SeaScape - City of Santa Monica

Responding to residents, the Santa Monica City Council on January 18 set five city budget priority areas for fiscal year 2000-01. The priorities are: 1) education, including short- and long-term collaborative responses to the Santa Monica-Malibu USD financial shortfall and a continuum of lifelong learning collaborations emphasizing infant and family services and childcare: 2) affordable housing; 3) community livability, including adapting the Pico neighborhood needs assessment model to other priority neighborhoods; 4) mobility improvements, including transportation needs, parking and circulation; and 5) sustainability, including enhancing the Sustainable City Program and involving more segments of the community in sustainable practices.

While the Council priorities were informed in part by community input at a January 11 public hearing and via the city website (www.smgov.net), information was also gleaned from a resident satisfaction survey and the Community Voices data gathering project (see separate articles). City staff will make sure these priorities are reflected in ongoing programs and in any proposed new endeavors to be considered by Council in June, prior to budget adoption. The total budget for 1999-2000 is $345 million, which includes $124 million for improving basic infrastructure and major expenditures for the new public safety facility, downtown transit mall, park renovations, crosswalk enhancements, the new Municipal Pool and many more capital improvements. The city expects to have an additional $1 million for ongoing programs and $9.7 million for one-time uses next year. Finance Department staff will visit Farmers Markets in May to "talk budget" with residents.

The city's iam2m festivities wrap up on Saturday, April 15 with the ninth annual Santa Monica Kids show crafts

Festival. Santa Monica's entry into the new century is observed with a variety of activities designed to demonstrate our commitment to maintaining the culture and environment of our community. The celebration began last October with the planting of the first of two thousand Millennium Trees and the dedication of a stunning array of beachfront improvements that make life on the coast even more enjoyable. Since then, we've also added 2000 books to the Santa Monica Public Library collection and co-sponsored the 40th Annual National Conference for Community and Justice Literature & Arts Contest for students and adults (with prizes to be awarded in May), as well as numerous concerts, lectures and other activities at locations throughout the city. The Santa Monica Festival at Clover Park is the culmination of our millennium celebration, and the planting of the last Millennium Tree and a spectacular fireworks exhibition are just two of the events planned for the occasion.

At this year's festival, which coincides with the IRS filing deadline, you can mark the completion of the 20th century by dropping off your tax return at our on-site mail drop at the park, then join your neighbors in celebrating a new era through song, dance, fireworks and a full day of our region's most talented and exciting performing artists. A procession of students from Santa Monica elementary schools will kick-off the festivities at 11 a.m. These young people have spent the last three months crafting art projects that address environmental issues. They'll parade with their creations through the park to the accompaniment of drummers and other musicians. Later, the city will plant the last of the 2,000 new trees commemorating our commitment to the community forest.

Making her hometown concert debut on Saturday afternoon will be singer Perla Batalla, recently named Best New Artist by Amazon.com. Other performers include classical Indian dance company Ramya Harishankar, jump blues musician Floyd Dixon, Japanese drumming troupe Kinnara Taiko and many more. The festival will close with the iam2m fireworks spectacular at 8 p.m., I am 2 m logo accompanied by the amazing El Vez (the Latino Elvis), the Memphis Mariachis and the El Vettes.

There's something for everyone in the many festival activities, including hands on art workshops for children, environmental and gardening workshops for adults, a tantalizing assortment of international cuisine at the outdoor Global Cafe, and an array of beautiful artworks and crafts created by local artisans. Click on the Schedule link at the bottom of this page for a full listing of the many free performances and activities occuring throughtout the day.

For full Festival Schedule, click here!

The City of Santa Monica's campaign to improve traffic and pedestrian safety continues into the Year 2000 with two new "Let's Watch Out For Each Other" advertisements that made their debut on buses and billboards in January. The ads are aimed at safe street-crossing practices -- one reminding drivers and pedestrians to "stop" and "look," the other underscoring the hefty fine that awaits the motorist who gets caught entering a crosswalk while pedestrians are still in it. The Santa Monica Police Department targets a different problem crossing location once a week, all year long. Crossing Safely is a Two-Way Street

We offer here additional tips for safer travel -- in the city and everywhere else you go:

* Use those handy turn indicators in your car when changing lanes as well as when making turns. It takes only a fraction of a second's worth of effort (you don't even have to stick your arm LLLbmp

out the window!) and can save you from a front- or rear-end collision -- as well as reduce the aggravation to those behind you who can't be expected to read your mind.

* Make eye contact with the pedestrian or driver in your view before crossing through an intersection or stepping off the curb. This is especially important because you can't read someone else's mind, either.

* And, while cell phone use while driving hasn't yet been outlawed in California, safety-conscious drivers will first find a place to pull over before dialing -- so full attention can be given to the task at hand, whether it's driving or calling.

Now available on the city's website at http://greenbuildings.smgov.net, the city's new "Green Buildings Design & Construction Guidelines" offer direction to designers and builders on creating more energy- and land-use efficient buildings. Adopted by the City Council to facilitate such development in Santa Monica without forcing excessive costs or other burdens upon developers, building owners or occupants, the guidelines include recommended practices that take into account the unique opportunities and constraints of a specific project to satisfy and even surpass the performance requirements. It's all part of the city's commitment to keeping Santa Monica a "Sustainable Community."

Updates on city projects and other important information are posted regularly on the city's website, and you can find links to most of them right on the Home Page at http://santa-monica.org, including "Cone Zone," "Downtown Transit Mall," "SMURFF" and "Douglas Park Renovations." Check back frequently to see what's new in town!

In a November phone survey of more than 400 Santa Monica households, the city learned residents' overall satisfaction with city services is generally high; that residents feel the most important issues facing the city are homelessness, growth and traffic; and that they view affordable housing as Santa Monica's greatest unmet need.

Parks, libraries, public safety, refuse collection, streets and sidewalks, social services and communication with residents were topics covered in the survey, conducted for the second consecutive year by an independent research firm. The survey respondents reflect Santa Monica demographics in key areas, including neighborhoods of residence, age, ethnicity, homeowners & renters and income levels. Chart

More than 70 percent of the survey respondents rated the quality and range of parks and recreation opportunities as excellent or good, while 81 percent gave high marks to availability of library materials. 77 percent said the Santa Monica police do an excellent or good job of addressing neighborhood concerns and, overall, respondents rated both response time and quality of public safety service as excellent or good.

Refuse and recycling collection received generally high marks, but the good overall rating of condition of streets dropped 12 percent since 1998 (not surprising given the amount of sewer and other street work going on in the city). Approximately 19 percent of respondents said someone in their household had used a Santa Monica social service resource in the last year. Just over 80 percent indicated satisfaction with the city's communication efforts and most people (44 percent) said they get their city information from Our Times, with Seascape ranked second (29 percent).

Survey results will be used in budget development and program planning, to help measure effectiveness of service objectives and to compare Santa Monica with other cities of like size. Complete survey results are available on-line at www.smgov.net or a copy may be requested from the City Manager's Office at 458-8301.

Drinking water contamination caused by the gasoline additive MtBE was the lead story on a January CBS broadcast of its "60 Minutes" news magazine program. Craig Perkins, director of the city's Environmental and Public Works Management Department, described for interviewer Steve Kroft how the discovery of MtBE (Methyl tertiary Butyl Ether) in Santa Monica's drinking water led to a much larger investigation that has revealed widespread contamination not just here, but across the country.

Seven of Santa Monica's 11 drinking water wells, contaminated by leaking underground gas storage tanks, remain closed and the city has been buying replacement water from the Metropolitan Water District since 1996. MWD water is MtBE-free, safe to drink and meets all state and federal drinking water quality regulations.

City officials continue working with federal and state regulators and oil companies to ensure that the parties responsible for the contamination fully compensate Santa Monica for replacement water and removing MtBE from the city's groundwater sources. For more information, please call the city's Water Quality Division at 826-6712.

Santa Monica came through the Y2K date change with flying colors and, while some are saying that Y2K hysteria caused over-preparation, we do not consider that to be the case in Santa Monica. The city cautioned all along that people should "prepare, not panic." Y2K readiness was very good preparation for any disaster. Neighbors got to know each other as they prepared, and that also was a good thing. The new Y2K-ready systems installed by the city advance a long-standing commitment to invest in technology that improves productivity and communication.

While the city's Emergency Operations Centers at City Hall and the City Yard were up and running on New Year's Eve beginning about 8 p.m., things were so quiet in the community that most city staff (except requisite public safety employees) and Disaster Communications volunteers were home by 2 a.m. Thanks to all for safe and sane New Year's celebrations!

The City of Santa Monica's iam2m Millennium Celebration has continued into the New Year with the on-going effort to plant 2000 trees throughout the community, underscoring our commitment to the environment and leaving a lasting legacy for future generations. Tree Number One, planted at the intersection of Bay Street and Ocean Front Walk, was dedicated on October 2. Each day since then, the forest has grown, and on Arbor Day, March 7, the Millennium Trees will be colorfully marked for the occasion. The culmination of the project will be the planting of Tree Number Two Thousand at Clover Park on April 15 during the Santa Monica Festival, when the city will also give away 2000 iam2m seedlings. Take one home and become one of Santa Monica's 2000 new community foresters!

We've been offering brief reminders in the past few issues of Seascape that the census2K

U.S. Census Bureau's once-in-a-decade count of America's population is coming–and, by the time you read this, it will be nearly here! We're not foolin' – April 1 is the official date of the U.S. Census – and about a week before that a census questionnaire is due for delivery in mailboxes all across the nation, including yours!

What makes Census 2000 so important to every American? The statistical information obtained from the completed questionnaires determines how the federal government will distribute the taxpayer dollars that support schools, housing assistance, highway construction, employment and hospital services, programs for the elderly and more in the coming years. The more complete the count, the more likely it is that communities – including ours – will receive the funds needed to provide essential public services.

Completing the Census 2000 questionnaire takes only a few minutes: Most households will receive a form that asks only core information: name, sex, age, relationship, race and housing. One of every six housing units will receive a longer form with the same subjects plus 27 more, including questions about education, ancestry, employment, disability and home heating fuel. The census questionnaire is a self-mailer, so once completed it need only be folded, sealed and dropped in a mailbox. The Census Bureau guarantees that the answers given on census forms are kept strictly confidential; by law, no identifiable information about any person, household, or business may be disclosed to anyone. Individual answers are combined with the answers from all other respondents and this is the data that is published for use by both public and private agencies and organizations to assess the needs of America's citizens.

The U.S. Census Bureau will hire hundreds of local residents to help conduct Census 2000, including "census takers" who will follow-up on questionnaires that were not returned or which were incomplete. They'll also help locate individuals who are homeless or living in temporary shelter, so that their needs are also included in the final assessment. For more information on census jobs in our area, call toll-free 1-888-325-7733.

The Census Bureau has an informative website on the Internet for those interested in learning more about Census 2000. Go to http://www.census.gov.

Earth Day, the seminal event which is credited with leading to the creation of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and passage of the federal Clean Air, Clean Water and Endangered Species Acts, celebrates its 30th year on Saturday, April 22. In recognition of its enduring legacy, Earth Day 2000 activities will focus on energy efficiency and renewable energy programs to help ensure a sustainable energy future. Exposition Park in Los Angeles will be the site of several Earth Day events, including EarthFaire 2000, an all-day festival featuring entertainment, environmental art exhibitions, children's interactive education activities, an alternative-fuel vehicle parade and numerous sponsor and non-profit booths dedicated to environmental education. Organized primarily by Santa Monica's own Heal the Bay and the County of Los Angeles, and co-sponsored by the City of Santa Monica, EarthFaire is open 11 a.m. to 9 p.m., and admission is free. Nearby, a Clean Energy Fair, featuring hundreds of booths with earth-friendly products and an organic farmers market, will operate from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. For information about these and other activities at Exposition Park, please call Earth Day LA at (310) 314-0811, or visit their website at http://www.earthdayla.org.

BayWalk and KelpFest 2000, organized by Santa Monica Baykeeper, are returning to the beach on May 26 and 27. These popular events involve thousands of residents in a massive beach clean-up and environmental education activities, including workshops, booths and a pollution prevention contest co-sponsored by the Santa Monica-Malibu USD. Although specific details were not available as Seascape went to press, information will be available by calling 1-800-HELPBAY.

There's an easy way to celebrate "Earth Day" every day -- and while you're helping the environment, you'll also become Green team logo better acquainted with your neighbors and save money, too! How? Join a Green Team! The Green Team Project, part of the City of Santa Monica's "sustainable city" program, is dedicated to helping Santa Monica residents improve their air and water quality -- and their quality of life -- by learning about recycling, composting, organic gardening and the numerous local environmental resources that are available to assist every step of the way. The seven-session Green Team program includes resource materials and professional staff assistance, and it's available to residents for just $15, to non-residents for $25. (Full scholarships are also available upon request.)

For more information on starting or joining a Green Team in your neighborhood, call (310) 458-8716.

The City Council's recently adopted resolution concerning rules of conduct at City Council meetings is now available via the "City Hall on Call" 24-hour recorded information system. To obtain a copy of the resolution, just dial 458-8999, enter Message No. 315 on your telephone keypad, and follow the prompts. The document (all 18 pages!) will be automatically faxed to the caller. To obtain a directory of all messages and fax documents on the system, please call the City Manager's Office at 458-8301.

HAVE A BITE BEFORE COUNCIL MEETINGS

For those who can't get to dinner before a City Council meeting, the local organization "Step Up on Second" is now selling refreshments in the lobby of City Hall from 6 to 10 p.m. on meeting nights, to be enjoyed in the lobby or hallway outside the Council Chamber while waiting for your agenda item to be heard!

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At its January 25 meeting, the Santa Monica City Council approved the concept design for the Virginia Avenue Park Expansion Project, which calls for enlarging the current 5.82 acre park by an additional 3.7 acres, renovating the Thelma Terry Center and converting the PAL Fitness Gym to an open-air pavilion. Other buildings on the expansion site will be renovated to include a new PAL gym, a center for older youth, community meeting space, storage and facilities for Woman bust drawing

employment and other programs that currently share space at the Thelma Terry Center.

Extensive public participation informed the concept design process from start to finish. Based on this input, the approved plan maximizes green space while still allowing for inclusion of basketball, handball and sand volleyball courts, children's play areas, a shallow recreational pool, new restrooms, additional on-site parking, accommodations for the Farmers Market, and much more. It is expected that construction of the $7.8 million expansion project will begin in FY2001-02.

CITY HALL, 1685 MAIN STREET is open Monday through Thursday from 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., Monday through Thursday, and every other Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. "Closed Fridays" (which reduce car trips and improve air quality) for the next three months are: March 10 and 24, April 7 and 21, and May 5 and 19. The city will also observe the Memorial Day holiday on Monday, May 29.

COUNCIL ADOPTS STRATEGIC ENERGY PLAN
Challenging other local governments in the state to join the effort to aid consumers and improve service delivery in the wake of the electric industry's restructuring, the Santa Monica City Council adopted a strategic energy plan in October. Among the plan's goals are to support those policies which ensure a fair distribution of both the costs and benefits of industry deregulation and to encourage more efficient and "greener" new construction in Santa Monica.

NEW SECTION 8 PAYMENT STANDARDS APPROVED BY HUD
Responding to the escalating cost of housing in Santa Monica, the city's Housing Authority became the first in the nation to request and win approval from the Department of Housing & Urban Development (HUD) to increase Section 8 voucher payment standards for low income tenants. The new standards will help ease the affordable housing crunch by offering a $190 to $448 increase over the old voucher payment standards, depending on the number of bedrooms in the rental unit. For more information on the Section 8 program, please call the Housing Authority at 458-8740.

In the fall issue of Seascape, we addressed the responsibility of dog owners to pick up after their animals. Ideally, animal droppings should be flushed down the toilet; second best is to place such waste in the garbage. We pointed out that it's not only the responsible thing to do -- it's the law! Pet owners are required to carry a visible means of removing their pets' droppings and can be fined for their failure to do so. That article generated a number of questions that merit further discussion, starting with this statistic from the Los Angeles County Department of Public Works: Each month, more than 125,000 dog owners ... walk their dogs and repeatedly leave animal waste on the ground.

Many pet owners may not realize the environmental and health impacts these abandoned droppings have on the Santa Monica Bay and beach-goers. In fact, when the Bay receives poor grades from Heal the Bay's Beach Report Card, microorganisms found in animal wastes are often responsible. Droppings left on a lawn or sidewalk, next to a tree or thrown into the street are often picked up and carried into the bay by either rain or dry-weather runoff (from car washing, plumbing leaks and irrigation), where the bacteria and other pathogens they contain, such as E. Coli and Giardia, can cause serious health consequences for those who enjoy water activities -- children, surfers and swimmers in particular. Dog 2

To understand the extent of the problem, consider the numbers of pet owners who do not do their part, and the fact that one animal can make several deposits each day -- and keep in mind that many of these same people own multiple pets. It's not always certain that the resident where abandoned deposits are left is going to take it upon him or herself to clean up the mess. And don't forget about cats that roam freely and leave their "calling cards" in the backyards of neighbors whose children play there. Should non-pet owners or responsible pet-owning residents have to clean up after those who created the mess in the first place, or suffer health problems as a result of the irresponsibility of others?

While the City of Santa Monica has taken extraordinary measures to reduce urban runoff pollution, pet owners need to do their part by removing pollution sources from landscapes and hard surfaces. Here's a picture to ponder: Diapered pets strolling around the neighborhood! We're sure you'll agree cleaning up after your pets is a lot easier than diapering them, and your effort will ensure the health of our beloved bay. For more information about urban runoff pollution and prevention, contact the city's Urban Runoff Management Coordinator at 458-8223, or Heal the Bay at 581-4188 (or visit on-line: http://www.healthebay.org).

CALIFORNIA LAWYERS FOR THE ARTS WORKSHOP CALENDAR
The Santa Monica Cultural Affairs Division and the California Lawyers for the Arts present informal workshops to answer basic questions on topics of concern to artists and others working in arts related industries. Each workshop is led by experienced attorneys and other knowledgeable professionals. The cost is $15 ($5 for California Lawyers of the Arts members and for residents of Santa Monica). Workshops sell out, so please reserve early.

Workshops are held on Wednesday evenings in the Ken Edwards Center, 1527 Fourth St., Santa Monica, from 7:00 to 8:30 p.m. For reservations, call (310) 998-5590.

March 8 SALES TAX ISSUES FOR ARTISTS Learn how to avoid unexpected liability for uncollected back taxes. The state's requirements on the collection and payment of sales tax for artwork will be explained.

March 22 DEMO TAPES TO RECORDING CONTRACTS A music business attorney will discuss the steps involved from shopping a demo tape to negotiating a record contract, as well as the role of agents and representatives.

April 5 NEW MEDIA, NEW TECHNOLOGY: HOW TO USE THEM TO YOUR ADVANTAGE Presentation on new opportunities and possible pitfalls for artists working in new media including on-line distribution of creative products.

May 3 CO-AUTHORSHIP ISSUES FOR WRITERS Discussion of copyright issues relating to co-authorship and the rights and duties of joint authors.

May 17 PUBLIC ART PROGRAM An attorney will discuss the issues which arise in public art including copyright and infringement, licensing, contracts, moral rights, damage and other related issues.

May 31 PRODUCER'S PROGRAM An entertainment attorney will provide the legal backdrop for the production of a film, including the basics of financing and distribution.

June 14 COPYRIGHT OVERVIEW The basics of copyright law, including issues of public domain, works made for hire, the fair use privilege, and the benefits of copyright registration.

June 28 GETTING YOUR BOOK PUBLISHED Explore the legal issues involved in book publishing, including contractual agreements between authors, their agents and publishers.

CALIFORNIA LAWYERS FOR THE ARTS, 1641 18TH ST., 90404. These workshops are supported by the City of Santa Monica Cultural Affairs Division, the California Arts Council, the County of Los Angeles Dispute Resolution Program and the 18th Street Arts Complex.

The Leadership Series 2000 continues this spring with two sessions that offer an inside look at how interested citizens can (and do!) participate in the process of getting things done at City Hall and how the City Attorney's office handles myriad legal issues from consumer complaints to public records requests. The course entitled, "Your Two Cents: Public Process in Santa Monica" will meet on Tuesday, March 14, in the Council Chamber at City Hall, while "It's the Law!" is scheduled for Tuesday, May 2, at the Ken Edwards Center, 1524 4th Street, both beginning at 7 p.m. Classes and materials are offered free of charge but pre-registration is required. Please call the City Manager's Office at 458-8301 for more information.

The Santa Monica Arts Commission strives to promote the arts in Santa Monica and stimulate art activities among the residents of the city. An important tool used by the Commission to achieve its purpose is the annual Community Arts (CO-ARTS) Grants Program which provides valuable funding to local arts agencies presenting community-oriented arts programs. The Latino CO-ARTS Grants were created by the City Council in 1991 and provide financial support to cultural and educational arts projects targeted to the city's Latino community.

Some of Los Angeles County's most prestigious and exciting arts and cultural organizations are found within our city's borders. This year, the CO-ARTS grants will enable numerous local agencies to offer an assortment of lively projects designed to engage members of the Santa Monica community in a variety of arts disciplines. Following is a list of the projects receiving a city grant, along with contact information for each of the presenting agencies.

18TH STREET ARTS COMPLEX 453-3711
Each October, this internationally recognized arts organization opens its doors to the community at the annual Arts Fest. The free event features performances and workshops for all ages by many of Santa Monica's local arts companies.

AMERICAN ACADEMY FOR DANCE AND KINDRED ARTS 656-8899
The Academy will provide all third-graders in the Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District with 9 weeks of ballet training at the historic Miles Playhouse in Lincoln Park. The Dance for All program is designed to encourage students' development in creative and artistic expression, mind and body coordination and physical strength and agility.

DANCESSENCE 260-1198
This local dance company will present a series of lecture/demonstrations in Santa Monica schools leading up to a public performance at the Westside Academy of Dance. Students will have a chance to view the creative processes involved in a dance performance and the basic tools to begin to develop their own aesthetic tastes and appreciation of modern dance.

HIGHWAYS 453-1755
Highways will present the eighth annual Treasure in the House, a month-long festival exploring the arts of Asia and the Pacific islands. This highly popular festival is dedicated to contemporary performance art.

LOS ANGELES BAROQUE ORCHESTRA 458-0425
The Orchestra will present four performances at the Water Garden and three performances at the Miles Playhouse of their millennium project, Enlightenment, a series of concerts reflecting humanity's timeless yearnings for serenity, joy, justice and prosperity.

POWERHOUSE THEATER 396-3680
This local theater will present a four-week long summer theater camp for local youth ages 11 through 16. Students will explore all the elements of theater from acting and writing to stage lighting and choreography, while creating an original performance piece.

SANTA MONICA MUSEUM OF ART 586-6488
The Museum presents its Evening Salon Series free to the public, bringing together artists, scholars and the community for spirited discussions about contemporary visual art in a relaxed environment.

SANTA MONICA PLAYHOUSE 394-9779
All eighth-graders in the SM-MUSD will be able to attend a performance of Canteen, a musical theater performance exploring issues faced by teenagers during World War II. The performance will be followed by a discussion of the play.

SANTA MONICA THEATER GUILD 828-7519
This local theater will form a multi-cultural children's theater company composed of local teens and young adults. Performances will be presented at week-end matinees to the general public, providing ongoing children's theater productions.

VIRGINIA AVENUE PROJECT 792-2283
Virginia Avenue Project helps children develop their full potential by building writing, performing and business skills though long-term collaborations with adult mentors. The Project offers programs at the Santa Monica Police Activities League to children aged 5-18. Final performances will be presented to the public at no charge at the historic Miles Memorial Playhouse.

18TH STREET ARTS COMPLEX 453-3711
The Complex will provide an artist-in-residence program to John Adams Middle School. Three Latino artists will explore public art, folkloric dance and painting with students relating to the subjects being taught in their classrooms.

HIGHWAYS 453-1755
This local performance art venue will present the world premiere of First Woman on the Moon, a multi-disciplinary work by the nationally acclaimed artist Elia Arce. Post-performance discussions will further explore the themes and issues.

SANTA MONICA MUSEUM OF ART 586-6488
Santa Monica's only visual art museum will present the highly anticipated exhibition, East of the River. This collection of works assembled by the Chicano Art Collectors Anonymous will bring together a broad range of Chicano art.

SANTA MONICA PLAYHOUSE 394-9779
Scholarships will be offered to local Latino students to participate in the Playhouse's after-school theater production workshops. These students will participate in a semester of weekly workshops culminating in public performances of student-created works.

The Ninth Annual Santa Monica Festival, to be held at Clover Park on Saturday, April 15, will include some very special activities to mark the culmination of the city's six-month long iam2m Millennium Celebration that was launched last iam2m logo October with "The Big Stroll." A fireworks display and laser spectacular at 8 p.m., accompanied by the music of El Vea and the Elvettes, will cap the day-long festivities that begin at 11 a.m. with a children's procession through the park. The planting of the last of 2000 trees placed throughout the city to commemorate the New Millennium will also be observed with a ceremony at the Festival. In between, art and environment take center stage, as the theme of "Celebrating Our Community Roots" is brought to life with outstanding music and dance performances, storytelling, an arts & crafts fair, international cuisine, and workshops, demonstrations, displays and exhibits that explore the incredibly diverse opportunities that Santa Monica offers.

The special Seascape Festival issue will arrive in mailboxes throughout the city in late March - watch for your copy for all the details on this much-anticipated event.

Just over 13 percent of the respondents in the city's 1999 Resident Satisfaction Survey indicated they belong to a neighborhood association. Let's get those numbers up! Membership in a neighborhood group can enhance community life and civic involvement, improve communication to and from City Hall, and give residents an efficient, effective vehicle to express opinions and help improve their neighborhoods. Unsure about which neighborhood is yours? Call 458-8373 to find out or check out the neighborhood sites on the city's website at http://santa-monica.org. Here are contacts for existing and forming groups:

Friends of Sunset Park 581-0015

Mid-City Neighbors 453-5075
radcliffe1@aol.com

North of Montana Association 451-1741
SMNoma@aol.com

Ocean Park Community Organization 358-3350
OPCO@opco.org

Pico Neighborhood Association 450-0517

Wilshire/Montana Neighborhood Coalition 395-5329

Downtown Area Residents Association 451-4474

Northeast Neighbors 238-3043

South Beach Neighbors 458-0788

Nearly 300 people -- residents, service providers and community leaders -- responded to the city's invitation to participate in December "Community Voices" Gathering at John Muir/SMASH Elementary School on Saturday, December 4th, a celebration of past successes and an opportunity to help develop Santa Monica's future human service needs and priorities. Spending the morning in small group discussions focused on children, youth, families, seniors, the homeless and people with disabilities, the participants identified nearly a dozen priorities for the city's next three-year funding cycle, including affordable, accessible housing and healthcare, support for working families, youth leadership and improved educational opportunities and partnerships

A second element of the Community Voices data-gathering process was the distribution in November of a survey via both the English and Spanish editions of Seascape and the city's website to assess the use and importance of human services in the city. The return of 1,000 surveys -- an outstanding response rate for a direct-mail piece -- elicited preliminary findings that are similar to what was learned at the Community Voices Gathering. According to the surveys, health care access, recreational and educational opportunities for teens and older youth, and employment and job training are among the most important needs to be addressed. Survey respondents also said that the city's resources should be directed toward increasing affordable housing units, ensuring that all children have access to educational resources and reducing and preventing juvenile crime.

As directed by the City Council, the information obtained from the Community Voices activities will be incorporated into a plan for making policy and funding decisions about human services for FY 2000 and beyond. A complete summary of the findings from the Community Voices Gathering and information on the survey results may be obtained by calling the Human Resources Division at 458-8701.

All Santa Monica bus tours leave from and return to City Hall. The ticket price includes transportation and the event but, unless otherwise noted, lunch is "on your own." Please call 451-5444 for tickets and information.

Return of the Swallows Festival, San Juan Capistrano
Saturday, March 18; Cost: $18 per person, ticket sales begin February 3.

Garden Grove Strawberry Festival
Saturday, May, 27; Cost: $15, ticket sales begin April 18.

DESCANSO GARDENS
On Saturday, June 24, Santa Monica's Big Blue Bus will whisk you off to the garden of delights that is Descanso Gardens in La Cañada, allowing you to leave your cares and your car at home and enjoy a full day of relaxation in the midst of these finely-manicured and well-tended grounds. The ticket price of $20 ($17 for seniors 62+) includes transportation and admission to the gardens (but lunch is on your own). Ticket sales begin May 22. Call 451-5444 for details or to purchase your ticket.

BIG BLUE BUS AND IAM2M
The City of Santa Monica's iam2m Millennium Celebration includes its partnership with the National Conference for Community and Justice to present the 40th Annual Literature & Arts Contest. Open to students in 4th to 12th grades as well as adults, entries of poetry, short stories, essays, art or photography based on the theme "Wheels of Change: A Multicultural Kaleidoscope" will be judged later this spring and cash prizes awarded at a ceremony in May. The contest has been promoted on the iam2m website and on signs affixed to both the interior and exterior of many Big Blue Buses.

During the first quarter of 2000, the Big Blue Bus will introduce its Little Blue Card, a prepaid fare card that will make riding the bus easier than ever. The card is simple to use and works better than cash-- simply board the bus, insert The Little Blue Card into the farebox and the exact fare is automatically deducted from the card's prepaid value.

"Little Blue" will be available at the city's transportation facility on 7th Street, at all Santa Monica Public Libraries and at other locations where tokens are currently sold. It can take you virtually anywhere you need to go because, in addition to the Big Blue Bus, The Little Blue Card is accepted on Culver CityBus, Norwalk Transit, Foothill Transit and Montebello Bus Lines.

What it is
As part of the City of Santa Monica's iam2m Millennium Celebration, the National Conference for Community and Justice presents the NCCJ 40th Annual Literature & Arts Program Contest in partnership with Santa Monica's Big Blue Bus and Santa Monica Bank. Learners from 4th-12th grades and all adults are encouraged to submit entries of poetry, short stories, essays, art or photography based on the theme: Wheels of Change: A Multicultural Kaleidoscope. The contest is open to students in the Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District, private Santa Monica schools, ESL students, and to those who live and/or work in the City of Santa Monica. Prizes will be awarded to winners in elementary, middle, and high schools, and adults in three age categories: 18-25 years, 26-65, and 66+.

The Prizes.
Cash prizes will be awarded to the winners and a Certificate of Participation from the NCCJ will be presented to all participants. All student work (grades 4-12) will be bound in a special book and presented to participating schools for installation in school libraries. A brand new iMac computer will be awarded to a participating Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District school.

All winners will be announced and prizes awarded at a special National Conference for Community & Justice Awards Ceremony in May, 2000.

Sponsors
The NCCJ Santa Monica Bay Area Region, Santa Monica Bank, the Santa Monica-Malibu Unifed School District, the City of Santa Monica's Big Blue Bus and Department of Community and Cultural Services.

All submissions must be on the theme:
Wheels of Change: A Multicultural Kaleidoscope.

Categories and length restrictions:
Poetry, between 2 and 24 lines long.
Short Story, 400-850 words. Essay, 500-1000 words.
Art, any permanent medium is acceptable. Maximum size is 8 1/2 x 14".
Photography, black & white print, 8" x 10" mounted on 11" x 14".
Work written in Spanish is accepted.

Students in grades 4-12 should submit work to their school's Site Coordinator.
Adults 18-65+ should submit work directly to:

iam2m Literature & Arts Contest
Community & Cultural Services City of Santa Monica
1685 Main Street, Room 210, Santa Monica, CA 90401

Please include an Entry/Release form with your submission. Forms are available at Santa Monica branch libraries, the City Hall information desk, the offices of the Big Blue Bus, and on our web site at www.iam2m.com/contest. For more information call 310.458.8999, ext. 428

Physical art work will become the property of the City of Santa Monica and the NCCJ, Santa Monica Bay Area Region.

The Bayside District Corporation's web site for the entire Downtown Santa Monica and Third Street Promenade is here! Check out www.downtownsm.com to learn about all the businesses and services offered in the Downtown.

The site is designed to appeal to both the area resident and the out-of-town visitor. For the local site visitor, important information such as construction projects, new stores, and an event calendar are available. For tourists, the site conveys the atmosphere and energy of the Promenade and Downtown Santa Monica. Other important features of the site will include:

* A categorical directory of all businesses, listing business name, address, and phone number. Life long learning logo

* Links to businesses' sites, or an informational page for businesses that do not currently have their own site.

* A map to show business locations, directions, and other important landmarks of Downtown Santa Monica.

* Monthly meeting agendas and information.

Two events sure to be of interest to Santa Monica residents are scheduled in April on the Third Street Promenade.

Saturday, April 8 and Sunday, April 9 from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., an Arts & Crafts Festival will run the length of the Promenade from Wilshire Boulevard to Broadway.

And Saturday, April 15 and Sunday, April 16, the Electric Car Vehicle Expo is open from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. all along the Promenade.

For more information, contact the Bayside District at 310-393-8355, or visit their website at www.downtownsm.com.

LOOKING FOR A NEW JOB? "CAREER QUEST 2000" CAN HELP!
Santa Monica College's "Career Quest 2000: A Job Fair for the 21st Century," comes to the Pico Boulevard campus on Saturday, May 20, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. There is no admission fee for this event, which will feature 150 employers offering employment information and opportunities. For more information, call 434-4337 or 434-3512.

For one day only, ANTENNA, an award-winning band of multi-media artists based in Sausalito, California, will install ".:. sands .:. of .:. time .:."--a Millennium-inspired interactive beach sculpture--just south of Santa Monica Pier on Saturday April 22. The performance sculpture, which resembles a large Zen Garden, will be presented as a celebration of Earth Day, from 12:30 p.m. to sunset. Admission is free.

"..:. sands .:. of .:. time .:." blends science, art, history, and popular culture to examine the meaning of the Millennium. ANTENNA artists will sculpt the beach into a visually arresting 12 billion year timeline, representing all of time from the Big Bang to present day. Participants move through the artwork with headsets, allowing them to listen to a complex, often humorous "soundscape" of music, voices, and sound effects tracing the development of the universe. ".:. sands .:. of .:. time .:." has been enjoyed by thousands of visitors on public beaches in northern California and, after its appearance in Santa Monica, ANTENNA will take the sculpture on a five week tour of beaches in Japan.

RESTROOM COMPLETION DUE IN MAY
After several months' delay due primarily to safety concerns, the newly constructed restrooms in Palisades Park and at South Beach--part of the city's $8 million Beach Improvement Group project--are now expected to be ready for occupancy in May. Because of the unusual design and fabrication of the restrooms' fiberglass roofs, additional testing was required to ensure their structural integrity and fire rating. Community & Cultural Services Director Barbara Stinchfield indicated that all components are now or soon will be completed and shipped to Santa Monica from Arizona for installation. "I walk in Palisades Park every day," Stinchfield noted, " and I share the frustrations of our residents and visitors who see these wonderfully designed restrooms and are unable to use them. We are doing everything we can to expedite the process and, barring unforeseen circumstances, anticipate having the restrooms open in May." Just in time for summer!

Ecological Garden - A resource efficient, low maintenance sustainable landscape/garden which is part of the natural environment, not just an imitation of nature.

Many private and public gardens in Santa Monica feature lush, colorful landscapes created with regionally-adapted plants and sustainable landscaping principles.

Now you can tour some of these gardens in Santa Monica. Tour buses leave from in front of City Hall, 1685 Main Street. Parking is available at the Civic Auditorium for a fee. Tours are from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. on:

Garden tours are $5 for Santa Monica residents and $10 per tour for non-residents. Payment must be made in advance in order to guarantee seating.

For Tour Reservations Call 310-458-8459. Seating is limited.
Sponsored by the City of Santa Monica Environmental Programs Division

For full Festival Schedule, click here!

PROMOTING "GREEN BUILDINGS" DESIGN & CONSTRUCTION