Can you Hear Now?

http://www.pe.com/localnews/sanbernardino/stories/PE_News_Local_B_bactivists23.3e9c8.html

READ IT IN THE PRESS-ENTERPRISE

Activists gain attention
Group finds support in Grand Terrace growth fight
01:57 AM PDT on Thursday, June 23, 2005
By PAUL LaROCCO / The Press-Enterprise

............................... nearly 50 people who packed the city's Lions Club basement on Monday.
Discussion ranged from conspiracy theories on the city's motives for all the development coming to Grand Terrace to ideas on what should be done instead. But the three-hour meeting centered on a revelation of sorts: city officials would be a lot more willing to hear complaints if they came from a large, mobilized citizen's group, and not the same voices heard at every council meeting.
"If you organize, the city will become yours," resident T. Leon Berry said.

"And you won't have to worry about them not carrying out your wishes."
Monday's crowd went beyond the most active government critics such as Farley and Bill Hays to include Chamber of Commerce President Bobbie Forbes and chamber board member Jeffrey McConnell, who puts out the city-sponsored newsletter, "The Blue Mountain Outlook."

"This is a movement," McConnell said, referring to the crowd attempting to overturn the Planning Commission's approval last week of the Manhole Builders plant.

Grandpaterrace says:
Thanks to the coverage of the Press and the folks who are often disparaged and dismissed by council members, issues in Grand Terrace are being freely discussed in the open, and that discussion is good.

It was not right when the citizens didn't speak out against the abuse of the first land owner forced, or coerced into selling their property for the Town Center, It was not right when the City's Manager had a Dream of the OAC and put it into action without running it by in detail to the entire community and specifically the people who owned the land, and the areas neighbors. It was not right to place a High School site across from a Power Plant Site, and Rail Tracks, and at the furthest edge of town. It was not right to change the zoning from agricultural use the bottom land now under the threat of being used as a cement manufacturing facility, adjacent to homes, a river bed and hopeful a future county park.

What Ideas Do We in citizens have, Like the City has shown any indications that it LISTENS to the Citizens.... Mr. Berry get the wax out of your ears.

Well, here are some ideas. GET RID OF THE CRA, pay off the loans, and swap sites and land until the High School is on Barton Road, the Homes have been moved, and the Retail TC is located across from the power plant conveniently between the two populations of GT and HighGrove. This would be a better traffic solution, and a better business location for the stores, and Lowes could use the rail spurs to save shipping costs.

The Home owners displaced by the High School could have their homes relocated to OAC Property, or Property in Honey Hills for all I care, the city should be taken to the mat and they should be compensated for the bad treatment they have suffered at the hands of the city and due to the collective tolerance and silence of the citizens of Grand Terrace.

The City should also property swap with the bottom land owner, and encourage that person to locate near colton cement. Perhaps the old Tiger Sanctuary. and the City of Colton, and County of SB Parks would help with the swap deal.

Ideas, all practical and workable.

Now for the OAC... Let's put to together a plan that is forward looking and perhaps green in its approach. Solar Fun Park, or Sail Boats, or something that is not petro, noise dependent..... Even a goat dairy is better and more amusing that the OAC Plan.

Oh here is one other idea. Terminate Tom Schwab. Order a full audit and review of all financial and planning department actions. File Criminal Charges if any are to be made. Hire a City Manager which does not have grandiose delusions of grandeur. This is Grand Terrace a Bedroom Community, don't make it into Anaheim or Laguna. If the letter of the laws or regulations were not criminally violated, there are civic moral issues with the conduct of Mr. Schwab, and Council Members present and past.

Remove all No Parking Signs and Red Curbs, and the Mt. Vernon/Grand Terrace Rd Island. Change the city wide speed limit to be 25 mph. Down grade bike lanes so that they do not preclude parking or stopping on the street.

Put all contracts up for competitive bids, and disclose all terms and conditions of the contracts and keep a online file for persons wishing to investigate any city business.

And oh so much more.

Hear this Mr. Berry and all city employees, you may want to think about which side of the FORCE you are going to be on. It is time you think about being a hero or an anti hero to the citizens of Grand Terrace.