Randall Road Ribbon Cutting During Flood Preparedness Week

Randall Road Ribbon Cutting During Flood Preparedness Week title=
L to R: County Public Works Deputy Director Walter Rubalcava, former County Public Works Deputy Director Tom Fayram, Second District Supervisor Gregg Hart, U.S. Congressman Salud Carbajal, First District Supervisor Das Williams, County Public Works Director Scott McGolpin, Montecito resident Curtis Skene, California Department of Water Resources Manager Salomon Miranda, County Office of Emergency Management Director Kelly Hubbard, County Public Works Deputy Director Julie Hagen.
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By Santa Barbara County Public Works

On Monday, October 24, government officials, staff, contractors, and community partners celebrated the completion of the Randall Road Debris Basin in Montecito. This project dates back to the Thomas Fire and 1/9 Debris Flow when community members expressed support for a new debris basin. The project was approved in August 2020, and construction on the $21.3 million project – the largest debris basin in Montecito, began in May 2021.  

Speakers at the event included United States Congressman Salud Carbajal, First District Supervisor Das Williams, California Department of Water Resources (DWR) Manager Salomon Miranda, Public Works Director Scott McGolpin and County Public Works Deputy Director Walter Rubalcava. Director McGolpin thanked staff, the project’s contractor, V. Lopez Jr. and Sons, and the community for working on a project that will improve safety for the residents of Montecito and the traveling public. “Our Public Works team takes pride in this project that will reduce potential flooding and debris flow impacts at Highway 192 and downstream infrastructure and properties.” 

As a former County Supervisor and the region's federal representative, Carbajal said it was a privilege to work with various agencies and the community to improve regional resiliency. "As we approach the fifth anniversary of those events, I am proud to stand with the County's public servants and first responders to remember those that lost their lives and their livelihoods. By completing projects that will save lives in the face of worsening climate disasters, we honor those affected by the debris flow and help build a more resilient community." 

Williams said, “This is a great accomplishment, but we are not done working on your behalf. We need to always be getting better, both in our infrastructure and fire service. We know we have a long-term generational project between here and the ocean to ensure this community is safer. Through this work, we can ensure that future disasters are less likely to be severe and less likely to have such a terrifying loss of life. 

Monday’s event kicked off California Flood Preparedness Week. California Flood Preparedness Week began in 2012 with a single event in Sacramento County and is now in its eleventh year. DWR supports events across the state, working with federal, state, and local agencies to inform Californians about flood risk and preparedness. Miranda highlighted the importance of preparing for potential flooding. “Even though California is entering the fourth year of an extreme drought and conservation is as important as ever, we must remember that flooding can happen at any time, even during drought years.” 

With the Randall Road Debris Basin now complete, Rubalcava thanked the community, contractors, and local, state and federal governments that helped see the project to completion. "After the next flood event or wildfire that occurs, the hope is that when the debris comes down that mountain, more of that debris will be captured here, helping to protect the community, the neighborhoods, and the network of roadways down below.”  

The project was funded by a FEMA $13.5 million Hazard Mitigation Program Grant and a State $4.5 Community Development Block Grant. For more information on Flood Preparedness Week, visit water.ca.gov. For local resources on flood preparedness, visit https://www.countyofsb.org/pwd/floodprep.  

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Voice of Reason Oct 25, 2022 03:53 PM
Randall Road Ribbon Cutting During Flood Preparedness Week

Lots of wealthy potential political donors to schmooze with and promise the world to at the ribbon cutting. Not so at the debate, which was rather pointless anyway with way to many "blue no matter who" voters here. Salud could have zoomed the debate from a strip club while being a chauvinist with the staff and he'd still win.

Voice of Reason Oct 25, 2022 08:43 PM
Randall Road Ribbon Cutting During Flood Preparedness Week

Wow. I guess it’s true, some people will never give up their masks. I bet you still think the vaccines stop transmission? You’re going to be real upset when you find out the new BQ variant seeks out vaccinated individuals 3 to 1 over the unvaccinated, and has a particular taste for those who were recently vaccinated as well. Boost up!

a-1666760473 Oct 25, 2022 10:01 PM
Randall Road Ribbon Cutting During Flood Preparedness Week

I realize this is hopeless, given how clue-resistant the antivax crowd is, but:

https://www.factcheck.org/2022/06/scicheck-vaccinated-people-not-more-susceptible-to-covid-19-than-unvaccinated/

ChillinGrillin Oct 26, 2022 01:35 AM
Randall Road Ribbon Cutting During Flood Preparedness Week

VoR: Who is Salud running against? No I’m genuinely asking bc I barely knew he was running against anyone. You can’t run a little league team against pros then complain it’s unfair when you lose. Dear QOP, Try harder and stop running dingbats, get some moderates with business sense.

Voice of Reason Oct 26, 2022 08:30 AM
Randall Road Ribbon Cutting During Flood Preparedness Week

@10:01 did you bother to read the "fact check" or just scan the headline? How many time do these "fact checkers" need to be wrong before you realize they're just an extension of the narrative? Also, note I specifically referred to the new BQ variant. When this occurs, remember how many falsely claimed it was the unvaccinated that was causing the continued spread (false) and leading to new variants (also false). We can come back to this in six months, that's about the time it takes to get from "conspiracy theory" to accepted reality. But by all means, keep boosting. Head of the CDC went on twitter getting the new "updated" shot - covid positive less than a month later.

Benicee Oct 25, 2022 04:54 PM
Randall Road Ribbon Cutting During Flood Preparedness Week

@3:48 Larry Elder ran against your dear leader in a recall election. And this is just my opinion about salud. I think he’s slimy politician like the rest of them. The Lompoc river bed is like thunderdome from mad max. But who cares.

a-1666746956 Oct 25, 2022 06:15 PM
Randall Road Ribbon Cutting During Flood Preparedness Week

We weren't discussing the Governor's election, I was talking about Andy Caldwell, but I guess there are a lot of GOP candidates who fit that description. Since you brought it up, the GOP blew their chances at the CA Governor seat by putting their support behind Elder (the domestic abusing, sexist, ignoramus) instead of a moderate with a shred of sense who could have actually swayed other moderates and Dems, all of who were pissed at Newsom.
Point being, there aren't good enough candidates on the right to sway independent thinkers.

Benicee Oct 25, 2022 08:13 PM
Randall Road Ribbon Cutting During Flood Preparedness Week

It okay to show up to Montecito to cut ribbons. But the Lompoc river bed his district, has people chopped cut stabbed shot rapped theft’s drugs. But yeah it’s in the armpit out of sight out of mind.

ChillinGrillin Oct 26, 2022 01:30 AM
Randall Road Ribbon Cutting During Flood Preparedness Week

Lmao the truck flag types crack me up getting offended on behalf of Lompoc. As if any have been there or give a flying rats behind about what happens there. C’mon man, thats taking the fake outrage to the fantasy level.

a-1666804637 Oct 26, 2022 10:17 AM
Randall Road Ribbon Cutting During Flood Preparedness Week

Attending ribbon-cutting events is how they get the word out that something has been accomplished. See, we read it here. If they hadn’t had a ceremony, no matter how lame, it probably wouldn’t make the news.

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