Steve Berry No Comment on Fumble

Below is an example of what can go wrong when a City Council simply votes on the Agenda as Presented by Staff. In this case Staff was Steve Berry who apparently did not inform the City Council Members the full affect and effect of an action taken. In this case the Fumble of a Prescription Drug Discount Program for the Citizens. His no Comment is just another slap in the face of the Citizens he wasn't really interested in serving all the years he was being paid well with our taxes.

It is time that the City Council takes a step back and look at the real need for the full review of terms and conditions of the agreements in front of them. Shame on them. Perhaps they can reach into their own pockets and pay for the Pharmacy Bills for the Citizens they failed to serve. They could have paid the dues for the organization and NOT Gone to the Junket Meetings that cost so much. Thus giving the Citizens the benefit of membership and not using it as a way to pay for political junkets for themselves.

BUT NO... the Council Members are like Steve Berry and Tom Schwab were not looking out for the Citizens that way.

GT officials fumble drug discount program

Stephen Wall, Staff Writer
Posted: 01/10/2010 09:40:12 PM PST

GRAND TERRACE - With great fanfare, the city announced a program last year promising residents an average savings of 20 percent off the price of prescription drugs.

Officials promoted the free program on the city's Web site and issued a news release about it.

The City Council gave its unanimous blessing in late April, and a city report said the cards would be made available to the public within 30 days.

But the program never got off the ground.

Council members say the city couldn't offer the program for budgetary reasons.

Grand Terrace was a member of the National League of Cities, which makes the program available to cities across the country at no cost. But in the midst of a budget crunch last spring, city officials decided they couldn't afford to spend nearly $1,500 to renew their membership in the organization.

As a result, the city never received the identification cards and marketing materials to promote and launch the program.

Council members say they are fuzzy on the details of what happened after they approved the program. Former acting City Manager Steve Berry, who recommended that the city participate in the program, declined to comment.

"It was one of those things that quietly died," said Councilman Walt Stanckiewitz. "I'm not sure the prescription drug card ever got associated with us pulling out of the National League of Cities. If we don't re-up our membership, then we don't have this to give to our residents. I don't know if this was ever a conversation."


In retrospect, Stanckiewitz said not renewing the membership may not have been a wise move.

"To me, we were cutting some of the stupidest things. This could have been one of them," he said.

Under the program, the discount cards would have been provided at no charge to all Grand Terrace residents who requested them. There was no enrollment form, membership fee or age or income restrictions.

The cards could have been used anytime residents' prescriptions were not covered by insurance.

The discount would have been valid at the CVS Pharmacy in Grand Terrace and thousands of other participating pharmacies across the country.

Locally, the discount cards are available to residents in Rialto, Fontana and Claremont.

"I think it would certainly be an asset to the city," said longtime resident JoAnn Johnson, 78.

"It would certainly behoove the city to renew their membership in this organization so it was available and advertise it in the local newspaper."

Mayor Maryetta Ferre said it was unfortunate that the program was a casualty of budget troubles that afflicted most cities last year.

"That was one of the things we could cut back on without cutting back on services to the community," Ferre said.

"Obviously, I'd like to be able to provide that. At this point in time, we can't. If we're able to in the future, we will."