More Reason for Recall
Citizen Patricia Farley has been bringing to the City Council Chambers concerns, and specific complaints against Swertfeger’s Equipment. Swertfigeter's Equipment has been operating as a truck trailer repair facility since 1984 when founder, Lee Swertfeger, purchased two acres of land in Grand Terrace, California,Trucking locate on Michigan Street in Grand Terrace. Of issue are the current violation of the Conditional Use Permits and other related operational practices and code enforcement.
The blog will post all documents provided in JPG if they are emailed to Grandterracenews@yahoo.com.
The first complaints did not result in action. Patricia Farley persisted. She maticilously unraveled the maise of information regarding the business, the business expansion, and the permits of occupation. She has recovered many interesting documents regarding the city's lack of oversight of the operations of the business.
Finally the City Manager was directed to have the matter reviewed. It was FINALY a directive from the Council, then he was OBLIGATED to look into the Swertfeger’s Equipment Issue. The results were presented to the Citizen asking the question so Patricia Farley has the details, and when trying to present them to the City Council and Citizens at the Only Public Forum in Grand Terrace, she was limited to 3 minutes during Community Comments.
This is not a 3 minute issue. Perhaps one of the Council Members who is concerned about the safety of our community will put the presentation of the information on the Agenda. Perhaps the Council will then have a Directive to the City Manager to take action. WITHOUT such a directive it is apparent from past behavior that the City Manager is unwilling, or disinterested in taking action regarding the Swarzegler Trucking Company.
We must ask why does Code Enforcement ticket things like posters and signes and banners for local small businesses, and fail to look at the Bigger Complaints and issues? You fill in the reason. What ever it is, it isn't right. A discount on a hair cut sign I can live with. The situations discribed at the truck yard may not be so easy to live with, or in some cases perhaps not live with.
Citizen Patricia Farley, feels that the most important thing in Grand Terrace should be families, private property and homes. She expressed her anger with the negligence with the residential area on Michigan. She feels as if they have not been protected. She expressed her dissatisfaction with the trucking business on Michigan with what they have been allowed to do.
Only after Patricia Farleys repeated insistence and the efforts of Sharron Abbott at getting the documents related to the business did the Council Finaly Direct the City Manager to have an audit of the Permits and Condituional use Permits of the Swatzegafe Trucking.
Citizen Patricia Farley, stated that at the last Planning Commission Meeting they approved something that she believes to be illegal and she would like the Council to prevent it from occurring. The Planning Commission is approving ESSCO to move around in a specific plan, which is the OAC, and it also is a business that has been using our public streets without any reimbursements for storage. They clearly expect to continue to store outdoors and she is tired of seeing Michigan trashed and more and more trucks being brought in. She feels that the Council in the past was responsible for damaging Barton Road because the poor people that lived there were always up in the air because the City was dealing with developers and making it hard to do what they wanted to do with their property. Those peoples property was not bought fairly and now they are going down Michigan.
There is now a Suit against the Approval of the ESSCO Plans. EVEN the City Attorny said during the Council Meeting: The ESSCO site is under the OAC Plan Specifications and the ESSCO Plan is not in agreement with the OAC Plan Specs, and this will not doubt be cause for court action. YET the Council acted in agreement with STAFF recommendation.
Citizen Patricia Farley stated to the City Council that the evaluation of the City Manager and the staff that you rely on for decisions is so alarming to the citizens of Grand Terrace. The staff are not seasoned attorneys and you are taking their opinion over the law at the risk of the community and money and she has a problem with that. Many people in Grand Terrace are dissatisfied with Mr. Schwab’s performance. Over the past few years, complaints have been expressed by many citizen’s in Grand Terrace about how Mr. Schwab is managing our City. Your evaluation of him needs to reflect all of the problems that we have and continue to have. As Councilmembers, you need to have the best legal advice to protect all residents and you are not getting that. Your continued support of Mr. Schwab and ignoring the concerns of the residents is very alarming. Council is responsible for the problems that Mr. Schwab is causing Grand Terrace if you continue to support him. She and others in this City feel very strongly that the Council owe it to the Citizen’s of this City to hire a new City Manager in which they can have confidence and who better represents the needs of the community. You have a big job to do and you need to do the right thing.
The Council Action: Give City Manger a Raise, and Increase his Benefits should he be terminated in the Future. Full payment of unused sick leave, and medical insurance for a year in the event on separation was added to his terms of the contract. SO if he is essentially FIRED, he leaves with a pile of cash, no other employee enjoys that level of compensation, and one must ask why is he provided such a high reward. There are other people able and willing to do his job. I am not suggesting bargain hunting for a City Manager, however it seems odd to pay a premium price for the services provided either.
The active participation of citizens in their government does not end when you cast your vote. Please know that making the government works takes everyone’s effort to watch and be aware of their governments actions.
Please encourage the full disclosure and discussion of the above real issues. Help insist that the City Council is held in account for their responsibility in Oversight and Evaluation of the City Manager, and the City’s Management.
