From the Email InBox: GT Days

Hey Grandpa,

My family and I attended the Grand Terrace Days parade and fair. I go because I love running into friends. I do wish Steve Berry would put a little more interest in planning these events, or turn it over to someone that has a true interest.

I say that because every year I hear the laughter and derogatory comments about how stupid the parade is. This year, in the barber shop we talked about the insult to cowboys and the citizens with the cheapest felt cowboy hats they could find and the old-ladies line dancing. This was truly an insult to my heritage. But the city shouldn't attempt things they don't understand. I really felt they found these people at some bar.

I did enjoy the country music at the park though. And the dunking tank and bungee jump thing. Snow cones and Mexican food is always a big hit.

I was glad to see it wasn't a Mayor, or City Council grand stand day. Was there a Jacobsen sighting?

I also wanted to make mention that the Mayor's light reflection flowers are dead now. I think they lasted two weeks.

Also from the Email InBox:

Has any one noticed the obvious name not on the Grand Terrace days sponsors ?
Does this mean that Jacobson is finished with Grand Terrace or does it mean that
the city now knows what conflict of interest is ?

Also from the Email InBox:

Gramps: Why don't the businesses and developers give contributions to the Sports Teams, the Lion's Club, the Woman's Club, to the School District or Individual Schools rather than giving to the City's Party fund... GT Days, Halloween Haunt, and the Historical Committee? Could it be that the City Council and City Management has power over the contributor's plans? Gee... IF you want to be clear of suspicion it would be easy to contribute to the community and NOT even have a whiff of a conflict of interest. BUT NO... that is not how things are done in Grand Terrace, or in San Bernardino County.

It is prudent to ask the conflict question when ever you see the correlation between "Donation" and "City Council Action Pending".

AES, Corporation for Better Housing, Jacobsen, and now Shopoff , (they are the folks building up Spring Valley and our traffic). All make donations when they have plans to be approved. Connect the dots... A good citizen or a clean contribution has no payback down the road.

For the city to use city staff to collect donations and then spend them on a one or two day event is also a poor management of a limited resource of contributions. These contributions could be solicited and matched with Block Grant Funds for real year round public service projects if the city was of the mind to provide services for youth and teens for example.