An 80-foot arch spanning South Main Street is a “want” as opposed to a “need”.
It’s one thing that both sides — whether they were elected officials or citizens speaking at the podium — agreed on Tuesday at the Manteca City Council meeting.
“We deserve it,” said longtime resident Ron Cruz. “We are a destination.”
His seven words summed up arguments of others that felt the arch would be an added “feel good” touch that would help further draw attention to what is already in downtown — as well as what is yet to come — and Manteca as a whole whether it is seen by residents or visitors.
“It’s for the whole city,” former council member Richard Silverman said of the arch.
Neither council members Charlie Halford or Regina Lackey disagreed about the arch not being a positive addition. However, they preferred other needs be addressed first such as diverting the remaining $318,484 in federal COVID relief funds to go to additional road projects.
They were on the dissenting end of the 3-2 vote that approved the arch. It represents the biggest non-maintenance city investment in downtown since $1.2 million was spent in 2011 to expand and upgrade Library Park.
The balance of the $620,447 project is coming from undesignated general fund reserves. And as such, it is money Halford said he’d rather see go to road work on Powers Avenue, West Louise Avenue, West Yosemite Avenue, and East Alameda. The actual sign is $550,000 with $70,477 set aside for contingencies.
“It’s nice to have rather than a need,” Halford said of the arch.
At this point in time, staff said that it might not be possible to divert the funds to other endeavors given the COVID relief portion has an expiration date of Dec. 31, 2025. If the money is not committed to a viable project by then, the federal government will take the funds back.
The arch will go across South Main Street between the railroad tracks and Wetmore Street.
The eastern base will be on the sidewalk near the city’s animal shelter.
It is, by chance, almost in the shadow of the now unused water tower with “MANTECA” painted on it in stencil style lettering that there at least two tries in the past 15 years to refurbish to serve as an icon for Manteca. One suggestion was to paint it like a pumpkin topped with a pseudo stem.
The tower no longer holds water after failing a seismic test 20 years ago. It is used for a variety of police, fire and city communication antennas.
A decision to equip the arch with programmable LED lighting able to draw from a repertoire of colors may end up making the arch such an iconic symbol for Manteca.
The idea is to have colors that reflect various holidays and events such as red, white, and blue for the Fouth of July and orange and green for the Manteca Pumpkin Fair.
Lackey inquired whether staff had developed a policy of how colors would be chosen.
City Manager Toni Lundgren said staff hasn’t done so but would come back with a policy now that the arch has been approved.
Lundgren indicated the sign fabrication work will start in the coming weeks.
The arch should be in place sometime in 2026.
Several speakers referenced former welcome signs the city had at three different entrances to the city as well as a hedge trimmed to spell “Manteca” on a knoll along Yosemite Avenue near Library Park.
Since 2003, there have been no less than three attempts to install welcome signage or some form of public art such as statues at entrances to the city. One such statue that former Mayor Ben Cantu proposed would have depicted a family in a nod to Manteca’s “Family City” slogan.
Each time, arguments that the city had needs that should be funded first stopped any further action.
One effort included an electronic messaging sign incorporated with a welcome message on East Highway 120 next to the South San Joaquin Irrigation District office got to the stage that drawings were made and prices obtained before the effort ended.
About the leftover
COVID relief funds
The city’s share of federal relief funds during the pandemic came to a little more than $14 million.
The money’s prime use was to cover revenue losses from mandatory shutdowns that reduced sales tax revenue.
It also funded hazard pay city workers with essential jobs such as police, fire, and public works employees that could not work from home.
Manteca also used the funds to help pay for COVID-related equipment and supplies local stores needed to reopen.
Cities and counties were allowed to use what funds weren’t for pandemic related costs and losses for other endeavors.
Manteca was able to spend a large chunk on some things such as sewer repairs, replacement of aging police vehicles, some road projects such as Yosemite Avenue in downtown, and the purchase of new street maintenance equipment so city crews could do more road repairs in house.
There was $2.5 million that the City Council spent on one-time projects either to cover 100 percent of the cost or to augment other funds.
Those projects include the new waterplay feature under construction at Woodward Park, license plate readers, lighted basketball courts at Woodward, the community garden, a cricket field at Doxey Park, lighting the Center Street tennis courts, and similar endeavors.
The $318,414 in federal relief funds going toward the arch is using money that wasn’t needed for the previously mentioned projects that came in for less than the amount set aside for them.
When Lackey asked about the amount of funds in the general fund undesignated reserve account, finance staff did not have the answer at their fingertips but indicated they would find out. Pressed again, they did note the general fund had $47.6 million in overall reserves that were carried over at the start of the current fiscal year on July 1.
In last fiscal year’s budget, the city had set aside $10.9 million in undesignated reserves. Staff was going to get back to council with the current balance of that account in the coming days.
To contact Dennis Wyatt, email dwyatt@mantecabulletin.com
