• After undergoing close to 10 months of construction, the Joseph Centeno Betteravia Government Center is back in business. Members of the Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors recently played host to a ribbon-cutting ceremony at the new-and-improved center. Joe Centeno, a former 5th District supervisor and the building’s namesake, was expected to appear as a special guest, along with project contractor Michael Diani of Diani Building Corp. Located at 511 E. Lakeside Parkway in Santa Maria, the center houses the auditor-controller, clerk-recorder-assessor, CRA elections, treasurer-tax collector, Veterans Administration, and offices for the 4th and 5th district supervisors. The supervisors meet at the center for one of their weekly meetings. The 2,000-square-foot retrofit includes a new lobby, men’s and women’s restrooms, CSBTV office, and storage space for hearing room equipment. The project also included minor renovations to the existing hearing room, including a revised entry, increased seating capacity, improved circulation, and audio/video improvements. And, thanks to the renovation, county residents will now get to visit the new Betteravia Gallery North, curated by the Santa Barbara County Arts Commission. Construction on the project began in September 2012 and is now complete. The Board of Supervisors is expected to resume meetings starting July 9. ∆
This article appears in Jul 4-11, 2013.
