400 Kern Street

Taft, CA, 93268

Phone: (661) 765-2165

Fax: (661) 765-6639

www.taftchamber.com

TaftChamber@gmail.com

Our Gold Sponsors

Our Platinum Sponsors

FebruaryFebruaryFebruary

201520152015

Kern County Board of Supervisors Update

217 Pierce Street is now demolished, some dead trees need to be taken down, a small wooden fence will be

removed and the three tin sheds will be hauled off. Also, the property owner on 220 Cedar Street is making

good progress on removing debris from the front of his house facing cedar.

Code Compliance cases to open at 201 Pierce Street, 500 Van Buren, and 505/511 Philippine in Taft Heights

have been granted. County roads will also be removing some dead branches behind 300 pierce Street.

Wednesday mornings @ 9AM

Taft Chamber, 400 Kern Street

January 14, 2015—Jose Marin, of Valley CAN

Jose Marin, spokesperson and advance planner for the

Tune In and Tune Up campaign for the Valley Clean Air

Now initiative, visited Sit n Sip to inform the group of

the great opportunity for car owners to get their car

tested FREE for emissions, and if they fail the test, to

qualify for a $500 voucher to have their vehicles brought

up to code. The testing will take place at the Kern

County Raceway Park on Enos Lane at I-5, Saturday,

January 31, 2015, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. The first 525

cars that qualify after the FREE emissions test will receive

a $500 voucher for repairs at a local participating STAR

smog shop. Our Taft Lions Club and Taft Kiwanis Club

will be assisting in this endeavor through food prepara-

tion and traffic control.

By Dr. Kathy Orrin, Executive Director

Executive Directions for Feb 2015

The news of the recent formation of the Downtown Business Association has been met with

mixed reviews and minimal information. Let us be clear: there is no “secession from the un-

ion”; no one is taking their marbles and leaving the game; no one is angry! Here’s the story:

For the past four years (basically the tenure of Shannon and Kathy) the Chamber has endeav-

ored to call attention to Center Street-- its issues (absentee ownership, code violations, blight)

and its possibilities (attractive storefronts, landscaping, Fifth Street Plaza). Many pieces have

been written about the importance of the Downtown to the life of any community; many

meetings have been held to discuss what our own downtown merchants visualize for their fu-

ture in business and what they see as their biggest impediments to success. Events and cam-

paigns have been done seasonally (the Tour of Trees during two Christmas holidays) and regu-

larly (First Friday Cruise Nights), instituted by the Chamber to bring folks downtown and to en-

courage them to spend their time, and their dollars, here in Taft’s downtown.

It also should be noted that shortly after the Chamber staff leadership changed, the Chamber

intervened when the Planning Commission was in the process of reviewing a request for a con-

ditional use permit on Center Street. The permit, if approved, would have enabled a non-profit

food distribution outreach to operate in the downtown business district between an antique

store and a café. The Chamber argued in public hearing, that the non-profit, although highly

respected and necessary to the well-being of many families in the Taft community, did not fit in

the central business district of our town. And we won.

After many years of association with the downtown, the Chamber staff has watched the mer-

chants come together. The Chamber’s contribution to the effort has been in providing venues

for folks to come together for meetings and support in getting the word out to the public about

the events and opportunities for fun and shopping provided downtown. The merchants have

done the rest. Perhaps the biggest, solidifying element for the merchants was threat to their

business from the timing of the Center Street repaving (the month of December!). The motiva-

tion for folks to talk to one another and to approach the City as one voice helped to re-acquaint

downtown merchants with the positive process for making their needs known. In any case, the

City listened and worked with the participating government agencies necessary to move the

date for the re-surfacing. Their one, united voice was heard.

Now the Downtown Business Association will be able to focus on the issues that are unique to

the downtown--Center Street and the immediate areas north and south of Center. They will still

support and be part of the Chamber, and they still will be supported by the Chamber. However,

now they will have the ability to sponsor events which will benefit the downtown areas specifi-

cally. The Chamber will continue to support them, providing the flow of information on issues

important to all business on the West Side and keeping them in the loop on the events, activi-

ties and opportunities open to local business. But if, for example, the downtown businesses feel

they need more trash cans and sidewalk benches, they will have the ability to raise money as a

committee of the Chamber to buy trash cans and sidewalk benches.

Will there be challenges in the future as we forge a new relationship between the Chamber and

the DBA? Undoubtedly! What happens when any new adventure begins? Can we work togeth-

er to resolve the issues as they arise? I’m betting we can. This is a good thing! Let’s work to-

gether to make it happen.

Wed. January 28, 2015

Photos by:

Sheri Horn-Bunk

and Doug Keeler

February 2015 Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat

1

2 3

5pm, Service

Club Summit @

Taft Chamber

6pm, City

Council Meeting

4

9am, Sit n Sip,

Taft Chamber

6pm, Industry

Night, Taft

Petroleum Club

5

6pm, Chamber

Installation and

Awards

6

10am, Fireworks

Meeting

6-10pm, First

Friday Cruise

Night

7

WSRPD Father-

Daughter Dance

8 9

10

11

9am, Sit n Sip,

Taft Chamber

4pm, Together

We Can Meeting

12

13 14

Big Sax @ The

Bank Sports

Lounge

15 16

President’s Day

17

6pm, City

Council Meeting

18

9am, Sit n Sip,

Taft Chamber

6pm, Planning

Commission Mtg

19

10am, State

Board of Equali-

zation Townhall

for non-profits

meeting

20

21

22 23

24

25

9am, Sit n Sip,

Taft Chamber

4pm, Taft

Chamber Board

Meeting

26

5pm, The Fort

Spaghetti Dinner

27

28

Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat 1

2 3

12-6pm Houchin Blood Mobil

6pm, City Council Meeting

4

9am, Sit n Sip, Paik’s-

City of Taft Transit Survey

5

Kern COG Awards Dinner

6

6-10pm, First Friday Car Cruise

7

12pm-3pm,

Freedom Homes Open House @Taft Chamber

8 9 10 11

9am, Sit n Sip, Taft Chamber

12

Ethics Training & Brown Act Course

13 14

15 16

President’s Day

17

6pm, City Coun-cil Meeting

18

9am, Sit n Sip, Taft Chamber

6pm, Planning Commission Mtg

19 20 21

Little League Grand Opening

March 2015

Taft Chamber presents:

Annual Installation &

Community Awards Reception

Thursday, February 5, 2015

6:00-9:00pm

Taft Fox Theater

Hollywood Game

Night—

“Bet on Taft!”

Featuring an old Hollywood Cocktail

Reception & Awards presentation

SAVE THE DATE!

Reserve your tickets @ 765-2165

April 2015

March 30-3 Spring Break 11-Arc BBQ @ Moose Lodge

18– TUHS Hall of Fame Dinner, Soroptomist Garden Tour

19– Downtown Business Association 5K/10K run—Center St.

24– Al Baldock Golf Tournament 28– Houchin Blood @ Taft Chamber

City of Taft Transit Survey

Persons interested in public transit in the community

are invited to voice comments and concerns on pos-

sible unmet public transit needs. This event is being

held on Wednesday, March 4 at 9am at Paik’s Res-

taurant. Anyone unable to attend may submit written

comments, to be sent to the address below. For tele-

phone testimony, please contact Christy Lowe at

(661)763-1222. Electronic mail may be sent to

clowe@cityoftaft.org. Deadline for written, telephone,

and electronic testimony is no later than Monday,

March 2, 2015, at 5:00 p.m.

Christy Lowe

Administrative Technician

City of Taft

209 East Kern Street

Taft, CA

A light breakfast will be provided for attendees.

1st District Board Member George Runner and

the California State Board of Equalization invites

you to call in and listen or ask questions to ex-

perts at Board of Equalization. The subject is for

Non Profits and how to comply with complicated

sales and use tax laws. The date and time is Thurs-

day, February 19, 2015 at 10:00 a.m. You can

register online at www.boe.ca.gov/townhall. You

can also register by calling 1-916-445-3032. If

you need any other information please feel free

to contact me anytime. I look forward to work-

ing with you all in 2015.

The Taft Correctional Institution (TCI) is in dire need of

donations of yarn, fabric, and unused wood for the

toy program. Hand-made toys, crochet animals, and

blankets are made throughout the year by the of-

fenders. These items are later donated in December to

various resource centers in Taft.

We have listed a few preferable wood sizes and

wood types that would be helpful with our projects:

Pine, Ash, or Douglas Fir, please no chemically treated

or compressed ply-wood. Board sizes: 2”x4, 4”x4, 4”x10,

2”x6, 2”x8, or 2”x10 in any length.

Please contact Georgina Puentes at (661) 763-2510

ext. 1489. Your assistance is truly appreciated.

The Board of Directors of the Taft Westside Little League (WSLL) is excited to announce the start of the

62nd season of Little League baseball on the Westside. Along with a new partnership with the Westside

Recreation & Parks District (WSR&PD). The league has many exciting plans for the upcoming season--

including paly on a set of newly-renovated fields at a renovated park (both courtesy of the WSR&PD), as

well as the return of the popular Little League Parade as part of this years Opening Ceremonies for both

Little League Baseball and Softball.

Registration for baseball will begin Monday, January 12th, and is graciously being handled by the WSR&PD.

Packets (both for player registrations and volunteer/coach applications) can be picked up from and re-

turned to the Main Office or the Area Gym front desk. The WSSL will also make packets available online

at www.TaftWestSideLittleLeague.org. Registration fee are $60 per player in all divisions except for the

T-Ball, 50/70 (11-13 year-olds), and Junior/Senior divisions. For families with multiple children participating,

regardless of division, fees for additional registrants are $40 per player after the first. Scholarship opportu-

nities are available, also, for those who may need them.

The WSSL is also fundraising mode and on the search for team sponsors, sponsors who’d like to advertise

on the upgraded facility’s outfield fences, and all other type of sponsors/donors. Any interested businesses

or individuals are encouraged to contact the WSSL Board Members for details, Sponsorship information

will also be posted on the League’s website and Facebook page (www.Facebook.com/TaftWSLL). The

WSLL is a registered Non-Profit organization and donations are tax deductible.

Further information can be found by contracting WSLL Board Members at their e-mail addresses as listed

on their website, by way of the League’s Facebook page, or by contacting League President Josh Bryant via

cell phone at 661-477-3230.

Townhall for Non Profits Community REQUEST

WESTSIDE LITTLE LEAGUE KICKING OFF 2015 SEASON

2015 BOARD OF DIRECTORS

President: Emmanuel Campos Monarch Fleet Services

Vice President: Jordan Miller Roger Miller Insurance Agency

2nd Vice President: Ron Sousa

Albertsons

Treasurer: Bart Hill United Security Bank

Devinder Bains

Taft Chevrolet—Buick

Glenn Black Black Hall Construction

Eric Burkhart

Total Western Inc.

Tony Cordova Synagro

Les Clark

West Side Recreation and Park District

Bob Hampton Westside Waste Management

Ed Herrera

Edward J Herrera Insurance Agency

Greg Hill Old’s Cool Antiques and More

Sharon Hill

Taft Union High School

Shawn Johnson David Jones Co.

Sandy Koenig

Westside Community Resource Center

Orchel Krier Tumbleweed Café

Dr. Dena Maloney

Taft College

Yvette Mayfield City of Taft

John Neumann

Accelerated Environmental

Dennis Schertz Asian Experience

Harry Starkey

West Kern Water District

John Swearengin Kern County Sheriff’s Office

Dan Tosti

Aera Energy LLC

Adele Ward Taft City School District

Rodney Wikoff

West Hills Church of the Nazarene

Executive Direc-

tions for Feb 2015

The news of the

recent formation

of the Downtown

400 Kern Street Taft, CA 93268

661-765-2165

www.taftchamber.com

OUR STAFF

Executive Director: Dr. Kathy Orrin kathy.taftchamber@gmail.com

Event Coordinator: Shannon Jones

shannon.taftchamber@gmail.com

TAFT OILDORADO

October 9-18, 2015

Civic Luncheon, Grand

Parade, Hot Air Balloons,

Music Festival, Car Show,

Gala, Whiskerino, Maid of

Petroleum, Hoosegow &

more. Contact Paul Linder

for info!

TAFT OILWORKERS MONUMENT

SPACE IS LIMITED!!

Call us at 661-765-2165 to order a

brick for that special oilfield

worker or family member to be

placed at the Taft Oilworkers

Monument.

4x8 Brick: $100—8x8 Brick: $175

SAFELY SURRENDER BABY AWARENESS MONTH

Again this year, the Safely Surrender Baby Coalition is planning a series of events

throughout Kern County to bring attention to this important law. On Tuesday, Febru-

ary 3rd, the Kern County Board of Supervisors will proclaim February as Safety Sur-

render Baby Awareness Month at 9:00 a.m., during their meeting held at 1115 Trux-

tun Avenue. The community is also invited to join us in celebrating the men and

women who make this law possible. A press conference will be held at Mercy South-

west Hospital, 400 Old River Road, Bakersfield, on Thursday, February 5th at 10:30

a.m., where we will also honor a family blessed with the adoption of a Safely Surren-

der Baby.

To date, 45 babies have been safely surrendered in Kern County since we began

tracking those babies in 2006.

The Safely Surrender Baby Coalition leads the effort of educating Kern County about

this law. This group of dedicated individuals represents a long list of departments,

non-profits, hospitals, and stakeholders. Our schedule of community presentations

take us this year to Arvin, Bakersfield, Delano, Frazier Park, Mojave, Ridgecrest,

Shafter, Taft, and Tehachapi.

We hope that you can assist us again this year in our efforts to educate our commu-

nity about this important option for any women and her baby in a crisis situation.