Council member Gomez proposes pothole patrol

BARSTOW — Encouraged by last week’s discussion about scheduled road improvements, City Council Member Joe Gomez decided to ask the city to take road improvements a step further.

He suggested at Monday’s meeting that the city form a pothole patrol to go around a fix gaps in the pavement that can spell trouble and damage for motorists. He said he took a drive around Barstow to photograph some of the potholes.

“After traveling four or five roads, I sort of got discouraged, there were too many pictures, too many potholes,” Gomez said.

Potholes are a reoccurring problem in Barstow and while council members acknowledged that the city workers who fill potholes do a good job at providing short-term solutions, a long term fix is needed. Gomez asked the city staff to look at how other cities are handling their pothole problems and to compile a list of claims the city has received due to potholes.

Two women receive employee of the quarter recognition

Terri Peralta, the Robert Sessions Memorial Sportspark superintendent, and Carolyn Hawkins, a Barstow Police Department Dispatcher, were recognized as employees of the quarter.

Peralta has made significant improvements at the sportspark, increased the number of events held there and started a men’s soccer league and a girl’s softball league, said Eileen Martin, the city’s human resource manager. Martin said that the officers at the department appreciate Hawkins’ quick and polite response to calls.

New equipment, dirt purchased for sportspark

The council authorized the purchase of two utility vehicles and up to $15,800 of infield mix for the sportspark.

Together the vehicles, Gators made by John Deere, will cost $18,147, and be used for maintenance, hauling supplies and picking up trash. The 4x4 vehicle seats two and has a flatbed like a truck. Jeanette Hayhurst, the city’s parks and recreation manager, said that one vehicle will be for the top fields and one for the bottom fields.

The new dirt is needed to replace dirt that has blown off of the fields during the high winds this winter, Hayhurst said. The city bought dirt last year for the sportspark that was supposed to last two years. Gomez asked the city to come up with alternatives to dirt of the infields at the sportspark.

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