The Bakersfield City Council had another late night Wednesday in a meeting that covered the budget, the city’s trees and improvements along H Street.

At the time of The Californian’s print deadline, the council was still debating whether to approve a $14 million contract for traffic calming improvements along H Street.

Earlier in the meeting, several speakers asked the council to approve the project, saying it would make the city’s dangerous streets safer for cyclists and pedestrians.

“When we invest in safe and accessible infrastructure, we’re investing in the economic development and long-term success of our city,” said Greg West, CEO of the Central Academy of Arts and Technology, a charter school at the corner of 18th and H streets in downtown.

He said he appreciated the council’s commitment to the downtown area and creating a safe and welcoming environment for families.

Not all speakers were in favor of the improvements. Former City Council member Terry Maxwell said the proposed improvements would cause more congestion through downtown.

“I’m kind of waiting for the unicorns to come running down the aisles, because what people are saying about this project really does not really represent what the owners of businesses” in that area have told him, Maxwell said.

“You want to eliminate all the car versus bicycles on H Street? Make it like bicycles can’t use H Street, because we as drivers through the downtown area need H Street to be two lanes in both directions.”

The discussion on H Street had been deferred from the council’s last meeting, during which the item came before council members late in the evening.

Tree canopy

Residents regularly appear before the council to ask for additional trees in the city, including implementing trimming practices that don’t overly reduce tree canopy.

City Manager Christian Clegg said that while the city still has a lot of work to do on its tree canopy and policies, significant progress had been made through working with a tree advisory group made up of concerned residents.

“Trees are absolutely getting a priority in policy and in funding that they haven’t historically,” Clegg said. “In the last three years, we’ve made lots more progress in the space than we ever had before.”

Council members voted Wednesday to award a $1.4 million tree-trimming contract to Rancho Tree Services, which has previously contracted with the city.

There was lengthy discussion on the contract and the city’s tree policy and addressing the concerns of residents, many of whom say the city is not following its own policies.

“The (tree advisory) group was designed and created so that we should create a separate channel to hear many of those public concerns, and it sounds like, for one reason or another, we still have challenges and disagreements,” said Ward 1 Councilman Eric Arias.

The advisory group was largely supportive of the city’s progress on trees, Clegg said, while much of the criticism came from other community stakeholders.

“I think it’s important to acknowledge that there are large constituencies that feel good about this progress, and that there’s a smaller constituency that is expressing a desire for something beyond,” Clegg said. “As I already noted, we’re interested in continuing to make that progress, but I think it’s important to recognize a balance and community feedback that we’re receiving.”

Council members approved the contract with only Ward 7 Councilwoman and Vice Mayor Manpreet Kaur voting no. Ward 2 Councilman Andrae Gonzales recused himself, citing a conflict of interest due to a campaign donation.

Proposed budget

The meeting included a brief presentation and public comment on the city’s proposed $926 million budget. The council will approve the budget at its next meeting, and on Wednesday only heard public comments on the matter.

Some speakers asked that the city cancel its investments and contracts with Flock Safety, the AI-powered surveillance camera company increasingly being deployed by cities across the nation, stating the technology invades personal privacy.

During the budget discussion and earlier in the meeting, a number of speakers asked the council to prioritize the city’s tree canopy and to provide $3 million in funding for a revitalization project at Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Park.

Several speakers were critical of the council’s decision to increase the city’s sewer rates, claiming that low-income people are being ignored in budget considerations.

“We have low-income families, we have senior citizens that are walking the east side collecting cans to pay for their prescriptions, and you guys voted on this. You OK’d this,” said Nadine Escalante, a community activist.