City Manager Tom Schwab's Comments Raise Questions

City Manager Tom Schwab stated that it was not a failure in the procedure to have the City Council vote on an issue coming from the Planning Committee with in 7 days of its approval by Planning Committee.

His reasoning was this. The purpose of the appeals process was to allow an item passed by the Planning Commission to be brought to the Agenda of the City Council within a 10 day period of appeal. He stated that because of issues involved the matter was brought to the City Council automatically.

The flaw in this reasoning is that a citizen may have thought of a reason to appeal on day 8, 9, or 10 beyond the reasons the City Council's concerns or actions on day 7. Therefore has not the citizens right to appeal an action been unjustly truncated by 3 days under the Schwab interpretation?

To add to the citizens concerns is the city's lawyer cutting off any potential public comment on the items on the agenda getting a "Second Reading". Why on earth have a second reading if the public has no chance of making a final appeal to the council before an ordinance is final. A 20,000,000.00 Development Project with a zone change, and General Plan Change, and a 65 year commitment is worthy of public discussion. Now we at least know that if we are interested in making a "PUBLIC COMMENT" on an agenda item that is a "SECOND READING" to do so during "PUBLIC COMMENT" section of the meeting. Generalize the issue and "Relate it to the Agenda Item getting the "Second Reading".

Council Member Miller gets a "Do Over" on his vote. Why on earth aren't the citizens of Grand Terrace given half as much consideration.

Regarding Crime, and Law Enforcement and Reporting In Grand Terrace.

It takes the WILL of the COUNCIL to Demand that the Dispatchers Log related to calls originating from GT be made available for posting either on this blog, or on their web page.

It takes the WILL of the COUNCIL to Demand to know the response time to Calls.

It takes the Will of the COUNCIL to Demand to know the number of UNRESOLVED cases of reported crimes.

Sex Offenders can be located on the sheriff's Web Page.
Actual Arrests can be located on the Sheriff's Web Page.

However, the real meat and potato issues and data regarding crime is not available. Calls in, response Time, Resolved Cases.

Finally, it would be nice to be able to know how the Cases making it to court are resolved. One can dream.