M is for muscular economic growth.
M is for moving the quality of life forward.
M is the momentum.
M is for “Make it Manteca.”
Mayor Gary Singh took more than 350 people in attendance at Wednesday’s State of the Center on a tour of Manteca.
He did so, aptly, behind the wheel of a Ford GT — the ultimate American high performance car — as the “pit crew” in the debut of the “Make it Manteca” marketing video narrated what was coming up as the mayor maneuvered the streets of Manteca.
The video lap took him past shopping centers under construction, the Woodward Park water play feature being christened May 28, numerous road projects, the site of the new $92 million police station breaking ground in September, and work underway on new initiatives to house the homeless.
And while Manteca may not by the Brickyard and the mayor was careful not to run any redlights, the video made it clear the city — fueled by a mixture of solid sustained growth and Measure Q — is emulating the performance of the storied Ford GT.
“When it comes to progress, the city knows how to more forward,” Singh told those who gathered at The Veranda Events Center to celebrate what is shaping up as an $800 million plus year in Manteca when it comes to retail, road and highway, hospital infrastructure, school, home, and apartment construction.
Singh stressed the city is working successfully to assure Manteca is a place “where people want to live, work , grow, and stay.”
Following through on the racing team theme, he stressed Manteca is building a better community “lap by lap” thanks to “every member of the team working together” that includes city staff — from street worker to solid waste collector to police officer to city manager — as well as the community.
Although most cities would view what is now underway in Manteca as being worthy of a victory lap, Singh stressed it was building momentum for what is yet to come as the city races past the 100,000 population mark in the next two years.
What the lap of the city shows includes:
*Work underway on two new major shopping centers — one anchored by Food-for-Less and one anchored by Save Mart.
*More stores, services, and dining getting ready to open in the Promenade Shops at Orchard Valley.
*The site of a new 181,000 square-foot Walmart shopping center with space for 10 additional stores and restaurants.
*An $87 million expansion of Kaiser Permanente’s Manteca hospital.
*A $3.4 million custom water play feature nearing completion at Woodward Park.
*Quality of life touches such as the new community garden and utility box art program.
*The location of the $92 million police station breaking ground in September in the 600 block of South Main.
*Work under way on two homeless initiatives — a permanent 55,000 square-foot homeless navigation center a village for homeless veterans.
*A downtown that is adding new concerns and is preparing for its next steps in efforts to transform it into a more robust community gathering place.
*Extensive pedestrian and safety improvement work including the high profile pedestrian crossing signals on Main Street at Edison Street.
*One hundred affordable apartment units for low-income workers with an emphasis on providing housing for agricultural workers
Singh shared how the city, in its first year, has been delivering on promises connected with the 20-year, three-quarter set sales tax.
The sales tax so far has:
*Allowed the hiring of nine more firefighters and three more police officers.
*Invested $6 million in police and fire equipment including 16 police vehicles and two fire engines.
*Backfilled $2.5 million in gas tax revenue reduced by Sacramento to avoid street crew layoffs and to make sure road repair work continues.
*Allowed $2 million more in road projects.
*Is enabling Manteca to move forward with bonding for the new fire station as well as moving the sixth fire station forward toward ground breaking in the next two years.
“This is . . . progress you can see,” Singh said. “Measure Q is a plan you can trust.”
Singh also provided snapshots at what city workers do day-in and day-out.
One example involved police dispatchers.
Last year, they handled 130,000 calls, including 44,000 involving 9-1-1 emergencies.
“99.6 percent were answered with 15 seconds,” Singh said to the sound of applause.
Road detours are
part of progress
The mayor acknowledged a lot of people are complaining about the amount of road work underway in Manteca.
He asked people to be patient as detours are needed to create better roads, address traffic congestion and safety issues, as well as make it possible for new concerns such as restaurants and supermarkets to come to Manteca.
He added some of that work is for things you can’t see that are important to every day life such as replacing water and sewer lines as well as increasing storm drain system capacity.
When it came to business, Singh noted the city has issued $430,000 in small business grants during the past year to help with everything from façade improvements to expansion.
That is on top of a record 40 new brick and mortar businesses opening in Manteca during the past 12 months.
He also used the opportunity to promote the city’s next big thing — the family entertainment zone covering 150 acres bookended by Big League Dreams and Great Wolf Resort — that the city is currently interviewing development partners in a bid to secure restaurants, entertainment, regional recreation endeavors, hotels, and more.
Singh — in pointing out the city’s homeless projects — stressed “Manteca doesn’t run away from its problems.”
The mayor stressed the “Make it Manteca” campaign to market the community to employers, retailers, and restaurants is not just about adding jobs, shopping and dining choices and convenience, and economic growth.
“It is quality of life (as well),” Singh said.
With 10,000 plus housing units in various stages of the entitlement process, it may have struck some as odd that Singh brought up a housing project now being advanced that’s known as Union Ranch North and will have 455 homes.
The reason is simple.
Each home will result in $24,000 going to the city for everything from buying a garbage truck and a fire engine to helping pay for a new community park land acquisition north of Lathrop Road.
Collectively, it reflects $7.2 million in amenities.
“It’s the largest development agreement ever with a housing builder,” Singh said of what will be paid per home on top of growth fees.
He lauded developer Mike Atherto and his partners for agreeing to the agreement that will make it possible not just to provide for new residents but amenities for the existing Manteca community.
“Manteca,” Singh said as he wrapped up his remarks, “is not slowing down.”
The event was co-sponsored by the City of Manteca and the Manteca Chamber of Commerce.
To contact Dennis Wyatt, email dwyatt@mantecabulletin.com
