SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. – The South Lake Tahoe City Council approved half a million dollars of American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding for recreation projects during its Tuesday Jan. 4 meeting.

The city used a participatory budgeting process and asked the residents how they wanted the ARPA money to be spent. After hearing from the residents, the council unanimously approved $250,000 to support the design and construction of skate park renovations, $50,000 to support the purchase and installation of various bike trail improvements, and $200,000 to support the preliminary planning efforts for the Greenway Phase 1C Bike Trail Project.

The council also approved of the purchase of new vehicles for public works. In the 2021-22 budget, $500,000 was approved for an asphalt zipper loader attachment and an asphalt patcher truck.

The city successfully petitioned the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency for $150,000 in Air Quality and Water Quality Mitigation Funds and found another $140,410 from surplus equipment auctions. The additional money will be used to purchase a new street sweeper.

The council decided Councilmembers Cody Bass and John Friedrich will represent the council on the new the Capital Improvement Program Subcommittee. The subcommittee will evaluate and update the City’s capital improvement program policies, evaluation criteria, and project prioritization.

During the council’s first meeting of the year, they passed an extensive consent agenda without changes.

Items approved on the consent agenda include authorization to execute a reimbursement agreement with Southwest Gas and to amend the Street Overlay Program account by appropriating $1,883,300 of in lieu paving funds from Southwest Gas for the purpose of funding the 2022 Road Rehabilitation Project.

SWG is replacing outdated steel gas lines in the city which requires digging up city roads. SWG is unable to repave the roads to the city’s standards so there is an agreement each year that they will reimburse the city for repaving costs.

The council also approved the acceptance and appropriation of $475,000 of Tahoe Regional Planning Agency Mitigation Funds to the Tahoe Valley Greenbelt & Stormwater Improvement Project, as well as appropriating $505,632 of Community Development Block Grant Coronavirus Response funding to Tahoe Coalition for the Homeless for rehabilitation of the Bears Den Inn property (2250 Lake Tahoe Blvd).

The first meeting of the year started with employee recognition.

Finance Department

Mayra Bahr – Accountant I

Police Department

Angela Foe – Public Safety Dispatcher

Public Works

Luis Garcia – 15 Years’ Service

Gregory Fisk – 25 Years’ Service (4/30/2021)

Fire

Brenen Davis – 15 Years’ Service

Police

Joseph Acker – 5 Years’ Service

The next meeting will be held Tuesday Jan. 18 at 5:30 p.m.