projects on track for summer construction
G Street streetlights and the 8th Street pedestrian crossing are done; HAWK signal poles for Highway 46 ship August 28.
Assessments and special taxes confirmed
The council confirmed annual assessments for landscape, lighting, sewer, and police tax districts and authorized Kern County to collect two CFD special taxes — these are the routine charges that appear on property tax bills.
PG&E yard burglaries
Two burglary-in-progress calls at the PG&E yard in July, with copper wire the target; Shafter, Kern County Sheriff, and McFarland police assisted and three arrests were made.
Payroll staffing gap
One of two payroll staff is on extended leave, creating a backlog; a temp hire via Creative Financial Staffing will cover until permanent staffing is resolved, with no late-payment penalties pending.
Weed abatement responsibilities
Council Member Martinez flagged large overgrown vacant lots along the Highway 46 corridor as both an eyesore and a fire hazard, and asked staff to set a hard mowing deadline — possibly via notice on utility bills — for absentee owners.
Citywide phone system replacement
The city is swapping its 20-year-old MITEL phone system — hard to repair and failing more often — for a cloud-based GoTo Connect system citywide, at no more than $21,600. That means four-digit dialing between departments and free desk phones.
Camera registry comeback?
Reyna wants staff to explore bringing back a program — last tried under sheriff service — where residents and businesses register cameras, possibly with subsidies to buy them.
Street and alley rehabilitation contracts
Alleys across the city — including behind U.S. Bank and a Highway 46 gas station — are in bad shape with deep potholes. REAP 2.0 grant money will fund alley repairs going out to bid next month, but the council acknowledged there's not enough money to fix them all quickly.
Police activity and youth programs
May numbers show 42 arrests, 95 traffic citations, and only three collisions so far — way down from prior months. The department is also backing youth boxing and launching a bike safety event May 29 with helmets and lights giveaways.
PAL boxing: parents need rides to out-of-town fights
Eight Wasco PAL boxers brought home belts from LA, but parents say $40 entry fees and travel costs keep them from supporting their kids. Council members asked staff to look at providing city transportation to future events.
Appropriations limit set at $35.8 million
Annual state-required housekeeping: the Gann limit is $35.8 million but the city only spends $5.9 million against it, leaving huge headroom. No effect on day-to-day services.
FY 2026-27 budget reaffirmed under AB 2561
The proposed budget projects $18.2 million in revenue against conservative spending, showing a $1.4 million deficit (or $931,000 excluding tech reclassification). Council wants quarterly updates, a realistic capital project list, and six-month budgeting of vacant posts before adoption on June 16. Your city services and potential rate impacts hang on how this gets resolved.
4.5% Raise Extended to Non-union Managers
The amended salary schedule gives the same 4.5% cost-of-living bump already given to police association members to non-represented directors, middle managers and confidential staff.
City Manager Contract Renewal
The council renewed City Manager Scott Hurlbert's contract for two years at $217,510 annually, with up to three one-year extensions.
WPOA Labor Agreement
The council approved the new MOU with the Wasco Police Officers Association, whose members ratified the terms days before the vote.
Police Drone Program
The police department is launching a drone-as-first-responder program — the first in Kern County — that dispatchers can launch automatically, arriving in about 75 seconds. Council members also asked about rising gang graffiti and fireworks enforcement.
Low Water Pressure and Sediment Complaints
Council members raised resident complaints about low water pressure and sand at the tap; staff said no complaints reached them and daily SCADA checks show no issues, and the city will encourage residents to report problems.
Code Enforcement Liens
The council approved nearly $8,000 in fines against one property after a long discussion; staff explained the owner ignored repeated warnings and built an illegal structure that cannot be legalized.
Return to County CDBG Program
Wasco is applying for up to $3.6 million in state CDBG money — $300K for the PAL youth facility and $3.3 million for a 1.5-million-gallon second water tank. Staff says the tank's added storage could support about 400 new homes, though a new well is still needed down the road.