The City Council Agenda and Staff Reports for the June 14, 2011 Meeting are now available on-line.
Click Below for Agenda and Staff Reports:
http://ca-grandterrace.civicplus.com/archives/38/06142011%20Council%20Packet.PDF
What is missing in the presentation is the following:
A cost of the reduced services for parks and public property to determine if there is reason to go with a contracted services.
Why aren't Project Management Services share with Colton/Loma Linda and GT? Has this option been looked into? What is the cost benefit of the cut how much would the contracted services cost... WE MUST have a comparison.
IF the City Staff no longer spends any time with Halloween Haunt, Movie in the Park, or other activities on City Property what are the activities covered by the Insurance Umbrella. Let the Citizens and Service Organizations know up front what activities they could host without impediments and added insurance costs. Would it be better for the city to pay a little more in insurance to cover a diversity of activities by Volunteers, Private Contractors and Individuals so that the opportunity exists if the interest and volunteers are available. There would be no diversion of or use of city employees for any of the Social Activities, sports, movies, concerts, or GT Days. ALL that is needed is space and the city's insurance umbrella to be sufficiently broad to cover the risk.
The Dog Park: The City should provide basic Insurance Umbrella as mentioned above. Then the city should lease the land to the Friends of the Dog Park at a buck a year for 20 years. Let them make improvements little by little using donations and thrift as only individuals can do. It would make a fine Scout Project. The city can and should design the basic infrastructure, a restroom for humans, poop cans, and water hand washing stations. The fence of 6 foot and so forth. The park can be used as it is being built, if the fence was put in and toxic plants removed. Donations may increase in kind or in cash if there was some activity in its development apparent to the community.
Parks could be leased to operators just as Calico Ghost Town is owned by the County of San Bernardino, a private company runs the facility. It is a thought. Why would you do this. Well two of the parks have a snack bar that may be utilized 7 days a week.
The interesting thing about the cuts proposed none include the cut into the incomes at the top of the Management Chain, or the most costly of the salary and retirement and benefit levels. For example The City Manager should have her total cost to the city reduced by 50,000.00. She would still be earning nearly 3 times the Average GT income, and over 120,000.00 year. I also think that is a full time income and she should work as management does in nearly all situations a 40 plus hour work week.
Perhaps the truth is that the citizens of Grand Terrace don't really care if there is a City of Grand Terrace, or a city hall or a Redevelopment Agency. Perhaps if it were put up to a vote the citizens would rather return to County Administration and Regulation.
