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City staff report PSVS-funded park, street and fire upgrades; committee asks for cost detail
Summary
City staff told the PSVS oversight committee that PSVS funds helped renovate a stage at Jastro Park, add shade and new restrooms at neighborhood parks, advance multimodal street projects and complete fire-station repairs; commissioners pressed for detailed costs and questioned use of PSVS as grant match.
City staff on April 9 described a string of projects funded in part by PSVS revenue, from park facility upgrades to street-safety work and fire-station maintenance, while committee members pressed for more detailed cost breakdowns and operational data.
Darren Budc, director of recreation and parks, said the department completed six items tied to PSVS priorities. "We were able to do a total renovation of the stage at Jastro Park," Budc said, noting new lighting and electrical work that will allow concert programming. He highlighted new single-user ADA-compliant restrooms at Jefferson Park and a newly delivered restroom at Stern Park for a local walking group. Budc told the committee the pre-built restroom units cost "approximately about $300,000" including site work and furnishings and said the units are roughly 400 square feet.
Public works director Zach Meyer outlined transportation and safety projects. He said the 18th–19th Street complete-streets segment (L to O) is slated for construction in mid-April and that the Frying Current Canal multi-use path — including an undercrossing at Riverlakes Golf Course and an overcrossing of the BNSF rail line — began construction in January 2025. On the Stone Creek Loop, Meyer said the design is complete and engineers estimate $800,000–$900,000 for the project. He added that a typical speed hump costs about $15,000 and described increased use of solar street lights to reduce conduit and PG&E coordination costs.
Fire Chief Kevin Albertson summarized department investments and capabilities, saying Bakersfield Fire ran "nearly 50,000 incidents" last year and maintains an OES Type 1 hazardous-materials team and a regional urban search-and-rescue task force. He listed station repairs and generator updates completed or underway at multiple stations and said turnout replacements and HVAC updates are in the pipeline because equipment standards and useful life have changed.
Committee members sought further detail. Several asked for a line-item cost breakdown for the quoted $300,000 restroom and for exact costs and schedules on parks and transportation projects. On hours and operations, Budc said park restrooms operate during park hours and that automatic locks are set to close at 10 p.m. He acknowledged vandalism has repeatedly required reverting to manual locks in some locations.
Why it matters: The presentations show how PSVS dollars are flowing into visible neighborhood amenities, mobility projects and essential public-safety infrastructure. Committee members said they will need specific cost data and project-level safety metrics to judge whether those investments align with voters’ intent and the committee’s oversight role.
Next steps: Staff agreed to return with requested cost breakdowns and localized data (pedestrian/bicycle counts and crash history) on proposed multimodal projects before the committee takes final funding recommendations.
