Do you Smell IT?

Grand Terrace pushes for stimulus funds
Stephen Wall, Staff Writer
Posted: 03/17/2009 04:12:47 PM PDT

Grand Terrace: Acting City Manager Steve Berry is in the nation's capital this week to make sure the city isn't left behind when federal stimulus dollars are divvied up.

Haven't we been told over and over again that GT is Financially Sound and We are able to RIDE out the down turn because Mr. Schwab and Mr. Berry are so good at their jobs?


Berry met Tuesday with representatives of Jerry Lewis, R-Redlands, and Joe Baca, D-San Bernardino, to discuss three of the City Council's top priorities.

Berry could meet with representatives here at their local offices and not cost the city the expense of travel.


Berry requested federal help for a proposal to bring a fiber-optic network from Loma Linda to Grand Terrace. He also sought support for technology partnerships at the city's new high school and pushed for funds to create a wilderness park on Blue Mountain.

This asking method is better done at local offices where the staff can aid in the filling out of funding Grants, where a quick visit does not produce the actual applications.

This may be why the High School is not named Grand Terrace High School. Steve Berry or the City of Grand Terrace has no standing to negotiate for the High School. If the school was called Grand Terrace High School, this miss use of authority or over-statement of authority will continue by the City Government. The City Council, Mayor, and Schwab/Berry have made it impossible for the School Board to name the High School, "Grand Terrace High School"...


"There's a tremendous amount of money flowing out of Washington right now," Berry said Tuesday afternoon after meetings with congressional aides. "We want to make sure we get our fair share of the stimulus package."

Now this is child like logic. Gimmie Mine... Who cares if it could be needed more some other place or used for a community that is not in good financial status like Grand Terrace is or so we have been told. No Stimulus money should come to GT unless the City Mangers, Department Heads and City Attorney take a 20 percent pay cut, and the Council stops getting a monthly check for auto expense without showing they actually drove on city business.


Berry's lobbying activities coincided with the National League of Cities conference that started Monday and ends today.

Remember the League of Cities is the Political Action Committee that likes Redevelopment Agencies and the power to use Eminent Domain to remove people from their property to then turn it over to other private parties... Yes, GT has not done that but they have threatened to do so... So you citizens are paying for our City Management to learn of ways to abuse your property rights to the advantage of Developers.


Berry heard speeches by several Cabinet officials, including Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood and Housing and Urban Development Secretary Shaun Donovan.

Berry said he was encouraged by his meeting with Baca and his staff regarding plans to collaborate with public and private institutions to bring a technology focus to the new high school in Grand Terrace.

Again, Berry has no standing to represent the interests of the new high school... He doesn't even have children who will be attending classes there. Mr. Bacca should know this. The City would not receive funds for a project at the high school.


"Ultimately, we must continue to reach out and incorporate new technologies, so we can best ensure that students receive the education necessary to prepare
them for the 21st Century workforce," Baca said in a statement.

On Saturday and Sunday, Berry attended a crisis-management course put on by the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

Mr. Berry should have flown in Friday, and returned on Sunday. Attending other events and meetings should not have been funded by taxpayers when those meetings are not in the interest of the citizens, or or beyond the scope of city management.


The city receive a grant from FEMA for the training, which included information on how to respond to natural and man-made disasters. The federal grant paid for Berry's expenses, except for meals and ground transportation. The council approved up to $800 for the trip, which included the $360 conference fee.

Citizens paid 800.00 additional dollars to aid the city management and redevelopment types to carve away at your property rights.

The City Management should not have Three stories. One for local consumption..." we are doing ok" we are financially sound.... then lay off people to save money... after of course giving a raise to both City Managers...

Then the representation that The City of Grand Terrace needs Stimulus Funds. Nope, perhaps a business in Grand Terrace does, but prior statements of the City Management and Council suggest that any extra money received would not be out of NEED but GREED... is this what we want to teach our children? Is this how we want to live.

The need in GT is for jobs that provide sufficient incomes to live in GT. This is not the goal for the city management. We do not need to continue being consumers only or a bed room community. If that is our future, the Stimulus Funds should go to the places where employment happens... as that may be Sustainable.

It may be time that the City Council and City Management has a House Cleaning and they are swept out of office as the Citizens are growing tired of their lies and over reaching and self indulgences.