What Will a New City Manager Find In GT..

Below is an article about Colton, however expect the exact same things to happen right here in Grand Terrace. For years now the City Council of Grand Terrace has been told to say they have a large reserve, when in fact that reserve represents Committed Redevelopment Funds that are acquired by DEBT Financing. For years now there has been an effort to find who is GrandpaTerrace or infiltrate the Blog.

Even though a few members of the City Staff have contributed to the blog, and most of the Blog is a repeat of statements made by NAMED individuals IN City Council Meetings, the need to know who makes this data available has hounded some to the point of trying to bribe individuals with a "Reward" for the identity of Grand Pa Terrace, and the alleged hiring of an attorney to take some sort of Legal action upon discovery of Gramps ID.

Individuals who have taken active rolls in the election of, and employment of City Council Members their business with the City should be included in the Public Discussion. Particularly when some of the negotiations for that business has been done behind closed doors and on non competitive bid arrangements. This individual has contacted several of the folks who have been outspoken in the Council Meetings to try to find out who is Grand Pa Terrace with intent to disrupt the availability of the information on the blog.

Now this particular individual and None of the Current City Council Members or the Mayor have emailed the blog for a retraction or correction on any of the posts on this blog. Their apparent angst is that the information is out and not hidden in an obscure City Record. The City Council Members Email is blocked from receiving Email from the Blog, so they are not informed and do not respond to questions. However, information has come from within City Hall to their great frustration.

We hope the NEW City Manager will have Ethics similar to the temporary City Manager of Colton. Citizens and yes even Council Members should have in hand the truth and all the information available. Rather than playing the Who is Grand Pa Terrace, the question should be why is there a Grand Pa Terrace and work on removing the Need for such a Blog in Grand Terrace.

The threats of legal action, the hunt for Grand Pa Terrace, is demonstrative of the type of climate that exemplifies the proof of the intimidation efforts of the City Council, City Staff, and Former City Managers, and their supporters. Council Member Miller is and example of the natural or un-natural progression of the intimidation efforts and threats that have been employed.

Grand Pa Terrace wants to thank the contributors to this blog for all the homework they have done and continue to do for the citizens of Grand Terrace.

Perhaps, just perhaps the City Council will hire a City Manager with Ethics this time around, WE however, expect more of the same... as in some cases they have a vested interest in not having Grand Terrace clean house. In some cases there is pressures from former Council Members and Staff to continue on with the past style of conduct, and management.

Gramps..


Nasty Surprises Left in Colton
http://www.pe.com/columns/cassiemacduff/stories/PE_News_Local_N_ncass07.4835a60.html
10:00 PM PDT on Tuesday,
October 6, 2009
Cassie MacDuff
The Press-Enterprise

When Colton City Manager Daryl Parrish unexpectedly announced in May that he had accepted the city manager post in Covina, no one knew just what was in the bag that he left the city holding. Interim City Manager Bob Miller started poking around and discovered Parrish had overspent on two consulting contracts by $56,000. And the $5 million-plus reserve fund the council relied on to avoid layoffs? It doesn't exist.

But there's more. Parrish recruited away the city's finance and human resources directors, and has refused to make good on a $652.31-a-month lease on the Lexus he insisted on driving. Parrish didn't return calls seeking comment on Tuesday.

The city was supposed to pay $500 a month toward his car allowance and Parrish was to make up the difference. The city can't unload the Lexus because it would cost more to end the lease early than to keep paying it. City officials hoped Parrish would take the car with him or Covina would take over the lease. That didn't happen. Admirably, Miller brought that and the overspending on the contracts for psychologist Bill Mathis and public relations consultant CV Strategies to the council's attention. And he took responsibility.

Miller, who has the energy and build of a football coach, believes in taking the bull by the horns. If the city stubs its toe, he says, it should admit it publicly. "I'm not just the city manager, I'm the police chief. I have a standard I have to uphold," he told me in an interview in his office on Tuesday morning.

What's this? Ethics in Colton government? How refreshing.

The council brought him in to get more control and oversight of the bureaucracy, and to instill confidence in city government, he said. That will take a culture change. He's ousting the bunker mentality and directing department heads to meet with community groups -- even Colton First, the perpetual thorn in Parrish's and Mayor Kelly Chastain's sides. That's a good approach for problems he inherited.

He also took that approach on the nonexistent reserve fund, which is actually money owed to the general fund by the electric utility. (The utility is solvent and will pay, Miller said.) Miller himself met with five members of Colton First on Monday morning. I met with them a short time later, and they seemed open to giving Miller a chance. That's a good sign in a city where every council meeting seems to descend into acrimony between audience, council and staff.

However, Colton First (which does its homework) was disturbed to learn CV Strategies apparently had been tasked to infiltrate it. "Research Colton First group. Obtain membership form and submit," said a CV progress report. Colton is a small town. An outsider trying to go undercover would probably stand out like a sore thumb. Still, there's something Nixonian about the episode.

CV Strategies President Erin Gilhuly said her policy is not to discuss work she does for clients; it's for them to disseminate. Parrish managed CV's and Mathis' contracts, so his assistant couldn't elucidate either. Miller said the city doesn't do counter-intelligence on community groups.

Council members weren't happy about the overspending. On Sept. 22, they voted 4-3 against paying CV and Mathis for the extra work. Meanwhile, Miller has found a new finance director: former Redlands CFO Bonnie Johnson. Community Services Director Bill Smith will add HR to his duties, becoming a deputy city manager. Miller is a breath of fresh air in Colton. Too bad he doesn't want the job permanently. Then I'd be more confident the changes he's bringing in would stay.

Cassie MacDuff can be reached at 951-368-9470 or
http://us.mc331.mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to=cmacduff@PE.com