Kern County District 2 Supervisor Chris Parlier talks to members of the Greater Tehachapi Chamber of Commerce and local community leaders during a luncheon at P-Dubs Brew Pub on Sept. 16.
Kern County District 2 Supervisor Chris Parlier visited Tehachapi recently, speaking at a Greater Tehachapi Chamber of Commerce luncheon attended by many community leaders where he spoke about what he has accomplished since being sworn into office late last year.
"Tehachapi, I consider one of the jewels of District 2," Parlier said at the gathering. "It is such a wonderful community."
He said Tehachapi is the hub of eastern Kern County, an area that is becoming a center for clean energy, and is an access point for regional health, public safety and workforce housing, as well as a great place to live.
During the presentation he talked about his priorities, which include public safety, cleaning up communities and improving road conditions.
On the subject of public safety, Parlier said 15 new Flock cameras will be installed at major ingress and egress points in communities across the district. He said these cameras will identify vehicles that are stolen or belong to people with active warrants and will improve public safety by allowing law enforcement to share information between agencies.
Flock cameras monitor traffic and photograph the rear of all passing vehicles, and read their license plate numbers, not for traffic enforcement but for use in criminal investigations and surveillance.
The technology has drawn criticism and concern nationwide from many, including organizations such as the American Civil Liberties Union and the Electronic Frontier Foundation, which view it as an unwarranted expansion of public surveillance and a danger to people's privacy.
Asked about the cameras by Parlier at the luncheon, Tehachapi Police Chief Richard Standridge said Flock cameras were used in a recent arrest in Stallion Springs and has said they are beneficial for public safety.
Standridge said at a previous luncheon that the department's Flock camera system doesn't do anything with the data gathered unless it recognizes the car as stolen, or belonging to someone with a warrant, or something along those lines. The photos are deleted from the system after a short time.
Parlier also talked about getting eight new drones for the Kern County Sheriff's Office and Fire Department, which he said can be used for search and rescue operations, environmental monitoring, thermal imaging and data collection. He said they can be used in place of a helicopter in many cases to pursue fleeing suspects.
He said there are many state regulations and rules that are meant to protect people's privacy when it comes to drone use, and they are not going to be constantly in use when there's no need.
"We're not snooping in people's backyards," he said.
Parlier also talked about community clean-up efforts on District 2 roadways and elsewhere, removing litter with the help of local communities.
He said he has frequent meetings with local stakeholders to evaluate areas of need, but individuals can report issues on their own as well.
The city of Tehachapi recently announced that it had received the designation of a "Clean California Community," one of the first cities in California to gain that designation under a new state initiative.
The designation will give the city access to "Clean California Community" signage as well as educational resources, and automatic membership with Keep California Beautiful, a nonprofit organization that aims to preserve natural resources.
Parlier said anyone who sees a problem that the county can address should report it through the MyKern App, which he said is the fastest way to get a specific problem addressed, whether it's a pothole, broken street sign or graffiti.
He said Kern County Public Works is always looking at the app and the more information they have, the better.
At the luncheon, Parlier also discussed road improvements, particularly a project to add a new truck lane to Highway 58 east, which he said will alleviate pressure on vehicles on the road.
He said it is likely to be an 18- to 24-month project, and there will be some delays during construction, but it will be worth it.
He also talked briefly about the Caltrans District 9 Maintenance Yard in Tehachapi, which is an investment in safety, efficiency, and public service that will allow for quicker responses to community needs and better highway maintenance.
Another subject of discussion was new businesses coming into the area, including Pacific Steel Group in Mojave, which Parlier said will bring hundreds of jobs to the area, including Tehachapi.
He also talked about the Kern Transparent Online Permitting System, which is still being developed but is aimed at streamlining the process of getting securing permits.
He said speeding up this process will bolster the local economies of Kern County.
Parlier said he's only been in office for about nine months but he's been able to hit the ground running and feels like a great deal has been accomplished already, in part because of his team, members of which he praised at the luncheon.