AAAHHHHH yes! the 'committee' the 'study group'! Once again wasted time.

They all have to wait until the 'committee/study group' picks the 'right' people for the 'committee', gets together, yaks it over, consults with whomever, makes a list, makes a graph, makes a financial report, an environmental report, a stop light report, a 'how many cars in this area' report, a 'how can we raise taxes to pay for this' report.  Then they go to the supervisors who indicate they are not happy with the 'reports' - do it again.

Agencies are always 'accountable' but how many times does anybody really ask for an 'accounting'?  Got receipts?

If the people in Oildale really want to do something to improve their situation they should talk to the local LAFCo and  seriously explore  incorporation of their own city. It can be a lengthy process with lots of qualifiers, but I believe the people of Oildale would be far better off with their own city rather than being just another blighted and forgotten piece of Bakersfield. I saw two areas in greater Sacramento (West Scaramento and Rancho Cordova) go through this process with very positive results for their communities. Areas of deterioration were cleaned up and ordinances affecting both businesses and residential area were created to make positive change a reality.

Since Bakersfield already has a redevelopment agency in place I am not sure why another should be created specifically for Oildale. It makes no sense. Incorporation into a new city that takes care of the people within its own boundaries makes a lot more sense to me, since it is patently obvious both the existing city and county government agencies have failed Oildale.

Wouldn`t a opening in the Isabella dam work? 

With all the deveopement in that area, I'm not sure just what the boundary of Oildale, except for the Kern River. adampayne makes sense to me. Why a new agency when we have one in place? I've always thought of Oildale as a part of Bakersfield, a suburb, so to speak. I know Oildale has its share of neglect, but Jenny makes it sound like a 3rd world country. Is it so dire that we need to "offer residents hope?" Or is it offer developers hope?

Everything is fine there... the enviroment suits the inhabitants, the inhabitants make the enviroment ? What`s the problem ?

Hey MaggiePoo, evidently you haven't looked at the map regarding what happens if the Isabella Dam goes. Oildale is pretty much safe.  Maybe you should investigate further. You might be in a flood zone

Well we`ll just have to find a different dam then ! Willing to bet that you wouldn`t want to be standing at the corner of Roberts /Chester when the dam goes...

You hang out at that corner and let us know.

Some thoughts on what Oildale needs:

1) Uniform signage, stop sign, and sidewalk ordinances.  This includes incentives to refurbish historic signs in the area. 
2) Redevelopment vision and money for Chester Business core revitalization.
3) Development of attractive low-income housing coupled with demolition of dilapidated and abandoned properties (residential and commercial).   
3) New Sheriff substation on Chester near the Kern River.
4) Public art commissions that highlight appropriate aspects of Oildale's history.
5) More public park spaces catered to teens, and a public teen center.
6) Turn Buck Owen's studio into a County Bakersfield Sound Museum.
7) Tree and landscaping plan for public spaces, and especially near main thoroughfares.

As for the incorporation process, it's expensive and the need of the community might be better served by redevelopment while remaining a community in unincorporated Kern County.  I looked up the costs and documentation required, and it could cost up to a half million.  I think being incorporated into Bakersfield wouldn't sit well with Oildale's old guard, given the years of being the butt of jokes from Bakersfieldians.

I'm just glad the County is thinking about it.  I'm looking forward to the public scoping period.

And Magiepoo -- check out the inundation area of the dam from the Kern Council of Governments.  Here's a link:

http://www.kerncog.org/maps...

We're all in trouble if the dam goes.

Not all.......Just nature cleansing itself.....