Explore the heart of Hanford's vibrant community scene and fiscal future with us! This week's Hanford Insider takes you from the lively Thursday Night Marketplace to the corridors of city decision-making, with Mayor Travis Paden on and Vice Mayor Mark Kairis offering their firsthand perspectives. Relive the energy of local gatherings and learn how your city council is addressing the tough questions on funding and development.
Get ready to engage with the deeper issues that shape our city. We're talking dollars and sense, dissecting whether Hanford's challenges are a matter of spending or revenue. Discover the impact a sales tax increase could have, and envision the benefits of faster emergency services and potential savings for homeowners. Your voice matters, and we're setting the stage for a community forum where your questions lead the conversation. Join us for an episode that doesn't just skim the surface but immerses you in the critical debates and exciting developments that are defining Hanford's path forward.
You can find the Hanford Insider at www.hanfordinsider.com and on social media at @hanfordinsider Thank you for supporting the show!
Explore the heart of Hanford's vibrant community scene and fiscal future with us! This week's Hanford Insider takes you from the lively Thursday Night Marketplace to the corridors of city decision-making, with Mayor Travis Paden on and Vice Mayor Mark Kairis offering their firsthand perspectives. Relive the energy of local gatherings and learn how your city council is addressing the tough questions on funding and development.
Get ready to engage with the deeper issues that shape our city. We're talking dollars and sense, dissecting whether Hanford's challenges are a matter of spending or revenue. Discover the impact a sales tax increase could have, and envision the benefits of faster emergency services and potential savings for homeowners. Your voice matters, and we're setting the stage for a community forum where your questions lead the conversation. Join us for an episode that doesn't just skim the surface but immerses you in the critical debates and exciting developments that are defining Hanford's path forward.
You can find the Hanford Insider at www.hanfordinsider.com and on social media at @hanfordinsider Thank you for supporting the show!
Eric Bentley:
On this week's episode of the Insider. Mayor Travis Payden and Vice Mayor Mark Kairis have an invitation for you. Rob will give a community news update and review some upcoming events and I'll be back to update you on all of the local sports happenings. This is the Hanford Insider for Monday, may 6th.
Rob Bentley:
Hey everybody, welcome to this episode of the Hanford Insider. I'm your host, Rob Bentley. Thanks for listening. It was great to see so many of you on Thursday night at the Thursday Night Marketplace. Eric and I got to talk to quite a few people about the show. I was actually blown away by how many people said that they came to the market from other cities like Visalia, Lemoore, Kingsburg, Selma, Fresno, NAS, Lemoore and a few more towns. Visalia, surprisingly, was the most common town mentioned. What a fantastic event Hanford has created over the last 24 years. The Thursday Night Marketplace takes place each Thursday night until Halloween, except for July 4th and any time the temperature is projected to be 106 degrees or more. I've got a very busy May and June, but I'm planning on returning to the marketplace in the future.
Rob Bentley:
For those of you who are new to the show, the Hanford Insider is a weekly podcast that releases every Sunday afternoon. I cover a little bit of everything from Hanford news, a community calendar, and my son, eric, who works in sports, gives us a rundown of high school sports each week. I try to keep things light and positive in such a negative world. I hope you enjoyed the format. I'm always looking for more human interest stories. A little bit more about that later in the show. I'll let you know how you can get involved In community news.
Rob Bentley:
The Hanford City Council will meet this Tuesday, may 7th, at the study session which begins at 4,. The Council will receive the final report from the Revenue Measure Committee At the regular meeting which begins at 7,. Items on the agenda include a badge-pending ceremony and oath of office for Fire Chief Daniel Perkins and Fire Marshal Nikki Chamberlain Tune in next week for my interview with the new Chief. There will be a public hearing regarding the proposed removal of nine mid-block crosswalks, as recommended by InterWest Consulting Group and authorized for city staff to begin removal of those crosswalks. Finally, they'll be seeking direction regarding the proposed tax measure being considered. Randall Communications is being contacted to consult on the proposed measure for public safety roads and parks that may be placed on the November ballot.
Rob Bentley:
Congratulations to Hanford Police Officer Jared Cotta for being recognized as the HPD Officer of the Year. Born and raised in Hanford, sgt Cotta has dedicated his life to serving and protecting the community that he calls home. Thank you, sgt Cotta, for your service, your leadership and your dedication. You're a shining example of what it means to serve with honor, integrity and compassion. Here's some things coming up on our community calendar.
Rob Bentley:
On Wednesday, may 8th, kings County Behavioral Health is holding a Coffee with a Clinician at Ola Cafecito Coffee on the corner of Irwin and Lacey. Discover therapy options, counseling options and more from 9 am to 11 am. The Victory Life Living Word Church will be holding a car show on Saturday, may 11th, starting at 11 am. The church is located at the corner of Florinda Street and White Street. Also on Saturday, there will be an 80s rock extravaganza tribute show with music from Rod Stewart, pat Benatar, jeff Beck, rick Springfield and Cyndi Lauper. On May 15th, the Hanford High School Band under interim director Lisa Butts will be presenting their Spring Concert at the Hanford High School Presentation Center. The concert begins at 7 pm.
Rob Bentley:
The Carnegie Museum of Kings County presents Kings County's Asian Experiences. The museum is located at 109 East 8th Street and is open each Friday, saturday and Sunday from 1 to 5. Admission is $5 per person, with a family maximum of $10. For more information you can visit carnegiemuseumofkingscountyorg. The City of Hanford Parks and Community Services will be holding a summer day camp at Longfield Center from June 10th to August 9th. Contact the City for more information and registration Spots are limited. I'll be grabbing events as I see them on the Hanford Sentinel calendar and social media pages. If you have an event coming up and you'd like some help getting the word out, let's work together. Send your information to hanfordinsider at gmailcom. Be sure to subscribe to my weekly newsletter to get a complete calendar of events. It's a pleasure to welcome to the show Mayor Travis Payton and Vice Mayor Mark Kyrus. How are you guys doing?
Travis Paden:
Welcome to the show, Rob. Thank you for having us. We really appreciate this opportunity.
Mark Kairis:
Rob, thanks. It's a great opportunity for the mayor and I to sit down and share a little time with you, so thank you.
Rob Bentley:
So I know, this week not only do you guys have the city council meeting on Tuesday, but on Wednesday you guys are holding a special event of your own.
Travis Paden:
Yes, On May 8th, from 6 pm to 8 pm, the vice mayor and myself are going to our biannual town hall meeting with our constituents. Anybody in the city is more than welcome to come and just sit down with us find out an update of what's going on in the city, but also to ask those questions that they might not be able to ask us during a city council meeting.
Mark Kairis:
Yeah, I think the big opportunity for us, you know, for the mayor and I, to have that opportunity with the community to, you know, have that open dialogue. It's very difficult to have during a council meeting. They have their public comment for three minutes there where they can come in and address the council but we can't interact with them. So this gives us that more relaxed setting where the community can come in, sit down with us and we can have the open dialogue, share all the information that we can with them and any concerns that they might have and just kind of address those issues. And I think the mayor and I have made it a point during our campaign as well as our time in service, to be as transparent as we can and offer as much information to the public as we can. So this is another great opportunity for us to do that.
Rob Bentley:
So what kind of issues will you be able to address?
Travis Paden:
I mean there's been a wealth of concerns that our community has had by, you know, our utility rate study to the downtown improvement project, also the crash and the Hanford Police Department. There's been a wealth of things that I've taken on over these past six months that they may have questions about, and so we'd love to sit down with them and have that open dialogue and give them some information that they may not have heard or seen on social media or the newspaper and we can be upfront and truthful and honest with them, and so that's going to be just an awesome event for the members of our community to come out and just have that dialogue.
Rob Bentley:
So, Mark, I know that you serve on several committees that address the homelessness issue in our area and I'm certain there's going to be a continuing topic of discussion, especially with the rise in activity downtown. What can you tell us about how the issue is being handled in Hanford and maybe some things that are happening behind the scenes that we don't always get to hear about?
Mark Kairis:
Well, I think the biggest challenge that we as a community struggle with is some previous court settlements and agreements that were reached. One was Martin v Boise where, unless you have a shelter bed available to somebody, the state passed a law that basically says that you can occupy a public place. So I think for us, we're working with KCAO and the Homeless Collaborative, in conjunction with the county, to hopefully get a low barrier shelter navigation center built, but that's still a couple years away. Give you a little update the 2024 point in time count for the city of Hanford increased about 17%. We're up around 425, 430 homeless individuals in our community. So that's a daily thing that we want to try to stay on top of and we know the impact it has with our downtown businesses. It has in our parks, concerns that people have expressed.
Mark Kairis:
But again, our hands are tied a little bit by current legislation and law. So we're trying to do the best we can. Right now there is in the works a temporary sleep center that we're trying to work with the county on, which will be in the area of the tiny homes, which is going to be on 10th Avenue and Hanford and Marna Road. That'll give us a start. Right now we don't have anything, and the message I try to share with everybody is what we have right now is nothing. I know it's not going to be perfect, no matter what we do, but it's a start and it'll give us an opportunity to kind of learn from our mistakes as we go along and make sure that we can afford some opportunities to get these people that are unhoused housed, and that's the goal right. The goal is to get people from unhoused to housed, and that's going to be what our whole focus is going to be on.
Rob Bentley:
I think one of the biggest topics that has drawn the citizens' attention is the new downtown improvement plan. It's now moving forward. Travis, can you tell us about what's next in the process?
Travis Paden:
improvement plan. It was approved with a 3-2 vote to move forward with a roundabout on Dowdy and 7th Street. The next steps, that was just to give the engineers and the design the ability to say this is what we're going to design for the city of Hanford. After that step, they will present their designs in August, their designs in August. From there, the council will then put out an RFP or request for proposal to find contractors who would be wanting to bid on the project. And then, after that project is bid you know when the bids are received it goes through a process through the city and the recommendations on what bid to award, and then from that point the project will be put into place.
Rob Bentley:
At Tuesday's study session you're going to be receiving a presentation from the Revenue Measure Committee. They spent a lot of time looking into the city finances and defining the needs and public safety in other areas. What do you anticipate hearing from the committee?
Travis Paden:
Well, first of all, I would just like to thank the 13 members of the committee for volunteering their time, learning about what issues and struggles and concerns there are in the city and the finances and our budgetary constraints. Put in a lot of time and over these past two months they've been meeting every Wednesday to learn from each of the departments and to hear their needs and they are going to led by Chair Martin Devine. He is going to be presenting, along with the Vice Chair, shane Strawn. They'll be presenting their findings, what the committee has come up with and what suggestions that they see moving forward and if a revenue measure is in the direction, is what's best for the city at this time.
Rob Bentley:
So, mark, I know that convincing some members of the community is going to be an uphill challenge and, unlike previous attempts, there'll be consulting firms and polling firms helping out with the campaign, should you choose to put it on the November ballot.
Mark Kairis:
Well, I think, like you said, this is a challenge. This is what we as a community are facing. You know there's a lot of comments out there that the city may have a spending problem or if it's a revenue problem. Fortunately, for the last number of years operating on a 7.25% sales tax rate, the city's been able to function very well and stay within their means very well and stay within their means. This additional revenue, if it were to go to the ballot and to the voters and pass that additional revenue will free up the city to get some much needed improvements done a new fire station, some police station. So you know, that's the challenge. Taxes are difficult. It's going to be a challenge, especially in today's economy, with the way things are, but it's going to really depend on what kind of quality of life we're looking to have for our community and if they have an appetite to consider that measure at this time.
Travis Paden:
Yeah, and I see that Hanford residents and just people all over the United States are really struggling at this. You know this economic downturn that we may have and the inflationary costs that are just continuing to rise. But what people don't necessarily possibly realize is that of all the sales tax that is collected in Hanford, approximately 87% of that sales tax is sent to Sacramento. So we are funding our city on less than 1% of that 7.25% sales tax. And then when our second revenue generation is property taxes, and of those property taxes only 6% or 94% goes outside the city of Hanford and doesn't stay here where we need it the most.
Travis Paden:
We have concerns with roads, as we said, public safety, our firefighters we're 25 firefighters short, we're 35 police officers, short staffed and we have revenues that cannot, at this point cannot meet those needs that we have.
Travis Paden:
I mean, the interesting fact is that my second grade field trip, when I was in second grade, was at the new police station and it's still that same police station since I was in second grade. So we are in desperate need of our police forces, are in different locations and it affects the communication, it affects the whole operation of running an efficient and effective program and so even our firefighters and people realize with faster response times that's going to help our homeowners insurance, that's going to bring those rates down for each individual person that is in the city of Hanford. So if this revenue measure does pass, if it does pass, that means 100% of that increase is going to stay in Hanford, it's not going to go to Sacramento, and Hanford will be able to regain some more local control in our city and address these needs that we absolutely 100% need to take care of for us to prosper in the future.
Rob Bentley:
I understand the next month you guys are returning to the ICSC conference to build on some relationships that have already been forged with some of these new potential businesses that have already been forged with some of these new potential businesses.
Travis Paden:
Well, hanford is a great place to raise a family and attend the schools and we are growing. Hanford is going to grow about 10,000 over the next five to seven years and we will be attending the ICSC conference in Las Vegas on May 19th through the 21st and it's just our opportunity as a city to put Hanford on the map, show all the wonderful places that businesses can come. We have made a point in our tenure here on the city council to be more business friendly and we are doing that and so reaching out, having those meetings with businesses to bring back more jobs to our city.
Mark Kairis:
Yeah, I think it gives us a great opportunity just to go face-to-face with someone you know in business. That's so important, building those relationships, because a decision that may get made is two or three years down the road. So when you can sit down with someone face-to-face, have the conversation, give us an opportunity to sell our city, explain to them the importance of what we can offer as well as what they could offer to us, and build those relationships. So when it comes time for them to look for a new location of a business or whatever, they think of Hanford Otherwise, if we don't have those connections, what are the chances of them giving us the opportunity? This way, it starts building that foundation and you can keep that open dialogue as things move forward and when the decisions come, they might just think of Hanford instead of another city in the area.
Rob Bentley:
That sounds like a great idea. I understand that the city had not been part of ICSC before, so this sounds like great news.
Travis Paden:
It's absolutely a great idea and we're really excited to have that opportunity we have. A couple months ago, we went to San Diego in our very first opportunity to represent Hanford at the ICSC, something that we've never done before, as you said, and this is another opportunity to follow up on some of the relationships and conversations that we had back then, but also meet new people and new businesses and, you know, just put Hanford on the map, as I said, to show what a great place for them to have their business.
Rob Bentley:
Well, it's been a great opportunity to visit with you guys. This has been enlightening to me and I know on Wednesday night people are going to have their chance to ask you questions about this and a multitude of other things. Travis, can you remind us again about the details for this event?
Travis Paden:
Yes, we will be meeting Wednesday. This Wednesday, may 8th, it will be in the training room at the city offices from 6 pm to 8 pm, but the vice mayor and I will be there as long as there are questions. You can access the location. We would suggest that you park in the lighted parking lot behind the city hall and that back door will be open for all the residents to come into the training room, and so we just look forward to having these conversations and getting to know more of our constituents.
Mark Kairis:
Yeah, it's just a great opportunity for us. At the end of the day, it's like we stated earlier it's very difficult to have those conversations otherwise. So this gives us a great opportunity to, in a more relaxed atmosphere, just to have that interchange with everybody, and I think that's critical. You know, when people rely on certain forms of social media or whatever for their information, it's maybe not getting the best information. So this will give us the opportunity to up to date where we're at, where we've come from the last six months and what we see moving forward in the next six months.
Rob Bentley:
And now it's time for Hanford Insider Sports with Eric Bentley.
Eric Bentley:
Before we get to high school baseball and softball action, let's start with some community sports news. A big congratulations to Hanford police officers Priscilla Valdevinos and Christian Jimenez for competing in the Central California Battle of the Badges boxing event in Visalia. Officer Jimenez had an excellent showing and Officer Valdevinos won the featherweight title. So a huge shout out to those officers for representing Hanford so well both on the street and in the ring. And a congratulations to the Robinson family, as Hanford West dedicated their baseball field in their honor. Joe, charlie and Mike Robinson have set the standard for students and spent their time with many great acts of service to the Huskies. And the field of course looks great, and it's not football season just yet, but high school graduations are around the corner and the Neighbor Bowl renovations are nearly complete and will be done just in time. The upgrades include an entrance with restrooms and a snack bar located off of Kensington, new handrails and additional seating on both the home and the visiting sides, along with a new track surface and an upgraded scoreboard. And I do have to say I drove by on Thursday and it looks awesome. And now to the baseball and softball action. There's only one week left before the playoffs start.
Eric Bentley:
We'll start on the baseball side, as Hanford High was able to find some success last week, as they swept Mission Oak comfortably 10-1. They got the victory at home on Tuesday, before taking down the Hawks 7-2 on the road on Thursday. The Bullpups sit at 9-4 in league action and 15-10 overall. Sierra Pacific split their two games with Kerman in fairly close fashion, as they were able to take a victory 6-3 at home, before being edged 4-3 on the road. The Golden Bears are also above .500, both in league action at 7-5 and overall at 17-9. And, unfortunately for the Huskies, hanford West were unable to pick up a win in their two matchups versus Reedley, falling on the road 4-2 and at home
Eric Bentley:
7-6. As for softball, there were a pair of teams that were able to pick up a win last week. For Sierra Pacific it was two lopsided games a 14-2 victory on the road over Central Valley Christian, before being bested by Reedley at home, 17-6. Hanford High also went 1-1 on the week, falling 11-1 on the road to Tulare Union, before bouncing back and taking down Tulare Western 14 to 8. And Hanford West struggled to find the offense in their two matchups as they were shut out by Kingsburg and Selma, as always. We'd love to hear from you. So if you have any stats, scores or stories, please send them to HanfordInsider at gmailcom. I'm Eric Bentley and this has been your Hanford Insider Sports Report.
Rob Bentley:
Well, that's all the time we have for today's show. If you enjoy the show, leave a review on my website. If you'd like to join the Hanford Insider email list, stop by my website at HanfordInsidercom to sign up for updates. You'll also get an exclusive copy of my newsletter in your inbox each week. You can also send feedback by voicemail through the website by clicking on the microphone icon, or you can text me at 559-424-3345. I'd love to hear from you. Some of your comments may even be shared on the show. Three, four, five I'd love to hear from you. Some of your comments may even be shared on the show. I also need your help getting the word out about the show by liking and sharing on social media or telling a friend For more information about the show. You can find this podcast on Facebook, instagram threads X and YouTube at Hanford Insider. If you have a show idea, be sure to email me at Hanford Insider at gmailcom, or you can text me at 559-424-3345 and I'll look into it. Thanks for listening. Have a great week.