By TR Robertson
The first in-person meeting for the Vista Chamber of Commerce Government Affairs Committee since last year was recently held at the Film Hub in Vista. The featured presenters were Community Development Director for Vista, John Conley, and Chief External Affairs Officer for Tri-City Medical Center, Aaron Byzak. Mr. Conley spoke about the Climate Action Plan and the Community Choice Aggregation for the City. Mr. Byzak spoke about an Update of Tri-City Medical Centers accomplishments and the upcoming 60th anniversary of the facility.
John Conley presented an update concerning the proposed Climate Action Plan and the Community Choice Aggregation. The CAP was adopted in 2013 to deal with green house gas emission impacts resulting from buildouts of the 2030 Plan. A multitude of areas are covered in the plan to help reduce green house gas in the city, specifically a 49% reduction of emissions trying to hit the target level of emissions established in 1990. There are four main targeted categories. Part of the proposal will be to slowly add electric cars and charging stations as city vehicles are replaced. A reduction in vehicle miles traveled, addition of bike lanes, reducing fossil fuel use, reducing the energy footprint, addition of solar panels, waste reduction and tree planting are all areas that will be implemented as part of the plan. Establishing a timeline and a physical impact study will also be included. The initial anticipated cost analysis is $6.8 million for the program. The Community Choice Aggregation deals with the city, and others along the corridors, taking over the purchase of power for the citizens. On initial proposal deals with Vista working with four cities along the 78-corridor involving a joint use agreement for establishing purchasing power for the cities. An initial cost analysis puts the overall cost at $18 million for the four cities. One variable is the uncertainty of the cost of power increasing over the years. If the city wants to focus on joining in with the other cities in a joint use plan, they must file by December of 2021 to achieve a possible launch date of 2024. It is estimated families would see a 2% reduction in their power bills.
Aaron Byzak, from Tri-City Medical Center, gave a power point presentation, “60 Years and Counting”, on the accomplishments of Tri-City Medical Center over the past year. Tri-City has three main towers which will be undergoing a name change to Carlsbad, Oceanside, and Vista. The towers have over 500,00 sq. ft. of space housing 386 licensed beds, 103 private rooms, 10 operating rooms and 40 beds in the existing Emergency Room. The hospital is widely recognized for excellence in a number of fields, especially orthopedics and robotic surgery. The 500 different physicians using Tri-City are from 60 different specialties. The medical center has won numerous awards and is recognized as one of the 100 best spine hospitals. Their CEO was also a recipient of the 2021 CEO of the Year Awards for business non-profits in San Diego County. In their Coastal Commitment, the Medical Center has made a commitment to be actively involved in a variety of community outreach programs, such as Operation Hope North County. The Medical Center is now involved with 60 partner organizations.
Aaron gave a COVID update as well. The Medical Center has treated 850 in-patients with January 2021 seeing the highest total admitted, 100 patients. The average length of stay normally for patients at the hospital is 2-3 days, but for COVID patients the average length of stay was 12-15 days. The Medical Center had administered 32,000 vaccines. The length of time for a person to sign-in for a vaccination and receive the shot is 22 minutes. The Medical Center has received 5-star reviews on Yelp and Google Reviews for their vaccination process. Tri-City Medical Center is now a Plan Hospital for Kaiser Permanente, meaning that Kaiser Permanente patients can seek care at Tri-city for a variety of services.
The Emergency Department is currently being upgraded which will feature an improved entrance, waiting room and triage area and other improvements. The Copley Foundation has offered a $1.2 million matching gift to help finance the project. The Psychiatric Health Facility building will open in Fall of 2022 and have a 16-bed adult in-patient unit, also being built with a 50/50 partnership with the County of San Diego. Tri-City Medical Center will soon be celebrating a 60th Anniversary that will include the renaming of the three towers, the installation of a History Wall, a Healthcare Heroes Poster Campaign, new signage throughout the hospital grounds and buildings, photographic art to go along with the three newly named towers and a Spirit Week. Aaron also responded to a question about a shortage in staffing by saying they are always looking for qualified hospital employees and are currently offering a $10,000 bonus for qualified nurses who are hired.
Governmental Updates
Kaitlyn Elliott-Norgrove – City of Vista – City welcomes Best Pizza & Brew, New Community Church property in escrow, Coomber Winery progressing, brochures sent out concerning Homeless issues, Peasant Hill proposed plan to change the 17 acres from 24-unit single family dwellings to a re-zoning for a four story 120 unit with underground parking garage complex.
Kristal Jabara from Supervisor Jim Desmond’s Office – The Supervisor is in line to be on a coalition to help find a storage facility for the spent nuclear fuel generated from the San Onofre Nuclear facility. Cities around the county are beginning to look at and evaluate the various pop-up outdoor eating facilities built during the COVID pandemic. The County COVID weekly reporting update is a good means of looking at the COVID #’s and the overall effect the pandemic is having. Eighty-five percent of people over sixty-five have been vaccinated. The biggest concern is in the 25–40-year-old range to increase vaccinations.
Suleyma Balderas from Assembly Member Tasha Boerner Horvath’s Office – The Senate and Assembly are still on summer recess. More updates next month. The Assembly Member has helped in funding for a fire station in the district and funding for Brengle Terrace Park.
Rachel Beld, CEO for the Vista Chamber of Commerce read some announcements from Congressman Mike Levin – July Parker, from Cardiff is recognized for outstanding community service, the Congressman has helped in acquire $9.3 mil. in funding for bluff repair along the train tracks and $2.3 million for homeless shelters, along with $900,000 for sidewalk repair in downtown Vista.
Next Vista Government Affair Committee will be held on Sept. 2nd at noon.
