More than thirty residents from western Goleta gathered at Ellwood School this past Saturday morning, October 7, 2023, for a Coffee & Community (Café y Comunidad) event. This was the third in a series of quarterly gatherings of its kind held in different parts of the City. The attendees enjoyed coffee, pastries and conversation with Mayor Paula Perotte, Councilmember Stuart Kasdin and a group of City staff from a variety of departments. Gina Fischer from Santa Barbara County Supervisor Joan Hartmann’s office was in attendance as well. Spanish translation was provided.
Councilmember Kasdin said, “We have long wanted to do more out in the neighborhoods beyond the usual City Council meetings. Coffee & Community is a chance for a better community conversation. It was a great opportunity for all of us.”
Mayor Perotte thanked those in attendance for taking time out of their Saturday to attend and encouraged them to stay connected with the City. She said, “This is a very well-informed and engaged group, and as always, I learned a lot by hearing their questions, comments, and ideas.”
During the event, City staff discussed airport noise, Ellwood Mesa trails and butterflies, homelessness, abandoned items and shopping carts. Attendees were also able to ask questions about their areas of interest and receive answers from the staff present. Residents came up with more questions on additional important topics for our community, including street paving, recycling practices, pop-up food vendors, E-bikes, housing, fire preparedness, the proposed fire station and pedestrian safety.
A big thanks to Ellwood School Principal Ned Schoenwetter for helping set up the event and make sure it ran smoothly, and to Kozy Coffee in Isla Vista for donating the delicious coffee.
The City plans to hold another Coffee and Community event in the New Year. Stay tuned for details. For questions, call or email the City’s Spanish Engagement Specialist, Marcos Martinez, at (805) 562-5500 or mmartinez@cityofgoleta.org.
