Council Unable to Decide For Safety

OPINION:
The Grand Terrace City Council can't decide to protect the community from the hazards of fireworks or the past proposed power plant close to a high school.

The City Council more than willing to pay Doug Jacobsen for property that was supposed to be used to replace Low and Moderate Income Housing Destroyed in his failed Development Scheme that forced people to sell their land to a single buyer, (a closed market) that has reduced the income taxes and sales taxes and property taxes collected by the City. The City Council should not reward Doug Jacobsen for his abuse of our community. There are alternative City Owned Sites for a park.

The City Council seems to be willing to increase the City Redevelopment Agency Debt to 70 million and extend the existence of the City Redevelopment Agency in order to support the function of the City's General Fund. Ask what has the CRA done for you? Isn't it time that the CRA choke hold on individual rights and use of property be eliminated in Grand Terrace? Isn't it time that the City of Grand Terrace live within its budget and not pay employees with borrowed CRA Money?

FROM THE NEWS PAPER
10:00 PM PST on Wednesday, March 3, 2010
By DARRELL R. SANTSCHI
The Press-Enterprise

Voters will in all likelihood decide whether fireworks are to be banned in Grand Terrace.
Torn between youth groups who depend on fireworks to raise money and residents fearful for their safety, the City Council voted last week to have staff members draft a proposed ballot measure for the November election.
In a written report to the council, City Manager Betsy Adams said the youth sports programs who rely on fireworks sales as their biggest fund-raisers of the year - the Grand Terrace Little League and the Grand Terrace Community Soccer Club - had rejected offers for the city to eliminate a $5-per-child fee for use and lighting of city fields in exchange for giving up fireworks sales.
Supporters of both groups have argued that without fireworks sales in Grand Terrace, residents will flock to other nearby cities to buy them.
"You cannot protect people from bad decisions," soccer club
Treasurer Teresa Gray told the council. "People do stupid things no matter what laws you pass to protect people."
In response to questions from council members about what the youth groups are doing to raise money, Eileen Garza said Little League players are only allowed to participate in one fund-raiser a year and that 24 businesses donated $150 each to the program.
About a dozen people spoke for and against a fireworks ban at last week's council meeting.
Resident JoAnn Johnson said she opposes the sale of fireworks.
"My major concern about the fireworks is for the pets," she said. "I will be at the front of the line when an effort is made to raise funds from the public."
"My basic concern is the fire danger," Ann Wade Hornsby said, arguing that families can go to public fireworks shows and attend picnics on the holiday.
City Councilwoman Bea Cortes quoted a petition she said the city had received with the signatures of 40 people who favor a ban on fireworks.
Councilman Walt Stanckiewitz noted that the city had not looked for alternatives to selling fireworks for 13 years and that the community is deeply divided on the issue.
At his urging the council voted 4-0 to allow the sale of fireworks this July even if the question is put to voters. Councilman Jim Miller abstained.
At the urging of Mayor Maryetta Ferre, the council voted 4-1 to create a safety zone around Blue Mountain where fireworks would be prohibited. Stanckiewitz cast the dissenting vote.

Reach Darrell R. Santschi at 951-368-9484 or dsantschi@PE.com

OPINION:
Mayor Maryetta Ferre lives in the "Safety Zone" she is protecting her own property while not able to protect the rest of the community. At least Stanckiewitz saw that protecting some citizens is a flawed public policy. He knows that if a fire starts anywhere in Grand Terrace we are all at risk. House to house fires spread in Santa Anna Winds just ask San Diego and Orange County Residents.
The Claim by Team Treasurer Theresa Gray that People will do stupid things regardless of the laws to protect them indicates that we are all lawless as a community and fails to understand that allowing fireworks ENCOURAGES Stupid Behavior and Endorses it and even PROMOTES IT. This causes an increased liability to the City and a risk to all households in the community.
The Teams and the City have gone year to year with no intention to stop the sale of fireworks. The Children don't participate in the Sale of Fireworks, that would be breaking the LAW. Perhaps the Parents could do one or more replacement fund raising activities and the Children could actually help earn their entertainment in a way that would benefit them and the community.