Council passes three proclamations

The Carpinteria City Council passed three proclamations during its Monday, April 8 meeting, honoring the Rotary Club of Carpinteria Noon, and designating April 2024 as Fair Housing Month and April 7–13 as National Library Week. 

The first proclamation congratulated the Rotary Club of Carpinteria Noon on the 15th anniversary of its annual talent showcase. The first-ever talent showcase was held on February 20, 2010 at the Carpinteria Boys & Girls Club, with local TV reporter John Palminteri presiding as the Master of Ceremonies – a position he has held ever since. 

The talent show – which features 60-80 performers each year – is a fundraiser for the Carpinteria Unified School District’s music programs. The proceeds are also used to fund college scholarships and community grants for youth arts, athletics and theater programs. 

“The city council of the city of Carpinteria congratulates the Rotary Club of Carpinteria on its 15th anniversary of the talent showcase and commends it for the years of providing music programs and instruments to the youth in the Carpinteria community,” Mayor Al Clark read aloud from the proclamation. 

Members of the Rotary Club in attendance at the city council meeting received a physical copy of the proclamation from the council and offered a few words of gratitude for the recognition. 

“We want to thank our sponsors, our community and all those who work tirelessly in the background and especially our performers for bringing music and the performing arts to Carpinteria every year,” Roland Rotz said. 

The talent showcase is scheduled for Saturday, April 20 at The Alcazar Theatre, 6–9 p.m. Tickets are $20; see more online at thealcazar.org. 

This year’s show is sponsored by platinum sponsors Ziyad Ballat and Mary Jamil Watfah, owners of Kim’s Market in Carpinteria; gold sponsors Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians Foundation and the Schaff Foundation; silver sponsors Barrett and Suellen Hilzer, Rosebro Garage LLC, Santa Barbara Bowl Foundation, The Surfliner Inn and John and Vera Welty; and nearly 50 more bronze, in-kind and foundation sponsors. 

The second proclamation – the Fair Housing Proclamation – recognizes the 56th anniversary of the Federal Fair Housing Act, which was originally passed on April 11, 1968. 

The proclamation honors the city of Carpinteria’s 17-year partnership with the city of Santa Barbara’s Rental Housing Mediation Program, which provides “education, eviction prevention, mediation with the successful out-of-court resolution of rental housing disputes.” 

The proclamation also “urge(d) all citizens to understand and exercise their right to equal housing opportunity.” 

City of Santa Barbara Rental Housing Mediation Supervisor Andrea Bifano received the proclamation from the council and spoke about the need for continued focus on fair housing. 

“Fifty-six years after the passage of the act, discrimination in housing is still very prevalent and continues to be reported in the highest numbers ever reported,” Bifano said. 

“The act needs to be put in action through awareness and education for impact and change to occur on every level within our society beginning here with our local communities and that is what we’re doing here today.” 

The final proclamation, for National Library Week, recognized the role of the Carpinteria Community Library in serving the city through diverse programs and collections that provide “the opportunity for everyone to pursue their passions and engage in lifelong learning.” 

The proclamation emphasized the technological and job-seeking resources the library provides to the community, and fosters “local connection, advancing learning and understanding, civic engagement and shared community goals.” 

Library Advisory Commissioner Glynn Birdwell spoke during public comment, expanding on the important role libraries play in local communities as “the heart and soul of the community that provides essential services as well as enriching experiences.” 

“From helping a reader find the next book in their favorite series to organizing a summer reading program for youth and adults and serving on the emergency management team monitoring social media during a citywide emergency, just a few examples of all the things that libraries do every day in their communities,” Birdwell said.