Sylvia Robles Candidate for City Council City of Grand Terrace
Contact: (951) 334-4104
PRESS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE August 30, 2010
The City of Grand Terrace in an email communication between Grand Terrace resident Cindi Bidney and City Clerk Brenda Mesa indicates that the city has no plans to televise the special meeting to approve a development agreement between the City Redevelopment Agency and Stater Bros Markets.
The City was unable to consider the development agreement at the last regularly scheduled meeting, Tuesday, August 24, 2010, due to lack of a quorum. The City of Grand Terrace has a vacant council seat. Councilman Walt Stanckiewitz has been unable to participate due to the City Attorney’s ruling he has a conflict of interest. Councilman Stanckiewitz, with the assistance of the City Manager and other city staff have prepared a packet of information regarding the pending agreement with Stater Bros Markets. This action is to determine if Councilman Stanckiewitz does in fact have a conflict of interest and to decide whether or not he should be cleared to act on this agenda item. They are anticipating a timely review by the attorneys with the California Fair Political Practices Commission, which regulates and enforces the conflict of interest code for elected officials.
The meeting to approve the Stater Bros development agreement is a special meeting, customarily used for emergency business.
The Mayor and Council-members Bea Cortes and Lee Ann Garcia are the only ones that can act on the agenda in relation to the Stater Bros agreement.
Mayor Ferre is stepping down when her term ends in December 2010. Bea Cortes is facing three opponents for her seat in this November 02, 2010 election.
It is the viewpoint of city council candidate, Sylvia Robles, that the calling of a special meeting for non-emergency agenda creates an undue burden on citizens who have set their schedules to the normal council meeting times and dates in order to participate in city government. The fact that another member not facing re-election, according to Mrs. Robles, could possibly act on the matter is another important reason to re-set the meeting the next regularly scheduled council meeting date.
