Debt Aproved. New Council Members Needed.

With the new debt levels available for the City Council/Redevelopment Agency and City Staff we are forced to ask can we trust the City Council/Mayor and Staff to hold each of the expenditures and use of that money to the use intended and desired by the public.

We know that Mayor Ferre, Bea Cortez and Lee Ann Garcia are rubber stamp voters and will continue to be blindly guided or directed by Staff Recommendations and Reports. Can you identify any time they directed staff to reverse a proposal or action?

Jim Miller forced the use of bidding for contracts for services such as the city's air conditioner, and other large purchases. Walt asks good questions but has not yet shown sufficient strength to violate the Council's practice of just going along with the first and only staff presentation on an idea or issue.

It is a fair to ask the staff for the presentation of alternative options to such things as expanding the debt levels. Then allow the citizens to have input, and the council decide without an indication of the "Staff's Desires". The city does or should not be run for the satisfaction of the City Staff. If the city can't run without debt funds... Perhaps we should not be a city. Or we should have a smaller City Government.

True, it is a new city staff. But, as of yet we are not all sure that the new City Manager, has a team with our best interest in mind. Much of the old management is still entrenched in city hall. She may not be getting the best advise. The consultant who helped with the general plan, works for businesses outside of Grand Terrace. It does not list the Grand Terrace Citizens as its clients.

Citizens were informed of the Planning and RDA meeting after the Staff and Hired help had already prepared their reports. Citizen input was not front loaded. No alternatives were provided the council or the citizens.

The Citizens who attend the meetings are limited to 3 minute presentations, and it is clear that the council has already determined to support Staff Recommendations prior to the Public Hearings. The Staff gets an unlimited amount of time to present to the Council. The ONLY reason the public participates in the process is in the event there is a need to take the City to Court. We know the Council is not impacted by even a single point, or word that is spoken from the Public Lectern.

Mayor Ferre's rude response to allow just one more minute not any more than one minute to one of the speakers finishing up a well written presentation of facts indicates her mind is closed to any input. It also was rude. Mrs Ferre if you don't have time to hear a complete idea and issues from a citizen on such a large and costly proposition, perhaps you should not be Mayor or a Council Member. A City Council Member should want to hear all the possibilities and input on an issue PRIOR to making their decision. Even if that means the staff is directed to write up a study of an alternative plan of action for a future meeting.

No one presented a realistic bare bones plan. This would include the things we are currently obligated to do, things that are needed like flood control, and stop lights, sidewalks, and road repair.

No one presented a plan that would finish up just the Barton Road General Plan, and the above.

No one presented real alternatives for the SW Land that should be developed in conjunction with the freeway plan, not prior to Cal Trans. The city could say, this land is zoned, temporary hold... for Freeway Construction Preserve Area. When the freeway is done, then see what is needed and available.

Grand Terrace will not benefit by following the path of building stores like the Colton RDA did in Cooley Ranch. Yet the presentations to date all indicate this backward looking planning as a means to "Fill In" the remaining land in Grand Terrace. Copy what isn't working... now that sounds like a great idea.

Citizens are right. The City and the Council has not done a good job in the past. This needs to be changed. RDA Projects should be held to a minimum and the Debt Bonds should only be sold IF it is a REQUIRED or NECESSARY Project, not a folly, like the Outdoor Adventure Center or Schwab/Jacobsen Town Center.

Question: Why is CVS allowed to have storage containers in their parking lot? This is not acceptable per the code.
Why were City Workers clearing the weeds adjacent to Jacobsen Owned Property. All of us have to take care of our parkways that the City has the right of way. Was Jacobsen billed?

Some one will pay for GT RDA... We should be not getting more than we can support ourselves. Taking money from Needles or Oakland is nothing to take pride in.